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

"Chase them! Chase them quickly!"

Sure enough, footsteps immediately followed.

But the distance was too far. He Chaomin kicked his legs so fast that his shadow became a dotted line. Want to kick? That was just a pipe dream.

Just as Dong Haitang lifted her foot to chase after him, Wen San and Wu Xiaogou rushed up to her and blocked her way from the left and right.

"Aunt Dong, that was dangerous! Please don't go any closer!"

"You bet! When the gun went off just now, our faces turned deathly pale—if anything had happened to you, Master Li would have skinned us alive!"

The two of them were talking back and forth, sweat beading on their foreheads from their anxiety.

They had been keeping watch from a distance, and as soon as they heard the gunshot, they took off running towards this side.

"No! That man is a Japanese spy, I must take him down myself! Get out of the way!"

Dong Haitang's eyes were piercing, her tone resolute. She pushed the two aside and took off after them.

Wen San and Wu Xiaogou exchanged a glance, sighed helplessly, and followed.

"Aunt Dong, you stay here and hold them off. I'll go with the dog to get them!"

Wen San chased after him, trying to persuade him as he ran.

Seeing that the two of them were moving like the wind and had caught up with him in just a few steps, Dong Haitang immediately ordered, "Hurry up and go!"

He added, "Don't let him chew poison and commit suicide!"

No sooner had they finished speaking than the two of them shot off like arrows, leaving Dong Haitang far behind in the blink of an eye.

"Wow—so fast!"

Dong Haitang stopped and exclaimed softly.

Wen San's father used to be a bodyguard who traveled all over the country, and his Southern Fist was powerful and fierce; Wu Xiaogou's father was a guard in the Banner Army, and his Northern Leg skills were strong and fierce.

They already had a nickname in the martial arts world: Southern Fist, Northern Leg!

Relying on this background, Li Wenguo often assigned Wen San to do shady jobs.

If it weren't for the fact that Dong Haitang's job was too dangerous, they wouldn't have specifically assigned the two of them to be guards.

"Puppy, go around to the left!"

Wen San turned his head and whispered.

The meaning is clear: to encircle He Chaomin from both sides and block his path.

Wu Xiaogou nodded, and the two parted ways instantly, nimbly passing by Gao Yang and another agent.

"Who are you?!"

"What are you doing?!"

Gao Yang and the agent stared at the two figures that suddenly appeared and asked them questions with vigilance.

Wen San didn't stop walking, only replying, "Dong's bodyguards are ordered to arrest that Japanese spy."

Depend on!

There are even bodyguards?!

The two felt a chill run down their spines and muttered to themselves.

He didn't ask any questions aloud—since they obeyed Dong Haitang's orders, they were one of his own.

Besides, the two of them might not be able to subdue He Chaomin.

That old bastard is too cunning and ruthless. He took down three of his own men as soon as they met. He's much fiercer and more ruthless than any of us.

It's reasonable to ask two guards to lend a hand right now.

Anyway, they didn't get any credit.

Before long, Wen San and Wu Xiaogou split up and surrounded He Chaomin from the left and right, blocking his way directly in front of him.

Coincidentally, He Chaomin's escape route led straight into the depths of the park, without heading towards the entrance at all—he was afraid there was an ambush at the entrance, so the group was currently circling around in the park.

At this very moment—

As He Chaomin sprinted desperately past a sycamore tree, Wu Xiaogou, who was hiding behind the tree, suddenly kicked out and tripped him hard on the ankle.

He Chaomin was sprinting with all his might when he took a hard fall, tumbling several times like a gourd rolling on the ground.

The pistol had long since been flung into some bush.

His head was still buzzing and he was seeing stars when Wen San strode forward and grabbed his right arm.

"Snap!"

"Snap!"

"Snap!"

Both arm joints were dislocated, and even the jawbone was forcibly pried open.

"Fuck your ancestors!"

"Keep running! Keep skidding!"

"Oh shit!"

"Without saying a word, he pulled out a gun and started shooting. Do you know how scared we were?!"

Wu Xiaogou rushed forward and delivered three vicious kicks to He Chaomin's lower back. If Dong Haitang were to suffer any harm, he and Wen San would never have the face to face Li Wenguo again.

"Alright, stop kicking."

"The person vomited blood and is truly dead. How will you explain this to Aunt Dong?"

Wen San stopped him, his voice calm and steady.

