Online Game: I Started with Max Charisma and Caught the Goddess's Eye-Chapter 349: That Was My Blood Brother! Retaliation from All Sides! Changes in the Imperial Capital!

At the James Family estate, the grand and resplendent main hall was already filled with people.

Everyone wore a grim expression. At the very front stood Hummer Nan, his face dark as iron. The air in the hall was thick with tension.

Sky James stood silently in a corner, eyes slightly narrowed. He looked down, calm and composed, saying nothing.

Before long, all members of the James Family had arrived.

Hummer Nan swept his gaze over everyone, his expression grave. His first words sent a shudder through every heart present. He said in a deep voice,

"Bond James is dead. Along with Hummer and 23 other James Family disciples. All of them were killed in Wind City—by Luca."

Silence fell instantly. Aside from a few who already knew, everyone else stared wide-eyed toward the center of the hall and at Hummer Nan, thinking they had misheard.

The vengeance for Celephais, Northwood James, and the others hadn't even been exacted yet, and now Bond James and Hummer were killed too? And by Luca again? Was Luca truly so at odds with the James Family?

The hall soon erupted with noise—angry shouts and curses filled the space. Sky James also showed a perfect display of fury and grief.

His expression was just right—showing the pain of a James Family descendant whose kin had been murdered, and the helplessness of being unable to avenge them. His acting was worthy of a Best Actor nomination on the global stage.

Bang! A sudden dull thud echoed through the hall.

Hummer Nan slammed the table, frowning as he barked, "Quiet! I'm not here to watch your performances!"

The moment he spoke, even Sky James straightened up, his expression turning serious. They all knew Hummer Nan was truly furious this time. One by one, they dropped the masks and fell into silence.

Hummer Nan swept a cold gaze across the room and said,

"The Global Federation is about to be established. Morning Star will definitely send people over. And since Luca's already earned major merits, he'll likely be among the first players to receive federal honors. If that happens, taking action against him later will cost us ten times, a hundred times more. So in this period—no matter what methods you use—you must keep him here. Don't let him get decorated. If he does, it won't just be a few of us in trouble—it'll be the whole damn James Family!"

Once again, the room fell into a suffocating silence.

With Celephais and Bond James's brutal deaths as stark reminders, no one dared to assume their necks were any harder. The best move now was to play dead and let someone else take the fall. After all, what good was the position of family head if you weren't alive to enjoy it?

Seeing this, a blaze of fury surged within Hummer Nan. He wanted nothing more than to cast every single one of these cowards out of the James Family.

At the same time, a deep sense of sorrow welled up in him.

The James Family had grown far too comfortable over the years—and had bred this pack of heartless, selfish dogs.

Just as Hummer Nan sighed inwardly, preparing to take control and handle Luca personally, a firm and rugged voice suddenly rang out through the hall.

"Patriarch, rest assured. No matter the cost, I'll make that bastard Luca pay!" Under countless stunned gazes, Sky James stepped into the center of the hall, pounding his chest with righteous fury.

"Luca killed three generations of James Family heads and dozens of our direct descendants. Celephais and Hummer were my brothers!

"We may not have come from the same mother, but the same blood runs through our veins—we were as close as flesh and blood.

"Now that all of them have been murdered by Luca, and you all can't even muster a fart in response—it's a disgrace to the James Family name!

"But it's fine. Since you cowards don't have the guts to deal with Luca, I, Sky James, will!"

With that, under the astonished stares of everyone in the hall—as if they'd just seen a ghost—Sky James turned toward Hummer Nan with a face full of solemnity. Dropping to one knee, he declared with firm resolve, "Patriarch, our James Family is now at the brink of life and death. If we allow Luca to continue growing, there may no longer be a place in the world for us.

"Therefore, I, Sky James, humbly request to take on the mission of hunting down Luca. I swear I will not fail the family's expectations. I will avenge Celephais, Hummer, and the others!"

His voice rang out clear and powerful, echoing through the silent hall for a long time.

Everyone in the James Family turned to look at Sky James standing at the center. For a moment, it felt like a surreal dream.

None of them had expected it. That bastard Sky James… actually had such a sense of righteousness?!

Even Hummer Nan's body tensed with emotion, his eyes suddenly burning hot as if on the verge of tears.

He stepped forward and slapped Sky James hard on the shoulder, face flushed with excitement, laughing loudly:

"Good! Good! Damn good! You truly are a son of the James Family—full of spine and resolve!"

He pounded his chest and declared,"Go ahead and do what needs to be done. If anything goes wrong, I'll cover for you. If you need anything, just say the word. That beast Luca must pay the price!"

Sky James responded in a deep voice,"Patriarch, rest assured. If I can't bring Luca's head back to the James Family, then I'll bring my own to answer for it!"

...

At the same time, in the most luxurious district of the Imperial Capital, the Willow Family's villa was brightly lit, hosting a family meeting.

