In Erudia, a private jet landed at North Hampton Airport, where all international flights experienced an eight-hour delay because of it.
At the private passageway were five men in suits and leather shoes, standing as straight as a javelin.
Every now and then, they would raise their wrist to look at the time, for a big shot was coming to town.
The upper-class society of North Hampton had learned about his arrival, but no one had the capability to get an inch closer to the private passageway.
Even the richest man in North Hampton who came to pay homage was chased away.
Finally, there were movements coming from the passageway.
“God of War!!!” the mass cried out, their eyes filled with awe and veneration at the sight of the undefeatable legend of Erudia.
He, who was dubbed the God of War, was the one and only five-star war God in the history of Erudia.
Once, he’d inflicted a crushing defeat on the strongest battalions in eighteen countries. He was an overbearing and formidable man.
He who overwhelmed the world with his unparalleled power had even created the Five Great Wars Regiment, Cavalry Regiment, and many more.
…
Setting foot on his homeland, Levi Garrison was overcome with emotions.
Once upon a time, he used to be an orphan who was abandoned on the streets of North Hampton and then adopted by the Garrison family.
However, the Garrison family had never been fond of him.
His adoptive parents, who had a tendency to beat and scold him, treated him like an outsider.
As for the outsiders, they treated him as a nobody.
But he didn’t care a stiver. He had always been proud of his surname since he was a child, and he strived to bring glory to this family when he grew older.
At last, Levi had established Levi Group, the largest dark horse in North Hampton’s business community.
With billions of assets, it ranked among the forefront of North Hampton, pushing the declining Garrison family to the top.
However, not only did the Garrison family showed no signs of appreciation, they even harbored dissatisfaction towards him. Jealous of his success, they regarded him as a thorn in their flesh and coveted Levi Group.
No matter his wealth and power, unless they were in control, he was just an outsider in the Garrison family’s eyes.
Eventually, on Levi’s wedding night, the Garrison family plotted a frame-up against him by getting him drunk before tossing him onto his sister-in-law’s bed. They wanted to create the illusion that he was doing something untoward to her and was caught in bed by his brother and adoptive parents.
That night, the Garrison family had brutally broken his limbs and left him on the road like a wild dog.
Not only was he handicapped, but he also had to take the flak for something he didn’t commit.
From an upstart in the business world, he had become the target of disdain overnight.
And the next day, he had been punished for several crimes and sentenced to six years in prison.
He could never forget the ruthless and sinister faces of everyone in the Garrison family and the ridicule of his friends, classmates, and business partners.
More so, he could never forget the disappointment on his newly wedded wife, Zoey’s face.
He had regarded the Garrison family as his home and devoted himself to the family.
Yet, they treated him like trash.
It felt as if a knife was being twisted in his heart every time he thought about this.
How he hated the Garrison family!
But who would have thought that Levi had been secretly transferred away from prison to join the military?
In a few years, he dominated the military world and became the one and only five-star God of War.
Now that he came back, the Garrison family ought to stay on their toes.
“How’s it going, Azure Dragon?” Levi asked.
Azure Dragon, the commander of the Five Great Wars Regiment, took a step forward and said respectfully, “Sir, I’m afraid your wife, Ms. Zoey Lopez will remarry at ten o’clock tonight!”
Ever since Zoey’s husband was sent to prison on their wedding night, she had been living like a widow.
Only God knew how much pressure she was put under.
And right now, the person Levi couldn’t wait to see the most was Zoey.
After a moment of hesitation, Azure Dragon continued, “To add on, Sir, the Garrison family is holding a successful listing celebration banquet at the Crystal Palace Hotel tonight! Many people had invited the God of War just now, including the Garrison family, but I didn’t accept nor refuse directly.”
“What time?” Levi asked tersely.
“Eight o’clock, Sir.”
“Okay. Tell the Garrison family I will attend the banquet!”
Since the time for the two events didn’t clash, Levi gladly accepted the invitation.
The celebration banquet for the public listing of Garrison Group was held at North Hampton’s Crystal Palace Hotel.
With the help of Levi Group, they had become a rich and powerful family in one fell swoop.
The hall was bustling with noise and excitement, and sounds of glasses clinking could be heard ringing in the air every now and then.
“God bless the Garrison family,” said Joseph, the head of the Garrison family. “The younger generations are the stars among men. Garrison Group is now listed and has become an upstart in North Hampton!”
Joseph’s three sons and daughter welcomed their guests with bright smiles on their faces.
The younger generation of the Garrison family was all the smugger and prouder because, after today, the Garrison family would become a powerful family, and they would become one of the top rich kids.
Most of the guests who attended today’s banquet were from the top circle in North Hampton.
“Garrison, do you know what happened today?! Your celebration party is nothing compared to that.” They were gossiping about the major event that had happened today.
“Yeah! I heard that a big shot has arrived in North Hampton!”
“The richest man in North Hampton wanted to meet him but was shooed away. Apparently, he’s not qualified enough!”
“So? Jesse Nielsen had been waiting for five hours in advance at the airport!”
Joseph nodded. “Yes, I know about that too. I even sent someone to invite this big shot to the celebration party!”
“No way! Why would this big shot attend such a party?”
No one believed it.
In fact, as an upstart, Joseph was just trying his luck.
“Dad!” shouted Jaycob, the second eldest son of the Garrison family could be seen running over. “The big shot has accepted our invitation to attend our celebration banquet! He’s on the way!”
“Jesus! God has indeed blessed the Garrison family!”
Everyone in the Garrison family could barely conceal their delight as this was their chance to reach the sky in a single bound.
The grandchildren of the Garrison family gathered together, sunshine flooding their souls.
Levi’s brother, Bryan, and sister-in-law, Victoria, smiled. “Well, it all starts with Levi’s imprisonment that the Garrison family is at where we are today…”
“Right, speaking about Levi, do you guys know today’s the day that kid gets out of prison?!” somebody asked abruptly.
“Really? Isn’t that bad luck? Why did he have to be released on such a big day?!”
“Please, please, please don’t come back! He’s the Garrison family’s biggest disgrace!”
Victoria’s lips tugged into a sneer. “Speaking of which, Levi is the crowning glory of the Garrison family’s status today.”
“That’s what he’s supposed to do!” Bryan said. “He should contribute to the Garrison family for raising him, an orphan! His multi-billion Levi Group means nothing. To put it bluntly, he’s just a dog raised by the Garrison family!”
Someone gave a chortle. “As a matter of fact, I’ve been interested in Levi’s wife for a long time now. She’s still widowed, and I’m so going to marry her!”
The man’s remark caused gales of laughter.
“Everyone, stop what you’re doing. I have an important announcement to make,” Joseph said and went on to announce that the big shot was coming.
A thunderous applause was heard.
But when the applause had died down, there was still someone clapping.
The sound was loud and clear, approaching from afar.
On the red carpet, a man came clapping, looking bold and energetic.
His stride gave off a majestic and imposing aura, which made the mass hold their breaths.
“It’s Levi!” Bryan and Victoria exclaimed.
Suddenly, all eyes were riveted on him.
“I forgot this little brat got out of jail today!” Levi’s adoptive parents spoke in unison.
Ignoring the astonished gazes darted at his way, Levi walked step by step towards Joseph.
“A little bird told me that the company is now listed. How are you feeling, Joseph? Are you happy?”
Levi flashed him a meaningful smile.
“How dare you show up here, you insolent brat! And what did you just call me?” Joseph’s fury sprang to life.
“Who let him in? Didn’t you know he just got out of prison? How inauspicious!”
Bryan rose to his feet. “What the hell are you doing here, Levi?”
Levi sized him up. “Why can’t I be here?”
“Well, for starters, you’re an orphan! The Garrison family has raised you, but you were ambitious and ungrateful. You had inordinate ambitions for your sister-in-law, and you wanted to take possession of the Garrison family! You’d even tried to kill your parents when things go south! Have you no conscience? Do you have any sense of morality left in your heart?”
“You’ve lost your reputation in North Hampton, and everyone knows that. Have you no shame to have the brass neck to come round here?”
Sebastian’s notoriety was immeasurable.
The cruel part of that notoriety was linked to the Black and White Guards.
Those were the masters of cruelty. Rumor had it that they grew up with wolves and ate raw meat every day.
They had single-handedly defeated an army of two hundred and rose to fame.
They later joined an underground boxing tournament, but they were so cruel that they were disqualified.
There was a story about how, during a match, one of them tore his opponent’s rib out and used that rib to stab the guy to death.
They later joined Sebastian’s team and raised hell everywhere.
They had killed so many people that there were many powerful figures and families who didn’t even dare look them in the eye.
The mere mention of the Black and White Guards got people to tremble in fear.
The Black and White Guards had gotten too violent and caused a lot of trouble, so Sebastian has locked them up.
Sebastian taking the Black and White Guards to North Hampton meant that he was getting serious.
When the citizens of South City learned that the Black and White Guards were being released from prison, everyone grew nervous.
Those two being released meant that someone was definitely going to die.
The citizens sighed a breath of relief when they learned that Sebastian was taking those killers to North Hampton.
However, they started praying for North Hampton.
They wondered which unlucky bastard had angered Sebastian so much that he released the Black and White Guards.
Everyone knew that anyone who offended Sebastian would face dire consequences.
Death would’ve been a better option because the Black and White Guards’ inhumane methods had always terrified everyone.
……
The network in North Hampton was still pretty good.
When Glenn heard the news, he immediately went to look for Levi.
“Mr. Garrison, something bad is about to happen. Sebastian will come to North Hampton tomorrow with the Black and White Guards!”
Glenn wiped his sweat off.
“So what if they come? Why are you so scared?” chuckled Levi.
“Mr. Garrison, maybe you don’t know it, but those three are nuts! They are like a time bomb that would go off at any moment!”
“You know Liam, don’t you? He is strong and undisciplined… The ones who defeated him were Sebastian and the Black and White Guards! Liam had to go on his knees and beg them for mercy. His life was spared because of that, but they still crippled all his limbs!”
Glen took a deep breath before he continued, “The Black and White Guards are especially brutal. They killed everyone in the orphanage when they were ten, and their violent tendencies only worsen as they age. They have killed countless men, and rumor has it that they are cannibals! They’re basically demons.”
Levi laughed.
He had seen all kinds of lunatics during his time in the army.
Many places had similar ‘demons’ who had murdered thousands before, but he had defeated them all.
“Be careful, Mr. Garrison. They are here to destroy you,” Glen warned.
“Well, since they’re coming to North Hampton, then we’ll trap them here,” said Levi cruelly.
“Huh?” Glen blurted, stunned.
Isn’t this dude a little too full of it?
Trapping Sebastian and the Black and White Guards?
Glen didn’t think it was plausible, but he wasn’t in a position to say anything.
The news of how Sebastian was heading to North Hampton with the Black and White Guards had spread.
Everyone started avoiding the place, simply staying home.
Some powerful families, however, got ready to welcome the three men.
It seemed that Sebastian wasn’t just there to seek vengeance. He was also there because he was expanding into North Hampton.
The powerful families thought that if they left a good impression on Sebastian, they might benefit from it in the future.
Harry and the others stood guard at the hospital.
They were excited but also scared to hear that Sebastian was heading over.
With Sebastian there, North Hampton would practically be dominated by the Lopez family.
As such, they would benefit from it as well.
They were also afraid, though, because Sebastian might blame them for what had happened.
CHAPTER 393
“It’d be great if Dustin could wake up before Sebastian gets here,” sighed Shaun.
When the doctor heard that, he blurted, “I have an idea that might help with that…”
“What is it? Tell us. If it works, we will reward you handsomely,” Harry said, whose eyes lit up immediately.
The doctor replied, “A medical expert I know might be able to cure this patient, and there’s a good chance that he knows how to wake the patient up.”
“Really?” asked Harry, whose eyes shone with hope just like his family’s eyes were.
“Yes, he is definitely the top in the medical field in Erudia. However, I heard that he will be catching a plane and leaving North Hampton tomorrow,” said the doctor.
“Are you talking about Benny Quinton?” asked Fabian.
“Yeah. Who else would be that skilled?” The doctor nodded.
Harry looked troubled as he said, “But I heard that Benny Quinton no longer takes patients in. He will definitely reject our request if we ask.”
“We have to try! Sebastian will be here tomorrow.”
Harry and his family soon got to the place where Azure Dragon and Benny Quinton lived. They asked Benny to help cure Dustin, but as expected, Benny rejected their offers.
Harry and the others kept trying to come up with another solution after that.
The next day rolled by soon after.
A bunch of cars showed up in North Hampton.
The last few cars had about a dozen men in black outfits. They got out and stood at the side.
Simon drove the Rolls-Royce in the lead. He got out and circled around to open the door for Sebastian.
Sebastian was wearing a black, old-fashioned outfit, and was holding a walking cane with a dragon’s head carved on it.
He oozed a domineering aura as he scanned the place.
After that, he walked to the black luxurious car at the end.
The car seeped a chilling aura, and it shook so violently that it seemed that it might topple itself over.
“Stay in the car and do not leave until I give the say so,” instructed Sebastian. Only then did the car stop shaking.
Simon was trembling in fear because that was the car the Black and White Guards took.
If those two showed up on the street, the entire place would definitely turn upside down.
Simon later led Sebastian into the hospital, and they headed into Dustin’s room.
Thump!
Harry and the others got down on their knees in front of Sebastian.
“This is all our fault, Sebastian. We did not keep Dustin safe. We were wrong, so please punish us as you see fit,” cried Harry.
Sebastian scanned everyone and replied cruelly, “Get up. This has nothing to do with you. Those people are not easy to deal with, or Quentin and Wesley would not have been defeated.”
Harry replied softly, “I don’t dare to. Levi is my grandson-in-law, yet I did not teach him the rules. I didn’t know he was that strong.”
“I said, stand up!” Sebastian suddenly raised his voice.
That made Harry and the others jump up in fright.
They stopped bullshitting then.
Sebastian went to check on Dustin.
“What did the doctor say?” He asked.
“It’s not good. He will not be able to wake up for the time being and might stay in a persistent vegetative state,” answered Harry.
Sebastian looked devastated then.
“However, there is still hope. Benny Quinton is in North Hampton, and he is the best expert in the medical field. We asked him to come over yesterday, but he rejected our offer. His plane will be taking off today, and he should be boarding in two hours.”
Sebastian’s eyes shone with a cruel glint upon hearing that. “Simon, go get Benny Quinton over! Do not let him board that airplane.”
CHAPTER 394
Harry then added, “Still, you shouldn’t hold out so much hope because Benny has a rule about how he doesn’t do private calls. The God of War, Liam Macy, dragged Benny over once. Things did not end well.”
Sebastian’s eyes burned with untamed fury as he roared, “That puny Liam Macy is nothing compared to me!”
“I can hire anyone he can hire, and I am capable of convincing people he can’t convince.”
“Go get Benny Quinton over right away. He must cure my nephew!”
Simon nodded, “Understood. There isn’t a person on Earth who wouldn’t come at your command.”
“That’s right. Those who disobey me will meet an untimely end,” scoffed Sebastian.
Harry and the others trembled as they stood at Sebastian’s side.
Sebastian’s aura was too strong.
Everyone felt the weight of mountains crushing on them when they heard him speak.
As such, they were all sweating then.
Simon departed immediately to get Benny Quinton.
Henry and the others started saying, “Sebastian, this is all Levi’s and Zoey’s fault. They are close with Nueve and Trey, and they thought they can do whatever they want because of that. They don’t respect the Lopez family from South City.”
“Freaking Levi Garrison. I am here just to deal with him. I don’t care who he has supporting him; I will not forgive him!”
“Also, I will be staying here permanently. My plan is simple. I will make it so that everyone in North Hampton trembles in fear when they hear our name,” declared Sebastian.
Harry and the others were ridiculously excited.
Was it finally their chance to shine?
It didn’t matter how useless they were. Being a member of the Lopez family would be sufficient.
North Hampton would soon belong to Sebastian.
Liam Macy, Winston Gonzales, and the North Hampton Chamber of Commerce would all fall.
No one could beat Sebastian!
At that moment, Harry and the others had started fantasizing about their future.
Simon hurried over to the airport with about ten men.
Levi had personally driven the car to take Benny Quinton and his assistant to the airport.
At first, Levi wanted to use a military plane to take Benny straight to Vermond, but Benny rejected that offer.
That was how Benny Quinton was.
He was an ordinary doctor with a pure soul.
Levi kept them company until they went into the waiting lounge.
Unfortunately, a van stopped at the airport after Levi had left.
Simon and over ten men rushed into the airport.
Benny and his assistant had just gotten their boarding passes and were heading towards the gate.
However, over ten men showed up in front of them.
“Mr. Benny Quinton, please come with us!”
Simon was swift.
He never gave Benny a chance to talk before he grabbed them.
When Benny and his assistant finally came around, they were already in the van.
“Let’s go!” instructed Simon before the car departed.
At the hospital.
Benny Quinton and his assistant were forcefully dragged into the patient’s room.
Everyone turned serious and polite when they saw Benny Quinton there.
Sebastian, however, glared in disdain and scoffed, “I hate educated people like you. So pretentious.”
Benny grinned, “Then why do you insist on bringing me here?”
“Because you are a doctor who can cure patients. That is all you are worthy of!”
Sebastian pointed at Dustin, then ordered cruelly, “Treat my nephew right now! If you succeed, I will give you a total of one billion. If not… You can choose if you’d like to keep your arms or your legs.”
Sebastian’s barbaric style stunned Benny.
Liam Macy had been a powerful bully too, but even that man had shown a little respect to Benny.
The man in front of Benny was utterly despicable and unrestrained.
He looked like a madman.
CHAPTER 395
“No. You have your rules, but so do I,” refuted Benny.
“As I said, educated people like you are horrible. Isn’t your job to cure the sick? Why aren’t you treating him? Where is your so-called moral?” scoffed Sebastian.
“You were immoral and kidnapped me, so I have no obligations to help you,” persisted Benny.
Sebastian laughed aloud. “There are just too many ways to force your hand. Simon?”
Simon received the message immediately.
Slam!
Simon kicked Benny’s assistant to the floor.
“Arg…” The assistant cried.
“What the hell are you doing?” demanded Benny in a worried tone.
“I will cripple him if you refuse to treat the man,” said Simon as he increased the pressure on the assistant’s ankle. That prompted the assistant to shout even more.
Harry and the others were horrified when they saw that.
Sebastian was too cruel.
All he knew was to tap into his violence to solve his problems.
Benny had no choice but to nod and said, “Okay, fine. I’ll treat him.”
“Wouldn’t it have been much better if you had just agreed to do so early on?” gloated Sebastian.
There were simply too many ways to force Benny’s hand.
The cruelest among them was to lock Benny and his assistant in with the Black and White Guards.
Benny probably would’ve raised the white flag in under thirty seconds.
Benny and his assistant quickly dove in to treat Dustin.
“You better treat him well, or you will end up just like him!” threatened Sebastian.
After taking Benny and his assistant to the airport, Levi returned to Morris Group.
Morris Group had just expanded once more and would soon be the top enterprise in North Hampton.
Hence, many people had their eyes on them.
A tv show had even done a special interview.
Iris found Levi and scoffed, “You love to show off, don’t you? Well, then here’s your chance.”
“Huh? Me? Showing off?” blurted Levi suspiciously.
“The North Hampton Television Network wants to do a special on Morris Group in three days. I’ve already helped you accept the invitation, so you may not bail on it.”
“These are the interview questions and other materials. Don’t embarrass me!”
Iris left after tossing a stack of documents to him.
Urk!
Levi almost vomited blood.
She is making me do an interview and show my face to everyone?
Is she f*****g kidding?
Still, he had no choice but to participate because Iris had already accepted it.
“Well, it’s for my own company, anyway,” murmured Levi before he started studying the materials.
His phone rang up at that moment.
The call was from Azure Dragon.
“I think something bad happened. The airport called and said that Mr. Quinton never boarded the plane, and we can’t find him at the airport either,” said Azure Dragon, whose voice was obviously quivering.
“What? He’s missing?” said Levi, whose expression took a sharp turn.
He had not gotten a private plane for Benny, but Levi had talked to the managers at the airport and asked them to keep an eye on him.
Benny was missing, and that meant that something must’ve happened.
“Investigate it immediately! Mr. Quinton must not get hurt,” instructed Levi.
“According to the CCTV at the airport, someone dragged Mr. Quinton into a van,” reported Azure Dragon soon after.
“Call Xavier and the people responsible for the traffic. Find out where that van went!” said Levi anxiously.
He would not let anyone go off that easily if Benny had a hair off his head!
“Got it! The van went to the hospital, and there were witnesses that claimed they saw Benny there!”
Levi stood up and announced evilly, “Okay, got it. I will personally head over to the hospital.”
CHAPTER 396
Inside the hospital.
Benny and his assistant examined the patient thoroughly, and Benny’s conclusion was that it would take Dustin a long time to recover. The treatment would go on for at least four months.
“How about this? I will take this patient with me to Vermond and will personally treat him there,” suggested Benny.
Benny had a lot of work to tend to in Vermond; he couldn’t stay in North Hampton.
Simon, Harry, and everyone else grinned when they heard that there was hope.
Sebastian, however, frowned and asked, “Why can’t you treat him here in North Hampton?”
“Because I work in Vermond, and a lot of patients are waiting for me there,” explained Benny.
Sebastian shook his head. “No! You must stay here and treat my nephew. You are not to leave or treat anyone else during this period. Focus only on my nephew, and you may leave when he is back on his feet.”
“You may reject my offer, but he will have to stay, and who knows how long he’ll survive?”
Sebastian was staring at Benny’s assistant at that moment.
The assistant trembled in fear.
If he stayed, he would definitely be killed.
Sebastian had always been that barbaric, and he didn’t give Benny a chance to say anything else.
“You…”
Benny was so frustrated that he felt as if he would explode.
He couldn’t stay in North Hampton because he simply had too much to do in Vermond.
“Sir, I promise I’ll revive him in Vermond. Can I please take him there?” asked Benny.
“No! There will be no further discussion. You will stay right here in North Hampton, and you will treat my nephew.”
Sebastian’s eyes shone with fury.
“Oh right, I just remembered that North Hampton has a private hospital. Transfer him over right away. Benny Quinton, you will come with us!” ordered Sebastian.
“I’ll get started on the paperwork right away,” replied Simon.
Benny was nervous then.
Is this Sebastian guy going to imprison me and force me to treat his nephew?
…..
Levi arrived at the hospital at that moment.
He paused when he saw the cars there.
However, he had not stopped because there were over ten similar cars parked in a straight line. He had stopped because he had sensed two dangerous auras seeping out of one of the cars.
There were a number of good fighters in North Hampton. Some examples would be Jack Smith’s Invincible-13 who were all amazing fighters.
However, compared to the two men inside the car, all thirteen men seemed puny.
Despite all that, the aura only made Levi take one look.
He had been on the battlefield for five years, so he had seen all kinds of outstanding fighters before.
He was simply curious as to why someone like that would show up in North Hampton.
Levi was about to enter the hospital when he bumped into a group of men.
Simon had made the arrangements to transfer Dustin Lopez, and Benny was there with them.
“Mr. Quinton?” blurted Levi.
Benny sighed a breath of relief as soon as he saw Levi there.
I’ll be fine with him here.
Simon looked displeased as he asked, “What’s going on?”
Harry rushed over immediately and complained, “That is Levi Garrison! He whipped Dustin ten times and put Dustin in that state. He was also involved in the incidents that hurt Quentin and Wesley.”
“That’s right. He’s Levi Garrison! You should kick his ass right away!”
“He has always been disrespectful to the Lopez family and often insulted Sebastian.”
…..
Shaun and the others started bullshitting once more.
Simon became furious when he heard that. “You’re responsible for this?”
The Lopez family’s bodyguards all turned and glared at Levi right away.
“Yeah, I did that. You guys want Mr. Quinton to treat him? Nope, no one is allowed to treat him!”
Levi’s voice sounded even, but his tone was evil.
CHAPTER 397
Even Simon was stunned.
There are people brave enough to be that disrespectful to the Lopez family of South City?
That was basically asking the devil himself to come to collect one’s soul.
Simon and the others didn’t buy it when Harry and his family bullshitted.
Meeting Levi in person showed Simon that the brat was even more arrogant than how Harry described.
“Let’s go, Mr. Quinton!” said Levi.
“No one is leaving! Take them down,” ordered Simon angrily.
The handful of men following his lead attacked instantly.
However, those men were no match against Levi.
It only took him a moment to knock all of them out.
“Quick, get the others over!”
Simon hurried to get more help.
However, Levi left with Benny and his assistant before Simon returned.
Levi was more than capable of defeating Sebastian, but they were at a hospital, after all. It would be bad if things escalated.
That was why Levi had taken Benny away first. Levi would deal with the other issues afterwards.
Sebastian exited the hospital with a bunch of men soon after.
Simon also returned after asking over ten men to follow him to the entrance.
“Where is he? Where is Levi Garrison?” demanded Simon.
Sebastian came as soon as he heard the news that Levi was there to rescue Benny, but he didn’t meet the man.
“Huh? That is not possible. He was here just a second ago!”
There were too many people at the entrance of the hospital, so Harry and the others couldn’t even tell when Levi had slipped away with Benny and his assistant.
“You can’t even keep an eye on one man?” reprimanded Simon.
Sebastian turned even angrier; he was on the verge of exploding.
Levi Garrison, the man who had crippled three of his successors, had taken Benny Quinton away from right under his nose!
That was an insult to Sebastian.
It embarrassed him!
He had been in North Hampton for less than a day but something that embarrassing had already happened!
Sebastian was so angry that he was going crazy.
He had always viewed his notoriety as something crucial.
Most people in Quebec would tremble in fear when they heard his name.
Yet, someone had utterly disregarded him!
He would not stand by it!
“Send our people out right away and bring me Levi Garrison and Benny Quinton!”
“If you can’t manage that, I will have the Black and White Guards take over!”
Sebastian’s eyes were burning with fury then.
Boom!
Simon’ entire body trembled.
Letting the Black and White Guards out of their cages when we have just arrived in North Hampton?
If those two monsters were released, North Hampton would be drenched in blood.
Simon was scared of it.
The others were even more terrified.
“I will send our people out right away, sir. Let’s not let the Black and White Guards loose unless it is absolutely necessary,” said Simon.
Harry got curious and asked, “Who are these Black and White Guards?”
“I’ll teach you all about them if I have the time,” puffed Sebastian.
For some reason, Harry could feel a chill running down his spine.
……
On the other side.
After Levi got Benny into the car, the former got a private plane to take Benny to Vermond immediately.
Azure Dragon followed behind Levi and asked, “What do we do? Sebastian is too powerful; even Liam is not a match against him.”
“Moreover, the powerful families in South City and other remarkable places are going insane and trying to get to North Hampton, too. They want to profit off of Sebastian’s arrival.”
“Nielson is one of those men, and he wants me to ask you if that’s okay.”
Levi’s eyes were cruel when he answered, “Welcome anyone who is here to contribute. If they are only here to cause trouble and steal resources, then tell them to f*** off!”
Azure Dragon trembled. “Understood.”
Levi lit up a cigarette and looked into the distance before he instructed nonchalantly, “As for Sebastian… I will deal with him myself!”
Azure Dragon shivered even more.
That man was truly unlucky to have inspired Levi to personally deal with the matter.
CHAPTER 398
Inside the Lopez family home.
Sebastian was waiting for the news.
Simon soon rushed over and reported, “Sebastian, something bad had happened. Benny Quinton has left North Hampton and has reached Vermond!”
“What?”
Sebastian jumped up.
“Those people are too much! They showed no regard for me at all,” roared Sebastian.
Simon nodded. “Levi Garrison really is freaking arrogant. He even publicly announced that he will not let anyone treat Dustin’s condition.”
“That *******! He’s making it personal!” shouted Sebastian. He was holding a cup at the time, and a single squeeze shattered it.
Harry and the others were flabbergasted.
Sebastian is that strong? He really is an expert!
Simon looked troubled as he said, “Now that Benny Quinton is back in Vermond, there is no way we can get him back here.”
“I know! There are too many experts in Vermond, and even I can’t break them.”
Sebastian added, “But I must make Levi Garrison pay!”
Simon quickly said, “I’ve looked into the matter. Levi Garrison may look like he has Nueve and Trey supporting him, but the truth was that all three of them are being supported by the mysterious man behind Morris Group.”
“Morris Group? I’ve heard of that company. They say that aside from the Rogers family, the Morris Group is the most powerful enterprise,” said Sebastian.
“What should we do?” asked Simon.
Sebastian thought about it and replied, “Host a party tonight and invite everybody who is anybody in North Hampton. I want the whole of North Hampton to know that I am here!”
“We’ll have the party right here in the Lopez family’s mansion in North Hampton!”
“Understood,” replied Simon as he nodded.
That got Harry and the others excited.
It was their moment to shine, and that was all thanks to Sebastian.
No one in North Hampton would ever look down on them again.
The elites in North Hampton soon received their invitation.
Winston Gonzales, the four representatives of North Hampton Chamber of Commerce…
Glenn Rogers of the Rogers family, and all other wealthy families were also invited.
Even Liam Macy and the others got their invitation.
Inside the office of Morris Group.
A secretary came in and reported, “Ms. Annabelle, someone from South City has dropped by.”
“What do they want?” asked Iris.
“They are here to send us an invitation card,” the secretary spoke as she handed an invitation card over.
“Oh, and the man said that the invitation card must be handed to the boss,” added the secretary.
Iris opened the invitation card, and it said that the invitation was from Sebastian Lopez.
The content of the invitation, however, sounded barbaric; it felt more like a royal decree than an invitation.
“Sebastian of the South City? Isn’t he related to Zoey?” Iris said suspiciously.
After that, she contacted Neil to tell him about the invitation.
Neil, in turn, brought the invitation card to Levi.
“Sebastian is hosting a party today, and he has actually invited you over. Are you going?” asked Neil with a grin.
Levi smiled mysteriously and read the invitation card as he planned his next move.
……
Everyone in North Hampton was nervous at that moment.
They knew Sebastian Lopez had suddenly travelled to North Hampton.
Worse still, there were rumors about how he had brought the gods of assassinations known as the Black and White Guards over.
It seemed that a bloody storm was inevitable in North Hampton.
What worried everyone, even more, was the fact that Sebastian seemed interested in extending his business to North Hampton.
To some, that news was devastating.
Sebastian could single-handedly force everyone in North Hampton to bow down to him, and his cruel methods horrified everyone.
He had thrown a party that night, and it seemed that his intention wasn’t pure.
CHAPTER 399
Sebastian had thrown the party for two reasons. The first was to tell all of North Hampton that he, Sebastian Lopez, was there.
The second was to have everyone pick a side. Those who stood with him would be fine, and those who chose otherwise would die before they know it.
Harry personally looked into all the details of the party and quickly decorated the place.
When evening rolled by, many luxurious cars drove to the Lopez family’s house.
Everyone who was anyone in North Hampton had shown up.
All their net worth was over ten billion, and they used to treat Harry and the others like they were nothing.
However, those same people had been bowing down to Harry and greeting him politely that day.
Harry was delighted.
He had never enjoyed a treatment like that before.
It seemed that having someone strong supporting them had made all the differences.
Shaun Lopez was having fun too. Back in the days, he was the one who had to bow down to the other wealthy kids and appease them.
Even Melanie was benefitting from all that. Many young and powerful men had approached her to chat and flirt with her.
That put Melanie on cloud nine.
“Zoey Lopez is not so great. She is nothing now!”
Henry laughed, “Yes, that’s right. I am so proud to be a member of the Lopez family.”
“Hello, Mr. Lopez.”
Winston, Eric, and a number of other elites greeted Harry.
Harry was so excited that he almost fainted.
He hadn’t even dared to fantasize about such a thing in the past.
The most powerful men in North Hampton had come to greet him!
Even one of the most popular guys in North Hampton, Glenn Rogers, had approached Harry.
When eight o’clock rolled by, almost everyone who had been invited had shown up.
Everyone sat in their seats as they waited patiently for Sebastian to show up.
Sebastian got out of a locked room inside the Lopez family’s house at that moment.
The locked room rang up with roars.
The men making those noises sounded grouchy and scary.
The cold aura spewing out of that room made everyone shiver in fear.
Simon warned Fabian, “Remember to keep an eye on this door. Do not open it, or you’ll die before you know it.”
“Understood,” replied Fabian.
He had no idea what was locked in there, but given how Simon had warned him, he was certain that whatever’s inside was horrifying.
Unfortunately, the more scared Simon was, the more curious Fabian got.
Fabian stood nervously by the door, and he peeped through the small window.
One look was all it took.
“Ah!”
Fabian was so scared that he fell backwards.
No one knew what he saw through that window, but he shouted fearfully, and he turned pale while dripping with sweat.
After that, he hurried out of there…
That night, everyone waited in the party hall.
“Sebastian Lopez is here.”
Everyone stood up to welcome him.
Sebastian exuded an extremely powerful aura and his gaze was enough to get everyone trembling.
If the legendary Black and White Guards were to show up too, everyone would be even more frightened.
Everyone knew Sebastian being there meant that North Hampton was pretty much his.
It would be extremely difficult to live with him because he would not share any of his resources with anyone.
“Sebastian,” greeted Winston and the other men who were sitting at the front.
Sebastian swept his gaze across them before he scoffed and asked, “Who’s the head of Morris Group?”
The entire place turned quiet after Sebastian spoke.
Everyone looked to one another, but no one dared to answer.
“So? Where are the people from Morris Group?” asked Sebastian with a smile.
“Sebastian, um, the people from Morris Group never showed up,” someone piped up.
Sebastian narrowed his eyes, and a terrifyingly cruel glint shimmered past his eyes.
“Who said that the people from Morris Group aren’t here?”
A voice suddenly rang out.
CHAPTER 400
Everyone turned around.
All they saw was a team of uniformed security guards walking in.
The one leading them over was Seth, the head of security.
He had a rolled-up scroll with him.
“Huh?”
Everyone was stunned.
All other companies and family had sent their best and brightest as their representatives, but Morris Group had sent a group of security guards instead.
That was such an arrogant move.
It seemed like they weren’t afraid of Sebastian at all.
“Interesting.” grinned Simon.
Sebastian narrowed his eyes, but he laughed, “Morris Group really is something else for sending their security guard over.”
Seth stood forward and grinned before he said, “Sebastian, please allow me to introduce myself. I am Seth Wilson and am the head of security for Morris Group. My employer has asked me to send you a scroll with some words on it.”
Everyone gasped in shock when they heard that.
Morris Group’s arrogance was ridiculous!
They had sent the head of the security guards as if someone of that rank was all Sebastian’s invitation was worth?
They were blatantly challenging Sebastian!
No one, not even the ones with inside knowledge, knew what game Morris Group was playing.
Glenn, for example, was totally clueless.
He was a little worried about Levi’s challenge going over the board and things spiraling out of control.
Sebastian and the Black and White Guards were lunatics, after all, and if they were cornered, they would do something crazy.
“You are nothing but a freaking security guard, yet you dare to talk to Sebastian? Drop-dead, *******.”
Shaun already hated Seth, so the former wanted to use Sebastian’s power to destroy the latter.
“Guards! Come and cripple these idiots!” shouted Henry angrily.
“Hang on….”
Sebastian spoke up, “I’m curious and would like to see what the head of Morris Group has gotten for me.”
“Go get it.”
Upon hearing that, Simon walked forward to take the scroll from Seth.
“We will take out leave now,” replied Seth before he turned around to leave.
Shaun wanted to stop Seth, but Simon glared at him.
The Lopezes had no choice but to watch as Seth and the other security guards walked away.
Simon brought the scroll to Sebastian.
“Open it and see what’s inside,” instructed Sebastian, who was curious.
Simon’s long arm held the scroll as it rolled down.
Boom!
Everyone was stunned when they saw the content of the scroll.
A pin-drop silence fell over the room.
Their jaws dropped because the content was simply that surprising.
Sebastian sensed that something was off, so he walked around to look at the scroll.
Sebastian almost died of high blood pressure and anger when he saw it.
The scroll read, “F*****g Leave North Hampton!”
That was absolutely barbaric!
Turned out, sending the security guards over wasn’t the only arrogant act they had prepared.
The true display of arrogance was what happened next.
No one had ever blatantly demanded Sebastian to leave a place before.
In fact, Sebastian had been in that industry for several decades, but he had never been treated that way before.
“Destroy Morris Group!”
Simon and the Lopez family’s security guards could not hold it in anymore.
They wanted to crush Morris Group then and there.
Simon suddenly realized why Levi had acted so freaking arrogantly.
How could he not be arrogant when he had a boss who acted like that supporting him?
Everyone sitting opposite the stage had their heads down. They were waiting for the inevitable storm.
Infuriating Sebastian Lopez was a terrifying thing to do.
The river would run red with blood, and mountains of bones would rise…
It seemed that a bloody storm was heading for North Hampton.
Sebastian turned to everyone else and asked, “What do you guys know about the head of Morris Group?”
“He’s very mysterious and has never shown his face before. Even his subordinate, Neil, rarely shows up.”
“However, he is probably extremely powerful because he was able to compete against the North Hampton Chamber of Commerce and the Gonzales family.”
……
Everyone chimed in. “And what do you think, Mr. Gonzales?” asked Sebastian.
“Are you certain you want to use it now, Harry? You only get one chance!” The voice on the other end of the call coldly warned.
“Yes, I’m sure!” Harry nodded enthusiastically.
“Okay then. What do you need?”
Harry recounted Levi’s situation to the Lopez family.
A moment later, a call was returned.
“The matter has been settled. Sebastian agreed to let him go!”
The South City Lopez family was unaware of Wesley’s scheme. Sebastian only agreed to let the matter regarding Levi rest.
Harry was absolutely overwhelmed by this result.
Both Zoey and Iris let out sighs of relief.
Levi was safe.
“Someone print the final contract for the transfer! Once Levi shows his face, we’re signing it!” Harry could not be more eager.
Although bitterness pricked her, Zoey had no regrets.
If Levi’s safe, losing him for the company is worth it!
Meanwhile, in the underground cellar of the Lopez family’s private manor.
Wesley glared daggers at Levi and the rest. “I don’t care who you are! No matter what it takes, I’m taking your decapitated heads to my uncle! Someone come and chop their heads down now!”
After issuing his order, Wesley turned to avoid the imminently gruesome scene.
Thirty men lunged forward, poised to strike Levi and the rest.
With a loud bang, Levi managed to escape his bonds and struck his attacker.
His victim was sent flying across the room.
Another loud bang resonated. This time, he had launched a spinning kick which propelled another attacker backwards.
Levi was taking on the battle by himself.
He weaved into the crowd, throwing a series of rapid attacks. Each extension of his limb resulted in the collapse of at least one of his opponents.
Within thirty seconds, all thirty mercenaries were sprawled over the ground.
All of them had at least seven or eight broken bones.
Nueve and Trey were frozen in shock.
They had never seen Levi in action and assumed he was a regular man.
Neither expected him to be a master of combat!
Wesley sensed that something was wrong and slowly turned around.
The moment he turned, terror seized him.
All the trained experts were defeated?
It’s insanely impressive!
“Sebastian was it? Send him a gift on my behalf!” Levi stalked over and came to a stop right in front of Wesley.
Wesley spluttered, “What gift?”
Bang!
One swift kick to the shin and a horrible cracking sound echoed through the room.
Crack!
Crack!
Crack!
Three more kicks followed in succession. All of Wesley’s limbs had been broken.
With a strangled howl of agony, Wesley finally understood what Levi meant by ‘gift’.
He succumbed to the darkness shortly after.
“Dig into the identities of these people! They were no ordinary men!” Levi instructed Nueve and Trey.
Once they departed the manor, Levi started on his journey back to Zoey.
In the Lopez family residence.
“Grandpa, is Levi out of danger yet?” Zoey urgently pressed.
“I’m sure he’s fine, Sebastian gave his word that he would drop the matter!” Harry muttered dismissively.
“Let’s give it a while more. As a last resort, we’ll just call the police!” Iris did not trust the Lopez family at all.
Just then, Levi strolled in.
“See? I told you he was fine!” Harry grinned triumphantly.
The rest of the family gazed at Harry with unadulterated admiration.
Grandpa is amazing. He managed to convince the South City Lopez family to release Levi after a single phone call.
Even Iris had to admit Harry was impressive.
The moment Zoey laid eyes on Levi, she leapt into his arms, pulling him close.
CHAPTER 353
Zoey had never been more fraught with worry in her life.
“I’m fine! There’s no need to cry! Let’s go back!” Levi murmured comfortingly.
“Why don’t you head to work with Iris? I have some business to discuss with Grandpa.” Zoey said.
“Okay.”
Iris led Levi out and they made their way to the office.
Zoey signed the transfer papers and Harry insisted on taking them to a lawyer’s office for verification.
“From now on, Ms. Lopez will have nothing to do with Imperial Meadows.” The lawyer declared.
“Yes, yes, I know.” Zoey could not stop the tears which surged and overflowed.
“Wait, you’re so capable Zoey. Why don’t you come work for my company?” Harry offered facetiously.
“No thanks!” Zoey resolutely turned him down and left the family residence, her cheeks wet with tears.
“Hahaha…”
Uproarious laughter erupted from the rest of the family.
Only a few months till Zoey’s inheritance becomes all ours!
At long last, the day has finally come!
“Tonight, we’re celebrating at the best hotel in town!” Harry was at peak jubilance.
“Father, should we invite Aaron?” Harry giggled smugly.
“Of course! We need to let the unfilial maggot see for himself how I’ve gained control of his family’s properties! Hahaha…” Harry guffawed gleefully.
Zoey scurried back to Bayview Garden.
She had lost everything.
She would most likely be unable to afford the rent from then on.
But she had no regrets.
Levi was safe, and that was all that mattered to her.
Iris neglected to inform Levi of this development, hence he was none the wiser.
“Mr. Garrison, we’ve found the information you requested! Those people were trained assassins who belong to the Robinson family!” Nueve reported.
Things instantly clicked for Levi. The Robinsons were the ones pulling the strings.
“Good. Once the swearing-in ceremony is over, you guys will be the first to go!” A flash of steely hostility crossed Levi’s gaze.
After work, Iris brought Levi back.
Before she exited the car, Iris issued an austere remark, “Treat Zoey well. The burden of the family rests on your shoulders from now on!”
Levi found her words strange.
I’ve always been good to Zoey!
Back home.
Zoey looked like she had been crying.
“What’s wrong, honey? Why the tears?” Levi asked with curious concern.
“It’s nothing. I just felt like crying for some reason…” Zoey dried her eyes.
“You have a weird hobby…” Levi smiled.
Suddenly, someone pounded on their door.
When Levi opened the door, Aaron and Caitlyn bolted past him straight towards Zoey.
“What’s wrong with you, Zoey?” They asked in surprise.
Zoey’s voice caught in her throat and she struggled to come up with a reply.
“What’s wrong? Did something happen to Zoey?” Levi was bewildered by their reactions.
Aaron shot Levi a glare. “Don’t you know what happened? Because of you, Zoey gave her entire inheritance to the Lopez family!”
“Exactly! She’s now penniless!” Caitlyn roared.
“Wait. What?” Levi was floored.
“You were captured by the South City Lopez family so, in order to save you, Zoey agreed to Father’s terms. Your safe return in exchange for her entire inheritance!”
“Since you were saved, Zoey had to make good on her word!”
“It’s all your fault! We were beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel, but you wrecked it! Why did you have to offend the Lopez family?”
Aaron and Caitlyn were ready to unleash their fury on Levi.
CHAPTER 354
“I admit to pissing off the South City Lopez family. But Harry was not the one who saved me. I managed it by myself! It had nothing to do with him!” Levi explained in frustration.
He turned his attention to Zoey. “You’ve been tricked. It really wasn’t Harry who saved me. Why didn’t you just ask me?”
Zoey was stunned.
She believed Levi.
“As if! Don’t you know who Sebastian is? They’re on par with the most elite family from North Hampton. How would you be able to make it out on your own after incurring their wrath?”
“Exactly! We all saw Father make the call to Sebastian, who promised to let you off!” Aaron and Caitlyn snapped.
Zoey was also looking at Levi suspiciously.
None of them would believe his claims.
Levi did not bother to explain himself any further.
After all, regardless of what he said, his words would not be taken seriously.
Harry had chosen the perfect opportunity to wrap everyone around his finger.
Further elaboration was futile.
“Levi, please reflect on yourself! Zoey made the ultimate sacrifice all for your sake! She lost a multi-million company!” Aaron was close to tears in distress.
Levi was visibly touched by Zoey’s sacrifice.
She really loves me.
After all, a few million is more than enough to test one’s loyalty.
Yet, she chose to save me even if it meant losing a few billion.
“Since the company has already been transferred, there’s no point in crying over spilt milk! I’ll help Zoey start up a whole new company, one which will take the world by storm!” Levi asserted.
It aligned perfectly with the plan he was about to execute.
Soon, he would be purging North Hampton.
When the time came, there would be a surplus of resources in the market.
It would be the perfect opportunity for Zoey to step in.
She would also be helping Morris Group to share the load.
Then, no one would care about the crummy company the Lopez family stole.
“You’re all talk. Luckily, you work for Morris Group, else I would beat you to a pulp!” Aaron and Caitlyn smiled wryly as they exited.
Zoey beamed. “Stop teasing me, honey! As if I would be able to take the world by storm!”
“I’m serious! North Hampton is about to undergo a big shift! Just wait and see!” Levi announced.
He’s just trying to comfort me. I need to smile for his benefit.
“The Lopez family better watch their backs! I won’t let them get away with it so easily!” Levi’s eye glinted menacingly.
As the sun slowly disappeared below the horizon, the Lopez family was enjoying a stupendously lavish banquet.
“They didn’t even bother to show up!” Henry and a few other people screeched.
“Father, I suggest we scratch their names entirely off the family register! They’re as poor as church mice now!” Henry suggested.
Fabian nodded in agreement. “Yes, that’s right. We’ve milked them for all they’re worth! What’s the point in keeping them around!”
“Yes yes! The Lopez family is now worth over a billion! How could we accommodate people like Aaron? How humiliating!”
“They’ll definitely come crawling back for help in the future. How bothersome!”
The rest of the people jabbered and brayed.
Harry was slightly tipsy and he nodded excitedly. “Okay! We’ll remove them from the family register at the family meeting tomorrow! From then on, we won’t have anything to do with them!”
“Hahaha. That’s great!” Henry and the rest applauded delightedly.
The next day.
Zoey and Levi were still slumbering.
An urgent call woke them abruptly and tore them from away Morpheus’ realm.
The call was from Aaron, who told them to hurry down to the Lopez family ancestral home.
CHAPTER 355
By the time Levi and Zoey rushed to the scene, Aaron and Caitlyn had already arrived.
The location had been intentionally picked to be the family ancestral halls.
“Dad, Mum, what’s wrong? What’s the rush?” Levi asked, puzzled.
“We don’t have a clue either! We were just told to meet at the ancestral halls. I think they’re announcing something big!” Caitlyn answered.
Aaron knitted his brows. “My right eyelid won’t stop twitching!”
Shortly later, Harry arrived with the rest of the Lopez family party at the ancestral halls.
Henry and the rest smirked sinisterly.
An uneasy feeling settled in the stomachs of Levi and the other three.
But they were certain of one thing. Nothing good could come out of this.
Harry seated himself on the wooden chair in front of the shrine and the rest took their seats according to seniority.
Harry quickly scanned the scene and sternly boomed, “Is everyone here?”
Fabian nodded in response. “Everyone is here Father!”
Harry was the first to offer up a joss stick.
“It’s been some time since we had a family meeting at the ancestral hall! Today’s meeting was called to announce…” Harry’s gaze fell on Aaron.
“After a long discussion with the family, I, of the North Hampton Lopez family, have decided to expel Aaron and his family from our clan!” He stated plainly.
Once the last word left his lips, every person present gaped in astonishment.
Levi and his family’s faces fell.
“What? Kicked out?”
The news was earth-shattering for the three of them. They could almost see their world crumbling around them.
We’re being removed from the family register!
What could be worse?
Such a blow threatened to push them off the cliff into the chasm of insanity.
Aaron looked at Harry in utter disbelief.
Caitlyn immediately dissolved into tears.
Tears were brimming in the rims of Zoey’s eyes.
Grandpa just robbed me of my assets worth close to a billion. How could he go so as far as to burn all our bridges? How could he force us out of the family?
She could only sigh in resignation.
“All in favor, raise your hands!” Aaron yelled.
In a flurry of movement, the hands of Fabian and many others shot into the air.
“It’s settled! The move to remove Aaron and his family has the majority vote!” Henry chuckled.
He was completely indifferent to the feelings of the four people in question.
“Good luck to you guys. From now on, the North Hampton Lopez family shall have absolutely nothing to do with you! Please do not involve us in your matters from here on out!”
“I, Harry Lopez, are henceforth severing all ties with you! We shall be no better than strangers from now on!”
“Get out!” Harry ordered cruelly.
“Get out of the family! Get out of the family! Get out of the family!” The rest of the people chanted with ruthless determination.
“Might I suggest you change your last names? You’re undeserving of the Lopez name!” Henry sneered.
Zoey’s body was shaking with the force of her wails.
She was indignant!
She had never been wronged to such an extent in her life.
I don’t even deserve the Lopez family name now.
This is even worse than losing all my assets.
My own grandfather wants nothing to do with me.
Right after he snatched away close to a billion from me!
Caitlyn was not doing any better.
But neither of them was in worse shape than Aaron.
His birth father had cut ties with him and he was erased from the family register.
What more could be worse?
Seized by rage, Aaron spat out blood.
“Father, Aaron…”
Zoey and Caitlyn rushed to catch the teetering Aaron.
Aaron did not speak. He only glared directly at Harry.
“What? Haven’t given up?” Harry leered.
“Right. It’s not over!” Levi exclaimed.
CHAPTER 356
“What does useless scum like you have to be upset about? You’re grossly unfit to be part of the Lopez family!”
“Exactly! Get out of the Lopez family! You useless scum!”
“You have no right to be here! Get out and stay away!”
Levi opened his mouth and the room fell silent.
“Harry, would you believe me if I said you’ll live to regret this?” Levi hissed, his lips curled upwards in a malevolent smirk.
“Haha. Me? Regret? Impossible! I hold all of Zoey’s assets. What do I have to regret?” Harry retorted with an equally hostile smirk of his own.
The rest of the people stared at Levi like he was an idiot.
Aaron wiped away the blood at the corner of his mouth and fixed his eyes on Harry incredulously. “Father, must you go this far? What did I do wrong that you insist on kicking me out from the family?”
“Yes! The Lopez family has always had strict rules. Erasing anyone’s name from the family register can only be a punishment for something egregious. What did Aaron and I do?” Caitlyn asked, choking back sobs.
Zoey’s gaze was also boring into Harry.
Harry exchanged a look with Henry before coldly replying, “Don’t you even know what you did? I worked to raise you and even opened a company for you. What about you guys? You contributed nothing to the family! You even committed deplorable acts! But you want to leave the Lopez family! It’s the equivalent of betraying your ancestors!”
“Yes! Zoey’s company leaving the Lopez family is the equivalent of betraying the ancestors!”
“The punishment for betraying your ancestors is expulsion form the family!”
“Get out of the Lopez family!”
Henry and the rest chided and raged. They even shoved the four of them.
Aaron gazed at Harry despondently and asked, “Father, I’ll ask you one last time. Must you take it this far?”
“Leave! Never call me Father ever again! You’re no longer part of the Lopez family!” Harry rebuffed heartlessly.
He struck off the names of Aaron and the rest from the family register.
Aaron was no longer a member of the Lopez family. It was official.
At that moment, despite being a picture of masculinity, Aaron broke down into bawls of agony.
“Dad, Mum, Zoey. Let’s go!” Levi dragged the three of them out.
Despite trying to saunter away, their figures appeared forlorn.
“Hahaha…”
The Lopez family guffawed and laughter resonated throughout the room.
We’ve finally got rid those burdens!
“From this day onwards, our family shall prosper!” Harry bellowed.
In the car.
Aaron and his family huddled together, sobbing.
This was the darkest hour of their existence.
They never would have imagined that the day would come where their names were erased from the family register.
They no longer belonged to the Lopez family.
Levi could only offer warm words. “The three of you are too nice! You’ve suffered silently at their hands for ages! All this time, you prioritized family, and allowed them to step all over you! If you think about it, they’re the ones who aren’t fit to be related to you! Look at how they treated you. After leaving you with nothing, they even kicked you out of the family! But this might be a good thing. From now on, you can focus on working hard without anything holding you back! I’ll make them pay! You can just sit back and wait for the day when I make them kneel before you and beg for forgiveness!”
The trio was in the throes of despair and merely took Levi’s words and passing remarks of comfort.
The Lopez family did not stop there.
The news spread like wildfire through the North Hampton media outlets.
‘Aaron Lopez and family betrayed the Lopez family and plotted to get ahold of all the Lopez family estates.’
‘Harry Lopez had no choice but to harden his heart and expel them from the family.’
Countless savage condemnations fell upon them.
Page after page depicted Aaron as a callous fiend, an ungrateful bastard.
CHAPTER 357
“Such scum should just be sentenced to death! Why keep him around?”
“Yes! He even betrayed his family. He’s no better than a traitor!”
Aaron and Caitlyn did nothing to defend themselves.
Any attempt to do so would just result in more rebuttal and insults.
They were slandered!
Such malignance!
After getting wind of the news, Una could not hold back her broad grin.
“Who would’ve thought even Levi would come to this? Even your wife has fallen from her grace. Let’s see how you crawl out of this hole.” She sniggered spitefully.
Even Winston was elated to receive the news.
A man of Levi’s position would normally never have caught Winston’s eye.
But he caused trouble one too many times and Winston was practically boiling with rage.
“All I had to do was dangle some meat in front of the mutts and they took the bait” Winston grinned widely.
Oh, I can’t imagine there exists joy greater than this!
Not only was he attending the next day’s swearing-in ceremony for the commander-in-chief, but to receive such news as well, he was bursting with happiness.
“Now everyone, focus on preparations for tomorrow’s swearing-in ceremony!”
That night, these powerful figures of North Hampton struggled to get some shut-eye.
In a luxurious mountain villa somewhere.
The kingpin behind the North Hampton Chamber of Commerce, Eric Robinson, who also stood at the head of four noble families, invited Grover Cooke and Xander Hoyles over.
“Mr. Cooke, Mr. Hoyles, I ask for your assistance tomorrow!” Eric appealed.
“How do you want us to help?” Xander asked warily.
“Tomorrow you are to arrange a meeting between us, the God of War and Mr. Quinton. Winston Gonzales cannot, under no circumstances, know about it! I’ll leave this matter in your hands! The North Hampton Chamber of Commerce is in grave danger!”
The faces of the men in front of him soured.
“Okay, leave it to us! I’ll also have Jesse come up with a plan to help the North Hampton Chamber of Commerce!” Grover replied calmly.
“That’s great!” Eric and the rest were thrilled.
Their fates rested on the shoulders of Xander and Grover.
“Hehe. When the time comes, we’ll have both Morris Group and the Gonzales family under our thumb!”
They could not wait for the next day to arrive.
The next day.
The North Hampton Warzone had completed all preparations and were more than ready. The commander-in-chief’s swearing-in ceremony would begin at exactly 9 o’clock.
Andy, who was in charge of the event, bustled about incessantly.
The last step was to ensure the God of War would be making an appearance to formally introduce Percy as the new commander-in-chief.
Andy was overwrought with emotion.
Even the God of War had to follow the schedule he set out.
How wonderful was that!
In the morning.
Levi addressed the family before him, “Dad, Mum, Zoey, let’s go out and have some fun!”
The trio did not protest and obediently climbed aboard the car.
Soon, Levi had driven them out of the suburbs.
Zoey did not pay much mind. She assumed Levi was taking them to the countryside or to a scenic location.
But as the ride went on, she sensed something was off.
There were many cars on the road, most of which were of high-end brands like Maybach and Rolls-Royce.
They were all moving in the same direction as Levi.
Is there an event going on?
“Honey, where are you taking us?” Zoey enquired.
“I’m bringing you to see the world, and enjoy yourselves while we’re at it!” Levi grinned.
After about two hours, they were almost out of North Hampton.
They had finally arrived at their destination.
When they took in the surroundings, the three Lopezes were stunned.
They were at an army camp!
We’re actually at an army camp!
The car had only just halted when soldiers came marching over for inspection.
The soldiers were all armed to the teeth. Zoey and her parents could not help but feel on edge.
CHAPTER 358
“Sir, as this car is not sanctioned by the Warzone, you are to park there, on the left. You may enter afterwards!” The soldier informed Levi.
“Sure!” Levi drove the car to an empty slot and parked.
After they got out of the car, Zoey and Aaron scanned their surroundings with fascination.
How are we allowed to be in such a solemn and sacred place?
What are we doing here?
They were burning with curiosity and fear as they held the military in high regard.
Zoey also spotted the luxury cars which they passed on the road, parked around them.
Something’s definitely going on!
“Levi?”
At this moment, a shocked voice called out.
Levi turned to see the Gonzales family making their way over to him.
There were a large number of members present, ten of them to be exact.
Una walked right up to Levi and asked with a smile plastered on her face, “What are you doing here? Is this a place you’re allowed to be at?”
Winston broke out into a smile as well.
After all, it was no easy task getting an invitation to the ceremony.
It had posed somewhat of an issue even for an elite such as Winston, much less for commoners.
Yet, Levi came?
What kind of joke is this?
Levi replicated their expressions. “I’m here for the swearing-in ceremony of course!”
“Hahaha…”
The Gonzales erupted into peals of laughter.
There were ‘regular’ people who were given invitations to the event, but they were gentries such as Winston and the North Hampton Chamber of Commerce.
The Rogers family, who were worth five billion, might stand a chance.
But Levi was far from being included in the realm of possibilities.
He had nothing to his name and was even kicked out of the Lopez family.
“You seem to be in a good mood Mr. Gonzales! Why are you laughing?”
The heads of the North Hampton Chamber of Commerce appeared.
Winston smiled. “Do you know Levi, Robinson?”
Eric and his three companions froze momentarily before regaining his gait. “Of course I know him!”
Phineas Robinson kept his eyes trained on Levi.
The lucky bastard. Wesley was this close to ending his life.
Who would have expected Sebastian to drop the case?
Thanks to him, my thirty masters are gone.
Wesley must have brought them back to South City.
“Levi is also here to attend the swearing-in ceremony.”
After Winston’s revelation, the Robinsons dissolved into cackles.
“Who gave him the right to show his face here? Ha!”
The Robinsons scoffed before departing.
Levi was worth nothing in their eyes.
Before the Robinsons left, they made a slicing gesture across their necks. “Sooner or later, your head will roll, Levi Garrison.”
They sauntered off.
Aaron and the rest were breathing raggedly.
The tension from the interaction with North Hampton’s elite had been too overwhelming. They felt almost suffocated.
They could not believe Levi had made enemies of such people.
The last few seemed to bear intense hatred for Levi as well.
Just how much trouble did he cause?
“I have to say, hats off to you! You managed to ******** so many big-shots with one swing!” Aaron smiled wryly as he did not know how to react to this.
“Dad, Mum, it’s fine. After today, those people will all fall!” Levi chuckled confidently.
“Moving on, can you take us in? To the swearing-in ceremony?” Zoey asked.
“No problem!”
Levi led them into the camp with no problems.
A representative from the camp greeted them and gave them a tour.
CHAPTER 359
Levi decided that he didn’t want them to attend the Grand Opening Ceremony in the end.
He felt that it wasn’t worth going, and they might as well have a tour around.
Winston and his group made their way into the hall of the barracks. He started to interrogate his son, Andy when he finally sat down.
“Is Levi or Aaron on the guests’ list?”
Andy shook his head, “Nope. The list had long been ready. But Levi’s name is nowhere to be found.”
“Hahahaha…”
Winston and a few others laughed.
“Besides, Levi and the others aren’t even here in the hall. How is he supposed to attend the Grand Opening?” asked Andy.
Winston grinned brightly.
Levi was just a clown in their eyes.
Besides sheer luck, that clown had nothing else.
When the Gonzales family was dealing with Levi, Percy happened to be there to resolve the crisis.
And Harry was there when the Lopez family from South City intended to deal with Levi.
……
“Your good luck is going to be used up one day!” Una sneered.
Inside the hall arranged by the North Hampton Warzone, guests who were there for the ceremony flocked to their pre-arranged seats.
Winston and the other upper-class members of the society were seated in the first row.
Governor Jesse Nielsen and his men were also in the front seats. Even though Grover had stepped down, he was still more than qualified to be seated in the first row.
Xander Hoyles and Benny Quinton had also arrived and were seated.
Soon, most of the seats were filled up.
But there were still six empty seats in the first row.
Everyone knew what this meant.
These six seats were reserved for the God of War and his subordinates, the Five Great Wars Regiment.
Any one of them alone was enough to make the North Hampton tremble in fear.
Not to mention the God of War.
This is exciting!
This is really, really exciting!
Winston had never been so excited in his life. He was about to meet the legendary God of War!
Oh, how long have I waited for this day to come…
And it finally came!
There was a different meaning to it today.
The God of War and Benny Quinton were going to make their appearance together.
The commander-in-chief in charge was also the famed general of the Iron Brigade.
This would be quite a historic moment to witness.
Winston kept glancing towards the passageway. The anticipation he was feeling was overwhelming.
The younger generations of the Gonzales family were feeling honored and prideful from the bottom of their hearts.
Among all those from the younger generation of the North Hampton, who else was fortunate enough to attend such a ceremony?
This was the power of the resources they had.
The experience and networking they had accumulated were definitely enough to crush their competitors.
The billionaires of the North Hampton Chamber of Commerce were of no exception.
Compared to Winston, the God of War was relatively more like their last hope.
Because the North Hampton Chamber of Commerce was in distress and the markets were disintegrating.
They would suffer if there wasn’t anyone to back them up.
The attendees quietened down after a short while.
Not long after, Percy marched into the venue with his military uniform on.
The attendees slowly stood up and welcomed Percy.
After all, he was going to be the commander-in-chief of the North Hampton Warzone after today.
But Percy didn’t walk over to the stage. He waited at the passageway instead.
Soon, Azure Dragon, Kirin and Phoenix arrived.
They were the Five Great Wars Regiment!
Their intimidating aura overwhelmed the audience in the hall.
This was the first time the famous Five Great Wars Regiment were onstage together.
Even Xander felt his blood boiling with anticipation.
Just the five of them was enough to kill an army of a thousand men.
Azure Dragon and the others stopped at the passageway too. Six of them including Percy stood in two rows as they waited.
Everyone knew what this meant.
They’re waiting for the arrival of the God of War!
Everyone stood up as they held their breaths and paid full attention to the passageway.
Tap…tap…tap…
Sounds of footsteps could be heard shortly after.
A mighty silhouette had appeared at the passageway!
CHAPTER 360
“Salute!” Percy yelled and gave a standard military salute.
All the soldiers followed suit.
Once the figure returned the salute, he began to walk into the hall with Percy and the others flanked beside him protectively.
Everyone’s hearts were pounding as it wasn’t an exaggeration that the seven people in front of them could save the world.
This is exciting!
He’s the God of War!
He’s Erudia’s one and only 5-star rated God of War!
Una’s heart thumped as she watched the tall figure from afar.
Now that’s a true hero!
He’s the man of every woman’s dream!
Una fell in love with the man just by the sight of him.
