"Kamman...Kamman! I'm talking to you!"
His uncle's voice yanked him back to reality. He looked up to see his uncle glaring down at him and sighed. He really couldn't face this today.
"I can't leave the house anyway," Kamman said, feigning an innocent smile that masked his sarcasm.
"The doctor told me not to. Let them do whatever they want."
"Do you know what will happen to this family if they really decide to do what they want?!" his uncle bellowed, spit flying from his mouth.
Kamman knew.
He also knew what his uncle wanted. His uncle and the others weren't so different; in fact, he'd say they were exactly the same. Power was their shared addiction, and right now, it rested in the hands of a seventeen-year-old boy.
If Kamman became the leader of the Bronze Orchid, it would be highly advantageous for his uncle. As a minor, all authority and wealth of the Chen family, as well as the Bronze Orchid, would be at his uncle's disposal.
The other four families had been staunchly against the Chens leading the Bronze Orchid through its hierarchical system for years, demanding that other families also get a chance.
Five generations of Chens had headed the Bronze Orchid; if Kamman took over, it would mark the sixth. They could never allow that to happen. They were eager to dislodge the Chen family from its perch at the top.
They seized on the excuse of him being a minor, arguing it would be too difficult for him to fill his father's shoes. The Bronze Orchid was full of men old enough to be his grandfathers, and their pride was very much on the line.
His uncle knew this too, and his anxiety was evident. He'd been frantically forming alliances with other families to back Kamman. On top of that, Kamman wasn't easily reasoned with; his uncle would have to force him to comply.
"It's not certain you'll be able to succeed your father, but we can at least solidify your position by making appearances. Make an effort! How many meetings have you missed? Who would give leadership to someone who can't even bother to show up?"
Silence hung heavy.
His uncle continued, "Another meeting will be held next month. I'll personally come to pick you up. Get ready; it's a very important meeting."
"What if I don't show up?" Kamman challenged.
His uncle was silent for a moment before he spoke.
"Then I'll send Gwen to Germany. If you want to keep her by your side, do as I ask."
Kamman knew that men from the Chen family never made empty threats. If his uncle said he would send his sister away, he absolutely would. Gwen was so young and had already lost so much; such a move would shatter her. Being a minor, Kamman was powerless to stop his uncle. So, he eventually gave in.
He nodded in agreement, and his uncle left.
****Days of the cold war****
The days leading up to the meeting were grueling. A cold war was brewing, and every nerve was on edge.
Gwen was nearly kidnapped twice. Kamman had to pull her from school, opting to homeschool her temporarily. It was an obvious attempt to blackmail him into relinquishing his rights as heir.
The message, however, wasn't clear enough. Rather than scaring him, their actions utterly enraged him.
"You fools think you can do whatever you want since my father isn't around? "
He thought to himself.
Zhao Yiling was behind the second attack, yet he was from one of the smaller families. Normally, subfamilies would never attack a main family without the backing of another main family. The Chens were at their lowest, having lost both an arm and a leg. Everyone knew it, and even the main families were taking advantage. The new master of the Chen family was a seventeen-year-old boy. What a joke.
Kamman, however, was different from his father, especially when enraged. He would come for anyone, and now, he was coming for all of them. Thankfully, he wasn't a rational person, because what they needed right now was someone crazy; he was precisely the right person.
Shanghai was one of the Bronze Orchid's major trademarks and a hub for ocean trade, generating sixty percent of their income in the city. It was among the key cities that brought them substantial profits.
The Bronze Orchid owned a fleet of seventy-two cargo ships, operating globally through ports like Shanghai, which boasted strong international connections. The Yangtze River delta facilitated access to the East China Sea and other global ports. Of these ships, the Chens controlled fifty-six.
While eight subfamilies were part of the Bronze Orchid, seven were involved in fishing, focusing primarily on exports. The Pongsak family, not engaged in trade in the East Asia Sea, kept clear of most Bronze Orchid businesses. They weren't as greedy as the other seven.
Timing was crucial in the fishing trade; delays could lead to substantial losses. Each ship held goods valued at a hundred million dollars, making prompt departures essential. As heir and Master of the Chen family, Chen Kamman wielded significant authority, halting up to six ships' departures.
This interference caused considerable losses across all the other families, though the Chens' losses were minimal compared to their net worth.
Tension escalated among the families due to the incurred losses.
Despite covert actions in a silent cold war, no significant damage had been inflicted until now. The families prioritized wealth over life, prompting Chen Kamman to strategize accordingly. He targeted their financial interests, knowing it would hit them where it hurt the most.
His uncle had called, yelling after the matter had gradually escalated.
"Are you a child?! That's not how the head of a prestigious family like ours should be doing things! I am very disappointed, Kamman!"
Rightfully so. This move had just reduced Kamman's chances as heir even further.
