“Do you want some?”
These simple four words from Flynn’s mouth seemed like a child’s inquiry, leaving everyone present momentarily stunned.
Both sides wanted to escalate the conflict and take advantage of the situation. However, the tense atmosphere they had deliberately created was easily shattered by Flynn’s casual act of eating sunflower seeds.
Elijah, sitting at a nearby table, couldn’t help but laugh. “This kid is really something!” he said. “But I like him!”
Initially, Elijah had planned to teach Flynn a lesson after this matter was settled. Now, however, he found himself admiring Flynn’s audacity.
Elijah’s comment made everyone’s expressions turn even darker. Especially Maximo, whose eyes were filled with icy disdain as he looked at the handful of sunflower seeds Flynn offered him. He narrowed his eyes.
Jada shot Elijah a warning glance, signaling him to keep quiet. Elijah, accustomed to being unruly, showed little fear of his mother’s gaze and continued doing as he pleased. He leaned back lazily, pulled out a cigarette from its pack, tossed it into the air, and caught it in his mouth.
With a flick of his lighter, smoke rose instantly. Elijah casually tossed the lighter onto the table and began shaking his leg in enjoyment.
Seeing Maximo refuse the sunflower seeds without a word of thanks, Flynn smirked and said, “How rude.”
With that, he put the seeds back into the fruit bowl and continued eating them noisily. Soon enough, a pile of shells accumulated on the floor.
Everyone watched Flynn with their own thoughts. Neither Kendal nor Maximo appreciated Flynn’s ostentatious behavior. No one expected that the escalating confrontation would be so easily disrupted by Flynn’s offhand remark.
One of Kendal’s subordinates approached and whispered something in her ear.
“No need,” Kendal waved her hand dismissively. The subordinate immediately retreated.
Frederick, seeing that Kendal had no intention of driving Flynn away, became furious and shouted at Flynn, “Are you looking for death?”
Maximo’s men also glared at Flynn menacingly, ready to kill him at a moment’s notice. Maximo himself felt similarly but knew he couldn’t lose face by reacting too quickly to provocation; it would make him look foolish.
He signaled for everyone to calm down and said, “Second in command, since we’re all part of Eight Extremities School, let’s be straightforward. I know the rules: when a leader is transferred or deceased, their successor is usually the deputy leader or someone designated by them.”
“You meet both criteria,” Maximo continued. “But since I’m here now, you should face reality. To show my goodwill, I’ll give you an opportunity: sever all ties with the Sharp’s Group. I’ll find you new partners who will ensure you earn even more.”
Kendal’s face turned cold. Canceling her cooperation with the Sharp’s Group would incur significant penalties-money she could afford but at the cost of her reputation. Breaking her word would make future partnerships difficult.
More importantly, agreeing to Maximo’s terms would mean bowing to him-a clear attempt to suppress the Sharp’s Group while forcing her submission.
Kendal maintained her composure and said, “Business is built on trust. I’ve signed an agreement with Ms. Sharp and intend to honor it.”
“Mr. Goff,” she added coldly, “your proposal isn’t showing me respect; it’s slapping me in the face.”
Jada also spoke up coldly: “Mr. Goff, knowing our succession rules doesn’t justify buying your way into Niarak while our leader is in seclusion.” She stared directly at Maximo.
Had it not been for Maximo’s interference, Kendal would have become the leader and Jada her deputy-a fact that filled Jada with resentment.
As Jada’s son, Elijah felt his own anger rise upon hearing his mother’s words. His expression turned vicious as he looked at Maximo.
Maximo shrugged off Jada’s comment and turned back to Kendal with a sneer: “So you’re not planning to follow my orders?”
Kendal replied sternly: “We both have people depending on us. Mr. Goff wants me to betray my commitments while he profits handsomely-do you think that’s fair?”
“I intended to support Mr. Goff,” she continued, “but if you insist on harming my interests, you’re deliberately provoking conflict and undermining our branch’s unity.”
Maximo laughed coldly and said: “Provoking conflict? Undermining unity? What grand accusations!”
“Mr. Powell died because of the Sharp’s Group; Rose is deeply involved in this,” he accused. “You received many favors from Mr. Powell but now collaborate with Rose-betraying Eight Extremities School’s principles!”
“And you still expect me to show you respect?” he added angrily.
Kendal listened to Maximo’s aggressive words with a darkening expression and replied icily: “Mr. Powell did value me highly.”
“And I respected him greatly,” she continued calmly. “But collaborating with King of Poison endangered Eight Extremities School-a decision I cannot endorse.”
“Eight Extremities School may operate underground but must not harm national interests; this principle underpins our existence.”
“King of Poison committed heinous crimes in Ostrad; partnering with him violated our core values and endangered us all.”
“Moreover,” she added firmly, “there is no conclusive evidence linking Mr. Powell’s death directly to Rose.”
“It was God of War who acted under National Security Bureau orders when they encountered each other at Energence Pharmaceuticals.”
Hearing this made Maximo’s face turn icy as he enunciated slowly: “Are you saying Mr. Powell deserved to die?”
“Kendal! My father treated you so well-how much did Rose pay you to defend her like this?”
“No one else can insult my father-but not you!”
“You ungrateful traitor-you don’t belong in Eight Extremities School!” Frederick roared furiously at Kendal.
Jada frowned and interjected: “Mr. Powell-second in command was merely stating facts objectively.”
“You know Mr. Powell nearly destroyed Eight Extremities School with his actions,” she argued.
“If second in command were truly ungrateful,” Jada added pointedly, “would she have given away a million-dollar company after Mr. Powell’s death?”
Frederick glared at Jada viciously: “I’m questioning Kendal-who asked for your input? You’re just an advisor here!”
“A million-dollar company? Ha! She only offered it to shut me up.”
“I’ll return it after this meeting-I won’t accept anything from a traitor!”
Elijah stood up abruptly upon hearing Frederick’s words and glared coldly at him while narrowing his eyes.
“Sit down!” Kendal ordered Elijah before turning back to Frederick: “I will always remember Mr. Powell’s kindness.”
“But that doesn’t mean I must agree with everything he did.”
“My earlier comments were merely expressing regret over his collaboration with King of Poison.”
“If he had been killed for other reasons-even by God of War-I would seek justice for him.”
“But partnering with King of Poison was undeniably wrong-even our leader would agree.”
Maximo placed his cigar in an ashtray and rubbed his knees mockingly: “Second in command refuses to end cooperation with Ms. Sharp-this puts me in a difficult position!”
Kendal leaned back on the sofa and covered her teacup lid while smiling coldly.
Seeing this made Elijah take a deep drag from his cigarette before flicking it into the air where it bounced twice upon landing.
Exhaling heavily through smoke-filled lips-and with one hand in his pocket while gripping table edge-he smirked:
“Difficult? Then don’t do it!”
With those words spoken-he suddenly flipped over table revealing hidden machete beneath which he unsheathed before slamming onto table shouting loudly:
“Brothers-come out!”
Immediately-the garden erupted as over hundred black-clad men along twenty armed gunmen emerged!