Patriarch of the Li Family's Life Experience

In the Li family residence that night, a banquet was still underway downstairs, but in the study on the third floor, Li Le and his father, Li Hui, were chatting about the day's events.

"Father, we're short on people right now. A B-rank combat talent is actually a pretty good candidate. His family background is also quite clean. If we control him with 'Joy' and have him sign a loan agreement, we should be able to keep him completely under our thumb, right?"

Li Le thought about what the deceased Yosef had done. If Yosef hadn't been surrounded and killed by those Wish Power creatures, he would have secured the person.

The new settlement was indeed in need of people. Relying solely on the younger generation of the family to slowly develop later was proving to be quite strenuous.

"If your talent could reach C-rank, even just C-minus, then I would arrange to take him in. But although your D-rank 'Monstrous Strength' is theoretically comparable to an ordinary B-rank combat talent, it's not a guaranteed advantage."

Li Hui said with earnestness.

Back when Li Le met Winuo, he had downplayed his talent by one level, claiming only E-rank 'Monstrous Strength,' but in reality, he possessed D-rank!

And 'Monstrous Strength,' as a special combat talent, was indeed two tiers higher than ordinary combat talents. Coupled with the family's inherited 'Knight's Breathing Technique,' Li Le was confident he could completely suppress the other person.

But his father wouldn't allow it, insisting on resolving all troubles. This made him feel a bit underestimated, and he replied with dissatisfaction, "Don't even mention that he's just Tao Hu's nephew. Even if he were his son, so what? How can someone with the same talent compare to me?"

At least in the Outer City, Li Le had a psychological advantage.

Yosef wanted to take the guy as his lackey, so why couldn't he?

"Heh, our family's 'Monstrous Strength' is indeed a good talent, and it was the foundation upon which we established ourselves in the Inner City back then. In a head-on confrontation, you can crush him at will, and the family's support for you far surpasses his."

Li Hui didn't refute Li Le's words. He casually got up, walked over to Li Le, and patted his shoulder.

"But 'Dynamic Vision' is a skill that excels at shooting and even sneak attacks. What's the point of your strength if you get headshot with one bullet? You'd still die."

Li Le wanted to retort, but for a moment, he didn't know how to respond.

"If we still had the strength of the Inner City, then fine, but there's no need to take risks now. We can take our time."

Speaking of which, Li Hui put his hands behind his back again and revealed a hint of a wise smile.

"The growth cycle of plants is here. We have time to wait slowly. If seven members of the family choose the New Frontier within half a year, we'll use the eight of you as the foundation. Once we've established ourselves, we can slowly absorb new recruits."

Li Hui paused again.

"Once we've harvested a few waves that we can't suppress, we can use the reputation we've built to directly present ourselves to the two important figures in the Floating City, thereby earning the opportunity for promotion."

"Alright, is it appropriate for the two cousins to go over tonight? It's not exactly peaceful at night, after all."

Li Le slowly accepted his father's words; they made a lot of sense. However, arranging for two cousins to go over overnight seemed like an excessive level of importance.

"Just in case, it would be troublesome if that guy talks out of turn. For someone with some ability like him, you either don't act at all, or you must crush them in one go."

"Otherwise, if he calls his friends and brings over Tao Hu, and Tao Hu then calls his friends, escalating the situation further, the subsequent troubles will be endless."

Hearing this, Li Le's heart stirred again, and he said with concern, "Could he have already told Tao Hu? Although he was in the stronghold all day today, we don't know about the half-day yesterday."

"So what if he told him? Does Tao Hu know the location?"

Li Hui chuckled scornfully and said slowly, "As you said before, he's just Tao Hu's nephew, and a cousin once removed at that. Their relationship is maintained entirely by his talent. Tao Hu might risk himself for a living genius, but..."

"Once dead, all is lost."

Then, Li Hui smiled meaningfully at Li Le.

"Learn more. In the new settlement, you'll have to stand on your own. You are the leader of the new generation of our Li family..."

Squelch!

Li Hui's head, still wearing a smile, flew into the sky, blood spraying from his neck, leaving Li Le completely stunned.

Through the gap between his soaring head and neck, he saw Tao Yu's figure, the knife still in his hand.

Like an ink wash painting that had just appeared, a trace of distorted black mist still clung to his body.

