Courtyard House: A Start with Black Gold Swallowing 100,000 Silver Dollars

"My loyalty to the organization has never wavered in the slightest. Every move I made was to avoid the eyes and ears of the Lixingshe; I was also clearly instructed from above to climb as high as possible, because the higher I stood, the more solid and accurate the intelligence I could deliver."

"As for me changing? That was a cover, a disguise, and more importantly, a requirement of the mission."

Li Wenguo stood up straight, speaking frankly and confidently.

……

"You may speak eloquently, but I know in my heart that the higher you climb in the Party-state, the looser your foundation becomes. Sooner or later, you will become one of them. At that time, there will only be guns pointing at guns between us."

"Let me give you a piece of advice: don't treat your official career as your final destination. Hold on to the spirit you had when you raised your hand to take the oath, otherwise, the deeper you sink, the harder you'll fall." Sai Xishi's voice was cold, each word striking like a hammer blow.

Hey!

This girl's tongue is quicker than a machine gun, spouting off one thing after another!

Li Wenguo felt a surge of frustration.

"Hey lady, there's no need to make such a big deal out of this! To put it bluntly, I'm just a gofer. The sky won't fall if I'm gone. All we want is for you to write a letter of exchange yourself—stop with the talk about humanity, stances, and enemies. As long as you cooperate, we're still on the same side."

……

"Cooperate? Ha, you've finally torn off the mask!"

Sai Xishi raised the corners of her mouth, but her smile was devoid of any warmth.

"I'm not even sure if I've been betrayed by you. Maybe trusting you in the first place was a huge mistake."

"Don't worry, the organization is unharmed and operating normally. With me protecting and supporting it, it's even more stable than before. You really don't need to worry..."

I don't believe it.

Before he could finish speaking, Sai Xishi cut him off decisively.

"So what do you want me to believe?" he asked.

"Let me go out and collect and send the mail myself."

"The police are casting a wide net to find you, and the secret agents are also watching you—if you show your face, it's like walking into the line of fire, isn't it?"

Li Wenguo spread his hands, looking helpless.

"I can disguise myself, change clothes, and blend into a crowd without leaving a trace."

Sai Xishi was very anxious; she needed to see for herself whether that lifeline was still in her hands.

But why would Li Wenguo hand over this line back?

He paused briefly, then said slowly, "Listen to me first—the one who's sticking to you right now is Benjamin Jingcun. If I use the map to negotiate with him, he'll naturally withdraw his men. Once he softens his stance, you can decide when you want to leave, won't that be up to you?"

Damn!

After all the twists and turns, we still can't get around that handwritten letter!

Sai Xishi gritted her teeth, her chest aching with a tightness.

Li Wenguo insisted that she write it herself in order to gain Jingcun's trust.

Jingcun had already been deceived twice by him, so why would he easily agree again?

"Take it. Don't let me regret this deal today."

Sai Xishi threw a blank sheet of paper covered in writing in front of Li Wenguo, her eyes sharp as blades.

"Don't worry, once the deal is done, you'll be free immediately."

Li Wenguo waved the plain paper in his hand, a confident yet frivolous smile playing on his lips.

Sai Xishi dug her fingernails into her palms, biting her back teeth until they ached.

They were restrained—completely and utterly restrained!

There wasn't even the slightest gap to maneuver!

She had considered sneaking out of the yard to see for herself whether the map was real or fake. But what did it matter if it was real or fake? It was irrelevant anyway.

The crucial intelligence delivery rights had long been firmly in Li Wenguo's grasp, leaving no room for error. She was now nothing more than an empty shell, stripped of its strength.

Go back to Chenjia Village to complain to Yang Yuerong? She had considered it. But if she really did that, would the organization still believe her? Would they still use her? Who would even glance at a useless pawn who couldn't even protect an intelligence channel?

Right now, her only concern is to reclaim the intelligence mission that should be in her own hands—only by holding onto this thread can she be considered a human being, and not be at the mercy of others' manipulation.

Upon receiving the letter written by Sai Xishi herself, Li Wenguo immediately dispatched Wen San, Wu Xiaogou, and Xiao Jie to lead men straight to Yihe Village on Wang'er Mountain, and asked Zhang Xiong'an to deliver a message to Jingcun to discuss a deal.

