Chapter 1005

When the motorcade entered Sun Family Village, it was already past ten in the morning.

The village's small lane wasn't wide; on both sides were low bungalows and stretches of farmland, with occasionally a few chickens wandering by the road, who, seeing the motorcade approach, flapped their wings in fright and ran off.

"Mayor Lin, Sun Bingliang's house is just ahead."

Village Secretary Wang Fugui, riding an electric scooter ahead to lead the way, had a somewhat stiff smile on his face.

He had received a call from Secretary Liu Zhibang half an hour earlier, saying the municipal leadership would personally visit Sun Bingliang, which frightened him into rushing out of his house to wait.

He just couldn't figure out how an ordinary disabled farming household could alarm the mayor.

Lin Dongfan's car stopped in front of an old brick-and-tile house.

The yard wasn't large, with some loofah vines climbing the walls, and a few old clothes were airing in the open space by the gate; it looked a bit messy, yet exuded a sense of everyday life.

But the gate was left ajar, with no sign of movement.

"We've arrived at Sun Bingliang's home."

Wang Fugui jumped out of the car, hurried forward to push open the gate, his smile becoming more awkward: "Mayor Lin, Secretary Liu, General Manager Ye, please come in… Bingliang? Uncle Sun?"

He called twice, but the yard was empty, with no one responding.

Lin Dongfan walked into the yard, his gaze sweeping over the surroundings.

The main hall's door stood open.

On the Eight Immortals table in the hall lay an unfinished land transfer agreement, chairs were overturned on the floor, and shards of broken pottery were scattered about, as if a disturbance had just occurred.

"Where are the people?"

Lin Dongfan furrowed his brows, his tone tinged with displeasure.

Wang Fugui rubbed his hands, eyes darting: "I… I really don't know. This morning I still saw Uncle Sun smoking at the gate; I guess he went to work in the fields…"

"Working in the fields?"

Seeing Wang Fugui's evasive gaze, Ye Jiaying couldn't help but grow suspicious.

She walked to the gate and pointed at the clear footprints on the door panel: "Village Secretary Wang, how did these footprints get on the gate? Besides, the inside is also in disarray."

Everyone followed the direction Ye Jiaying indicated and looked.

Indeed, there was a deep leather shoe print on the gate, its edges still bearing dirt, obviously left not long ago; looking at the doorframe, the latch was broken, showing the door had been violently kicked in.

Lin Dongfan's face instantly darkened, a surge of anger rising in his chest.

He had just been wondering whether Sun Bingliang had run into some trouble, but now it seemed the matter wasn't so simple; this was clearly someone coming to cause trouble!

"Village Secretary Wang!"

Lin Dongfan abruptly turned, his eyes like a sword fixed on Wang Fugui.

His voice suddenly rose: "Why is there no one at Sun Bingliang's home? The gate was kicked in, the inside is a mess, and you tell me they went to work in the fields? Think it over before answering!"

This angry shout frightened Wang Fugui so much his legs went weak, and he nearly collapsed to the ground.

Wang Fugui stammered: "Lin… Lin Mayor, I really don't know, ah. I just tried calling Bingliang, but no one answered… Should I go look for them? I'll go right now!"

"Stay put and be honest!"

Lin Dongfan coldly ordered: "Secretary Liu, have your people inquire around the village to see if anyone knows where Sun Bingliang and his father went, or if anyone saw anything unusual just now."

"Alright, I'll arrange it right away!"

Liu Zhibang also sensed something was off, and immediately had his accompanying staff split up to go ask around the village.

Wang Fugui stood where he was, his palms slick with cold sweat.

He knew in his heart that Sun Bingliang and his father had surely been beaten by Chen Cheng's people; that morning he had vaguely heard shouting and fighting coming from Sun Bingliang's house.

But Chen Cheng was a "big shot" in the village, with strong connections behind him, so he dared neither to intervene nor to speak up.

Now the municipal leadership had personally come to the door.

If it were discovered that he knew but failed to report, he could forget about remaining village secretary!

"Mayor Lin, what if… what if I go look nearby? Maybe they're still in the village." Wang Fugui made the suggestion with a stiff upper lip, hoping to slip away.

"No need!" Lin Dongfan saw through Wang Fugui's little thought at a glance: "We'll just wait here; I want to see what happens."

