From Evil Sect Leader to Doctor

Pan Junfeng said, "They are investing more than ten billion dollars. Do you think we can compare with them?"

Xu Chunliang replied, "Investing hundreds of billions is ultimately about making money from us. If they want to make money, they must honestly abide by our rules, or we won’t give them the opportunity."

Pan Junfeng smiled wryly, "What you say doesn’t count."

Xu Chunliang said, "It doesn’t count if I say it, but it counts if you say it, right?"

Pan Junfeng shook his head, "What I say doesn’t count either. Secretary Wang has to decide this."

Xu Chunliang said, "Wrong. The matters of Dongzhou are not up to Secretary Wang; they are up to the people."

At this moment, Zhou Meng came over with a group of security guards asking for leave. Xu Chunliang waved his hand, indicating they should hurry to work. Over there, Yang Qingyuan, who contracted the canteen, also came over to request leave, saying he had important matters to handle.

Most of the people taking leave were from the Worker Village of the old miners’ district.

Pan Junfeng was a bit puzzled, why so many requests for leave today?

Xu Chunliang said, "Dean Pan, do you remember when they opposed us building the Infectious Disease Hospital here?"

How could Pan Junfeng forget? Those people from the Worker Village really made it difficult for them. Fortunately, Xu Chunliang came up with an idea to exchange land with the Cultural and Tourism Bureau to solve the problem.

Xu Chunliang said, "Today’s commotion will definitely be bigger than before."

Wang Jianming was having a team meeting when he received an urgent message. The old miners’ district residents went to the mining district’s administrative center to oppose the China-Korea Industrial Park settling in. Meanwhile, some appointed representatives went to the City Petition Bureau to formally protest in writing.

Wang Jianming found it odd. The China-Korea Industrial Park settling in the mining district is a beneficial policy for the locals. It can drive the local economy and increase employment rates. Why are they against such a good thing?

Qin Zhengyang roughly understood the situation and reported to Wang Jianming. Many of the people leading the protests were descendants of the old Qingshan miners. Some of their ancestors led the uprising at Qingshan Mine, and others were persecuted to death by the East Asian Ghosts.

Wang Jianming was even more confused. There’s a responsible party for grievances. This is the China-Korea Industrial Park, not the China-Japan Industrial Park. It wouldn’t be surprising if they opposed the latter. Why are they even opposing the Lexus Group?

Qin Zhengyang informed Wang Jianming that it reportedly involves Lexus Group’s chairman Li Bingxing’s background. Li Bingxing’s father, Lee Sang-pu, was an engineer and safety supervisor at Qingshan Mine. During his tenure, the 1942 Qingshan Mine disaster occurred, killing fifty-six miners, most of whom were Chinese.

Because of this, Lee Sang-pu took responsibility, and his entire family was executed by the East Asian Ghosts. Li Bingxing was the sole survivor. Lexus’s decision to develop the China-Korea Industrial Park in Dongzhou’s old miners’ district is also for this reason as Li Bingxing has a personal attachment to Dongzhou.

Originally, there wasn’t much to it, but somehow, rumors spread. Some say it was precisely Lee Sang-pu’s work negligence that led to the mine collapse, resulting in more than fifty families being torn apart. Another claim is that dozens of managers from the Peninsula, including Lee Sang-pu, were all second ghosts who helped neon people persecute miners and suppress uprisings. Their hands were stained with the blood of the mining district’s residents.

History must never be forgotten. Now, his descendants want to profit from the mining district again. The mining district’s residents won’t agree, otherwise, they would be letting down their ancestors persecuted to death.

After listening to Qin Zhengyang, Wang Jianming realized the seriousness of the situation. He immediately arranged for the mining district leaders to make a statement regarding this matter. Currently, the China-Korea Industrial Park is still in the negotiation stage, and the project has not been confirmed to be settled in the old miners’ district. He hopes the mining district’s residents remain clear-headed and rational, and also trust the party and government. They would never do anything harmful to the people of Dongzhou.

Pan Junfeng finally understood what Xu Chunliang’s so-called trump card was. Leading the protest against the China-Korea Industrial Park this time was Yangjianguo. Both Yangjianguo’s grandfather and uncle perished in the 1942 Qingshan Mine disaster, and there are many families in the old miners’ district with similar experiences.

Compared to when they opposed the new hospital for infectious diseases, the unity among the old miners’ district residents is now stronger, and their shouts are louder.

Pan Junfeng is now utterly convinced by Xu Chunliang. This guy’s tactics are too powerful, using history to push forward national hatred, guiding the old miners’ district residents to use their initial methods to resist the Lexus Group.

The people of the old miners’ district are spirited. They believe that building the China-Korea Industrial Park in the old miners’ district, especially the plan to build the headquarters opposite the Tomb of the Seven Heroes, is a desecration of heroes and a neglect of history.

The leaders sent to appease the crowd explained that the specific plan for the China-Korea Industrial Park is yet to be determined, and they will certainly value the opinions of the local residents.

The representative of the people negotiating took out several documents, showing that they had prepared meticulously. They pointed out not only that their forefathers died due to the joint persecution of the ghosts and second ghosts, but even two of the Seven Heroes also died under the guns of the second ghosts.

