Siheyuan, Shazhu: I have both parents in this life

Chapter 264 48 Hours
"Brother, how are Second Sister and Third Sister?" He Yuyao asked.

"The situation is not good," He Yu said without hiding anything.

"Then what do we do next?"

"Go stake out the location, go investigate!"

[26 hours after receiving the extortion call]

Safe house in Lower Manhattan, New York.

The ticking of the clock was like a death knell; the 72-hour deadline had dwindled to just 46 hours, and the oppressive atmosphere almost froze.

Leopard Head put down the phone, his voice carrying a sense of powerlessness in the face of the times: "Boss, there's almost no public surveillance near the telegraph office. Our people are watching everyone who goes in and out of the telegraph office."

"Go buy a camera and have them take pictures. Also, try going to a big bank and withdraw some cash. Make sure you do it carefully so people know you're withdrawing. Old Wolf, you guys go with me."

"Yes, boss."

[34 hours after receiving the extortion call]

Temporary intelligence room in the safe house.

The table was piled high with photos.

Everyone was looking at the photos, trying to find clues in them.

He Yuzhu was also looking, but he was looking at the bank's information, not the telegraph office's.

He was an Asian man who went to withdraw money, and the amount was not small. He didn't believe it wouldn't attract attention.

Suddenly, his finger stopped on a photograph—at the edge of the frame, a dark gray Ford van was driving away from the intersection of Liberty Street.

The car window was half open, and the driver's profile was blurry; he was smoking.

"Do you have a magnifying glass?" He Yuzhu asked in a low voice.

"Boss, I'll go buy it right away."

"Buy a few more."

"Yes."

Half an hour later, Leopard Head handed over a magnifying glass.

When his men went to buy a magnifying glass, He Yuzhu specifically looked for the Ford in that stack of photos. He actually found a few, but they were all used as background images; none of them were actually of the car itself.

He Yuzhu felt that his men needed to be trained again. Their ability to stalk and track was really bad. They claimed to be looking for people, but all the photos they took were of people, and they paid little attention to anything else.

He examined the photo with a magnifying glass for a long time but couldn't figure it out. However, he still found it suspicious. He Yuzhu then went to get photos from other surveillance points and looked at them as well. He confirmed that the car had been parked there for a long time. Then, he picked up the photo that had first caught his attention and asked, "Who was monitoring this street?"

Then everyone came up to identify it.

"Brother, I went to this street corner with some people. There's a huge Federal Bank there. What did you find?" He Yuyao replied after looking at the photos.

"Take a look at this!" He Yuzhu handed over the magnifying glass and pointed out the location of the car.

After looking at it, He Yuyao asked in confusion, "Brother, isn't this just a car?"

His shout had an effect; Old Wolf and Leopard Head rushed over, picked up the photos, and examined them with magnifying glasses. After looking at them, they passed the photos to others, but their faces turned red afterward because they knew they had overlooked something. The car had been photographed multiple times, but never from the front.

"You all see where the problem lies, right?" He Yuzhu didn't answer He Yuyao's question, but turned to Old Wolf and Leopard Head instead.

"I can see it, boss, our work is too sloppy."

"Then let's do the work carefully tomorrow, we don't have much time left."

"Yes, boss, what about this car?"

Do I need to say it?

"Understood, lock onto this car!" the two said in unison.

“Filter through all the photos to see if there are any similar ones, with people in the parked cars, which are obviously waiting or stalking.”

"Yes." Everyone sprang into action and indeed found several similar ones, all on the streets near the bank.

"I'll be with you guys tomorrow too, Yuyao, you'll be in my group."

"Yes," He Yuyao replied hastily.

Everyone else looked at He Yuyao with envy. They wished they could be mentored by the boss, as they could learn a lot. The problem was how to compete with someone else's younger brother.

[44 hours after receiving the extortion call]

The streets of New York were shrouded in a cold, thin fog.

He Yuzhu and He Yuyao sat in an inconspicuous Dodge sedan, parked on the street corner diagonally opposite a Chase Bank in Midtown Manhattan.

He Yuyao held a newly bought Polaroid camera in her hand, constantly taking pictures of every suspicious person entering and leaving the bank, as well as those parked nearby with people on board.

He Yuzhu took a miniature telescope and looked outside every now and then.

