In Jiangnan, the Harvey Residence was shrouded in a deep atmosphere of desolation.
The patriarch, George Harvey, sat expressionless at the head of the room, in front of him, ten urns were lined up across the table.
At the side stood a general in military camouflage uniform, adding a solemn element to the scene. He opened the death notices in his hands, carrying a serious expression on his face.
"Adrian Harvey, 48 years old, fell in battle on July 28 in the Northern district, no remains were recovered.”
“Arthur Harvey, 43 years old, fell in battle on July 28 in the Eastern district, no remains were recovered.”
“Harry Harvey, 27 years old, fell in battle on July 28 in the Southern district, no remains were recovered.”
“Elijah Harvey, 26 years old, fell in battle on July 28 at the Southeastern front, no remains were recovered.”
...
After ten death notifications were read aloud, an eerie silence filled the room.
The ten loyal members spanning three generations of the Harvey family had all been killed in different war zones of Great Country on the same day, virtually wiping out the family. Such a heartbreaking circumstance made the air in the entire residence feel stifling.
Boom! Boom!
Above the Harvey Residence, thirty-six fighter jets roared as they circled in the air, while a nineteen-gun salute sounded to accompany the dirge. The alarms were sounded throughout the process, the flag was flown at half-mast, all to honor the Harvey family’s fallen heroes.
And yet, none of it could change the tragic end that had befallen the loyal and courageous members of the Harvey family.
"General Harvey, the enemy's plans this time was too meticulous. We did not anticipate such a tragedy unfolding... My condolences...," The three-star general, Jacob Knight, bowed deeply towards George, his voice slightly ragged.
Ten prodigies of the Harvey family had all fallen on the same day in six different war zones of Great Country.
Even a fool knows, there's no such coincidence in this world!
This is a "root-out" operation directed at the Harvey family!
He glanced at William behind George, the last remaining scion of the Harvey family!
Five years ago, William was the top prodigious talent in Great Country, but after a car accident, William turned into a fool.
At this moment, William, looking foolish, held a pink piglet named Peiqi in his arms, seemingly completely unaware of what had really transpired.
What the crowd didn't notice was that a streak of golden light suddenly appeared on a jade pendant on William's chest. It emitted a faint cracking sound as an even layer of cracks formed on the jade pendant, causing it to shatter on the spot. A few streaks of golden light shot out from the jade pendant and quickly disappeared into William's body.
In an instant, a hint of wisdom flashed in the bewildered eyes of William.
"Damn! I can't believe I've sealed myself for five years...speechless..."
Five years ago, at 15, William had already stepped into the path of martial arts, breaking through the energetic barrier, seizing control, surpassing the master realm, and becoming the undeniable top prodigy among Great Country's younger generation.
Yet when William was researching how to break through to the Great Master realm using rune seals, he was suddenly hit by a car and under bizarre circumstances trapped two of his three souls and six of his seven spirits in the jade pendant on his chest, leaving just one soul and one spirit to sustain his body in a state of confusion for five years.
Incomplete soul and spirit, all abilities lost, intelligence fell to that of a child of seven or eight.
Thus, in the eyes of others, William appeared to be a complete idiot after the car accident.
However, William himself was clear that this was merely because his soul and spirit had been temporarily sealed. Without any external help, he could only wait for the Soul Locking Seal to lose its effect. Alas, that wait lasted five years.
With the return of his three souls and seven spirits, William's intelligence and talent instantly recovered, and his previously lost abilities had now levelled up beyond the master realm, reaching the peak of the Great Master realm. In all of Great Country, he could at least rank among the top ten.
Looking at the ten urns before him, William's face darkened to the extreme.
The ten urns, three of them respectively belonged to William's uncle, second uncle, and third uncle, and the remaining seven, belonged to his seven elder brothers from the third generation!
Standing behind the seven urns of the brothers, there were seven breathtakingly beautiful women dressed in simple clothes.
These were the seven sisters-in-law who had not yet entered the family!
