Siheyuan, Shazhu: I have both parents in this life

Chapter 227 Contracting Defenses and Observing the Situation

At 19:23 p.m., on the outskirts of the airport, at a secluded vantage point with an excellent view.

He Yuzhu stood in the shadows, holding up a Zeiss 7x50 military binocular, the most advanced in the era.

Behind his cold glasses, his gaze was like that of a hawk, firmly fixed on the DC-6 that was accelerating down the runway.

In the telescope's field of view:
The DC-6's massive silver fuselage trembled, its engines spewing out scorching air.

The landing gear tires rubbed against the runway, and a dozen seconds later, the DC-6 nose rose, defying gravity with tremendous inertia.

Finally, the "Silver Wing" DC-6 shot into the dark night sky like an arrow, its wing lights drawing two red streaks in the darkness as it flew towards the depths of the southern sea.

He Yuzhu slowly lowered the binoculars, his face expressionless, only a chilling glint flashing deep in his eyes.

He took out a delicate shortwave radio microphone, pressed the call button, and spoke in a deep and clear voice: "Old Bai, leave a group of people at the airport to wait for news, everyone else back to base."

"Yes, boss!"

Cruising altitude over the South China Sea.

The Silver Wing flew smoothly above the clouds.

Below lies a bottomless, inky ocean, and above, a dazzling galaxy.

Inside the cabin, Keswick's tense nerves finally relaxed a little. He took the whiskey offered by the flight attendant, and the amber liquid in the glass swayed with the movement of the plane.

"Finally... I'm out of that damn place..." he muttered to himself, downing the drink in his glass in one gulp, the spicy liquid bringing him a slight warmth.

In the cockpit, the experienced captain and first officer are monitoring the instruments.

Everything seems normal.

Altitude: 28000 feet. Speed: 280 knots. Heading: 187 degrees.

Fifteen minutes later, the co-pilot frowned slightly, his gaze falling on the instrument panel displaying the hydraulic pressure of the steering wheel.

The pointer seems to be slightly lower than before? A very subtle change, almost within the gauge's error range.

"Captain, the right rudder hydraulic pressure... seems a bit unstable? It's dropped by about 1%," the co-pilot reported uncertainly.

The captain glanced at the instrument panel, not paying much attention: "It's an old plane, a little leakage in the lines is normal. The pressure is still within the safety margin. Continue monitoring."

"Understood," the co-pilot replied, but his gaze kept glancing at the instrument panel. The needle seemed to have slid down another notch, albeit extremely slowly.

Time ticked by. The rate at which the pointer dipped became increasingly visible.

"Captain! The right rudder hydraulic pressure has dropped to 65%! And it's still dropping!" The co-pilot's voice carried a hint of tension.

The captain then took it seriously, his brow furrowing: "Check the backup hydraulic system! Try switching it!"

"Backup system pressure is normal! Switching in progress... Switching failed! The main system is leaking too fast, and the backup pump pressure is not up!" The co-pilot's voice began to tremble.

On the aircraft's instrument panel, the right rudder hydraulic pressure plummeted like an avalanche: "50%...40%...30%..."

Inside the cabin, Keswick had just had his glass filled by a flight attendant when the plane suddenly and violently tilted to the right uncontrollably!

The wine in his glass spilled out, and then the glass slipped from his hand, and he was thrown violently toward the porthole!
"What's going on?!" Keswick screamed in terror, gripping the armrest of his seat tightly with his other hand.

Marcus's expression changed drastically. He quickly unbuckled his seatbelt and rushed towards the cockpit, but the violent jolts made it impossible for him to stand.

“Mayday! Mayday! Mayday! This is ‘Silver Wing’! The rudder hydraulic system has completely failed! Repeat, rudder completely failed! Aircraft out of control! Altitude is dropping rapidly! Requesting emergency guidance! Location…” The captain’s desperate cries for help came from the cockpit, but the communication signal became intermittent and filled with harsh electrical noise during the violent rolls and rapid drop in altitude.

The instrument panel flashed red warning lights frantically! The piercing stall alarm wailed! The plane, like a heavy iron lump, nose down, tumbled and spun with a desperate scream, heading headlong into the all-consuming inky abyss below!
Outside the porthole, the vast, cold, and unforgiving black sea stretched out before me.