The Gonzales family had also planned to do whatever it took to get Una to sleep with the God of War that night.
Una was very confident that she was going to be the God of War’s wife soon.
I’m going to be the wife of Erudia’s most respectable God of War.
Una could already see the bright future she was going to have.
The faces of Winston and his group were glowing. After today, I, Winston Gonzales, am going to be the Grandpa of the God of War!
The Gonzales family is going to prosper and become Erudia’s most powerful aristocratic family!
Before long, Levi and his group were finally in the hall and got to their reserved seats.
The attendees in the hall could only see the back of the God of War. He sat in a tall and upright manner, like the backbone of the nation; the Great Wall of Erudia.
The five stars on his shoulder shined brightly.
Right now, he was the biggest focus of the audience.
“One should have a son like the God of War!” exclaimed Winston.
“Don’t you think the God of War looks familiar?”
Winston and his group who were sitting a bit further behind couldn’t see quite as clearly.
So Winston, Eric, and the others started to put on their glasses.
“His back seems really familiar… I feel like I’ve seen him somewhere before!” said Winston.
“That’s right! He looks familiar to me too, but I just can’t remember who he is…” said Una.
Meanwhile, Xander and Andy, who were sitting in the first row, broke out in cold sweat just after a glance at the God of War.
They had seen photographs of Levi before.
But they didn’t expect Levi to be the God of War.
Thud!
Andy didn’t sit tight and fell onto the ground, attracting the attention of everyone in the room.
“What’s wrong with Andy? How can he make such a rudimentary mistake?” said Winston angrily.
The Gonzales family wore an unsightly expression on.
The ceremony finally began.
Almost an hour had passed since the ceremony started and Percy stood on the stage as he waited.
“Lastly, let’s welcome the God of War!” announced Xander.
Xander stood up and shouted to the audience, “Salute to the God of War!”
“To the God of War!”
Thousands of officers and soldiers shouted in unison.
Levi got on the stage in the midst of the shouts and stood facing everybody.
The attendees went crazy when they saw the face of the God of War as their dream finally came true.
All these years, the God of War was the military spirit of the soldiers.
They could die without any regrets now that they finally saw the God of War in person.
“I want to take a good look at how the God of War really looks like.”
Una and those who were younger immediately paled as they were shocked to see who the God of War really was.
Boom!
Everyone was shocked at the revelation. It was like a bolt that came out of the blue sky.
Levi Garrison!
No one had expected Levi to be the God of War.
It was beyond their wildest imagination.
It’s actually Levi!
Una was dumbfounded.
Clint was dumbfounded.
Robinson was dumbfounded.
……
“Huh? What’s wrong with you guys? Are you shocked?”
CHAPTER 361
Winston and the rest were confused as to why the younger ones were so shocked.
“We should take a look too!”
They turned.
Winston, Eric, and the others almost fainted when they saw Levi’s face.
“Levi? It’s Levi?”
“No way! How could it be Levi?”
“I don’t believe it! I must’ve seen it wrongly.”
Winston and the others couldn’t accept the reality. They just couldn’t believe it even though they saw it with their own eyes.
Even North Hampton’s highest leader, Grover Cooke, paled upon seeing Levi.
“This- Isn’t this Levi Garrison? Levi is the God of War? I’m not dreaming, am I?”
Those who knew Levi felt as though their life was about to collapse soon.
The young man who had once been imprisoned had transformed into an unparalleled general in a blink of an eye!
He was a capable and powerful person now!
It was unimaginable!
The scene before their eyes was just too shocking.
The upperclassmen were absolutely dumbfounded, it was as if they had been struck by lightning.
Levi, who was still on stage, said with a smile, “Sorry to disappoint you! But I am indeed the God of War!”
Boom!
The audience from the North Hampton Chamber of Commerce was about to go crazy when they heard Levi admitting it.
They finally understood why Morris Group’s progress had skyrocketed.
The Morris Group had the God of War backing them up all along!
Who the hell would be able to stand against them? And there was Neil Atkinson too. They saw Neil’s name on the guests’ list.
Neil is Kirin!
Pfft!
Winston couldn’t stand it anymore and coughed out a mouthful of fresh blood.
The God of War was the one who saved him from his sudden heart attack previously.
Winston tried to repay the God of War by offering him money so that the latter could live a new and better life, but Winston was rejected which lead to the Gonzales family thinking that Levi was a scoundrel and a hypocritical clown.
The Gonzales family thought that Levi was going to use the incident to gain more money.
So the Gonzales family had constantly been targeting Levi. They even tried to kill him!
Winston was about to suffer from a brain hemorrhage due to the shock and fear he was feeling.
So the person I’ve been targeting constantly has been the God of War all along!
He really didn’t care about my repayment at all! After all, the God of War wouldn’t be lacking any money! Of course he wouldn’t need me to give him a new life!
The Gonzales family is finished!
Winston suddenly recalled all those times Levi had warned him.
Besides someone with a status like Levi, no one else would be brave enough to force the Gonzales family to kneel in front of him and apologize.
Back then, when commander-in-chief Covington said that he was going to visit his relative, he must be referring to Levi!
I’m such a fool!
I should’ve figure it all out earlier!
Pfft!
Pfft!
……
Winston continuously coughed out a few more mouthfuls of blood.
The truth hit Una harder than anyone else.
She had always been in contact with Levi and had the greatest conflict with him.
Una had even hit Levi with money previously!
It was an act of impiety!
What have I done?
I’ve been humiliating the God of War all this time?
Una immediately burst into tears.
She had single-handedly ruined the Gonzales family!
Up on stage, Levi held the Decree of Appointment and announced, “I hereby appoint Percy Covington as the commander-in-chief of the North Hampton Warzone!”
Percy accepted the Decree of Appointment while the attendees clapped.
It was the most glorious moment of his life!
I thought I had left the Iron Brigade, but I didn’t expect that I would be personally appointed by the person I respect the most!
Levi didn’t get down from the stage immediately. Instead, he scanned through the audience and said with a smile, “I’m going to use this opportunity to say a few words to some of you.”
Boom!
The attendees were stunned by Levi’s words, especially Winston and his group.
Their expressions had changed drastically.
They realized that something bad was about to happen soon.
Sh*t!
CHAPTER 362
Percy and the higher-ups of the North Hampton Warzone looked at Levi with curious eyes.
They knew nothing of the upheavals of the North Hampton.
But Xander, Grover, and a few others already knew that something was up.
They broke into cold sweat.
“Winston is here, right?” Levi asked suddenly.
Boom!
Winston was about to have a heart attack at that moment.
He coughed out another mouthful of blood!
“Is Winston here?” Levi increased his volume into a thunderous roar.
Everyone in the room felt the powerful aura Levi exuded.
“H-here… I’m here…”
Winston almost fell on his knees out of fear.
“How did you treat me when I saved your life the other day?”
Thud!
Both Winston and Una fell onto their knees.
“How dare you repay my kindness with enmity? Your granddaughter threw money at me to humiliate me. She kept provoking me and even tried to kill me!”
The attendees were shell-shocked upon hearing what Levi had said.
The leaders of North Hampton looked at the Gonzales family in disbelief.
Where did they find the courage to do that?
They actually tried to kill the God of War?
Who on earth could bear with that?
It seems like even Xander Hoyles would have to destroy them!
“Will the Gonzales family retreat on your own, or do you need me to use my powers to make you disappear?” Levi asked coldly.
Levi said the words as though he was on a trial.
Crap!
We’re really doomed!
North Hampton would never have stories about Winston the billionaire anymore!
“There’s also a personal grudge with the North Hampton Chamber of Commerce. Six years ago when my business start-up became successful, you coveted my skills and techniques. So you purposely set me up. You crippled me and sent me to jail. You coveted what I had so you took everything away from me!”
“What kind of punishment do you think you deserve?” asked Levi.
Thud!
Eric Robinson and the others fell on their knees one after another.
At this very moment, they finally knew why Levi didn’t go against them right away.
He wanted to slowly replace North Hampton with Morris Group!
“You’re all the same as the Gonzales family!”
Levi looked at Jesse, “Nielson, arrest all those who are in the wrong!”
Boom!
Eric and the others paled and they started to break into cold sweat.
They had done many things that violated the regulations in the years of expanding their business to its current state.
It was enough to get them all locked up!
Not to mention that there was solid evidence of them making a move against Levi Group. They couldn’t escape from evidence.
The group of people quickly looked towards Xander and Grover, hoping that they could save the day.
However, both of them lowered their heads.
They could at least have a say if it was the North Hampton.
But this is the freaking God of War!
He could stand his ground simply based on his strength and the law!
Grover quickly said, “The North Hampton Chamber of Commerce is problematic!”
Jesse nodded as he said, “God of War, I’ll definitely get it done!”
“Alright, dismissed!”
No one had expected the Appointment Ceremony of the new commander-in-chief to end in this way.
The world of North Hampton had changed after an hour.
The most powerful North Hampton Chamber of Commerce and the Gonzales family are ruined!
After they left the hall, Levi changed into casual clothes while Percy followed by his side.
The duo found Zoey and her group.
“Today has really been an eye opener!”
Aaron was in a great mood after a tour around the military camp. All the sorrow he felt earlier was gone.
“Mom, Dad, let me introduce you to my friend. This is Percy Covington. It’s all because of him that I’m able to get here today.” Levi said as he introduced Percy to the elderly.
Aaron shook Percy’s hands excitedly.
They were shocked.
Levi has friends like this too?
“May I know what your position is, Covington?” asked Aaron curiously.
CHAPTER 363
“I’m just a lowly commander. It’s not worth mentioning,” said Percy with a smile.
Caitlyn nudged Aaron and said, “That’s classified information! Why are you asking that?”
“Haha. That was rude of me!”
Aaron laughed.
The few of them enjoyed their dinner together afterward.
Aaron still had questions on the way out, “I think a new commander-in-chief was appointed today!”
“That’s right!”
“Well, we don’t need to think about people like him. But you did really well today, Levi. We’re really happy for you!”
Aaron grinned as he spoke.
“Let us have good fortune and happy events happening one after another after today!”
Levi smiled at that.
Zoey was swiping through her phone as they spoke. Suddenly, an alarmed look appeared on her face and she almost dropped her phone onto the floor.
“What’s wrong, sweetie?”
Everyone looked at her curiously.
“Something big happened! North Hampton is crumbling!”
Zoey took a deep breath.
“Winston Gonzales and all from the Gonzales family opted to quit Gonzales Group! North Hampton Chamber of Commerce announcing dissolution! Eric Robinson of the four noble families from the North Hampton Chamber of Commerce and dozens of higherups have been arrested due to commercial crimes!”
……
The eye-catching headlines were shown on the phone.
Zoey, Aaron, and the others were about to go insane.
This was definitely the biggest news of North Hampton!
Both the Gonzales family and the North Hampton Chamber of Commerce had crumbled at the same time.
This is unbelievable!
Zoey’s puzzled eyes landed on Levi. There was something mysterious about this man.
Can he predict the future?
He even told me that the North Hampton Chamber of Commerce and the Gonzales family were doomed!
It came true in a blink of an eye!
“Levi, is there anything that you know of?” asked Aaron.
“I heard from Percy that the God of War got back at them at the Appointment Ceremony earlier.”
Levi smiled.
“Oh, I see! They offended the God of War. I told you so. No one else in North Hampton would be able to destroy them!”
Aaron felt a sense of relief.
The news of North Hampton’s powerful figures crumbling had quickly spread all over Quebec.
Two mighty mountains had collapsed in an instant.
This meant that the North Hampton market was currently vacant. Anyone would want a share of the pie.
In just a blink of an eye, South City and multiple other places were preying on that pie.
In the meantime, Morris Group, which had received orders from their boss, expanded their business and took up the market share.
North Hampton was too big. It wasn’t possible for them to take over it completely in a short period of time.
In any case, Levi’s plan was simple. It was to quickly restore North Hampton’s order without shaking up its economy.
Rogers Group had also gotten the order from Levi and had joined in as well.
All of a sudden, Rogers Group became the richest aristocratic family in North Hampton.
Glenn had never expected all these to happen.
Levi did it out of respect for Abigail. It was also because he wanted to stabilize North Hampton as soon as possible.
“Zoey, do you still remember what I said previously? I’m going to help you rise to the top again. Just you wait!” Levi said with a smile.
Zoey was actually looking forward to it when she saw how mysterious Levi was acting.
The Lopez family was also really excited at this particular moment.
They had earned so much money and properties recently. Now that the North Hampton market was empty…their opportunity was finally here!
As long as the Lopez family worked hard, having a corporate with a hundred million of net worth wouldn’t be a dream anymore.
“As expected, once we chased Aaron out of the family, our luck has been good!” Henry said while laughing.
Harry looked up to the sky and cried out, “God bless the Lopez family!”
“We’re in big trouble! Something bad has happened!”
CHAPTER 364
Shaun and Melanie Lopez shouted.
“What are you up to? Why are the both of you so frantic? Didn’t I tell you to move the company?” said Harry as he frowned, obviously displeased.
After he took over Zoey’s company, the first thing he did was to move his company to Union Square.
After all, Union Square was at the center of the city.
It feels good to have a company building in the middle of the city.
“Grandpa, the company has been moved. But there’s some other stuff…”
“Grandpa, we don’t know what happened but… Just this morning, large numbers of the Company’s workers resigned. What’s more, it was none other than the executives who led them to resign! It’s a huge loss to the company!”
Shaun panted.
Melanie’s face was extremely sullen.
“What? Did all these really happen?”
Harry and the others’ expressions changed.
It wouldn’t matter much if it were only low-ranking workers who left.
But it would be a huge problem if the executives left.
Melanie’s phone rang.
“What? Seven more executives left?”
Melanie was stunned.
Henry’s phone rang too.
“What? The construction team of the West City Ecological Park Project canceled the contract and all of the workers left? Even the security and the guard dog left?”
Henry’s eyeballs were about to pop out upon hearing the news.
The West City Ecological Park Project had become a complete mess.
Shaun received a text message. He was immediately left dumbfounded after he read the text.
“What? The company is insolvent? The funds have long been used up in the development and now the company doesn’t have any cash flow?”
Shaun was about to have a breakdown soon.
The person in charge of the project from Morris Group called Harry right at this moment.
“Hello Mr. Lopez, why is the project we’re collaborating with Imperial Meadows Limited halted?” Morris Group asked.
“Uh… Due to some recent internal affairs of the company, there has been a delay in the progress. It’ll be back to normal soon!” Harry said and smiled awkwardly.
Morris Group was like the God of Wealth to the Lopez family now.
“Mr. Lopez, please take a good look at the contract. There’s still two days’ time. If the project invested can’t resume, you’ll have to compensate us due to breach of contract! According to the contract, you’ll have to pay one billion if that happens.”
Harry almost peed himself upon hearing what the person in charge from Morris Group had said.
Harry was trembling when the call ended.
“What’s happened? Have the collaboration projects with Morris Group been halted?” asked Harry.
Fabian quickly went to check.
Fabian was sweating buckets when he was done checking.
“Father, the collaboration project with Morris Group is just too big! If we want to continue, we’ll have to dump in more money!” said Fabian.
“What happened? Didn’t Zoey’s company get a big investment fund? How did this happen?”
Harry was about to vomit blood.
“The treasury department of Zoey’s company is currently empty. Not only have the funds been cut off, it seems like the company is also in debt…”
What Shaun said made the Lopez family tremble in fear.
“Huh? That’s not possible! Zoey’s company had been growing so well! Her company even moved to the Union Square!”
“That’s right! The company’s market value of almost a billion isn’t fake!”
The faces of Harry’s and the rest were full of disbelief.
“I understand now! It’s all an illusion made by Zoey! She deliberately made a good financial report and crafted a perfect company image just to attract investments and collaborations!”
“Yes! There have been quite a few companies looking to invest and collaborate with us. It must be because they were attracted by the financial report made by Zoey!” analyzed Fabian.
CHAPTER 365
“God damn it! I thought we actually had a billion in our hands. But who knew all we got is this mess?” said Harry furiously.
In the meantime, a car stopped in front of the Lopez family’s residence.
There were a few men and women in suits.
“Which one of you is Mr. Harry Lopez?”
“That’s me. And you are?”
Harry had an unsettling feeling.
“Hi, we are the person in charge of Union Square. We’re here to inform you that the lease contract of the company is a temporary contract. This is the official contract. Naturally, the prices will be revised accordingly.
It will be revised from the previous ten million every five years to a hundred million every five years. Please pay as soon as possible or you will be ordered to excavate within three days!” One of the persons in charge from Union Square said coldly.
Boom!
A wave of shock washed over Harry and he almost lost his balance.
Shaun took the new contract with trembling hands and read through it.
The more he read, the darker his face got.
The Lopez family was at the verge of going mad.
Isn’t this just too unlucky?
Zoey’s lease was only ten million, yet it became a hundred million for them.
“Hurry up and settle this!”
With that, those from the Union Square left.
But this was only the beginning.
Someone came again.
“Hello, I’m Hailey, the general manager of the North Hampton Bank. Imperial Meadows Limited had previously loaned eighty million from us.
Now the total amount is a hundred and ten million including interest. Lopez Group will have to settle everything within seven days! Otherwise, you’ll have to go through judicial processes!” said Hailey relentlessly.
Thud!
Harry was shocked and fell onto the ground.
We owe the bank more than a hundred million?
Is Zoey crazy?
More importantly, the Lopez family has to clean up this mess!
Hailey left soon after.
But someone else came again.
They were a dozen other companies who came at once.
“Hi, Mr. Harry Lopez. I’m from Harper Investment. I’m here to collect your debt of twenty million!”
“Hi Mr. Harry Lopez, I’m from Allison Corporation. I’m here to collect your debt of fifteen million!”
“Hi Mr. Harry Lopez, I’m from Hilton Group. I’m here to collect your debt of thirty million!”
……
Thirteen companies, all without exception, were here to recover the debts.
Together with Union Square and the bank, the Lopez family had a debt amounting to a total of four hundred and eighty million!
Everyone from the Lopez family was about to faint.
They didn’t gain a single cent, yet they have to settle a debt of approximately five hundred million now?
Pfft!
Everyone was about to cough up blood soon.
“Hang on. Zoey’s Imperial Meadows Limited is the one that owes you the money. It’s none of Lopez Group’s business!” Shaun immediately tried to justify themselves.
“Hmmph! Why are you still trying to come up with excuses? Lopez Group officially bought over Imperial Meadows Limited. So naturally, the debt of Imperial Meadows Limited will have to be settled by you!”
“That’s right. What does this have to do with Ms. Lopez?”
“Hurry up and pay us back! Or you’ll have to go through the judicial process. Everyone from the Lopez family will have to go to jail by then!”
The representatives from all thirteen companies were tough. They didn’t even give the Lopez family a chance to breathe.
“Seven days! We’ll only give you seven days!”
When all representatives from the thirteen companies left, everyone in the Lopez family were deathly silent.
Everyone was soaked in cold sweat and was breathing heavily.
Tap…tap…tap…
Suddenly, footsteps could be heard from the outside.
A group of workers wearing safety helmets rushed into the Lopez family’s residence.
They were contractors from Imperial Meadows Limited. It was payday.
When the workers heard that the company was in a crisis, they had rushed to the Lopez family to get their pay.
“Harry Lopez! Pay us immediately!”
“Right! Quickly pay us, or you won’t be able to handle the consequences!”
CHAPTER 366
A hundred men or more had the Lopez family completely surrounded.
They made a big ruckus out of it.
The Lopez family were completely stunned.
Did a bunch of workers come out to protest?
Previously Zoey had arranged for the contractors to be paid at the end of the month and it just so happened that today was the payday.
The Lopez family might have to foot the bill in her stead.
“Zoey is the one who had your money! Find her if you must but it has nothing to do with us!” yelled Shaun angrily.
“What nonsense is this? Shouldn’t it be the opposite? Ms. Lopez has nothing to do with the company anymore!”
“That’s right! Ms. Lopez has already been disowned by the Lopez Group. How could she be a part of this?”
“We won’t leave until we receive what we were owed!”
The workers were starting to be unreasonable.
“You are trespassing on private property. Get out of my sight or I’ll have the cops arrest you!” warned Shaun.
“Even better. I’ll have them know that our wages are due!”
The contractors did not seem to mind at all.
“Fine, I’ll do just that!”
Shaun believed that the contractors were only putting on a facade.
“Wait! Don’t be rash and think this through. Should you get the police involved, things might just blow out of proportion. Wouldn’t it be bad if the media finds out about this?” said Fabian as he attempted to stop Shaun.
Shaun came to his senses immediately.
Indeed. If such a scandal were to reach the ears of the media, the Lopez Group would be in deep trouble.
“Then what should we do?” asked Shaun.
“Settle it!” said Fabian unambiguously.
“But uncle…”
Shaun was unwilling to give these people money, especially not on behalf of Zoey.
“My word is final,” responded Fabian coldly.
Shaun, Melanie and the CFO of the company wasted no time in auditing the accounts.
There were a total of seven contractors, they would have to fork out at least 5.7 million this month.
It wasn’t until both parties had agreed to settle things cordially that the contractors finally left with their workers.
The Lopez family could finally take a breather.
More than five million gone in the blink of an eye.
Oh, how much it hurt!
The main thing was that this wasn’t a business investment, so they wouldn’t be able to get a single cent out of it.
The Lopez family slumped helplessly on the floor, drenched in cold sweat ever since this morning.
This was the biggest predicament they have ever faced.
A debt of five hundred million!
Even if they had Harry sold, would they even be able to pay off this debt?
How did things turn out this way?
They just couldn’t fathom what happened.
“How did this happen? Are you guys stupid? Why did you investigate Zoey’s company beforehand?” yelled Harry.
“Well…The Imperial Meadows appeared to be doing great. They had a few billions of highly liquid assets and some big-name investors backing them up. There was no doubt that the company had a bright future ahead,” whimpered Shaun.
“How would you explain this then?” asked Harry.
Everyone had their heads lowered, no one seemed to have an apparent answer to that question.
They did not expect this to happen at all!
“So what are we going to do now?” Harry shouted.
“I knew it, this is the doing of Zoey! Ten billion in exchange for Levi’s life, it isn’t that hard of a choice for her to make, is it?”
“That’s right, knowing how despicable this little harlot is, she would definitely have made that choice! In order to climb the ranks of society, she was even willing to sleep with countless older men!”
“If she were given the choice between Levi and five million, she would have undoubtedly chosen the latter. Not to mention this is ten billion that we are talking about right now. It is definitely intentional!”
As Shaun and Melanie were busy badmouthing Zoey, Harry’s eyes gleamed and appeared to be in dismay.
“Are you saying that Zoey was searching for a scapegoat as she could no longer keep up with the operations of the company, and we just so happened to be there?”
“That is certainly the case! A wicked woman like her would be all too glad to witness our downfall!”
CHAPTER 367
“I swear I’m going to kill this harlot!”
“Pfft!”
Harry was seething with anger.
“Zoey you little b*tch! You tricked me?”
At this moment, the Lopez family were all sold with the idea that Zoey was having them clean up her mess.
But she had no idea at all.
When she was at the helm of Imperial Meadows, things were doing well. The business was growing and the company had sufficient capital.
Little did they know that Levi was actually the one behind it.
Within the span of a night, he had changed the fate of Imperial Meadows for the worse.
“Grandpa, I think it would only be reasonable for Zoey to return and clean up her own mess!” suggested Henry.
“Yes, we should do just that! We’ll let her solve her own problems!” responded the crowd angrily as they agreed to Henry’s proposition.
Zoey was currently at the Morris Group.
Even though she had lost her company, her abilities were . She planned to put her skills to good use at the Morris Group.
However she was stopped by Levi.
Levi had plans for her to start her own company.
Zoey was sulking at Levi for not letting her to do what she wanted.
At that very moment, she received a call from Harry.
“Zoey you ******* harlot! How dare you trick me! Don’t you dare tell anyone that you are related to Lopez family!”
Just as the call was connected, Harry was blasting at Zoey with full force.
“What happened, grandpa?”
Zoey seemed to be puzzled.
“What happened you say? Imperial Meadows of yours a debt of four billion! Your company’s senior management have collectively resigned. This is such a huge matter, don’t you dare pretend that you don’t know about that!”
“Huh? How did it end up like this? I don’t have the tiniest inkling about that!”
Zoey was stunned, that wasn’t surprising as she did not know what had unfolded behind the scenes.
“You are driving me crazy!”
Harry was on the verge of exploding in rage as he thought that Zoey was feigning ignorance at such a point in time.
“There were times where I had restless nights, feeling guilty for exiling you from our family. Who would have thought that you were actually plotting against us the whole time. A pox on my pity!” yelled Harry from the other side of the phone.
“Grandpa, what are you talking about? I really don’t know anything about that.”
Her company was doing well, how could it incur such a huge amount of debt?
Impossible!
“Zoey you little harlot, how dare you play me for a fool! If only I could slap the hell out of you!”
Harry was boiling with rage.
“Also stop calling me your grandpa, I don’t have a vile granddaughter like you!”
Zoey was in a bind, she did not know what to do.
“However I’ll give you a chance to redeem yourself! Reinstate yourself as the director of Imperial Meadows and clean up your own mess. I’ll welcome you and your family back if you do so!”
Harry was employing the stick and carrot method.
He knew Zoey’s and Aaron’s personality like the back of his hand. They perceived the honor of the family being more important than their own lives.
When they had their names removed from the family registry, Aaron cried in agony.
To them, there are things that worth more than their own lives.
Harry firmly believed that if he were to mention the reinstating them back into the family, they would immediately seize the opportunity.
“As long as you agree to return and solve your company’s issues, I’ll have your family reinstated right now. I’ll even promise that I won’t interfere with your company’s affairs from now on!”
“Grandpa might have overreacted for a bit, but I hope you will understand my circumstances as your company is currently in deep trouble.”
Harry had gone to great lengths to manipulate his granddaughter.
And indeed, Zoey was moved by his words.
Not only would she be able to get her company back, but she would also be reinstated to the Lopez family.
That would be killing two birds with one stone!
Zoey bit her lips, she couldn’t resist agreeing on such a good deal.
CHAPTER 368
“Zoey should you agree to it you may now come to the Lopez family residence and I’ll personally reinstate your family!”
Harry had foreseen that it wouldn’t take long for her to agree, she just needed a little push.
“Grandpa, I…”
Just as Zoey was about to agree on it, Levi snatched her phone away from her hands.
“Who the hell are you? It would be best for you to stop harassing my wife or I’ll beat you up!” said Levi angrily.
“Levi, it’s me! Did you not recognize your grandpa?”
Harry was furious but he had no choice other than to hold it in.
“Grandpa? Never heard of him. Now scram!” shouted Levi before he hung up the phone.
He even blocked all the contacts of the Lopez family.
Harry tried to call her again, but to no avail.
The others tried but they had the same result.
“Zoey has blocked us all!”
“It was Levi! That man had berated me!” said Harry.
His complexion was eerily pale.
“What is the meaning of this, Levi? Why did you scold grandpa?” asked Zoey.
There was a tinge of discontent in her tone.
“What did I just tell you that day? Are you going to just let them walk all over you?” said Levi angrily.
Zoey bit her lips, before stuttering for a bit. “But…It seems that the company…”
“Is that even your company in the first place? What does it have to do with you now? Or are you a member of the Lopez family? If my memory serves me right you have already been exiled from the Lopez family!”
“But grandpa said that he will reinstate us…”
“Are you really that dumb? He only agreed to reinstate you back to the family because he wanted you to clean up his mess. After you are done, he’ll get rid of you without hesitation!
Zoey bit her lips a little harder this time. It took her a while before she came back to her senses.
“Fine, I’ll go along with what you had in mind,” responded Zoey.
Levi immediately ordered Aaron and Caitlyn to block the contacts of the Lopez family.
Not only that, but Levi had also even arranged a holiday trip for Caitlyn and Aaron.
It won’t be so easy for you Harry!
“People will only take advantage of your kindness. You need to know that the Lopez family has nothing to do with you right now.” ranted Levi as he shook his head.
When will Zoey realize she’s too kind for her own good?
Or else she would be bullied by the Lopez family for the rest of her life!
The Lopez family was in a state of panic as they couldn’t contact Zoey or her family at all.
“Grandpa, no matter where I looked I just couldn’t find Zoey’s whereabouts. Not to mention Caitlyn and Aaron are on a vacation to god knows where. It would take them at least ten days to come back!” said Shaun who was panting heavily.
“The heavens want us dead!”
Harry was on the verge of tears.
“Curse that bastard Levi! Zoey was about to agree to it!”
“Why am I not at all surprised that Levi was backing Aaron and his family?”
“I really want Levi dead!”
Just when the Lopez family was about to descend into madness, a few cars came to the family residence.
“Allow us to make a brief introduction. We are the co-developers for West City Ecological Park. What happened to the construction of Ecological Park? I’ve heard that the construction workers and even the security guards had all left. What is the meaning of this? Did you intend to run away with our money?” asked one of the co-developers.
Their pressure was overwhelming, there were at least twenty brawny brutes behind them.
“Huh? No, that has nothing to do with us!”
Shaun could feel his sanity slipping away.
“What do you mean it has nothing to do with you? The contract says that the Lopez Group is now fully in charge of the West City Ecological Park!”
That rendered Shaun speechless.
CHAPTER 369
“With the project coming to a halt, the construction workers gone and your company facing cash flow issues, we would like to terminate the contract. Of course, it goes without saying that you will have to pay us back the amount that we have invested!”
“We have already appointed our lawyers, why don’t you have a nice long talk with them?”
It seems that the co-developers had already made their preparations.
“Why would you involve the lawyer at such an early stage? Did we say that we disagree to it?”
Shaun was about to lose himself.
“Thump!”
A brute had stepped forward and threw a punch at Shaun’s nose, causing blood to spew everywhere.
“How dare you hit me!” said Shaun angrily.
“Just you wait, I’ll call the cops!”
The brute gave Shaun a cold sneer before saying, “Call the cops if you wish, but I’m just a passerby. I just couldn’t bear to look at you.”
“You…”
Needless to say the Lopez family was enraged by this, but there was nothing that they could do.
A phone call cut the tension that was starting to build up.
It was Mr. Jennings from the Ministry of Construction. “Mr. Lopez what’s the matter? What in the world happened to the West City Ecological Park? If I were you I would refund the money to the co-developers, or else there would be a hell of a price to pay!”
It was an order from the Ministry of Construction.
“Shaun, give the money back to them!” said Harry as he did not dare to defy orders.
“Alright, grandpa!”
They had no choice but to give them their refund.
Fortunately, the payable amount was slightly lower than the previous one, totaling up to 12 million.
Just today they had already given out at least 20 million and this wasn’t even a major part of the debt.
If this goes on, the Lopez family would inevitably fall.
They thought they could rise higher by forcefully acquiring the company, but who would have thought that things would end in tragedy.
Tears were flowing out of the rim of Harry’s eyes.
Greed!
Greed was the main cause of their downfall!
Or else why would this even happen in the first place?
Harry started to sob.
The others followed him soon after.
If this goes on, not only would their future be ruined, but they might also even end up in jail.
It was at this moment Henry ran in with long strides while panting heavily. “Dad, I’ve found out where Zoey and Levi are! They are at Morris Group!”
“Great, we’ll meet them at once! Zoey is our last hope!”
Harry brought along the other members of Lopez family as they headed towards Morris Group.
As Zoey and Levi looked out of the window of their office, they could see a bunch of unexpected visitors right at the gate.
“Why are they here?” asked Zoey puzzledly.
“Of course it is to make you the scapegoat! Why else would they be here? The burden of the failing Imperial Meadows could only be thrown to you!” explained Levi as he let out a few laughs.
It wasn’t until now they Zoey understood the situation of the Lopez family. “Why did all sorts of problems occur once I had left the Imperial Meadows? It is as if someone is behind this!”
“You know you are not as slow-witted as you have led me to believe! Yes, I was the one behind this.” answered Levi as he laughed.
Levi seemed to be having a little too much fun.
“You? That’s impossible! If you were capable of this you wouldn’t be spending all day sipping tea over here!” said Zoey as she shook her head in exasperation.
Meanwhile, Harry was leading his family hurriedly towards the Morris Group’s front building. As they attempted to trespass, they were met with several shouts.
“Hold it, hold it! Do you think you own this place? Coming in as you please?” yelled the security guards as they attempted to block the trespassers.
“Mate, I’m here to see Zoey” said Harry as he gave out a few fake laughs.
“Zoey? Have you mistaken? There’s no one with that name over here! What are you all here for?” yelled the captain of the security angrily.
“Oh no, we are actually looking for Levi. Could you please tell him that we are here?” said Harry as he rephrased his words.
He even slipped in an envelope to the security guard, it was full of cash.
“Did you say Levi? I’ll help you ask.”
Levi and Seth had a close relationship, and so he was able to dial his number directly.
“Mr. Garrison, there is someone looking for you!”
“Tell him that I’m busy!”
CHAPTER 370
As Seth had his phone on speaker mode, Harry and his family members could hear it clearly.
What? He is not going to meet us?
“Hey Levi, it’s me! Your grandpa!” said Harry immediately.
“Who the hell do you think you are? Why don’t you call me grandpa instead!”
And with that, Levi hung up immediately.
“This…”
The Lopez family were dumbfounded.
It was a force of habit that these words had slipped from his mouth.
Seth stared at Harry and the people behind him before saying, “You all are not here to seek for trouble, are you? I can’t believe you just called yourself Mr. Garrison’s grandfather.”
The other guards were also staring at them.
While Levy was given the cold shoulder by Iris and the upper management inside the company, he could get along well with the security guards and also the janitors.
They were always seen hanging around smoking or chatting during tea breaks.
So naturally, Levi had a good reputation among them.
To be hearing someone calling himself as Levi’s grandfather, the security guards immediately turned hostile.
“That’s right! They don’t look like people with good intentions!”
The other guards also chimed in.
Shaun was in a bad mood before arriving here, and to be picked on by the security guards, he could no longer hold it in. “Did you mistake yourself for someone important? You are just some lowly guards! Now scram!”
“That’s right, who the hell do you think you are! It would be in your best interest to summon Levi right now or I’ll see to it that you lose your jobs!” said Henry.
After all, the Lopez family had a net worth of around ten billion.
How could they stomach the humiliation of being ridiculed by security guards?
Anger stirred within Seth when those words reached his ears.
“These thugs are trying to mess around, throw them out!”
Seth had given the order.
A number of guards gladly obeyed the orders of their captain and threw them out of the compound.
Shaun had been beaten up once before, and now again.
Harry was exasperated. He had never experienced something like this in his entire life.
“Slap! Slap! Slap!”
The slaps landed perfectly on the face of Shaun and Henry.
“What did you come here for? We came to ask for a favor! Not to act like a gangster!”
Harry was so close to losing it.
He went forward and filled the captain’s pocket with a lot of cash.
Seth happily accepted it.
He gave Levi a call once again.
“Tell them that if they wanted to meet me, it would only be right for them to show some sincerity by prostrating themselves on the ground,” said Levi from the other side of the phone.
“Did you hear that? If you really wanted to ask Mr. Garrison for a favor, then prostrate on the ground right now!”
“Levi you piece of shit!”
Just when Shaun and Harry were about to burst from rage, their father stopped them.
“What are you doing? Have you not come back to your senses yet? On your knees!”
Under the instruction of the head of the household, Fabian, Shaun, Harry and the rest all knelt before the building.
How humiliating!
Words can’t describe such humiliation!
To think that there would be a day where they would have to kneel before Levi.
The passers-by were amused by such a scene and some even took pictures of them.
This made the Lopez family feel even more humiliated!
Their pride and honor were being trampled on publicly.
Each and every one of them swore to take vengeance on Levi.
They would give it back to him tenfold!
Harry felt humiliated despite not being the one kneeling down.
The Lopez family’s honor was tarnished.
But in order to meet Zoey, he could only endure the pain.
Zoey and Levi were watching from the window of their office, they had the best front-row seat all to themselves.
Looking upon the scene of her arrogant uncles kneeling before her, Zoey found it especially entertaining.
But she also felt bad for them.
“Levi, don’t you think that we have gone too far? They might not be able to recover from this mental anguish after all!”
CHAPTER 371
Zoey was just too kind for her own good.
“Are you actually feeling sorry for them? Don’t you know what the Lopez family meant by kicking you out of the family? They wanted you out of their sight!” Levi chided.
Zoey slowly nodded.
That was not false…
“Hey, Seth? Why is he still standing? Tell him to kneel!”
Levi was visibly annoyed while Zoey began to panic.
“W-what are you doing? He’s my Grandpa! How can you tell him to do that?”
Zoey’s breaths quickened as her heart was gripped by horror.
“He has never thought of you as a granddaughter, has he? Don’t get yourself involved. Leave it to me!”
There was a tone of finality in Levi’s voice.
Meanwhile, on the plaza, Seth approached Harry slowly.
“Can they see me?” Harry asked.
“Of course! Why aren’t you kneeling? Get down now!” Seth demanded.
“Me?”
Harry shot him a look of confusion.
He had not expected to be forced to kneel as well.
He had thought that getting Fabian to kneel before Zoey was already sincere enough.
Why are they after me now? He thought.
Are the two of them crazy?
Do they even care about their seniors?
Such unfilial children!
“Hey! Did you hear me? Stop acting like you’re so special! You’re here to plead someone to do your bidding, for goodness’ sake!”
Seth was visibly enraged.
Harry began to tremble uncontrollably. “A-are you telling us to get on our knees?”
“Obviously! Kneel now or scram!”
Seth glared at Harry impatiently.
Crash!
As the Lopez family looked on in horror, Harry fell to his knees in front of Seth.
The pride of the Lopez family fell with him.
What a shame!
Levi Garrison! We’re going to kill you!
That was the thought coursing through every Lopez family member’s minds.
Even Harry felt utterly humiliated when he knelt in front of Seth.
He had admitted defeat to Levi Garrison!
Harry could feel his self-confidence crumbling into the ground when he noticed the passersby’s curious looks.
He wished he could bang his head against a wall and kill himself.
However, he had to stay strong for the sake of the Lopez family.
Zoey, who had been sitting in her office, was shocked by the sight before her.
Harry Lopez was on his knees!
She began to feel guilty but could not help but look at Levi curiously.
This man seems different after coming out of jail… She thought.
He had become a literal fortune teller.
He had predicted the fall of the North Hampton Chamber of Commerce and the Gonzales family.
He had speculated Harry Lopez to show up, kneel before them, and plead for their help.
…
Is he God?
Is he a prophet?
She started to wonder if the whole thing had been orchestrated by Levi and the entire Lopez family.
However, that seemed almost impossible.
“What are we going to do now?” Zoey asked.
“Leave them there.”
By the end of the workday, Harry and company had been kneeling outside the office for a good three hours.
Levi told Zoey to get in Iris’ car and leave the scene.
Meanwhile, he waltzed out of the entrance to the office.
Everyone in the Lopez family grinned from ear to ear when they saw him.
Their last lifeline had arrived!
Levi headed straight for Harry and smiled at him. “Well, old man, you’re an obedient one, aren’t you?”
“Weren’t you and Zoey the ones who told us to kneel here? Where is she? Has she agreed to our requests?” Harry hurriedly asked.
“That’s right! We’re still waiting for her to come back and deal with the situation!”
The others began to panic as well.
Levi simply smiled. “I’m sorry, but I think you’ve misunderstood us. This has nothing to do with Zoey.”
“I suggest Sir to retreat out of North Hampton immediately. Your safety is of utmost importance. That man is not someone you can afford to cross.”
The moment Winston finished speaking, everyone froze, including Sebastian.
What? You’re asking me to leave North Hampton?
“Yes. The North Hampton Chamber of Commerce agrees with Winston. North Hampton is vastly different from what you’ve imagined. You might die here,” Robinson and the other three said.
In the end, even Liam chimed in, “That’s right. You can’t afford to cross that man!”
The three powerful men of North Hampton were persuading him not to stay.
Their words were shocking.
Winston and the rest would not have said something like this in the past.
However, after seeing the contents of the painting Seth had shown them, they realized what that man’s intentions were.
If Sebastian insisted on attacking North Hampton, he was doomed for death.
Sebastian and the rest were staring at the speakers in shock.
I can’t afford to cross the Morris Group?
Is this a joke?
Other than one man in Quebec, there was no one Sebastian could not afford to cross.
Moreover, that man was now in South City, not North Hampton.
“Oh, I see.”
Abruptly, Sebastian laughed.
He finally understood why the people of North Hampton did not want him to stay; he was intruding upon their territory.
That was why these people were using the boss of Morris Group to pressure him to leave.
However, he refused to do as they say.
The more he could not afford to cross him, the more he wanted to try.
This piece of cake in North Hampton had to be his.
He was going to destroy the Morris Group and kill Levi Garrison.
Not even God could stop what Sebastian wanted to do.
Looking at the crowd, Sebastian sneered, “The theme for this banquet is simple. I’ll expand my territory into North Hampton along with everyone. If you trust me, give me a sign. From now on, your business is my business.”
Sebastian’s words were simple to understand.
He wanted everyone present to pick sides.
The time had come.
Everyone’s hearts skipped a beat.
Liam, Winston and Eric were the first to express their stances. “We’ve retired. We no longer participate with any disputes in North Hampton.”
“Very well. And the others?”
Sebastian looked at the rest.
“I choose to follow Mr. Lopez.”
“Me too!”
……
Everyone was quick and in a hurry to stand on Sebastian’s side.
“I choose to be neutral.”
“Same!”
……
A portion of the men decided to pick no sides.
In the end, the three wealthy families that had the same standing as the Rogers family—Jenkins, Welch and the Hardy family had chosen to be neutral.
After all, their families had tens of billions. They could expand their territories by themselves.
Upon hearing these three men’s choices, Sebastian became upset.
His expression frightened the rest.
Sebastian might not go against them, but their happy days would be numbered.
Soon, each family had expressed their stances.
Half had chosen to follow after Sebastian, and most chose to be neutral.
“Who’s next?” Sebastian asked.
Everyone turned to look at Glenn.
The only one who had not expressed their stance was him.
“Mr. Glenn Rogers, what is your answer? I know you’re powerful now. Please pick your decision wisely,” Sebastian laughed.
Glenn knew what he meant.
No matter which decision he made, he would remain as Sebastian’s ultimate archenemy.
Now, the decision he would make was important.
It was time for him to pick sides.
If he chose to be neutral, Sebastian would not target him.
However, he would not pick neutral, and neither would he choose to follow after Sebastian.
“I choose to stand on Morris Group’s side.”
CHAPTER 402
A chorus of gasps sounded out.
The moment Glenn’s words left his mouth, the crowd fell silent.
Next were the sounds of people drawing in their breaths.
Their eyes were close to popping out of the sockets as they stared at Glenn in shock.
Everyone could barely believe their ears. A third choice had been voiced out.
They could not believe that someone had chosen to side with the Morris Group, which was Sebastian’s archenemy.
It was as if Glenn was courting for death.
Sebastian’s terrifying gaze landed on Glenn, and it sent a shudder down his spine.
Now, terror had gripped tight onto him.
“I’ll ask you one more time. What is your choice?” Sebastian repeated his question in a deep voice.
Anyone who was not blind nor deaf would realize that Sebastian was angry.
The continuous provocation had made Sebastian furious.
The trembling of Glenn’s body was evident.
However, he would not change his decision.
That was because standing on Morris Group’s side meant that he was standing on Levi’s troops’ side.
Levi’s the God of War!
No matter how impressive you are, Sebastian, you can never surpass the God of War.
The reason behind him being number one in North Hampton was because he was a follower of Levi.
If not for him, the Rogers family would have been bankrupted long ago.
This was the time for him to express his loyalty to Levi.
“I repeat my answer. I choose to stand with the Morris Group. Whoever is the enemy of the Morris Group will be the Rogers family’s enemy,” Glenn declared.
No one could understand Glenn’s decision.
They thought, Even if you don’t want to follow after Sebastian, you can choose to be neutral.
Why do you have to go against Sebastian?
Do you have a death wish?
“Alright, alright,” Sebastian said.
Even he was stunned by Glenn’s answer.
He thought that everyone in North Hampton would bow to him the moment he commanded them to.
Yet, it was only his first day here and he was already provoked several times.
Levi had humiliated him.
The Morris Group had forced him.
The Rogers family had chosen to go against him.
……
This was humiliating!
Sebastian’s pride was destroyed in a blink of an eye.
Fury!
It was an unrestrainable fury!
Sebastian laughed, “Has everyone forgotten about me because I haven’t come here for a long time?”
“We wouldn’t dare!”
The crowd was shocked.
Sebastian said to Simon, “Simon, it seems like we need to do something to remind them that I hold the title of Hades.”
Simon nodded, “Sir, I’ll arrange for it immediately.”
Their conversation scared the living daylights out of the crowd.
Sebastian was about to make his move.
Even Glenn was afraid.
He doubted he would be able to leave the Lopez family’s estate alive tonight.
Henry and Shaun took the opportunity to sneer, “You have no fear of death! Did you have to force him to do this?”
Sebastian walked towards Glenn and patted his shoulders. “Don’t be scared. I won’t kill you tonight. In near future, I’ll show you why your choice is a mistake.”
At the end, when Glenn left the Lopez family’s estate, his clothes were soaked with cold sweat.
The remaining left with pounding hearts.
Everyone knew that for North Hampton, tonight was destined to be a sleepless night.
After the people had left, Sebastian narrowed his eyes and announced, “We’ll deal with Nueve and Trey tonight!”
“Assign Black and White Guards on it,” Sebastian added.
Simon drew a sharp breath.
He knew that Sebastian was serious about it this time.
Harry and the rest exchanged a look. They knew what the Black and White Guards were.
They must be what was kept in the forbidden room.
Fabian, who had seen them personally, started perspiring in fear.
CHAPTER 403
When he thought back of that scene, his knees went weak.
……
Levi knew what had happened at the Lopez family’s estate.
“That coward Glenn actually stood on Morris Group’s side!” Levi laughed.
“No matter how cowardly he is, he knows how powerful the God of War is,” Azure Dragon chuckled.
Kirin added, “I’m afraid Sebastian will be exacting his revenge maniacally now. That man is a lunatic!”
“The faster he makes his move, the earlier he dies,” Levi chortled.
Sebastian Lopez was not worth his attention.
Recently, Nueve and Trey were giddy with delight.
They had abandoned the terrible things in their past.
Now, they were focused on their businesses, hoping to contribute to North Hampton.
Moreover, they were in collaboration with several other successful businessmen. They frequently had discussions on methods of business expansion.
Most of their businesses were involved with bars and karaoke clubs.
Tonight, at Crown Karaoke, Nueve, Trey, and five other businessmen were in a meeting.
Right then, screams traveled into their ears from the corridor.
Nueve and Trey’s men were lying scattered across the corridor.
As the karaoke room was soundproofed, Nueve and the rest did not hear the screams.
Bang!
Right then, the door to the room was kicked open.
A group of people entered.
“Who are you?”
When Nueve and the rest recognized none of the intruders, they became wary and stood up defensively.
“Neuve? Trey?” The leading man asked.
“That’s right. Who are you? What are you doing here?” Neuve hissed.
No one in North Hampton dared to provoke him.
“There are two people who wish to meet you,” the man replied as he laughed.
“Who wants to meet us?”
Nueve’s curiosity grew.
Just then, the dozens of men by the door moved to the sides, leaving a space in the middle.
With the sounds of footsteps, two men came in.
One in black, and the other in white.
When Nueve saw them, the color drained from his face. His voice trembled. “What? B- Black and White Guards…”
Nueve had lived a life in the underground society for decades.
He had heard of the Black and White Guards.
However, he did not expect these two gods of death to look for him.
“Black and White Guards?” Trey shrieked.
The Black and White Guards were taboos.
There was no good ending for those who encountered them.
“Let’s fight till the end. We have no other way!” Nueve hissed.
Sebastian’s guards went out, leaving the Black and White Guards in the room. When they left the room, they locked the door.
“Ugh!”
“Argh!”
Agonizing wails traveled out of the karaoke room.
Even Sebastian’s men had cold sweat beading on their foreheads when they heard the screams.
They could not imagine the bloodbath that was going on in the room.
They could not imagine what torture Nueve and Trey was experiencing.
Indeed, the room had turned into hell.
The screams continued for half an hour.
Finally, the Black and White Guards exited.
Both men’s hands were covered in blood, and they were sucking it as if they did not want to waste even a drop.
That night, that place in North Hampton had gone through its worst history.
In one night, Sebastian had shown the people of North Hampton the definition of cruelty and the weight of Hades’ arrival.
It was an act too cruel.
Excluding the countless deaths and injuries, many had their bones simply removed from their bodies.
“Levi, bad news. Sebastian went to settle off Nueve and his gang last night. Countless are dead and severely injured. Even Nueve and Trey are on the verge of death!”
Early in the morning, Azure Dragon came with horrible news.
“What? They actually dared to make a move?”
Levi was stunned.
CHAPTER 404
“Yes. Sebastian is a madman!”
Azure Dragon sighed, “Apparently, he has two terrifying subordinates who are ruthless. Many were bitten to death. Although Nueve and Trey had many men with them, they were no match for those two.”
“They must be the Black and White Guards that Glenn mentioned,” Levi mumbled.
“Do you remember Chopper?”
Levi nodded.
Chopper had been a great help to him.
“Chopper died from blood loss after the Black and White Guards sucked out his blood while he was alive,” Azure Dragon told him the terrifying truth.
“Hm.”
Levi looked calm, but on the inside, anger was boiling.
“Let’s visit Nueve.”
When they reached the hospital, they saw Neuve and Trey swaddled in bandages.
With one glance, Levi knew how terrible last night had been for them.
“Neuve has 87 broken bones and 105 cuts on him. Trey has 76 broken bones, and he has 88 cuts.”
Azure Dragon informed Levi of their injuries.
“It seems like it’s a miracle that they survived. They can only live as a cripple from now on,” the doctor explained.
Azure Dragon whispered to Levi, “Sir, I think the Black and White Guards intentionally left Nueve and Trey alive. It’s a warning for us.”
Levi nodded. “Yes, I’ve noticed. They have more than a hundred wounds, but each cut avoided the vital points. It seems like those two are quite impressive.”
“How cruel,” Azure Dragon gritted out.
“If we don’t deal with them, they might end up hurting Ms. Lopez. That’s a consequence we don’t want to think about.”
Kirin suggested, “Let me deal with this.”
Levi shook his head. “No need. It’s time for White Tiger to exercise a little.”
“Huh? White Tiger?”
Azure Dragon and Kirin were bewildered.
He was a man with a great reputation and influence.
White Tiger, the King of War, had a nickname on the battlefield— War Machine.
That title was the nightmare of many enemies.
That was because White Tiger was a maniac and also the devil of the battlefield.
In the Five Great Wars Regiment, he was the best fighter.
Once, White Tiger had fought his way out of tens of thousands of enemies without a scratch on him.
In that battle, he had killed over six thousand people all by himself. That battle was the one where his reputation was established.
However, he was the cruelest and most controversial one.
As long as White Tiger made a move, his opponent will die. There were no other options for them.
Once, he murdered tens of thousands of prisoners, and he nearly went to the military court.
Hence, that was why Levi had made him stay low for such a long time.
Every time White Tiger made a move, a disaster ensued.
“Yes. It’s time for him to act.”
Levi was determined.
……
Sebastian’s act of sending out the Black and White Guards to create a bloodbath in the underground world frightened everyone.
Sebastian’s title as the Hades had returned overnight.
People from all corners of North Hampton were trembling in terror.
They were scared that they would be his next target.
After all, the enemy was in the shadows.
Glenn was distressed.
The entire Rogers family was feeling dreadful.
Last night, it had been Nueve and Trey.
The next in line would definitely be the Rogers family.
Glenn started sobbing.
He could not cross both sides.
Crossing either side would result in death.
They thought that the Rogers family had finally reached their prime, but now they were facing an impossible obstacle.
At the Lopez family’s estate.
Sebastian was satisfied with the reactions of the people in North Hampton.
“Violence is needed for them to feel fear. If not, there’s always someone who’s trying to provoke me,” Sebastian sneered.
“Who should I deal with next?” Sebastian contemplated.
CHAPTER 405
Henry stepped forward and uttered, “Sir, I have a suggestion. It’s a plan that will kill two birds with one stone.”
“Speak your mind. If it’s satisfactory, I’ll reward you for it,” Sebastian said.
“Glenn Rogers has a granddaughter named Abigail Rogers. Moreover, Abigail Rogers is Levi’s sister-in-law, and they’re close to each other,” Henry cackled.
Upon hearing this, Sebastian’s eyes gleamed.
“Wonderful! Simon, bring Abigail to me,” he instructed.
“Yes, Sir.”
Sebastian then turned toward Henry. “You have quite a lot of ideas. Follow me from now on.”
“Thank you, Sir, for this honor.”
Henry immediately got to his knees and kneeled to Sebastian.
If he followed Sebastian, his life in North Hampton would be easy.
Abigail was currently doing an internship in market research.
In the evening, when she and her classmates were about to return home, several large men came towards them.
“Ms. Rogers, please come with us.”
Instantly, one of the women started dragging her away.
“What? I don’t know you.”
Abigail had a displeased look on her face.
Among Abigail’s classmates were her admirers. They swiftly intervened.
“What are you all trying to do?”
A few tall classmates stepped in front of Abigail to protect her.
Smack!
Smack!
……
Their answers were in the form of a punch. Instantly, their faces were bloodied and their noses were broken.
Abigail was taken away as the others watched.
Levi was drinking tea in the Morris Group’s office.
Right then, Seth Wilson, the leader of the security team, called.
“Levi, bad news! The Lopez family said that your sister-in-law is in their hands. If you don’t reach the Lopez family’s estate by twelve, Abigail will be handed to the Black and White Guards,” reported Seth anxiously.
“What? Abigail’s been caught? They must have a death wish!” Levi fumed.
He had sent his men to protect Zoey, but he had not thought the possibility of Abigail being caught.
It would be horrendous if Abigail ended up in the Black and White Guards’ hands.
From what he heard, the Black and White Guards were not only cruel executioners, but they were also perverts.
On the other side, Glenn Rogers had also received news of Abigail’s capture.
Glenn was in a panic; this was his beloved granddaughter.
In the evening, at the Lopez family’s estate, Abigail was locked in a room.
However, there were sounds and movements from the other side of the room. It was as if there were two pacing beasts breathing heavily.
Fortunately, there was a window between the two rooms, and both sides could see each other.
When Abigail looked through the window and saw the two beasts, she shrieked in horror.
One was dressed in black, and the other was dressed in white. Both men had far too much hair on them to look human.
Not only were their arms and legs covered in thick hair, but their faces were also hairy.
They looked like savages.
The two men had grown up in a pack of wolves. Their habits and behaviors were similar to those of a wolf.
The two were baring their teeth at Abigail, and she could smell the pungent scent of blood.
Their eyes were the eyes of beasts. One look and Abigail was crying out of horror.
Sebastian went to the forbidden room and smiled. “This girl is your reward. After you’ve enjoyed her thoroughly, help me kill her later.”
“Hmm.”
The Black and White Guards nodded as they eagerly looked at Abigail.
“No! Don’t!”
Abigail knew what was coming next, but Sebastian was already gone.
Before he left, he threw the keys to the two men.
Clang!
The Black and White Guards swiftly unlocked the door.
CHAPTER 406
The two beasts quickly opened Abigail’s door and rushed in.
She closed her eyes in despair.
“Levi, save me, please…”
Levi’s face emerged in Abigail’s mind.
Just as the Black and White Guards were about to pounce on Abigail, they suddenly stopped.
Slowly, they turned their heads to look.
Nearby, there was a man in green military attire. His cap blocked his face.
The only thing they could see was that he had a cigarette between his lips, and he was taking a long drag.
He beckoned the Black and White Guards.
Cracking sounds came from the joints of the Black and White Guards.
Both were looking at that man in excitement.
Their eyes were an eerie green, and it was as if they had turned into wolves.
The sense of danger which that man exuded made them interested.
That man was White Tiger.
He had finally stepped into the sun after arriving in North Hampton a few months earlier.
Whoosh!
In the next second, the Black and White Guards charged.
They struck out as swift as lightning.
It was as if two wolves were charging towards White Tiger.
Like claws, Black Guard swung his hands at White Tiger.
However, White Tiger was as quick as them; he dodged it easily.
He then grabbed Black Guard’s waist and slammed his knee onto the other man’s body.
Crack!
A blow from his knee broke Black Guard’s back.
“Ow—”
Black Guard howled like a beast as he collapsed on the floor, unmoving.
His spine was broken.
It was now impossible for him to muster any strength at all.
Instantly, White Guard’s attack came too. Swiftly, White Tiger tilted to the side to dodge it. Before White Guard could attack again, White Tiger had already restrained his arms and in one move, he bent them.
Crack!
Crack!
……
Both of White Guard’s arms were torn out from their sockets by White Tiger. He threw the arms onto the floor, where they still wiggled.
Abigail was terrified by the scene, but she could not tear her eyes off it.
“Close your eyes!”
A voice traveled into her ears and made her feel at ease.
“Levi, you’re finally here!”
Abigail jumped into Levi’s arms and hugged him.
The Black and White Guards were looking at White Tiger in disbelief.
Never in their life had they encountered a man as skilled as him.
It was incredulous!
White Tiger looked at the two and shook his head in disappointment.
To him, these two were too easy of an opponent.
He had thought that a skilled fighter was waiting for him, but he ended up meeting two pieces of trash.
Instead of leaving immediately, White Tiger kept stepping from left to right and vice versa.
When the Black and White Guards noticed it, they wailed.
They saw thin threads encircling every part of their body.
These thin threads were deadly and sharp. A gentle touch of them would make the fingers bleed.
No!
What he’s about to do is…
When the Black and White Guards realized what White Tiger was doing, they were terrified.
This was the first time they had felt fear in their lives.
This was the first time they had met someone who was stronger and crueler than them.
White Tiger walked forward as both of his hands held onto a thin thread each.
Pft!
He tugged his hands back. The threads straightened and glided through the Black and White Guards’ bodies.
Without another sound, the Black and White Guards were dead.
Moreover, their bodies were sliced into multiple pieces.
In the end, when they left, Levi carried Abigail on his back as White Tiger followed behind them. On his face was a look of dissatisfaction.
In the Lopez family’s living room.
Sebastian was still sipping on his tea and waiting for the news.
“Is Levi too scared to come now?” Simon questioned.
Henry laughed, “He must be. Levi would not risk his life to save someone like Abigail.”
CHAPTER 407
“Hahaha! Isn’t Levi a cocky man? What’s wrong? He’s afraid now?”
Even Sebastian was laughing.
Simon chuckled along, “Sir, it’s mostly because what happened last night was too terrifying. Now, the entire North Hampton is afraid of you. How does Levi dare to come?”
Just then, Glenn brought the Rogers family to the Lopez family’s estate.
“Hahaha! It’s the grandfather. He’s here. Levi is indeed a coward!” Sebastian guffawed.
Trembling, Glenn said, “Mr. Lopez, come at me if you dare. You’re just a coward if you take my granddaughter.”
“That’s right. We’ll agree with anything you want. Let Abigail go,” Anthony and Leo said.
“I only have one principle—I will not let anyone who’s related to you go,” Sebastian uttered.
As if realizing something, Glenn paled. “Y- You didn’t do anything to Abigail, did you?”
“Hahaha! I don’t know. I left her with the Black and White Guards.”
A cruel smile grew upon Sebastian’s lips.
“Y- You’re an animal!”
Glenn was infuriated.
“Take us there now!” Anthony urged.
“Yes. Let’s go and take a look. What a shame the cowardly Levi isn’t here.”
Sebastian felt somewhat regretful about it.
The group came to the spot behind the Lopez family’s estate.
“If everything’s going smoothly, the Black and White Guards must be playing with Abigail right now,” Sebastian crowed.
However, they had only taken a few steps before they stopped.
When Sebastian saw the pieces of Black and White Guards strewn across the bloody floor, he was stupefied.
“Is this… the Black and White Guards?”
Despite their separated states, Sebastian recognized them.
After all, their attires were distinguishable from the others.
Boom!
The scene was a bolt out of the blue for Simon and the rest.
The Black and White Guards are dead?
How can this be?
They’re powerful beings!
There is barely anyone in South City who’s a match for them.
How can they die in North Hampton?
And in a cruel way like this too!
Glenn and his party did not care about the Black and White Guards. They rushed into the room, but Abigail was long gone.
They let out sighs of relief.
Evidently, Abigail had been rescued by someone.
In the next second, the call they received from Abigail reassured them completely.
Outside, the Lopez family was silent.
It was some news too shocking for them.
There’s someone in North Hampton that can wipe out the Black and White Guards?
Sebastian and Simon exchanged a look.
The person they immediately thought of was the mysterious boss of Morris Group.
Glenn sneered, “Do you know how powerful the North Hampton is now? That man is someone you can’t afford to cross.”
Upon hearing Glenn’s words, Sebastian shuddered.
A look of disbelief flashed past his eyes.
No wonder Winston and Liam were persuading him the other day; he really could not afford to cross him.
At the very least, while he was on North Hampton soil, he could not cross him.
Glenn gleefully said, “Mr. Lopez, I’ll give you a chance now. Kneel at the Morris Group’s office for the entire night. Perhaps that man will let you off the hook.”
“Impossible! How could I bow to him?”
Sebastian immediately instructed, “Simon, take your things. We’re returning to South City. Any later, and we won’t be able to go back.”
No one expected the situation to end up like this. Sebastian had come to North Hampton with a grand entrance but now he was leaving in a such flurry.
He knew what the consequences of his prolonged stay were, so he was swift to leave.
The news of Sebastian’s departure reached Levi’s ears.
“Ha. Does he think he can come and go as he pleases? If he’s here, he’ll have to stay in North Hampton forever.”
CHAPTER 408
“Understood.”
Azure Dragon and Kirin shared a look.
By now, Sebastian, Simon and the rest of his gang were already out of the metropolitan area of North Hampton.
They were rushing their way towards South City.
“We’re finally out of North Hampton,” Sebastian heaved a sigh of relief.
He was fearful of actually dying in North Hampton.
That man is too ruthless.
He managed to deal with tough opponents like the Black and White Guards.
Sebastian knew that if he continued his stay, only death awaited him.
Since his opponent was so strong, he chose to avoid him.
“I’ll remember what Morris Group has done. I’m coming back after I get help from South City!”
It was impossible for Sebastian to let this matter go.
“Sir, I think something’s wrong.”
Simon’s instincts were sounding the alarms in his mind. It felt as if something bad was going to happen anytime soon.
“Don’t worry. No one can come after us here,” Sebastian sneered.
Fwoosh!
Right then, the driver pulled the brakes abruptly and nearly threw Sebastian and the rest out of the car.
The road in front of them was blocked.
Sebastian’s fleet of cars was forced to come to a stop.
“What’s going on?” Sebastian urgently asked.
Right then, a group of shadows appeared from behind the roadblocks.
The man in lead was James.
They had been waiting in this spot for a long time.
“Mr. Sebastian Lopez, since you’re here, why don’t you stay forever? Why are you leaving?” James said with an accent.
“Get rid of them!”
The look in Sebastian’s eyes turned cold.
The bodyguards of the Lopez family charged forward.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
However, they were worlds apart in skills from mercenaries like James.
Soon, the bodyguards of the Lopez family were all on the ground.
Sebastian and Simon looked at James and his men in shock.
Knowing that he was disadvantageous in the situation, Sebastian surrendered instantly.
