Chapter Three: Embroidered Lady, the Secretary

After rebuilding the mourning hall for the old village chief, Tang Long donned mourning clothes and paid his respects.

“The old village chief’s death was partly due to external injuries, but more so because of old age and exhaustion. His body simply couldn’t endure it,” Qiu Yuxia said, her eyes swollen and red.

She was the village doctor of Yutou Village, and everyone called her Doctor Qiu.

“No matter what, the old village chief’s death is inextricably linked to those bastards from Qiangyuan Company!” Xiao Mingyue shouted angrily. She was Aunt Yang’s daughter, whose full name was Zhao Xiaoyue. Since childhood, she had always followed Tang Long around.

Now, in the blink of an eye, she had grown into a young woman.

Tang Long kept silent, placing the spirit money into the scorched iron basin, his eyes fixed in a daze on the old village chief’s coffin.

Qiangyuan Company?

He etched the name of that company into his heart.

The current state of Yutou Village and the old village chief’s death were both closely tied to Qiangyuan Company.

Lian Sheng, with his head wrapped in gauze, came in and squatted beside Tang Long, asking quietly, “Brother Long, how should we deal with those mongrels from Qiangyuan Company?”

He and Li Ergou were among the few young men who hadn’t left Yutou Village to work elsewhere. Today, they had both stood up to stop Qiangyuan Company’s men from destroying the old chief’s mourning hall, and both had sustained injuries in the fight.

Now that the old village chief was gone, the village had no one to give direction. With Tang Long’s return, everyone seemed to have found their anchor.

“We’ll follow Secretary Xiu’e’s instructions,” Tang Long said calmly, his expression unperturbed.

Lian Sheng clenched his teeth, still dissatisfied. “Secretary Xiu’e wants to call the police. When the police come, they’ll just take those men away and eventually let them off again.”

“We’ll do as Secretary Xiu’e says,” Tang Long repeated, placing more spirit money into the basin.

Lian Sheng’s eyes reddened as he got up and walked out.

Killing was easy. Tang Long didn’t even need help; he alone could erase everyone connected to Qiangyuan Company from this world in a single night.

But could violence alone solve the problem?

It had taken great resolve for Zhang Deshun to call for Tang Long’s discharge and summon him back. Was it just so Tang Long could kill?

No!

Absolutely not!

Zhang Deshun’s greatest wish in life was for the people of Yutou Village to live well. He entrusted his unfulfilled dream to Tang Long.

Tang Long would never let Qiangyuan Company off the hook, nor would he spare anyone who bullied the villagers of Yutou Village—but violence was not his way.

He was a Special Forces King forged by blood and iron, yet never a reckless brute.

Zhang Xiu’e lifted the curtain of the mourning hall and stepped inside.

“I called the police station in town. They’re on their way with reinforcements,” she said.

Tang Long nodded. “Our village’s principle is to abide by the law. We don’t seek trouble, nor do we fear it. I hope the town will give us a proper explanation!”

The men from Qiangyuan Company were all seriously injured. But this time, Tang Long and his people held the moral high ground.

If it was reason they wanted, Yutou Village would oblige.

If they wanted to play dirty, Tang Long might not claim to be an old hand at it, but he was not afraid.

For today’s incident, whether it was the town or the county, they owed the villagers of Yutou Village an explanation.

“My condolences,” Zhang Xiu’e sighed. She hadn’t expected that the man she carried out of the mountain hollow would be the very “Little Long” the old chief always talked about.

Among the dozen or so Qiangyuan Company security guards, their captain, Zhang Kang, had broken four or five ribs and was gravely injured—it was uncertain if he would survive.

The best-off among the others had broken arms or legs.

When the police and the town’s work group arrived, there would be a lot of nervous faces.

“This is outrageous, simply outrageous!” roared a town official who had come to the scene with the Qiangyuan Company representatives, looking at the wounded men.

“I need the relevant authorities to give Qiangyuan Company an explanation!” A middle-aged manager surnamed Wang from Qiangyuan Company flashed a steely gaze.

“An explanation? Manager Wang, your company’s security guards stormed into our Yutou Village, smashed the mourning hall of our old village chief, and even dragged his body out of the coffin to humiliate him. And you still dare to ask for an explanation?” The villagers surrounded the group.

Zhang Xiu’e stepped forward, her face stern and eyes ablaze with anger. “Just half a month ago, your men beat up our old village chief. Weren’t you asking for an explanation then? Well, so are we! If the town can’t handle it, I, Zhang Xiu’e, the university graduate stationed in Yutou Village, will take it to the county. If the county can’t handle it, I’ll go to the province. I refuse to believe that there’s no place under this bright sky where justice can be found!”

Zhang Xiu’e’s words silenced the crowd.

Manager Wang from Qiangyuan Company and the town official both fell quiet; if the situation escalated, no one would come out unscathed.

Especially since, before coming, they had been warned that this young village official had a complicated background and that they should avoid provoking her.

None of the town leaders knew Zhang Xiu’e’s real connections, but one thing was certain: she was not someone they could afford to cross. Even Qiangyuan Company had received instructions not to tangle with her.

“Secretary Zhang, please don’t be hasty. We will definitely investigate this thoroughly and give the villagers of Yutou Village justice,” the town official said, his tone changing as he forced a smile.

“We’re leaving,” Manager Wang said bitterly, turning to go.

Tang Long did not show himself.

“Don’t worry, we’ll settle every score with Qiangyuan Company, one by one. This matter isn’t over.” Staring at the old village chief’s coffin, Tang Long murmured softly.

No matter who was behind Qiangyuan Company, in this lifetime, he would make them wish they were dead.

Early the next morning,

Tang Long summoned Li Ergou.

“Later, make a list of villagers, borrow Secretary Xiu’e’s phone, and call them one by one. Briefly explain the situation and see who’s willing to come back.”

“I’ll get right on it!” Li Ergou nodded. He was older than Tang Long, already in his thirties, and had never married because of his family’s circumstances.

Whatever they wanted to accomplish, they needed manpower.

Tang Long’s first task upon returning to the village was to send out a rallying call. He had no idea how many would actually come back, but every single one mattered.

“Brother Tang Long, you should eat something,” Zhao Xiaoyue said, bringing him a large porcelain bowl with steamed buns, sweet potatoes, coarse salted pickles, and a big bowl of thin porridge.

“Thank you.” Tang Long ruffled her hair and managed a weak smile.

Zhao Xiaoyue blushed and lowered her head. She was already twenty—if anyone else tried to touch her head, she would have glared at them or shouted. But this was Brother Tang Long.

“Could you fetch Secretary Xiu’e for me?”

“Sure!” Zhao Xiaoyue replied, running outside.

In the village, mourning typically lasted three days, after which the burial would take place.

“You called for me?” Zhang Xiu’e entered. Perhaps even this man didn’t realize that ever since his return, everyone in Yutou Village, herself included, had been following his lead.

Strangely enough, it felt perfectly natural—he seemed born to command.