Max was both shocked and furious.
After Dracula’s death, he pinned his last hopes on the Nine Guardians, only to find out they had fled.
“Damn it, you’re supposed to be guardians. Fleeing without a fight, have you no shame?”
“Where’s the dignity of a master?”
“What about your friendship with the Rodell family?”
“Scoundrels!”
Max was so angry he nearly spat blood and died.
Suddenly, he felt a chilling murderous intent directed at him. He looked up quickly, seeing Ye Qiu staring at him with killing intent in his eyes.
“It’s over. This kid is going to make a move against me.”
Though Max knew he was doomed, he still wanted to make a final struggle, shouting, “Death Squad!”
At his words, a team of warriors emerged from the castle.
Over a hundred strong.
Clad in battle armour, holding submachine guns, they exuded killing intent.
These were the Rodell family’s sworn defenders.
“Step, step, step!”
They marched in perfect unison, then halted together, aiming their guns at Ye Qiu.
“Boom!”
Without a word, Ye Qiu unleashed the Qiankun Cauldron, which crashed down like a massive mountain from his mouth.
“Thud!”
The hundred-plus warriors were instantly reduced to pulp.
“This…”
Max’s face was filled with terror.
Though he knew the Death Squad was no match for Ye Qiu, he had thought that under such heavy gunfire, even someone as skilled as Ye Qiu would be injured.
Yet, with just one cauldron, Ye Qiu annihilated the entire squad.
“What now?”
Max’s heart sank to rock bottom.
“Patriarch!” At that moment, a servant behind him spoke, “Patriarch, my granddaughter is about to finish school. I need to pick her up.”
Max instantly realised the servant was trying to escape. Suppressing his anger, he asked, “Didn’t your granddaughter graduate last week?”
“Did she? Oh, I remember now, she’s been learning Chinese lately. Patriarch, take care.” With that, the old man turned and fled.
This cursed place was no longer safe to stay in. Staying meant death.
“Scoundrel!” Max could no longer hold back and cursed loudly.
Just then, a sword aura sliced through the air, striking the old man’s back.
“Pfft!”
A bloody hole appeared in the old man’s back. His body stiffened, then he plummeted to the ground.
“Deserting in a crisis, he deserved to die,” Max cursed bitterly.
But then, he felt himself enveloped by an icy murderous intent again.
Max hurriedly said, “Ye Qiu, you can’t kill me.”
“Heh…” Ye Qiu gave a cold laugh, his killing intent growing stronger.
Thud!
Max suddenly dropped to his knees, frantically begging Ye Qiu, “Please, don’t kill me.”
“If you spare me, I’ll agree to any condition.”
Ye Qiu said coldly, “What, not avenging your son anymore?”
At the mention of Mel, Max felt a surge of anger. If not for that fool Mel, how could the family have fallen into such a disaster?
Max said, “Mel died by your hand because he brought it upon himself. I don’t blame you.”
Ye Qiu said, “I remember you said you’d kill me and slaughter my family. Not going to do that anymore?”
In his heart, Max thought, I’d kill you in my dreams if I could, but I don’t have the strength!
Max had no doubt that if he could kill Ye Qiu, he’d tear him to pieces. But right now, he just wanted to save his own life.
For that, he was willing to pay any price.
Don’t be fooled by his status as the patriarch of the world’s top family. When faced with life and death, he was no different from an ordinary person, perhaps even worse.
People like him, the wealthy, feared death more than most.
A famous person once said, the greatest tragedy in life is to live without money, but even worse is to die with money unspent.
“I’m sorry, please forgive my ignorance.”
Max was now addressing Ye Qiu as “Sir,” showing just how terrified he was.
“Mr. Ye, I overestimated myself. It’s all my fault. Please spare my life.”
“I have plenty of money. I can give you lots of it.”
“Just let me go.”
Ye Qiu asked, “How much is ‘lots of money’?”
Max said, “I’ll give you ten billion.”
“Your life is only worth ten billion?” At Ye Qiu’s words, Max’s heart trembled.
“I’ll give you fifty billion dollars, no, one hundred billion dollars,” Max said. “If you spare me, I’ll transfer the money to you immediately.”
Ye Qiu laughed, “Tch, tch, tch. One hundred billion dollars for a life. That’s a good deal. Truly the patriarch of the Rodell family, so wealthy and bold.”
Thinking Ye Qiu was tempted, Max said, “Not only can I give you one hundred billion dollars, I can also give you ten percent of the Rodell family’s shares for free.”
“With that money, you could become one of the world’s top tycoons.”
“Mr. Ye, what do you think?”
Ye Qiu said, “If you hadn’t talked about killing my family, if you hadn’t sent assassins to Jiangzhou to kill me, I might have agreed. But now, compared to money, I want your life more.”
“Mr. Ye, don’t kill me. I can give you all of the Rodell family’s wealth.”
“From now on, I can be your dog, making money for you.”
“Think about it. Killing me only vents your anger, but keeping me alive, I can help you become the world’s richest man. I can help you build a powerful empire. I can also…”
“Enough,” Ye Qiu interrupted Max. “First, I don’t need a dog like you.”
“Second, right now, I only want your life.”
“My way of doing things is simple: if you don’t cross me, I won’t cross you. But if you do, I uproot you completely.”
“So, begging won’t help. You’re dead today.”
Max trembled in fear, “Mr. Ye, listen to me…”
Whoosh!
Ye Qiu raised his hand, and a sword aura pierced Max’s forehead.
Max’s words stopped abruptly, and with a “thud,” he fell to the ground.
The patriarch of the world’s top family died with his eyes open.
“I really don’t know how you became patriarch. What a waste,” Ye Qiu said, his gaze suddenly falling on Max’s neck.
There, hanging on a black cord, was a golden cross, about ten centimetres long, very ancient-looking, as if it had some history.
The cross was adorned with gears, resembling a key.
“What’s this thing for?”
Curious, Ye Qiu grabbed the cross and pulled hard. He used too much force, and the cord sliced through Max’s neck.
Instantly, Max’s head rolled to the ground, splattering some blood on Ye Qiu’s foot.
“Bad luck!”
Ye Qiu stomped down.
“Thud!”
Max’s head exploded.
