Chapter 214: Raymond Uses A Borrowed Knife!

Chapter 214: Raymond Uses A Borrowed Knife!

It is Thursday afternoon in South City, located within Azure State.

Luke, Hinata, Jenifer, and I have just stepped foot off of my personal jet, the engines whining down as we hit the small airfield tarmac.

Waiting just off to the side of the aircraft are two pristine, freshly polished limousines flanked by four security SUVs packed to the brim with armed Fire Birds members.

I step out of the cabin door first, smoothing down the front of a sharp black suit paired with a vibrant crimson tie and matching pocket handkerchief. Jenifer absolutely insisted on this specific color combination before we took off, wanting her own sleek lady-suit to match my look perfectly as she walks beside me.

Right behind us comes Luke, sporting a similar black suit but ditching the tie, choosing instead to let his unbuttoned collar frame a crimson pocket handkerchief that matches mine. He adjusts his dark sunglasses, the lenses glinting sharply beneath the bright, unforgiving summer shine.

Hinata follows immediately after the three of us, her graceful movements drawing the eye as the fabric of her traditional crimson kimono rustles softly against the warm breeze.

Standing by the lead vehicle is Conrad Kuro, a middle-aged man possessing the wide, thick-necked build of a seasoned bouncer at an upscale dance club. He sports a harsh, soldier-like buzz cut and carries the unmistakable, heavy aura of an enforcer who successfully clawed his way up from the absolute street level.

His grey suit stretches tightly over his bulky frame, accented by a crimson tie and heavy gold accessories that flash in the light as he steps forward to greet us.

"Leader Tang and State Manager Fu, welcome to South City," Conrad Kuro says, bowing his head slightly as his rough voice cuts through the ambient airfield noise. "I am the Local Boss, Conrad Kuro. Please, come this way to your limo."

Jenifer and I have already crossed paths with this man during prior operations, but this marks Luke's very first time meeting him face-to-face.

Luke and I extend our hands to shake his firm, calloused grip, our movements synchronized as Luke tilts his head forward with a sharp grin. "Alright Mr. Kuro, let's get this inspection done quickly," Luke says, his hand dropping back to his side as he scans the surrounding security detail. "No need for extravagant receptions. If I am not home in time, my Cat will be incredibly upset."

Luke never gets tired of tossing out that specific inside joke to make outsiders believe he is merely talking about a spoiled house cat.

Kuro, however, doesn't blink, knowing exactly who Cat really is since she and Tina have frequently run operations down in this territory in the past.

Tina and Cat stayed behind this time because, as a strict rule of thumb, the Leader and Vice Leader never share a plane or attend the same events to avoid a total command wipeout for security reasons.

The girls smoothly slide into the spacious passenger seats positioned directly behind the driver's partition.

Luke slides in next, occupying the area close to the two rear seats while I take my spot right beside the Local Boss to begin our briefing.

The heavy doors click shut, and our armored motorcade immediately takes off from the airfield, heading down the main highway toward our final destination.

This southern city of Azure State is best described as an exact mirror image of my old world's Miami Beach, Florida in the United States.

Swaying palm trees, sun-drenched beaches, and slightly more tropical birds dominate the landscape of this wealthy retirement city.

Many aging family heads from all the major clans tend to buy up massive estates and retire within this incredibly pleasant, warm climate.

Most of the architecture consists of buildings colored in light khaki tones or brilliant white plaster, reflecting the intense coastal heat. A dense clutter of lively bars, high-stakes casinos, and packed restaurants line both sides of the crowded streets as we drive by.

We are currently cutting through the heavy traffic downtown, making a direct line for the Hilton International to attend a local gathering of the city's important Fire Birds members.

Lucy and Victoria actually asked me a while back why I didn't just buy out the entire Hilton International chain to add to our portfolio. I laughed and told them straight out that the place possesses a historical curse. Every single time I go anywhere near one of those hotels, I immediately expect life-threatening problems to land right in my lap.

Meanwhile, back in Star City, inside Melody's newly built mansion on the sprawling Feng Estate...

Raymond sits comfortably in a leather armchair, holding up his phone to engage in a secure video call with a young man possessing messy black hair and striking blue eyes.

