Courtyard House: First, kill the hypocrites, leave none alive.

Early in the morning, there was a knock on the door of the courtyard house.

The knocking wasn't loud, but in the deathly still morning, it sounded like a thunderclap. Everyone still alive in the courtyard jumped out of bed in fright. Some peered out the windows, while others grabbed whatever was at hand—a kitchen knife, a rolling pin, a shovel, anything would do.

"Who...who is it?" a middle-aged man asked in a trembling voice.

"Neighborhood office, open the door."

A strange male voice came from outside the door. The voice was calm, but to the people in the yard, it sounded like a lifeline.

The door opened. Three people in blue Zhongshan suits walked in—two men and one woman, all around forty years old, with serious expressions. The one in the lead was a square-faced man carrying a briefcase.

"We're newly assigned by the neighborhood committee," said the square-faced man. "Our surname is Zhao, and our name is Zhao Jianguo. These two are Xiao Wang and Xiao Li."

People from the courtyard gathered around, about twenty in total, men, women, and children. Everyone was pale, their eyes filled with fear and exhaustion.

"Director Zhao..." an older woman greeted him, her voice trembling slightly, "You've finally arrived..."

Zhao Jianguo looked at the people in the courtyard, then looked around—the charred ruins of the backyard, the ashes of paper money in the open space of the middle courtyard, and the tightly closed doors, behind which lurked frightened birds.

"We know the situation," Zhao Jianguo said in a steady voice. "Director Wang... sacrificed her life, and the organization sent me to take over her work. I'm here today mainly to understand the situation of each family and see if there's anything that needs help."

Upon hearing this, everyone in the courtyard seemed to have found their pillar of support and began to chatter amongst themselves.

"Director Zhao, you have to save us!" The second aunt knelt down with a thud. "My whole family is dead, I'm the only one left... That heartless Chen Feng, who knows when he'll come back..."

"Our family is the same," the third aunt said, crying. "Both of our sons are gone, leaving only Jie Kuang and Jie Di... How are we supposed to live like this..."

"Director Zhao, Chen Feng will come again, he definitely will!" a middle-aged man shouted. "He's a madman now, killing anyone he sees! We have to move; we can't stay here any longer!"

"Yes, move out! This yard is eerie!"

"But where can we move it? Where will the money come from?"

The scene suddenly descended into chaos. Cries, shouts, and pleas mingled together; everyone was complaining, lamenting, and filled with fear.

Zhao Jianguo frowned and raised his hand: "Quiet, everyone be quiet!"

The courtyard gradually quieted down, but those fearful eyes were still fixed on him, like a group of drowning people waiting for rescue.

"Let's go through them one by one," Zhao Jianguo said, "starting with the Jia family. What's the Jia family's situation now?"

An older woman stepped forward: "The Jia family... is gone. Qin Huairu is dead, Jia Dongxu is dead, and Jia Zhangshi is dead too. Only Banggeng is left, he's only three years old, and he's staying with me temporarily."

"How is the child?"

"I was terrified," the woman sighed. "He doesn't talk all day, has nightmares at night, and trembles at the slightest noise. I give him food, but he barely eats; he's skin and bones."

Zhao Jianguo jotted down a few notes in his notebook: "The neighborhood committee will make arrangements; the children can't be left unattended. What about the other families? The Liu family?"

The second aunt started crying again: "The Liu family... I'm the only widow left. Old Liu is dead, all three of his sons are dead... My brother and sister-in-law from my maternal family came to take me away, but how can I face them to go back..."

"The Yan family?"

The old woman choked back tears: "Yan Bugui is dead, Jie Cheng is dead, Jie Fang is dead. Only Jie Kuang and Jie Di are left, one sixteen, the other fourteen. I... I don't know what to do..."

As Zhao Jianguo listened and took notes, his brow furrowed deeper and deeper. The situation was worse than he had imagined. This courtyard originally housed more than thirty families, but now some were dead, some scattered, and less than twenty families remained, mostly the elderly, women, and children, all still in shock.

"What about the other families?" he asked. "Are there any injured people? Anyone who needs medical help?"

A middle-aged woman raised her hand: "Director Zhao, my husband... Brother Li, the one who died the night before last. He was fighting a fire... Could it be considered a death in the line of duty? I'm an only child, and I have three children, the oldest is only twelve..."

"We will investigate," Zhao Jianguo said. "If the situation is true, the subdistrict office will provide compensation."

He asked about the situations of several other families, and they were all basically families where someone had died. The remaining people were scared and wanted to move away, but they had no money and nowhere to go.

After asking around, Zhao Jianguo closed his notebook and looked at the people in the courtyard.

"I understand everyone's situation," he said. "The neighborhood committee will do its best to help everyone. First, we will apply for special subsidies to provide a certain amount of compensation to the families of the victims. Second, we will contact the public security department to strengthen protection here. Third, if anyone really wants to move out, the neighborhood committee can help them find rental housing, and regarding the fees... we can apply for a reduction or exemption."

These words brought a slight sense of relief to the people in the courtyard, but the fear still lingered.

"Director Zhao," a man asked, "can the police... protect us? That madman Chen Feng is unpredictable; can the police catch him?"