“Take them with us!”
In the end, James brought the escaping Sebastian back to North Hampton.
They came to a villa in North Hampton.
In the villa, a group of people was staring at him.
Shakily, Sebastian asked, “What are you trying to do? I want to meet with the boss of Morris Group.”
Kirin laughed, “You want to meet my boss? You have no right!”
“W- Who are you?”
Sebastian warily looked at Levi.
“Neil Atkinson.”
“What? Neil Atkinson?”
Sebastian was stunned after hearing his words.
Neil Atkinson was only a step away from the most mysterious figure he had ever heard.
“What are you going to do to me?
Sebastian panicked.
Neil laughed, “I’m going to give you a chance…”
“What chance?”
Neil’s smile widened. “A chance for you to stay alive. How much do you think your life is worth?”
Wham!
Comprehension crashed into Sebastian’s mind.
The worth of his life was now calculable in money.
Neil had the intention to get a large sum of money from him.
Sebastian knew that if he refused, he would not live to see the next morning.
“A…”
Sebastian was about to say a hundred million when Neil interrupted, “I heard that you’re a prominent figure in South City, aren’t you? I’m sure you’re worth at least billions.”
Bastard!
Sebastian’s fists were clenched tight as he cursed in his heart.
Neil is outrageously greedy!
“What about this? Ten billion. An amount fitting for someone like you. I’m sure that won’t be a problem, will it?”
The smile on Neil’s face was as sly as a fox.
“You-”
Sebastian was close to exploding in anger.
Ten billion!
He wants ten billion!
The Morris Group is too greedy!
Simon was shaking in rage, but he could not do anything about it.
“Hm? Do you think your life isn’t worth ten billion?”
Neil’s expression changed as a murderous aura began to exude from him.
It made the hair on the back of Sebastian’s neck stand up. He felt as if he was a rabbit watched by a fox.
CHAPTER 409
He knew Neil was warning him that if he could not fork out ten billion, he was as good as dead.
After looking at Simon for a moment, Sebastian relented.
“Alright. I’ll give you ten billion, but you have to let me go.”
Neil nodded. “No problem. As long as you give us exactly ten billion, it won’t be worth it for us to take your crappy life.”
“Pft-”
Sebastian nearly spat blood in the midst of his fury.
Not only was he blackmailed of ten billion, but he also had to endure humiliation.
“Simon, transfer the money to them now.”
Swiftly, Simon and Elena transferred ten billion to the Morris Group.
Neil chuckled, “Mr. Lopez, you’re welcome to visit us at North Hampton again. Thank you for your contribution.”
Crash!
Sebastian stumbled and fell onto the floor.
He was at the worst moment of his life.
Sebastian had come to North Hampton with such grandeur and he left in three days.
The Black and White Guards were permanently left behind in North Hampton, and so was his ten billion.
The news quickly spread.
People from all parts of Quebec were shocked when they received the news.
Even Sebastian Lopez, Hades, was kicked out in such a sorry state?
Is North Hampton that horrifying of a place?
Haven’t the three prominent figures in North Hampton collapse?
Is there another frightening presence in North Hampton?
More and more powerful families started observing in silence.
They had slowly come to realize that North Hampton, as great as it was, was not an easy piece of cake to get.
No one was capable of rising in North Hampton unless they were obedient to the rules and sincere in contributing to North Hampton. Otherwise, they would all end up like Sebastian Lopez.
This was Sebastian’s greatest humiliation in life.
Everyone knew that Sebastian would not let the matter go.
One day, he would return to North Hampton to take his revenge.
……
The one who had planned to take ten billion from Sebastian was naturally Levi.
“Sir, we have ten billion now. What do we do with it?” Kirin and Elena queried.
“Invest it all into North Hampton’s development. Firstly, set up a foundation to allocate the funds to help those in need. Secondly, build more nursing homes, orphanages and free schools. Thirdly, invest the money in the poorer areas of North Hampton for its development, like their agricultural products,” Levi instructed.
After listening, Kirin and Elena’s eyes lit up.
Levi’s mind was at a level that they could not dream of reaching.
They had thought that Levi would use the ten billion for the development of Morris Group.
Elena worriedly said, “Mr. Garrison, Sebastian would definitely come back. He’s not one to take such losses quietly.”
Levi huffed in laughter as he held onto his cigarette.
“That’s great. It won’t only be ten billion next time. Honestly, I hope idiots like Sebastian come more often. It’s a great help for North Hampton’s development.”
“Pft-”
Kirin and Elena nearly spat blood when they heard his words.
If his words were heard by the prominent figures in South City, they might just die from a heart attack.
No one in North Hampton had thought that Sebastian would leave the place as disheveled as he was.
The one who benefited most from his departure was the Rogers family.
That night when they went against Sebastian, everyone had thought that it was the end for the Rogers family.
However, the loser turned out to be Sebastian.
After defeating Sebastian, the Rogers family and Morris Group’s shares soared.
Now, both of them were the pillars of North Hampton.
On this day, Levi had just arrived in the company when Iris came to him.
“Quick. Prepare yourself. You have a press conference in a moment. Tidy yourself up to look livelier later.”
Iris handed him a suit.
However, Levi did not wear it.
He did not see the need to.
Soon, the reporters arrived.
“Huh? Why is it you? Levi?”
CHAPTER 410
The pretty reporter was stunned as she blurted out her question.
Levi rubbed his eyes and took a good look at her.
Now, he remembered.
The pretty reporter in front of him was the young intern that joined North Hampton Television Network six years ago.
Back then, she had interviewed Morris and him.
Levi remembered that this young reporter was no honest woman.
Her attempts to seduce him had failed. She then tried to seduce Morris, but failed as well.
In the end, Levi reported her to her superior.
She was penalized, and her internship was canceled. From then on, she was blacklisted from the television station.
Yet, unexpectedly, she was still working in the station. It seemed like she was one of the older and experienced reporters in her company.
Indeed.
Back then, Margaret had been fired by the station after Levi’s complaint.
However, Margaret slept with one of the persons-in-charge in the station, and managed to return to her post.
From then on, her career was smooth. Now, she was the golden child of the station and the most vital reporter there.
Furthermore, she was pretty and elegant. She was well-respected among her peers, and she was the ace of her company.
As Morris Group’s development had been going fantastically, the television station assigned their ace to interview them.
Before coming, Margaret had been anxious.
After all, Morris Group was the main support of North Hampton.
She was worried about interviewing a company as large as the Morris Group.
At the same time, she wanted to become acquaintances with them.
It would be best if she could be acquaintances with Neil or the mysterious boss behind Morris Group.
Margaret had prepared stockings and some other items in her purse; she was ready to use her body to achieve her goal at any time.
Yet, she did not expect the interviewee to be Levi.
“Ms. Ward, this man is Levi Garrison. He’s our company’s representative for this interview,” Iris’ secretary introduced.
Margaret frowned and asked curiously, “Would you please tell me who Mr. Garrison is?”
“Oh, he’s the technical adviser. I don’t know why Ms. Anabelle assigned him as the representative for the interview. Honestly, I think he’s the least qualified. If it were up to me, I’d rather send a security guard or a janitor,” Iris’ secretary whispered her complaints into Margaret’s ears.
“If Ms. Ward isn’t happy about the situation, I can suggest to Ms. Anabelle to have someone more important to come for the interview,” the secretary suggested.
Margaret smiled. “No need. I’m alright with him.”
“Very well. Please begin, Ms. Ward. You can look for me if there are any problems.”
After the secretary left, Margaret looked at Levi from head to toe.
“Levi, you must not have thought of a day that we’ll meet again like this, have you? I didn’t think you’ll still be in the Levi Group,” Margaret mocked.
Levi chuckled, “And I didn’t think you’ll still be working at North Hampton Television Station. Weren’t you fired?”
The cameraman at the side sneered, “Please be mindful of your words. Ms. Ward is the ace of our station. She’s the best reporter we’ve got.”
Margaret gleefully smiled at Levi.
“How did you do that? Did you…”
A look of surprise emerged on Levi’s face.
“You-”
Knowing what Levi was about to say, Margaret trembled in rage.
“I got to where I am with my own talents. I’m not like a certain someone, who I’ve heard was earning a living by pulling a little strings here and there. Apparently, he’s much more useless than the guards and the janitors. That’s true. After all, you were just released from prison. It’s a miracle that you even have a job,” Margaret ridiculed.
The other staff on sight could not help but say, “Ms. Ward, isn’t the Morris Group too much? They sent an ex-convict for us to interview. They’re obviously looking down on us!”
The news outlet came for interviews after knowing Mr. Garrison was the host of the event. It didn’t take long for Levi to make up his mind on which interviewer he chose, “Well, we’re short on time, so I can only take one interview. Hmm, let’s go with Margaret from North Hampton Television Network.”
“What? Mr. Garrison only accepts my interview?” Margaret was delighted after knowing that. I’m so lucky! There are a lot of reporters here, and I am the lucky one who gets chosen?
“Alright. Please tell Mr. Garrison that I won’t let him down,” she guaranteed.
The event would start soon and representatives from corporations elsewhere arrived earlier to survey the market.
Powerful corporation like the Morris Group and the Rogers family had a lot of people asking for collaboration, and many were looking for potential ones like Oriental Star Group that was helmed by Zoey.
More than thirty corporations talked about collaboration with her, and after some careful review, Zoey chose four from South City to work with. There were four representatives to talk with, so they agreed to talk about this over dinner one night.
Zoey was cautious of her dinner meetings now. She would bring some males from top management with her. This time, she brought Levi together just in case.
The four representatives from South City sat in Wyvern Hotel’s room, and the oldest one, who went by the name of Draco, was on his phone, “Don’t worry, Mr. Shorts. I’ll make Zoey pay tonight. Just wait and see how I torture her,” he snickered.
The four corporations were backed by the Suarez family, and they were going to set Zoey up tonight. Before Zoey came, they and their lackeys took some sobering pills.
After that, Zoey came in with her entourage. “Oh, what’s the meaning of this, Ms. Lopez? Are you worried we might do something to you?” Draco looked displeased.
One of the top management quickly explained, “Mr. Johannes, Ms. Lopez almost got into trouble back then, so she must bring us along whenever she goes for negotiations.
We can hold it if you’re okay with us here, but if it’s impossible, then we can stop it here.”
Draco and his group looked at one another, and they knew it would be hard to get them away. “Oh, of course we can. We’re here to negotiate, so this won’t be any trouble.” He grinned.
A moment later, everyone sat down and had small talk before cutting to the chase. Collaboration wasn’t a problem, but the agreement on profit sharing was. Zoey wanted to have ten percent more, but they didn’t want to budge on this.
Draco raised his glass. “You should know that us southerners can be… fierce. We have our own rules here.”
“Of course. I’ve experienced it myself,” one of the top management replied.
“Great, so the rules here are simple. We’ll have a drinking competition. If we lose, then the ten percent is yours, but if you lose, then that’s it,” Draco suggested.
“Sure, no problem,” Levi agreed.
Zoey glared at him, for she knew Draco and his gang must have the confidence in winning the bet, or else they wouldn’t propose this. Levi is too rash.
“Great. Including the driver and our assistants, there’s a dozen of us here, so pick any number you want from your side,” Draco said. They had taken sobering pills beforehand, and they were heavy drinkers, so they were confident this would be a landslide win.
Levi smiled. “Very well then. Ms. Lopez and I will take the challenge on our own.”
“The hell?” That shocked Zoey. Is he mad? Two against twelve?
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If she knew that they had popped the pills before the dinner, Zoey would have been horrified at Levi’s announcement. Levi must be mad!
Zoey’s subordinates were flabbergasted. Hey, they said we can call anyone we want! At least call two dozen here before going ahead with it. Two against twelve? Is he stupid?
“Very well then! If that is what you say, then we’ll start right now!” Draco mocked Levi silently and made the decision for them, worrying that Zoey would go back on her word.
“No. I—”
Zoey was about to say something, but Draco smiled. “Ms. Lopez, you can’t go back on your word, can you? That would be an insult to us. If that’s the case then there’s no point in continuing the negotiation.”
“No! Let’s do it!” Zoey had no choice but to accept it.
Draco and his gang smirked, for they thought this was victory for them. They grinned at the thought of them ravaging Zoey. Is this guy on our side? Man, this is a big help. What a dumba**!
Levi grinned at them. “You’ll have to get past me to drink with Ms. Lopez.”
“Challenge accepted!” Draco and his gang were raring to go, for they thought Levi couldn’t win against all of them, especially not after they had taken the sobering pills.
“Oh, right. We only allow those who participates in the drinking game to stay during the competition. It’s a southerner rule.” Draco looked at the top management. He had to chase these guys away, otherwise they couldn’t do anything to Zoey.
“Why you…” The staff glared at Levi, blaming him for ruining this negotiation. They were fairly confident about taking the ten percent profit, but now Levi botched it.
The competition went under way after they had left. “Hey bro, if we go by the rules, you have to take a shot for every shot we take.” Draco grinned.
“Yeah, sure. I’ll take twelve shots for every shot you guys take. Let’s begin.”
“I like you!” Draco thought Levi was an idiot now. A moment later, twelve glasses of wine sat before Levi, and Zoey was concerned. How long can he last? A round?
Draco and his gang finished their wine in no time. “Your turn, buddy.” He smirked.
They thought Levi would lose out after taking all twelve shots, but what happened next shocked everyone. Levi, always the showy guy, took two shots at once, and he finished all twelve in less than a minute.
“He’s fine?” Draco and his gang were taken aback. He’s a good drinker too. Well, that explains his impulsive behavior, but he can’t win against all of us, not when we took the sobering pills.
“Get on with it.” The second round started, and Levi downed twelve shots like it was soda, shocking everyone.
“On with it!” The third round came, then the fourth, the fifth, and finally, the tenth round came. A hundred and twenty shots later, anyone would fall, but not Levi.
Him still standing not only shocked Draco, but Zoey as well. They thought Levi was acting tough, but now they knew he wasn’t. Even though Draco and the gang had taken sobering pills, ten shots still made their stomach churn.
“Well, go on. Are you guys scared?” Levi provoked them, and the competition resumed.
Draco and his gang refused to believe they would fail, so they wanted to see how much longer Levi could go on. Another ten rounds came, but Levi was still fine. On the other hand, the alcohol started kicking in for Draco and his gang, torturing them.
CHAPTER 423
The competition ensued, and cartons after cartons of wine were served. At this point, Draco and his gang started worrying about the bill. How much can one guy drink? Is he Dionysus or something?
“Mr. Johannes, let’s put in another rule: no toilet breaks!” Levi suggested.
Draco couldn’t hold it in anymore, but he could only agree at this point. Another bout started, and the more Levi drank, the clearer his head became. Wine usually makes people drunk, but Levi was an anomaly.
Apparently, Levi was the only anomaly here. Draco and his gang felt like their stomachs were going to explode, as well as their bladder.
The competition had dragged on for too long, so the sobering pill’s effects had expired. Now they felt the alcohol kicking in, and the group couldn’t hold on any longer.
They couldn’t understand how Levi managed to take so many shots. He must have drunk more than a thousand shots now, but surprisingly, he looked fine. This guy must be Dionysus himself!
“Carry on!” Levi shouted.
“G-Give me a minute! I can’t hold my pee in any longer!” Draco sat on the chair, not even moving an inch, but before he could react, Levi force fed him one shot of wine.
Shhhhh…. They could hear the sound of water flowing, then hot air came up from below, while a rancid smell spread.
Zoey quickly covered her nose and stayed far, far away. Draco peed in his pants!
This was the most embarrassing thing Draco had done in his life.
“March!” Levi took twelve more shots, forcing them to continue.
“No! We can’t!”
“Just do it!” Levi pressed another guy down and forced another shot down his throat.
That made him puke, and he fell down on his barf. “Your turn!” He forced another guy to drink, and that made him roll on the floor in pain, for his stomach bled.
The other guys couldn’t hold it anymore, so they peed in their pants. It made the whole room rancid, then they heard something explode. Everyone looked in the sound’s direction, and what greeted them was their comrade in agony, for his bladder exploded.
Zoey screamed in terror. Terrible fates befell all twelve of them. Shame, embarrassment, and grievous injuries swam among them, and these people took sobering pills beforehand. If they didn’t, they would have been in worse condition.
“Carry on, Mr. Johannes! I’m just getting started!” Levi came up to Draco with a few bottles of wine.
Is he even human?! That’s not how a human works! He’s fine even after drinking that boatload of wine?! ”I-I can’t keep this up anymore!” Draco shook his head.
“Oh, no can do. The fight’s just getting started.” Levi grinned.
“I’ll sign it! I’ll sign it, okay?” pleaded Draco.
“You should have done that in the beginning.” Levi smiled.
Worrying that Levi might force him to drink more wine, Draco quickly signed the contract and let Oriental take ten more percent in profit.
“Let’s go, honey. We got the contract.” Levi grinned toothily, while Zoey looked at him, stunned. For some reason, Levi was shining. Wow, he’s awesome! He got the contract through drinking?
Who would have thought? Ten percent of profit is huge! A few hundred million at that!
After they came out, Zoey looked at Levi. “Are you fine, honey?” Levi said nothing, but then he fell against her groggily.
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“What’s wrong, darling? Are you alright!?” Zoey held him tightly, feeling frightened. It took her a moment, but now she realized Levi took a few thousand shots, and it could kill him.
She started sweating in fear, but then she felt electrified. Realizing Levi was feeling her up, Zoey blushed and let him go. “Did you just scare me for nothing?!” She looked away.
“Hey, I just got us the contract, and now I don’t even get a thank you?” Levi asked.
Zoey glared at him. “Stop messing around. How do you feel? Do you need to go to the hospital? You drank a lot.”
Levi smiled. “Do I look hurt to you? No? There’s that then. But…”
“But what?” She looked at him curiously.
“But well, you know, drinking always leads to something else. Here, give me some sugar.” He tried to kiss her, but she ran away.
“You pervert!”
That night, as they lay in bed, Levi quickly hugged her. Zoey was shocked, but she also looked forward to what would happen next.
She might be Levi’s wife, but Zoey was still a virgin. She wanted to consummate the marriage, but now that they were about to do it, Zoey was nervous. If he’s going for it, should I accept him? Or should I say no?
Zoey only wanted Levi as her husband. When he took all the drinking for her earlier, Zoey saw him as her knight in shining armor. If he wanted it tonight, Zoey would give it to him, but…
She was still in a dilemma when a snoring sound snapped her out of it. He’s asleep. For some reason, she felt disappointed, so she turned around and glared at him. “Is sleeping all you know! Go away!” Zoey shoved him away.
“Why did you push me, honey?” Levi asked.
“Just turn around!” Zoey said angrily.
“Why are you mad?” A perplexed Levi asked, and he thought women were weird. They get angry for no reason every time. At least now we know that behind every angry woman lay a man who didn’t know what he did wrong. Levi was an example of that.
When morning came, Oriental was hit with the shocking news of Zoey snagging a contract that gave them an extra ten percent of profit, much to the top management’s disbelief.
At the same time, Draco and his gang were in the hospital. “Trash, all of you! You can’t even handle one woman, and all of you got hospitalized! Trash, trash, trash!” Tristan was livid.
Draco and the others shivered in fear. They thought they would win, but Levi was an unexpected variable. They thought nobody could drink that much, but Levi proved them wrong. Is that guy a God?
“Resign, you trash. I’m already in North Hampton, so I’ll take care of this matter myself,” Tristan said coldly.
“Young master Tristan, please—” Before they could even explain, Tristan had hung up. Never did he imagine that all it took for him to lose hundreds of millions and his future was a drinking session.
North Hampton was in high spirits today, for scores of merchants came today. Everyone was shocked, for the number of participating companies in this event was twice their projected estimate. They weren’t complaining though, for this was great for North Hampton.
CHAPTER 425
In North Hampton Television Network’s office, Margaret and her colleagues were going through the scripts for the next day’s interview. This was a great chance for her, so she wouldn’t let it go. She wasn’t Elsa.
“You’re awesome, Margaret! There are 38 outlets that want to interview Mr. Garrison, but he only gives that chance to us!”
“Yeah, and he specifically asked for Margaret! He obviously thinks highly of her!”
“He must have only chosen us because of Margaret! Treat us to something good after this, Margaret!”
Margaret felt smug listening to all the praises, but she pretended to be calm. She was a famous person in the channel as well as the industry. Now, with the mysterious Mr. Garrison giving her the chance to interview him, it would consolidate her place in this world.
Now, everyone in the channel listened to her, including her boss.
“Tell us whatever you need, Margaret. We’ll do anything for you,” her boss kept telling her that.
“Margaret, I heard Mr. Garrison is single. If you guys can be a couple, it’d be sweet!”
“Yeah! He’s a leader, while you’re the best employee of the channel. It’s a good match!”
Margaret was riled up by this, for she was planning to do that. Intelligence was her forte, and with experience on her side, she knew Mr. Garrison had a bright future, for Jesse handed such a big event to him.
He might be a deputy now, but this was only the beginning, so Mr. Garrison would climb to mayhap the top spot.
If she could snag him, Margaret would be set for life, and the idea made her chuckle. This must be divine providence. There are more than three dozen outlets, but he chose me! ”This chance has always been mine to begin with.” Margaret looked confident.
“Margaret, Levi is in a bad situation. I heard their place got splashed with paint and sewage! His parents-in-law can’t work, and his wife’s company is affected!” Margaret’s lackey reported.
Margaret bellowed happily, for she thought Lady Luck was on her side. First, she could interview Mr. Garrison; Secondly, she would be promoted after finishing her job; and finally, she managed to back Levi into a corner.
“I have already told you never to cross a woman, Levi. But you just wouldn’t listen. So, this is what happens.” Margaret’s eyes gleamed coldly.
“Of course he’s dead if he offends you, Margaret. You’re so much more powerful than he is.” Her colleagues laughed.
Then, someone came for Margaret. When she walked out, a Rolls-Royce was waiting for her, much to her surprise. After getting into the car, she saw a man in his thirties, looking dignified and elegant.
“Hello, Ms. Ward. I’m Zachary, from South City’s Suarez family.” Zachary puffed his cigar.
Margaret was shaken to her core as she looked at him and stuttered, “T-the Suarez family? You’re young master Zachary?! I know you! I’ve interviewed your family!”
“It’s good that you do.” Zachary nodded.
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“Is there anything I can help you with, Mr. Shorts?” Margaret asked with a flirtatious wink.
“Are you after Levi and Zoey recently?” Zachary asked.
“Yes, yes, yes. That’s right! Are you related to Levi?” Margaret looked at Zachary cautiously.
Zachary shook his head, “No, he is my enemy. My brother had all his limbs amputated by him! If it weren’t for fear of the Morris Group that was behind his back, I would’ve killed him ages ago!
You are doing a good job for now. To think that you can subdue Levi’s family to this point! I’m able to kill him right away as soon as he is forced to leave North Hampton! There’s nothing Morris Group can do about it!”
Margaret was smart and immediately replied, “Mr. Shorts, should I step up the game a little?”
“Yeah, you’re perceptive and a fast-learner!” Zachary beckoned to his assistant, and he brought a suitcase. After opening it, a big load of cash could be seen contained in it.
“Here’s an advanced five million! I’ll pay you another five million after the job is completed!” Zachary said.
Margaret’s eyeballs were about to pop out from their sockets when she saw the money.
Five million!!! Who could’ve expected that I could be paid for settling my personal feud? Ten million in total? Is this my lucky day? This is quadruple happiness!
“Wait for my good news, Mr. Shorts. Let me add fuel to the fire. I can assure you that Levi will leave tomorrow!” After Margaret put away the money, her smiling eyes turned into crescent shape.
“Very well! You’ll be rewarded in the future when the Suarez family begins its development in North Hampton,” Zachary said.
Margaret replied with a lovely smile, “I’m honored to devote myself to the Suarez family. Everything I have belongs to the Suarez family!”
Margaret was feeling ecstatic.
Now that I’m acquainted with the Suarez family’s young master and had turned to them as my backing. Isn’t it safe to say that my future is pretty bright?
At this time, Levi and Zoey were standing in front of Bayview Garden.
Levi looked calm, but Zoey was infuriated.
“These people are such a bully! It’s too much!” Zoey sobbed in a soft voice.
The house’s door was splashed with different colors of paints, and it gave off a pungent smell.
The wall next to it was splashed with manure, emitting a horrible stench.
Levi had no doubt that these people might pour dung water into the room next time.
“Dad, mom. Are you facing this situation as well?” Zoey became infuriated after receiving the call.
Despite Levi’s calm appearance, he was actually extremely furious.
He paid no attention to a small-time reporter like Margaret because he figured she couldn’t do anything to him.
But he found out that he was wrong. It was now evident that this person could affect him in his daily life.
“Levi, why don’t we move out of here? I don’t think this is gonna work. I got a strong hunch that things are gonna become worse.”
Zoey was afraid because things were seriously affecting her life.
Caitlyn and Aaron could only hide in their room every day.
They didn’t dare to step out of the house.
There were only two days’ worth of food supply left in the house.
She began to worry about the safety of her parent’s lives.
“We should pick up dad and mom secretly at night. If something were to happen, we’d be in trouble,” Zoey cautioned.
“We’ll not move out!”
Levi took out his phone and made a call to Margaret.
“Hey, Levi? Hahaha! Was it too unbearable that you’ve decided to call me?” Margaret laughed arrogantly on the other end of the phone.
“Are these your handiwork?” Levi asked.
“You bet! There’s nothing you can do about it. Hit me if you dare!” Margaret sneered.
Levi warned with a deep voice, “I’ll give you one more chance to explain your previous interview!”
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“Levi, don’t you understand the current situation? You’re at my mercy now. Why does it sound like the opposite? Are you stupid? Hahaha…”
“Okay. I’ve given you a chance, but it seems like you don’t appreciate it,” Levi replied coldly.
Margaret became angry and said in a cold tone, “Then let me tell you something as well. Even if you lick my shoes and drink my foot-washing water, I won’t give you another chance. Just you wait!”
After hanging up the call, a murderous intent flashed across Levi’s eyes.
“Honey, give me one more day. I’ll be sure to settle it,” Levi declared.
“Huh? How are you gonna solve it?” Zoey found his words hard to believe.
“Anyway, just wait until tomorrow afternoon. It should be done by then.”
In the evening, there was another breaking news from the TV station. Six years ago, Levi Group expanded its business by way of replacing human labor with machines. This has disrupted the market and caused many to go unemployed. It was believed that at least thirty thousand people were unemployed because of Levi Group. The main culprit was Levi Garrison!
Zoey and the rest were going crazy after the news came out.
The situation is worsening! First and foremost, this news was taken out of context! It was just a normal industrial development. How can they blame it on Levi? Besides, the amount of revenue generated by Levi Group’s advanced technology was incomparable to those of the outdated technology.
But after such news was reported, those who were unemployed thought that Levi was the cause of their misery.
Levi had become the sinner of North Hampton!
Many people formed an alliance to protest against Levi and drive him out of North Hampton.
Some even began to foresee that Levi’s life would be in danger.
Due to the investment promotion fair, there had been a higher degree of attention to hot news lately.
As a result, Levi and the others were under more pressure.
“Darling, why don’t we leave North Hampton for a while? We can’t continue living like this.” Zoey was afraid.
Levi remained level-headed and said with a calm face, “Don’t worry, honey. Everything is gonna be alright. It will be settled by tomorrow afternoon.”
At this moment, Zachary and Margaret were relaxing on a big bed in a five-star hotel, and they were paying attention to the news.
“Hahaha! Good job, babe. Levi will have no choice but to leave North Hampton tomorrow.” Zachary was satisfied.
“Yeah, the authorities can’t even intervene when it was the laid-off workers who force Levi to leave!” Margaret smirked while lying in Zachary’s arms.
Zachary made a call and ordered, “Pay attention to Levi’s whereabouts. Cut off his limbs immediately as soon as he leaves North Hampton.”
“Hahaha… Take me there with you when the time comes, Mr. Shorts. I want to see his miserable looks with my own eyes.” Margaret laughed and sneaked under the covers.
There she goes again!
Zachary was reeling from fear as the thought crossed his mind. He dared not think of what would become of him if he were to defy her.
This woman is something else. I’m no match for her at all!
The following day, North Hampton’s exhibition center was bustling.
Thousands of companies were gathered in the largest investment promotion fair known in North Hampton.
Margaret and her colleagues had arrived in the exhibition center early in the morning.
“Margaret, you have a major role to play in handling the content of the forum and interview Mr. Garrison today!” The head of the station showed his concern to her.
“Haha! Rest assured. I’ll get it done nicely.”
Margaret began to put on makeup and prepared herself to be in her best form while everyone looked at her enviously.
After all, she was the only person who had the chance to interview Mr. Garrison.
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“Margaret, I’m so jealous of you! It great that you have the privilege to interview Mr. Garrison.”
“I know, right? What incredible luck! But to be honest, Margaret is the best in North Hampton.”
“Ain’t it the truth? Isn’t Margaret the best in professionalism, beauty, and temperament?”
…
Margaret was basking in the compliments from her colleagues.
What an exciting day. I’ll get to interview Mr. Garrison soon and receive another five million. Will the time go faster please?
Representatives of major companies arrived one after another to the exhibition hall.
The prominent families and leading corporations in South City had also shown up one after another.
Zachary and his group of people were one of them.
In fact, the Lopez family of South City had sent their representative. But he was here to exchange views on behalf of Harry.
Soon, the investment promotion fair started after the officials of North Hampton made a speech.
The exhibition center was divided into many areas, covering every sector of businesses.
Among them, Rogers Group and Morris Group had the most merchants in front of their booths.
Everyone knew that these two companies had great prospects and were eager to cooperate with them.
However, those leading corporations had their sights set on other things. They wanted to grab as many deals as possible and dominate a larger share in the North Hampton market.
However, every deal signed on this occasion was legal and beneficial to North Hampton’s development.
Levi watched every movement in the exhibition hall from backstage.
The person behind him was Aurora Newt, a personal secretary arranged by Jesse Nielsen.
“Mr. Garrison, it’s true that the policy enforced by the officials in the Investment Promotion Fair was in North Hampton’s best interest. Otherwise, those corporations and influential families will flock into North Hampton lawlessly, causing bad competition and negative effects,” Aurora said with a smile.
Levi nodded, “I have to commend Nielsen’s great insight!”
Aurora smiled bitterly. He is the only person who dares to address the governor like that.
“By the way, Mr. Garrison, it’s time for the TV station’s interview session. Shall we?” Aurora glanced at the time and said.
Levi replied, “Alright. Let them in.”
Following that, Levi and several other leaders waited in a conference room.
Outside the conference room.
“Thanks, Ms. Newt. I owe you a meal,” Margaret said with a smile.
Aurora smiled in response, “Ms. Ward, please.”
Everyone came to the conference room under the guidance of Aurora.
Even though Margaret had done this kind of interview before, she couldn’t help but feel a little nervous today because there wasn’t much information about Mr. Garrison.
About ten officials were sitting in the conference room.
Margaret panicked a little when she caught a glimpse of it.
“Hmm?”
She became stunned the moment she caught sight of the official’s faces. One of them looked particularly familiar.
In order to confirm her sight, Margaret took a few steps forward.
It’s Levi! He’s sitting in the middle alongside the other leaders.
Margaret was puzzled by what she saw. What is Levi doing here?
Her colleagues were equally confused.
No wonder Mr. Shorts said he couldn’t locate Levi. Because he was here!
Margaret said instinctively, “Levi, what are you doing here? You don’t belong in this place!”
The entire conference room fell silent after her speech.
Margaret was taken aback when she noticed everyone staring at her strangely.
“What are you talking about, Ms. Ward? This person is Mr. Garrison,” Aurora said in confusion.
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“Huh? Mr. Garrison? It can’t be! Isn’t he Levi? The target of disdain who is a hot topic in North Hampton these few days.”
“That’s right. A malignant tumor like Levi should be driven out of North Hampton forever!”
Margaret and her colleagues commented.
“Know your place!”
“How dare you insult the name of the leader?”
At this time, the Minister of Commerce became furious.
“That’s right! Where did this reporter come from? Who is she to insult Mr. Garrison like that? What’s the meaning of this?”
“You’re from the North Hampton Television Network, right? Call Director Charles Yorke here!”
…
The other leaders also voiced out one after another.
The remarks of Margaret and her colleagues completely angered them.
After hearing the scolding, Margaret and her colleagues finally understood that they’ve gotten into deep trouble.
“What is the meaning of this, Ms. Ward? The person sitting in front of you is the Deputy Leader of North Hampton, Mr. Levi Garrison. Besides, he is also known as the one and only 5-Star God of War in Erudia,” Aurora stated the facts.
Boom!
Margaret and her colleagues were frozen instantaneously as if a thunderbolt had hit them from the sky.
Deputy Leader of North Hampton? The God of War? Levi Garrison? NO! It can’t be! This isn’t real!
Margaret and her colleagues remained rooted in a state of trance as their minds went blank completely.
Bang!
At this moment, the door of the conference room was opened.
A plump middle-aged man came running in while panting heavily.
This man was the director of North Hampton Television Network, Charles Yorke.
He looked at all the leaders present while gasping heavily.
He noticed a familiar face when his gaze landed on Levi.
Isn’t he the brat that Margaret was after? Why is he sitting here?
“What’s going on?” Charles looked at the crowd and asked curiously.
“‘What’s going on?’ How ignorant can you be?”
The person speaking was the leader of Uptown District, Draco Simmons.
Bang!
The man slammed the table hard.
“Huh?”
Charles became increasingly baffled, and his body was trembling.
“Do you know that a reporter from your station had insulted Mr. Garrison for no reason when she saw him?” The other leaders chided in anger.
At this moment, a secretary distributed a few tablets to Draco and the other leaders.
The content was about the details of Margaret framing Levi.
Everyone burst into anger after reading the contents.
“Look at what you’ve done, Charles Yorke! Your good days are over!” Draco said and threw the tablet to Charles.
“It seems like you have no idea. So let me tell you, the person who your station slandered is the Deputy Leader of North Hampton, Mr. Levi Garrison! He is also the God of War! Figure it out yourself!”
Thump!
After hearing this, Charles fell to the ground in horror.
His face was covered with cold sweat, and he was terrified.
Oh my god! How much trouble did I get myself into? This person is the God of War!
Levi smiled and said, “The director of the TV station? Is that how the content review works? How dare you release edited content? What’s going on?”
Charles almost wet his pants at Levi’s question.
“No… Mr. Garrison, I-I don’t know how this happened… It was Margaret who released it…”
“Margaret, how dare you set me up?”
Slap!
Charles gave Margaret a hard slap across her face.
CHAPTER 430
Margaret finally regained her senses after being slapped.
Thud!
Her body went limp, and she fell to the ground.
It never crossed her mind that Levi would have such an identity.
Otherwise, she would never even dream of doing such a thing.
“Margaret, do you still remember the call I made?” Levi had a menacing smile on his face.
Boom!
Margaret was in a state of shock after the epiphany.
How could I forget? Levi even called to give me a chance. But I was too foolish to realize my mistake.
“I-I was wrong… It’s all my fault, Mr. Garrison… Please forgive me…” Margaret immediately kneeled on the ground and begged for mercy.
Thud!
Thud!
Charles punched and kicked Margaret.
“You have the nerve to ask for forgiveness?”
He wanted to kill her there and then.
“What a vicious woman you are, Margaret! You drive people to their death by abusing your power. If it wasn’t for my identity, do you think I can still stand here?” Levi asked with a smile.
Everyone in the conference room felt a chill down their spine.
Levi is angry!
“What are you standing here for, Charles? Hurry and expose the wrongdoings of Margaret and clear the name of Mr. Garrison!” A few leaders bellowed.
Charles reacted and replied, “Okay. I’ll do it right away!”
Soon, an urgent news update was released on North Hampton Television Network. Exposed! Reporter Margaret deliberately framed Levi Garrison with edited content.
Margaret’s reputation was ruined after a series of evidence was presented, and the previous negative remarks about Levi and his family dissipated eventually.
…
“Charles, you’re responsible for this matter. Therefore, you’ll be relieved of your position!” Draco announced.
Charles nodded immediately, “Got it.”
“All the people involved in this matter must be penalized. Any individual that had dealings with Margaret should be arrested or punished!” A few leaders ordered at once.
Margaret laid on the ground, became paralyzed, and felt like her body was no longer hers.
Levi glanced at Margaret and said, “Falsity will never prevail. You know the things you did to get to your current position today. The truth will be uncovered eventually!”
Margaret felt regretful and penitent.
None of these would have happened if she didn’t offend Levi.
It was not known how Margaret managed to leave the exhibition hall.
“This is the bi*ch that lied to us and made us blamed the wrong person!”
“Yeah. If it weren’t for the discovery, we would’ve driven an innocent person to death!”
…
There was a huge crowd gathering outside the exhibition hall.
The crowd started pouring buckets of foul-smelling dung water all over her as soon as she appeared.
“Ughhhhhh…” Margaret puked immediately.
But the manure continued to splash on her again and again…
This was how a vicious person would always end up being.
After the matter was resolved, Zoey immediately called, “Darling, that was awesome! How did you do that?”
Levi smiled and said, “Justice always prevails.”
After Zachary got the news, he found Margaret as soon as he could.
Zachary clutched his nose and stayed far away from Margaret because there was a horrible stench on her.
“What happened?”
Margaret cast a glance at him with a miserable smirk, “I advise the Suarez family to give up, leave North Hampton and stay in South City.”
“Why?” Zachary looked baffled.
“Because he is someone you can’t afford to provoke! If you insist on pushing your luck, the Suarez family will be wiped out from the face of the earth,” Margaret warned.
The news outlet came for interviews after knowing Mr. Garrison was the host of the event. It didn’t take long for Levi to make up his mind on which interviewer he chose, “Well, we’re short on time, so I can only take one interview. Hmm, let’s go with Margaret from North Hampton Television Network.”
“What? Mr. Garrison only accepts my interview?” Margaret was delighted after knowing that. I’m so lucky! There are a lot of reporters here, and I am the lucky one who gets chosen?
“Alright. Please tell Mr. Garrison that I won’t let him down,” she guaranteed.
The event would start soon and representatives from corporations elsewhere arrived earlier to survey the market.
Powerful corporation like the Morris Group and the Rogers family had a lot of people asking for collaboration, and many were looking for potential ones like Oriental Star Group that was helmed by Zoey.
More than thirty corporations talked about collaboration with her, and after some careful review, Zoey chose four from South City to work with. There were four representatives to talk with, so they agreed to talk about this over dinner one night.
Zoey was cautious of her dinner meetings now. She would bring some males from top management with her. This time, she brought Levi together just in case.
The four representatives from South City sat in Wyvern Hotel’s room, and the oldest one, who went by the name of Draco, was on his phone, “Don’t worry, Mr. Shorts. I’ll make Zoey pay tonight. Just wait and see how I torture her,” he snickered.
The four corporations were backed by the Suarez family, and they were going to set Zoey up tonight. Before Zoey came, they and their lackeys took some sobering pills.
After that, Zoey came in with her entourage. “Oh, what’s the meaning of this, Ms. Lopez? Are you worried we might do something to you?” Draco looked displeased.
One of the top management quickly explained, “Mr. Johannes, Ms. Lopez almost got into trouble back then, so she must bring us along whenever she goes for negotiations.
We can hold it if you’re okay with us here, but if it’s impossible, then we can stop it here.”
Draco and his group looked at one another, and they knew it would be hard to get them away. “Oh, of course we can. We’re here to negotiate, so this won’t be any trouble.” He grinned.
A moment later, everyone sat down and had small talk before cutting to the chase. Collaboration wasn’t a problem, but the agreement on profit sharing was. Zoey wanted to have ten percent more, but they didn’t want to budge on this.
Draco raised his glass. “You should know that us southerners can be… fierce. We have our own rules here.”
“Of course. I’ve experienced it myself,” one of the top management replied.
“Great, so the rules here are simple. We’ll have a drinking competition. If we lose, then the ten percent is yours, but if you lose, then that’s it,” Draco suggested.
“Sure, no problem,” Levi agreed.
Zoey glared at him, for she knew Draco and his gang must have the confidence in winning the bet, or else they wouldn’t propose this. Levi is too rash.
“Great. Including the driver and our assistants, there’s a dozen of us here, so pick any number you want from your side,” Draco said. They had taken sobering pills beforehand, and they were heavy drinkers, so they were confident this would be a landslide win.
Levi smiled. “Very well then. Ms. Lopez and I will take the challenge on our own.”
“The hell?” That shocked Zoey. Is he mad? Two against twelve?
CHAPTER 422
If she knew that they had popped the pills before the dinner, Zoey would have been horrified at Levi’s announcement. Levi must be mad!
Zoey’s subordinates were flabbergasted. Hey, they said we can call anyone we want! At least call two dozen here before going ahead with it. Two against twelve? Is he stupid?
“Very well then! If that is what you say, then we’ll start right now!” Draco mocked Levi silently and made the decision for them, worrying that Zoey would go back on her word.
“No. I—”
Zoey was about to say something, but Draco smiled. “Ms. Lopez, you can’t go back on your word, can you? That would be an insult to us. If that’s the case then there’s no point in continuing the negotiation.”
“No! Let’s do it!” Zoey had no choice but to accept it.
Draco and his gang smirked, for they thought this was victory for them. They grinned at the thought of them ravaging Zoey. Is this guy on our side? Man, this is a big help. What a dumba**!
Levi grinned at them. “You’ll have to get past me to drink with Ms. Lopez.”
“Challenge accepted!” Draco and his gang were raring to go, for they thought Levi couldn’t win against all of them, especially not after they had taken the sobering pills.
“Oh, right. We only allow those who participates in the drinking game to stay during the competition. It’s a southerner rule.” Draco looked at the top management. He had to chase these guys away, otherwise they couldn’t do anything to Zoey.
“Why you…” The staff glared at Levi, blaming him for ruining this negotiation. They were fairly confident about taking the ten percent profit, but now Levi botched it.
The competition went under way after they had left. “Hey bro, if we go by the rules, you have to take a shot for every shot we take.” Draco grinned.
“Yeah, sure. I’ll take twelve shots for every shot you guys take. Let’s begin.”
“I like you!” Draco thought Levi was an idiot now. A moment later, twelve glasses of wine sat before Levi, and Zoey was concerned. How long can he last? A round?
Draco and his gang finished their wine in no time. “Your turn, buddy.” He smirked.
They thought Levi would lose out after taking all twelve shots, but what happened next shocked everyone. Levi, always the showy guy, took two shots at once, and he finished all twelve in less than a minute.
“He’s fine?” Draco and his gang were taken aback. He’s a good drinker too. Well, that explains his impulsive behavior, but he can’t win against all of us, not when we took the sobering pills.
“Get on with it.” The second round started, and Levi downed twelve shots like it was soda, shocking everyone.
“On with it!” The third round came, then the fourth, the fifth, and finally, the tenth round came. A hundred and twenty shots later, anyone would fall, but not Levi.
Him still standing not only shocked Draco, but Zoey as well. They thought Levi was acting tough, but now they knew he wasn’t. Even though Draco and the gang had taken sobering pills, ten shots still made their stomach churn.
“Well, go on. Are you guys scared?” Levi provoked them, and the competition resumed.
Draco and his gang refused to believe they would fail, so they wanted to see how much longer Levi could go on. Another ten rounds came, but Levi was still fine. On the other hand, the alcohol started kicking in for Draco and his gang, torturing them.
CHAPTER 423
The competition ensued, and cartons after cartons of wine were served. At this point, Draco and his gang started worrying about the bill. How much can one guy drink? Is he Dionysus or something?
“Mr. Johannes, let’s put in another rule: no toilet breaks!” Levi suggested.
Draco couldn’t hold it in anymore, but he could only agree at this point. Another bout started, and the more Levi drank, the clearer his head became. Wine usually makes people drunk, but Levi was an anomaly.
Apparently, Levi was the only anomaly here. Draco and his gang felt like their stomachs were going to explode, as well as their bladder.
The competition had dragged on for too long, so the sobering pill’s effects had expired. Now they felt the alcohol kicking in, and the group couldn’t hold on any longer.
They couldn’t understand how Levi managed to take so many shots. He must have drunk more than a thousand shots now, but surprisingly, he looked fine. This guy must be Dionysus himself!
“Carry on!” Levi shouted.
“G-Give me a minute! I can’t hold my pee in any longer!” Draco sat on the chair, not even moving an inch, but before he could react, Levi force fed him one shot of wine.
Shhhhh…. They could hear the sound of water flowing, then hot air came up from below, while a rancid smell spread.
Zoey quickly covered her nose and stayed far, far away. Draco peed in his pants!
This was the most embarrassing thing Draco had done in his life.
“March!” Levi took twelve more shots, forcing them to continue.
“No! We can’t!”
“Just do it!” Levi pressed another guy down and forced another shot down his throat.
That made him puke, and he fell down on his barf. “Your turn!” He forced another guy to drink, and that made him roll on the floor in pain, for his stomach bled.
The other guys couldn’t hold it anymore, so they peed in their pants. It made the whole room rancid, then they heard something explode. Everyone looked in the sound’s direction, and what greeted them was their comrade in agony, for his bladder exploded.
Zoey screamed in terror. Terrible fates befell all twelve of them. Shame, embarrassment, and grievous injuries swam among them, and these people took sobering pills beforehand. If they didn’t, they would have been in worse condition.
“Carry on, Mr. Johannes! I’m just getting started!” Levi came up to Draco with a few bottles of wine.
Is he even human?! That’s not how a human works! He’s fine even after drinking that boatload of wine?! ”I-I can’t keep this up anymore!” Draco shook his head.
“Oh, no can do. The fight’s just getting started.” Levi grinned.
“I’ll sign it! I’ll sign it, okay?” pleaded Draco.
“You should have done that in the beginning.” Levi smiled.
Worrying that Levi might force him to drink more wine, Draco quickly signed the contract and let Oriental take ten more percent in profit.
“Let’s go, honey. We got the contract.” Levi grinned toothily, while Zoey looked at him, stunned. For some reason, Levi was shining. Wow, he’s awesome! He got the contract through drinking?
Who would have thought? Ten percent of profit is huge! A few hundred million at that!
After they came out, Zoey looked at Levi. “Are you fine, honey?” Levi said nothing, but then he fell against her groggily.
CHAPTER 424
“What’s wrong, darling? Are you alright!?” Zoey held him tightly, feeling frightened. It took her a moment, but now she realized Levi took a few thousand shots, and it could kill him.
She started sweating in fear, but then she felt electrified. Realizing Levi was feeling her up, Zoey blushed and let him go. “Did you just scare me for nothing?!” She looked away.
“Hey, I just got us the contract, and now I don’t even get a thank you?” Levi asked.
Zoey glared at him. “Stop messing around. How do you feel? Do you need to go to the hospital? You drank a lot.”
Levi smiled. “Do I look hurt to you? No? There’s that then. But…”
“But what?” She looked at him curiously.
“But well, you know, drinking always leads to something else. Here, give me some sugar.” He tried to kiss her, but she ran away.
“You pervert!”
That night, as they lay in bed, Levi quickly hugged her. Zoey was shocked, but she also looked forward to what would happen next.
She might be Levi’s wife, but Zoey was still a virgin. She wanted to consummate the marriage, but now that they were about to do it, Zoey was nervous. If he’s going for it, should I accept him? Or should I say no?
Zoey only wanted Levi as her husband. When he took all the drinking for her earlier, Zoey saw him as her knight in shining armor. If he wanted it tonight, Zoey would give it to him, but…
She was still in a dilemma when a snoring sound snapped her out of it. He’s asleep. For some reason, she felt disappointed, so she turned around and glared at him. “Is sleeping all you know! Go away!” Zoey shoved him away.
“Why did you push me, honey?” Levi asked.
“Just turn around!” Zoey said angrily.
“Why are you mad?” A perplexed Levi asked, and he thought women were weird. They get angry for no reason every time. At least now we know that behind every angry woman lay a man who didn’t know what he did wrong. Levi was an example of that.
When morning came, Oriental was hit with the shocking news of Zoey snagging a contract that gave them an extra ten percent of profit, much to the top management’s disbelief.
At the same time, Draco and his gang were in the hospital. “Trash, all of you! You can’t even handle one woman, and all of you got hospitalized! Trash, trash, trash!” Tristan was livid.
Draco and the others shivered in fear. They thought they would win, but Levi was an unexpected variable. They thought nobody could drink that much, but Levi proved them wrong. Is that guy a God?
“Resign, you trash. I’m already in North Hampton, so I’ll take care of this matter myself,” Tristan said coldly.
“Young master Tristan, please—” Before they could even explain, Tristan had hung up. Never did he imagine that all it took for him to lose hundreds of millions and his future was a drinking session.
North Hampton was in high spirits today, for scores of merchants came today. Everyone was shocked, for the number of participating companies in this event was twice their projected estimate. They weren’t complaining though, for this was great for North Hampton.
CHAPTER 425
In North Hampton Television Network’s office, Margaret and her colleagues were going through the scripts for the next day’s interview. This was a great chance for her, so she wouldn’t let it go. She wasn’t Elsa.
“You’re awesome, Margaret! There are 38 outlets that want to interview Mr. Garrison, but he only gives that chance to us!”
“Yeah, and he specifically asked for Margaret! He obviously thinks highly of her!”
“He must have only chosen us because of Margaret! Treat us to something good after this, Margaret!”
Margaret felt smug listening to all the praises, but she pretended to be calm. She was a famous person in the channel as well as the industry. Now, with the mysterious Mr. Garrison giving her the chance to interview him, it would consolidate her place in this world.
Now, everyone in the channel listened to her, including her boss.
“Tell us whatever you need, Margaret. We’ll do anything for you,” her boss kept telling her that.
“Margaret, I heard Mr. Garrison is single. If you guys can be a couple, it’d be sweet!”
“Yeah! He’s a leader, while you’re the best employee of the channel. It’s a good match!”
Margaret was riled up by this, for she was planning to do that. Intelligence was her forte, and with experience on her side, she knew Mr. Garrison had a bright future, for Jesse handed such a big event to him.
He might be a deputy now, but this was only the beginning, so Mr. Garrison would climb to mayhap the top spot.
If she could snag him, Margaret would be set for life, and the idea made her chuckle. This must be divine providence. There are more than three dozen outlets, but he chose me! ”This chance has always been mine to begin with.” Margaret looked confident.
“Margaret, Levi is in a bad situation. I heard their place got splashed with paint and sewage! His parents-in-law can’t work, and his wife’s company is affected!” Margaret’s lackey reported.
Margaret bellowed happily, for she thought Lady Luck was on her side. First, she could interview Mr. Garrison; Secondly, she would be promoted after finishing her job; and finally, she managed to back Levi into a corner.
“I have already told you never to cross a woman, Levi. But you just wouldn’t listen. So, this is what happens.” Margaret’s eyes gleamed coldly.
“Of course he’s dead if he offends you, Margaret. You’re so much more powerful than he is.” Her colleagues laughed.
Then, someone came for Margaret. When she walked out, a Rolls-Royce was waiting for her, much to her surprise. After getting into the car, she saw a man in his thirties, looking dignified and elegant.
“Hello, Ms. Ward. I’m Zachary, from South City’s Suarez family.” Zachary puffed his cigar.
Margaret was shaken to her core as she looked at him and stuttered, “T-the Suarez family? You’re young master Zachary?! I know you! I’ve interviewed your family!”
“It’s good that you do.” Zachary nodded.
CHAPTER 426
“Is there anything I can help you with, Mr. Shorts?” Margaret asked with a flirtatious wink.
“Are you after Levi and Zoey recently?” Zachary asked.
“Yes, yes, yes. That’s right! Are you related to Levi?” Margaret looked at Zachary cautiously.
Zachary shook his head, “No, he is my enemy. My brother had all his limbs amputated by him! If it weren’t for fear of the Morris Group that was behind his back, I would’ve killed him ages ago!
You are doing a good job for now. To think that you can subdue Levi’s family to this point! I’m able to kill him right away as soon as he is forced to leave North Hampton! There’s nothing Morris Group can do about it!”
Margaret was smart and immediately replied, “Mr. Shorts, should I step up the game a little?”
“Yeah, you’re perceptive and a fast-learner!” Zachary beckoned to his assistant, and he brought a suitcase. After opening it, a big load of cash could be seen contained in it.
“Here’s an advanced five million! I’ll pay you another five million after the job is completed!” Zachary said.
Margaret’s eyeballs were about to pop out from their sockets when she saw the money.
Five million!!! Who could’ve expected that I could be paid for settling my personal feud? Ten million in total? Is this my lucky day? This is quadruple happiness!
“Wait for my good news, Mr. Shorts. Let me add fuel to the fire. I can assure you that Levi will leave tomorrow!” After Margaret put away the money, her smiling eyes turned into crescent shape.
“Very well! You’ll be rewarded in the future when the Suarez family begins its development in North Hampton,” Zachary said.
Margaret replied with a lovely smile, “I’m honored to devote myself to the Suarez family. Everything I have belongs to the Suarez family!”
Margaret was feeling ecstatic.
Now that I’m acquainted with the Suarez family’s young master and had turned to them as my backing. Isn’t it safe to say that my future is pretty bright?
At this time, Levi and Zoey were standing in front of Bayview Garden.
Levi looked calm, but Zoey was infuriated.
“These people are such a bully! It’s too much!” Zoey sobbed in a soft voice.
The house’s door was splashed with different colors of paints, and it gave off a pungent smell.
The wall next to it was splashed with manure, emitting a horrible stench.
Levi had no doubt that these people might pour dung water into the room next time.
“Dad, mom. Are you facing this situation as well?” Zoey became infuriated after receiving the call.
Despite Levi’s calm appearance, he was actually extremely furious.
He paid no attention to a small-time reporter like Margaret because he figured she couldn’t do anything to him.
But he found out that he was wrong. It was now evident that this person could affect him in his daily life.
“Levi, why don’t we move out of here? I don’t think this is gonna work. I got a strong hunch that things are gonna become worse.”
Zoey was afraid because things were seriously affecting her life.
Caitlyn and Aaron could only hide in their room every day.
They didn’t dare to step out of the house.
There were only two days’ worth of food supply left in the house.
She began to worry about the safety of her parent’s lives.
“We should pick up dad and mom secretly at night. If something were to happen, we’d be in trouble,” Zoey cautioned.
“We’ll not move out!”
Levi took out his phone and made a call to Margaret.
“Hey, Levi? Hahaha! Was it too unbearable that you’ve decided to call me?” Margaret laughed arrogantly on the other end of the phone.
“Are these your handiwork?” Levi asked.
“You bet! There’s nothing you can do about it. Hit me if you dare!” Margaret sneered.
Levi warned with a deep voice, “I’ll give you one more chance to explain your previous interview!”
CHAPTER 427
“Levi, don’t you understand the current situation? You’re at my mercy now. Why does it sound like the opposite? Are you stupid? Hahaha…”
“Okay. I’ve given you a chance, but it seems like you don’t appreciate it,” Levi replied coldly.
Margaret became angry and said in a cold tone, “Then let me tell you something as well. Even if you lick my shoes and drink my foot-washing water, I won’t give you another chance. Just you wait!”
After hanging up the call, a murderous intent flashed across Levi’s eyes.
“Honey, give me one more day. I’ll be sure to settle it,” Levi declared.
“Huh? How are you gonna solve it?” Zoey found his words hard to believe.
“Anyway, just wait until tomorrow afternoon. It should be done by then.”
In the evening, there was another breaking news from the TV station. Six years ago, Levi Group expanded its business by way of replacing human labor with machines. This has disrupted the market and caused many to go unemployed. It was believed that at least thirty thousand people were unemployed because of Levi Group. The main culprit was Levi Garrison!
Zoey and the rest were going crazy after the news came out.
The situation is worsening! First and foremost, this news was taken out of context! It was just a normal industrial development. How can they blame it on Levi? Besides, the amount of revenue generated by Levi Group’s advanced technology was incomparable to those of the outdated technology.
But after such news was reported, those who were unemployed thought that Levi was the cause of their misery.
Levi had become the sinner of North Hampton!
Many people formed an alliance to protest against Levi and drive him out of North Hampton.
Some even began to foresee that Levi’s life would be in danger.
Due to the investment promotion fair, there had been a higher degree of attention to hot news lately.
As a result, Levi and the others were under more pressure.
“Darling, why don’t we leave North Hampton for a while? We can’t continue living like this.” Zoey was afraid.
Levi remained level-headed and said with a calm face, “Don’t worry, honey. Everything is gonna be alright. It will be settled by tomorrow afternoon.”
At this moment, Zachary and Margaret were relaxing on a big bed in a five-star hotel, and they were paying attention to the news.
“Hahaha! Good job, babe. Levi will have no choice but to leave North Hampton tomorrow.” Zachary was satisfied.
“Yeah, the authorities can’t even intervene when it was the laid-off workers who force Levi to leave!” Margaret smirked while lying in Zachary’s arms.
Zachary made a call and ordered, “Pay attention to Levi’s whereabouts. Cut off his limbs immediately as soon as he leaves North Hampton.”
“Hahaha… Take me there with you when the time comes, Mr. Shorts. I want to see his miserable looks with my own eyes.” Margaret laughed and sneaked under the covers.
There she goes again!
Zachary was reeling from fear as the thought crossed his mind. He dared not think of what would become of him if he were to defy her.
This woman is something else. I’m no match for her at all!
The following day, North Hampton’s exhibition center was bustling.
Thousands of companies were gathered in the largest investment promotion fair known in North Hampton.
Margaret and her colleagues had arrived in the exhibition center early in the morning.
“Margaret, you have a major role to play in handling the content of the forum and interview Mr. Garrison today!” The head of the station showed his concern to her.
“Haha! Rest assured. I’ll get it done nicely.”
Margaret began to put on makeup and prepared herself to be in her best form while everyone looked at her enviously.
After all, she was the only person who had the chance to interview Mr. Garrison.
CHAPTER 428
“Margaret, I’m so jealous of you! It great that you have the privilege to interview Mr. Garrison.”
“I know, right? What incredible luck! But to be honest, Margaret is the best in North Hampton.”
“Ain’t it the truth? Isn’t Margaret the best in professionalism, beauty, and temperament?”
…
Margaret was basking in the compliments from her colleagues.
What an exciting day. I’ll get to interview Mr. Garrison soon and receive another five million. Will the time go faster please?
Representatives of major companies arrived one after another to the exhibition hall.
The prominent families and leading corporations in South City had also shown up one after another.
Zachary and his group of people were one of them.
In fact, the Lopez family of South City had sent their representative. But he was here to exchange views on behalf of Harry.
Soon, the investment promotion fair started after the officials of North Hampton made a speech.
The exhibition center was divided into many areas, covering every sector of businesses.
Among them, Rogers Group and Morris Group had the most merchants in front of their booths.
Everyone knew that these two companies had great prospects and were eager to cooperate with them.
However, those leading corporations had their sights set on other things. They wanted to grab as many deals as possible and dominate a larger share in the North Hampton market.
However, every deal signed on this occasion was legal and beneficial to North Hampton’s development.
Levi watched every movement in the exhibition hall from backstage.
The person behind him was Aurora Newt, a personal secretary arranged by Jesse Nielsen.
“Mr. Garrison, it’s true that the policy enforced by the officials in the Investment Promotion Fair was in North Hampton’s best interest. Otherwise, those corporations and influential families will flock into North Hampton lawlessly, causing bad competition and negative effects,” Aurora said with a smile.
Levi nodded, “I have to commend Nielsen’s great insight!”
Aurora smiled bitterly. He is the only person who dares to address the governor like that.
“By the way, Mr. Garrison, it’s time for the TV station’s interview session. Shall we?” Aurora glanced at the time and said.
Levi replied, “Alright. Let them in.”
Following that, Levi and several other leaders waited in a conference room.
Outside the conference room.
“Thanks, Ms. Newt. I owe you a meal,” Margaret said with a smile.
Aurora smiled in response, “Ms. Ward, please.”
Everyone came to the conference room under the guidance of Aurora.
Even though Margaret had done this kind of interview before, she couldn’t help but feel a little nervous today because there wasn’t much information about Mr. Garrison.
About ten officials were sitting in the conference room.
Margaret panicked a little when she caught a glimpse of it.
“Hmm?”
She became stunned the moment she caught sight of the official’s faces. One of them looked particularly familiar.
In order to confirm her sight, Margaret took a few steps forward.
It’s Levi! He’s sitting in the middle alongside the other leaders.
Margaret was puzzled by what she saw. What is Levi doing here?
Her colleagues were equally confused.
No wonder Mr. Shorts said he couldn’t locate Levi. Because he was here!
Margaret said instinctively, “Levi, what are you doing here? You don’t belong in this place!”
The entire conference room fell silent after her speech.
Margaret was taken aback when she noticed everyone staring at her strangely.
“What are you talking about, Ms. Ward? This person is Mr. Garrison,” Aurora said in confusion.
CHAPTER 429
“Huh? Mr. Garrison? It can’t be! Isn’t he Levi? The target of disdain who is a hot topic in North Hampton these few days.”
“That’s right. A malignant tumor like Levi should be driven out of North Hampton forever!”
Margaret and her colleagues commented.
“Know your place!”
“How dare you insult the name of the leader?”
At this time, the Minister of Commerce became furious.
“That’s right! Where did this reporter come from? Who is she to insult Mr. Garrison like that? What’s the meaning of this?”
“You’re from the North Hampton Television Network, right? Call Director Charles Yorke here!”
…
The other leaders also voiced out one after another.
The remarks of Margaret and her colleagues completely angered them.
After hearing the scolding, Margaret and her colleagues finally understood that they’ve gotten into deep trouble.
“What is the meaning of this, Ms. Ward? The person sitting in front of you is the Deputy Leader of North Hampton, Mr. Levi Garrison. Besides, he is also known as the one and only 5-Star God of War in Erudia,” Aurora stated the facts.
Boom!
Margaret and her colleagues were frozen instantaneously as if a thunderbolt had hit them from the sky.
Deputy Leader of North Hampton? The God of War? Levi Garrison? NO! It can’t be! This isn’t real!
Margaret and her colleagues remained rooted in a state of trance as their minds went blank completely.
Bang!
At this moment, the door of the conference room was opened.
A plump middle-aged man came running in while panting heavily.
This man was the director of North Hampton Television Network, Charles Yorke.
He looked at all the leaders present while gasping heavily.
He noticed a familiar face when his gaze landed on Levi.
Isn’t he the brat that Margaret was after? Why is he sitting here?
“What’s going on?” Charles looked at the crowd and asked curiously.
“‘What’s going on?’ How ignorant can you be?”
The person speaking was the leader of Uptown District, Draco Simmons.
Bang!
The man slammed the table hard.
“Huh?”
Charles became increasingly baffled, and his body was trembling.
“Do you know that a reporter from your station had insulted Mr. Garrison for no reason when she saw him?” The other leaders chided in anger.
At this moment, a secretary distributed a few tablets to Draco and the other leaders.
The content was about the details of Margaret framing Levi.
Everyone burst into anger after reading the contents.
“Look at what you’ve done, Charles Yorke! Your good days are over!” Draco said and threw the tablet to Charles.
“It seems like you have no idea. So let me tell you, the person who your station slandered is the Deputy Leader of North Hampton, Mr. Levi Garrison! He is also the God of War! Figure it out yourself!”
Thump!
After hearing this, Charles fell to the ground in horror.
His face was covered with cold sweat, and he was terrified.
Oh my god! How much trouble did I get myself into? This person is the God of War!
