At that moment of despair, Li Bowen's aged, hoarse voice rang out again.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Everyone's gaze instantly fixed on the elderly patriarch of the Li family, as though he were their last lifeline.
"Heaven's Retribution... since it began with a Blood Covenant, perhaps a new Blood Covenant can end it!"
Li Bowen's eyes held a tangle of emotions. Each word exploded like thunder in everyone's ears.
"But this time, it will no longer be a covenant of [household servants], but one of [household slaves]!"
"A servant and a slave may sound similar, but they are worlds apart!"
Beside him, Bai Zhengling added gravely, "As servants, you remain free and retain your property. You need only pledge your loyalty. But as slaves-"
"Your bodies, minds, souls, and every asset in your names will cease to belong to you. They will all belong to the Lu family!"
"A single word from the young master can decide your life, death, honor, or disgrace!"
"Everything you possess will be the property of your masters!"
Everyone froze at those words.
This was practically handing themselves, their entire families, and even the power over their lives and deaths over to Yue Xiaofei, with no hope of ever escaping!
The blood drained from their faces, leaving them ashen.
Regret, fear, resentment, resistance...
Those emotions churned wildly in their eyes.
To fall from lofty tycoons to household slaves whose very lives were no longer their own?
That was worse than killing them!
"You brought this upon yourselves!"
Li Bowen closed his eyes and shouted in anguish, "If you don't want to die, if you don't want your families wiped out, sign the servant blood covenant! It is the only way to appease Heaven's Retribution and gain a chance to survive!"
They exchanged glances, touched their still-bleeding