Chapter 35: Family Tensions

"I, Christian Smith, Patriarch of the Smith Family, as of today am officially stepping down as the patriarch of the Smith family!"

Hearing these words, neither the people in the room nor Ethan could believe their ears.

Only Alfred and Elena, who seemed to know something, snickered as they looked at his flustered expression.

Boom!

"Christian! What is the meaning of this!"

"Old man, how can you step down without us deciding a successor? Do you want the Smith family to be in chaos?"

An old man, about the same age as Christian, spoke up.

’There are a lot of issues going on in this family, especially considering you arrested that fellow Leroy.’

’Other members of the family have become worried that you’ve become senile with age.’

Not holding back any words, the old man spoke.

This was George Smith, Christian’s younger brother and an elder of the Smith family.

A person who was legendary in his own right, having achieved all kinds of things as a child.

However, he ultimately lost the succession war and missed the chance to become patriarch.

Because of that, over the years, every opportunity he got, he wouldn’t hesitate to tear down his brother in hopes of becoming the head of the Smith family.

"You-!"

"How dare you talk to Grandpa like that-!" yelled Elena, as she wanted to smash that old fellow’s head in.

Unfortunately, George’s cronies, as if having been given a command, interrupted her.

"Elena, be silent; don’t you have respect for your elders?"

"Also, if the patriarch is stepping down, then the only one capable of leading the Smith family must be Lord George."

"Indeed, it should be him."

One by one, the people at the round table began to praise George, listing all kinds of achievements he had made over the years.

It wasn’t until a few minutes had passed that a discordant voice broke through the room, attracting everyone’s attention.

"Will you guys be silent for a moment?"

"And talking about respecting your elders, isn’t the patriarch George’s older brother?"

"In what way did he respect him in the way he just spoke, or does your glorious George lack manners?"

"Heh."

Laughing sarcastically, on the right side of the table, an extremely beautiful middle-aged woman sat with extremely calm poise.

Wearing a white T-shirt, black pants, and a pair of glasses, she looked like an intellectual in every sense of the word.

However, unlike her looks, as she spoke to George and his group, only disgust and disdain could be seen in her eyes.

"Also, you talk about achievements; do you really want to do that?"

"Let’s not talk about what the patriarch has achieved, but even the youngest Ethan and Elena, look at their record."

"Not forgetting that they saved everyone during that last attack."

"Are you people truly blinded by greed?"

"Had their parents not been dead, they would have been the ones currently in charge of the Smith family."

"So is Christian stepping down really that odd?"

"......."

Silence...

Hearing her words, everyone fell silent as they didn’t know what to say.

Even George, who had wanted to use this opportunity to try to be patriarch, was flushed at her words.

However, he couldn’t say anything, as even if she was younger, she wasn’t someone he could offend.

She was none other than Emilia Smith, the disciplinary head of the Smith family and Ethan’s aunt, Christian’s daughter.

With her speaking up, the room was split; one side was trying to get Christian not to step down and put George on the throne,

while the other was saying Christian can do anything he wants and at the same time lobbying for Ethan and Elena.

For a while, no side could come to a conclusion, as both sides refused to budge, a situation Christian had intended from the start.

Looking at them argue, he couldn’t help but shake his head.

’Sigh... at this rate, when the disaster that kid talks about comes, if we’re still as divided as this, then there is no hope for us Smiths.’

’No matter how many supplies or how many talented people there are...’

’It seems I’ll have no choice but to go through with the purge.’

Narrowing his eyes, a tinge of killing intent seeped through them.

Yes, apart from handing over the position of patriarch, the main reason he had called this meeting was to pick out all the weeds in the Smith family.

Anyone who seemed not to have the best interests of the family at heart was going on the list.

Adding to the names he had gotten from investigating these past days were members who used their name inappropriately...

Before they all moved to the shelter, he planned to purge them all out.

Although doing so might label him a kinslayer, for a greater future, he would not hold back.

"Silence!"

Raising his voice, Christian turned to look at everyone, his eyes glowing dangerously.

"Do you think this is a marketplace? George, you might be my younger brother, but do you really think that makes you invincible?"

"And you, Emilia, why are you joining him to turn the Smith house into a marketplace?"

Taking a pause, Christian, in all his majesty, looked directly at Ethan, who had been silent all this while.

"Everyone here, understand one thing."

"What I said was neither a question nor a suggestion," he paused, "but a command."

"Right now, the Smith family is about to face the greatest danger it has ever faced."

"A new era where if we fail to move fast, we will get washed away by the times."

"To deal with that and to leave a way out for our future descendants, as of right now, I am handing over the position of patriarch to my grandson—"

"Ethan Smith!" said Christian, a smile appearing on his face.

"And if you don’t agree, then just look down."

Pointing to his chest, everyone couldn’t help but pause as they realized that at some unknown point they had all been surrounded by guns.

If they dared do anything contrary, Christian meant to shoot them then and there.