Chapter 39: Lin Wendong: Obey the Law and Never Overload

Zhang Youqian stood frozen in place, his mind a complete blank. His body remained rigid like a statue, still holding the phone to his ear, utterly motionless.

"Wh... what...?"

Waves of shock crashed through his heart, his lips trembling. He even began to wonder if he had misheard, or if he was suffering from senile dementia.

'What did Manager Wang just say? That... they have to pay the people of Tazhai five million?'

'This makes no sense! They owe us money! You were sent to collect a debt; even if you didn't get the money, how could you end up paying them five million instead?'

Zhang Youqian had imagined the worst-case scenario: that the people of Tazhai were thugs and the debt couldn't be collected. But he never, in his wildest dreams, imagined that not only would they fail to collect the money, but they would also end up having to pay the other party five million!

"This...?"

"This...?"

In an instant, Zhang Youqian’s worldview shattered. Not to mention experiencing such a thing, he had never even heard of it in the entire history of loan sharking. In a sense, Manager Wang and his crew had made history.

Seeing that Zhang Youqian remained silent, Manager Wang could no longer wait. With a nervous tone, he said, "Boss, if we don't come up with this five million, Wang Dalong and the others will all be..."

Zhang Youqian felt numb. Wang Dalong and his men absolutely could not go to the police station! Most of the things those men had done in the past were at his instigation; if those were brought to light, Zhang Youqian would likely be looking at decades behind bars.

"What the hell is going on?"

Zhang Youqian was on the verge of a breakdown. His eyes turned red, and he felt as if he might burst into tears.

Right now was exactly the time he needed money most. If nothing else, both Li Batian and Niu Youde had warned him that today was the deadline; he had to show them the money. Originally, Zhang Youqian had confidently agreed, but now... not only was the debt uncollected, but he had to pay out five million of his own!

***

Dongshan City, Tazhai.

The sky was thick with dark clouds, and a heavy downpour seemed imminent. Since the arrival of the police, many of the Tazhai villagers had dispersed, seeing that the situation was not at all what they had expected. Wu Youhai had also ordered the special police units to withdraw one by one. Now, there were only a dozen or so officers maintaining order, along with Chief Wu Youhai.

Manager Wang was still on the phone with Zhang Youqian. Lin Wendong stood nearby with his arms crossed, watching him with a faint smile, showing no signs of impatience. He knew for certain that Manager Wang would come up with that five million.

'Some matters might seem light as a feather when left alone, but once placed on the scales, even a thousand tons couldn't hold them down!'

This sentiment perfectly captured the current situation. Wang Dalong and his men carried the weight of many "unsettled debts" that no one knew about. If they were brought into the station and these matters were investigated, not even a thousand tons would be enough to hold them down. This was why Lin Wendong had been so confident from the start.

"Heh."

Just as Manager Wang was explaining things to Zhang Youqian, Wu Youhai suddenly asked Lin Yaodong, "I recall Tazhai being labeled an impoverished village in Dongshan this year. How much time has passed since then, and yet..."

Wu Youhai was not just making idle conversation. He asked this out of a policeman's intuition. Think about it: a village ranked among the lowest in poverty in Dongshan, yet in just a month or two, it had undergone an earth-shattering transformation. Its infrastructure was better than the most luxurious areas of the city. How could there not be a problem here? Where did the funds come from? Wu Youhai was certain that building these concrete roads and facilities would have cost at least ten million. Ten million! Let alone for an impoverished village, even for the city itself, coming up with ten million was no simple task.

'Could it be... that the entire village is involved in illegal and criminal activities?'

Wu Youhai’s gaze flickered, but he kept his suspicions to himself. Lin Yaodong smiled, just about to speak, when Manager Wang gritted his teeth and announced, "We'll settle. We'll transfer the five million to you right now!"

After his explanation, Zhang Youqian finally recognized the reality of the situation. This five million had to be paid; otherwise, the consequences would go far beyond just money.

"Hahaha!"

Lin Wendong smiled faintly, not forgetting to twist the knife. "Actually, you didn't have to pay this money. As long as you have a clear conscience, the police would have gotten to the bottom of it at the station."

"You...!" Manager Wang and the hundred-plus men were so angry they could have breathed fire. Wang Dalong vowed viciously in his heart, "I will find an opportunity to make you taste my fists!"

Having injected the enhancement serum and possessing master-level combat skills, Lin Wendong had no idea he was already being targeted by a formidable fighter like Wang Dalong.

Lin Wendong provided the public account details for Tazhai to the other party. Soon, the five million was transferred by Zhang Youqian. Once the money arrived, both sides officially reached a settlement under the witness of Chief Wu Youhai.

"Now, can we go?" Wang Dalong said in a deep voice. Before leaving, he glared fiercely at Lin Wendong. Among the lackeys behind him, some felt it was humiliating to leave like this and wanted to toss out a few threats, but they were immediately silenced by a slap from Wang Dalong.

'We just asked for directions and ended up paying millions; if you spout threats now, he can make an intimidation charge stick immediately!' Hearing this, the lackeys who were about to speak swallowed their words. He was absolutely right.

"Wait!"

Manager Wang and his men had barely taken a few steps when they heard Lin Wendong’s voice ring out from behind them. Everyone’s body shuddered, a sense of dread rising in their hearts.

"What... what now?!" Manager Wang turned around stiffly, his face ashen, and asked in a low voice.

But all he saw was Lin Wendong’s brilliant, sunny smile, like that of a cheerful young man.

"I’m just reminding you: you can't have over a hundred people crammed into five vans. You have to obey the law—no overloading."

Manager Wang: "???"

Wang Dalong: "???"

The other lackeys: "???"

Everyone felt numb. They had just paid five million—did he expect them to walk home now?