Chapter 8 Super Soldier

Jaziel was left bewildered by Timothy's remark. What's going on? “Dad, I chose to go to the bar myself. It has nothing to do with Jaziel, and he arrived just in time. We should be thanking him,” Vivian quickly said. Now, that's a fair statement. Jaziel placed the supplements on the table next to him, then sat on the couch and asked, “Vivian, how's your injury?” “It's all right.” Vivian was in the midst of applying an egg mask to her face. “Jaziel, it hit me after I ran out yesterday how influential Damian is, and I was worried you might cause trouble. But I heard everyone came out unscathed. Caleb's father must have settled it with money, right?” So that's what happened. At last, Jaziel understood. “Did Caleb reach out to you after he left?” Jaziel lightly furrowed his brow. Vivian shook her head. “No, he's not answering my calls. I have no idea what's going on. It's driving me crazy.” Jaziel said, “Vivian, it's actually a good thing that Caleb isn't reaching out to you. He's not good news.” A hint of displeasure flashed across Vivian's face. Timothy sternly said, “Jaziel, you should just mind your own business. There's no need for you to interfere with Vivian's affairs. I've seen that kid, Caleb. He's decent. And I know his father, Fabio, well. He's quite a renowned businessman in the city. Vivian marrying him is a step up, you know. It would be best if you wished her well more often. Don't let jealousy creep in just because she's doing better than you.” Timothy spoke without holding anything back. He was wholeheartedly in favor of his daughter's involvement with Caleb. But after the incident occurred, Caleb stopped answering his phone. This was the real root of his fury. “Uncle Timothy, I'm Vivian's cousin. Would I ever harm her?” Jaziel heaved a sigh. Vivian is certainly unlucky to end up with such a father. Noticing Timothy's unwelcoming demeanor, Jaziel didn't wish to linger any longer. He comforted Vivian with a few words and then got up, ready to leave. “Jaz, have lunch with us before you go,” Susannah said. “No thanks, I still have some things to do.” “Just let him go,” Timothy said. “Even after getting out of prison, he didn't bother to find a proper job. He's idle all day. He's utterly beyond help!” Jaziel couldn't be bothered to argue with him. He opened the door, nearly colliding full-on with the delicate figure that was coming straight toward him. It was Sophie. Upon seeing Jaziel, Sophie was slightly taken aback. She smiled and said, “Jaziel, thank you for what you did yesterday.” “No problem.” Jaziel nodded and promptly stepped into the elevator. Uncle Timothy really doesn't know how to appreciate a good person. If it weren't for Aunt Susannah's sake, I wouldn't have paid a visit. After Jaziel left, Sophie entered the house. “Sophie, you're here.” A hint of a smile graced Timothy's face. Sophie's father owned a company, and Timothy was pleased that his daughter was friends with someone like her. “Sophie, Vivi has been trying to reach Caleb but hasn't gotten through. You're on good terms with Caleb. Could you give him a call to find out what's going on?” Sophie gave a bitter smile as she shook her head. “Mr. Barker, it's not just Vivian's calls that Caleb is ignoring. He's not answering mine either. His friends seem to have vanished off the face of the earth as well. I really can't figure out what's going on.” “That kid is just... If he has something to say, he should just say it face to face. Why is he ignoring us?” Timothy felt a bit of regret for losing such a rich son-in-law. “Right, I remembered.” Suddenly, Sophie slapped her own forehead. “I heard from Caleb and the others that they're planning to visit the antique exhibition at Nightingale Street the day after tomorrow. I'm sure we'll find him there.” “You mean Mr. Zinnecker's antique museum?” Timothy's eyes immediately lit up. “Mr. Zinnecker is the president of the Cadrexia Chamber of Commerce. This time, he's hosting an antique exhibition that many big-time bosses are planning to attend. When the time comes, I will take you two along to broaden your horizons.” “Sure thing.” Sophie smiled. Beside her, Vivian appeared somewhat hesitant. “If Caleb doesn't want to answer his phone, isn't it a bit inappropriate for us to just show up at his door?” “What are you talking about? There's nothing inappropriate about it. Besides, we're going to see antiques, not specifically to meet him. At most, it would be a chance encounter,” Timothy said seriously. He knew that his daughter had a penchant for keeping up appearances. Sure enough, Vivian gave a nod. “All right, then.” Meanwhile, Jaziel was seething with anger as he returned to his mansion at Lakefield Estates. Upon returning to the mansion, he spotted a sports car parked there. Before Jaziel could step forward to investigate, the car door had already swung open. A young man, dressed in a leather jacket, stepped out. “Hawk, how did you get here? And aren't you hot wearing a leather jacket in the