Volume 1, Chapter 24: Liqiang Group Has Indeed Arrived

For a moment, he began to contemplate the future development of his own parallel world.

Would it eventually evolve into the same outcome as parallel world 129?

Such a trend was already faintly visible, seeming almost fated and inevitable.

Is there anything I can do?

He asked his own heart. As a reborn individual and a member of the Order Bureau, he seemed to possess the conditions to change the future.

However, the Order Bureau governed such matters with extreme strictness; Lin Changqing was a prime example. The end result was being thoroughly erased from space and time, leaving no trace of his existence behind.

Truth be told, Li Yan was a man who cherished his own life; he was unwilling to bear the consequences of being erased from space and time.

After hearing Lin Changqing’s words, the mysterious and distant Bureau Chief offered no reply.

The First Arbiter, seeing this, spoke in a deep voice devoid of any emotion: "Those who violate the regulations of the Order Bureau must pay the price."

As soon as the words fell, a white beam of light completely engulfed Lin Changqing. When the white radiance gradually dissipated, only white chains remained, lying lonely on the ground.

Lin Changqing of parallel world 129 had been completely erased from space and time. Even if the timeline were to be reshaped in the future, Lin Changqing would never exist. All the members of the Order Bureau witnessed the erasure of one of their own, and their hearts were filled with complex and heavy emotions.

"Li Yan, you have only recently joined the Order Bureau. You must remember not to violate its regulations, or no one will be able to save you. Do you understand? I don't want my team member to follow in Lin Changqing's footsteps."

Before Li Yan left, Yue Chengze gave him some earnest advice. Presumably, after witnessing Lin Changqing's fate today, Li Yan would have a more profound understanding of the Order Bureau.

"Yes, I understand," Li Yan nodded, signifying he had taken it to heart.

With a heavy heart, Li Yan returned to his hotel room. His thoughts were currently in turmoil.

At the end of the day, he was just a commoner.

He thought of the world over a decade later, where the reach of capital across China and the globe would be omnipresent. It would leave all young people without hope, their futures laid bare before them at a single glance. Deliberately induced excessive consumption, rampant financial exploitation, and the monopolization of survival resources would make the lives of ordinary people incredibly suffocating.

He was one of them.

Li Yan truly did not want to see such an outcome.

He lay on the bed, his mind wandering, and eventually drifted off to sleep. At 9:00 AM, a phone call jarred him awake.

Early in the morning, he assumed it was Luo Jiazhuang calling again. Checking the caller ID, he found it was the general manager of the construction company.

"Hello, General Manager Jin," Li Yan said, still groggy. "Is there something urgent this early in the morning?"

General Manager Jin spoke with a tone of complexity and hesitation: "Mr. Li, something has happened at the farm. They aren't letting us proceed with the construction, and the people involved are quite influential. You should come and take a look."

Hearing that trouble had arisen at the farm, Li Yan’s sleepiness vanished instantly.

"What happened? Give me the specifics."

Manager Jin replied: "It's people from a certain municipal department, along with representatives from the Liqiang Group. They are blocking us from working. You really should come see for yourself."

Hearing that people from the Liqiang Group were there, Li Yan’s heart stirred. So they had come, although a bit earlier than expected. That was fine; he had already prepared a countermeasure.

"Alright, wait for me. I'll be there right away."

After hanging up, Li Yan quickly freshened up, hailed a taxi, and arrived at the construction site of the farm.

He had to admit that this construction company was highly efficient. It was said that if you had the money, they could level Mount Tai in a month. The farm already had its basic structure; they really could finish the frame in a month and start interior decoration within two.

At the entrance of the farm, three black sedans were parked. Two were Audi A6s with the Liqiang Group’s branding, and the other was a Passat—a government vehicle. It seemed the two parties were acting in collusion.

Over the past few days, Li Yan had hired professionals to handle the permits, and barring any accidents, the results should be out within a few days.

Seeing Li Yan arrive, Manager Jin hurried over, whispering apologetically: "Mr. Li, the situation is a bit complicated. Both the Liqiang Group and a section chief from the local bureau are here, saying we aren't allowed to build the farm. Did you perhaps offend them, or fail to greet them beforehand?"

The Liqiang Group’s influence in the city was immense; many construction companies relied on them for their livelihood and dared not offend them. Naturally, this included Manager Jin's firm.

Li Yan had long anticipated this day, though he felt they had arrived a bit too soon. Had they waited another month, the cards in his hand would have been even more valuable. Still, he would have to deal with the Liqiang Group eventually; he was, after all, looking to carve a piece of meat off their plate, so their reaction was understandable.

"I see. I'll handle this," Li Yan said with a calm expression, showing complete indifference.

Seeing this, Manager Jin felt a bit more at ease.

If the Liqiang Group truly used their connections to block the construction, both his company and Li Yan would suffer losses.

Guided by Manager Jin, Li Yan walked over to the few people standing in front of the three sedans.

"You're the owner of this farm?" A middle-aged man in a sharp suit and glasses looked Li Yan up and down. He was surprised to find that the owner was just a young man.

Li Yan nodded calmly: "Yes, that's me."

Seeing how young he was, the middle-aged man felt a sense of disdain.

"I am Zhang Wenfeng, General Manager of the Marketing Department at Liqiang Group. Have you heard of me?" He led with his title and name, emphasizing his surname. Anyone in the industry knew that the head of the Liqiang Group was also surnamed Zhang, implying his status was significant.

Li Yan shook his head: "Er, apologies, I really haven't."

Zhang Wenfeng had expected that if he were dealing with someone knowledgeable, they would be stunned upon hearing his name and position, and subsequently retreat. Li Yan’s response felt like punching cotton—his attempt to show off had failed.

"You haven't? Interesting. But you're young, so it's understandable you wouldn't know me," he said, forcing a way to save face.

"Young comrade, I am a section chief from the municipal bureau, surname Xu. We are here today to notify you that constructing a farm and buildings here without authorization is prohibited. Since you haven't invested too much yet, we solemnly advise you to stop work immediately; otherwise, you may face demolition of illegal structures and fines." Section Chief Xu, assuming Li Yan was just a young man with some spare family money trying to start a business, adopted a strictly professional tone.

"Oh, is that so?" Li Yan replied thoughtfully.

Zhang Wenfeng assumed a condescending posture: "Little brother, I advise you not to invest recklessly, lest you lose everything. You should think carefully. If you're unsure, perhaps consult your elders to avoid trouble later." The advice sounded like it was for Li Yan's own good, but the threat in his tone was undisguised.

The fact that the Liqiang Group and the bureau had come together to stop the construction spoke volumes. The private sector and the government were joining forces to force him out.

Li Yan chuckled inwardly. As expected, this kind of situation existed everywhere. And it would only become more frequent in the future.

At that moment, he thought of Lin Changqing's words, which sparked some different ideas in his mind.

"Gentlemen, could we step aside and speak privately?" Li Yan felt it was time to reveal a corner of his hand.

Zhang Wenfeng and Section Chief Xu exchanged glances, wondering what this young man was up to. Did he intend to offer them a bribe to make the matter go away? That was impossible.

Neither of them took Li Yan seriously, but they nodded and followed him to a nearby corner.