Tang Village had been bustling with activity ever since Tang Hao arrived.
Many more villagers came out of their houses and greeted Tang Hao. The scene at the village entrance was incredibly crowded.
“Alright, alright! I think that’s enough for now! I asked Tang Hao to come back here for serious business,” Tang Dashun shouted.
The noise in the crowd slowly died down.
“Lil Hao, have you heard about the incident from Dayong?” Tang Dashun said to Tang Hao.
Tang Hao nodded. “Yup, Uncle told me everything.”
Tang Dashun sighed and looked at Tang Hao miserably. “You’ve got to think of something, Lil Hao! The village will soon be ruined. That group of bastards wants half of the village.
“They’ll come to cause trouble if we don’t sign the contract. How can we live in peace?
“Look at that. It’s the handiwork of those hooligans!”
Tang Dashun pointed indignantly at a few men with bandaged arms in the crowd.
“Those bastards are making a mockery out of the law!”
“You’ve got to help us, Lil Hao!” The villagers shouted.
Tang Hao’s face darkened when he saw the injured villagers.
“Lil Hao, aren’t you acquainted with many big bosses? Can you get a newspaper or a television channel to report on this? When we publicize the issue, the bunch of hooligans won’t be so brazen,” a villager said.
“That won’t do! That Hu bastard has someone backing him, and the news will be suppressed. How about if we put it on the Internet? Once the news goes viral, it’ll be more powerful than television.”
The villagers discussed the incident agitatedly.
“What do you think, Lil Hao?” Tang Dashun said.
Tang Hao waved his hands to get the villagers to calm down. “Don’t worry, I’ll handle this issue. We don’t need newspapers or the Internet to solve this.”
Many villagers breathed a sigh of relief when they heard Tang Hao say so, while many others looked doubtful.
“Lil Hao, that Hu guy won’t be easy to handle. He’s connected with the Secretary of the district.”
In the villagers’ eyes, the District Secretary was as high-ranked a person can be.
“I know that. Don’t worry!” Tang Hao said with a comforting smile.
“What ideas do you have, Lil Hao?” Tang Dashun asked.
“That Hu guy might have someone backing him, but I have my connections too,” Tang Hao said.
The villagers furrowed their brows when they heard that.
The Hu guy had the Secretary backing him. In their eyes, no matter how well-connected Lil Hao might be, they would not be as high-ranked as the District Secretary!
“I don’t think that’s the way. We’ll have to put the news on TV!”
“No, I think we should put it on the Internet.”
Many villagers shook their heads.
Even Tang Dashun was hesitant. “Lil Hao, I think you should look for a television channel! That should give us a better chance. That Hu guy has a high-ranked official backing him. You won’t beat him that way.”
Tang Hao laughed. “I’ve said that I have a solution, Elder. Don’t you worry.”
“But…” Tang Dashun was still doubtful.
“Elder, do you know the full name of that Hu guy?” Tang Hao said.
“Um… I don’t know. I only know that his surname is Hu and he’s quite fat. He’s arrogant too! A bully indeed!” Tang Dashun said indignantly, “Right. It’s about time that he shows up.”
“I’ll be meeting him soon then!” Tang Hao said.
Then, Tang Dashun brought Tang Hao to the west side of the village.
That area was originally a farm. It had all been devastated and the place was a mess. Some of the farmland had been covered by sand, and the houses next to it were demolished.
Tang Hao was livid when he saw that.
“They’ve gone overboard!” Han Yutong was also angry.
“Isn’t that so!” Tang Dashun sighed.
About twenty minutes later, a convoy of cars came into the village from the road next to the farm.
The car in the lead was a black BMW. A few minivans followed behind, and farther behind them were two trucks with full loads of sand.
“They’re here! Those bastards!”
“Everyone, to arms!”
The crowd of villagers picked up hoes, sickles, and cleavers. They ran toward the road. It was a rather spectacular scene.
“Follow me closely!” Tang Hao told Han Yutong.
He was afraid that she might get hurt if there was a fight.
Han Yutong was shocked. Something flashed in her eyes. Then, she nodded and followed Tang Hao closely.
When the villagers gathered on the road, the convoy had arrived at the entrance to the village.
The black BMW stopped. The car door opened, and a middle-aged man stepped out.
The man was slightly short but very plump. He wore a business suit. He had a flat nose and a pimpled face which was extremely ugly. He wore a thick gold chain on his equally thick neck.
His ten fingers were adorned with gold rings.
Tang Hao noticed the man from afar and was shocked.
Then, his expression became curious.
Who was that fat man, if not for Hu Dahai? He was the person that gave Yan’er’s family trouble back in Dragonrock Village.
‘That guy never learns!’ Tang Hao thought.
Hu Dahai had tried to force Yan’er to marry him to cancel her family’s debt. Now, he was involved in forced eviction at Tang Village.
Tang Hao was also a little suspicious. Hu Dahai was from Jade Town, and he could tyrannize Dragonrock Village because his elder sister’s husband was the superintendent of the town police station. After that incident, that brother-in-law of his had been sacked, and his businesses were shuttered because of Liu Dajun’s meddling. He should have been in a difficult situation
However, Hu Dahai stood in front of him, more arrogant than ever!
Hu Dahai walked away from his car toward the crowd while smoothing his moussed hair.
He glanced at the roadside and laughed with disdain. “A bunch of unruly peasants!”
He clapped his hands. The doors of the minivans opened and hooligans flooded out of the minivans.
They all carried steel bats in their hands and they stood in formation behind Hu Dahai.
Hu Dahai grinned. He looked especially arrogant.
He took one forward step then yelled at the villagers. “What do you intend to do, you unruly mob? Some of you are carrying sickles, and some of you are carrying cleavers. Do you want to pick a fight?
“Let me tell you, there’s no use resisting. This piece of land will surely be mine. You’ll have to sign this contract, whether you like it or not!
“If you can cooperate and sign the contract, then all of us will leave here happy. Otherwise… Hmph! You can prepare to die slow and painful deaths! Don’t you know who I am? I’m well-connected with the Secretary. I’m good friends with his younger sister’s husband.
“If you try to resist, do you believe me if I say that I send all of you to jail with just one phone call?”
Hu Dahai roared as he glared at the villagers with big, round eyes.
The villagers all fell silent. They all seemed afraid.
Hu Dahai became more arrogant when he saw that. “All of you are unruly peasants! Don’t think that I’m afraid of you all! You’re too weak to oppose me!
“Why are you still standing there? Put down the weapons in your hands! Otherwise, I’ll get the police to arrest you!”
Hu Dahai glared angrily and he became even more arrogant.
Several villagers put down the farming equipment in their hands.
“That’s how it should be! Everyone can leave happy if you can cooperate!” Hu Dahai said with unbridled laughter.
Suddenly, a stone flew from the crowd and smacked Hu Dahai’s forehead.