chapter 30 Catch them all

"Mom, actually, Atius has been really good to me and Nidawi." Eilir, holding Maille's arm, waved down a taxi while tentatively saying, "And dad, he didn't mean to take the wrong baby that year." "Let's go back and clear things up, so we can live happily as a family." "No way!" Maille glared at Eilir, "Eilir, I tell you, I will never forgive Damir in this lifetime!" "That year at the hospital, he had a sudden problem with the construction project he was responsible for and ran back to the company without even a word." "Otherwise, you wouldn't have been taken by the wrong parents, and suffered all these years for nothing!" "And that Atius!" Maille scoffed, "Don't blame me for being realistic, but you said he's been chased after in the past, and you've never heard him talk about his own family. Being with someone like that, your days won't be peaceful." "Besides, with your looks, Eilir, what kind of man couldn't you find?" As they were speaking, a stretch Mercedes stopped by the roadside. Vasquez, dressed in a suit and leather shoes, stepped out of the car, smiling at Maille. "Maille, big brother has come to see you." Maille sneered, "No one visits without a reason, Vasquez, just spit it out." Vasquez chuckled lightly, glanced at Eilir, and asked, "Who is this lady?" "My daughter!" Maille's eyes flashed with vigilance, "Speak up, what's the matter!" Vasquez nodded, "After all these years, father has let go of the past. The incident from that year is water under the bridge, come back home." "Home?" Maille pointed to the shabby neighborhood behind her, "This is my home." After speaking, Maille pulled Eilir to leave. Vasquez suddenly called out, "Uhuro was killed last night!" Maille's body trembled, no wonder Darwin was so anxiously questioning her last night. "Maille, come home," Vasquez urged again, "If the other party is targeting the Lee family, they might hurt you too." Seeing Maille was silent, Vasquez sighed, "Even if you don't consider yourself, think about your daughter's safety." The conflicted look in Liu Maille's eyes grew more intense. If it were just her, she would rather die than return to the Lee family. But now it was different, her daughter had come back, and she couldn't act on impulse. "Mom, don't struggle," Eilir suddenly said, "We can go back to Yeoannes City and ask Mr. Jernigan to protect us." Maille frowned deeply, "Eilir, you don't understand, the crisis that has Latham Lee so anxious is particularly severe, not something your Mr. Jernigan can handle." Saying this, Maille bent down and whispered in Eilir's ear, "The Lee family doesn't know about your daughter yet, you must keep this a secret, that's the only way Nidawi will be safe." After speaking, Maille pulled Eilir into Vasquez's car. A smile flickered in Vasquez's eyes as he started the car and headed for the Lee Residence. Atius watched the direction the car was taking, his figure flashed, and he followed. At the same time, Kaladin sent a message. In three days, the Lee family would invite all Heaven Rank experts from Wimston Province as guests. Every Heaven Rank expert who attended could receive a True Qi Stone. A True Qi Stone was infused with the true qi of a Saint Rank expert and could give a Heaven Rank expert a certain chance of touching the threshold of Saint Rank. True Qi Stones were extremely precious, but only useful to Heaven Rank experts. Atius, while still at the Saint Rank, had infused a large number of True Qi Stones, which was why the War God Palace had so many peak Heaven Rank experts. After he achieved Divine Rank, he also tried to create Divine Rank True Qi Stones but failed because he couldn't find a material that could carry his true qi. The Lee family had twenty-some True Qi Stones because they had a Saint Rank expert three hundred years ago. Three days passed in a flash. Atius stood at the entrance of the Lee Residence, exuding the unique aura of a Heaven Rank expert. As he appeared, the auras of more than a dozen Heaven Rank experts rapidly approached from all directions. These were the Heaven Rank experts of Wimston Province. Unexpectedly, Boswell, the head of the Wimston Province Safety Bureau, came, and so did Indivar. As soon as they saw Atius, they wanted to greet him, but Atius stopped them with a look. A middle-aged man who had just entered Heaven Rank glanced at Atius, a flash of surprise in his eyes, "To achieve Heaven Rank at such a young age, young friend, you have good talent." "All Heaven Rank experts in the province know each other, you must not be from Wimston Province, I'm afraid you don't meet the Lee family's requirements." Atius looked at the man expressionlessly and said coldly, "So what?" The man laughed and said to the other Heaven Rank experts, "So, he shouldn't be here, that way we can have an extra piece of the True Qi Stone." Atius sneered inwardly. Since the Lee family took out the True Qi Stones to invite these people, they had set themselves on a path of no return. Among these people, many must have already reached a consensus to snatch all the True Qi Stones from the Lee family. At that moment, Indivar charged towards the speaking man. "Esben Jervis, meet your death!" Esben quickly dodged, cursing, "Indivar, are you crazy?" Indivar didn't waste words. Suddenly, he pulled out a glinting short knife from behind and swung a blinding slash at Esben. Esben, just in the early stages of Heaven Rank, stood no chance against the later-stage Indivar. In the blink of an eye, Esben lay dead