NOVEL NEXT Chapter 259: Simulation: Wide Open
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"Zhang Muzhi is determined to fight to the death with Huang,"
At this moment, the student named Li Feng also realized it, "It's just that his attitude is a bit too aggressive."
This was true.
But in his opinion, actually challenging Huang in his own castle, let alone at the dinner table, was extremely unwise.
"It's precisely because it's at the dinner table that Zhang Muzhi can afford to be straightforward," Su Jie began to admire Zhang Muzhi, "He has already probed into Huang's inner thoughts. Since a life-and-death struggle with Huang is inevitable, there's no need for pretense anymore. Naturally, you ask what you want to ask. If it weren't for Ma Bangde, who's an expert at playing dumb, being present, I reckon he would have asked even more directly."
"For instance: 'Would you, Huang, dare to blatantly lie and call me Zhang Mazai!'"
Li Feng said, "But Zhang Muzhi really is Zhang Mazai."
"Right, we, with a God's-eye view, know this perfectly well, but Huang is not certain, nor has Ma Bangde snitched, so he can only guess. And he doesn't want to risk being splattered with blood within five steps; after all, if Xiao Liu dared to commit suicide for the truth, Huang could not be sure that Zhang Muzhi wouldn't suddenly lash out."
Su Jie's admiration for Zhang Muzhi grew stronger.
Therefore, he was now certain that the revolutionary's heart had truly calmed down.
He had firmly decided to eradicate Huang, but not just the man Huang, but the entire class he represented.
The era they were currently living in was precisely shaped step by step by such people full of ideals and justice.
People like Zhang Muzhi, unknown in history, were a dime a dozen.
They were all ordinary people.
But history, indeed, was shaped collectively by these small individuals with ideals!
Chen Tian Yuzi too felt a profound sentiment: "The West venerates individual heroism, and superhero movies enjoy a wide audience; in Japan, heavily influenced by the West, individual heroes are also revered; but in Huaxia, heroes are the little people, one after another."
Zhang Manman did not join the conversation, nor did Su Jie.
The mainland of Huaxia did not need heroes.
Perhaps it could be said that everyone alive and working at their post, is a hero.
Zhao Xinglong nodded in satisfaction, "Exactly, for those living on the lands of Huaxia, all who strive hard are heroes."
It's just that most people are not aware of it.
Some say, "The world doesn't need you."
This is true.
If one person suddenly disappears, society and the world still go on as usual.
But isn't society made up of individuals?
Though one person may be replaced, does society continue as usual without change?
At the very least, those who knew that person will miss them for a time.
And if everyone disappears, then what society is there to speak of?
Therefore, in society, everyone is extremely important and indispensable.
Ming Lun, when educating his students, also conveys the idea that "you are important" to them, but at the same time, he doesn't let them become too arrogant.
And at that moment, Huang was happily saying, "Zhang Mazai is entrenched at the traffic choke point around Goose City, controlling its lifeline, you know?"
"I do not know," Zhang Muzhi shook his head. He was Zhang Mazai himself, how could he not know whether he was around Goose City?
"Do you understand what business I do?" Huang asked.
"I don't understand," Zhang Muzhi was straightforward.
"Nearly half of the opium in the Republic is trafficked by Master Huang," Ma Bangde spoke up; he had a decent understanding of Huang.
"Wrong!"
Huang corrected him, "I am merely running errands for Liu, and I'm just one of the legs at that."
Zhang Muzhi furrowed his brow: "Just how many legs does Liu have then?"
Ma Bangde replied without a second thought, "Three, of course. And Master Huang is the big thigh."
"Right, the big thigh!" Huang, unorthodox as ever, lifted his right leg onto the table and, patting his thigh, said, "But this leg of mine is broken!"
Zhang Muzhi: "Broken?"
Ma Bangde: "How did it break?"
Huang made a helpless gesture, "My goods, eight out of ten times, get robbed by Zhang Mazai. Just consider how much money he's made."
"How do I not know about that?" Ma Bangde, suspecting that Zhang Muzhi was Zhang Mazai, glanced at Zhang Muzhi.
However, at this time, Zhang Muzhi no longer paid any attention to Ma Bangde.
He had understood what Huang meant by exterminating bandits—
He himself was Zhang Mazai; he had never robbed Huang's goods.
So why would Huang mention Zhang Mazai? Thanks for reading—brought to you by M|VL|EMPYR.
There was only one possibility.
Huang was embezzling from himself.
Thus, Huang was offering him two choices: either die in the process of suppressing bandits, or never be able to suppress them and, as the county chief, be held accountable.
Even though the official post was "bought" by Zhang Muzhi, while making money, he also had certain obligations to fulfill. Otherwise, he would be like an ATM for those above, and dealing with him would be as simple as uttering a word.
And the second choice was not to suppress bandits at all.
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This was tantamount to submitting, and from then on, they could only be led by the nose by Huang, accepting Huang's conditions.
Seeing that Zhang Muzhi remained silent, Ma Bangde immediately understood the situation, Huang had embezzled funds under the guise of his role, biting off a chunk of meat from Liu's share.
Therefore, the bandits could not be suppressed.
"Master Huang, we have no courage to suppress bandits, but we do have the guts to amass wealth under the pretext of bandit suppression, and a lot of it," Ma Bangde said with a smile to Zhang Muzhi, signaling that it was okay for Zhang to hold back now.
