Chapter 99: Commendation Conference! Brother Qingshan's Reputation Shakes White Mountain!

The roosters crowed, the sky still ink‑blue, yet the dogs of Shanwan Village barked wildly in succession, shattering the pre‑dawn silence.

Many households were startled awake by the barking; after last night's heart‑pounding capture of the bandits, this racket made their hearts pound again.

"What's going on? Those dogs are barking to death!"

"Could it be… something else happened?"

Several bright car headlights tore through the darkness, lighting the windows of early‑rising homes with a wash of brightness.

The "creak‑creak" of tires rolling over the village‑entrance gravel sounded especially harsh in the quiet dawn, as if grinding on the villagers' very hearts.

"Cars! Several of them! They're coming straight for our village!" someone shouted.

Villagers, wrapped in cotton jackets, slipped on their shoes, craned their necks out of the mud‑brick houses, faces full of surprise and unease.

These days, cars are a rarity; the police seized a criminal here just yesterday, and today the scene is even bigger than yesterday's!

The convoy stopped not far from Lu Qingshan's new courtyard at the village entrance.

The car door "click" opened, and Chen Zhiguo, in a brand‑new police uniform with his badge and cap emblem gleaming faintly in the dim light, jumped out first, his solemn expression tinged with unmistakable excitement.

Behind him, several other leaders in crisp police uniforms also alighted.

One of them, looking about fifty, with a square face and sharp eyes, exuded authority without anger; the star‑stripe on his shoulder boards showed his rank was not low—he was Political Commissar Zhang of the county public security bureau!

A few others stood nearby, their bearing suggesting they were senior leaders from the city.

The spectacle made the on‑looking villagers' hearts leap to their throats; they dared not breathe, and the murmurs vanished, unsure what earth‑shaking event had just unfolded.

Chen Zhiguo led the party straight toward Lu Qingshan's home.

Lu Qingshan had already come out at the sound; his expression was calm, but Mountain Wild Heart's perception let him sense that these people meant no harm, bringing instead a wave of joy.

Lin Yue'e, cradling the just‑awakened Xiao Xue, followed behind; Xiao Xue rubbed her eyes, curiously watching the uniformed men, while Lin Yue'e's face showed a mix of tension and inquiry.

"Qingshan!"

Chen Zhiguo took a few steps forward, a faint smile appearing on his face, yet his tone remained formally solemn.

"This is Political Commissar Zhang of the county public security bureau, along with several city‑bureau leaders, who have come especially for your matter."

The square‑faced Commissar Zhang's eyes burned like torches as he surveyed Lu Qingshan, a deep commendation flashing in his gaze, and he extended his hand: "Comrade Lu Qingshan, hello! We've heard of your deeds—remarkable! Truly young and capable!"

Lu Qingshan shook his hand without deference or arrogance: "Leader, you're too kind; protecting home and people is simply our duty."

Village chief Zhao Yongnian and squad leader Zhao Dazhi also rushed in on the news, so excited they didn't know where to place their hands, their faces beaming.

Soon, a makeshift podium was erected on the empty ground in front of the village committee, a few tables forming a simple stage covered with a red cloth—plain yet solemn.

Almost every man, woman, child and elder in the village, except the truly immobile elders, gathered, a sea of black heads craning, holding breath, waiting for the answer to be revealed.

Commissar Zhang cleared his throat and nodded to a police officer holding a tin‑plate megaphone.

"Shanwan Village's fellow villagers, Comrades!"

The resonant voice rang through the megaphone across the small square, making ears buzz.

"Today, we are here to solemnly convene a Commendation Conference for heroic deeds! It is to honor the heroes who have emerged from Shanwan Village!"

The crowd instantly erupted in an uncontrollable stir and low exclamations; many wore smiles, eyes all flashing toward Lu Qingshan and the others.

Commissar Zhang paused, drew a neatly folded paper from his pocket, and solemnly unfolded it: "After study by the Provincial Public Security Department, the following seven Shanwan Village residents—Lu Qingshan, Zhao Tiezhu, Liu Fugui, Zhao Er Zhuang, Zhao Fei, Zhao Qiang, Zhao Lei—are awarded the honorary title 'Heroic Deed Advanced Individual' and each receives a reward of 500 RMB!"

"Wow—!"

The crowd exploded like a pot boiled over! As if a massive stone had been thrown into a calm lake!

Five hundred yuan!

What does that even mean?

