Chapter 436: The Son-in-Law's Rise, Clan Members Killed

Chapter 436: The Son-in-Law's Rise, Clan Members Killed

  Bobe Bai County.

  At a certain office in the county government, people kept coming to report work to Zhu Junjie, one after another. These people were not just any rural leaders or simple department heads, but a group of county leaders who held significant power in the county.

  The reason for this situation was that the current Zhu Junjie was no longer the dedicated deputy county head but had become the acting county head of Bobe Bai County, and the official announcement period had passed.

  Moreover, this county head was not an ordinary county head but truly held significant power in the county.

  Talking about this, it was necessary to mention the complex relationship between the county head and the acting county head.

  The common relationship between the county head and the acting county head was generally one of the following three types:

  1. The county head had exclusive authority, and the acting county head was accommodating.

  2. The two appeared to have a strained relationship, with serious conflicts.

  3. They managed to reach a compromise and coexist peacefully.

  Of course, besides the above three type, there were also a few county heads who were strong, and the acting county head was weak, but this was a very rare situation.

  Typically, the higher-ups would choose a cadre leader with deep experience and and ability and and significant political background to serve as the acting county head, forming a de facto "number one" and "number two" in the county, with the other county heads recommended by the acting county head.

  More than half of the acting county heads were promoted to their positions by the county head.

  The current Song County head and Zhu Junjie, the acting county head, actually had this relationship.

  Song County head had a long political background and was truly in a position of significant power in Bobe Bai County.

  Zhu Junjie, the acting county head, had no choice but was forced to support Song County head's work in reality, not just in words, but through actions.

  In short, thanks to Song County head's strong support, the current Zhu Junjie, despite not removing the acting title, was already a powerful county head.

  Moreover, rumors had spread, and Song County head had made preparations to work good situation, and promised to actively support the work.

  In the end, Zhu Junjie invited Song County head to dinner at home, instead of going to the restaurant, partly because of a concern that it would not be good, and partly out of convenience.

  Zhu Junjie cooked a dish himself, which was not as good as his father's, but not as good as others could make.

  After eating, Zhu Junjie raised, "Uncle, Song County head, I respect you, and thank you for your support in my work."

  Song County head raised a glass, clinked, and said, "We don't have any problems, so don't worry, let's eat, and get to know what you need to do."

  Zhu Junjie drank a glass, clinked, and said, "I appreciate your support in my work."

  Song County head raised a glass, clinked, and said, "Thank you, Zhu Junjie, for your support in my work, and I will do my best to support you."

  In short, thanks to Song County head's strong support, the current Zhu Junjie, despite not removing the acting title, was already a powerful county head.

  Moreover, rumors had spread, and Song County head had made preparations to support Zhu Junjie's work.

  Zhu Junjie invited to go to the capital to attend a wedding, and Song County head had truly seen the deep background of the Deng family, and at that time had made a decision to support Zhu Junjie fully, deepening the relationship with the Deng family, so even if it meant a year or two of his career, it would be worth it.

  "Thank you, Uncle Song."

  Although he understood the reason Song County head was willing to do this, Zhu Junjie was still grateful to him.

  Did you know this is the county head in charge of over a hundred thousand people, Otherwise, it would be hard to get such a position, and once he stepped down, the treatment would be different.

  The two ate as they chatted, and Song County head, with rich work experience, was sincere in wanting to deepen their relationship, so he spared no effort in passing on relevant experience to Zhu Junjie, making Zhu Junjie benefit greatly.

  This meal, they chatted a lot.

  Until it got dark, Song County head finally bid farewell and left.

  ...

  In the afternoon.

  In Nai Village.

  Deng Shiyong sat under a longan tree, holding a water pipe, smoking.

  After smoking a few pipes, Deng Shiyong put the pipe down and a family member quickly rode a motorcycle to Deng Shiyong's house, shouting, "Nine, what's going on?"

  The family member stopped, panting heavily, and said, "Grandpa, what's going on?"

  The family member's face instantly changed, angrily saying, "Who beat me up?"

  The family member said, "I called the police (village police), and it was said, 'I was beaten by the old man (village head).'

  Looking at this, Deng Shiyong's grandson had always been good, hadn't heard of any problem, but in this life, he was actually beaten to death, the error was too great.