However, unlike the James Family gathering, this one included not just members of the Willow Family, but people from the Mingwhel Family as well.

At the head of the room, the Willow Family patriarch, Glennmountain, sat with a dark expression and said grimly, "We've just received the latest news—Luca and the Morning Star team will be arriving in the Imperial Capital soon. Zadownlow and Lusty were killed earlier in Celephais, and there's no doubt this thief was involved.

"If he dared to strike at the Willow Family, then there's no way we let him walk out of the Imperial Capital alive."

"The patriarch is right! We absolutely cannot let Luca leave this city alive!"

The voices of the Willow Family members echoed through the hall, filled with righteous indignation.

Compared to the scattered and disorganized James Family, the Willow Family showed a far greater sense of unity and cohesion.

Seeing this, Glennmountain turned to Cleanload—the gray-haired patriarch of the Mingwhel Family—beside him and said,"If we move against Luca, Drumph definitely won't stand by and watch. When the time comes, we'll be counting on the Mingwhel Family to lend us a hand."

Cleanload responded with a genial smile,"Rest assured, Patriarch Liu. That Luca is far too arrogant and domineering—I've disliked him for a long time. If you need our help, just say the word. We'll do everything in our power."

These weren't just empty words. What kind of deal Glennmountain had struck with him in private was unknown to the rest of the Willow Family. All they knew was—the Mingwhel Family was truly ready to put serious effort into helping them eliminate Luca, that dangerous wildcard.

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...

Meanwhile, at the Morning Star branch in the Eastern Territory.

The moment Halwind and the others returned to headquarters, they reported everything that had occurred in Shelter 303 to the branch commander, Zovland. When Zovland heard that Brade Morningsong had actually been killed—by Luca—both he and the other players of the Eastern Territory were utterly shaken.

No one could believe it. Brade Morningsong—the publicly recognized number one player in the Eastern Territory, nicknamed the Holy Son—was dead, and at the hands of a newly-risen figure like Luca?

The impact of this news was akin to a three-year-old child taking down a professional MMA champion. Simply unimaginable.

Zovland's eyes turned cold and snake-like, his voice icy as he said, "Brade Morningsong was a top-tier player that the Eastern Territory cultivated with immense effort. After the Node outbreak, he saved countless lives. And now Luca—he showed no regard for his fellow comrade and struck Brade down without mercy. His actions are no different from those monsters we fight.

"This matter will not be brushed aside. On this trip to the Imperial Capital, I will demand justice!"

...

As undercurrents surged through all the major factions, Luca and his team were swiftly closing in on the Imperial Capital. Under the protection of military escorts and numerous Morning Star players, they encountered no real danger on the road.

The monsters that had started to converge on their route never made it within ten kilometers before being wiped out. As a result, their travel speed remained high, and within less than a week, they were already approaching the Imperial Capital's administrative boundary. The density of monsters in the area had noticeably decreased. In fact, there were barely any left. Even when the occasional one or two did appear, they were quickly dispatched by the patrolling players nearby.

Compared to how things were before the game descended, the Imperial Capital had undergone drastic changes. From afar, one could already see a massive, blue defensive formation that enveloped the entire city like a dome.

On the roads leading into the city, traffic was dense and people streamed in from all directions. Among the crowds were not only high-level players, but also many elegantly dressed elites and dignitaries.

The establishment of the Human Federation was a monumental event—naturally, it drew massive crowds. At the city gates, a line of people stretched as far as the eye could see. On both sides of the road were groups of pedestrians, many of whom wore tattered clothing and looked like beggars or refugees.

These were people who had lost their homes during the monster hordes.

Luca and Donald stayed toward the rear of the convoy. Only after the others had already entered the city did they finally catch a glimpse of the Imperial Capital.

As the convoy passed through the gates, towering skyscrapers came into view, densely packed and gleaming. Above them, magical-tech flying vessels hovered in the sky—an awe-inspiring sight. Compared to the former modern metropolis, the current Imperial Capital looked more like a futuristic sci-fi city.

"So beautiful!" Susie stuck her head out, eyes sparkling with wonder and excitement. Having grown up in Celephais, she had rarely traveled in her eighteen years. This was her first time visiting the Imperial Capital, and naturally, the outside world seemed like a whole new realm.

Even Sini and the others couldn't help but gaze out in fascination—the transformation of the Imperial Capital was simply too striking to ignore. Luca, however, showed little interest. In his previous life, he had lived in the Imperial Capital for several years. Back then, the level of technological advancement and urban splendor was even greater than it was now.

Thanks to their Morning Star-issued passes, they encountered no resistance entering the city. The process was seamless—they headed straight for the city center without delay.

What they didn't notice, though, was this: After the convoy from the Northern Territory Morning Star division passed by.

Numerous figures lurking in the street corners quietly picked up their radios—And immediately reported their movements.