This question piqued everyone's interest.

Zhao Jianguo remained silent for a moment. He knew this was a difficult question to answer. The entire city of Beijing knew about Chen Feng's case; the police had deployed a large number of officers, but they hadn't even caught a glimpse of him.

"The police are doing everything they can to apprehend him," he could only say. "Please trust the organization and the police. No matter how capable Chen Feng is, he's just one person; he can't escape."

That wasn't very convincing. Everyone in the courtyard lowered their heads, their expressions blank.

One person? Just this one person, killed seventeen people, burned down three houses, and now the whole city is on his wanted list but they can't catch him. The police? If the police were useful, so many of them wouldn't have died.

But no one dared to say it. It wouldn't have mattered anyway.

"In addition," Zhao Jianguo added, "starting today, the subdistrict office will send two people to take turns on duty here to assist everyone. Please report any situations promptly."

He pointed to a man and a woman behind him: "Xiao Wang and Xiao Li, they will stay."

Xiao Wang was a young man in his twenties, and Xiao Li was a woman in her thirties. They both nodded, but their expressions were not relaxed—everyone knew that this was a tough job, and it could be fatal if not done properly.

After explaining all this, Zhao Jianguo went to see the fire scene in the backyard, visited several families in particularly difficult circumstances, and finally, accompanied by an older woman, went to see Banggeng.

Banggeng huddled in the corner, hugging his knees, staring blankly at the ground. A three-year-old child, who should be lively and active, was now like a wooden puppet, completely motionless.

"Bang Geng," an older woman called softly, "Director Zhao from the neighborhood committee is here to see you."

The stem didn't react.

Zhao Jianguo squatted down, wanting to touch the child's head, but Banggeng suddenly shrank back, a hint of fear flashing in his eyes.

"Don't be afraid," Zhao Jianguo said softly, "Uncle is here to help you."

Bang Geng remained silent, simply staring at him with distrust in his eyes.

Zhao Jianguo sighed and stood up: "The child has been deeply traumatized. The neighborhood committee will contact the children's hospital to see if there's anything they can do."

The woman nodded, her eyes reddening again.

As Zhao Jianguo left the courtyard house, his heart was heavy. The courtyard seemed cursed, lifeless, and despair was written on everyone's face.

"Director," Xiao Wang followed and whispered, "Are we really going to have to stand guard here? I heard Chen Feng kills without blinking an eye..."

"This is work," Zhao Jianguo said. "Be careful and don't go out alone at night."

"What if... Chen Feng really comes?"

Zhao Jianguo didn't answer. What if Chen Feng really came? What could they do? Two unarmed street officials facing a desperate criminal who had killed seventeen people?

He dared not think.

---

A small Western-style building in the west of the city, with a basement.

Chen Feng, shirtless, sat on a broken chair, changing his dressing by the light of a kerosene lamp.

The wound on my right shoulder is much better now. The redness and swelling have subsided considerably, the pus has decreased, and new flesh is starting to grow. The knife wound on my back has also scabbed over; although it still hurts when I move, at least it's not life-threatening anymore.

He removed the old gauze and cleaned the wound with alcohol. The pain from the alcohol irritating the wound made him frown, but he didn't make a sound, just gritted his teeth and cleaned it bit by bit.

Then he opened the bottle of penicillin. The white powder gleamed faintly in the kerosene lamplight. He carefully poured out a small spoonful, mixed it with water, and drank it down.

The medicine was very bitter, but it was very effective. After only two uses, the infection in the wound was brought under control, and the body temperature also dropped.

Chen Feng then applied Yunnan Baiyao and bandaged it with newly bought clean gauze. The whole process took more than half an hour, and by the end, his forehead was covered in sweat.

But he felt much better. His body was recovering, and his strength was returning.

He took out food from the cloth bag—a packet of compressed biscuits and a can of meat. He pried open the can with a dagger; inside was braised pork, glistening with oil and emitting a fragrant aroma.

For the first time in two months, he had eaten a decent meal.

Chen Feng ate slowly, chewing each bite carefully. The braised pork was fragrant and oily, warming his stomach. The compressed biscuits were hard, but very filling.

After finishing his meal, he drank half a pot of water. Then he leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes, and rested.

The basement was quiet, save for the faint crackling of the burning kerosene lamp. Occasionally a car would pass by outside, but the sound seemed distant, like something from another world.

Chen Feng was making plans in his mind.

I have the money, over nine hundred yuan, enough to last me a while.

The medicine is here, and the wound is healing.

We have enough food to last for ten days to half a month.

Now, all that's left is...

He opened his eyes and his gaze fell on the kerosene can in the corner.

And then there are those people.

One auntie, two aunties, three aunties, and those who pooled their money to hire thugs, gave false testimony, and tacitly approved the arson...

Not a single one can be left alive.

But how to kill them? The compound is definitely on high alert now, and the police have probably been dispatched as well. A direct assault won't work; we'll have to use a plan.

Chen Feng recalled the people he had seen at the mass grave last night. They were crying so bitterly, so desperately.

Despair is the right thing to do. He wants to make them even more desperate, to let them know what retribution is.