The headset was filled with reports from team members at various observation points.

"Group A is in position, at the JPMorgan Chase gate."

"Team B, take your positions, Citibank."

"Group C in position, outside the Federal Bank."

……

Time passed by minute by minute.

The flow of people and vehicles in the banking area is gradually increasing.

He Yuyao felt he couldn't keep up with the filming; everyone seemed suspicious to him now.

"Brother, there are too many people, we can't take pictures of them all."

"Just take pictures of the cars outside, but don't take pictures of people going in and out. The kidnappers might go into the bank."

Around 11 a.m., a deep voice came over the radio: "Boss, suspicious target spotted near the Federal Bank on Liberty Street. A dark blue Chevrolet sedan has been parked on the street corner for over forty minutes. There is a male driver, no one in the passenger seat, but there seems to be someone in the back seat. The license plate G8749 is not clear."

He Yuzhu immediately opened his eyes and picked up the walkie-talkie: "Continue monitoring, report any special circumstances."

"Yes."

[45 hours after receiving the extortion call]

“Boss, someone got out of my car. He’s got a buzz cut and a dark jacket. He must have been in the military… Wait, this guy has a tattoo on his neck: FK GHOST 7/N!” Leopard Head said faster and faster.

Upon hearing the string "FK GHOST 7/N", the breaths of everyone in the safe house and all the groups outside seemed to freeze for a moment.

"Lock onto it! Team A and Team C, move towards Freedom Street and take turns supporting Team B (Leopard Head Team). Maintain distance and avoid detection. Report the direction and speed immediately once the target vehicle moves. Old Wolf, you take the backup team and wait three blocks away to take over." He Yuzhu immediately issued the orders.

"Received!" each group responded quickly.

He Yuzhu put down the walkie-talkie and said to He Yuyao, "Drive to the north entrance of William Street."

He Yuyao immediately started the car and merged into the traffic.

His heart was in his throat, and his palms were sweaty as he gripped the steering wheel.

The target has been found! Are my second and third sisters near that car?
On Liberty Street, members of the Leopard Head Group were scattered at several different observation points, posing as passersby or drivers parked on the side of the road.

Leopard Head sat in a dilapidated Ford pickup truck, staring intently at the dark blue Chevrolet through the rearview mirror.

He had already reconfirmed the details of the tattoo, confirmed that there were three people in the target vehicle, and informed the other teams.

Perhaps because the viewing distance was too far, the people in the Chevrolet did not notice that the car window would roll down from time to time, and smoke would come out of the window, obviously the people inside were smoking.

[48 hours after receiving the extortion call]

It was already noon when the car started.

"The target has moved! The target has moved! A Chevrolet, dark blue, heading west along Liberty Street! At a moderate speed," Leopard Head reported immediately.

"Group A, follow up, maintain a two-block distance. Report traffic conditions." He Yuzhu's voice came through the radio.

"Group A received, on track. Target turning south on Broadway! Heavy traffic."

"Group C is preparing to replace Group A on Canal Street."

"Turn left at the intersection of Canal Street and head east! Enter the Chinatown area! Slow down."

"Group C, follow up. Group A, break away and detour to the intersection ahead to await orders. Group B (Leopard Head) breaks away. Old Wolf Group, prepare to take over from Group C."

"The target is to turn right onto Bowery Street and head south! It seems like they're going in circles?"

"Keep your distance and don't alert them. The Old Wolf Group will take over from Group C."

"The target is to cross East River Parkway and continue south, approaching the entrance to the Brooklyn Bridge!"

"Old Wolf Team, follow up. Team D (backup team), prepare to go up the bridge."

The Chevrolet driver was very cunning, constantly changing direction in the narrow streets of Lower Manhattan, sometimes speeding through yellow lights and sometimes deliberately slowing down to check his rearview mirror when the light was green.

He was clearly testing whether someone was following him.

But He Yuzhu's relay tracking setup was like an invisible net.

The teams cooperated seamlessly, sharing their locations and target movements in real time via radio, always maintaining at least two teams of vehicles within the effective tracking distance, and constantly rotating the "tail" exposed to the target's field of vision.

When the Chevrolet drove onto the Brooklyn Bridge, the vehicle responsible for following it had changed to a yellow taxi driven by Old Wolf himself, blending in with the dense traffic on the bridge and remaining inconspicuous.

