Chapter 115: Popping Champagne at Halftime

Silence.

A deathly silence fell over the entire assembly.

Gu Qing'er's beautiful eyes widened, her cherry lips parted in shock. She could not believe it; someone had actually chosen to refuse an invitation to join the Dragon Squad. At this moment, she felt as if her heart were shattering. This stubborn man, Ye Tian, had treated her dream like trash, tossing it into the bin right before her eyes. She, a daughter of the prestigious Gu family, had always made joining the Dragon Squad and becoming a certified powerhouse—admired by countless others—her ultimate goal.

"Damn it, that wretched Ye Tian! He’s so hurtful; I’ve decided not to speak to him for three days!" she fumed.

Of course, it wasn't just Gu Qing'er; the other law enforcement officers were equally stunned, their jaws practically hitting the floor. What surprised them most was the sheer boldness of young Ye Tian. Facing an invitation from two Martial King-level experts, he had stood tall and refused them without the slightest hesitation. His strength and courage were truly admirable.

"Very well. Since you refuse, I will not force you," Wudaozi said after a long moment of contemplation. He ultimately chose not to lose his temper and turned decisively toward the main gate.

"Wait, are we really leaving?" Wen Shijun asked, looking utterly bewildered as he scrambled to catch up. He lowered his voice, "Didn't the Boss say that this Ye Tian is a rare talent and that we absolutely must bring him back?"

"If he doesn't want to go, what do you expect me to do? Kidnap him?" Wudaozi snapped, marching straight ahead. He hadn't expected that he, a man who had traversed the Dragon Kingdom for years and was known as the fearsome General Wu, would be shut down by a mere brat.

"Then, are we just going back to report like this?" Wen Shijun asked, clearly unwilling to give up.

"It’s fine. He’s a young man with a strong sense of justice. Even if he hasn't joined our Dragon Squad, hasn't he still been clearing out the vermin for the country? We will report the truth to the Boss. As for how he decides to handle it, that is no longer our concern."

Once the two Martial Kings departed, the oppressive atmosphere in the Ye family estate finally eased. Ye Tian, who had remained composed and steady until now, could finally let out a long breath and collapsed to the ground, panting heavily.

The pressure exerted by a Tier 2 Martial King was enough to terrify anyone. This near-tangible mental strain had nearly crushed him, threatening to break his spirit. The vast gap in their realms was something that confidence alone could not bridge; the fact that he had remained calm under such duress already put him ahead of countless others.

"You're impressive, Junior Brother. I underestimated you," Liang Yue said, jumping down from the upper floor to help Ye Tian up. "No wonder Master values you so much. I’m impressed."

"Heh, you're overthinking it. I nearly wet myself," Ye Tian joked weakly.

After taking a quick drink of water to recover, Ye Tian composed himself and began issuing orders to the subordinates stationed at the Ye estate.

"The Bandit Squad, grab your gear! We’re going to raid the Sun family!"

Sun Qishan was dead, and the current Sun family was in total disarray. Furthermore, because they had colluded with foreigners and committed treason, the upper echelons of Zhongdu had no reason to shield them any longer. Ye Tian now had a legitimate justification to move against them.

"Yes, Leader!"

A significant portion of the bandits previously recruited had been sent to the Ye estate. Under Gu Qing'er's discipline, their obedience had improved significantly. Following the order, they immediately set off with a deafening clamor.

***

At the Sun family estate, a multi-clan conference was underway. Sun Wang stood on the podium, his face flushed with excitement as he gestured wildly to the crowd.

"This is a friend from the Aceves family. I trust you all know of the Aceves family's international influence."

Many in the room nodded in agreement. The Aceves family possessed assets worth trillions of Federal Dollars; their scale was arguably more staggering than all the great families of Zhongdu combined! One had to remember that the exchange rate between the Federal Dollar and the Dragon Kingdom's currency was one to ten. Such financial power was nothing short of terrifying.

"Many of the luxury goods you carry come from the Aceves family's subsidiaries, and those of you who dabble in the stock market likely hold many of their premium shares," Sun Wang continued. "Today, these friends have come to Zhongdu to help us reclaim control and thoroughly crush that brat, Ye Tian!"

As his words fell, a wave of cheers erupted from the audience.

"I’ve hated his guts for a long time! He hides behind the banner of 'revenge,' but in reality, he wants to swallow all our family assets. His intentions are treacherous!"

"Exactly! 'Revenge' is just a cover for his greed!"

"We were just going with the flow back then; if we hadn't cooperated, life would have been difficult. Now he has the nerve to lay all the blame at our feet!"

The heads of the various families present were filled with righteous indignation, shouting in unison. Watching the fervent atmosphere, Sun Wang and Calvin, who stood beside him, exchanged satisfied smiles.

Calvin was the third son of the Aceves family patriarch. Aside from avenging his second brother, his main goal in accompanying his elder brother was to establish a foothold in Zhongdu. He intended to transfer all of their family's forces currently stationed in the Dragon Kingdom to this city. The four great family heads in Yingtian City had died suddenly, which was bound to cause an uproar, making it an unsuitable place to remain. With Zhongdu currently in chaos, it was the perfect time to fish in troubled waters and amass great wealth.

"Mr. Sun, let everyone begin enjoying the wine. Our goal has already been achieved," Calvin said. "My eldest brother has already taken over a dozen Beidou-level experts to hunt down Ye Tian. I expect that before long, he will return carrying Ye Tian's head to display for everyone!"

"Good, very good!" Sun Xian felt a surge of delight. Early this morning, his father had sent word that he had joined the main force to hunt down Ye Tian, adding that he planned to hold a grand celebration banquet tonight! When he learned that the Aceves family had arrived, he was so happy he couldn't even sleep through his nap!

It felt wonderful. Ye Tian! It was all because of you that he hadn't dared to visit the foot massage parlors to pamper the girls, and his years of fake medicine business had been forcibly dismantled. His family's profits were plummeting! But now, you are finally going to die...

After suppressing his wicked glee, Sun Xian turned to the crowd with a smile. "Then, everyone, please enjoy yourselves. We shall wait for the head of Ye Tian!"

Suddenly, a loud voice rang out from the entrance.

"Whose head?"

Sun Wang frowned. *Who the hell is that, ruining the atmosphere?*

"Naturally, it is Ye Tian's head. Which family does this person belong to? If you don't want to cooperate with us, get out immediately! Don't ruin the mood here!"

"Oh, I'm from the Ye family of Zhongdu. Seeing everyone so happy, I thought I'd come and join the fun."

A tall figure slowly pushed open the doors and walked in.

"Ye... Ye Tian!"