Although Lin Nan’s warning had prompted a change in Yang Jian’s thinking, he had no intention of immediately shutting down or withdrawing from the Xun Si River Casino.
His current predicament had not yet been resolved. The next semester was less than half a month away, and he needed to pay agricultural workers’ wages before September 1st.
Yang Jian planned to clear all outstanding agricultural workers’ wages from last year. The template factory had not yet generated any profit, and the workers’ wages could not be delayed this month either.
There was also the labor costs for the construction in Chengguan. If funds were sufficient, he intended to pay them all, and the material costs could be deferred until the end of the year.
As someone who came from a farming background, Yang Jian understood the hardships of migrant workers better than anyone. September 1st was a critical juncture, with countless migrant workers relying on receiving their hard-earned money from the first half of the year at this time.
On one hand, it was to supplement household expenses, as they only received basic living expenses on construction sites.
On the other hand, it was to raise tuition fees for their children. Families with children attending high school or university, in particular, faced significant expenses during this period.
The labor wages for these few areas alone would exceed two million. In the short term, the only place to raise such a large sum of money was the casino. Therefore, despite the risk of being cracked down upon, Yang Jian planned to continue operating for another month or two.
By then, not only would all labor costs be paid, but the template factory would also have working capital, and they could proceed with the secondary structural construction or partial decoration of the houses in Chengguan.
“Brother Nan, how is the investigation into Brother Mao’s matter progressing?”
Not wanting to dwell on his own issues, Yang Jian changed the subject.
Lin Nan finished his clay pot rice and took a sip of tea. “The anti-drug squad has initiated a covert investigation into Brother Mao. It has been confirmed that San Pang was transporting methamphetamine pills. However, to uproot the entire methamphetamine trafficking network, the police will not apprehend Brother Mao for the time being.”
“Will San Pang be in danger then?”
“Probably not. Brother Mao has always treated San Pang as a transport tool and hasn’t told him the truth. As long as San Pang continues to play dumb and pretend to know nothing, he will be fine. Brother Mao won’t harm him.”
“My biggest worry is that Brother Mao will drag San Pang down with him and eventually shift all the blame onto him, because Brother Mao is currently using him as a pawn.”
“It’s alright. San Pang has already become a police informant. Not only the captain of the anti-drug squad, Miao Zhan, knows his identity, but also myself and a deputy director. When the net finally closes, the three of us can prove his innocence.”
“That’s good. Brother Nan, when are you and Sister Xia getting married?”
“Our wedding date has been set for October 1st.”
“So soon? It’s only a month and a half away. How many months have you known each other?”
“In a few more days, I’ll be thirty-one. I can’t wait any longer. Besides, Wei Xia and I are both busy and don’t have much time for romantic courtship. Since we’ve hit it off, there’s no need to drag things out; we’re getting straight to the point.”
“That’s true. What gift should I get for your wedding, Brother Nan? Have you decided on your marital home? How about I buy you a furnished apartment from Dongsheng Company as your marital home? One that you can move into immediately?”
Lin Nan’s eyes widened in anger. “Nonsense! Our marital home has already been decided. Don’t get any funny ideas. I won’t be your protector. If you commit any offenses in Xinhe, I will arrest you without hesitation.”
Yang Jian gave an awkward smile. “Don’t get agitated, Brother Nan. I didn’t mean to bribe you. I just wanted to thank Sister Xia for her help to my sister. If it weren’t for her, my sister might not have survived.”
“That’s still no reason to give a house. Saving lives and healing the injured is her duty. She gets paid for it, so why do you need to thank her?”
“Alright, alright, you blockhead who can’t see reason. I don’t want to talk to you anymore.”
“Who are you calling a blockhead? Believe it or not, I’ll beat you up?”
“Can you beat me?”
“Want to try?”
“Let’s try, who’s afraid of whom.”
“Let’s go to the riverbank. If I don’t beat you so hard that you throw up the meal you just ate, my name isn’t Lin.”
The two of them, unable to agree, actually challenged each other to a fight. They drove Lin Nan’s car directly to the Daxin River beach.
The sun had just set, and in the lingering twilight, the sky was still bright. Many people were enjoying the cool evening breeze and strolling along the riverbank.
Lin Nan found a less crowded stretch of beach, parked the car, took off his shoes and shirt, and walked onto the sand barefoot, wearing a vest, to start his warm-up exercises.
Yang Jian also took off his shoes. He was wearing a T-shirt, so he didn’t need to take it off. He twisted his neck, wrists, and ankles.
A duel between masters could easily lead to injury. Warming up the joints before engaging was crucial; it not only helped to get into the zone quickly but also prevented fractures and ligament sprains.
“Come on.”
Lin Nan assumed an offensive stance, his gaze sharp, his muscles bulging like a lion ready to tear its opponent apart.
The powerful aura made Yang Jian feel unprecedented pressure. He hadn’t felt this way even when facing Yang Fan. This was a very dangerous opponent; he must have killed someone.
Even so, Yang Jian showed no fear. The stronger the opponent, the more it ignited his latent fighting spirit.
“Roar.”
Yang Jian let out a roar and lunged at Lin Nan with the ferocity of a leopard.
His fighting style was close-quarters grappling. Yang Fan had told him that military and police combat focused on grappling and aimed for a single decisive blow. Attacking with punches and kicks from a distance could easily lead to being countered.
Mixed martial arts, which incorporated techniques from judo, wrestling, and joint locks, were suitable for grappling and could effectively counter grappling techniques, especially on the ground where the advantage was more pronounced.
However, Lin Nan was clearly also a master of combat. The moment they clashed, he sensed Yang Jian’s intention. The two were evenly matched and engaged in a fierce battle.
This stretch of beach was close to the river and contained moisture, so it did not kick up dust and would not cause injury from falling on hard ground. It was quite similar to a professional ring, suitable for high-intensity combat.
However, their fight quickly attracted the attention of people strolling nearby, who swarmed over to watch.
“Wow, these two are really fighting, and they’re both masters.”
“Oh my god, doesn’t it hurt to land punches like that?”
“Spectacular! You can tell these two are professional fighters; their movements are very methodical, much better than boxing matches on TV.”
“Exactly. It’s a shame my phone’s camera is too basic. The photos won’t turn out well in this light. Otherwise, posting them online would definitely go viral.”
The onlookers were excited and chattering, while Yang Jian and Lin Nan were completely immersed in the fight, paying no attention to the crowd that had already formed a dense circle around them.
“Oh my god, isn’t that the boyfriend of Wei Xia, the surgeon at our hospital? I often see him picking her up from work. Isn’t he a police officer? Why is he fighting someone?”
A young woman in the crowd suddenly recognized Lin Nan and let out a startled cry.
“It really is him. Hurry up and call Wei Xia! They’re fighting so fiercely; what if someone gets hurt?”
The young girl next to her was clearly also from the hospital and had likely seen Lin Nan before.
The young woman busied herself calling Wei Xia, while others directly dialed 110 to report the incident. In their eyes, these two were genuinely engaged in a mutual brawl, and if they continued, lives could be at risk.