Siheyuan, Shazhu: I have both parents in this life

Chapter 228 It turns out to be an 'old acquaintance'
On May 8, 1970, at Kai Tak Airport, a transport plane painted with the insignia of the Royal Air Force slowly landed in the military restricted area of ​​Kai Tak Airport.

The cabin door opened, the gangway was lowered, and five men and one woman filed out of the cabin, then boarded the military vehicle below and quickly left the airport.

The phone on He Yuzhu's desk rang half an hour after the transport plane landed.

"What! They've arrived! The transport plane landed directly in the military area of ​​Kai Tak Airport. Six people got off, led by a white man in his forties with short gray-brown hair and scalpel-like eyes. He was dressed in civilian clothes but had an extremely strong presence. He must be the 'Shepherd.' A military vehicle picked them up, and they should be heading to Stonecutters Island now!"

"Understood." He Yuzhu's voice was calm and even.

Aren't you nervous?

"Should I be nervous? Are they even more formidable than your entire battalion on the battlefield?"

"Their findings will have a lot of impact, and could even affect troop deployments."

"Then let them give it a try. I reckon your side will be the first stop. Have you finished processing the files of Chief Inspector Wang and Chief Inspector Yu?"

"It's been taken care of, there won't be any problems."

"That's good. If it really doesn't work, I'll have them come back."

"No need. Don't you trust their abilities?"

"Alright, then you can test the waters for me first."

"I get the feeling you're gloating a little."

“Well, this is unlike any of the opponents we’ve faced before! They represent the will of the state apparatus, and the kind that will stop at nothing! To be honest, I’m a little nervous.”

"It won't be any harder than those years when you went back as a prisoner. Stay calm."

Why did you bring this up again?

"I am stating a fact."

"If I really lose my job, you have to give me one too."

"No problem, are you interested in working as a security company?"

"If I hadn't become a policeman, I would really like to join your security company, just like when I was leading troops."

"You should just stick to being a policeman. I'm afraid the soldiers you train will end up like you, losing battles and becoming prisoners of war," He Yuzhu teased.

"You're so great, okay! Of course, you're the best soldier I've ever seen on the battlefield, I have to admit that."

"Then let's fight the 'Fifth Division' and see who's stronger."

"Okay, I'm going to make the arrangements. You should get ready too."

"no problem!"

The efficiency at the five locations far exceeded Orion's estimates.

At a heavily guarded temporary encampment on Stonecutters Island, Colin Sterling, the "shepherd," stands before a character relationship diagram.

"Target: He Fei, codename 'Water Seller'. Background: Former mainland soldier, suspected to be an elite reconnaissance soldier. Arrived in Hong Kong about 5 years ago, initially as 'Water Seller,' and quickly rose through the ranks. Core businesses: Huanghe Industrial (real estate, infrastructure), Taishan Security Company (large-scale, well-trained, and well-equipped), Huanghe Automobile Factory, Huanghe Steel Factory, and indirectly controls Qin Quan Beverage. Social connections: The He family (mostly at home and in school), core assistants include Xu Damao (Qin Quan), Ah Lang (Executive of Huanghe Industrial), Gu Yuanheng (Management of Huanghe Automobile), and Shi Bin (Security Supervisor). Close relationship with West Kowloon Chief Superintendent Orion Trench, suspected to be a deep collaboration."

Behind him, five stern-faced team members were methodically reporting the preliminary investigation results.

"The target, He Fei, has a complex background. Public information shows that he is an immigrant from mainland China. He started in the catering industry and later ventured into real estate and manufacturing, rising to prominence at an astonishing speed. He has close ties with Superintendent Orion and Chief Inspector Wong Tsui-ping of the Organized Crime and Triad Bureau."

"The on-site investigation report of the Wharf theft case: There were no signs of physical intrusion. The 'list' of stolen items has been verified and is worth more than US$50 million. However, we cannot determine whether the items were actually put into the warehouse because there were only signs of containers and cargo boxes being run over at the scene, but no signs of vehicles loading and unloading. There were also no signs of heavy vehicles driving out of the Wharf."