Raymond gestures dismissively toward the screen, a malicious smirk forming on his face as he speaks into the microphone. "So Rick and his group only brought those four with them?" Raymond asks, his eyes narrowing as he leans forward. "I will call the assassins from the Japan Empire, the Kato Yakuza. His team has been waiting for the perfect opening to assassinate Rick and Hinata. So I will let them make the kill, and you and I will remain completely innocent. Who asked Rick to mess with the Yakuza in the first place?"

[Our connection is currently secure, but I have confirmed that it is not Rick who is the skilled hacker by watching his movements closely,] Adam's voice transmits through the device speaker, his tone dripping with frustration. [I have located his strong computer user who lives somewhere in Star City, but when I try to narrow it down, they vanish completely. It seems Rick is only so-so in his computer skill and is not the real mastermind of Valentine and Harem-Chat.]

"Well, the Grandmaster Ninja from the Kato Yakuza will easily deal with Rick, so just sit back and wait for the good news," Raymond answers, tapping his fingers against his knee. "That guy is easily as strong as your father."

[Raymond, I broke many laws to sneak Hanzo Kato into this country,] Adam's voice crackles back through the earpiece, his digital image frowning deeply. [If he fails, I will get scolded by the elders and not you. You better make absolutely sure Rick dies today. If not, let's see how I handle you.]

Raymond watches the deep, stressed lines forming on his younger cousin's face through the display screen and begins to tease him without mercy. "I cannot believe your only reason to bring in a foreign Grandmaster was because of all those asshole videos you were forced to see, ha-ha!" Raymond laughs loudly, slapping his armchair.

[Fuck you, Raymond! I cannot even take a shit now without seeing that disgusting footage playing in my mind, fuck!] Adam snaps back instantly, his face turning red on the screen. [Not only that, I had to replace my computer three times because all of my old emails are still infected with the Brokeback Mountain Virus, sigh... And what does Brokeback Mountain even mean? I looked it up everywhere and cannot find any reference to the name, other than some mountains in North America?!]

"Maybe that is slang for getting your backdoor broken?" Raymond muses, chuckling darkly as he shrugs his shoulders. "I have no fucking clue. So, I heard many families are now trying to set you up with marriage interviews, any good prospects?"

[How the hell would I know? I am only sixteen, you sister freak,] Adam grumbles, rubbing his temples as he looks off-screen. [I looked at the backgrounds of the girls, and other than them looking pretty, they are all bad in their personalities. It is like all the nice and submissive girls are not being offered for my harem. I am the Yellow Emperor, and women should be lining up for me, right? Well, that is what my mother always told me. That bastard Rick really made my life go public, and now everyone is trying to find me, sigh.]

Raymond glances down at a secondary notification popping up on his phone screen and quickly addresses Adam again. "Hanzo Kato replied, he said his team is completely ready to eliminate them," Raymond states, his eyes widening with anticipation. "Seems Rick backing the Kyusho really pissed off the Kato family, and they want to kill the two of them before they can even travel to Japan later. Rick's Fire Birds in Japan have been a massive thorn in his Clan's side for a while now. Well, let's watch the live feed, hopefully Hanzo does not cut the transmission. I want to see Rick get killed live. Where is my sister? Melody, bring me popcorn!"

[Oh, that is right, I researched the problem that Greg is having,] Adam adds, his tone turning clinical as he brings up another file. [It seems that Sam Sun had also had the exact same issue, but now he is fucking women again, so it must be temporary. So just tell your brother-in-law to enjoy no sex for a bit, or just use his hands and mouth. I think the problem heals in like two to three months?]

In reality, the damage is completely permanent without my specific cure, and even then, his fertility is still mostly lost forever.

Melody walks into the room and sits down directly next to her brother, holding a large bowl of fresh popcorn to enjoy the upcoming show.

[Stop talking about limp dick, and show us the live feed,] Melody demands, staring greedily at Adam's video window. [I want to see Rick eat a Ninja-to.]

With that, Melody leans her body weight fully into Raymond, pressing a firm kiss against his cheek while the live camera feed initializes on the screen.

Down at the target destination, our limousine smooths to a halt directly in front of the massive hotel entrance...

