When Jaxon Rocco finished speaking, he let out a loud sigh, his face filled with fury as he pointed at Liam Rocco and roared, “Liam, didn’t you tell him? Didn’t you explain to them that this has been the Rocco family rule for a century?”
Liam Rocco looked aggrieved and said, “I did, but they wouldn’t listen. And that Cyrus Nightbane is truly despicable. He broke my leg! If the president hadn’t appeared, more people might have died.”
“Cyrus Nightbane, Cyrus Nightbane! Every year, it’s that Cyrus Nightbane. Next year, I won’t let him come! Damn it! Every year, he causes trouble in the Rocco family. Who does he think he is?” Jaxon Rocco shouted heatedly.
Mrs. Rocco said softly, “He won’t be coming next year. He’s dead.”
Hearing this, Jaxon Rocco froze. He stared at Mrs. Rocco and asked, “What did you say? Cyrus Nightbane is dead?”
Mrs. Rocco nodded calmly. “Yes, Cyrus Nightbane is dead.”
“He can’t be dead!” Suddenly, Jaxon Rocco’s expression became pained, as if he’d just learned of a dear friend’s passing.
“He… he can’t be dead!”
Jaxon Rocco kept muttering to himself, questioning why Cyrus Nightbane had died. He seemed genuinely heartbroken and regretful over the news.
“Jaxon, were you close to Cyrus Nightbane?” Mrs. Rocco slowly stepped forward and asked.
Jaxon Rocco shook his head. “No, I didn’t even know him! I just feel sorry for the loss of life. How fragile life is! A person whose name I often heard is now gone, just like that. Doesn’t that make you feel regretful? Ah, to ask why life is so unpredictable, it fills one with endless lament.”
After speaking, Jaxon Rocco raised his head to look at the sky at a forty-five-degree angle, appearing as if he were a vast and profound poet.
“Mr. Rocco, are you afraid of death?” Kayden suddenly asked coldly.
Jaxon Rocco snapped back to reality and turned his sharp gaze toward Kayden. His face darkened instantly.
“Did I give you permission to speak?” he asked sharply.
“When I’m not finished speaking, you have no right to interrupt! Who do you think you are? Do you think you can show off in my house? You killed someone at my auction; you deserve to be punished.”
The word “punished” was delivered with heavy emphasis. After speaking, he raised his hand and pointed viciously at Kayden.
In an instant, the old man’s emotions shifted drastically, revealing his unpredictable and volatile nature.
Wood Faulkner stepped forward, gripping a blade in both hands. “Who do you think you are? Do you think you can punish Mr. Scott from our family?”
As soon as Wood Faulkner made her move, dozens of black-clad, masked assassins wielding curved blades suddenly appeared from nowhere, surrounding them.
Jaxon Rocco sneered. “You dare point a blade at me, young girl! You’ve already killed someone in my house, and now you want to kill me too?”
Mrs. Rocco quickly intervened, saying, “Mr. Scott is my friend. I hope you won’t make things difficult for him. The only reason I brought him here was to plead for his case.”
Jaxon Rocco remained silent, his expression stern, as if he were truly angry.
Seeing this, Mrs. Rocco quickly turned to Wood Faulkner and said, “Miss Faulkner, the family head is no longer angry. You should put your blade away. These guards are here to protect him. If you put your weapon down, they will naturally leave.”
Kayden glanced at Wood Faulkner and said, “It’s fine, Wood Faulkner. Put it away.”
Hearing Kayden’s instruction, Wood Faulkner responded affirmatively and finally lowered her blade.
Jaxon Rocco, being a man of his word, waved his hand and said, “Alright, everyone, stand down.”
At his command, the guards disappeared as quickly as they had appeared.
“Mr. Rocco, you don’t need to worry about Asher Voss coming after you. I’ve already made it clear that I was the one who killed him. If he seeks revenge, it will be against me alone. You can rest assured,” Kayden said calmly.
Jaxon Rocco snorted, visibly displeased, and said, “What kind of nonsense is that? Who said I’m afraid of Asher Voss? Why would I fear him? Who does he think he is? Does he think he’s so impressive? If he has the guts, let him come to my house and find me!”
“I’ll fight him one-on-one! I can take him down with one hand. Why would I be worried? Worried about what? Nothing!” Jaxon Rocco’s anger flared, making him appear as petulant as a child.
Jaxon Rocco’s behavior was peculiar-sometimes a solemn poet, sometimes violently temperamental, and other times childishly defiant.
But as long as he wasn’t afraid of Asher Voss, that was enough. Kayden’s main concern was whether Jaxon would fear Asher.
“Alright, about the matter of you killing someone at my auction! This has angered the spirits of our ancestors. You’ll need to make amends to resolve this. No wonder I’ve been having nightmares lately, dreaming of my ancestors scolding and hitting me. They kept babbling on about something, and now I understand-it was about this!”
Jaxon Rocco snorted again. “Here’s what we’ll do: kneel before the ancestral shrine of the Rocco family and sincerely apologize. After that, this matter will be resolved. Pay for the items you purchased, and then leave!”
This seemed like a reasonable resolution, showcasing Jaxon Rocco’s authority.
However, Kayden was not pleased. He glanced at the Rocco family’s ancestral shrine and shook his head slightly. “Your ancestors may not be able to bear my kneeling. If I kneel, your Rocco family will face even greater trouble.”
No one expected Kayden to say such a thing, not even Mrs. Rocco.
This was already the best possible resolution, and the kneeling was only symbolic, meant for the spirits of the deceased. Many people would have jumped at the chance to pay respects to the Rocco family’s shrine, yet Kayden had outright refused.
“Mr. Scott, what are you saying?” Mrs. Rocco asked, utterly shocked.
Kayden lifted his gaze toward the shrine, his tone heavy with meaning. “What I’m saying is the truth. Your ancestors cannot bear my kneeling. If I kneel, it wouldn’t just harm me-it would destroy your Rocco family.”
Kayden was a figure of immense reputation, a guardian of Seclela’s borders. To have him kneel before the Rocco family’s shrine, to bow before the spirits of the dead-this was not something they could withstand.
“You insolent fool! I see you’d rather drink the penalty wine than take the toast!” Jaxon Rocco completely lost his temper, raising his hand and pointing angrily at Kayden.
But as his furious words fell, the ground suddenly began to shake violently, as if an earthquake had struck. The tremors left everyone unsteady, struggling to keep their balance.
From within the shrine, a deep, beastly roar echoed: “Moo~~~”
The sound was chilling, like the awakening of a ferocious creature.