Chapter 121: Seeing Is Believing

Before arriving, Tang Long had checked in with Wang Feiyue to ensure that County Magistrate Wu Zhengyao was not too busy to receive them. After all, a county leader has a daily schedule packed with responsibilities; he could not simply be available whenever Tang Long and his party happened to drop by.

However, Wang Feiyue’s exact words were: "You need to get here immediately. County Magistrate Wu is so anxious he’s breaking out in cold sores. If you don't show up today, he might just charge into Yutou Village himself by this evening."

The closure of Yutou Village was no longer a trivial matter for the entire Taoyuan County. Just as the village was beginning to gain some momentum, a "village lockdown" threatened to extinguish the spark before it could catch fire. If Tang Long couldn't provide a valid reason today, he was certainly going to face the music.

"Are you going to be the one to explain this to the County Magistrate later?" Tang Long asked, winking at Zhang Xiu'e as he drove into the county seat.

Zhang Xiu'e shook her head with a faint smile. "I wouldn't know how to explain it. You’ll have to tell him yourself!"

Between the Ghost King Cave, the ancient ancestor, and the Black-Scaled Jiao, she hadn't even managed to wrap her own head around it all, let alone explain it to Wu Zhengyao.

Tang Long shrugged. Personally, he didn't mind. Explaining wasn't difficult; the real problem was how to make Wu Zhengyao believe him. Unless he dragged the man to Yutou Village and had "Big Black" show its face and offer a greeting, the magistrate would likely react just as Jiang Xiuzhi had—assuming he was just spinning tall tales.

When they reached the county government entrance, Tang Long was about to get out to sign in, but to his surprise, Wang Feiyue was already waiting for them.

"Hurry, hurry! County Magistrate Wu has cleared his entire schedule just waiting for you!" Wang Feiyue urged.

It wasn't that he was being overly dramatic; Wu Zhengyao had been fuming since he learned of the village lockdown that morning.

Along the way, Wang Feiyue didn't ask any questions or pile on any extra pressure. However, Tang Long knew that if he couldn't soothe the magistrate's anger, his days as the local "favorite" would likely be numbered.

After knocking and entering the office, it was clear from the look in Wu Zhengyao’s eyes that the magistrate was furious. He stared at Tang Long without even rising for the usual pleasantries.

Tang Long gave a dry laugh, pulled out his phone, opened a picture of Big Black, and respectfully placed it before Wu Zhengyao.

Before the magistrate could even ask a question, Tang Long took the initiative: "This is a Jiao, scientifically known as a 'Black-Scaled Jiao.' It’s a creature that evolved from a giant python and is about a hundred meters long. I don't know if the Loch Ness Monster exists, but the one we found is certainly no smaller than that. Furthermore, this Black-Scaled Jiao has reached a sort of agreement with us; it’s willing to become the 'Guardian Deity' of Yutou Village, provided we supply its meals. It’s not cheap to keep, though—it eats quite a lot, needing a dozen cows for a single meal. Right now, our infrastructure in Yutou Village isn't ready for large-scale tourism, and the Ghost King Cave is too primitive—there isn't even lighting, so it's quite hazardous. For the sake of the village's long-term development, the village committee reached a unanimous decision to close the village temporarily until the facilities are upgraded, at which point we will launch a major promotional campaign. That, sir, is the reason for the lockdown."

Wu Zhengyao was stunned, unable to process the information for a long moment. Wang Feiyue, standing behind him, looked equally bewildered. Was Yutou Village really a… monster’s den?

"Xiu'e, you tell me: is this kid just feeding me a line and trying to pull the wool over my eyes?" Wu Zhengyao asked, ignoring Tang Long and turning his gaze toward Zhang Xiu'e. He was completely unconvinced by the boy's tall tales.

Zhang Xiu'e gave a wry smile. "County Magistrate, it's the truth. I have seen the 'Black Dragon King' with my own eyes; it is truly awe-inspiring. I know that no matter how we describe it, or even if we provide photo evidence, you won't be able to believe it one hundred percent right away. You should really go to Yutou Village yourself... seeing is believing."

Wu Zhengyao fell silent, his mind finally beginning to churn. He considered whether Tang Long’s explanation could satisfy him, and if it were true, what kind of change it would bring to Yutou Village—no, to the entire Taoyuan County.

"A hundred-meter-long monster has reached an agreement with you, and as long as you feed it, it will listen to you? I didn't misunderstand, did I?" Wu Zhengyao asked after a long pause.

Tang Long nodded. "Exactly."

Wu Zhengyao remained silent for a while, then looked up at Wang Feiyue. "Feiyue, do you believe this kid?"

Wang Feiyue scratched his head, caught between laughter and tears. How was he supposed to answer? If he said he believed it, it was obviously absurd. He didn't believe a word of it—it sounded like pure nonsense. But even if Tang Long were prone to exaggeration, would Zhang Xiu'e really collude with him to fool the magistrate?

"Why don't we just go to Yutou Village and see for ourselves?" Wang Feiyue suggested instead of answering. "As Secretary Xiu'e said, seeing is believing. Until we see it with our own eyes, anything we think is just speculation."

Wu Zhengyao’s eyes flickered. He stood up from his chair and nodded. "Right, seeing is believing. I can't dismiss it entirely, nor can I fully trust it. Let's go see for ourselves." He looked at Tang Long. "As long as we go to Yutou Village, we’ll be able to see this monster you’re talking about, right?"

Tang Long nodded, then added with a serious expression, "It's not a monster. The Black-Scaled Jiao is now the village's Guardian Deity, and, in name, our 'ancient ancestor'."

Wu Zhengyao was so amused by Tang Long’s audacity that he chuckled, pointing a finger at him. "Fine. Whatever it is, you’d better make sure I see it today, or else... wait and see how I deal with you!"

"Hehe!" Tang Long gave a dry laugh and gestured for them to proceed.

"Let's go!" Wu Zhengyao didn't stand on ceremony. He had made up his mind; without seeing it with his own eyes, he simply couldn't believe it.

He ordered Zhang Xiu'e to ride in his car, likely wanting to question her further on the way back. Tang Long led the way in his own vehicle. Before returning, he called Liu Yishou, asking him to start preparing dinner. By the time they returned, visited the mountain to see Big Black, and came back down, it would be just about the right time to eat.

He couldn't let the County Magistrate visit Yutou Village and return on an empty stomach!

In truth, Tang Long felt quite confident. It didn't matter who believed him; once they saw Big Black, even the most skeptical person would be convinced. The real question was whether the national special departments would allow Big Black to remain in Yutou Village as a "mascot" to attract business. If they didn't, the creature couldn't be shown off so freely. But with the backing of a heavyweight like Nan Tian, Tang Long figured the man’s influence was strong enough to shoulder the responsibility. And if he couldn't... well, they would cross that bridge when they came to it!