Chapter 184: Only I Have My Own Law Chapter 184: Chen Clan Martial Arts Hall

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Protagonist:

Chen Yi

Han Jie pinched Chen Yi's fingers to show her gratitude.

Sitting in a large classroom of several hundred people, his hand under the desk, being pinched and rubbed by a girl, it was still quite comfortable.

Chen Yi enjoyed it with his eyes closed.

Han Jie pinched him slightly harder and said, "Didn't you go ask?"

"It's the same after class," Chen Yi said, but his feet had already moved.

Taking advantage of the moment the professor turned around, he slid over to Lin Yuan's side in a whoosh, his movements practiced as if tempered a thousand times.

The once vigorous class monitor now looked somewhat thin, though her features were even more well-proportioned.

Chen Yi carelessly evaluated her in his mind and asked with a smile, "Class monitor, I heard your family is in Jiangbei?"

"Mm." Lin Yuan raised her head high, looking at the blackboard.

"Recently... is there anything I can help with?" Chen Yi asked bluntly.

Lin Yuan replied bluntly, "No."

Her personality simply wouldn't accept pity.

Chen Yi smiled as friendly as he could, leaning back in his chair, while simultaneously sending a text message to Yan Deputy Director to inquire about Jiangbei and ask him to look into Lin Yuan's family background; this was actually a gesture of protection—if a neighbor had some minor trouble on the official side, they would likely help smooth it over.

Yan Deputy Director replied the fastest; in officialdom, those who flatter superiors and trample subordinates are the most clever, and besides, he was originally one of Chen Yi's men, eager to do something earth-shattering to show loyalty, so small matters were even better—they showed loyalty without drawing attention.

As Han Jie said, Lin Yuan's parents were both laid-off workers, and her mother had been bedridden for years. Three years ago, her father Lin Yuan got into a fight with an accountant at the Jiangbei Shipyard over medical expense reimbursement and was recorded at the police station. Besides, she had a younger brother Lin Haitao currently in high school, who seemed not very well-behaved either, with several records of participating in group fights.

After learning the name, Chen Yi passed it to Naked Bear, and soon got an answer: among the leaders organizing residents to resist demolition in the Wharf District, one was Lin Yuanhe.

With such a complicated situation, asking directly was obviously inappropriate.

Chen Yi first instructed Naked Bear to bring his fellow-townsmen friends and stand by, while focusing his attention on the professor's lecture.

I'll go see with Lin Yuan later.

After all, they were classmates; although he disliked the class monitor's management, he had to admit that Lin Yuan's attitude and spirit were rare among modern students.

Put in old-fashioned language, she was worthy of respect. By the opinion of the "testicle-ache alien environmentalists," such a rare creature should be well protected.

After class, Lin Yuan turned left at the exit and headed toward the school gate. Han Jie caught up with Chen Yi in two steps, and the two followed behind her together.

The class monitor glanced at them suspiciously but said nothing as she boarded the bus.

After going through the crowded and long adjustment period, when the bus was about to arrive, Lin Yuan reluctantly said, "If you really want to help, don't talk nonsense later."

"Got it," Han Jie promised with a smile.

Lin Yuan nodded apologetically and said, "The demolition matter is very complicated; I still haven't figured it out myself, so..."

As she spoke, the vehicle stopped.

"Pick me up at the bus stop." Chen Yi called Naked Bear, then waited at ease.

Soon, Naked Bear arrived with over a dozen men, watermelon knives and iron clubs tucked in their waists.

Lin Yuan stopped Chen Yi and said, "No matter the reason, once inside, no one is allowed to draw weapons. Your men had best stay outside."

"Fine. Naked Bear comes with me; the others stay at the bus stop, ready at any time."

Naked Bear shouted, patted his waist, and still brought a concealed knife. From childhood to adulthood, his life had been one of fighting and killing; his concept of law was extremely thin, and he simply didn't know how great the difference was between the crime of a club and the crime of a knife—weren't they both just hitting people?

His fellow townsmen watched enviously as Naked Bear followed Chen Yi away.

Living in a house with a courtyard in Jiangning, having a master teach kung fu, and receiving several thousand yuan in living expenses every month—this was practically an immortal's life. Compared to that, although Boss He's Paper Supermarket could fill their bellies and keep them warm, and they could save some money to send home, it lacked the most important thing: hope.

Working part-time at the supermarket was purely manual labor; one could say they were exchanging labor cheaper than gasoline for a job opportunity—everyone knew that if there were things like forklifts, the work twenty people did now could be done by just two.

