On East Pole Island, within the Liu Family Estate.
The Liu Family was especially busy that day, with countless servants and guards hurrying in and out.
Most of them were moving things, while others ran back and forth delivering messages.
An extravagantly dressed old man stood in the center of the estate's courtyard, watching his subordinates work.
Before long, a middle-aged man dressed as a steward jogged over.
"The ships for the voyage are ready. Everything is in place."
The old man nodded.
"Good. Wait for the family head's orders."
"Are we really going to throw our lot in with the Crawlers completely?" These extraordinary circumstances had made the steward considerably bolder.
"Are those people really trustworthy?"
"Slap your mouth! Who are you to question the family head's decision? Go take thirty lashes!" the old man snapped in fury.
The steward immediately became meek and submissive, cautiously apologized, and went off to work.
But he did not head toward the Punishment Hall and apparently had no intention of taking thirty lashes.
The old man's eyebrows twitched at the sight, but he did not pursue the matter.
Their hearts were no longer in it, and they were getting hard to manage.
The Liu Family had once enforced strict rules. A steward would never have been allowed to voice such opinions.
But ever since they had begun colluding with the Crawlers, their subordinates had gradually started acting up.
This had become especially pronounced after the family head decided two days earlier to submit completely to the Crawlers.
That was only natural. From now on, everyone would be working for the Crawlers. The Liu Family would no longer be their masters, merely their overseers.
Why should they remain so deferential?
"Family head, did we really make the right move?"
The old man murmured