After replying to w33, the other party never sent any more messages and was already offline. Shen Qiang, on the other hand, was nervous yet a little excited as he began to research the past of the Illusion Demolition Group. After studying it for half a day, Shen Qiang discovered that the group was genuinely active ten years ago.

In the past ten years, the Illusion Demolition Group has basically been inactive.

Because its members were as elusive as the Divine Dragon, there were many legends about the Illusion Demolition Group in the Cultivation World, but those stories were mostly hearsay.

There was simply no concrete evidence.

But no matter what.

On the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, at the Provincial City's stadium, Shen Qiang would certainly go. If the other side were really the Illusion Demolition Group and truly as competent as the legends said, it would be perfect to recruit them under his command.

Even if not, there was no harm in meeting them. After all, the world is vast. The more you know about the strong, the easier it is to become one.

Having made up his mind, Shen Qiang felt cheerful, and even the dull programs of the Spring Festival Gala became more appealing.

While Shen Qiang was quietly watching TV with his dad, waiting for the family reunion dinner on the Lunar New Year's Eve.

In an ordinary neighborhood within the county, Ma Jiyong, with his rooster hairstyle, and the close-cropped Yuan Cun were sitting on the living room sofa.

"Bro, I found out that in Yingbei, everyone says Shen Qiang gives his mom a billion as pocket money, a billion at a time, what a spender! He really has money!"

The young man holding the teacup chuckled and said, "That's the kind of talk only the rural folks would believe, just gossip. I've heard of that Shen Qiang too. Seems like his business is indeed significant, but spending a billion casually isn't possible."

Ma Jiyong, with his rooster hairstyle, eyes lit up and smirked, raising his eyebrows, "Bro, I don't care if he gives his parents a billion or not, I'm just pondering how to get some money out of him."

The young man with the teacup laughed, "Some time ago, someone indeed inquired if anybody in the County Committee was a relative of Shen Qiang, but there wasn't, so if you really want to do this, you might just succeed."

"Bro!" Ma Jiyong's eyes lit up, leaning forward, he said, "Does this mean it's settled? We'll do it as we discussed before?"

"At least twenty million." The youth holding the teacup said, "Any less is pointless. We'll find him on the second day of the new year; you talk first. If he refuses, I'll scare him. Since his family in the county isn't influential, once we have the money, I don't care how you handle it, and whether you repay it or not, just give me ten million. If agreed, I'll step in; if not, do as you wish."

Hearing this, Ma Jiyong's eyes brightened like light bulbs, "Bro, what's stopping us brothers, no problem, this is a small matter, once you step in, it's a sure thing."

The youth smiled proudly, "Don't be too optimistic about this. After all, I'm just a secretary, whether Shen Qiang will comply is another matter."

Ma Jiyong laughed heartily, "Bro, you say that too humbly. You are a secretary of the County Committee; in front of the mayor, you might indeed have to nod and bow, but in front of outsiders, you are someone significant. Shen Qiang has no relatives in the County Committee, so he'll have to do what we decide, won't he?"

The youth smiled without speaking, looking proudly.

At this point, the close-cropped Yuan Cun interjected, "Why not borrow more? We don't plan to repay anyway. Why don't we directly borrow thirty million from Shen Qiang? What do you think?"

Hearing this, Ma Jiyong and the youth exchanged smiles and said nothing.

Yuan Cun eagerly said, "Besides, isn't Brother Yong interested in that little girl with tiger teeth beside Shen Qiang? When the time comes, I'll tell Shen Qiang to let her accompany Brother Yong for a good time. If he dares to refuse..."

Yuan Cun pulled out a knife from behind and stabbed it into the apple on the coffee table.

He looked at Ma Jiyong with a gaze full of warning.

Seeing this scene, Ma Jiyong immediately laughed, "Don't worry, brother. Once we get the money from Shen Qiang, you'll get your share. Let's head home for the new year. Early on the second, we'll block him at his home. Tsk, he wouldn't dare not lend."

Shen Qiang's home is in the rural outskirts of the northern county city.

Same old habit, the reunion dinner starts around three in the afternoon.

Dad set off a string of firecrackers outside, two bursts of twenty-one shots, and then lit some more firecrackers before entering the house.

Lots of people, lively, eating and chatting. Hearing Bai Jiao say she could buy a piece of meat for two yuan at her home and even have the seller cut it up, Shen Qiang's dad widened his eyes.

"Wow, if you were here, buying two yuan worth of meat at the market, the seller would think you're making trouble."

Bai Jiao laughed, "Just go to the supermarket, you can buy as much as you want, feels the same."

Shen Qiang's dad laughed and said, "Since you all are here for the new year, we've bought three lambs, six racks of ribs, fifteen chickens, and four boxes of fish, all stored in the little house in the courtyard."

Hearing this, both Bai Jiao and Xu Nan laughed.

They said before coming to the north, they found it unbelievable that northerners would buy so much food at once. Only after arriving did they realize that in the northern winter, the outdoors is a fridge, and rooms without heating are freezers.

Shen Qiang found their conversation about north-south differences quite amusing.

Especially since Shen Qiang's dad believed that zongzi should be sweet, was curious about why salt is added to soy milk, why tofu isn't made with brine but with plaster, how an onion is sold, whether osmanthus is really that fragrant, and if one can truly buy just one egg at a time?

Will the seller get mad if you do that? How could chopsticks grow moldy? Don't people always buy at least a few hundred kilos of Chinese cabbage at home? Can you really sell just half a piece?

Shen Qiang's parents were full of questions.

They found it all unbelievable since in Yingbei, in the county city, buying like that wouldn't lead to a fight, but the vendors sure wouldn't look kindly upon you, with disdainful looks from start to finish.

As the conversation heated up, Shen Qiang kept eating.

Before dinner was halfway through, Zhuzi called to invite Shen Qiang to play mahjong after dinner. Shen Qiang hesitated for a moment before refusing because, compared to playing mahjong, having spent half a year away and preparing to return to the Provincial City after the new year, Shen Qiang felt it was better to be with his parents than playing mahjong.

He hung up the phone.

After dinner, he helped his parents put up couplets and hang lanterns. As night fell and the lanterns were lit, while his mom began preparing dumpling fillings.

Shen Qiang's phone rang.

"Boss, something seems off. Currently, more than thirty Cultivation practitioners are gathering around your home, and I think they might be targeting you. Should we notify our people to come over?"

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