Chapter Six: Setting a Condition

"Insolence!" The Red Dragon, witnessing the scene, immediately strode forward. But in that instant, Xiao Ye raised his right hand, signaling him to stop. The Red Dragon frowned, but did not take another step.

Zhao Pinghai’s face twisted into a vicious grin. He drew a specialized dagger from behind and pressed it against Xiao Ye’s waist. Yet, as he glanced sideways, he was startled to find Xiao Ye smiling.

"What are you laughing at?" Zhao Pinghai shouted at Xiao Ye, a touch of humiliation and rage in his voice.

"I’m laughing at your naivety," Xiao Ye replied, his eyes suddenly ablaze with cold brilliance as his body sprang into motion.

In a flash, before Zhao Pinghai could react, Xiao Ye’s elbow smashed squarely into his face. Zhao Pinghai’s limbs instantly went slack, and the dagger slipped from his grasp—only to be caught deftly by Xiao Ye. The blade, still gleaming with a cold light, was turned on him and aimed at his throat.

Zhao Pinghai was sent sprawling on the ground, clutching his face as blood streamed relentlessly between his fingers. In that single blow, Xiao Ye had shattered his nasal bone. His shriek, raw and piercing, echoed through the grand hall.

The onlookers were stunned, eyes wide, mouths agape, faces ashen with horror. Some, unable to bear the brutality before them, could not even look directly at the gruesome scene.

"Xiao Ye dare lay hands even on Zhao Pinghai!"

"Who is this man, that he shows no regard for someone of such stature?"

Everyone felt crushed beneath the oppressive aura that hung around Xiao Ye, as though a god of death had descended among them. None dared to breathe too loudly, only whispering furtively among themselves.

Xiao Ye’s gaze was icy as he stared down at the writhing Zhao Pinghai. Sensing the murderous intent, Zhao Pinghai’s sweat mixed with blood on his brow. Pain and terror contorted his face, his hand trembling violently as he clutched his shattered nose. Yet the fear within him now far surpassed the physical agony.

He began to inch backward, stammering, "I warn you, Xiao Ye—if you kill me today, disaster will surely befall you!"

Though muffled, Zhao Pinghai’s words betrayed a quivering dread.

"Disaster?" Xiao Ye’s face, expressionless until now, broke into sudden laughter. "Let me make something clear: provocation against me is the greatest disaster you could ever invite upon yourself."

As his words faded, a shadow flashed past Xiao Ye. In the blink of an eye, the Red Dragon appeared behind Zhao Pinghai.

Before anyone could comprehend what was happening, the sound of flesh ripping pierced the air. From Zhao Pinghai’s throat erupted a brilliant spray of blood. The Red Dragon, face as cold as ever, drew back his triangular stiletto.

With a single motion, he had driven a gaping wound into Zhao Pinghai’s throat—a savage, gory hole.

For filth like this, Xiao Ye did not even need to dirty his own hands. Any subordinate by his side could take such a head at will.

As hot blood splattered, the crowd shrieked and fell back in terror. Zhao Pinghai clutched desperately at his throat, trying to stem the tide of life ebbing from him. The dagger’s wound had left him voiceless. His face turned deathly pale, his pupils dilated, breath ragged and blood bubbling from his mouth.

Knowing his end was certain, Zhao Pinghai summoned his last strength to rasp out, "Who… who are you?"

"Who the King of Xiao is is none of your concern," Red Dragon replied coldly. "Now die!"

With a ruthless glare, he kicked Zhao Pinghai’s body aside like a dead dog.

Zhao Pinghai expired on the spot.

Panic reached its zenith among the assembled families. Legs quivered, and the grisly spectacle sapped the last of their composure. As Xiao Ye stared at Zhao Pinghai’s corpse, those who regained their senses instinctively tried to escape.

But they had barely taken a few steps before they were surrounded by Red Dragon and his men.

"I don’t recall saying you could leave," Xiao Ye declared, tossing the dagger to the floor. Zhao Pinghai’s blood pooled at his feet, his own face twisted into a cruel smile. The air around him exuded a demonic, awe-inspiring menace.

At this, the final embers of hope flickered out in the hearts of those present. If Xiao Ye dared kill Zhao Pinghai, he would dispatch the rest of them all the more easily.

With a thud, members of each family collapsed to their knees, begging for mercy.

"King Xiao, have mercy on our family! I’ll serve you faithfully for the rest of my days!"

"Spare me, and I’ll surrender all my wealth to your command!"

"I don’t want to die! I had nothing to do with this!"

A chorus of desperate wails erupted through the hall. The once opulent space was transformed into a living hell. Each person wept bitterly, as if burdened by mortal sin, and Xiao Ye stood before them like the judge of the underworld, ready to pronounce their doom.

They looked up at the motionless Xiao Ye, their faces now ghostly white.

His gaze swept over them, a faint smile lingering on his lips before his eyes turned frigid once more.

"You’re all laughable. In the past, when my Xiao family pleaded for mercy, did any of you show us a way out?"

"And so, each and every one of you must die."

His voice was chill incarnate, the word ‘die’ pronounced with finality.

As his sentence fell, Red Dragon moved to carry out the executions.

Realizing Xiao Ye’s intent, panic erupted anew. Some, driven by fear, smashed their foreheads against the ground, heedless of the blood seeping from their wounds, all to beg for Xiao Ye’s mercy.

"King Xiao, please! I was forced into this!"

"I had no part in destroying the Xiao family—please let me live!"

But Xiao Ye’s eyes held not a shred of pity. To him, these people were less than ants—their deaths mattered not at all.

Suddenly, he frowned. Among the crowd, the people of the Huangfu family were conspicuously absent. He scanned the hall again—still none.

The Huangfu clan, ever cunning, must have foreseen his vengeance and fled in advance. Xiao Ye cared nothing for that.

He raised a hand, halting Red Dragon and the others. Drawing up a chair, he sat and addressed the trembling assembly.

"I’ll offer you a bargain: if your families can find the people of the Huangfu clan, I’ll spare your lives."

"But heed me well—they must be useful to me, and you will bring them before me personally."

A cold, merciless smile once more touched Xiao Ye’s lips.

Against the Huangfu family, he would resort to such means. He was eager to witness the coming spectacle of dogs fighting over scraps.