Josef Jefferson collapsed to the ground, lifting his head with a face full of disbelief as he stared at Chris.
“Kid, who are you? I’m from the Jefferson family! If you dare kill me, the Jefferson family won’t let you go!”
Chris shook his head and replied, “Are all Jefferson family members like you? If so, I’m deeply disappointed. So much for being the so-called number one family in Amerosia-what a joke.”
“You…”
Josef Jefferson was furious, but words failed him.
Esther stepped forward, her face cold. “Are you really part of the Jefferson family?”
“Yes, I am,” Josef Jefferson nodded. “Who are you?”
“I’m part of the Jefferson family too,” Esther said sharply. “I’m here to attend the family gathering. If you are truly one of us, I’ll be sure to ask about this later. Has the Jefferson family fallen so far? Running a shady business like this!”
“What? You’re also from the Jefferson family?!”
Josef Jefferson’s face turned pale as he processed Esther’s words. He had heard about the upcoming Jefferson family gathering but, as a mere peripheral member tasked with maintaining order in Jefferson Town, he wasn’t qualified to attend.
Hearing that Esther was going to the gathering, cold sweat immediately poured down Josef’s face.
Thud!
Without hesitation, Josef Jefferson dropped to his knees and pleaded, “Please, don’t tell the Jefferson family about this! I’m just a low-level member, not even worth a speck of dust to them. If they find out about this, I’m as good as dead.”
Thud! Thud! Thud!
He kowtowed repeatedly, begging for Esther’s forgiveness.
Esther snorted coldly. “I’ll spare you this time. But if you dare run another shady business and harm people again, I won’t let you off!”
Josef Jefferson nodded hurriedly. “I swear, I’ll never do it again!”
Watching the scene unfold, Chris shook his head.
Esther was too kindhearted.
If she reported this to the Jefferson family, Josef Jefferson would certainly meet his end. The Jefferson family would never tolerate someone tarnishing their reputation.
Chris glanced at Josef Jefferson and said, “Since my wife has spoken, I’ll let you off this time. Tomorrow, you’ll take us to the Jefferson family. Got it?”
“Yes, yes, absolutely!” Josef Jefferson nodded repeatedly.
With that, Josef Jefferson quickly and carefully left. To ensure Chris and Esther’s safety, he ordered everyone in the hotel to leave, leaving the entire building to them. He even personally stood guard to ensure no one disturbed their rest.
—
The next morning, Chris woke up to find Esther still asleep.
After freshening up, he headed downstairs and saw Josef Jefferson slumped over a table, fast asleep.
Hearing footsteps, Josef immediately woke up.
Seeing Chris, he beamed and asked, “How was your sleep last night?”
Chris nodded. “Not bad. By the way, I’m hungry. Get us two breakfasts.”
“Right away!” Josef Jefferson responded without hesitation and quickly prepared breakfast for them.
After eating, Chris and Esther boarded the car Josef had arranged to take them to the Jefferson family.
The journey from Jefferson Town to the Jefferson family’s location wasn’t short.
The road was mountainous and difficult to traverse, but fortunately, Josef had prepared a Land Rover. Without it, Chris and Esther would’ve been in for a rough time.
After about two hours of driving, they arrived at a small village.
“This is Jefferson Village,” Josef Jefferson announced.
“Huh?”
Chris raised an eyebrow in surprise. There was a Jefferson Village on the East Coast, and now he found another one here.
“Is the Jefferson family really in Jefferson Village?” Chris asked skeptically. “Aren’t they supposed to be the number one family in Amerosia? How can the mighty Jefferson family live in a small mountain village? This has to be some kind of hoax.”
Esther chimed in, “The Jefferson family isn’t in Jefferson Village itself. They’re very mysterious. You’ll understand once we get there.”
Josef drove to the village entrance and stopped.
“This is as far as I can take you. Outsiders are forbidden from entering Jefferson Village,” he explained.
Chris and Esther nodded and got out of the car.
As Chris entered Jefferson Village, he noticed it wasn’t much different from the one on the East Coast. It was just an ordinary small village.
However, he quickly observed that the villagers were all physically robust.
With his discerning eyes, Chris could tell at a glance that these people were trained martial artists. Every single one of them had strength far beyond ordinary folk.
“Sigh,” Esther sighed softly, a hint of nostalgia in her voice. “It’s been over a decade since I last came here. I can’t believe how little has changed.”
Chris asked curiously, “Esther, how do we find the Jefferson family?”
“We’ll start by visiting the village chief,” she replied.
—
Soon, Chris and Esther reached the village chief’s residence.
The chief lived in a large courtyard, the most impressive building in Jefferson Village.
Entering the courtyard, they found an elderly man sitting and brewing tea.
“Hello, we’re here to see the village chief,” Esther said.
The old man looked up and replied, “I’m the village chief. What do you need?”
Esther handed over the Jefferson family’s invitation and said, “We’re here to attend the Jefferson family’s gathering.”
The chief examined the invitation, his expression growing serious. “Follow me,” he said.
The village chief led them to a secluded farmhouse.
Knocking on the door, he announced, “There are two people here with invitations to the Jefferson family.”
“Understood. You can leave now,” came a voice from inside.
Without another word, the village chief turned and left.
The door opened, and an elderly man with white hair stepped out.
Chris’s pupils contracted sharply as he immediately recognized the man’s extraordinary presence. This was no ordinary person-he was a Transcendence-level master.
A small mountain village harboring such a powerful figure was nothing short of shocking.
Esther explained, “Darling, while the Jefferson family is the number one family in Amerosia, they’ve cut ties with the outside world for over a century. To enter the Jefferson family, you must first come to Jefferson Village and go through the village chief. Only then can you reach the Jefferson family itself.”