Undoubtedly, this was the butterfly effect brought about by his rebirth.

Clan member replied, "When the old clan head first heard the news, he fainted from shock, but he has already come to."

Deng Shirong slightly relaxed, then said with uncontrollable anger, "The damn scoundrels, it's bad enough they robbed him, but they even killed him. No matter who did it, the Nayi Deng Clan will not let them off."

The clan member said, "Elder Ninth, we're waiting for your decision!"

Deng Shirong asked, "Where is the old clan head now?"

The clan member replied, "He originally wanted to go to the crime scene, but he couldn't handle the shock, so everyone stopped him. He's at the village committee now."

"I'll go see the old clan head first."

With that, Deng Shirong got on his motorcycle and headed to the village committee.

Soon, he arrived at the village committee.

By this time, many clan members were already there. Seeing Deng Shirong arrive, they all greeted him.

Deng Shirong walked up to the old clan head, first inquiring about his well-being before getting to the matter at hand: "Secretary, where did Dog Three encounter the robbers?"

Deng Shian, with red eyes, said, "It was at the boundary between Shapo and Qingping. When he left, I told him that these times are chaotic and he shouldn't ride his motorcycle around, lest he encounter ruthless robbers. But he didn't listen to me and even said that no one would dare to touch the Nayi Deng Clan in Bobe. As it turned out, something did happen. If I had known, I wouldn't have let him go out on his motorcycle."

Deng Shirong took a deep breath and asked, "Have the police found any leads?"

Deng Shian shook his head, "The case is still under investigation. I'm afraid it might be the work of roving criminals. In that case, the police might not be able to find out who did it."

Deng Shirong naturally understood what the old clan head meant by "roving criminals."

Moreover, such criminal gangs were not just one or two. They purchased weapons and equipment at high prices from neighboring countries, making them extremely powerful.

If the one who attacked Dog Three was a member of one of these criminal gangs, the investigation would indeed be very difficult.

Deng Shirong consoled him, "Secretary, I'll head to the crime scene first to take a look. We'll discuss the specifics when I return. Anyway, whoever did it, they're as good as dead."

"Clan head, I'll go with you."

"Elder Ninth, I'll go too."

"Those with cars, bring them along, let's all go take a look."

"..."

Thus, Deng Shirong led several dozen clan members on their motorcycles toward Shapo Town.

A murder, regardless of the era, is a major case. When Deng Shirong and the others arrived at the crime scene, it was already surrounded by a crowd of villagers.

Of course, the villagers did not get too close but watched from a distance.

The police officers were also protecting the crime scene, waiting for the forensic team to arrive.

"Uncle Ninth."

"Elder Ninth."

"Clan head."

Seeing Deng Shirong arrive, the clan members who had come with the old clan head's son all greeted him.

Deng Yunliu, the old clan head's son, also came over with bloodshot eyes.

Deng Shirong patted his shoulder as a sign of comfort and asked, "How is the investigation going? Are there any eyewitnesses?"

Deng Yunliu shook his head, "No eyewitnesses, but the scoundrel killed my son and took his motorcycle. After questioning, the police found out he fled toward Qingping. They have already notified the police in Qingping, but I don't know if they can catch him."

"Let's wait for the police's news."

With that, Deng Shirong walked to the police tape and observed the scene through his system space's perspective.

He found that Dog Three had been killed with a gunshot, dying instantly.

Seeing Dog Three's tragic death, Deng Shirong felt uneasy. He felt partly responsible for this, as it was a result of his rebirth's butterfly effect.

He would first wait to see if the police could catch the culprit. If not, he would have to use some extraordinary means.

After more than an hour, the forensic team finally arrived.

After examining the scene, the forensic doctor preliminarily concluded that the robber was extremely brutal. He did not threaten the victim to hand over his belongings but immediately killed him, as if seeking revenge.

Further investigation was needed.

Seeing that staying wouldn't help, Deng Shirong left with some clan members, while Deng Yunliu and others stayed behind.

When they returned to the village, it was already dark.

By this time, the news of the old clan head's grandson being killed by robbers had spread throughout the clan. Clan members had spontaneously gathered at the ancestral hall, waiting for news.

