Chapter 807: Fish Die, Net Broken

Over the next three days, Chen Lao Ban ran around like a headless fly.

The fire brigade ordered him to fix the fire passage, and he spent twenty thousand to demolish the small hut next door.

The health bureau then said the disinfection facilities were substandard, so he spent another thirty thousand on new equipment.

The environmental protection bureau said the water quality test report had expired, so he overnight sent samples to the city for testing.

Each time he finished correcting an item,

He would take the materials to the relevant department, but each time he went, they could always find a new problem—this trouble kept coming one after another.

"Your fire passage is open, but the indicator light is broken."

"You have the disinfection equipment, but the operation records are incomplete."

"The water quality report is new, but what about your self‑inspection records for this month?"

……

His legs were worn thin from running, yet new problems kept surfacing; only then did Chen Lao Ban realize this was fundamentally not rectification but harassment.

During the few days he went home to reflect, he thought he hadn't offended anyone.

Could it be that the local specialties he sent that day were too few?

Was Yuan Ben Zhong dissatisfied?

On the afternoon of the fourth day, Chen Lao Ban, holding back his resentment, mustered the courage to dial Yuan Ben Zhong's phone number.

The phone rang several times before it was answered.

From the other end came Yuan Ben Zhong's lazy voice: "Who is this?"

"Bureau Chief, it's me, Old Chen from Bibo Tan." Chen Lao Ban said cautiously: "Your Honor, about the fishing ground…"

"What about the fishing ground?" Yuan Ben Zhong feigned ignorance.

"It's… the matter of the suspension and rectification." Chen Lao Ban steeled himself: "Bureau Chief, I know I was wrong. Please, with your great magnanimity, could you lift a hand? My whole family relies on this fishing ground for a living…"

"Old Chen…"

Yuan Ben Zhong cut him off: "What are you saying? Law enforcement agencies conduct inspections according to the law—that's their job. As a mere deputy bureau chief, how could I interfere with their enforcement?"

Chen Lao Ban's heart sank halfway.

He gritted his teeth and said: "Bureau Chief, that day… that day I sent the 'local specialties'; if you're not satisfied, I can make up for it…"

"What local specialties?"

Yuan Ben Zhong's voice turned cold: "Chen Lao Ban, I warn you, don't talk nonsense! When have I ever taken anything from you? Do you have any evidence?"

"I…"

"All right, I have a meeting to attend."

Yuan Ben Zhong hung up directly.

Hearing the busy tone on the phone, Chen Lao Ban stood at the fishing ground's gate, looking at the empty fish ponds, and suddenly felt a chill run through his body.

He recalled how he had sunk all the demolition compensation into this fishing ground, and still owed over two hundred thousand in outside debts. He thought of his wife urging him every day, and the upcoming semester's tuition for his child still unpaid.

He remembered kneeling before Yuan Ben Zhong that day, and the way the onlookers looked at him.

A surge of fire rose from his heart.

Saturday night, eight o'clock.

At the entrance of the Land Bureau staff quarters.

As Yuan Ben Zhong's car had just pulled in, a person stepped forward to block it.

It was Chen Lao Ban.

After just a few days apart, Chen Lao Ban looked as if he had aged ten or more years—his stubble was unkempt, his eyes bloodshot, and he clutched a tattered cloth bundle.

"Bureau Chief!" Chen Lao Ban lunged to the front of the car: "Bureau Chief, please let me say a couple of sentences!"

Yuan Ben Zhong sat in the car, his face ashen.

He rolled down the window and shouted sternly: "Chen Lao Ban, what are you trying to do?!"

"Bureau Chief, I beg you."

Chen Lao Ban's voice trembled with tears: "The fishing ground has been shut down; I can't go on. Please, give me a way to survive. I don't want that fifty thousand—consider it a tribute to you; just spare me."

"You're talking nonsense!" Yuan Ben Zhong panicked, jumped out, and grabbed Chen Lao Ban's collar: "I warn you, keep spouting nonsense and I'll call the police to arrest you!"

Neighbors around had already gathered to watch.

But Chen Lao Ban, acting like a madman, clung tightly to Yuan Ben Zhong's arm: "Go ahead and call the police! Let them come judge! You smiled when taking the money, then turned around and denied anyone! Yuan Ben Zhong, you damn inhuman beast who takes money but does nothing!"

"Let go!"

Yuan Ben Zhong struggled hard, but Chen Lao Ban held on too tightly.

In desperation.

Yuan Ben Zhong shouted from the car: "Old Liu! Come out and help!"

The driver, Old Liu, hurriedly got out, and together with Yuan Ben Zhong, pressed Chen Lao Ban to the ground.

Chen Lao Ban kept shouting: "Yuan Ben Zhong! You'll die a bad death! Even as a ghost I won't let you off!"

"Still tough, huh?" Yuan Ben Zhong panted, telling Old Liu: "Hit! Hit him until he shuts up!"

Old Liu hesitated a moment.

"Hit him!"

Yuan Ben Zhong roared.

Old Liu gritted his teeth, lifted his leg, and kicked Chen Lao Ban.

One kick, two kicks, three kicks…

Chen Lao Ban struggled at first, then stopped moving, merely curling up on the ground like a dead dog.

A neighbor couldn't bear it any longer and shouted: "Stop! You'll kill someone!"

Yuan Ben Zhong only then came to his senses, hurriedly telling Lao Liu to stop.

He looked at Chen Lao Ban on the ground, then at the growing number of neighbors around, and gritted his teeth: "Throw him out!"

Lao Liu dragged Chen Lao Ban and threw him to the roadside outside the residential area.

Yuan Ben Zhong turned and got into the car, saying to Lao Liu: "Drive."

The car drove off.

Left alone, Chen Lao Ban lay on the roadside for Along time before slowly pushing himself up. He limped to the bus stop, sat on the bench, and blankly watched the cars come and go.

His face was bloody, and his whole body ached.

But what hurt more was his heart.

He took out his phone, wanting to call his wife, but after fumbling for a while, he put it down again.

What would he say?

Say he got beaten again? Say the fishing pond couldn't operate? Say the family would run out of food?

Forget it.

Chen Lao Ban slowly stood up and walked forward along the road.

He didn't know where to go, just walking aimlessly.

After walking for over an hour, he reached a bridge. Leaning on the railing, he looked at the river below. The night breeze blew, a bit chilly.

After standing there for who knows how long, he pulled out his phone and sent his wife a final text: "Honey, I'm sorry, I'm useless."

Then he climbed over the railing and jumped down.

With a "plop".

Water splashed up, then quickly settled.

The river kept flowing, as if nothing had happened.

The next morning.

On Lin Dongfan's desk, an additional report appeared.

"Chen, the boss of Blue Wave Pond Fishing Ground, jumped into the river and died around nine last night. Preliminary investigation shows Chen, due to the fishing ground being sealed off and under great financial pressure, had suicidal thoughts. His body was found this morning."

Below the report, a few lines of notes were attached:

"According to the deceased's family, Chen had a conflict with Yuan Ben Zhong, deputy director of the Municipal Land Bureau, before his death and was beaten."

"Moreover, the sealing of the fishing ground involved multiple departments, and the procedure is questionable."

Lin Dongfan looked at this report.

He looked at it for Along time.

Then he picked up a pen and drew a circle around the three characters "Yuan Ben Zhong".

The red circle was as glaring as blood!

He pressed the internal line: "Let Secretary Shi come over."

His voice was very calm.

But those who know him well know that beneath this calm lies a storm! Fan Ye, suppressing this anger, will unleash a deadly fury when it ignites.