Chapter Thirty-Eight: The Ye Family

After more than an hour, the dignitaries had mostly finished paying their respects, leaving only a motley collection of other figures. Lei Bin could not be bothered to remember them all, and though Xing Meng introduced them one by one, he paid little attention.

Behind them came a stream of prominent individuals. Lei Bin performed the kowtows mechanically, too bored to even care who they were.

However, the arrival of another person suddenly drew everyone’s gaze, and the atmosphere in the funeral hall grew tense once more.

Lei Bin felt a slight jolt. Using Xing Meng’s scanning capabilities, he observed a handsome, middle-aged man who looked to be in his forties. Behind him walked a youth of about twenty, who was elegant and refined, yet carried a sharp, piercing intensity in his brow.

"This is Ye Zhaoyun of the Ye family. He is the most powerful figure in the family, second only to the patriarch, Ye Hong. The young man behind him is Ye Xiang, the most formidable talent among the third generation of the Ye family," Xing Meng’s voice echoed in Lei Bin’s mind.

"Someone from the Ye family?" Lei Bin’s expression turned solemn. Unlike his reaction to Wang Hou or the gleeful onlookers, the Ye family was his mother’s family. Even though he had always avoided the very word "mother," he could not remain entirely indifferent.

After all, he carried the blood of the Ye family in his veins. As Lei Na had said, bloodlines are something that cannot be erased, even in death.

Nearby, Lei Na and Lei Xingfeng also wore grave expressions. Dealing with the Ye family was fundamentally different from dealing with other factions; it was a family that had been entangled with the Lei family in a feud for centuries, a grudge that had only deepened over the last twenty years.

Although Ye Zhaoyun was not the current head of the Ye family, his presence was imposing. He strode to the front of the coffin and bowed solemnly three times.

Afterward, his gaze shifted to Lei Bin.

Meeting Ye Zhaoyun’s eyes, Lei Bin felt a sudden chill. Unlike the attitude of Lei Na, the gaze of Ye Zhaoyun and the youth behind him was filled with cold indifference and contempt. It was the look one reserved for something shameful—as if Lei Bin’s very existence was a disgrace to their family.

Though Lei Bin was rebellious toward the Lei family and knew they had only brought him back because they were running out of successors, at least Lei Na treated him as one of their own, and Lei Huan cared for him deeply.

But the Ye family clearly viewed him as someone who should not exist—a stain on their lineage.

Therefore, when faced with the bows from Ye Zhaoyun and Ye Xiang, Lei Bin did not return the gesture, instead staring back with icy indifference. Long ago, he had believed his heart could no longer be pierced, but at this moment, it was wounded again.

He couldn't help but mock himself: so he still cared about that sliver of bloodline, that ephemeral scrap of family connection.

The Ye family’s coldness made Lei Bin realize exactly how he was perceived by them. Their attitude was of a different nature than Wang Hou’s provocations. Consequently, Lei Bin did not respond with overt hostility, but with an even greater chill.

A cold smirk played on his lips as he looked at Ye Zhaoyun and said sharply, "Are you Ye Zhaonan of the Ye family? I’ve heard much about you. I heard you were the Ye family’s greatest master—oh, my apologies, I forgot. Ye Zhaonan was crippled by my father. So, which one are you?"

Upon hearing this, the expressions of Ye Zhaoyun and Ye Xiang shifted instantly. They had not expected Lei Bin to be so blunt as to use such a sensitive topic to humiliate them.

The incident involving Ye Zhaonan had always been a taboo subject for the Lei family, much like Lei Xingfeng was for the Ye family. The fact that Lei Xingfeng had crippled Ye Zhaonan and escaped was an indelible shame for the Ye family.

To say such things at a Lei family funeral was essentially a declaration of war. Lei Bin’s words were a naked, resounding slap to the face.

Lei Na and Lei Xingfeng were also surprised by Lei Bin’s outburst. While they felt he had been a bit reckless, Lei Na held no fondness for the Ye family—in fact, he loathed them a hundred times more than Wang Hou.

Seeing Lei Bin slap the face of the gift-bearer, Lei Na felt a strange sense of gratification. However, Lei Xingfeng, standing behind him, looked rather somber.

What comforted Lei Na even more was the Ye family’s coldness toward Lei Bin; it was clear they felt no affection for the bloodline he carried, viewing it instead as a disgrace. This meant it was impossible for Lei Bin to ever become entangled with the Ye family. Because of Ye Yuting, Lei Na had always worried that Lei Bin might eventually grow close to them. Now, that worry seemed entirely unnecessary, and his heart felt a little lighter.

"Lei Bin, show respect to our guests. How can you be so rude? Where are your manners? Hurry and return the bow," Lei Na reprimanded him, though his tone was visibly pleased.

Hearing this, Lei Bin grunted and performed the kowtow in return.

