Reborn in 1950: Shorting the Federal Reserve at the Start

4:50 a.m.

The darkness before dawn is the thickest, like an unyielding blob of ink, tightly shrouding the desolate mass grave in the southern suburbs of the capital.

A dilapidated Guandi Temple stands alone amidst the overgrown weeds.

The temple gate was already half-rotted, making a strange "creak, creak" sound in the howling north wind, as if a wronged soul was weeping.

But this is just appearance.

Under the watchful eyes of night vision goggles (though not yet widespread at the time, this unit was well-equipped) and dozens of sharp eagle eyes, the dilapidated temple had become a dead end.

"Battalion Commander, First Company in position."

"The second blockade is complete."

"Sniper in position, good visibility."

A series of low, brief reports came through the earpiece.

Chen Weiguo lay prone on a sloping earthen bank fifty meters from the temple gate, his grass-green military uniform almost blending into the surrounding withered grass.

He raised his wrist and glanced at the luminous watch.

The second hand continued to tick tirelessly.

"Da, da, da."

"The bureau chief said there's no need to shout or try to persuade them to surrender."

Chen Weiguo lowered his voice and gave the final instructions into the walkie-talkie, his tone carrying a chilling, bloodthirsty undertone:

"This is a group of desperados, a pack of mad dogs who are always ready to drag us ordinary people down with them."

There's only one way to deal with rabid dogs.

He suddenly waved his hand, as if slicing through the night with a blade:

"That is, to kill them with one blow!"

"action!"

"boom--!"

There was no prelude.

Two explosive charges flew directly towards the temple gate and the windows on both sides.

The deafening explosion shattered the silence of dawn, flames shot into the sky, and the broken wooden doors and window frames were reduced to countless flying fragments in the blast wave.

Immediately following was a deafening roar of battle cries.

"Charge!"

Dozens of fully armed commandos, like cannonballs, leaped out of the bushes from all directions, carrying submachine guns, and surged into the dilapidated temple like a tide, stepping over rubble and debris.

"Da da da—!"

A few sporadic gunshots rang out from inside the temple, as the stubborn agents attempted to retaliate.

But under the absolute firepower suppression of a regular field army like the Guard Regiment, those few pitiful little pistols were as laughable as fire pokers.

They were instantly pushed back by a dense hail of bullets.

"ah--!"

A scream rang out, then quickly fell silent.

Inside the temple.

Behind that Guan Yu statue, covered in dust and cobwebs, there was indeed a hidden world.

A hidden cellar entrance has been blown open, revealing a dark staircase.

Chen Weiguo took the lead and, without giving the people inside any time to react, threw down two smoke grenades.

"laugh--"

Smoke billows.

"Cough cough cough! Stop hitting me! I surrender! I surrender!"

Heart-wrenching coughs and pleas for mercy echoed from the cellar.

Chen Weiguo sneered, put on a gas mask, and led his men down the slope.

The cellar wasn't large, but it had everything you needed.

The radio transmitter, the codebook that hadn't yet been burned under the dim light, and boxes of high explosives piled up in the corner.

An old man wearing a black cotton-padded jacket and sporting a goatee was slumped in front of the telegraph machine.

One of his hands was still on the keypad, while the other was trying to grab a pistol on the table.

"Snapped!"

Chen Weiguo immediately slammed the butt of his rifle into the old man's wrist, the sound of bones cracking clearly audible.

"what!"

The old man screamed and collapsed to the ground, clutching his wrist.

"'Viper,' right? Zhang Jingui, right?"

Chen Weiguo stepped on his chest, the gun barrel pressed against his forehead, and the sound coming through the gas mask was muffled and ferocious:

"Still want to send a telegram? To whom? To the King of Hell?"

He glanced at the unfinished telegram on the transmitter.

The text above contained only a few shocking words:

[Operation exposed, all personnel killed, destroyed...]

The rest of the text hasn't been written yet.

"You want to blow up the substation? You want to drag half of Beijing down with you?"

Chen Weiguo's eyes were blazing with fury, and he stomped his foot hard.

"You don't deserve it!"

"Take it all! Turn this place upside down! Don't leave a single mouse behind!"

The soldiers sprang into action.

Soon, the results were laid out before them.

