Chapter 279: He slanders me, he slanders me!

"What the heck, why is there self‑harm now?"

"Just one or two, where did so many people come from?"

He didn't wait for the burly man to figure out exactly what had happened.

Ding Tengfei hoisted a long bench and briskly rushed into the spirit hall, swung it up and smashed it hard against his face.

With that, bearing Ding Tengfei's long‑suppressed anger, the great force and weight sent the person flying out.

The burly man fell to his knees before the offering table, the black‑and‑white portrait knocked to the ground staring fixedly at the blood‑splattered burly man.

A nearby henchman, seeing this, immediately became angry and ashamed, shouted a curse and grabbed the hot water bottle on the table, hurling it at Ding Tengfei.

Originally, Ding Tengfei was ready to swing back in retaliation, but he felt his trouser leg being yanked hard.

In the afterglow, Lu Yang on the ground was both smearing blood on his face and wildly dashing double‑flashes at him.

He seemed to have an instant epiphany, raised his arm to shield his face, and took the hit outright.

Ah! Ah! Ah!

The water in the thermos was boiled last night.

After sitting overnight, the temperature was only warm, not scalding.

But because the ambient temperature was low, when the thermos burst open, the rising white steam was still quite frightening.

Coupled with Ding Tengfei covering his face and wailing, it truly created the impression that he had been severely scalded by hot water.

Ding's mother was terrified by the scene, but the two thugs guarding the doorway rushed in even faster, both brandishing knives.

Lu Yang hadn't expected such foolish people to exist, yet on reflection it seemed reasonable; these guys usually engage in intimidation and threats, so carrying a knife or two to bluff is normal.

In their twenties, uneducated, idle, always fighting, when they get emotional they'd naturally brandish knives and guns, wouldn't they?

But sorry, they chose the wrong opponent; Lu Yang has abundant hand‑to‑hand white‑blade combat experience.

He smoothly seized the thug's Spring Knife, kicked the opponent's testicles, making him the last eunuch of Longguo.

Ding Tengfei also tried to learn the move, but couldn't grasp it; when he dodged, his arm took a solid hit.

The wound wasn't deep, but a lot of blood flowed, and it looked quite frightening.

Just as the thug, angry and ashamed, prepared to strike Ding Tengfei again, Lu Yang launched a savage charge.

He slammed the person out of the spirit hall, sending them crashing heavily into the courtyard outside.

The sudden scene terrified everyone and stunned the onlookers.

They didn't know exactly what happened, but they truly saw the thugs attacking the two youngsters.

Ding's mother, terrified, rushed forward, hugged her son lying on the ground, covering his shoulder wound with her hand: "Son, don't scare me, don't scare Mom. I'll take you to the hospital; I'm taking you to the hospital right now!"

Ding's mother was a full head shorter than Ding Tengfei, yet she risked her life to lift him onto her back.

A woman may be weak, but as a mother she is strong; this saying was embodied by Ding's mother.

Several uncles also snapped out of their shock and hurried to help.

"Blood, so much blood, Tengfei is drenched in blood!"

"Lu too, ambulance, call an ambulance quickly!"

"My heavens, how did it come to this? How could something fine turn like this? Don't let anything happen, please don't let anything happen!"

While the scene was a chaotic mess, the crowd at the doorway cleared a path, and two police officers jogged in.

They originally thought it was just an ordinary economic dispute, a provocation case.

But when the two saw the disordered spirit hall, thugs sprawled haphazardly on the ground, and the nonstop‑bleeding Lu Yang and Ding Tengfei, they were filled with shock.

Three comrades from the Armed Forces Department arrived almost simultaneously with the police and were also stunned by the scene.

The Armed Forces Department, officially the People's Armed Forces Department, also called the Personnel Department, is a county‑level local military organ.

Leading them was a regiment‑level Armed Forces Department Head, followed by a Security Section Chief and a clerk.

"What exactly happened?"

