Nominal: Energy sector enters Handong, breaking the deadlock

Wu Xiongfei's hand, holding the teacup, froze in mid-air.

"That land at Dafeng Factory has been stuck there for so long. It's a festering sore on Jingzhou's body." Ren Zhimin lit a cigarette and looked at Wu Xiongfei through the bluish-gray smoke. "Li Dakang is hesitant because of this and that. We'll do it for him. If we demolish Dafeng Factory tonight, the Guangmingfeng project can be fully launched tomorrow. That's a multi-billion dollar project. Is there anything more substantial than that?"

Wu Xiongfei tapped his thigh with his fingers.

Dafeng Factory was a powder keg.

The demolition involves the resettlement of thousands of workers.

It could easily lead to a mass incident.

But if you actually succeed, that's called being decisive and efficient, or having the courage and drive to execute.

When Sha Ruijin takes office, what he wants to see is the attitude of his subordinates in the face of challenges.

If I could take all the credit, my future path would be much easier.

Wu Xiongfei slammed his hand on the table. "Damn it. Notify the Shanshui Group."

After half an hour.

Shanshui Manor.

Gao Xiaoqin's office.

Gao Xiaoqin, dressed in a well-tailored dark red cheongsam, stood smiling beside the long rosewood table, holding a wine glass.

Zhang Tianfeng, dressed in a black suit, stood half a step behind Gao Xiaoqin, his posture ramrod straight.

Ren Zhimin did not accept the red wine that Gao Xiaoqin offered.

He sat in Gao Xiaoqin's office chair. "We're dismantling Dafeng Factory tonight. General Manager Gao, General Manager Zhang, have you arranged the manpower and equipment?"

Zhang Tianfeng took a step forward, patting his chest loudly. "Governor Ren, you can rest assured. The demolition team is already having a snack and will move out in ten minutes."

The heavy excavator, fully fueled, is on its way.

Police have cordoned off the streets surrounding Dafeng Factory. Tonight, not even a fly will be able to escape the factory's premises.

Zhang Tianfeng was overjoyed.

The Shanshui Group has long coveted the lucrative Dafeng Factory.

With the executive vice governor and the mayor personally overseeing the remote command, this is a powerful tool.

Anyone who dares to stop me tonight is asking for death.

Wu Xiongfei picked up his teacup, took a sip, and instructed, "Pay attention to the method."

Keep things as quiet as possible. But you must be fast.

Before dawn, the gates and factory buildings of Dafeng Factory must be bulldozed. Create a fait accompli, understand?

Zhang Tianfeng nodded. "Understood. Please wait for my good news, leaders."

"Speak less, stop bragging, Mr. Zhang, go check if there are any problems with the details."

"Yes, Mr. Gao." Zhang Tianfeng turned and walked out of the private room, taking large strides, his leather shoes making a clattering sound on the floor tiles.

A sense of pride and satisfaction was written all over his pockmarked face.

After half an hour.

In front of the main gate of Dafeng Factory.

Seven or eight high-powered searchlights were set up by the roadside, their bright beams shining on the mottled, rusty iron gate, turning the night into day.

Nearly ten yellow heavy excavators were lined up in a long, straight line.

The roar of the diesel engine was incessant.

Zhang Tianfeng, a cigar dangling from his lips, stood beside the tracks of the first excavator. He waved to the more than two hundred demolition workers behind him, who wore yellow hard hats and carried pickaxe handles and shields.

"Brothers, get your act together! Dafeng Factory is just ahead. Push!" Zhang Tianfeng exhaled a puff of smoke and pointed at the iron gate.

Inside the iron gate, flames soared into the sky.

Wang Wenge was shirtless.

He held a torch in his left hand.

Deputy Factory Director Ma stood next to Wang Wenge, his legs trembling, clutching a rusty sickle in his hand.

This is the kind of thing we usually use to cut chives.

Zhang Tiezui brandished an iron rod and cursed loudly at the door.

Behind them were hundreds of workers who had spontaneously organized themselves to protect the factory.

But not a single person backed down.

One reason is to keep their jobs.