Besides the still-heating high-powered radio, a dozen bottles of highly toxic cyanide, several hand-drawn maps of the defense of important facilities in Beijing, and a copy of the list of spies hidden under the floor tiles of Wenyuan Pavilion (just in case, there is also a copy here) were found in a hidden compartment in the corner.

Ironclad evidence.

This is not just a spy den; it's clearly a powder keg that could explode at any moment!

If it weren't for Shen Jinghong's clever plan, if it weren't for tonight's thunderous attack...

The consequences could be disastrous.

……

Half an hour later.

It was already broad daylight.

In the open space outside the dilapidated temple, a dozen secret agents, bound hand and foot, knelt in a row.

Some of them were dressed in tattered beggar clothes, some in decent long gowns, and there was even an old lady who looked like she was selling breakfast.

This is a spy.

They hide in the crowd, in the hustle and bustle, ready to bare their fangs at any moment.

But now, their fangs have been pulled out.

Shen Jinghong, wearing that military overcoat and carrying that enamel teacup, slowly got out of the jeep.

He looked at the group of dejected prisoners, and finally his gaze fell on the "Viper" in the very center who was still struggling.

"Zhang Jingui, how have you been?"

Shen Jinghong walked up to him, took a sip of hot water, exhaled a puff of white breath, and wore that kind of refined smile that made people grit their teeth in anger.

"You...you're that Shen Jinghong?!"

Zhang Jingui raised his head, staring intently at the excessively young man, his eyes blazing with venom. "I refuse to accept this! I've been undercover for three years! Absolutely flawless! How could you possibly have discovered me? Did that spineless Wang Ergou betray me?!"

"Wang Ergou?"

Shen Jinghong shook his head, his tone nonchalant:

"He didn't betray you, he just... loves studying too much."

"Loves learning?" Zhang Jingui was stunned.

"yes."

Shen Jinghong crouched down, looking at the old face twisted with anger and fear as if it were a pitiful insect:

"He was captivated by the grandeur of quantum mechanics and impressed by the profundity of general relativity. Faced with the truth of science, he felt that your petty tricks were utterly insignificant and uninteresting."

"Therefore, he chose to abandon darkness and embrace science."

"You...you're talking nonsense! You're a madman!"

Although Zhang Jingui couldn't understand, he could feel the intellectual humiliation. He struggled frantically, trying to pounce on Shen Jinghong and bite her.

"Snapped!"

Chen Weiguo kicked him to the ground.

"Behave yourself!"

Shen Jinghong stood up and stopped looking at the group of homeless dogs.

He took out the list he had just seized from his pocket, unfolded it, and glanced at it.

The paper was covered with names and cover identities.

Mr. Wang, the owner of the tailor shop, Ms. Li, a middle school teacher, and even a purchasing agent from a government agency canteen...

This net is too wide and too deep.

But today, that net has been broken.

"Defend the country."

Shen Jinghong handed the list to Chen Weiguo, her voice calm yet carrying a chilling decisiveness:

"Arrest people according to this list."

"Notify the Municipal Bureau and the Garrison Command to impose martial law throughout the city and block all road intersections."

"From now on, we'll race against them for time."

He raised his hand and glanced at his watch:

"You have four hours."

"Before the sun sets, I want there to be no more 'poisonous snakes' or 'rats' in the capital."

"Is it possible?"

"able!"

Chen Weiguo took the list; the thin piece of paper felt incredibly heavy in his hands. He snapped to attention and roared:

"Mission accomplished! We'll dig three feet into the ground and wipe them out completely!"

"it is good."

Shen Jinghong nodded, turned around, and looked at the rising sun in the east.

The sunlight shone on his face, dispelling all the gloom.

His back was to the group of secret agents, to the dilapidated temple, and his voice was as cold as a knife:

"Trying to sabotage the Shenzhou Spacecraft? Trying to stop us from building airplanes?"

"Maybe in the next life."

"For the rest of your lives, you'll be stuck in prison, working hard on your sewing machines, and while you're at it... learn some physics."

The sirens blared again.

A citywide anti-espionage storm began with tremendous force this morning.

Countless shadows lurking in the dark will have nowhere to hide under the sunlight.

And the gates of the Shenzhou Bureau will be completely cleansed of all dust by this victory, welcoming the coming, magnificent industrial era.