We all step out onto the concrete, instantly greeted by a large host of local syndicate members who have been lined up waiting for our arrival.

Right as the noisy meet and greet takes place on the steps, the subtle vibration of my hidden earpiece activates, and Lucy's smooth voice echoes in my ear.

[My Rick, it seems they are going to act inside the hotel,] Lucy reports through the secure electronic device. [God Squad is completely in place the exact moment you signal them. Well, they can only help you now and on the rooftop, so be careful in case they spring an ambush inside. I am using our satellites to observe the entire surroundings, thankfully the sky is completely clear with no cloud-cover. Are you sure you do not want more guards near you?]

I raise a hand to my face, pretending to talk casually into my smartphone so the surrounding crowd suspects nothing. "No need, because Hinata is equal or slightly better than Hanzo in a straight fight," I whisper back into the receiver, a cold grin touching my lips. "So with me here, their group should suffer immensely. And if they happen to fight within the snipers' scopes, he-he."

[Mei is here as well, monitoring the area for me,] Lucy's voice returns, filled with a soft chuckle. [Adam has started to watch your actions, and when things start, I will cut his connection with some more of the Brokeback Mountain Virus, fufu. Love you and be safe dear, oh and Mei wants to say something to you...]

[Rick dear, I wanted to tell you my morning sickness is very light today...] Mei's voice suddenly transmits through the device line, sounding incredibly sweet. [Maybe I might be carrying another son for you. Will you go with me to get tested for the baby's gender when you come back home?]

"Yes Mei, I will absolutely be there with you," I reply quietly, keeping my eyes moving across the hotel lobby doors. "But if it is a boy, are you really going to name him that?"

[Master, with your family name of Lee, it would be an absolute crime to not use the past world name of, Bruce Lee,] Mei giggles softly over the radio link. [You seem to have been incredibly fond of the actor-martial artist of your past life who inspired you, and if we have a second boy, I will name him Jet Lee, fufu... Be safe Rick, bye.]

The line cuts out, leaving me to let out a quiet, internal sigh as I walk toward the entrance. Man, I really should not have told my wives so many specific details about my last life on Earth.

Putting my smartphone away into my suit pocket, I walked directly over to Hinata and took my custom katana, Ryuu Kuroiro, back into my possession. This sudden action made Hinata instantly go on high alert, her posture stiffening as I gave her a firm, meaningful nod. She knows her deep family rival is right here in this city, and for the sake of her Kyusho heritage, she absolutely must kill him. She originally intended to take his life back in Japan, but if she can eliminate him early on foreign soil, her family can finally regain their stolen honor.

"Sensei, I will be alert," Hinata whispered, her hand resting firmly on the hilt of her own blade as her eyes scanned the perimeter. "I have remembered all of your teachings."

Jenifer, seeing the two of us talking in hushed whispers on the hotel steps, stepped closer to my side and kept her voice low. "Master, is it going to happen right now?" Jenifer asked, her fingers twitching near her waistband. "Should I draw and use my handgun now?"

"Jen honey, it is sad to say, but your gun will be completely useless against high-level targets at your current Basic level," I answered, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder to keep her steady. "But just stay far away from the assassins when the blade work begins. Use the gun to just make them wary, or look for an opening if there is a lucky shot to take."

Jenifer immediately adopted a deeply contemplative look, her blue eyes turning sharp and calculating. It is the exact same expression she gets during serious, life-threatening encounters, like the traumatic time she was shot on Highway 69. Jenifer doesn't seem to panic in the slightest, even while knowing a highly trained group of international assassins wants to ambush us. Her sheer bravery and calm under fire do not match her standard, polite secretary persona at all. If only she tried a little harder to learn advanced martial arts fighting beyond the Basic level, she would easily give my other combat wives a serious run for their money.

Conrad Kuro waved his arm toward the grand entrance of the building, inviting us forward with a professional bow. "Leader sir, come this way," Conrad Kuro directed, guiding our security detail through the glass doors. "We have our reservations all set up in the interior restaurant."

Our main group headed inside the lavish establishment for what we fully expected to be our last peaceful meal.

