Self-Destruction

Qian Xi frowned at those words, displeasure appearing on her face, and said:

"Young Master Qian, what are you saying? Why should we run?"

"We are all officially registered staff of the Civil Affairs Office's licensed main store. This is our home."

"Even though your Jing Household is the owner of the licensed store, everyone here has had their wages withheld by you for years. Even the shortest delay has already exceeded five years."

"If you don't settle those wages, why should we leave?"

"Besides, after all these years, the Jing Clan Main Store has managed to cling to life solely because my husband, Wu Yan, has struggled to keep it afloat."

"He has gone out to sea and has yet to return, and now you want to drive me away. How can you live with your conscience?"

This legitimate daughter of the Qian Clan had no talent for cultivation, yet she had worked tirelessly to scheme for her family. Throwing herself into the game, she had come to the Jing Family Main Store to stir up trouble.

With the Qian Clan's support, she had established a foothold within the rules long ago. She had nearly usurped the host.

As far as Jing Qian was concerned, the woman's words might indeed have some merit and could persuade a few people.

But why should he care?

These sordid intrigues were not worth wasting his time on.

Only by cutting through the knot with a swift blade could he clear his mind and devote himself wholeheartedly to cultivation.

He spoke again:

"Steward Wei, I will no longer pursue what happened in the past."

"I'll ask you only one question. I have already established my destiny and entered the Dao, obtained an official position from the prefectural yamen, and taken control of the Lineage's authority."

"Are you willing to devote yourself wholeheartedly to my Jing Household and work for the interests of the Jing Clan Main Store?"

Jing Qian's words were directed at the old man standing in the center of the crowd.

He waited for the man's reply, but the old man merely trembled faintly from head to toe and still did not speak.

At that moment, more than thirty people were present, and everyone was astonished by the old man's inexplicable reaction.

Normally, this old man, who controlled the licensed store's daily affairs, was the most socially adept and silver-tongued of them all, capable of turning black into white.

Yet under Jing Qian's intimidation, he could not even open his mouth to pledge his loyalty?

Jing Qian received no response from the old man, so he spoke again:

"Since that is the case, if you still remember how my Jing Household has cared for you all these years, then commit suicide at the entrance of my store!"

With that, he threw an Iron Skewer to the ground with a clang.

The old steward tottered forward, one halting step after another, and actually picked up the Iron Skewer!

Then, clutching the Iron Skewer with difficulty, he walked out through the store's main entrance and reached the street.

He turned the Iron Skewer around, pressed its tip against the center of his throat, and then suddenly dropped to his knees!

"Pfft!"

The Iron Skewer pierced through the old man's throat, and blood spread across the ground!

He had truly died kneeling before the Jing Clan Main Store without saying a single word!

The onlookers gathered before the hall were so shocked they nearly broke down!

How had it come to this?

That old fox had served as the Jing Clan Main Store's steward for more than twenty years. He could be considered one of the Jing Household's most important core members and a member of its direct line.

Strictly speaking, he was also the distant paternal cousin of Jing Qian's grandmother—a blood relative of the Jing Household.

As for why he had betrayed the Jing Household, what schemes lay behind it, or what hardships he might have suffered, Jing Qian could not be bothered to care.

This world was nothing like his previous one. Those harboring ulterior motives were after his life!

Whoever this man was, he still deserved to die!

After the old man died, Jing Qian rose and walked up to another person. Staring straight into his eyes, he said:

"What about you? Will you devote yourself to my Jing Household, or choose self-destruction?"

The man before him trembled like a sieve, yet he still shuddered his way out the door.

He kicked the old steward's corpse over, pulled out the Iron Skewer, and gripped it in his hand.

Then, imitating the old steward, he pressed the Iron Skewer against his own throat, dropped to his knees, and stabbed himself to death.

Jing Qian stepped forward again and stopped before another person.

"What about you? Will you commit suicide?"

This person repeated the actions of the previous two, walking out the door, picking up the Iron Skewer, and kneeling to die before the entrance.

The main entrance of the licensed store faced the Sea Market's busiest street, where pedestrians streamed past like a woven tapestry.

Such a bizarre and horrifying scene was utterly unheard of!

Before long, it attracted a huge crowd of onlookers.

One after another, the other licensed stores also received the news and sent people to investigate.

The spectators witnessed it with their own eyes: one person after another walked out of the store and committed suicide in full view of the public.

Men this ruthless were rarely seen in ordinary times. Yet who would have thought that the Jing Clan Main Store would contain so many of them? It was practically a store full of ruthless men!

In an instant, the entrance of the Jing Clan Main Store became a river of blood, with corpses strewn everywhere.

Inside the main hall, everyone who remained trembled from head to toe, terrified beyond words!

The development of events was simply too bizarre, too terrifying!

Of everyone present, only Qian Xi recovered first. She cried out:

"Something's wrong!"

"You're behind this!"

"This is your..."

Before she could finish, a transparent thread suddenly appeared in Qian Xi's mouth, forcibly stitching her lips shut.

Then Qian Xi discovered in horror that she had lost control of her body. Against her will, she turned around, walked out the entrance, and reached the main street.

She was forced to pull the Iron Skewer from one of the corpses. Under the control of that strange power, she pressed it against her own throat.

Filled with boundless terror and resentment, she suddenly dropped to her knees.

"Pfft!"

The cherished daughter of the Qian Clan died kneeling on the ground!

That was right. This was a one-man show directed and performed by Jing Qian himself.

These jackals and tigers circling the Jing Clan had all become pawns beneath Sewing Souls and Weaving Spirits. Under his manipulation, every one of them committed suicide before the entrance.

Through this exceptionally brutal method, he announced his existence to the entire Hun Zhou Sea Market.

From this day onward, the Jing Clan Main Store had returned to its rightful course!

This field of corpses was his warning to everyone reaching their hands toward the Jing Household.

Jing Qian naturally knew that those coveting the Jing Household's assets might not stop.

But if he had time to engage in such false politeness, why not use it to temper his destiny instead?

Of everyone in the Jing Clan Main Store, nine out of ten had died. Only the final three remained.

Only then did Jing Qian speak:

"You three—will you pledge your loyalty, or commit suicide?"

"I'm willing to pledge my loyalty!"

"Please forgive me, Young Master!"

"I have never had any disloyal intentions toward the Jing Household!"

The three men fell to their knees and frantically kowtowed as they begged for mercy.

"Then go drag the bodies outside to the back courtyard and burn them."

"Yes, Young Master!"

The three men acted at once, as though granted a full pardon, hastily carrying out Jing Qian's order.

Jing Qian did not know what these three men's identities were.

However, according to Worldly Understanding's observation, they were the only ones who harbored goodwill toward him.

For now, he had spared their lives.

Jing Qian leisurely walked out the entrance, then headed toward the other side of the Sea Market.

The crowd gathered outside the entrance was likewise reluctant to disperse for a long time.

Most of those who came to the Hun Zhou Sea Market were profit-seekers, people who intended to use this platform to make money.

And the twenty-four licensed main stores in the Sea Market each represented enormous business opportunities!

If the long-declining Jing Clan Main Store could resume operations, then for everyone present, it would also mean new opportunities!