Seeing that Lei Na had intervened, Ye Zhaoyun, though seething with rage, dared not act out. In the Federation, there was no one who dared to challenge Lei Na’s authority.

"Marshal Lei, congratulations on finding such an excellent descendant. I am sure he will inherit the Lei family’s fine traditions and become a pillar of the nation, sacrificing himself for the country," Ye Zhaoyun said, masking his venom with feigned compliments, implying that the Lei family was dead and cursing Lei Bin to die in battle as well.

Lei Na replied coldly, "I hope the Ye family will also contribute more to the nation, rather than having their descendants die elsewhere."

He was throwing the insult back, mocking the fact that Ye family members were often killed before even reaching the battlefield—a reference to the night Lei Xingfeng raided the Ye family, crippling Ye Zhaonan and killing many other collateral branch members.

Hearing this, Ye Zhaoyun snorted, cast one last glance at Lei Bin, and turned to leave without a moment’s hesitation.

Lei Na watched him go with a cold, icy gaze. When the Lei family members were attacked, there were only a few families with the motive and capability to pull it off, and the Ye family was one of them.

He would get to the bottom of this sooner or later and make those people pay a heavy price.

Ding Shuxue, kneeling to the side, witnessed everything. Her gaze toward Lei Bin held a hint of surprise; she couldn't tell if he was simply a newborn calf unafraid of the tiger, or if he was using courage and strategy to boost the Lei family’s prestige while suppressing his enemies.

Although the Federation had lauded Lei Bin to the heavens, those who knew the truth were well aware that he was not quite the man the propaganda made him out to be.

The rest of the mourners passed by without incident. Lei Bin kowtowed dutifully; had he not been so physically fit, his back might have given out.

"Huh?" Lei Bin glanced up and caught sight of someone—an acquaintance, the woman he had been daydreaming about seeing in the nude.

Lou Lan.

Lou Lan was accompanied by a gentle-looking man with black-rimmed glasses, also in uniform, though he carried a more scholarly air. Clearly, this man was a career intellectual, and anyone who could rise to the upper echelons of the military with a background in the humanities was not to be underestimated.

The man led Lou Lan to the coffin and bowed respectfully, his expression somber.

"That is Lou Lan’s father, Lou Yufei, one of the Deputy Ministers of Defense," Xing Meng’s voice appeared in Lei Bin’s mind.

After bowing, Lou Lan nodded specifically at Lei Bin before following Lou Yufei away.

Seeing this, Lei Bin’s heart blossomed with joy. It seemed Lou Lan was quite interested in him. Even though Lei Huan had said she wasn't a good match, Lei Bin was not the type to care about the Lei family’s rules of social standing. There was plenty of room for development here; after all, he had once made a grand vow to "conquer" Lou Lan.

The funeral lasted the entire day, and Lei Bin remained kneeling throughout, without a bite to eat. For him, it didn't really matter; his body was in peak condition, and skipping a meal or two was of no consequence.

By evening, in accordance with the traditions of the Huaxia people, the coffin was buried.

As a filial son, Lei Bin had to see the procession off, while the elders, including Lei Na, remained behind.

The coffin contained only the belongings of Lei Xingyun and the others. When Base No. 2 was attacked, the intensity of the laser cannons had left nothing behind. Even after they retook the base, they could only recover fragments.

Given Lei Xingyun’s strength, he should have been able to escape even a battleship’s bombardment. The fact that they hadn't even had a chance to dodge meant their movements had been completely compromised, allowing for a focused, lethal strike.

This was why Lei Na was so furious. If they had fallen in fair combat, it would have been a matter of insufficient skill, but to be killed so helplessly, without a chance to resist, was a grave injustice. Whoever had done this clearly harbored a deep, long-standing hatred for the Lei family.

Lei Bin didn't understand the funeral etiquette well, but he carried a black flag and followed the procession, performing the rites under the guidance of a steward.

By the time everything was finished, it was past midnight.

Upon returning to the Lei estate, the first thing Lei Bin did was head to the dining room, starving after a day of fasting. To his surprise, Lei Na was waiting for him.

"You performed well today. There’s no need to be polite with our enemies. In the past, I was too courteous with them, which is why we ended up in this situation," Lei Na said, his voice weary and tinged with self-reproach.

Lei Bin paused, recalling how he had insulted Wang Hou, mocked the political rivals, and cursed the Ye family. He had done it to vent his own frustrations and stir up trouble for the Lei family, but judging by Lei Na’s tone, he had actually done the right thing.

"Eat up and get some rest. In a few days, you will report to Star Sea Academy, majoring in Battleship Command." With that, Lei Na left.

Lei Bin, still reeling from the realization that his mischief had been seen as a success, shouted at Lei Na’s retreating back, "Damn it! Making decisions for me again? I didn't agree to that!"

"You don't need to agree," Lei Na’s voice drifted back from the distance, though he was already gone.

"Damn it, why am I always being forced into things?" Lei Bin gritted his teeth.