As we took our respective seats in the formal dining hall, Hinata subtly reached into her robes and handed the four of us a small pill capsule to swallow. The Kyusho, who ran in the exact same deadly circles with the other Yakuza and hidden clan families, are all too proficient with the lethal tools of the ninja trade.

We knew the assassins would try to use the meal to disable and kill us through contamination. Therefore, we took the exact same specialized antidote ahead of time that the elite ninja clans use to survive poison. If we do not swallow it, they will completely abandon their mission the moment they see us refusing the food. They will know they were spotted, and a ninja will never take on a fair fight, choosing only operations that guarantee absolute success.

Of course, Hinata will still test each of the incoming dishes secretly by using her wide kimono sleeves to mask her movements, signaling us to what specific items to avoid. The medical antidote only works on certain numbing drugs. The really lethal, fast-acting poisons should just be plain ignored and left untouched on the plate.

The restaurant features a beautiful architectural blend of western and eastern design, containing around twenty large, family-sized tables spread across the floor. Our table is situated right over by the large front windows, offering a perfectly clear view looking out to the grand hotel fountain.

I specifically requested window seating so I could rely entirely on the God Squad members, who came to South City ahead of time to find optimal sniper nests around the area. A truly good sniper will lay in wait for many hours before the prey finally arrives. Around twenty elite marksmen came along for this specific tracking mission.

Soon, our large, multi-course meal was served to our gathering of twenty Fire Birds members.

Hinata quickly got to work, utilizing small chemical test strips while cleverly hiding her actions behind the flowing fabric of her kimono sleeves. She then gestured subtly to the four of us, warning us to stay away from the wine and the bread. Everything else could be safely eaten without dying on the spot. We all knew the plan was to fake our symptoms and act sleepy after fifteen minutes, which is the typical onset time for the paralytic.

Lucy has already alerted the local first responders for the inevitable poisoning victims, and emergency medical units are currently underway to the hotel.

Right on cue, Jenifer lays her head down on the polished tabletop after carefully hiding her handgun under a white tablecloth. She just crossed her arms together like a makeshift pillow, looking exactly like a tired student might do in a school classroom when exhausted. But it wasn't just our table, as many of the other innocent restaurant eaters began to fall asleep rapidly all around the room.

Slide! Suddenly, Luke stood up with explosive speed, shooting his heavy chair backward against the floorboards while tightly clutching his midsection.  Like a man possessed by a desperate mission, he started running full speed for the restroom like a sudden laxative victim, yelling back at us at the top of his lungs. "Leader, I gotta shit bad, be back soon, fuck me!" Luke roared, his voice echoing off the high ceilings.

As I see Luke running away, a dark smile spreads across my face, thinking about the hilarious expressions the assassins will make when they witness the new secret weapon made by my wife Kim for my private army.

Soon, with almost every civilian falling unconscious onto the tabletops or slipping off their chairs to the floors, a group of twenty enemy ninja slowly made their way out from different hiding spots. Some of these hidden ninja had even been clothed as standard waiters, and they are now pulling out concealed weapons from behind the food counters and from behind decorative potted plants. They really do look just like the stereotypical ninjas from my old Earth, dressed in full stealth gear.

The clear leader of the ambush group, an older man who must be in his early fifties, steps forward with practiced authority, drawing his sharp ninja-to blade alongside several gleaming throwing stars. He looks down at me, speaking in a cool, detached tone. "Mr. Tang, for the crime of daring to back the Kyusho clan, you will die here today along with your whore," Hanzo Kato sneers, raising his weapon.

I stood up smoothly alongside Hinata, holding my sword tightly and perfectly ready to counter any sudden sneak attack. I simply smiled back at the legendary assassin and asked the man a simple question. "Mr. Hanzo Kato, do you know what is scarier than a traditional shotgun?" I asked, my voice dripping with absolute confidence. "Well, that would be my company's newest product, the Smith & Wesson fully automatic AA-12 combat shotgun! LUKE!"

Bang! Smash!

The heavy wooden bathroom door was violently kicked completely open, the impact shattering the frame as everyone looked over to see who was strong enough to take a door clean off its hinges with one single kick! Holding two massive, military-grade weapons equipped with large, twenty-shot ammunition drums, Luke grins wildly from the doorway and shouts at the crowd. "I wonder if ninjas can dodge this?!"