The wages for selling one's strength also had a transparent ceiling: the ceiling was oil prices and machine maintenance costs.

In a place where people were worth less than machines, dreams were truly too luxurious.

Naked Bear's future was the future they wanted.

That was why they responded to his every call and followed behind him.

Walking from the sidewalk near the bus stop into the Wharf District, the roads gradually became full of potholes; Chen Yi walked with one foot deep and one shallow, occasionally looking around. Demolition had made the traffic environment worse, and traces of heavy vehicles were everywhere; many single-story houses and simple buildings had been demolished.

People occasionally greeted Lin Yuan, most of the young people walking in groups of three or five.

Occasionally they would run into demolition company people wearing red armbands; at most they would loiter outside the residential area for two rounds, just to make sure the cut-off water and electricity weren't reconnected.

"Xing Street ahead is where nearby residents buy daily necessities; it's the center of the shantytown, but it's not open anymore. The factory area beyond that has basically all been demolished; they received compensation." Lin Yuan said as she led Chen Yi around the outer edge of the shantytown toward a place closer to the wharf.

Ahead was a small hill, with two or three rows of single-story houses below it.

"These were originally local farmers' houses; the family sold their original house and bought one here." Lin Yuan said calmly, but one could imagine the desperation when they agreed to these conditions.

The single-story houses here didn't even have the simplest drainage system.

Han Jie held Chen Yi's hand as they approached the foot of the hill; the road had become a patch of muddy slurry, and from afar there were banners and slogans: "Defend our homes with blood and life."

The large red characters painted on the white walls were somewhat creepy.

"At first, bulldozers came, but forced demolition failed," Lin Yuan said in a calm tone. "Recently they started cutting off water and electricity, but there hasn't been another forced demolition."

Near the intersection, in a clean area, several greasy teenagers squatted, smoking cheap cigarettes and staring this way, practicing fierce glares.

Naked Bear glared back at them, and they stopped looking.

"What about the compensation?" Han Jie asked.

"20,000 yuan per household; a few families moved away, but we have nowhere to go. Want to go in?" Lin Yuan stood at the intersection and asked.

Chen Yi took a deep breath, looked at the red small hill nearby that, lacking vegetation, seemed as bare as an exposed backside, and slowly said, "I won't go in. But I can help a bit."

He didn't want to see a gray scene and use guesswork to make up for it; his mood would be better that way.

"I know you can help." Lin Yuan's high-held head dipped slightly, and she said dully, "My dad organized a militia patrol team, guarding the house day and night without rest. I was worried he'd work himself to death, so I took the day shift for him……"

She was explaining more than anything.

Listening, Han Jie hugged Lin Yuan tightly and wept herself, wailing; in the end, she actually made Lin Yuan laugh instead.

Chen Yi smiled faintly and said, "I have two methods. One is to help your family get better demolition compensation; the other, I'll have Lu Xiong stay and help you."

The former could only help Lin Yuan's family; the latter could help the neighbors in their three rows of bungalows. As for residents in a wider area, that was beyond his ability.

Chen Yi didn't mind being on the opposite side of Mitsubishi Company, but he didn't want to be on the opposite side of the Municipal Government and the Provincial Government.

The transformation and reconstruction of Jiangbei Wharf was a matter decided by the City High Official at the Standing Committee — his main political achievement project for the next few years. To ruin someone's political achievement project is like killing their parents — that is a blood-deep hatred.

Hearing Chen Yi's words, Lu Xiong immediately puffed out his chest, every muscle in his body tensed tight.

Training every day, plus nonstop high-protein food, what he wanted most right now was a fight. He was now at Body Technique Level 3; if he acted recklessly and fiercely, he could take down black belts and red belts alike, let alone street thugs.

Yet Lin Yuan still looked at Lu Xiong with suspicion.

As far as she knew, no matter how strong one person was, they couldn't fight off dozens or hundreds of people, let alone a company like Mitsubishi. This was also the source of her pain — her father's life-risking efforts would ultimately fail. It was only a matter of time.

Chen Yi saw her meaning and smiled, "Lu Xiong is bringing people. If necessary, I can persuade official forces to step in."

Lin Yuan's eyes brightened: "Can the demolition be stopped? The people living here only get a tiny compensation and have nowhere to go."

Chen Yi spread his hands.

Lin Yuan's gaze quickly dimmed. "Sorry, I know this is a government-backed project."

"And it's a collective resolution passed by the Standing Committee." Chen Yi added, then asked again, "Which one do you choose?"

