Chapter 50: Dong Jian’s Defeat and Retreat from the Ten-Mile Camp

The principle behind the anti-aircraft cannon is to use fuses or proximity detonations to cause shells to explode at high altitudes, scattering countless fragments. These fragments might damage enemy aircraft directly or lie in wait during free fall, hoping a plane will collide with them. Given the vastness of the sky, the mobility of aircraft, and the limited lethal radius of about thirty meters for each fragment burst, even firing once per second results in an appallingly low hit rate for the anti-aircraft gun.

However, when used against unarmored ground targets, especially infantry soldiers, the weapon becomes utterly terrifying. Fired once every second, each shell explodes midair like a landmine springing to life or a shower of petals scattered by a celestial maiden, instantly riddling all living things within thirty meters with shrapnel. Even if soldiers take cover behind barriers, they cannot escape the relentless barrage of second and third shells following closely behind.

This led many military commentators to call for a ban on using anti-aircraft guns at ground level, warning that anyone caught doing so should face a military tribunal. Of course, this was only hearsay.

At this very moment, seeing the muzzle of the anti-aircraft gun swing toward them, not only did Dong Jian lose his nerve, but even those hiding behind the cover, like Old Yu and others, were thrown into panic. No calculations were needed to know that within ten seconds, the entire parking lot would be reduced to a cremation ground.

Without waiting to see if Dong Jian would fire, everyone dashed out of the north gate like a pack of dogs, seeking refuge behind the anti-aircraft gun.

“Where did this thing come from?” someone asked.

“Does our village really have such a brutal weapon?”

Village Chief Huang suddenly remembered something and looked at the old party secretary. “Is this the anti-aircraft gun used to defend the Yellow River embankment?”

Many years ago, when tensions flared between the East and the North, the East was weaker and forced to mobilize everyone for defense. At the same time, to prevent the enemy from bombing the Yellow River embankment and causing a disaster like the Huayuankou breach, the military secretly deployed numerous anti-aircraft guns along the river. Where exactly they were placed was unknown to most.

The old party secretary neither confirmed nor denied but said, “Back when we were fighting over rice fields with Xiaohu Town, their militia tried to sneak around and attack Yujia Village from behind. I had the village chief deploy this thing, firing a shot angled at 45 degrees into the sky. The enemy surrendered immediately. Otherwise, how could you have won so easily with fewer troops by the lake?”

“No wonder!” Chief Huang suddenly understood.

Yu Yang didn’t listen to the old secretary’s boasting. He held the anti-aircraft gun’s directional lever with his right hand, signaling his elder brother and the others to disarm Dong Jian.

When Dong Jian was brought before him, Yu Yang patted the barrel. “What is this?”

Dong Jian’s face turned pale. “It’s a cannon.”

“No, this is the truth.”

“...”

After a moment, Yu Yang patted the barrel again. “What is this?”

Dong Jian looked serious. “This is the truth.”

“No, this is a cannon!”

“...”

Silence fell for a bit.

Yu Yang patted the barrel once more.

Before he could ask again, Dong Jian said, “This is both a cannon and the truth!”

“No, I want to ask you—what are you doing here?”

Dong Jian’s will to survive surged. “It’s a misunderstanding, just a misunderstanding! I came to invest, planning to raise pigs in Shili.”

“Raise pigs?”

The village chief and deputy chief’s eyes gleamed. Were it not for the village head standing nearby, they might have stepped forward to shake hands and toast.

Yu Yang was puzzled. You’re in road and bridge business; construction is understandable, but using pig farming as an excuse for self-preservation—that’s ridiculous.

He lightly tapped the back of Dong Jian’s head. “You say you’re here to invest, but why bring a real weapon?”

“The place is chaotic in Shili. My BMW’s tires were just stolen, and twenty-three dump trucks had parts stripped by North River Township. If I’m investing, I need to be cautious.”

“How much investment?”

“500,000 yuan!”

“Five hundred thousand? That’s not even as much as my daily sales from bean sprouts.”

Dong Jian was stunned. “Growing bean sprouts is that profitable?”

Yu Yang slapped the back of his head. “I’m asking you!”

“The initial investment is 500,000 yuan. Depending on how things go, I’ll add more later, at least enough to raise a thousand piglets.”

The village chief and deputy chief’s eyes shone even brighter.