Levi smiled and said, “The director of the TV station? Is that how the content review works? How dare you release edited content? What’s going on?”
Charles almost wet his pants at Levi’s question.
“No… Mr. Garrison, I-I don’t know how this happened… It was Margaret who released it…”
“Margaret, how dare you set me up?”
Slap!
Charles gave Margaret a hard slap across her face.
CHAPTER 430
Margaret finally regained her senses after being slapped.
Thud!
Her body went limp, and she fell to the ground.
It never crossed her mind that Levi would have such an identity.
Otherwise, she would never even dream of doing such a thing.
“Margaret, do you still remember the call I made?” Levi had a menacing smile on his face.
Boom!
Margaret was in a state of shock after the epiphany.
How could I forget? Levi even called to give me a chance. But I was too foolish to realize my mistake.
“I-I was wrong… It’s all my fault, Mr. Garrison… Please forgive me…” Margaret immediately kneeled on the ground and begged for mercy.
Thud!
Thud!
Charles punched and kicked Margaret.
“You have the nerve to ask for forgiveness?”
He wanted to kill her there and then.
“What a vicious woman you are, Margaret! You drive people to their death by abusing your power. If it wasn’t for my identity, do you think I can still stand here?” Levi asked with a smile.
Everyone in the conference room felt a chill down their spine.
Levi is angry!
“What are you standing here for, Charles? Hurry and expose the wrongdoings of Margaret and clear the name of Mr. Garrison!” A few leaders bellowed.
Charles reacted and replied, “Okay. I’ll do it right away!”
Soon, an urgent news update was released on North Hampton Television Network. Exposed! Reporter Margaret deliberately framed Levi Garrison with edited content.
Margaret’s reputation was ruined after a series of evidence was presented, and the previous negative remarks about Levi and his family dissipated eventually.
…
“Charles, you’re responsible for this matter. Therefore, you’ll be relieved of your position!” Draco announced.
Charles nodded immediately, “Got it.”
“All the people involved in this matter must be penalized. Any individual that had dealings with Margaret should be arrested or punished!” A few leaders ordered at once.
Margaret laid on the ground, became paralyzed, and felt like her body was no longer hers.
Levi glanced at Margaret and said, “Falsity will never prevail. You know the things you did to get to your current position today. The truth will be uncovered eventually!”
Margaret felt regretful and penitent.
None of these would have happened if she didn’t offend Levi.
It was not known how Margaret managed to leave the exhibition hall.
“This is the bi*ch that lied to us and made us blamed the wrong person!”
“Yeah. If it weren’t for the discovery, we would’ve driven an innocent person to death!”
…
There was a huge crowd gathering outside the exhibition hall.
The crowd started pouring buckets of foul-smelling dung water all over her as soon as she appeared.
“Ughhhhhh…” Margaret puked immediately.
But the manure continued to splash on her again and again…
This was how a vicious person would always end up being.
After the matter was resolved, Zoey immediately called, “Darling, that was awesome! How did you do that?”
Levi smiled and said, “Justice always prevails.”
After Zachary got the news, he found Margaret as soon as he could.
Zachary clutched his nose and stayed far away from Margaret because there was a horrible stench on her.
“What happened?”
Margaret cast a glance at him with a miserable smirk, “I advise the Suarez family to give up, leave North Hampton and stay in South City.”
“Why?” Zachary looked baffled.
“Because he is someone you can’t afford to provoke! If you insist on pushing your luck, the Suarez family will be wiped out from the face of the earth,” Margaret warned.
“Hahaha! What a joke! Do you really think we, the Suarez family would be afraid of anyone? Just wait and see. Soon enough, we’ll have our own territory in North Hampton.”
Zachary didn’t give a second thought to what Margaret had said.
Thus, the week-long investment promotion fair ended on a fulfilling note.
Many businesses from overseas had given their all into investing in North Hampton’s developments.
That was exactly the results Levi wanted to achieve.
However, he had heard of a few larger families forcing a few small and medium-sized corporations into handing over their companies. Within just a few days, many of those corporations had already been bought over.
“Mr. Garrison, what should we do? Should we start taking action?” The Rogers family asked.
Levi shook his head. “We’ll just observe for now. It wouldn’t be too late for us to take action only after they’ve succeeded. After all, it’s only fair for them to make contributions to the North Hampton’s economy first.”
When everyone caught sight of the smirk hanging off Levi’s lips, they understood what his true motives were.
Levi was planning to fatten them up slowly and surely. The moment they were ripe and plump enough, only then would he sink his teeth into them.
Back in the Lopez family mansion, Sebastian was looking frazzled.
He’d aged quite a bit under the stress from the recent events.
Staying put without taking revenge wasn’t his style of confrontation at all.
“What happened? Did he agree to it?” Sebastian asked.
“Yes, he did, but he asked for you to go and invite him personally,” Simon said.
“Yes, of course I will!”
“Sebastian, I never would have thought that you’d call on him.” Simon’s eyes trembled in fear.
Sebastian scoffed, “If it weren’t that urgent, would I have gone for this option?”
“It’s not a bad thing. In fact, if he takes action, then the boss behind the Morris Group has nowhere left to run!”
Murderous intent glazed over Sebastian’s gaze. “That’s right. That man is the one and only person I’ve ever feared of. If he didn’t go into hiding, would I even have the chance to be where I am today in South City? He’s the real head of Quebec!”
“That’s right. The Morris Group has been playing games for far too long. It’s high time this man appeared to stop them.”
The Suarez family had been gobbling up businesses left and right in North Hampton. So far, they’ve gotten themselves quite the collection.
“No! I can’t just let the injury my brother suffered go that easily. The Oriental Star Group must be ours.” Zachary’s gaze was chilly.
That very afternoon, Zachary brought a group of his men to the Oriental Star Group.
Zoey had no choice but to meet them.
“It’s Zoey, isn’t it? I’ll keep things short. I’m here to take over the Oriental Star Group,” Zachary said instantly.
Zoey, however, refused just as quickly. “That’s impossible. I’ve just taken over the company, and we’re developing pretty well. Why would I ever sell the company to you?”
“That’s right! Mr. Suarez, did you hear any false rumors? The Oriental Star Group isn’t up for sale. Were you expecting to buy us over?”
The other higher-ups looked at Zachary questioningly.
Zachary just chuckled. “Well, the Suarez family wishes to take over your company, so you have to sell it to us.”
“What kind of twisted reason is that? Aren’t you just forcing us to give it up to you?”
“What kind of society are we living in? I didn’t know such hegemony existed.”
The higher-ups of the Oriental Star Group all disagreed with his outlandish request.
“That’s right. The Suarez family is simply used to such methods. I’ll give you 24 hours to clean up before I come back here to take what’s mine. If you turn me down, trust me, you’ll regret it,” Zachary said coldly.
Three loud bangs resounded as one of Zachary’s men tossed three throwing knives and landed them each on the words, ‘Oriental Star Group’ that was printed on the wall behind them.
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That was a threat.
It was a threat; plain and simple as that; laid bare for all of them to see.
That was a warning to everyone in Oriental Star Group that if they dared to go against him, they’d regret that decision for the rest of their lives.
“Remember, none of you have the right to retaliate against the Suarez family, so don’t even try,” Zachary said coldly before leaving.
In the end, the higher-ups were left staring after him in disbelief.
Was the Oriental Star Group about to get bought over right after they’d just begun developing?
“Ms. Lopez, I think it’d be for the best if we let them buy the company.”
“That’s right. The Suarez family has been buying companies left and right. The ones who tried to retaliate ended up defending themselves to death.”
“The Suarez family has way too much power in South City. We don’t have the power to fight back against them. In fact, we might end up dead, too.”
The higher-ups of the Oriental Star Group had given up completely.
Zoey, however, remained silent.
Deep within, her heart was crumbling in hopelessness.
Why did they have to get on the Suarez family’s bad side?
Zoey was ready to give up.
Based on everything that had happened recently, the Suarez family would stop at nothing to get what they wanted.
In order to force the hands of those business owners, they had used all kinds of twisted methods.
Zoey was especially terrified that her parents or her husband would get into trouble because of her.
Recently, Levi had been rather satisfied with how North Hampton was coming along.
There were a couple of obstacles along the way, but overall, everything was going smoothly.
Once he reached home, however, the first thing he saw was Zoey’s unhappy face.
“What happened, honey? Did something happen at work?” Levi asked, concerned.
Zoey shook her head. “I’m just frustrated because of the recent developments with the company.”
The next day, Zoey had just stepped foot into the company when she caught sight of Zachary strolling in with a bunch of his underlings.
Everyone else shivered at the sight of the man from the other day who had used the throwing knives with such ease.
“So, Ms. Lopez, what’s your final decision?” Zachary asked with a smirk on his face.
“You could at least try to be a little more sincere with your request. What’s your price?” Zoey asked.
Zachary was taken aback for a second before replied, “One billion!”
Everyone inhaled sharply at the sound of Zachary’s price.
The Suarez family was truly overbearing!
How dare they try to buy a company with a net worth of six billion for only one billion?
Zoey scoffed coldly, “Mr. Suarez, are you insane? How could I possibly sell it to you for a mere one billion?”
Zachary burst out laughing.
Coldly, he jabbed, “Ms. Lopez, I don’t think you know what’s going on right now. You’re in no position to make any negotiations. I named my price to save you some face. If you piss me off, you’re not going to get even a cent from me.”
Ridiculous!
How could the Suarez family be this ridiculously overbearing?!
Sadly, they could only seethe in silence.
Two days ago, someone tried to retaliate against the Suarez family. They ended up with four broken limbs and their family got dragged into it too.
Who wouldn’t be afraid of such a force?
“This is the contract. Sign it now, and the money will be transferred to you instantly.” Zachary tossed the contract to Zoey.
“If you refuse to sign this, Aaron Lopez and Caitlyn Black will be joining me for dinner tonight.” Zachary laughed chillingly as he laid his threats down.
His meaning was clear enough. If Zoey refused, he’d find a way to get rid of Aaron and Caitlyn, and it didn’t matter whether they were dead or alive.
“You’re being unreasonable!” Zoey shouted in anger.
Even after so long, she had never met such an overbearing person.
Sadly, she couldn’t do anything about it.
“Ms. Lopez, just sign it!” The other higher-ups started clamoring.
“I don’t think so.”
Right at that moment, a voice called out.
Levi was here.
He had noticed Zoey’s worrisome expression during dinner the other day. He did some investigations of his own to find out what was wrong.
To think that it was caused by the Suarez family!
“Levi Garrison? What are you doing here?”
Zachary had seen Levi in pictures before, and the very moment he laid his eyes on him, he knew he hated his guts.
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It’s normal for enemies to want to finish off each other upon meeting. Zachary couldn’t help but want to kill Levi on sight.
With a deep frown on his face, Levi asked, “Who are you? Have we met?”
“I’m Zachary of the Suarez family. Zayn Suarez is my brother.”
Levi nodded. “Oh, that cripple!”
“You-!”
The moment he heard of the way Levi referred his brother, Zachary’s anger flared up.
“You should have stayed in South City. What are you doing here in North Hampton? Are you asking to be killed here?” Levi asked.
Zachary laughed coldly. “Don’t go thinking you’re safe with the Morris Group behind you. I’m warning you, the Suarez family is not going to stop until we’ve conquered a good part of North Hampton! You’d better sign the contract before you regret it.”
“Just screw off already.” Levi shoved Zachary away.
“You asked for it!”
Zachary’s subordinates started moving toward Levi.
Zachary stopped them.
“There’s no need for that.”
Zachary smiled at Zoey and asked, “Ms. Lopez, I hope you’ve thought about this properly. You’ll regret it if you make the wrong move.”
“I told you to leave, didn’t I?” Levi yelled.
“Okay, okay. Just you wait and see.” Zachary smiled menacingly.
“Mr. Shorts, why didn’t you just get rid of that guy?” After they exited the area, Will Brown asked Zachary in confusion. Will was the strongest fighter on Zachary’s team.
Zachary looked pissed. “You think I didn’t want to? That man has the Morris Group backing him up. Even Sebastian Lopez faced a hard time with them.”
“Then, what should we do? Just take it?” Will said in anger.
Zachary, on the other hand, smirked mysteriously. “Of course not! We’ll settle the Oriental Star Group first.”
“What about Levi Garrison?” Will Brown asked.
“I heard about Sebastian Lopez wanting to make a comeback.”
“Huh? Even the Black and White Guards suffered greatly. What could Sebastian do?”
Zachary smirked. “It will be a whole different story when Sebastian managed to call on him.”
“Him? Wait… could it be?”
Will suddenly looked terrified at the thought of someone and inhaled sharply.
“Sebastian Lopez is truly putting in his all. How’d he manage to call upon someone who’s been in hiding for the past thirty years?!”
The others were just as amazed.
“That’s right! That’s the real boss of Quebec and the one Sebastian is scared of the most.”
“The Morris Group is really something. They managed to drag him out of hiding,” Zachary said.
Will figured something out and smiled. “Mr. Shorts, you’re waiting for Sebastian Lopez and that man to get rid of the Morris Group before getting rid of Levi, right?”
“Yes. Without the Morris Group behind his back, how is Levi going to act all high and mighty?”
In South City, there was a small, rundown temple in the corner of Mount Amethyst.
Anyone in the upper class of South City knew that this temple was off-limits. That was because it was the home to the most terrifying figure in South City, and even all of Quebec.
He had once ruled over Quebec.
Thirty years ago, he retreated back here and became a vegetarian. Apart from that, he started reciting Buddhist mantras everyday.
Highly skilled professionals surrounded the temple and no one was allowed to go near it.
However, today, the Lopez family approached the temple.
Sebastian knelt in front of the temple personally, waiting for him to appear.
“Sir, the Lopez family is in trouble. Quentin Lane has been killed; Wesley Lane and James Lane have been crippled, and the Black and White Guards have been spliced into pieces. I, Sebastian Lopez, beg you to get rid of them. In exchange, I will give everything I have.”
Sebastian begged with all his sincerity and kowtowed three times.
CHAPTER 434
Everyone present at the temple instantly held their breaths at that sentence.
They stared at Sebastian in disbelief.
What could possibly have pushed Sebastian to make such a daring exchange?
He was even willing to give up his fortune in order to beat this mysterious person, or force.
Sebastian continued kneeling as he waited for an answer to come from within the temple.
Finally, after about ten minutes, the rundown wooden door of the temple creaked open.
A man dressed in a suit walked out of the temple. Everyone looked on in shock and fear as the godson of the ex-ruler of the underworld walked toward them.
Even Sebastian looked terrified.
The young man said simply, “Sebastian, please return. My godfather will handle this.”
“What?”
“Thank you, sir!” Sebastian yelled in glee.
He agreed!
That meant the Morris Group was done for.
To Sebastian, this man was practically on the same level as God himself.
There was nothing in Quebec that he couldn’t get his hands on if he were willing to step up.
Right after that, the news of this man finally returning to society started spreading around South City like wildfire.
Once, he had been the ruler of Quebec. He had locked himself away for thirty years, but he was finally emerging once more.
Everyone could tell that North Hampton was about to undergo great changes.
The fact that this man was willing to show himself once more meant that Quebec was about to go through a massive transformation.
All the other forces and families in South City started preparing for this man’s arrival.
Early on the next day, the ten most powerful families of South City gathered along the twisting and turning roads of Mount Amethyst in two lines as they waited for this person’s arrival.
Sebastian stood among them.
There was finally some people coming from the end of the road.
They had come down the mountain on foot.
This group of people surrounded an old man with white hair and a ruddy complexion who looked full of spirit.
Even though he was already 80 years old, his steps were steady and he was clearly of good health.
He was once the ruler of Quebec, Scott Yates.
Everyone in Quebec called him by ‘sir’ and ‘sir’ only.
At first sight, he looked like any other esteemed figure, perhaps a well-read professor or master.
No one would have connected him to the role of an underworld ruler.
Apart from Fernand Yates, Scott’s godson, there were four other people walking next to him. They were also known as the Four Mighty Generals.
The first one was all skin and bones, and resembled a walking skeleton. His skin stretched taut over the angular frame of his skull. He was known simply as Bones.
The second stood at around 2 meters tall and looked like a human mountain. He was named Golem.
The third was as bulked up as a bull and his head was completely bald. There were six scars on the thin skin of his scalp. His name was Titan, and he was a priest.
The last one appeared completely normal, and nothing stood out about him. However, he was the most fearsome among all.
The Black and White Guards were an indestructible force in South City.
But in the face of these four, they were mere ants.
In South City’s extensive underworld, the Black and White Guards would only be the fifth or sixth most powerful forces.
The first four places belonged to these four generals.
These four taking action was just as terrifying as any natural disaster.
They were much too scary.
They were rumored to be able to beat an army of thousands.
“Congratulations Sir, on your return!”
When the families saw Scott Yates and his lineup, they welcomed him enthusiastically.
So what if they had countless riches?
So what if they had enough money to overthrow the country?
All that could disappear at any second with just a word from Scott Yates.
As compared to Liam Macy and Sebastian Lopez, Scott Yates had experienced much more. He had made his breakthrough during the peak of Quebec’s underworld, so he had a much stronger background.
There was nothing he could say that Quebec wouldn’t obey to instantly.
Sebastian stepped up. “Sir, now that you are back, there’s a favor I have to ask from you.”
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“Sebastian’s reputation has been completely ruined!”
“The Morris Group? Is that a new corporation?” Scott Yates asked.
Sebastian nodded. “Yes, sir. The Morris Group appeared only recently. They appear to be run by the Rogers family. The collapse of the three main pillars of North Hampton have a lot to do with the Morris Group.”
Scott Yates stayed silent at that.
His godson, Fernand Yates, piped up, “Yes, I’ve taken notice of that as well. The reason that this Morris Group managed to gain so much power in such a short time is due to someone extremely powerful working behind the scenes. Furthermore, it’s next to impossible to find any information about their mysterious boss or Neil Atkinson.”
Fernand also held a lot of power. Despite Scott Yates lived in seclusion away in the mountains for the last thirty years, the family business had continued under Fernand’s management. However, he had chosen to stay subtle about it and only worked in the background.
Anyone in South City knew that Scott Yates was number one when it came to accumulated wealth.
“How dare they act like this in North Hampton? There must be a powerful figure behind the scenes.” Scott Yate’s expression changed abruptly. “Investigate! No matter who that person is, I will chase him out of Quebec regardless.”
“Understood. I’ll begin investigations right away,” Fernand replied.
The citizens of South City let out a sigh of relief.
With Scott Yates helping them out, the Morris Group would definitely be done for.
They could finally gobble up North Hampton with ease.
Every time anyone tried to take over North Hampton’s businesses, they either got held back by the law or got targeted by the Morris Group and the Rogers family.
The people of South City had been holding back their frustrations for a long time. The Suarez family and the Lopez family were especially bothered by that.
Despite that, all of them were more than aware of the fact that the Morris Group would be done for the moment ‘Sir’ left the mountain.
It didn’t matter how strong and powerful the Morris Group was.
It didn’t matter what their reputation was in South City.
In Quebec, Scott Yates’ word was the law.
Even a dragon would find it hard to control a snake in its old haunt.
North Hampton wasn’t as closely updated, so they had no clue of the imminent danger.
Zachary had caught wind of Scott Yates’ return.
He couldn’t be more ecstatic at the news.
“The end of the Morris Group is near! We should quickly wrap up our deal with the Oriental Star Group.”
The Oriental Star Group was an essential component of the Suarez family’s battle plan.
The entertainment department of the Oriental Star Group was something the Suarez family urgently needed.
“Mr. Suarez, the Oriental Star Group has recently been shooting seven blockbuster online-only movies. This was all produced by Zoey Lopez. Around fifty million was invested into each production. They’ll probably increase as time goes by. The final cost has to be around five hundred million at least!” Will Brown reported.
“Hmph! Zoey Lopez, I bet you were trying to make a real profit, weren’t you? Well, not a chance!” Zachary murmured as he chuckled darkly.
Zoey Lopez was definitely eager to make some achievements.
The property arm had already been established.
Naturally, she had to pay more attention to the entertainment segment.
Today, Zoey decided to visit the set personally.
This set belonged to the movie that they had invested the highest amount of money in, which was around seventy million.
They didn’t spend that much money on special effects or the plot. Most of the money had been invested into casting the male and female leads, who were both top-notch actors in the industry.
Casting the both of them would cost around fifty million at the very least.
The actual cost of the production itself was only about twenty million.
However, she believed that the movie would become a hit and generate a sizeable return given the actors’ fame.
The crew was currently preparing for filming while the actors were going through their lines.
Niall, the male lead, spotted Zoey once he lifted his head.
“Who is that?” he asked his assistant.
“This is the new boss of the Oriental Star Group, Zoey Lopez.”
Niall’s eyes lit up as he smiled. “I have to get to know her well then.”
CHAPTER 436
So far, Niall was the most famous actor in the Oriental Star Group. He was extremely popular and had a ton of fans.
However, anyone who knew him personally knew how messy his private life was.
He slept around with fans and other female celebrities alike.
He had even had a fling or two with his assistants and makeup artists.
He had no problems hooking up with female higher-ups of various companies that had their eyes on him.
From just his appearance alone, Niall had risen from a barely-there social media influencer to a highest-paid actor within just three years.
Every time he took on a new job with a new company, he would immediately flirt with the female higher-ups as long as they were decent enough.
Even if the female boss in question was old and ugly, he’d still say yes if she was willing to pay a huge amount of money or benefits.
Niall was entranced the very moment he laid his eyes on Zoey.
How could there be such a beautiful and young boss in the industry?
The appearance and figure of all the other celebrities he had met so far paled in comparison to Zoey.
On top of all that, she was the boss of a multimillion company.
Zoey was watching the crew do their work when a scented breeze suddenly blew past her.
She lifted her head to see a tall and handsome man looking at her.
“Hi, nice to meet you. My name is Niall Xander!” Niall reached out his hand for a handshake.
“Niall Xander?” Of course Zoey knew who he was.
“I’m sorry, my husband doesn’t allow me to have physical contact with other men,” she turned him down.
Niall lowered his hand awkwardly.
He hadn’t considered the fact that Zoey was a married woman.
Despite that, a glint of ecstasy flashed in his eyes.
He loved married woman.
They were on an entirely different level from immature young girls.
He had already set his sights on Zoey as his next target.
“Wow, I can’t believe how young you are, Ms. Lopez. The fact that you managed to pull off filming seven movies at the same time is really impressive,” Niall complimented.
Zoey smiled. “It’s also thanks to your contributions as an actor. Hopefully, it’ll bring us good results.”
“Of course it will! I’ll put my everything into this movie,” Niall promised.
Gerry Wade, who was in charge of the entertainment department, reported, “Ms. Lopez, we’ve officially started advertising on the seven movies to the public. So far, the ones with Niall in the cast are the most well received. Based on our early calculations, we can earn up to four hundred million. In fact, it might end up being even more.”
Zoey smiled in excitement and said, “Mr. Xander, you are truly the hope of Oriental. Please, if you need anything at all, just let us know.”
Zoey understood what was going on.
In order to gain the most out of the movie, they had to treat Niall and their female lead like royalty.
“Of course! In fact, I wanted to ask if you are free tonight. I have something I need to discuss with you. It has to do with the future developments of Oriental Star Group,” Niall said with a smile.
Gerry whispered to Zoey, “Ms. Lopez, Niall’s management team is pretty impressive. They’re the ones we hired for a huge sum last time. In my opinion, you should say yes.”
Zoey agreed. “Alright. Since I’m new to the entertainment industry, it’ll be great to have a light to shine my way.”
Niall exchanged glances with his assistant and he smiled.
The fish had taken the bait, and he would be enjoying it tonight.
“Niall, what are you doing here? We were going through our lines just now,” Yvonne, the female lead, asked unhappily.
She had always liked Niall.
The company was also desperate to sell Yvonne and Niall as a couple, to which she was more than happy to oblige.
All along, Yvonne had seen the girls Niall took interest in as enemies.
When she saw the way Niall looked at Zoey, she was instantly furious.
“Who are you? Why are you interrupting our practice?” Yvonne asked frostily.
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Niall yelled, “What are you doing? This is our new boss, Ms. Lopez!”
“So what if she’s our boss? She shouldn’t disrupt our practice!”
Yvonne was the star of Oriental Star Group, so she was haughty and did not care about others.
“Alright then, I shan’t be disturbing you! Mr. Xander, please don’t forget about tonight!” Zoey reminded in good nature.
Niall was excited and nodded immediately, “Don’t worry, I’ll make the necessary arrangements!”
Yvonne was enraged by this. She knew what Niall was up to.
For the entire shoot today, both Niall and Yvonne were distracted.
To begin with, both of their acting skills were mediocre.
The quality of the shoot was especially bad that day, but the directors had to call it a good take.
After all, they could not afford to offend either of them.
Yet, the two of them were involved in five major movies that day.
“Nevermind if the quality is bad. They have a large fanbase. We’ll get our money’s worth from their fanbase alone!” the directors, scriptwriters, and other crew members consoled themselves.
That day, Levi returned to the Morris Group once again.
Iris did not let him slack off and arranged for him to be an interviewer.
Even though she felt that Levi was incapable, he had a good eye for talent.
Hence, Levi spent the entire day conducting interviews.
A few young men came for an interview.
Levi glanced at the contract and was puzzled. He inquired, “You’re from the North Hampton Film Academy? You’re trained as an actor? Why are you applying for a job in sales?”
“To be honest, Sir, the entertainment industry is too stressful and competitive. Without a good background or funding, it’s difficult to make a name for yourself! We’re all from the countryside and have neither of them, so we’re struggling to make ends meet. We wanted to find a job to survive.” The youngsters hung their heads in disappointment.
That was not an uncommon sight. There were only so many successful artistes. Most artistes did not even find success as internet celebrities and had to find another job, even if they were talented actors and actresses.
When he heard about the entertainment industry, Levi immediately thought of his wife’s firm.
He recalled that they were expanding the scale of their entertainment business and were lacking manpower.
“In that case, you guys have a minute to perform something for me. You have a minute each. Feel free to exercise your creativity!” Levi smiled.
The interviewees were confused, but Levi was the interviewer after all. They did as he asked.
“Not bad. You really have talent!” Levi commended sincerely.
These men were all skilled actors, but their talents were not appreciated.
Sadly, there were many talented actors who did not get a chance to act. The movies were all filled with famous stars with poor acting skills, resulting in low-quality films.
“Please show me any other skills you have!”
Some of them showcased their dancing, singing, and other skills.
“All of you are great! Sign this, please!” Levi smiled.
“I beg your pardon?” they were all bewildered. You can get a sales job just by singing and dancing?
They had no idea that Levi was giving them the opportunity of a lifetime, transforming them from people barely making ends meet to superstars.
Meanwhile, at night, after work.
Zoey made a trip to the drama department.
“Hi Ms. Lopez, Mr. Xander is too busy and has returned to his residence. After that, he has to attend a dinner. Time is tight, so if you’re looking for him, please head to his home!” his assistant said.
“Alright, please lead the way,” Zoey replied. She did not dwell too much into it and followed the assistant to the artistes’ lodging.
She did not have any stray thoughts.
For one, the place was crowded.
For another, Niall was a star and would not do anything to harm his reputation.
CHAPTER 438
But Zoey was wrong.
His management team had long known about him and he did not care about his reputation at all.
Zoey headed to Niall’s room. He had just finished taking a bath and walked out in a bathrobe, showing off his muscular body.
Zoey immediately turned to leave.
“Ms. Lopez, why are you leaving? It’s fine!” Niall hurriedly blocked Zoey.
Zoey turned around and smiled embarrassedly, “Sorry for coming all of a sudden. I didn’t expect you to be in the shower.”
“I’m a simple man. Ms. Lopez, please, have a seat!” Niall offered.
Zoey questioned him, “Mr. Xander, you said earlier that you had something important to discuss. What is it?”
“Winnie, help me get something!”
Niall waved her off. Winnie, his manager, left with a knowing look.
Zoey had no idea that Winnie would not be returning.
Before Winnie left, she closed the door behind her.
Zoey became alert the moment the door closed.
After all, she was alone with another man in a room.
Niall smiled and enquired, “Ms. Lopez, how do you feel about me?”
“You’re a great star who has a large fan base!”
“No, I meant about my looks. How’s my figure? Did I get your heart racing?” Niall flirted directly.
“Huh? What do you mean?” Zoey felt something was amiss.
Niall closed in and explained, “Ms. Lopez, I decided to give you a chance – a chance to have me for one night!”
In the past, when Niall said this, those rich lady bosses would have pounced on him.
However, Zoey’s reaction was far from what he had expected.
She was not tempted by the offer and was even filled with an icy rage.
“Mr. Xander, please show some self-respect! I’ll be off!” Zoey spat.
“Wait, hold on. Let’s talk things through!”
How could Niall allow her to escape?
“Let me go! If you try anything funny, I will be sure to persecute you!” Zoey roared.
Niall scoffed, “Woman, I looked for you because I felt you were worth it. Stop being so full of yourself. Do you think you’re the boss here? I’ll tell you honestly. In the Oriental Star Group, I’m the real boss! You have to listen to me!”
“You…” Zoey was fuming.
She did not expect to meet an artiste like that!
Niall sneered, “Zoey Lopez, you’d better obey my every command. I’ll guarantee that all of your movies sell well and Oriental Star Group’s business excels! Otherwise, I’ll cripple your company!”
Zoey bit her lip and glared at Niall.
“Come, as long as you listen to me, we will both benefit from it!”
Niall was about to pounce upon Zoey.
Bam!
The door slammed opened and Yvonne entered.
Whew! Zoey heaved a sigh of relief.
Meanwhile, Niall was enraged.
This stupid woman is at it again! Why does she have to ruin everything?
“Zoey Lopez, you wench! As the owner of the Company, you’ve overstepped the boundaries and seduced your own artistes! How shameless!” Yvonne accused her.
Zoey was bewildered. Niall was the one who tried to seduce me. Why am I in the wrong now?
“Zoey, you’re so shameless! I’ve heard that you were even married for six years! How could you even do that!”
“You slut!”
Niall fell silent and acknowledged Yvonne’s actions.
CHAPTER 439
He wanted to maintain the stance that he was not in the wrong and that it was all Zoey’s fault.
At this point, Niall’s manager and a few assistants had arrived.
“I’ll explain alright! Zoey here seduced me and was refused by me, simple as that!” Niall sneered.
When she heard Niall twisting the facts, Zoey was about to burst with rage.
“Bullshit! You were the one who tried to rape me!” Zoey screamed.
Yvonne pushed Zoey and spat, “Stop pretending to be innocent! I saw everything earlier. You were clearly seducing him!”
Yvonne loved Niall, so even if Niall were in the wrong, she would protect him and push the blame to someone else. This was one such example.
“You two…” Zoey nearly fainted from the rage.
Winnie sided with them as well, “Ms. Lopez, you can’t do that! Even though you’re the boss, there are limits! Niall is an actor. If word got out, his career would be destroyed and your company would suffer as well!”
“That’s right! A woman like you can get any man you want. Let Niall off!”
“That’s right, Ms. Lopez, don’t make life difficult for him!”
…
Niall’s manager and team started to defend him anxiously.
“You… I… It wasn’t me…”
Zoey was livid but she did not know how to explain herself.
She was framed and everyone present were on his side.
She would not be able to defend herself even with concrete evidence.
“Ms. Lopez, please leave. We will pretend this never happened and won’t pursue this matter!” Winnie said as she dragged Zoey off.
Zoey was flabbergasted. I’m the victim here! Why did I suddenly become the villain and even get blackmailed by them?
Zoey’s first reaction was to fire all of them.
She dialed Wade’s number and informed him of this.
“You can’t do that, Ms. Lopez. Oriental Star Group’s entertainment business depends on Niall and Yvonne. We can’t possibly fire them. Calm down and hear me out, Ms. Lopez! This will not benefit the company in any way!”
“I…!” Zoey clenched her teeth angrily.
I am the victim here! Yet, there’s nothing I can do about it!
…
In Niall’s room, Yvonne scorned, “How could you do something so reckless? This woman isn’t any ordinary person. The moment she gets ahold of your weakness, you’re toast!”
“Hmph! I’ll get this woman someday!” Niall spat. He was still angered by Yvonne for ruining his opportunity. Otherwise, Zoey would not have been able to escape back then.
“Alright, Ms. Wren. Calm down. Niall is still young and reckless. It’s okay,” Winnie persuaded her.
At this point in time, Winnie received a call.
“Huh? What? Mr. Suarez from South City wants to meet Niall?”
Meanwhile, Yvonne’s manager also received a call.
The contents of the call were the same.
“I’m not meeting anyone tonight! I don’t feel like it!” Niall declared angrily.
“But you just have to meet this man! He’s from the Suarez family in South City. No one can afford to offend him!” Winnie explained.
Soon, a car came to pick Niall, Yvonne, and a few other artistes up.
These ten people were all the pillars of Oriental Star Group.
CHAPTER 440
Zoey was fuming with rage but there was nothing she could do about it.
She had to wait for the movies to finish filming.
“Honey, is your company’s entertainment side short on manpower?” Levi queried.
Zoey nodded, “Yep, we’ve always been understaffed and were on the lookout for new talents!”
“Well, it happens that I’ve signed all of them for you during the interview yesterday. I’ve interviewed them all myself. Their acting skills are superb, but they don’t have a chance to showcase their talents!”
Levi told her about what happened during the interview earlier.
“What a pity. They were trained in acting and singing but had to find work elsewhere,” Zoey sighed.
“I’ll get them to look for you tomorrow!”
“Sure.”
The following day, shortly after Zoey arrived at her office, the four men hired by Levi appeared.
A man and a woman caught her attention immediately.
The man was Maurice Lorraine while the woman was Helena Engler.
At least, they had the looks.
Normally, they would both have an opportunity to become famous. However, they did not have the background since they were from rural areas, and at the same time, they were unwilling to play by the unspoken rules.
Hence, they ended up in this state.
Zoey got professionals from the entertainment department to interview them and they all passed.
After signing the contract, they officially became artistes under the Oriental Star Group. Even if they had to start from the bottom, the four of them were excited.
They also knew that with Oriental Star Group’s reputation in North Hampton, this would not have been possible without Levi’s help.
Helena immediately sent a message to Levi to treat him to a meal.
At the drama department, Niall, Yvonne, and the other top artistes were usually lazy and treated work lightly.
However, that day, they were slacking even more than usual.
Forgetting or memorizing the wrong lines were common.
At times, Niall’s expression even wandered and did not look at the camera at all.
The stage crew was furious, but there was nothing they could do about it.
After all, they were famous stars that no one could afford to offend.
They could only take scene by scene and hope for the best during editing.
Niall and Yvonne exchanged knowing looks and had an elated expression.
This had happened because of what occurred the previous night.
Both of them were angry at Zoey and wanted to get their revenge. At this point in time, Zachary called them up and strengthened their resolve. They were bent on getting revenge on the Oriental Star Group.
“Let me introduce everyone. These are artistes newly signed by the company. They graduated from North Hampton Film Academy and are very talented. That’ll reduce the burden on the drama department!” Gerry announced as he brought the four over.
Many were disgusted by the four daft-looking individuals. Most people disliked newcomers.
“Can we treat them as we like?” Niall asked.
Gerry responded, “Of course. Niall, you’re their senior. Ordering them around is a privilege to them!”
Helena and the others recognized stars like Niall and Yvonne. They were eager to be of help to them.
If they could establish a good relationship with them, their career would be set!
“Alright then! You, go get me some water!” Niall pointed towards Helena.
“Me? Sure!” Helena felt privileged by this gesture.
She immediately went to pour him a cup of water and carefully brought it in front of Niall.
“Senior, please have some water!” Helena offered him with a smile.
Niall scrutinized Helena carefully. This lass has got the looks. She isn’t inferior to Yvonne in any way.
“Ahem,” Yvonne cleared her throat. Only then did Niall take the glass of water.
Harry hurriedly went to look for the mortgage documents, but he soon realized all the documents were stolen.
“I was wondering to myself why Aaron sneaked into the house last night. So he came here to steal the documents!” Henry said angrily.
“You better pay me 300 million as soon as possible, now that I own all your properties and business. I will have the court to confiscate these possessions if you do not cough up the money!” Enzo urged the Lopez family in a joyful manner.
Harry Lopez did not say a word. I had not distributed the Lopez family’s inheritance previously. So Aaron’s IOU is legally binding because of his status as my descendant.
“You son of a b*tch, Aaron Lopez!” Harry was seething with rage.
“You have one day to return the money to me. Otherwise, I’m sure you know what consequences await you.” Enzo left after he spoke.
All hell broke loose in the Lopez family.
“Let’s go to Aaron’s place right away!”
Aaron and Caitlyn were about to depart from their house at sunrise.
Bang, bang, bang…
Someone banged on their door impatiently.
A group of people rushed into the house with Harry leading the way after Aaron unlocked the door. He slapped his son across the face without a second thought. “What a dumb son I have! What have you done?” Then Harry slapped Aaron a few more times.
“You… You already know, Father?” Aaron asked timidly while covering his face.
“A bunch of people came to stir up a ruckus at the family house early in the morning. What do you think?” Harry panted heavily.
Fabian said with a grimace, “You better start talking.”
Henry sneered. “I heard you lost the money because you gambled again? You are just like your son-in-law, always failing to correct your bad habits!”
Harry fixated his eyes on Aaron. “I’ll chop off your ears if you do not explain everything clearly today!”
Aaron glanced at Caitlyn before he began. “This is all Levi Garrison’s fault!”
“What? How is this matter related to him?” Harry asked in surprise.
Aaron nodded. “Levi lost the money because he went to the casino. I had no other choice but to steal the documents because they wanted to kill Levi on the spot!”
He knew his family would beat him up if he informed them of the truth while their anger was at the boiling point. So he placed all the blame on Levi instead.
They did not trust Aaron’s words at that moment, so everyone turned to look at Caitlyn.
Caitlyn said through her gritted teeth, “That’s right. It’s all because of Levi Garrison. Aaron has already quit gambling for 6 years now. Levi has been gambling because he wants to become rich. Do you still remember the money we paid back previously, Father?”
Harry nodded. “Of course. Don’t tell me that Levi earned that 5 million through gambling?”
Caitlyn nodded. “That’s right. He did not borrow the money but got it through gambling. This time, he lost 300 million.”
Henry questioned her, “But I verified this myself. He really did borrow the money.”
Caitlyn responded with a question on her own, “Do you think he can borrow that large amount of money without anything to mortgage, Henry?”
Henry understood instantaneously. “Now I get it. The bank loaned him the money because he has the capability to return the money through gambling!”
Caitlyn’s speech convinced every member of the Lopez family.
Aaron gave his wife a thumbs-up internally. She’s brilliant! We’ve successfully placed all the blame on Levi with that perfect excuse.
Aaron seized the moment and said, “Don’t you see why Levi is not here? That’s because he fled in advance!”
Harry was infuriated to his limits. “I’m going to kill you, Levi Garrison!”
“Let’s go and find Levi now!” Everyone left angrily.
“Argh!” Niall screamed and spat the water out on Helena.
“What the hell?”
Splash!
Niall splashed the remaining water in the cup towards Helena.
“The water is so hot! Were you trying to burn me?” Niall roared.
“Huh?” Helena covered the parts of her body which were wet and was taken aback.
“Newcomer, what’s up with you? Did you do this on purpose? What’s with the hot water?”
“Yeah! What’s up with this? Do you not want to act anymore?”
“Are you looking for trouble?”
Several people started accusing Helena.
Several dozens of people ganged up on a young lady.
Helena was frightened and started sobbing.
“Heh, see? Zoey is here to make life difficult for us!” Yvonne started fanning the flames.
“That’s right! The timing was too coincidental! The newcomers came right after what happened last night!”
“She’s sent them to deal with us!”
They quickly pushed the blame to Zoey.
Niall cast his gaze upon Helena and demanded, “Hey! Kneel down and apologize! Otherwise, I won’t let you off!”
“That’s right! Kneel!” the others chanted.
Helena was frightened out of her wits.
It was her first day and something so major had happened.
If she had known earlier, she would have stuck to sales.
Just as Helena was about to kneel down, Maurice stopped her.
“Apologize? What for?” Maurice demanded.
“She gave me a cup of boiling water on purpose! She’s clearly trying to scald me,” Niall burst out in rage.
Maurice argued, “You only said to get you some water. You didn’t specify if you wanted it hot or cold! That’s your own problem.”
Niall scoffed, “You could have asked! That’s common sense. God gave you a mouth for a reason. If you don’t even have this much common sense, you shouldn’t be an actor!”
“I…” Maurice was speechless when faced with the unreasonable Niall.
“Is this the way you should be taking to a senior? I didn’t offend you, did I? Do you really take me for granted?” Niall continued ferociously.
Maurice was scared as well.
Offending a famous star like him would mean the end of his career.
They were just some commoners from rural areas, to begin with. They were no match for these people.
“W-we’ll apologize…” the other two stammered.
They were worried that things would blow up.
Niall sneered at Maurice and pointed at the water on the ground. He demanded, “You’ll kneel down to apologize to me as well and lick the water on the ground clean. If you do that, I’ll forgive you!”
Maurice was a hot-blooded youth and got angered by Niall.
“Don’t push your luck. I’ve got nothing to lose here!” he spat as he glared at Niall.
Slap!
Niall slapped Maurice hard on the face.
Maurice was bewildered.
“You’re a few years too young to talk back to me like that!” Niall scoffed.
“I’ll kill you!”
Maurice was about to pounce on him, but several people held him down.
At this point in time Niall, Yvonne, as well as the other actors Zachary had assembled exchanged glances.
They would carry out the plan the Suarez family had requested.
Bam!
Niall kicked a camera aside and yelled, “Damn it! I’ll quit! This is taking things too far!”
CHAPTER 442
Crash!
Niall went berserk and smashed anything he could see.
“Right! We’ll stop acting! This is just bullying us! They got a few newcomers to come and pick on us!”
Wham!
Yvonne kicked the equipment aside as well.
“Zoey is trying to force us to quit by using these newcomers! Why bother acting? I won’t work for her!”
“Exactly! What’s the point?”
The other artistes and managers were livid and started destroying the equipment.
The other filming crew was scared out of their wits. Have the actors gone mad? Surely being offended by two newcomers won’t warrant such a reaction! What’s going on?
The ones who were most confused were the four newcomers.
Their illustrious career had ended the moment it started, just because they had offended a few top actors.
They had no way to take responsibility. Even the men started crying out loud.
Unbeknownst to them, Niall and Yvonne had planned this from the start. They were bribed by the Suarez to destroy Oriental Star Group.
They were simply being used as an excuse. Even if they had not shown up, Niall would have found trouble with someone else!
Not only that, but the top artistes from other groups had gone on strike as well! The part that was affected the worst was that Niall and Yvonne had co-starred in five movies.
Several filming sets worth of artistes had gone on strike.
…
“Ms. Lopez! Something terrible happened! Actors and actresses from seven different sets have gone on strike! They even started smashing the equipment and the scene is in a mess! Follow me and have a look yourself!”
Zoey was shocked when she received Gerry’s call.
However, she quickly calmed down.
There must be a reason for the strike. First, I offended Niall Xander. Second, Zachary Suarez might be behind this.
Zoey rushed to the scene as soon as possible.
When she saw the set in such a mess, Zoey’s heart sank. Why do things like this happen all the time?
Gerry had arrived at the same time. He inquired, “What happened? What’s going on?”
Winnie scorned, “Mr. Wade, Ms. Lopez is trying to make life difficult for us!”
“Huh? What’s wrong?”
“The four newbies you just brought in were here to make life difficult for us! One of them tried to scald Niall with boiling water while the other tried to hit him! If you want to fire us, just say it outright! Why does it in such a roundabout manner?” Winnie demanded.
“That’s right! Just fire us! We’ll be welcome everywhere else!” Yvonne and the other artistes burst out in rage.
Gerry took a look around and questioned, “Is that so?”
The others agreed, “It’s true! These newcomers were clumsy and making life difficult for Niall!”
“That’s right! Ms. Lopez, Mr. Wade, I’ll have to discuss things with you two. There’s nothing wrong with getting new members, but you’ll have to train them first before sending them here. How could you just send them here?” Shaw Timmons, the director with a neutral stance, grumbled as well.
He did not care about who was in the right and who was in the wrong. All he was concerned about was that these newbies had affected his shoot.
“You guys? You’ll be the death of me!” Gerry was furious. However, since they were brought here by Zoey, he did not dare to comment too much.
Zoey bit her lip. She knew that this was no simple matter and these newcomers were simply unlucky.
Niall and the others used Helena as an excuse to vent their frustration.
She had to admit that that was a powerful move. It was the perfect excuse!
CHAPTER 443
“Mr. Wade, we’re going on strike. This isn’t fair at all!” Niall protested.
Gerry consoled him, “Niall, please calm down. This is a small matter!”
“How can we calm down? You’ve already pushed us so far. If you’re unhappy, just fire us!” Yvonne snarled.
Zoey asked, “What are your terms?”
Niall smirked, “Someone’s quick on the uptake. Winnie, tell them our terms!”
Winnie looked Zoey in the eye and began, “Ms. Lopez, if you want us to continue to work, you have to be sincere about it!”
“Well? How much do you want?” Zoey had seen this coming. They will definitely ask for an increase in pay.
Winnie held up three fingers and demanded, “We want triple the pay for all seven films with the ten actors involved! Otherwise, we will continue going on strike!”
Boom!
Gerry was stunned. Triple the pay! That’s fifty million! The budget for the seven movies combined was fifty million already. Yet, they were demanding for all fifty million to go to the cast! Have they gone mad?
Director Timmons inhaled sharply. That’s outrageous!
However, they were in no position to bargain. The Oriental Star Group’s entertainment business only survived because of these ten actors and actresses! If they left, the entertainment business would crumble. They were severely disadvantaged and had nothing to bargain with.
“Wait, can we…” Gerry tried to negotiate.
Niall interrupted him, “Triple. I won’t be taking a cent less!”
Helena and the others were perplexed. Because of them, Oriental Star Group was now in a crisis.
“Zoey, you’re new to this place, so you don’t know how important we are! Oriental Star Group only made it to the top of North Hampton because of us! Why else will Gerry listen to our every demand?” Yvonne declared fearlessly.
Gerry hung his head and did not say anything in response. They’re right! These ten people are our source of income! We need to take good care of them!
Niall sneered, “Not only that. If you want this matter to be resolved, I want the rights to deal with the two of them as well!”
He then pointed at Helena and Maurice.
Helena was a beauty that he had set his sights upon.
Meanwhile, Maurice had attempted to defy him. He would not let him off easily.
Gerry pleaded softly, “Ms. Lopez, please agree to their terms! Even if we make a loss here, we need to keep them!”
Niall looked at Zoey smugly.
“Give us a day to reconsider. I’ll give you a reply tomorrow!” Zoey decided.
“Alright! A day off today then!”
With that, Niall and the others left.
Maurice, Helena, and the others ran towards Zoey and apologized, “Ms. Lopez, we’re sorry. This all happened because of us!”
“It’s not your fault. This would have happened anyway,” Zoey assured them.
Meanwhile, Levi, who was in the office, heard of this matter from Helena.
He immediately looked Zoey up.
“Why are you hesitating? Fire them all! How hard is it to hire a new star?” Levi scorned.
Under Levi’s encouragement, Zoey called Niall and the other actors’ managers and said, “Let me inform you that you’ve been fired!”
CHAPTER 444
When they received the call from Zoey, Winnie and the other managers had a smug look on their faces.
They had not expected Zoey to fire them.
Impossible!
“What did you say? Repeat yourself!” Winnie nearly dropped her phone onto the floor.
“Let me repeat myself then. Niall, Yvonne, and the other eight actors have been fired by the company!” Zoey roared.
“Tch, don’t regret this, Zoey!” Winnie had an icy expression.
“I won’t regret it! Get the paperwork done and leave. Oriental Star Group doesn’t welcome you!”
When Zoey finally hung up, she felt immense satisfaction.
She had finally gotten a weight off her chest.
“What? Zoey actually fired us? That’s impossible!” Niall and the others were fuming when they heard this.
How dare Zoey fire us?
In the past, they had acted arrogantly because they were the Oriental Star Group’s pillars of support. They were sure that Zoey would not dare to fire them. Yet, the result was not as they had expected.
“Tell that to Gerry! I’ll make sure she regrets it!” Niall instructed with his eyes narrowed.
Yvonne smiled, “Just wait. Sooner or later, Zoey will beg us to return!”
When Gerry and the upper management of the company found out about this, they confronted Zoey.
“Ms. Lopez, you can’t do this!”
Zoey was adamant, “Give up. I’ve already made my decision!”
“Please rethink your decision! Without these ten people, Oriental Star Group’s entertainment business is a goner! We owe our viewership to them!” Gerry pleaded between tears.
“That’s right! The loss is too great! The moment they leave, the seven movies we’ve planned are toast! We’ll lose fifty million!”
“That’s right! We’ll lose all of our contracts in the entertainment business!”
The others tried to highlight the severity of the issue.
At this point in time, Levi laughed, “What do you mean? The show must go on! We’ll just get another actor!”
“You’re not from the industry, so you wouldn’t understand! The advertising had already been done and the movies will only earn money because of their popularity! If you change the cast, you’ll still lose money!” Gerry spat angrily.
“Hehe, perhaps I’m not from this industry, but from the point of view of the audience, the quality of the movie matters the most. If the movie is entertaining, it will spread through word of mouth and definitely sell well! In fact, movies that star famous actors have been losing a lot of money!” Levi defended himself.
Gerry and the others were speechless. That is indeed the case! Nowadays, the movies to be screened in cinemas no longer hired actors who had a large fanbase. The poor quality of the movies often resulted in losses. Most of the movies that starred these internet celebrities were online movies which targeted fans with a hit-and-run policy.
“You’ll definitely earn money from the fans by hiring celebrities to act, but your reputation will only get worse! Without good reviews, it’ll eventually be toast!” Levi continued.
Gerry sighed.
Levi was right.
The first movie would earn the greatest revenue, but the rest will have diminishing profits.
There would be an increase in the number of complaints online as well.
In essence, if the quality of the movie were bad, the fans would no longer watch them to support their idols.
CHAPTER 445
“How about this? Zoey, the four people I’ve recommended have good acting skills. Get a few good actors and let them be the lead actors instead!
That way, we’ll be saving a lot since we’re not paying the celebrities. We can spend that money on special effects and other scenes! Other than that, we’ll increase the commission for the directors, scriptwriters, and editors. If we focus on quality for these seven movies, I don’t believe that they won’t sell!” Levi declared.
Zoey felt that it made sense and agreed, “Alright, we’ll do it as you say!”
Gerry agreed with Levi’s proposal but hesitated, “We’ve already announced the cast for these movies. If we change the cast at the last minute, there’ll be a lot of protests!”
“That’s a good opportunity! The fact that there’s protests would mean that many people pay attention to this. We’re using new actors without any fame, so this will pique the attention of the audience!
The advertising team can just create some hype for this movie. When the movie airs, we’ll become popular through word of mouth and the movie will definitely sell!” Levi explained.
Gerry’s eyes lit up, “Mr. Garrison, you’re a sharp man! Although Niall and the others left, we can use their popularity to hype up our new movies!”
Levi nodded, “Just go ahead and do it! Nurture a few new stars and I’ll try my best to advertise the movie when it screens!”
Meanwhile, Niall and the others were still waiting for Zoey to apologize.
When Gerry arrived, he declared sternly, “This is the official statement. All of you are fired. Leave now!”
“Huh?” Niall was perplexed.
Gerry came to fire us? What’s wrong with him?
“Gerry, have you gone mad? If we leave, what will happen to the seven movies? What will happen to Oriental Star Group?” Niall and the others spat furiously.
Gerry was livid as well. After all, he had let these people lord over him for such a long time.
He scoffed, “All of you are cancer to Oriental! If you stay, then we truly are finished! As for these seven movies, we’ve already found replacements for all of you!”
Gerry glanced at Helena and Maurice, who were trembling with fear.
“Maurice, Helena, you’ll be the main lead!”
Helena and the others were bewildered. What a roller coaster ride! Earlier, we just got ourselves in trouble! Moments later, we’re suddenly the lead of a movie with a budget of fifty million!
“Hahaha…” Niall, Yvonne, and the others burst out in laughter.
“Gerry, have you gone mad? You’re getting these newbies to act in a fifty-million movie? How will you secure your box office? You’ll definitely lose everything! Idiot!”
To these artistes, getting newbies to act in such a movie is absolutely impossible!
Without our fame and fanbase, they’ll definitely make a loss!
“Haha, let’s leave! We’ll just watch them struggle! Don’t beg us to come back when that happens!”
With that, Niall, Yvonne, and the other eight artistes left promptly.
Gerry was nervous as well. After all, no one had dared to try such a plan before. The road ahead was full of unknowns, and if they had made the wrong bet, Oriental Star Group would be a goner.
After leaving Oriental Star Group, the ten artistes immediately got a contract under Shanks Entertainment under the Suarez family.
The news quickly spread across the entire North Hampton.
They regretted it!
Gerry and the others had regretted it after all. Even Zoey started to wonder if she had made the wrong call.
They had essentially sent their aces to their competitors for free.
They would use them to deal a huge blow to Oriental Star Group!
“Oriental is full of idiots! Especially Zoey! Oriental Star Group will be mine sooner or later!” Zachary was unbelievably excited.
He suddenly felt that he had overestimated Zoey this whole time.
“Hahaha, next, we’ll create seven online films to air at the same time as their movies! I’ll have them wallowing in regret!”
“Sure, no problem! We’ll put in our best effort and destroy Oriental Star Group!”
Niall and the others looked forward to it.
“How about this? We know their script, so let’s create seven movies with similar content as well!”
Zachary was bent on destroying Oriental Star Group.
“Good idea, President Suarez! If the content is similar, we’ll take up all the viewership! Their films are full of newbies, so no one will watch them! Their fifty million will go down the drain!”
“After that, we can sue them for copyright! They’ll be a goner!” Yvonne suggested.
Zachary smiled, “You’re more devious than I am! We copied their ideas and are even suing them for copyright!”
“Hahaha… We’ll wait for the downfall of Oriental Star Group!” All of them laughed maniacally.
…
That was no time for regrets.
Since she had already made such a decision, Zoey would have to do her best to make it happen.
She assembled the cast, directors, screenwriters, and producers for a meeting.
“I’ll triple your pay for these seven movies! If the film succeeds, I’ll give you a bonus as well!” Levi suggested. Shawn and the others were extremely motivated by that.
It was useless to give a motivational speech or anything like that. Money was the most reliable motivator.
If you paid them well, they would help you earn more revenue.
“Ms. Lopez, Mr. Garrison, relax! We will take this seriously! Furthermore, I’ve decided to change these seven movies into two! We will release the best quality films in the shortest time frame possible,” Shawn declared.
To begin with, these seven movies had never focused on quality. There were seven of them so that they could scam the fans of seven times the money.
They focused on quantity rather than quality.
However, this was different. With sufficient funds and support, they could produce a film of good quality.
The screenwriter, Sylvester Zoldyck, nodded, “Alright, I’ll improve the script to keep the audience hooked throughout.”
“Alright, we can guarantee the special effects. Back then, the funds were all spent on the cast and we barely got enough money to do it well. Now that we have sufficient funds, this is no problem!”
The special effects team nearly burst out in laughter. That was the first time in decades they had so many funds.
Several millions worth of funds on special effects; that was something they had previously never dreamed of having.
“I will make sure everything runs smoothly, so don’t worry, Ms. Lopez!” the producer assured her.
The young cast knew that this was a rare opportunity, so it was a given that they would do their best.
The production of the movie was set.
The only problem left would be advertising.
The advertising team had already started to work on promoting the movie, but Helena and the others were completely new actors. It would be hard to maintain the hype.
“Nevermind, let’s focus on finishing the movie first!” Levi smiled.
He had predicted that Zachary would steal their content as well, so he had recommended for the drama team to lock up all information such that he would have no idea what they were filming.
After Zoey heeded his suggestions, there was no news from Zachary.
“Hmph! So what if they film in secret? We already know the script of all seven movies!” Zachary scoffed.
Shanks Entertainment continued to film the seven movies as they had previously planned.
CHAPTER 447
At this point in time, Shanks Entertainment was gaining popularity in North Hampton.
The change of company by Niall and the others was a hot topic.
The audience and fans looked forward to the movies produced by Niall and the others for Shanks Entertainment.
As the days passed, the Morris Group and Rogers Family progressed greatly as usual.
However, the business in the city was not doing badly either.
In the short time span of one month, they’ve bought over several enterprises and finally got a taste of profit.
Business in North Hampton was great. It was the top economy in Quebec after all.
This was coupled with the fact that there was no regulation on their extreme measures. Hence, they decided to take things up a notch.
More and more people moved into North Hampton to get a piece of this pie.
The Suarez family was a notable example. Zachary had entered to test the waters and lead the way for his father and uncles.
The Lopez family was progressing in secret as well, taking advantage of Harry’s influence.
In this month, Scott had been checking on the background of the Morris Group.
It was no easy task, so it took an entire month.
“Godfather, as of now, we aren’t able to find out who is backing them. Moving forward, we’ll have to wait for the search results from the dark web. After that, we can make a move on the Morris Group.” Fernand reported.
The so-called dark web referred to sites which specialized in intelligence in the dark web.
These websites had a membership system, and there were less than a hundred members in the entire Erudia.
In the entire Quebec, only Scott was a member. Other than him, no one else could gain intel from the dark web.
“Alright. Tell Lopez to be prepared. I’m ready to take down the Morris Group!” Scott replied plainly while fiddling with the prayer beads in his hand.
Throughout the course of the month, the Oriental Star Group worked overtime to finish the two high-quality films.
Helena and the others did not disappoint and displayed all their skills.
They were truly skilled actors and actresses!
“These are the two most perfect movies I’ve filmed!” Shawn sighed.
The other crew members were excited as well due to the sheer quality of these movies.
No other movies could compare.
On the other hand, the Suarez family’s Shanks Entertainment filmed all seven movies in that one month.
The content was shabby and the quality was mediocre. However, Niall, Yvonne, and other famous actors were starring in them. There were a lot of pre-booked tickets from fans, amounting to a total of four hundred thousand in revenue.
Coupled with the fact that they had done their advertising in full force, they expected the total number of pre-bookings to total one million!
Niall and Yvonne scoffed, “Let’s destroy the entire Oriental Star Group!”
Both movies had already been sent to the National Radio and Television Administration for screening.
As long as they passed the screening, they would be able to start airing immediately.
Shanks Entertainment had bought over all the main pages of major streaming sites. To them, the cost was no issue. They simply wanted to drive Oriental Star Group out of business.
“What should we do about advertising? All these proposals are no good!” Zoey expressed her dissatisfaction with the proposals given to her.
That was why there was no hype for the two movies up to that point.
The only news about those movies was how Niall and the others had flamed Oriental Star Group.
“Let me handle it!” Levi requested. He had plans for advertising.
“I’ll leave it to you, then!”
Zoey had a fair amount of confidence when it came to Levi.
The following day, the headlines read: Oriental Star Group’s seven newest movies had copied content from Shanks Entertainment!
The news spread across the entire North Hampton.
CHAPTER 448
For the past month, Oriental Star Group and Shanks Entertainment had been exchanging blows.
Now that such a thing had happened, everyone was shocked.
These seven movies were copied? Has Oriental Star Group gone mad?
The one who reported such news had even listed evidence.
He did a side-by-side comparison of the plots of the seven movies.
Anyone could tell that it had been copied.
To the fans, the screenwriters used were Yvonne and Niall’s private screenwriters and did not belong to Oriental Star Group. After they were fired, they had become a part of Shanks Entertainment. Hence, to them, the Oriental Star Group’s seven movies were all copied!
The net was suddenly bustling with people criticizing the Oriental Star Group.
This was especially so for the fans of the ten artistes who had left Oriental Star Group. Some fans had already organized protests on the internet attacking Oriental Star Group. They were prepared to stop at nothing to drive Oriental Star Group’s entertainment business out of business.
The relevant departments had even formed an investigation team and prepared to look into this.
The Oriental Star Group was shocked by this.
“That’s playing dirty!” Gerry slammed the table.
“I know, right! They copied our script and now they’re accusing us? How despicable!” the other executives spat. They were enraged as well.
Zoey laughed, “Levi, you’re so smart! You predicted their moves up to this point. Do they honestly think that they can sue us for copyright? How naïve. We’re airing two movies instead of seven, and the content is greatly different!”
Gerry was excited, “I can’t wait to see their faces when they see our movies!”
Levi had a glint in his eyes, “And here we were worrying about advertising! Let’s leave the internet be about the copyright issue. The more they attack us, the better! This will be free advertising for our movie!”
Zoey’s eyes lit up. Levi is a genius in finance and business!
“Alright, I’ll get straight to it!”
Levi added, “Release the news that Oriental Star Group’s movies will be airing soon. Don’t give away any titles or information! Just keep it as mysterious as possible!”
“Alright, got it!”
…
The news of Oriental Star Group’s film being aired in all major streaming sites had spread soon.
For some unknown reason, the media started attacking them more heavily.
All major mass media, blogs, and news channels were filled with criticisms.
It was as though they were going to force Oriental Star Group out of business entirely.
“That was brutal of them! That’s a few dozen times worse than what we had expected! Have we stirred up a public outrage?”
Niall, Zachary, and the others were excited.
Oriental Star Group would soon crumble and Zachary would be able to purchase it at a low price.
Yvonne analyzed this calmly and felt skeptical, “Why do I feel that something is amiss? The attacks on Oriental Star Group seemed to have increased tenfold, as though someone was behind it.”
“You worry too much. It’s just because the Oriental Star Group was accused of copyright. Soon, the investigation group will take action!” Niall replied.
Yvonne bit her lip, “I sure hope I’m overthinking things.”
“You definitely are. It must have been the people I’ve planted to attack the Oriental Star Group!”
“Furthermore, I’ve talked to the leader of the investigation team. They’ll be able to delay the release of Oriental Star Group’s screening by a week,” Zachary added.
CHAPTER 449
“Haha, our movie will be airing in three days! By the time their movie airs, we’d have already stolen the entire market! They won’t get a single cent!” Niall quipped excitedly.
The others looked forward to it as well.
…
The following day, the National Radio and Television Administration and related agencies formed an investigation team and headed to Oriental Star Group.
“We’re the investigation team! We’ve received a public complaint that the movie you’re about to air has copyright issues! Get your boss here!” Johnny Lerns, the head of the investigation team, demanded emotionlessly.
In the meeting room, Zoey, Gerry, and the others had arrived shortly.
“Zoey Lopez, was it? Your movie was accused of copyright infringement and we have sufficient evidence! How would you like to defend yourself?” Johnny demanded as he passed a thick stack of evidence over.
Zoey did not bother looking at that so-called evidence.
The others were calm as well, as though nothing had happened.
This made Johnny infuriated.
Bam!
Johnny slammed the table and got up.
“Why? Are you proud of the fact that your work is copied? Are you happy that you’ve violated copyright laws? No wonder everyone says the Oriental Star Group is a lousy enterprise! I’ve finally seen it for myself!” Johnny bellowed.
Deep inside, he was laughing.
Before this, Zachary had instructed him to stir up as much trouble as possible.
This made things a lot easier for him.
“Oriental East Group! What’s the meaning of this? Can’t you see that we’re angry? Why are you laughing?” the other members of the investigation team were fuming as well.
