At that moment, Greedy Wolf walked over with an air of excitement. He practically buzzed with energy as he spoke. “Defender, we’ve found a highly suspicious individual! It’s highly likely that this man is the one who killed Massimo!”
With that, he showed a surveillance clip to Kayden. The footage was a brief two seconds, showing only a masked man swiftly darting past the camera. That was it-nothing more, just a fleeting shadow.
“This man is Boaz Palmer. Seven years ago, he worked as an IT technician at a company. But after the company’s system was hacked and a huge amount of data was lost, he was fired. Soon after, his long-time girlfriend dumped him, and he fell into a deep depression. Then, he vanished without a trace. No one has seen him since. The hacker who sabotaged his company’s system back then was Massimo! Now, after all these years, he suddenly reappears and shows up in the same neighborhood where Massimo lives. There’s a very good chance he’s here to find him!”
Kayden, still trying to piece it together, furrowed his brow and asked, “He just vanished for seven years?”
“Yes. He left as if he had simply vanished from the world. No one knew where he went, and then, just recently, he reappeared. And he’s done two things since his return” Greedy Wolf replied.
“First, he murdered his ex-girlfriend and her family. Second, he came to kill Massimo. This looks like a revenge killing.”
But Kayden still remained skeptical that this was motivated by mere revenge. He cut to the heart of the matter with a firm question, “Since his return, who has he met?”
“He’s met with members of Saint Dragon Business Association!”
After a brief pause, Greedy Wolf continued, “As you have suspected, Saint Dragon Business Association has likely become a puppet of Hellblazer.”
“Saint Dragon Business Association!” Kayden ground out the name through clenched teeth, his voice filled with venom.
Saint Dragon Business Association was Seclela’s largest and most influential economic conglomerate, with investments spread across every corner of the land. Just a few days ago, they had been planning to make a grand investment in Hiphia, intending to flaunt their power. But then, something utterly unexpected occurred.
Kayden had already taken the life of their leader, Kendall Lindsey. Initially, he had planned to bide his time, letting the members of this association tremble in fear and uncertainty. But now, he realized there was no need for delay!
Boaz Palmer emerged and made contact with the Saint Dragon Business Association. Kayden knew with certainty that his own speculation had been right all along. Saint Dragon Business Association had indeed fallen under the control of Hellblazer. What’s more, Boaz himself was one of Hellblazer’s followers!
Hellblazer! The goddamn organization that always remained hidden in the dark! Kayden’s fists tightened instinctively as his gaze flickered toward the bodies of Massimo and his wife. With a grim expression, he muttered through gritted teeth, “Now that Saint Dragon Business Association has something to do with Massimo’s death, then let’s take them out first!”
“Gather the men! We’ll crush Saint Dragon Business Association underfoot!”
At the Headquarters of Saint Dragon Business Association.
The building was nothing less than a palace. It’s a European-style architecture with soft white walls that stand in stark contrast to the lavish, gold-plated interiors. Inside this glittering, almost gaudy space, a group of elderly men sat, whose faces were dark with displeasure.
These men were the founders of Saint Dragon Business Association-the Braxton brothers and several prominent members of the Vargas family.
They were holding a crucial meeting about the assassination of Kendall the previous day, as well as Kayden’s chilling threat to destroy them. In Seclela, these men were so powerful that a single word from their mouth could lead to the downfall of a whole region. Now, however, they were faced with a direct threat. It’s an affront to their authority that was as brazen as it was unthinkable. It was an insult they could never stand.
“Isn’t that guy a little too full of himself? To think he doesn’t even show any respect to us! Does he really believe that just because he’s the king on the Battlefield, he can call the shots in everything? Without us, the economy of Seclela would take a massive hit!” Harold Braxton, Cyrus Braxton’s brother, exploded in rage upon hearing about Kendall’s death.
In his fifties, Harold’s face was rough-hewn, with a sharp, prominent nose. Judging from his appearance, he’s a man with a fiery temper.
“Harold, calm down. You’re overreacting. Do you honestly think that guy would dare to come and challenge us? What he’s doing is nothing more than trying to scare us! Saying he’ll give us three days. What a joke! Our position is so deeply entrenched in Seclela that even if he had three years, he couldn’t bring us down,” said Castiel, heir to the Vargas Family, his voice oozing confidence.
Harold shook his head slowly, his face darkening. “I don’t think so. He killed Kendall right in front of everyone. That was a direct challenge to the very reputation of our Saint Dragon Business Association. Do you really think he’s afraid of us?”
But Castiel’s confidence only grew. A grin tugged at the corner of his lips as he nodded. “Exactly because he killed Kendall, I’m certain he won’t dare touch us. If he had any intention of targeting us, he wouldn’t have killed Kendall. That was merely a warning to us.”
“A warning? What do you mean?” Harold frowned, clearly confused.
Castiel tilted his head back, his eyes glinting with excitement. “Think about it! He’s already given us a warning. Do you really believe he’ll still come after us? If he had the guts to attack, he wouldn’t have been so obvious, so dramatic about it. The warning itself is his way of saying, ‘I’m not interested in you… for now.'”
“Castiel!” Just then, an elderly man with a salt-and-pepper beard sat next to Castiel. He suddenly interjected, his voice sharp and commanding.
“You’re still not experienced enough!” The old man finally relaxed his tightly furrowed brows and opened his squinted eyes.
He let out a deep, weary sigh, then turned to ask, “Cyrus, what do you think?”
His gaze fixed on Cyrus who was now in his sixties. Cyrus exhaled a troubled breath, and after a long pause, he replied, “Such a person from the Battlefield… we should never have crossed him. His power is so vast now that, if he wanted to wipe us out, it could all be done with a single command! I’ve told you before that we shouldn’t be working for anyone. And now…”
“What? Are you afraid?” Salvatore’s eyes narrowed, and his expression sharpened as his voice grew more commanding.
Cyrus shook his head slowly. “This isn’t about fear. It’s about what we should do next!”
“What should we do next?” Salvatore’s demeanor shifted; he spoke with unshakable confidence, as though he had already mapped out every step. “We wait and watch. When the enemy advances, we stand our ground. When the waters rise, we build our dam. Even if something really happens, they will hold it up. What’s there to be afraid of? We’ll just do what needs to be done!”
“Should we retaliate then? Father!” Castiel’s voice was laced with malice as he spoke. “He’s already killed Kendall. If we don’t do something now, we’ll lose all face. We won’t be able to stand tall anymore!”
Salvatore’s lips curled into a faint smile. “I don’t think we’ll need to lift a finger. They’ll take care of the retaliation for us. Rest assured, everyone. Saint Dragon Business Association will endure through the ages. Nothing’s gonna break it down!”
“Salvatore, things aren’t the same anymore! He’s no longer the helpless child he was fifteen years ago! Haven’t you realized that yet?” Cyrus’s face was drawn, his tone grim.
Salvatore snorted coldly. The faintest trace of disdain flickered in his eyes. “So what? Do you think he’s more powerful than them?”
Cyrus’s sigh deepened as he shook his head. “Salvatore, are we on the wrong path? What have we gained from them in these past twenty years? We’ve sacrificed so much, but what have we received in return? Don’t forget-we’re businessmen. We never make losing deals!”
Salvatore’s face darkened, and his grip tightened around the tea cup. He took a slow sip. “So, what exactly are you trying to say?” he asked in an icy tone.