Chapter 497

Lin Shengli watched the "Longteng" cutting through wind and waves, his heart filled with heroic ambition.

He knew this was not an end, but a beginning.

Next, he still needed to develop stealth fighters and new-type destroyers, to raise Daxia's national defense cause to a higher level.

At this moment, the system prompt sounded again: 【Ding! Host led the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier "Longteng" to launch, completing an epic national defense mission; the Heaven Rewards Diligence system upgraded to the "Pillar of the Nation" system, unlocking the divine skill "Strategic Deterrence"!】

Lin Shengli's mouth curled upward; he knew that with system backing, state support, and help from those around him, no difficulty could stop his steps forward.

Daxia's national defense cause will only grow stronger; those who once schemed against him will ultimately only be able to look up at him from the dust.

At the same time, No. 95 Siheyuan, South Luogu Lane.

The live broadcast of the Longteng's launch filled the entire screen.

When the camera panned over Lin Shengli on the bridge, everyone in the courtyard held their breath.

"My goodness, Shengli is so imposing now!" Yi Dama wiped her tears, face full of pride.

Yi Zhonghai nodded, his turbid eyes full of feeling: "This child, I didn't dote on him in vain; he has brought honor to the nation."

In the crowd, Yan Bu Gui's face was quite grim.

He clenched his fists, feeling sour inside.

We're all from the same courtyard; why can Lin Shengli become a general and attract nationwide attention?

His son Yan Jiefang is still unemployed at home, barely able to scrape together a full meal.

"Dad, look at Lin Shengli..." Yan Jiefang came over, his tone envious and jealous.

"What are you looking at!" Yan Bu Gui glared at him, lowering his voice: "He's where he is today just because of luck? Wait, I'll think of a way; I'll surely get him to arrange a job for you."

His little abacus in his heart started clicking again.

Lin Shengli is now a Pillar of the Nation; as long as they can climb onto this high branch, the Yan family will rise to prominence.

Outside the crowd, Shazhu squatted in the corner, clutching half a cold steamed bun, his eyes vacant.

The Lin Shengli on TV and the young man who had just moved into the siheyuan in his memory are now worlds apart.

He thought of his mortgaged house, of Qin Huairu's destitution, and of Bang Geng's ten-year prison term.

His heart felt blocked, making it hard to breathe.

Yi Zhonghai walked over and patted his shoulder: "Shazhu, don't dwell on it; it's fate."

Shazhu lifted his head, eyes red: "Eldest Uncle, I truly regret… if I had listened to you back then and not mixed with the Jia family, wouldn't I not be like this now?"

Shazhu lifted his head, eye sockets red: "Eldest Uncle, I truly regret… If back then I had listened to you and not gotten involved with the Jia Family, wouldn't I not have become like this?"

What's the use of regret? The path was chosen by oneself; the consequences must be borne by oneself.

Just then, a noisy clamor came from outside the courtyard gate.

"Let me in! I want to find Lin Shengli!"

"He got my grandson imprisoned, ruined my family, I want to fight him to the death!"

The familiar sharp voice made everyone in the courtyard frown.

It was Jia Zhangshi!

Wasn't she sent to labor reform? How did she come back?

The crowd surged to the gate and saw Jia Zhangshi, hair disheveled, clothes ragged, being blocked by the joint-defense team members at the gate.

"I warn you, cause more trouble and I'll arrest you!" the joint-defense member shouted sternly.

"Arrest me? What do I have to fear!" Jia Zhangshi threw a tantrum, slapping the ground with both hands: "Lin Shengli is a high official—does that let him bully people at will? I'm going to sue him!"

Yan Bu Gui's eyes lit up; he quietly stepped aside, watching with schadenfreude.

He hoped Jia Zhangshi would cause a big scene, preferably dragging Lin Shengli down with her.

Then Lin Shengli would be overwhelmed, perhaps even beg him to help calm things, and he could thereby secure a job for Yan Jiefang.

Seeing this, Shazhu's heart tightened; he wanted to step forward to stop it, but Yi Zhonghai grabbed him.

"Don't join the fray," Yi Zhonghai said lowly. "She's courting death; whoever tries to stop her will suffer."

Shazhu hesitated, then finally stopped.

He himself is hard-pressed; he truly lacks the ability to manage the Jia family's affairs anymore.

Jia Zhangshi's disturbance grew wilder, drawing many onlookers.

Just then, a military jeep sped over and stopped at the courtyard gate.

The car door opened, and Lin Shengli's guards stepped out.

He saw Jia Zhangshi causing a ruckus, his eyes turned cold, and he stepped forward: "Jia Zhangshi, you have a lot of nerve!"

Jia Zhangshi looked up, saw the guard's uniform, her heart gave a jolt, and her arrogance instantly weakened a bit.

But thinking of her own plight, she steeled herself: "I… I'm looking for Lin Shengli to demand an explanation! On what grounds did he ruin my family?"

"Ruined your family?" the guard sneered. "Bang Geng stole state defense secrets, evidence solid; ten years is lenient! You've repeatedly insulted national merit personnel, disturbed public order, and the last labor reform hasn't even been completed?"

"Did I ruin your family and cause deaths?" the guard sneered, "Bang Geng stole state defense secrets, evidence solid, ten years would be lenient! You repeatedly insulted meritorious state personnel, disrupted public order, and the last labor reform hasn't been corrected?"

"Whether or not, it's not up to you to say." The guard took out a walkie-talkie, spoke solemnly: "Send two people over, take her back to the police station, and handle her under the charge of provoking trouble."

Soon, two police arrived and directly lifted the still-wailing Jia Zhangshi onto the police car.

The onlooking crowd dispersed, and the courtyard returned to calm.

Yan Bu Gui's face turned grim; his little scheme came to nothing.

He hadn't expected Lin Shengli's people to arrive so fast and handle things so cleanly.

Yi Zhonghai glanced at him and said lightly: "Old Yan, don't waste your thoughts; Shengli's current status isn't something just anyone can try to exploit."

Yan Bu Gui gave an embarrassed smile, said nothing, and turned back home.

He felt resentful inside, but dared not openly provoke Lin Shengli again.

He was unwilling to accept it, yet he didn't dare to openly provoke Lin Shengli again.

But he hadn't given up; his mind began to plot a new idea.

At this moment, at the Research Base, Lin Shengli had already received a report from the guard.

"Jia Zhangshi?" Lin Shengli's mouth curled into a cold smile. "An unrepentant thing."

"General, we've already sent her to the police station; this time she'll get at least six months." the guard said.

"Well done." Lin Shengli nodded. "Pass the word: strengthen security around the Research Base and the Siheyuan; don't let these riffraff affect our development progress."

"Yes!"

After the guard withdrew, Lin Shengli looked again at the development blueprints on the table.

Daxia's national defense forces must be strong enough to safeguard the mountains and rivers.

As for those troublemakers in the Siheyuan, they're nothing but petty clowns.

If they dare to provoke him, don't blame him for being ruthless and cruel.

His energy is always devoted to the nation's national defense cause.

Those who look up to him from the dust are not worthy of distracting him.