The Chevrolet drove across the Brooklyn Bridge, but instead of entering the bustling downtown Brooklyn, it continued south along the riverside road, where the surrounding scenery gradually became desolate and dilapidated.

Abandoned warehouses, rusty railway tracks, and overgrown open spaces began to increase.

"The target turns onto a side road, the road sign... 'Abandoned dock in Red Hook District, private property, no entry.'" Old Wolf's voice carried a hint of seriousness. "Boss, the road conditions ahead are complicated, with many forks in the road. If we follow any further, we'll be easily discovered."

He Yuzhu made a quick decision: "Old Wolf Team, stop at the intersection and pretend to have a malfunction. Team D, go around to the high ground ahead, find a vantage point, and use binoculars to monitor which warehouse area the target enters. The other teams, set up positions at the main intersections around the area and block all possible escape routes. Yuyao and I will be there soon."

"understand!"

He Yuyao parked the car at a fork in the road filled with abandoned containers, from where a distant abandoned dock area surrounded by rusted wire mesh could be vaguely seen.

Several enormous warehouses with peeling walls lay like silent behemoths on the banks of the murky East River.

Old Wolf's "broken-down" taxi was parked on the side of the road closer to the entrance, with its hood open.

The members of Group D have disappeared on the roof of an abandoned factory building nearby.

Time seemed to stand still, each second stretching out endlessly.

He Yuzhu leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes, and silently tapped a rhythm on his knees, as if he were calculating or deducing.

He Yuyao held her breath, staring intently at the desolate dock area, because there were less than 24 hours left until the 72-hour deadline.

About ten minutes later, the voice of the observer from Group D came over the radio:
"Boss! Confirmed! The deep blue Chevrolet has entered warehouse number 3! It's the biggest one in the middle, the one with a damaged roof! The driver got out and went in! The warehouse door was ajar, and there was no one guarding it, but there was a reflection in the small window on the side, which seemed to be a lookout! There's a small dock at the back of the warehouse, next to the water, and a speedboat is moored there!" He Yuzhu suddenly opened his eyes, his eyes flashing with cold light.

However, instead of taking action, he said, "Leopard Head, take some men and keep an eye on the road we're coming from, watch out for police cars."

"Yes, boss."

"Old Wolf, retreat and rejoin Group D."

"Yes, boss."

"Safe house."

"receive."

"Send the equipment over."

"clear."

The abandoned storage yard was filled with the smell of rust and foul river water.

After He Yuzhu gave the order, each group quickly and silently sprang into action.

Old Wolf's "broken-down" taxi was repaired, and he drove out of the area. He then found a place to park and quickly disappeared into the shadows of the abandoned factory.

Group D's telescopes firmly locked onto the massive warehouse numbered 3 with its damaged roof.

He Yuzhu opened the car door and whispered to He Yuyao, "Stay in the car, stay alert, and don't go near the warehouse area."

"Brother! It's too dangerous, I'll go with you!" He Yuyao said urgently, her hand already on the doorknob.

"Execute the order!" He Yuzhu's voice wasn't loud, but his eyes were sharp as knives. "You're here; you're my eyes and my backup." After saying that, without waiting for his younger brother to speak again, he got out of the car and disappeared into the depths of the chaotic container maze in a few leaps.

He Yuyao stared in the direction where her older brother had disappeared, her fists clenched so tightly that her nails dug deep into her palms.

He forced himself to calm down, picked up his binoculars, and stared intently at every entrance and exit of Warehouse No. 3 and the broken windows on high places.

He Yuzhu's actions were swift and silent.

He used abandoned machinery, piles of goods, and dense weeds as cover to quickly approach the warehouse perimeter.

He then switched off the miniature radio transmitter at his waist—any tiny electromagnetic signal could be a deadly source of exposure.

The warehouse area was even more dilapidated. The massive warehouses resembled silent behemoths, with mottled walls and broken windows.

He Yuzhu moved along the rough brick wall of Warehouse No. 3, searching for an observation point.

He quickly discovered a damaged ventilation opening about three meters above the ground.

He took a running start, pushed off the wall, and silently climbed up, the movements flowing smoothly, leaving only the faint sound of peeling paint.

Dim light filtered into the warehouse through the gaps in the ventilation vents.

