Courtyard House: A Major Power's Heavy Industry, Hand-Crafted Nuclear Fusion

Liu Dehai.

This man was known in the factory as a kind-hearted person. He spoke softly and always had a smile on his face.

His skill level is average, neither outstanding nor a liability; he's the kind of person you'd easily lose in a crowd.

At that moment, he calmly handed his briefcase to the security guard, and even opened his lunchbox, which was empty except for a few oily bits.

"Engineer Liu, you also have to investigate. Don't take offense, it's a task assigned from above."

"That's what security guard Xiao Zhang said politely, and he also softened his movements a bit," the guard said.

"Of course, of course. It's about cooperating with each other; everyone has their difficulties."

Engineer Liu pushed up his black-rimmed glasses, his smile gentle, his eyes revealing the "understanding and tolerance" of a scholar.

"Okay, no problem, let's go!" Xiao Zhang waved his hand.

"Thanks for your hard work."

Mr. Liu nodded politely, took the briefcase, hung it back on the handlebars, and prepared to push the bike away.

The entire process was natural and smooth, without any flaws.

If Su Zheng hadn't possessed the Eye of Truth, he probably would have been fooled by his perfect disguise.

But in Su Zheng's vision, which consisted only of black and white lines and data, this "good guy" Engineer Liu was like a furnace that was burning fiercely!

Target locked.

[Abnormal bioelectrical response.]

In Su Zheng's view, Liu's heart area appeared a glaring deep red—a sign that his heart was contracting violently and pumping blood.

Heart rate: 145 beats per minute.

"Adrenaline secretion level: 300% higher than normal."

Micro-expression analysis: The muscles at the corners of the mouth are stiffly pulled up (fake smile), the orbicularis oculi muscle does not contract (no smile), and the carotid artery in the neck is pulsating violently.

He was very nervous.

I was so nervous I felt like I was about to explode.

However, he used his exceptional mental fortitude and facial expression control to completely suppress all outward expressions.

more importantly--

Su Zheng's gaze moved downwards, passing through his thick cotton trousers and his somewhat worn-out black cotton shoes.

On the sole of his right cotton shoe, where there should have been a solid rubber layer, a very thin cavity had been carefully carved out.

A stack of neatly folded papers, thinner than a cicada's wing, lay quietly in this cavity.

On the edge of that paper, the "special developing powder" that clung to it revealed an unsightly bright spot, resembling radioactive material, under the microscopic spectral analysis of the Eye of Truth.

"I've found you."

Su Zheng put down his teacup, a cold smile curving his lips.

He picked up the walkie-talkie on the table and tapped it twice.

"Tap, tap."

This is the agreed-upon signal.

Release them, then follow them.

Standing on the high platform by the door, Section Chief Wang heard the static in his earpiece, but his expression remained unchanged; he simply waved his hand casually.

"Alright, everyone in the back, keep up! Hurry up! Mr. Liu, take care!"

The moment Mr. Liu pushed his bicycle out the gate, his tense back seemed to relax for a fleeting, almost imperceptible moment.

But unlike others who would speed off on their bikes as soon as they left home, he maintained a steady, unhurried pace, slowly blending into the flow of people leaving get off work.

This is an old fox.

He knew that it was precisely at times like these that he must not appear anxious.

"Zhao Ming, you stay in the guard room and keep an eye on the rest of the inspection."

Su Zheng stood up, straightened his collar, and said, "I'm going fishing."

"Master, you're all alone..."

"Too many people can actually make things worse."

Su Zheng pushed open the back door of the guardhouse, where an inconspicuous old bicycle was already parked.

At that moment, several figures, already dressed in civilian clothes, appeared in the shadows outside the door.

Those were the most skilled scouts from the security department, who had already silently pushed the cart and fallen far behind Engineer Liu.

Su Zheng hopped on his bicycle, not rushing to catch up, but staying at the very back of the group at a moderate distance.

Under the cover of night, Beijing's hutongs are interwoven, and the streetlights are dim.

Mr. Liu's cycling route was very strange.

Instead of going straight home, he rode east for two blocks before suddenly turning into a small alley known only to locals.

After winding his way through the alleyways, he returned to the main road and began to accelerate.

This is "counter-tracking".

He was testing whether there was a tail behind him.

If it were an ordinary follower, during that series of sharp turns and alleyways, they would either have lost track of the person or been forced to close the distance to avoid losing them, thus exposing themselves.

Unfortunately, he encountered Su Zheng.

Su Zheng didn't need to make eye contact at all.

As long as he is within the range of the Eye of Truth, the unique developer powder residue on Liu's body shines like a lighthouse in the dark.

Su Zheng could even clearly see the red heart moving through two walls.

After half an hour.

Engineer Liu finally confirmed that it was "safe".

He slowed down and turned into a somewhat desolate area—Pigeon City.

The pigeon market was pitch black, with only a few flickering cigarette butts. Everyone here was bundled up tightly, some even with their faces covered. No one spoke during transactions; they used only gestures or whispered among themselves, indicating prices.

Su Zheng activated his Eye of Truth, his gaze piercing through the darkness.