in front of everyone. The other Heaven Rank experts looked puzzled at Indivar. Indivar sheathed his knife and said coldly, "That's the price for talking nonsense!" The others looked at Indivar as if he were mad, then proceeded toward the Lee Residence. Vasquez stood at the door to welcome the guests, his face pale and sweating profusely. He hadn't expected these people to start fighting at the drop of a hat, and a Heaven Rank expert to die just like that! He trembled as he spoke respectfully, "Welcome, esteemed seniors. Please, rest in the parlor." The parlor had chairs on both sides, with Jamal and two other elders sitting opposite the door. The auras of the two elders were clearly more robust and profound than Jamal's, but they were also white-haired and nearing the end of their days. After Vasquez personally served tea to everyone, Jamal spoke, "You all must be curious why I invited you here." "Three days ago, my grandson, Uhuro, was killed by a Heaven Rank expert." Some immediately frowned, "Jamal, are you suggesting the killer is among us?" Jamal shook his head. "I can't understand why a Heaven Rank expert would target my grandson, a commoner. The most likely reason is that it's targeted at my Lee family." As he said this, Jamal glanced at the Heaven Rank experts from other families in the province, slowly saying, "Since the Storm family and the Carlyle family were wiped out by that mysterious figure, the province has been plagued with troubles." "It's only natural that I suspect you all." Jamal's gaze swept over everyone present, finally resting on Atius, and he was taken aback. He had never seen such a young Heaven Rank expert. Soon, Jamal withdrew his gaze. "I've invited you all here today to lay it all out in the open!" Jamal snorted coldly, releasing his full aura. "The three Heaven Rank experts of my Lee family are all here. Do as you wish. If you want to act, today's the day. If not, then behave from now on!" "If you can kill us three old men, the Lee family is yours to do with as you please. Fail, and leave your lives behind!" An elder in the later stages of Heaven Rank lifted his eyelids, "Jamal, so you're not going to give out the True Qi Stone?" Jamal chuckled, "Aren't you all here with the intention of snatching the True Qi Stone?" "But even if you join forces, it's useless. Even if you wipe out my Lee family, you won't find the True Qi Stones." "Let's wipe them out," the elder said slowly as he stood up, his powerful presence filling the room. The other Heaven Rank experts also stood up, exerting their own might, pressing towards Jamal and his companions. Jamal's aged eyes flashed coldly, "Now that it's come to this, you still won't admit who killed my grandson?" The group of Heaven Rank experts scoffed, not deigning to acknowledge Jamal. But Kaladin moved. He slowly stood up, walked over to Boswell and Indivar, and said to Jamal, "I killed him." Jamal and the two old brothers' auras immediately crushed down. "Why? What grudge did you have against my grandson?!" Atius looked at Jamal expressionlessly, "Because he spoke words he shouldn't have, and harbored intentions he shouldn't have." Jamal roared, "And you dare come to my Lee family!" Atius chuckled, "The world is vast, there's nowhere I dare not go." "Arrogant! But I like it!" a burly mid-stage Heaven Rank expert laughed heartily, "The young fellow's got guts!" Atius glanced at the man indifferently, then said to Jamal again, "My hands are stained with too much blood, your grandson's mistake was enough reason for me to wipe out your Lee family." "But your Lee family is lucky, for certain reasons, I can spare you." Jamal's face darkened, looking at the other Heaven Rank experts, "Whoever kills him, I'll give a True Qi Stone right now!" As soon as he said this, some were tempted. Indivar and Boswell immediately stood in front of Atius. Boswell, as the head of the Wimston Province Safety Bureau, looked coldly at everyone, "Your private fights are your own business!" "But acting in front of me, isn't that a little too disrespectful to me, the head of the Wimston Province Safety Bureau?" As he spoke, Boswell's late-stage Heaven Rank aura burst forth. Jamal bowed his fists, grinding his teeth, "Then may I ask Mr. Wescott, isn't it right and proper to pay with one's life for taking another?" Boswell looked coldly at Jamal, "What if it costs you your own life?" Jamal shook his head expressionlessly, "Today, if my Lee family is wiped out, it's fate!" "Alright," Boswell nodded and stepped back behind Atius. Jamal then looked at Indivar. Indivar was about to draw his sword but saw Atius walk to the center of the parlor, seemingly waiting for everyone to make their move. Jamal glanced at the positions of everyone standing and suddenly raised his hand, sending out a surge of true qi. This true qi blasted at a certain spot on the wall, and the next instant, a huge steel cage crashed down, enclosing everyone inside. Jamal immediately shouted at Vasquez standing at the door, "Remember, if we die, run away with everyone from the Lee family immediately!" "Also, take good care of Maille and her daughter, my Lee family owes her!" Vasquez dared not speak, turned, and ran away. The faces of the group of Heaven Rank experts were extremely ugly as they attacked the steel cage with their moves. The steel cage was made of meteoric iron treasured by the Lee family, each steel bar as thick as an arm. Even with the robust true qi of these Heaven Rank experts, they couldn't break through.