“You know how to raise pigs?”

“A little. But I can hire Old Yu as the factory manager; he has more experience.”

“I see...”

Yu Yang nodded.

Back then, during the chaos and betrayal behind their backs, Dong Jian was shot three times—his men even accidentally fired shots. Now, things were on the table, and the situation was tricky. Letting him go easily felt like a loss.

After all, in another timeline, even after being reborn, Yu Yang never got to tap Dong Jian on the back of the head. Now, not only did he get the chance, but he could also interrogate and manipulate him. The feeling was—tsk, tsk...

Yu Yang pondered and looked down at Dong Jian, who was staring at Old Yu with hope in his eyes. Previously, when Old Yu helped Dong Jian with legal troubles and left the detention center together, Dong Jian probably expected Old Yu to speak on his behalf.

In another timeline, with years of entanglement and grudges, this wouldn’t matter much. But now, starting anew, they couldn’t keep Dong Jian around.

Better to settle this favor once and for all.

Yu Yang looked at Old Yu. Old Yu met their gaze and understood. He was now Guan Yu, and Dong Jian was Cao Cao. The two met at Hua Rong Road.

“Old man, lock this fellow in the kiln cave and watch him closely.”

“Don’t worry, not even a fly will get out.”

Yu Jianjun said this and leaned close to Yu Yang’s ear. “Sanyuan, since he’s here to invest and the misunderstanding is cleared, why not sit down and talk? Maybe there’s no need to fight; you might even become friends.”

Old Yu hadn’t experienced the other timeline and had spent time with Dong Jian, knowing his capabilities. Considering his son’s business, he certainly hoped the two parties could get along.

Yu Yang wasn’t about to cling to Old Dong’s leg; he aimed for the city’s general manager, a promising figure who might, once in Beijing, ruthlessly cut down Old Dong.

He shook his head, signaling Old Yu to escort Dong Jian and his men to the brick kiln.

Then he called his elder and second brothers, packed up the anti-aircraft gun, and took the seized real weapons to the police station.

In 1996, firearms were banned nationwide, but Shili was remote, and weapons confiscation was said to have only started around 2003.

But this big piece showing up publicly required some kind of statement.

Unexpectedly, the village chief stopped them. “This cannon is for defending the Yellow River embankment. It must be returned to its original place.”

“Where is that?”

“After so many years, the Soviet Union has collapsed; no one even knows if anyone up top remembers this thing.” The old party secretary put away his pipe and turned into the alley. “Originally, it was buried under the cattle trough at my old family house.”

“Isn’t that the landlord’s cellar where they hid gold ingots?”

“Yes. Otherwise, how could a feeble old man like me bury something this big underground?”

The village chief was curious. “What happened to the gold?”

“Already handed over long ago, didn’t even get a banner in return,” the old secretary grumbled as he walked away.

...

That night.

Through the post and telecommunications bureau, Dong Jian wired one million yuan to the village compound for investing in the pig farm, then fled with his men.

The village chief took the receipt to Yu Yang.

“So, are we still running this pig farm?”

“Run what? Do it well and give it to Dong Jian?”

“After all, it’s his investment. If we pocket the money in Shili, who’ll dare invest here later?”

“Like anyone dares to now.”

“...”

Yu Yang saw the village chief fall silent. He had planned to suggest using the money to build a nursing home.

Suddenly, a notification appeared before his eyes.

[You have taken control of the current area (Shili), possessing over half the houses and lands.]

[Conditions met. Initiate the final battle!]

The next moment, Yu Yang’s vision was filled again with scenes of ancient battlefield charges, with more and more minions waving flags and shouting on both sides.

“Charge!”

“Kill!”

“Loot!”

With the shouts, the scene shifted to a 3D bird’s-eye view of Shili.

Immediately, a red symbol of crossed swords appeared over the village compound.

[Capture this location to upgrade the township center to level two.]

Yu Yang paced to the second-floor corridor of the small Western-style house, gazing across the granary, agricultural machinery station, supply and marketing cooperative, and the street market at the village compound across the corner building.

“Old Huang!”

“What is it?”

“I’ve set my eyes on your compound.”

“Hm?”

“The fortune-teller in town says the feng shui here is good, beneficial to Sanyuan Agriculture’s development. You clear it out tonight; I’ll move in tomorrow morning.”

“...”