Rain threads descended slowly, forming ragged lines in the night breeze. In the dim light, Jeter repeatedly struck the man before him, yet time and again he had him healed, for he needed to learn the whereabouts of the patent documents. Despite the seeming upper hand, he was now as vulnerable, powerless, and pained as a man who had gambled everything and lost.
Without the patent documents, everything that the Escher family had invested had vanished like a soap bubble. Even if the man before him died, so long as the 'Cosides' patents were still out there, the opposing family, with the help of Saint Yingo's influence, could prop up a blood-related heir and carry on. Meanwhile, the 'Escher' family, having initiated the patent war, would have its key members detained by the Court of Judgment, and most of its assets confiscated.
"Enough, he won't speak," an elderly man, aged yet resembling Jeter, approached and placed a hand on Jeter's shoulder.
At the sight of the old man, the Escher employees present all lowered their heads in shame.
"Mr. Ruiwensi..." He was the current head of the Escher family, and Yimi's father. Although he was barely in his fifties, he appeared particularly aged.
Behind Ruiwensi, a fair-haired young girl also stepped forward slowly. Her eyes somewhat unfocused, she looked around despondently and sadly at the dying and the severely wounded groaning on the ground.
It was all her fault. If not for her gullibility, none of this would have happened.
"He is resolved to die, merely stalling for time. Jeter, there's no need to question him further." Ruiwensi patted Jeter's shoulder, his voice somewhat hoarse. Perhaps unwell, he hadn't commanded the fight in person and had only arrived at the battlefield now.
Looking around at the ruins, the twisted 'Cosides' sign, and the scorch marks and bloodstains everywhere, Ruiwensi sighed silently.
"Why did you do it, Halton?" The Halton he spoke of was the old man lying on the ground.
Upon hearing his name called, the bruised and exceedingly weak old man slowly opened his eyes and saw the figure before him.
"Oh, it's you, Ruiwensi," he said with complex emotions, as though reminiscing and filled with regret.
"It's me. It's past midnight now, everything is over. Will you still not say why you did it?" Ruiwensi crouched down, looking at the old acquaintance before him.
"The kids, Kayue and Yimi, they are still children. I understand his character, shy but kind-hearted. Otherwise, I wouldn't have agreed to Yimi marrying him. Such a child wouldn't deceive Yimi without reason."
"Shy? That's cowardice!" Hearing this descriptor, Halton slapped the ground, splattering some mud and dirty water as if he felt mocked.
"To have such a cowardly son is a disgrace," the old man obviously dissatisfied, and then suddenly began to laugh.
"But indeed he is obedient, yes, it was I who told him to deceive Yimi. How does it feel to know that the seemingly honest and kind-hearted can be especially ruthless when they deceive others?"
"You've ruined him," Ruiwensi said quietly.
"Yes, but so what? To sacrifice him for the family is nothing. With your family's patent documents combined with 'Cosides'' own technology, we can survive well into the future, perhaps even overtake 'Grey Mountain' to become the leading water purification system provider of the Four-leaf Crystal Star Domain."
"You know, whether it's Edith seeking reform, or Saint Yingo wanting to maintain the status quo, our industry is indispensable. Such opportunities do not come by often."
"Every major corporate rise is accompanied by the surging tide of an era, such historical moments are rare and invaluable."
"Even so, our families could cooperate. If Yimi and Kayue have children, Cosides and Escher might even merge into one. Why take such a risk?" Ruiwensi continued.
"Merge? No, that won't happen. You wouldn't pass on the position to Yimi, but to her brother, because he is more competent, decisive, and his older age has already earned him prestige within the company."
"And when Yimi and Kayue's child grows up, then what? Have Yimi's brother hand over the company to his nephew? Do you think their sibling trust can extend to that extent?"
"No, her brother will also have his own children and family. Even siblings will eventually become strangers upon growing up and starting their own families," said Halton, dismissing the notion of such kinship.
"Only if Yimi's brother dies could all that you said possibly happen," Halton stated.
"So, that's why you poisoned him...sigh." Ruiwensi let out a long sigh.
The rain-soaked night grew quiet once more, no one spoke as there seemed nothing left to say after all that had transpired.
After minutes of silence, Ruiwensi finally spoke again.
"Ah, him? I told him to hide the patent documents somewhere safe," the elderly Halton lying on the ground let out a faint smile, having won this round in the end.
With his desired answer in hand, Ruiwensi didn't ask further but motioned to the technical officer accompanying him.
"Have you found Kayue?"
"Personnel from the 'Bicolor Butterfly' firm have been searching at full capacity, and we already have some leads," the confident technical officer replied.