He Yuzhu adjusted his breathing, his eyes scanning the surroundings.

The warehouse was huge and empty, filled with dusty discarded wooden crates and machine parts.

The central area had been cleared out, with a few old-fashioned oil lamps providing dim lighting.

He Yuzhu's heart sank—he saw He Yushui and Wang Siyu!
The two girls were tied to two dilapidated chairs in the corner.

He Yushui lowered her head, her long hair was disheveled, and her expression was not visible, but her body was trembling slightly.

Wang Siyu's situation was even worse. Her left shoulder had clearly been roughly immobilized, but her posture was awkward, her face was as pale as paper, and her forehead was covered in cold sweat, indicating that she was clearly in great pain.

There were eleven armed men inside the warehouse, scattered around on guard or resting.

They were well-equipped, dressed in civilian clothes but with bulging tactical vests, their eyes were indifferent, and their posture was relaxed yet vigilant.

Most of them were white, but there were two black people.

One of them was leaning against a wooden crate, wiping his M16. He was the burly, crew-cut man (the tattooed man) with the "FK GHOST 7/N" tattoo on his neck, the one Leopard Head had reported.

He Yuzhu's gaze finally settled on a man sitting behind a dilapidated desk.

He looked to be around forty years old, wearing a well-fitting dark jacket, with a faint scar on his face, and was slowly eating a can of food.

The people around him treated him differently; he was the leader (the scarred man).

Just as He Yuzhu was about to make a move, the sound of an engine approaching from afar came from outside the warehouse!
A black Dodge Challenger roared into the warehouse area and stopped directly in front of warehouse number 3.

A brown-haired man in a leather jacket, looking hurried, jumped out of the car, pushed open the door, and strode inside, heading straight for the scarred man.

Outside the warehouse, He Yuyao, Lao Lang, and the others saw the car that had suddenly barged in through their binoculars, and their hearts were in their throats!

They saw the car parked at the warehouse entrance, and someone went inside! The boss's radio was switched off! No alarm could be triggered!

"Captain! A car has gone in! My brother is still inside!" He Yuyao's voice was filled with panic over the radio.

"Calm down!" Old Wolf's voice was equally tense. "Who is the boss? This little thing won't stump him. Everyone, stay hidden. Don't move without orders!" He forced himself to trust the powerful man.

Inside the warehouse, He Yuzhu pressed himself even lower against the ventilation opening, his breathing almost ceasing.

The new brown-haired man walked up to the scarred man and whispered a few words to him. His voice was so low that the exact words were unclear, but the scarred man frowned and nodded, seemingly impatiently.

After the brown-haired man finished speaking, he walked to the side, picked up a military water bottle, and took a few gulps of what he could tell was either water or alcohol.

The opposing force consists of twelve people. The location of their leader is clear, and the hostages' conditions are confirmed (He Yushui is frightened, and Wang Siyu is seriously injured and urgently needs medical attention). The terrain is complex (there are high sentry posts and a speedboat passage over the water). A direct assault would be extremely risky, as stray bullets could easily injure the two sisters who are tied up in a corner.

He slipped silently down the ventilation shaft and, just as he had come, quickly and discreetly retreated from the warehouse perimeter.

He only turned the radio back on after confirming that it was out of sight of the warehouse.

"Brother, how are you? A car just went in!" He Yuyao's anxious voice came immediately.

"I'm fine, why are you panicking!"

"Attention all groups, the enemy has twelve men, is well-equipped, and has a fixed sentry post. There is a speedboat behind the target warehouse near the water. The hostage is in the northwest corner of the warehouse. He Yushui is in shock, and Wang Siyu has a fractured left clavicle and is seriously injured. She must be treated as soon as possible. A direct assault is too risky."

He quickly gave a brief report on the internal situation.

"Boss, what should we do?" Leopard Head asked.

"By nightfall, has the equipment arrived?"

"We're not there yet, we still have to wait half an hour," the old wolf replied.

"There is still time. All units should pay attention to vehicles coming out of the warehouse."

"Yes."

[50 hours after receiving the extortion call]

"Boss, the equipment has arrived."

"Send me and Yuyao over here, and distribute the rest. Everyone, check your equipment and replenish your energy. Old Wolf, take Group D and try to sneak up to the waters behind the warehouse, keep an eye on that speedboat, and take control or destroy it if necessary. Leopard Head, your men continue to block off the outer roads, especially those leading to the Brooklyn Bridge and the main roads."

