chapter 5 eye for eye

The Xiao family, the top among the four major families in the Jiang Zhong.
Today is a special day for the Xiao family. Firstly, the Trachinoid Group has signed an agreement with the Qian Jun Group, making them close partners. This signifies that the Xiao family's influence is growing stronger.
Secondly, it's the 80th birthday of Mr. Midas Xiao, the patriarch of the Xiao family.
Outside the Xiao family's mansion, luxury cars have gathered, and many prominent figures from Jiang Zhong have arrived to celebrate Mr. Xiao's 80th birthday and congratulate the Xiao family on becoming permanent partners with the Qian Jun Group.
"The Wang family has presented a thousand-year jade scepter worth eight million, wishing Mr. Xiao a long and prosperous life."
"The Zhou family has given a golden toad worth twelve million, hoping for prosperity for the Xiao family."
"The Zhao family has gifted a genuine painting by Tang Bohu worth eight million eight hundred thousand..."
At the entrance of the Xiao family's mansion, hostesses with microphones continuously announce the gifts brought by the guests.
In the grand hall, Midas Xiao, dressed in green, although he was eighty years old, but he looked lively. Hearing about the many gifts from the guests, he couldn't help but smile.
The gathering has attracted people from various major families in Jiang Zhong.
Even the Tang family, considered a second-tier family, is present. Fernan Tang, in his efforts to win favor with the Xiao family, went to great lengths and bought a jade Buddha at a high price to present to Midas Xiao.
People from major families were using this opportunity to network and expand their social connections.
Outside the Xiao family's mansion, a man wearing a brown coat and a mask on his face was carrying a coffin as he walked on foot.
The coffin weighed at least two hundred pounds, but the man effortlessly carried it with one hand.
This was Ellison Jiang, the formidable Dragon Commander who commands respect in the southern wilderness.
He has returned for two reasons: to repay a debt and to seek revenge.
Having married into the Tang family as Camellia Tang's husband, he didn't want to cause any trouble for her. That's why he was wearing a black mask, assuming the identity of a ghostly figure.
Boom!
Upon reaching the gates of the Xiao family, he suddenly exerted force, and the coffin he was carrying flew out instantly, smashing through the Xiao family's gates and landing in the mansion's grand hall.
This unexpected event startled everyone at the banquet.
The previously noisy gathering became eerily quiet.
What's going on?
Today is Midas Xiao's 80th birthday celebration, so who would have the audacity to send a coffin?
Midas Xiao, in the midst of chatting with leaders from several families, sees the flying coffin and his expression darkens.
He shouts, "What's happening? Where are the security guards? What are they doing? Who dared to bring this thing in? Get it out of here immediately!"
"Midas Xiao, this coffin is a gift for you. Today is your 80th birthday, and next year on this same day, it will be your memorial day," a loud voice came from outside the door. Immediately after, a man wearing a brown coat and a ghostly mask on his face walked in.
"Who are you?" Midas Xiao stared intently at Ellison Jiang. This was the Xiao family's territory, and he was the head of the Xiao family, one of the most influential figures in Jiang Zhong. Who dared to be so audacious here?
"Someone who's here to take your life," came the cold voice.
Ellison Jiang, with his black mask, walked slowly towards Midas Xiao.
"There's no room for your insolence." A man in his twenties stepped forward, pointing at Ellison Jiang and scolding, "No matter who you are, when you're at the Xiao family, you either kneel like a dragon or crawl like a tiger."
He was Nasser Xiao, from the Xiao family. Nasser Xiao pointed at Ellison Jiang's nose, demanding to remove the black mask. He coldly said, "Wearing a mask and playing mysterious tricks. I want to see who you really are."
Ellison Jiang suddenly made a move, grabbing Nasser Xiao's hand and giving it a slight twist before forcefully rotating it.
"Crack."
Nasser Xiao's arm was gruesomely pulled out, and blood spilled onto the ground.
"Ah..."
Nasser Xiao let out a heart-wrenching scream of pain.
Jiang Zhong's prominent guests were stunned by what they saw. They lived in peaceful times and had never witnessed such a bloody scene. Many of them backed away, fearing for their own safety.
Ellison Jiang seemed like a god of death. He casually tossed the severed arm to the ground. His aura was powerful, and coupled with his aggressive action, everyone from the Xiao family present in the hall was trembling in fear and stepping back.
Midas Xiao also took a step back, reaching for a weapon at his waist to deal with this uninvited guest.
Ellison Jiang advanced step by step towards Midas Xiao.
In the spacious mansion hall with dozens of people, only the painful cries of Nasser Xiao echoed.
After a few cries, Nasser Xiao fainted from the excruciating pain, and the hall instantly fell into silence, except for the footsteps filled with a sense of death.
"Kneel down!"
Ellison Jiang's commanding voice echoed.
Ellison Jiang exuded a formidable aura, shaped by countless battles and the slaughter of numerous enemies. Under the oppressive atmosphere of death, the prominent figures of Jiang Zhong and the Xiao family members were all trembling in fear. With Nasser Xiao's arm snapped in an instant, no one dared to utter a word.
