Under the Veil of Night

"Boss, what do you plan to do? They seem to be getting cockier with time," Neo asked after Kanae was already long gone. His work in the office was basically finished. The only work he had left was searching about Kanae's past. The Nali Family had stricter security for this, so he had to take things slowly.

Kevin recalled the problems in the clan once again. This was not the time to deal with his feelings. He had more important matters to take care for the time being.

"What do you think they're planning, Neo?" Kevin threw the question back.

Neo frowned. "From their actions, they seem to be creating rifts in the clan. Even if they're targeted as traitors, they will surely try their best to lower our clan's overall prowess before they get rooted out."

Kevin nodded his head. His clan has been growing steadily. It caused others to be more wary. What would be better than to wait for this big clan destroy itself from the inside? Their enemies didn't have to do anything other than to watch and deal the finishing blow when the time came.

Sending spies to other clans, groups, or even gangs was perfectly normal. Even he himself had his own spies that he planted in other organizations. From them, he gained much useful information.

"We're going to start gathering the support of the hidden clans," Kevin stated his plan.

Neo's jaw dropped when he heard Kevin say that. Hidden clans were actually part of the clan, but they stood by themselves. They were created centuries ago because of an inevitable rift in the clan structure. At that time, more than one person was suitable to be the clan head, but only one person could succeed.

In the end, before the clan fell into a bloody succession battle, one of the candidates proposed a different method, which was creating a hidden clan. He would create a different clan and be its clan head, separated from the main clan it came from. However, this would not be the same as the usual division of clans. He would stay in the territory of the main clan. Or in other words, he didn't really have power.

This proposal was intriguing, so the clan decided to try. After years of practice, this method became the best practice to keep a talented fighter in the clan without causing a rift. Of course, the candidates had to come to an agreement about who would be the main clan's successor before one of them created a new hidden clan.

Over the past centuries, the number of hidden clans increased every time there was someone capable enough to be the clan head, yet the position was taken by someone else. Of course, not every talented fighter would create a new hidden clan as they could opt to be an elder. Creating a hidden clan needed the approval of the main clan, and the new hidden clan head needed to be present when the new main clan head was chosen legally.

As of now, there were already more than 30 hidden clans in the Ryukalin Clan. Many of them only had a handful of members as the clans never bothered to recruit too many people. They had to stay hidden from the real world. In a way, they were the trump cards of every clan in this city.

"Boss, are you sure you want to get the support of all of them?" Neo asked in bewilderment. It was close to impossible to ask those clans to bow down to one person. Sometimes, some of the hidden clans didn't want to acknowledge a certain new clan head.

However, even if they disagreed, they would still stay as part of the clan. Leaving meant betrayal and the other hidden clans would be free to eliminate them. No one wanted to dig their own graves.

Their opinions would only matter if over half of the hidden clans disagreed with the candidate selection. If that happened, the clan head's selection would be prolonged. Another person might be chosen, but it could be the same person again after winning more support.

"Yes," Kevin said resolutely.

"But it's not going to be easy to poach them all."

"I'm not going to bribe them. I'll force them to follow me and those who accept bribes will be eliminated," Kevin answered calmly. His never-changing tone made his words seemed no different from ordinary talk, yet the content was anything but that.

Mike nodded his head. "We have confirmed not long ago that there are already four hidden clans that accepted bribes. The other side seems to be making their move and persuading the hidden clans to disagree with your selection as the clan head."

"We shall make our move too," Kevin said calmly. "There are already ten who will certainly follow after me because of my bloodline, so I need the support of ten more to ensure my position as the clan head in a few more months."

Neo nodded his head. Some of the hidden clans were already loyal to the Kalin Family for years. They would never disagree as long as the one who became the clan head came from the direct lineage. From this point alone, Kevin had the advantage.

However, his young age always made the others look down on him. No one wanted to have an immature leader as that might bring them to their downfall. Of course, the only reason they would accept Kevin would be his capability.

"How do you want to bring them in, Boss?" Mike asked.

"Money and opportunity," Kevin answered calmly. His dark irises gazed into the distance as if he were imagining those things. "I believe some of them want more chances to grow."

"Yes. There are even hidden clans that wish to be part of the main clan again."

"We can take them in, but they still have to pass through the selection."

Neo smiled bitterly. "One of the elders of our main clan says the opposite. He'll accept more people that don't meet the strict requirements because they're already from the hidden clan."

Kevin's eyes turned cold. Unless the person was very exceptional in certain areas, no member has ever been taken in without passing the selection. He would not change the rules as it would only lower their standards. For that man to allow this to happen, he knew that the main clan would cease to exist if that man succeeded.

"I guess, I just have to be the clan head for them to fail," Kevin stood up. "The gathering will take place on my birthday. We need to work hard to make sure that they'll choose me."

Neo nodded his head. They already agreed to do this long ago, so he has been keeping contact with those hidden clans. He did this secretly as he didn't want to let their enemies know the real number of hidden clans.

"Boss, where are you going?" Mike was surprised to see Kevin change to sportswear.

"To convince someone," Kevin answered.

Neo was stunned speechless. You want to convince someone at this hour? Would they even welcome him if he suddenly appeared right now? He felt that his Boss's thoughts were getting even harder to decipher.

"Wait, who do you want to convince, Boss?"

Kevin sat down as he put on his sports shoes. "Master Rudy."

"I see… wait, what?" Neo's face turned to that of horror. Among all the hidden clans' leaders, the one they avoided the most was this man. After all, this man had only one motto: only the strong can leave his territory alive.

With him being a training maniac and with illogical strength, there was simply no one who dared to challenge him.

"Boss, do you want to dig your early grave?"

Sensing Kevin's cold gaze, Neo shut his mouth. Still, he was feeling rather indignant. When Kevin met Master Rudy two years ago, the former almost died.. If Master Rudy grew even stronger, what would happen to Kevin? He hoped from the bottom of his heart that Kevin was ready to challenge Master Rudy again.