In Ma Bangde's view, Zhang Muzhi and the others were no different from bandits, their goal was also money. Avenging Little Six was just so-called loyalty, not worth a dime.
But what Ma Bangde could not understand was that Zhang Muzhi was a thoroughgoing revolutionary!
Therefore, Ma Bangde's tactic of feigning ignorance never worked.
"Hahahaha, then don't blame me, you can only blame yourselves for being useless," Huang mocked, but then immediately changed his tone, proposing, "So, I can still do you a favor. I am willing to put up money in the name of suppressing bandits. Whatever amount I put in, the two great families must match it."
Ma Bangde's face burst into a sly grin, his eyes bulging like copper bells, "That's what I've been waiting to hear! So you're putting in... eight hundred thousand?"
"No!" Huang, seemingly confident in his hand, after all, he knew Zhang Muzhi's identity, but thought he was a bit timid, hence he let down his guard, "I will put in one million eight hundred thousand. The more we put in, the more we stand to earn."
The smile on Ma Bangde's face turned even more lecherous, and his eyes widened with greed, "Master Huang is forthright! We know the drill. When the time comes, Master Huang's one million eight hundred thousand will be fully returned to us, and we'll split the profits between the two great families' dollar."
Zhang Manman's eyes narrowed slightly, "Dollar? Is Ma Bangde not playing dumb anymore?"
Previously, the man had feigned ignorance even after Huang had explained what dollars were.
Why wasn't he pretending now?
Zhao Xinglong spoke up, "Because Ma Bangde's stance has changed. Before, he cared about maintaining a veneer of reputation, thinking that money earned from betrayal was dirty. But now that Huang is talking about putting in one million eight hundred thousand..."
Using modern internet slang, it would be: "Compatriots are my brothers and sisters! Pay up!"
Nothing else, Huang was offering too much.
Su Jie, however, discerned an even deeper level: Ma Bangde's position had changed at that moment.
Before this, Ma Bangde might have been greedy, but he still had a semblance of conscience, feeling that it wasn't right to profit from the two great families' money, but one million eight hundred thousand was simply too much.
So, he no longer cared whether the money was clean.
People who could cross their own moral boundaries for profit like this should be despised.
But for some reason, Su Jie couldn't bring himself to hate Ma Bangde, instead feeling a kind of sadness.
"You don't have to repay the one million eight hundred thousand!" Just then, Zhang Muzhi slapped the table and declared, "Isn't it just about bandit suppression? Let's suppress them! When the time comes, we'll help Master Huang take the goods back from Zhang Mazai, and will Master Huang still care about the one million eight hundred thousand? That's just a hair off nine oxen!"
And in response to Zhang Muzhi's forthright refusal, Huang's expression abruptly changed, with even the threat of murder flashing in his eyes.
Even the most naive among Su Jie's group, those inexperienced in worldly affairs, could see the murderous intent in Huang's eyes, completely undisguised.
Death!
Zhang Muzhi had to die!
"Tough!"
Huang took his legs off the table and gave Zhang Muzhi a thumbs up.
At that moment, Ma Bangde also sensed that something was not right, his eyes sweeping back and forth between Zhang Muzhi and Huang, falling silent as he contemplated what to say next.
Yet Zhang Muzhi seemed to be unconcerned with Huang's murderous gaze and spoke slowly, "What I'm thinking about now is just one thing, and that's how to help attach Master Huang's leg back on, isn't that right, Master Huang?"
A cold smirk hung on Huang's face.
"Come on, let's drink," Zhang Muzhi said to an abruptly silenced Ma Bangde, pouring him a drink.
"Ah, wait." Ma Bangde refused, speaking earnestly, "I think, we should drink wine sip by sip, and take life step by step. If you overstep, snap, it's easy to pull something."
He was now aware of Huang's murderous intent but didn't understand the specific reason. He only felt that Zhang Muzhi had asked for too much. Hence, his words were an attempt to advise Zhang Muzhi to stop while he was ahead, even if he had further plans, to proceed step by step.
In fact, confusion also showed in Ma Bangde's expression, because he did not know what Zhang Muzhi truly wanted.
Was it really just to avenge Little Six?
Ma Bangde, who had traveled far and wide, never believed that bandits could have such genuine sentiments.
So at the moment, he could be said to be quite puzzled, but he couldn't outright advise Zhang Muzhi. He could only make such analogies, hoping that Zhang would rein himself in a bit.
Even if Zhang truly wanted revenge, it was best not to lead the conversation to a dead end at the dinner table.
"Let's not talk about the leg attachment now, let's chat about dollars."
"Talking about dollars, are we?" Zhang Muzhi was at a loss for words with Ma Bangde's greed, "You guys carry on then."
Huang's murderous look subsided slightly, and he forced an ugly smile, "Counselor, you decide."
Ma Bangde too breathed a sigh of relief, his smile returning as he said to Huang, "We know the rules, by convention we'll split it seventy-thirty..."
"You're being too unfair, aren't you?"
Before he had finished speaking, Zhang Muzhi interrupted Ma Bangde. He slammed the wine jug on the table, causing the table to creak.
"Master Huang has been running around for this cause—"
"And you're only giving him thirty percent?"
"It should be a fifty-fifty split at least!"
Ma Bangde was stunned, not understanding what Zhang Muzhi was going on about.
A fifty-fifty split?
That was way too much to ask for!