Chapter Eighteen: A Single Letter Shocks the World

At this moment, Lin Tang and Chen Kan were at the police station.

Looking at Chen Kan's appearance, which was completely different from usual, Lin Tang couldn't help but shake her head and smile: This is the society. If Chen Kan didn't act like a spoiled brat, no one would take him seriously!

Sure enough, the more Chen Kan acted this way, the more uneasy the young police officer became. He quickly nodded at Lin Tang's request: "Yes, yes, Miss Lin, don't worry, I'll send Xiao Zhang and Xiao Li right away. They're the best at investigating these kinds of things."

Xiao Zhang and Xiao Li, two low-ranking police officers, rushed in disheveled, clearly having been called back from home. As soon as they entered, they were scolded by Officer Wang, and then, blushing, they said, "Yes, yes, yes, we'll go with Chairman Chen and Miss Lin right away."

Immediately, the two followed Chen Kan and Lin Tang back to the scene.

The machines in the workshop were still stopped, the steam had long since dissipated, and the cotton wadding hanging on the iron frame had fallen to the ground, like a thin layer of snow.

Xiao Zhang squatted in the power distribution room, holding a flashlight in his hand, which made the dust on the lines fly up. He held the broken wire and turned to Lin Tang, saying, "Miss Lin, this cut was definitely made with an electrician's knife. The technique is very skilled; he must do this kind of work often."

Xiao Li stood to the side, flipping through his notebook with a rustling sound, his pen scribbling a few lines on the paper, but he didn't write anything.

Chen Kan squatted down and poked the window of the power distribution room with his finger. A piece of glass was broken, and there were black shoe prints on the edge: "This window was broken. They must have climbed in from here."

Xiao Zhang came out of the electrical room, holding an electrician's knife with copper wire still stuck to the blade: "Miss Lin, this knife was found under the window."

Lin Tang took the knife, examined it from all angles, and handed it to Xiao Li: "This doesn't belong in our factory. Someone must have used this knife to cut the copper wire."

Xiao Li took the knife and nodded vigorously: "Yes, yes, Miss Lin, don't worry, I'll go back and report to Chief Wang right away."

After taking further notes, the two returned to the police station.

Chen Kan watched their retreating figures and sneered, "These policemen are all just putting on an act."

Lin Tang turned to look at the workshop and smiled dismissively. "It's fine to put on an act, at least let them know that we're not easy to bully."

Chen Kan took out a cigarette, lit it, and took a drag. The smoke swirled in front of his eyes, obscuring his expression. "If Qiao Yuan dares to come again, I'll have them take even bigger measures to shut them down."

Lin Tang didn't speak, but just stared blankly at the sky.

Seeing Lin Tang's dazed expression, Chen Kan quietly stepped aside and took a black wool coat from the car.

Lin Tang smiled and lowered her head, wrapped her coat tighter around herself, and then squatted down to touch the electrical wires on the ground.

The cut end of the copper wire was still covered in mud. She wiped it off with her fingertip, looked up at Chen Kan and said, "Go and call Old Zhang from the electrician team. Bring all the tools. We have to get the main line connected tonight."

Chen Kan was taken aback, not expecting that to be her first reaction, and then nodded: "I'll go right away."

Lin Tang stood up, dusted off her knees, took out a notebook from her bag, turned to a blank page, and her pen scratched across the paper: "Also, tomorrow morning, help me contact reporter Wang from the Jiangcheng Daily. I want to publish the story of the Crescent Gang destroying factories and cutting off the livelihoods of female workers in the newspaper."

"You want to publish this in the newspaper?" Chen Kan stubbed out his cigarette, a spark dancing in the wind, his eyebrows raised so high they could hold half a cup of tea.

Lin Tang stuffed the notebook into her bag, rubbed her fingertips against her frostbitten earlobes, and spoke in a voice as clear and cold as snow falling on a sheet of metal:

Chen Kan paused for a moment, then suddenly laughed, tapping his temple with his fingertips: "You certainly know how to target his weaknesses. But what if... it wasn't him who did it?"

"That's fine too, to make an example of someone?" Lin Tang interrupted him, taking out the broken wire from her pocket, the copper wire gleaming coldly under the light.

Chen Kan gripped the wire, his knuckles turning white. He looked up at Lin Tang, whose eyes burned with a fire, just like when they participated in underground work together back then, unchanged in the slightest.

He suddenly felt relieved and stuffed the wire into his pocket: "Okay, I'll contact Reporter Wang first thing tomorrow morning."

