Remembering the names they had just so decisively signed, everyone took a deep breath, wishing they could strangle their past selves. This feeling of being played like puppets by Xu Ke was utterly humiliating!

At this time, Ye Yunfeng spoke up, staring at Xu Ke. "The matter concerning Li Lang, Kang Dehui, and the others ultimately has nothing to do with our families. The reason we are still sitting here today, taking responsibility, is not because we were involved. It's because we believe that you and your sister should not suffer such an injustice, and we want to see that you get what you're due. But your sister is ultimately fine, so if you continue to make such an excessive demand… even if our families wanted to give you justice, we couldn't afford it."

Hearing Ye Yunfeng switch his stance so quickly, Xu Ke, Yuan Shang, and Tang Yingchang all laughed. Ye Yunfeng's talent for spouting nonsense was truly top-notch.

Xu Ke said coldly, "So, by your logic, if I were to kidnap your son one day, and Qi Fu claimed she couldn't afford to provide justice, would she also just not pay?"

Ye Yunfeng's expression changed instantly.

"If you can't agree to Xu Ke's proposal, then we'll have to enforce the rules of the Martial Alliance," Yuan Shang chimed in at that moment.

At these words, everyone's faces changed dramatically.

Except for Qian Jun, everyone knew what the Martial Alliance's regulations on kidnapping were. If the rules were truly enforced, even if they avoided being detained by the Martial Alliance, their activities would be severely restricted. Under those regulations, they might even have to report their movements just to leave Tianhai.

If such measures were imposed on the heads of their six great families, it would be a fate worse than death. What if we needed to leave Tianhai for some urgent matter and Xu Ke, in collusion with Yuan Shang, deliberately delayed our departure? Such a scenario, especially for the Ye Family who aspired to dominate Tianhai, was utterly unacceptable!

"Xu Ke..." Huang Zhendong spoke up. "Cut it in half! Our five families will give you one hundred million. That should be generous enough, right?!"

Xu Ke retorted, "Is one hundred million half of three hundred and forty million?"

Huang Zhendong scolded angrily, "You have no right to take the death compensation that the Ye Family owes us."

Xu Ke demanding the ninety million the Ye Family owed us was simply ludicrous! There was no way we would give that up.

"Why do I have no right?" Xu Ke said lightly. "Chang Yi, Sun Luo, and Kang Dehui all apologized to me before they died. They said they shouldn't have provoked me. They had already agreed to give me the money. If the death compensation belongs to them, then it's mine."

Seeing Xu Ke spout such impudent nonsense with such conviction, the group grew even more infuriated.

"In any case, you won't get the death compensation, and the two hundred million you're asking for must also be halved," Huang Zhendong said, blatantly ignoring Xu Ke's words and determined to stick to his guns.

Seeing this, Xu Ke said nonchalantly, "Chief Peng, please recite the regulations. Don't forget, Xu Yi isn't a member of the six great families. They kidnapped a civilian, which is an aggravated offense."

Peng Hetong's face turned pale. He glanced timidly at Ye Yunfeng, not daring to do as Xu Ke instructed.

"Xu Ke, there's no point in arguing with us like this," Ye Yunfeng stepped forward. "Either each family pays you twenty-five million, or we can just forget about it."

Ye Yunfeng was quite pleased with Huang Zhendong's proposal, as it meant his Ye Family would bleed less.

But Xu Ke just scoffed. "Since you're showing so little sincerity, then let's just forget about it. Vice Alliance Leader Yuan, Elder Lin, since they're unwilling to reconcile, let's proceed according to the regulations."

Upon hearing this, everyone's expression shifted instantly.

Huang Zhendong slammed the table. "Xu Ke, you're not satisfied with one hundred million?!"

Yuan Shang began to recite, "According to the rules of the Martial Alliance…"

As Yuan Shang began reading the articles, even Qian Jun, who wasn't in Tianhai, changed color. Members of the Huang and Ye families might be restricted from leaving Tianhai, but Wong Ting's people might not even be able to enter Tianhai at all. Wouldn't Wong Ting lose control over Tianhai then? This was something Wong Ting's faction absolutely could not accept!

In desperation, Qian Jun cried out, "Xu Ke, let's talk again!"

"Thirty million per family! A total of one hundred and fifty million!" Huang Zhendong gritted his teeth.

Xu Ke ignored him and got up to pack his things.

Yuan Shang was still reading, deliberately slowing his cadence to build pressure. "Accomplices in kidnapping will be subject to a one-year observation period. The economic activities of the family in question will be subject to…"

Even Kang Chenghua was getting anxious. "I—I'll put up forty million!"

The Kang Family's strength was relatively weak; if they were also restricted, it would be a fatal blow.

Xu Ke and Tang Yingchang paid them no mind, leaving their seats.

Seeing Huang Zhendong's expression flickering indecisively, Huang Sheng hurriedly called out, "Xu Ke, wait a moment!"

Xu Ke walked straight to the door.

Finally, just as Xu Ke was about to step out, Ye Yunfeng clenched his teeth. "Fifty million! No more!"

The new total came to two hundred and fifty million.

Xu Ke stopped in his tracks and said flatly, "Sixty million per family. Non-negotiable."

"What?!"

The color drained from everyone's faces.

...

Even though Xu Ke had suddenly jacked up the price, causing them unbearable agony, they felt it wasn't impossible to accept compared to the initial three hundred and forty million. To avoid the restrictions, they could only grit their teeth, swallow the blood, and stomach this humiliation.

After all, giving away money was only temporary suffering. But if they were restricted for a year, they would truly be at the mercy of Xu Ke and Vice Alliance Hierarch Yuan Shang, not to mention Lin Zhongtian, who acted like Xu Ke's lapdog in the Martial Alliance!

But it had to be said, having been forced into such a corner by Xu Ke right inside the Martial Alliance was, for these families, quite possibly the most suffocating moment of their lives.

...

After signing the agreement, the representatives from the families hurriedly left the Martial Alliance. As he was leaving, Qian Jun didn't even dare to utter a threat to Xu Ke. He was afraid that a couple of harsh words might lead to further humiliation.

As for Li Lang, he was the last to leave. He shot Xu Ke a complex glance before finally turning away.

...

"HAHAHA."

Yuan Shang sat in his chair, looking at the disorderly signatures of Ye Yunfeng and the others on the agreement, laughing with pure schadenfreude. Xu Ke and Tang Yingchang sat aside, looking somewhat helpless. Yuan Shang had been laughing for almost two minutes.

Seeing their helpless expressions, Yuan Shang forced himself to stop. "Why aren't you two laughing?"

"Is there really anything to laugh about?" Xu Ke asked, touching his nose.

"How is this not funny? Didn't you see Li Shichuan and Kang Chenghua's hands shaking when they were signing?!" As he spoke, Yuan Shang even started imitating them, his right hand shaking uncontrollably as he added, "And then there's that Ye Yunfeng, HAHAHA! I was reading the articles just now, deliberately taking my time just to see their faces. Every single one of them looked as constipated as could be, all sweating bullets from the anxiety…"

After saying that, Yuan Shang exploded into another fit of wild laughter.

Xu Ke was quite helpless. How many years has Yuan Shang been holding this in, to be this triumphant now?

...

After Yuan Shang finished laughing, Xu Ke picked up the agreement. He looked at the numbers written on it, and his lips curled into a slight smile.

A full three hundred million.

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