Zhang Village.
Due to Ye Longlin's intervention, Zhang Yi's family had become the focus of Zhang Village, with every action being magnified.
Before his arrival, Zhang Yi's death was unwelcome news but didn't garner much attention. However, after Ye Longlin appeared, guests never stopped visiting the Zhang family.
In the darkness of the night, Ye Longlin gazed at the family adorned with military honor, falling into a long silence.
Ye Longlin stood outside the door, and even in the dead of night, he could hear the suppressed pain and deep despair emanating from the courtyard.
There were no heartbroken sobs, nor agonizing cries.
Everything was subdued.
Yet, the more this silent stillness, the more oppressive it made one feel.
"During that battle in the Golden Triangle, being the youngest, I was often teased by them. Back then, I was the captain, and Old Zhang was the vice-captain. Teasing aside, they still carried out my orders to the letter.
To lure the drug lord into a trap, Hong Meigui posed as a buyer to create an opportunity for me to deliver a fatal blow. But the drug lord was cunning and had drugged Hong Meigui's water. To rescue her, we had to engage in a battle at his stronghold. Many people died in that fight.
And I could only watch through the sniper scope, unable to help, unable to even fire, just waiting. That feeling of powerlessness is still vividly remembered.
After it was over, the drug lord thought he was in the clear, unaware that I had been watching him all along. At that moment, I pulled the trigger, but due to lying prone for a long time and the winter snow, my legs lost all feeling. It was Old Zhang who carried me all the way back from the Golden Triangle to the border.
When we went, there were thirty-five people; when we returned, only five. I personally delivered the death notices to their parents across the country, and that's how the Dragon Pavilion was established."
Ye Longlin spoke slowly, and Yuan Gang beside him gasped, his eyes filled with shock.
He was well aware of his boss's combat prowess. He couldn't recall anyone who could make his boss suffer, yet he hadn't realized such events had occurred before the establishment of the Dragon Pavilion.
That drug lord was truly... formidable!
Xuan Niao returned, her body stained with blood. The people behind her carried two stretchers; what was on the stretchers was self-explanatory.
"There was a minor accident, but... I did not fail in my mission."
Xuan Niao grinned and spoke.
Ye Longlin nodded, and Yuan Gang stepped forward to knock on the door.
Soon, Zhang Lanying saw the man she had met earlier that day.
Her gaze moved past Yuan Gang, looking towards the narrow path where many soldiers stood guard. The young man with five stars on his shoulder, Zhang Yi's direct superior, was also standing before the car.
Her eyes gradually shifted, finally settling on the two stretchers.
Zhang Lanying, already suspecting, trembled slightly.
"That... is that..."
Yuan Gang spoke solemnly, "Sister-in-law, General Zhang's body has been brought back!"
Tap, tap, tap—
As he finished speaking, the eight men carrying the stretchers marched in.
"My son—"
In an instant, Zhang Lanying's emotions broke. Finally, the unbearable grief erupted from the depths of her heart.
On this night, the old woman finally wailed.
Yuan Gang's expression suddenly changed, and he pulled out his phone to answer it. Before he could speak, his face gradually turned grim.
"Boss, the head of the news department was in a car accident on his way here, hit by a large truck. He's in the hospital now. The truck driver has been apprehended, but according to our information, he was meeting with the chairman of the Wang Corporation before the accident."
They dared to lay hands on someone from the news department? Were they truly seeking death?
"Investigate it."
"Yes."
After the old woman's weeping subsided, she noticed Xuan Niao was covered in blood, clearly having been through a tough fight.
After all, she was someone who had come from those dark times; she understood things without needing them to be explicitly stated. She had been so emotional about her son and daughter-in-law's bodies that she hadn't considered their situation.
"I'm sorry, for causing you trouble because of our family's affairs. Young lady, I still have my daughter-in-law's clothes here. Your clothes are... If you don't mind them being relics, you can change into them."
Xuan Niao chuckled, holding the elder's hand, and said, "Auntie, it's okay, what's there to mind?"
News of the bodies being retrieved quickly spread throughout Zhang Village. After all, it was just a village, and any significant event was known rapidly.
Many people brought their own tables and chairs to Zhang's house, spontaneously standing guard overnight.
When Xuan Niao and Zhang Lanying came out, they saw Zhang Tiande personally come to keep vigil for a descendant.
...
Upon receiving the order, Yuan Gang sped to the hospital. Learning that Yu Guanghua was still in surgery, he left two Dragon Pavilion soldiers to guard and then found the target among the list of local officials.
That evening, an industry gathering was taking place at a restaurant called Hua Man Lou, where Han Shan and a group of media executives were present.
As the top-ranked private dining establishment in the area, Han Shan's presence there was understandable.
Han Shan was the founder of the Nan Province Daily.
He was later absorbed by the television station, becoming the deputy head of the news department, the second-in-command after Yu Guanghua.
Currently, in a private room, various influential figures were toasting each other.
Han Shan, over fifty, clearly looked like the most senior among them.
Suddenly, his assistant burst in and whispered something into Han Shan's ear, causing the atmosphere in the room to dip slightly.
"Tell that young man to wait, I am currently eating."
The assistant looked troubled. "It's said to be urgent, he can't wait a moment."
Han Shan frowned, and before he could speak, someone beside him chimed in, "What does his urgency matter? Does his business have to interrupt our meal? Uncle Han, don't you think so?"
Han Shan pondered for a moment and asked with a hint of inquiry, "Please convey to that young man that it is indeed inconvenient at the moment and ask him to wait for me for half an hour."
The person beside him spoke again, "Damn it, what kind of person is he? Uncle Han, don't you worry about this, I'll handle it. If it really comes to it, tell him to make a reservation at the TV tower tomorrow."
Bang!
Yuan Gang pushed open the door and scanned the room.
"This is an urgent matter, so I won't be polite. That person is Han Shan, come with me."
Upon entering, Yuan Gang showed no politeness. His words sounded accusatory.
"What the hell do you think you are? I'm warning you..."
"Ah—"
The person beside Han Shan immediately became enraged, slamming the table and pointing at Yuan Gang to curse him. However, before he could finish, Yuan Gang knocked him unconscious with a palm strike.
"Please come with me," Yuan Gang repeated.