Johnny pointed at Zoey and demanded, “I order you to pass me a copy of your film now! I’ll investigate it!”
Zoey chuckled, “I’m sorry, the film has been sent to the National Radio and Television Administration for screening. Now, the film is top-secret and no one has the right to order me to give it away!”
“Bullshit!”
“I’m the leader of the investigation team. How dare you ignore me?” Johnny spat.
“Tell the related departments to delay the screening of Oriental Star Group’s movie by at least two weeks!” Johnny instructed.
“Got it!”
Johnny then turned to Zoey, “Zoey Lopez, I’ll ask you this one last time. Will you cooperate with the investigation? Otherwise, I’ll decide that you’re guilty of copyright! When that happens, you’ll be blacklisted, your reputation will be ruined, and you’ll have to pay the penalty!”
Zoey laughed, “I didn’t copy anything. Do whatever you want!”
“You…” Johnny was bursting with rage.
How can the Oriental Star Group be so calm? It’s like they don’t care at all. Have they given up?
“Very well then,” Johnny sneered. “Since you refuse to cooperate with the investigation, I’ll hereby conclude the investigation!”
“Oriental Star Group is charged with infringement of copyright! Below are the penalties. Firstly, the entertainment business of Oriental Star Group shall be shut down for half a month. Secondly, the movie shall be modified and its airing delayed. Third, a fine of ten million! Finally, the person in charge will have to make a public apology!”
Gerry and the others’ faces fell. They did not expect the investigation team to deem them guilty of infringement of copyright directly.
Even if they had not copied anything, they would not be able to screen those two movies. At this point in time, Levi dialed a number, “Hello? Aurora, I need you to contact the person in charge of the National Radio and Television Administration in North Hampton!”
CHAPTER 450
Now that Levi had a personal secretary, Aurora, his work became a lot smoother.
Aurora immediately contacted the man in charge of the National Radio and Television Administration in North Hampton, Colin Shanks.
She then told him everything.
Colin got the shock of his life. He set aside all of his work and brought his men to the Oriental Star Group.
The Oriental Star Group conference room was filled with dead silence.
Many had a worried expression while Johnny was smug.
“How’s that? Do you still refuse to cooperate? To tell you the truth, I decide whether your movie gets to air or not! If you have a better attitude, perhaps I’ll reconsider my decision,” Johnny kept dropping hints.
He had already received a bribe from Zachary, so he wanted to get some benefits from the Oriental Star Group as well.
Everyone in the National Radio and Television Administration knew that this was a part of the competition between two companies.
It was not necessarily the case that Oriental Star Group was copying them.
Johnny was no exception. He knew that this investigation team was just a sham. Since he could get some benefits out of it, he would try to milk them as much as possible.
He would side with whoever paid him more.
“Sir, what do you mean by that? I’m a little slow, so you need to explain it in simpler terms,” Levi requested.
Johnny smiled, “Stop feigning ignorance. Well then, let me make this clear. I alone decide whether you guys are copying or not. As long as you guys make me happy, I can choose the fate of your movie.”
“Johnny Lerns, how dare you!”
The door to the conference was slammed open.
Colin and the other executives of the National Radio and Television Administration burst in.
“Huh? Sir, why are you here? I can’t possibly trouble you for such a trivial affair,” Johnny and the rest of the investigation team said.
“If I didn’t come, you’d be a disgrace to the entire National Radio and Television Administration!” Colin spat.
“What do you mean by that?” Johnny was perplexed.
“I’ve heard everything you said earlier!” Colin roared.
Johnny hurriedly attempted to cover it up, “That was a misunderstanding! I was scaring the Oriental Star Group. I had no choice since they refused to cooperate with the investigations!”
“Wrong! You’re completely wrong!” Colin glared at him.
“Huh? Who’s in the wrong, sir? What’s wrong?” Johnny and the others were perplexed.
“Why should the Oriental Star Group cooperate with you if they haven’t copied anything? This entire matter is absurd!”
“Sir, please be clearer. I don’t understand at all!”
Colin threw the script at Johnny and bellowed, “Take a look at this! Copyright? Shanks Entertainment made seven movies, but Oriental Star Group only made two! Can you even count? Look at the content! It’s completely different and it’s much better than Shanks Entertainment’s movies!”
Johnny immediately understood after seeing the scripts.
Zachary didn’t get the situation clear at all! He didn’t know what Oriental Star Group was filming and accused them of copyright infringement! So that’s why Oriental Star Group filmed in secret! They didn’t want others to know what they were filming!
“Johnny Lerns, you and your investigation team did not investigate based on facts and carelessly believed others, causing misjudgment. All of you are suspended for three months without pay! We’ll settle things based on your future performance!”
Colin Shanks immediately doled out the punishment.
“What?”
Johnny Lerns and his gang grew infuriated.
We didn’t get a single cent, but we still need to be suspended without pay for three months?
Isn’t this a huge loss to us?
But this guy is someone powerful… so what can we do?
“Additionally, two movies from the Oriental Star Group have passed the audit. We’ll start showing them after three days!” Colin announced.
Meanwhile, the higher-ups from the audit department exclaimed, “We’ve never seen such a well-produced movie! This will be a huge hit!”
Zoey and her colleagues breathed a sigh of relief.
The person in charge of the National Radio and Television Administration grinned and said, “Ms. Lopez, are you happy with this result?”
However, Colin stared at Levi, who stood by the side.
“I’m pretty satisfied! Mr. Shanks really is amazing!” Zoey smiled and said.
“It’s alright!” Levi answered.
“Phew!” Colin breathed a sigh of relief.
It doesn’t matter if anyone else isn’t pleased with the results; only her opinion matters.
Shanks Entertainment received the news in no time.
Meanwhile, Johnny’s investigation came to a dead-end because he couldn’t delay the release of the Oriental Star Group’s films.
They needed to release their movies three days later.
“Useless! You can’t even do a simple task like this!” Zachary Suarez was irate.
Niall Xander grinned. “It’s fine, Mr. Suarez. We already achieved the effect we wanted. They will definitely lose to us when our movies are released concurrently!”
“That’s right. The movies’ contents are identical, so they will definitely watch ours instead. Besides that, I already bought a lot of spots on the recommendations list on streaming websites. On the other hand, the viewers can’t find their movies even if they wanted to. How can they possibly compete with us?” Zachary was confident.
Their promotions undoubtedly completely overshadowed Oriental Star Group’s efforts.
Besides that, the plagiarism accusations plaguing the Oriental Star Group doomed them.
That was what Zoey and the gang were the most worried about.
“We contacted most of the streaming websites just now. They said that there weren’t any spots left in the recommendations list on the main page and even the subpages, because they have all been bought by Shanks Entertainment. It will spell disaster for us if this continues. Our movie qualities are good, but the viewers can’t even find it.” Zoey sounded frustrated as she spoke.
Levi stroked her hair. “Honey, forget about the promotions for now. Things will get better as time passes. When they compare our movies with theirs, our movies’ reputations will soar. Besides that, we are still popular from the plagiarism accusations! Everyone is waiting to compare our movies to see if we copied them!”
“Hahaha! You’re right. Our haters are our fans as well. They’ll probably turn into real fans when they watch our movies!” Zoey chuckled.
Levi flashed an indecipherable smile. “Besides that, I still have some tricks up my sleeve I can use after the movies get released!”
The day everyone was waiting for finally arrived.
It was eight p.m.
Seven movies from Shanks Entertainment were released at the same time on four major streaming sites.
They hogged all the spots on the recommendations list on the main pages; the first thing one would see if they opened the streaming website was advertisements about their movies.
As their popularity soared, a few million people were waiting expectantly for their release. They all rushed to watch it when they came out.
The reviews quickly came pouring in.
Terrible!
All seven movies are terrible!
The acting, special effects, and plot are terrible. Everything’s terrible! There’s nothing redeemable about it!
Apart from a few good reviews by some fans, the rest of the viewers gave bad reviews.
The average score for all seven movies was only six point seven.
“Oh, right. Isn’t the Oriental Star Group’s movie plagiarized from somewhere? I think it got released today too. Let’s go watch it!”
Everyone started to search for the Oriental Star Group’s movies.
CHAPTER 452
In the Shanks Entertainment’s president’s office.
Niall, Zachary, and a few other people were present. They all looked displeased as they watched the real-time box office results.
Niall snorted. “It seems like the audience isn’t that gullible anymore!”
The manager, Winnie said, “That’s right. Viewers nowadays tend to care more about the content of the movie. Movies rarely cast young, handsome men now! Focusing on production quality is important!”
Niall chuckled. “Yes. That is why we need to take this opportunity to scam the dumbass fans’ money!”
Yvonne Wren agreed with that statement. “That’s right! The fans are stupid and easy to scam. We need to hurry up and make more movies of this kind! Once the dumbasses realize what’s going on, they won’t be so easy to scam anymore!”
If their fans heard what they said, they would probably blow up in rage.
“Oh, aren’t the Oriental Star Group’s movies being released as well? How are they doing?” Zachary couldn’t help but ask.
Niall chuckled. “I tried searching them in the streaming websites just now, but I still can’t find them.”
“They’re destined to fail! Even though our movies are trash, we are hogging all the spots in the recommendations lists! They can’t possibly succeed!” Yvonne chuckled coldly.
“President Shorts said he found their movies. They only have two of them, not seven!” The assistant showed Niall the tablet.
“Haha! Are they afraid of cutting a loss? They only filmed two movies, and who the f*** are the main actors? I haven’t even heard of them! They should be prepared that their movies will become a box office bomb!” Zachary guffawed as he played the movie.
After about three years, the netizens finished watching the two Oriental Star Group’s movies.
“Can those who already watched the movies tell us if it’s good or not?” Some netizens were eager but afraid to watch the movies. They were scared the movies might turn out horrible.
“It’s amazing! It really is super good!”
“This is the most well-produced movie I’ve ever watched!”
“The plot is well-thought-out, the art is tasteful, the pacing is appropriate, the special effects are perfect, and the acting was superb! I give five stars out of five!”
“This movie is showing in the cinemas! It’s so amazing! I need to watch it again!”
Good reviews started to appear all over the internet.
The netizens regarded the Oriental Star Group’s two movies as masterpieces!
Furthermore, the ones who gave good reviews weren’t fans. They were the ones who had lambasted Oriental Star Group before for plagiarism. They had watched the movies just because of the scandal.
When the higher-ups in the Oriental Star Group saw the good reviews and the rising popularity of the two movies, they breathed a sigh of relief.
“Well done! Levi, you’re amazing!”
Zoey hugged Levi.
Cough cough… Levi coughed out of embarrassment.
Zoey’s face immediately flushed red because Gerry Wade and the others were in the office. She had been so excited she forgot that they weren’t alone.
Levi chuckled. “Let’s officially start our promotions! Try to generate as much public attention as possible, including doing what Niall did before. In short, do everything you can to promote the movies!”
“Alright!”
The higher-ups were excited. Judging by how things were progressing, the two movies might generate more revenue than they have ever imagined!
“I still have a trump card. I’ll use it tonight!” Levi chuckled.
“I’ll be looking forward to it!”
Levi grinned. “Besides that, the people in charge of those streaming websites will start knocking on our doors soon enough!”
CHAPTER 453
“What? I can’t believe their movies are this good! Even I was engrossed!” Zachary seemed genuinely entertained after they finished watching the movies.
Niall, Yvonne, and the rest were anxious.
“How are their movies so good? Look at how their popularity is booming! I can’t find a single bad review!”
“Even though they’re not on the recommendations list, they’re one of the top ten most popular movies right now! Their popularity is still rising too!”
“What now? Should we do something about it?”
The artists were as anxious and as nervous as cats.
The fact that the Oriental Star Group’s movies were spectacular was a huge embarrassment to them.
More importantly, the main actors were the rookies that they’ve seen before.
How are they so good at acting?
This made them feel indignant.
Their manager, Winnie sighed.
She was good at judging the current consumers’ needs.
People like Niall are more suited to join variety shows or just become a public figure.
Acting in movies requires actual acting skills, which they lack.
Oriental Star Group’s two movies’ popularity was rising in streaming websites.
“I get it now. The fact that Shanks Entertainment said that Oriental Star plagiarized their movies is a whole ruse to sabotage them! You have seven movies and they only have two, how dare you accuse them of plagiarism?”
“Yeah! Can your seven terrible movies be compared to their two masterpieces? How shameless can they get?”
“Everyone listen to me. Don’t watch those terrible movies anymore. Go and watch the Oriental Star Group’s two movies instead! They really are good!”
An intense discussion sparked in the comments section of the seven movies starred by Niall and the rest.
While everyone was lambasting the seven movies, everyone went to watch Oriental Star Group’s two movies instead.
Furthermore, the Oriental Star Group’s publicity team reignited the discussion about the plagiarism accusations to hype the movie up even more.
They then brought up the incident where Niall and his gang had acted all high and mighty and quit their jobs.
There was even video proof about how Niall had splashed Horace Engler with water, and how he had beaten Maurice Lorraine up.
The netizens were enraged when they caught hold of the news, and they started to lambast artists like Niall and Yvonne.
Even their fans started to attack them.
“Niall Xander, you b*****d! Give me back my f***ing money!”
“This bastard only knows how to scam people! He can’t even act! What a piece of trash!”
“Helena Engler is my idol from now on! Yvonne Wren can get lost!”
“Pigs like Niall Xander don’t deserve to be artists. I’m gonna be Maurice Lorraine’s fan from now on. He’s so handsome and so good at acting!”
After that incident, Shanks Entertainment not only suffered a major loss, Niall and the other actors’ and actresses’ reputations were tarnished as well.
In no time, everyone knew that Shanks Entertainment’s seven movies were horrible; no one bothered to watch them anymore.
The only ones watching them right now were the ones who wanted to lambast them.
On the other hand, Oriental Star Group’s two movies rose in popularity even though they weren’t on the recommendations list.
They quickly took the first and second spot in the popularity rankings.
Bang!
Crack!
Zachary was so furious that he smashed the tablet on the floor.
Niall and his colleagues had thunderous expressions as they fell silent.
At that moment, Zachary received a phone call.
“Hello, President Shorts, I am a representative from Penguin Films. I’m here to inform you that your films have been kicked off the recommendations list!”
“Hello, President Shorts, I am a representative of Kiwi Films. I’m here to inform you that your company’s seven movies’ reviews were too bad, so we took it off the recommendations list!”
“Hello, President Shorts, I am a representative from U-Cool. Your movies are not gaining enough revenue, so we’re planning to take them off the recommendations list!”
CHAPTER 454
Zachary felt despondent when he received the calls.
He had never thought the major streaming sites would call him one after another to inform them that they would remove the seven movies from the recommendations lists.
Eventually, none of the movies they produced were left on the recommendation lists.
All seven movies were replaced by the two movies from the Oriental Star Group; those two movies dominated the main page of the streaming websites.
Furthermore, Zachary had spent about fifty million to buy the spots on the recommendation lists, while the major streaming sites had offered the same thing to the two movies from the Oriental Star Group of their own volition without requesting any form of payment.
The popularity of the two movies continued to rise!
Zoey beamed brightly when she saw the real-time box office results.
The production costs of the movie were two hundred million; they gained that much revenue is just six hours.
This broke the box office records of all the major streaming sites.
It was originally estimated that it would take about one week for the movie to offset the costs.
“It’s time to use the trump card!” Levi chuckled.
Not long after, the superstars from Erudia, Zak Copland and Yelda Zamora started their promotions at the same time.
“Up next, I would like to recommend two movies… they are absolutely awesome! I guarantee that with my honor!”
“If you don’t like it, I can refund you your membership fees! I, Zak Copland, promise you that!”
Twenty of the country’s A-list stars stated to promote the Oriental Star Group’s movies together, and its popularity boomed once again.
The members they gained exceeded fifty million, and they were about to reach the one hundred million members milestone.
Furthermore, all the major media companies started to give coverage to those movies as well.
The two movies were considered the pinnacle of the film industry.
The industry experts were excited as well. Everyone started to guess how much the movies would gain in revenue in a month.
One billion is probably a piece of cake. Can they reach two billion?
A box office result like that used to be reserved for movies traditionally shown in cinemas. But movies streaming online managed to achieve such a spectacular result! It’s unbelievable!
However, while some rejoiced, some suffered.
For example, Shanks Entertainment was one of those who were in a tough spot.
The negative influence from the public opinion about the movie itself was overwhelming. That caused a lot of investors to revoke their funding.
Their artists started to terminate their contracts as well.
In no time, a crisis befell the company, something Zachary had not been expecting.
After all, the Shank family’s venture into the entertainment industry was their most successful one. Yet now, everything was crumbling apart in just one month!
Zachary’s father, uncle, and grandfather all called to berate him.
“Useless pieces of trash! You can’t even act! Why are you even acting? What were you f***ing doing?” Zachary vented his rage at Niall, Yvonne, and the rest of the actors.
Slap!
Slap!
He slapped them forcefully; they didn’t dare to say anything.
“Get lost! Get the hell away from here! Give me back your salaries. I’ll kill whoever wants to keep the money!”
Zachary flailed around furiously and chased all the people out.
When the actors stepped outside, Niall discussed something with his team and manager.
“We never thought something like this would happen! We can’t stay in Shanks Entertainment anymore!”
The manager, Winnie, replied, “Yeah. Your reputations are heavily tarnished! We can’t keep doing this anymore! How about we go back to Oriental Star Group?”
Yvonne asked anxiously, “Can we really do that?”
“Sigh. They will definitely be angry, but no matter what happens, we can still bring profits to them. I don’t think they won’t take us back!” Winnie said.
Niall nodded. “That’s right. After all, we were the most important artists there! They don’t even have anyone else except for us! And those rookies? They are not even experienced!”
CHAPTER 455
“We shouldn’t have left. We would’ve executed the direction of those films much better. Our wealth and reputation would’ve increased as well. Let’s go back and get those guys to plan something for us,” Yvonne said coldly.
She had a feeling Helena and Maurice were popular only because the movie itself was good.
The next morning.
“Ms. Lopez, Niall Xander’s and Yvonne Wren’s managers want to meet you!” Gerry Wade approached her and said.
“Alright. Let them in!”
A posse of people showed up in the office in no time.
“Ms. Lopez, we were foolish. We’ve made a mistake. Please forgive us!” The manager, Winnie, said.
Zoey smiled. “It’s alright. You all just wanted to go to a better company. They really are stronger than us!”
“We really made a mistake! We hope to rejoin your company now. After all, we were once a team, and we know each other well!” Winnie smiled.
At that moment, Levi suddenly appeared and mocked, “How shameless can you get? Didn’t you say we will regret our actions? What happened then? Are you here to get a taste of our wealth now that our movies became popular?”
Niall and the rest felt indignant, but they still needed to keep their tempers in check. After all, they were the ones asking for a favor.
Niall stared at Zoey and asked, “Ms. Lopez, can you tell us what we should do to rejoin your company?”
Zoey was about to say something when Levi interrupted her. “Rejoining Oriental Star is a piece of cake. You just need to show us how sincere you are.
How about kneeling here for six hours? It shouldn’t be that tough, right?”
“You…”
Niall was about to lose his temper before Winnie stopped him.
“Alright. We agree with that. I hope you keep your promise as well!”
“Yeah. I promise!” Levi guaranteed.
Thud!
Thud!
Niall and the rest kneeled on the ground; that pleased everyone.
After all, Niall and his gang had bullied them for the longest time.
They kneeled for six whole hours, and Niall was utterly embarrassed.
Phew!
He exhaled sharply and smiled coldly. “Alright, we’ve kneeled for six hours already. I hope you keep your end of the promise!”
“What promise?” Zoey asked.
“Didn’t you say that if we kneeled down for six hours you would let us rejoin the Oriental Star Group?” Niall almost shouted.
Zoey smiled. “Go and look for the one who promised you that!”
“The man beside you just now promised us that. Why are you eating your words right now?” Niall tried his best to suppress his anger.
“I’m so sorry. That guy isn’t even an employee from our company. Did you really just do whatever he said?” Gerry chuckled.
“Hahaha…” Everyone else laughed too.
“D-Did you trick us?” Niall and his team soon realized that they had been fooled.
“We are not responsible for that. You haven’t seen that guy before, have you?”
Niall exchanged a horrified glance with his team because they knew she made sense.
They had indeed never seen him before.
“I’ll kill you!” Niall finally lost his temper.
“Security, chase them out!”
The security guards kicked Niall and his team out of the building.
Zachary hit a stump. He started to ask about what was happening in South City.
At the same time, there were some news on the dark web today.
“Stepdad, the Morris Group’s boss doesn’t have an interesting background, but he’s very sly and methodical! That was how he managed to devastate Winston Gonzales and his allies!” Fernand Yates said.
Scott stopped turning the prayer beads in his hand as he slowly opened his eyes and said coldly, “Alright. Let us begin now!”
The most prominent character in Quebec was about to make his move.
“Alright! Bring Bones, Titan, and Golem with you! The fact that they can handle the Black and White Guards signifies that they are pretty powerful!” Scott Yates ordered.
His Four Mighty Generals were individually stronger than the Black and White Guards, so the fact that Scott dispatched three of them was a testament to his resolve.
Fernand hesitated for a while before saying, “Stepdad…”
“Bringing Typhoon along is out of the question! He’s way too intent on killing! It took a lot of effort over the past few decades trying to tame him, so we can’t afford to let him massacre everyone in North Hampton!” Scott said.
The Four Mighty Generals under Scott all had their own individual strengths.
Bones was ruthless and apathetic. During a underground boxing battle where he had to face a few hundred opponents at once, he pulled someone’s ribs out and used it as a weapon to kill everyone.
Titan was exceptionally skilled in wrestling ever since he was young.
Golem was like a beast because his body was as tough as steel. Normal weapons couldn’t dent him.
However, the strongest of them all was Typhoon.
He had been raised by an assassin’s organization ever since he was young.
The organization adopted one hundred orphans and made them fight and kill each other after a few years of training. Only the final child left standing had the right to enter the organization.
Typhoon was the one who had killed all of his comrades and made it out alive.
His murderous intent was overwhelming, and at least seven hundred people have been killed by him.
Once his bloodlust was triggered, he couldn’t be stopped.
Scott was once captured during a war in Quebec’s underground scene, and Typhoon had killed a few thousand people just to rescue him.
He derived pleasure from murder, and he was quite literally the harbinger of death.
That was why Scott wouldn’t request his service unless it was necessary because Typhoon would cause a whole flurry of catastrophes.
“Besides, the three of them will be enough to handle the Morris Group! I can’t take responsibility for the consequences that might arise if we use Typhoon this time!” Scott sighed.
Fernand was incredulous. “What? Stepdad, why do you have something you can’t responsibility for? How is that possible?”
“Have you forgotten who’s in North Hampton right now?” Scott asked.
Fernand’s expression changed as he said in horror, “Are you referring to the God of War?”
“Yes. He will definitely turn a blind eye to the melee in North Hampton, but if Typhoon went there and stirred up trouble, he might step out personally to deal with it…”
Scott was afraid of the God of War.
“Wow, stepdad, you really are prudent. I never thought of that! I’ll go to North Hampton now in that case!”
“Go and take care of that issue quickly. Keep a low profile. If things spiral out of control, I won’t be able to help you anymore,” Scott reminded him.
When Fernand took his leave, a casually dressed, average-looking man appeared.
He was the Harbinger of Death, Typhoon.
He said, “I heard the God of War has a team called the Five Great Wars Regiment, and they are all exceptional. I want to challenge them…”
“Hahaha. Typhoon, what are you saying? We can’t possibly offend them! Regardless of how strong we are, we are still mortals, and they are gods! They can kill us with just a snap of their fingers!”
When Sebastian found out about Fernand’s plans, he headed to North Hampton with Fernand.
“Three Mighty Generals are here! I thought Mr. Yates would only send one of them with us!”
Sebastian was excited when he saw that Bones and the other two mighty generals were embarking on the same mission.
He had thought only one of them was required to solve the problem; he had never expected Scott to send out three of them at once.
This is a piece of cake. Morris Group will definitely be obliterated.
“North Hampton, just you wait for the South City’s ire!”
CHAPTER 457
Sebastian was excited when they arrived at North Hampton.
Zachary and his friends, who had received the news of their arrival beforehand, waited for them at the highway.
“Mr. Yates, Sebastian, we are being oppressed by them ever since we came from South City! The people in North Hampton kept bullying us because we didn’t have anyone around, so it’s great now that you’re here! They can go screw themselves!” Zachary said.
Everyone started to exaggerate about what happened to them during their stay in North Hampton, and that infuriated Sebastian and Fernand.
On the surface, Fernand seemed poised and methodical, just like a sly fox. However, he was actually a ruffian!
He had committed a lot of crimes and was cocky and arrogant.
He just never showed that side of himself because Scott loomed over him at all times.
Now that he came to North Hampton and no one was here to control him anymore, he wanted to unleash his wild side.
“Hmph! Underestimating the South City? They’re digging their own graves!” Fernand exclaimed furiously.
“Mr. Yates, what should we do next?” Sebastian asked.
“Didn’t the Rogers family publicly support the Morris Group? We’ll go to the Rogers family’s residences in that case!”
A menacing glint flashed in Fernand’s eyes.
Meanwhile, in the Rogers family’s house.
The Rogers family was having dinner together.
The Rogers family’s wealth had boomed lately; their assets had already exceeded a hundred billion in value.
Even though they were just taking care of the money on behalf of Levi, they were still overjoyed by it.
Bang!
A loud bang could suddenly be heard as the dining room’s door was kicked open.
A large horde of men barged inside with menacing expressions on their faces.
Glenn Rogers recognized a few of them. Sebastian and Simon among the others.
However, Sebastian wasn’t the main character today.
They stood aside as a young man stepped forward.
The young man looked docile and polite, yet the three people standing behind him were terrifying.
Golem was two meters tall; he towered over everyone and everything.
Moreover, Bones was emaciated to the point where his bones could be seen. His face was deathly pale.
Titan’s bald head was shiny, and he had a murderous expression on his face.
The three of them had an oppressing aura, and the atmosphere was suddenly suffocating to everyone.
Glenn knew Sebastian would never forgive him. That prospect seemed even more unlikely now.
“Glenn Rogers, let me introduce them to you. This is the stepson of Scott Yates from the South City, Fernand Yates!” Sebastian grinned.
“Scott Yates?” Glenn gaped in shock.
Isn’t that the person rumored to oppress the entire Quebec area?
Scott Yates!
The most powerful figure in Quebec!
Even people as powerful as Sebastian need to show that man respect.
“Hm? Didn’t you say he’s retired for thirty years already?” Glenn asked.
Fernand smiled. “Thanks to the Morris Group, my stepfather came out of his retirement.”
“What? He came out of his retirement?” Glenn was so shocked he almost shrieked.
“Yeah! My stepfather said the Morris Group should be exterminated!”
Fernand then approached the dining table, sat down and smiled, “It looks delicious! Make me an extra portion!”
He was being cocky and rude.
One of the younger people from the Rogers family snorted. “Get up! Who do you think you are? How dare you come to the Rogers family’s territory and make a scene! Are you looking for trouble?”
The Rogers family have been doing very well lately, and they were a powerful presence in North Hampton.
That was why they looked down on everyone, especially people who taunted them.
Glenn was about to warn him, but it was already too late.
Of course he doesn’t know who Scott Yates is!
Fernand didn’t speak. Instead, he just glared at Franklin Rogers.
“What are you staring at? Are you gonna beat me up?” Franklin shouted angrily.
Bang!
In the next moment, Titan suddenly swung a punch at Franklin’s head.
CHAPTER 458
Poof!
Franklin was sent flying, and when he landed on the floor, blood flowed out of all of his orifices.
He was undoubtedly, dead!
One punch from Titan was enough to make someone bleed profusely.
Suddenly, the room was as silent as the dead.
“Who are you? How dare you kill my son! B*****ds!” Franklin’s father, Alexander was furious. Something like this shouldn’t happen in the Rogers family’s territory!
Alexander and his wife, Snow Wahlberg, pounced at them.
Thud!
Golem landed a kick on Alexander’s head, causing everyone to be dumbstruck.
On the other hand, Bones swung a punch as fast as lightning and felled Snow.
At that moment, the Rogers family was petrified, and they didn’t dare say anything anymore.
Zachary and his friends, who had come along with Fernand, were mortified by the gory scene as well.
They tried to stop themselves from puking when they saw that, and they finally understood how Scott Yates could rule over Quebec.
They are absolutely merciless!
Snow squirmed on the floor in pain, her shrieks lasting for a few minutes.
“They are Mr. Yate’s Three Mighty Generals – Bones, Titan, and Golem. Don’t move!” Glenn soon recognized who they were, and he started to perspire out of horror.
“Happy now?” Fernand smiled and asked.
The room immediately fell silent. No one dared to speak or doubt their power because they were the kind of people who killed without hesitation.
Crossing them would only mean certain death.
“Where’s my cutlery?” Fernand asked.
“Go and get it!” Glenn instructed.
In no time, the cutlery was prepared.
Everyone stood and watched. They trembled while Fernand ate.
“Come, eat! What are you doing?” Fernand smirked.
Glenn forced a smile. “We already ate. We won’t be joining you. Mr. Yates, please enjoy your meal!”
Fernand looked up and scanned through the people present in the room, his gaze lingering on the women.
“Eating alone is so boring. Come and eat with me!” Fernand stared at the women in the Rogers family and said.
Sebastian and Simon knew Fernand was a pervert and that his tastes were very varied.
He fancied all types of women, from ten-year-old girls to forty-year-old ladies.
The women in the Rogers family were quite attractive, so they suited Fernand’s taste.
“Hm? Mr. Yates, do you want us to accompany you?” Glenn’s voice wavered.
Fernand’s expression changed abruptly. “Get lost! Do I look like I need a man to eat with me? Are you playing dumb or are you actually dumb?”
The Rogers family exchanged glances of apprehension because Fernand made it very clear what he wanted.
He doesn’t want a man, so that means he wants women, right?
The Rogers family’s women trembled out of fear.
They realized Fernand probably didn’t just want them to eat with him!
He wanted to sleep with them as well!
Anthony immediately said, “Mr. Yates, you like pretty ladies, don’t you? I’ll arrange a few for you. You can have anyone you want, from celebrities to models! North Hampton is famous for its ladies!”
Leo added, “Yeah. We can get any woman you fancy for you!”
CHAPTER 459
Fernand glared at both of them. “I don’t want any other woman because the women I want are right here. You… you, you, you, and you…”
Fernand pointed at seven or eight women present in the room.
Anthony’s and Leo’s wives, as well as their cousins’ wives, were included in Fernand’s list.
Besides that, the wives of the younger people in the Rogers family were included as well.
“No! We can’t do this! Mr. Yates, please find someone else! They are ordinary ladies!” Anthony’s cousin, Silas Rogers, said.
Smack!
Zachary slapped Silas forcefully.
“How f***ing shameless can you get! Mr. Yates wants those ladies! How dare you talk back to him!” Zachary shouted.
Silas rubbed his face and said pitifully, “But that is my wife! No, means no!”
Rumble…
Golem, who was as tall as a large boulder, approached him and picked him up.
Wham!
He then slammed Silas forcefully on the floor.
Crack!
The cracking sound signified that Silas’ waist had been broken.
“Ahhhh…”
Everyone felt numb when they heard Silas’ screams, and they could feel their blood run cold.
“Hm? Keep talking!” Zachary laughed.
“What are you doing? Go to Mr. Yates!” Zachary commanded.
Silas’ wife and the other ladies approached Fernand.
“Ahhh!”
Fernand pulled two women into his arms, and they screamed while the other women surrounded them.
Fernand groped and kissed them from time to time.
“What are you two doing?”
Zachary stared at Anthony’s and Leo’s wives, Fiona and Marybelle.
He then stepped forwards and forcibly pulled them towards Fernand.
Fiona and Marybelle urgently shot Anthony and Leo looks of desperation.
“No!”
“Yeah! Not in your wildest dreams! How can our wives be humiliated like this?”
The brothers Anthony and Leo protested vigorously and they were about to pounce on Fernand.
However, Bones and Titan approached them as well.
Anthony and Leo felt their chests constrict because they could feel a menacing aura.
“No, no!” Glenn immediately stopped Anthony and Leo in their tracks because he didn’t want his sons to die.
“Anthony… Leo…” Fiona and Marybelle cried out helplessly.
They were then trapped in Fernand’s arms and molested.
The men in the Rogers family watched as their wives, daughters, and sisters get violated, yet they couldn’t do anything even though they were furious.
They could only stare as the scene unfolded.
This is so utterly humiliating!
When Anthony and Leo saw their wives getting groped in front of them, they clenched their fists so hard that their fingernails dug into their flesh and bled.
They felt so despondent that tears started to stream down their face.
“Get out! Or do you want to stay and watch the show?” Fernand chuckled.
The men in the Rogers family were so angry they almost lost their marbles because they knew what Fernand was about to do.
How could they tolerate the fact that Fernand harassed their women in their own territory?
However, they couldn’t fight back because death awaited them if they did so.
They were all chased out of the dining room. The three mighty generals guarded the entrance so they couldn’t get in.
Shrieks of horror were heard from the dining room.
Thud!
Anthony and Leo kneeled on the floor and exclaimed, “Revenge! We must have our revenge. Let’s go and look for Mr. Garrison!”
The two brothers exchanged a glance.
Glenn had that thought too. Only Levi could stand up against Scott.
He was the only hope the Rogers family had!
However, Sebastian stopped them in their tracks.
“Are you about to ask the boss of the Morris Group for help? It doesn’t matter anyway because Mr. Yates is here to deal with him too! It’ll be great if you asked him to come over!”
Glenn had a despondent expression because they didn’t even get the chance to ask for reinforcements.
An hour passed, and Fernand soon stepped out of the room with a tired expression.
In the dining room, the women’s clothes were tattered, and they huddled together and wept softly.
“Ah!”
Leo and Anthony bellowed in rage.
They wanted to kill Fernand right there and then, but they fell silent when they saw Bones, Titan, and Golem.
Pouncing on him would only mean death for them!
“From now on, we will be staying here!
Fernand really took it too far; not only did he humiliate the Rogers family, but he now wanted to live in their house.
The Rogers family’s women were horrified when they heard that because this meant they would fall victim to him again.
Glenn had a sudden realization that Fernand was forcing them to call Levi over!
If they didn’t call Levi, Fernand would never leave.
“Hm? Are you not happy with Mr. Yates staying here?” Golem asked in a low voice.
The Rogers family didn’t dare protest.
“It’s an honor to the Rogers family that Mr. Yates is staying here!” Glenn immediately answered.
The news that Fernand Yates was staying in the Rogers family’s house quickly spread across North Hampton.
Everyone in North Hampton soon knew Scott’s stepson was here along with three of The Four Mighty Generals.
The Mighty Generals were way more powerful than Sebastian, so everyone in North Hampton felt terrified.
The Mighty Generals were the ones who had oppressed Quebec, and their arrival meant that the person who had retired for thirty years had come out of his retirement!
Besides that, Fernand Yates’ behavior was absolutely abhorrent.
He headed straight to the Rogers family after he arrived at North Hampton, killed a few of their men, and raped their women.
He was even living in the Rogers family’s house now!
Furthermore, Glenn Yates was forced to extend his warmest welcome to Fernand and satisfy his every need!
He was willing to go that low to protect the Rogers family.
Glenn knew that if they angered the three Mighty Generals, they would probably massacre the entire Rogers family.
Meanwhile, at night, Fernand was visited seven or eight times in the Rogers family’s house.
He wore a bathrobe and swirled his glass of wine as he chuckled and said, “My stepfather suppressed me so much back in the day! This is how I’m supposed to be living! I think I need to extend my stay in North Hampton.”
Being in North Hampton meant that he could do whatever he liked.
“These two movies are pretty popular these days. I can see them everywhere! The main actress is pretty good. I heard that she’s a rookie,” Fernand said in amusement.
Zachary, who stood by his side, immediately said, “Mr. Yates, I know who the main actress is. Her name is Helena Engler, and she’s under the Oriental Star Group.”
“Oh? You know her?” Fernand looked up and asked.
“I’ll bring her to you if you’re interested!” Zachary chuckled.
Fernand patted Zachary and exclaimed, “Good. You know your place. The Suarez family is blessed to have someone like you!”
“I’ll bring her over right now! Um… but… “ Zachary hesitated.
A hint of frustration could be seen on Fernand’s face. “What’s wrong? Why are you stuttering?”
“The Oriental Star Group’s female president, Zoey Lopez, is a stunning beauty as well! Let me show you some pictures of her!”
Zachary wanted someone else to do the dirty work for him.
CHAPTER 461
Since Levi isn’t that easy to sabotage, I’ll let Fernand do the dirty work for me.
Fernand’s eyes sparkled when he saw the pictures.
“How is she so beautiful? It’s the first time I’ve seen someone as pretty as her!” Fernand exclaimed in surprised.
Zachary grinned. “Mr. Yates, I guarantee that she’s even prettier in real life!”
“Alright! I’ll leave this to you! Bring Helena and her to me!”
Lust started to overwhelm Fernand’s senses.
Sebastian joined their conversation. “Mr. Yates, I’ll recommend someone to you as well. The vice president of the Morris Group, Iris Annabelle, is a beauty as well! She might not be as pretty as Zoey Lopez, but I assure you that she’s a looker!”
“Hahaha… I don’t care if this Iris is pretty or not! I only want her just because she’s the vice president of the Morris Group!” A crazed expression appeared on Fernand’s face.
Zachary hesitated a little before saying awkwardly, “Mr. Yates, I can bring Helena Engler here, but I don’t dare to do the same to Zoey Lopez and Iris Annabelle because something bad has happened to me before!”
“What a loser! Bones, go with him!”
Fernand waved his hands.
“Alright, I promise to bring them to you!” Zachary guaranteed as a smug smile appeared on his face.
Helena was the talk of the town lately; she had amassed a following of a few million fans.
Despite that, she still stayed humble and honed her craft every night.
Bang!
Suddenly, the door was opened, and an extremely skinny, deathly pale man appeared.
Helena trembled in fright. “W-What do you want?”
“Come with me. Someone wants to have a drink with you!”
Right as he said that he appeared in front of her, and she lost consciousness.
“Zoey Lopez and Iris Annabelle are next! They’re neighbors!” Zachary chuckled
In no time, they appeared at Bayview Garden.
Iris had just finished her bath and was reading through some finance news with a tablet.
At that moment, a gust of wind blew from the balcony, lifting the curtains.
“Didn’t I close the window…”
Iris stood up and went to close the window when a pair of emaciated, pale hands suddenly appeared from behind the curtain.
“Ah!” She shrieked in terror.
Soon after, Zachary and his colleagues appeared.
“Nice to meet you, Ms. Annabelle. Mr. Yates extends an invitation to you!” Bones said coldly.
“Who’s Mr. Yates? I don’t even know him! Besides, you’re trespassing in my property, and that’s illegal!” Iris bellowed furiously.
“I guess we have to do it the hard way!” Bones approached Iris in an instant and knocked her out cold.
“Zoey Lopez is next!” A maniacal smile rose from Zachary’s lips.
As compared to the Morris Group, his biggest enemies right now were Levi and Zoey.
Zoey needs to be captured, and Levi needs to be killed!
This is the best opportunity I have!
I’ll have Bones kill Levi for me to avenge my brother!
“Mr. Bones, things might be a little dangerous from now on,” Zachary said suddenly with a tinge of fear in his voice.
Bones was puzzled. “Dangerous?”
“You might not know this, but Zoey Lopez’s husband, Levi Garrison is someone skilled in combat! The Suarez family has suffered a huge loss because of him. I’m scared to come in contact with him!” Zachary trembled as he spoke.
“Hmph! What a piece of garbage! You can’t even handle a small fry!” Bones scoffed.
He then walked towards Levi’s house.
Zachary flashed a bright smile.
Got him!
Levi, be prepared to face your death!
He then caught up to Bones quickly.
CHAPTER 462
When they entered Levi’s house, they realized that no one was there.
“Huh? Is she not here?”
Zachary took a look around and he couldn’t spot anyone.
“Where did she go? Go and look for her!” Zachary commanded his subordinates.
Bones waved his hand and said, “No need for that. We’ll send the two people back because Mr. Yates is waiting!”
“Alright. I’ll bring Zoey with me once I find out where she is!”
Afterwards, Helena and Iris were sent to the Rogers family’s house.
Fernand’s eyes sparkled with ecstasy when he saw how pretty they were. He thought they were worth his wait.
However, he had already come because he couldn’t help himself just now.
That was why he needed to wait a while longer to be able to rape the two ladies.
“Mr. Yates, should we go look for Zoey Lopez now?” Zachary asked.
Fernand replied, “Go quickly. We still have time!”
Incidentally, Levi and Zoey had gone to their parents’ place tonight and returned to their house afterwards.
“Huh? Why did Iris sleep so early tonight?” Zoey exclaimed when she saw that the lights in Iris’ room were turned off.
Iris would usually keep her lights on until one or two in the morning because she was a workaholic.
“Something’s amiss!” Levi had a bad feeling because he had received news from Nueve that Fernand Yates had come to North Hampton.
Originally, he didn’t dwell on the matter. However, he sensed something was wrong with Iris, so he immediately recalled this piece of information.
“Honey, go home first. I have something I need to do!”
After Levi asked Zoey to head back, he arranged for someone to protect her.
Azure Dragon immediately drove to pick them up when they stepped out from the Bayview Garden.
“God of War, Ms. Anabelle has been abducted along with Helena Engler! Fernand Yates is in the Rogers family’s mansion right now, and he is committing all kinds of brutalities!” Azure Dragon said.
“Is he powerful?” Levi asked.
“Fernand’s father, Scott Yates, is the top figure in Quebec, and The Four Mighty Generals under his command can wipe out a whole army by themselves!”
Levi listened in amusement and instructed, “Alright. Ask White Tiger to come here. Tell him he’s about to square off against powerful opponents! The Black and White Guards were too weak for him, and he’s been complaining about that ever since!”
“Alright. Got it!”
In the Rogers family’s manor.
Everyone in the Rogers family was kneeling on the ground while Fernand was patiently waiting as the three Mighty Generals stood by his side.
“Who are you? What do you want?” Helena and Iris had woken up, and they stared around in horror.
“Haha! Let me introduce myself. I am Fernand Yates from South City! I invited both of you to have a drink with me!” Fernand chuckled.
Helena was afraid, so she hid behind and Iris.
Iris, on the other hand, was poised. “I don’t even know you. Why should I drink with you?”
“You know me now, don’t you? Besides that, Morris Group is about to be ruined, so isn’t being with me a better choice now?” Fernand grinned.
“What? The Morris Group is about to be ruined?”
Iris knew there was bad blood between South City and the Morris Group, so she immediately realized they were seeking revenge on them.
“Is this the Rogers family’s manor?” Iris exclaimed in surprise when she saw the people kneeling.
How strong can this guy be to bring the entire Rogers family down?
“You’re Iris Annabelle, aren’t you? Let me tell you something…”
Iris was dumbstruck when Sebastian told her what had happened to the Rogers family.
This Fernand guy is terrible!
How dare he humiliate the Rogers family like this!
When Fernand saw how shy Helena was and how coy Iris was, he became excited again.
He waved his hands to chase everyone out.
“No… what are you doing?” Iris had a sudden realization as she stepped back instinctively.
CHAPTER 463
Thump!
Fernand threw Helena and Iris on the bed.
He was skilled in martial arts; the ladies couldn’t fight back.
Helplessness flashed in the Rogers family’s eyes as they watched the scene unfold.
What an impudent person!
Is he really gonna do the deed when so many people are around?
I feel so miserable for the two ladies targeted by Fernand!
Bang!
Crash!
At that moment, the manor’s door collapsed, and all the windows shattered.
The loud noise startled everyone. It caused them to stop in their tracks.
Even Fernand, who was about to pounce on the ladies, stopped as he stared at the door.
Four people stood by the entrance.
Kirin and White Tiger stood beside Levi, who was smoking a cigar.
“Huh? Levi? From the Morris Group?”
“Are you Neil Atkinson?”
Zachary and Sebastian Lopez exclaimed with an expression of horror.
“Huh? What? Someone from the Morris Group?” Fernand put on his bathrobe and approached them eagerly.
At the same time, Bones, Titan, and Golem were excited as well.
“Haha, you really are digging your own grave!” Fernand chuckled.
Zachary and Sebastian were agitated as well. The people from the Morris Group finally arrived, but the only fate that awaited them was death.
We can finally avenge the Suarez family and the Lopez family!
“Levi, be prepared to die!” Zachary guffawed.
“Kill them!”
Fernand waved his hands, and the three Mighty Generals stepped forward, glaring at Levi and his posse menacingly.
White Tiger took a step forwards and beckoned them to come over by waggling his finger.
“Come at me, all at once!”
White Tiger’s smugness shocked everyone.
How dare he act so boastfully when facing Fernand and the three Mighty Generals!
“Die!”
Titan had the hottest temper out of the bunch, so he roared and pounced on White Tiger like a ferocious beast first.
He was skilled in martial arts, and he had enough strength to kill a tiger with just one punch.
Screech!
His punch made a very jarring noise.
Titan could kill someone with a punch, but White Tiger responded with a punch of his own instead of dodging it.
White Tiger’s punch seemed weak, but maniacal murderous intent and immense power were infused in it.
When the punch reached Titan, his expression changed drastically.
It’s so powerful!
Wham!
Their fists crashed into each other and made a dull noise.
Pfft!
Blood spurted out of Titan’s mouth as his right arm exploded from the impact.
Screech!
Besides that, he was sent flying by the punch. When he landed on the ground, blood gushed out from his orifices, and he died on the spot.
Killed with just one punch!
Everyone was dumbfounded.
“I’ll kill you!”
Bones was the next one who pounced on White Tiger.
He moved as fast as lightning, and one’s eyes could barely make out his silhouette from the speed he was travelling at.
Whack!
However, White Tiger was even faster. He grabbed Bones’ wrist.
Crack!
White Tiger twisted his hand gently and snapped Bones’ wrist.
“Ugh!” Bones shrieked.
Crack!
Afterwards, White Tiger shattered Bones’ arms, ankles, and legs. He left Bones lying limply on the ground like a skeleton.
Bones looked absolutely miserable.
“Die!”
In the next moment, Golem’s bulky stature loomed over White Dragon as he came crashing down.
Bang!
White Tiger gripped Golem’s head and smashed it onto the ground.
Bang!
Bang!
Bang!
After eight consecutive punches, Golem’s head was a bloody mess, and a huge dent was imprinted on it.
Thump!
Golem’s colossal body fell on the ground with a resounding Thud.
White Tiger had defeated Fernand Yate’s three out of Four Mighty Generals all by himself!
CHAPTER 464
After White Tiger defeated the three people, he took out a clean handkerchief and wiped his hands.
He chuckled. “The last guy was pretty sturdy. It took me eight whole punches to kill him!”
Everyone held their breaths and fell silent because this wasn’t what anyone was expecting!
After all, those were the infamous killing machines from Quebec!
They were even feared by The Black and White Guards, but they had been defeated by a single man!
Sebastian finally realized he was mistaken.
He originally thought The Black and White Guards had a drawn-out battle against White Tiger, but now he realized they hadn’t even stood a chance against him.
On the other hand, Zachary was so terrified he almost peed his pants.
Fernand trembled in fear as he stared at White Tiger.
“No! This is impossible!”
To Fernand, the Four Mighty Generals were the strongest fighters around; they could never be defeated.
However, they had been defeated in an instant by one man!
Fernand’s assumptions were completely destroyed.
“You’re Fernand Yates, aren’t you? Since you came to North Hampton, stay here forever!”
White Tiger suddenly kicked Fernand’s chest.
Pfft!
Fernand flew a very long distance and slammed against the wall forcefully.
A wide streak of blood formed on the wall, signifying Fernand’s demise.
“Gasp!”
Everyone was driven insane when they saw the numerous cracks on the wall.
Is he even human?
This is madness!
Total madness!
White Tiger smiled, and it seemed like he was pleased by his opponents tonight.
“He has a stepfather, doesn’t he? I hope he’s stronger than this!” White Tiger had an expectant expression.
Everyone in the Rogers family was stunned.
He’s so powerful!
Kirin stared at Sebastian and Zachary and asked, “Didn’t we tell you that since you came to North Hampton, you should stay forever?”
Kirin’s question was a death sentence for Sebastian and Zachary.
No one expected Scott’s stepson and the three Mighty Generals to only enjoy their stay here for half a day.
They were all dead except for Bones; even he was on the verge of demise because a few dozen of his bones had been broken!
In the end, Bones couldn’t make it to South City alive because he couldn’t bear the pain anymore.
This was the worst defeat Scott had faced in ten years.
On the other hand, Levi brought Helena and Iris along with him.
Helena stared at Levi with an expression of gratitude because he turned her from jobless to a superstar.
Besides that, not only did he change her life, but he had also saved her today too.
Because of that, the way Helena looked at Levi was a little different now…
“How did you know I was here?” Iris asked.
This was the second time Levi had saved her, even though he didn’t necessarily do the dirty work.
“Zoey saw that the lights in your room were turned off, so I thought something bad happened to you,” Levi explained.
Iris said somewhat shyly, “Thank you for saving me again.”
She now blushed furiously whenever she saw him.
“If you want to thank someone, thank Zoey instead!”
After that, Levi sent Helena home first. When she got out of the car, she said shyly to Levi, “Levi, I’ll repay you soon for saving me today!”
Meanwhile, in the Rose Gold Manor, South City.
Scott was making some tea while Typhoon sat opposite him and remained silent.
“A monk gave me this packet of tea. I’m reluctant to drink it!” Scott grinned.
However, not only did Typhoon not talk, but his expression also remained stoic as well because nothing could ever faze him anymore.
“Master, we’re in trouble! Something really bad has happened!” An uproar could be heard from outside at that moment.
Scott was displeased. “Why the hell are you making so much noise!”
On the other hand, Typhoon still sat motionless despite the uproar.
“Master, something bad has happened!” Theo, one of Scott’s old butlers, exclaimed in shock.
CHAPTER 465
He had served under Scott for fifty years, so he resembled Scott in demeanor and personality.
Theo was never this anxious before, which meant that they were in very big trouble!
Scott stood up and asked, “Theo, what happened?”
“Master, just take a look for yourself… I-I don’t know how to say this…”
Theo wiped his tears away.
Scott soon realized something terrible must’ve happened, so he rushed out the door.
A lot of South City’s powerful figures crowded in the opening in the middle of the manor.
Corpses were placed in the opening, and they were covered with white cloths.
“What happened?”
Everyone automatically made way for Scott when he arrived.
“Sir, please be strong!” The head of the Suarez family and the Lopez family said while they sobbed uncontrollably.
Scott shut his eyes helplessly when he heard that.
His body trembled, and his outstretched hands hovered around the cloth, reluctant to uncover it.
Typhoon, who stood behind him, stepped forwards and uncovered all seven corpses.
The corpses of Fernand, the three Mighty Generals, Sebastian, and Zachary were revealed.
The Suarez family and the Lopez family had already wept for quite some time, but that wasn’t the case for Scott.
Thud!
Scott felt as if his head were about to explode when he saw the body of his stepson’s and his subordinates.
He broke down completely at that moment.
That was the saddest day in the fifty years of his life.
He hadn’t killed anyone for thirty years already, but now a pang of bloodlust struck him.
When Typhoon saw his three partners’ bodies, he squinted and exuded an overwhelming menacing aura.
Everyone could feel the temperature dropping sharply, and they unwittingly shuddered.
Everyone knew something terrible was about to happen!
From this day onwards, peace will not visit Quebec again.
Even God can’t save the people who did this to Scott!
Scott never expected that the three Mighty Generals, along with his beloved stepson, to die.
Scott didn’t have any children, and his best friend had died to save Fernand, so Scott had always treated Fernand like his own son.
His heart ached now that Fernand was dead.
“My brother, I couldn’t protect your son! It’s all my fault!” Scott screamed to the heavens.
“Master, what should we do now? You need to take charge. If not, the Morris Group will rule over Quebec!”
Scott bellowed in rage, “Theo, tell this to everyone. Prepare the funerals in three days because I want to send my son and my brothers off with honor! I want everyone in Quebec to know about this funeral!”
“Understood, Master!”
“Secondly, gather all our former subordinates and reinstate them in three days! Thirdly, inform my twenty-four disciples to come to South City with all their men!”
Everyone shuddered when they heard Scott’s commands.
There were thirteen cities in Quebec, and all except North Hampton were under Scott’s rule.
The remaining twelve cities were ruled by Scott’s former subordinates or disciples, but they had gone on their own ways since his retirement thirty years ago.
Despite that, Scott commanded them to gather within three days to head towards North Hampton and ravage the Morris Group.
No one could imagine what kind of chaos would unfold, but they knew Morris Group was doomed for sure!
As soon as the news broke, everyone in Quebec went into a frenzy.
Everyone from the upper class society to the underworld were shocked!
Mr. Yates is already causing great commotion the moment he came out of retirement after thirty years.
Gathering his former troops and his disciples?
The guy must be out of his mind!
Something big happened at Quebec!
Mr. Yates had been angered!
Everyone from the underworld from all thirteen cities in Quebec gathered up their men and headed towards South City as soon as the news broke.
It was a terrifying scene to see busloads of men being sent to South City.
Not only that, but Scott’s disciples also were scattered throughout the thirteen cities, and were engaged in various types of occupations.
They gathered their forces to prepare for the funeral in three days.
Someone estimated that they would be able to gather at least tens of thousands of people in three days!
Once again, everyone was shocked!
Scott Yates is the real king of Quebec!
Even after retiring for thirty years, he barely had to lift a finger to gather an army!
Everyone in Quebec was aware of his actions.
Even if South City turned a blind eye, it would be hard to deal with Mr. Yates if he is provoked.
As long as they don’t cause any civil unrest, they were free to organize the funeral however they want.
At Mount Amethyst.
Scott and Typhoon sat opposite of each other.
Typhoon looked calm and collected as usual, as if he had ceased to concern himself with worldly affairs.
As for Scott, his hair turned white overnight, making him look old and aged.
“Master, people from all thirteen cities in Quebec have gathered. We have eleven thousand people thus far. Not only that, your disciples from several provinces nearby are also on their way. I estimate we will have thirteen thousand people in all,” Theo reported.
Scott nodded in acknowledgement.
His gaze landed on Typhoon and said, “In the past, I’ve always tried to quell your bloodthirstiness because I didn’t want you to be inhumane and ended up like a beast!”
Typhoon kept quiet. His bloodthirstiness had indeed toned down over the past thirty years.
“But now, someone is forcing our hand. Typhoon, it’s time to pick up your sword again. I want you to start killing! As many as possible!” Scott said viciously.
Theo, who was at the side shuddered at his tone.
This was the first time Scott had asked Typhoon to go on a killing spree.
In the past, he was worried that Typhoon would kill too many people. However, he was asking Typhoon to kill as many as he could now.
This was enough indication to show Scott’s fury.
The death of Fernand and the others had struck a nerve within him.
Typhoon lifted his eyes and said hoarsely, “I will make everyone in North Hampton join them! Boom!”
Theo was scared out of his wits that he started to break out in cold sweat.
No one could stop Typhoon if he were to go all out.
This time round, the city streets would surely be bathed in blood!
The number one mass murderer of Quebec will stop at nothing.
God knows how many people would perish by his hands this time round.
Meanwhile, Levi who was in North Hampton flashed a thin smile when he received the news. “Hah, someone dares to gather an army right under my nose? Are they trying to die?”
Azure Dragon and Kirin gave each other a look and exclaimed, “God of War, it didn’t occur to us that Scott would be so powerful. He managed to gather so many people in three days, and the numbers are still growing!”
“He certainly is Quebec’s number one. Compared to him, Jack and Liam seemed too weak! This is what a real boss looked like!” Levi smiled and said.
On the flip side, White Tiger was looking forward to it. He smiled and said, “I heard there’ll be a lot of professionals coming! I can’t wait!”
Others would think that White Tiger was out of his mind if they heard him.
CHAPTER 467
However, everyone who knew him well enough knew that he was a total psycho, not to mention a killing machine.
It’s not like he had never faced tens of thousands of people by himself before.
At that moment, Glenn hastily rushed over.
“Mr. Garrison, this will be tricky. No matter how powerful you are, things will still be dangerous if these people unleash their madness. Tens of thousands of people coming right at us all at once, it feels scary just to think about it.”
Glenn shivered at the thought.
Nonetheless, Levi said in a relaxed manner, “Glenn, prepare a coffin to be sent to the funeral.”
“Huh? What do you mean, Mr. Garrison?”
Glenn was confused.
Wouldn’t sending a coffin to Scott be provoking him?
“What is it? Are you questioning me?” Levi said.
“I wouldn’t dare. I will arrange for it immediately!”
Cold sweat broke out on Glenn’s forehead.
After Glenn left, Levi asked, “Where is the Cavalry Regiment?”
“They’re currently located at the Northwest Great Desert, sir!” Phoenix said.
“I hereby summon the Cavalry Regiment to come to North Hampton tomorrow!” Levi said coldly.
It was at that moment, Azure Dragon and Kirin knew Levi was serious about it this time.
Everyone knew that Levi’s personal army is the invincible Iron Brigade.
However, few were aware that Levi had personally built several small troops which were invincible as well.
For example, the Cavalry Regiment was formed of 18 powerful professionals.
They were the embodiment of destruction.
Once, Levi led the Cavalry Regiment to war. They annihilated twenty thousand people in one night and destroyed a small country with a mere troop of nineteen people.
These eighteen psychos were like a steel knife stabbing right into their enemy’s heart.
It was a taboo to even mention the names of these soldiers in the battlefield.
Because one will not even be aware when their entire barracks got destroyed…
“Also, tell Alfie to start moving! He must be out of shape now after having rested for so long in the South Warzone,” Levi said.
The Dragon Legion and Iron Brigade troops stationed at the South Warzone got really excited as soon as news broke.
They could finally let off steam after holding it in for two or three months!
Alfie quickly gathered everyone.
“Listen up! We have an important mission in three days! Moreover, we will be fighting alongside the God of War!” Alfie shouted.
Boom!
Upon hearing that they would be fighting alongside the supreme God of War, everyone went into a frenzy of excitement.
They were so excited that every single one of them teared up.
This is such a rare opportunity!
“Please don’t embarrass me on the battlefield. I hope we will be able to settle everything without having the God of War and his guards lift a finger!” Alfie yelled at the top of his voice.
“Can you promise me that?”
“Yes!” everyone shouted at the top of their lungs.
“Can we do it?”
“Yes, we can!”
“Let’s all do well in this mission! Show them the Dragon Legion’s wrath! We must let the God of War know we can still be at our best even when we’re out of our element!” Alfie shouted enthusiastically, so much that his voice turned hoarse.
“The Dragon Legion is invincible!”
“The Dragon Legion is invincible!”
…
The outcry of these soldiers shook the heavens and earth!
Everyone in the South Warzone were stunned!
Their ruthlessness is terrifying!
Is something going on since they have been assigned a mission?
Everyone in the South Warzone were trying to find out what was happening.
The Iron Brigade were supposed to be on break. It must be something big since they’re being mobilized!
CHAPTER 468
Inside South Warzone’s commander-in-chief’s office.
The commander-in-chief, vice commanders-in-chief, and a few higher-ups each sat on their seats with their brows tightened.
“Commander-in-chief has no idea what is going on. There’re no battles in Quebec or in the nearby provinces.”
“Yeah. I’ve tried asking Alfie but he said it’s top secret, and instructed personally by the God of War!”
“I wonder what the commotion is about…”
…
A few of them reported.
South Warzone’s commander-in-chief, Mike Pence, sighed, “I’m just worried that the problem is within our territory. I wouldn’t want the God of War to settle it for us when we’re not even aware of it.”
“Report, sir, I think I’ve figured it out!” Captain Mortimer said.
“Well, what is it?”
“Scott Yates from South City has been the talk of the town lately. He has been gathering his old troops and his disciples. I heard that he is planning to invade North Hampton!” said Mortimer.
“Oh, I got it. Scott’s godson and the Mighty Generals have stationed themselves at North Hampton. Now that I think about it, who else in North Hampton can stand against Scott aside from the God of War?” one of the vice commander-in-chief jumped in.
“Do you mean that Scott is going to fight the God of War head on?” Mike asked in surprise.
“Exactly! Scott has gathered his old troops and disciples for the sole reason of having his revenge!”
“I bet he doesn’t know that he will be facing the God of War!” someone else chimed in.
“How presumptuous! How dare he disrespect the God of War?”
“Mortimer, bring your troops to destroy Scott Yates!” The hot-tempered Mike said angrily.
“You must not do that, commander-in-chief! The Dragon Legion are already in the midst of preparation. This means that the God of War wants to deal with Scott personally. We must not overstep our boundaries!” someone else advised.
“That makes sense, but keep an eye out on the situation. Resolve the matter immediately if anything unusual occurs! First division, eighty-ninth division, and the rest of the legions should be prepared for what is to come!” Mike commanded.
“Yes, sir!”
…
There was only one day left before the funeral.
Approximately eight thousand people had gathered at Mount Amethyst, and the numbers were still growing.
Meanwhile, at the meeting hall stood a group of people.
This group of people consisted of the thirteen leaders from Scott’s former troops and about ten of his disciples.
One of them was a guy wearing a gold-rimmed glasses called Garfield Perkins. Not only was he very highly regarded by Scott, but he was also the strongest among Scott’s disciples, the leader of Quebec’s third city, Edge City, and the leader of the underworld.
Moreover, he had been doing business for the past couple of years, increasing his net worth to tens of billions.
“Don’t worry teacher. I will make them pay with their life regardless of their backgrounds or their capabilities!” Garfield said angrily.
“It’s payback time!”
…
A thousand people shouted at the top of their lungs.
Upon seeing that, Scott nodded, pleased.
“Theo, relay my orders. Tell all twenty eight members of the senior management from Morris Group to attend the funeral at Mount Amethyst tomorrow. They are to act as pallbearers, carry out the burial, and kneel at the cemetery for three days and three nights to repent for their sins! Kill anyone who is absent!” Scott instructed.
News soon traveled to Morris Group.
Iris and the rest of the higher-ups were shocked, especially those who had heard the rumor that they were about to be invaded by ten thousand people.
All of a sudden, everyone in Morris Group flew into a panic.
They had gone through many life-threatening situations through years of doing business, but this was the first time someone had threatened them so arrogantly.
CHAPTER 469
“Focus on your work, guys. This has nothing to do with all of you,” Levi couldn’t help but said angrily.
“You’re right. Let’s all just focus on our work!”
Iris immediately felt reassured at the thought of the impressive individual who had rescued her that night.
The next day.
Mount Amethyst was decorated in black and white as rows of flower wreaths were placed by the wall.
The funeral of the century had attracted a lot of attention, where even the sky was gloomy and the atmosphere was tense.
Two man stood in front of the mourning hall.
One of them was Typhoon, looking cold and indifferent.
The other man was Scott, with his bent back and grayish-white hair that made him looked older.
Nevertheless, his eyes shone bright.
He had been in retirement for thirty years now, he was like a ferocious lion who had fallen into a deep slumber.
However, today shall be the day that said ferocious lion awakens.
A lot of people will perish as a consequence of the lion’s awakening.
Inside Mount Amethyst’s vast space stood South City’s elites who came to pay their respect with thirteen thousand people gathered behind them.
Everyone was dressed in a black suit with a white flower pinned to their lapel, and a white headband.