No one would want such a 'crazy' person to take over. His uncle's plans were hanging by a thread. He wasn't the only one panicking, though. All the families were having a meltdown, especially the Yuns.
They had already called two "inside meetings" the following week, and the content was abundantly clear. Inside meetings were meant to be secretive, but this was the Bronze Orchid; there was almost no information they couldn't obtain. So, word had already spread about the meeting and its attendance list.
Yun Jiyoung sat on a couch layered in emerald, a polished black staff in his hands. He was the master of the Yun family, one of the pillars of South Korea's economy, and one of the five main families of the Order of the Bronze Orchid. Nine people were gathered in the exquisitely decorated study of the Yun mansion.
Luxury was such an understatement.
The tables were meticulously crafted from rare and exquisite materials such as rich mahogany or gleaming marble. The walls were adorned with artistic masterpieces, paintings by renowned artists capturing the essence of luxury and elegance, creating an aura of timeless beauty and prestige.
Beneath their feet lay a plush carpet, the color of regal crimson, woven from cashmere fibers. With every step, one would sink into its softness. Madam Yun was known for her exquisite taste, and it showed throughout the mansion. The chandeliers hanging from the ceiling cast a soft, welcoming light, making the space feel cozy and inviting. The bookcases, carefully crafted with intricate designs, held rare and valuable books. It was around nine o'clock in the evening.
"Not doing anything about it means we let a kid scare us. Even his father wasn't that bold!"
One old man retorted, criticizing Master Yun's reluctance to act.
Master Yun replied calmly, "Fighting with a kid at your old age makes you look even more ridiculous."
He was normally a calm man. His composure was rumored to be the reason he made the best choices among the other Masters.
"That kid' has cost us millions of dollars in days. We haven't encountered such a loss in ages. We should do something," Jaehyun, Master Yun's son, commented. All the men around him agreed, but Master Zhou still held a thoughtful expression.
"Scaring him is enough. We don't have to do anything extreme. If we keep quiet, people will begin to fear him. They might even see him fit to take over the head position. We must not let that happen."
Another figure spoke, seemingly more important than most of the men in the room. He looked very old and weary but still commanded immense respect. Master Yun's tone was respectful as he answered,
"I understand your concerns, but attacking a minor would turn us against a lot of people. Additionally, he also has a good reason to act that way. Zhao Yiling, I warned you about making a move on their young mistress. He simply just responded."
"Psst! He is not qualified to respond!" Zhao Yiling spat.
He had only wanted to scare Kamman into resignation; he hadn't expected him to react in such a way. It was clear the Yuns were partly responsible for Gwen's attack. Letting the other families know this, however, would get them into trouble, as it would mean the current problems were their fault.
There was a lot of opposition in the room. Most of them wanted payback to save face, but Master Yun was clear about one thing: no move would be made until the rest of the families responded. Yet, he was somehow glad Chen Kamman had made such a move. Now, taking over the Bronze Orchid was impossible for him, as he had turned all the families against himself.
Most of the families thought the same. Why make a move when he was already ruined? They had been struggling to kick him off the heirs' list, but he had done it with his own hands. Such a foolish boy.
"See? This is why we cannot give the head's position to a child!"
Lady Sorn, the mistress of the Passatit family who happened to be everywhere drama was, remarked amusingly.
Meanwhile, things had been terrible for Chen Kamman, as he had to listen to his uncles and aunts whine daily about his actions. He even began regretting it at some point, not because he felt sorry, but because the lectures had become too much to bear.
Gwen, however, had not been bothered since, nor had any member of the Chens. His message had been understood loud and clear.
Annually, the Bronze Orchid held two major meetings. Emergency meetings were held between these when something significant arose. The death of the former Master of the Bronze Orchid was quite significant indeed.
The whole organization was tense about this upcoming meeting. It had been years since such a meeting was held.
The idea of having all these powerful and dangerous people in one place, trying to agree on a controversial issue, didn't sit well with anyone. The last time it happened, they started a war that almost brought three countries to a standstill.
The government knew this, so they were also on guard. Meetings like these meant that every family under the Bronze Orchid would be present. The five main families rarely met simultaneously, so this was bound to make headlines that week.
Another news item making headlines was Chen Kamman, the youngest Master in the history of the Bronze Orchid and the first minor to ever attend such a meeting. Only masters and other very important figures were allowed to attend these top-secret gatherings; even family heirs typically only heard stories about them.
Tonight, he was attending as the head of one of the five main families.
Chen Kamman's uncle kept his promise. At five o'clock in the evening, he drove into the Chens' driveway, a fleet of black cars following behind him. All his uncles and two of his aunts were present.
His father had three sisters, but his second aunt, Chen Li Fang, also known as Ling Ling, stayed completely away from the Bronze Orchid's functions and the Chens' drama in general. She was also known to be the least crazy of the siblings.