Chu Fugui was completely dumbfounded.
He never expected this rough-looking gangster before him to be so well-versed in demolition policies and procedures—even down to which official stamps were required.
What the hell? Shouldn’t you just stick to being a thug? Why the hell do you know so much about legal procedures?
Are you studying for the civil service exam or something?
But now, he had no time to explain. The crowd of villagers had already erupted in outrage.
"What? The compensation is 60,000 per person? Then why did the village head tell us it was only 30,000?"
"Isn’t it obvious? He’s been pocketing our money!"
"No wonder Chu Fugui was in such a hurry to demolish—he’s been stealing half our compensation!"
"This is disgusting! They’re treating us like dirt!"
"With five people in my family, we should’ve gotten 300,000, but now we’re only getting 150,000—half of it’s gone!"
"Same for my family!"
"Ours too!"
"That old bastard Chu Fugui is ruthless! That’s our life savings!"
"........"
The more they talked, the angrier they became, their voices rising in fury.
Most of the villagers were poorly educated, and with information being far less transparent than in later years, many had never even seen a computer, let alone checked demolition policies.
The compensation amount had always been whatever the village head said it was.
At first, they thought Chu Fugui had skimmed a few thousand from them—maybe even 10,000 or 20,000, like in Chu Yang’s case.
But this? This wasn’t just a little—this was half their money!
Of course, they didn’t know that most of the embezzled funds had gone into Niu Ben’s pockets, with only a small portion ending up with Chu Fugui.
But right now, they didn’t care about the details.
A few thousand? They could swallow that—it wasn’t worth provoking a gang over.
But tens of thousands? Hell no. Not even the gods could make them agree to this now!
They’d fight to the end if they had to!
Fueled by rage, the villagers exploded.
"Damn you, Chu Fugui! You greedy bastard! I’m not signing anything! You won’t tear down a single brick until we get every penny we’re owed!"
"Me neither!"
"Count me in!"
"That’s right! No demolition!"
"........"
In an instant, the crowd surged with fury. Villagers rushed home, grabbed their demolition agreements, and tore them to shreds on the spot.
Chu Fugui panicked at the sight.
"He’s lying! Don’t listen to him!"
"The compensation was decided by the village committee! It was never that much!"
"........"
But no matter how much he shouted, no one listened.
The villagers’ resentment toward him had been simmering for too long. They wouldn’t believe a word he said.
And when Ma Da added one final remark, their emotions reached a boiling point.
"My name is Ma Da, and I can’t stand scum who steal from hardworking farmers—because my parents were farmers too!"
"I wasn’t going to get involved, but today, I’ll say this: I’ve got your backs! If anyone dares to threaten you with forced demolition, I’ll be the first to stop them!"
The villagers were moved beyond words. This was eye-opening.
Look at this! This wasn’t just some gangster—this was an angel in thug’s clothing!
So even among criminals, there were good and bad people?
Their fear of Niu Ben’s gang began to fade.
With another gang leader backing them, how scary could Niu Ben really be? Screw him!
Just then, an elderly man hobbled forward and grasped Ma Da’s hand tightly.
"Chu Yang is a good boy… Even as a child, he carried water for widows. When he grew up, he donated money to them too. His whole life..."
Others chimed in, showering Chu Yang with praise until he sounded like a modern-day saint.
And when Ma Da pulled out the petition, the villagers eagerly signed and stamped their fingerprints, their enthusiasm overwhelming.
Ma Da understood why they were so eager. Even though they’d refused the demolition, they were still afraid of retaliation—of being made an example of.
So they needed to secure protection fast, to prove their loyalty.
As the last of the villagers finished signing, Chu Yue suddenly stepped forward and dropped to her knees before Ma Da, her voice choked with tears.
"Thank you, big brother!!"
Her sobs were heartbreaking—like someone who’d been holding onto strength for too long, only to finally break when someone stepped in to shield her.
The relief was too much to bear.
Ma Da quickly helped her up.
"The one who really helped you isn’t me. You should thank Sister Tong."
Chu Yue froze. "Sister Tong?"
"Our Wanlong Society’s young mistress."
"To be exact, your brother once saved her life," Ma Da explained.
Chu Yue was stunned. She had no idea her brother had such a past.
Was this the reward for being a good person?
By now, the scene had descended into chaos.
The demolition crew’s thugs and Village Head Chu Fugui were surrounded by furious villagers, nearly drowning in their shouts.
They couldn’t even leave if they tried.
But just as the uproar reached its peak—
HONK!
A sharp car horn pierced through the noise.
Silence fell instantly.
Every head turned toward the sound.
A sleek black Mercedes S500 rolled into view, followed by nearly a hundred gangsters armed with clubs, their faces twisted with menace.
As the Mercedes stopped, the rear door opened, and a middle-aged man stepped out.
He wore a black muscle shirt, his arms covered in tattoos—a coiling blue dragon on his left.
This was Niu Ben.
The moment the crowd recognized him, gasps rippled through.
The villagers who’d felt invincible moments ago now trembled, too afraid to even meet his gaze.
Even Ma Da’s expression turned grave.
This was his first time seeing Wushui County’s underworld king in person. The man’s presence was undeniable.
Niu Ben strode forward, idly flipping an old bronze coin between his fingers.
Behind him, the sea of gangsters loomed like a nightmare, their sheer numbers enough to paralyze anyone with fear.
When Chu Fugui spotted Niu Ben, his face instantly stretched into an obsequious grin.
"Boss Niu! Thank heavens you’re here! These people have gone completely out of control—they even dared to block your men!"
Niu Ben barely glanced at him, his voice icy.
"Enough. How’s the demolition going?"
Chu Fugui: "Almost done! Just a minor hiccup, but with you here, it’ll be smooth sailing!"
Niu Ben couldn’t be bothered to engage further, his cold gaze sweeping past Ma Da without so much as a greeting, as if someone of Ma Da’s insignificance wasn’t even worth his attention.
“I’m giving you one day—tear this place down completely!”
No sooner had he spoken than the thugs behind him sprang into action, brandishing clubs as they advanced menacingly toward Chu Yang’s house.
Chu Yue trembled uncontrollably at the sight, tears streaming down her cheeks.
She knew it then—there was no saving her home.
Before she could even urge Ma Da and the others to leave, Ma Da, stung by the disrespect, raised his hand and barked, “Stop them! Don’t hold back!”
“Yes, Brother Ma!”
The twenty-some members of the Wanlong Society swiftly drew their batons, forming a defensive line against the advancing thugs. The two sides locked into a tense standoff.
Niu Ben sneered, his voice dripping with disdain. “Drag that fat bastard over here later. I’ll make sure he learns what happens when you cross me.”
“Yes, boss!” his lackeys chorused.
Yet just as the clash seemed inevitable, the distant blare of car horns cut through the air once more.
