Chen Fei glanced at his phone and saw the call was from Old Brad, the current Clan Leader of the Brad Family. He was slightly startled but answered casually, making no effort to hide the call.
"Hello, Old Brad? It's me. What's up?" Chen Fei asked directly, a faint coldness touching his features. He knew Old Brad wouldn't call without a significant reason, so what could it be now?
"O-Old Brad?" Hearing Chen Fei's casual address, Apel, who was lying in his arms, couldn't help but tense up. Her soft lips parted subconsciously, her eyes wide with nervousness and shock. She might not have understood the name's significance in the past, but ever since dining with Old Brad at the castle, she knew all too well. That name, "Old Brad," belonged to the great Godfather of the ruling family of Italy's dark underworld!
"Chen, I just received a message," Old Brad began without hesitation, getting straight to the point. "Someone has anonymously offered one hundred million to commission our family's Assassin OrganizationāBlood Bladeāto assassinate you. I had my people investigate. The two anonymous individuals are a man named Gary and a Japanese man named Aso Naijiro. Chen, what are your orders? Do you need me to have them killed right now?"
While not every member of the Brad Family was privy to matters concerning Chen Fei, any manager or executive of a certain standing definitely was. This was especially true for a "critical department" like Blood Blade. So, when they received a commission to assassinate Mr. Chen Fei, they were nearly stunned speechless and immediately reported it up the chain of command with the utmost urgency.
Upon receiving the news, Old Brad was overcome with a mix of fear and sheer fury. What a joke! Mr. Chen Fei was a man of unimaginable status and power, a being whose strength was terrifying enough to make one's very soul tremble. But even setting that aside, he was the Brad Family's greatest benefactor! And now? Someone actually dared to hire them to assassinate Mr. Chen Fei? They were truly courting death!
"Gary? Aso Naijiro?" Chen Fei murmured, a cold light flashing in his dark eyes. "I didn't expect those two to be so audacious."
In all honesty, he wasn't an inherently cruel or merciless person, nor was he one to press his advantage unforgivingly. If he were, he wouldn't have let Old Huck off so easily before. But his kindness had been met with them overstepping their bounds. Assassins? How interesting... But am I, Chen Fei, only worth a hundred million?
Hearing Chen Fei's words and the cold edge to his voice, even Old Brad, despite his close relationship with Chen Fei, felt his hand tremble as he held the phone. He knew Chen Fei well enough to recognize this tone. Young Master Chen was angry.
But of course, he would be. How could anyone be happy knowing someone put a hundred-million-dollar price on their head? Still, those two are absolute fools. Is Mr. Chen Fei only worth a hundred million?
"I seem to recall those two have some backing, don't they?" Chen Fei suddenly asked. "One is from the Sicilian Family, the other from the Aso Family?"
"Er..." Old Brad paused for a moment before replying without hesitation, "In the eyes of the Brad Family, the Sicilian Family and the Aso Family are merely second-rate. If they truly dare to be so foolish, we don't mind teaching them what it feels like to seek their own demise."
"Old Brad, you misunderstand my meaning," Young Master Chen Fei said, shaking his head slightly. "This matter started because of me. Your family is in a precarious situation right now, so it's best not to stir up more trouble than necessary. How about this: you deal with those two shortsighted fools for me. However, if the powers behind them are dissatisfied and want to keep making trouble, call me directly. I'll handle it."
"Yes, Chen. I understand what to do," Old Brad said, his hand trembling again as he held the phone. "I'll hang up now." He was keenly aware of the terrifying and astounding power Mr. Chen Fei wielded. It wasn't just about the Sicilian Family and the Aso Family; even ten such powers combined would be no match for Mr. Chen Fei if he decided to act personally. And if the Sicilian Family were destroyed, the current pressure on the Brad Family would ease considerably, wouldn't it?
The Brad Family sprang into action that very night. They dispatched Blood Blade's most elite assassins, who swiftly killed Aso Naijiro and Earl Gary. For good measure, they also slaughtered all the Onmyoji that Aso Naijiro had brought with him. While Japanese Onmyoji could be difficult opponents for those of a similar caliber, they were far too weak to stand against the elite assassins of Blood Blade. They were like paper, pierced with a single thrust.
When word of Aso Naijiro's and Earl Gary's deaths reached Aso Sazai, the current Clan Leader of the Aso Family, and Duke Sikam, one of the top leaders of the Sicilian Family and Earl Gary's grandfather, their immediate reaction was unthinking fury. It was followed by sheer disbelief.
How could this be? The Brad Family was already mired in a quagmire, most of their strength gone, yet they still had the audacity to provoke us? To kill my son, my direct descendant?!
They immediately placed furious calls to the Brad Family, demanding an explanation. However, since the matter concerned Mr. Chen Fei, Old Brad had no intention of wasting his breath. His attitude was extremely firm. This, of course, only served to humiliate the already enraged Aso Sazai and Duke Sikam.
If the Brad Family were still at the height of its power, we might have tolerated it. But they've fallen so far, and they still dare to act so arrogant and domineering? Do they really think the Aso Family and the Sicilian Family are so easy to bully?
Thus, it was no surprise when the Aso and Sicilian Families, driven by anger and self-interest, joined forces. Harboring grand ambitions, they launched a counterattack against the Brad Family. They lobbied Italian government officials and even incited other powers who were watching from the sidelines to move against the Brad Family as well. In the past, when the Brad Family was at its peak, they would have dismissed such a motley crew of clowns without a second thought. But now, the situation was different. As the retaliatory attacks from the Aso and Sicilian Families began to mount, the Brad Family started to feel immense pressure.
Consequently, Old Brad adopted a direct, no-nonsense approach and placed a call to Young Master Chen Fei.
At that moment, Young Master Chen Fei was strolling with Apel along the historic, culture-rich streets of Rome. He knew what was happening the moment he saw Old Brad's call. Answering the phone, he squinted slightly and said, "Hello, Old Brad. Talk to me."
"Chen, the Aso Family and the Sicilian Family have made their move," Old Brad said immediately. "It seems they've also rallied others to their side, including the Italian government and the Hungarian Vance Family. What are your thoughts?"
"Alright, I've got it. Leave it to me," Chen Fei replied directly, the corners of his lips curling into a slight smile.
"Very well. I'll hang up then." Hearing Mr. Chen Fei's direct and decisive words, a faint smile appeared on Old Brad's face as he respectfully ended the call. As long as Mr. Chen Fei was taking action, he had nothing to worry about.
And indeed, that was the truth. While names like Melsdom and Mardo might not be famous among the general public, those who truly understood the terror they represented would grow weak at the knees just hearing them. Some might even be paralyzed with fear. Only those within that exclusive circle could possibly comprehend how terrifying such men truly were. To the public, the only visible manifestation of such men's power would be the famous multinational corporations they controlled, or even... entire countries!
One by one, calls were placed from Young Master Chen Fei's phone. The Aso Family and the Sicilian Family, no matter how powerful, could never withstand the personal intervention of men like Melsdom and Mardo. It was completely impossible, utterly unrealistic.
As Apel watched Chen Fei make one nonchalant call after another, casually stating his intent to erase both the Japanese Asou Clan and Italy's own Sicilian Family, she felt as if she were in a dream. It all felt so unreal. Could a few phone calls truly be enough to destroy powers as immense as the Japanese Asou Clan and the Sicilian Family? If so, that was both terrifying and utterly incredible.
And yet, the final outcome was just that unbelievably astonishing.