Chương 9: Internet Celebrity Little Li
Jiangjing City, Jiangbei Bridge.
The entire city of Jiangjing was divided into two areas by the Huang River. The locked-down districts of Xinan, Minxu, Baohai, and Nanxin were all in the southern part.
The only way out of these locked-down areas was via Jiangbei Bridge. After the lockdown began, the government deployed a large number of military and police forces to set up a checkpoint on Jiangbei Bridge.
Without a pass, no one was allowed to enter or leave. Fully armed soldiers, wearing masks and with guns loaded, stood guard by the roadside, even setting up machine guns!
Several armed helicopters hovered around the bridge, patrolling back and forth with high-power searchlights scanning the river to prevent anyone from attempting to cross by water.
The bridge was already packed with vehicles, and a dense crowd of people swarmed towards the checkpoint, trying to leave for the safe zones outside.
At least ten thousand people were there. People's faces were filled with fear and anxiety. The noise of the crowd, sirens, shouts, and crying babies created a chaotic and unsettling atmosphere.
Although they didn't understand what was happening, the severity of the situation instinctively made them want to escape the locked-down area.
Police officers stood at higher ground, shouting through loudspeakers, "No one can pass the checkpoint without a pass. Please go home and wait!"
Most people didn't have the so-called pass, but no one returned home, all pushing forward. They held onto a sliver of hope that they might somehow get through.
At the front of the crowd, blocked by the checkpoint's iron barricades, soldiers refused to let anyone without a pass through.
"Let me through, let me through. I am not infected, I am healthy!"
People screamed, trying to prove their health, but the soldiers remained indifferent, mechanically repeating, "Only those with a pass can pass the checkpoint. If you do not have a pass, please go home and wait."
A woman holding a little girl begged an officer, "I won't leave, just take my daughter out, please? I'm begging you!"
The officer's eyes showed a hint of pity, but he could only shake his head. Orders from above were strict: no one without a pass could pass, and if anyone attempted to riot, they were to be suppressed by force.
Someone in the crowd shouted, "I am the deputy general manager of Changnan Industries. I'll pay 300,000 for a pass!"
The crowd quickly became agitated.
"I am the director of Xinghai Group, I'll pay 400,000!"
"I'll pay 500,000!"
In the crowd, a well-dressed middle-aged man with an official demeanor stepped out, showing his work ID to the officer and speaking in a low voice:
"Lieutenant, I am Gong Shulin, the tax bureau director of Baohai District, Jiangjing City. Can you make an exception and let me through? I know your military district's Staff Officer Wang Zhe very well. We've had meals together!"
The lieutenant seriously examined Gong Shulin's work ID and then handed it back, shaking his head, "Sorry, Director Gong, no one can pass without a pass."
Hearing this, Gong Shulin's smile froze and his face turned a bit sour. As the tax bureau director, Gong Shulin was a significant figure in Jiangjing City. Countless people fawned over him, and even billionaires treated him with respect.
Yet, a lowly lieutenant dared not give him face?
But facing fully armed soldiers, Gong Shulin could only suppress his anger and retreat to the crowd to start making phone calls, trying to use his connections to get a pass.
In the crowd, a stylishly dressed, arrogant young man was recording a video on his phone, holding a heavily made-up woman in his arms.
After recording, the young man uploaded the video to an online platform with a highly provocative title.
"Jiangjing Sealed, Military Suppresses Civilians?"
The video quickly received thousands of likes.
The young man smiled smugly and boasted to the woman beside him, "See the influence of your brother!"
His name was Li Han, and he had a technical degree. Originally working in a factory, he had become famous by chance in the era of short videos.
On the largest short video platform in the country, Kuaiyin, he had over two million followers and was a major internet celebrity, known as Little Li, making millions in just a few years.
The woman beside him cooed, "Brother Li, can we still get out?"
Li Han boasted, "What are you afraid of? I have two million followers. Even the Jiangjing Tourism Bureau has hired me for promotional videos."
He then showed her photos of himself with several officials from the Jiangjing Tourism Bureau.
"Wow."
The woman exclaimed in admiration, making Li Han even more smug...
...
Qin Jun's convoy stopped outside Jiangbei Bridge. Seeing the long line of vehicles ahead, Li Weiguo turned to Qin Jun and said, "The road is blocked. We need to walk."
He then instructed the soldiers, "First squad in front, second squad in the rear. Surround them and don't fall behind!"
Thus, the group crossed the bridge, heading towards the checkpoint. An Xinling, An Mian, and Chen Zhong also got out of the police car, following the army.
Seeing a group of soldiers approaching, the crowd made way. They all observed Qin Jun being escorted by the army, silent but filled with curiosity, confusion, and perhaps more than anything, envy.
After a while, with the army escorting them, Qin Jun and his group finally reached the checkpoint.
A senior officer had already received the news. Seeing Qin Jun and his group, he quickly approached.
This officer was Zhao Yi, deputy commander of the Third Division of the Jiangjing Garrison Command, with the rank of colonel. At just thirty-seven, he was the youngest colonel in the garrison, with a promising future.
Zhao Yi walked up to Qin Jun, warmly greeting him, "Qin Jun, how was your trip?"
Qin Jun knew Zhao Yi. After all, Zhao Yi's rapid rise to become the youngest colonel was thanks to the Qin family's connections.
Incidentally, the Jiangjing Garrison Command was under the jurisdiction of the Southeast Military District.
And the head of the Southeast Military District was also named Qin....
Zhao Yi led Qin Jun and his group to pass through the checkpoint, while An Xinling presented a pass issued by the Municipal Office, following behind Qin Jun.
This scene unfolded openly in front of everyone. People watched in silence, gradually feeling a sense of discontent. Why could this young man leave the locked-down area without a pass? While they were stuck here!
Li Han, seeing this, was visibly upset. He had just tried to use his status to pass through with his companion but was bluntly turned away, despite showing his identity as Xiao Li, which embarrassed him greatly.
Now, seeing Qin Jun openly using privilege to leave without a pass only fueled Li Han's jealousy.
'Damn, you're also a young man. Why are you so special? I have two million followers!'
Knowing the severity of the situation, Li Han understood that the lockdown likely meant an outbreak of the virus. Staying in the locked-down area was a death sentence!
With a sly look, he stepped out of the crowd and pointed at Qin Jun, "Why can he leave without a pass while we can't? We want to get out too!"
He had already planned to incite the crowd's discontent, causing an uproar to put pressure on the soldiers. He was very good at manipulating public opinion....
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