Cannon Fodder in an Era Drama — I Survive with Acting-Chapter 178: Big Shot

"Pick two more of our men and have them watch him secretly."

She narrowed her eyes, her gaze as sharp as a knife.

"See if he makes any moves, if there’s any emotional fluctuation. Even a single complaint, a single look—it all needs to be recorded."

"Understood!"

Cheng Peng gave a firm reply, then turned and left with brisk steps.

He knew this wasn’t just about relaying a message. It was a test.

Song Qingya stood in the doorway, watching Cheng Peng’s retreating figure with a cool look in her eyes.

The wind rustled through her hair, bringing a slight chill.

She gently pulled her collar tighter and murmured to herself, ’I want to see what this Yang Kai is really made of.’

Cheng Peng had always been efficient. Before long, he arrived at Yang Kai’s home.

It was a low-slung adobe house with mottled walls. A corner of the roof had collapsed and was barely covered with a few wooden planks.

Cheng Peng raised his hand and knocked on the door. The sound wasn’t loud, but it was enough to alert the person inside.

"Yeah?"

Yang Kai opened the door, his face still drowsy. But as soon as he heard the message Cheng Peng relayed, he froze.

It was as if all the strength had been drained from his body. His knees buckled, and he collapsed onto a shabby stool inside the house.

His fingers dug into the edge of the stool, his knuckles turning white. A fine sheen of cold sweat broke out on his forehead.

He couldn’t say a single word.

Only his wide eyes betrayed his shock, disappointment, and a hint of nearly unconcealable despair.

"Brother Yang..." Cheng Peng stood to the side. "Fei Village Chief and the others have their own difficulties. After all, they’re cadres from the military. They have heavy responsibilities on their shoulders. How can they be expected to look after every little thing in our village... You... don’t take it too hard. Don’t beat yourself up over it."

Despite saying this, he had still delivered the official message clearly, word for word.

"I get it, I get it..." Yang Kai let out a dry laugh. "They’re important people, high status, busy with national affairs all day. Why would they really care about a commoner like me... In the end, I was just deluding myself. I overestimated my own importance."

He forced himself to pull it together and looked up at Cheng Peng. "Brother, take a message back for me. Tell them that I, Yang Kai, thank them for their kindness. I’m truly grateful. But from now on, don’t let them trouble themselves with trivial matters like this. If we can handle it ourselves, we won’t bother others."

"Ah, you got it, you got it."

Cheng Peng nodded quickly, backing away slowly as he replied.

He made a show of leaving, then turned and walked away.

The moment he turned around, two figures hiding in a dark corner exchanged a look. They quickly darted out from the shadows and tiptoed into Yang Kai’s yard. 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

As soon as they entered and got their footing, they saw Yang Kai standing in the open space in front of the main room, facing a group of villagers with an apologetic look on his face.

"Folks, I’m sorry. I, Yang Kai, wasn’t capable enough. I failed to persuade Fei Village Chief and the others to help... I’ve let everyone down, and I feel terrible about it."

His voice wasn’t loud, but it was filled with sincere apology.

"Captain Yang, it’s really not your fault. Everyone knows Fei Village Chief isn’t someone you can just summon easily. They have orders from above, they have discipline. They can’t just interfere in local matters."

A middle-aged woman sighed.

"That’s right, Captain Yang. You’ve already done your best. We all saw it."

Another man chimed in, "You ran back and forth three times, wearing out your shoes. Who could possibly say you didn’t put your heart into it?"

"Don’t lose heart, Captain Yang. We’ll figure something out ourselves. We’ll get through this."

An old grandmother, leaning on a cane, spoke in a trembling voice.

One after another, the crowd offered him words of comfort.

Just then, a tall, skinny man pushed his way out from the back of the crowd and spoke in a snide tone, "The way I see it, Yang Kai is just too incompetent. Nobody thinks he’s worth anything. Why would a big shot like Fei Village Chief bother with him?"

As soon as he said this, the noisy crowd fell silent.

People frowned, turning to look at the speaker.

Yang Kai clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white.

"Da Qiang, that’s enough out of you!"

An old man stepped forward. "Captain Yang has run himself ragged for us, under the scorching sun in the summer and through the slush and snow in the winter. He’s worried so much for us! And you have the nerve to stand here making sarcastic remarks? How can you talk about him like that!"

"Was I wrong? Did I say a single thing that wasn’t true?"

Da Qiang’s gaze was defiant, and he didn’t back down an inch. "If he really had any ability, he would’ve gotten them here long ago. Would we still be here waiting? He failed, and he has the gall to let everyone comfort him? What a joke!"

"You..." The old man was trembling with anger, his eyes filled with fury and disappointment.

Yang Kai slowly walked forward, his steps steady, his voice low. "Da Qiang, I understand you think I’m a failure, a good-for-nothing. You’re right. I, Yang Kai, am not capable enough. I haven’t led everyone to a better life. I’ve let you all suffer."

He paused, his voice trembling slightly. "But I have a clear conscience. All these years, I’ve never slacked off, never taken advantage of anyone. I’ve done all the work that needed to be done. I’ve given it everything I’ve got!"

He suddenly spun around to face the villagers gathered in the yard:

"I’ve failed you all, I’ve let you down! But I, Yang Kai, swear to the heavens today, in front of the whole village—I will find a way for our village to have food to eat and clothes to wear, for our children to go to school, and for our elders to live out their later years in peace!"

Cheng Peng and the two other team members with him exchanged a glance, a flash of surprise in their eyes.

No one had expected that a village leader, publicly humiliated like this, could still stand tall and say such things.

This Yang Kai wasn’t just an honest man; he had a sense of duty. He could shoulder responsibility.

It was almost noon when Cheng Peng hurried back to the old house where Fei Jin and Song Qingya were temporarily staying.

"Village Chief! Doctor Song! I’m back!"

He shouted the moment he stepped over the threshold.

"...You guys have no idea," Cheng Peng said, slapping his thigh, his voice full of admiration. "The scene... anyone else would have lost it! Yang Kai was getting called a ’good-for-nothing’ right to his face by that Da Qiang guy, with the whole village watching. But he didn’t get angry. He just poured his heart out, one sentence at a time, until everyone was silent."

He grew more and more animated as he spoke. "I’m telling you, if it were me, I would’ve thrown a punch long ago. But him? Not only did he not lose his temper, he apologized in public and swore to lead everyone to a better life!"

After listening, Song Qingya couldn’t help but smile. "It seems this Yang Kai has more composure and a greater sense of responsibility than I initially thought."

Fei Jin, sitting on a wooden stool, had a thoughtful look in his eyes.

Yang Kai’s reaction was indeed unusual.

It wasn’t that he didn’t have a temper; he had suppressed it beneath the weight of his responsibility.

"Ajin, what do you think we should do now?" Song Qingya asked, leaning in slightly, her tone serious.

"Help him."

Fei Jin’s voice was crisp and decisive, as if he had made up his mind long ago.

"I knew you’d decide that."

A smile played on Song Qingya’s lips. "Then what are we waiting for? Let’s go. We’ll see for ourselves if this Captain Yang is truly worthy of our help."