NOVEL NEXT Chapter 161: Ascension Province (2)
The ancestor took a slow breath as he gently rubbed his long white beard.
After a moment of silent contemplation, he finally spoke, his voice deep and steady like an elder who had witnessed the rise and fall of ages. "There is only one path left for us at this time."
"This city is already under his grasp. Since he stands as its ruler, escaping is nothing more than a fool's dream. With so many members of the Ardent family, even the slightest movement will draw countless eyes."
"The moment we flee, failure will follow."
"Hiding within the mansion is also impossible," the ancestor continued, his tone carrying the calm certainty of someone who had long accepted the cruelty of reality. "The clan-protecting formation is something I personally reinforced over the endless years of our bloodline."
"It can temporarily shield us from his assaults, but once its strength is exhausted, we will be wiped out completely. At best, it grants us a fleeting moment of borrowed time."
"Can we use the secret passage under our family's mansion?" Ignis could not help but ask.
He, along with many members of the Ardent family, knew of the passage beneath the mansion, though none knew where it led. Never once in their history had they needed to use it.
Only the ancestor knew.
The old man shook his head slowly. "That passage leads straight to Sector Two. It took our forebears countless years of quiet digging to reach that far. Even if we were to escape through it, we would be discovered regardless."
"If this were ancient times, where the world lacked technological eyes watching from every corner, we might have slipped away. But now, the moment we emerge, our movements will spread through the Starling like wildfire. We will be exposed instantly."
"Is there truly no way?" Ignis asked, his head drooping even lower.
A cold dread seeped into his heart.
His final strand of hope had now completely snapped.
"There is one way." The ancestor spoke after pausing.
Immediately, everyone's heads turned toward him.
"What is it, Ancestor?" Ignis asked expectantly.
"We submit to Grey Lockhart." The ancestor spoke slowly.
"What?" The family members' expressions instantly changed.
A murmur of disbelief spread through the hall.
One elder stepped forward, his voice trembling. "Ancestor, you cannot mean this. Our Ardent bloodline has stood tall for generations. How can we bend our knee so easily?"
A younger member gritted his teeth. "If we bow now, we will never be able to raise our heads again. We will become a laughingstock."
Another middle-aged Ardent family member clenched his fists. "Submitting to him is no different from accepting our own humiliation. We might as well be proclaiming to the city that we are powerless."
Another elder spoke. "Even if we cannot defeat him, surrendering outright... is this truly the only path?"
Ignis shook his head firmly. "No. Ancestor, we cannot do this. Submission is equivalent to handing over our entire future. If Grey Lockhart wishes to annihilate us, nothing will stop him."
"You must have seen his powers yourself."
"We would rather struggle than serve. Isn't this what you have taught us, Ancestor?" another member asked.
"Enough." The ancestor spoke out, and a terrifying fluctuation erupted from him.
Ignis's expression changed when he felt the fluctuation.
"This... Ancestor... late-stage of second rank?"
"Yes." The ancestor nodded his head. "I managed to cross the threshold and reach late-stage."
However, hearing this, no one was in the mood to congratulate him.
Something far heavier weighed on them.
The ancestor observed everyone in the hall closely.
Some wanted to follow the rules he had set himself, some cared about the face of the family, and some about their status.
The ancestor, who had survived for a long time, understood the world far more than they did.
Humans were fickle beings. Even when death loomed over their heads, they would still cling to their power, their status, and their pride.
However, for now, they had to forget about their pride and the pride of the family.
He then continued speaking now that everyone had quieted down. "This is the only way to survive."
"If we submit to Grey Lockhart, it is most likely that he will not do anything to us as long as we conduct ourselves properly. Our family may even offer him benefits he cannot easily obtain elsewhere."
The ancestor's voice grew steadier as he listed them.
"First, our family has deep roots in this city. We control networks, information channels, and long-standing relationships he has yet to grasp. If he takes us in, he gains these instantly without lifting a finger."
"Second, our clan may not be the strongest, but our foundation is stable. Our businesses, industries, and connections stretch across multiple sectors. With us under him, Grey Lockhart's influence will expand far faster."
"If we manage to convince him, then we can survive another day."
"Still... submitting to our enemy. Ancestor, he killed your son!" Ignis could not help but say.
His own blood had died under the hands of the same person they were trying to submit to.
How could the ancestor have the heart to submit after all this?
The Ardent family prioritized blood over everything.
Of course, that was not the ancestor's true intention.
"You fools." The ancestor shook his head. "You think I will forgive him for what he did to my son?"
The entire mansion began to shake slightly, the ancestor showing an angered expression for a split second.
But it vanished quickly and was replaced by seriousness.
"We are only submitting in name," he said as he stroked his long white beard. "The world has always operated on a single truth: the one who endures today decides tomorrow."
"We will bow, yes, but only with our heads. Our hearts will remain our own. We will move like loyal servants on the surface, showing humility, obedience, and respect."
"This facade will grant us something far more precious than pride, time."
"Understand this well. A family that acts impulsively is a family that dies. A family that knows how to hide its fangs, how to let the enemy believe they have tamed the beast, can grow stronger right under their eyelids."
"While Grey Lockhart believes us subdued, we will rebuild our foundation, nurture our younger generation, and wait for the tides of fate to shift."
"And when the time is right, we will directly strike him."
The family members, who had rejected the idea of submission just moments ago, froze.
An elder who had been loudly opposing the plan earlier let out a slow breath. "Ancestor, I see now. This is not surrender. This is strategy. If this is your true intention, then your earlier words make sense."
Another middle-aged member nodded, a spark of realization in his eyes. "I misunderstood, Ancestor. I thought you were asking us to bow our heads forever. But if we are only enduring to rise later, then this path is acceptable."
A younger member of the family who had protested the loudest bowed his head. "Forgive my earlier words. I spoke out of emotion. If this is the plan, then I wholeheartedly support it."
An elder woman stepped forward, her expression firm. "For the Ardent family to survive, we must adapt. If we must feign loyalty to survive the storm, then so be it."
And so, the Ardent family began to construct their plan.
Now, whether it would work or not depended on Grey himself.