A manor at the foot of a mountain on the outskirts of Modu. In the grand hall of the manor, a middle-aged man gently put down the phone in his hand.
He wore a brocade cloak adorned with silkworm embroidery, exuding refined elegance. His black hair was meticulously styled, suggesting someone accustomed to high status.
This was Li Jinze, the head of the Li family, revered as the Demon King! Yet, his eyes were currently unfocused, even showing a trace of panic.
"Patriarch, Le'er is back?" a woman asked Li Jinze, her demeanor gentle yet dignified. As the mistress of the Li family, a life of luxury had left few marks of time on her.
For them, in Modu, even dignitaries from the capital treated their family with respect.
This time, their son had been detained. Thinking that the other party was from the Dragon Palace under the Elder Council, and held a general's rank, Li Jinze believed that sending Steward Li would be enough to save face.
"Let's go see the old master," Li Jinze said, casting a brief glance at her before turning to leave.
"Go see the old master?..." The woman was taken aback by Li Jinze's words and quickly hurried to catch up, her expression one of disbelief.
As the mistress of the Li family, she naturally possessed extraordinary insight. Her husband, the current patriarch of the Li family, rarely disturbed the previous generation of leaders. It wasn't just to avoid disrupting their lives, but more importantly, to demonstrate his capability to wield power independently.
Now, Li Jinze's decision to seek out his father held significant implications.
...
On the top floor of the Dragon Palace building, Ye Yun, who had already freshened up, stood solemnly by the floor-to-ceiling window, watching the clouds drift across the sky of Modu. The embers of his cigarette glowed as they moved between his fingers. Ding Yi, filled with a mixture of fear and admiration, stood silently behind him.
"General!" Zhou Ningdong entered, supported by Chen Jiamiao, accompanied by Li Chenxu and a few others.
"The deceased are to be honored as martyrs and buried with full honors. Their families must be well taken care of, ensuring the elderly are provided for and the young are supported," Ye Yun said calmly, turning to face them.
Having witnessed death countless times in his previous life, Ye Yun's present rebirth had etched a deep-seated indifference to life into his soul. However, what unsettled Ye Yun was that these people should not have died like this, or at least not at the hands of their own countrymen.
"General, we have already made arrangements. However, designating them as martyrs might invite criticism, as they were not..." Liu Hai said with some difficulty.
The title of martyr was not bestowed upon everyone but was determined by their deeds in life.
"If I say they are, then they are! If anyone has an objection, tell them to come see me directly!" Ye Yun's voice was more overbearing than ever, his eyes even holding a murderous glint.
"Also, Li Chenxu, make a call to the Ministry of National Defense. If they intend to use the noble families as a weapon to strike at me, then they must be prepared to have their teeth knocked out." Li Le, who was originally the commander-in-chief of the Ministry of National Defense's gold-striking team, had come to the Dragon Palace to cause trouble, which was arguably with their tacit approval.
"Yes!"
"You will be responsible for negotiating with the Li family this time. Land cessions, reparations—in short, they must lose dearly, if not their lives! Our soldiers must not sacrifice in vain! If they wish to see me, tell them to get lost!"
"I want to see results within three days. If I am not satisfied with the outcome after three days, you will bear the consequences!"
Destroying the Li family would be too easy, but the repercussions would be too immense, involving too many vested interests and power struggles. Otherwise, the authorities would have dealt with these noble families long ago.
The reason Ye Yun granted them the authority to negotiate with the Li family was, in essence, to build their prestige and ensure that those in high positions dared not underestimate them.
Judging by their previous attitude towards Li Jianyin, Ye Yun was extremely dissatisfied. In Ye Yun's mind, soldiers, warriors, should be synonymous with unyielding spirit and a fearlessness of death.
"Soldiers should act like soldiers! Proceed with confidence, and I will take responsibility for anything that arises."
"Yes!"
The men looked at Ye Yun with excitement, feeling a newfound sense of backing.
Individuals like them, without wealth or influence, either ended up in sinecures or became dependents, never truly respected by powerful factions.
Although they didn't know the extent of Ye Yun's power, someone who could defy planes and tanks surely wouldn't be weak.
They left, leaving Ye Yun and Ding Yi behind.
"By the way, Sister Ding Yi, have arrangements been made for Uncle and Aunt?" Ye Yun and Ding Yi were now living together, but they rarely saw each other. Ye Yun's meals were delivered by dedicated personnel, so Ding Yi didn't need to cook.
"Th-they have been admitted to Modu General Hospital," Ding Yi replied, her gaze flickering away from Ye Yun's eyes. Her mind, however, was replaying the majestic image of Ye Yun flying through the air.
"Alright, you can go tend to your work if there's nothing else," Ye Yun said. Ding Yi's fear had not escaped his notice, and he could only offer a wry smile. He had originally intended to find time to meet her parents, but now, he had frightened their daughter to this extent.
In the eyes of ordinary people, killing was the most terrifying thing. However, in the next six months, as more and more people manifested their powers, such incidents became commonplace, even beyond the intervention of national forces.
Ye Yun, who had originally planned to prepare and then travel to the Shanhai Realm, had lost all his previous intentions. He simply began to familiarize himself with his manifested power on the balcony.
However, Ye Yun was unaware of the immense shock he had caused in Modu.
The Li family, being at the forefront, contacted Li Chenxu within half an hour and, after a series of negotiations, mobilized overnight to start consolidating their funds.
The Ministry of National Defense's phones also rang incessantly, but Ye Yun refused to answer any of them.
Joke! You've taken advantage of me, and you think a pat on the head will suffice? You find it so difficult to release even a tenth of the annual defense budget? If I don't make you cough up a bit more this time, your methods will have been in vain.
As a reincarnator, Ye Yun understood the current state of national defense all too well. In another year, conventional firearms would gradually become ineffective against "Heavenly Dao Masters," and the current investment would become a complete joke in two to three years.
The next day, a convoy of vehicles discreetly entered the Dragon Palace building's parking lot. Led by an elder, Modu's political figures and heads of major business associations entered the conference room on the 60th floor of the Dragon Palace building. Floors above the 60th were restricted areas for official Dragon Palace members. After the events of yesterday, no one without explicit authorization was allowed to enter, not even the most powerful individuals, as per Ye Yun's command.
After the events of yesterday, Ye Yun had effectively solidified his position within the Dragon Palace. Many even privately referred to him as the Palace Master of the Dragon Palace.