Chapter 184: Rick Smith & Carol Wesson!

Chapter 184: Rick Smith & Carol Wesson!

The four of us stood firmly on the concrete walkway just outside the bustling terminal exit doors. The thick afternoon smog hung heavily over the distant horizon, casting a hazy, yellow-grey tint that immediately reminded me of Los Angeles in the 1980s from my past life, looking like a gritty scene straight out of the movie Lethal Weapon.

The buildings dominating the background were constructed mostly of weathered concrete and stained red brick, giving the landscape the distinct aesthetic of a dirty Brooklyn neighborhood. Suddenly, a pair of sharp, echoing cracks cut through the ambient roar of traffic and drew our collective focus down the block.

Bang! Bang! The gunshots reverberated between the stone walls as a sudden street altercation unfolded right in the open.

A desperate criminal had lunged forward to rip away a passing woman's purse, but she dynamically reached into her coat, pulled out a tiny two-shot Derringer Pistol, and shot him straight through the legs twice. After casually snatching her bag back from the groaning, bleeding thug on the pavement, she simply turned around and walked away without looking back.

Fuck, now that is exactly how you deal with a common purse snatcher in broad daylight.

Kim watched the swift execution of street justice with a deeply nostalgic smile playing on her lips, turning her gaze toward me.

"See Rick, when you pulled your gun on Chris Honda that night, that was the feeling I had," she murmured, a soft laugh escaping her throat. "Of a man who took no shit, ha-ha!"

Right at that perfect moment, a massive white armored Cadillac limousine heavily accented with gleaming chrome pulled up smoothly against the curb. A polished corporate emblem was mounted proudly right on the front hood, showing off the family business for everyone on the street to see.

An older gentleman in his late 50s stepped out from the driver's side door, waving a white-gloved hand toward our group.

He wore the traditional, pristine uniform of an Old English butler and suspiciously looked exactly like his fictional namesake. Kim immediately waved her hand back happily, shouting out to the driver before he could even take two steps toward us.

"Howdy Alfred, good to see you again, ha-ha!" she cheered, her voice full of excitement.

"Sorry I am late, young lady," Alfred replied smoothly, bowing his head respectfully as he approached. "But there was a hostage situation on 32nd street, so I had to take the back way to avoid the blockade. Hello Mr Tang and guests, as you heard, I am Alfred the family butler, please let's get you all in?"

I gently ushered Kim and Hinata toward the open door to get them inside the air-conditioned cabin first, shielding them from the muggy afternoon air.

Turning back to the trunk, I worked quickly alongside the older driver and Lan to hoist our heavy travel bags and the metal weapons chest into the luggage compartment. With everything safely packed away, I climbed inside, the heavy armored door closing behind us with a solid, reassuring thud.

With the powerful air-conditioning system going at full blast to freeze the cabin, I relaxed against the leather and watched the city of Boston roll past my window. I observed how the local men walked down the sidewalks with far more unearned arrogance and swagger than they should possess, while the local women walked behind them in a submissive role.

It seems that in this society, women are treated more like living hug pillows and shiny arm-candy trophies rather than true equals in the harem hierarchy. This backward cultural style perfectly mirrors how the general populace treats women inside both the Japan Empire and the China Empire.

I glanced over at Kim, Hinata, and Lan sitting across from me, realizing with a trace of irony how all three of these women are definitely more submissive to me than the rest of my wives back at the mansion.

I let out a quiet sigh, knowing my personal egalitarian mindset is entirely due to my memories of my past world, combined with my father's unique views on romance. Sometimes, I truly cannot help but think my father was a transmigrator himself, given the progressive way he lived his life and his world views.

Kim, noticing the deep scowl forming on my face as I stared silently out the tinted glass, leaned forward slightly with a look of concern.

"Dear, are you unhappy here?" she asked softly, her hand reaching out to touch my knee.

I shook my head slowly, pointing out the window toward a small park bench where a couple of local men were lounging with a large following of women trailing closely behind them.

"Hearing about it and reading about gender treatment is different from seeing it," I explained, my voice low and steady. "I do not think men are superior to women, just rarer. So I feel like they may not be loved like they should?"

