Chapter 52: You beast, you won't die a good death!

She's here, she's here!

The village accountant let out a startled cry; Li Hengbo and Village Chief Yang Shouli had already planned to tie up Liu Hong, but they were still a bit nervous, each looking like they were facing a formidable foe.

Those barefoot fear not the shod; if Liu Hong is driven to desperation, she truly dares to kill.

Yang Shouli shoved the coarse hemp rope he had just found in the house into the village accountant's hand, ordering: "Go tie her up." He and Li Hengbo then retreated to the side.

The village accountant held a look of collapse, unwilling in heart but too afraid to refuse.

In this hesitation.

Liu Hong had already walked to the hall's door, holding a kitchen knife.

Liu Hong is under thirty, wearing a white down jacket; she used to be a clean-loving person and was pretty, but now she looks exhausted, her hair somewhat disheveled.

Life has driven her to the point of having no mood for grooming.

Just being alive is not bad.

Last Mid-Autumn Festival, Yang Shouli's eldest son-in-law Peng Junhua dragged her into the woodshed and raped her.

Later, Yang Shouli's eldest daughter actually turned around and hit her, accusing her of seducing Peng Junhua, ruining her reputation.

She once considered reporting the rape of Peng Junhua to the police.

But Yang Shouli used his authority as village chief to threaten her family: if they reported it, they would lose the contract to raise pigs on Green Bamboo Mountain and would have to compensate for the forest vegetation restoration costs there.

Unable to bear such a loss, the family had no choice but to swallow their grievances.

Last year's September 28 fire.

Her father-in-law Yang Shoushan was burned to death, and the Forest Public Security Bureau deemed him the primary culprit of the fire, assigning full responsibility to the Yang family, with a compensation of one million per death.

That fire already caused her family heavy losses.

Not only was her father-in-law burned to death, but the several hundred pigs on the mountain either died or ran off, ruining the family! The terrifying compensation amount piled on, making things worse, leaving the whole family with no way to survive.

Her husband Yang Tao went to the city to appeal, but was detained.

After being released, a few days later he mysteriously disappeared on the way to the capital, his fate unknown. Villagers say her husband was beaten to death, but she doesn't know if it's true.

Today she came to find Yang Shouli, simply wanting a clear answer.

She came brandishing a kitchen knife, knowing this is illegal, but she had no other recourse. As a weak woman, if they laid hands on her, she would have no chance to resist.

All she could do was grab a kitchen knife to bolster her courage and protect herself.

Seeing the resident village first secretary Li Hengbo also present.

Liu Hong's hatred grew upon hatred.

That day, the Anti-corruption Bureau came to Green Bamboo Village to investigate; she had originally seen a glimmer of hope. She never expected that the spark of hope, just lit, would be extinguished by Li Hengbo, who abetted evil.

Faced with this bunch of scoundrels, Liu Hong very much wanted to swing her knife and cut them down.

The thought arose.

Liu Hong again secretly reminded herself: "I must not act on impulse! The knife is for self-defense, not for attacking people! I must not act on impulse; my child is only five, he cannot be without a mother……"

After taking two deep breaths, Liu Hong's emotions stabilized considerably.

Liu Hong steadily stepped onto the threshold of Yang Shouli's home.

She had not yet spoken.

Yang Shouli suddenly shouted in anger: "Accountant Yang, what are you waiting for? Hurry up and tie her up!"

"I…… I know……"

The knife has no eyes; even the life‑preserving Accountant Yang dared not get close. He had already tied a loop at one end of the rope, hoping to throw the loop out to ensnare Liu Hong and achieve remote subduing.

But as soon as he threw the loop, Liu Hong flicked it away with one hand.

Liu Hong raised the knife, furious: "Try moving me again!"

This furious knife‑raising act terrified Accountant Yang so much his legs trembled, as if he had seen his long‑dead great‑grandmother; he wet his pants on the spot and forgot what he was supposed to do.

What a useless waste!

Seeing Accountant Yang wet his pants from fright, Yang Shouli cursed him bitterly, angry that he was useless.

Liu Hong glared hatefully at Yang Shouli and Li Hengbo.

She fired three questions in succession:

"Is it you who harmed my husband?"