Secondly, it was to recover their own shares.

Inside the Dafeng factory.

Union chairman Zheng Xipo sensed something was wrong and quickly called Chen Yanshi, "Old Chen, please come quickly."

"Xipo, what's wrong? Why are you in such a hurry?" Chen Yanshi thought Zheng Xipo was being too loud and boisterous.

They're a real handful.

Zheng Xipo shouted into the microphone, his voice trembling with tears, "The demolition team from Shanshui Group has blocked the gate. They've even brought excavators. Wang Wenge has taken gasoline and is threatening to kill himself and his crew. Someone's going to die!"

Anyway, we have to put it in a more serious tone.

On the cement platform on the other side of the courtyard, accountant You Ruixing held up a selfie stick, pointing her phone camera towards the gate.

"Family members. Look, look! The Shanshui Group is here to seize our Dafeng Factory. Double-tap the screen and give it a thumbs up. Today, I, Old You, am risking my life to give you a live broadcast of the battle to defend Dafeng Factory. Look at this scene, the excavators are practically shoving at our heads." You Ruixing grinned, spittle flying everywhere.

The number of viewers in the live stream skyrocketed.

Zheng Xipo felt he had successfully summoned Chen Yanshi and was quite pleased with himself.

Chen Yanshi hung up Zheng Xipo's phone, his face ashen.

He turned around and took his Zhongshan suit from the clothes rack.

Wang Fuzhen ran out of the bedroom and grabbed Chen Yanshi's arm.

"Old Chen, are you crazy? How old are you? What are you doing running around in the middle of the night?" Wang Fuzhen's voice trembled. "Do you think you can handle things at Dafeng Factory? They're even using knives and guns over there. Are you out of your mind?"

Chen Yanshi finished dressing and pushed Wang Fuzhen's hand away.

"Old Wang, the shares of Dafeng Factory are the workers' hard-earned money. I've watched Dafeng Factory grow to where it is today. Now these people are trying to cut off the workers' livelihood. If I don't take care of it, who will?" Chen Yanshi grabbed the keys on the table and pushed open the door.

Just leave.

If someone wants to leave, no one can stop them.

I hopped on my electric scooter, humming a local folk tune, and hurriedly set off.

The situation at the gate of Dafeng Factory has reached a point of extreme tension.

The excavator's bucket was already above the iron gate. The demolition team's shields formed a wall as they slowly advanced.

Holding a torch in one hand and raising his arm with the other, Wang Wenge shouted, "Damn it, we won't demolish it! We won't give an inch! Without Dafeng Factory, we'll have nothing!"

The workers all chimed in.

With hundreds of torches flying, the drivers panicked and dared not move.

At this time.

An electric scooter came rushing towards us.

Zhang Tiezui, Zheng Xipo, and Wang Wenge quickly opened the door to welcome Chen Yanshi.

Chen Yanshi snatched the torch wrapped in tattered cloth from Zhang Tiezui's hand and stood at the front.

"Who's in charge of you? You little brat, stand up! I'm the former Executive Deputy Chief Prosecutor of the Handong Provincial Procuratorate."

It's still the same old routine.

Zhang Tianfeng walked out with a pigeon-toed gait. "I am Zhang Tianfeng."

All the shares of Dafeng Factory belong to our Shanshui Group.

It's written clearly in black and white: We must demolish Dafeng Factory today.

"You think you can take me on?" Chen Yanshi looked down on Zhang Tianfeng.

Zhang Tianfeng flicked his cigar, exhaled a smoke ring, and said, "The provincial and municipal governments are very supportive of our demolition project."

Old man, I advise you to go somewhere cool and stay there. Don't make trouble for yourself here.

Since Ren Zhimin and Wu Xiongfei are both vice-ministers, there is no need for me to be afraid of Chen Yanshi.

He thought he was a retired department-level official, but in front of a serving deputy minister, he was nothing.

Chen Yanshi should actually call Ren Zhimin "leader".

This old stone is retired but still active; he's really wicked.

If it weren't for Old Stone's interference, Dafeng Factory would have been demolished long ago.