Chapter 7: Kneel Or Die

Words : 2104 Updated : Mar 7th, 2024

"Mom, it's really Benjamin!" Yelena nodded fervently, her voice trembling with excitement. "Benjamin is back!" Sonya's tears flowed freely as if she feared this was all a dream. To reassure herself, she pinched her arm hard, and once she confirmed it wasn't an illusion, she pulled both Benjamin and Yelena into a tight embrace, crying out in relief. "Benjamin, I thought I would never see you again!" "Yelena, it really is your brother. It really is him..." Sonya kept repeating the same words, and it took a long while before she finally let go of them. Her joy was overwhelming. This was the happiest moment she had experienced in recent years. "Hurry, Benjamin! Today is your twentieth birthday. Sit down, and I'll go buy a cake right away," Sonya said, taking off her apron and getting ready to head out. Although Benjamin tried to stop her, he couldn't change her mind, so he decided to go with her. "Happy birthday to you!" "Happy birthday to you!" "..." The three of them sat together, singing the birthday song peacefully and harmoniously. Benjamin chose not to mention anything about his grandfather, father, or Jasper for the time being. It wasn't the right moment to bring it up. Yelena and Sonya also remained silent on the matter. They all simply enjoyed the warm and joyful moment together. After dinner, once they had finished washing the dishes, Sonya hesitated for a long time before finally speaking. "Benjamin, there's something I need to tell you. Your grandfather and..." "Mom, I already know. I've been to the Shaw family villa and met Jasper." Benjamin interrupted his mother and briefly recounted what Jasper had told him. Then, with a sudden thud, he knelt before her. "Mom, I'm sorry. I came back too late, and you've suffered because of it!" "Benjamin, get up quickly!" Sonya hurriedly helped him to his feet. "It's not too late. As long as you're back, that's all that matters. It's not your fault. The Thornton family would've acted even if you hadn't disappeared. Your absence just gave them the excuse they needed." "Jasper didn't hurt you, did he?" Sonya anxiously examined Benjamin for any signs of injury. Only after confirming he was unharmed did she breathe a sigh of relief. "It seems Jasper still has some conscience left. Ever since your grandfather and father passed away, he's changed—becoming arrogant and overbearing. To curry favor with the Thornton family, he even married Elias' daughter, who's nearly forty, and used devious means to seize everything from the Shaw family..." As she spoke about Jasper, Sonya sighed deeply. He had been such a smart and lovable child when he was younger, but in just a few years, he had transformed into someone entirely different. "Mom, he was always that kind of person deep down. He just never had the opportunity to show it." From the moment Jasper sent four warriors to kill him, Benjamin had seen through him completely. "I will reclaim everything that belongs to the Shaw family!" "Benjamin, you and Yelena are my greatest treasures. As long as the two of you are safe, that's all I care about. As for the Shaw family's possessions, what does it matter if they're given to Jasper?" Sonya said lovingly, holding one of Benjamin's hands and the other of Yelena's. Of course, she wanted to reclaim what had been taken, but compared to her children, nothing else mattered. "By the way, Benjamin, where have you been these past four years? Why couldn't we find you no matter how hard we tried?" Yelena asked, curiosity filling her voice. "It's a long story," Benjamin began. "In short, four years ago, I was enjoying a meal and singing with a good friend when an old man suddenly appeared and took me away. He brought me to a mountain, claiming I was a rare cultivation genius, and insisted that I train to achieve immortality..." "Immortality?" Yelena burst out laughing. "Benjamin, are you kidding? There's no such thing as immortals. Even those powerful warriors don't dare to claim they're immortal." "No matter what you've been through these past four years, I can tell you've endured a lot." Sonya's maternal instincts were strong, and she could see that her son had suffered. "If you don't want to talk about it, that's okay. It's all in the past now." Benjamin was about to explain further when suddenly, his mother was seized by a violent coughing fit. Her face turned pale, and it seemed as though she might cough out her very lungs. She was in great pain. Benjamin quickly patted her back and asked urgently, "Mom, what's wrong?" "It's