It was a majestic sight.
No one else in the entire of Quebec could gather a crowd this big.
To gather thirteen thousand people in three days.
That was the power of Scott Yates.
Everyone in Quebec called him ‘sir’.
Angering him was equivalent to angering the heavens.
All the powerful families in South City were afraid of him.
A lot of people thought that Scott had lost his touch during his retirement period.
Some even thought he could be replaced by Sebastian Lopez.
But now, it looked like the joke’s on them.
For who could stand against the omnipotent Scott Yates now?
And who could replace him?
Scott straightened the white flower on his lapel and said, “Heh, I didn’t think I’d be meeting all of you in such an occasion. I’d like to thank everyone who came to send my three brothers and my godson off! Thank you!”
Scott bowed.
Seeing their leader bow down agitated all thirteen thousand people as anger rose in their hearts.
“Sir…Sir…” everyone shouted emotionally.
“I’m supposed to be retired, but some outsiders provoked Quebec repeatedly, took over our territory and our property, and even massacred our people. They’re robbing our lives!”
“Today, I, Scott Yates, hereby declare that I will strike down Morris Group with everything I have!” Scott exclaimed in a loud voice.
“Strike them down! Strike them down!”
“An eye for an eye! An eye for an eye!”
The battle cries of these people shook the heavens.
Surely this was enough to make everyone in Quebec tremble in fear!
He was too strong!
Anyone who stood in Scott Yates’ way shall be eliminated!
“Sir, we have ten more minutes before the funeral starts, all that’s left now is Morris Group.” Theo reminded.
Scott nodded.
“Teacher, what shall we do if the people from Morris Group is absent?” Garfield asked.
A gleam flashed through Scott’s eyes as he replied, “Then we will mow Morris Group to the ground and drag the whole of North Hampton down to hell!”
“Understood, teacher. I’d be willing to join the vanguard forces!” Garfield took the initiative to volunteer.
“Excellent!” Scott was pleased. He loved this side of Garfield.
“The people from Morris Group has arrived!”
At this moment, a loud voice sounded.
Crash!
Everyone turned to look at the entrance and were dumbfounded with what they saw.
CHAPTER 470
What they saw were four men marching in carrying a coffin.
Clearly, they were trying to provoke Scott by attending the funeral with a coffin in tow.
Everyone felt fury pulsed through their veins!
All they wanted at that moment was to shred these four men into pieces.
Scott calmed everyone down with a wave of his hand.
They watched on in anger as the four men marched to the vast land in front.
Bang!
The coffin landed heavily on the ground.
“Greetings, Mr. Yates, I’m here to relay a message from the Master of Morris Group!” the leader of the four men said.
“Who do you think you are?” Garfield said angrily.
Since when can some nobody speak to my Godfather directly?
“Never mind, let him speak!” Scott said.
“He hopes Mr. Yates can experience this moment every year from now on!”
“Gasp!”
Silence filled the air the moment those words left his lips as everyone held their breath.
This is unbelievable!
To say something like that at a funeral is the worst curse of all!
“Godfather, I will lead a troop of people to North Hampton right this instance and dye the streets in blood! I want to tear everyone from Morris Group into pieces!”
Garfield was furious.
Scott’s former troops and his disciples were also boiling with anger.
“Tear them into pieces!”
Everyone below could not contain their anger as well. Their actions mimicked a beast who had been freed from its cage.
“Hahaha…” Scott burst into laughter instead.
Even Typhoon smiled.
And it was the rarest of sight.
The reason behind Scott’s laughter was because it was the first time he had met such an impudent fool after ruling for so many years.
I have really seen it all now!
“The younger generation these days sure is cocky!” Scott chuckled.
“Mr. Yates, this coffin is for you! He said you’ll need it sooner or later!” one of the pallbearer spoke up.
Boom!
Garfield and the rest of the guests were furious. Their fists were balled tight as their eyes filled with rage.
They couldn’t stand the incessant provocations from Morris Group anymore!
Their actions were enough to have anyone and everyone to have the urge to tear Morris Group into pieces!
“Damn it! Damn it all to hell!” Theo said through gritted teeth.
How could they be so cruel?
“Morris Group is pushing it too far! How dare they provoke us like that? They showed no respect to Sir at all!”
Garfield balled his fists tightly. He could no longer hold back his murderous intent.
Swoosh!
Someone from the crowd couldn’t hold it in anymore. He rushed forward with his sword pointed at the four pallbearers.
“I’m going to kill all of you!”
He swung his sword at them.
Bang!
However, a huge force knocked the sword out of his hand and broke it in half.
“Stand down! Let them leave!” Scott said coldly.
Typhoon was the one who had broken the sword in half with just a small stone.
It was a terrifying display of his capability.
In the end, the four pallbearers left.
Scott tried to suppress his anger as he said, “Let’s proceed with the funeral! Send my brother and my son off on their final journey!”
“Rest in peace!”
“Rest in peace”
…
Everyone emptied the glass of wine they had on hand.
Crack!
Crack!
…
After that, everyone smashed the wine glass on the floor. It was a spectacular sight to see thousands of people doing it together.
“Sir, should we lower the casket now?” Theo asked.
“No, the leader of Morris Group must be the one to carry and lower the casket!”
“Let’s head to North Hampton right this instance. I’m going to turn North Hampton into a living hell!” Scott cried out.
“To war with North Hampton! To war with North Hampton! To war with North Hampton!” Over ten thousand men chanted fervidly. Every one of them filled with anger and itching to vent their fury.
Equipped with swords, they each also had a white flower pinned on their chests and a white band tied around their heads.
And they were all ready to march.
The Suarez family, the Lopez family, and all the other famous families knew that Scott was going all out this time.
However, it would not achieve anything other than Scott’s death.
Before it came to that, Scott may have flattened North Hampton and taken revenge on the Morris Group.
“Split into ten groups and head for North Hampton! Men, carry the coffins of my brothers and my sons! And don’t forget the one that he sent us. Let’s march!” Scott commanded.
Ten thousand men spread out into ten groups and marched zealously towards North Hampton.
Scott and Typhoon personally led a group. Together with Theo and Garfield, they formed the vanguard.
Five coffins followed them with another three thousand men behind.
They were all marching towards North Hampton.
The scene was a magnificent yet terrifying one. They were prepared to kill anyone who stood in their way.
It would be wise for anyone who ran into them to hide.
Even South City didn’t dare stand in their way despite being aware of their plans.
Simply because this was a group of fanatics, and there was no stopping them.
Whoever that tried would have to pay a heavy price.
Furthermore, they didn’t receive any communications from North Hampton. Hence, it would be unwise to take any action on their own.
The other nine groups went in vehicles, forming a large convoy towards North Hampton.
Their mission was simple. Before Scott arrived, they would need to take North Hampton.
Ideally, that would include defeating the Morris Group and presenting Scott with the head of their leader.
Everyone in Quebec was aware of Scott’s massive action.
All the powerful families in South City began to hide, afraid of being dragged into the fight.
There were thirteen thousand men, and the situation was extremely chaotic.
The other cities in Quebec trembled in fear, anxious that war would spread to their territories.
No one knew how it was going to turn out.
Everyone prayed for the safety of North Hampton as it would soon become hell on earth.
This group of madmen would unleash maximum bloodshed.
Whoever that was related to the Morris Group would not escape their clutches.
By now, North Hampton had heard the news.
Nueve, Trey, and the others were terrified.
Compared to what Scott had, they were defenseless.
Scott is being ruthless!
Is he really going all out?
When Jesse heard the news, he quickly checked with Percy to see if they needed to take any countermeasures.
Yet, Percy’s answer was simple. As long as that person was around, they should just do whatever was required.
Only then was Jesse’s mind put at ease.
Or else they wouldn’t even be able to have the meeting.
If the matter escalated, there was no way he could hide.
As Scott led his troops through the narrow roads, the three thousand men in the funeral garb scared everyone they passed by.
No one spoke the whole journey there.
Even when they traversed through the hills, the troop maintained its formation.
After all, they were Scott’s elite soldiers.
“Sir, we are an hour away from North Hampton,” Theo reported.
“Alright, press on!” Scott coldly commanded.
After marching some time, Typhoon noticed something immediately.
Stopping in his tracks, he scouted ahead.
There was an SUV parked not far from where they were.
A man was sitting inside.
“Scott, I have been waiting for you a long time!” the man declared with a smile.
It was Levi!
CHAPTER 472
Beside him stood three men – Kirin, Azure Dragon, and White Tiger.
White Tiger looked at the three thousand men in front of him in anticipation.
Seeing them, Scott waved for his troop to stop.
“Have you been waiting for me?” Scott asked.
“That’s right,” Levi replied, puffing his cigarette.
“Are you the leader of the Morris Group?”
“Of course.”
Scott was shocked to see how young Levi was.
“This is unexpected. I thought you would be a lot older,” Scott lamented.
When Levi caught a glimpse of the coffin they were carrying, he laughed. “It appears you are well aware of the current situation. You even brought your own coffin to prepare for your death.”
“Hmph, I prepared it for you!” Scott snorted.
Levi chuckled. “I’m sorry, I’m still young. Unlike you, it’s going to be a long time before I became dust.”
“You…”
Scott was no match for Levi when it came to taunting opponents.
The next moment, he changed the subject. As his eyes sparkled, he exclaimed, “Who is the one who killed my brothers and godson? Step out now!”
White Tiger acknowledged with a smile, “It’s me, but you don’t deserve to know my name!”
White Tiger was right.
Despite how high Scott’s position was, White Tiger only cared about actual fighting strength. Therefore, Scott had no right to know who he was.
“Very well, do the four of you plan to stand against three thousands of us?” Scott sneered.
White Tiger chuckled in reply, “I’m sorry, it will only be me alone.”
“How dare you!”
Boom!
Suddenly, Garfield and his ten best men charged forward in unison.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Eleven swords glistened in the sun as they were thrust at White Tiger’s vital organs.
Meanwhile, White Tiger calmly tore off a piece of clothing and covered his mouth.
He wanted to protect his mouth from the blood that was going to be splattered.
“Enough of your tricks!”
With a quick dash, Garfield thrust his sword towards White Tiger’s throat.
Clang!
However, White Tiger’s reflexes were as fast as lightning. He grabbed Garfield’s wrist and turned the sword in Garfield’s direction.
“Ugh!”
In a blink of an eye, the sword pierced through Garfield’s body.
He collapsed to the ground with disbelief written all over his face.
The next moment, the ten elite warriors attacked simultaneously.
But White Tiger managed to use his clothes to bind all ten blades together.
Jumping into the air, he kicked four to five of them away while finishing the rest with a single punch each.
Blood splattered everywhere.
In less than ten seconds, all ten men had fallen.
It was a spectacular sight!
Scott was impressed by what he saw.
This man is really strong!
Everyone knew the reason Garfield was the top dog at Edge City was due to his unrivaled strength. Even his ten subordinates were equally invincible.
However, no one expected them to be disposed of in mere seconds.
Scott and Theo now understood why Bones and Golem died.
They were no match for their enemy.
“No matter how strong you are, can you withstand the force of the three thousand men behind me?” Scott scowled.
Typhoon stopped him and declared, “Let me have a go at him first!”
They were shocked to see Typhoon’s expression.
He looked like a beast that had not seen any victims in a long time. Both his eyes gleamed in a terrifying manner as if he were eyeing his prey.
Boom!
Just then, Typhoon emitted a frightening burst of energy that blasted the dust and leaves around him away.
At that moment, everyone noticed the stench of blood that permeated the air.
They knew the butcher within Typhoon was back, who enjoyed killing for pleasure and sport.
Despite retiring for thirty years, his strength continued to grow.
Licking his lips, Typhoon glared at White Tiger as if he was his prey.
CHAPTER 473
He began to approach White Tiger slowly.
Despite his slow steps, every stride covered tens of meters in distance.
He managed to close the distance of over a hundred meters in a blink of an eye.
“My brothers-in-arms! Listen to me! Tear the other three men limb by limb!” Scott commanded.
Owooooo…
At that moment, the howl of wolves broke the silence of the forest.
Everyone looked around in shock as they saw wolves emerge from both sides of the forest.
Their bodies were much bigger than that of ordinary wolves.
There were nine on the left and another nine on the right.
What made the sight more terrifying was that each wolf had a man riding on top. They were dressed in black with a mask covering their faces. All that could be seen were their bloodthirsty eyes.
These eighteen men had crossbows and guns slung behind their backs. In their hands, were grenades, military blades, daggers, and other types of advanced weaponry.
They formed the Cavalry Regiment of the God of War and were the nightmare of enemies on the battlefield.
Every single one of them could defeat a thousand men.
At the sight of all eighteen men, the morale of the three thousand men was sapped.
Confusion started to reign among them as they looked towards their sides.
Since when do men ride on wolves? We have never heard of it before.
“What are you panicking for? Attack!” Scott bellowed.
“Remember, kill everyone who stands in your way!”
Scott’s encouragement managed to set alight the flames of his men’s fighting spirit.
With three thousand men, there’s no need for them to be afraid.
Could this eighteen men really stop them?
Owooooo…
At that moment, all the wolves let out a long howl before commencing their attack.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
As all eighteen wolves charged down the hills, the ground rumbled with a thunderous roar.
Smashing into the three thousand troops, the wolves easily mowed down many of them, throwing the troops into disarray.
“Argh!” Cries of agony were heard throughout.
Meanwhile, the other nine groups of Scott’s men were fast approaching North Hampton.
Screech!
Suddenly, the lead car jammed its brakes and caused the whole convoy to stop.
There was a group of men standing right in front, they were all dressed in the same uniform.
They wore military green tank tops, similarly colored pants, and black battle boots.
However, they were all unarmed and were obviously the Dragon Legion under Alfie’s command.
They, too, were split into nine battalions to stop the enemy.
Alfie’s orders to them were simple – it was to complete the mission with their bare hands.
It caused the beast-like group to cheer fervently as they had not battled in months.
Despite seeing Alfie’s troops, Scott’s men were not deterred.
“How dare they block our way unarmed. Brother-in-arms, let’s kill them all!”
As Scott’s men drew their swords, they marched towards Alfie and his troops.
From their perspective, it didn’t matter how well Alfie’s men could fight. Bare fists could never beat cold steel.
Today, they were about to be chopped into minced meat. It would be the same for all the other eight groups.
As all of Alfie’s men attacked, both sides quickly clashed.
Soon, cries of anguish filled the air.
Meanwhile, Typhoon had reached within five meters of White Tiger.
Boom!
Suddenly, Typhoon picked up speed and charged forward, generating a blast of air behind him.
The leaves on the ground were blown back while two deep-set footprints could be seen where he just stood.
Swoosh!
Coming out of nowhere, a black and gold dagger emerged in his hands.
Boom!
The moment the dagger appeared, it set off a strong gale. The wind would sting anyone it came into contact with, as it could cut like a blade.
Typhoon’s form was perfect in terms of its angle, power, and speed when he thrust his dagger forward.
He resolutely wanted his strike to draw blood.
CHAPTER 474
Meanwhile, White Tiger’s blood boiled with excitement when he saw how fearsome his enemy’s attack was.
He didn’t expect the underworld to have someone so powerful left.
The attack came in a flash.
White Tiger bent backward so much that he almost touched the ground. With that, he was able to avoid the strike.
Swoosh!
Crack!
Typhoon’s knife missed and pierced the tree trunk behind him that was as thick as a man’s waist.
Suddenly, the tree cracked from the top to the bottom before exploding into smithereens, sending pieces of tree bark flying everywhere.
It was an extremely terrifying sight!
No wonder he was known as the greatest warrior in Quebec!
However, White Tiger only responded with a smile. “That’s pretty impressive. Now it’s my turn!”
With that, he lunged forward with a single punch.
At the same moment, Typhoon countered with his dagger.
Crack!
Somehow, White Tiger caught the dagger between his fingers and smashed his fist into Typhoon’s body.
Boom!
Upon impact, Typhoon was sent flying backward and crashed into a large tree.
Before he could pick himself up, White Tiger was upon him.
Bang!
He smashed another punch into Typhoon’s face.
Ooof!
Blood started to ooze out of Typhoon’s mouth.
He tried to counter but was held down by White Tiger, who gave him no room to maneuver.
Bang!
With Typhoon pinned, White Tiger pounded his fists repeatedly, just like a piledriver.
After more than twenty consecutive punches, Typhoon was covered in blood and no longer breathing.
It was a gruesome sight.
Scott and Theo’s eyes widened so wide as if they could pop out anytime.
Was the gap in strength so big that Typhoon had no chance to defend himself?
Typhoon was the best warrior in Quebec. What sort of madness is this?
It simply didn’t make any sense!
They were now aware of why the Morris Group acted with such impudence.
With so many formidable characters among them, they definitely deserved to behave that way.
If only Scott had as many powerful subordinates as possible under his command, all the surrounding territories would be his. He wouldn’t just be ruling over Quebec.
When they turned to check on the battle behind them, Scott and Theo gaped.
They had expected an easy victory given the overwhelming odds of three thousand men against eighteen.
However, they were not prepared for what they saw. The ground was strewn with their men.
The three thousand men were slaughtered into disarray by the eighteen wolf riders, who were unstoppable.
All their men were fleeing, as no one had any courage left to fight.
The Cavalry Regiment’s attack was so devastating that it felt like the Gods were punishing man.
No ordinary man was able to withstand God’s judgment.
The Cavalry Regiment was the equivalent of nuclear weapons on the battlefield.
Against such a weak enemy, they seemed to be in excessive use of power.
Three thousand men were simply too few to provide a challenge. Thirty thousand men would have stood a better chance.
Back to the other nine groups.
When Scott’s subordinates clashed with Alfie’s men, they realized they had misjudged the enemy.
These people are mad! They’re too strong for us!
In their twenty years of fighting, they had never met such a formidable foe.
In a blink of an eye, the formations of the other nine groups were broken up. All of Scott’s subordinates collapsed on the ground while grimacing in pain.
All it took was two minutes to finish them off.
Thirteen thousand men were routed in a very short duration.
No one had expected such an outcome.
In their eyes, Scott was invincible. However, in the face of true strength, they couldn’t even last more than three minutes.
At that moment, Scott was dumbfounded when he realized Typhoon was dead and all three thousand of his elite troops had been routed.
What else did he have left? Nothing at all.
“Sir, the other nine groups have reported that they have been defeated! We’re finished. Everything is lost!” Even Theo was almost in tears.
CHAPTER 475
Scott closed his eyes in despair.
It’s all gone!
They had not expected such a swift ending.
The coffin they carried was indeed meant for him.
“Your biggest mistake was to attack North Hampton, or else you would still be able to live.”
Scott was jolted when he heard Levi’s voice.
Opening his eyes, he asked Levi, “Before I die, can you tell me your identity?”
Suddenly, Theo interrupted with a trembling voice, “Sir… I know who they are!”
“What?” Scott asked.
“It’s North Hampton! Who can’t we afford to offend in North Hampton?” Theo reminded.
When Scott saw the wolf riders, he exclaimed, “Are those the infamous Cavalry Regiment? Does that mean he’s… the God of War!”
Scott caught his breath as he mentioned the name of the supreme warrior.
He had not expected it at all.
It was no wonder that the head of the Morris Group was a mystery, and no information could be found about him.
The only rumor they heard was that no one knew where he was from.
It didn’t matter, since he was the legend himself.
Instantly, Scott was filled with regret.
He despised the fact that Sebastian had provoked him to lead his army out.
Finally, the incident that had caused so much panic dissipated just like that, and no one was the wiser.
There were many rumors that perceived the incident as a fabrication. Scott had never gathered ten thousand men in the first place.
No such thing ever happened.
Nevertheless, one rumor was absolutely true. Scott had disappeared.
Overnight, Quebec’s underworld was wiped out.
Something that couldn’t be done over more than ten years was accomplished within one night.
The masses were cheering in joy.
After all, Scott and his men were like parasites, and they had continuously terrorized the populace.
When Levi had men investigate Scott’s assets, it came up to over a hundred billion.
He ordered all the money to be used for charity. Whoever dared to abuse it, he would personally hold them accountable.
With that, the populace cheered the decision.
Such a popular decision would certainly increase the cohesion within the city’s residents.
Now, the Morris Group’s objective was to continue developing North Hampton and spend the funds for the benefit of the populace.
Meanwhile, Jesse asked Levi if he was interested to go to South City and develop Quebec.
However, Levi rejected him for the time being as he still wanted to stay by Zoey’s side.
He had told his wife that he wished to give her the future she wanted.
Therefore, he would only move to South City if that were what Zoey longed for.
After the battle, South City and all the other cities’ family-run industries operated in peace.
Everyone was aware that North Hampton was untouchable, and therefore no one dared to attack it.
If they did go there, it would be to develop North Hampton first while profits were secondary.
Hence, the development of North Hampton accelerated very quickly.
One day, Azure Dragon went to see Levi.
“Do you still remember Scott’s hundred billion worth in assets?” Azure Dragon asked.
“I do. What about it? Did someone abuse the funds?” Levi frowned as he asked.
Azure Dragon shook his head, “It’s actually worse. Someone discreetly acquired the company’s assets. The eighty billion that was meant to be invested in public charities are all gone!”
“What? How did that happen? Did someone secretly siphon the money out?” Levi exclaimed in shock.
How could the funds I had specifically earmarked encounter such a problem?
“Have you investigated it thoroughly?” Levi inquired.
“More or less. The one responsible is the largest company in Quebec, the Triple Group from Keerea. They acquired the company and accessed the eighty billion!” Azure Dragon explained.
“How dare they do something like that right under my nose? Are they looking for trouble?” Levi fumed.
Levi realized that these foreigners were accorded many special benefits in Erudia.
Meanwhile, his own countrymen didn’t get any special privileges.
“It’s not going to be easy. The Triple Group contributes a significant portion of Quebec’s GDP and creates a lot of job opportunities. Therefore, they are allowed to act with impunity as the local government turns a blind eye to their actions. In fact, the government is going to introduce many policies that favor their business.” Azure Dragon explained.
“What does South City have to say about it?” Levi inquired.
“South City is not keen on pursuing the matter and has agreed with their actions. They said that the Triple Group has promised to increase their contributions towards public welfare and charity.” Azure Dragon sighed.
Bang!
Suddenly, Levi slammed the table forcefully.
“This is unacceptable! How can the great Erudia be manipulated by a foreign company? Why do we allow them to dictate what we do?” Levi thundered.
Azure Dragon was caught by surprise at how angry Levi was.
“Tell South City to deal with this immediately!” Levi barked.
“Alright, I understand.”
Levi was aware that Scott’s assets were very valuable, and many parties had their eye on it ever since Scott’s demise.
The Suarez family and the Lopez family knew the truth about what happened, so they stayed away.
However, the Triple Group didn’t and did whatever they wanted due to their powerful position as a foreign company.
They used about a billion to acquire an asset worth a hundred billion.
That came up to a profit of eighty billion!
Perhaps South City could tolerate the issue, but it was unacceptable to Levi.
The funds were supposed to be used for good; hence, whoever dared touch it would feel his wrath.
With that, Azure Dragon was sent to South City to deal with the problem.
Meanwhile, Levi arrived at Oriental Star Group to meet with Zoey and was told that Zoey was in the midst of discussing a collaboration.
Outside the meeting room, Gerry related to Levi in delight, “Mr. Garrison, the stars, which we have groomed – Helena and Maurice, are now wildly popular. The Triple Group invites us to form a collaboration today. They want Helena to be their product spokesperson, and I heard her fee would go up to a billion! Also, this is only the beginning. There are plans for a series of projects later on.”
The more Gerry shared, the more excited he became.
When Levi heard that the Triple Group was involved, he frowned.
“Did you mean the Triple Group from South City?” He asked.
“That’s right!”
After a short while, the negotiations for the partnership were complete.
The groundwork for the collaboration had been laid. What came next was the discussion on price and the signing of the contract.
Zoey was all smiles.
Ever since their two blockbuster movies, the number of companies who wanted Helena to be their spokesperson or attend their commercial events increased significantly.
Even the contract with the Triple Group was worth more than a hundred million.
The Oriental group had opened the door for them to make it big in the entertainment industry.
Helena and the other stars’ value jumped many-fold.
“Ms. Lopez, If there aren’t any unforeseen issues, we will sign the contract tomorrow. I have run this through our big boss, and he has agreed to all your conditions.” Horace confirmed with a smile.
Horace from Triple Group was responsible for the negotiations.
“Alright, no problem!” Zoey nodded in agreement.
When she returned to her office, Levi asked, “Are they signing a spokeswoman to showcase their electronic products?”
Everyone knew that the Triple Group’s electronic products were top-notch.
Zoey shook her head. “No, the electronic products will come later. They are signing Helena now for a charity event.”
“What? A charity event?” Levi furrowed his eyebrows and could feel something wasn’t right.
CHAPTER 477
“That’s right. The Triple Group plans to organize a charity event in South City. They have invited many celebrities and prominent figures to the event. In fact, if Helena participates in it, she will receive a handsome appearance fee.”
“The Triple Group is being very generous this time. I hear that they will be donating ten billion to charity, and it’s an impressive amount of money. It’s rare to find companies that do good now.” Zoey couldn’t help but sigh.
“It’s all a sham! How shameless can they be!” Levi fumed as soon as he understood what was going on.
Zoey was shocked at his reaction.
The Triple Group was devious. They took away eight hundred billion initially earmarked for charity and only used about ten billion from it to placate South City by organizing a charity event.
What was even more infuriating was the fact that they organized it under the Triple Group’s name and invited A-list celebrities to further bolster their reputation.
They were just promoting the Triple Group’s brand under the pretext of charity.
The benefits they stood to gain were worth more than ten billion.
It was simply despicable.
“Honey, don’t sign the contract tomorrow!” Levi demanded.
Zoey was puzzled. “Huh? Why?”
“Honey, do you know why Triple Group wants to donate to charity?” Levi asked.
“To elevate their image in society as a caring organization?” Zoey replied.
“No! The Triple Group needs to fulfill the requirement that South City has set for them. Before this, they had gained access to a hundred billion worth of charity funds…” Levi related the whole incident to Zoey.
“Why don’t you get it back instead?” Zoey questioned.
Levi smiled wryly. “Firstly, the Triple Group acted swiftly. Even though the funds were earmarked for public welfare, they managed to acquire the company discreetly. Secondly, South City turns a blind eye to their actions as long as they continue expanding there.”
“They’re really despicable. These bloodsuckers pretend to be a company that cares despite having stolen the hard-earned money from the poor. It’s just a charade, damn them!”
“In that case, I won’t sign the contract. I don’t want their dirty money!” Zoey raged.
Although she usually tolerated common business practices, this was something too big for her to ignore. Therefore, she was firm in her decision.
“Mm, that’s my wife for you!” Levi complimented Zoey with a thumbs-up.
On his way out of the company, Levi bumped into Helena and the others.
They were polite with Levi as they acknowledged him as their benefactor.
Without him, they would still be making two to three thousand a month and living in a dark basement.
They would definitely not have the opportunity to live a life that allowed them to sign a contract worth tens of millions.
However, Maurice’s attitude seemed to have changed. He reminded Levi, “Mr. Garrison, now that the four of us are famous, I hope that you won’t share with others the fact that we used to work in sales. To us, that was a shameful part of our lives.”
Meanwhile, Helena tried to push him away, but Maurice was adamant. He added, “We will definitely give you an incentive fee. Why don’t you tell us how much you want, and I’ll get someone to pay you? After that, we will pretend that we don’t know one another. If you let our secret out, I will definitely make you pay!”
It was common knowledge in the company that Maurice was full of himself ever since he became successful. He did not respect anyone else anymore.
“Incentive fee? Fine, give me ten billion then!” Levi replied.
CHAPTER 478
Everyone was stunned to hear Levi’s demands.
Maurice looked at Levi in disbelief. “You’re really greedy! I’m warning you not to go overboard!”
Levi ignored him and left.
“Why is he like that?” Maurice fumed.
Helena admonished him, “Maurice, how can you speak to him so rudely? Mr. Garrison is our benefactor!”
“Hmph, I admit we do owe him. But the reason I’m popular now is because of my own efforts and acting skills. He probably contributed about ten percent of our success. That’s why I wanted to give him some money to repay his kindness. Instead, he wanted to take advantage of me!” Maurice sneered.
Helena glared at him before she left, fuming.
In life, there were many people who became famous or rich overnight.
It was hard to stay grounded as most people couldn’t help but let success get to their heads.
After Maurice became famous overnight, his attitude changed significantly.
He didn’t care for his old friends and broke up with his girlfriend of seven years.
In the office, he would always put on airs. Other than Zoey, he would not treat anyone else with respect.
To the extent that he accepted private jobs for additional income.
Rumor had it that his personal life was also in a mess.
Zoey was now aware of his behavior.
“Are you not going to do something about him?” Levi asked.
“Given that the two movies are doing very well. We can only turn a blind eye for now,” Zoey replied with a helpless expression.
Suddenly, her tone changed. “However, he has gone overboard. He and Helena were supposed to be paid a few hundred thousand for acting in the films. But, when he saw how popular the movie became, he demanded a bonus of at least ten million. Or a salary of at least twenty million for his next film.”
“To be honest, he really is very popular and well worth the money. By the way, what about Helena?” Levi asked.
Zoey responded with a smile. “Helena and the rest are really grateful and have left all the decisions to the company. Their attitude hasn’t changed much despite their success.”
“That’s very good!” Levi laughed.
The next day, Triple Group’s representative, Horace, came to continue the negotiations.
Maurice and Helena were also present.
Being the spokesperson, Maurice was feeling excited. Once the contract was signed, he would receive over ten million as spokesperson fees.
He had planned to buy a mansion and luxury car with the money.
Everyone waited in the meeting room until Zoey arrived.
“Ms. Lopez, if you don’t have any issues, please sign the contract,” Horace suggested with a smile.
Smiling back at him knowingly, Zoey replied, “I’m sorry Mr. Waller, I won’t be signing it today.”
What!
Zoey’s decision was as shocking as being struck by lightning. Everyone in the room was stunned as they looked at her in disbelief.
Didn’t everything go well yesterday?
The Triple Group is being very generous with a hundred million worth of spokesperson fees.
Why did she change her mind?
Before Gerry and the others could respond, Maurice couldn’t sit still anymore.
“Ms. Lopez, why? Where else can we find a collaboration like that? Of all the recent offers we received from other companies, the Triple Group has given us the best terms.” Maurice stared at Zoey in disbelief.
Levi, who was sitting beside, sneered, “The management has decided not to sign it. Are you doubting the management’s decision?”
“You… I…”
Maurice was dumbfounded at Levi’s challenge.
No matter how arrogant he got, he realized that he was still dependent on Zoey.
“Why don’t you keep quiet as Ms. Lopez has her reasons!” Helena and her colleagues held Maurice back.
CHAPTER 479
Maurice was now becoming increasingly arrogant. During the management meeting, he insisted on interrupting.
He was upset but forced himself to suppress his anger.
Meanwhile, Gerry questioned, “Ms. Lopez, what happened? We didn’t hold a meeting to discuss this, so why are we rejecting the contract now?”
All the other members of management were puzzled.
Horace too inquired with a smile, “Ms. Lopez, may I know what the problem is? Weren’t we clearly on the same page yesterday? Why are you going back on your word today?”
Just then, Maurice couldn’t help but interrupt, “That’s right. Ms. Lopez, your decision shows that you are untrustworthy. You can’t let your personal agenda affect how you run the company. As actors, credibility is important to us too. Even if you are the boss, you can’t diss us like that!”
“Know your place!” Zoey bellowed suddenly, shocking everyone present.
“The company management is having a meeting. Since when do you have the right to speak? You are becoming increasingly presumptuous!” Zoey snarled as she couldn’t tolerate Maurice’s behavior anymore.
Meanwhile, Levi was secretly gloating.
Despite his wife’s gentle demeanor, she would snap back when cornered.
“I’m sorry, Ms. Lopez.” Maurice apologized and hung his head in silence.
He was utterly embarrassed after being admonished by Zoey in front of everyone.
As it was the most humiliating moment of his life, all he felt was anger.
Clenching both his fists tightly, he promised himself, “Zoey and Levi, just you wait. I’ll have my revenge!”
Zoey explained to Horace, “Mr. Waller, I did some research last night and realized that your company is not being honest. The charity gala you are organizing is a sham!”
Hearing that, Horace’s expression darkened.
Does Zoey know the truth?
“Therefore, I won’t participate in an event that goes against my conscience. I also won’t allow my employees to do the same too. Hence, I won’t sign the contract because I’m worried such a despicable matter would negatively impact Oriental’s reputation!” Zoey scoffed.
Horace sniggered, “Very well, it’s just a bunch of celebrities. It’s a joke that you think I can’t find them elsewhere. Next time, don’t expect to ever work with the Triple Group again!”
Fuming, Horace prepared to leave.
“I would like to give your company some advice. If you keep taking advantage of other people, karma will come for you! Especially when it involves a hundred billion. Do you know how many people that hard-earned money belongs to?” Zoey warned.
“You…”
Further infuriated, Horace slammed the door as he left.
Meanwhile, there was silence in the meeting room.
Everyone looked at Zoey with a puzzled expression.
“Alright, all those who are the management, please stay back. The rest, you are dismissed.” Zoey instructed.
She wanted to explain to the rest of the management the reason she didn’t sign the contract.
Since it involved the secrets of the Triple Group, she didn’t want too many people to know as it might put their lives in danger.
Maurice then left with dissatisfaction written all over his face.
Once outside, Helena asked in a low voice, “What do you think the reason was for Ms. Lopez to reject the contract?”
“I’m sure she has her reasons. I think it’s a good idea we didn’t sign it,” someone remarked.
“Haha, I know the reason why Zoey doesn’t want to sign the contract!” Maurice exclaimed.
“What is it then?” Everyone looked at him curiously.
“It’s because I offended her husband! She wants to make things difficult for me on purpose. Didn’t you see how she singled me out during the meeting? My guess is that she doesn’t want me to sign any spokesperson contracts or take any advertisements. She plans to blacklist me instead!” Maurice declared viciously.
“Maurice, your imagination is running wild. Ms. Lopez isn’t someone like that.” Helena defended.
“Hmph! I’m sure about it. She’s definitely biased against me!”
CHAPTER 480
In the meeting room, the management board agreed with Zoey’s decision after she explained herself.
“These bloodsuckers are despicable for using the public’s money to do charity work!”
“That’s right. If the Oriental Star Group is involved with them, it would be devastating for our reputation when the truth is discovered.” Gerry and the other members of management were outraged.
“I’m worried that the Triple Group would seek revenge against us. In terms of both financial capability and influence, aren’t we weaker compared to them?” someone asked.
“Definitely. The Triple Group’s financial prowess is the strongest among all, and no one can stand in their way!”
Zoey laughed in response. “Let them take their revenge. Don’t forget we still have the Morris Group supporting us.”
Meanwhile, Horace didn’t leave North Hampton. Instead, he went to look for a different entertainment company, given that North Hampton had the most developed entertainment industry within the region.
There were many good drama schools there that naturally led to better entertainment companies.
At night.
Horace was inside a five-star hotel.
Standing in front of him was Maurice, Helena, and other new stars from Oriental Star Group’s stable.
Horace didn’t want to give up on them as their new film had been a blockbuster recently.
Hence, they were too popular to be ignored.
Smoking a cigar, Horace grinned. “I’m sure all of you know why I have asked you to come.”
Helena and the others felt uneasy.
However, Maurice was direct. “Do you plan to sign us as spokespersons?”
“That’s right, you’re a smart one!” Horace laughed.
Helena interjected, “But we can’t do this, Mr. Waller. You have to go through our company first. Furthermore, Ms. Lopez has rejected you earlier in the day.”
Taking a puff from his cigar, Horace beamed. “I’ve seen the contract you signed with Oriental. The restrictions they placed on you are rather lax.”
Everyone including Helena was aware of that.
Zoey valued freedom, so she didn’t impose upon them the draconian terms that would limit their options.
Their contracts allowed them to take on freelance work.
Other entertainment companies would impose rigid contracts upon their artistes to tie them down to the company.
The terms would be so draconian that the company would even determine what food they ate.
Horace continued, “Therefore, you don’t have to worry about accepting freelance work. The company has no legal basis to take action against you.”
With a wave of his hand, Horace’s assistant brought out a set of contracts.
“You will get fifteen million each. After that, our company will sign you on as spokespersons for our electronic products. We will offer you a salary of at least eighty million annually.” Horace declared.
At that moment, Maurice’s eyes sparkled as he replied, “Fantastic! I’ll sign it. The money isn’t important as long as I can have the opportunity to work with a company as big as the Triple Group!”
“Wonderful! You do know what’s good for you, I’m impressed!” Horace remarked.
Maurice signed the contract in front of Helena and the others.
Ding!
In less than ten minutes, fifteen million arrived in his account. Maurice was ecstatic.
After slogging through two movies for Oriental, all he received was five hundred thousand.
Now, he received fifteen million just for participating in a charity event.
A mansion? Luxury car? Beautiful women? He was able to buy anything he wanted now.
Everyone else looked on in envy as no one could deny the temptation of fifteen million.
“Helena, what are you still waiting for? Sign it! It’s fifteen million! You don’t have to feel bad for the company as their contract doesn’t restrict us from carrying out freelance work.” Maurice persuaded the others.
“So what if they find out? We should do whatever we want!”
She came from a poor village and naturally wanted the money too. Fifteen million was undeniably a lot.
At that moment, she was stuck between the temptation of money and maintaining her principles.
“Mr. Waller, thank you for the kind offer, but I have to decline,” Helena rejected the contract.
“I won’t sign it too!” Helena’s other two companions followed suit.
“We’ll sign it!” Another three supporting actors couldn’t resist the temptation and agreed to accept the contract.
Before Helena and the other two left, Horace openly threatened, “Ms. Helena, despite how popular you are now, you have just limited your own options by rejecting the Triple Group’s offer. Haha…”
After Helena and the others left, Horace patted Maurice on his shoulders and smiled. “I think Zoey has something against you and wants to destroy your career.”
Then, Maurice told Horace about the incident with Levi.
“Haha, so you did offend her husband! What a joke! Besides, her husband isn’t much of a benefactor anyway. All he did was to use you as cheap labor by only offering you five hundred thousand. Do you know how much both movies made so far? Six billion!” Horace burst into laughter.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Maurice slammed his fist on the wall repeatedly and hissed, “Damn you, Zoey! I made six billion for you, and all I got was five hundred thousand?”
“So, why don’t you join me. I will guarantee that we will make you a superstar! I’m sure you are aware how powerful the Triple Group is.” Horace offered.
Maurice smiled in response. “Mr. Waller, My sentiments exactly! I can no longer stay with Oriental.”
“Alright, but you have to stay with them for now. When the time comes, I’ll sign you over. By the way, I heard that their directors and screenwriters are very capable too. I have a job for you. Get them to join us, and I’ll pay you a million for every single person you convince!” Horace smiled diabolically.
He planned to recruit the core members of the Oriental Star Group.
When he heard that he would be compensated for his efforts, Maurice readily agreed.
In fact, he volunteered, “If you are interested in Zoey, I would try my best to get her in bed with you.”
At the thought of Zoey, Horace licked his lips. “That would be wonderful!”
Maurice, too, fantasized about Zoey. He smiled slyly. “By then, don’t forget to share her with me. She’s someone that’s just irresistible. It’s just that I don’t dare express myself to her in the company. If she weren’t the boss, I would already have taken her.”
Meanwhile, Horace stood up with a grin. “Maurice, I have prepared a surprise for you. Enjoy!”
After Horace left the room, Maurice’s eyes gleamed when two pretty girls entered.
They’re more gorgeous than my girlfriend!
I’m not going to let that ugly country bumpkin tie me down my whole life.
With that thought in mind, Maurice pulled both women into his embrace and stepped into the tub with them.
Little did he know that the room was filled with pinhole cameras, and all his actions were captured from every imaginable angle.
The cameras did not miss a single detail.
The next day.
Maurice came into the office looking exhausted.
“Maurice, come quickly! The Union Square has an event that requires your presence.” A member of the staff informed him.
“How much are they paying?” Maurice asked.
“The appearance fee is five hundred thousand. It’s the highest we have received recently.” The staff replied.
“Five hundred thousand? That’s peanuts! I’m not going.”
CHAPTER 482
Everyone present was shocked at Maurice’s remarks.
In their eyes, Maurice was someone so ambitious to the point that he would accept work for fifty to a hundred thousand.
So why did he turn down a job worth five hundred thousand?
“Maurice, the appearance fee is five hundred thousand. Did you mishear it as fifty thousand?” The staff clarified with him.
“I didn’t get it wrong. Is five hundred thousand a lot? Do they think I’m that desperate?” Raising his voice, Maurice caused the staff to tremble in fear.
“Are you aware that the two movies I acted in grossed seven billion? That means I’m worth at least tens of millions. So, are they looking down on me by just offering five hundred thousand?”
With fifteen million in hand, five hundred thousand was peanuts to Maurice now.
“Maurice, are you crazy?” The staff couldn’t help but retort.
“Of course, the movies made the company a lot of money. But don’t forget that you are just a newcomer. The company not only provided you the opportunity but also gave you five hundred thousand. Furthermore, they spent a lot of resources on promoting you. Isn’t that fair enough?”
“Besides, you were the one that signed the contract willingly.” The other members of staff added.
Maurice scoffed, “The fact is I made them seven billion, but they only gave me five hundred thousand. Why don’t we make it public and let our peers decide whether they are taking advantage of newcomers?”
“Maurice! What are you doing? Come with me now!” Helena pulled Maurice aside to somewhere private.
“Maurice, as your long-time classmate, I would advise you to stop going down this route. In life, we should have a conscience when making choices, or else we would end up with a bad reputation.” Helena cautioned him.
Meanwhile, Maurice brought out a set of car keys and swung it around his fingers. It was obvious those keys were for a Ferrari.
“I don’t think it’s such big a deal. I’m driving a luxury car and staying in a mansion now. Isn’t it wonderful? Why do I have to stay back here and suffer?” “Helena, my advice to you is to sign the contract with Mr. Waller. I remember that your parents are seriously ill and need surgery immediately. Also, your siblings still have to attend school, and you were worried you couldn’t afford their school fees. Don’t you want them to live a comfortable life? All you need to do is to say yes. Your parents could live a life free of pain, and they would be happy. Isn’t that what you want?”
Helena was dumbfounded at Maurice’s words.
“Helena, listen to me. Sign the contract with the Triple Group. With the one-off buyout worth tens of millions, your family’s fortunes will be changed forever!” Maurice continued to tempt her.
After struggling within herself, Helena was adamant. “No! I’ll still stick with Ms. Lopez. I don’t mind making less money as long as I can sleep at night.”
Seeing Helena leave, Maurice berated her, “You’re a fool! Stupid girl!”
The next few days, Maurice acted with impunity within the company. He would scold the staff and other newcomers without reason.
However, due to the popularity of the movie, everyone had no choice but to endure.
Meanwhile, Zoey had begun to notice that Maurice was wearing clothes that cost hundreds of thousands and wearing watches that cost more than a million. On top of that, he drove a luxury car. It was obvious something wasn’t right.
Not only that, but a few of the other up-and-coming stars were also visibly less motivated in their work.
They rejected most of the projects offered and simply lounged around the office while putting on airs.
As they largely didn’t break any rules, Zoey had no basis to intervene.
Finally, the Triple Group managed to organize their charity gala in South City, and it was a resounding success. Both the media and public came away praising how the Triple Group was a socially responsible organization.
After that, the Triple Group planned to organize a charity gala in North Hampton.
CHAPTER 483
As the Triple Group continued to expand, South City was no longer enough to satisfy it.
They wanted to penetrate the city with the largest economy in the region, which was North Hampton.
Soon, the list of guests for the charity gala was announced.
“Ms. Lopez, take a look at the guest list quickly!”
Gerry and his staff brought over the list hastily.
“Morris!, Wilford, Trisha…” Zoey read out their names solemnly.
There were ten in total, and they were all new stars who the Oriental Star Group was promoting.
They had surreptitiously signed a spokesperson’s contract with the Triple Group without the company’s knowledge.
Zoey was infuriated. “Didn’t I say that we would decline to work with the Triple Group? Why did some of them still sign a contract still? Go and get all of them here!”
Meanwhile, Gerry replied, “Ms. Lopez, please calm down. Our contracts with them do not contain any clauses that bar them from freelance work. Hence, what they’re doing is not illegal and neither does it breach the contract terms. If there’s any conflict with them, it would not benefit us at all. Given how well received the two movies are currently, it would damage both our reputation and financials if we offended the lead actors.”
“Are you suggesting that we just bear with it?” Zoey fumed.
“For now, that’s our only choice. We have to pretend that we don’t know anything about it,” Gerry concluded reluctantly.
He did not expect to have been promoting such an ingrate. Maurice was even more difficult to deal with than Niall.
“Ms. Lopez, Maurice wants to see you.”
At that moment, Maurice arrived and threw a set of accounts onto the table.
“Zoey, the movie has grossed ten billion now!”
Zoey picked up the accounts and took a look.
Aren’t these the respective accounts for the two movies?
The accounts were supposed to be confidential. Other than the company and large broadcasting websites, no one had access to them.
“Where did you get the accounts from?” Zoey demanded.
Meanwhile, Maurice sat down and sneered, “It doesn’t matter where I got it from. I just want to know – how much are you going to pay me now that you made ten billion?”
“Maurice, stop being rude! You’re speaking to Ms. Lopez!” Gerry reprimanded him.
Maurice scoffed, “So what if she is? She’s still human. What’s wrong with my question?”
Zoey smiled in response. “Five hundred thousand. Your pay for both movies is simply five hundred thousand!”
“It has been decided in the very beginning that all the actors’ salaries combined would not exceed ten million. The company still needs to spend on special effects and pay the scriptwriters. Everyone knows that.”
Maurice nodded. “I understand that. But it’s obvious that the movies have made a profit of ten billion. Are you serious in just paying me five hundred thousand?”
Zoey’s lips widened into a broad smile. “That’s right. It’s because the contract states that your fee is five hundred thousand. Whether the film is a success or a failure, it has nothing to do with you.”
“Hahaha, didn’t you always emphasize that Oriental is a people-centric company? In the end, you still choose profits over ethics. How could you only pay the male lead five hundred thousand when the movie has made ten billion. Isn’t that simply unfair?” Maurice challenged.
Zoey remained expressionless. “I speak based on my principles and will follow the contract to the letter. No more, no less.”
“Fine, shall I expose this issue and let the public decide who is in the right?”
Maurice was smart to use the film’s popularity to blackmail the company.
“No, don’t! Maurice, please calm down. Everything is open for discussion,” Gerry interjected.
If the matter got out, it would be very damaging to both the company’s reputation and financial position, regardless of who was in the wrong.
“Maurice, name your price!” Gerry demanded.
“Three billion!”
CHAPTER 484
Gasp!
When Maurice stated his price, everyone present caught their breath.
Three billion, is he crazy?
Maurice laughed. “What is it? Do you think I’m being greedy? Both the movies are expected to earn eighteen billion in the end. Even after you paid me three billion, you still have fifteen billion in profits left. More importantly, if word gets out, the reputational damage would be devastating. Taking that into account, three billion isn’t too much to ask for.” Maurice explained confidently.
Gerry and the others exchanged glances as they weighed their options.
If Maurice blew the matter up, the controversy would easily cost the company more than three billion.
More importantly, the loss in credibility would be beyond repair.
“Maurice, let’s discuss it further. Could you lower your demands? In return, we will pay you more for your next film,” Gerry asked, trying his best to negotiate.
“No! It’s three billion. Take it or leave it!”
Since Maurice had planned to sign a contract with the Triple Group, he didn’t care about the next movie.
Gerry and the others were running out of ideas. All they could do now was look to Zoey for her decision.
“Ms. Lopez, what do you think?”
By now, Maurice no longer respected Zoey.
Looking at him, Zoey scoffed, “No way. We won’t give you anything, so stop dreaming!”
“Uh…”
Gerry and the others were stunned as they expected Zoey to continue negotiations.
Instead, she rejected Maurice outright.
Maurice, too, was caught off guard as Zoey didn’t even bother to negotiate.
“Very well. What an unethical boss!” Maurice sneered as he left.
“Ms. Lopez, are you sure that’s alright? The impact will be huge if it blows up.” Gerry was feeling doubtful.
Zoey replied firmly. “If we compromise, it will open the floodgates for others to do the same.”
At night at North Hampton’s Grand Manor, the Triple Group held their charity gala there.
It was a massive event.
Everyone who was somebody in North Hampton was invited. Even Grover attended the event.
Many of them were the rich and famous of North Hampton who came from all industries.
Actors and actresses were definitely included.
Meanwhile, the media broadcasted Maurice’s arrival live as he was the most popular actor then.
Everyone’s attention was focused on him as the viewers who tuned in exceeded ten million.
The gala was hosted by Horace.
“The Triple Group has decided to make a one-off donation of ten billion to North Hampton’s charity and public welfare organizations. It would be used to build retirement homes, orphanages, schools, etc.” Horace announced at the end of the night.
At the same time, he handed a cheque of ten billion to the President of North Hampton Charity Association, Sanford Collins.
All the media were focused on reporting and showcasing that particular moment.
“The Triple Group is a socially responsible company. Not only did they donate ten billion to South City, but they also donated ten billion to North Hampton.”
“That’s right! Although they are a Keerean company, they have contributed significantly to the development of Quebec.”
“From now on, I will only buy Triple Group’s electronic products!”
When the broadcast of the charity gala was over, the internet cheered.
Perception towards the Triple Group improved significantly soon after that. In just over ten minutes, the online sales of Triple Group products in Erudia increased by a few billion.
Most of its electronic products were sold out.
Meanwhile, Levi was watching the broadcast and was infuriated.
The trust fund that he had painstakingly set up had not only been usurped by the Triple Group but used to further their commercial interests.
At that moment, Azure Dragon informed him that South City sent their apologies.
They did not expect the Triple Group to have extended their claws over North Hampton.
“Hmph, don’t blame me after coming here to taunt me!” A frosty glint flashed across Levi’s eyes.
CHAPTER 485
With her fist tightly clenched, Zoey, too, was trembling out of anger.
“This really is a capitalistic society. Power and influence can not only cover up the truth but also whitewash sins into virtues!”
Meanwhile, the charity gala was still being broadcasted.
The Triple Group had lined up ten poor kids in front of the cameras. Horace declared, “The Triple Group will take care of these ten kids up until they graduate from university!”
“That’s great!”
Many in the audience were clapping and cheering.
Thunderous applause rumbled throughout as the atmosphere there was ecstatic.
The Triple Group had won a decisive victory in both reputation and financial gains.
They were now known as a socially responsible organization.
“Ladies and gentlemen, our next segment may not be aligned with tonight’s theme. But I feel it’s an opportunity to help someone redress an injustice.” Horace changed the topic of the night.
“Oh? Does someone want to expose an injustice done?”
Everyone was curious to know what it was about.
At that moment, Maurice, Wilford, Trisha, and the rest stood on the stage.
“Let me introduce to you the most popular male actor currently, Maurice. Followed by supporting actor and actress, Wilford and Trisha respectively…” Horace presented.
Given how popular their movie was, everyone recognized who they were.
“What’s going on? Were Maurice and the rest treated unjustly?”
Everyone was puzzled.
Horace then passed the microphone to Maurice.
Looking at the crowd in the eyes, Maurice explained, “Everyone knows that I’m the male lead in the two recent blockbuster movies. Up till now, the Oriental Star Group had made more than twenty billion in profits. However, do you know how much I am paid for the films? Please take a guess!”
“Fifty million!”
“No, that’s too much. Guess lower!” Maurice yelled.
“Ten million!”
“No!”
“It can’t be less than five million, can it? Even if they paid five billion, it would still be reasonable.” Someone questioned
“Fine, let me tell you the answer! I, alone, am paid with a meager sum of five hundred thousand!”
When Maurice exposed the answer, there was an immediate uproar.
Everyone’s face was filled with disbelief.
“What? They only paid the lead five hundred thousand after making twenty billion? Is that even possible?”
“This is outright absurd! Oriental Star Group is practically abusing the rights of their employees! Five hundred thousand… are they kidding me?”
“The Oriental Star Group is a malignant tumor that must be removed from the industry! How can they lowball their actors like that?”
Everyone present was angered by the injustice that they had just heard about.
Meanwhile, Maurice was satisfied with the impact he made.
“This is not something I made up myself. I have proof as I even kept the receipt!”
Changing the subject, Maurice asked again, “Do you want to know how much my friend was paid?”
Taking over the mic, Trisha reported her salary, “I was paid three hundred thousand!”
Then it was Wilford’s turn. “I was also paid three hundred thousand!”
“I was paid even less, two hundred thousand!”
“I, too, received two hundred thousand only!”
“I’m the lowest at a hundred and fifty thousand!”
When the supporting cast exposed their salaries, the outcries from the audience were deafening.
Many of them were cursing and swearing at Oriental.
“This is a joke! A movie that garnered twenty billion in profit only paid less than three million in salaries to their cast?”
“The management of Oriental are bloodsuckers! How could they do such a thing?”
“How can we have such an unethical company in North Hampton? They should be blacklisted!”
Just like that, public opinion turned against Oriental.
It wasn’t only those in attendance that were angry, but even those online were berating Oriental.
There were calls to boycott Oriental. In fact, some even urged revenge!
“How could they shamelessly twist the facts!” At that moment, Zoey was so furious that she almost smashed the TV.
Zoey knew that Maurice would take revenge, but she didn’t expect him to do it by defaming Oriental Star Group on the night of the charity gala.
Horace took the microphone and spoke into it. “I’d like to make an announcement. Maurice Lorraine and the ten directors here had been personally invited to attend this event. Their presence here tonight has nothing to do with Oriental Star Group.”
“Huh? How is that so?”
Some were confused.
“That’s right. It was a private invitation!” Horace explained with a smile. “I once proposed to Oriental to invite a few directors to the event, but the president turned me down.
She doubted my kind initiative and thought we were planning to use the charity gala’s reputation to earn blood money, so she refused to cooperate with us! Sigh… Triple Group sure has it rough. We get flamed when we don’t take part in charity, but when we finally involved ourselves, our motives end up being questioned. This is just cruel!”
“What? Oriental is that despicable? Why would they question someone else’s kindness?”
“How shameless can they be? Triple Group has really been doing charity work; they’ve already donated over two billion to South City and North Hampton! Is that not charity?”
“Oriental is a joke. A company like this deserves to fail. Let’s join forces and bring them down!”
…
With Horace adding fuel to the flame, the crowd became enraged.
They now utterly despised Oriental Star Group and wanted the company to fall into ruin.
The situation was even worse online.
Thousands of netizens began to boycott Oriental Star Group.
Let’s flood their movies with horrible ratings!
Within an hour, two major films received tens of thousands of bad reviews.
The films suffered greatly in regard to sales and reputation.
Oriental Star Group was now in a mess.
Horace continued, “I’d like to attest to Maurice Lorraine and the rest of the directors here. Even though it isn’t a huge amount, they had offered their contributions.
They disregarded the company regulations and are risking their jobs just to be a part of this charity gala! Therefore, I’d like to request for a round of applause for these youngsters!”
“Wonderful!”
“I’ll invest in any movie you make in the future!”
“Yeah! Maurice Lorraine should become North Hampton’s charity ambassador!”
Many big shots gave their responses.
A thunderous applause ensued.
The Internet was filled with positive comments about Maurice and the rest of the directors.
The ten directors were now regarded as powerful and fearless charity heroes.
Upon seeing this, Maurice curled his lips into a smile.
He didn’t expect things to turn out so well.
All the fame and fortune are now mine!
Then, he thought of Helena Engler.
“You must have a few screws loose! Now that Oriental is finished, so are you!”
Maurice announced to the crowd, “I refuse to work under such a despicable company! Is there anyone who’s willing to take me in?”
Wilford Boyd and the others chimed in, “Same goes for us! We don’t want to remain in Oriental anymore. We’ve had it with this trashy business!”
“Come work for us!”
Many bigshots were more than happy to hire Maurice and the others.
Horace smiled. “I’d be willing to give you guys a chance if you’re interested.”
“Please! Working for Triple Group is all we could ever ask for!” Maurice and the rest responded, immediately accepting the offer.
However, Maurice added, “But I’m still under contract with Oriental. They might refuse to let me go.”
“Don’t worry about that, Mr. Lorraine. You have the support of everyone here!” the audience exclaimed.
“In that case, I’d like to sign with Triple Group!” said Maurice and the others.
And just like that, all of them joined Triple Group.
CHAPTER 487
Zoey shook with rage in front of the television.
She was on the verge of tears.
She didn’t think that Horace and Maurice would pull such a trick.
Oriental Star Group has become public enemy number one.
Just the public’s opinion is enough to put the pressure on Oriental, not to mention if all the huge corporations decides to close in on us.
“Don’t be mad anymore, honey,” Levi assured her as he pulled her into his arms. “Let him sit on that high horse of his for now. I’ll make it clear to them that it’s just as easy for them to hit rock bottom as it is to be loved by everyone!”
“Do you have a plan in mind, Darling?” asked Zoey.
“Not at the moment, but remember the saying, the heavens are always watching!” Levi replied with a smile.
The charity gala was a success.
Horace achieved two of his goals.
One, to bring fame and fortune to Triple Group.
Two, to send Oriental Star Group into chaos.
The next day, Zoey arrived at work and noticed how gloomy the atmosphere was.
Gerry Wade and the others hadn’t slept all night, so their eyes were extremely puffy.
Everyone turned to Zoey for help.
Evidently, the current situation was beyond their control. There was no way they could handle what was happening.
“Mr. Shawn Timmons and a few screenwriters are here to see you, Ms. Lopez,” the assistant said to Zoey.
“Let them in.”
Zoey knew what was about to happen.
Shawn Timmons walked into the office with over thirty other people following closely behind.
“Sorry, Ms. Lopez. We’d like to resign. We can’t carry on working for Oriental Star Group after what happened,” he explained.
Everyone else lowered their heads, feeling rather awkward.
Zoey smiled. “It’s fine. You have every right to leave. I accept your resignation.”
Shawn and the others were stunned.
They didn’t think she would let them go so easily.
Over thirty directors, screenwriters and producers had just given in their resignation notice.
These individuals were the foundation of Oriental Star Group.
Aside from actors, they were the most important crew members when it came to making a film.
That was right.
Shawn and the rest had been bought over by Maurice Lorraine.
In fact, Horace had offered Shawn thirty million to get everyone else to leave the company.
Shawn stopped by the special effects studio before leaving.
“Come with us, James. There’s no point staying here with Oriental Star!”
Shawn tried to convince the special effects team to join him.
The head of the special effects department, James Wood, responded with a smile, “I’m good. You guys go on ahead! I’m indebted to Oriental. I’ve worked for many companies, but this is the only one that has ever treated the special effects team with respect and taken us seriously. I’ll never leave, no matter what.”
“You’re just a stubborn old fart who refuses to change!” Shawn raged at him. “You won’t have it easy!”
He then walked away with his group.
“Come join us, Helena. You’re famous now, so you shouldn’t stay here anymore!”
The man tried to recruit Helena Engler too.
With this, Horace would have to give me at least three million.
However, Helena turned him down. “I won’t leave. I’ll always stay with Ms. Lopez!”
“Fine. You can keep giving yourself airs then. You’ll only starve if you keep up with that attitude!” Shawn sneered.
Zoey was touched to see everyone who stayed.
“This crisis will be over real soon. Please trust me on this!” she declared.
She believed in Levi.
If Levi said he could solve this, there was no doubt he could.
After all, he had the mysterious owner of Morris Group backing him.
He’s omnipotent!
If the man could easily deal with Scott Yates and Sebastian Lopez of South City, whatever Oriental Star Group was facing right now would be a piece of cake.
CHAPTER 488
Maurice Lorraine was giddy with delight.
The more viral he became, the higher his net worth got. Even his assets grew exponentially.
Today, he and Shawn Timmons, along with several others, had come to Triple Group to sign their new contracts.
Maurice immediately signed his contract without even going through it.
Everyone else did the same, simply because joining Triple Group meant receiving money and fame.
Shawn and his group received a settlement fee of several hundred thousand just from joining the company.
They, too, signed their contracts without even taking a look at the details.
Horace couldn’t help but laugh as he glanced at his several dozen new employees. “Incredible! All of you are practically the foundation of Oriental Star Group. You’ll certainly go far by joining me.”
He then left with a smile.
Maurice gathered everyone to discuss their future.
“Huh? There’s something weird about this contract!” exclaimed Steve White, a screenwriter.
“What’s wrong?” asked Shawn and the others.
“Take a look at your own contracts! Something doesn’t add up here,” Steve urged.
Everyone began to flip through their own contracts.
Very quickly, a few screenwriters exclaimed, “We’ve been tricked!”
“This is like a slave contract! All of our reputation and copyrights will belong to Triple. We’re practically their slaves now! And what’s with the pay? I only get a fixed salary of three thousand a month!?”
Steve nearly passed out.
He was the one who had written the script for the two major films from before, and Zoey Lopez rewarded him five million for that.
Yet, he was going to be paid a mere three thousand a month while working for Triple Group?
Who could ever accept such a difference?
“Sh*t, mine’s a slave contract too. They’ve deprived me of all my rights! And I’m only paid eight thousand a month?”
Shawn was about to lose it.
He had earned eight million from directing the two previous films.
Now, he was going to receive eight thousand instead.
The other screenwriters shared the same contracts.
They were all subject to become Triple Group’s slaves—for life.
“Hurry up and take a look at my contract!”
Even Maurice had started to panic.
Steve went through Maurice’s contract and remarked, “Yours is pretty much a slave contract too, but it’s slightly better than ours. However, you’ll only get a payment of at most a hundred thousand for each movie though.”
“What? A hundred thousand!?”
Maurice was about to go insane.
Only a hundred thousand for each movie?
This is madness!
Everyone quickly realized that they had been duped.
Triple Group had offered them benefits at the start and allowed them to sign their contracts while their guard was down.
“Let’s terminate our contracts! How can we ever agree to this?”
Maurice trembled in anger.
Steve delivered a cold, hard truth. “We’ll need to cough up a hundred million as penalty for breaching our contracts, as for yours, it will be a billion.”
Boom!
Maurice slumped to the floor.
One billion?
I only have a few million at most. Where will I ever get a billion?
Shawn was hopping mad. “F*ck! Why’d you do this to us, Maurice? You son of a b*tch! We were doing so well at Oriental. I’ve never made more money anywhere else than when I was working for them!”
“He’s right,” Steve chimed in. “A screenwriter never earns more than five hundred thousand for writing a script, but Oriental paid me five million!” He began to sob.
Everyone else followed suit.
What they felt at that moment was regret.
They truly regretted.
Wasn’t it great working for Oriental?
Why did we have to join Triple?
Now look at us.
We’re doomed.
We’re going to be Triple Group’s slaves for the rest of our lives.
CHAPTER 489
Just a while ago, they had even laughed at Helena for being stubborn. Thinking about it now, the woman certainly made the right choice.
Shawn whacked his own forehead. “I should’ve known! Triple Group is ruthless and greedy. They’ve had their dark past dug up in recent years. There’s no way we’d ever get a single cent out of them. We were too naïve.”
Steve dashed their hopes even further. “Most importantly, we can’t reveal any of this. The contract says we’ll end up in jail if we expose what’s happening.”
Everyone gasped.
“Horace Waller, you’re an abomination!”
