Courtyard House: My Long and Hard Body Makes Me Play with All the Women in the Courtyard

"Who's there?" Su Ting shouted.

In the darkness, a blurry figure gradually emerged. The person seemed startled, but quickly regained their composure.

"Who are you people?" The man's voice was somewhat hoarse, tinged with wariness.

Li Jie stepped forward and asked, "We are special agents, and who are you?"

“I am the night watchman here, my name is Lao Liu,” the man replied.

Old Liu stepped into the beam of the flashlight, revealing an old and haggard face. He wore an old military overcoat, held an iron rod in his hand, but his eyes were sharp.

“I know you’re in trouble,” Old Liu said slowly. “This is Zhao Ming’s territory, and his men are often around here. But I know a safe place where you can hide temporarily.”

The crowd looked at each other, unsure how to trust this unfamiliar old man.

Su Ting glanced at his teammates and finally decided to take the risk. "Old Liu, please lead the way."

Old Liu nodded and led the group through a row of dilapidated machinery into a small room hidden in a corner. The room was simple but clean, clearly indicating that someone had been living there for a long time.

"This is my place. You can rest for a while. I'll prepare some things for you," Old Liu said.

The group relaxed slightly, but remained vigilant. Su Ting gestured for Zhang Hao and Lin Tao to continue guarding the door, while he himself sat on a small stool and took out his phone to check messages.

Chapter 353 Distributing Food

Old Liu busied himself in the room, taking out some canned food and biscuits from an old cabinet and handing them to everyone. "These are emergency rations; you can have something to eat first."

Li Jie took the can of food and said gratefully, "Thank you so much, Lao Liu. We are indeed in a bit of a difficult situation right now, but it's great to have you here."

Old Liu waved his hand, "You special agents have it tough working out there, I'll help if I can." As he spoke, he distributed some food to everyone.

Everyone ate in silence, and the warehouse fell into a moment of stillness. A sense of oppression filled the air, but even more so, gratitude and hope.

Lin Tao couldn't help but ask, "Old Liu, can you tell us why this place has become like this?"

Old Liu sighed, sat down, and slowly said, "This used to be a steel factory, but it closed down a few years ago due to poor management."

Workers were laid off one after another, and many left the area, but some homeless people chose to stay, making a living by scavenging. Zhao Ming and his gang seized the opportunity to occupy the place and began engaging in smuggling and other illegal activities.

Su Ting nodded, understanding dawning on him. Looking at Old Liu's tired yet resolute face, he couldn't help but feel respect. "Why did you stay here?"

Old Liu smiled bitterly. "I've been here for decades. This factory is the culmination of my life's work. Even if it closes down, I can't bear to leave. Besides, there are still many people here who need my help."

Upon hearing this, everyone's eyes showed more respect.

Zhang Hao said, "Old Liu, we are really grateful for your help. But you should also be careful. Zhao Ming and his gang are not good people. They will do you harm."

Old Liu nodded, a resolute glint in his eyes. "I know. But they won't find this place easily; I've hidden myself very well. Besides, with you here, I believe we can fight them together."

Li Jie swallowed the last bite of his biscuit and said, "Old Liu, should we consider calling the police? They might be able to provide us with more support."

“Call the police? We need to think this through carefully,” Old Liu frowned. “It’s dangerous for the police to come here, and they might not even be able to find this place. Besides, Zhao Ming has a complicated network of connections, so the police might not dare to act rashly.”

After a moment of contemplation, Su Ting said, "We do need more time to replan our route. But right now, the most important thing is to ensure safety. Lao Liu, do you have any good suggestions?"

Old Liu thought for a moment and then answered.

“I have an idea. There’s a tunnel not far away that leads to another abandoned area, which is even more remote and rarely visited. We can use that tunnel to hide temporarily, and then slowly plan our next move.”

"A tunnel?" Su Ting's eyes lit up, as if he had seen a glimmer of hope.

“Yes, I dug this tunnel when I was young, and few people know about it. Although it’s a bit narrow inside, it should be big enough for you to pass through,” Old Liu added.

“That sounds good. Let’s give it a try as you suggested,” Su Ting decided.

Everyone quickly finished their food, packed up their equipment, and prepared to follow Lao Liu to the tunnel. Lao Liu picked up an old flashlight and walked in front, with the others following closely behind him.

The sound of footsteps echoed through the dark warehouse, occasionally punctuated by the distant barking of dogs. Old Liu led everyone through piles of junk and machinery, finally arriving at an inconspicuous little hut.

He pushed aside a wooden plank of the hut, revealing a dark entrance.

"This is the entrance to the tunnel. Be careful when you go down," Old Liu said, and then climbed in first.

The others followed closely behind, entering the tunnel one by one. The air inside was damp and stuffy, the walls were covered in mold, and the flashlight beams could only illuminate a short distance.

Chapter 354 Maintaining Distance

Su Ting walked in the middle of the group, closely following behind Li Jie.

The flashlight beam swayed back and forth in the cramped space, casting irregular shadows. He took a deep breath; the air was thick with the smells of mildew and earth.

From the front of the tunnel, Old Liu's voice came: "Everyone be careful, the structure here is not very stable, try not to touch the earthen walls on both sides."

Su Ting nodded and said in a low voice, "Everyone, please keep your distance and don't fall behind." His voice was deep and firm, exuding a reassuring power.

Li Jie turned around and looked at him, then smiled and said, "Brother Su, you're quite calm."

Su Ting chuckled and replied, "If we panic at a time like this, things will only get worse. Besides, we have Lao Liu's help, so we should have confidence."

Li Jie patted him on the shoulder in agreement: "That's right, following Lao Liu is always the right thing to do. We'll definitely get out of here safely."

