Chapter 35: You must give our Tazhai an explanation!

Faced with the scene in Tazhai Square, Wu Youhai and the police officers accompanying him were momentarily stunned.

Indeed, a crowd of over a thousand people had surrounded a smaller group. It was just as the caller had reported, but...

Wu Youhai frowned, muttering to himself, "Something isn't right. The way these thousand people are dressed and behaving, they don't look like organized crime members at all."

"The hundred or so people they’ve surrounded... on the contrary, they fit every characteristic of a criminal gang!"

The other officers nodded in agreement, harboring the same thoughts. Regardless, they had to clarify the situation. Wu Youhai gestured to one side, and an officer immediately handed him a megaphone.

"Comrades, I am the Chief of the Dongshan City Police Bureau. Everyone, please stay calm and trust the organization."

All the villagers turned their gaze toward Wu Youhai, but not a single person moved.

Wu Youhai continued, "What exactly is happening here? Are you all residents of this village?"

"Officer, get us out of here first!" Suddenly, someone from among Manager Wang’s surrounded group shouted.

Wu Youhai’s expression darkened. He had been shouting into the megaphone for quite a while, yet these people hadn't made a sound. Just as he prepared to invoke the law to pressure them, a calm voice suddenly rang out from the crowd: "Make way."

As soon as the words fell, all the villagers parted to the left and right, revealing a clear path.

"Oh?" Wu Youhai narrowed his eyes. The person speaking was naturally Lin Yaodong. Only "Uncle Dong" commanded such immense prestige in Tazhai.

Wu Youhai thought for a moment, instructed his men to remain on high alert, and then stepped forward, walking down the path opened by the crowd.

***

As soon as they saw Wu Youhai approaching, Manager Wang and his men acted as if they had found someone to plead their case to: "Officer, you must stand up for us!"

"They suddenly attacked us and mobilized over a thousand gang members to restrict our personal freedom!"

Listening to their wailing and howling, Wu Youhai was still unsure of what had actually transpired. However, as the Chief of the City Bureau, his judgment was far superior to that of an average person.

"These thousands of people look like ordinary farmers. Where does this talk of organized crime come from? On the contrary, you people fit the profile of a criminal gang much better!"

"This..." Manager Wang’s eyes darted around, and he immediately raised his voice: "Officer, it is an ironclad fact that they were the first to strike us and that they have restricted our personal freedom!"

"That's right! We all heard it; they were the ones who started it!"

"They just surrounded us and wouldn't let us leave! They violated our personal freedom!"

"Your Honor, you must uphold justice for us!"

Wu Youhai’s expression darkened, and he waved his hand: "Just call me Comrade; there is no need for 'Your Honor'."

Uncle Dong and Lin Wendong stood by, silent, watching them calmly. Once Wu Youhai had gathered a preliminary understanding from Manager Wang and the others, he turned his gaze toward the two men.

"Which of you is the village chief?"

***

"Officer, I am the village chief: Lin Yaodong." Uncle Dong adjusted his glasses and replied with a smile.

"Lin Yaodong?" Upon hearing the name, Wu Youhai’s eyebrows arched. He had a vague feeling the name was familiar, as if he had seen it in some file.

"Inciting a mass brawl and restricting their personal freedom—did you do these things?" He shook his head to clear his thoughts and asked solemnly.

"Officer, does that even need asking? We are all living proof!"

"These two are the ringleaders; arrest them first!"

Manager Wang’s underlings began to clamor. Wu Youhai seemed to ignore them, continuing to watch the two men in front of him.

Uncle Dong shook his head calmly: "Our Tazhai has simple and honest folk traditions; naturally, we would not engage in mass brawls or restrict anyone’s personal freedom."

"Then how do you explain what happened just now?" Wu Youhai asked with narrowed eyes, his tone low.

The charge of organized crime clearly didn't hold up, and it wasn't yet clear which side had started the fight. But! There was one thing Wu Youhai had witnessed with his own eyes: thousands of Tazhai villagers had indeed surrounded these people and restricted their freedom!

"Heh heh heh..." Manager Wang sneered, feeling very triumphant. "Refusing a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit! If you had let us leave earlier, would we be in this situation? Now, everyone can just go sit in a jail cell!"

***

"Wait!"

Manager Wang’s body jerked violently. He saw that the young man who had been silent beside Uncle Dong was also wearing a smile.

*Why is he smiling?*

Lin Wendong’s lips curled into an innocent, harmless smile. He spoke in a composed tone: "Officer, it is not that we need to explain anything to them, but rather..."

"They need to give us, Tazhai, an explanation!"

"What?!"

Hearing this, Wang Dalong and his lackeys were stunned. Then, they reacted by cursing loudly:

"I think you’ve lost your mind! You want us to give you an explanation?"

"Initiating a fight and restricting our personal freedom—these are undeniable facts!"

"Haha, Officer, just arrest him! I think he’s gone insane!"

Wu Youhai looked up at the young man who had spoken, his expression revealing his confusion. Restricting someone’s personal freedom was indeed an undeniable fact. How could they possibly be the ones demanding an explanation?

Uncle Dong sighed, sweeping his gaze over Manager Wang and his men, whispering to himself: *These people are finished.*

He now fully understood Lin Wendong. While the kid didn't have any "good intentions" in his belly, he was full of "practical" methods.

Seeing all eyes fixed on him, Lin Wendong smiled nonchalantly. Then, his expression shifted, his tone becoming sharp:

"These hundred-plus people gathered and trespassed into our Tazhai. They first intimidated our villagers at the village entrance, and then openly assaulted them!"

"All of these actions constitute: the crime of inciting a mass disturbance, the crime of intimidation, the crime of provoking a mass brawl, and the crime of involvement in organized crime!"