The command to kneel down was like a thunderous strike, shaking Midas Xiao to his core.
At this moment, he forgot to resist, and his body knelt uncontrollably on the ground.
"Thump!"
Seeing this scene, the distant onlookers from Jiang Zhong were dumbfounded.
This was Midas Xiao, the helm of the foremost among Jiang Zhong's four major prestigious families, and he was now kneeling like a dog.
In Ellison Jiang's hand appeared a strange iron wire. If one looked closely, they would see that it was made up of countless silver needles joined together.
"Midas Xiao, do you understand your crimes?"
At this moment, Midas Xiao finally realized what was happening. Cold sweat trickled down his spine, and he couldn't comprehend how he ended up kneeling.
He tried to stand up but found his legs powerless, unable to support him.
"Boy, do you know who you're talking to?" Midas Xiao couldn't stand, but he tried to show strength. He reached for his waist, ready to eliminate the unwelcome guest.
Other members of the Xiao family didn't dare to intervene, fearing for their lives.
"Let me make this clear to you. Ten years ago, by the shores of Floral Residence, during a massive fire that raged for a day and night, 38 lost souls were claimed. Your blood is needed to appease them," Ellison Jiang's cold and merciless voice echoed through the hall.
Ellison Jiang moved quickly, appearing behind Midas Xiao in an instant. He took the iron wire in his hand, composed of silver needles, and looped it around Midas Xiao's neck, applying slight pressure.
Blood spilled, and Midas Xiao's head rolled to the ground.
"Ah!"
The guests from Jiang Zhong were horrified, and they all cowered, trembling with fear. The Xiao family members, witnessing Midas Xiao's gruesome death, were equally terrified.
Ellison Jiang took out a black bag, placed the severed head inside, and then left without a word.
As he left, the Xiao family mansion remained eerily silent. Everyone crouched on the ground, clutching their heads. Midas Xiao's headless body lay motionless in the grand hall.
...
At the Jiang family cemetery, in front of Levi Jiang's tomb, Jiang Chen placed the black bag he was carrying down and leaned against the tombstone.
He took out a bottle of wine, took a deep sip, and then poured it onto the ground in front of the grave.
"Grandfather, may you rest in peace. Your grandson will make sure the lost souls of the Jiang family find peace. As for the drawing "Dwelling in the Mount Huayue", I will find a way to reclaim it," he said.
With that, he stood up and turned to leave.
Back at his residence, he took a shower.
At the Xiao family mansion, the prominent guests from Jiang Zhong who had come to congratulate had all left.
In the mansion's hall, there was a coffin, and Midas Xiao's dead body quietly lying on the ground.
Nasser Xiao, who had his arm twisted, had already been taken to the hospital.
The Xiao family members were all kneeling in front of Midas Xiao's body.
Leading them was an attractive and glamorous woman in a dress. She was Midas Xiao's youngest daughter, Cara Xiao.
She, with her own strength, had stirred up chaos in the Jiang family, ultimately leading to its downfall.
Her beautiful face carried a sense of somberness.
"Have you called Fourth Brother?" Cara Xiao's angry voice echoed in the silent hall.
"Yes, we did."
"Nobody should touch anything at the scene. We'll wait for Fourth Brother to return."
...
Late at night, at the Jiang Zhong Military District, several helicopters landed, bearing the markings "Western Border."
A middle-aged man in military attire, with a cold and stern demeanor, disembarked.
Outside, a row of fully armed soldiers stood at attention, saluting promptly.
Following that, a convoy of SUVs arrived, and the middle-aged man boarded one of them. The convoy headed directly towards the Xiao family mansion.
Upon arriving at the Xiao family mansion and seeing the situation, the middle-aged man immediately removed his hat and knelt down.
"Father, I'm late. I swear, no matter who did this, I won't let him off," he roared with boundless anger.
"Fourth Brother," Cara Xiao approached.
The man in front of her was none other than Midas Xiao's fourth son, Olav Xiao.
Olav Xiao had an expressionless face, his demeanor low. "I need the surveillance footage of the banquet."
"Yes, I'll get it right away," Cara Xiao nodded and instructed someone to retrieve the surveillance footage.
Olav Xiao stood up, examined Midas Xiao's wounds, and then watched the video, witnessing the entire process of Ellison Jiang killing Midas Xiao.
His face remained cold as he asked, "What did this person say before killing my father?"
Cara Xiao spoke, "Ten years ago, by the shores of Floral Residence, during a massive fire that raged for a day and night, 38 lost souls were claimed. Your blood is needed to appease them."
Upon hearing this, Olav Xiao clenched his fists and his face darkened. "Jiang family remnants?"
"Most likely," replied Cara Xiao.
Olav Xiao covered his face and then gestured to Cara Xiao, "Let Father rest in peace. Keep the funeral simple. I'll go to the capital overnight to inquire about that influential figure and whether any remnants of the Jiang family are still alive."
..