"No"

The last thing Keswick saw was his own face, distorted by extreme fear, reflected in the porthole, and the alligator-skin briefcase he clutched tightly in his arms—a symbol of power and wealth that could no longer bring him security.

boom--! ! !
A muffled, almost inaudible roar erupted from the depths of the boundless South China Sea, the resulting waves instantly swallowed by the endless darkness.

A few burning fragments and oil slicks floated and shimmered briefly on the surface of the sea before sinking into the cold seabed, leaving behind only a huge, rapidly spinning whirlpool, which soon returned to calm.

The night sky remained dazzling, and the sea remained silent. It was as if nothing had happened.

The Kai Tak Airport control tower fell into complete silence.

The young female controller was deathly pale, her fingers still pressed tightly on the call button. The desperate "Mayday" and the shrill electrical whistling from her earpiece still pierced her eardrums with pain.

She opened her mouth, trying to call out again, but no sound came out.

The experienced air traffic controller next to her suddenly shoved her aside, lunged at the microphone, and shouted urgently, "Silver Wing! Silver Wing! Calling from Kai Tak Tower! Please respond! Repeat, Silver Wing, please respond!"

He called out again and again, his voice echoing in the empty control tower, only to be answered by the monotonous and cold static of the radio.

After a long while, the old controller dejectedly took off his headset, his bloodshot eyes staring at the radar screen.

The point of light representing the "Silver Wing," at the very spot where the final, desperate cry was uttered, vanished completely, as if wiped away by an invisible giant hand.

“Radar… has lost the Silverwing’s signal.” His voice was hoarse as he announced a fact that everyone already understood but refused to believe.

The air inside the control tower froze instantly.

A series of calls then came from the airport, the Governor's House, Jardine Matheson headquarters, the police station, the marine police, and so on.

But what good was it? Everyone knew in their hearts that in the heart of the South China Sea, far from shipping lanes and thousands of meters deep, this was nothing more than a final notice.

News of the Silver Wing's sinking and the possible deaths of Jardine Matheson's taipan Keswick spread like wildfire through Hong Kong's upper echelons.

After the plane crash, the top floor of Jardine Matheson's headquarters building was brightly lit, as if it were daytime.

Vice President Smith, who was temporarily left behind to take charge, is now in a terrible predicament dealing with the mess left by Keswick.

The secretary burst through the door, her voice trembling, and said, "Sir... the Keswick CEO's private plane... the 'Silver Wing'... has lost contact in the South China Sea! The control tower... last received a Mayday distress signal... the radar signal... has completely disappeared!"

Sir Smith slammed his pen down on the expensive mahogany table with a "thud".

He swayed and had to grab the table to avoid falling backward, but all the color drained from his face in an instant.

"Keswick is dead! How could he die? Didn't he say he was going back to get help? Shouldn't he be the one to clean up this mess?" Smith roared angrily.

"It's over...it's all over..." he muttered to himself after venting his frustration.

Cargo disappearances, banks pressing for repayment, cargo owners demanding compensation, stock price collapses, mysterious disappearances of key executives... and now even Keswick, who was supposed to be able to withstand lightning strikes, is dead!
What Keswick left him with was an impending investigation and the wrath of the domestic board of directors.

The century-old Jardine Matheson ship seems to be being mercilessly dragged into the abyss by an unseen giant hand.

The following morning, the entire city of Hong Kong was ignited by this explosive news.

"Jardine Matheson's CEO Keswick's private plane crashed in the South China Sea, suspected to have killed all passengers and crew!"

"The Jardine Empire suffers another heavy blow, Keswick is dead! What will become of this century-old conglomerate?"

"The ghost heist remains unsolved, and the helmsman has perished in a plane crash! Jardine Matheson is plunged into utter ruin!"

This news dominated the front pages of all major newspapers.

Kai Tak Airport was packed with frantic reporters, and the area near Wharf in the port was also swarmed by the media. The air was thick with panic, shock, and a suffocating sense of impending doom.

Jardine Matheson's stock was about to open for trading, but it was temporarily suspended.

Jardine Matheson cannot afford another sharp drop in its share price.

Meanwhile, in He Yuzhu's villa office, Ah Lang stood excitedly in front of He Yuzhu, holding a newspaper.

"Boss, what should we do next? Take over Jardine Matheson's land?"

"It's still a long way off. They've been building this business for over a century. Do you think you can bring down a commercial empire in just a few moves?"

"What about us?"

