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

His body had been thoroughly tempered by the system. Although he couldn't be described as having the strength to move mountains, he possessed a steady and powerful force of 200 jin. A single punch from him could cause internal organs to tremble and ribs to dislocate, which were considered minor.

At first, no one paid him any attention—seeing him so tightly protected, they assumed he was the team leader and instead flocked to him, hoping to find the "mastermind" and gain merit. As it turned out, Li Wenguo's brute strength finally had a chance to shine.

The melee lasted for more than half an hour, and it was difficult to determine who was superior.

One side had the advantage of familiarity and superior numbers; while Li Wenguo's side, though smaller, consisted of elite guards, each one a match for three. Wu Xiaogou, in particular, was a master of Northern Leg techniques, his every move swift and deadly. Cao Ming had just taken three sweeping kicks and collapsed unconscious, his fate unknown. When Wu Xiaogou charged back into the fray, his attacks causing the enemy's formation to crumble—on the surface, they seemed to have the upper hand.

The commotion was so great that news had already been sent to all the department heads. Before long, several black cars screeched to a halt at the gate, and figures rushed in.

This was the fiercest, most intense, and most unruly brawl since the establishment of the Zilixing Society, so they had no choice but to attend in person.

"Bang--!!!"

Director Tang fired a shot at the ceiling, sending debris raining down.

Everyone stopped moving at the same time.

"presumptuous!!!"

"This is outrageous!!!"

"This is absolutely lawless!"

Director Tang, his face ashen, surveyed the scene: crooked noses, bruised eyes, arms dangling in mid-air, groaning... almost all those who had fallen were from the First Division. His brows furrowed deeply.

Director Kang's face was so gloomy it could drip water.

He glared at his men's disheveled state, both angry and annoyed: "You're supposed to be intelligence officers, not dockworkers! How dare you act like street thugs? What kind of behavior is this!"

He paused, then added in a cold voice, "Looks like you've been too idle lately."

"Chang Binghui, you tell me—why exactly did the fight break out?"

Kang Bin knew exactly what was going on, but he had to speak up quickly.

"Reporting to Director Kang!" Chang Binghui straightened his back, speaking calmly and deliberately. "We came with a warrant personally approved by Director Tang to hand over the suspect. But the people in the First Division refused to obey, hurling insults at us with every word laced with profanity. I repeatedly emphasized that this was a matter approved by Director Tang, but they ignored me; I then asked them to have Team Leader Zhou coordinate, but they made excuses; finally, I decided to go find Team Leader Zhou myself, but as soon as I took a few steps, they shoved me, their attitude extremely rude. My men couldn't stand it and stepped forward to reason with them, and without a word, they threw punches—that's how this situation came about!"

He paused briefly, then pointed towards the interrogation room, his voice suddenly rising: "Director Tang, Director Kang, every word is true! Look at this—such a huge incident has occurred, and their superior, Zhou Dahai, hasn't shown up yet. Isn't this condoning trouble and washing their hands of the matter?!"

Chang Binghui spoke with aggrieved sincerity, looking exactly like a wronged subordinate, putting all the blame on one person.

Li Wenguo, who was behind the crowd, was secretly astonished: You kicked someone first, but then you made up a story about "being forced to fight back because you couldn't bear it anymore"—you lied so well that if I hadn't been there, I probably would have believed it myself!

The current situation is extremely favorable to them: Cao Ming is unconscious, Zhou Dahai is late in arriving, and the group is leaderless, so naturally, whoever has the highest rank will make the decisions.

……

"Nonsense!!!"

A loud shout suddenly came from the door of the interrogation room.

Zhou Dahai's face was flushed as he ran down the stairs—he had only come down after hearing the gunshot.

"Things are not at all as Chang Binghui described!"

He shouted as he pushed through the crowd and strode up to the two section chiefs.

"Oh? If it wasn't you who did it, then who else could it be?"

Chang Binghui raised an eyebrow and asked in return, his tone neither hurried nor slow, yet as sharp as a nail piercing the air.

"Yes...yes..."

Zhou Dahai's throat went dry, and he almost blurted out, "You guys hit me first!" But he swallowed the words back down his throat—he had already whispered to Cao Ming that his side must not throw the first punch.