Upon hearing this, Jingcun nearly crushed his teacup.

Spies actually sought out Japanese spies to do business? What kind of bizarre tactic is this?

Could it be another trap that's been dug?

However, upon closer inspection, the terms and conditions are perfectly fitted and without any flaws.

First, he made a copy based on the original image, and then he exchanged it for the original in person.

The transaction was held in a desolate wilderness on the outskirts of Beijing, so barren that even birds wouldn't land there.

Neither side is allowed to carry firearms, and there are several other ironclad rules, each and every one of which is as stable as a ballast stone.

It makes me feel reassured.

It felt so reassuring that it made me uneasy.

Jingcun even suspected that Lixingshe had already collected all four pictures and was just waiting for him to finish them off.

But a secret report came from a high-ranking party official bribed by his subordinate: only two had been found. This idea was immediately exposed.

He weighed the matter carefully for two whole days before finally nodding in agreement.

The transaction proceeded smoothly on the day of the transaction, both parties were satisfied, and each got what they wanted.

Li Wenguo has finally collected all five treasure maps and can now set off on his treasure hunt.

But he had no intention of doing it himself, leaving it all to his clones to do.

Climbing mountains and wading through rivers is nothing compared to relaxing at the police station and drinking tea. Besides, there's no countdown to the treasure hunt. We can always take our time and set off when the case is less busy.

Five days later, Binzi came to report that Sai Xishi wanted to see him.

Li Wenguo knew perfectly well—she was anxious to confirm whether the patrol officers who were keeping watch had left.

He strolled over.

"Have the people watching me left yet?"

Sai Xishi's voice was as cold and hard as a knife.

Today she wore a sky-blue cheongsam with a slit that reached up to her thighs, revealing her dazzlingly white legs; the fabric was tightly wrapped around her, making her waist so slender it could be grasped with one hand, while her chest was bulging as if it would burst, rising and falling slightly with her breath.

Li Wenguo's Adam's apple bobbed, and he subconsciously swallowed.

Of course she knew how trouble this outfit would cause. But ever since she was confined to this courtyard, her food, clothing, and daily necessities had all been taken care of by the other party. Apart from the old clothes she wore when she first arrived, the whole house and closets were full of these kinds of cheongsams and low-cut dresses—what else could she wear?

"Hey, I'm asking you a question."

She forced back her burning gaze, her voice trembling with anxiety.

"Oh, it's off. You can go out if you want, but I advise you to be patient—they've only just been released from restrictions, and they still remember you."

He answered casually, but his eyes remained fixed on her.

The last time she came, she was wearing the same outfit she had brought herself.

"When exactly can we leave?"

His tone was already on the verge of breaking down.

"Let's wait another month or so. By then, I'll get you a trendy perm, put on some bright red lipstick, and dress up in a glamorous way—I guarantee no one will recognize you."

He chuckled, wrinkles forming at the corners of his eyes, looking every bit like a cunning old fox who had just gotten away with a fling.

Obscene!

Shameless!

Old, discolored embryo!

Sai Xishi felt her stomach churning and cursed under her breath until her teeth ached.

"Once it's safe, shouldn't you return the intelligence to me?"

She paused, then spoke clearly, "After all, I am someone 'officially appointed' by the organization."

The word "appointment" was pronounced heavily, as if it were a slap in the face—don't overstep the boundaries, don't usurp power.

"Oh...we'll talk about that later."

He remained absent-minded, his gaze still fixed on her chest, as if his entire soul had been stolen away.

"you--!"

Sai Xishi was so angry that she slammed her fingertips on the table, making the wood grain vibrate with a dull thud.

This isn't making excuses; it's clearly pretending to be ignorant when you know the truth!

"roll!"

Her throat tightened, and she almost reached out to grab Li Wenguo by the collar and give him a good beating.

But in the end, he swallowed back that anger.

go?

What's the rush?

At this moment, Li Wenguo was burning with a wildfire in his heart, and he was unwilling to let go and leave.

He lowered his eyes for a moment, suppressing the turbulent agitation deep within his heart.