"The search for the wreckage of Keswick's Silver Wing has made no progress. The black box signal has not been captured. The last communications record and radar track provided by the air traffic control have been analyzed, and an unexplained mechanical failure did occur before the crash. The possibility of it being shot down by anti-aircraft weapons has been preliminarily ruled out."

"The internal turmoil within Jardine Matheson Group is escalating. Interim head Smith is attempting to stabilize the situation, but several key partners have begun withdrawing their investments or demanding contract terminations. The Keswick family has sent representatives from London, who are expected to arrive tomorrow."

Colin Sterling remained silent, only tracing the name "He Fei" repeatedly with his fingertips, his gray-brown pupils gleaming.

“These are all superficial phenomena,” he finally spoke, his voice deep and magnetic.

"The method used in the theft was too clean, so clean that it seemed impossible for a human to do it. Keswick's death was too coincidental, as if it were a carefully crafted script. And all of this points to the same person—He Fei."

One of the team members frowned and said, "Boss, we checked all his communication records, bank statements, recent whereabouts, and even mobilized MI6's informants in Hong Kong, but there is no direct evidence to link him to the theft or Keswick's death. His security team has extremely strong counter-surveillance awareness. Our people were discovered as soon as they approached within three kilometers of his villa."

“The lack of evidence is the biggest point of suspicion.” Colin’s lips curled into a cold smile. “How could someone who could shake the foundations of Jardine Matheson in just a few years be as simple as he appears on the surface? ‘Clean’ often means that he has the ability to erase all traces.”

He turned around, his gaze sweeping over the crowd: "Abandon the routine investigation. Jardine Matheson's business disputes and Keswick's dirty tricks are not our focus. What we need to investigate is the 'impossible'—how did the goods from Kowloon Wharf disappear? Why was the mechanical failure of the 'Silver Wing' so suspicious? Is there any force behind He Fei's wealth accumulation and network expansion that we don't know about?"

"Yes!"

"Keep a close eye on He Fei."

"24/7, all-around. Tracking, eavesdropping...using all the legal permissions we have in Hong Kong. I need to know who he met every day, what he said, what he did, even how many glasses of water he drank or how many bowls of rice he ate!"

"understand!"

“In addition,” Colin added, “that Superintendent Orion, and Wang Cuiping from the Organized Crime and Triad Bureau, are also under observation. They’ve been getting too close to He Fei, which is against the rules.”

That day, several seemingly ordinary cars appeared outside He Yuzhu's villa. The people inside were dressed casually, but they always maintained a distance that was neither too close nor too far when He Yuzhu's convoy departed or returned.

Faint static began to appear on the telephone lines at the headquarters of Huanghe Industrial, a sign that it was being monitored by professional equipment. Even at Ah Lang's temporary office at the Kowloon Tong construction site, Gu Yuanheng's car factory, and Xu Damao's headquarters of Qinquan Beverage, some unfamiliar faces appeared, posing as reporters or job seekers, trying to gather information.

Shi Bin's security personnel noticed the anomaly immediately.

"Boss, we're being watched. It's by professionals, and their methods are very sophisticated; they're not like the local police."

Shi Bin went directly to He Yuzhu to give his report.

"Besides, phone calls aren't that secure these days. I feel really bad, like... prey being observed."

"So, you are still far behind the professionals, and this is also an opportunity for you to learn and improve." He Yuzhu's voice remained calm as he stood by the window, watching a gray sedan slowly drive by below.

"Ignore them, proceed normally, and focus on our own defenses. Have the 'Shadow' members take turns keeping watch, figuring out their shift change patterns and personnel composition. I'm not asking you not to alert them, but you must minimize your presence as much as possible, as if everything is happening naturally."

"Yes, we will do our best."

"Also, I want to tell everyone to use the phone less recently, and all important matters must be discussed in person."

"understand!"

Despite the tight surveillance at the five locations, He Yuzhu's life and work rhythm were not greatly affected. He went to the company on time every day to handle business, occasionally inspected the construction site in Kowloon Tong, and returned to his villa to spend time with his family in the evening.