The original plan was to push the people in the Second Division to their limits, wait for them to throw punches, smash tables, and grab weapons first, and then have our own people rush in and beat them to a pulp, especially to knock Chang Binghui down on the spot; then immediately call him for "immediate support" so that we could rightfully take over the situation, and even prepare a reason for him.

To everyone's surprise, the people in the Second Division acted ruthlessly and precisely. Instead of receiving the signal to make a move, they were met with the arrival of the two division chiefs. To make matters worse, Chang Binghui was immediately falsely accused, silencing any explanation he had prepared.

"Absolutely impossible! I know my colleagues best—they follow the rules and know their place. They would never do something so outrageous and self-destructive!"

Zhou Dahai's mind works incredibly fast. If he can't use an old phrase, he immediately comes up with a new one. He can change his mind faster than turning the pages of a book.

What followed was a heated argument between the two group leaders, each sticking to their own version of events, until they were both red in the face.

Neither of the two section chiefs could openly favor their own team, so in the end they had to punish each other equally, giving both sides a demerit, deducting their allowances, and suspending them from their duties for three days to reflect on their actions.

The result is clear to everyone: the winner will win to the end.

Chang Binghui dared to overturn the table right under someone's nose because he was certain that Wen San, Wu Xiaogou, Xiao Jie, and the other group of people Li Wenguo had put in were skilled, daring, and steady.

The follow-up was swift and decisive—since the two section chiefs were already present, the person arrested by Section One at the party was immediately handed over to Section Two and taken away.

"After the interrogation is over, send back to me every single person except for those who are confirmed criminals!" Zhou Dahai handed over a copy of the list, then patted the original and the photograph in his hand, his knuckles tapping crisply. "Those whose names are on the list are all members of the local party. I want to see them alive or dead. If even one is missing, I will personally come to their door to demand an explanation."

With this written agreement in black and white, Li Wenguo would have to think twice before secretly switching or hiding the items.

Just as the man was brought into the Second Division, A-Gui arrived with the clues given to him by Yang Yuerong.

"Mr. Li, this is a photo of her friend that Miss Yang asked me to bring. The name is written on the back."

At the entrance to the interrogation room, A-Gui presented a small, faded photograph with both hands.

Li Wenguo took it and glanced at it: thick eyebrows, broad forehead, high nose bridge, exuding a rough and rugged air. Turning it over, there were three characters in black ink on the back: "Zhang Damin".

The person had already been taken away, and he hadn't even had a chance to catch a glimpse of them.

"Ms. Yang also asked me to pass on a message: if her friend is really caught, you must get him out."

It's difficult...

Li Wenguo muttered to himself.

There's an informant watching from one place; rescuing someone requires taking a roundabout route and visiting seven key locations.

Even if they are rescued, they won't be able to breathe a sigh of relief in the capital.

"Go back and tell her that I'll pick her up at 10 p.m. tonight."

He turned and called over Wu Xiaogou, waving the photo in front of him: "Do you recognize him? Is this face in it?"

Wu Xiaogou glanced at it only once, then nodded his head vigorously: "Yes!!!"

Depend on!

Is it really over?

Li Wenguo rolled his eyes inwardly.

It wasn't that Zhang Damin was too incompetent, but rather that the other party drew his gun too quickly—the dark muzzle of the gun pressed against his temple; even the best kung fu master would be forced to kneel.

"Okay, interrogate him separately first. Find out if the guy who stole the jewel necklace at last night's party is among this group. If he is, have him identify him on the spot."

"Then show this to him, and burn it immediately after he looks at it, don't leave any ashes."

As he spoke, he handed over a neatly folded piece of paper.

"Understood! Don't worry, Mr. Li!"

Wu Xiaogou clutched the note tightly, then turned and left.

Half an hour later, he quickly turned back.

"Have you found the person?" Li Wenguo asked, looking up.

"Found him! Mr. Li, it's that Tao Ayu! Zhang Damin still insists—he's a Japanese spy!"

"Okay, got it. I'll come in person tonight. You'll be on the night shift, wait for my instructions."

"As for that Japanese spy, interrogate him freely and squeeze every last drop out of him."

"Yes, sir!"

The Japanese spy who stole the necklace was caught, and the gemstone necklace was safely stored in Li Wenguo's drawer.

If we just delay for another ten days or half a month, we can take the things and go to Williams to report.

Why not go right away?

You just took on a case and then cracked a transnational theft and espionage case?

Are you possessed by Sherlock Holmes? Or is Di Renjie reborn?