nothing, just a minor issue," Sonya waved her hand, trying to reassure him. But Benjamin was concerned. Despite her attempt to downplay her symptoms, he activated his eye technique and examined her condition through her skin and bones. What he saw shocked him to the core. His mother had lung cancer. And it was already in the middle stage. "Mom, have you had a medical check-up?" Benjamin asked, his voice filled with concern. "No need for a check-up. I'm perfectly fine," Sonya smiled, trying to dismiss his worries. "Alright, it's getting late. I have to go to work, and Yelena needs to go to school. You stay home and get reacquainted with the neighborhood. When I get off work tonight, we'll buy you some essentials. Oh, by the way, Benjamin, do you have a phone? Let's exchange numbers." "I do." Benjamin smiled. His time as a live-in son-in-law hadn't been entirely in vain; at least Meena had bought him a basic phone. Once his mother and sister had left, Benjamin made up his mind. He would head straight to the Thornton family. He had three tasks to accomplish next. First, help his mother heal. Second, visit Meena's house and bring Betty out to repay her for the care she'd shown him over the past six months. Third, deal with the Thornton family. Of these, the matter with the Thornton family was the most pressing. This family dominated Jatonville, and if he didn't resolve this issue, they might target his mother and sister. He had to take the initiative to confront them and eliminate any future threats. Meanwhile, at the Thornton family estate... The entire estate was shrouded in a somber atmosphere, with nearly a thousand people gathered. The reason being Elias's son-in-law and most trusted henchman, Jasper, was dead. Nearly all the key figures had been summoned to the Thornton family's council hall. In the center of the hall lay the bodies of Jasper and four top-tier warriors. Behind the corpses knelt over a hundred people. These were all from the Shaw family and had witnessed Jasper's death firsthand. On either side of the hall stood various important members of the Thornton family, including Jasper's wife, York. Each face was solemn, grim with rage and disbelief. "Father, that boy has insulted our Thornton family! We must avenge Jasper's death!" York shouted furiously, her anger barely contained. "Enough!" Elias waved his hand, silencing her. He turned to the family physician, who was examining the wounds on Jasper and the others. "What do you make of this? What's your assessment?" "Judging by the wounds, except for Jasper, all the others were killed instantly with a single blow to the heart," the physician said slowly. "The person who did this is very powerful." Elias already knew. He had personally sent those four warriors, who were considered the backbone of the Thornton family. They earned hefty salaries and were unmatched in strength. Anyone capable of killing them was certainly no ordinary foe. "Benjamin... The one from the Shaw family who disappeared four years ago?" Elias, still vigorous and commanding at sixty-five, looked down at the hundred people kneeling before him like an emperor. "Did he only kill Jasper? Did he say anything else?" "He did!" The leader of the bodyguards spoke up. "Master, he also said that the Thornton family should prepare themselves because he would come to settle the scores!" "Hmph, how bold of him! To kill a member of our family and still dare to come to our door!" At this point, the Thornton family steward, Sam, stood up and requested, "Master, please allow me to take a team and drag him back to kneel and beg for forgiveness! The Thornton family hasn't made a move in years, and people think they can trample on us?" "No need for that. I'm already here." A drifting voice echoed through the hall, carrying an aura of overwhelming power. Suddenly, a sword was seen piercing through the Thornton family's gate. Boom! In an instant, the gate exploded, crumbling into dust. At the same time, a tall figure descended from the sky, landing with a thud on the square outside the Thornton family's council hall. "I am Benjamin Shaw of the Shaw family, here to settle the scores with the Thornton family!" With his hands in his pockets, Benjamin walked step by step toward the council hall. The verdant sword flew back into his hand, seemingly of its own accord. "From now on, everyone in the Thornton family will kneel and offer their respects to my grandfather's spirit in heaven. Anyone who refuses will be killed without mercy!"

Chapter 7: Kneel Or Die

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