His words and actions showed no sign of panic or abnormality, just like a truly dedicated businessman.

This composure, ironically, made the Fifth Division agents responsible for monitoring feel a little uneasy.

"Boss, He Fei is too calm, unnaturally so. Our men have practically figured out his schedule; there's no way he didn't notice," an agent reported to Colin.

Colin frowned slightly as he looked at the photo of He Fei and Gu Yuanheng chatting and laughing in the car factory workshop. "He's waiting. Either he's waiting for us to slip up, or he's waiting for an opportunity. Keep a close eye on him and don't give him any chance to take advantage."

"A flaw? Boss, what flaw could we possibly have?"

"Your mentality is a weakness to him. Don't forget that he is a soldier from the peninsula. You didn't experience that war, so you wouldn't understand."

Is it really that amazing?

“Orion used to be my subordinate. He was captured, so he came to Hong Kong. After the war, I left the army due to poor performance and was conscripted into the Fifth Division. This is only the second time I have come to the East in all these years.”

"And the first time was?"

"In 1963, the 'Big Cigar' disappeared."

"Got it, boss."

Just as the Fifth Division and He Yuzhu were locked in this silent standoff, Jardine Matheson, which had been quiet for several days, finally launched a counterattack, because the Jardine Matheson board members arrived.

This time, they did not choose violence, but instead used methods they were more adept at—public opinion and commercial strangulation.

Several newspapers with British investment, including the Hong Kong Commercial Daily and the South China Morning Post, published negative news about Yellow River Industries almost simultaneously.

Exclusive report: Yellow River Industrial's Kowloon Tong project is suspected of illegal land occupation, and the Lands Department has launched an investigation!

"In-depth investigation: Huanghe Automobile Plant's core technology is suspected of being stolen from a European automaker, and a patent lawsuit is about to be filed!"

"Sources familiar with the matter revealed that Huanghe Industrial is facing a tight cash flow, and several banks have tightened credit, so the Jiulongtang development project may be halted!"

Rumors spread like wildfire, but these tactics seemed to have little effect, because Huanghe Industry was not listed at all and there was no so-called loan problem. The only company affected was Qinquan's stock. The problem was that Qinquan had sufficient cash flow. Although it had been making fewer moves recently, it was still opening stores, so the stock price did not fluctuate much.

Regarding the patent issue of the Yellow River Automobile Factory, Gu Yuanheng went directly to the newspaper that published the article with his lawyer, and presented the patent certificate in front of them, almost shoving it in the face of the newspaper's editor-in-chief.

There was no land administration department investigating Huanghe Industrial's site, and construction continued in full swing, leaving reporters from other newspapers baffled.

Then Ah Lang gave an interview, and even took the reporter on a tour of the construction site, introducing some of the plans.

The newspapers in the following days were polarized: British-owned companies continued to try to smear companies related to the Yellow River, while Chinese-owned companies helped clarify the facts. The tug-of-war in the media intensified, and eventually both sides veered off course, turning the issue into one of British versus Chinese capital in Hong Kong.

He Yuzhu instructed Gu Yuanheng to compile the Yellow River Automobile Factory's patent certificates and technology research and development records into a book, and to release it publicly through neutral media. He even invited professors from the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Hong Kong University to form an "expert group" to conduct a public appraisal, using irrefutable facts to shatter the rumors of "technology theft".

"Boss, you were right to have foresight. If we hadn't registered these patents in advance, we would not only have had to stop production, but we would also have faced huge fines and had to recall the cars we had already sold. The losses would have been enormous."

"This also serves as a wake-up call for us. We must keep all the qualifications and intellectual property rights that we should have in our own hands, otherwise we will be subject to others."

"Yes, I will assign someone to handle this matter from now on."

"It's the same with Da Mao. You can talk to him when you get back. I won't contact him specifically."

"Ok."

The rumors of "illegal land occupation" in the Kowloon Tong project were easily resolved by Ah Long using a "Letter of Approval for Regional Redevelopment Intent" that had been prepared in advance and issued by the Lands and Public Works Department.