"Is he dead?"

"Where is he buried?"

Few words, but each character exuded a sense of despair, as if she had already confirmed her husband had unfortunately been killed.

Yet no one gave her a definite answer.

Li Hengbo suddenly warned: "This is no place for you to run wild; quickly put down the knife!"

"Is my husband dead or not!!!"

Liu Hong howled in pain, her tears of collapse falling like broken beads.

Are tears worth money?

They are!

In the eyes of those who care for you, each tear you shed is their heart's blood; but in the eyes of those who regard you as a joke, your tears are just a joke.

Now Liu Hong is a joke.

It is a joke in the eyes of Li Hengbo and Yang Shouli.

Yang Shouli coldly snapped: "Are you deaf? Secretary Li told you to put down the knife! You shameless wretch, I order you—throw the knife away!!!"

"Is my husband dead or not!!!"

Liu Hong's howl repeated once again.

She stubbornly wanted the truth, because Yang Tao was not only her husband but also her child's father; the child is only five—how could he be without a dad?

However, still no one responded to her question.

Yang Shouli suddenly grabbed a bamboo pole from the corner and attacked.

This bamboo pole was made of bamboo, wide in the middle and pointed at both ends, about 1.6 meters long.

Normally used for carrying loads, it had great elasticity.

When held as a weapon, it also had the advantage of "an inch longer, an inch stronger."

"You wretched thing, you've rebelled!"

Yang Shouli struck Liu Hong's arm with the bamboo pole; caught off guard, Liu Hong felt a bone‑shaking, marrow‑sucking pain in her right arm, and the kitchen knife in her hand fell to the ground.

Liu Hong wanted to pick up the knife and fight back.

Just as she bent down, Li Hengbo stepped forward and kicked her angrily, knocking Liu Hong to the ground; as Li Hengbo kicked a second time, he sent the kitchen knife on the floor flying far away.

"You beasts! I'll fight you to the death!"

Liu Hong, reduced to tears by the abuse, gave rise to a faint thought of mutual destruction.

She had just grabbed Li Hengbo's clothing.

Yang Shouli shouted angrily, "You ignorant wretch! You dare hit Secretary Li—let go or not! Let go or not!" The bamboo pole in his hand was already swinging toward Liu Hong's back.

Although Liu Hong was wearing a down jacket,

when the bamboo pole came down, her back still felt as if her spine were about to break.

Don't think that Yang Shouli, a sixty‑year‑old rustic farmer raised in the countryside, lacks vicious strength; moreover, Yang Shouli doesn't stop after one strike—he asks "Let go or not?" and then strikes again.

Liu Hong was equally stubborn.

No matter how fiercely Yang Shouli struck, she clung to Li Hengbo's clothing and refused to let go.

Feeling his authority challenged, Yang Shouli's anger flared: "You're asking for death!" He swung the bamboo pole at Liu Hong's occiput, like a butcher with eyes reddened by rage.

Liu Hong's occiput immediately began to bleed.

Yet Liu Hong still clung to Li Hengbo's clothing, tears streaming as she cried, "I just want to know if my husband is dead—have I done something wrong?"

"Let go!"

Li Hengbo strained to pry her hand apart twice, but couldn't open it.

In an instant he also flew into a rage.

Li Hengbo exerted force with both upper and lower body, locking her neck with his hand, sweeping her leg with his foot, twisting and throwing her hard to the ground.

"Get the rope!"

Li Hengbo pressed Liu Hong firmly to the ground.

At that moment Yang Shouli also threw away his bamboo pole, seized the coarse hemp rope from Accountant Yang's hands, and cursed him: "Useless, good for nothing!"

Li Hengbo was responsible for subduing Liu Hong, Yang Shouli for tying her up.

Liu Hong, pinned to the ground, could not move at all, hoarsely cursing: "You beasts, may you die a horrible death! ……"

"Stop!"

At that moment, Lin Dongfan rushed forward in a quick stride.

Before Yang Shouli and Li Hengbo could react, Lin Dongfan had already grabbed Yang Shouli's arm and flung the old fellow to the base of the wall.

Then Lin Dongfan kicked out angrily, sending Li Hengbo tumbling to the ground.