height of summer?” Originally known as Ethan Yankovic, the man dubbed “Hawk” was a Ledroustein super soldier. He was an expert in all kinds of firearms and his combat prowess was off the charts. However, due to the massacre of prisoners of war, he was confined to the Fourth Prison of Huxville for half a year. Naturally, the newly imprisoned Hawk was quite arrogant at first. But after Jaziel hung him from a tree and disciplined him for three days, he willingly accepted his role as the underling. He felt even closer to him than his own father. In Jaziel's words, he was nothing but a lowlife. “I rushed over to greet you as soon as I heard that you were out of prison.” Hawk chuckled mischievously. He always maintained a cold-hearted image in front of strangers, but with Jaziel, he was unapologetically playful. He approached Jaziel and suddenly reached out to grab him, his speed akin to a flash of lightning. Jaziel shook his head. “Your personality hasn't changed a bit. You still like to sneak up on me. But compared to my level, you're far behind.” He swiftly sidestepped the attack, then threw a punch. Hawk flew backward as if propelled like a missile before crashing into the wall behind. With a dismissive chuckle, Jaziel clapped his hands. “You never change, do you?” Hawk smoothly rose from the ground, grinning as if nothing had happened. “You're still as formidable as ever.” “Come in and have a seat.” Jaziel unlocked the door, and Hawk followed him inside. He casually removed his leather jacket. Upon entering, he saw various firearms hanging everywhere. He casually tossed him into the pile. “Don't you always carry a gun with you?” “Carrying a gun is for self-protection against others. But in front of you, it wouldn't make a difference even if I had a grenade launcher.” “Go on, what brings you here?” Jaziel asked. Immediately, the expression on Hawk's face turned serious as he pushed the envelope toward Jaziel. “Boss, I've recommended you to the military department to be the chief instructor of Skyward Hawk Corps. If you're willing to join, the strength of Skyward Hawk Corps will undoubtedly experience a significant—” “I'm not interested.” “Boss...” “You can leave now if there's nothing else.” Jaziel immediately narrowed his eyes. Hawk stared at Jaziel's face, waiting for a long while. Once he was certain that Jaziel had made up his mind, he could only sigh. “I'll leave the appointment letter here. Whenever you've made up your mind, you're welcome to join us anytime.” Having said that, he stepped out of the mansion, hopped into his sports car, and drove off. Just as he got into the car, an off-road vehicle suddenly came to a halt. With a look of shock on her face, Selina stepped out of the car. “Hawk, the super soldier? I must be seeing things! Hawk is a legendary figure in the military, hailed as the King of Special Forces. He actually lives here.” After the shock wore off, a hint of fervor could be seen in Selina's eyes. “I've always hoped to receive guidance from Hawk, but unfortunately, he's elusive and his rank is too high for me to access. I never thought that after endless searching, I would unexpectedly encounter him here.” On the third day, Jaziel asked Sean to accompany him to Nightingale Street, and they stopped by Greenfox Bank along the way. This was a private bank established collectively by several financial magnates in Ledroustein. They provided savings and wealth management services for their ultra-wealthy clientele. They wouldn't entertain anyone whose assets were less than a billion. In prison, Jaziel had come into contact with a tycoon who was pulling the strings behind the scenes. This influential figure had opened an account for him. Moreover, the wealth that Jaziel had accumulated while in prison was all stored in the vault of Greenfox Bank, handled exclusively by him. On that day, Jaziel aimed to secure The Graceful Muse by Thaddeus Blackwood in the vault while also planning to withdraw some cash. Wesley showed interest in befriending him. He might not necessarily accept his money. Therefore, he had no choice but to prepare cash, making it impossible for him to refuse. It was a towering Epean-style building, with the words “Greenfox Bank” emblazoned across its facade. There were quite a few luxury cars parked at the entrance. Jaziel instructed Sean to wait in the car for him as he walked into the bank, carrying the painting with him. “Welcome, sir. What services can I assist you with?” As soon as he entered the grand hall, a pleasant sound reached his ears. A striking woman, dressed in a black uniform, was smiling gently as she gazed at him. However, the moment Jaziel looked up, both he and the woman were taken aback on the spot. The woman was Kimberly Leonelli, Jaziel's ex-girlfriend. Jaziel had ended up in prison solely to protect her. For three years, she hadn't visited Jaziel and had instead married the wealthy heir who had once tried to take advantage of her. Jaziel never thought he would run into her here.