Kim shifted into her rare, mature teaching mode, immediately understanding my discomfort and offering a gentle explanation.

"Living with the wives in the mansion, I see how you let us do more than other families, but Rick... Growing up here, I can assure you, the women mostly are not treated badly," she said softly. "They are just given roles the men don't, can't, or won't perform. Men do not change diapers, clean the house, cook much and many other things you are used to doing. Why should they, when there are many women willing to do all of that for them?"

She gestured with her chin toward a man sitting on a nearby park bench flanked by two adoring women who were sharing some fast food with him. One of the women was gently wiping a smudge of sauce from her man's mouth with a bright, loving smile on her face as Kim continued her breakdown.

"Most gunfights in reality are performed by men, usually over women," she noted, her voice turning solemn. "So in Eurasia, the population might be 2 women to every 1 man, but here where men fight, the ratio is more like 1/4 due to duelings. So with so many available and lonely women, they compete by who can pamper their man the most. This in turn makes strong and skilled men a bit proud. It has been like this for a very long time. Sadly, the UKA has many widows and orphanages."

Hinata adjusted her posture on the leather seat, nodding in agreement as she added her own cultural context to the conversation.

"Sensei, it is like that in Japan, but the only difference is swords are used instead of guns," she murmured, her hands resting calmly on her lap. "And even wives can be taken by another man if he honorably kills his opponent. So women are more of a commodity, and we tend to be servants as a whole."

Lan also shared her grim insights from her homeland in China, her expression turning incredibly cold.

"If a nobleman sees a woman on the street, who belongs to no man, she may be seized into their harems," Lan stated, her voice tight. "Any woman not in a noble family and over 17 years of age, can be forced into marriage. My family took me to Eurasia because of this. Many young masters of the ruling families abuse their authority and have hundreds of wives. And this practice started about 2,000 years ago when the civil war ended. The worst part, when the young master gets tired of his wives, he divorces them and gives them to his subordinates to marry."

Hearing how all of these alternative global cultures treated their female populations stirred a deep, burning anger right in the center of my chest.

So when those noble bastards killed and chased out the legendary Li clan centuries ago, they only did it so they could turn the entire landmass of China into their personal, depraved playground. My core pride as a warrior was thoroughly pissed off.

All of my heroic past lives had done all of their incredibly hard world-building work, just so some modern noble clans could enjoy their pitiful, greedy desires. Fuck them.

Thankfully, Kim could not sense the volatile anger radiating off my body, but Lan and Hinata picked up on it instantly, causing Lan to speak up in a comforting tone.

"Master Lee, you can change many things if only you wait and be calm," Lan advised, her blue eyes locking onto mine with steady intensity. "Hating the current system now will not keep your heart clear. When the time comes and your Business Empire is ready, you can color this world and make it better."

I nodded slowly at her wise words, the tension leaving my shoulders as I smiled, deliberately turning the conversation back to a lighter topic to tease her. "Where was this rational Lan Chow when you were trying to start fights in a club?" I asked, a wicked grin spreading across my face. "It is like you are two different people?"

Perfect. For the absolute first time since I met her, I watched a bright, crimson blush of deep shame and embarrassment creep up Lan's neck and onto her cheeks.

She rolled her eyes hard, crossing her arms defensively over her chest as she turned her head away to stare fixedly out the window. "That was a one time incident or situation, my pride was ruined, and I was angry... But now my heart is fine, humph," she muttered under her breath.

In the distance, rising above the modern cityscape, we could see a massive, majestic walled area packed with towering stone buildings and even an ancient, medieval castle dominating the center. Kim pointed a finger out the tinted glass, her eyes tracing the ancient fortifications.

"That is Pendragon castle, from the first King, King Arthur Pendragon about 5,000 years ago," Kim explained, her voice filled with awe. "The Pendragon family no longer uses the old castle, but it is a heritage site. Now the Royals live in those massive elegant buildings. It is said the security is so fierce there anyone stepping foot on the property is shot first with no questioning. All trespassers just die no court or trial."

Yeah, I could easily see numerous palace-like luxury homes built throughout the massive region of the Royal estate. I would estimate the total property layout for their active Royal family is roughly the size of Star University in scale.

