Aimless Ascension

"Young master," a maid called scurrying into his room in the early morning, "someone is looking for you."

For some time there was no reply. The reply finally came after the maid called out several times in her worrying tone.

"What?" Han Xiao asked in confusion as he woke up. "Who's looking for me?"

"I don't know," the maid answered. "It was a foreign man. He said he knew you and also asked for any adult at home."

Han Xiao lurched up from his bed and peered at the maid with bleary eyes, hearing the word foreigner. That word deprived all his drowsiness. Well, it was way past morning for all that mattered. "What did you say?"

The maid repeated as a frown crawled up on the young master's brows.

"What is he doing here? The gall to even come here. . ."

"The man's waiting in the garden," the maid reminded warily. "My lord and lady aren't home, so he's waiting for others."

Han Xiao grunted and left the bed. He was about to go meet the son of bitch that created so many problems for him, but he halted and turned to the maid, recalling the last time he confronted the foreigner.

"Young master?" the maid asked with some uncertainty. "Should I prepare tea for the guest?"

Young master Han sneered. "No. Go call up the boys," he said. "No, not just them. Call everyone else that's available in the mansion. Call all the silver rankers and tell them the young master asks for their presence immediately. I'll see to it today that he cannot leave with both legs intact."

"Young Master," the maid said in an almost inaudible tone, worried, knowing full well where it was going. "Young master, the foreigner, he is already with the others."

Han Xiao raised an eyebrow in confusion, and then a delightful smile crept on his face. Looks like everyone was on the same page and wanted to thrash this foreigner as much as he wanted.

He rushed towards the garden with a content smile on his lips. Who could've known that a spoiling bastard would present himself to his home as a present, and there were still two days left for his birthday?

Young master Han strode out with the same swagger he carried himself to the whorehouses. However, his dream crashed completely as he found his Uncle Hao standing completely glued to his spot as the spoiling bastard sitting at the table in the middle of the garden.

Han Xiao was about to call for Uncle Hao--the shadowy assassin who worked for their family even before he was born. However, before he could do so, he found the elderly figure dropping to the ground, almost on the verge of passing out.

"Uncle Hao," Han Xiao called, scurrying to the garden.

"So here cometh the prodigal son," another voice said. Han Xiao didn't need to lift his head to know who it was coming from.

It was that asshole foreigner who didn't seem to know his place. Every time he acted audaciously where he had no place to act. This asshole had to snuggle his nose into his affair.

"You," Han Xiao bellowed again, confronting the foreigner. "It's you again. How dare you act this impudently in my home?"

Han Xiao wasn't afraid because there were still a handful of silver rankers and many iron rankers in the garden surrounding them. Though Han Xiao failed to assess the situation, much of his demerit. A scrutiny of all the counterparts' expressions would have told him everything he would need to know.

"Young master," Uncle Hao called from behind, "Be careful. Don't go near him."

But it was already too late. The furious young master scurried to where Gale was sitting under the gazes of over a dozen practitioners.

"I believe if my master had a dispute with even the biggest fool in the universe, he'd be able to part that fool with something profound in return," Gale said, "and diffuse the argument in his favour. Unfortunately, for me and you lots, I'm not that wise to make you understand what you got yourself involved in that easily. But I promise, I'll try, right now, though I fear I have to use other means to let you understand."

Han Xiao gritted his teeth, furious. "Why are you all standing?" he barked at all the counterparts surrounding the lawn. "Get him, show him what it means to go against the Han family."

However, instead of answering their young master's call, they turned their head or looked down as if unconsciously ignoring orders from their young master.

"They won't listen," Gale told the young master. There wasn't even a semblance of a smile on his lips as he spoke. He looked much like the killer that his figure resembled. "Only two of us will talk, and they will remain silent."

"What?!" Han Xiao bellowed. "Don't you--"

"Sit down," Gale said in a monotone voice.

Han Xiao meant to remain defiant even though all the property here was owned by his family. However, reality worked completely against his will as a force thrust against his being from every direction. Within a nick of moment, Han Xiao was powerless against the invisible force as it carried him to the seat.

His butt dropped on the seat, but the invisible force didn't dissipate. It remained over him, making him sweat profoundly. Han Xiao looked at the others, waiting for them to make a move.

However, none of them even lifted their heads to look at him directly, watching him in shame. Not even a single one of them had the courage remaining in their spirit to do something against Gale. Almost none, except that old assassin Hao.

"Son, I reassure you," Uncle Hao told Gale, "you'll regret it if something happens to the young master."

Gale turned to the elderly assassin. "Are you finished?" he asked. "Now, stay down."

The elderly man dropped to the ground again, his chest weighing against the green lush grass as a perpendicular force kept him in place, burning through his skin to his channels as the Oldman groaned.

"One thing you must know," Gale told them all, "I'm not playing the good neighbour today." He paused and said to the assassin. "And I'm not your son."