Ah Long even expressed his grievances to reporters, saying, "We sincerely want to do something for the development of Kowloon Tong, but I don't know why there are always people who can't stand to see us doing well."

This "an eye for an eye" approach to public opinion has repeatedly thwarted Jardine Matheson's meticulously planned smear campaign, making their methods appear clumsy and their attitude petty.

The real contest has already moved into the shadows.

The atmosphere was oppressive in the temporary office of the Fifth Division on Stonecutters Island.

"The internal investigation into Superintendent Orion found no substantial problems. His resume is clean, and although he had close contact with Ho Fei, all contacts had reasonable grounds, and no transfer of benefits was found," an officer reported, his tone tinged with frustration.

“Wang Cuiping from the Organized Crime and Triad Bureau is equally troublesome,” another detective added. “The cases she handles have an extremely high clearance rate, and her methods are all aboveboard. She has a clean record of integrity, and the only ‘stain’ is that she came from the mainland.”

Colin Sterling only released his grip subconsciously when the cigarette in his hand was almost burning his fingers.

He hadn't expected that the people around He Fei would be so "clean," as if they had been deliberately polished.

"Investigate their financial transactions, their social circles, and all their unusual actions!" Colin's voice suddenly rose. "No one is perfect; they must have weaknesses! Orion's family connections, Wang Cuiping's past experiences—I refuse to believe we can't find a breakthrough!"

“Boss, we’ve investigated everything we needed to. Our investigation has already drawn the ire of the Hong Kong police leadership. The Commissioner of Police is pressuring us through the Governor’s House, claiming that our investigation ‘excessively interfered in Hong Kong’s internal affairs’ and demanding that we ‘respect local law enforcement procedures.’” An officer in charge of mediating the situation looked troubled.

Colin sneered: "Tell them this is an investigation concerning national security! Jardine Matheson is the cornerstone of the Empire in the Far East, and Keswick's death is no accident! If they don't cooperate, they'll face the consequences!"

"Boss, do you even believe that yourself? Jardine Matheson doesn't belong to the state; it belongs to the Keswick family."

"So what method do you suggest we use to break through?"

"Boss, how about we take action against that He Fei, or even his men!"

"Wait a little longer, we don't have any evidence on hand."

"Boss, do we need evidence? Isn't questioning suspects normal?"

“I said to wait a bit longer. We can ignore Jardine Matheson for now, but the theft at Kowloon Wharf is definitely inextricably linked to the theft of the ‘Big Cigar’ in 1963. We can’t find a single clue right now. Do you think bringing the people back will solve the problem? What were they doing in 1963? Have you even investigated?”

"This"

"Go and investigate."

"Boss, it's not that we didn't investigate, it's that we couldn't find anything. Apart from Orian, most of the others were in mainland China at that time. How could we investigate?"

"Do we have any informants in mainland China?"

"No, even if someone did, they'd probably be dead by now. You know the situation over there."

"Have you found the five people who went missing from Jardine Matheson?"

"No, there's not a trace. We did find a few eyewitnesses, though. The people he kidnapped were all masked, their clothes were unremarkable, and their height and build were even harder to identify. Hong Kong is full of people like that. We've done our best. Maybe we should arrest them and ask them for information."

"Then let's use some methods."

"Boss, should we use our methods, or go through the proper channels?"

"Do you think the Hong Kong Police Force will allow you to take away a 'legitimate' businessman? He Fei should be quite well-known in Hong Kong by now, right?"

"we know."

"Our target is He Fei. Only he can know everything. We'll act tonight."

"Yes."

While Colin was assigning tasks, He Yuzhu received a note that had passed through several hands, including Wang Cuiping, before finally reaching He Yuzhu.

The above is just one paragraph: "'Shepherd' - Colin Sterling, former British Army Major, participated in the Peninsula War, my old superior, your old adversary, retired with me after returning to the United States, and later joined the Fifth Bureau. In 1963, he came to Hong Kong to investigate special events, the details of which are unknown. It is said that after joining the Fifth Bureau, he would use any means necessary to investigate, so be careful."