The local police presence was incredibly tight around the perimeter as well, with the heavy security patrols all openly armed with military-grade M-16 rifles and semi-automatic handguns. Based on their tactical gear, they all wore thick body armor as well... Oh, and stationed around the main property gates, I could actually see older model military tanks parked in defensive positions.

Damn, now that is what I call good security.

Kim pointed toward a massive, stately white building as our limousine smoothly passed by the grand intersection.

"And there is The White House where the 13 Senators from around the Country do their work to propose law's for the King to enact," she continued. "They leave the Senators at 13 so no vote can ever be a tie. They must vote on everything, or be removed from office. The King then declares if a Senator is unfit, and holds an election in his state for a replacement."

Kim then pointed toward a towering stone monument housing a massive statue of a man sitting proudly in a large chair, and my left eye violently twitched the exact second she told me who he was.

"That man was our very first Senator, Clint Eastwood, who upheld handgun rights for all citizens of North America, assuring our safety from invaders," Kim stated proudly.

Yeah, seeing the famous past-life actor depicted in a full wild-west gunslinger outfit, carved into a monument that looked exactly like the President Lincoln Memorial from my old world, was completely unreal. I felt like I finally understood exactly how the human character in that old movie, Planet of the Apes, felt when he stumbled onto the beach.

After another long car ride through some shady-looking old neighborhoods covered in crude graffiti, we finally made it onto an old coastal road that led directly to the Oceanside. The sheer lawlessness of the city remained fully on display during our transit, and I think I witnessed at least two separate shootings just on our way here.

Kim leaned across the plush leather seat, pointing out the tinted window toward the sprawling coast as the ocean breeze began to buffet the heavy armored vehicle.

"On this stretch of road are around 100 large estates of some of the wealthiest families," Kim explained, her voice carrying a sense of deep familiarity. "Thankfully my Smith family is one of them and we live on the beach side of the road showing our status. The police regularly patrol this road in undercover cars, due to the importance of the families here. Oh, and that house there is the Colt family estate. My house is five homes down."

After passing numerous other massive properties protected by heavy security gates, our limousine finally neared the perimeter of the Smith Estate. Kim hugged my arm tight, pressing her body against mine as she pointed toward the massive beach-side home coming into view.

"My home that I grew up in is there, I have many fond memories here," she cheered, her green eyes flashing with excitement under her stetson hat. "I cannot wait to show you my favorite spots on the property! We have stables there to ride horses on the beach, ha-ha!"

As the massive iron gates of the Smith home slowly creaked open to grant us entry, Lan, Hinata, and I instinctively shifted our gazes over to the rival estate situated directly on the opposite side of the road, tracking its mansion sitting far in the distance. A heavy wave of killing intent passed between the three of us, a silent communication that could only be felt by trained martial arts masters.

The hostile group known as The Wizards of Oz had recently bought that specific home to use as a primary base of operations and a private training ground for Laura Long to drill her elite soldiers. Naturally, they also plan to call in all of their other nefarious criminal friends to bring absolute chaos to this wealthy neighborhood.

I am not the only intended target of their upcoming assault, as their plot extends to many of the other noble families of America. The Oz group wants to completely cripple the Kingdom's economy and spark widespread civil unrest, utilizing a ruthless strategy of kidnapping and ransoming important family members.

Laura wants to simultaneously deal with me during the chaos, but she is completely out of her depth.

During the upcoming event known as the Great Tea Party, rival factions like the Mad Hatters and the Southern Cross are going to terrorize the Royal family and the government structure for the Oz group, allowing the masterminds to keep their own hands clean. But no matter how clean you try to keep your hands, the dark taint of spilled blood can always be found.

Yes, I am going to completely turn the tables by using the Royal Family's forces against the terrorist groups, coordinating intricately with Lucy from the shadows to prepare for this violent Summer Bash.

The fatal mistake these terrorists made was actively targeting me and my loved ones in their quest for power. Their elaborate plans would have actually worked perfectly had they not listened to the delusional tactical advice of Laura Long.

Who knew that the entire political future of the United Kingdom of America would ultimately be saved by the actions of stupid Laura?!

