Total pages in book: 108
Estimated words: 108768 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 544(@200wpm)___ 435(@250wpm)___ 363(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 108768 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 544(@200wpm)___ 435(@250wpm)___ 363(@300wpm)
“I am respectfully requesting an official Council right here in this moment to petition for a new role within the Four Aces.”
Chen's reaction was immediate; his eyes widened to the point where his glasses nearly slid down the bridge of his nose. For a moment, he looked like a man who had been told the impossible, his usually composed demeanor replaced by sheer astonishment. His mouth opened and closed, as if words had suddenly become elusive to him.
Next to me, Duck's reaction was more physical. He took a subtle step back, as though the very ground beneath him had shifted. His eyebrows knitted together, creating deep furrows on his forehead, a clear sign of his disbelief. He glanced briefly at me, then back at Monique, as if seeking confirmation that he had heard correctly.
Hu, who was usually the embodiment of stoic calm, let out a low whistle. His hand, which had been firmly gripping his tiger-striped gun, loosened slightly, betraying his shock.
Meanwhile, I ran my fingers through my hair, stunned and unprepared.
What the fuck is going on?
Chapter twenty
The Mountaintop Council
Lei
My men and I stood there in shock.
The crisp mountain air ran thick with tension and the sky above was a canvas of shifting clouds, casting moving shadows over the rugged terrain. Yet even the peaks around us stood like silent sentinels, witnessing the unfolding drama.
I put my focus on Monique, not happy with the fact that she was challenging me in a way no one else ever had.
Where did she learn about requesting a Council?
The topic itself was veiled in secrecy, only understood by those with intimate knowledge of the Four Aces. Almost no one on the outside would understand the concept. Even people who had been privy to some of our ceremonies—like Dima, Romeo, and Chanel—were unaware of its existence.
But she made sure the top four were in front of her, so. . .she knows.
I glanced behind me.
Far off in the distance, the rest of men were visible, their figures small and clad in blue. They stood scattered along the ridge, vigilant but too far to catch the words being exchanged.
Off to the other side, the parked helicopter's rotors were still.
However, even the pilot, leaning casually against the fuselage, couldn't help but cast curious glances towards us.
Sighing, I returned my view to Monique and narrowed my eyes.
How?
Silent, Monique held her ground and scanned each of our faces. Her eyes lingered for a moment on each person, as if assessing our reactions to her absurd request.
Whoever told Monique this information is getting something broken on their body.
I focused on regaining my composure. The situation was slipping out of hand and I knew it was crucial to reassert control.
I cleared my throat. “Monique, this is not the proper location to request Council with us. Consider another time and place.”
“Actually, there is no proper location or time.” Monique briefly gazed at those index cards in her hand.
I gritted my teeth.
She continued, “In the history of the Four Aces, Councils have been started in various unconventional settings to petition for roles and negotiate mergers—”
“Where are you getting this information?”
“Is the information wrong, Lei?”
The line of my jaw twitched. “No.”
She flipped a card and read from it, “In fact, there was a Council held right here on Mount Utopia to decide the fate of the Eastern territory after your father stepped away due to your mother's death.”
I froze in horror.
Why does she know this?
Hu widened his eyes.
Chen checked his Hello Kitty watch and then began to fidget with it—a clear tell that he was slowly losing his fucking mind.
“And although you already were set to sit on the throne, a man named. . .” Monique squinted at the card and took her time pronouncing the name. “Bingwein requested Council and petitioned to take on the role until you were at least in your forties. He thought that this age would be old enough to truly hold so much power.”
“And tell me, Monique.” I spoke through clenched teeth, “What did I do when he did that?”
She looked up from the card. “You killed him.”
Duck raised his hand to his waist and began to fiddle with the handle of his sword.
I sneered. “And you still think this is a good idea?”
“Yes.” She lowered the cards and kept them at her side. “Because that Council on this mountaintop was considered proper and his petition called for a final battle to determine who should be the true Mountain Master. That was the only reason why you killed him.”
Chen pushed up his glasses. “That did happen. She's. . .right about that.”
I frowned at him. “Thanks for the confirmation.”
Without looking at her cards, Monique continued, “Another Council was in an elevator during a power outage, and there was even one in a moving car that your sister, Yan called. She disagreed with your new weapons contract with the West that would put the South in debt—”