Isn't this forcing people to knock on your door every night in the middle of the night asking for favors?

The night is getting darker.

In He Shuting's room.

"Sir, just who is this Yang Yuerong?"

Her face was tense, and her fingertips dug into her palms.

If it were just a normal romantic affair, she would have turned a blind eye; but you just had to get involved with a local party member—your own comrade, what kind of nonsense is this?

"Huh? Yang Yuerong?" Li Wenguo feigned confusion, blinked, then slapped his thigh, smiling lazily and familiarly:

"Come, sit on my lap."

He Shuting turned her face away, her eyebrows furrowed slightly, full of displeasure, then turned back and stared straight at him: "Don't try to bluff—I saw it clearly this morning when you personally took Yang Yuerong to the newspaper office. She stood at the street corner, her eyes fixed on you, not even blinking, and only stopped watching when your car turned the corner."

"That black license plate '12345,' isn't that the Chevrolet you usually drive?" (This is purely made up, don't take it seriously.)

"Ah? Oh... yes, yes, there is such a thing!"

Li Wenguo was exposed on the spot. His ears burned, he chuckled dryly, and his Adam's apple bobbed up and down.

Immediately afterward, his face darkened, his shoulders straightened, and his tone became harsh: "What, do I have to send you an invitation or submit an application before I can even go out with a woman?"

"Keep things stable at home. As for things outside, I have a good grasp of the situation and know what I'm doing."

"Yes, I shouldn't pry into your private affairs. But this time, Yang Yuerong is different."

"What's different?" he immediately replied, his voice tinged with alertness.

"You really don't know her background?" He Shuting retorted, her gaze sharp as a blade.

"I understand! But so what? You're the legal wife in the family. Adding another person is just adding another pair of chopsticks and another lamp."

Li Wenguo spoke lightly, as if he were saying something like adding a vase.

"But Master, Yang Yuerong is not a caged bird—she studied at Peking University, speaks fluent English, is decisive and efficient, and has an inherent pride that she would never bow down to be a concubine."

"I bet you never mentioned you were married, did you?"

He Shuting smiled slightly, her confidence leaving no room for doubt.

"So what? She'll be mine sooner or later. Why don't we strike while the iron is hot and get her pregnant too—then where can she fly off to?"

"Sigh... Since you've made up your mind, there's no point in me saying anything more; it would only annoy people."

He Shuting sighed softly, her fingertips unconsciously tightening the cuffs of her cheongsam.

"I just hope you don't lose your temper one day and things get out of control."

"Alright, alright, Shuting, just relax." Li Wenguo's tone softened, and he put his arm around her waist. "Take good care of yourself and give birth to our child. If the sky falls, I'll hold it up; if the earth sinks, I'll cushion it—I'll guarantee you a lifetime of peace and prosperity for this family."

As he spoke, he half-supported and half-carried her, gently pulling her into his arms.

"But the world is in such turmoil right now... I've heard the Japanese are sharpening their knives, and it might not be long before they make their move. When that happens, there will be chaos and war, where can we hide?" She leaned on his shoulder, her voice soft yet deep.

"Ha, you just don't understand."

"No matter how vast the world is, or how often war rages, there's one place where the flames of war will never reach—can you guess where it is?"

As he spoke, he slowly placed his palm on her swollen belly, his warm hand gently caressing the subtle rise and fall of her body...

"You mean the United States?"

She thought for a moment and answered – the United States is located far across the ocean, isolated overseas, with neither neighboring enemies nor war zones; she had that much common sense.

"That's right. I won't lie to you: the roads over there are already paved, and there's farmland, shops, bank accounts—everything's ready. Even if we can't even find a place to settle down back home in the future, our family can still live a life of luxury and comfort."

Before he finished speaking, he leaned down and kissed her fair and soft cheek, his fingers sliding down to the back of her neck and gently cupping her.

"Grandpa is the one who thinks things through and has a long-term vision. He even planned out a way out for the whole family."

He Shuting was truly convinced, and a warm light shone in her eyes.

"Nonsense! You're the backbone of the family, she's the hidden dagger, doing jobs that risk their lives—wouldn't it be better if I didn't be more careful and have more options?" Li Wenguo scoffed and waved his hand.

"Sir, I'm sorry to have troubled you."

She lowered her eyes and spoke softly, her tone sincere, with a hint of barely perceptible guilt.