As Chen Kan looked into her eyes, he suddenly felt as if something had struck his heart.

Just then, Old Zhang arrived with his electrician team, carrying a ladder. Lin Tang immediately went over and pointed to the wires on the ground, saying, "The main line is in the alley behind the power distribution room. The cut is very clean; it must have been cut with a professional razor blade. You should check the main switch first..."

And so the night passed.

The two had been busy all night. Chen Kan drove Lin Tang back to her courtyard in Hongkou, said goodbye to her, and then returned to his own place. In the car, Chen Kan took out his cigarette case, pulled out a cigarette, and was about to put it in his mouth when he remembered Lin Tang's comment about the "smoky smell" while she was wiping the wires. He paused, then put the cigarette back in the case.

The car drove for a while and arrived at the mansion.

He turned and walked into the mansion, the door creaking shut, shutting out the night.

She had been writing anonymously for the past few years since marrying Qiao Yuan, and now that opportunity has come in handy.

The newspaper featured a photo of Lin Tang standing at the factory gate, with a small building behind her bearing a sign that read "Women's Dormitory," holding up a broken piece of electrical wire in her hand, her eyes resolute.

Newspaper boys on the street shouted slogans, and their newspapers were snatched away. Female workers gathered at the factory gate with newspapers in hand, holding up signs that read "Oppose the gangsters' destruction of livelihoods" and chanting slogans.

Ah Chen stormed into Qiao Yuan's study, slamming the newspaper on the table: "Brother, look at this! How could Madam... Madam go so far as to publish this in the newspaper, making our Crescent Moon Gang a pariah! Besides, who said we did this?"

Qiao Yuan was sitting on the sofa drinking coffee, the steam swirling around his face. He glanced down at the newspaper, a slight smile playing on his lips: "Too much? She's venting her anger, and she's venting her anger for those female workers."

"Master Qiao, why are you still laughing?" Ah Chen said anxiously, "Madam is clearly helping that Chen fellow to oppose you!"

Qiao Yuan looked up. "What's the rush? The sky isn't going to fall." He reached for the cigar on the table, put it in his mouth, and Ah Chen placed it under his hand.

"Then, what do we do?" Ah Chen scratched his head.

"What should we do?" Qiao Yuan smiled, the embers of his cigar flickering in the darkness. "I'll go see Chen Kan tomorrow and talk to him about his ban." He flicked his ash. "If Chen Kan wants to protect Lin Tang's factory, I'll do him a favor, but he also has to give me a way out."

At this moment, Uncle Chen came in: "Master Qiao, there is a Mr. Zhou outside looking for you. He says that the brothers at the dock have something to say."

Qiao Yuan frowned and stubbed out his cigar in the ashtray: "Let him in."

Mr. Zhou, dressed in a faded short-sleeved shirt, looked anxious. As soon as he entered, he rubbed his hands together and said, "Master Qiao, the brothers at the docks refuse to transport goods! They say that Chen Kan's ban makes it impossible for them to survive. If this continues, they'll have to go and seek refuge with Sato!"

Qiao Yuan stared at him for a long time before sighing, "I understand. Go back and tell the brothers that I will give them an explanation tomorrow."

After Mr. Zhou left, Qiao Yuan said to Uncle Chen, "Uncle Chen, since you are familiar with Chen Minhao, you should also pass on a message to him. We can't let his nephew continue to act so recklessly. If necessary, I can go to Beiping to visit him."

Uncle Chen nodded in agreement.

Uncle Chen nodded: "Master Qiao is right. Sato has recently set up a lot of hidden posts in Jiangcheng. Maybe he's the one who sent people to cut the power lines."

Qiao Yuan sneered, "But Lin Tang bit me first." He paused, then said, "But it's all for the best. Her propaganda campaign has forced me to confront Chen Kan."

"How does Mr. Qiao plan to negotiate?" Uncle Chen asked.

Uncle Chen frowned: "Won't this offend Sato?"

"So what if we offend them?" Qiao Yuan stood up and straightened his suit. "Sato wants to devour us. Am I just going to sit here and wait to die?" He walked to the door, then turned back to Uncle Chen and said, "Prepare the car to go to the Chen residence first thing tomorrow morning."

Uncle Chen nodded: "Understood, Master Qiao."

Qiao Yuan walked out of the study, his footsteps disappearing into the corridor.

Uncle Chen gazed at the moon outside the window and sighed softly, wondering what the weather in Jiangcheng would become.