Chapter 7 Get Lost

For Yulian, the memory of Winona was naturally still fresh. At Hofcaster airport, the woman's haughty demeanor and Javier's arrogant dominance toward the elderly taco vendor they had bumped into were simply unbearable and deeply infuriating. Yulian was extremely repulsed by those scions who always considered themselves superior to others. After all, they were all human beings, their heads reaching the sky and their feet touching the ground. On what grounds did they regard themselves as superior and look down on others? Seeing that the pair of audacious siblings had the nerve to show up at his doorstep, naturally, Yulian would not back down. As he walked along the path of Salvatore family estate, Yulian spoke up. “Why did someone from the Caruso family come looking for me?” David, the bodyguard by his side, hurried along, explaining as he went, “Here's the situation. The Caruso family holds several plots of land and wants to develop a commercial city with our Salvatore Group jointly. Once the project is realized, it would bring in at least tens of billions of revenue each year. However, Jackie, the head of the Caruso family, has a background in the underworld and a very poor reputation. His foundation is not clean, and there are significant issues with the plots of land intended for development. Because of this, Ms. Salvatore has not agreed to cooperate with them. No one knows where they got their information from, but they heard that you were personally selected by Old Mr. Salvatore to be the son-in-law of the Salvatore family. Therefore, they wanted to seize this opportunity to come and pay a visit.” “Visit?” Yulian paused, scoffing, “I'm afraid they're trying to intimidate me, using both carrot and stick, aiming to overcome this hurdle I present. Then, they plan to use me, slowly influencing Selena with pillow talk, loosening her resolve. To put it bluntly, they're treating me like a pawn.” “Those are some harsh words, but you're right.” David gave an awkward laugh, then continued, “Yulian, should I send them away and wait for Ms. Salvatore to arrive before we discuss further?” “No need. What kind of man does that make me if I hide behind a woman?” With a sweeping gesture, Yulian strode away without looking back. They want to use me as a pawn, eh? I'm looking forward to it. What kind of splendid expression will Winona have when she encounters me, the man who had broken her brother's leg? Yulian's arrogant demeanor and overwhelming aura made David unable to suppress the surge of excitement in his veins. He fiercely swung his fist, exclaiming, “This is going to be good!” At that moment, within a side hall of the Salvatore residence. Winona cradled a cup of top-grade iced coffee, her long, straight legs intertwined elegantly and composedly. She reveled in the admiring glances cast her way by the numerous maids of the Salvatore family. Yet, her heart was in turmoil, filled with a burning restlessness. Her emotions were in a state of chaos, utterly disordered. There was pressure from her father and the Caruso family's upper echelons. Then, there was the man whom Winston had taken a liking to and personally selected as the prospective son-in-law of the Salvatore family. Moreover, there was that arrogant and domineering fellow at the airport, the one who had audaciously crippled Javier's right leg. A myriad of worries weighed heavily on her heart, nearly suffocating her, her mind a chaotic mess. “D*mn it, I can't take it anymore!” With his right leg fully encased in a plaster cast, Javier, seated on a stretcher, smashed his cup to smithereens. Already frustrated and upset, he had waited for a long time to no avail and finally burst out in anger. “Sis, who does that Yulian guy think he is, making us wait for such a long time? Does he really think he's someone important just because he's connected to the Salvatore family on the social ladder? He's nothing more than a freeloader, a gigolo. Who does he think he is, acting so high and mighty?” “Javier, show some respect!” Winona admonished, quickly shooting him a meaningful glance. “Mr. Lazzari is crucial to our Caruso family's economic prospects for the coming years. He is extremely important.” “Ha, this is important, that is important. Am I not important then?” Javier's face was twisted with resentment as he roared, “Winona, I am your own brother! Not only was I beaten until one of my legs was broken, but I also had to travel a long distance to this godforsaken place to wait for that gigolo. I can't swallow this humiliation!” Winona took a deep breath, walked