After my divorce at thirty, I developed an intelligence network.

Thunder rumbled for half the night, crackling and popping until the early hours of the morning.

As dawn broke, the air was filled with the pungent smell of dust.

Gong Yuelong sat at the folding table in front of the brick house in the courtyard where the characters were being dismantled.

On the table was a bowl of steaming white porridge, a dish of pickled mustard greens, and two tea eggs.

Widow Qin, wearing an apron, brought out two baskets of steamed buns she had just bought from the breakfast stall at the door.

She pushed the steamed bun towards her, saying, "This rain is terrifying. Did you get stuck in traffic on your way home last night?"

Old Niu put down his bowl and lowered his voice: "Have you heard? Something's happened!"

Gong Yuelong peeled an egg: "Hmm?"

"Wang Biao! Last night at the unfinished building, he was hit on the head by a steel pipe and died on the spot!"

Widow Qin paused, her hand still: "Really gone?"

"The person was already cold when the ambulance took him away." Old Niu clicked his tongue. "Wu Jinshui's most ruthless knife is broken."

Gong Yuelong slowly chewed the egg, his face expressionless.

Old Niu picked up his bowl again and took a sip, looking at Gong Yuelong with genuine admiration in his eyes:

"Boss Gong, if you ask me, ever since you came to the High-tech Zone, it seems like the feng shui of this place has changed."

Wu San's mad dog broke its leg, and Wang Biao's knife snapped in two!

He gave a thumbs up, "Now people at the construction site are saying that you, Boss Gong, have connections and are very capable. You're someone who can go toe-to-toe with Wu Jinshui."

The brothers who work for you now stand taller than before!

Widow Qin nodded and pushed the steamed buns towards Gong Yuelong again: "Yes, Brother Gong is reliable and kind."

Look at Dayong and Shunzi, they've only been with you for a short time, but they've already become quite capable in their speech and actions. It's much better than being looked down upon and not getting paid elsewhere.

Gong Yuelong took a sip of porridge: "Uncle Niu, Sister Qin, you're too kind. I'm just a worker, leading my brothers to earn a meager living. If others don't bother us, we can have some peace and quiet."

He put down his chopsticks, took a tissue, and wiped his hands.

"Wang Biao's matter was his own fault; he couldn't blame anyone else."

To gain a foothold in this place, you can't just rely on ruthlessness, nor can you just rely on forbearance. You have to let people know that you're not pushovers, but you're not troublemakers either.

He stood up and said, "I'll bring some cooked food back tonight, and we can eat it in the yard."

The old ox laughed: "Open and spacious!"

Gong Yuelong nodded and went out.

The labor market is always noisy.

The smell of sweat, dust, and cheap cigarette smoke mingled together.

Gong Yuelong parked his pickup truck on the side of the road and lit a cigarette.

Deep inside the market, a group of people were gathered, their voices excited. The words "Wang Biao," "dead," and "unfinished building" kept popping up.

He walked over.

"Absolutely true! They were carried out this morning covered with a white sheet!"

"Serves him right! That scum should have died long ago! Karma!"

"I was just unlucky; I slipped and the metal pipe cracked open..."

"Wu Jinshui has two dogs, one with a broken leg and the other dead. I think he'll be next!"

"Keep your voice down... But that Boss Gong from Nanshan is really tough, who knows..."

The buzzing of discussion was mostly filled with barely suppressed glee.

Wang Biao's death was like piercing a veil of suffocation. Many people's faces lit up, as if they had seen a glimmer of hope.

A dark-skinned, thin man spat as he spoke: "We need some tough guys to smash those lousy rules!"

Someone nearby chimed in, "If Boss Gong can really take down Wu Jinshui, we can work more easily."

There was also a mature-looking man squatting down smoking: "Don't be too happy yet. Wang Biao is dead, but Wu Jinshui is still alive. When gods fight, little devils stay away."

A man squatting on a cement platform suddenly spat, his voice filled with suppressed hatred.

