Never Judge

"It seems that you guys have added influence by affiliation." Guan Ming pointed out as Cedric picked up the phone and scrolled through the screen.

He smiled and shook his head, Guan Ming will never let Ian forget how he used Guan Ming\'s influence to his advantage. It wasn\'t like Ian would have cared, it was a good and clean way to achieve their goal.

"The Chinese business community is buzzing with the news that Mr. Yun has finally locked in a project that could get me to make a deal with him." Guan Ming laughed as he shook his head as he poured himself a cup of coffee.

"It seems that the Rajas were quick to believe him." Cedric added as he tossed Guan Ming back his phone.

"Is it worth it?" Guan Ming asked as his tone and demeanor suddenly turned serious.

"Is what worth it?" Cedric asked as he tried to figure out what Guan Ming was asking exactly.

"All your sacrifices to end the Rajas." Guan Ming told Cedric. "I\'ve seen how much more effort you put into this compared to a business deal. This seems to matter more to you than money or work."

"It\'s because it does." Cedric shrugged as he pulled a stack of documents towards him.

Despite everything the Reyes group still needed to run. It still needed to function and earn money.

Dealing with the Rajas was always a side project that he and everyone else had put too much effort into, but he knew it was important.

"Why?" Guan Ming asked. He had been witness to how far Cedric and his friends were willing to go just to take down this group. "We both know that if you just let them flourish they will not touch you. It is only when you become a threat that they make a move."

"They attacked first, Guan Ming, or did you forget that?" Cedric placed his pen down and gave his friend a cold glare. "On top of all of that, the Rajas are not just bad for business, they are bad for this country as well."

"I never figured you to be a patriot, Cedric. I thought you were always the type to care only for his business and not for the less fortunate." Guan Ming spoke honestly. He knew that Cedric would not take offense in his words.

Cedric smiled and shook his head.

"Remember I went through poverty training?" He asked Guan Ming.

"Yeah, that crazy tradition your family has where they throw their child out into the streets. What about it?" Guan Ming leaned back as he listened to what Cedric had to say.

"Well, it serves more purpose than what people instantly think." Cedric calmly explained as he checked his phone for an update from Ian.

When he noticed there were no messages, he continued his story.

"The Reyeses have been rich for around six generations, of course before that we belonged to the working class." Cedric explained as he gave Guan Ming a brief history lesson. "My ancestors knew that every generation must not only appreciate its wealth, but go beyond that."

"Beyond appreciating wealth?" Guan Ming asked, confused as to where Cedric was going.

"Our money comes from somewhere, Guan Ming." Cedric chuckled as he shook his head. "It comes from the people that patronize our products. If the people that purchase our products are too busy thinking about how to feed themselves, how would they afford what we have to sell?"

Guan Ming nodded as he still struggled to connect the dots.

​ "When the Rajas were in power, people could barely feed themselves." Cedric explained as he recalled the stories from his family\'s past. "We had managed to avoid the worst of it. The Reyeses laid low, saved their money and they made sure not to cross the wrong people."

"What happened when the Rajas left? How did they return?" Guan Ming asked. This was the first time he was hearing this story this way.

He had always heard it from history books or from myths and rumors that had reached their country.

"The world was a better place, a little bit brighter, and people started to earn again. They were buying our products and that was when the Reyes family truly soared." Cedric explained to Guan Ming.

"So you want to take the Rajas down for selfish reasons." Guan Ming chuckled. "You are no different from the rest of us, Cedric."

"For selfish and patriotic reasons." Cedric shrugged. "Call it what you want, but getting rid of the Rajas once and for all will not only benefit us, but everyone in the nation as well."

Guan Ming didn\'t fully understand Cedric\'s drive, but he nodded in agreement. He knew that his friend wouldn\'t be doing this without a valid reason.

As Cedric finished speaking, his phone buzzed as he received a message.

He didn\'t need to see to figure out who was contacting him. This was his personal phone, only a select number of people had access to it.

As he read and re-read the message, Cedric smiled.

"It seems that Ian\'s mission was a success." Cedric announced to Guan Ming as he closed his phone.

"What now?" Guan Ming asked as he wondered what was next in Cedric\'s and Ian\'s plans.

"We wait and take some hits." Cedric said with a grin as he ran all the possible scenarios in his head.

This time Cedric was sure that the Rajas would not be able to rise after. This time he would bury them for good and it would be the end to the story of the Rajas, and end to their tyranny.