“What?”
Everyone was stunned.
No one could believe it. The mighty Honor Noire, head of the Noire family, had actually agreed with Chris.
With just a single sentence from Chris, the Shelby family and the Nance family were elevated to the ranks of the prestigious Top Ten Noble Families.
For the Gallatin and Bissbort families, this news hit like a thunderclap.
Only moments ago, they had secured their positions as part of the new Top Ten Noble Families. But now, within seconds, they were cast back to their original place.
The entire hall was filled with shock. Every gaze turned toward Chris.
Some eyes burned with anger. Others brimmed with schadenfreude. Many were conflicted.
The Gallatin and Bissbort families were, without a doubt, the most furious of all.
For the families that had never had a shot at the top ten, however, there was a flicker of twisted satisfaction.
Yannick Gallatin fumed. “Chris, on what grounds can you make the Shelby family and the Nance family part of the Top Ten Noble Families?”
The Gallatin family had sacrificed a fortune to climb into the top ten. They had spent at least a billion dollars just to secure votes from the prominent families.
And now, with a mere sentence from Chris, all their efforts had turned to smoke.
Chris glanced at Yannick Gallatin, his face full of disdain. “On what grounds? Because my fists are bigger than yours. Last time, your son Howl Gallatin offended me, and I haven’t even settled that score with your Gallatin family yet. If you’re unhappy, come find me. I’ll be waiting.”
Chris swept his gaze over everyone in the room and said, “I’ve already made it clear. The Shelby family and the Nance family are now among the Top Ten Noble Families. Those who agree are my friends. Those who disagree are my enemies. Decide for yourselves whether you want to be my friend or my foe.”
Arrogant.
Indescribably arrogant.
Never had anyone seen someone as brazen as Chris.
The people in the hall were no ordinary individuals-they were the heads of Middleton’s most powerful families.
With a single word, they could shake all of Middleton.
But Chris didn’t care.
Though they were seething with anger, they were helpless.
Chris was simply too powerful. None of them could stand against him.
No one dared to challenge him. The Frost family had already been a glaring example.
While the Gallatin and Bissbort families were consumed with rage, the other families were indifferent.
After all, it didn’t matter to them who joined the top ten. They had no hope of reaching those heights anyway.
The heads of the Gallatin and Bissbort families were so furious they felt like spitting blood.
They had never imagined things would turn out this way.
Yannick Gallatin turned to Honor Noire and pleaded, “Mr. Noire, you must stand up for us!”
The Gallatin family had long been loyal lapdogs of the Noire family.
Their ascension to the Top Ten Noble Families had been a direct result of the Noire family’s support.
Honor Noire’s face was grim. He had only agreed to Chris’s demand because he feared Chris’s strength. Otherwise, he never would have capitulated.
The Noire family had suffered significant losses in previous confrontations with Chris.
His son, Blake Noire, had been utterly crippled by Chris.
Not long ago, Eagle Noire and Eamon Rivers had led a large force of Noire family cultivators and Dragon Order members in a nighttime assault on Emberwood Estate.
Only Eagle Noire had escaped. Everyone else had been wiped out.
That disaster had left Honor Noire deeply shaken.
It made him realize just how terrifying Chris’s power was.
When Chris later destroyed the Frost family, Honor Noire could do nothing but turn a blind eye.
This voting assembly had been part of Honor Noire’s plan to have the Gallatin and Bissbort families fill the vacant spots left by the Frost and Sterling families.
But Chris had intervened.
What had seemed like a done deal had been overturned. The Shelby and Nance families had taken the Gallatin and Bissbort families’ places.
Honor Noire took a deep breath and said, “Chris, it’s not up to me alone to decide if the Shelby and Nance families join the Top Ten Noble Families. The other families must vote.”
Chris scanned the room and asked, “Does anyone object to the Shelby and Nance families becoming part of the Top Ten Noble Families?”
Silence.
Utter silence.
No one dared to speak.
It was the worst possible time to open their mouths.
To object was to offend Chris.
To agree was to offend the Noire family.
Everyone present was shrewd enough to keep their opinions to themselves.
Chris smirked. “Since no one is speaking, I’ll take that as unanimous agreement. The Shelby and Nance families are now officially part of the Top Ten Noble Families.”
Honor Noire’s face darkened. He hadn’t expected that not a single family would stand against Chris.
It was a testament to how terrifying Chris had become in their eyes. To them, he was a god of slaughter.
For the Gallatin and Bissbort families, this was a nightmare. Not only had they lost their coveted spots, but they had also become a joke across all of Middleton.
Seeing no objections from the other families, the Gallatin and Bissbort families had no choice but to swallow their anger.
Chris was Amerosia Primus, unmatched in power and influence.
Even the Frost family had been shattered by him. Who would dare oppose him now?
Candace beamed with gratitude. “Chris, thank you!”
She knew the Nance family owed it all to Chris.
This was the start of a new era for the Nance family.
The voting assembly concluded.
The Shelby and Nance families rose to the ranks of the Top Ten Noble Families.
The Gallatin and Bissbort families, meanwhile, were left as disgraced laughingstocks.
Through this assembly, Chris had successfully planted two allies within the Top Ten Noble Families.
From now on, it wouldn’t be so easy for the Top Ten Noble Families to band together against him.
—
“Chris, you bastard!”
“You ruined my family’s dreams! You cost us everything! I’ll never forgive you!”
Crash! Smash! Bang!
Back at the Gallatin estate, Yannick Gallatin rampaged through the house, destroying everything in sight.
The servants trembled in fear, not daring to speak.
“This won’t end here,” Yannick growled, his face twisted with rage. “I’ll make you pay for this, Chris!”
The Gallatin family had sacrificed too much for this assembly.
And yet, it had all been for nothing. Chris had singlehandedly crushed their hopes.
Nothing would ease Yannick’s fury until Chris was dead.