A strong laborer in a production team working a year only earns a hundred‑odd yuan!

Now it's five hundred yuan!

That equals several years' total income for an ordinary family!

Zhao Tiezhu, Liu Fugui and Zhao Er Zhuang, when their names were called, flushed red, unsure where to place their limbs, grinning foolishly, eyes reddened.

Zhao Tiezhu's mother was even more moved, tears streaming, supported by a nearby woman, constantly chanting: "Ancestral blessings, ancestral blessings! Our Tiezhu has made a name for himself!"

Lu Qingshan felt waves of emotion; he inhaled deeply, and the humiliations and grievances of his past life seemed to vanish in that instant.

This was not merely about money, but a validation of his actions and a complete cleansing of his reputation!

It was a true transformation from "Lu Lazi" to "Lu Yingxiong"!

Amid deafening applause and cheers, Lu Qingshan, Zhao Tiezhu, Liu Fugui, Zhao Er Zhuang and the other three walked side by side onto the podium.

Political Commissar Zhang personally presented them with honor certificates stamped with gilt lettering, and a thick stack of brand‑new Great Unity.

The crimson certificates and heavy banknotes shone especially bright in the morning light, dazzling enough to make eyes sting.

Lu Qingshan took the certificates and the cash, glanced over the audience, and saw Lin Yue'e holding Xiao Xue in the crowd.

His wife's eyes were moist, but a proud smile curved her lips as she looked at him tenderly.

Xiao Xue seemed to feel the atmosphere too, clapping her little hands excitedly, shouting "Dad… Dad…" with a clear, bright voice.

At that moment, Lu Qingshan felt that all the adventure and sacrifice were worth it.

Commissar Zhang continued: "Comrades, Lu Jia Ying, Wang Hu, Liao Fang and their gang of bandits were extremely vicious, roaming the three northeastern provinces in thirteen cases, robbing and killing twenty‑one innocent civilians! Each case is countless! If it weren't for Comrade Lu Qingshan and his companions, fearless and both wise and brave, subduing them in time and preventing their further crimes and even escape abroad, who knows how many more would have suffered! They not only protected Shanwan Village, but also eliminated a great scourge for the whole province and even the nation! They are true heroes!"

As those words rang out, a wave of sharp inhalations swept the audience. Villagers had only known that the fugitives were captured, never imagining the gang's brutality and the staggering number of heinous cases!

Their gazes toward Lu Qingshan and the others turned from mere envy to deep reverence and gratitude. He truly is the village's great benefactor!

After the commendation ceremony, Commissar Zhang and the city‑bureau leaders did not linger, exchanged a few encouraging words with Lu Qingshan and the others, then left by vehicle.

Chen Zhiguo stayed behind, patted Lu Qingshan's shoulder, and lowered his voice: "Qingshan, come with me for a moment, I have something to tell you."

The two walked to an old locust tree at the village edge, where Chen Zhiguo lit a cigarette, took a deep drag, and then spoke slowly: "Qingshan, this time you've earned great merit; the Provincial Department and the city bureau both value you highly. The leader of the city criminal police unit has spoken to me; they greatly admire your daring and ability and intend to transfer you, giving you a formal position with superior treatment. What do you think…?"

Lu Qingshan was slightly stunned, then shook his head, his gaze drifting to the distant rolling, mist‑clearing Gan Fan Pen Mountains, and said softly: "Brother Chen, thank the leaders for their kindness. It's just… my roots are here in these mountains, I can't leave this land, nor part with my wife and daughter."

Chen Zhiguo seemed to have expected this, showing no surprise, only a hint of regret before smiling calmly: "Indeed, you're a mountain eagle by nature; a cage can't hold you. That's fine—everyone has their own aspirations."

The aftermath of the commendation conference is huge.

The villagers' attitude toward Lu Qingshan went from initial fear, to later curiosity, and now reverence as if he were a deity, completing a three‑step leap.

Many families bring their own farm‑fresh chicken eggs or mountain goods such as dried mushrooms and wood ear, claiming to thank him for saving lives, but in fact they are trying to ingratiate themselves with the village's "great capable person"; the threshold of Lu Qingshan's new house is nearly being trampled flat.

Even a few elderly clan elders approached Zhao Yongnian, proposing that Lu Qingshan become the next Village Chief, but Lu Qingshan politely declined with a smile.

He only wants to live a steady, comfortable life with his family and has no interest in holding office.