Wu Xiaogou then stopped and stood still.

In the blink of an eye, Gao Yang and another agent arrived first, while Dong Haitang lagged behind, still several dozen steps behind.

"Holy crap... this guy's a real runner!"

Gao Yang was panting heavily, supporting his knees.

"Now, hand the people over to us."

Another agent, panting heavily, glared at Wen San and Wu Xiaogou while wiping away sweat and issuing orders.

"No. This person was personally requested by Madam Dong, and must be handed over to her personally."

Wen San refused outright, his tone resolute.

"What?!"

"Are you looking for death?!"

The agent's expression changed drastically. With a "clatter," he pressed the gun against Wen San's temple, his eyes so sinister they could smear frost.

"Damn it!"

"Let go of my hand!"

Wu Xiaogou drew his gun with a backhand motion, the dark muzzle pointing directly at the other man's forehead, his voice so loud it made the leaves tremble.

The two had spent their early years in Liu Erkui's guard team, enduring hardships and dangers, and were not pushovers to be easily manipulated.

"Stop! Put your guns down!"

Gao Yang, smelling the gunpowder, quickly stepped in front of him to block the way.

"Qiu Sheng, what are you showing off for? That guy is Haitang's personal bodyguard, practically family! Besides, if they hadn't risked their lives to capture that Japanese spy, you and I would still be wandering around the garden aimlessly!"

Seeing that both sides were still tense, he urged impatiently, "Put your guns away! Put your guns away!"

"Hmph! You've got some nerve, pointing guns at the Secret Service agents? Believe me or not, I'll shoot you all on the spot!"

Qiu Sheng, unable to save face, gritted his teeth and glared at Wen San and Wu Xiaogou, uttering harsh words.

"Before I kill you, I'll send you to meet the King of Hell first."

Wu Xiaogou didn't even lift his eyelids, the muzzle of his gun remained motionless, and his imposing manner only grew stronger.

"Wait! It's all a misunderstanding!"

"They were the guards I sent, and I gave the order to arrest them."

"Put your weapons away!"

Dong Haitang finally caught up, panting, and seeing the tense scene, immediately tried to smooth things over.

Upon hearing his concubine speak, Wu Xiaogou flicked his wrist and deftly tucked the gun back into his waistband.

"Qiu Sheng! What are you standing there for? Put your gun away!"

Seeing that Qiu Sheng was still putting on airs, Gao Yang hurriedly reminded him.

"snort!"

Qiu Sheng snorted coldly and smoothly put his gun into the trap.

"Qiu Sheng, I instructed you to do everything from beginning to end. If there's anything wrong or any misunderstanding, come at me. It has nothing to do with my two guards."

Dong Haitang didn't want to drag others down with her, and every word she spoke carried the responsibility on her own shoulders.

"Ha, they're just two guards. Why should I bother arguing with them?"

Qiu Sheng curled his lip, his words laced with contempt.

These words both belittled Wen San and Wu Xiaogou's status and elevated the speaker's own position, flaunting the power of the Special Service Department.

"That would be best."

Dong Haitang understood the unspoken meaning and simply nodded. As long as Qiu Sheng stopped pestering her, she wouldn't waste any more words.

After everyone had left the park, Chang Binghui and his men hurriedly arrived.

What followed, naturally, was a thorough interrogation and severe punishment...

That night, Wen San recounted the entire process of Dong Haitang capturing the Japanese spy to Li Wenguo.

Upon hearing this, Li Wenguo's back was instantly drenched in sweat, his shirt soaked through with cold perspiration.

That was close! It was a hair's breadth!

If Dong Haitang hadn't positioned herself cleverly and dodged the bullet, she would probably be dead by now, and the child in her womb would have been lost as well.

Even if we take a step back and say that the child gets a minor scrape or a fright, it will do more harm than good.

"Hold!"

"Didn't I tell you to keep a close eye on things? Why is it so dangerous? Bullets grazed people's scalps!"

"Are you two out of your minds or what? How can you be so careless?"

"If even a single hair of Haitang falls out, I'll make you both jump into the sea and feed the fish on the spot..."

Li Wenguo unleashed a furious roar, each word spitting fire and each sentence striking the ground.

Wen San and Wu Xiaogou were so frustrated they felt like they were going to vomit blood—they weren't even at the scene when it happened; they were keeping watch three streets away and hadn't even heard a whisper of it, so how could they have rushed over to save people?

