Chapter 347：Decline

Old Fulin said in a sad tone: "It's useless. We are way too thin and weak in comparison to Mellon consortium. They have long prepared for this ocassion and haven't left any defects. I have carefully read the contract. Even if we cut off tied with Jake and expel him from the family our family is still liable for the debt. It is according to the laws of magistrate. It's a loophole used by forces such as Mellon to attack others. I used to force him out to see if that knight was aware of this... But I'm afraid he has done so deliberately... "

Sander was confused: "Father, is there really no other way?"

Old Fulin whispered: "We can only rely on him. I hope that Dean returns as soon as possible. Perhaps then we may be able to counterattack. Otherwise... "

Sander sat down on the chair in silence as he grabbed onto his hair.

In the afternoon.

Old Fulin slowly went down the stairs and came to the hall. Jake and his childred quietly went down too. Everyone stood up as they looked at Old Fulin who was the pillar of the family. Sander's wife slowly stepped out but she was hesitant and didn't say anything.

Old Fulin stood on soft carpet as he glanced at the faces of everyone in the hall. He slowly said: "Ladies and gentlemen.. Go and pick your luggage as we will be living outside for a while. We will give up the castle."

The hall was silent.

No one expected Old Fulin to bear Jake's guilt at such a critical moment. But no one was willing for the family to shoulder such huge debt with high daily interest. Moreover contract meant that they will be like slaves from generation to generation. Future members of the family will bear a huge debt and in a few years the family will completely decline. Even their aristocratic status would be taken away!

After a brief silence someone shouted out.

"Master, the money is owed by the third master. You can't make us all bear the debt... "

"Master, we beg you please expel the third master... "

One cry after another echoed in the hall.

Jake and his children were surprised, angry and nervous as they stood behind Old Fulin. Although there was an infighting within the family but everything was trivial. They had sat and eaten behind the same table for many years and now everything was asking Old Fulin to cut them off! They were sending them to death!

Jake clenched his fists. He hated Mellon consortium and those who pleaded for his expulsion. But he hated that genius architect. Although the boy had brought hope and prosperity to Ryan family but he was a victim and sacrifice of the battle that took in the shadows!

He hated everyone!

Old Fulin's face turned ugly as he hit the pestle onto the ground. The crying stopped as he spoke in a cold tone: "Do you really think that if the third young master is expelled the family will be able to survive? The enemy wants to ruin and destroy us! Are you stupid? Do you want to kill each other before the enemy acts? Stupid!" He coughed severly as he talked.

Sander grabbed onto his father as he stroked old patriarch chest.

Jake also came forward to help but was stopped by Old Fulin.

A middle-aged woman came forward and said: "Father its all because of Mellon consortium's battle with that genius architect. It has nothing to do with us. He has made the invention but haven't even sold to our family! Why should we become ghosts in his stead? Why don't you find him for help? Why doesn't he come forward as we face such a big trouble?"

Old Fulin turned angry as he heard his daughter's words.

Sander tried to appease his father as he shouted: "Shut up! Stop uttering nonsense! What are you even talking about? He didn't sell it to us because we aren't able to manufacture such an invention. The product will rot in our hands! At the present he has gone outside the giant wall to build a stronghold for our consortium and he hasn't come back yet. We will move to his castle to live! Stop uttering nonsense! Do you want to destroy our family?"

The hall was speechless after his words.

The middle-aged woman was startled as she bowed her head and didn't continue to talk.

Old Fulin coughed as he looked up at crowd. There was a trace of disappointment in his face as he whispered: "Get my carriage."

"Yes." Sander whispered.

Old Fulin left and Sander presided over the situation.

...

...

Outside the giant wall.

Dudian carried flesh and blood on daily base and transported it to the splitter's nest. On the third day the last splitter hatched out from the egg. He pulled out its limbs and made it lose its combat abilities. He fed them every day as Dudian was making sure that nothing went wrong with his parasitic worm incubator.

Fifth day.

There was almost nothing left from adult splitter's flesh as Dudian had transported everything. He commanded Gwyneth to pick five scythes of the splitter and carry them back to the giant wall. Afterwards she should borrow his status as a member of the Temple and cut off the tolls that had to be paid to Holy Church. He wanted all the materials to himself.

Dudian was planning to create hunting equipment and weapons using these five sharp limbs. The so-called hunter armor produced by the Temple wasn't good enough as an armor. The production costs were expensive and normal hunters couldn't afford it. Moreover its defensive abilities were lacking.

Dudian spent most of his time in the splitter's nest as he had carried the meat of the adult splitter into here. He accompanied seven young splitters and feed them from time to time. The young splitters no longer screamed or struggled as they gradually got used to lay on the ground. The only thing that they did every day was to eat and sleep.