The bodyguard remained silent for two seconds before giving a slight nod.
“I understand. Wait here while I report this.”
He turned and walked toward Gu Huaian.
The middle-aged man stood where he was, wiping the sweat from his forehead and letting out a long, heavy sigh.
Su Wan stood nearby, her brow furrowing slightly.
A temple?
What temple?
Although this land belonged to the Su family, she had never been here while growing up.
She only knew that her father valued this plot immensely, refusing to sell it no matter how high the offer was.
As for the specifics of the land or what was actually on it, she was entirely in the dark.
Su Wan’s gaze drifted past the overgrown weeds toward the areas cordoned off by the iron fencing.
However, the fencing was too high, completely blocking her view and leaving her unable to see anything.
Su Wan withdrew her gaze, her mind filled with questions.
A temple.
A temple the villagers were willing to protect with their lives...
What secret did it hold?
Su Wan remained standing a short distance away, observing the scene inconspicuously.
The bodyguard didn’t dare interrupt the conversation between Gu Huaian and Mr. Zhou. Instead, he walked up behind Liu Peng, leaned in slightly, and relayed the situation in a hushed tone.
Liu Peng was standing half a step behind Gu Huaian, ready to assist at a moment's notice.
Upon hearing the bodyguard’s report, his brow twitched almost imperceptibly. He looked over the bodyguard’s shoulder at the site manager waiting by the entrance of the fencing.
The man was still there, wringing his hands anxiously, the sweat on his forehead glistening under the sunlight.
Liu Peng didn’t move immediately. He first glanced toward Gu Huaian.
Gu Huaian was turned slightly toward Mr. Zhou, pointing toward the depths of the wasteland and saying something.
Mr. Zhou’s expression was flat, making his emotions impossible to read.
Confirming that he wasn't needed for the moment, Liu Peng gave a slight nod and began walking toward the site manager.
The bodyguard followed behind him. Both men moved quickly and silently.
Su Wan tilted her head slightly in their direction, focusing her senses to listen.
“What exactly is going on?” Liu Peng’s voice was very low, but the displeasure in his tone was impossible to hide.
“All the other remaining structures in that area have been demolished. Only this temple is left. I told you to handle this a month ago. Why is it still not resolved?”
The site manager’s face turned a deep shade of red. His lips trembled as he spoke with a mix of urgency and grievance:
“Manager Liu, it’s not that I haven’t tried. It’s just... those villagers are too difficult to deal with!”
“I followed the plan you gave me and offered the maximum compensation!”
“I even talked to them household by household, telling them they’d get the money as soon as they signed. We’ve done everything we were supposed to do!”
Liu Peng stared at him, his gaze sharp as a blade. “Then why hasn’t it been demolished?”
“They don’t want the money!” The site manager stomped his foot in frustration.
“They won’t even discuss compensation. The moment I bring it up, they turn hostile!”
“I even took it upon myself to add another ten percent on top of the maximum standard, but the village cadres wouldn’t even look at the offer.”
He pulled a stack of documents from his briefcase and handed them to Liu Peng with both hands.
“Look, Manager Liu. This is the compensation plan, and this is the one with the added bonus. Only three households have signed, and they’re all elderly people living alone...”
“As for the other families, my men and I have visited them at least seven or eight times, but many of them won't even let us through the door!”
Liu Peng took the documents and flipped through them page by page.
His frown deepened, and his lips thinned into a hard line.
The records were meticulous—detailing the negotiation status of each household, the compensation offered, and the villagers' reactions.
Aside from the three elderly households that had signed, the remarks column for almost every other family contained the same phrase: “Refused to negotiate.”
Liu Peng handed the documents back to the site manager, his voice turning cold. “So, what you’re saying is that they won’t agree to the demolition regardless of the amount?”
“That’s exactly it,” the site manager said, wiping more sweat from his forehead.
“I told them that after the demolition, we’d build them a brand-new temple. I even picked out a site twice as large as the current one and promised to use the best materials, but they still refused...”
“Why? What’s so special about this temple?” Liu Peng interrupted, his eyes piercing.
“I asked them! I asked them why they wouldn’t agree! Their answers were always the same... just feudal superstitions!”
“Those villagers are adamant that it’s a Divine Temple. They say there’s a god inside and that demolishing it will bring retribution.”
“I asked them what kind of god they worship, but they couldn’t even explain it clearly. They just say it was passed down by their ancestors and that if the temple is destroyed, the entire village will meet a bad end, affecting generations to come!”
Liu Peng snorted coldly. “Divine Temple or not, feudal superstitions are truly a blight!”
The site manager opened his mouth but found no words to say.
Liu Peng fell silent for two seconds as if making a decision. Then, he spoke in a hard, cold voice.
“If the soft approach doesn’t work, we’ll use the hard one.”
The site manager’s eyes widened slightly.
“Listen carefully,” Liu Peng said, enunciating every word.
“First, withdraw all the machinery from the site. Create the illusion that we’ve given up on the demolition.”
“Second, go personally to apologize to the villagers. Tell them our previous plan was poorly considered and that we were wrong to offend them.”
“Third, hire a few chefs and host a village-wide feast. Treat them well and lower their guard to the absolute minimum!”
He paused, his gaze turning dark.
“Once they’ve relaxed their vigilance, choose a time tonight—while they’re all asleep—and demolish the temple!”
The site manager’s Adam’s apple bobbed. “Manager Liu, what if they—”
“The temple isn’t large. With a few machines, it can be leveled in minutes,” Liu Peng interrupted, his voice frigid.
“Once it’s a done deal, what can those unruly people do, even if they’re unhappy?”
“If they want to make a scene, let them! Once the dust settles, we’ll pay what we have to. In fact, we might even end up paying much less than the current compensation offers!”
He took a step forward, looming over the site manager.
“You’re too rigid; you don’t know how to adapt! This matter has been dragged out for over a month. Do you know how much the project has been delayed?”
“Mr. Zhou is here for an inspection today, and that temple is still standing. How am I supposed to explain this to President Gu?”
Beads of sweat broke out on the site manager’s forehead again as he nodded repeatedly. “Yes, yes. You’re right to scold me, Manager Liu.”
“Go now,” Liu Peng said, stepping back as his voice regained its composure.
“Settle the villagers down first and make sure they stop being suspicious.”
“As for the forced demolition, I will arrange the personnel. When the time comes, your only job is to keep the people occupied!”
“Understood, understood!” The site manager’s eyes lit up, his spirit suddenly renewed.
“Don’t worry, Manager Liu. Leave the villagers to me. I guarantee they won’t suspect a thing.”
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