But before that, he had to do one thing.

Looking for Xiaoyu.

Chen Feng remembered the red string necklace. It was a stone he had picked up by the river when he was a child. He had smoothed it, drilled a hole in it, threaded a red string through it, and given it to Xiaoyu as a birthday present. Xiaoyu loved it and wore it all the time.

If Xiaoyu were still alive, she would probably still be wearing this necklace.

But where is she?

He waited by the moat, but nothing came of it.

He searched the shantytown, but couldn't find it.

Salesian homes? No.

He searched every possible place—train stations, docks, parks—but found nothing.

Could it be... that Xiaoyu is really gone?

The thought resurfaced, gnawing at his heart like a venomous snake.

No, no way. Old Sun said he'd let her go, by the moat. Xiaoyu is so clever, she'll definitely be able to hide, she'll definitely be able to wait for him.

But two months have passed, and there's still no news.

Chen Feng suddenly remembered what the old woman on the black market had said: "Some children, once abducted, can never be found again."

Kidnapped? Will Xiaoyu be kidnapped?

He thought of the human traffickers roaming the streets, specifically targeting lone children. Xiaoyu was only fifteen, thin and small; it was too dangerous for her to be out alone.

If she really was abducted...

Chen Feng clenched his fists so tightly that his nails dug into his palms, drawing blood.

No, he shouldn't think the worst.

However, if Xiaoyu is really abducted and sold to another place, he may never find her again in his life.

This might be like a knife, stabbing deeply into his heart.

Chen Feng suddenly stood up and paced back and forth in the basement. The wound on his right shoulder was aggravated, causing him to wince in pain, but he didn't care.

He had to go out and continue searching. He couldn't stay here any longer; every extra day he stayed increased the danger for Xiaoyu.

But how to find him? The whole city is full of informants. The police are looking for him, the hired hitmen are looking for him, and even ordinary people know about him now and will report anyone who seems suspicious.

Going out would be suicide.

But what will happen to Xiaoyu if she doesn't go out?

Chen Feng stopped and looked at the flickering flame of the kerosene lamp. The flame was small and weak, but tenacious, burning stubbornly in the darkness.

Like a light rain. So weak, so helpless, but even in dire straits, it must still be trying to live.

He must find her.

at all costs.

Chen Feng returned to the chair and took out paper and pen from the cloth bag—these were the ones he had found in the small villa.

Based on his memory, he began to draw Xiaoyu's appearance. Round face, big eyes, short hair to her ears, and two dimples when she smiled. She had a mole on her neck and wore a red string necklace.

It's a rough drawing, but the features are all there.

Chen Feng looked at the portrait, his eyes welling up with tears.

"Xiaoyu, where are you?" he whispered.

The night grew deeper and deeper.

Outside the villa, police officers occasionally patrolled by. The beams of their flashlights swept across the walls and windows, but they couldn't find any ventilation openings in the basement.

Chen Feng blew out the kerosene lamp, lay down on the tattered sofa, and covered himself with his old overcoat.

He couldn't sleep; his mind was filled with images of Xiaoyu. She was the way she used to follow him around calling him "brother" when they were little, catching fish by the moat, sewing clothes for him at home…

Those images were so clear, so warm, like knives cutting into his heart.

If he can't find Xiaoyu, what's the point of all he's done?

He killed so many people, his hands were stained with blood, and he turned into a monster.

If he can't even protect Xiaoyu, what face does he have to live in this world?

Chen Feng closed his eyes, and tears flowed silently down his face.

This was the first time he had cried in two months.

She wept for her parents' tragic deaths, for her own powerlessness, and for Xiaoyu's disappearance.

We cry for this cruel world.

But he only cried for less than a minute before wiping away his tears and opening his eyes.

Crying is useless. Tears can't save her parents, nor can they bring Xiaoyu back.

He had to take action.

Tomorrow, he will go out and continue the search. He will search using portraits, ask around, and even if he has to search every corner of Beijing, he will find Xiaoyu.

As for those people in the courtyard house...

We'll talk about it after we find Xiaoyu.

If Xiaoyu is still alive, he will take her away from here to a place where no one knows her, and then he will come back alone to take revenge.

If Xiaoyu is no longer here...

Chen Feng's eyes turned cold.

He would kill all those people, leaving none alive, and then go find Xiaoyu.

Underground, the family is reunited.

Night fell heavily.

The small villa was deathly silent, with only Chen Feng's soft breathing as the only sound.

Inside the courtyard, the survivors kept their eyes open, listening to the sounds outside, trembling with fear at the slightest disturbance.

Xiao Wang and Xiao Li, sent by the neighborhood committee, were stationed in the front yard and the middle yard, respectively, and neither of them slept. They patrolled every half hour with flashlights, but they knew in their hearts that this was just a placebo.

If Chen Feng really comes, the two of them won't be able to stop him at all.

This night is destined to be long.

Fear, like an invisible net, enveloped the entire courtyard and every corner of the city.

Chen Feng, meanwhile, opened his eyes in the darkness and made a decision.

Tomorrow, I'll continue searching for Xiaoyu.

at all costs.