Chapter 1306 Reality Is More Cruel Than Film

What happened next left Zhao Fusheng deeply astonished.

Because of his own background, Zhang Tao chose to volunteer at a children's welfare home in Gwangju, only to uncover the dark secrets hidden within the institution.

"You know, they use these children as tools to vent their bestial desires, and as gifts to give to those big shots..." Zhang Tao gave Zhao Fusheng a bitter smile, looking quite eerie.

It was a sad story. Although he hadn't seen the film Silenced in his previous life, Zhao Fusheng had come across its introduction online, so while he was saddened, he remained relatively calm, unlike Hu Donghai and the others who were seething with indignation.

Indeed, several Chinese men from military backgrounds were furious over the plight of a group of Korean children, wishing they could turn into superheroes and rescue them right away.

"So, what we saw yesterday was..." Zhao Fusheng frowned, recalling the scene from the previous day, and asked Zhang Tao.

Zhang Tao nodded. "Yes."

He had been volunteering there, teaching art classes. After discovering the incident, he tried to cause trouble for the welfare home, but as a Chinese person, it wasn't easy to stand up for justice. He was directly thrown out, and they even openly threatened him: if he wanted to get his diploma, he'd better shut up, or else they'd make things hard for him.

Zhao Fusheng thought back to his own life in his previous life—ordinary and happy were the main themes. He would sympathize with the miserable things in the world, but back then, his abilities were limited, and there wasn't much he could do.

And now?

"Boss, I know you're a big shot. I'm not asking you to help me, but please help those children. They're too pitiful..." Zhang Tao fell to his knees before Zhao Fusheng, pleading bitterly.

It was clear he was truly at his wit's end. Yesterday, after seeing that scene, he had gone to the welfare home in righteous indignation to cause trouble, only to end up beaten black and blue. If they hadn't dared to kill him, he might already be dead.

Zhao Fusheng sighed and remained silent for a long time.

"Go rest in the next room for now. Let me think."

After a long while, Zhao Fusheng finally spoke, having someone escort Zhang Tao to the next room.

Only Hu Donghai and Zhao Fusheng were left in the room. Seeing Zhao Fusheng silent, Hu Donghai hesitated and said, "Otherwise, I'll make a move quietly?"

His thinking was simple: Zhao Fusheng had invested a lot of money in Korea—business worth hundreds of millions. If this incident ruined it, the loss would outweigh the gain. So it would be better for him, as the bodyguard, to relieve Zhao Fusheng of the burden. Besides, Hu Donghai himself couldn't stand such things. He could quietly take care of those scumbags and then quietly leave Korea, even if it meant never setting foot there again.

Zhao Fusheng shook his head, stroking the edge of the sofa, and said to Hu Donghai, "You think it's that simple? Since they dared to let Zhang Qian go without restraint, it means they're confident they can cover it up. Remember what Old Chen said on the train? Gwangju is the stronghold of Korea's democratic faction. Many high-ranking officials in the Korean judicial system come from Gwangju, and even those around the president include many of their people. If such a scandal breaks out, it would be a slap in the face for Korea's leaders. What do you think will happen?"

"Then what do we do?" Hu Donghai was dumbfounded.

"Let me think, let me think," Zhao Fusheng murmured to himself.

He really needed to carefully weigh the pros and cons of this matter. After all, he was no longer alone; he had a large family behind him, and he had just gained a foothold in Korea. Should he give it all up because of this?

Zhao Fusheng could afford to lose tens of millions in funds, but the problem was that all his efforts would go down the drain, including his future plans. He really couldn't bear to let that happen.

Seeing Zhao Fusheng's serious expression, Hu Donghai dared not speak and stood cautiously by his side, silently accompanying him.

...

...

Time ticked by. After who knows how long, Zhao Fusheng slowly raised his head, revealing a bitter smile.

Although reason told him he shouldn't get involved, thinking of the tragic experiences of children about the same age as Fan Beibei, and recalling Zhang Tao's story of a child who, unable to bear the humiliation, lay down on the railway tracks to commit suicide, and whose parents, both disabled, had nowhere to turn for justice, Zhao Fusheng knew he couldn't stay silent.

People are emotional creatures. Some things we can pretend not to see, but some things we truly cannot ignore.

"Call Zhang Tao over," Zhao Fusheng instructed Hu Donghai.

Hu Donghai nodded, went to the next room, and brought Zhang Tao back.

Zhao Fusheng looked at Zhang Tao. "I'm not helping you. I just think this world shouldn't be so cruel to a group of children who have already been hurt. Before, I didn't understand why heroes are always revered. But thinking about it, maybe those heroes, those noble people, started doing such things simply because there was a fire in their hearts that kept them tossing and turning, unable to sleep. Only by taking action could they rest easy."

Both Zhang Tao and Hu Donghai looked bewildered, clearly not understanding what Zhao Fusheng meant.

"I can help you with this matter, but not for you—for myself, so I can sleep peacefully," Zhao Fusheng sighed and said to Zhang Tao. "And I advise you not to take the lead yourself. You can discreetly gather evidence and then find a way to send it back to China. Before those people catch on, expose them using our domestic internet, and then have a U.S. network company publicize it."

"Huh?"

Such a complicated operation clearly confused Zhang Tao. He looked at Zhao Fusheng blankly, not understanding what he meant.

"You need to understand that you're not just facing a few thugs who beat you up; you're up against the entire power structure of Gwangju and even higher levels. To cover this up, someone will come after you. If you stay in Korea, I can't guarantee your safety," Zhao Fusheng said calmly.

There was something else he didn't say: if he remembered correctly, the filming of Silenced was extremely difficult. Not only were actors hard to find, but the production budget was barely enough. It was said that the director's own mother had to step in. Moreover, the film faced many obstacles, both overt and covert, with even the powerful Korean church getting involved.

At the thought, Zhao Fusheng felt a chill run down his spine. He even felt he was playing with fire.

"I'll do whatever you say," Zhang Tao nodded emphatically.

Zhao Fusheng waved his hand. "I'm just giving you a suggestion."

Then he said, "Remember, quietly gather evidence and find a way to send it back to China..."

Before he could finish, Zhao Fusheng stopped, blinked, and suddenly thought of something. Perhaps he could use this incident to get in touch with a certain connection.

He pulled out his phone and dialed Liang Jingyu's number.

"Chairman," Liang Jingyu answered from his office, surprised to see Zhao Fusheng's caller ID.

"Old Liang, didn't you mention that Jin Shan once ran for office as a councilor and failed?" Zhao Fusheng asked.

Liang Jingyu nodded. "Yes, he's from the same party as Mr. Lee, the current mayor of Seoul, but he's not high-ranking. Why?"

Zhao Fusheng smiled. "Nothing, just asking. It crossed my mind."

He hung up and turned to Zhang Tao. "I won't stay long in Gwangju; I'm leaving today. But I'll leave two men behind to protect you. You have one week to gather evidence. After a week, I'll be leaving Korea, and you can come with me. But remember one thing: ensure your own safety while collecting evidence."

Zhang Tao was taken aback, puzzled.

Zhao Fusheng sneered. "Dead men tell no tales. Even if your evidence is real, if you die, do you think I'll still step in for you?"

He paused, looked Zhang Tao in the eye, and said seriously, "Think about your parents who have worked so hard to raise you. If you die over this, no one will consider you a hero. How will they go on living? It's fine to be noble, but if it drags your family down, then that kind of nobility is worse than living a base life."

Zhang Tao remained silent, but Zhao Fusheng knew his words had sunk in.