The Purge!

The venue was a vision of opulence and grandeur, boasting a soaring ceiling seven meters high, adorned with an intricate European-style design. Rich gold lines traced through the elaborate patterns, imbuing the space with a sense of timeless luxury.

Dangling elegantly from above, an array of hand-polished crystal lamps cast a dazzling glow throughout the room. Each lamp, a masterpiece of art and craftsmanship, held a value beyond the average person's imagination.

Around ten dining tables, crafted from the exquisite golden nanmu wood and draped with pristine white tablecloths, were arranged within the hall. Here, men and women adorned in lavish suits and gowns mingled, their laughter and clinking glasses echoing off the high ceilings. This was less a venue and more an extravagant banquet hall, a display of wealth and power.

Yet, in stark contrast to the expected android waiters, the servers weaving through the tables were young girls, no older than sixteen or seventeen. Dressed in uniform resembling Japanese school girl attire, they moved with trained efficiency, their smiles practiced yet hollow as they served the members of the Higilton family.

"Jeffrey, the students this year are of exceptional quality," remarked a robust, bearded man, his gaze lingering on one particularly striking girl.

Dave, an elderly man with dimming eyes, responded with a calmness that belied the gravity of his words. "If anyone catches your eye, let me know. I spent days at the academy selecting them. Among this year's students from the Cybernetic Network Technology College, these are the finest."

A middle-aged woman at the table scoffed, her disdain palpable. "Dave, our ancestors didn't establish these institutions for such purposes."

The old man, unfazed, reassured her with a chilling indifference. "Worry not. The male students, those untouchables from the outer city, are also available. They have no future beyond these walls. What harm in them paying their dues to the Higilton family?"

Her expression softened at his words.

Meanwhile, at the back of the venue, a cluster of girls huddled together, a sense of unease palpable among them. "Phosphorus, there are so many of the Higilton family..." one girl whispered, her body language betraying her fear. "Why do their gazes unsettle us so?"

Jennifer, attempting to mask her own discomfort, replied with feigned assurance, "It's probably just our imagination, Grace. It's okay..."

Yet, her words seemed more an attempt to convince herself than to comfort her friend. The harsh reality began to dawn on them – the saintly image of the Higilton family, as portrayed by their teachers, was far from the truth.

But at that moment of dawning realization and confusion, the atmosphere shifted. The projection of a young man, Clarke Higilton, appeared on the large screen at the front of the hall. His appearance seemed to stir something within Phill Higilton, the family head seated at the head table, his expression changing for the first time that evening. The air of the room tensed, a prelude to an unfolding drama that held everyone's rapt attention.

"Is this... a hacker invasion?" Phill Higilton muttered in disbelief, knowing full well the manor's advanced security systems were not easily breached.

Clarke's Higilton calm voice filled the room. "I was attacked by the Akio family last night."

The revelation caused an uproar. "The Nalan family? Impossible!"

Jacob, next to the Phill, eyed Clarke's projection. "Chen She, your son is becoming a law unto himself."

Henry, the third brother, watched with a twisted smile, while Mark, seated behind, seethed in anger, his plans unraveling.

Phill Higilton voice cut through the commotion, icy and resolute. "I'll explain this to the family. He will be brought back to Skyrim City."

He immediately signaled the anti-hacker team to cut off Clarke Higilton's signal.

But Clarke continued, "Last night, the Akio family tried to kill me on Alexander's orders. They wanted to remove me so Alex could marry Jessica and ally with them."

The venue erupted in shock and disbelief.

"This is civil war," the family members realized, their alliances and loyalties suddenly thrown into question.

Phill's command thundered through the hall, "All irrelevant personnel, leave now!" The girls swiftly exited, relieved to escape the unfolding drama.

"Preposterous!" Alexander stood up, agitated. "Brother, you are fabricating lies!"

Mark, with his crutches, demanded, "Clarke, where is your proof?"

Clarke image smirked. "Charles Akio himself confessed before his death."

The crowd gasped. "Charles Akio is dead?"

Clarke voice was emotionless. "I killed him. I secured an agreement for his hand before annihilating the Akio family. I now possess their inheritance, worth 25.3 billion."

Each revelation from Clarke sent shockwaves through the room, leaving even the most detached onlookers wide-eyed in disbelief.

The Higilton family gathering, numbering one hundred and twenty members within four generations, was steeped in tension and opulence. Those beyond the fourth generation were typically severed from the family with a financial package. Holding assets worth approximately 100 billion Crypto-dollars, the Higilton family's wealth was predominantly controlled by Phill's lineage, leaving the rest to contend with mere dividends.

As Phill learned of the staggering inheritance, even he couldn't mask his astonishment.

The bearded man earlier spoke up in outrage, "Clarke, you've gone too far! You know the repercussions of such actions on the Higilton family in Credence Province? The public backlash?"

A middle-aged woman stood, her voice trembling with fury, "Clarke, you are a blight on our family! Phill, he must be arrested and handed over to the Public Security Bureau immediately!"

Another voice chimed in, accusingly, "Phill, will you protect a criminal?"

Phill's face was a canvas of pain and disbelief. He had not anticipated Clarke's brazen admission of annihilating the Akio family.

"My brother, not only defaming me but also annihilating his fiancée's family - he's lost his mind!" Alexander couldn't contain his excitement, seeing an opportunity in the chaos. "Father, you must decide for me!"

Phill closed his eyes, overwhelmed by the realization that his control had slipped away and that his reign as head of the family was potentially over, all thanks to his son's last strike.

The vast hall fell into a suffocating silence, everyone's eyes on Phill, awaiting his verdict. Clarke, now disregarded by most as already dead, continued to project on the screen.

"It's a fascinating spectacle," Clarke's projection commented with a sly smile, "Father, look at your Higilton family. A den of vipers, where betrayal and self-interest reign supreme."

"A friend once told me," he continued, "In a world where opportunity and savagery coexist, survival turns everyone into extreme egoists. As they say in the outer city, 'Trusting others and getting stabbed in the back is your own fault.' The only solace is a cup of vodka, the 'Devils Ace.'"

"Now, Father, the time for a decision has come."

Phill, shaken, began to speak but was cut off by Mark furious outburst. "Clarke Higilton, how dare you commit such atrocities and then judge us?"

Clarke projection turned to Mark, "Even if I'm not privy to all family machinations, I know Alexander couldn't have acted alone. Was this assassination attempt a result of our family's secret factions? Were you a part of it, Uncle?"

Mark's heart raced as he denied the accusation.

Heathrow, with a weary expression, lamented, "When a family grows, factions are inevitable. It's hard to discern right from wrong. The Higilton family is no exception."

Amidst the growing tumult, Clarke nonchalantly retrieved a glass of vodka. "Vodka, or 'Devils Ace,'" he mused, then took a sip and let the glass shatter on the ground, a symbolic gesture.

"I hereby offer this 'Devils Ace' to everyone present. A purge of the Higilton family begins now. You have thirty seconds to escape, or face death. Let's end this era of betrayal and struggle for power."

As the glass shattered, Clarke Higilton hand mimicked a gun.

"The purge," he declared coldly, "begins now."