Wang Fugui had no choice but to stand aside with a forced smile, while inside he was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan. Taking advantage of everyone's inattention, he furtively pulled out his phone, walked to a corner of the wall, and called Chen Cheng.

Beep… beep… beep…

The phone rang for Along time, but no one answered.

Wang Fugui tried again.

Still no one answered.

Damn it, what's going on, not answering the phone at a crucial moment.

Wang Fugui muttered a curse under his breath, the cold sweat on his forehead increasing; Chen Cheng not answering the phone now—could something have happened?

He dared not think further, and called three more times in succession, but the phone remained unanswered.

As Lin Dongfan's gaze occasionally swept over.

Wang Fugui made up his mind, silently mounted his electric scooter, and raced toward the highway outside the village. He needed to hurry to the county hospital to check; Sun Bingliang and his father were very likely taken there.

More than half an hour later, in a ward of Jinxian County Renmin Yiyuan.

Sun Bingliang lay in bed, his right leg prosthesis removed, the wound wrapped in thick gauze, the bruising on his face shocking to behold.

Sun's father lay on the adjacent bed, his forehead stitched with five sutures, still unconscious.

"Sun Bingliang!"

Wang Fugui shoved the door open and rushed in, his face full of anxiety: "You'd better come back with me right away! The municipal leadership came to inspect your home and is waiting for you there!"

Sun Bingliang slowly opened his eyes, saw Wang Fugui, and his gaze was full of mockery: "The municipal leadership? Are they here to inspect how badly I've been beaten?"

"Don't talk nonsense!" Wang Fugui lowered his voice, tone threatening: "Hurry back with me, speak properly to the leadership, don't spout nonsense! Otherwise it won't be good for you!"

"No good?"

Sun Bingliang gave a cold laugh: "What good do I have left? My leg was broken, my father was also badly injured, and I was forced to sign a tyrannical agreement. Village Secretary Wang, what do you think I still have to lose?"

Wang Fugui's face changed: "You don't know what's good for you! You know Chen Lao Ban's background, opposing him won't end well! Go back and keep your mouth shut, don't say what you shouldn't!"

I can keep my mouth shut.

Sun Bingliang looked at him, tone firm: "Let Chen Cheng come, burn that loan agreement that tricked my father into signing, and compensate me one million, otherwise I cannot possibly keep my mouth shut,"

You're fucking crazy about money, huh?!

Wang Fugui flew into a rage: "One million? Why don't you go rob! I warn you, Sun Bingliang, be sensible and come back with me! Otherwise, after the leader leaves, it'll be your death!"

Death?

Sun Bingliang met his gaze without fear, chuckling: "I've already died once; five years ago when my legs were broken, I died once! Barefoot, would I fear you wearing shoes?"

Seeing he couldn't suppress Sun Bingliang, Wang Fugui gritted his teeth in anger.

This Sun Bingliang is hot-headed by nature; back then he dared to openly report Chen Cheng, and now he naturally dares to go head-to-head with Wang Fugui to the end.

You've got guts, just wait!

Wang Fugui turned and walked out of the ward.

Immediately called the hospital's Security Team Leader: "Hello, I'm Wang Fugui, the Village Party Secretary of Sun Family Village. That Sun Bingliang in Ward 302 of the inpatient department, along with his father, are our village's stubborn troublemakers who often cause disturbances! Send someone to watch him, don't let him leave the hospital at will! Wait for my notice!"

After hanging up, Wang Fugui pulled out his phone again and dialed Chen Cheng's number.

This time, the call finally went through.

Chen Lao Ban, something's wrong!

Wang Fugui urgently reported: "The City Leader went to Sun Bingliang's house and is now waiting there! Sun Bingliang that brat refuses to keep quiet, and he's demanding you pay him one million and burn the agreement!"

On the other end of the phone, Chen Cheng was currently smoking in the mine's office.

Hearing that.

Chen Cheng looked puzzled: "City Leader? Which City Leader?"

Who else could it be? It's Mayor Lin! Wang Fugui urged: "If he gets to see Sun Bingliang, your affairs will surely be exposed; I'm also taking a risk calling you now."

Keep an eye on Sun Bingliang, I'll be right over.