"The snipers from Wolf Fang, along with their spotters, will establish an observation post on the high ground east of the warehouse area. Keep a close watch on all entrances and exits of the warehouse and the high-altitude sentry posts. Remember to bring night vision goggles."

"Everyone else, stand by."

"Yes."

“Brother, I am the sniper,” He Yuyao murmured.

"you?"

"Yeah, bro!"

"Alright, let's see what you're capable of today. My back is in your hands."

“Okay.” He Yuyao nodded seriously.

[50 hours after receiving the extortion call]

Abandoned docks in New York's Red Hook district.

As dusk approached amidst the oppressive wait, shadows crept across the rusty walls of the abandoned warehouse.

Inside the concealed vehicle where He Yuzhu was located, the equipment had already been delivered: an American-made M16A1 assault rifle, a Browning HP pistol with a 20-round magazine, heavy and cold Kevlar bulletproof plates, high-performance fragmentation grenades, a sharp combat knife... and a brand-new set of communication equipment.

He Yuzhu dressed and inspected himself swiftly, the cold metal and thick fabric clinging to his body, concealing his menacing aura.

He Yuyao also silently equipped herself with her weapon—a well-maintained M40A1 sniper rifle, its shiny barrel gleaming in the dim light.

“Sniper position,” He Yuzhu said in a low voice, pointing to the warehouse's structural sketch and placing his finger on the high ground to the east. “From here, the view covers the warehouse's main entrance, side windows, and most of the roof. Your mission: eliminate the sentries on the high ground, suppress outer fire, and create precise chaos if necessary.” His gaze was sharp as he fixed on He Yuyao. “Once the operation begins, your scope will be my second pair of eyes.”

He then pointed to the northwest corner of the warehouse: "This is where Yushui and the others are located. I'll lead the attack. The rest of you will provide support from the outside."

He Yuzhu glanced at the Wolf Fang team members and Old Wolf gathered in front of the sketch, "Block the road, make sure no one escapes, and provide support for the rescue. Group D, keep an eye on the speedboat, understand?"

"Boss, let us go," Old Wolf said.

“My sister is inside. Can any of you guarantee that you won’t cause them further harm?” He Yuzhu glanced at Lao Lang.

The old wolf lowered his head, clearly unable to make a guarantee.

"Brother, it's too dangerous for you to go in by yourself."

“I know you all want to contribute and test your training results. Don’t worry, do you think I can handle 12 people inside by myself? My goal is to go in and transfer Yu Shui and the others. The rest will depend on you.” He Yuzhu didn’t want to discourage his subordinates.

"Understood!" the crowd roared.

He Yuzhu pointed to several points marked on the warehouse sketch: "Internal structure: three-story high ceiling, main entrance here (pointing to the gate mark on the sketch), side ventilation openings have been identified. Guard distribution: the leader (Scarface) is in the southeast office area, the tattooed man and several others take turns guarding near the hostage area, the rest are scattered on guard, there are fixed sentries near the entrance and gate. Objective: eliminate the threat with minimal disturbance and ensure the safety of the hostages."

"Yes."

[57 hours after receiving the extortion call]

Night had completely enveloped the sky, and the warehouse district was deathly silent, with only the sound of the rushing river remaining.

He Yuzhu's figure blended into the night, and he once again sneaked in along the path he had taken during the day.

Inside the ventilation duct, He Yuzhu looked down at the warehouse.

Most of the robbers were either on alert or resting, the dim light of the oil lamp casting flickering shadows on their faces.

In the northwest corner, He Yushui and Wang Siyu leaned against each other in the dim light. Wang Siyu's body was convulsing slightly, probably due to pain and hypothermia, and she had clearly reached her limit.

He Yushui tried in vain to get closer to Wang Siyu and use her body to keep her warm, but unfortunately they were both tied to chairs, which were fixed to the ground, so she could only twist and turn in the chairs.

A tattooed man, with a cigarette dangling from his lips, glanced at them listlessly before looking away.

The scarred man remained seated behind the broken desk, his expression unreadable in the shadows.

A brown-haired man was pacing irritably in the warehouse.

(End of this chapter)