"Yo, Brother Li, we meet again."

Tao Yu, with a few drops of blood on his face, grinned.

Tao Yu?!

How?

How is this possible!!

Why is he here?!

Father's head?

Fake!

It's all fake!

This was Li Le's last thought.

As he opened his mouth, Tao Yu, recovering from his skill stacking, raised his other hand, holding a pistol.

Bang!

The bullet pierced Li Le's mouth, blowing off his skull and sending blood splattering everywhere!

The sudden gunshots caused the banquet outside to pause. The music stopped, and the sound of running could be heard from the stairwell.

The wooden stairs and floor vibrated slightly, and faint noises of commotion could also be heard.

"Was that a gunshot?"

"What's going on?"

"Let's go see..."

"Uncle's study? What happened?"

"..."

These were all important figures of the Li Family. Even after withdrawing from the Inner City, the Li Family was still a large and influential clan, holding considerable sway in the southern Outer City.

The purpose of this banquet was to gather key individuals and set the tone for the future!

Logistics, resources, and subsequent support all needed to be coordinated.

Li Le alone, despite his considerable talent, couldn't manage all of this.

Those who couldn't enter the New Frontier were primarily responsible for resource allocation and the exchange of useful Wish Power items.

"Uncle, Ah Le, what's happening? We heard gunshots."

"Patriarch."

"Did something happen?"

Bang bang~

A knock echoed.

Tao Yu systematically searched the two individuals, retrieved a few Wish Power items, and then vanished back into the shadows.

Bang~

A crashing sound followed soon after. Facing some of the Li Family's elites, the study door was broken down in moments. Inside, they found two people lying in pools of blood.

The faces of those who rushed in instantly turned ashen.

What's going on?

What happened?!

"Seal the scene immediately and contact the Security Team!"

An elder with a head of gray-white hair stepped forward, his expression grave.

Someone spotted the hand-crank telephone in the study, a true symbol of status that could directly contact the Security Team.

But when someone quickly stepped forward to use it, they slammed it back down. A tug on the line revealed it had been cut.

"Damn it! Two of you, come with me! We're going out there directly!"

Just then, the lights in the house suddenly went out, as if the entire building's power had been cut.

"What's going on?"

"The killer hasn't left!"

"Everyone be careful!"

"Back to back."

"Light a fire!"

"Light it!"

Having electricity run from the city walls to power lights throughout the house was an absolute mark of status.

The sudden loss of familiar lighting plunged everything into chaos.

Soon, the first scream erupted from downstairs, followed by hurried attempts to light fires and shouts of inquiry.

Gunshots rang out intermittently, adding to the pandemonium!

"The main door is locked! Break it down! Ah~"

A flash of fire illuminated the scene as a man was shot in the back of the head as he tried to force the door.

"Get out through the windows!"

Bang bang~

The windows shattered, accompanied by two bullets. Those who leaped out landed to their doom.

Whoever ran first died!

"Help!"

"Damn it! Fight back!"

"Where is he?"

"..."

Screams, pleas for help, and roars of anger erupted one after another.

Under the shroud of the Gray Mist on a starless night, with insufficient lighting apart from the glow of a few makeshift oil lamps and fires, the only flashes within this pitch-black, three-story Western-style building were the muzzle flashes of firearms and the screams.

The Li Family!

Possessing the advanced breathing technique known as the Knight's Breathing Technique, and with the backing of an Inner City family, they could become one of the four deputy captains of the Security Team without relying on mechanical augmentation or body modification.

Yet, at this moment, they were facing a one-sided slaughter in the darkness.

The Li Family's elites, whose physical attributes comprehensively crushed Tao Yu, were more than just one or two.

But in this environment, it was all meaningless.

A shot to the forehead, a blade across the throat – either could take their lives.

Continuously replenishing his stamina and spirit with Wish Power, Tao Yu, who was constantly expending energy, was like the Grim Reaper in the darkness. Every appearance was guaranteed to claim the life of a Li Family member.

The screams grew fewer and fewer, eventually falling into silence.

The entire Li Family was plunged into deathly quiet.

This independent Western-style building still stood imposingly, with only a few shattered windows and a few corpses hanging from them.

Along with the dozen or so buildings outside, everything was silent, as if devoid of life