OBS Chapter 617: Just a scare tactic?
Chapter 617: Just a scare tactic?
Just as Wang Ergou finished speaking, strange noises came from outside the courtyard.
It wasn't the sound of footsteps or a car, but rather something dragging outside the courtyard wall.
Li Xiangyang listened carefully; the sound was very soft, but exceptionally clear in the quiet night.
“There’s someone outside in the yard,” Li Xiangyang said in a low voice to the people inside the house.
Li Xiaoyun nervously held her son in front of her, and Li Xiaohua also nervously moved closer to her mother.
Wang Ergou quietly walked to the window and looked out through the gap in the window paper.
Under the moonlight, there were indeed several dark figures moving outside the courtyard wall.
“There are at least four or five people.” Wang Ergou turned around and gestured with his hands.
Li Xiangyang nodded, his mind racing as he considered countermeasures.
These people are clearly not here to negotiate, but to take action.
"Ergou, go through the backyard and call Daqiang and the others over," Li Xiangyang said in a low voice. "Remember, don't turn on the lights, and don't shout."
Wang Ergou nodded and tiptoed towards the backyard.
The commotion outside the courtyard grew louder and louder. Li Xiangyang realized that someone was trying to pry open the gate.
"Xiaoyun, take the child, mother, and Xiaohua and hide in the inner room," Li Xiangyang said softly. "No matter what noise you hear, don't come out."
Although Li Xiaoyun was frightened, she remained calm: "Xiangyang, be careful."
Li Xiangyang touched his wife's face: "Don't worry, I know what I'm doing."
After his family had all gone into the inner room, Li Xiangyang quietly walked to the gate and pressed his ear against it to listen to what was happening outside.
With a click, the lock was pried open.
The courtyard gate was gently pushed open, and several dark figures filed in.
Under the moonlight, Li Xiangyang could see clearly that there were five people in total, each of them holding a weapon.
Some were carrying sticks, and some were carrying knives.
Li Xiangyang sneered inwardly; these people were really direct.
Since negotiations have failed, we're prepared to resort to violence.
The man in the lead looked toward the house and then made a gesture.
The group dispersed, some standing guard at the gate, others heading towards the house.
Li Xiangyang hid behind the door, holding a wooden stick in his hand.
The footsteps grew closer, and Li Xiangyang held his breath.
The first person walked to the door and reached out to push it open.
Just then, Li Xiangyang suddenly pulled open the door and smashed the wooden stick in his hand hard against the other person's head.
boom!
The man screamed and crouched down, clutching his head.
The others immediately surrounded them.
"Li Xiangyang!" the leader shouted, "Behave yourself, we don't want to hurt your family!"
Li Xiangyang sneered: "Don't want to hurt anyone? Then what are you doing with those knives? Admiring the moon?"
No sooner had he finished speaking than a man wielding a stick rushed toward him.
Li Xiangyang dodged to the side and swept the wooden stick in his hand horizontally.
The man was caught off guard and was hit in the arm, dropping the stick from his hand to the ground.
However, the others surrounded him, and Li Xiangyang, outnumbered, gradually began to struggle.
Just then, hurried footsteps came from outside the courtyard.
"Towards the sun!"
It's Li Daqiang's voice!
Immediately afterwards, more than a dozen villagers rushed into the yard.
Upon seeing so many people, the men in black panicked.
"Retreat!" the leader shouted.
The group abandoned their injured comrade and ran towards the courtyard gate.
However, the villagers were prepared and blocked the entrance to the courtyard.
"Don't let them get away!" Li Daqiang shouted.
A melee broke out.
Although these outsiders were armed, the villagers outnumbered them and, being on their own territory, quickly gained the upper hand.
Before long, the men in black were subdued.
"Xiangyang, are you alright?" Li Daqiang ran over and asked with concern.
"I'm fine." Li Xiangyang wiped the sweat from his forehead. "Daqiang, what should we do with these people?"
"Of course, they're being sent to the law enforcement bureau." The old Party Secretary also arrived. Looking at the bound men, his face was stern. "Breaking into a villager's home in the dead of night, carrying weapons—that's illegal."
Li Xiangyang nodded: "The old Party Secretary is right. But before we send him to the law enforcement bureau, I'd like to ask them a few questions."
The old Party Secretary nodded in understanding.
Li Xiangyang walked up to the leader, whose face was bruised, but whose eyes were still fierce.
"Speak, who sent you?" Li Xiangyang asked coldly.
The man kept his mouth shut and didn't say anything.
"Not going to talk?" Li Xiangyang sneered. "Fine. Once we're at the law enforcement bureau, there are plenty of ways to make you talk."
Upon hearing this, the man's expression changed.
“We’re just here on someone’s behalf to persuade you to sell the factory,” the man finally spoke. “I didn’t expect there to be so many of you.”
"Who commissioned you?"
"This... I can't say."
Li Xiangyang glanced at the old Party Secretary, who nodded knowingly.
"Since you won't talk, then let's send you to the law enforcement bureau." Li Xiangyang turned to leave.
"Wait!" the man cried out impatiently. "I'll talk, I'll talk, okay?"
Li Xiangyang stopped and turned to look at him.
“Zhang Wei from South China Investment sent us,” the man said through gritted teeth. “He gave us ten thousand yuan to come and scare you.”
"Just bluffing?" Li Xiangyang pointed to the weapons in their hands. "Trying to scare us with knives?"
"It was really just a scare tactic!" the man hurriedly explained. "He said he wouldn't really hurt you, he just wanted to frighten you."
Li Xiangyang snorted coldly.
Zhang Wei is really cunning. On the surface, he said he was just bluffing, but who knows what these people might actually do?
"Old Party Secretary, let's send it to the law enforcement bureau," Li Xiangyang decided.
The old Party Secretary nodded: "Daqiang, take a few men and take them to town."
“Okay,” Li Daqiang replied.
The courtyard only quieted down after these people were taken away.
Wang Ergou returned from the backyard just then: "Xiangyang, I just contacted a reporter from the provincial newspaper. He said he'll be here first thing tomorrow morning."
“Okay.” Li Xiangyang nodded. “With tonight’s events, his report will be even more convincing.”
The old Party Secretary walked over and patted Li Xiangyang on the shoulder: "Xiangyang, you did the right thing. You can't back down when dealing with this kind of person."
"Thank you for your support, old Party Secretary," Li Xiangyang said gratefully.
“We villagers should help each other.” The old Party Secretary’s words were simple, but powerful. “Don’t worry, as long as I’m still the Party Secretary, I won’t let them run rampant in our village.”
After the old Party Secretary left, Li Xiangyang returned to the house.
Li Xiaoyun and the others had already come out of the inner room. Seeing that Li Xiangyang was safe and sound, they all breathed a sigh of relief.
"Xiangyang, will this kind of thing happen again in the future?" Linzhi asked worriedly.
"Mother, don't worry," Li Xiangyang comforted her. "Tonight's events will show them that we're not easy to bully."
Li Xiaoyun walked over and carefully checked Li Xiangyang for injuries: "You were too reckless just now. What if you had hurt yourself?"
“No, they won’t.” Li Xiangyang held his wife’s hand. “They’re just trying to scare me; they wouldn’t dare to really hurt anyone. Because if someone dies, things will escalate, and that won’t do them any good.”