160: Chapter 160 The Dangers of a Single Rotten Apple

Director Wu Youdao first helped his brother-in-law, Jin Youcai, into the car to rest, then waved to the back: "Dafeng, Xiaolin, you two, along with Little Wang and Little Li, take all these dozen or so people back to the Security Station."

Then, he glanced at Su Ye, Xiao Yong, and Xiao Yong's Little Uncle, pointing at them.

"Take [care] of these few."

As Director Wu Youdao's trusted henchmen, the group naturally understood what this so-called "care" entailed. Once they got back to the Security Station, they would just cuff them in a spot that was neither too high nor too low. This way, the person couldn't squat down and couldn't stand up straight, and within two hours, their lower back would be ruined.

"Understood, Director Wu."

With that, Dafeng and Xiaolin walked toward the three of them with sinister grins, their right hands brushing their waists as a pair of silver bracelets appeared in their hands.

Just then, a "put-put-put" sound rang out, and a deep, resonant male voice shouted:

"Stop."

A young man in a police uniform with a somewhat weathered face rode a police motorcycle, speeding from the distance with an angry expression before stopping by the roadside. He then strode toward the crowd.

Dafeng and the others stood in place, holding the silver bracelets, unsure whether to advance or retreat.

Director Wu Youdao spat on the ground and cursed to himself:

"Bad luck, how did this kid get back so soon?"

After cursing, he hurried up to greet him with a smile:

"Oh, Comrade Zhang Zhiwen, you're back from the lower villages? Is the promotional work finished?"

Zhang Zhiwen didn't even look at Director Wu Youdao. Instead, he walked straight past him to the few security officers, speaking with a stern expression:

"What's going on?"

Before the security officers could answer, the villagers behind Zhang Zhiwen began speaking, one after another.

Beside Su Ye, Xiao Yong let out a sigh of relief and said:

"Little Su, you don't have to run away now. Instructor Zhang is back; that bastard Director Wu Youdao won't dare to be so arrogant."

Remembering that Su Ye hadn't been back in a long time and might not know the situation, he continued:

"There's only one Security Station in our town that oversees all the surrounding villages and production teams. The previous instructor was old and didn't want to deal with Director Wu Youdao's affairs. But Instructor Zhang came down six months ago, and he's not like those idiots. He's a good official who often helps us stand up to Director Wu Youdao."

Then, he added bitterly:

"But starting two months ago, Director Wu Youdao used the excuse of promoting legal education to send Instructor Zhang to those remote villages. He even claimed that official vehicles were in short supply, giving Instructor Zhang only a beat-up motorcycle. His goal was to drive Instructor Zhang far away so he wouldn't interfere with his tyranny."

As he spoke, he took out his phone and pulled up a photo to show Su Ye. In the photo, a handsome young man of twenty-four or twenty-five was smiling warmly as he explained something to an old grandmother.

"Ye-zi, look, this is what Instructor Zhang looked like when he first arrived. In half a year, he's been worn down into this state by that bastard Director Wu Youdao. It's truly heartbreaking for us to see."

Su Ye looked at the thin figure standing before the crowd and nodded slightly. It wasn't that the Great Xia didn't have good officials; on the contrary, the Great Xia had many good officials working day and night, toiling for the people.

It was just that destruction was easy, while construction was difficult. A single bad apple could spoil the whole barrel, and the impact of one bad person could not be undone by ten good ones.

Su Ye now wanted to see what Zhang Zhiwen would do—would he compromise or stand his ground?

Zhang Zhiwen frowned as he listened to the villagers, feeling a headache coming on. Logically speaking, the problem was certainly with Jin Youcai, starting with his lack of contractual integrity. However, Zhang Zhiwen had just asked the villagers, and no relevant contract had been signed; it had only been a verbal agreement.

Furthermore, Jin Youcai had insulted others and had been the first to initiate violence, with the villagers retaliating. The line for defining self-defense was currently very blurred, and both sides had sustained injuries.

Zhang Zhiwen turned his head to glance at the smiling Su Ye and the somewhat nervous Xiao Yong beside him. The issue now lay with these two young men.

Zhang Zhiwen could understand young people retaliating in anger after seeing their family members beaten, but precisely because the two had struck Jin Youcai, they had shifted from the advantageous position to the disadvantageous one.

Although he had a headache, Zhang Zhiwen still intended to uphold the justice in his heart and protect Su Ye and Xiao Yong, at the very least ensuring they wouldn't suffer and would have a fair and just environment.

"Alright, I've understood the situation."

Zhang Zhiwen looked at Director Wu Youdao and said:

"Director Wu, I don't think we need to take so many villagers back. We only need to take the relevant personnel. I will personally take Su Ye and Xiao Yong back."

Director Wu Youdao first took a deep look at Su Ye and Xiao Yong, then suddenly smiled and said:

"Fine, we'll do it according to Instructor Zhang's wishes."

"Dafeng, Little Li, Little Wang, Little Zhang, let's go back to the bureau first."

Without any hesitation, he turned and got into the car. The remaining security officers also boarded one after another and drove off in the direction of the Security Station.

Zhang Zhiwen watched the police car drive away, then looked at the villagers and waved his hand, saying:

"Alright, don't crowd around here anymore. Go back to work."

Only after the villagers dispersed did he walk toward Su Ye and Xiao Yong.

Xiao Yong's Little Uncle looked at Zhang Zhiwen with a beaming smile, rubbing his rough hands together as he said:

"I've troubled you again today, Instructor Zhang. This—what do you think?"

Zhang Zhiwen shook his head:

"Uncle Luo, this is what I should do. However, Xiao Yong and this Mr. Su still need to come with me to the Security Station. After all, it is a fact that they beat Jin Youcai. I will go and mediate to see if the two sides can call it even, since Jin Youcai also beat Uncle Xiao."

Xiao Yong's Little Uncle nodded quickly and said:

"It's only right, it's only right. Then I'll trouble you, Instructor Zhang. The two kids don't know any better; please look out for them."

Zhang Zhiwen nodded, then said to Su Ye and Xiao Yong:

"Let's go. You two ride the electric scooter and follow behind me."

Meanwhile, in the police car, Jin Youcai held a towel to the wound on his forehead and complained aggrievedly:

"Brother-in-law, you can't just let those two bastards go like this. Look at what they've done to me; your sister won't even recognize me anymore."

Director Wu Youdao listened to Jin Youcai's incessant nagging in his ear, feeling irritable. After lighting a cigarette, he said:

"Fine, fine, fine, I know. In a moment, just insist that it was your subordinates who did the beating and that you didn't lay a hand on anyone. There's no surveillance in that area, and the villagers' testimonies won't prove much since they are also involved parties."

"By then, you'll be the victim. At worst, your subordinates will stay in the station for a few days. Then, you go get a medical injury report, and I'm eighty or ninety percent sure I can send those two in for two years."

Hearing his brother-in-law's plan, Jin Youcai's squinty eyes widened quite a bit. He quickly agreed:

"Good, good, good, let's do it that way. Not only will I deal with those two little bastards, but once this is over, none of those stubborn villagers will get away either."