William Wang Jinling was unflappable. When Sean Walker and the other two refused to admit who had let them in, William didn’t press them. He simply cradled his teacup, not sparing the three so much as a glance, and nodded to the assembled crowd—a greeting, but also a warning.
With the Walker clan head alive and returned, everyone present who had sided with William Walker’s uncle were now traitors to the clan—and traitors deserved no mercy.
Seeing his father and loyal supporters covered in blood, William showed neither anger nor concern for their injuries. He simply instructed his guards to escort them to the Walker family medical hall for treatment, fully displaying the fairness and justice of a true clan head.
William’s father and Eighth Grand‑Uncle didn’t say a word. At this point, what was left to misunderstand? Except for Caleb’s injuries, it was clear that everything had unfolded according to William’s calculations.
All the double‑dealing members of the Walker clan surfaced tonight. As patriarch, William couldn’t kill his own clan, but he had a thousand ways to make them wish they were dead.
The men William brought surged into the Walker estate like ghosts, taking away the wounded and infiltrating every corner to root out and subdue each of his uncle’s hidden plants.
Of course, while William’s uncle was being watched, his men weren’t about to surrender quietly. But in the Walker clan, William was king; if you wanted to fight him, you’d have to wait until he ceased to be clan head—or until he died.
The schemes and plotting were over—now it was a contest of strength. William’s men clearly outnumbered and outmatched those of his uncle.
William moved without ostentation or fanfare; the moment he entered the Walker estate, he silently took control. While his uncle was still reeling, William also seized every imperial agent the Emperor had planted in the household, one by one.
“Where did William get his men—are they from the Walker clan’s secret division?” William had the patience to spar with Sean Walker and the others, but Serena Feng had none.
Lying on a rooftop was exhausting. She didn’t have a sniper’s endurance or skill, and she was nearly frozen stiff. If she’d known ‘watching the show’ would be this miserable, she wouldn’t have come.
Ninth Royal Uncle reached out and pulled Serena into his arms. “No, these aren’t from the Walker secret division. William trained them privately—and some of them are mine.”
“So you two actually teamed up? That’s just evil.” With a warm source of heat, Serena finally thawed out a bit, but their actions had already caught the notice of some sharp-eyed onlookers—several people were now glancing their way.
One of William’s guards leaned in to whisper a few words in his ear. William’s expression didn’t change; he simply cleared his throat, and the sound instantly drew everyone’s attention back to him.
“Whew... that scared me.” Serena didn’t even dare to breathe, afraid she’d be discovered. The tension in the Walker household was already suffocating—she really didn’t want to get mixed up in it.
Nolan said nothing, only tightened his hold on her and focused on the drama below. In the Walker main hall, everyone except the few uninvolved elders was cowed by William’s presence.
Don’t be fooled by William’s calm and nonviolent demeanor—just by sitting there, radiating quiet confidence, he stunned everyone into silence.
“Patriarch, perhaps you should declare the banquet open?” At William’s quiet cough, someone immediately tried to smooth things over, hoping he’d let the matter drop—after all, they were all Walkers, and family ties still ran deep.
“The banquet? It’s nearly midnight, so yes, let’s begin. Where’s Seventh Young Master Caleb? Go invite him to join us.” William put on his most agreeable face, but his words only made the whole clan feel more uncomfortable.
William was truly devious. He clearly knew everything, but pretended not to, letting people nurse false hopes—only to shatter them in the end.
“Uh... well...” The mediator was left awkward and speechless.
“What’s the matter? My father was injured at the New Year’s Eve banquet, my brother disappeared at the same event—and yet, as direct heirs, we’re not qualified to be here?” William set his teacup down with a sharp crack, making everyone jump.
“Patriarch...” someone called out miserably. Sean Walker and the others looked even more uncomfortable—elderly men reduced to guilty children, bowing to a junior, yet too afraid to move.
With William alive, everything they’d done tonight amounted to insubordination—practically treason within the Walker clan. Now they could only hope William would show mercy for the sake of shared blood.
“Patriarch? Isn’t it a little late to call me that? When you attacked my father, did you forget I was clan head? When you tortured my brother, did you forget I was the Walker patriarch?” William’s lashes flicked upward as his gaze swept across the crowd.
Some in the hall had stayed neutral, but most had sided with his uncle—the ones who’d plotted to poison him.
Family or not, when they tried to kill him, did they remember he was a Walker too? Thinking of what Nolan said about Caleb’s condition, William’s patience snapped. He waved his hand: “Drag them out. Don’t dirty my floors.”
“Patriarch, please—you can’t kill us! You can’t turn on your own kin! Great-Grandfather, save us!” The moment William spoke, Sean Walker’s descendants fell to their knees, pleading with the white-haired elders, sobbing and sniffling.
Thud, thud, thud—more and more people knelt in the hall. William’s uncle dropped to his knees as well, crying and confessing his guilt.
The white-haired elders remained expressionless. William just smiled without a word, his eyes crinkling but utterly cold. Everyone understood: William’s decision could not be changed.
From William’s words, Sean Walker and the others realized that he knew everything they’d plotted in secret. Yet he could still smile and joke as if nothing had happened—truly, his composure was extraordinary, and deeply frightening.
Sean Walker and his peers struggled to keep from trembling. They knew the old adage: the winner takes all. At this point, whatever William wanted to do, they couldn’t fight back. But just as they braced themselves for death, they discovered...
“Wait, he’s not arresting us?”
William’s men brought out every one of his uncle’s agents who’d been planted among the Walkers, dragging them outside. These people didn’t go quietly—any resistance was instantly subdued.
Soon, all of William’s uncle’s men had been cleared out. His uncle looked utterly defeated, begging for mercy. Serena turned away in disdain—how could someone so incompetent think he could challenge William?
Those who’d sided with William’s uncle rejoiced—until they thought William was letting them off for family’s sake. But then William ordered, “Record their names. Expel these people and their direct descendants from the Walker clan. Tomorrow at the ancestor worship, announce to our ancestors and to all Walkers in the Nine Provinces Realm: these people defied their superiors and are expelled. No Walker shall trouble them further.”
With that, William rose and walked out, leaving the crowd stunned. Only after he’d gone did Sean Walker and the others react, bursting into loud wails.
“Patriarch! Patriarch! We want to see the patriarch!”
“Jinling, Jinling, Uncle was wrong! Uncle was wrong! Please, forgive me!”