Chapter 1663 - 854: Father Leaves, Son Smiles

They're really here!

In the dead silence, everyone turned their heads in unison.

Like an old man one sees anywhere in the market, short and thin, with white hair, a kind smile, dressed in quite an elegant cloth outfit, only missing a birdcage in his hand.

It was out of place with the lavish banquet hall at this moment.

But this short and thin old man plunged the entire event into silence, with countless people instinctively standing and bowing, trying to welcome him.

It's been too long.

The authority established and the bloodshed spread over the years have already made them unable to muster the courage to raise their heads to face that face directly. At the scent of fear, they instinctively want to kneel down, demonstrating submission.

But upon sensing the cold stare from the other side, they are frozen in place.

Like a straw swaying back and forth in the gap between two gusts of wind, drenched in sweat, caught in a dilemma.

"What's the matter, Ah Shuo? Why the gloomy face?"

Ling Liu looked at one of his once most favored adoptive sons, full of smiles, warm as ever: "On such a good day, you wouldn't blame an old man for showing up uninvited, would you?"

"Oh dear, Elder Ling, what are you saying? Welcome, welcome!"

Ling Shuo slapped his forehead, scolding: "What is the master of ceremonies doing, leaving Elder Ling standing at the door? It could be mistaken for my lack of manners, a Reversed Heavenly Gang!"

With that, he gestured with his hand: "Please, do come! Honored guest, have a seat!"

Unfortunately, Ling Liu remained unmoved.

The old man stood there, without the slightest intention to save face.

"Only a few months apart, and feeling distant already?"

Ling Liu lamented, half-smiling, half-not, watching him: "Not even calling me father?"

Those eyes...

No matter how passionately and warmly he smiled, those gray-black eyes never showed any emotion, merely looking at him, making him feel like he's plunged into an ice cavern, recalling countless times of strict warnings and grindings, cold sweat seeping out.

His legs subconsciously grew weak.

If it were in the past, he would have already crouched down on the ground, repeatedly kowtowed, wouldn't he?

Regardless of justification and reason, when the Dominator became furious, as a lackey, he could only kneel on the ground begging for mercy, cry out loud, endure silently, feel the weight of each slap, swallow blood and teeth.

Family rules are ruthless!

Ling Liu has countless adopted sons, yet it's different from the balance and control of Lei Wuye.

Spotting a promising timber, after providing some initial capital, he lets them grow wildly, even forcing the adopted sons to struggle, compete, and slaughter each other, cultivating them into lackeys, using this foundation to expand his authority from Gray Port throughout the Endless Sea.

Over many years, countless adopted sons and daughters died, yet Ling Liu grew stronger and more prosperous.

Therefore, Ling Shuo, this wild dog, cannot be allowed to break free, not even to stand out!

Not to mention wanting to stand shoulder to shoulder as Dragon Head, merely Ling Shuo's actions in the Seven Cities have already become a thorn in Ling Liu's eyes, a pain in his flesh, absolutely intolerable.

How could a father who hasn't even moved his chopsticks be driven out, while a son feasts at another's table till his mouth drips with grease? If Ling Shuo succeeds as such, how would Ling Liu's other sons see this? What thoughts would they have?

If people's hearts disperse, even leading a team becomes difficult; if authority is shaken, the consequences are worse.

People will die, many, many people will die.

Ling Shuo contemplated how his adoptive father would vengefully retaliate against him later, suppressing him mercilessly with endless struggles and absolutely no lower limit, yet he didn't expect him to act so swiftly.

In just a few days, silently, he personally came from Gray Port to eliminate the budding scourge.

Not even a moment could wait.

For an instant, Ling Shuo habitually lowered his head, but in the end, he merely bent slightly, smiling nonchalantly.

As if sensing the high overlooking gaze from behind, infused with unseen strength, for the first time in his life, he straightened his back before his adoptive father.

Head and chest held high!

"What is this talk?"

Ling Shuo asked puzzledly: "You once praised and valued me; I can't adore you enough. How could I feel distant? Now, I'm just bound by responsibilities, each serving their master, leaving no time to recount friendships; I suggest you simply call the position..."

He paused for a moment, then suddenly smiled brightly:

"Chairman Ling, how about this title?"

Ling Liu didn't speak, still smiling, just stared straight at him, gazing at the hidden endurance, hesitation, anger, and resolve in those pupils for a long while, patting the arm that supported him, sighing regretfully:

"... Mr. Ji is really something, bringing home every ungrateful wolf he can't tame."

"Having a home is being a dog. Tail raised means getting bones to eat, better than starving and rotting gratefully in the gutter outside, right?"

Ling Shuo's smile remained, raising the hand pointing to the seat unwaveringly: "Guests are invited, please, 'Elder Ling', my meager industry can't afford a great Buddha, but a meal or two is no harm.

If you enjoy the food, you should come by often."

Two false smiles exchanged, under Ling Shuo's guidance, the two former father and son slowly moved to the banquet hall, smiles eager, attitudes intimate, like genuine biological father and son.

Sadly, discordant murmurs came from behind.

From Ling Liu's followers, Ling Shuo's 'Second Brother' and 'Third Sister'.

"Excuse us, you two."