up to her younger brother, and said in a serious tone, “Javier, I promise you, as soon as we're done discussing important matters, I'll immediately take you to find that guy and avenge our grievances! Look, I've even brought Drake to you. This leg, I swear, won't be broken in vain!” Javier's gaze swept somewhat apprehensively over the man in black standing at the door. He was less than one point seven meters tall, but his physique was robust. His dark face was filled with an ominous and brutal aura. The sinister air about him sent chills down one's spine, making one feel uneasy all over. His name was Drake, a retired mercenary hired by Winona at an exorbitant price. He had taken hundreds of lives with his own hands, making him an undeniably ruthless character. Upon seeing Drake appear, Javier felt a sense of relief washed over him. Clenching his teeth in anger, he cursed vehemently, “Drake, no matter the cost, I'll pay. I want that b*stard's limbs broken; I want him to suffer a thousand cuts, and I want him to wish he were dead.” “Understood!” Drake replied with a sinister grin. At that very moment, there was a sudden loud bang as Yulian burst directly through the door. “Mr. Caruso sure is furious, isn't he? Who is he wishing to be better off dead?” Upon seeing Yulian, Javier was immediately startled, almost jumping up in surprise. His face was filled with resentment and bitterness as if he wanted to tear the latter apart. “It's you? You b*stard, how dare you follow me here!” Winona's face was also frosty, her voice stern as she admonished, “Don't push your luck too far. I'm warning you. This is the Salvatore residence. Mr. Lazzari, the Salvatore family's son-in-law, will be arriving soon. This is not a place for you to run wild! Get lost. If you don't want to die, you'd better scram immediately!” At that moment, David cleared his throat lightly, respectfully announcing, “Ms. Caruso, Mr. Caruso, allow me to introduce this gentleman here. He is our Ms. Salvatore's fiancé, the future son-in-law of the Salvatore family, Mr. Yulian Lazzari.” In an instant, the angry tirades of the Caruso siblings came to an abrupt halt. They all stood there, mouths agape, staring at Yulian in complete shock. “He... He's Mr. Yulian of the Salvatore family? This... This must be some kind of joke!” “Do you really think I'm in the mood for jokes?” David huffed in dissatisfaction. “Gentlemen, I've brought the person you asked for. If this is the attitude you're going to display, I'm afraid I can't accompany you any further. Mr. Lazzari, let's go.” “No, no, don't!” Winona urgently called out. After all, she was the eldest daughter of the Caruso family, a figure who had struggled in the business world for many years. Although Winona was frustrated and unwilling in her heart, she quickly adjusted her mindset. Adhering to the principle of “family first,” she managed to squeeze out a faint smile. “Mr. Lazzari, I believe there has been a certain misunderstanding between us. Therefore, I think it's necessary for us to sit down and have a proper discussion.” Yulian cast a dismissive glance at Javier, who was standing aside, and said coldly, “What is there to discuss? Are we discussing the medical expenses of this Mr. Caruso? Or should we talk about me breaking his other leg?” “You—” Javier was so furious that he was trembling, but he held back his anger, daring not to lash out. His face alternated between shades of pale and flushed, a spectacle in itself. Winona's pretty face also underwent several changes. She swallowed hard, and said, “Of course not. We want to have a discussion with Mr. Lazzari about the cooperation between Salvatore Group and the Caruso family.” “I understand that there have been some minor misunderstandings between Mr. Lazzari and us siblings. We are willing to apologize and compensate for any losses. Consider this as a small token of our sincerity.” No sooner had the words fallen than Drake at the side immediately brought over two suitcases. As the suitcases opened, a flurry of red bills instantly covered the floor. The Salvatore family's people, though they were well-traveled and knowledgeable, were still stunned at the sight of so much money, gasping in surprise. Winona was wealthy and influential. “Five million. Consider it as compensation for Mr. Lazzari's inconvenience. Of course, this is just the beginning.” Yulian narrowed his eyes, chuckling lightly. “The Caruso family is quite the wealthy clan, aren't they? Seems like they're planning to crush me with their money, huh?” “You're jesting, Mr. Lazzari. What we are