After our limousine passed through the gates, we traveled down a long, winding driveway toward the main house, which looked absolutely gargantuan up close. It was a tall, imposing two-story mansion that contained probably around forty big rooms if I had to guess its internal layout.

I calculated that the structure was at least three times the total size of my own home back in Eurasia.

This luxurious property alone featured private tennis courts, a stable for horseback riding, a specialized firing-range built for professionals, and a massive, water-park-like backyard decorated with beautiful flowers everywhere. This entire home had been fully renovated and fortified following our tactical discussion back on Long Island.

Large, dense green bushes lined and surrounded the lower half of the concrete structure to shield it from public view and provide absolute privacy. Consequently, only the home's rooftop could be seen from the rival mansion sitting directly across the street.

Yes, this tall wall of defensive bushes was a brand-new feature deliberately added during the home's recent renovation, implemented because someone had anticipated nosy reporters or... Elite snipers.

Alfred smoothly opened the rear doors to let us out into the fresh ocean air, while a staff of maids immediately stepped forward to take our heavy bags and the metal chest into the home. The moment our boots hit the pavement, we were happily greeted by a welcoming committee of a dozen family members waiting on the grand porch.

Rick Smith and his beautiful first wife, Carol Wesson, stood proudly in front of the others, waiting with open arms for us to come over.

Standing directly behind them were two men in their early 20s who I recognized instantly as both of Kim's playboy brothers, the exact two idiots I had been warned about prior to my arrival. Each of them had brought two wives of their own along, who stood closely at their sides.

And clustered right behind them was the rest of Rick's harem, consisting of his other four wives. In a freak twist of biological fate, these women were actually his first wife's real sisters.

Yeah, Rick Smith had successfully managed to marry five real sisters from the same family. The real scoop he had previously shared with me was that he had gotten completely drunk years ago and had sex with all five sisters in a massive private orgy, forcing him to take lifelong responsibility.

Yeah, right; just like my Ning twins and Ana, those clever sisters had absolutely planned that entire shit from the very beginning.

"Kimmy, come hug your mother, I miss you dear!" Carol called out, her face lighting up as she stepped forward.

As mother and daughter immediately dove into the whole embarrassing emotional bit, Mr. Smith stepped up to slide his palm into mine, shaking my hand firmly as he assessed me.

"Son, how was your flight?" he asked, his eyes scanning our perimeter.

"Father, it was smooth, no one bothered us," I answered, keeping my voice low. "Oh, the home is beautiful, did you add the specific security features I recommended? I hope it was no issue, but it will definitely come in handy this week."

He leaned in slightly, whispering as he strategically hid the movement of his lips behind the wide brim of his hat. "The bomb shelter, and the reinforced walls and glass, are all fully installed, as well as the bulletproof flood-lights. I have made absolutely no attempt at being nosy with my new neighbors across the street, just like you said."

"Sorry to make things difficult," I muttered back, keeping my eyes on the surroundings. "I have not even told Kim about the threat yet, I don't want to ruin our honeymoon."

He patted my arm reassuringly, his tone shifting back to a normal, jovial speaking volume as he pulled back.

"You knew her well, and I will move the official wedding ceremony to tomorrow morning so it cannot be ruined, and I will cancel the other public invitations right after," he decided with a firm nod. "Just focus on making my girl happy, now let me introduce you to everyone!"

While I walked down the line greeting the rest of the extended family, my students and I immediately noticed the lustful, predatory eyes of the two idiot brothers locking onto Lan and Hinata. But since my companions were lethal combat Masters, I did not have to worry about their safety around these fools for a single second.

So how exactly did Lan and Hinata handle the aggressive advances of the two playboy brothers? First, they flatly refused to shake hands, keeping their fingers firmly wrapped around the sheaths of the swords held tightly in their arms.

Second, Lan only responded to their greetings in fluent Chinese, while Hinata fired back strictly in Japanese, both giving them the exact same dismissive brush-off. "No speak-a English!"

Kim only giggled softly from my side, thoroughly enjoying the sight of her arrogant playboy brothers smashing face-first into a total brick wall with my students. Yeah, those two idiots are a joke, and I can easily deal with them in plenty of other ways if they try crossing the line.