Wang Jianming asked Qin Zhengyang to investigate the historical data from those years and verify whether the local residents’ claims are true. Especially the role of Lee Sang-pu—during his time at Qingshan Mine, what exactly was his role? Did he participate in the Japanese side’s persecution of miners? If Lee Sang-pu did bad things for the Japanese, then the China-Korea Industrial Park project invested by Lexus must be treated with utmost caution.

Wang Jiancheng arrived in Dongzhou at this time. He didn’t choose to visit Wang Jianming’s home, but went directly to his office.

Wang Jianming found time in his busy schedule to meet this cousin, handed him a cup of tea, and said, "Jiancheng, it would be better to come to my house in the evening. Does it have to be now? Is there something urgent?"

Wang Jiancheng nodded and said, "Brother, if it weren’t urgent, I wouldn’t be taking up your work time."

Wang Jianming guessed it was likely about the China-Korea Industrial Park, because this project was introduced by his uncle Wang Zhengdao, and it was currently causing a commotion due to historical issues, which is why Wang Jiancheng would come over immediately.

Wang Jiancheng said, "I’ve brought you some documents." He opened his briefcase and handed the documents to Wang Jianming.

Wang Jianming took the documents and glanced at them. They were about Lee Sang-pu. According to the records, Lee Sang-pu was merely an engineering technician at Qingshan Mine back then and did not participate in any persecution of miners. His two older brothers were heroes who resisted the Japanese, and the eldest brother even participated in the Hongkou bomb incident, killing several Neon officers, earning him the title of anti-Japanese hero.

Wang Jiancheng said, "I think this is a malicious smear campaign. This Lee Sang-pu is pro-China, not a traitor. If he were, his whole family wouldn’t have been executed by the East Asian Ghosts back then."

Wang Jianming smiled wryly and said, "I really didn’t expect that the first problem I’d face upon arriving in Dongzhou would be historical issues."

Wang Jiancheng said, "Brother, I suspect someone is deliberately stirring things up, inciting local people’s xenophobia. As long as we investigate whose interests the China-Korea Industrial Park affects, it won’t be hard to find out who’s behind it."

Wang Jianming smiled without saying anything.

Wang Jiancheng said indignantly, "Brother, you can’t take this matter lightly. The China-Korea Industrial Park is a major project you wish to facilitate. Those disrupting this project are targeting you."

Wang Jianming could understand Wang Jiancheng’s agitation. The Zhengdao Group and Lexus Group cooperate in many fields. Although the Zhengdao Group didn’t directly intervene in the China-Korea Industrial Park, they have a significant interest in it. Wang Jianming wants to facilitate the park’s establishment but doesn’t want the Wang Family involved. After he was transferred to Dongzhou, his uncle Wang Zhengdao began actively setting up in Dongzhou, which Wang Jianming doesn’t approve of in his heart.

Wang Jiancheng said, "As far as I know, the cause of this uproar should be that the China-Korea Industrial Park integrated the Dongzhou Infectious Disease Hospital’s land into its plan. The hospital is unwilling to relinquish the land, so they incited the people in the mining area to cause trouble. Many of the troublemakers were employed by the Infectious Disease Hospital."

Wang Jianming asked, "Do you have evidence?"

"Of course, I have evidence. The leader of the troublemakers is Yangjianguo. His son, Yang Qingyuan, won the contract for the canteen at the new hospital construction site of the Infectious Disease Hospital and participated in the disturbances. Also..." Wang Jiancheng paused before continuing, "Yang Qingyuan obtained the canteen contract through Xu Chunliang’s connections."

Wang Jianming understood Wang Jiancheng’s implication, suggesting that Xu Chunliang was behind the protest actions of the miners.

Wang Jianming took a sip of tea and said unhurriedly, "Jiancheng, do you have a conflict with Xu Chunliang?"

Wang Jiancheng shook his head, saying, "Not really a conflict, but outsiders might think so, believing he ruined my relationship with Mei Ru Xue."

Wang Jianming smiled, "Didn’t you tell me that the person you like isn’t Xiaoxue?"

Wang Jiancheng said, a bit embarrassed, "Brother, Mei Ru Xue and I indeed don’t have chemistry, so there’s no talk of love turning into hate. While Xu Chunliang and I aren’t friends, we’re not enemies either, but his actions this time are out of line."

Wang Jianming asked, "There’s a question I’ve never asked you: what is uncle’s company’s investment share in the China-Korea Industrial Park project?"

Wang Jiancheng smiled, "Brother, you need to ask him that. Ever since my dad recovered, I’ve only been responsible for the overseas department and have no right to participate in the company’s board meetings."

Wang Jianming believed he was speaking the truth. His uncle is very scheming and assertive and won’t consult anyone, including grandfather, about what he deems correct.

Wang Jianming asked, "Where did you get all this information?"

Wang Jiancheng said, "As long as you’re willing to spend money, it’s not difficult to uncover the details of this matter. In short, I can confirm that the mastermind behind this is Xu Chunliang."

Wang Jianming’s phone rang. It was a call from Qiao Rulong.

Wang Jianming answered the call, spoke with Qiao Rulong for a while, and after hanging up, he said to Wang Jiancheng, "The call was from Rulong; he was conveying a message from Elder Qiao. Elder Qiao is very concerned about the China-Korea Industrial Park matter."

Wang Jiancheng was taken aback, "Elder Qiao? How did he come to notice this issue?"