"We're not leaving." Lin Yuan answered decisively.

Chen Yi nodded, then told Lu Xiong, "You've trained this many days already. From today on, you're stationed here. Be careful not to get sniped."

Lu Xiong drew his Tibetan Knife, slapped his chest, and said, "Master, rest assured — as long as the man lives, the position holds."

Who knows where he learned that line.

Han Jie patted Lin Yuan gently. "Go home and have a look."

The latter steadfastly wiped the crystalline tears from the corners of her eyes, raised her head high again, and walked forward.

Chen Yi didn't follow. Instead, he instructed Lu Xiong while waiting for them to return.

This wait lasted two hours. When Han Jie was sent out by Lin Yuan, both her eyes were red, like disciples of Jesus who had died.

"They've gone too far! What right do they have to cut off water and electricity! What gives them the right to block roads and dump trash! Not to mention there are patients inside." Perhaps to conceal her tear tracks, Han Jie's tone carried even stronger emphasis.

Chen Yi raised an eyebrow, but said to Lin Yuan, "Ask your dad to come over. I'll have Lu Xiong and them stand guard here."

Han Jie said softly, "Can it work? They have over a hundred people."

"It's not a war." Chen Yi pursed his lips. "They're just bullying honest folk. For tearing down three rows of houses, a big brawl? The medical bills alone would bankrupt them."

"This student speaks the truth. However, they'll ask the police station to intervene." The speaker was Lin Yuanhe, a fair-skinned middle-aged man who gave the impression of an engineer rather than a fierce man who had written bright red slogans.

Chen Yi extended his hand and shook his. "I'm Lin Yuan's classmate, Chen Yi. You must be Uncle Lin."

Lin Yuanhe smiled and nodded, then coughed twice and forced a smile. "A classmate visiting the home — originally I should invite you in for a sit, but at this time, you've seen the situation……"

He spoke with a scholarly air, slow and hollow.

"No matter. Just introducing a few people to you." Chen Yi said, pulling Lu Xiong over. "I'll give the Police Bureau a heads-up. If the police station or anyone makes trouble, call me."

"Calling me works too." Han Jie finally found something she could do. She gripped Lin Yuan's hand tightly. "My family has ways too. If they come hard, we'll come hard back."

Chen Yi couldn't help but twitch the corners of his mouth twice.

Han Jie's grandpa hasn't retired yet. Since Reform and Opening Up, the Han Family has been riding a spring wind all the way, far more imposing than the Chen Family entrenched in Jiangning. If things really blew up, she really could poke a hole in the sky.

With that, both the black and white paths should have been considered. Chen Yi prepared to take his leave, but Han Jie grabbed him. "How do we solve the water and power cut?"

"This……" Chen Yi looked at Lin Yuanhe.

"There used to be a utility pole there. The transformers and such were all connected from the factory……" The latter pointed ahead, where only half a broken utility pole remained — where was any transformer?

Chen Yi licked his lips, feeling this was a bit difficult to handle.

In fact, including the shantytown residents, the holdouts all fall into the category of reasonable but illegal. Take the house Lin's family lives in — it was originally a civilian house self-built by local farmers. Aside from the village committee's red seal, there are no proper formalities; the privately strung power cables are the same.

Sending a few people to block violent demolition and help the Lin family tide over the crisis is one thing. But re-stringing power cables and forcibly supplying water — that makes the target too big.

Moreover, Chen Yi's intervention represents the Chen Family's intervention. Viewed from any angle, it's inappropriate.

But Han Jie didn't think as much as he did. She waved her hand in a circle around them and said, "Simply put, we build our own courtyard, block off Lin Yuan's row of houses, then run power lines and supply water."

Lu Xiong, eager to try, said, "Building a courtyard is good. Let's call it Chen Family Martial Arts Hall."

"Chen Family Martial Arts Hall?"

"Right. I've got at least 20 little fellow-townsmen. And look, Master." Lu Xiong bounced on the ground, sprinted a few steps, and with a flying kick, kicked the remaining half utility pole into two halves.

The thin rebar swayed twice but couldn't stop the violent attack.

Lu Xiong shouted, "Master, we must promote and glorify Chen Family Martial Arts."

Chen Yi had never told him the names of any moves — only called it Body Technique. Now a name was forcibly pinned on it.

Before he could speak, Han Jie immediately clapped. "Great! I'll get people to start construction right now, then help you get water and electricity connected."

……(Unfinished. If you want to know what happens next, please log in to www. qidian. com. More chapters. Support the author. Support genuine reading!)