Chapter 648
Chapter 0648 What should happen? Carson stood a good distance away, trembling all over like he was in a windstorm, his legs shaking so badly he could barely keep upright.
"Boss, I—I..." His voice shook as he stumbled forward. Suddenly, he broke down, bowing deeply to Alexander and Amber. "Mister Kane, Miss Chesire, I'm begging you, please have mercy on me! "I didn't know who you were before, and I was rude. Please, I'm asking you to let me off the hook! I've got a mom in her seventies, and a little one back home who's just started school..." Amber, who had been standing by Alexander with a stern expression, felt a tug at her heartstrings when Carson mentioned he had a child.
Her own Olivia was only six, just starting first grade. Carson might be a scoundrel, but he had a kid who needed him...
carson.” She nibbled on her lower lip, her voice soft but firm, "Today, you dodge a bullet, but you're not off the hook. You've gota kid to raise, so I'll cut you some slack. You're fired from Spring Sunshine Travel Agency, and you're banned from guiding tours ever again.
"Can you live with that punishment?"
Could he ever? To Carson, it was like winning the lottery without buying a ticket—a second chance at life! Miss Chesire, you're an angel, a saint!" Carson was a mess, thanking Amber and Alexander through his tears, 1] swear I'll turn over a new leaf, live right, and never let you down again, Miss Chesire! "Thank you, Mister Kane, thank you, Miss Chesire!" Amber's heart had melted, after all...
Alexander gave a knowing nod, gently took Amber's hand, and growled at Carson, "This ends now. Scram!" Carson wasted no time, bowed quickly, and scurried away.
Just moments after his departure, a sudden burst of applause was heard.
The crowd of tourists erupted, clapping for Alexander and Amber, their voices loud and clear, "Mister Kane, the fair! Miss Chesire, the kindhearted! You've won us all over!" "Absolutely, we owe you big time for taking a stand for us!" "Without Mister Kane and Miss Chesire, we'd still be getting fleeced by those crooked guides on the island, in cahoots with the shopkeepers. And to think they even called in muscle..." Muscle?
Alexander's eyes narrowed as he took in the sight of the 30-odd men in black sprawled on the ground. He fixed a piercing gaze on Wasyl, who stood nervously beside him. "Were they, like you, once working for Mister Hardy?" he asked, his voice deep and steady.
"No, not at all!" Wasyl, jolted by the question, shook his head vigorously and edged closer to Alexander.
Casting a wary look at the injured men moaning on the ground, he whispered, "Mister Kane, they're not with the travel agency. They're the big shots of Coconut Wind Island.
"A lot of travel agencies and businesses have to pay them off. My agency coughs up at least fifteen thousand dollars a month. If we don't, they won't let us bring tourists onto the island." Ahint of intrigue flickered in Alexander's eyes. "Big shots, you say?" "Yes!" Wasyl's voice was still a hushed murmur, his face showing traces of fear. "Their leader, known as Cloud Tiger, is a force to be reckoned with. He wanted to make a statement, so he shattered a volcanic rock over half a meter thick with a single punch, right in front of a crowd of tourists! "Nobody knows his real name, but he's got the whole island's tourism under his thumb. Without paying up, you're finished here. It's the same for all travel agencies, domestic or foreign. No one dares cross him." Wasyl's voice dropped even lower, his face growing paler as he
continued, "Not long ago, a travel agency from Eunora tried to stand up to him. They brought in a squad of mercenaries for a real showdown with Cloud Tiger.
"By dawn the next day, the travel agency and its hired guns had been completely wiped out. Coconut Wind Island, with no nation to claim it, left no room for international intervention —those who perished did so without recourse." "Hm?" Alexander's face remained stoic as he calmly asked, "So, you're too scared to stand up to him, too? You just pay up on time, as Cloud Tiger demands?" To get by on that island, paying up was a must. Belongs to (N)ôvel/Drama.Org.
Wasyl's face was a mix of shame and regret as he confessed in a low voice, "I've failed. I've thought about fighting back, but Cloud Tiger's got over two hundred thugs under him. They run this island, and their power... It's immeasurable, so..." ""No more," Alexander said, his voice firm as he watched the jubilant tourists. "Don't give Cloud Tiger another dime; he's not worth it. The money you've handed over, I'll make sure he coughs it all up, with interest.
"Remember, you were once Mister Hardy's man. Even though he's gone, you can't let his legacy down. The respect you've lost, you're going to reclaim it yourself!" What?!
Wasyl's shock was evident after his initial surprise. Was Mister Kane saying...he was going to take on Cloud Tiger?! "Mister Kane, think this through!" Wasyl's voice shook with fear.
!'Cloud Tiger may have only been on Coconut Wind Island a short while, but he's vicious, a real killer without a shred of mercy! "I'm well aware that you're a force to be reckoned with, every bit as tough as Mister Hardy was back in his prime, but... Cloud Tiger? He's on a whole other level than Mister Hardy ever was! "Plus, Mister Kane just tangled with Cloud Tiger's crew. Even if Mister Kane doesn't go looking for trouble, Cloud Tiger's not the type to let bygones be bygones. If I may be so bold, I'd urge Mister Kane and Miss Chesire to make a quick exit from Coconut Wind Island, or else..." Wasyl did not get to finish his warning. Alexander had already turned on his heel, gently taking Amber's hand, and with Coral in tow, they made their way back to the parking lot they had used before.
"We're sticking to the plan. Tonight, we bunk down at the Grand Coconut Breeze Hotel. And if Cloud Tiger's got the guts to come after us, we'll be ready for him!"