"Wait, let the bullets fly for a while," He Yuzhu said.

"Bullets? What bullets?"

"Let this matter escalate further, and see what other monsters and scoundrels emerge. Do you really think Keswick is the boss of Jardine Matheson?"

"Isn't it?"

"The real boss doesn't stand in the front row. He's a huge family. Doesn't he even know what a family is?"

"I don't understand!" Ah Lang shook his head.

"If you don't understand, learn it; if you don't understand, ask questions."

"Oh!"

"I can help Orion with that matter."

"Boss, which groups of people are you referring to?"

"Yes, Chen Nian, Liu Chang, Luo Hui, find out whether they have wet the bed since they were three years old."

"Can we use the security forces? I'm afraid my people can't."

"It's not just about security. You can also go to Aunt Ping. She can help you with that too."

"Then why don't you just let Aunt Ping and the others investigate?" "They're from the Organized Crime and Triad Bureau (OCTB), not the Internal Investigation Department."

"Well, it seems we still have to rely on ourselves."

"Get this done. You don't need to go down there and do the work yourself. Just coordinate. Get Kowloon Tong built for me."

"Yes, boss."

"Alright, you can go now. I have other things to take care of."

"it is good."

After Ah Lang left, He Yuzhu dialed Orian's number.

"Orion."

"Hey, I was just about to call you. We're in trouble, big trouble."

"What trouble? I just received news from London that Jardine Matheson has used its connections and the Fifth Division will send someone over."

"The Fifth Division?" He Yuzhu asked knowingly, of course he knew it was the famous MI5.

What truly surprised him was that Jardine Matheson, or rather the Keswick family behind Keswick, had managed to alarm an entity of this caliber to directly intervene in Hong Kong affairs; their power and determination far exceeded his expectations.

"Responsible for national security."

"Oh, is it that impressive?" He Yuzhu became interested, thinking to himself, "Why not the Sixth Division? I'd like to see if they have a 007."

“I’ve never dealt with them, but they have a big reputation and I’ve heard they’re very powerful!” Orian emphasized on the other end of the phone.

"They are not police officers; their style of operation is completely different. They have enormous authority and their methods are far more...unscrupulous. Investigating the plane crash and pursuing the truth behind Keswick's death are just superficial. I'm sure their real target is you, Ho! Jardine Matheson has suffered successive heavy blows, key figures have either disappeared or died, Wharf Holdings has been mysteriously robbed, and Keswick has fallen into the sea during his escape... In their eyes, all of this must point to you, their biggest rival and 'destabilizing factor'."

Orion took a deep breath and continued, “What’s more troublesome is that they’re not fighting alone. They will have the full cooperation of the highest levels of the Hong Kong government, including access to internal police files, wiretapping communications, and possibly even resources we can’t even imagine. My O-Division clearance is utterly useless against them. That idiot William and the forces behind him are just waiting to use the Fifth Division to get rid of us!”

He Yuzhu remained silent for a few seconds, his fingers unconsciously tapping on the cold tabletop, making soft, rhythmic sounds.

He slowly began, "Is the source reliable? When exactly will it arrive? Who is leading it?"

“Absolutely reliable. It was leaked by my people on the Governor’s side at great risk. The exact arrival time is still uncertain, but it will be within the next few days. The leader’s identity is highly classified; all we know is his code name is ‘Shepherd.’” Orion spoke quickly. “He, you must be on high alert immediately! The methods of the Fifth Division are impossible to guard against. They might target those close to you, using various methods to coerce, entice, or even frame you! Your family, A-Lang, Gu Yuanheng, Xu Damao, Shi Bin… everyone closely related to you could become their target!”

"Shepherd... Ah, what a fine name. It seems our 'friends' think the sheepfold in Hong Kong is in disarray and needs the most formidable sheepdog to restore order."

“This is no time for jokes, He!” Orian said anxiously. “I will try my best to use the rules to delay things. Before Wang Cuiping gets the irrefutable evidence against Chen Nian, Liu Chang, and Luo Hui, I will try to keep the police investigation going at our pace and create some obstacles for the Fifth Division. But their authority is too great, I can’t hold out for long! You must take immediate action!”

"I understand. You do your job, I'll handle things here at the Fifth Division."

"What are you going to do? There are five places!" Orian couldn't help but ask.

