The main conference room in Xin’an Town was a large shed constructed from steel structures. It was sowhat akin to certain dostic vegetable markets in appearance. This was largely due to the limitations of their circumstances. The town was currently investing heavily into infrastructure developnt, and funds were tight, which naturally ruled out any elaborate architectural projects.
The structure of the shed was simple, its main function being to shield from wind and rain, and to block the glaring sun above.
At this mont.
The main conference room was full of people.
Nearly three hundred in all.
They were all influential figures within the territory. Having received the notice last night, many had set out before dawn, making their way here by special vehicle.
This was the second ti the main conference room was in use. The first ti was when the village heads were appointed and future developnt plans in the territory were announced; without this, the village heads wouldn’t have accepted the new leadership so readily.
To foster a certain level of solidarity, such collective etings were held once a month, during which developnt achievents and future plans were discussed.
Today.
The first of June.
The eting had been moved forward by a week, and not everyone had arrived yet. The assembled village heads and local rchants were all whispering amongst themselves, unsure why they had been summoned ahead of schedule. Only a few seed to have an inkling, their brows furrowed in thought.
Li Sheng was one of them. He was a Chinese man from Myanmar, 41 years old. His parents were born here, but he rembered his heritage well. His grandfather was a scholar who had passed down so knowledge to him, enabling him to write simple Chinese characters, and speak fluent Chinese.
Back when Wei Jun’s family was here, Li Sheng had been the village head. The village was ho to about 800 residents, most of them descendants of Chinese immigrants. When Naidan arrived, the entire village moved to a valley near the Thailand border, not far from Wangsa’s territory. Naidan didn’t want to stir trouble near the Thai border, so he left them be.
After the new leader took over these lands and promised not to grow poppy flowers, they moved back.
"Old Li, why aren’t you saying anything?" A man next to Li Sheng, who had been listening enthusiastically, asked when he noticed Li Sheng was silent.
"What’s there to say?"
Li Sheng raised his head with a smile. This man was a businessman from his village, two years his junior, also a descendant of Chinese immigrants. His na was Wei Hao.
"Everyone’s guessing what’s going on." Wei Hao was speechless. Everyone had been discussing this for ages, but Li Sheng seed nonchalant.
"Why guess? We’ll soon find out." Li Sheng replied nonchalantly. He had a lot of speculation, Myanmar Bank being one of them, but until the announcent was made, any guess was just that. There was no point in voicing it.
Seeing Li Sheng’s ’mysterious’ deanor, Wei Hao leaned over and whispered: "Old Li, do you know sothing?"
"I don’t know anything." Li Sheng shook his head.
"I don’t believe you; you’re too clever." Wei Hao didn’t believe him.
"What use is cleverness? Even if we guess correctly, so what? All will be revealed soon." After finishing, Li Sheng resud reading the book he brought with him, the "Journey to the West," a gift from a friend from ho. He had nearly worn out the copy his grandfather had left him, the pages yellow and faded, so he had soone bring him copies of The Four Great Classical Novels.
Imrsing himself in the profound richness of Chinese culture and the rhythm of the language, he never tired of reading it.
"Hmph..." Wei Hao sulked, his old friend was good overall, albeit a little slow which was sotis exasperating, like right now. Despite this, his asured approach and fair judgent were well respected within the village.
"..."
Just then.
"Quiet, the eting is beginning."
An ear-piercing sound echoed within the shed. Shockingly, it wasn’t amplified by a speaker but shouted out by a soldier.
"Is that the Lion’s Roar?" Li Sheng, a martial arts novel fan, thought jokingly.
Many people inwardly complained.
But no one dared to voice their complaints.
At this mont.
They saw Ling walk onto the podium.
"Alright, everyone quiet down, the eting is about to begin." Ling’s stern voice echoed throughout the room.
In truth, everyone had already gone silent. The shed was as quiet as a tomb, a testant to Ling’s intimidating presence.
Although Ling hadn’t employed any ruthless tactics against them, no one dared to question the powerful strength and execution ability of his subordinates. Seeing Ling’s thods, they truly understood the aning of the phrase ’a man of few words is not to be trifled with.’
Naidan used to act so arrogantly, and yet he was quietly pulled down. He and his confidants all t their end, followed by a series of quiet punishnts for those who had committed evil deeds. No public executions were necessary; just a simple announcent, but it was the silent handling of these matters that truly instilled fear.
It was the sa with the town developnt and road construction - no announcent was made, work just began imdiately. They didn’t have to pay from their own pockets; they rely had to provide workers, who of course, would be paid wages.
This did not dilute Ling’s ’demonic’ image, however.
Fortunately, there were now legal regulations and judgents in place which relieved so of the people’s concerns, but they certainly didn’t dare to take the man before them lightly.
Critical too, was the fact that the peace and order were maintained by ard soldiers.
Who dared to utter a word?
Seeing that everyone was ready, Ling began, "Good morning everyone. The main reason for calling you here today is to discuss one matter - Myanmar Bank." He paused, allowing people a mont to digest this.
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