"So it's my former defeated foe, Colin Sterling. That's interesting!" He Yuzhu muttered to himself.

1970年5月20日，凌晨2点15分。

Outside He Yuzhu's villa, several dark figures silently slid down from the wall, nimbly forcing aside all the guards and heading straight for the third-floor bedroom.

Colin Sterling sat in a car 200 meters away from the villa, waiting for He Yuzhu to be brought to him.

Upon entering the villa, the experienced agents on the mission instinctively sensed something was amiss—it was all going too smoothly.

The security around the villa seemed to have deliberately given them a 'green channel,' but now that they were already inside, instead of trying to get out, they might as well try to capture the target.

On the third-floor balcony, a black-clad agent gently pried open the window lock.

The moment he stepped onto the balcony, a large net descended from the sky!

At the same time, the door leading to the balcony suddenly opened, and several fully armed "Shadow" team members rushed out!
"There's an ambush!" the one caught in the net exclaimed, but it was too late.

A brief but intense exchange of fire broke out simultaneously in several locations inside and outside the villa.

The elite agents of the Fifth Division were horrified to discover that they were facing a well-trained and highly skilled team, who were more like an elite military force than security personnel.

Because their injuries were to their arms or hands, and the goal was to knock their guns out of them, and then they were no match for them in hand-to-hand combat.

The captured prisoners even felt that "Taishan Security" had been deceiving them all along.

Of course, they were wrong. The other side was learning their camouflage, reconnaissance, surveillance, eavesdropping, and other techniques, and striving to surpass them.

Ten minutes later, five agents from the Fifth Division were handcuffed and forced to kneel in He Yuzhu's study by security guards. Four of them were injured, and only the one who had been captured in the net was unharmed.

"Go and invite that gentleman outside in."

"Yes, boss."

Before long, Colin Sterling was taken to He Yuzhu's study. In fact, he discovered it and resisted, but after so many years as the team commander, he had become rusty in everything except his marksmanship. According to previous operations, he would not have appeared on the scene. He did not expect to be caught today.

"Your Majesty!"

"This is an insult to us."

"Let him stand."

"You're their leader? 'Shepherd' Colin Sterling, right?"

He Yuzhu walked slowly to Colin and said jokingly, "Unlawful entry and armed assault are enough to sentence you and your subordinates to twenty years in Hong Kong."

Colin's face was still wet with blood, and he maintained a cold smile: "He Fei, you're finished. Do you know what crime it is to attack someone from our Fifth Division?"

“I don’t know!” He Yuzhu suddenly laughed. “But I do know that this is Hong Kong, not London. You broke into a private residence without any legal permits and even fired a gun. When you get to the police station, they will have a good talk with you.”

"The Hong Kong police have no jurisdiction over us."

"Then we'll just have to wait and see."

"Send them to the police station and ask our Superintendent Orion how to deal with these people."

"Yes, boss!"

An hour later, in an interrogation room at the West Kowloon Command Centre.

“According to Chapter 212 of the Hong Kong laws, the Crimes Ordinance, unlawful trespassing is punishable by 14 years imprisonment.” Orion read the legal text expressionlessly, “Add to that unlawful possession of a weapon, and the threat to personal safety is enough to put them in Stanley Prison for the next century.”

Colin's expression changed, but he still said firmly, "Orion! Do you know what you're doing?"

“Of course I know. Maintaining law and order in Hong Kong is the duty of the Hong Kong Police Force, and as the Chief Superintendent, I must set an example,” Orion replied calmly.

"You will pay the price for your foolish actions."

Colin then realized that he had fallen into a carefully designed trap—He Fei had been waiting for them to make their move, just waiting for them to commit this fatal procedural error!
"Then let's see who has the last laugh, Major Colin. Oh, I forgot you left the army like me. You're Team Leader Colin now."

　Bringing in the five agencies was a bit hasty. Let's deal with them later. It's really not easy to do things in Hong Kong!

　　
　
(End of this chapter)