The group continued onward, the tunnel growing increasingly narrow, sometimes requiring them to stoop and bend over to pass. Occasionally, drops of water would fall from above, landing on them and sending a chill down their spines.

After walking for about ten minutes, Lao Liu suddenly stopped, turned around and said to everyone, "We're almost there. The exit is just ahead, but we need to be extra careful. There might be some surveillance equipment there."

Zhang Hao asked nervously, "Old Liu, are you sure there's nothing wrong with this road?"

Old Liu nodded. "Don't worry, I haven't used this tunnel in a long time. Zhao Ming and his gang shouldn't know about this place. Besides, I've set up some traps, so even if they find it, they won't come in easily."

Su Ting felt slightly relieved after hearing this, but still dared not let his guard down: "Everyone get ready. We'll discuss the next steps after we get out of here."

As they spoke, they reached the end of the tunnel. Old Liu shone his flashlight on a barrier, struggled to push it open, and revealed the outside world.

"Get out, and be quick," Old Liu said, climbing out first.

Outside was a scene of ruins, with scrap metal parts scattered everywhere, and the outlines of some dilapidated factory buildings faintly visible in the distance. The sky was overcast, as if even the sun had been obscured.

Su Ting quickly scrambled to the ground, looked around, and waved to the others after confirming it was temporarily safe. One by one, everyone climbed out and stood in the center of the abandoned area.

Old Liu pointed to a row of low buildings not far away and said, "Let's go there to rest for a while. There's a relatively clean house over there where we can take shelter from the storm for now."

Su Ting nodded in agreement: "Okay, let's go there as soon as possible and then discuss the next steps."

They moved quickly toward the row of buildings, their steps steady. Despite having just experienced a tense escape, everyone's spirits were resolute.

Upon arriving at the designated cabin, everyone breathed a sigh of relief and sat down to catch their breath. Su Ting took out a bottle of water and handed it to Old Liu, saying gratefully, "Thank you, Old Liu. We owe you a lot today; otherwise, we don't know what trouble we would have encountered."

Old Liu took the water bottle and smiled slightly: "Don't say that. I also hope you can resolve this issue as soon as possible. After all, this is our home."

Lin Tao interjected, "Old Liu, what do you think we should do now? Zhao Ming's group has a lot of influence, we need a detailed plan."

Su Ting echoed, "Yes, the most important thing now is to find out Zhao Ming and his group's background and identify their weakest link."

Old Liu fell into thought for a long time before speaking: "I suggest you hide here and gather intelligence. I will try my best to find out Zhao Ming and his men's whereabouts."

Su Ting nodded: "This plan is feasible. We can't act rashly; we must find a suitable opportunity before taking action."

Li Jie added from the side, "Yes, we need to be patient and find the best opportunity to take them down in one fell swoop."

Zhang Hao said thoughtfully, "However, we can't just stay on the defensive forever. We have to take the initiative and find opportunities to weaken their strength."

Su Ting nodded in agreement, a resolute glint in his eyes: "That's right. We can send a few people out to scout the surrounding area first, and then formulate a detailed plan."

Chapter 355 Reconnaissance and Counterattack

As soon as Su Ting finished speaking, a brief silence fell over the cabin. Everyone understood that the task ahead was both arduous and dangerous, but a firm resolve shone in each of their eyes.

“Then let’s split into two groups,” Su Ting broke the silence. “One group will stay here to ensure safety and gather intelligence; the other group will go out to scout.”

Li Jie stood up and was the first to express his opinion: "I am willing to go and conduct reconnaissance. I am quite familiar with this area."

Su Ting nodded approvingly: "Good, you and Zhang Hao are in charge of reconnaissance on the perimeter. Be sure to act carefully."

Zhang Hao nodded, his eyes filled with fighting spirit: "Don't worry, we will definitely find out the situation."

Old Liu picked up a few maps from the side and spread them out on the table: "This is a topographical map of this area. You can take a look. There are a few places where surveillance equipment might be hidden, so remember to pay special attention."

Su Ting took the map and examined it carefully before handing it to Li Jie: "There are several key areas on this map that you should pay special attention to."

Li Jie took the map and studied it carefully, nodding as he looked to show his understanding. He put the map away and said to Zhang Hao, "Let's check these places first. Remember, we must stay hidden."

Zhang Hao nodded, and the two quickly packed their gear, ready to depart. Su Ting then instructed, "Report on the situation every two hours. If anything unusual happens, retreat immediately."

"Understood!" Li Jie and Zhang Hao replied simultaneously, then quietly left the cabin.

Only Su Ting, Lao Liu, Lin Tao, and others remained in the room. They sat around the table and continued to discuss their next steps.

Old Liu looked at the map and frowned, saying, "Zhao Ming's men are mostly desperate criminals, so we must be careful. They have set up many sentries and armed patrols here."

Su Ting nodded in agreement: "Yes, we must be cautious. Old Liu, do you have any suggestions?"

After a moment of contemplation, Lao Liu said, "We can try to divide them from within, find out some people who are dissatisfied with them, and obtain more internal information through them."

Lin Tao interjected, "But this takes time, and that's exactly what we lack most right now."

Su Ting took a deep breath, his gaze resolute: "Then we have to take a two-pronged approach. On the one hand, we must continue to gather intelligence, and on the other hand, we must formulate an action plan as soon as possible. We cannot let Zhao Ming continue to be so arrogant."

Just then, footsteps sounded outside the door, and everyone tensed up immediately. Old Liu quickly drew his pistol and signaled for everyone to be quiet.

The door was slowly pushed open, and Li Jie and Zhang Hao, looking exhausted, entered. Their clothes were covered in mud, but their eyes still held a resolute look.

"How is the situation?" Su Ting asked immediately.