PCJ – Chapter 636 Panic Sets In

“Ah! Murder! The village official Zhang is trying to kill someone! Help!” Gu Quansuo shouted loudly.

This reaction caught Zhang Jiaohua off guard—how shameless could someone be!

Before Zhang Jiaohua could respond, Gu Chuangui immediately jumped out to defend him: “It was clearly Quansuo who picked up the kitchen knife and tried to chop down Cadre Zhang. Cadre Zhang just restrained him. He was nearly killed by Quansuo just now!”

“You brat! Mind your own business! Don’t talk nonsense, or I’ll beat you up!” Gu Quansuo threatened.

“Smack!”

Zhang Jiaohua gave Gu Quansuo a hard slap across the face. “Gu Quansuo, it looks like you still haven’t figured out the situation. You ran into my room with a kitchen knife and tried to kill me. I subdued you in self-defense. And now you’re threatening Gu Chuangui? If I hand you over to the police, you’ll be going to jail. You’re suspected of human trafficking and attempted murder—either one could get you years in prison. By the time you’re out, Gu Chuangui will be all grown up. Even that wife you spent blood and sweat to buy will be long gone.”

When Zhang Jiaohua brought this up, Gu Quansuo snapped again. “I’ll kill you! I’ll kill you!”

He struggled violently, but he was no match for Zhang Jiaohua, who held him firmly to the ground, completely immobile.

“Still not behaving?” Zhang Jiaohua slapped Gu Quansuo’s face several more times, causing it to swell.

At that moment, Gu Quansuo’s parents rushed over. Seeing their son pinned to the ground, they charged forward.

“What are you doing? Let go of my son, or I’ll fight you!” shouted his mother, Wang Lalian, rushing at Zhang.

“Stop right there!” Zhang Jiaohua barked coldly, his voice carrying a forceful pressure.

Wang Lalian suddenly found herself unable to take a step forward. She froze, not even daring to speak.

Originally, the villagers expected her to throw a tantrum like usual, and were curious to see how Zhang Jiaohua would handle it. But to their surprise, a single shout from him completely shut her down.

Gu Baoxing, more timid and indecisive, usually listened to his wife. Now he stepped forward and pleaded, “Cadre Zhang, could you please let go of my son? Look, he’s pinned down and barely breathing. What if something bad happens?”

“He came at me with a knife. If I let him go, can you guarantee he won’t try to attack me again? Let me make it clear—your son is guilty of attempted murder and human trafficking. I’m about to call the police and let the law handle this,” Zhang Jiaohua replied as he began dialing.

“Wait! Cadre Zhang, wait!” Secretary Gu Baishui ran over hurriedly.

“You arrived just in time, Secretary Gu,” Zhang said, looking at him meaningfully.

Gu Baishui looked embarrassed. He had been watching from the sidelines the entire time and hadn’t stepped in to stop anything. Now that Zhang was about to call the police, he finally spoke up—which made it clear he wasn’t taking Zhang’s side.

“Cadre Zhang, I had no choice… Everyone in the village is related in some way. It’s hard to act decisively when I’m caught in the middle,” Gu Baishui explained.

“Even if that’s true, when it comes to right and wrong, you must take a stand. Gu Quansuo is suspected of serious crimes—human trafficking and attempted murder. Either one is enough to send him to prison. If you’re defending him now, aren’t you covering up for a criminal?” Zhang Jiaohua challenged.

Gu Baishui had no response. The “big hat” Zhang threw at him—accusing him of harboring a criminal—was too heavy to bear.

“Cadre Zhang, can I say a few words?” asked Gu Yongyi.

Zhang nodded. “Go ahead, elder.”

“Quansuo did buy a wife, but the woman was brought into the village by traffickers. He was wrong, but he wasn’t the mastermind. He lashed out today in a moment of rage. Could we avoid reporting this and just educate him with a serious talk?” Gu Yongyi suggested.

“Since you, the elder, are speaking on his behalf, I won’t insist on reporting it. But I have a few conditions,” Zhang said.

“What conditions?” asked Gu Yongyi.

“First, the trafficked woman must be released—and if there are other cases like this in the village, they must do the same. I don’t want a reformed village full of social tumors. Second, Quansuo must not interfere with the salt-alkali treatment project. Third, I’ll give him this chance to reform, but if he tries to attack me again, I’ll settle all the accounts—old and new,” Zhang said loudly.

“Well…” Gu Yongyi hesitated. He didn’t dare to promise on behalf of others, especially families who had also “bought” wives.

“If the elder can’t make the call, then whoever can should speak up. Otherwise, I’ll report it. Once the police arrive, those trafficked women will be rescued anyway. And Quansuo, with attempted murder charges, could easily get ten years. Let’s see if buying a wife was worth it,” Zhang said, eyeing Quansuo’s parents.

Covered in dust, his eyes stinging and barely open, Gu Quansuo wailed when he heard the woman would be taken away: “Dad! Mom! Don’t listen to this Zhang! I worked so hard to finally get a wife. Are you really going to let me stay a bachelor forever?”

Wang Lalian cried, still frozen in place: “We didn’t want this either, but if we don’t agree, you’ll go to prison. What’s the use of having a wife if you’re in jail?”

Gu Baoxing mumbled: “I told you before—don’t mess around with shady stuff. Now look—money’s gone, and you might go to prison. What was the point?”

“Hurry up and decide,” Zhang said coldly. “If you can’t agree, I’ll call the police. Let them come and investigate the village properly. I want to see how many people here have trafficked women. Human trafficking is a major crime—and it might involve rape, illegal detention, and aiding criminals. If it turns out whole families were involved, then whole families might get arrested. But if you come clean on your own, the punishment might be lighter—or even waived. There’s a big difference between turning yourself in and getting arrested.”

As soon as Zhang finished, several villagers watching the drama started to panic. Their situations were just like Gu Quansuo’s. That one time, the traffickers brought in three women—and they had all been bought by people in the village…