Zhang Chong had been waiting for his moment. Had Liu Qiang, Zhong Mao, and the others managed to rescue Sun Da, he wouldn't have stuck his neck out to be the first one up. But now, seeing there was no other way, and with the soldiers' guns pressed against Sun Da’s head—as if waiting for a single command from Zhao Mengsheng to pull the triggers—he could no longer remain indifferent. He immediately signaled his men.
These thugs were wild, raised in the countryside without kin or ties, and knew nothing of fear. Moreover, they were convinced that these soldiers would never dare to actually open fire. After all, this was a society governed by law; no one dared to kill so recklessly. Seeing Zhang Chong’s signal, every one of them prepared themselves.
"Brothers, charge!"
There were quite a few of them—at least twenty. They surged forward like a swarm of rats. Although the soldiers held guns, they would not fire without an order from Zhao Mengsheng. Despite their rigorous training, they would not harm innocent civilians; they merely moved to defend themselves against the onslaught. While Zhao Mengsheng had arrived by helicopter, the number of soldiers he brought was not overwhelming, and the scene quickly descended into chaos.
Liang Song saw the situation spiraling and immediately moved to shield Grandma Liang and Mother Liang, casting a worried look at Zhao Mengsheng. Could he really gun down Sun Da?
Qi Tongwei, who had been watching from the sidelines, felt a faint surge of excitement amidst the chaos. The opportunity to prove himself had finally arrived. From the moment the man landed the helicopter, he had known what path to choose. Though he had wavered at the start, if he wanted to pledge his loyalty to the man now, he had to make a clean break from Sun Da and his crew. This chaos was his perfect chance.
"All officers, stand by! Restore order immediately!"
The police behind him hesitated for a moment. "Chief, which side are we maintaining order for?" After all, Qi Tongwei had just been in Sun Da’s camp. If they were to 'maintain order' alongside these thugs, their batons would be pointed at trained soldiers. These officers rarely even saw a murder case in their daily lives, let alone faced off against the military.
Seeing their cowardly expressions, Qi Tongwei slapped the nearest one. "You are people's police! You protect the civilians and suppress these thugs!"
Qi Tongwei spoke with an air of righteousness, as if he hadn't been the one to hand Liang Song over to Sun Da just moments before. The officers had no time to question him; relieved that they weren't fighting the military, they drew their batons and charged at the thugs.
"What do you think you’re doing? Stop!"
With the police joining in, the thugs quickly lost their advantage. In an instant, they were subdued, forced to kneel on the ground with their hands behind their heads, unable to move. Zhang Chong still had some fight left in him and tried to rush forward, but having taken a kick from Liang Song earlier, he hadn't recovered. Even if he wanted to save Sun Da, he lacked the strength.
Qi Tongwei watched the result with satisfaction. He walked up to Zhao Mengsheng and said, "Hello, I am Qi Tongwei, the Director of the Public Security Bureau. All the criminal elements have been subdued."
Zhao Mengsheng glanced at him, his eyes sharp enough to pierce through all of Qi's petty schemes. He remained silent, turning instead toward Grandma Liang and Mother Liang. "Are you alright?"
Grandma Liang nodded; they had been protected by soldiers the moment the chaos broke out.
Zhao Mengsheng’s throat tightened as he looked at the disheveled state of Grandma Liang and Mother Liang. He lowered his head slowly. "I'm sorry. I came too late. I promised the Company Commander I would protect you, and I failed. I let you suffer..."
Hearing this, Grandma Liang’s eyes grew red. "Don't blame yourself. We know your heart, and none of us hold it against you. Besides, you’re here now—that’s enough." She patted Zhao Mengsheng’s arm as she spoke. While she hated Sun Da and his men, she didn't want Zhao Mengsheng to get blood on his hands. As the thugs had shouted earlier, this was a society governed by law; no one had the right to execute others on the spot. If Zhao Mengsheng got himself into massive trouble for their sake, that would be even worse.
"Xiao Zhao, let it go. Send them to prison and let the law punish them," Grandma Liang said. She didn't want any lives lost, nor did she want any stain on Zhao Mengsheng’s record.
Qi Tongwei’s eyes darted around upon hearing this. If he could navigate this and save Sun Da’s life, he could earn a favor from Zhao Lichun. More importantly, he could make a lasting impression on this man. By offending neither side, he could maximize his own interests. With this in mind, he smiled inwardly and stepped forward with feigned righteousness. "Don't worry, I will arrest them all. I will see that justice is served and give the villagers the fairness they deserve!"
Liang Song looked at his hypocritical display with icy eyes. "A weathervane swaying with the wind!" he muttered, causing Qi Tongwei’s expression to stiffen.
Qi Tongwei looked at Zhao Mengsheng, and seeing no change in his expression, he exhaled in relief. He chuckled and explained, "The young brother might have some misunderstandings about me, but I swear on my position as the Director of the Public Security Bureau! I will ensure they are brought to justice and pay the price they deserve!"
Sun Da, still pinned to the ground, had been listening. Seeing a glimmer of hope, he immediately raised his hands. "Right, right! Hurry up and arrest me!"
Qi Tongwei watched his raised hands, reached for the handcuffs at his waist, and slowly approached. Both Qi Tongwei and Sun Da breathed a sigh of relief, having heard no protest from Zhao Mengsheng.
However, just as the handcuffs were about to click onto Sun Da’s wrists, Zhao Mengsheng spoke.
"I don't need you."
Qi Tongwei froze, his smile locked in place as he turned back. "You don't need me? What does that mean?"
*Is he really going to shoot him? Even with all that power, is he not afraid of the consequences? Or is the ladder I’m giving him not big enough?*
Qi Tongwei’s mind raced. As he reached out to cuff Sun Da, the soldiers pinning him down blocked his way. Zhao Mengsheng turned to face them, his gaze cold and devoid of hesitation.
"Execute Sun Da on the spot."
"Anyone who interferes will be dealt with by military law!"
A thunderclap split the sky, illuminating Zhao Mengsheng’s resolute, unyielding face. All the soldiers stood ready.