The withered Elder Chu appeared out of nowhere, blocking their way, with a smile of loathing on his wrinkled face, telling them: "Without an invitation, you can't go in."

"..."

Their faces instantly turned livid, glaring angrily at Ling Shuo.

Brat, his wings have hardened, dares to put on airs in front of us?!

These two were Ling Liu's trusted men and cronies. In the past, if they ever spoke gently to Ling Shuo or even looked directly at him, it would have been considered a huge favor. Now, they were being deliberately made difficult.

Ling Shuo pretended not to see, merely looking at Ling Liu: "Rules are rules, sorry, Elder Ling, surely you won't put me in a difficult position here?"

"Of course, it's your birthday, you have the final say."

Ling Liu's smile did not change; he merely waved a hand backward, "As the guest wishes, didn't you hear what he said? Wait outside."

The two silent men no longer spoke, gave Ling Shuo and Elder Chu in front of them a cold look, and turned to walk outside.

Meanwhile, Ling Liu, still smiling, was already seated at a table with emissaries from the Desert Market, chatting amicably and with great warmth.

Yet, despite this, everyone present felt it was hard to breathe.

The buzzing and bustling venue gradually quieted down, turning into a murmuring hush like mosquitoes and flies in the stillness before a thunderstorm.

No matter how hard the emcee tried to enliven the atmosphere with exciting programs, most people's gazes remained on Ling Liu and Ling Shuo, continuously wandering.

Until Ling Liu, holding a wine glass, slowly rose.

His gaze swept indifferently over the Desert Market proxy and godfather at another table, he ascended the stage, dispersed the whispering crowd, and pointed at the microphone in the emcee's hand.

The emcee quickly handed over the microphone, stepping back as if pardoned.

Turning back to look at the audience, a smile had already appeared on Ling Shuo's face.

"Today is a great day, a rare occasion for family and friends to gather, what a spectacular event."

He raised his wine glass and said slowly: "I think this first glass of wine should be a toast to the Seven Cities, to Mr. Ji—without Mr. Ji, there would be no Seven Cities today, and I wouldn't have achieved even this small success."

He paused for a moment, suddenly asking, "What do you all think?"

Instantly, the dead silence disappeared, and a warm, joyful response burst forth like a tidal wave, everyone's face instantly showing reverence and joy, nodding and rising voluntarily.

"Indeed!"

"That's right!"

"Absolutely!"

"We should just toast to Mr. Ji, indeed, for the Seven Cities..."

"Let's toast to Mr. Ji!"

Ling Shuo grinned, raising his wine glass high: "To the Seven Cities!"

As soon as he finished speaking, he tilted his head back, drinking it all in one go. The sounds of praise and cheers were endless, causing a flicker of shadow in Ling Liu's smile at the table—a person who neither appeared nor showed up, only a name, easily overshadowed all noise.

So-called authority...

His eyes showed gloom, but his smile remained the same as he drank as usual, just a trace of chill that made those beside him feel uneasy.

Even Ao Gao and a few others' expressions changed slightly, not having anticipated that in just a few months, Ji Jue could leave such a deep shadow among the Desert Market subordinates in the Seven Cities.

But as he paused to contemplate raising his glass, he sensed a questioning look from another table—the eyes of a youth-like monster who was holding a fruit juice, suddenly looked back.

His eyes held a trace of confusion: Why aren't you all drinking?

Ao Gao's smile stiffened for a moment as he lifted his head to hide the instant sting he felt, smiling with emotion, like drinking fine wine.

The gaze moved away.

He glanced at Ling Liu, not seeing anything, then looked at Himawan and Albasa, who appeared unchanged, as if they had perceived nothing.

One glass of wine, one name, returned the entire banquet hall to normal again, no more tension or rigidity, with laughter as before.

"This second glass of wine, to everyone present..."

Ling Shuo once again took the second glass of wine from the emcee, raising it: "Thanks to your support and misplaced favor, Mr. Ling here can assume the role in the Association, overseeing commercial collaboration of the Seven Islands. However, I am still too young, from now on, if there's anything done wrong, please..."

Bam!

A sharp sound rang out suddenly, from the front rows of the banquet hall, a middle-aged man whose face was flushed from drinking abruptly stood up, shattered the wine glass in his hand, pushed aside those who tried to stop him, pointing to Ling Shuo on stage:

"Bullshit!"

In an instant, the banquet hall returned to dead silence, everyone looking at each other in disbelief.

Not a few people finally breathed a sigh of relief.

As if after a long fuse burn, the explosive sound finally heard.

It came, finally damn it came...

But, not one among them expected it, this person who, just days ago, flattered Ling Shuo from the Four Island Construction, Lu Ciwang, who relied on Ling Shuo's support and gained from Seven Cities' reconstruction orders, was now attacking him first?

"When it comes to status, how many uncles and elders are there in the Seven Cities? When it comes to ability, is there anyone here who hasn't crawled out of mountains of knives and seas of flames?

When has it become your turn, someone with the surname Ling, to take the lead!"

Lu Ciwang raised his head, asking furiously: "The industry of Seven Cities is the result of everyone's hard work, what does someone with the surname Ji even count as!"