Maurice kicked the door as tears streamed down his face.
At that moment, the door opened and Horace walked in.
Behind him were about a dozen bodyguards watching over his safety.
“So, you’ve read your contracts, I presume?”
Horace smirked insidiously.
“I’m taking you down with me, Waller!”
Maurice rushed toward him, only to be held back by the guards.
Shawn scoffed, “You’re being way too underhanded, don’t you think, Mr. Waller? This isn’t an agreement at all. It’s clearly a slave contract.”
Even though this was commercial hegemony on Triple Group’s part, it would always be difficult to protect one’s rights when contracts were involved.
One could go to court for years, and it still wouldn’t necessarily guarantee their victory.
Especially when one was up against the almighty Triple Group. There was practically zero chance of winning a lawsuit against them.
“If you didn’t like the contract, you could’ve chosen not to sign it. Did I ever coerce you into signing it?” Horace remarked.
“I…”
Everyone suddenly fell silent.
What he said was true, Horace didn’t force them into signing their agreements at all.
“But I wouldn’t have signed it had I known what kind of contract it was! You tricked us!” Shawn raged.
Horace smiled. “Did I not let you read your contracts? You could’ve chosen not to sign them if you didn’t agree, but did you even read the terms? I certainly gave you ample time to go through the details.”
Shawn was so exasperated that he felt like coughing up blood.
They had all signed the contracts without going through the details, simply because they believed in Triple Group’s power and wealth.
Who would have thought that it was all a trap?
“Of course, you can leave if you want! Just pay your penalties and I promise you’ll be free,” Horace chuckled.
Silence ensued.
Who would ever have that much money?
Horace smirked triumphantly. “If you can’t pay up, you’d better obey me and serve Triple Group well!”
Maurice was livid. “Do you think that we’re your dogs!?”
“Are you not? Remember, you’re Triple Group’s dogs now. Do your jobs well and maybe you’ll get to eat some bones! Hahaha!”
Horace was beyond delighted.
Spending just a few million to obtain a group of slaves who would rake in billions for the company was a genius idea.
He had practically bought over an entire entertainment company.
Ba-thump!
Everyone fell to the floor after Horace left.
“What should we do now? Are we really going to be their dogs until the day we die?” Steve asked in misery.
No one would accept such an outcome.
Everyone was now at the peak of their careers; why would they ever allow themselves to work like dogs?
“I’ve got it!” Maurice suddenly exclaimed.
Everyone turned toward him.
“We can ask Oriental for help! Let’s get Zoey Lopez to pay for our penalties and hire us again!”
“You’re right. That’s a great idea. There’s a high chance she’ll help us, since we can make money. The benefits outweigh the costs of breaching our contracts, after all. Besides, the company’s in danger now that we’ve all left. She’ll definitely agree to help us if we ask her to!”
The group headed toward Oriental Star Group under Shawn’s lead.
CHAPTER 490
The staff of Oriental Star Group were puzzled.
Just this morning, Shawn had left haughtily with a bunch of other people. So what is he doing back here now?
Are they here to show off?
It doesn’t seem like it though.
They look so tense, as though something bad has happened.
Zoey’s assistant immediately informed her about Shawn’s return.
“Hold them off. Don’t let them come in,” Zoey ordered.
Levi had just texted her about what Maurice and the others had gone through.
Shawn and his group were stopped at the entrance.
“What’s going on? Let us in! Don’t you know who I am, Zane?” Shawn bellowed at the security guard.
Maurice chimed in, “You’re just a bloody security guard! What right do you have to stop us?”
He despised those who worked as security guards and janitors.
A few guards responded angrily, “You’re no longer an employee of Oriental Star Group, so you can’t enter however you please!”
“You…”
Shawn froze.
He had submitted his resignation letter earlier this morning, so he was indeed no longer a company staff.
However, Maurice scoffed arrogantly. “Let me tell you this, you stinkin’ guards. I’m here to discuss a project that’s worth a few billion with Ms. Lopez. Do you think you can afford to waste my time?”
“That’s right,” Shawn and the others added. “Who do you think you are? How dare you try to stop us!”
To think that these well-known directors were being held back by a few lowly security guards, their prides won’t allow it.
The guards refused to budge. “You can’t enter!”
Zoey had personally instructed them not to let anyone in.
Thus, they had nothing to fear!
“So is it money that you want? Here! Take it.”
Infuriated, Maurice took out a stack of cash and slapped the guards across the face with it.
“You’re nothing but some lowly security guards, and that’s all you get to be your whole lives!”
The security guards fumed in anger but remained silent.
It wasn’t unusual for them to be treated this way.
In the eyes of these white-collar elites, being a security guard was an inferior job.
The men could only suppress their rage and do nothing.
This was simply a common occurrence.
“What’s going on?”
A voice suddenly rang out.
It was Levi.
“Mr. Garrison…”
The guards’ eyes lit up when they saw him.
Their pillar of support was here.
Levi got along well with all the security guards, whether they were from Morris Group or Oriental Star Group.
“You’re looking down on these guys? What’s wrong with being a security guard? Are they inferior to you?” Levi asked coldly as he stared at Shawn and the others.
“I…”
Shawn was at a loss for words.
They knew how powerful Levi was. He was also Zoey’s husband, so they dared not tick him off.
Even Maurice was holding himself back.
We still need Zoey Lopez’s help. We can’t piss him off.
“Apologize,” Levi demanded.
Everyone in the group exchanged glances.
Did we hear wrongly?
Apologize to these lowly guards?
Who do you think we are!?
“I said apologize to them, or get out of here!” Levi ordered.
Fine! Just bear with it!
Shawn gritted his teeth and said with a bow, “I’m sorry!”
“Sorry!”
Steve and the others apologized too.
Maurice did the same. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have disrespected you.”
The security guards were pleasantly surprised.
These famous stars and directors are actually apologizing to us?
“It’s fine! It’s fine…”
They quickly waved their hands.
Levi turned to the security guard called Zane. “Go give him a slap in the face.”
“Huh?”
Zane was taken aback.
“He hit you with his cash, didn’t he? It’s not that different if you were to give him a slap now,” Levi pointed out.
Levi merely raised his voice. “Go. Slap him in the face!”
Zane broodingly walked toward Maurice.
Maurice was filled with rage.
How am I going to hold my head up high after being slapped by a security guard!?
Shawn and Steve held onto Maurice while giving him glances, signaling him not to move.
“Hit him!” Levi ordered.
With that, Zane violently slapped Maurice across the face.
In an instant, Maurice’s head spun as his vision blurred, and half of his face turned numb.
The sensation was quickly followed by pain. It felt as though he was being pricked by needles continuously.
Everyone was dumbfounded.
The huge celebrity, Maurice Lorraine, had just been struck by a security guard.
Maurice glared at Zane and Levi ferociously, as though he wanted to eat them alive.
What a disgrace.
This is way too humiliating!
Levi asked coldly, “Do you accept what just happened?”
“I-I do. I hit him with my money and he slapped me in the face. It’s a fair trade!” Maurice replied while clenching his teeth.
“Alright, so what do you guys want?” Levi asked. “Haven’t you quit already? Why are you here again?”
Shawn quickly explained, “We have something important to discuss with Ms. Lopez, Mr. Garrison. Please let us in!”
“And what is it about?”
“We’ll talk about it when we see Ms. Lopez,” Shawn answered with a smile. “It’s something that will benefit the company!”
Levi returned a smile. “I’m sure you know how busy Ms. Lopez is. Not any Tom, Dick and Harry gets to meet her. You should leave.”
“What are you talking about, Garrison? I just got slapped and you’re chasing us away now? Who the hell do you think you are?”
Maurice just about had it.
“He’s right, Mr. Garrison. Be reasonable!” Shawn chimed in. “We stopped picking on the security guards out of respect for you. Shouldn’t you show us some respect too?”
In other words, they had apologized not because they knew they were wrong; they only did it to make Levi happy.
Levi was furious. “Who the hell do you think you are? Why should I show you any respect?”
Maurice had lost all his patience. “And who the hell do you think you are, Garrison? You’re just a nobody if you weren’t Ms. Lopez’s husband.”
Slap!
Levi sent two of Maurice’s teeth flying with just one slap across the face.
A bright red handprint immediately appeared on the latter’s cheek.
Maurice was completely taken aback.
Just one slap was almost enough to kill him.
“You dare hit me, Levi Garrison?”
Maurice was so livid that he could kill someone.
“What’s wrong with that? A foul mouth deserves a slap, no?” Levi asked.
“I dare you to hit me again!” Maurice roared.
Levi was amused.
“Guys, have you ever seen someone ask to be hit?”
“Hahahah!”
The security guards burst into laughter.
Levi instantly delivered another slap across Maurice’s face.
The left side of Maurice’s face instantly swelled up and the slap marks looked especially distinct.
The man was utterly floored.
Everyone else couldn’t believe their eyes.
“You’re the one who told me to hit you,” Levi said with a grin. “I was just granting your wish.”
“Maurice Lorraine is being attacked! Come and watch!”
“Hurry over and witness this! Someone’s attacking the superstar, Maurice Lorraine!”
“Isn’t there anyone here who stands with justice!?”
Trisha Sullivan and Wilford Boyd suddenly began to cry out.
Passersby swarmed over upon hearing it was Maurice Lorraine and glared at Levi.
“How dare you attack my idol? Someone call the cops!”
CHAPTER 492
Over a hundred people showed up in a blink of an eye.
Everyone immediately assumed Maurice was the victim after seeing the piteous state he was in.
They began to confront Levi.
At this very moment, Zoey walked outside.
“What’s going on?”
“We wanted to talk to you, Ms. Lopez, but your husband kept stopping us and he even attacked Maurice! Your security guard also slapped Maurice in the face.”
Shifting the blame onto the innocent now, huh?
Zoey smiled. “And?”
“You know what could happen, Ms. Lopez,” said Shawn. “Your husband’s going to be in a world of trouble if word gets out. He had struck a celebrity, for God’s sake! He might even end up in jail!”
“What should I do then?” Zoey asked.
“To be completely honest with you, Ms. Lopez, we’ve been tricked into signing a slave contract with Triple Group. We want to leave, but there’s a huge penalty to pay…”
Shawn trailed off.
Zoey chuckled. “So you’re saying you want me to pay for the penalty and buy you guys over?”
The entire group nodded fervently. “That’s right, Ms. Lopez! We did some calculations. All the penalties add up to exactly two billion. It’s actually not a lot! Think about it; wouldn’t it be a breeze to gain back the two billion if you had such a great team like us and a brilliant actor like Maurice?”
“He’s right! I believe we’ll be able to earn you two billion in just a year!”
They were full of confidence thanks to the two films that had been released.
Maurice walked over to Zoey while covering his face. “The company is now in chaos after we left, isn’t it, Ms. Lopez?” he said with a smile. “Without us, it’d be tough for you to form a new team so quickly. I’m presenting you with an opportunity right now; we’ll come back if you agree to pay for our penalties. With us back, we’ll bring your company profits beyond your imagination! Not only that, but I’ll also even let go of the fact that your husband attacked me.”
Maurice was full of conceit.
They had originally come over to beg Zoey for help, but now he made it seem like Zoey was the one having to do the pleading.
Trisha and Wilford chimed in, “It’s a win-win situation. We’re giving you a chance. The only question now is, are you going to take it?”
Gerry Wade and the others wanted to throw up upon hearing that.
You’re the ones who’d racked your brains trying to find a way to come back, but now you’re talking about giving Ms. Lopez a chance?
Could you all be any more shameless?
Everyone’s eyes were on Zoey, waiting for her answer.
To Maurice and the group, Zoey would definitely agree to their proposal.
It wasn’t just because Oriental Star Group couldn’t do without them.
She also had to say yes for Levi’s sake.
“I refuse! You’re no longer part of my firm, so your problems have nothing to do with me. Besides, we have a rule of not working with traitors. Have a good day!”
With that, Zoey turned and walked away.
Job well done!
Levi nodded in approval.
Zoey had changed rather drastically throughout this period.
She was now much firmer in terms of her work and personality.
“What? Did she just turned us down?”
Maurice and the rest of them were flabbergasted.
Shawn was filled with disbelief.
“Do you not care if your husband’s fate, Zoey Lopez!?” Maurice yelled. “Just you wait and see how I’m going to make your husband suffer!”
Shawn and Steve quickly stopped him. “Don’t do anything rash, Maurice! Remember what we’re here for!”
“Yeah! We should behave ourselves. We’re here to ask for Ms. Lopez’s help, not to threaten her!” said the others.
CHAPTER 493
Maurice glanced at Levi, who was standing nearby, and said, “Then we’ll give it another try. If she turns us down again, I’m going to send Levi Garrison behind bars!”
Levi calmly took out his phone and dialed a number. “It’s about time to destroy Maurice Lorraine.”
“Hahahaha!”
The people next to Maurice burst into laughter when they heard Levi’s words.
Is he an idiot?
Does he really think he can ruin a celebrity with just a phone call?
Who’s he trying to kid?
Maurice glared at Levi coldly and smirked. “I’d like to see how you plan to do that.”
Very quickly, all the major media outlets fought to report the following news: Famous celeb Maurice Lorrain’s private life exposed, spotted sharing hotel room with two women.
Horace Waller had arranged for someone to secretly follow Maurice that very night.
Pictures and videos of the incident immediately surfaced.
Netizens were in complete shock.
Maurice’s dark past surfaced as quickly as he shot to fame.
Another heavyweight news article made headlines: Maurice Lorraine dumped girlfriend of seven years, was abusive and made her sign an agreement to keep relationship secret.
…
More scandals began to surface, such as news of Maurice fooling around with multiple women at nightclubs.
The media outlets also released articles clarifying that Maurice was once taken in by Oriental Star Group while job hunting; the company had offered him a contract worth five hundred thousand.
Everyone now understood Maurice’s true character.
“So he betrayed Oriental after everything they’ve done for him? Despicable.”
“What an ingrate. He dumped his girlfriend after becoming famous and bit the hand that fed him!”
“I wondered why this guy kept trying to make Oriental look bad. Now I get it.”
…
The Internet was now filled with comments antagonizing Maurice.
The man’s reputation as a celebrity instantly hit rock bottom.
It’s over.
It’s all over.
Maurice was completely dumbstruck once he found out what just happened.
“How could this happen!?” he looked up and yelled at the top of his lungs.
His phone rang at the same time. It was the banks calling to tell him that all of his accounts had been frozen.
This was also Horace Waller’s doing.
Maurice Lorraine was completely finished.
The only choice he had left now was to serve Triple Group as a slave for the rest of his life.
Levi walked over with a smile. “It’s as easy to tear you down as it is to raise you up.”
Thump!
Maurice flopped to the ground and stared at Levi in disbelief.
He really did it with one phone call.
For the very first time, Shawn and the others realized how frightening Levi was.
This is too much.
“We’re sorry, Mr. Garrison.”
Shawn, Steve and the rest of the group knelt on the ground.
“We promise to serve Oriental Star Group for the rest of our lives if you and Ms. Lopez redeem us, Mr. Garrison.”
They bowed with their heads directly touching the floor.
Levi scoffed. “Didn’t you hear what my wife said? She never works with traitors.”
Boom!
Levi’s response struck them like lightning.
Their lives were over.
Taking care of Maurice indirectly restored Oriental Star Group to its glory.
Levi returned to Morris Group.
“Where have you been, Mr. Garrison? You’ve been away for so long!” Seth Wilson and the other security guards greeted him with a smile.
Iris Annabelle happened to spot Levi at the same time. “Where’d you disappear to? You didn’t even ask for a leave of absence.”
Iris looked rather upset, as though something had happened.
Levi asked immediately, “Is something wrong?”
Iris hesitated for a moment before nodding. “Yeah.”
CHAPTER 494
“What happened?” Levi asked.
Iris rubbed her temples. “Didn’t the big boss tell us to organize a one billion charity program recently? We built the Hope Elementary School, Old Folk’s Home and Orphanage. We funded many poor students too. Yet, after pumping in our money and doing all this, someone else ended up taking all the credit.”
Levi was stunned.
How could such a thing happen?
Someone actually made an issue out of charity money?
He frowned. “Who did it? They sure have some nerve.”
“It was Triple Group! They organized that one billion charity gala two nights ago and not a single cent came out of their own pockets. They took the money we contributed for the charity program and made it theirs. All the charity certificates, documents and processes ended up becoming theirs!”
Iris was utterly furious.
And so was Levi. “So we paid for the charity event but they get all the credit!? And now everyone thinks that Triple Group is the one being charitable and that it has nothing to do with us?”
“Exactly! Triple Group is getting so much positive feedback from it. All the students and old people we’ve helped are sending them appreciation banners. The school, orphanage and old folks’ home are now hanging posters on the wall, thanking Triple Group for their kindness. Nobody knows that we’re the ones who actually came up with the money! Most importantly, we asked the Charity Association why this was happening, but they refused to acknowledge our contributions. They said everything about the charity program was done by Triple!”
The woman fumed in anger.
Bang!
Levi landed a fist on the wall.
Iris jumped in fright.
“This is unacceptable! They’re even trying to interfere with a charity program. How shameless can they be?” Levi raged.
The fact that Triple Group could do all this had to be because everything was agreed upon with the Charity Association.
“That’s not all. I know that Triple’s general manager’s been involved with a few 14-year-old girls! Urgh! How I want that scumbag gone!” Iris added.
A cold look flashed in Levi’s eyes. “Now that he’s pissed me off, I’m going to make him pay.”
Iris glanced at the man’s stance.
Does he think he’s some boss?
“I’m about to personally head over to the Charity Association and find out what’s going on.”
The more she thought about this, the more exasperated she felt.
“Okay. I’ll come with you,” Levi responded.
They soon arrived at the North Hampton Charity Association building.
“Hello, do you have an appointment?”
“Yes. It’s under Iris Anabelle of Morris Group.”
Aware of Iris’ status, the Charity Association assigned a high-ranking director, Jon Harvey, to attend to her.
“Hello, Ms. Anabelle. How may I help you?” Jon asked with a smile.
Iris got straight to the point. “I’m here for just one thing today, and that is to look into the donations made by Morris Group for the charity program!”
“Oh? Has Morris Group contributed to the program recently?” Jon asked, perplexed.
Levi chuckled.
They’re all playing dumb.
Iris suppressed her anger and remarked coldly, “Morris Group has made a one-billion contribution to your association eight days ago. How could you, as a director, not know about this?”
Jon Harvey merely smiled. “Sorry about that, Ms. Anabelle. I’ve been abroad for a while so I really have no idea about this. Give me a moment to look into this matter.”
CHAPTER 495
After making a phone call, Jon turned to them. “Have you perhaps been mistaken, Ms. Anabelle?” he asked with a smile on his face. “The only one-billion donation we’ve received is from Triple Group. There are no records of any contributions made by your company.”
“What the—what on earth are you talking about? That one billion came from Morris Group, but you wrote it off as Triple’s? What the hell is going on?”
Iris was so livid that she nearly cussed.
“Please calm down, Ms. Anabelle. We really have no records of any donation you’ve made.” Jon replied with a pretentious smile.
“Then tell me what this is!”
Iris slammed some documents of the donation made in front of Jon, along with the company’s proof of having set up the charity program.
Jon went through the documents and said in confusion. “This can’t be. How could these records be exactly the same as Triple Group’s? Even the charity program is completely identical! You wrote your own company’s name over Triple’s, didn’t you, Ms. Anabelle?”
Iris was about to go insane.
How shameless can they be?
Now they’re making it seem like we’re the guilty ones.
“Besides, Triple Group really did host the charity gala recently and donated one billion during the conference. It was their money; what does it have to do with Morris Group? Even I’m starting to wonder if you’re harboring any ill intentions, Ms. Anabelle.”
Jon appeared confident that the money belonged to Triple Group.
“Hah! Well then, since we have all the bank transaction records, how about we use them to find out who donated the money?” Iris suggested with a smirk. “Let’s head to the bank right away, Mr. Harvey. Then we can make some comparisons with your finance department.”
Jon’s expression took a turn at the mention of the bank.
He began to ask, “Before that, may I ask why you donated the money in the first place, Ms. Anabelle?”
“To help people in need, of course,” Iris answered.
“That’s right. The purpose of the Charity Association is to help others, and since we’ve achieved this goal, does it really matter who was the one who helped?”
The man proceeded to poison the well in an attempt to make Iris look bad. “Don’t people show acts of kindness in anonymity nowadays? Are you donating money just for the fame, or for an award or certificate? I’m really starting to question your motives now, Ms. Anabelle! Since it’s all about charity, does anything else matter as long as our goals are met? So what if the money came from Morris Group? If you insist on taking the credit that much, fine! I’ll send you a pile of certificates.”
“You…”
Iris felt rage flowed through her like lava.
Yes, the goals have been met.
We don’t care about the fame either.
But there’s no way I’d allow Triple Group to take the credit!
Clap, clap, clap.
Levi couldn’t help but clap his hands.
“You sure have a way with words! Claiming the moral high ground now, are you?” Levi said, smirking.
Jon scoffed, “What do you mean by claiming the moral high ground? This is how charity has always been; if everyone only contributes for the fame, they’re better off not contributing at all. Honestly, it doesn’t really matter who donated!”
Levi raised his voice. “Does that mean you can write someone else’s donation off as Triple Group’s? Who gave you the right to do that?”
“I—”
Jon wanted to say more, but Levi cut him off. “If the credit doesn’t matter, why does Triple Group need it then? They announced the news everywhere and even hosted a charity gala.”
“That’s not the same. Triple Group needs the credit!” Jon replied with a smile.
“So Morris Group doesn’t need it, but Triple Group does? Such double standards,” Levi scoffed.
“Triple—”
Levi cut Jon off again. “I want to know who gave you the right to write Morris Group’s contribution off as Triple Group’s. That’s some serious power right there, changing a one-billion project just like that.”
Levi arrived at the root of the problem with his sharp words.
Jon was overwhelmed.
“Who is this man, Ms. Anabelle? Are you both here just to stir up some ruckus? So you want to look into the internal affairs of the Charity Association that badly?” he raged.
“Sure. Why don’t we investigate?” Levi replied coldly.
“Get them out of here!”
Jon wasn’t having it anymore and immediately ordered someone to take them away.
But Levi persisted. “No! I have to find out exactly what’s going on! How did Morris’ charity program end up becoming Triple’s?”
Jon was beyond livid. “So what if I don’t admit it was Morris’? What can you do about that, even if I say it’s been written off as Triple’s?”
Levi’s lips curled into a profound smile. “Fine. Don’t regret it then!”
“Me? Regret? Hah! I’m going to say this one more time. Triple Group’s the one who donated the money and it has nothing to do with you! Send them out!”
Iris and Levi left the building. “You see that? I can’t believe that’s how the Charity Association behaves!” Iris lamented with a wave of her hand. “I have to go back and ask Mr. Atkinson what to do. We can’t just leave things this way.”
The two returned to Morris Group.
Levi headed to his own office and contacted his secretary, Aurora Newt.
“Aurora, who’s the person in charge of the North Hampton Charity Association?” he asked.
“The president is Mr. Sanford Collins, Sir.”
“Alright. Tell him to come over. I have something to discuss with him.”
Levi sounded as cold as frost.
It didn’t take long for Sanford Collins to arrive at Morris Group with several other high-ranking associates.
The five of them stood inside the office with their heads lowered and covered in cold sweat.
They didn’t even dare to wipe at their foreheads.
The man sitting before them was way too intimidating.
He’s not just the deputy of North Hampton, he’s the God of War!
How did Scott Yates die?
It was thanks to this man!
And why has Triple Group suddenly appeared out of nowhere to do whatever they please in Quebec?
It’s mainly because Scott Yates, the man who had been keeping a tight rein on Triple Group, is no more.
This is the man who had single-handedly gotten rid of Scott Yates!
“Do you know why I’ve called you over?” asked Levi.
Sanford Collins and his men exchanged glances before shaking their heads. “No we don’t, Mr. Garrison.”
“You don’t? Then do you know where you are right now?”
Levi tapped his desk with his knuckles.
“We’re inside Morris Group. Ah! Is this perhaps about Morris Group’s charity program?”
Being the smart man that he was, Sanford quickly grasped the situation.
“So, you do know why you’re here,” Levi said coldly.
“Tell me what’s going on,” he said with a smirk. “How did the money Morris Group donated for the program end up as Triple Group’s?”
Suddenly, his expression took a sharp turn. “I was just at the Charity Association to ask about this, but they insisted the money came from Triple and even chased me out of the building!”
Boom!
Levi’s words struck them like lightning, instantly petrifying them.
Thump!
Sanford lost his balance and staggered to the floor.
Seriously?
This man got kicked out of the Charity Association?
Who had such nerve to do that?
CHAPTER 497
This is blasphemy!
It’s over.
The shit’s about to hit the fan now.
Sanford breathed deeply and said, “We had no idea such a thing happened, Mr. Garrison.”
Levi tapped on his desk again. “That’s the second issue. Let’s talk about the first. If I don’t get a good answer from you, I’m going to start looking into it on my own!”
The men nearly coughed blood out of fear.
Look into it on his own?
Jesse Nielsen’s going to ruin us before that happens.
“I’ll talk! I’ll tell you everything!”
Sanford jumped in and explained himself clearly.
“It was the general manager of Triple Group from Erudia, Horace Waller, who came looking for me. He told me to put Morris Group’s one-billion donation under Triple Group for the charity program! I did it only because he promised to donate two billion to North Hampton in the future!”
Levi smirked. “He promised to donate two billion? Did you sign an agreement with him?”
“No. It was a verbal agreement,” Sanford answered. “But he’s the general manager of Triple Group, so I believe he’s a man of his word.”
Bang!
Levi slammed his hand onto the desk.
Sanford and his team nearly wet themselves.
“So you’d believe whatever people tell you? Are you a f*cking elementary school student!?” he roared.
“I’m sorry, Mr. Garrison. I was wrong. I shouldn’t have believed him!”
Sanford immediately got down on his knees.
“Let’s go! We’re going to check the Charity Association’s records!” Levi demanded.
Sanford immediately agreed. “Understood, Sir. We’ll head over at once!”
Iris saw Levi bringing a group of men over to her just as she hung up a call with Kirin.
Sanford said to her, “Hello, Ms. Anabelle. Allow me to introduce myself. I’m Sanford Collins, president of the Charity Association. I’m here to apologize and request you to come with us to the Association to settle some matters.”
Iris was dumbfounded.
I just called Mr. Atkinson half an hour ago to ask for help, and the president of the Charity Association is here apologizing to me already?
Just how powerful is this mysterious boss?
Incredible!
Iris admired this unknown man so much that she was now thinking of him as a lover.
Everyone quickly headed toward the Charity Association once again.
“Get Jon Harvey to attend to me!” Levi ordered the front desk receptionist.
It didn’t take long for Jon to angrily show up with a group of bodyguards.
“What? Must you insist on causing trouble, Morris Group? I kicked you out just a while ago!” Jon raged.
Levi scoffed. “What’s this? Is this how you attend to a guest?”
“Who the f*ck do you think you are that I have to attend to you? You wanna die?” Jon bellowed at him.
“What’s your problem? Why are you acting like such a tyrant?” Iris argued. “Am I not allowed to check your accounts? My company gave you a one-billion donation, for crying out loud!”
“No!” Jon turned her down right away. “From now on, no one from Morris Group gets to step into this building. We won’t accept your donations either!”
“What a bold statement. You must think you’re so formidable,” Iris remarked.
“That’s right,” the other directors began to speak out. “We’re the ones who have the final say in North Hampton’s charity industry! If you have a problem with that, that’s too bad!”
Levi shook his head in frustration as he glanced at these men.
So this is how the Charity Association normally behaves.
And it looks like these directors really gain a lot from their work.
With one glance, Levi easily noticed that quite a few of these men wore luxury watches that was worth millions.
“How dare you!”
An explosive roar erupted in the lobby.
It was Sanford Collins, president of the Charity Association.
CHAPTER 498
“You f*cking—it’s you, Mr. Collins?”
Jon immediately paled in fright as he gazed at the group of men in disbelief.
“Mr. Jung? Mr. Yeager? What are you all doing here?”
Jon and the other directors were beyond horrified.
“Hmph! The company would’ve been shut down if I weren’t here!” Sanford said with fury.
“Huh? That can’t be, Mr. Collins. Why would the Charity Association be shut down?”
Jon smiled sheepishly, not realizing that the man standing right in front of him was capable of tearing the entire company down if he wanted to.
You’re all fired. You’d better prepare for all the investigations you’ll all be going through!” Sanford said coldly.
Boom!
“What!?”
Jon and the other directors felt as though they had just been struck by lightning.
Sanford then turned to the four vice presidents behind him. “When this is all over, we’ll have to resign and go through the investigations too.”
“We understand!” the vice presidents immediately agreed.
This was the best way for them to save themselves.
Jon and his team were even more astounded.
Who on earth is behind Morris Group that our president is voluntarily resigning?
“Alright, let’s go check the records! Stop dilly-dallying,” said Levi.
“Yes, Chief!”
Sanford and his men immediately lead the way.
Iris stared intensely at Levi.
He’s actually acting all tough.
The only reason why he got to put on such a show was because of Mr. Atkinson.
And they’re calling him Chief?
What a pretentious guy you are, Levi!
The truth unveiled itself not long after everyone arrived at the Charity Association.
The one billion donation was indeed from Morris Group. It had nothing to do with Triple Group at all.
“I believe I don’t have to tell you what to do next,” Levi remarked.
“Not at all, Chief! I’ll take care of everything!”
Sanford instantly arranged for an announcement to be made, confirming that it was Morris Group that had donated the money.
Then, he contacted all the publishers and large media outlets to report Morris Group’s acts of charity.
He also presented Morris its rightful award and certificate.
“I don’t actually need these things, but you’ll have to prepare them. They’re all part of the legal process.”
Levi glared at Sanford, causing the latter to tremble in fear.
“By the way, let the world know that Triple Group never donated a single cent during the charity gala,” the man instructed.
Triple Group’s thinking of gaining without even doing anything?
Like that’ll happen.
“Uhh…”
Sanford hesitated for a moment.
After all, Triple Group was a powerful foreign corporation.
This was certainly a tough matter to deal with.
“Hmm?” Levi hummed coldly.
“I’ll take care of it right away!”
Triple Group was nothing compared to this man, after all.
Very quickly, all the large media outlets began to ask the following: When will Triple Group donate to the charity program?
Is it really for charity, or are they doing it just for clout?
Even the Charity Association confirmed what was going on.
Hence, the news quickly spread across North Hampton.
“So Triple Group is nothing but a scam? Didn’t they donate a billion during the charity gala?”
“The guys from Triple Group are nothing but leeches! It was Morris Group’s money and it ended up becoming theirs!”
“How shameless! They even slandered Oriental Star Group that night. What a bunch of dogs.”
…
The tide quickly turned. Triple Group was now in crisis after having its reputation destroyed.
Meanwhile, inside the office of Triple Group in North Hampton.
Horace Waller was smoking on a cigar while looking extremely grim.
“Something’s fishy. I discussed everything with Sanford Collins and bought over a few of his vice presidents and directors. Why is this happening?”
Horace was puzzled.
At this very moment, someone from the Charity Association asked to meet him.
CHAPTER 499
“Hello, Mr. Waller. We won’t force you to pay the one-billion donation, but you’ve already made your decision that night at the charity gala, so I think it’s best if you don’t go back on your words. It’d be bad publicity for Triple Group otherwise.”
Horace gritted his teeth and paid up.
He was fuming with anger.
Triple Group never had any intention of paying such an amount. This was simply a loss resulting from not carrying out his tasks well.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Horae hit his desk in fury.
“Damn you, Morris Group!”
At that very moment, he received a phone call.
The person on the line proceeded to chastise him.
With a gloomy face, Horace silently listened to everything that was being said to him.
“Mr. Park Hae-Jin will arrive in North Hampton soon. You’ll be in charge of welcoming him! Leave all of North Hampton’s matters to Mr. Park from now on. All you need to do is assist him.”
Horace’s expression instantly took a turn upon the mention of the name.
Park Hae-Jin was the son of Park Cheon-shin, the regional manager of Triple Group in Erudia.
They were the direct descendants of the family that ruled Keerea’s Triple Group, and had control over all affairs in Erudia.
It was this father-and-son duo who caused Scott Yates to lose all his affiliations.
Park Cheon-shin was someone who could go up against Scott Yates.
His son was even more terrifying.
Horace knew what Park Hae-Jin was coming to North Hampton for.
That man was a complete deviant!
At four o ‘clock in the afternoon.
Horace waited at a highway intersection with a large group.
A row of cars arrived shortly after.
The second vehicle was a LaFerrari worth forty million.
The door opened and out came a young man in a suit. He had blue hair and his ears were pierced.
A corner of his lips curled slightly as he stood in front of Horace.
“Welcome to North Hampton, Mr. Park!” Horace bowed and said with a smile.
Yet, the Keerean man suddenly grabbed Horace by the hair, pulling him forward.
Horace cried out in pain.
Pow!
Hae-Jin punched Horace in the face, blood immediately spurted everywhere.
Pow!
Bam!
…
He continued his vicious assault on Horace.
The poor man now looked like a complete mess.
Wham!
Finally, Hae-Jin kicked Horace in the stomach, sending him flying eight meters backwards.
The latter clutched his stomach and writhed in pain.
This was exactly why Horace was afraid of Park Hae-Jin.
Fortunately, he was the general manager in Erudia, and thus still of value to Triple Group.
Otherwise, Hae-Jin would have already sent him to meet with his maker!
“Trash! You’re all trash!” Hae-Jin raged.
“What’s the point of looking after trash like you? We lost one billion just like that, not to mention Triple’s reputation was tarnished!”
The man was so livid that he brought a few of Horace’s men forward and proceeded to beat them up.
“It’s all my fault, Mr. Park Hae-Jin! I swear I’ll gain back what we’ve lost!” Horace promised while kneeling in front of Hae-Jin.
Then, he continued, “I’ve also prepared a few lovely ladies for you, Mr. Park. They’re all actresses who have recently made it big, such as Trisha Sullivan and Hazel Levine. Please enjoy your time with them!”
This was the only way to protect his own life.
Park Hae-Jin’s temper died down slightly. “Now that’s what I’m talking about!”
Perhaps, not even Trisha Sullivan would have expected something like this to happen to her after betraying Oriental Star Group.
Hae-Jin suddenly remembered something. “I heard that the most popular actress right now is Helena Engler. Her boss is a real beauty too.”
“Uhh… I don’t think I can do anything about that, Mr. Park…”
Horace began to tremble.
Hae-Jin scoffed. “Then forget it. I’ll take care of it myself! Remember this. North Hampton is at the mercy of Triple Group. That’s exactly why I’m here!”
CHAPTER 500
Park Hae-Jin was extremely full of himself.
However, Horace didn’t question him at all.
Because he knew what Triple Group was capable of.
What Park Cheon-shin and his son were capable of.
In fact, Park Cheon-shin and his son indistinctively held more power than Scott Yates did.
But why did they never confront each other head on?
The main reason was that the losses were too huge, even if they would have won.
It would be akin to killing a thousand of Scott’s men but losing eight hundred of their own.
Now that Scott’s faction had collapsed, Triple Group stood alone and firm in Quebec.
They could now do whatever they pleased!
Triple Group had no issues taking over South City and ten other areas.
The toughest nut to crack was North Hampton.
Park Cheon-shin had immediately sent his son over after Horace’s screw-up.
That night, Trisha Sullivan and the other women who had signed Triple Group’s slave contracts were given hell.
The next day, they were carried straight into the hospital.
Horace shuddered at the news.
Park Hae-Jin was an absolute pervert who treated women like playthings.
Many of them died.
Those who didn’t either ended up with depression or remained in the hospital…
Maurice was petrified too.
Hae-Jin walked out and bumped into him.
“I heard you made it pretty big, but you’re nothing but a street rat now. How are you even going to make me money?” Hae-Jin asked coldly.
“I can act,” Maurice answered while trembling. “I can shoot lots of movies!”
Slap, slap.
Hae-Jin patted the man’s cheeks. “Do you think anyone’s going to watch your movies?”
“I…”
Maurice froze on the spot.
ptooey!
Hae-Jin spat on the ground.
“Lick it up. I’m a guy who spits wherever I like. From now on, your job is to lick up all of my spit,” he said with a laugh.
“No… No…”
Maurice instantly paled.
How could a celebrity like him do such a thing?
“Now!”
Hae-Jin kicked Maurice to the ground.
Maurice had no choice but to lick it clean.
Hae-Jin ended up spitting on the floor all day.
Despair.
Endless despair!
Maurice would have remained a trending celebrity had he stuck with Oriental Star Group.
His future would have been full of riches, glory and splendor.
Sadly, he could only go through such suffering now.
…
At Bayview Garden.
Iris picked Levi up for work in her Porsche.
Zoey smiled helplessly.
Her snobbish best friend was actually driving Levi to work.
It must be because he’s that charming.
Zoey smiled.
While driving, she suddenly spotted a Ferrari speeding recklessly on the left lane, disregarding all traffic rules.
All the surrounding vehicles tried to evade it.
Those who didn’t make it in time ended up crashing into other cars or the guard rails.
“What!?”
Zoey’s eyes widened in disbelief.
The Ferrari suddenly turned to the right lane and began zooming toward her.
Zoey wasn’t driving slowly, but it was already too late to switch lanes.
Crash!
The two cars violently collided.
The airbag was instantly deployed, protecting Zoey.
No one was injured.
However, the vehicles were a different story. The Ferrari’s head had completely caved in, and Zoey’s Audi RS7 was severely damaged too.
Slam!
The owner of the Ferrari got down. He looked extremely menacing with his blue hair and pierced ears.
Behind the Ferrari were several other vehicles. Dozens of men in black began to exit and walk over.
“How the hell do you even drive!?”
Park Hae-Jin’s attendant, Park Chang-wook, ferociously gave Zoey’s Audi a few kicks.
“Hahaha, next, we’ll create seven online films to air at the same time as their movies! I’ll have them wallowing in regret!”
“Sure, no problem! We’ll put in our best effort and destroy Oriental Star Group!”
Niall and the others looked forward to it.
“How about this? We know their script, so let’s create seven movies with similar content as well!”
Zachary was bent on destroying Oriental Star Group.
“Good idea, President Suarez! If the content is similar, we’ll take up all the viewership! Their films are full of newbies, so no one will watch them! Their fifty million will go down the drain!”
“After that, we can sue them for copyright! They’ll be a goner!” Yvonne suggested.
Zachary smiled, “You’re more devious than I am! We copied their ideas and are even suing them for copyright!”
“Hahaha… We’ll wait for the downfall of Oriental Star Group!” All of them laughed maniacally.
…
That was no time for regrets.
Since she had already made such a decision, Zoey would have to do her best to make it happen.
She assembled the cast, directors, screenwriters, and producers for a meeting.
“I’ll triple your pay for these seven movies! If the film succeeds, I’ll give you a bonus as well!” Levi suggested. Shawn and the others were extremely motivated by that.
It was useless to give a motivational speech or anything like that. Money was the most reliable motivator.
If you paid them well, they would help you earn more revenue.
“Ms. Lopez, Mr. Garrison, relax! We will take this seriously! Furthermore, I’ve decided to change these seven movies into two! We will release the best quality films in the shortest time frame possible,” Shawn declared.
To begin with, these seven movies had never focused on quality. There were seven of them so that they could scam the fans of seven times the money.
They focused on quantity rather than quality.
However, this was different. With sufficient funds and support, they could produce a film of good quality.
The screenwriter, Sylvester Zoldyck, nodded, “Alright, I’ll improve the script to keep the audience hooked throughout.”
“Alright, we can guarantee the special effects. Back then, the funds were all spent on the cast and we barely got enough money to do it well. Now that we have sufficient funds, this is no problem!”
The special effects team nearly burst out in laughter. That was the first time in decades they had so many funds.
Several millions worth of funds on special effects; that was something they had previously never dreamed of having.
“I will make sure everything runs smoothly, so don’t worry, Ms. Lopez!” the producer assured her.
The young cast knew that this was a rare opportunity, so it was a given that they would do their best.
The production of the movie was set.
The only problem left would be advertising.
The advertising team had already started to work on promoting the movie, but Helena and the others were completely new actors. It would be hard to maintain the hype.
“Nevermind, let’s focus on finishing the movie first!” Levi smiled.
He had predicted that Zachary would steal their content as well, so he had recommended for the drama team to lock up all information such that he would have no idea what they were filming.
After Zoey heeded his suggestions, there was no news from Zachary.
“Hmph! So what if they film in secret? We already know the script of all seven movies!” Zachary scoffed.
Shanks Entertainment continued to film the seven movies as they had previously planned.
CHAPTER 447
At this point in time, Shanks Entertainment was gaining popularity in North Hampton.
The change of company by Niall and the others was a hot topic.
The audience and fans looked forward to the movies produced by Niall and the others for Shanks Entertainment.
As the days passed, the Morris Group and Rogers Family progressed greatly as usual.
However, the business in the city was not doing badly either.
In the short time span of one month, they’ve bought over several enterprises and finally got a taste of profit.
Business in North Hampton was great. It was the top economy in Quebec after all.
This was coupled with the fact that there was no regulation on their extreme measures. Hence, they decided to take things up a notch.
More and more people moved into North Hampton to get a piece of this pie.
The Suarez family was a notable example. Zachary had entered to test the waters and lead the way for his father and uncles.
The Lopez family was progressing in secret as well, taking advantage of Harry’s influence.
In this month, Scott had been checking on the background of the Morris Group.
It was no easy task, so it took an entire month.
“Godfather, as of now, we aren’t able to find out who is backing them. Moving forward, we’ll have to wait for the search results from the dark web. After that, we can make a move on the Morris Group.” Fernand reported.
The so-called dark web referred to sites which specialized in intelligence in the dark web.
These websites had a membership system, and there were less than a hundred members in the entire Erudia.
In the entire Quebec, only Scott was a member. Other than him, no one else could gain intel from the dark web.
“Alright. Tell Lopez to be prepared. I’m ready to take down the Morris Group!” Scott replied plainly while fiddling with the prayer beads in his hand.
Throughout the course of the month, the Oriental Star Group worked overtime to finish the two high-quality films.
Helena and the others did not disappoint and displayed all their skills.
They were truly skilled actors and actresses!
“These are the two most perfect movies I’ve filmed!” Shawn sighed.
The other crew members were excited as well due to the sheer quality of these movies.
No other movies could compare.
On the other hand, the Suarez family’s Shanks Entertainment filmed all seven movies in that one month.
The content was shabby and the quality was mediocre. However, Niall, Yvonne, and other famous actors were starring in them. There were a lot of pre-booked tickets from fans, amounting to a total of four hundred thousand in revenue.
Coupled with the fact that they had done their advertising in full force, they expected the total number of pre-bookings to total one million!
Niall and Yvonne scoffed, “Let’s destroy the entire Oriental Star Group!”
Both movies had already been sent to the National Radio and Television Administration for screening.
As long as they passed the screening, they would be able to start airing immediately.
Shanks Entertainment had bought over all the main pages of major streaming sites. To them, the cost was no issue. They simply wanted to drive Oriental Star Group out of business.
“What should we do about advertising? All these proposals are no good!” Zoey expressed her dissatisfaction with the proposals given to her.
That was why there was no hype for the two movies up to that point.
The only news about those movies was how Niall and the others had flamed Oriental Star Group.
“Let me handle it!” Levi requested. He had plans for advertising.
“I’ll leave it to you, then!”
Zoey had a fair amount of confidence when it came to Levi.
The following day, the headlines read: Oriental Star Group’s seven newest movies had copied content from Shanks Entertainment!
The news spread across the entire North Hampton.
CHAPTER 448
For the past month, Oriental Star Group and Shanks Entertainment had been exchanging blows.
Now that such a thing had happened, everyone was shocked.
These seven movies were copied? Has Oriental Star Group gone mad?
The one who reported such news had even listed evidence.
He did a side-by-side comparison of the plots of the seven movies.
Anyone could tell that it had been copied.
To the fans, the screenwriters used were Yvonne and Niall’s private screenwriters and did not belong to Oriental Star Group. After they were fired, they had become a part of Shanks Entertainment. Hence, to them, the Oriental Star Group’s seven movies were all copied!
The net was suddenly bustling with people criticizing the Oriental Star Group.
This was especially so for the fans of the ten artistes who had left Oriental Star Group. Some fans had already organized protests on the internet attacking Oriental Star Group. They were prepared to stop at nothing to drive Oriental Star Group’s entertainment business out of business.
The relevant departments had even formed an investigation team and prepared to look into this.
The Oriental Star Group was shocked by this.
“That’s playing dirty!” Gerry slammed the table.
“I know, right! They copied our script and now they’re accusing us? How despicable!” the other executives spat. They were enraged as well.
Zoey laughed, “Levi, you’re so smart! You predicted their moves up to this point. Do they honestly think that they can sue us for copyright? How naïve. We’re airing two movies instead of seven, and the content is greatly different!”
Gerry was excited, “I can’t wait to see their faces when they see our movies!”
Levi had a glint in his eyes, “And here we were worrying about advertising! Let’s leave the internet be about the copyright issue. The more they attack us, the better! This will be free advertising for our movie!”
Zoey’s eyes lit up. Levi is a genius in finance and business!
“Alright, I’ll get straight to it!”
Levi added, “Release the news that Oriental Star Group’s movies will be airing soon. Don’t give away any titles or information! Just keep it as mysterious as possible!”
“Alright, got it!”
…
The news of Oriental Star Group’s film being aired in all major streaming sites had spread soon.
For some unknown reason, the media started attacking them more heavily.
All major mass media, blogs, and news channels were filled with criticisms.
It was as though they were going to force Oriental Star Group out of business entirely.
“That was brutal of them! That’s a few dozen times worse than what we had expected! Have we stirred up a public outrage?”
Niall, Zachary, and the others were excited.
Oriental Star Group would soon crumble and Zachary would be able to purchase it at a low price.
Yvonne analyzed this calmly and felt skeptical, “Why do I feel that something is amiss? The attacks on Oriental Star Group seemed to have increased tenfold, as though someone was behind it.”
“You worry too much. It’s just because the Oriental Star Group was accused of copyright. Soon, the investigation group will take action!” Niall replied.
Yvonne bit her lip, “I sure hope I’m overthinking things.”
“You definitely are. It must have been the people I’ve planted to attack the Oriental Star Group!”
“Furthermore, I’ve talked to the leader of the investigation team. They’ll be able to delay the release of Oriental Star Group’s screening by a week,” Zachary added.
CHAPTER 449
“Haha, our movie will be airing in three days! By the time their movie airs, we’d have already stolen the entire market! They won’t get a single cent!” Niall quipped excitedly.
The others looked forward to it as well.
…
The following day, the National Radio and Television Administration and related agencies formed an investigation team and headed to Oriental Star Group.
“We’re the investigation team! We’ve received a public complaint that the movie you’re about to air has copyright issues! Get your boss here!” Johnny Lerns, the head of the investigation team, demanded emotionlessly.
In the meeting room, Zoey, Gerry, and the others had arrived shortly.
“Zoey Lopez, was it? Your movie was accused of copyright infringement and we have sufficient evidence! How would you like to defend yourself?” Johnny demanded as he passed a thick stack of evidence over.
Zoey did not bother looking at that so-called evidence.
The others were calm as well, as though nothing had happened.
This made Johnny infuriated.
Bam!
Johnny slammed the table and got up.
“Why? Are you proud of the fact that your work is copied? Are you happy that you’ve violated copyright laws? No wonder everyone says the Oriental Star Group is a lousy enterprise! I’ve finally seen it for myself!” Johnny bellowed.
Deep inside, he was laughing.
Before this, Zachary had instructed him to stir up as much trouble as possible.
This made things a lot easier for him.
“Oriental East Group! What’s the meaning of this? Can’t you see that we’re angry? Why are you laughing?” the other members of the investigation team were fuming as well.
Johnny pointed at Zoey and demanded, “I order you to pass me a copy of your film now! I’ll investigate it!”
Zoey chuckled, “I’m sorry, the film has been sent to the National Radio and Television Administration for screening. Now, the film is top-secret and no one has the right to order me to give it away!”
“Bullshit!”
“I’m the leader of the investigation team. How dare you ignore me?” Johnny spat.
“Tell the related departments to delay the screening of Oriental Star Group’s movie by at least two weeks!” Johnny instructed.
“Got it!”
Johnny then turned to Zoey, “Zoey Lopez, I’ll ask you this one last time. Will you cooperate with the investigation? Otherwise, I’ll decide that you’re guilty of copyright! When that happens, you’ll be blacklisted, your reputation will be ruined, and you’ll have to pay the penalty!”
Zoey laughed, “I didn’t copy anything. Do whatever you want!”
“You…” Johnny was bursting with rage.
How can the Oriental Star Group be so calm? It’s like they don’t care at all. Have they given up?
“Very well then,” Johnny sneered. “Since you refuse to cooperate with the investigation, I’ll hereby conclude the investigation!”
“Oriental Star Group is charged with infringement of copyright! Below are the penalties. Firstly, the entertainment business of Oriental Star Group shall be shut down for half a month. Secondly, the movie shall be modified and its airing delayed. Third, a fine of ten million! Finally, the person in charge will have to make a public apology!”
Gerry and the others’ faces fell. They did not expect the investigation team to deem them guilty of infringement of copyright directly.
Even if they had not copied anything, they would not be able to screen those two movies. At this point in time, Levi dialed a number, “Hello? Aurora, I need you to contact the person in charge of the National Radio and Television Administration in North Hampton!”
CHAPTER 450
Now that Levi had a personal secretary, Aurora, his work became a lot smoother.
Aurora immediately contacted the man in charge of the National Radio and Television Administration in North Hampton, Colin Shanks.
She then told him everything.
Colin got the shock of his life. He set aside all of his work and brought his men to the Oriental Star Group.
The Oriental Star Group conference room was filled with dead silence.
Many had a worried expression while Johnny was smug.
“How’s that? Do you still refuse to cooperate? To tell you the truth, I decide whether your movie gets to air or not! If you have a better attitude, perhaps I’ll reconsider my decision,” Johnny kept dropping hints.
He had already received a bribe from Zachary, so he wanted to get some benefits from the Oriental Star Group as well.
Everyone in the National Radio and Television Administration knew that this was a part of the competition between two companies.
It was not necessarily the case that Oriental Star Group was copying them.
Johnny was no exception. He knew that this investigation team was just a sham. Since he could get some benefits out of it, he would try to milk them as much as possible.
He would side with whoever paid him more.
“Sir, what do you mean by that? I’m a little slow, so you need to explain it in simpler terms,” Levi requested.
Johnny smiled, “Stop feigning ignorance. Well then, let me make this clear. I alone decide whether you guys are copying or not. As long as you guys make me happy, I can choose the fate of your movie.”
“Johnny Lerns, how dare you!”
The door to the conference was slammed open.
Colin and the other executives of the National Radio and Television Administration burst in.
“Huh? Sir, why are you here? I can’t possibly trouble you for such a trivial affair,” Johnny and the rest of the investigation team said.
“If I didn’t come, you’d be a disgrace to the entire National Radio and Television Administration!” Colin spat.
“What do you mean by that?” Johnny was perplexed.
“I’ve heard everything you said earlier!” Colin roared.
Johnny hurriedly attempted to cover it up, “That was a misunderstanding! I was scaring the Oriental Star Group. I had no choice since they refused to cooperate with the investigations!”
“Wrong! You’re completely wrong!” Colin glared at him.
“Huh? Who’s in the wrong, sir? What’s wrong?” Johnny and the others were perplexed.
“Why should the Oriental Star Group cooperate with you if they haven’t copied anything? This entire matter is absurd!”
“Sir, please be clearer. I don’t understand at all!”
Colin threw the script at Johnny and bellowed, “Take a look at this! Copyright? Shanks Entertainment made seven movies, but Oriental Star Group only made two! Can you even count? Look at the content! It’s completely different and it’s much better than Shanks Entertainment’s movies!”
Johnny immediately understood after seeing the scripts.
Zachary didn’t get the situation clear at all! He didn’t know what Oriental Star Group was filming and accused them of copyright infringement! So that’s why Oriental Star Group filmed in secret! They didn’t want others to know what they were filming!
“Johnny Lerns, you and your investigation team did not investigate based on facts and carelessly believed others, causing misjudgment. All of you are suspended for three months without pay! We’ll settle things based on your future performance!”
“So Morris Group doesn’t need it, but Triple Group does? Such double standards,” Levi scoffed.
“Triple—”
Levi cut Jon off again. “I want to know who gave you the right to write Morris Group’s contribution off as Triple Group’s. That’s some serious power right there, changing a one-billion project just like that.”
Levi arrived at the root of the problem with his sharp words.
Jon was overwhelmed.
“Who is this man, Ms. Anabelle? Are you both here just to stir up some ruckus? So you want to look into the internal affairs of the Charity Association that badly?” he raged.
“Sure. Why don’t we investigate?” Levi replied coldly.
“Get them out of here!”
Jon wasn’t having it anymore and immediately ordered someone to take them away.
But Levi persisted. “No! I have to find out exactly what’s going on! How did Morris’ charity program end up becoming Triple’s?”
Jon was beyond livid. “So what if I don’t admit it was Morris’? What can you do about that, even if I say it’s been written off as Triple’s?”
Levi’s lips curled into a profound smile. “Fine. Don’t regret it then!”
“Me? Regret? Hah! I’m going to say this one more time. Triple Group’s the one who donated the money and it has nothing to do with you! Send them out!”
Iris and Levi left the building. “You see that? I can’t believe that’s how the Charity Association behaves!” Iris lamented with a wave of her hand. “I have to go back and ask Mr. Atkinson what to do. We can’t just leave things this way.”
The two returned to Morris Group.
Levi headed to his own office and contacted his secretary, Aurora Newt.
“Aurora, who’s the person in charge of the North Hampton Charity Association?” he asked.
“The president is Mr. Sanford Collins, Sir.”
“Alright. Tell him to come over. I have something to discuss with him.”
Levi sounded as cold as frost.
It didn’t take long for Sanford Collins to arrive at Morris Group with several other high-ranking associates.
The five of them stood inside the office with their heads lowered and covered in cold sweat.
They didn’t even dare to wipe at their foreheads.
The man sitting before them was way too intimidating.
He’s not just the deputy of North Hampton, he’s the God of War!
How did Scott Yates die?
It was thanks to this man!
And why has Triple Group suddenly appeared out of nowhere to do whatever they please in Quebec?
It’s mainly because Scott Yates, the man who had been keeping a tight rein on Triple Group, is no more.
This is the man who had single-handedly gotten rid of Scott Yates!
“Do you know why I’ve called you over?” asked Levi.
Sanford Collins and his men exchanged glances before shaking their heads. “No we don’t, Mr. Garrison.”
“You don’t? Then do you know where you are right now?”
Levi tapped his desk with his knuckles.
“We’re inside Morris Group. Ah! Is this perhaps about Morris Group’s charity program?”
Being the smart man that he was, Sanford quickly grasped the situation.
“So, you do know why you’re here,” Levi said coldly.
“Tell me what’s going on,” he said with a smirk. “How did the money Morris Group donated for the program end up as Triple Group’s?”
Suddenly, his expression took a sharp turn. “I was just at the Charity Association to ask about this, but they insisted the money came from Triple and even chased me out of the building!”
Boom!
Levi’s words struck them like lightning, instantly petrifying them.
Thump!
Sanford lost his balance and staggered to the floor.
Seriously?
This man got kicked out of the Charity Association?
Who had such nerve to do that?
CHAPTER 497
This is blasphemy!
It’s over.
The shit’s about to hit the fan now.
Sanford breathed deeply and said, “We had no idea such a thing happened, Mr. Garrison.”
Levi tapped on his desk again. “That’s the second issue. Let’s talk about the first. If I don’t get a good answer from you, I’m going to start looking into it on my own!”
The men nearly coughed blood out of fear.
Look into it on his own?
Jesse Nielsen’s going to ruin us before that happens.
“I’ll talk! I’ll tell you everything!”
Sanford jumped in and explained himself clearly.
“It was the general manager of Triple Group from Erudia, Horace Waller, who came looking for me. He told me to put Morris Group’s one-billion donation under Triple Group for the charity program! I did it only because he promised to donate two billion to North Hampton in the future!”
Levi smirked. “He promised to donate two billion? Did you sign an agreement with him?”
“No. It was a verbal agreement,” Sanford answered. “But he’s the general manager of Triple Group, so I believe he’s a man of his word.”
Bang!
Levi slammed his hand onto the desk.
Sanford and his team nearly wet themselves.
“So you’d believe whatever people tell you? Are you a f*cking elementary school student!?” he roared.
“I’m sorry, Mr. Garrison. I was wrong. I shouldn’t have believed him!”
Sanford immediately got down on his knees.
“Let’s go! We’re going to check the Charity Association’s records!” Levi demanded.
Sanford immediately agreed. “Understood, Sir. We’ll head over at once!”
Iris saw Levi bringing a group of men over to her just as she hung up a call with Kirin.
Sanford said to her, “Hello, Ms. Anabelle. Allow me to introduce myself. I’m Sanford Collins, president of the Charity Association. I’m here to apologize and request you to come with us to the Association to settle some matters.”
Iris was dumbfounded.
I just called Mr. Atkinson half an hour ago to ask for help, and the president of the Charity Association is here apologizing to me already?
Just how powerful is this mysterious boss?
Incredible!
Iris admired this unknown man so much that she was now thinking of him as a lover.
Everyone quickly headed toward the Charity Association once again.
“Get Jon Harvey to attend to me!” Levi ordered the front desk receptionist.
It didn’t take long for Jon to angrily show up with a group of bodyguards.
“What? Must you insist on causing trouble, Morris Group? I kicked you out just a while ago!” Jon raged.
Levi scoffed. “What’s this? Is this how you attend to a guest?”
“Who the f*ck do you think you are that I have to attend to you? You wanna die?” Jon bellowed at him.
“What’s your problem? Why are you acting like such a tyrant?” Iris argued. “Am I not allowed to check your accounts? My company gave you a one-billion donation, for crying out loud!”
“No!” Jon turned her down right away. “From now on, no one from Morris Group gets to step into this building. We won’t accept your donations either!”
“What a bold statement. You must think you’re so formidable,” Iris remarked.
“That’s right,” the other directors began to speak out. “We’re the ones who have the final say in North Hampton’s charity industry! If you have a problem with that, that’s too bad!”
Levi shook his head in frustration as he glanced at these men.
So this is how the Charity Association normally behaves.
And it looks like these directors really gain a lot from their work.
With one glance, Levi easily noticed that quite a few of these men wore luxury watches that was worth millions.
“How dare you!”
An explosive roar erupted in the lobby.
It was Sanford Collins, president of the Charity Association.
CHAPTER 498
“You f*cking—it’s you, Mr. Collins?”
Jon immediately paled in fright as he gazed at the group of men in disbelief.
“Mr. Jung? Mr. Yeager? What are you all doing here?”
Jon and the other directors were beyond horrified.
“Hmph! The company would’ve been shut down if I weren’t here!” Sanford said with fury.
“Huh? That can’t be, Mr. Collins. Why would the Charity Association be shut down?”
Jon smiled sheepishly, not realizing that the man standing right in front of him was capable of tearing the entire company down if he wanted to.
You’re all fired. You’d better prepare for all the investigations you’ll all be going through!” Sanford said coldly.
Boom!
“What!?”
Jon and the other directors felt as though they had just been struck by lightning.
Sanford then turned to the four vice presidents behind him. “When this is all over, we’ll have to resign and go through the investigations too.”
“We understand!” the vice presidents immediately agreed.
This was the best way for them to save themselves.
Jon and his team were even more astounded.
Who on earth is behind Morris Group that our president is voluntarily resigning?
“Alright, let’s go check the records! Stop dilly-dallying,” said Levi.
“Yes, Chief!”
Sanford and his men immediately lead the way.
Iris stared intensely at Levi.
He’s actually acting all tough.
The only reason why he got to put on such a show was because of Mr. Atkinson.
And they’re calling him Chief?
What a pretentious guy you are, Levi!
The truth unveiled itself not long after everyone arrived at the Charity Association.
The one billion donation was indeed from Morris Group. It had nothing to do with Triple Group at all.
“I believe I don’t have to tell you what to do next,” Levi remarked.
“Not at all, Chief! I’ll take care of everything!”
Sanford instantly arranged for an announcement to be made, confirming that it was Morris Group that had donated the money.
Then, he contacted all the publishers and large media outlets to report Morris Group’s acts of charity.
He also presented Morris its rightful award and certificate.
“I don’t actually need these things, but you’ll have to prepare them. They’re all part of the legal process.”
Levi glared at Sanford, causing the latter to tremble in fear.
“By the way, let the world know that Triple Group never donated a single cent during the charity gala,” the man instructed.
Triple Group’s thinking of gaining without even doing anything?
Like that’ll happen.
“Uhh…”
Sanford hesitated for a moment.
After all, Triple Group was a powerful foreign corporation.
This was certainly a tough matter to deal with.
“Hmm?” Levi hummed coldly.
“I’ll take care of it right away!”
Triple Group was nothing compared to this man, after all.
Very quickly, all the large media outlets began to ask the following: When will Triple Group donate to the charity program?
Is it really for charity, or are they doing it just for clout?
Even the Charity Association confirmed what was going on.
Hence, the news quickly spread across North Hampton.
“So Triple Group is nothing but a scam? Didn’t they donate a billion during the charity gala?”
“The guys from Triple Group are nothing but leeches! It was Morris Group’s money and it ended up becoming theirs!”
“How shameless! They even slandered Oriental Star Group that night. What a bunch of dogs.”
…
The tide quickly turned. Triple Group was now in crisis after having its reputation destroyed.
Meanwhile, inside the office of Triple Group in North Hampton.
Horace Waller was smoking on a cigar while looking extremely grim.
“Something’s fishy. I discussed everything with Sanford Collins and bought over a few of his vice presidents and directors. Why is this happening?”
Horace was puzzled.
At this very moment, someone from the Charity Association asked to meet him.
CHAPTER 499
“Hello, Mr. Waller. We won’t force you to pay the one-billion donation, but you’ve already made your decision that night at the charity gala, so I think it’s best if you don’t go back on your words. It’d be bad publicity for Triple Group otherwise.”
Horace gritted his teeth and paid up.
He was fuming with anger.
Triple Group never had any intention of paying such an amount. This was simply a loss resulting from not carrying out his tasks well.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Horae hit his desk in fury.
“Damn you, Morris Group!”
At that very moment, he received a phone call.
The person on the line proceeded to chastise him.
With a gloomy face, Horace silently listened to everything that was being said to him.
“Mr. Park Hae-Jin will arrive in North Hampton soon. You’ll be in charge of welcoming him! Leave all of North Hampton’s matters to Mr. Park from now on. All you need to do is assist him.”
Horace’s expression instantly took a turn upon the mention of the name.
Park Hae-Jin was the son of Park Cheon-shin, the regional manager of Triple Group in Erudia.
They were the direct descendants of the family that ruled Keerea’s Triple Group, and had control over all affairs in Erudia.
It was this father-and-son duo who caused Scott Yates to lose all his affiliations.
Park Cheon-shin was someone who could go up against Scott Yates.
His son was even more terrifying.
Horace knew what Park Hae-Jin was coming to North Hampton for.
That man was a complete deviant!
At four o ‘clock in the afternoon.
Horace waited at a highway intersection with a large group.