“You need to understand that this is Hong Kong, not London. Even a powerful dragon can't suppress a local snake. Besides, it's not certain who the dragon and who the snake are. You take care of yourself and Aunt Wang. I'll put things on hold for now. The ‘Shepherd’ has arrived, which is perfect. I also want to meet these ‘distinguished guests’ who have come from afar.”

"Also, the Keswick family will definitely send people, probably more than one. Your companies should also be wary of their counterattack."

"Hmm, I've thought of that. It won't be so easy for them to retaliate. I'm not the only one watching them now."

"Don't let your guard down. They are a century-old business empire, and they won't allow it to fall on their home soil."

"I never intended to defeat him in one fell swoop. I understand the principle that even a centipede with a hundred legs will not fall down when it is dead."

"Good that you understand. For now, keep your company on the safe side and don't make any more moves. We'll talk about it again after we get rid of the 'Fifth Division' plague."

"You even know about the plague god?"

"Of course, I worship the God of Wealth."

"Okay, if your investigation isn't working, then stop for now. Organizations like Heshenghe have been around for more than a year or two, just like Jardine Matheson. At this point in time, quantitative changes won't lead to qualitative changes."

"let me consider it."

"You need to think about it carefully and comprehensively."

"it is good."

"Hang up first."

"Goodbye."

After hanging up the call with Orion, He Yuzhu's face showed a rare seriousness.

The intervention of the five parties is like throwing a boulder into an already turbulent sea, which will stir up even more unpredictable waves.

Without the slightest hesitation, he immediately picked up the phone and dialed Bai Yifeng's number. "Old Bai, it's me."

"Boss, what are your orders?" Bai Yifeng's voice was as steady as ever.

"Initiate the 'Homecoming' program."

"All frontline personnel who have directly participated in the 'Operation Kowloon Wharf,' the 'High-Level Cleanup,' and the 'Silver Wing-related matters,' whether they are from the action team, the intelligence team, or the technical support personnel, must immediately cease all work, take inventory of their personal belongings, destroy everything that may be related, and evacuate."

Bai Yifeng felt a chill run down his spine. He understood what the "Return to the Nest" plan meant—a complete evacuation.

"Understood, boss! When do we depart? Destination?"

"Now, immediately!" He Yuzhu said decisively. "Evacuate in batches, and absolutely no more than two people are allowed to travel together. They will be transported by designated ships through the New Territories border to transit points in the Philippines or Vietnam, and then disperse to their respective final destinations—Singapore, Australia, Canada, and South America, according to the contingency plan. Tell them to change their identities and live well once they arrive, not to contact Hong Kong proactively, and to wait to be awakened. You can come to me for the money later."

"Yes, I will convey the boss's message!"

“I want to emphasize this,” He Yuzhu added, his tone becoming more forceful, “that those who participated in the core operations, especially those who might be targeted by the Keswick family or the Fifth Bureau, such as ‘Old Ghost’ and his mechanics team, must be among the first to evacuate, using the highest priority passage. Make sure they ‘disappear’ completely, as if they had never existed in Hong Kong.”

"Don't worry, boss, I'll personally oversee it."

"After the personnel were evacuated, all the safe houses, contact points, vehicles, and communication equipment they had used were cleaned up or destroyed to the highest standards, leaving no trace."

"clear!"

"Your side..." He Yuzhu paused, "After you finish arranging these things, you will also temporarily leave the inner circle and move to behind-the-scenes coordination. It is not suitable for you to continue to show your face in Hong Kong during this period."

Bai Yifeng was silent for a moment, then replied, "Yes, boss."

He understood that this was not distrust, but protection.

"Go and do it, and be quick."

After hanging up the phone with Bai Yifeng, He Yuzhu didn't stop and immediately dialed Shi Bin.

"Shi Bin, raise the security level to the 'highest' level."

"The highest level?" Shi Bin's voice was filled with surprise. This was the highest level that the company had never used since its inception. "Boss, what happened?"

“The people from the Fifth Division in England are coming.” He Yuzhu said succinctly, “They are not gangsters, nor are they ordinary police officers. They are more professional and have greater authority. Your task is to ensure the absolute safety of everyone.”

"Understood!" Shi Bin instantly got into the zone, his tone becoming serious. "The highest level means—all protected targets are under constant close protection, and no one is allowed to act alone; all residences and offices will undergo secondary security checks, especially anti-eavesdropping measures; all commuter routes will be randomly changed daily, and emergency vehicles and contingency plans will be provided; in the event of a clear fatal threat, all necessary means will be allowed to be used for an unrestricted counterattack, and I will bear the consequences."

