Chapter 44: Human Traffickers!

Zhu Daodong recalled everything that had happened to him since he first came to Shumu Ridge Middle School. Before university, his alcohol tolerance was not high. Back home, he could barely drink a cup of rice wine, and any more would make him drunk. In university, he could handle about two bottles of beer, but any more would make him vomit. However, after coming to Shumu Ridge, his alcohol tolerance increased significantly. He could drink old white spirit like water and had never been drunk.

His hearing had also changed. Initially, it was abnormally sensitive, then it became superhuman, and now, he could hear sounds from any part of the two office buildings and the dormitory behind the township government while sitting in his office. Whether the doors and windows were closed or not, it had no effect on him. His hearing seemed to improve gradually with drinking. At first, it improved quickly, but now it was slowing down, as if it had reached a critical point.

Could all this be because of the fall he had last year at the county education bureau? Zhu Daodong touched the back of his head, where there was no longer any pain. The more he thought about it, the more he believed that his hearing and alcohol tolerance had undergone a dramatic change at that moment.

Is this what people call turning a disaster into a blessing?

If it were in the past, Zhu Daodong would have found this troublesome. At first, his overly sensitive hearing was a constant annoyance. But later, he gradually realized the benefits of having superhuman hearing. Drinking was the same. Initially, he drank to relieve his worries, but he never expected that a high alcohol tolerance could also be a skill and an ability. If not for his high alcohol tolerance, he wouldn't have met Zhao Jinhai, and he probably wouldn't have been officially hired yet, let alone have the opportunity to drink with the county party secretary.

Drinking with the county party secretary wasn't a big deal, but drinking privately with him was quite significant. If Zhu Daodong were to spread this news, his status in the township government would rise several levels, and even Yuan Ping would treat him with more respect.

However, Zhu Daodong didn't want to do that. Respect and importance gained through others wouldn't last long. To stand out, he needed connections, but without tangible achievements, it wouldn't help much.

Despite this, at least two people in the township government had changed their attitudes towards him. One was Chen Shuli. Now, whenever there was an opportunity, Chen Shuli liked to take Zhu Daodong to the villages, ostensibly to let him gather more firsthand information, but in reality, everyone knew what was going on.

The other was the driver, Wang Bo. Originally, Wang Bo rarely came to the office, but after their trip to the county town, he started coming by frequently, calling Zhu Daodong "Brother Dong" and being very friendly.

Wang Bo's behavior surprised many people. As the only driver in the township government, Wang Bo was always cautious and reserved. Apart from Chen Shuli, he didn't have much interaction with anyone, not even Yuan Ping, whom he would only call "Director Yuan" and nothing more.

But now, Wang Bo was actively getting closer to Zhu Daodong!

Wang Bo didn't talk much, but no one could deny that he was a sharp young man. This was a clear signal. Li Jin was the first to notice. He originally wanted to ask Zhu Daodong to help him move some things, but Wang Bo said, "Brother Dong is a refined person, Deputy Director Li, let me do it for Brother Dong." Li Jin didn't dare to order Wang Bo around and left awkwardly. From then on, he never asked Zhu Daodong to do any heavy lifting again.

"Brother Dong, the security guard has a letter for you. I brought it over for you."

Wang Bo came to Zhu Daodong's office at least once a day. Sometimes they chatted for a bit, and other times he just drank some water and left. Zhu Daodong had always had a good impression of him, and now that Wang Bo was being proactive, their relationship quickly improved.

"Thanks." Zhu Daodong took the letter casually, thinking it was another file from the county office. He was about to put it in the drawer when he noticed the handwriting on the envelope. It was written in neat calligraphy, with his name clearly written. The return address was not from the county but from Wudang Mountain in Danjiangkou City, Hubei Province. Zhu Daodong's heart skipped a beat. This must be from the old Taoist, or at least related to him.

Without waiting for Wang Bo to leave, Zhu Daodong eagerly tore open the letter. It contained only one sentence: "Kid, you really are a jinx. The old Taoist is now stuck on Wudang Mountain!"

A smile appeared on Zhu Daodong's face. Who could keep the old Taoist on Wudang Mountain? It must be his master. Perhaps the old Taoist would truly achieve enlightenment this time.

Unfortunately, he would lose a good teacher and friend. Since the old Taoist was staying on Wudang Mountain, he wouldn't be able to come down for at least three to five years. Even if he did come down later, with his carefree nature, he might not return to the Sanqing Taoist Temple. Their connection might end here, and the thought made him feel melancholic.

"Brother Dong, is something wrong?" Wang Bo asked, concerned, seeing Zhu Daodong's sudden change in expression.

"Nothing, Wang Bo. It's Sunday tomorrow. Is Secretary Guo going back to the county this afternoon?" Zhu Daodong put the letter in his pocket and asked.

"Definitely. Unless there's something special, Secretary Guo always goes back to the county on Saturday afternoons. I just got back." Wang Bo smiled, and as he spoke, he realized what Zhu Daodong meant. It was already late, and he should leave. "Brother Dong, you go ahead. I'll go take a shower."

After Wang Bo left, Zhu Daodong took out the letter again. The old Taoist was lazy, but these few words showed that he must have been diligent in his younger years. His handwriting was strong, round, and full, with a masterful touch.

He placed the letter on the table and took out two bottles of old white spirit from under the bed, drinking slowly... After finishing the two bottles, Zhu Daodong felt a bit tipsy. He knew he was missing the old Taoist. Sigh, he didn't have time now, but he would visit Wudang Mountain when he had the chance. He would bring old white spirit and some Maotai to treat the old Taoist.

The next day was Sunday. Early in the morning, Zhu Daodong went for a few runs. After returning, he planned to visit some nearby villages. Recently, he had an idea: almost every household in Shumu Ridge had the tradition of making tofu. Why not unite the villagers and establish a village-owned collective enterprise?

He planned to start with a pilot village and had already reported this to Chen Shuli. Chen Shuli only asked about the investment scale. When he heard it would be around 40,000 yuan, he didn't say much and let Zhu Daodong try it out. The township government neither supported nor opposed the idea.

Taking advantage of the weekend, he planned to visit Jinsha Village, where the village party secretary's grandson was his former student, making communication easier.

However, before he could leave the township government, he heard a commotion from the telephone station. He listened closely and realized that Chen Shuli had a problem. His son, Chen Wanli, had been kidnapped that morning and hadn't been found yet!

Zhu Daodong forgot about visiting Jinsha Village and rushed to the telephone station.