As Xiao Tianci's men moved to seize the person behind him, Luo Tuo, hidden among the villagers, quickly shouted, "Fellow villagers, Sun Lei cremated the deceased's body without the family's consent!"
"Afterward, he withheld the ashes, refused to return them, and then demanded money from the family. When he didn't get it, he brought a bunch of hooligans to surround and intercept us. This is truly wicked!"
As soon as Luo Tuo finished speaking, several villagers who had received double the payment and held considerable influence in the village began to chime in, coordinating their efforts to denounce Sun Lei's wrongdoings.
They complained about the unpleasant smell of smoke from the chimney, the disturbing grinding sounds early in the morning, and even the unauthorized modification of electric meters to steal electricity. Each accusation was unique!
To survive and establish oneself in the countryside, especially with the concept of "the prosperous leading the less prosperous," hogging all the benefits is the most detestable act.
Therefore, if the anger in the villagers' hearts could be ignited, everything else would be easy.
Before coming up with this idea, I had asked Cheng Minglang to discreetly inquire among the few staff members at the funeral home about their monthly salaries and whether they were locals.
Cheng Minglang's feedback was that the staff members were tight-lipped about their monthly salaries and open about their origins; Sun Lei had hired them from outside.
It was clear that Sun Lei did not trust the villagers.
If Sun Lei's near-monopolistic hoarding of benefits didn't earn him the condemnation of the villagers of Xingyuan Village behind his back, it would truly be a miracle!
Don't assume they wouldn't curse Sun Lei to his face. As long as there was an opportunity, and someone to lead the charge... it would be perfect!
Seeing the situation unfolding according to my plan, I let out a long sigh of relief.
The beginning is always the hardest part! As long as the shouting and anger could be successfully ignited, that would be enough.
Next, all that was needed was for Xiao Tianci to make a move, and for Luo Tuo to have those influential villagers lead the charge, and the two groups would clash directly.
Glancing back at the incensed villagers, Xiao Tianci seemed to realize that the situation was slipping out of his control. He suddenly drooped his face and said to me, "Chen Xiang, do you think a few petty tricks can turn the tide?"
"Don't you understand that in the face of absolute power, all schemes and tricks are futile?"
As soon as he finished speaking, I saw the group of subordinates behind Xiao Tianci simultaneously pull out handguns from their waists!
Each of them had one!
Immediately after, a portion of the dark gun muzzles were aimed at the villagers behind.
In an instant, the previously incensed villagers fell silent.
Seeing this sudden turn of events, my expression instantly turned as grim as water.
I had miscalculated!
I had assumed that given Xiao Tianci's current whitewashed identity, he wouldn't resort to overly aggressive tactics to take me away in public.
For no other reason than the difficulty of silencing the masses.
If he used excessive force, and it was seen and leaked, then spread like wildfire, it would undoubtedly be equivalent to self-sabotage.
But I had forgotten one very important thing.
The hatred for the blood-related kin is irreconcilable!
...
The situation, which had been salvaged through instigation, instantly reverted to a one-sided affair due to the appearance of the guns.
Regaining control of the situation, Xiao Tianci suddenly pointed at me and said, "Stop playing games, Chen Xiang!"
"Cheng Minglang and you, neither of you will escape!"
"You come here and surrender first, then it will be Cheng Minglang's turn!"
Hearing Xiao Tianci tell me to go over and surrender, a daring thought suddenly emerged in the depths of my mind...
Feigning a look of utter despair, I made Xiao Tianci lower his guard. As I walked closer to him, I suddenly dashed forward in three quick steps.
Then, with lightning speed, I grabbed Xiao Tianci's shoulder with one hand.
The moment Xiao Tianci's subordinates aimed their guns at me, I swiftly pulled out a steel plate from my pocket and pressed it against his throat.
"Don't anyone move!!!"
Before I finished speaking, I heard Xiao Tianci's subordinates shouting, "Release the boss quickly!"
As for Xiao Tianci himself, he said with a cold face, "Chen Xiang, don't forget, you are currently on parole!"
"If you cause any more trouble, I'm afraid your detention sentence will be extended."
Ignoring Xiao Tianci's words, I asked him, "Release Cheng Minglang, and I'll go with you, alright?"
I knew very well that Xiao Tianci wanted Cheng Minglang to take responsibility for Xiao Tianyu's death.
Therefore, I absolutely could not let this happen.
But unfortunately, Xiao Tianci remained unmoved.
Even with the steel plate at his throat, the big shot remained calm and collected, sneering, "Heh heh~ No one can negotiate with me, Xiao Tianci! Unless..."
"You kill me, then it's all over!"
Upon hearing this, Xiao Tianci's subordinates, holding their guns, began to advance towards me.
"Boss Xiao, don't say too much."
Surrounded by people holding guns, it was impossible not to be nervous, but I maintained a calm demeanor.
"What?" Xiao Tianci said, his expression unchanged, "Are you perhaps daring to kill me in public?"
"Heh heh, why wouldn't I dare?!"
As soon as I finished speaking, I gently applied pressure with the hand holding the steel plate. The tip of the plate cut through Xiao Tianci's neck, and a trickle of blood seeped out.
If it were an ordinary person, they might have been scared into submission. But Xiao Tianci was not only unfazed, but he also maintained a calm and composed demeanor.
"Don't stop, just stab it in with all your might!"
"If you kill me, all our grievances will be settled. If you don't manage to kill me, then for your actions just now, I guarantee..."
"I guarantee that the brothers around you will all go down with you!"
As he said this, a look of extreme mockery and disdain filled Xiao Tianci's eyes.
Just as I found myself in a dilemma, unable to advance or retreat, I suddenly remembered something Uncle Tuo had once told me.
No one is fearless of death, especially those at the top, with superior status, position, and wealth! When facing danger, their apparent fearlessness stems from the knowledge that showing cowardice and fear of death will not save them, but rather worsen the situation.
How could someone of Xiao Tianci's status be truly fearless of death?
Understanding the hidden truth in Uncle Tuo's words, I didn't hesitate. With one hand gripping Xiao Tianci's shoulder, I plunged the tip of the steel plate into his neck.
"You want us all to go down? I'll make you go down first!!!"