Chapter 508 Take Care of Yourself
Those words were the very definition of throwing one's weight around.
Jessica and the others, who hadn't heard Uri address James with an honorific, stared in disbelief.
How dare he speak like this? Standing before James was Uri—chairman of Sovereign City Mystic Alliance and Harbor Group, the only person who could stand as an equal to the Harvey family.
Wasn't James afraid Uri would kill him with one punch? Taking just a small sip himself but demanding Uri finish the entire drink? Had James lost his mind?
Zane laughed angrily. "Kid, who do you think you are to tell Mr. Lopez to drink?"
As soon as he finished speaking, Uri slapped him, sending Zane flying across the room.
"Mr. Lopez, why did you hit me?" Zane cried out in pain as he hit the ground, rolling several times before stopping.
Jessica and the others stared in shock, not understanding why Uri would strike his own man.
Thinking he had interrupted Uri's moment of humiliating these inferiors, Zane continued, "Mr. Lopez, this kid is putting on such an act, I couldn't stand it..."
"Shut up," Uri commanded.
Zane, fearing Uri's authority, immediately fell silent.
James calmly tapped his glass, his face bearing an inscrutable smile. "Mr. Lopez, Mr. Lowe is being considerate. If you don't want to drink, you don't have to."
He clapped his hands and prepared to stand. "Nathaniel, let's go."
Hearing Nathaniel's name, Uri quickly lifted the whiskey and began gulping it down.
The sound of his swallowing was like a thunderclap, stunning everyone into shocked silence.
Zane's face changed dramatically, becoming as ugly as possible. Jessica and Ember's expressions were equally priceless, their mouths hanging open in disbelief.
"Mr. Lopez really finished the entire glass?"
More shocking was James's condescending attitude, which Jessica found impossible to accept.
The beautiful companions who had looked down on James covered their mouths, their hearts racing wildly. They never imagined that James, whom they had dismissed as a country bumpkin, would command such respect from Uri.
After drinking the entire bottle of high-proof whiskey, Uri couldn't help coughing a few times, his face turning red.
Though his alcohol tolerance was good and his frame massive, drinking an entire bottle still made him uncomfortable.
Uri quickly regained his composure and turned the bottle upside down to show James: empty.
James smiled faintly. "Mr. Lopez, impressive drinking capacity!"
Uri bowed slightly. "Thank you for the compliment!"
Ember and the others nearly fell over. The usually imperious Uri seemed to have undergone a personality transformation, becoming inexplicably docile.
Their faces showed complete bewilderment. Why would the mighty Sovereign City chairman humble himself before James?
Uri bowed slightly. "I failed to discipline my people properly. Sorry for causing you trouble!"
James wiped his hands with a tissue. "You think a simple apology for 'causing trouble' is enough?" His tone was utterly condescending.
"Mr. Lopez, what on earth are you doing?" Zane couldn't help but shout. "Why are you bowing to this country bumpkin?"
"His sister Abigail was sent to the operating room because of me, his brother-in-law Christopher was locked in a freezer, and his woman was almost taken by me. He's just a fighter from the countryside."
"Why are you so afraid of him? He may have connections with the Harvey family, but we're not weak either."
"Besides, the Harvey family would only save him once—they wouldn't keep protecting him. Would Acacia wage war with us over an ordinary doctor?"
Having wielded power under Uri for years, Zane had long considered himself Sovereign City's underground emperor and viewed Uri as his lifelong idol.
Now, seeing his idol being willfully humiliated by James without daring to resist, Zane couldn't accept it. In his view, they had nothing to fear, even if Acacia herself appeared.
Before Zane could begin insulting James further, Uri's figure flashed as he kicked Zane flying again. Then he moved to stand over him and delivered a series of vicious slaps.
"You fools! You don't even recognize Mystic Alliance's First Envoy?"
"All day long, you only know how to seek pleasure and bully others. I don't have a brother like you."
"Repeatedly offending Mr. Williams—he may spare you, but I cannot."
Each slap drew blood, leaving Zane's face swollen and teeth falling out.
But compared to the physical pain, Zane was more shocked mentally. The scene before him began to blur and spin.
"Mystic Alliance's First Envoy?"
James was the Mr. Williams Uri had once described as second only to one and above all others? He hadn't provoked some country bumpkin but a Damocles sword hanging over his head?
Which meant Nathaniel and his group really were Mystic Alliance members? And possibly Law Enforcement personnel?
Zane felt his entire body turn cold, as if witnessing a storm about to sweep across Sovereign City.
Ember stared at the unassuming James in disbelief. How could this young man possibly be Mystic Alliance's First Envoy?
They couldn't and wouldn't believe it, but Uri's behavior indicated James's illustrious status. If James weren't powerful and influential, how could Uri have drunk an entire bottle of whiskey and personally beaten Zane so severely?
Marc's vision darkened, and he fainted dead away.
After beating Zane bloody, Uri kicked him to James's feet.
"Mr. Williams, Zane has repeatedly offended you due to my failure to properly supervise and discipline him," Uri said respectfully. "Please decide his fate."
Zane's face was swollen like a pig's head. He wanted to speak but couldn't open his mouth, only glaring at James with venomous eyes.
James's face showed no emotion. He could see through Uri's act of self-punishment immediately.
His tone was detached. "Your man—you deal with him."
"It's now 12:30 AM, still some time before dawn. Since you drank the entire bottle of whiskey, Mr. Lopez, I'll extend the deadline until 9 AM tomorrow."
"At 9:15, Nathaniel will bring Law Enforcement members to take control of Harbor Group. They will conduct a thorough investigation of Zane and others."
"Mr. Lopez, take care."
James patted Uri's shoulder lightly, then left with Nathaniel, Seraphina, and the others.
Though James spoke calmly, Jessica felt a sudden tremor in her heart, sensing the killing intent behind his words.
Law Enforcement investigating Zane—with his character and behavior, he would certainly be implicated in numerous scandals that would inevitably involve Uri.
When that happened, not only would Zane be in trouble, but Uri would suffer as well. At minimum, he would lose his position as chairman; at worst, he could lose his life.
By specifically targeting Zane for investigation and clearly stating they would enter Harbor Group at 9 AM, James was effectively instructing Uri to kill Zane.
This young man was ruthlessly cunning.
Uri's face was as dark as water. He said nothing, only rubbing his left shoulder blade.
It was dislocated.
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