seeking is merely cooperation. Seeing an opportunity, Winona quickly put her cards on the table, saying, “Our Caruso family owns several businesses, including Club Royal, Lumino Dining, and the most profitable, Invictus Realty. If Mr. Lazzari is willing to facilitate a partnership between Salvatore Group and the Caruso family, I guarantee that the annual dividends alone will be no less than eight figures. Today is just—” “Invictus Realty? That is your Caruso family's business?” Yulian's eyes suddenly hardened. “Yes,” Winona responded, momentarily taken aback. “That infamous company, thriving by forcibly demolishing and constructing, exploiting the common people's hard-earned wealth?” Yulian's tone hardened. “Yes, indeed.” Winona's face showed a hint of embarrassment. “The audacious company that dared to demolish the ancestral home of my deceased comrade, even toppling over my comrade's urn in their rampant real estate development?” Yulian's fury was palpable. “Yes— What?” Winona was about to respond instinctively when her pupils suddenly contracted. She hastily exclaimed, “Mr. Lazzari, it's an absolute misunderstanding. In reality, Invictus Realty is just in name only for—” “Get lost!” With a fierce roar, Yulian's voice echoed like a startling thunder, his presence as powerful as a dragon. With a swift kick, the red money bills from the two suitcases flew into the air, scattering all around. They rained down on the Caruso siblings, hitting their faces in a flurry and leaving them in a state of utter disarray. “Take your money and get lost immediately. Do you think you can bribe me? You're not even close to being worthy, not by a long shot!” roared Yulian. His arrogance had reached such an extent. His domineering aura was awe-inspiring. Winona could never have imagined that the mere mention of Invictus Realty would cause Yulian to fly into a sudden rage. He was like a ferocious beast, utterly terrifying. Now, he lay stunned amidst a pile of red tickets, filled with lingering fear and horror. “D*mn it, you ungrateful b*stard! Do you really think you're part of the Salvatore family now?!” Javier's anger erupted. He could tolerate no more, and he cursed loudly, “Drake, take him down. All this money will be yours!” “Understood!” A chilling laughter echoed through the air, followed by the flickering of two cold lights, darting toward Yulian like venomous snakes striking their prey. Caught off guard, Yulian's eyes flickered. Before he could react, several wounds were slashed across his shoulder, blood flowing freely. “Well done!” Javier was so excited that he almost jumped up. True to his mercenary background, Drake had never let him down. Meanwhile, the Salvatore family's people were terrified, screaming incessantly, and thrown into complete chaos. Drake licked the fresh blood from his lips, twirling his dagger to create a pair of blade flowers, his face full of arrogant disdain. “Rascal, now your head and apologize to Mr. Caruso now, and I may just leave you with an intact corpse!” Wiping the fresh blood from his shoulder, Yulian asked in a deep voice, “And who might you be?” “Drake, vice captain of South East Aploth's Hellfire Mercenaries!” When referring to his past glory, Drake's face was filled with an air of pride. His voice even rose several decibels. “Kid, back when I was serving in the military, you were still wetting your bed and playing in the mud. Humph, throughout the whole of South East Aploth, I, Drake, have defeated special forces from seven different countries and stormed through thirteen military zones. I could come and go as I pleased in the main base of Rodunst. Even Lostaria's Lysander was defeated by me. I—” Whoosh! Before Drake finished speaking, Yulian swiftly swept his leg across, his movement as forceful as a steel whip. His leg cut through the air like a blade, aimed directly at Drake's face. Crack! The dagger that Drake was horizontally blocking with snapped upon impact, clattering to the ground. Bang! Like a fired cannonball, Drake was sent flying straight for over ten meters, landing heavily and stirring up a cloud of dust. In an instant, Javier was dumbstruck. The silence at the scene was so profound that one could hear a pin drop. “Get lost!” With a thunderous roar, Yulian echoed like a mighty storm, stirring up a thousand layers of waves. Javier was so frightened that he instantly fell to the ground with a thud, rolling around like a watermelon. His entire body, his bones, and joints, shattered with a crackling sound, scattering all over the ground. His wails echoed throughout the field.