"You bastard, I'll fight you!" Jiang Hai's words struck like thunder, sending the crowd into a frenzy.
No one doubted his resolve now. Jiang Hai had declared openly that they couldn't buy anything—meaning exactly that. Especially at this moment, the only option left for those troublemakers was to leave Winthrop. Jiang Hai was going to take them all down!
At once, a number of them lost their minds, shouting and charging toward Jiang Hai who stood on the high platform. Behind him, Connorson Peters grinned knowingly. He had waited all night for this exact moment.
As the first few rushed forward, Connorson shouted and charged right at them. He landed a powerful punch on the biggest, loudest man, sending him flying backwards. The man's face twisted grotesquely, several teeth shattered, and he collapsed, unable to move. Seeing Connorson in action, the others didn't hold back either—they yelled and surged forward.
But they were no match for Connorson. The calm townspeople wouldn't dare provoke Jiang Hai, so the women and elders quickly stepped back. Only the strong men remained, grabbing a few of the attackers. Just two or three came directly at Connorson.
He showed no mercy. One by one, he punched them down until they lay on the ground, unable to rise. Though these troublemakers often fought, they were vastly inferior to Connorson, a master of black boxing. It was over in an instant.
"Catch these troublemakers!" Sheriff Morris Smith, who had been seated behind Jiang Hai, finally stood and commanded loudly. The police, who had been maintaining order, rushed forward and began arresting the rioters. They had always stood firmly behind Jiang Hai.
"You're siding with a tyrant! Jiang Hai is a dictator! He controls the town's economy, but sooner or later you'll regret this. The townspeople won't be your slaves," Augustine Wilson shouted wildly as he was dragged away.
Jiang Hai only curled his lips in response. Why wasn't he worried when all this started? Because he held all the cards.
His relationship with the town wasn't equal cooperation—it was a power balance tilted in his favor, though it appeared win-win.
He could make the town prosper—or he could tear it apart. That was Jiang Hai's power.
As soon as he made a move, the town's troublemakers grew confused. No matter how foolish, they knew it was impossible to cross Jiang Hai. As for occupying his manor—this was America, and everything had to be legal.
Even if Jiang Hai's manor stood empty, it wasn't theirs to take. Stealing fish from his property was one thing; daring to occupy it was another. That would be rebellion, not just forcing Jiang Hai to bend. And the police here wouldn't allow such lawlessness. If they did, who would invest in the United States?
Once the legal line was clear, no one, unless crazy, dared to pick a fight with Jiang Hai.
And while those rioters hadn't broken the law—their freedom of speech allowed them to incite resistance—it was also illegal to let others take what belonged to Jiang Hai. Their only option was to leave Winthrop.
Whether they found jobs elsewhere or whether life was easier—that had nothing to do with Jiang Hai. Do whatever you want.
"Alright, the rest is up to you, Mayor Wallis, Sheriff Morris. I'll head back," Jiang Hai said, smiling as the troublemakers were hauled away. Fighting him? Such petty moves were useless.
As Jiang Hai had often proven, despite occasional lapses—especially around women—he was tough. He wasn't a saint, nor was he foolish.
He didn't spend money to make enemies. He knew Celanese had pushed this far, but that wasn't a reason to let others oppose him. "Oppose" wasn't a word in his dictionary.
He remembered all those who had stood against him today. If good things happened later, they would get none of it.
After exchanging a few words with Mayor Wallis and Sheriff Morris, Jiang Hai took Connorson, still brimming with energy, back to his car. Starting the engine, he drove off toward his manor, leaving the onlookers behind.
As Jiang Hai's taillights faded, the crowd fell silent once more.
"I told you not to mess with Jiang Hai because you can't beat him," Mayor Wallis said calmly, addressing the crowd. "You didn't listen at first, but now... forget it. The town is still the town, and we are still us, all from the same place. I won't be harsh. George, Tos's old store is yours to use as a bar. What do you think?"
The people exchanged glances. Old George smiled and nodded. He had long wanted to open a bar on the commercial street but had missed his chance because the prime spots were already rented out.
But now? Tos was finished, and Jiang Hai was renting the store to him. Could anything be better?
Supporting Jiang Hai had clearly been the right choice. Others who supported Jiang Hai were happy too.
If Old George got a share, why wouldn't they?
They all laughed. Those who had opposed Jiang Hai were now like beaten roosters—far from a threat. Their only hope was to hold on to what they had. As for Celanese? No one cared anymore.
"This Jiang Hai is something else. Cindy, don't you ever consider being with him? Having a boyfriend like that is quite a status symbol!" Mayor Wallis smiled for the first time in days as the crowd dispersed. Though Jiang Hai's methods were harsh, he'd settled the matter decisively and set a tone for the town. No one would propose introducing factories now—at least not without losing the tourism industry.
After things settled, Wallis looked at Cindy Clive and smiled.
"If there weren't so many women around him, I might've been the mistress of Tainlong Manor long ago. Besides, he's got a wife back in China..." Cindy smiled helplessly. Sometimes, things weren't as simple as they seemed.
"People always have to make trade-offs. The world of the rich operates by different rules, with fewer laws and looser standards. They live more freely. You know what I mean," Wallis said, smiling and shaking his head. Some things didn't need to be said outright.
Cindy bit her lip thoughtfully. She was still considering...
"This Jiang Hai is a character," she murmured.
Meanwhile, in a distant building, Peter-****** and his team fell silent. They had thought victory was certain, ready to pop champagne, but Jiang Hai's sudden bold move had shocked the town.
Peter stubbed out his cigarette and frowned at the town square far away. Things were definitely complicated now.
"Peter, arguing won't help. What's our next step?" whispered one colleague.
They all knew Jiang Hai was crafty. They had expected a quick win but ended up cornered. Giving up the chemical plant was humiliating—they were hated for it. But now, biting Jiang Hai was pointless.
If they wanted to meet the company's goals, messing with Jiang Hai was useless.
"We can't act openly, but we can play dirty. Jiang Hai can't be bribed, but the townspeople can," Peter said quietly after thinking. "It'll be tough, but I want Winthrop to hold a referendum on our project."
Since strategy failed, brute force would do.
Though it would cost time and money, they had to build the Celanese plant—and Winthrop was the only option. They'd handle official matters and manage public opinion.
The others exchanged glances. They were curious but obedient—failure was not an option.
"If we don't build the plant here, we're finished," they agreed.
Peter smiled darkly. "Jiang Hai, the game's just begun."
(To be continued.)