When she looked up again, a warm smile was playing on her lips: "Ms. Sai, do you still remember—the promise you made in Dr. Ke's office?"

Before she finished speaking, Sai Xishi felt a sudden sinking feeling in her heart, as if her heart had been squeezed and she was being pulled down.

Today, Li Wenguo's gaze was as naked as a knife. How could she not understand what he really wanted?

Isn't it just her?

What's the point of talking about camaraderie?

They've probably already been corrupted to the bone by the Party-state's sugar-coated bullets!

But right now, cursing is useless, arguing is pointless—the most important thing is to ensure the intelligence is sent out safely.

"You said it yourself: once the map is handed over, the debt of saving my life will be settled." She spoke very quickly, "I have already handed it over, and the matter is settled."

Fortunately, Li Wenguo himself had mentioned this before, and she seized the opportunity to completely shut him down.

"Heh, since you're sticking to this, fine, I won't bring up the past," Li Wenguo replied slowly. "Then I'll get rid of those 'tails' at the police station for you—how are you going to repay that favor?"

You're quite the clever one, aren't you?

Are you trying to beat around the bush with me?

Let's see who has the tougher wrist!

Li Wenguo sneered inwardly.

"But...the surveillance was only stopped because the map was delivered, it's not like you broke the switch yourself!"

Sai Xishi's voice was weak; even she herself thought her words sounded like a paper wall.

"The map will only be exchanged for one thing—will you repay the debt of saving your life, or exchange it for this chance to escape?"

"The withdrawal of sentry posts is an automatic system response; it's none of your business!"

She simply started acting tough, but her eyes darted around.

But if we don't stand up for ourselves, are we really going to let him lead us by the nose?

Li Wenguo's face suddenly turned cold, his words dripping with sarcasm: "Oh, the famous Sai Xishi, you talk like you're faking it—the words 'seeking fame and fortune' are more than enough to describe you. Do you have any respect for the brothers who fell?"

"you--!!!"

Sai Xishi's face turned ashen instantly.

If you were to ask her where the deepest scar in her heart lies...

That was the night when Dazhuang and dozens of his brothers shed their blood on the wilderness!

They weren't shot down while fleeing for their lives; they shielded her behind them, using their backs to withstand the hail of bullets—that cover snatched her life from the jaws of death, but also etched the pain of heartbreak into their very bones.

Now, Li Wenguo has publicly torn open this scar, leaving it bloody and exposed to the light.

Anger, grief, and a feeling of suffocation rushed to her head all at once. Her eyes instantly turned bloodshot as she stared intently at Li Wenguo, as if she were about to pounce on him and tear him to pieces at any moment.

What the hell!

Why such a strong reaction?

Are you really going to draw your sword and kill me?

Li Wenguo felt a chill run down his spine; he had never expected her to be attacked so viciously.

Little did he know that his brothers had died protecting her—a completely different matter from those who perished in the chaos of fleeing for their lives.

"Hey, hey, hey! Take a breath first!" He hurriedly waved his hand. "You were the one who reneged on your promise first, so I hit you where it hurts. My words were aimed at you, not a single word about the brothers!"

He always kept his distance from the deceased.

Sai Xishi's chest heaved violently several times before she managed to suppress the fire in her throat.

When he spoke again, his voice was taut like a fully drawn bowstring: "If you have a problem, take it out on me, don't drag my brothers into it. You're not worthy to mention their names."

The people she knew were all upright and honorable, far superior to a greedy and lecherous man like Li Wenguo.

"Fine, I won't mention them." Li Wenguo took half a step forward, his gaze intense. "I saved your life twice, and you give me a worthless piece of paper—how does this deal stand?"

"So what do you want?"

She blurted it out, and immediately regretted it—her emotions had already been led astray by him.

"Well... hehe, I want you—"

Sai Xishi's face immediately darkened.

Sure enough, the bones had long been hollowed out by maggots!

"Marry me and become my concubine!"

Ha ha……

She let out a cold laugh, short and sharp.

really!

Greedy and insatiable, with no bottom line!

I thought that giving her my body once would repay her kindness.

Now, things are really messed up; they're asking her to stake her entire life on this!

Enough!

Even more daring ideas!