Chapter 116: Winds and Clouds Rising

By noon, people began pouring into the village. Even Officer Xiao Wang called to ask what major event was happening in Fudigou tonight. When I asked him what was wrong, he said his superiors had issued instructions: no matter what happened in Fudigou tonight, and no matter who called the police, they were not to respond. It wasn't just his department; every local police station had received the same notification. Anyone reporting trouble in Fudigou tonight was to be ignored. I told him perhaps a VIP was coming home to visit family. Naturally, he didn't believe me and pressed me for answers. I told him if he really wanted to know, he should ask his gaming friend Li Qing, as it wasn't convenient for me to say.

After I hung up, the visible tattoos on the men arriving made it clear they were thugs. The villagers were terrified; adults hid in their homes, while children watched secretly from the shadows. By the looks of it, Tang Renjie had summoned the entire criminal underworld of Luoyang—five or six hundred people in total.

Chen Qingshan was the most worried about the situation. He called shortly after: "What is going on? Are these people Tang Renjie sent? What are they doing? Are they going to massacre the village?"

"Massacre, my foot. Village Chief, don't worry about it. Something big is happening tonight. Stay inside if you can. Did you find the people Fatty asked you to?" I asked.

"I found them, but they just called me. They thought Fatty was gathering them for a street brawl with these outsiders, and now they're scared to get involved," Chen said.

"Tell them it’s not a brawl. None of these outsiders would dare touch a hair on their heads. I’ll take responsibility if anything goes wrong. Tell them I said so," I replied. After all, I was a village official, and I still had that much authority.

"Fatty, what do you think?" I asked after hanging up.

Fatty scoffed dismissively, "The more they do this, the more it shows he’s insecure. What century is this? Making such a grand show of force, terrified that people won’t know he’s here to take something. Don't be fooled by the numbers; they're useless against a true master. I suspect Tang Renjie and that man surnamed Liu aren't idiots. He brought so many people here simply to signal to the world that they have received the blessing of someone powerful."

"Oh?" I asked.

"Some things can only be understood, not spoken. Those who understand will understand; those who don't never will, like you," Fatty laughed.

Just then, Chen Qingshan called again. "What is it? Are they still scared?"

"That's not it. You and I both vouched for them, and our folks in Fudigou aren't that cowardly. I'm calling to tell you that the party secretary of Sanlitun just phoned me. He said your brother's house is surrounded by Tang Renjie and an old man. Your brother is in a standoff with them. You’d better go check it out. If you can't handle it, call Chen Dongfang," Chen said.

"Got it," I said, hanging up immediately. So that’s where Tang Renjie had vanished to—he was harassing my brother. Fatty and I jumped on an electric scooter and rushed toward Sanlitun. But when we reached the village entrance, the men in sunglasses squatting there stood up and swarmed us. One man with a crew cut stepped up and yanked the key from our scooter. "Get lost. Today, people can enter this village, but no one leaves."

I was about to speak, but Fatty jumped off the back. He grabbed the crew-cut man by the collar and landed a rapid-fire series of slaps on both sides of his face. Before the others could react, the man was left bruised and battered. Fatty kicked him to the ground and cursed, "What kind of trash are you, telling Fatty to get lost? Call your boss, Tang Renjie, and tell him the man who hit you is Fatty!"

The group was about to attack, but Fatty's words were so overbearing that they hesitated. Finally, one man stepped out and said, "Wait a moment, I’ll call the boss."

He walked aside, glancing at us while on the phone. A moment later, he walked over to the crew-cut man and said, "The key."

"Boss, he hit me, are we just going to let it slide?" the man protested.

He was met with another slap. The man cursed, "If you want to die, don't drag me down with you! Give me the key!"

The crew-cut man didn't dare argue, handing the key over. The man then turned to us: "Apologies, gentlemen. This little brother had eyes but failed to see Mt. Tai. My boss says he is waiting for you."

I had been terrified when Fatty started the fight, assuming we’d have to take on hundreds, but the effect was immediate. Sometimes, dealing with these people requires Fatty’s violent temper—though you need the strength to back it up. I took the key and rode off. Behind us, I heard the men in sunglasses whispering, "Damn! Since when are people on electric scooters this tough?"

When we reached my brother’s courtyard, we saw it surrounded by layers upon layers of burly men. It was a blatant act of bullying. I wasn't going to be like Fatty; I was genuinely furious. I parked the scooter and pointed at the crowd: "What are you doing? Get out of the way!"

My shout was loud enough that everyone turned to look. When they saw only Fatty and me, many cast hostile glares. Then, Tang Renjie emerged. "Move aside! What are you looking at? These are honored guests!"

He walked toward me with a beaming smile, almost grabbing my hands. "Ye, I was just about to call you. I didn't expect you to come on your own. Old Man Liu was just talking about you."

I shook off his hand and looked toward the chair by my brother’s front door. The man sitting there was the same Old Man Liu I had met once before. My brother was sitting at the gate, also in a chair, with a tea tray set before him. In that moment, I was mesmerized by my brother. Sitting there drinking tea before an army of thousands—that composure and poise alone were enough to captivate me.

I walked toward Liu and said, "Old Man Liu, it’s been a while. If I recall, you promised to respect my brother’s rules last time. My brother has already entered the Twelve Ghost Caves three times this year. I’ll talk to him; we can leave the three times for tomorrow to you. Surely, you aren't the type to begrudge thirty thousand."

Liu looked at me. His face was covered in age spots, and he seemed even more frail than before. I recalled my brother’s words—that there was a legendary "Dragon Essence" inside the twelve caves that granted immortality. I understood his desperation. Many elderly people face death with a calm indifference, but not people like this—the powerful. They are the least willing to die, for death means the end of their glory and wealth.

Liu scoffed, his voice raspy yet commanding. "Without rules, there is no order. I like people who follow rules, but I don't like it when people only demand them of me. Last time, I gave him the utmost respect. This time, it’s my turn to set the rules."

"Old Man Liu, it's not just about you. My brother hasn't entered the Twelve Ghost Caves once since then," I replied.

He waved a hand, his cloudy eyes scanning me before he sneered, "Young man, I don't like being refused. That is my rule. Do you understand?"

My heart sank. I should have known—at this point, there was no room for reason.

"Sun Zhongmou, I will tell you one last time. Give me what I want, and you can have anything you desire! If you refuse again, don't blame me for bullying the young with my age," Liu said, staring at my brother.

My brother picked up his teacup, looked at me, and said, "Ye, come here."

I walked over and stood behind him. My brother shook his head at Liu. "I won't help you, and I won't help anyone."

"Do it!" Liu waved his hand.

In an instant, the entire crowd surged forward.

"Wait!" Fatty roared.