"Police… comrades… who are they, they acted… who!"

The burly man, holding his swollen cheek, tried to speak but couldn't open his mouth, his words a vague, garbled complaint.

"Nonsense, they clearly struck first; all our eyes saw it!"

"These guys are loan sharks, they're all… black…!"

"During the elder's funeral, they blocked the door with a van and injured people inside the spirit hall; we are eyewitnesses!"

The burly man's complaint was immediately drowned out by the sea of voices from the crowd.

They hadn't dared to go up before, fearing they'd get burned or cut; but they don't…

Everyone says the deceased is paramount, even a matter of heaven, yet they shouldn't block the door on the funeral day; that invites divine retribution, cutting off descendants.

The two police officers couldn't believe the burly man's one‑sided story, especially since he didn't look like a good person; which good person would tattoo "Loyalty and Righteousness" on his neck?

"Comrade, hello, here is my ID."

Lu Yang hobbled up and handed over his officer's badge.

The two police officers glanced at it, then it was taken by the regiment‑level Armed Forces Department Head.

Earlier, Special Regiment Commander Wang Zhongxi had spoken with him by phone, hoping they could give some care to Ding Tengfei's family.

But they didn't expect that after sending someone yesterday to offer condolences, today such a huge mess erupted; and it happened inside the spirit hall, truly insane, inciting both human and divine anger.

Lu Yang's name is also clear to them; after his meritorious performance and exceptional promotion, the Local Armed Forces Department will also record it.

Moreover, the department even convened a meeting to discuss whether to make a Merit Plaque, then beat drums to send it home.

But considering Lu Yang is only in his first year of military service visiting relatives, he may have more chances for meritorious deeds.

It would be better to wait until he graduates from the military academy and obtains his degree, then arrange something more grand.

The Armed Forces Department's duties, besides militia training and national defense education, also include combat readiness duties, emergency rescue, and maintaining public security.

Among them, the most important is conscription work; for the Local Armed Forces Department, they also have performance targets.

In a region, the more eligible youths eagerly enlist, the more it shows that national defense safety education work is in place.

For many years, the locality has not seen an outstanding soldier like Lu Yang; the last time was eight or nine years ago.

I vaguely recall that he was a martyr who sacrificed himself in flood relief and rescue work and was posthumously awarded a First-Class Merit Medal.

"Lu Yang, speak boldly and without worry; if you have any grievance, the troops will stand up for you!"

As soon as the Armed Forces Department Head said that, the faces of the several hooligans led by the strong man all changed.

How did this even get tied to the troops?

Could this guy actually be some military officer, some hero of the troops?

The strong man covered his swollen face, already feeling a faint sense of unease deep down.

Sure enough, the next second Lu Yang pointed at him and said angrily: "Earlier, I stepped forward on my own to reveal my military identity, trying to persuade them not to cause trouble. They not only didn't appreciate it, but also insulted me personally, even saying that soldiers are worthless."

The Armed Forces Department Head's eyes turned icy instantly: "You dare insult an active-duty officer?"

"I didn't, I never said such remarks!" The strong man's emotions flared instantly, not minding how much his mouth hurt, he vigorously defended himself.

By this point, how could he still not know what it meant when the other side earlier passed him a knife?

It was outright entrapment, aiming to pin a shit pot on him.

Once that charge is proven, no one can protect him.

The troops and the locality are fundamentally not the same system; there's no chance to pull strings, use personal connections, or corrupt things even a little!

"I told you, I even warned you, but you wouldn't listen!"

"Bullshit!"

Lu Yang overwhelmed him with his presence: "Ask everyone, ask if they heard it!"

"We heard, we heard, we all heard it!"

Ding's mother, along with Ding Tengfei's uncles and elders, spoke first, then the onlooking neighbors also shouted along.

The strong man trembled all over with anger; they're always the ones putting a shit pot on others, when have they ever suffered such injustice?