The eldest sister-in-law, Charlotte Morgan, was the top female warrior of the Great Country, the mightiest amongst the younger generation!
The second sister-in-law, Scarlett Morris, was the daughter of one of the four leading families in Amsterdam City, the Morris's. Her financial resources were substantial and her influence spread throughout the Great Country.
The third sister-in-law,Ava Scott ,was a superstar dominating the international scene and the goddess in the hearts of countless stay-at-home guys.
...
The seventh sister-in-law, Isabella, was the daughter of the Camden family, a prestigious medical family in the southwest. She held a dominant position in the pharmaceutical industry.
With the seven brothers falling in battle, these sisters-in-law who had not yet married into the family did not forget their bond and had all come to attend the funeral, which moved William.
"Hold the funeral!"
At the high seat, Grandfather George sternly reprimanded and the sisters-in-law, holding the urns, walked towards the outside of the courtyard!
Now, the vast open space outside the Harvey family’s courtyard was already filled with people.
The old general had spent his life in service, yet the Harvey family had wound up in such a state.
Everyone was sighing in regret!
"Everyone, the sons of the Harvey family have sacrificed their lives for the country… they died honorably... As long as I am here, the Harvey family will not fall…" George walked to the podium and spoke a few words into the microphone.
But halfway through his speech, George could no longer continue. The proverb "the elderly sending off the young" rang true for the Harvey family, who had been almost completely wiped out. As an elder on his last legs, George was on the brink of collapse.
Choked with emotion, George took a moment to regain his composure. As he looked at William standing beside him, he felt a slight relief from the overwhelming pressure in his heart.
William was George's only hope. Yes, he was simple-minded, but at least he was alive.
Sigh!
He no longer harbored expectations of his accomplishments. After the funeral, they would hasten to arrange his marriage with the Griffiths family so as to continue the Harvey family's lineage.
Even if he couldn’t provide offspring, marrying their princess would ensure William's safety after his death as Griffiths family would look out for him.
The look on George’s face tugged at the heartstrings of everyone at the scene.
"Alas! Poor general, it's not easy for him. The Harvey family made great contributions to the establishment of the empire, and now this..."
"Absolutely! A whole family of ten grand marshals all perished in an attack on the same day - that's too abnormal!"
"They're planning to end the Harvey line for good, and there must be a traitor involved - someone from the upper echelons!"
"Hush! Not so loud, do you want to bring trouble your way?"
In the midst of the hullabaloo, two figures were seen quickly making their way to the stage.
"Ladies and Gentlemen! We’re sorry for the interruption. While everyone is here, Master Griffiths and I would like to make an announcement on behalf of Rain Princess…”
The person who walked onto the stage was Ebenezer, the second eldest of the Griffiths family, and trailing behind him was the Griffiths family's princess, Isla!
"Everyone knows that our Griffiths family was engaged to the Harvey family! But now... William has become a fool, and our Griffiths family has decided... to cancel the engagement. We request approval from the elders!" With the microphone in his hand, Ebenezer announced the news nonchalantly.
These words were undoubtedly a heavy bombshell at the scene.
This caused an immediate stir among everyone present!
What?
The Harvey family had encountered such a great disaster, and the Griffiths family was seeking to annul the marriage at this time?
How was this different from kicking someone when they were down?
“Too harsh! Is the Griffiths family so eager to sever ties with the Harvey family?”
“Ah, it’s probably because the Griffiths family is also scared. With the Harvey family brought low, their rivals will surely make a move against those families closely related to the Harvey family next. If the Griffiths family doesn't annul the marriage, they might be the first to get purged!”
“But they don't have to rush it, what would the old Master Harvey think?”
Swish!
All eyes turned to George, their faces full of concern.
“You…”
Pfft!
Just as George was about to speak, he spat out a mouthful of fresh blood and staggered backward.
The nearly eight-decade-old Master Harvey had finally collapsed!
This marriage annulment from the Griffiths family had become the last straw that broke George's back.
