Peter Jefferson’s wake was held in the ancestral hall of Jefferson Village. He had lived his entire life without children or a spouse, residing in the ancestral hall. At this moment, Peter Jefferson lay peacefully in a large red coffin, having passed away without any pain.
Chris Shelby approached, his heart filled with mixed emotions. Although he knew that birth, aging, sickness, and death were natural cycles no one could escape, and Peter Jefferson had lived to be a hundred years old with signs of his impending departure seen during their last meeting, the permanent separation still weighed heavily on Chris. He remembered the first time he met Peter Jefferson, a robust man who alone could match the strength of ten bulls. But now, Peter lay motionless in his coffin, never to rise again.
Chris Shelby lit a stick of incense and whispered softly, “Peter, I’ve come to see you…” Without saying much more, not knowing what else to say, he placed the incense in the burner and respectfully bowed three times. As the Primus, Chris Shelby, who knelt only to heaven and earth and had never knelt even to Master William, now knelt in mourning for Peter Jefferson, a man he deeply respected. It was only right to bow to the deceased.
Following him, Harold Jefferson and Marie each offered incense to Peter Jefferson. Harold, tears streaming down his face, was visibly heartbroken. If anyone was profoundly affected by Peter Jefferson’s death, it was Harold Jefferson. Though their relationship was that of master and apprentice, Harold had always regarded Peter as his own father.
Stewart, standing by, was also deeply distressed. Since Peter’s death, the whole Jefferson Village had changed. When Peter was alive, no one dared to cause trouble. But now, with Peter gone and a new village chief in place, Jefferson Village had descended into chaos.
“Stewart, you better come out now, or I’ll kill you!” shouted a voice outside at that moment, disrupting the silence of the wake.
Hearing the noise, Chris Shelby frowned and strode outside, his eyes flashing with a cold light. Who dared to cause trouble at Peter’s wake? Outside, a large crowd gathered at the entrance of the ancestral hall, led by a portly man-David, the new village chief of Jefferson Village. David, formerly a gang leader in Jefferson Village, had never dared to act out while Peter was alive. However, following Peter’s death, through unknown means, David had become the village chief.
After taking office, David immediately set his sights on reopening the abandoned coal mine of Jefferson Village, once the pillar of the local economy but shut down by Peter Jefferson due to environmental concerns. His proposal met resistance from Stewart and others, leading David, in a fit of anger, to have Stewart’s house burned down.
Just yesterday, upon hearing that a few people had arrived in Jefferson Village, David, feeling uneasy, came to check things out.
“David, you burned down my house, and now you show up here?” Stewart could hardly contain his anger upon seeing David.
David smirked proudly and said, “Stewart, I heard your son and daughter are back. If I’m not mistaken, your daughter Marie is in her twenties and studying at university. I have a son around her age, so I’ve come here specifically to ask for her hand in marriage.”
David’s marriage proposal was a ruse; his true intention was to gauge Stewart’s strength and weaknesses. David had heard that Stewart’s son, Harold Jefferson, was a disciple of Peter Peter Jefferson, and was highly skilled in martial arts. Without a doubt, Harold Jefferson was the biggest threat to David in the entire Jefferson Village. If David’s son married Marie, then his family would be allied through marriage with Stewart’s family. By then, David would have significant influence over Jefferson Village. Indeed, David had meticulously calculated his moves.
Stewart, visibly annoyed, said, “David, give up already. My daughter will never marry your son! You defy Peter’s last wishes by reopening the mines, and as long as I breathe, I will thwart your schemes!”
At these words, David’s expression darkened. He sneered, “Stewart, I advise you to be wise. Last time, I only burned down your house. I can’t guarantee what might happen next if you don’t agree.”
David was determined to continue mining, as the coal mine could generate millions of dollars for him annually. However, Stewart, that despicable man, had always been a thorn in his side. If it weren’t for fearing Stewart’s son Harold Jefferson, who was highly skilled in martial arts, David would have already taught Stewart a harsh lesson.
At this point, Chris Shelby’s expression was extremely grim. Chris Shelby could hardly believe that a mere village chief like David could be so arrogant. Across all of Amerosia, there were probably many more like David. If everyone acted like David, what would become of the common people of Amerosia? No wonder Master William always said it was necessary to tackle both tigers and flies. Sometimes, these flies were even more despicable than the big tigers!
Chris Shelby had just dealt with a Justin Smith, and now David had emerged. Very well! It seemed time to cleanse the social atmosphere of the East Coast.
Chris Shelby stepped forward, his face stern, “David, as the village chief of Jefferson Village, instead of seeking the welfare of your villagers, you set fire to their homes and now threaten them. Aren’t you afraid of retribution?”
“Are you Chris Shelby?” Upon seeing Chris Shelby, David’s face turned even grayer.
As a resident of Jefferson Village, how could David not recognize Chris Shelby? After all, Chris Shelby had resolved many crises in Jefferson Village before. To them, Chris Shelby was a great benefactor. David had not expected Chris Shelby to show up, and now he was sweating profusely!
Chris Shelby stared intently at David, “David, as the village chief of Jefferson Village, you’ve burned down villagers’ homes. Do you understand the gravity of your crimes?”
“I…” David was speechless in the face of Chris Shelby’s interrogation.
Meanwhile, David’s son Evan stepped forward, his face full of disdain, “Dad, don’t be afraid of him! Did you forget? My sister is the lady of Greensands’ leader! Chris Shelby might be powerful on the East Coast, but as the saying goes, even a mighty dragon cannot crush a local snake. This is Jefferson Village, and Chris Shelby has no right to run wild here!”
At that moment, David’s eyes lit up. Indeed, thanks to his daughter, David had become the new village chief of Jefferson Village.