Everyone was extremely angry that someone dared to kill a member of the Nayi Deng Clan in Bobe. If they knew who did it, they would have already mobilized forces to seek revenge. But since they didn't know who did it, they were all holding their anger, not knowing how to vent it.

"Clan Head, how’s the situation?"

"Nine, have the police found out who was behind the murder?"

"Clan Head..."

Seeing Deng Shirong and the others return, the clan members couldn't wait to ask their questions.

Deng Shirong briefly explained the situation and concluded, "The police are investigating, but the murderer is likely a ruthless criminal operating across Guangxi and Guangdong. The difficulty of solving the case is very high, so we can't rely entirely on the police. We also need to use our connections to get people in society to help us investigate. If we can lock down the suspect, we will have a chance to avenge Dog Three."

"Nine, I know Ah Dian Shi in Shapo, I can contact him to help with the investigation."

"Clan Head, I have a relative in Qingping who is also in the underworld; I can have him help investigate."

"Clan Head, I have a relative in Lianjiang with significant influence locally; I’ll call him right now to have him help investigate."

"Clan Head..."

Clan members with relatives or connections in the towns bordering Guangdong all stepped forward.

After all, the Naye Deng Clan had over three thousand members. Once mobilized, their network of connections was quite formidable.

Deng Shirong said, "Alright, let’s do it this way. Have your relatives or acquaintances help investigate. Whoever can find a lead on the murderer, I will provide them with a surefire business opportunity."

With these words, the already enthusiastic clan members became even more motivated.

This was a business opportunity provided by the Clan Head, and a surefire one at that. Even though the clan members were already well-off, who wouldn’t want more money?

Thus, the clan members, now thoroughly motivated, immediately started calling their relatives and friends to help investigate the case.

Some clan members, though they had no connections in Shapo or Qingping, had relatives and friends in other towns who were also in the underworld. These people had their own networks and might also pick up some information.

Therefore, regardless of whether it would be useful, they all decided to have their relatives and friends help.

Deng Shian watched all this and, once the clan members had gone to contact their connections, he said to Deng Shirong, "Old Nine, thank you!"

Deng Shirong waved his hand, "Secretary, we are brothers, no need for such formalities. Let’s call it a day for today. You go back and rest well, and we’ll wait for news from the police and the clan members. With both the legal and underground forces working together, even the most cunning murderer won’t be able to hide."

The current Deng Shian was already in his seventies, and his health had been declining. Today’s shock was too much for him, so he nodded, "I won’t say more formalities. I’ll go back and rest. Notify me immediately if there’s any news."

"Alright, got it."

...

Over the next two days, the entire Naye Deng Clan waited for news.

If it were just the police investigating, finding the murderer wouldn’t be easy. After all, cross-provincial investigations were inherently difficult.

But with various groups getting involved, it was different. They operated in the grey areas and could investigate more easily than the police. Under such extensive and thorough investigations, it was impossible for the murderer to hide.

On the third day after the murder, the murderer was finally identified.

"Nine, my relative has found something."

Speaking was Deng Changzong from Shanggaoxing Village. His relative was from Lianjiang’s Changshan Town and was a prominent figure there.

Deng Shirong’s eyes flashed with determination, "Who is the murderer?"

Deng Changzong said, "According to my relative, the murderer of Dog Three is likely Scar Seven from their town."

Deng Shirong frowned, "Likely? Just a guess, not confirmed?"

Deng Changzong said, "Though there’s no direct evidence, it’s almost certain to be him. My relative didn’t give me more details, but said that capturing Scar Seven will reveal the truth."

Deng Shirong nodded, trusting that Deng Changzong’s relative wouldn’t make such a statement without being confident. "Alright, I understand. I’ll call my eldest son-in-law and have him arrange the capture of Scar Seven."

Deng Changzong, aware of the status of Nine’s eldest son-in-law, a county leader, knew that with his order, Scar Seven wouldn’t be able to escape. He quickly said, "Nine, if needed, I can have my relative keep an eye on Scar Seven’s movements."

"Alright, have your relative keep an eye on his movements and act as an informant for the police."

"Sure, no problem."

...

Bobe Bai County.

In the county head’s office, the phone suddenly rang.

Zhu Junjie answered the phone and realized it was his father-in-law calling. He quickly greeted him.

