Chapter 11: Dead Set On Severing Ties
Immediately after, water vapor began to condense from the bottom of the spirit tablet, gathering more and more until it finally turned into a puddle of clear, transparent water that flowed along the table onto the ground.
“Ah~” No one knew who cried out first, but it was like flipping the switch on everyone, as all of them rushed toward the door in a swarm. Lin Xin even felt a moment of regret for the instant—she shouldn’t have let so many people come in together. With everyone squeezing out at once, this rundown house wouldn’t be able to hold up and collapse, would it!
“Everyone stop!” At the critical moment, it had to be the Clan Leader Grandfather. Though his heart was filled with fear, he was still the first to stop everyone’s mad impulse to run outside.
It had to be said that this shout really brought back everyone’s reason. They all stopped in their tracks, but their faces all bore expressions of lingering shock.
Only Lin Xin hugged Lin Nan and rushed to the square table, crying out repeatedly: “Father, Father~”
The miserable scene suddenly diminished everyone’s fear, filling their hearts with bitterness. Some of the softer-hearted ones even turned their backs to wipe their faces.
The Clan Leader Grandfather’s heart was also uneasy. He let out a long sigh and asked solemnly: “Lin boy, do you have some unfinished business?”
Then Lin Lao Er’s spirit tablet wobbled unsteadily out of Lin Xin’s arms, lifted into midair by a spray of water, and swayed slightly twice toward the Clan Leader Grandfather, as if nodding.
!!!
Everyone’s eyes went wide. Lin Lao Er had truly manifested!
Right after, they wanted to run even more. Those close to the door had already quietly backed out, only realizing when the autumn sunlight hit their bodies that their palms and backs were all wet.
“What’s going on?” Those who were usually friendly with the ones who went in but couldn’t squeeze inside all gathered around to inquire about what happened, only to see him with a pale face drenched in sweat.
“Lin Erge man-manifested…” The man gulped hard and said with difficulty.
“What the heck?” The inquirer dug in his ear.
“Lin Erge manifested!”
Just as he was speaking, suddenly someone pointed at midair and let out a scream. Everyone looked over and clearly saw a pitch-black spirit tablet standing straight in midair on its own. Below it, a spray of water bubbled joyfully.
Now everyone was dumbfounded. After a long moment, someone who had been on good terms with Lin Lao Er mustered his courage and said in a trembling voice: “Th-this isn’t… Lin Erge’s spirit tablet?”
Perhaps because there were so many people, or because they were all in the courtyard where it was easy to run, or maybe because no one felt danger, in any case, this time no one wanted to run. They all stared at the spirit tablet in midair, waiting for what would happen next.
For this once-in-a-century dead person manifestation event, everyone was now clearly more interested than afraid.
Only the Old Lin Family members had very ugly expressions.
The Clan Leader Grandfather was helped out of the room again, looked at the spirit tablet, and asked once more: “Do you have unfinished business?”
Under everyone’s gaze, the spirit tablet dipped down just like it had inside the room, clearly nodding.
“Whoa, Lin Lao Er really manifested!”
“Look at his two kids. If it were me, I’d manifest too. You didn’t see the things in his room. Even a big man like me couldn’t bear to look.” A man who had just gone into the room wiped his face and said.
His voice was definitely loud enough for everyone present to hear clearly. Everyone’s gazes toward the Lin Family members became somewhat subtle.
Of course, under everyone’s eyes, Lin Laoda’s clearly evasive gaze and slightly trembling body explained certain issues.
“What unfinished wish do you have?” the Clan Leader Grandfather asked again.
The spirit tablet slowly circled once in the air around the Old Lin Family people, then returned to its position. The water spray below surged violently, and two large, neatly formed characters made of condensed water gradually appeared in the air: Sever Ties!
“Sever Ties!” Someone who could read subconsciously read it out.
“Sever Ties? Sever ties with whom? With the Lin Family people?”
“How dare he, isn’t he afraid of being pointed at behind their backs?”
“He’s already dead, and his kids are about to not survive. What does it matter if they point behind his back or not?”
“Exactly, probably these years Lin Lao Er watched his kids suffer and finally couldn’t stand it.”
“If I had parents like that, I’d probably want to sever ties too!”
A young fellow had just finished speaking when he got a whack on the back of his head. He turned around angrily about to flare up, only to see his old lady’s face even angrier than his. His anger deflated instantly, and he quickly changed his tune: “Someone like my mom is the good kind. In my next life, I still want to be her son!”
“Hmph, that’s more like it, you little brat!” The young fellow’s old lady snorted and looked away.
“Do you want to sever ties with your parents?” the Clan Leader Grandfather asked again.
The spirit tablet made a nodding motion again.
“Pah! Dream on, you wretch. I’m telling you, even if you’re dead, you’re still my son. If you dare mention severing ties again, I’ll dig up your corpse, chop it to pieces, and feed it to the dogs!” Old Madam Lin flew into a rage at the mention of severing ties. Old Man Lin couldn’t even stop her.
As her words fell, a silver light flashed, and the sleeve of the arm Old Madam Lin was pointing at the spirit tablet with snapped off at the elbow. Then the severed sleeve was sliced by the silver light into tiny fragments that fluttered down to the ground.
In an instant, the entire courtyard fell silent.
Old Madam Lin’s face turned ashen as she stared at her sleeve. Between anger and fright, she nearly held her breath and passed out.
Lin Laosan saw that his second brother even dared to strike his mom and was so scared that his hand trembled as he supported Lin Laoda. Over these years, how much benefit had he taken from the second branch? How many times had he bullied his nephew and niece behind his second brother and sister-in-law’s backs? He knew full well in his heart.
Lin Laoda was equally terrified.
The things he had done were far more vicious than Lin Laosan’s.
“Clan Leader Grandfather, although I don’t know why my father wants to sever ties with the grandparents, this is his unfinished wish. As his children, Nan Nan and I have the duty to fulfill it for him, so I beg Clan Leader Grandfather to agree to us severing ties with the Old House.” After Lin Xin finished speaking, she led Lin Nan to kneel before the Clan Leader.
“You little wretch, how dare you…” Old Madam Lin hadn’t finished when the familiar silver light flashed again. With Lin Laoda’s miserable scream, half his ear was sliced off and fell bloodily to the ground.
This move not only stunned Old Madam Lin but also shocked all the villagers, including the Clan Leader Grandfather whose gaping mouth stayed open for a long time.
“You’re… dead set on severing ties with me and your mom?” Lin Lao Nian Er, who had been inconspicuous until now, suddenly stepped forward under the spirit tablet and asked.
The spirit tablet still made a nodding motion, without even a pause.
“Fine then, since that’s what you want, sever it be!” Lin Lao Nian Er seemed to age ten years in an instant, his shoulders slumping, looking somewhat pitiful.
Lin Xin sneered inwardly. If you want to perform, it depends on whether I agree or not.