"Did the Thunder God miss his target last night? Why didn't he just take him down with him!"

Immediately, someone chimed in, "Exactly! What good is killing a biting dog? The master is still around; they can just get another one tomorrow! They withheld half of my dad's workers' compensation from two years ago... Wu Jinshui? He should have died long ago!"

The brief euphoria that had arisen from Wang Biao's death in the crowd deflated like a punctured balloon.

The excited chatter subsided, turning into heavier, more subdued whispers.

"Sigh...you're right. Wang Biao is nothing, Wu Jinshui is the real culprit."

"If the roots don't fall, we rotten leaves will still fall with a gust of wind."

"When will this end?"

Wang Biao's violent death did not bring lasting relief; instead, it served as a mirror, reflecting their long-standing frustration at being trampled underfoot and their despair in the face of Wu Jinshui's formidable presence.

The deep resentment and bitterness felt by this group of people in the labor market at this moment is a true reflection of the lives of countless people who rely on their physical strength for a living but are always being held hostage.

Someone caught sight of Gong Yuelong, and immediately lowered their voice.

Their gazes swept over, filled with curiosity, scrutiny, and awe.

Gong Yuelong ignored him and walked to the pancake stall: "Have you seen Cao Dayong?"

The stall owner pointed with his shovel at the pile of scaffolding inside: "I was just counting them over there."

He turned and walked inside. The murmurs behind him rose again.

Those feelings of joy, anticipation, and worry brushed past my ears like the wind.

Beside the scaffolding pile, Cao Dayong was checking the accounts, and Shunzi was counting the goods. They all stopped when they saw Gong Yuelong arrive.

Shunzi rushed over first, his face tense. "Brother Long! Rumor has it that Wang Biao is dead! Is it true?"

Gong Yuelong stopped: "Dead?"

"That's what everyone says! The unfinished building was smashed by steel pipes!" Shunzi stared intently at him, seeking confirmation.

Cao Dayong put down his notebook and frowned, "No way? That bastard's got a tough life."

"Several sources!" Shunzi turned to Gong Yuelong. "Tell me, is it really true?"

Gong Yuelong lit a cigarette and took a puff: "We put up a cordon this morning."

Shunzi's face was filled with ecstatic joy. He slammed his hand on the rusty steel pipe next to him, making a loud clanging sound.

"Really...really dead?! Holy crap! God has eyes! That bastard...that bastard finally got what he deserved!"

Cao Dayong paused for two seconds, then chuckled, the laugh growing wider and wider, his teeth bared. He touched his chest, the spot where Wang Biao had injured him last time, and gritted his teeth, saying:

"Good! Good! Good riddance! Smash him to death? That's too good for that bastard! He should be hung up on the construction site to dry!"

He was panting heavily, looking at Gong Yuelong, "Brother Long, is this...is this retribution? Huh? Is it?"

People nearby glanced at them.

Gong Yuelong watched the two men's completely different yet ultimately similar excited reactions.

Shunzi is young and can't keep things to herself; her emotions explode like firecrackers.

Cao Dayong harbored deep hatred, and after confirming the sudden death of his enemy, his suppressed resentment and pent-up joy erupted forth.

Gong Yuelong flicked his cigarette ash: "Whether there's retribution or not is unimportant. What's important is that the person is gone."

These words caused Cao Dayong and Shunzi's excitement to subside slightly, but also ignited another, more practical fervor.

Shunzi's eyes lit up: "Then...can we breathe a sigh of relief? Wu Jinshui has lost two key generals in a row, will he...?"

Cao Dayong interrupted him, his excitement still lingering: "With one less vicious dog, the construction site will be quiet! Let's see how arrogant Wu Jinshui can be now!"

He turned to Gong Yuelong, "Brother Long, this is great news! A really great thing! We have to let all the brothers know! The bad luck is gone!"

Gong Yuelong nodded: "Get to work. We'll add meat tonight."

"Ouch~~~" "Ouch!"

Cao Dayong responded loudly twice, rubbing his hands together as if all his energy was surging up.