Chapter Thirty-Nine: No Effort Is Wasted

The actions of the villagers of Fish Head Village startled everyone around them.

Beside Young Master Rui, two silent young men quickly moved forward, blocking the way. Their hands reached to their backs, where a faint metallic glint could be seen.

"Young Master Rui, should we help?" one of them asked in a low, grim voice, completely unafraid.

A playful smile flickered at the corner of Young Master Rui’s lips. He countered, "Help whom? Let's just watch."

Having his own man beaten might not be such a bad thing.

"Fish Head Village, Ghost King’s Cave—it really is a fine place." Young Master Rui’s face bore a hint of a smile as he murmured to himself.

No one nearby understood what he meant.

"Someone’s been killed! Young Master Rui, save me! Help!" Hou Qiwen screamed desperately.

From beginning to end, he never understood why he was so viciously beaten by the villagers of Fish Head Village.

"Are you Young Master Rui?" Lian Sheng approached, scrutinizing the young man in white.

Young Master Rui tilted his head, studying the villager with curiosity. "That’s right. Do you know me?"

Lian Sheng shook his head. "No, but if you’ve come to visit our Fish Head Village, then you’re our guest."

Young Master Rui was taken aback. He pointed to Hou Qiwen, who was being beaten on the ground. "Then why are you beating him?"

Lian Sheng replied calmly, "Because his uncle, Zhang Kang, caused the death of our old village chief. I don’t even know where this kid popped up from. Even his uncle Zhang Kang, that wretch, was beaten half to death by us, and yet he still dares to jump around. Tell me, did he deserve this beating or not?"

Young Master Rui frowned in surprise. "Isn’t Zhang Kang with Qiangyuan Corporation? You beat him too?"

He was confused by the villager’s words. By Liu Meijia’s nature, she shouldn’t have backed down so easily.

"He used to be. Now, who knows?" Lian Sheng grinned. "Qiangyuan Corporation has already been chased out!"

Chased out?

Young Master Rui didn’t know what had happened, but his arrival here wasn’t really related to Qiangyuan Corporation.

He had set his sights on Ghost King’s Cave. With tickets selling for three hundred each, a hundred tickets sold a day meant over a million a month in pure profit—a tidy little fortune for the year.

Who wouldn’t be tempted by such a money-making venture with no cost and guaranteed returns in the tens of millions annually? Young Master Rui certainly was.

"That’s enough. Any more and you’ll end up beating someone to death." Young Master Rui suddenly smiled, looking Lian Sheng up and down. "From now on, stick with me. You seem sharp. In the future, you’ll be in charge of the gate and ticket sales here. Don’t worry, you won’t be shortchanged."

Lian Sheng was puzzled. Was this young man alright in the head? Working for him selling tickets? This was Fish Head Village’s turf.

"Stop beating him!" Lian Sheng called out to the villagers, then grinned at Young Master Rui. "I’m not quite sure what you mean, but if you want to enter Ghost King’s Cave, you’ll have to follow Fish Head Village’s rules."

Young Master Rui smiled and shook his head. "Do you really think you can just beat up my people as you please?"

Lian Sheng was momentarily stunned. "Well, it’s done now. What can you do about it?"

That scrawny monkey had brought this on himself, boasting about being Zhang Kang’s nephew. Who could he blame for getting beaten?

The villagers of Fish Head Village loathed Zhang Kang with a passion.

"I think we can settle this properly," Young Master Rui said with a half-smile, beckoning with his hand. "Bring me a stool. I’m tired. I’ll sit and wait."

Someone soon brought over a small folding stool.

Young Master Rui sat down, crossed his legs, and gave Lian Sheng a wicked grin. "My people can’t be beaten for nothing. Today, Fish Head Village owes me an explanation."

An explanation?

Lian Sheng and the villagers behind him were taken aback. They’d never seen anyone swagger up to the entrance of Fish Head Village like this before.

"What if we can’t give you an explanation?" Lian Sheng asked, looking at Young Master Rui.

"You can’t?" Young Master Rui grinned slyly and drawled, "If you can’t, then find someone who can!"

He turned to his companions. "Call the police. Tell them I was assaulted."

People around immediately took out their phones and began to make calls.

Lian Sheng had heard that phrase before, but never as casually as Young Master Rui had said it, as if it was nothing at all.

...

Zhang Xiu’e was busy with others, cordoning off a safe swimming area in the water. They used green fine mesh, double-layered and fastened, then fixed it underwater with wooden stakes, marking off an area about fifty meters long and ten meters wide along the shore.

There were few rocks beneath the water here. Later, they’d put some sand on the shore. The deepest part was only one and a half meters, the shallowest a meter—quite safe.

"It’d be best to set up a changing area for visitors on the shore," Shan Xiu suggested. "We could build two small wooden cabins for changing and bathing."

Zhang Xiu’e nodded. Not only did they need changing and shower facilities, but also public restrooms.

Men could find a hidden spot easily enough, but what about the women?

"Secretary Xiu’e, your phone’s ringing," a village child called, bringing her phone over from the grass canopy table.

Zhang Xiu’e glanced at the number and answered with a smile, "Uncle Qian, what’s the matter?"

The call was from Qian Youwang, a town official. Recently, he’d heard that Zhang Xiu’e and Tang Long were planning to develop tourism in Fish Head Village and was fully supportive, encouraging them to move forward boldly. While the town couldn’t offer much help, they certainly wouldn’t stand in the way.

Qian Youwang’s voice was anxious on the phone. "Did you beat up a young man called ‘Young Master Rui’?"

"Young Master Rui?" Zhang Xiu’e was puzzled. "Who’s that? Why would we beat him up for no reason?"

"Young Master Rui is… Anyway, he’s not someone to mess with. He should be over by Ghost King’s Cave. Go and check immediately—I’ve already had several calls from county officials. They’re on their way to the town and will definitely be in Fish Head Village by midday."

"No matter what happened, you must keep the villagers calm. Make sure nothing happens to Young Master Rui," Qian Youwang instructed repeatedly before hanging up.

Zhang Xiu’e frowned deeply. Young Master Rui? Who was he? Lian Sheng was at Ghost King’s Cave and wouldn’t start a fight without reason—unless this Young Master Rui had tried to force his way in without a ticket.

"Xiu’e, what’s wrong?" Shan Xiu asked, curious.

Zhang Xiu’e’s face was stern as she replied, "It seems Lian Sheng beat up a young man named Young Master Rui at Ghost King’s Cave. He’s not someone to take lightly—the town leader called me personally!"

Young Master Rui?

Shan Xiu’s eyes flickered.

Seeing Zhang Xiu’e hurrying towards Ghost King’s Cave in the back hills, she hesitated, then followed, worried.

"Xiu’e, I’ll go with you!"