He saw Liu pushing his cart, carefully weaving through the crowds of people selling sweet potatoes and trading grain coupons, heading straight to a corner at the far end of the market.

There was a broken wall, and a person was standing behind it.

The man was wearing a dark gray Zhongshan suit, a top hat pulled low, and a thick scarf, revealing only his eyes. His hands were in his pockets, and he stood ramrod straight—a posture not found on ordinary people.

A soldier? Or a highly trained special agent?

Just as Su Zheng's gaze locked onto the person, the edge of the Eye of Truth's field of vision suddenly twitched.

High-threat target detected.

Su Zheng felt a chill run down his spine and quickly scanned the shadows on the other side of the broken wall.

There were several old wicker baskets piled up there, and an old man wearing a tattered sheepskin coat, who looked like he had drunk too much, was curled up there and dozing off.

But under the scrutiny of the Eye of Truth, the muscles of this "drunken old man" were in a state of extreme tension, his breathing was long and weak, and he was tightly gripping a seemingly ordinary wooden cane.

The head of the cane was made of iron.

Moreover, the old man's attention was fixed on the "Zhongshan suit".

"Old Lei?"

Su Zheng recognized the familiar biomagnetic field. It was the same mysterious old man he had encountered by chance in Pigeon City.

"It seems this 'big fish' has been on someone's radar for a while now." Su Zheng's lips curled into a playful smile. "Since there are allies involved, things get even more interesting."

He didn't make a sound, but quietly moved in another direction, forming a perfect angle with Old Lei.

At this moment, Engineer Liu had already walked up to the man in the "Zhongshan suit".

Su Zheng focused his mind and held his breath, and the "Auditory Enhancement" module of the Eye of Truth was instantly activated.

"Did you bring the goods?" The voice in the Zhongshan suit was low and hoarse, as if the throat had been injured.

"I brought it." Engineer Liu's voice trembled. "This was too close... I don't know what happened, the factory suddenly closed the gates for inspection. We almost got caught."

"Inspection? How did you get out?" The voice in the Zhongshan suit suddenly turned cold, tinged with suspicion.

"They didn't check thoroughly, mainly just searched my bags. I hid the things in the soles of my shoes, and they didn't find them," Liu hurriedly explained. "But I still feel uneasy... After this, I quit. I don't want to earn this money anymore; it's too dangerous!"

"Shut up," the man in the Zhongshan suit coldly interrupted him. "Once you've entered this door, there's no way out. Where are your things?"

With trembling hands, Liu bent down, pretending to tie his shoelaces. His fingers deftly flicked a button on the sole of the shoe, causing the lining to pop open. He quickly pulled out the stack of papers and tucked them into his palm.

Just as he was about to get up and hand it over.

"If I were you, I wouldn't reach out."

A clear voice suddenly rang out in the darkness.

The sound wasn't loud, but in the quiet corner it was like a thunderclap!

Engineer Liu froze, standing rooted to the spot.

The man in the Zhongshan suit reacted extremely quickly. Almost the instant the sound rang out, his right hand moved like a venomous snake emerging from its hole, instantly pulling out a dark pistol from his pocket. Without even looking, he raised his hand and pointed it in the direction from which the sound came!

However, at the very moment he drew his gun—

"Whoosh!"

"call!"

Two whooshing sounds rang out almost simultaneously!

One of them was a pebble flicked from Su Zheng's fingertip, which, with a sharp whistling sound, went straight for Zhongshan Suit's wrist.

The other was a metal cane that whistled through the wind, which swept out from the shadows on the side, aiming straight for the forearm of the man in the Zhongshan suit.

"Bang!"

"Snap!"

The pebble struck Zhongshan Suit's wrist bone precisely, and at the same time, the heavy cane slammed down on his forearm.

The combined force of the two forces instantly rendered that hand completely useless.

"what!"

The man in the Zhongshan suit let out a piercing scream as the gun in his hand flew out, arcing through the air before landing in the nearby stinking ditch.

Two figures, one on the left and one on the right, slowly emerged from the darkness.

On the left is Su Zheng, with his hands in his pockets and a calm expression.

On the right is Old Lei, carrying a cane and with piercing eyes.

The two exchanged a glance.

A hint of surprise appeared on Old Lei's wrinkled face, which quickly turned into admiration: "The younger generation is truly formidable; your hands are quick enough."

Su Zheng smiled slightly and nodded modestly: "The old man is quite fast, still vigorous despite his age."

The man in the Zhongshan suit was writhing in pain on the ground, while Engineer Liu was so frightened that he collapsed to the ground, his crotch soaked.

"This man has potassium cyanide on him, don't let him die."

Su Zheng gave a reminder, then darted forward and removed the chin of the man in the Zhongshan suit.

Old Lei stepped on the leg of the man in the Zhongshan suit who was trying to struggle, and sneered, "Don't worry, once you fall into my hands, it'll be hard for you to die."

At that moment, a flurry of footsteps sounded from all around. Section Chief Wang led his men forward.

Upon seeing this, Section Chief Wang was stunned for a moment, then overjoyed: "They caught him?!"

Su Zheng patted the dust off his hands and pointed to the two people on the ground:

"Take him away. Tonight, we'll interrogate this big fish properly."