A row of cars arrived shortly after.
The second vehicle was a LaFerrari worth forty million.
The door opened and out came a young man in a suit. He had blue hair and his ears were pierced.
A corner of his lips curled slightly as he stood in front of Horace.
“Welcome to North Hampton, Mr. Park!” Horace bowed and said with a smile.
Yet, the Keerean man suddenly grabbed Horace by the hair, pulling him forward.
Horace cried out in pain.
Pow!
Hae-Jin punched Horace in the face, blood immediately spurted everywhere.
Pow!
Bam!
…
He continued his vicious assault on Horace.
The poor man now looked like a complete mess.
Wham!
Finally, Hae-Jin kicked Horace in the stomach, sending him flying eight meters backwards.
The latter clutched his stomach and writhed in pain.
This was exactly why Horace was afraid of Park Hae-Jin.
Fortunately, he was the general manager in Erudia, and thus still of value to Triple Group.
Otherwise, Hae-Jin would have already sent him to meet with his maker!
“Trash! You’re all trash!” Hae-Jin raged.
“What’s the point of looking after trash like you? We lost one billion just like that, not to mention Triple’s reputation was tarnished!”
The man was so livid that he brought a few of Horace’s men forward and proceeded to beat them up.
“It’s all my fault, Mr. Park Hae-Jin! I swear I’ll gain back what we’ve lost!” Horace promised while kneeling in front of Hae-Jin.
Then, he continued, “I’ve also prepared a few lovely ladies for you, Mr. Park. They’re all actresses who have recently made it big, such as Trisha Sullivan and Hazel Levine. Please enjoy your time with them!”
This was the only way to protect his own life.
Park Hae-Jin’s temper died down slightly. “Now that’s what I’m talking about!”
Perhaps, not even Trisha Sullivan would have expected something like this to happen to her after betraying Oriental Star Group.
Hae-Jin suddenly remembered something. “I heard that the most popular actress right now is Helena Engler. Her boss is a real beauty too.”
“Uhh… I don’t think I can do anything about that, Mr. Park…”
Horace began to tremble.
Hae-Jin scoffed. “Then forget it. I’ll take care of it myself! Remember this. North Hampton is at the mercy of Triple Group. That’s exactly why I’m here!”
CHAPTER 500
Park Hae-Jin was extremely full of himself.
However, Horace didn’t question him at all.
Because he knew what Triple Group was capable of.
What Park Cheon-shin and his son were capable of.
In fact, Park Cheon-shin and his son indistinctively held more power than Scott Yates did.
But why did they never confront each other head on?
The main reason was that the losses were too huge, even if they would have won.
It would be akin to killing a thousand of Scott’s men but losing eight hundred of their own.
Now that Scott’s faction had collapsed, Triple Group stood alone and firm in Quebec.
They could now do whatever they pleased!
Triple Group had no issues taking over South City and ten other areas.
The toughest nut to crack was North Hampton.
Park Cheon-shin had immediately sent his son over after Horace’s screw-up.
That night, Trisha Sullivan and the other women who had signed Triple Group’s slave contracts were given hell.
The next day, they were carried straight into the hospital.
Horace shuddered at the news.
Park Hae-Jin was an absolute pervert who treated women like playthings.
Many of them died.
Those who didn’t either ended up with depression or remained in the hospital…
Maurice was petrified too.
Hae-Jin walked out and bumped into him.
“I heard you made it pretty big, but you’re nothing but a street rat now. How are you even going to make me money?” Hae-Jin asked coldly.
“I can act,” Maurice answered while trembling. “I can shoot lots of movies!”
Slap, slap.
Hae-Jin patted the man’s cheeks. “Do you think anyone’s going to watch your movies?”
“I…”
Maurice froze on the spot.
ptooey!
Hae-Jin spat on the ground.
“Lick it up. I’m a guy who spits wherever I like. From now on, your job is to lick up all of my spit,” he said with a laugh.
“No… No…”
Maurice instantly paled.
How could a celebrity like him do such a thing?
“Now!”
Hae-Jin kicked Maurice to the ground.
Maurice had no choice but to lick it clean.
Hae-Jin ended up spitting on the floor all day.
Despair.
Endless despair!
Maurice would have remained a trending celebrity had he stuck with Oriental Star Group.
His future would have been full of riches, glory and splendor.
Sadly, he could only go through such suffering now.
…
At Bayview Garden.
Iris picked Levi up for work in her Porsche.
Zoey smiled helplessly.
Her snobbish best friend was actually driving Levi to work.
It must be because he’s that charming.
Zoey smiled.
While driving, she suddenly spotted a Ferrari speeding recklessly on the left lane, disregarding all traffic rules.
All the surrounding vehicles tried to evade it.
Those who didn’t make it in time ended up crashing into other cars or the guard rails.
“What!?”
Zoey’s eyes widened in disbelief.
The Ferrari suddenly turned to the right lane and began zooming toward her.
Zoey wasn’t driving slowly, but it was already too late to switch lanes.
Crash!
The two cars violently collided.
The airbag was instantly deployed, protecting Zoey.
No one was injured.
However, the vehicles were a different story. The Ferrari’s head had completely caved in, and Zoey’s Audi RS7 was severely damaged too.
Slam!
The owner of the Ferrari got down. He looked extremely menacing with his blue hair and pierced ears.
Behind the Ferrari were several other vehicles. Dozens of men in black began to exit and walk over.
“How the hell do you even drive!?”
Park Hae-Jin’s attendant, Park Chang-wook, ferociously gave Zoey’s Audi a few kicks.
“Argh!” Niall screamed and spat the water out on Helena.
“What the hell?”
Splash!
Niall splashed the remaining water in the cup towards Helena.
“The water is so hot! Were you trying to burn me?” Niall roared.
“Huh?” Helena covered the parts of her body which were wet and was taken aback.
“Newcomer, what’s up with you? Did you do this on purpose? What’s with the hot water?”
“Yeah! What’s up with this? Do you not want to act anymore?”
“Are you looking for trouble?”
Several people started accusing Helena.
Several dozens of people ganged up on a young lady.
Helena was frightened and started sobbing.
“Heh, see? Zoey is here to make life difficult for us!” Yvonne started fanning the flames.
“That’s right! The timing was too coincidental! The newcomers came right after what happened last night!”
“She’s sent them to deal with us!”
They quickly pushed the blame to Zoey.
Niall cast his gaze upon Helena and demanded, “Hey! Kneel down and apologize! Otherwise, I won’t let you off!”
“That’s right! Kneel!” the others chanted.
Helena was frightened out of her wits.
It was her first day and something so major had happened.
If she had known earlier, she would have stuck to sales.
Just as Helena was about to kneel down, Maurice stopped her.
“Apologize? What for?” Maurice demanded.
“She gave me a cup of boiling water on purpose! She’s clearly trying to scald me,” Niall burst out in rage.
Maurice argued, “You only said to get you some water. You didn’t specify if you wanted it hot or cold! That’s your own problem.”
Niall scoffed, “You could have asked! That’s common sense. God gave you a mouth for a reason. If you don’t even have this much common sense, you shouldn’t be an actor!”
“I…” Maurice was speechless when faced with the unreasonable Niall.
“Is this the way you should be taking to a senior? I didn’t offend you, did I? Do you really take me for granted?” Niall continued ferociously.
Maurice was scared as well.
Offending a famous star like him would mean the end of his career.
They were just some commoners from rural areas, to begin with. They were no match for these people.
“W-we’ll apologize…” the other two stammered.
They were worried that things would blow up.
Niall sneered at Maurice and pointed at the water on the ground. He demanded, “You’ll kneel down to apologize to me as well and lick the water on the ground clean. If you do that, I’ll forgive you!”
Maurice was a hot-blooded youth and got angered by Niall.
“Don’t push your luck. I’ve got nothing to lose here!” he spat as he glared at Niall.
Slap!
Niall slapped Maurice hard on the face.
Maurice was bewildered.
“You’re a few years too young to talk back to me like that!” Niall scoffed.
“I’ll kill you!”
Maurice was about to pounce on him, but several people held him down.
At this point in time Niall, Yvonne, as well as the other actors Zachary had assembled exchanged glances.
They would carry out the plan the Suarez family had requested.
Bam!
Niall kicked a camera aside and yelled, “Damn it! I’ll quit! This is taking things too far!”
CHAPTER 442
Crash!
Niall went berserk and smashed anything he could see.
“Right! We’ll stop acting! This is just bullying us! They got a few newcomers to come and pick on us!”
Wham!
Yvonne kicked the equipment aside as well.
“Zoey is trying to force us to quit by using these newcomers! Why bother acting? I won’t work for her!”
“Exactly! What’s the point?”
The other artistes and managers were livid and started destroying the equipment.
The other filming crew was scared out of their wits. Have the actors gone mad? Surely being offended by two newcomers won’t warrant such a reaction! What’s going on?
The ones who were most confused were the four newcomers.
Their illustrious career had ended the moment it started, just because they had offended a few top actors.
They had no way to take responsibility. Even the men started crying out loud.
Unbeknownst to them, Niall and Yvonne had planned this from the start. They were bribed by the Suarez to destroy Oriental Star Group.
They were simply being used as an excuse. Even if they had not shown up, Niall would have found trouble with someone else!
Not only that, but the top artistes from other groups had gone on strike as well! The part that was affected the worst was that Niall and Yvonne had co-starred in five movies.
Several filming sets worth of artistes had gone on strike.
…
“Ms. Lopez! Something terrible happened! Actors and actresses from seven different sets have gone on strike! They even started smashing the equipment and the scene is in a mess! Follow me and have a look yourself!”
Zoey was shocked when she received Gerry’s call.
However, she quickly calmed down.
There must be a reason for the strike. First, I offended Niall Xander. Second, Zachary Suarez might be behind this.
Zoey rushed to the scene as soon as possible.
When she saw the set in such a mess, Zoey’s heart sank. Why do things like this happen all the time?
Gerry had arrived at the same time. He inquired, “What happened? What’s going on?”
Winnie scorned, “Mr. Wade, Ms. Lopez is trying to make life difficult for us!”
“Huh? What’s wrong?”
“The four newbies you just brought in were here to make life difficult for us! One of them tried to scald Niall with boiling water while the other tried to hit him! If you want to fire us, just say it outright! Why does it in such a roundabout manner?” Winnie demanded.
“That’s right! Just fire us! We’ll be welcome everywhere else!” Yvonne and the other artistes burst out in rage.
Gerry took a look around and questioned, “Is that so?”
The others agreed, “It’s true! These newcomers were clumsy and making life difficult for Niall!”
“That’s right! Ms. Lopez, Mr. Wade, I’ll have to discuss things with you two. There’s nothing wrong with getting new members, but you’ll have to train them first before sending them here. How could you just send them here?” Shaw Timmons, the director with a neutral stance, grumbled as well.
He did not care about who was in the right and who was in the wrong. All he was concerned about was that these newbies had affected his shoot.
“You guys? You’ll be the death of me!” Gerry was furious. However, since they were brought here by Zoey, he did not dare to comment too much.
Zoey bit her lip. She knew that this was no simple matter and these newcomers were simply unlucky.
Niall and the others used Helena as an excuse to vent their frustration.
She had to admit that that was a powerful move. It was the perfect excuse!
CHAPTER 443
“Mr. Wade, we’re going on strike. This isn’t fair at all!” Niall protested.
Gerry consoled him, “Niall, please calm down. This is a small matter!”
“How can we calm down? You’ve already pushed us so far. If you’re unhappy, just fire us!” Yvonne snarled.
Zoey asked, “What are your terms?”
Niall smirked, “Someone’s quick on the uptake. Winnie, tell them our terms!”
Winnie looked Zoey in the eye and began, “Ms. Lopez, if you want us to continue to work, you have to be sincere about it!”
“Well? How much do you want?” Zoey had seen this coming. They will definitely ask for an increase in pay.
Winnie held up three fingers and demanded, “We want triple the pay for all seven films with the ten actors involved! Otherwise, we will continue going on strike!”
Boom!
Gerry was stunned. Triple the pay! That’s fifty million! The budget for the seven movies combined was fifty million already. Yet, they were demanding for all fifty million to go to the cast! Have they gone mad?
Director Timmons inhaled sharply. That’s outrageous!
However, they were in no position to bargain. The Oriental Star Group’s entertainment business only survived because of these ten actors and actresses! If they left, the entertainment business would crumble. They were severely disadvantaged and had nothing to bargain with.
“Wait, can we…” Gerry tried to negotiate.
Niall interrupted him, “Triple. I won’t be taking a cent less!”
Helena and the others were perplexed. Because of them, Oriental Star Group was now in a crisis.
“Zoey, you’re new to this place, so you don’t know how important we are! Oriental Star Group only made it to the top of North Hampton because of us! Why else will Gerry listen to our every demand?” Yvonne declared fearlessly.
Gerry hung his head and did not say anything in response. They’re right! These ten people are our source of income! We need to take good care of them!
Niall sneered, “Not only that. If you want this matter to be resolved, I want the rights to deal with the two of them as well!”
He then pointed at Helena and Maurice.
Helena was a beauty that he had set his sights upon.
Meanwhile, Maurice had attempted to defy him. He would not let him off easily.
Gerry pleaded softly, “Ms. Lopez, please agree to their terms! Even if we make a loss here, we need to keep them!”
Niall looked at Zoey smugly.
“Give us a day to reconsider. I’ll give you a reply tomorrow!” Zoey decided.
“Alright! A day off today then!”
With that, Niall and the others left.
Maurice, Helena, and the others ran towards Zoey and apologized, “Ms. Lopez, we’re sorry. This all happened because of us!”
“It’s not your fault. This would have happened anyway,” Zoey assured them.
Meanwhile, Levi, who was in the office, heard of this matter from Helena.
He immediately looked Zoey up.
“Why are you hesitating? Fire them all! How hard is it to hire a new star?” Levi scorned.
Under Levi’s encouragement, Zoey called Niall and the other actors’ managers and said, “Let me inform you that you’ve been fired!”
CHAPTER 444
When they received the call from Zoey, Winnie and the other managers had a smug look on their faces.
They had not expected Zoey to fire them.
Impossible!
“What did you say? Repeat yourself!” Winnie nearly dropped her phone onto the floor.
“Let me repeat myself then. Niall, Yvonne, and the other eight actors have been fired by the company!” Zoey roared.
“Tch, don’t regret this, Zoey!” Winnie had an icy expression.
“I won’t regret it! Get the paperwork done and leave. Oriental Star Group doesn’t welcome you!”
When Zoey finally hung up, she felt immense satisfaction.
She had finally gotten a weight off her chest.
“What? Zoey actually fired us? That’s impossible!” Niall and the others were fuming when they heard this.
How dare Zoey fire us?
In the past, they had acted arrogantly because they were the Oriental Star Group’s pillars of support. They were sure that Zoey would not dare to fire them. Yet, the result was not as they had expected.
“Tell that to Gerry! I’ll make sure she regrets it!” Niall instructed with his eyes narrowed.
Yvonne smiled, “Just wait. Sooner or later, Zoey will beg us to return!”
When Gerry and the upper management of the company found out about this, they confronted Zoey.
“Ms. Lopez, you can’t do this!”
Zoey was adamant, “Give up. I’ve already made my decision!”
“Please rethink your decision! Without these ten people, Oriental Star Group’s entertainment business is a goner! We owe our viewership to them!” Gerry pleaded between tears.
“That’s right! The loss is too great! The moment they leave, the seven movies we’ve planned are toast! We’ll lose fifty million!”
“That’s right! We’ll lose all of our contracts in the entertainment business!”
The others tried to highlight the severity of the issue.
At this point in time, Levi laughed, “What do you mean? The show must go on! We’ll just get another actor!”
“You’re not from the industry, so you wouldn’t understand! The advertising had already been done and the movies will only earn money because of their popularity! If you change the cast, you’ll still lose money!” Gerry spat angrily.
“Hehe, perhaps I’m not from this industry, but from the point of view of the audience, the quality of the movie matters the most. If the movie is entertaining, it will spread through word of mouth and definitely sell well! In fact, movies that star famous actors have been losing a lot of money!” Levi defended himself.
Gerry and the others were speechless. That is indeed the case! Nowadays, the movies to be screened in cinemas no longer hired actors who had a large fanbase. The poor quality of the movies often resulted in losses. Most of the movies that starred these internet celebrities were online movies which targeted fans with a hit-and-run policy.
“You’ll definitely earn money from the fans by hiring celebrities to act, but your reputation will only get worse! Without good reviews, it’ll eventually be toast!” Levi continued.
Gerry sighed.
Levi was right.
The first movie would earn the greatest revenue, but the rest will have diminishing profits.
There would be an increase in the number of complaints online as well.
In essence, if the quality of the movie were bad, the fans would no longer watch them to support their idols.
CHAPTER 445
“How about this? Zoey, the four people I’ve recommended have good acting skills. Get a few good actors and let them be the lead actors instead!
That way, we’ll be saving a lot since we’re not paying the celebrities. We can spend that money on special effects and other scenes! Other than that, we’ll increase the commission for the directors, scriptwriters, and editors. If we focus on quality for these seven movies, I don’t believe that they won’t sell!” Levi declared.
Zoey felt that it made sense and agreed, “Alright, we’ll do it as you say!”
Gerry agreed with Levi’s proposal but hesitated, “We’ve already announced the cast for these movies. If we change the cast at the last minute, there’ll be a lot of protests!”
“That’s a good opportunity! The fact that there’s protests would mean that many people pay attention to this. We’re using new actors without any fame, so this will pique the attention of the audience!
The advertising team can just create some hype for this movie. When the movie airs, we’ll become popular through word of mouth and the movie will definitely sell!” Levi explained.
Gerry’s eyes lit up, “Mr. Garrison, you’re a sharp man! Although Niall and the others left, we can use their popularity to hype up our new movies!”
Levi nodded, “Just go ahead and do it! Nurture a few new stars and I’ll try my best to advertise the movie when it screens!”
Meanwhile, Niall and the others were still waiting for Zoey to apologize.
When Gerry arrived, he declared sternly, “This is the official statement. All of you are fired. Leave now!”
“Huh?” Niall was perplexed.
Gerry came to fire us? What’s wrong with him?
“Gerry, have you gone mad? If we leave, what will happen to the seven movies? What will happen to Oriental Star Group?” Niall and the others spat furiously.
Gerry was livid as well. After all, he had let these people lord over him for such a long time.
He scoffed, “All of you are cancer to Oriental! If you stay, then we truly are finished! As for these seven movies, we’ve already found replacements for all of you!”
Gerry glanced at Helena and Maurice, who were trembling with fear.
“Maurice, Helena, you’ll be the main lead!”
Helena and the others were bewildered. What a roller coaster ride! Earlier, we just got ourselves in trouble! Moments later, we’re suddenly the lead of a movie with a budget of fifty million!
“Hahaha…” Niall, Yvonne, and the others burst out in laughter.
“Gerry, have you gone mad? You’re getting these newbies to act in a fifty-million movie? How will you secure your box office? You’ll definitely lose everything! Idiot!”
To these artistes, getting newbies to act in such a movie is absolutely impossible!
Without our fame and fanbase, they’ll definitely make a loss!
“Haha, let’s leave! We’ll just watch them struggle! Don’t beg us to come back when that happens!”
With that, Niall, Yvonne, and the other eight artistes left promptly.
Gerry was nervous as well. After all, no one had dared to try such a plan before. The road ahead was full of unknowns, and if they had made the wrong bet, Oriental Star Group would be a goner.
After leaving Oriental Star Group, the ten artistes immediately got a contract under Shanks Entertainment under the Suarez family.
The news quickly spread across the entire North Hampton.
They regretted it!
Gerry and the others had regretted it after all. Even Zoey started to wonder if she had made the wrong call.
They had essentially sent their aces to their competitors for free.
They would use them to deal a huge blow to Oriental Star Group!
“Oriental is full of idiots! Especially Zoey! Oriental Star Group will be mine sooner or later!” Zachary was unbelievably excited.
He suddenly felt that he had overestimated Zoey this whole time.
“Hahaha, next, we’ll create seven online films to air at the same time as their movies! I’ll have them wallowing in regret!”
“Sure, no problem! We’ll put in our best effort and destroy Oriental Star Group!”
Niall and the others looked forward to it.
“How about this? We know their script, so let’s create seven movies with similar content as well!”
Zachary was bent on destroying Oriental Star Group.
“Good idea, President Suarez! If the content is similar, we’ll take up all the viewership! Their films are full of newbies, so no one will watch them! Their fifty million will go down the drain!”
“After that, we can sue them for copyright! They’ll be a goner!” Yvonne suggested.
Zachary smiled, “You’re more devious than I am! We copied their ideas and are even suing them for copyright!”
“Hahaha… We’ll wait for the downfall of Oriental Star Group!” All of them laughed maniacally.
…
That was no time for regrets.
Since she had already made such a decision, Zoey would have to do her best to make it happen.
She assembled the cast, directors, screenwriters, and producers for a meeting.
“I’ll triple your pay for these seven movies! If the film succeeds, I’ll give you a bonus as well!” Levi suggested. Shawn and the others were extremely motivated by that.
It was useless to give a motivational speech or anything like that. Money was the most reliable motivator.
If you paid them well, they would help you earn more revenue.
“Ms. Lopez, Mr. Garrison, relax! We will take this seriously! Furthermore, I’ve decided to change these seven movies into two! We will release the best quality films in the shortest time frame possible,” Shawn declared.
To begin with, these seven movies had never focused on quality. There were seven of them so that they could scam the fans of seven times the money.
They focused on quantity rather than quality.
However, this was different. With sufficient funds and support, they could produce a film of good quality.
The screenwriter, Sylvester Zoldyck, nodded, “Alright, I’ll improve the script to keep the audience hooked throughout.”
“Alright, we can guarantee the special effects. Back then, the funds were all spent on the cast and we barely got enough money to do it well. Now that we have sufficient funds, this is no problem!”
The special effects team nearly burst out in laughter. That was the first time in decades they had so many funds.
Several millions worth of funds on special effects; that was something they had previously never dreamed of having.
“I will make sure everything runs smoothly, so don’t worry, Ms. Lopez!” the producer assured her.
The young cast knew that this was a rare opportunity, so it was a given that they would do their best.
The production of the movie was set.
The only problem left would be advertising.
The advertising team had already started to work on promoting the movie, but Helena and the others were completely new actors. It would be hard to maintain the hype.
“Nevermind, let’s focus on finishing the movie first!” Levi smiled.
He had predicted that Zachary would steal their content as well, so he had recommended for the drama team to lock up all information such that he would have no idea what they were filming.
After Zoey heeded his suggestions, there was no news from Zachary.
“Hmph! So what if they film in secret? We already know the script of all seven movies!” Zachary scoffed.
Shanks Entertainment continued to film the seven movies as they had previously planned.
CHAPTER 447
At this point in time, Shanks Entertainment was gaining popularity in North Hampton.
The change of company by Niall and the others was a hot topic.
The audience and fans looked forward to the movies produced by Niall and the others for Shanks Entertainment.
As the days passed, the Morris Group and Rogers Family progressed greatly as usual.
However, the business in the city was not doing badly either.
In the short time span of one month, they’ve bought over several enterprises and finally got a taste of profit.
Business in North Hampton was great. It was the top economy in Quebec after all.
This was coupled with the fact that there was no regulation on their extreme measures. Hence, they decided to take things up a notch.
More and more people moved into North Hampton to get a piece of this pie.
The Suarez family was a notable example. Zachary had entered to test the waters and lead the way for his father and uncles.
The Lopez family was progressing in secret as well, taking advantage of Harry’s influence.
In this month, Scott had been checking on the background of the Morris Group.
It was no easy task, so it took an entire month.
“Godfather, as of now, we aren’t able to find out who is backing them. Moving forward, we’ll have to wait for the search results from the dark web. After that, we can make a move on the Morris Group.” Fernand reported.
The so-called dark web referred to sites which specialized in intelligence in the dark web.
These websites had a membership system, and there were less than a hundred members in the entire Erudia.
In the entire Quebec, only Scott was a member. Other than him, no one else could gain intel from the dark web.
“Alright. Tell Lopez to be prepared. I’m ready to take down the Morris Group!” Scott replied plainly while fiddling with the prayer beads in his hand.
Throughout the course of the month, the Oriental Star Group worked overtime to finish the two high-quality films.
Helena and the others did not disappoint and displayed all their skills.
They were truly skilled actors and actresses!
“These are the two most perfect movies I’ve filmed!” Shawn sighed.
The other crew members were excited as well due to the sheer quality of these movies.
No other movies could compare.
On the other hand, the Suarez family’s Shanks Entertainment filmed all seven movies in that one month.
The content was shabby and the quality was mediocre. However, Niall, Yvonne, and other famous actors were starring in them. There were a lot of pre-booked tickets from fans, amounting to a total of four hundred thousand in revenue.
Coupled with the fact that they had done their advertising in full force, they expected the total number of pre-bookings to total one million!
Niall and Yvonne scoffed, “Let’s destroy the entire Oriental Star Group!”
Both movies had already been sent to the National Radio and Television Administration for screening.
As long as they passed the screening, they would be able to start airing immediately.
Shanks Entertainment had bought over all the main pages of major streaming sites. To them, the cost was no issue. They simply wanted to drive Oriental Star Group out of business.
“What should we do about advertising? All these proposals are no good!” Zoey expressed her dissatisfaction with the proposals given to her.
That was why there was no hype for the two movies up to that point.
The only news about those movies was how Niall and the others had flamed Oriental Star Group.
“Let me handle it!” Levi requested. He had plans for advertising.
“I’ll leave it to you, then!”
Zoey had a fair amount of confidence when it came to Levi.
The following day, the headlines read: Oriental Star Group’s seven newest movies had copied content from Shanks Entertainment!
The news spread across the entire North Hampton.
CHAPTER 448
For the past month, Oriental Star Group and Shanks Entertainment had been exchanging blows.
Now that such a thing had happened, everyone was shocked.
These seven movies were copied? Has Oriental Star Group gone mad?
The one who reported such news had even listed evidence.
He did a side-by-side comparison of the plots of the seven movies.
Anyone could tell that it had been copied.
To the fans, the screenwriters used were Yvonne and Niall’s private screenwriters and did not belong to Oriental Star Group. After they were fired, they had become a part of Shanks Entertainment. Hence, to them, the Oriental Star Group’s seven movies were all copied!
The net was suddenly bustling with people criticizing the Oriental Star Group.
This was especially so for the fans of the ten artistes who had left Oriental Star Group. Some fans had already organized protests on the internet attacking Oriental Star Group. They were prepared to stop at nothing to drive Oriental Star Group’s entertainment business out of business.
The relevant departments had even formed an investigation team and prepared to look into this.
The Oriental Star Group was shocked by this.
“That’s playing dirty!” Gerry slammed the table.
“I know, right! They copied our script and now they’re accusing us? How despicable!” the other executives spat. They were enraged as well.
Zoey laughed, “Levi, you’re so smart! You predicted their moves up to this point. Do they honestly think that they can sue us for copyright? How naïve. We’re airing two movies instead of seven, and the content is greatly different!”
Gerry was excited, “I can’t wait to see their faces when they see our movies!”
Levi had a glint in his eyes, “And here we were worrying about advertising! Let’s leave the internet be about the copyright issue. The more they attack us, the better! This will be free advertising for our movie!”
Zoey’s eyes lit up. Levi is a genius in finance and business!
“Alright, I’ll get straight to it!”
Levi added, “Release the news that Oriental Star Group’s movies will be airing soon. Don’t give away any titles or information! Just keep it as mysterious as possible!”
“Alright, got it!”
…
The news of Oriental Star Group’s film being aired in all major streaming sites had spread soon.
For some unknown reason, the media started attacking them more heavily.
All major mass media, blogs, and news channels were filled with criticisms.
It was as though they were going to force Oriental Star Group out of business entirely.
“That was brutal of them! That’s a few dozen times worse than what we had expected! Have we stirred up a public outrage?”
Niall, Zachary, and the others were excited.
Oriental Star Group would soon crumble and Zachary would be able to purchase it at a low price.
Yvonne analyzed this calmly and felt skeptical, “Why do I feel that something is amiss? The attacks on Oriental Star Group seemed to have increased tenfold, as though someone was behind it.”
“You worry too much. It’s just because the Oriental Star Group was accused of copyright. Soon, the investigation group will take action!” Niall replied.
Yvonne bit her lip, “I sure hope I’m overthinking things.”
“You definitely are. It must have been the people I’ve planted to attack the Oriental Star Group!”
“Furthermore, I’ve talked to the leader of the investigation team. They’ll be able to delay the release of Oriental Star Group’s screening by a week,” Zachary added.
CHAPTER 449
“Haha, our movie will be airing in three days! By the time their movie airs, we’d have already stolen the entire market! They won’t get a single cent!” Niall quipped excitedly.
The others looked forward to it as well.
…
The following day, the National Radio and Television Administration and related agencies formed an investigation team and headed to Oriental Star Group.
“We’re the investigation team! We’ve received a public complaint that the movie you’re about to air has copyright issues! Get your boss here!” Johnny Lerns, the head of the investigation team, demanded emotionlessly.
In the meeting room, Zoey, Gerry, and the others had arrived shortly.
“Zoey Lopez, was it? Your movie was accused of copyright infringement and we have sufficient evidence! How would you like to defend yourself?” Johnny demanded as he passed a thick stack of evidence over.
Zoey did not bother looking at that so-called evidence.
The others were calm as well, as though nothing had happened.
This made Johnny infuriated.
Bam!
Johnny slammed the table and got up.
“Why? Are you proud of the fact that your work is copied? Are you happy that you’ve violated copyright laws? No wonder everyone says the Oriental Star Group is a lousy enterprise! I’ve finally seen it for myself!” Johnny bellowed.
Deep inside, he was laughing.
Before this, Zachary had instructed him to stir up as much trouble as possible.
This made things a lot easier for him.
“Oriental East Group! What’s the meaning of this? Can’t you see that we’re angry? Why are you laughing?” the other members of the investigation team were fuming as well.
Johnny pointed at Zoey and demanded, “I order you to pass me a copy of your film now! I’ll investigate it!”
Zoey chuckled, “I’m sorry, the film has been sent to the National Radio and Television Administration for screening. Now, the film is top-secret and no one has the right to order me to give it away!”
“Bullshit!”
“I’m the leader of the investigation team. How dare you ignore me?” Johnny spat.
“Tell the related departments to delay the screening of Oriental Star Group’s movie by at least two weeks!” Johnny instructed.
“Got it!”
Johnny then turned to Zoey, “Zoey Lopez, I’ll ask you this one last time. Will you cooperate with the investigation? Otherwise, I’ll decide that you’re guilty of copyright! When that happens, you’ll be blacklisted, your reputation will be ruined, and you’ll have to pay the penalty!”
Zoey laughed, “I didn’t copy anything. Do whatever you want!”
“You…” Johnny was bursting with rage.
How can the Oriental Star Group be so calm? It’s like they don’t care at all. Have they given up?
“Very well then,” Johnny sneered. “Since you refuse to cooperate with the investigation, I’ll hereby conclude the investigation!”
“Oriental Star Group is charged with infringement of copyright! Below are the penalties. Firstly, the entertainment business of Oriental Star Group shall be shut down for half a month. Secondly, the movie shall be modified and its airing delayed. Third, a fine of ten million! Finally, the person in charge will have to make a public apology!”
Gerry and the others’ faces fell. They did not expect the investigation team to deem them guilty of infringement of copyright directly.
Even if they had not copied anything, they would not be able to screen those two movies. At this point in time, Levi dialed a number, “Hello? Aurora, I need you to contact the person in charge of the National Radio and Television Administration in North Hampton!”
CHAPTER 450
Now that Levi had a personal secretary, Aurora, his work became a lot smoother.
Aurora immediately contacted the man in charge of the National Radio and Television Administration in North Hampton, Colin Shanks.
She then told him everything.
Colin got the shock of his life. He set aside all of his work and brought his men to the Oriental Star Group.
The Oriental Star Group conference room was filled with dead silence.
Many had a worried expression while Johnny was smug.
“How’s that? Do you still refuse to cooperate? To tell you the truth, I decide whether your movie gets to air or not! If you have a better attitude, perhaps I’ll reconsider my decision,” Johnny kept dropping hints.
He had already received a bribe from Zachary, so he wanted to get some benefits from the Oriental Star Group as well.
Everyone in the National Radio and Television Administration knew that this was a part of the competition between two companies.
It was not necessarily the case that Oriental Star Group was copying them.
Johnny was no exception. He knew that this investigation team was just a sham. Since he could get some benefits out of it, he would try to milk them as much as possible.
He would side with whoever paid him more.
“Sir, what do you mean by that? I’m a little slow, so you need to explain it in simpler terms,” Levi requested.
Johnny smiled, “Stop feigning ignorance. Well then, let me make this clear. I alone decide whether you guys are copying or not. As long as you guys make me happy, I can choose the fate of your movie.”
“Johnny Lerns, how dare you!”
The door to the conference was slammed open.
Colin and the other executives of the National Radio and Television Administration burst in.
“Huh? Sir, why are you here? I can’t possibly trouble you for such a trivial affair,” Johnny and the rest of the investigation team said.
“If I didn’t come, you’d be a disgrace to the entire National Radio and Television Administration!” Colin spat.
“What do you mean by that?” Johnny was perplexed.
“I’ve heard everything you said earlier!” Colin roared.
Johnny hurriedly attempted to cover it up, “That was a misunderstanding! I was scaring the Oriental Star Group. I had no choice since they refused to cooperate with the investigations!”
“Wrong! You’re completely wrong!” Colin glared at him.
“Huh? Who’s in the wrong, sir? What’s wrong?” Johnny and the others were perplexed.
“Why should the Oriental Star Group cooperate with you if they haven’t copied anything? This entire matter is absurd!”
“Sir, please be clearer. I don’t understand at all!”
Colin threw the script at Johnny and bellowed, “Take a look at this! Copyright? Shanks Entertainment made seven movies, but Oriental Star Group only made two! Can you even count? Look at the content! It’s completely different and it’s much better than Shanks Entertainment’s movies!”
Johnny immediately understood after seeing the scripts.
Zachary didn’t get the situation clear at all! He didn’t know what Oriental Star Group was filming and accused them of copyright infringement! So that’s why Oriental Star Group filmed in secret! They didn’t want others to know what they were filming!
“Johnny Lerns, you and your investigation team did not investigate based on facts and carelessly believed others, causing misjudgment. All of you are suspended for three months without pay! We’ll settle things based on your future performance!”
Colin Shanks immediately doled out the punishment.
“What?”
Johnny Lerns and his gang grew infuriated.
We didn’t get a single cent, but we still need to be suspended without pay for three months?
Isn’t this a huge loss to us?
But this guy is someone powerful… so what can we do?
“Additionally, two movies from the Oriental Star Group have passed the audit. We’ll start showing them after three days!” Colin announced.
Meanwhile, the higher-ups from the audit department exclaimed, “We’ve never seen such a well-produced movie! This will be a huge hit!”
Zoey and her colleagues breathed a sigh of relief.
The person in charge of the National Radio and Television Administration grinned and said, “Ms. Lopez, are you happy with this result?”
However, Colin stared at Levi, who stood by the side.
“I’m pretty satisfied! Mr. Shanks really is amazing!” Zoey smiled and said.
“It’s alright!” Levi answered.
“Phew!” Colin breathed a sigh of relief.
It doesn’t matter if anyone else isn’t pleased with the results; only her opinion matters.
Shanks Entertainment received the news in no time.
Meanwhile, Johnny’s investigation came to a dead-end because he couldn’t delay the release of the Oriental Star Group’s films.
They needed to release their movies three days later.
“Useless! You can’t even do a simple task like this!” Zachary Suarez was irate.
Niall Xander grinned. “It’s fine, Mr. Suarez. We already achieved the effect we wanted. They will definitely lose to us when our movies are released concurrently!”
“That’s right. The movies’ contents are identical, so they will definitely watch ours instead. Besides that, I already bought a lot of spots on the recommendations list on streaming websites. On the other hand, the viewers can’t find their movies even if they wanted to. How can they possibly compete with us?” Zachary was confident.
Their promotions undoubtedly completely overshadowed Oriental Star Group’s efforts.
Besides that, the plagiarism accusations plaguing the Oriental Star Group doomed them.
That was what Zoey and the gang were the most worried about.
“We contacted most of the streaming websites just now. They said that there weren’t any spots left in the recommendations list on the main page and even the subpages, because they have all been bought by Shanks Entertainment. It will spell disaster for us if this continues. Our movie qualities are good, but the viewers can’t even find it.” Zoey sounded frustrated as she spoke.
Levi stroked her hair. “Honey, forget about the promotions for now. Things will get better as time passes. When they compare our movies with theirs, our movies’ reputations will soar. Besides that, we are still popular from the plagiarism accusations! Everyone is waiting to compare our movies to see if we copied them!”
“Hahaha! You’re right. Our haters are our fans as well. They’ll probably turn into real fans when they watch our movies!” Zoey chuckled.
Levi flashed an indecipherable smile. “Besides that, I still have some tricks up my sleeve I can use after the movies get released!”
The day everyone was waiting for finally arrived.
It was eight p.m.
Seven movies from Shanks Entertainment were released at the same time on four major streaming sites.
They hogged all the spots on the recommendations list on the main pages; the first thing one would see if they opened the streaming website was advertisements about their movies.
As their popularity soared, a few million people were waiting expectantly for their release. They all rushed to watch it when they came out.
The reviews quickly came pouring in.
Terrible!
All seven movies are terrible!
The acting, special effects, and plot are terrible. Everything’s terrible! There’s nothing redeemable about it!
Apart from a few good reviews by some fans, the rest of the viewers gave bad reviews.
The average score for all seven movies was only six point seven.
“Oh, right. Isn’t the Oriental Star Group’s movie plagiarized from somewhere? I think it got released today too. Let’s go watch it!”
Everyone started to search for the Oriental Star Group’s movies.
CHAPTER 452
In the Shanks Entertainment’s president’s office.
Niall, Zachary, and a few other people were present. They all looked displeased as they watched the real-time box office results.
Niall snorted. “It seems like the audience isn’t that gullible anymore!”
The manager, Winnie said, “That’s right. Viewers nowadays tend to care more about the content of the movie. Movies rarely cast young, handsome men now! Focusing on production quality is important!”
Niall chuckled. “Yes. That is why we need to take this opportunity to scam the dumbass fans’ money!”
Yvonne Wren agreed with that statement. “That’s right! The fans are stupid and easy to scam. We need to hurry up and make more movies of this kind! Once the dumbasses realize what’s going on, they won’t be so easy to scam anymore!”
If their fans heard what they said, they would probably blow up in rage.
“Oh, aren’t the Oriental Star Group’s movies being released as well? How are they doing?” Zachary couldn’t help but ask.
Niall chuckled. “I tried searching them in the streaming websites just now, but I still can’t find them.”
“They’re destined to fail! Even though our movies are trash, we are hogging all the spots in the recommendations lists! They can’t possibly succeed!” Yvonne chuckled coldly.
“President Shorts said he found their movies. They only have two of them, not seven!” The assistant showed Niall the tablet.
“Haha! Are they afraid of cutting a loss? They only filmed two movies, and who the f*** are the main actors? I haven’t even heard of them! They should be prepared that their movies will become a box office bomb!” Zachary guffawed as he played the movie.
After about three years, the netizens finished watching the two Oriental Star Group’s movies.
“Can those who already watched the movies tell us if it’s good or not?” Some netizens were eager but afraid to watch the movies. They were scared the movies might turn out horrible.
“It’s amazing! It really is super good!”
“This is the most well-produced movie I’ve ever watched!”
“The plot is well-thought-out, the art is tasteful, the pacing is appropriate, the special effects are perfect, and the acting was superb! I give five stars out of five!”
“This movie is showing in the cinemas! It’s so amazing! I need to watch it again!”
Good reviews started to appear all over the internet.
The netizens regarded the Oriental Star Group’s two movies as masterpieces!
Furthermore, the ones who gave good reviews weren’t fans. They were the ones who had lambasted Oriental Star Group before for plagiarism. They had watched the movies just because of the scandal.
When the higher-ups in the Oriental Star Group saw the good reviews and the rising popularity of the two movies, they breathed a sigh of relief.
“Well done! Levi, you’re amazing!”
Zoey hugged Levi.
Cough cough… Levi coughed out of embarrassment.
Zoey’s face immediately flushed red because Gerry Wade and the others were in the office. She had been so excited she forgot that they weren’t alone.
Levi chuckled. “Let’s officially start our promotions! Try to generate as much public attention as possible, including doing what Niall did before. In short, do everything you can to promote the movies!”
“Alright!”
The higher-ups were excited. Judging by how things were progressing, the two movies might generate more revenue than they have ever imagined!
“I still have a trump card. I’ll use it tonight!” Levi chuckled.
“I’ll be looking forward to it!”
Levi grinned. “Besides that, the people in charge of those streaming websites will start knocking on our doors soon enough!”
CHAPTER 453
“What? I can’t believe their movies are this good! Even I was engrossed!” Zachary seemed genuinely entertained after they finished watching the movies.
Niall, Yvonne, and the rest were anxious.
“How are their movies so good? Look at how their popularity is booming! I can’t find a single bad review!”
“Even though they’re not on the recommendations list, they’re one of the top ten most popular movies right now! Their popularity is still rising too!”
“What now? Should we do something about it?”
The artists were as anxious and as nervous as cats.
The fact that the Oriental Star Group’s movies were spectacular was a huge embarrassment to them.
More importantly, the main actors were the rookies that they’ve seen before.
How are they so good at acting?
This made them feel indignant.
Their manager, Winnie sighed.
She was good at judging the current consumers’ needs.
People like Niall are more suited to join variety shows or just become a public figure.
Acting in movies requires actual acting skills, which they lack.
Oriental Star Group’s two movies’ popularity was rising in streaming websites.
“I get it now. The fact that Shanks Entertainment said that Oriental Star plagiarized their movies is a whole ruse to sabotage them! You have seven movies and they only have two, how dare you accuse them of plagiarism?”
“Yeah! Can your seven terrible movies be compared to their two masterpieces? How shameless can they get?”
“Everyone listen to me. Don’t watch those terrible movies anymore. Go and watch the Oriental Star Group’s two movies instead! They really are good!”
An intense discussion sparked in the comments section of the seven movies starred by Niall and the rest.
While everyone was lambasting the seven movies, everyone went to watch Oriental Star Group’s two movies instead.
Furthermore, the Oriental Star Group’s publicity team reignited the discussion about the plagiarism accusations to hype the movie up even more.
They then brought up the incident where Niall and his gang had acted all high and mighty and quit their jobs.
There was even video proof about how Niall had splashed Horace Engler with water, and how he had beaten Maurice Lorraine up.
The netizens were enraged when they caught hold of the news, and they started to lambast artists like Niall and Yvonne.
Even their fans started to attack them.
“Niall Xander, you b*****d! Give me back my f***ing money!”
“This bastard only knows how to scam people! He can’t even act! What a piece of trash!”
“Helena Engler is my idol from now on! Yvonne Wren can get lost!”
“Pigs like Niall Xander don’t deserve to be artists. I’m gonna be Maurice Lorraine’s fan from now on. He’s so handsome and so good at acting!”
After that incident, Shanks Entertainment not only suffered a major loss, Niall and the other actors’ and actresses’ reputations were tarnished as well.
In no time, everyone knew that Shanks Entertainment’s seven movies were horrible; no one bothered to watch them anymore.
The only ones watching them right now were the ones who wanted to lambast them.
On the other hand, Oriental Star Group’s two movies rose in popularity even though they weren’t on the recommendations list.
They quickly took the first and second spot in the popularity rankings.
Bang!
Crack!
Zachary was so furious that he smashed the tablet on the floor.
Niall and his colleagues had thunderous expressions as they fell silent.
At that moment, Zachary received a phone call.
“Hello, President Shorts, I am a representative from Penguin Films. I’m here to inform you that your films have been kicked off the recommendations list!”
“Hello, President Shorts, I am a representative of Kiwi Films. I’m here to inform you that your company’s seven movies’ reviews were too bad, so we took it off the recommendations list!”
“Hello, President Shorts, I am a representative from U-Cool. Your movies are not gaining enough revenue, so we’re planning to take them off the recommendations list!”
CHAPTER 454
Zachary felt despondent when he received the calls.
He had never thought the major streaming sites would call him one after another to inform them that they would remove the seven movies from the recommendations lists.
Eventually, none of the movies they produced were left on the recommendation lists.
All seven movies were replaced by the two movies from the Oriental Star Group; those two movies dominated the main page of the streaming websites.
Furthermore, Zachary had spent about fifty million to buy the spots on the recommendation lists, while the major streaming sites had offered the same thing to the two movies from the Oriental Star Group of their own volition without requesting any form of payment.
The popularity of the two movies continued to rise!
Zoey beamed brightly when she saw the real-time box office results.
The production costs of the movie were two hundred million; they gained that much revenue is just six hours.
This broke the box office records of all the major streaming sites.
It was originally estimated that it would take about one week for the movie to offset the costs.
“It’s time to use the trump card!” Levi chuckled.
Not long after, the superstars from Erudia, Zak Copland and Yelda Zamora started their promotions at the same time.
“Up next, I would like to recommend two movies… they are absolutely awesome! I guarantee that with my honor!”
“If you don’t like it, I can refund you your membership fees! I, Zak Copland, promise you that!”
Twenty of the country’s A-list stars stated to promote the Oriental Star Group’s movies together, and its popularity boomed once again.
The members they gained exceeded fifty million, and they were about to reach the one hundred million members milestone.
Furthermore, all the major media companies started to give coverage to those movies as well.
The two movies were considered the pinnacle of the film industry.
The industry experts were excited as well. Everyone started to guess how much the movies would gain in revenue in a month.
One billion is probably a piece of cake. Can they reach two billion?
A box office result like that used to be reserved for movies traditionally shown in cinemas. But movies streaming online managed to achieve such a spectacular result! It’s unbelievable!
However, while some rejoiced, some suffered.
For example, Shanks Entertainment was one of those who were in a tough spot.
The negative influence from the public opinion about the movie itself was overwhelming. That caused a lot of investors to revoke their funding.
Their artists started to terminate their contracts as well.
In no time, a crisis befell the company, something Zachary had not been expecting.
After all, the Shank family’s venture into the entertainment industry was their most successful one. Yet now, everything was crumbling apart in just one month!
Zachary’s father, uncle, and grandfather all called to berate him.
“Useless pieces of trash! You can’t even act! Why are you even acting? What were you f***ing doing?” Zachary vented his rage at Niall, Yvonne, and the rest of the actors.
Slap!
Slap!
He slapped them forcefully; they didn’t dare to say anything.
“Get lost! Get the hell away from here! Give me back your salaries. I’ll kill whoever wants to keep the money!”
Zachary flailed around furiously and chased all the people out.
When the actors stepped outside, Niall discussed something with his team and manager.
“We never thought something like this would happen! We can’t stay in Shanks Entertainment anymore!”
The manager, Winnie, replied, “Yeah. Your reputations are heavily tarnished! We can’t keep doing this anymore! How about we go back to Oriental Star Group?”
Yvonne asked anxiously, “Can we really do that?”
“Sigh. They will definitely be angry, but no matter what happens, we can still bring profits to them. I don’t think they won’t take us back!” Winnie said.
Niall nodded. “That’s right. After all, we were the most important artists there! They don’t even have anyone else except for us! And those rookies? They are not even experienced!”
CHAPTER 455
“We shouldn’t have left. We would’ve executed the direction of those films much better. Our wealth and reputation would’ve increased as well. Let’s go back and get those guys to plan something for us,” Yvonne said coldly.
She had a feeling Helena and Maurice were popular only because the movie itself was good.
The next morning.
“Ms. Lopez, Niall Xander’s and Yvonne Wren’s managers want to meet you!” Gerry Wade approached her and said.
“Alright. Let them in!”
A posse of people showed up in the office in no time.
“Ms. Lopez, we were foolish. We’ve made a mistake. Please forgive us!” The manager, Winnie, said.
Zoey smiled. “It’s alright. You all just wanted to go to a better company. They really are stronger than us!”
“We really made a mistake! We hope to rejoin your company now. After all, we were once a team, and we know each other well!” Winnie smiled.
At that moment, Levi suddenly appeared and mocked, “How shameless can you get? Didn’t you say we will regret our actions? What happened then? Are you here to get a taste of our wealth now that our movies became popular?”
Niall and the rest felt indignant, but they still needed to keep their tempers in check. After all, they were the ones asking for a favor.
Niall stared at Zoey and asked, “Ms. Lopez, can you tell us what we should do to rejoin your company?”
Zoey was about to say something when Levi interrupted her. “Rejoining Oriental Star is a piece of cake. You just need to show us how sincere you are.
How about kneeling here for six hours? It shouldn’t be that tough, right?”
“You…”
Niall was about to lose his temper before Winnie stopped him.
“Alright. We agree with that. I hope you keep your promise as well!”
“Yeah. I promise!” Levi guaranteed.
Thud!
Thud!
Niall and the rest kneeled on the ground; that pleased everyone.
After all, Niall and his gang had bullied them for the longest time.
They kneeled for six whole hours, and Niall was utterly embarrassed.
Phew!
He exhaled sharply and smiled coldly. “Alright, we’ve kneeled for six hours already. I hope you keep your end of the promise!”
“What promise?” Zoey asked.
“Didn’t you say that if we kneeled down for six hours you would let us rejoin the Oriental Star Group?” Niall almost shouted.
Zoey smiled. “Go and look for the one who promised you that!”
“The man beside you just now promised us that. Why are you eating your words right now?” Niall tried his best to suppress his anger.
“I’m so sorry. That guy isn’t even an employee from our company. Did you really just do whatever he said?” Gerry chuckled.
“Hahaha…” Everyone else laughed too.
“D-Did you trick us?” Niall and his team soon realized that they had been fooled.
“We are not responsible for that. You haven’t seen that guy before, have you?”
Niall exchanged a horrified glance with his team because they knew she made sense.
They had indeed never seen him before.
“I’ll kill you!” Niall finally lost his temper.
“Security, chase them out!”
The security guards kicked Niall and his team out of the building.
Zachary hit a stump. He started to ask about what was happening in South City.
At the same time, there were some news on the dark web today.
“Stepdad, the Morris Group’s boss doesn’t have an interesting background, but he’s very sly and methodical! That was how he managed to devastate Winston Gonzales and his allies!” Fernand Yates said.
Scott stopped turning the prayer beads in his hand as he slowly opened his eyes and said coldly, “Alright. Let us begin now!”
The most prominent character in Quebec was about to make his move.
“Alright! Bring Bones, Titan, and Golem with you! The fact that they can handle the Black and White Guards signifies that they are pretty powerful!” Scott Yates ordered.
His Four Mighty Generals were individually stronger than the Black and White Guards, so the fact that Scott dispatched three of them was a testament to his resolve.
Fernand hesitated for a while before saying, “Stepdad…”
“Bringing Typhoon along is out of the question! He’s way too intent on killing! It took a lot of effort over the past few decades trying to tame him, so we can’t afford to let him massacre everyone in North Hampton!” Scott said.
The Four Mighty Generals under Scott all had their own individual strengths.
Bones was ruthless and apathetic. During a underground boxing battle where he had to face a few hundred opponents at once, he pulled someone’s ribs out and used it as a weapon to kill everyone.
Titan was exceptionally skilled in wrestling ever since he was young.
Golem was like a beast because his body was as tough as steel. Normal weapons couldn’t dent him.
However, the strongest of them all was Typhoon.
He had been raised by an assassin’s organization ever since he was young.
The organization adopted one hundred orphans and made them fight and kill each other after a few years of training. Only the final child left standing had the right to enter the organization.
Typhoon was the one who had killed all of his comrades and made it out alive.
His murderous intent was overwhelming, and at least seven hundred people have been killed by him.
Once his bloodlust was triggered, he couldn’t be stopped.
Scott was once captured during a war in Quebec’s underground scene, and Typhoon had killed a few thousand people just to rescue him.
He derived pleasure from murder, and he was quite literally the harbinger of death.
That was why Scott wouldn’t request his service unless it was necessary because Typhoon would cause a whole flurry of catastrophes.
“Besides, the three of them will be enough to handle the Morris Group! I can’t take responsibility for the consequences that might arise if we use Typhoon this time!” Scott sighed.
Fernand was incredulous. “What? Stepdad, why do you have something you can’t responsibility for? How is that possible?”
“Have you forgotten who’s in North Hampton right now?” Scott asked.
Fernand’s expression changed as he said in horror, “Are you referring to the God of War?”
“Yes. He will definitely turn a blind eye to the melee in North Hampton, but if Typhoon went there and stirred up trouble, he might step out personally to deal with it…”
Scott was afraid of the God of War.
“Wow, stepdad, you really are prudent. I never thought of that! I’ll go to North Hampton now in that case!”
“Go and take care of that issue quickly. Keep a low profile. If things spiral out of control, I won’t be able to help you anymore,” Scott reminded him.
When Fernand took his leave, a casually dressed, average-looking man appeared.
He was the Harbinger of Death, Typhoon.
He said, “I heard the God of War has a team called the Five Great Wars Regiment, and they are all exceptional. I want to challenge them…”
“Hahaha. Typhoon, what are you saying? We can’t possibly offend them! Regardless of how strong we are, we are still mortals, and they are gods! They can kill us with just a snap of their fingers!”
When Sebastian found out about Fernand’s plans, he headed to North Hampton with Fernand.
“Three Mighty Generals are here! I thought Mr. Yates would only send one of them with us!”
Sebastian was excited when he saw that Bones and the other two mighty generals were embarking on the same mission.
He had thought only one of them was required to solve the problem; he had never expected Scott to send out three of them at once.
This is a piece of cake. Morris Group will definitely be obliterated.
“North Hampton, just you wait for the South City’s ire!”
CHAPTER 457
Sebastian was excited when they arrived at North Hampton.
Zachary and his friends, who had received the news of their arrival beforehand, waited for them at the highway.
“Mr. Yates, Sebastian, we are being oppressed by them ever since we came from South City! The people in North Hampton kept bullying us because we didn’t have anyone around, so it’s great now that you’re here! They can go screw themselves!” Zachary said.
Everyone started to exaggerate about what happened to them during their stay in North Hampton, and that infuriated Sebastian and Fernand.
On the surface, Fernand seemed poised and methodical, just like a sly fox. However, he was actually a ruffian!
He had committed a lot of crimes and was cocky and arrogant.
He just never showed that side of himself because Scott loomed over him at all times.
Now that he came to North Hampton and no one was here to control him anymore, he wanted to unleash his wild side.
“Hmph! Underestimating the South City? They’re digging their own graves!” Fernand exclaimed furiously.
“Mr. Yates, what should we do next?” Sebastian asked.
“Didn’t the Rogers family publicly support the Morris Group? We’ll go to the Rogers family’s residences in that case!”
A menacing glint flashed in Fernand’s eyes.
Meanwhile, in the Rogers family’s house.
The Rogers family was having dinner together.
The Rogers family’s wealth had boomed lately; their assets had already exceeded a hundred billion in value.
Even though they were just taking care of the money on behalf of Levi, they were still overjoyed by it.
Bang!
A loud bang could suddenly be heard as the dining room’s door was kicked open.
A large horde of men barged inside with menacing expressions on their faces.
Glenn Rogers recognized a few of them. Sebastian and Simon among the others.
However, Sebastian wasn’t the main character today.
They stood aside as a young man stepped forward.
The young man looked docile and polite, yet the three people standing behind him were terrifying.
Golem was two meters tall; he towered over everyone and everything.
Moreover, Bones was emaciated to the point where his bones could be seen. His face was deathly pale.
Titan’s bald head was shiny, and he had a murderous expression on his face.
The three of them had an oppressing aura, and the atmosphere was suddenly suffocating to everyone.
Glenn knew Sebastian would never forgive him. That prospect seemed even more unlikely now.
“Glenn Rogers, let me introduce them to you. This is the stepson of Scott Yates from the South City, Fernand Yates!” Sebastian grinned.
“Scott Yates?” Glenn gaped in shock.
Isn’t that the person rumored to oppress the entire Quebec area?
Scott Yates!
The most powerful figure in Quebec!
Even people as powerful as Sebastian need to show that man respect.
“Hm? Didn’t you say he’s retired for thirty years already?” Glenn asked.
Fernand smiled. “Thanks to the Morris Group, my stepfather came out of his retirement.”
“What? He came out of his retirement?” Glenn was so shocked he almost shrieked.
“Yeah! My stepfather said the Morris Group should be exterminated!”
Fernand then approached the dining table, sat down and smiled, “It looks delicious! Make me an extra portion!”
He was being cocky and rude.
One of the younger people from the Rogers family snorted. “Get up! Who do you think you are? How dare you come to the Rogers family’s territory and make a scene! Are you looking for trouble?”
The Rogers family have been doing very well lately, and they were a powerful presence in North Hampton.
That was why they looked down on everyone, especially people who taunted them.
Glenn was about to warn him, but it was already too late.
Of course he doesn’t know who Scott Yates is!
Fernand didn’t speak. Instead, he just glared at Franklin Rogers.
“What are you staring at? Are you gonna beat me up?” Franklin shouted angrily.
Bang!
In the next moment, Titan suddenly swung a punch at Franklin’s head.
CHAPTER 458
Poof!
Franklin was sent flying, and when he landed on the floor, blood flowed out of all of his orifices.
He was undoubtedly, dead!
One punch from Titan was enough to make someone bleed profusely.
Suddenly, the room was as silent as the dead.
“Who are you? How dare you kill my son! B*****ds!” Franklin’s father, Alexander was furious. Something like this shouldn’t happen in the Rogers family’s territory!
Alexander and his wife, Snow Wahlberg, pounced at them.
Thud!
Golem landed a kick on Alexander’s head, causing everyone to be dumbstruck.
On the other hand, Bones swung a punch as fast as lightning and felled Snow.
At that moment, the Rogers family was petrified, and they didn’t dare say anything anymore.
Zachary and his friends, who had come along with Fernand, were mortified by the gory scene as well.
They tried to stop themselves from puking when they saw that, and they finally understood how Scott Yates could rule over Quebec.
They are absolutely merciless!
Snow squirmed on the floor in pain, her shrieks lasting for a few minutes.
“They are Mr. Yate’s Three Mighty Generals – Bones, Titan, and Golem. Don’t move!” Glenn soon recognized who they were, and he started to perspire out of horror.
“Happy now?” Fernand smiled and asked.
The room immediately fell silent. No one dared to speak or doubt their power because they were the kind of people who killed without hesitation.
Crossing them would only mean certain death.
“Where’s my cutlery?” Fernand asked.
“Go and get it!” Glenn instructed.
In no time, the cutlery was prepared.
Everyone stood and watched. They trembled while Fernand ate.
“Come, eat! What are you doing?” Fernand smirked.
Glenn forced a smile. “We already ate. We won’t be joining you. Mr. Yates, please enjoy your meal!”
Fernand looked up and scanned through the people present in the room, his gaze lingering on the women.
“Eating alone is so boring. Come and eat with me!” Fernand stared at the women in the Rogers family and said.
Sebastian and Simon knew Fernand was a pervert and that his tastes were very varied.
He fancied all types of women, from ten-year-old girls to forty-year-old ladies.
The women in the Rogers family were quite attractive, so they suited Fernand’s taste.
“Hm? Mr. Yates, do you want us to accompany you?” Glenn’s voice wavered.
Fernand’s expression changed abruptly. “Get lost! Do I look like I need a man to eat with me? Are you playing dumb or are you actually dumb?”
The Rogers family exchanged glances of apprehension because Fernand made it very clear what he wanted.
He doesn’t want a man, so that means he wants women, right?
The Rogers family’s women trembled out of fear.
They realized Fernand probably didn’t just want them to eat with him!
He wanted to sleep with them as well!
Anthony immediately said, “Mr. Yates, you like pretty ladies, don’t you? I’ll arrange a few for you. You can have anyone you want, from celebrities to models! North Hampton is famous for its ladies!”
Leo added, “Yeah. We can get any woman you fancy for you!”
CHAPTER 459
Fernand glared at both of them. “I don’t want any other woman because the women I want are right here. You… you, you, you, and you…”
Fernand pointed at seven or eight women present in the room.
Anthony’s and Leo’s wives, as well as their cousins’ wives, were included in Fernand’s list.
Besides that, the wives of the younger people in the Rogers family were included as well.
“No! We can’t do this! Mr. Yates, please find someone else! They are ordinary ladies!” Anthony’s cousin, Silas Rogers, said.
Smack!
Zachary slapped Silas forcefully.
“How f***ing shameless can you get! Mr. Yates wants those ladies! How dare you talk back to him!” Zachary shouted.
Silas rubbed his face and said pitifully, “But that is my wife! No, means no!”
Rumble…
Golem, who was as tall as a large boulder, approached him and picked him up.
Wham!
He then slammed Silas forcefully on the floor.
Crack!
The cracking sound signified that Silas’ waist had been broken.
“Ahhhh…”
Everyone felt numb when they heard Silas’ screams, and they could feel their blood run cold.
“Hm? Keep talking!” Zachary laughed.
“What are you doing? Go to Mr. Yates!” Zachary commanded.
Silas’ wife and the other ladies approached Fernand.
“Ahhh!”
Fernand pulled two women into his arms, and they screamed while the other women surrounded them.
Fernand groped and kissed them from time to time.
“What are you two doing?”
Zachary stared at Anthony’s and Leo’s wives, Fiona and Marybelle.
He then stepped forwards and forcibly pulled them towards Fernand.
Fiona and Marybelle urgently shot Anthony and Leo looks of desperation.
“No!”
“Yeah! Not in your wildest dreams! How can our wives be humiliated like this?”
The brothers Anthony and Leo protested vigorously and they were about to pounce on Fernand.
However, Bones and Titan approached them as well.
Anthony and Leo felt their chests constrict because they could feel a menacing aura.
“No, no!” Glenn immediately stopped Anthony and Leo in their tracks because he didn’t want his sons to die.
“Anthony… Leo…” Fiona and Marybelle cried out helplessly.
They were then trapped in Fernand’s arms and molested.
The men in the Rogers family watched as their wives, daughters, and sisters get violated, yet they couldn’t do anything even though they were furious.
They could only stare as the scene unfolded.
This is so utterly humiliating!
When Anthony and Leo saw their wives getting groped in front of them, they clenched their fists so hard that their fingernails dug into their flesh and bled.
They felt so despondent that tears started to stream down their face.
“Get out! Or do you want to stay and watch the show?” Fernand chuckled.
The men in the Rogers family were so angry they almost lost their marbles because they knew what Fernand was about to do.
How could they tolerate the fact that Fernand harassed their women in their own territory?
However, they couldn’t fight back because death awaited them if they did so.
They were all chased out of the dining room. The three mighty generals guarded the entrance so they couldn’t get in.
Shrieks of horror were heard from the dining room.
Thud!
Anthony and Leo kneeled on the floor and exclaimed, “Revenge! We must have our revenge. Let’s go and look for Mr. Garrison!”
The two brothers exchanged a glance.
Chapter 1
Velador country.
Over the airport in Case York city.
A private jet is about to land.
There are hundreds of fighter jets circling and escorting around!
The airport was blocked even earlier.
The special fighters with live ammunition stood everywhere, three floors inside and three floors...
Has anyone heard or read the novel Awakening of War God, I have read around 20 chapters and looking for more. If anyone has any information kindly share, you have my gratitude in advance🙏