"Ah Jie, it's like this. A few days ago..."

Deng Shirong didn't waste time on pleasantries and directly recounted the events, concluding with, "Based on the clues I have, Scar Seven from Lianjiang's Changshan Town is a major suspect in the crime. Arrange a police force to capture him immediately and see if we can solve this case and give our clansman a fair resolution."

Zhu Junjie immediately responded, "Sure, Dad, I'll arrange the manpower to capture Scar Seven right away."

Deng Shirong added, "Try to keep the operation confidential to avoid any leaks. Also, the perpetrator is ruthless and armed, so ensure the safety of the officers involved."

Zhu Junjie replied, "I understand, I'll take care of it."

...

That evening.

In a gambling den in Changshan Town.

Several plainclothes detectives from the Bobe County Public Security Bureau, led by a local thug, smoothly entered the den.

Inside the den, a mat was laid out on the ground. At one end sat a middle-aged man, with a pile of roughly uniform corn kernels in front of him. He was currently picking up a handful of corn and placing it in front of him, covering it with a piece of opened cigarette box paper.

At the other end of the mat, another middle-aged man sat with a basket of money in front of him, slowly organizing the contents.

In the middle of the mat, a square frame was drawn. The surrounding gamblers were continuously placing money in this frame.

The square frame was divided into four sections: one, two, three, and four. If you placed money in the center of one of these sections, it was called a "hall." If the number that came up matched the one you bet on, you won at a 1:1 ratio.

If the adjacent numbers came up, you neither won nor lost, and you could take your money back.

If the opposite number came up, you lost.

You could also bet on the corners, such as the one-two corner, two-three corner, three-four corner, or one-four corner. If you won, the payout was 1:1; if you lost, you lost your bet.

Between the corners and the halls, it was called a "yan." For example, if you bet on one-yan-two, and the number one came up, you won at a 2:1 ratio. If the number two came up, you neither won nor lost. If the numbers three or four came up, you lost.

There was also a "bridge" bet, such as one-three bridge or two-four bridge, with a 1:1 payout if you won, and a loss if you didn't.

The highest payout was 3:1, called a "fan." For example, if you bet on a fan and the number one came up, you won at a 3:1 ratio. If the numbers two, three, or four came up, you lost.

In the 1990s, almost every administrative village had at least a few gambling dens. Since the enforcement of anti-gambling laws was much less stringent than in later years, many villages saw widespread gambling, even involving multiple generations of the same family.

"Open the den, no more bets."

After the plainclothes detectives entered, the middle-aged man who was handling the corn lifted the cigarette box paper covering the corn and used a "den whip" to separate the corn, allowing the quick-eyed gamblers to see the outcome. He then skillfully arranged the corn in rows of four.

At this moment, all the gamblers' attention was focused on the corn.

Under the local thug's quiet guidance, the detectives identified Scar Seven, who was intently watching the den. They exchanged glances and moved to his back, then immediately moved to arrest him.

The detectives were skilled, and with the element of surprise, it would have been absurd if they failed.

Almost instantly, they had Scar Seven under control.

However, this sudden action caused chaos in the den.

"Who are you?"

"What are you doing?"

"Who's causing trouble in our den?"

"..."

Seeing the detectives controlling Scar Seven, the other gamblers and the house started shouting in anger.

The lead detective ignored them and took out a pair of handcuffs, directly cuffing Scar Seven.

The moment they saw the handcuffs, all the gamblers screamed and fled, with the faster ones grabbing some money from the mat as they ran.

The house's reaction was no slower, and they immediately got up and fled as well.

Although there were only a few police officers, gambling was illegal, and no one could remain calm when the police arrived. The first reaction was to run.

The detectives' primary goal was to capture the suspect, not to crack down on gambling. However, since the gamblers had all fled, they were happy to seize the gambling funds.

As for Scar Seven, after the initial shock, he angrily shouted, "Everyone is gambling, why are you only arresting me and not the others?"

The detective who was controlling him found a gun on his person and sneered, "Scar Seven, don't you know why we're arresting you?"

Hearing this, Scar Seven's heart sank. It seemed the police were specifically after him, and the matter had been exposed!

...

PS: Thank you to everyone for the support and votes!

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end