Return Of The Legendary Overlord

Family Feud

In the last fifteen years, Mrs. Clayton had never once agreed to any of Zi Han’s requests, and on any other occasion, she would have never even listened to his demands. But since their apartment was at stake, she tried to make herself agreeable for a change and put on a meek appearance.

“What could you possibly want from us?” she asked, forcing a smile on her wrinkled face.

“How about the spare keys to the apartment for starters?” Zi Han put his hand out and stared at her with a stony expression. “Since I am clearing off the mortgage payments, it would only be right that I have unrestricted access to this apartment whenever I wish. Don’t you agree?”

Mrs. Clayton turned around and looked at her husband, her desperate eyes pleading for intervention. But Mr. Clayton felt boxed in from all sides.

Instead of arguing with Zi Han, he reached into his pocket and took out a bunch of keys attached to a rusty keyring. “Here you go, son. This is your home as well. Don’t mind my harsh words. I was just…worried last night."

“Of course, dad. I know you didn’t mean it from your heart,” Zi Han replied and casually grabbed the keyring from Mr. Clayton.

The Clayton’s were finally ready to breathe a sigh of relief, but Zi Han wasn’t done yet. He stopped on his way to the car and turned around again.

“Oh, I almost forgot. There is one more thing,” he said, suppressing a grin. “Since we are the only ones paying the mortgage, I think it’s our responsibility to get rid of any ‘freeloaders’,” he added, putting extra emphasis on the last word.

“I don’t understand what you mean.” Mr. Clayton’s face darkened, and his brow creased in anxious anticipation of what was to come.

Zi Han smiled and replied, “I don’t think I would like to sleep in the kitchen after paying off the mortgage, so I want my dear step-sister, Minnie, gone from this apartment. Just call her and tell her she isn’t welcome anymore because she doesn’t pay the bills.”

The words stabbed Mr. and Mrs. Clayton’s hearts like daggers. Minnie was the apple of their eyes, and they couldn’t even dream of turning their dear daughter out of their house, especially since she had just landed a new internship.

“How dare you even say something like that?” Mr. Clayton barked like a wild dog. “I would never turn her away from our house. She is my own daughter, for God’s sake!”

Zi Han glared silently at his stepdad and shut both the cash-laden briefcases. “I guess you should ask Minnie to handle the payments then.”

Though Mr. Clayton was fuming inside, Mrs. Clayton understood the reason behind Zi Han’s strange request.

Minnie had never treated Zi Han like her brother. Whenever he was in the house, she mocked him for his habits and even poked fun at his dead parents.

Even though Zi Han had never openly quarreled with her, it was clear from the way he avoided her that he hated her with all his soul.

Seeing Zi Han ready to leave with the money, Mrs. Clayton called him back. “Please, don’t be so harsh on Minnie. She is your little sister after all. I am sorry for what she did. In fact, I will make sure she apologizes to you for her bratty behavior when she returns tomorrow.”

Zi Han put the suitcases down on the car’s hood and turned around again. “I don’t want an apology. It’s a simple deal. I’ll pay the mortgage as long as you kick her out of this house. So, what’s it gonna be?”

“I don’t have all day, Mr. Clayton!” Mr. Meng snapped, glaring at his watch. “You either give me the money now, or I’ll ask my people to seize all your valuables.”

Pressed into a corner, Mr. Clayton finally succumbed. “I will do as you asked, Zi Han. Just let her stay here for this month, and then we can arrange—”

“Minnie isn’t staying here a day longer. She will get the same treatment as I did,” Zi Han cut in sharply. “Now call her and tell her she can’t come back here.”

Mr. Clayton looked at his wife, his eyes imploring her to do something, but Mrs. Clayton shook her head helplessly.

“Just do as Zi Han says. Minnie is all grown up now. I am sure she can find another accommodation nearby.”

Though unwilling, Mr. Clayton finally relented and took out his cell.

“Hello dear. It’s me. There has been some problem here at our apartment. I…think it’s best if you stay somewhere else for now.”

“What are you talking about, dad? Have you been drinking again?” A sharp, high-pitched voice questioned from the other side. “I can’t afford to stay somewhere else. I am not going anywhere.”

“Please try to understand, my pumpkin,” Mr. Clayton spoke in a subdued voice.

“I don’t care, dad. Now just stop playing around!” Minnie snapped back at him.

“It’s about the mortgage—”

Before Mr. Clayton could finish, his wife snatched the phone from him and yelled at her daughter. “You are not coming back here. You’re working now, so I am sure you can find your own lodging. Goodbye!”

Zi Han smiled at Mrs. Clayton and handed one of the cash-filled suitcases to Mr. Meng. “That one has half a million in it.” He then grabbed two more wads of cash from the other suitcase and placed it in Mr. Meng’s left hand. “Fifty thousand for the overdue fees and another fifty for you. I hope we can stay in touch.”

Mr. Meng’s disposition changed in seconds as he felt the warmth of the money in the palm of his hand. “We sure will, Mr…”

“It’s Zi Han. Remember the name.”

Mr. Meng nodded and left with his two cronies after signing a legal document declaring the mortgage as fully paid.

Mr. and Mrs. Clayton expected some breathing room at last, but instead of leaving, Zi Han walked up to them with a victorious smile on his face.

“Just remember who paid off your mortgage. You owe me now, and I will be back to collect it someday,” he whispered before bidding them goodbye.

As Zi Han got back inside the car, Zhen Lee took his seat beside him and instructed the driver to head for Qianlong Square.

“We could have just beaten them up and snatched the keys, boss. Would have saved us the money,” one of the henchmen said.

“There is no fun in beating up old people. I am better than that,” Zi Han replied before Zhen Lee could open his mouth. “Besides, my foster parents did take care of me when I was young. Now this settles all my old debts.”

“And that is why Master Zhao Long is known as the great Overlord. He is as wise as he is kind,” Zhen Lee added.

Zi Han was starting to enjoy his power now. He smiled with satisfaction as he recalled the look on his foster parents’ faces. It was something he would never forget.

‘I guess this isn’t so difficult after all. I could get used to this power,’ Zi Han thought to himself.

Although the gangster life looked dangerous from the outside, Zi Han was starting to feel he could grow accustomed to this pretty quickly. After all, who could go against him when he had the Black Dragons at his command?

However, he still needed to be careful about revealing his new identity to the wrong people since the Black Dragons had plenty of enemies all around the city.

The car was about to take the first left down Shan Cheng Avenue when suddenly Zhen Lee spotted something in the side view mirror. It was a pair of black bikes tailing them from a distance.

“We are being followed. Its’ the damn Sand Scorpions!”