Back when the conflict between Sun Yecheng and Leng Yuan first started, someone had quietly slipped away from the crowd and run toward the village.

「At the Brigade Leader’s house.」

He had been rather busy lately.

The village was about to start raising pigs. In a little while, the piglets would be delivered. This was a major event that concerned the entire village’s livelihood, so Chen Beiguo had spent the last two days discussing how to plan the pig-rearing operation with the village chief.

That day, the two of them were still inside, studying the matter. The number of pigs this time was not small, and Chen Beiguo’s idea was to set aside a dedicated area for raising them.

Village Chief Xu’s idea was for each family to take two pigs home to raise, and they would be awarded work points at the end of the year.

The Village Chief was proposing a method used by other villages, and it was a decent idea. However, Chen Beiguo felt that doing so would increase the individual pressure on the villagers. He thought it would be better to choose a single location, have everything belong to the brigade, and then distribute the work points evenly at the end of the year. That way, everyone would be more invested.

The Village Chief took a drag from his dry tobacco pipe. Plumes of smoke rose, shrouding his expression and making it difficult to read.

"I still think we should raise them separately. That way, if something happens, it won’t affect the other pigs."

Chen Beiguo shook his head. "Leng Yuan said he’s going to buy a few boars for breeding. Are we supposed to haul them from house to house for mating when they get here?"

Village Chief Xu fell silent.

That was indeed a major problem.

"Forget it. The two of us aren’t going to settle this. Why don’t we call a meeting for everyone? We can all discuss it together then."

"I suppose that’s the only way," Chen Beiguo said, resigned.

Just then, a heaven-shaking "BANG, BANG" echoed. Chen Beiguo scrambled to his feet, worried his door wouldn’t be able to withstand such force.

When he walked over, he saw the door panel trembling, and dirt was crumbling from the doorframe. He immediately grew anxious.

He yanked the door open with a CLATTER, about to yell at the person, but the newcomer spoke first in a panicked voice.

"Brigade Leader, this is bad! Leng Yuan and Sun Yecheng are fighting!"

’What?’

Chen Beiguo was startled. Forgetting all about his door, he hurried back into the room, called for Village Chief Xu, and they rushed toward the riverbank together.

Seeing the three of them hurrying by, a villager who spotted them stepped forward to ask.

"Brigade Leader, Village Chief, where are you all going in such a rush?"

Chen Beiguo frowned. "Leng Yuan and Sun Yecheng got into a fight. I’m going to check it out."

He had some idea of Leng Yuan’s strength. The man was incredibly powerful—he could smash a wild boar’s skull with one punch. Sun Yecheng, on the other hand, looked tall and sturdy, but his strength was just about average for a man.

’Plus, Leng Yuan has practiced martial arts since he was a kid,’ Chen Beiguo thought. ’Isn’t Sun Yecheng just asking to die?!’

At this thought, Chen Beiguo’s pace quickened even more.

The villager watched the retreating backs of Chen Beiguo and Village Chief Xu, a thoughtful look on his face.

A moment later, other villagers who hadn’t managed to keep up saw the brigade leader leave and quickly surrounded the man who had just spoken with Chen Beiguo.

"What’s going on? Where’s the Brigade Leader off to?"

The villager glanced at the people around him and sighed. "Leng Yuan and Sun Yecheng are fighting. Someone must’ve been beaten bloody, which is why the Brigade Leader rushed over."

Everyone was shocked.

Leng Yuan was known to be a good fighter, but he rarely picked a fight. The last time, he’d beaten Lin Jiandong so badly he pissed himself, and now he was going after Sun Yecheng.

Mixed in the crowd was an auntie who was on good terms with the Sun family. Hearing this, she quietly slipped away from the group and hurried off toward the Sun family’s home.

Arriving at the Sun family’s house, the auntie blurted out in a panic.

"Mrs. Sun! You’re still here? Your son’s been beaten bloody by Leng Yuan! He’s dying!"