“That’s right, that’s the standard.” He Yuzhu confirmed. “Key protection targets: my family, A Lang, Gu Yuanheng, Xu Damao and their core family members, and Wang Cuiping. Tell your people to keep their eyes wide open like eagles and their ears perked up like wolves. No suspicious person, suspicious vehicle, or suspicious action should be overlooked.”

"Yes, sir! Mission accomplished! I'll redeploy the forces immediately, deploying the entire 'Shadow' squadron and drawing elite troops from other companies to reinforce them, ensuring every defensive point is an impregnable fortress!"

“Not only that,” He Yuzhu continued, “all companies, including Huanghe Industry, automobile factories, steel mills, security companies, and even Xu Damao’s Qinquan Beverages, must strengthen their internal security. Non-company personnel are strictly prohibited from entering the core area without multiple approvals. Employees must strictly register when entering and leaving the premises, and their belongings must be inspected.”

"Understood! I will give a firm order to the security managers of each company!" After dealing with personnel and security matters, He Yuzhu dialed A Lang's number.

"Ah Lang, for the foreseeable future, the progress of the Kowloon Tong project, as well as several other real estate projects under construction or in preparation, should be slowed down. Just maintain the appearance of 'normal progress'."

Ah Lang was taken aback: "Boss, slow down? We finally managed to..."

“I know,” He Yuzhu interrupted him. “But now is not the time to sprint. There was a big mess at Yihe, and people from the Fifth Division are coming. At this critical juncture, if we are too high-profile, we will only become a sitting duck. Cut unnecessary expenses, reduce the intensity of construction, and announce to the outside world that it is ‘cooperating with the routine inspection of relevant government departments’ or ‘optimizing the design plan’. In short, we should make it seem that we are no different from other real estate companies, or even… a little ‘overwhelmed’.”

Although Ah Lang didn't fully understand, he always trusted He Yuzhu's judgment: "Yes, boss. What about the previous collaborations with those builders and suppliers..."

"Follow the contract, do not expand proactively, do not terminate easily, and maintain the status quo."

He then contacted Gu Yuanheng and gave instructions regarding the real economy sectors such as automobile factories and steel mills: "Production plans should proceed according to the original baseline, without pursuing over-fulfillment. Government orders should be fulfilled according to the contracts, and commercial orders should be steadily advanced. There should be no external publicity, no expansion in any form, and no release of any information that may attract excessive market attention. Just quietly do real business, like a 'dutiful' businessman."

Gu Yuanheng was a smart man, and he immediately understood that this was a strategy to "hide one's strength": "Don't worry, boss, I will adjust the strategy and focus on internal production optimization and cost control to ensure that we don't stand out and that there are no problems."

Finally, He Yuzhu dialed Xu Damao's number. "Damao, how's it going with Qinquan?"

"Brother, there's been a slight fluctuation, but it's nothing serious, the stock price has stabilized." Xu Damao's voice carried a hint of unease; he could sense the unusual tone in He Yuzhu's voice. "Has something happened?"

"It's nothing serious, just something to keep in mind." He Yuzhu didn't elaborate. "Keep Qinquan's business running at a 'normal pace.' Don't make any big moves, don't try to take over anyone, and don't engage in any aggressive marketing. Just ensure product quality, maintain market share, and make money steadily."

"Brother, what's wrong with you...?" Xu Damao asked.

“Listen to me, I’m right.” He Yuzhu’s tone left no room for doubt. “During this period, keep a low profile, and keep a very low profile. Don’t do anything that might deeply tie you, or Qinquan, and Huanghe Industry together and push you into the eye of the storm.”

“…Okay, brother, I understand. I’ll keep things stable on my side.” Although Xu Damao was full of questions, he still chose to obey.

After making a round of phone calls, He Yuzhu finally let out a long sigh of relief.

All personnel involved in core secrets were evacuated, cutting off the most direct leads; security levels were raised to the highest, building the strongest physical defenses; companies scaled back their operations, returning to "ordinary" practices, reducing their presence and aggressiveness.

This is a comprehensive strategic retreat, like a boxer pulling back his fist, not a retreat, but a preparation for delivering a more powerful blow at the most opportune moment.

(End of this chapter)