Chapter 204

Chapter 204

“Do not let word of this incident spread. Everything can wait until the grave-relocation ceremony is over,” Second Uncle said wearily.

This was no time for further complications. A key member of the Zhao family had suffered serious injuries, and the news would harm the group.

He ordered people to carry Third Uncle away. The family had private doctors who could treat him.

Then he looked at Liu Ye. Liu Ye hurriedly said, “Second Uncle, is there anything I can do to help?”

He had made such a mess of their home that he felt obligated to contribute somehow.

Second Uncle shuddered at the offer.

“Please don’t call me Second Uncle. I’m not worthy of it.”

“Come on, Second Uncle. You’re John’s Second Uncle, which makes you my Second Uncle too. We’re all relatives here, so don’t stand on ceremony.”

Second Uncle nearly burst into tears. How had the man latched on to him? Anyone with a relative like Liu Ye would suffer eight lifetimes of bloody misfortune.

Of course, Second Uncle didn’t dare say that aloud. He feared that if he pushed Liu Ye too hard, Liu Ye would reveal his secret outright. That would do more harm than good.

All he could do was pull John aside.

“John, I know there are many misunderstandings between us, but moving the ancestral grave is a major affair for our family. Can we put the greater good first and send Liu Ye away?”

By the end, Second Uncle’s voice was openly pleading.

This was the first time John had ever heard him use such a tone. Even when John once sent people to break both his legs, Second Uncle had never yielded.

Seeing him like this made John feel genuinely… delighted.

“Second Uncle, it isn’t as serious as you think. Brother Liu knows where to draw the line. At worst, he likes blowing up the occasional house. Our ancestral residence has stood for many years. It’s about time we renovated it. If you’re worried about the money, don’t be. I insured the estate.”

Second Uncle stared at him.

Did John hear the words coming out of his own mouth?

And if Second Uncle remembered correctly, hadn’t John bought the policy for this old estate from his insurance company? So after the place exploded, Second Uncle would have to pay for it too?

Out of options, Second Uncle glared furiously at John, then turned and left.

The moment he was gone, Liu Ye came over and asked curiously, “John, who are those two men in the crowd smiling so happily?”

“They’re Third Uncle’s sons. If Third Uncle dies, they inherit the shares he controls, and no one will restrain them anymore. Naturally, they’re happy,” John said calmly.

Liu Ye and the others were speechless.

What kind of family was this? Their own father might die, yet all they thought about was profit.

“You can’t entirely blame them. They meet Third Uncle only two or three times a year, so there is almost no affection between them. They are essentially strangers. If a stranger dies and leaves them an enormous fortune, why wouldn’t they be happy?”

Liu Ye and Xiaoshuai fell silent. Neither understood why such a warped family existed.

After that, no one had the heart to continue the banquet. They made a cursory effort to clean up, then returned to their rooms to sleep.

At that moment, several of John’s remaining uncles had gathered in a private room.

“Second Uncle, we can’t delay any longer. Those things have already emerged. We must perform the grave-relocation ceremony as soon as possible.”

The speaker was a handsome, rugged middle-aged man-John’s Fifth Uncle, Zhao Tiande.

Despite his appealing appearance, he was hot-tempered and ruthless. He handled every Zhao Group matter that couldn’t be conducted openly.

“That’s right, Second Brother. Fourth Brother and Third Brother have both met with trouble. We can barely keep those things suppressed. If we delay any longer, all of us will be doomed.”
This time, the speaker was a man with slicked-back hair who looked every inch the refined scoundrel. He was John’s Sixth Uncle, Zhao Zhihua, a treacherous and cunning man whose methods were vicious. He had even framed a close friend he had known since childhood and destroyed the man’s entire family. He now served as an adviser to the group.

Second Uncle was silent for a while before slowly saying, “But Father said the time has not yet come…”

“Forget what he says! Look at the situation now. We can’t keep letting him pick and choose. It’s decided. We perform the ceremony tomorrow,” Seventh Uncle Zhao Dawei said anxiously.

Unlike his brothers, Zhao Dawei held a position in the group but rarely went to work. He spent his days eating, drinking, and amusing himself, which made him the least calm of them all.

The brothers looked at Second Uncle. He hesitated, then gritted his teeth.

“Fine! We’ll do it. I’ll speak to Father!”

The others rejoiced, then returned to their rooms.

Second Uncle alone remained in his seat. Seen from a distance, he looked exhausted and desolate.

Meanwhile, two people slipped furtively into another room.

“Older Brother, are we really going to do this?” one asked timidly.

“What? You want to back out now?” the other snorted.

“I’m telling you, if the old man doesn’t die, we don’t get those shares. Think about it. How much can we spend each month? A hundred thousand yuan! I’m a young master of the Zhao family, yet I’m allowed to spend only a hundred thousand a month. What is that? The old bastard spends every day indulging himself. Who knows how many young women and married mistresses he keeps? Meanwhile, we have to live this miserable life without money. Doesn’t that anger you?”

The second son fell silent, then slowly said, “But… he’s our father.”

“Father? Heh. How many times have we seen him since we were born? You can count them on two hands. And don’t pretend you’re a good person. If I remember correctly, you owe loan sharks an enormous sum. Can you repay that with a hundred thousand a month? If Grandfather finds out, he’ll beat you to death.”

The elder son’s words crushed the last of his younger brother’s resistance.

The two entered the room. Third Uncle had regained consciousness. When he saw his sons come in, terror filled his face.

They were father and sons. He seemed to know what they had come to do.

“Dad, don’t blame us. As our father, you want us to live well, don’t you? Look at the state you’re in. Why not help us instead?”

Under Third Uncle’s terrified gaze, the elder son picked up a pillow and pressed it over his face.

The severe injury to Third Uncle’s head had left his entire body immobile.

He trembled for a moment, then went completely still.

“Whew!”

The elder son let out a long breath. A sickly smile appeared on his face. He returned the pillow to its place, arranged Third Uncle’s body, and even thoughtfully tucked the blanket around him.

“Let’s go.”

At his command, the brothers immediately left the room.

They did not know that after their departure, a transparent film suddenly appeared over Third Uncle’s body. Then a completely translucent Third Uncle sat up from his own corpse and looked around in confusion.

When he saw his body, he finally seemed to understand. His expression twisted with rage, and a vast surge of yin energy enveloped him.

The foul stench of something scorched filled the entire room.