At this moment, all he could do was hang his head and hunch his shoulders, letting him rant and rave as he pleased, as if it were an act of atonement for his sins.

"Mr. Li, what should we do if something like this happens again?"

After Li Wenguo caught his breath, Wen San spoke in a low voice.

A chill ran down his spine: this time, it was a stroke of luck that Dong Haitang was unharmed; but what about next time? Luck won't always be waiting for you. If something really went wrong, not only would he be too ashamed to face Li Wenguo, but he had already prepared for the days when his wife and children would be unable to hold their heads high—he was afraid he would really have to plunge into the sea to be worthy of this trust.

It wasn't that he was so devoted to Li Wenguo that he was willing to risk his life; it was simply that Li Wenguo had connections everywhere, and his influence in the capital was immense. Both the legitimate and underworld figures respected him. Securing a stable future for his child was merely a matter of talking to him.

It was precisely because of this straightforwardness that Wen San was determined to follow him to the end.

I've long since given up on my own worthless life; but I have to make my family members live a decent life.

Alas! Which parent in the world doesn't pave the way for their child's future with their own life?

Upon hearing this, Li Wenguo's heart sank.

Wen San's words hit the nail on the head—one lucky break is a matter of luck, but relying on luck every time will eventually lead to disaster.

He immediately started to think: how could he pull that stubborn spy wife, who was as hard as a rock, off the knife's edge?

The most straightforward solution, of course, would be to get rid of her from the Lixingshe organization. But she's driven by a strong work ethic; her job is more important than her life, so how could she possibly give it up? Since persuasion is futile, the only option is to force someone in—to keep a close watch on her, never leaving her side.

Can……

What kind of place is the Lixingshe? It's a den of dragons and tigers where secrets are hidden and blades are buried, not a street corner police station that you can just walk into whenever you want.

This is a dangerous place stained with blood, shrouded in fog, where even breathing requires three rounds of inspection!

That being said, money really can pry open even the toughest cracks.

The clone "Yang Zhengde" used his old connections in the officialdom to get in touch with a section chief in the provincial police department. Then, through his wife's connections, he got in touch with the wife of the head of the action section of the Lixingshe (a secret society). After making all the necessary arrangements, he finally managed to get Wen San and Wu Xiaogou into Chang Binghui's action team.

Ten thousand silver dollars per person, a full twenty thousand gleaming silver dollars, were directly deducted from Li Wenguo's account.

He gritted his teeth on the spot: "Black! It's fucking black to the bone!"

These days, a town mayor only costs two thousand yuan, and a county magistrate costs at most ten thousand yuan. This price is enough to buy two county magistrates!

At least town and county heads can skim some profits; they can break even after a year, and some can even make a fortune. But what about spies? They should be grateful to be alive and receiving their salary; who would dare to reach out and steal money?

The former is an investment, the latter is burning money—Li Wenguo lost everything in this deal.

But since it concerns Dong Haitang and the unborn child in her womb, he has to pay whatever it costs, no matter how expensive.

"Listen carefully—forget about Japanese spies, underground party members, and mission orders! You only have one thing on your mind: protect Dong Haitang! Understand?"

Li Wenguo stared at the two of them, speaking slowly and deliberately, like nails driven into wood.

"Yes, Master Li!"

"Yes, Master Li!"

"If even a single hair on Aunt Dong's head is missing, I'll jump into the sea immediately!"

Wen San's voice was strained, but he spoke with absolute certainty.

"Me too!"

Wu Xiaogou patted his chest, the sound deafening.

Being a spy has a bad reputation, but it's a lucrative job with connections, influence, and power. The two were secretly secretly getting closer.

No matter how hot it was, they dared not forget their duty—protecting Dong Haitang with their lives was the only reason they entered this door, and also the only way to repay Li Wenguo's kindness in helping them.

"Um!!!"

"Work hard, follow me, and you'll have plenty of food and drink, and I'll guarantee your future. Promotion? Don't bother with that, I'll take care of that. Remember, stay calm, keep your eyes peeled, and stay glued to Dong Haitang's side!"

Li Wenguo patted them heavily on the shoulders and gave them another pep talk.

"Master Li!!!"

"You can rest assured, you'll feel perfectly at ease!"

"If I die, Aunt Dong won't even flinch!"