Courtyard House: From Deputy Division Commander to Civilian, Progressing All the Way

Immediately afterwards, the building's windows began to vibrate slightly, and the sounds of hurried footsteps and shouts could be heard.

The sound of staff running frantically and shouting in the corridor came from the office area, which was originally orderly and was now in complete chaos.

Zhao Lichun rushed to the window and looked down; his face instantly turned ashen.

A large crowd had already gathered in the square outside the building.

Holding red flags and banners, waving their fists, and chanting slogans such as "Down with capitalist roader Lin Yang" and "Bring out the traitor Lin Yang," they charged step by step toward the office building's entrance.

Hundreds of rebels, with red armbands tied to their arms and carrying megaphones and quotations, surged through the iron gates of the Ministry of Heavy Industry compound like a tidal wave.

The few guards who were originally on duty were unable to stop the frenzied crowd under the strict order not to fire and were pushed aside.

One of the rebel leaders was a staff member in the logistics department of the Ministry of Heavy Industry, named Wu Qiang.

Normally, when he saw Lin Yang, he would bend over to the ground, but at this moment, his face was flashing with a morbid excitement and ferocity.

"Down with Lin Yang, the American imperialist spy! Down with the capitalist roaders!"

"Hand over leadership of the Ministry of Heavy Industry! Smash the revisionist command post completely!"

The slogans rose higher and higher, making the glass windows of the office building vibrate.

boom!

The door to the minister's office was kicked open violently.

Wu Qiang led a dozen or so fanatical rebels in. They carried hemp ropes and tall paper hats with Lin Yang's name written on them and marked with a large red X.

"Lin Yang! Your true colors have finally been revealed! Come with us to be criticized and denounced by the broad masses of revolutionary people!" Wu Qiang roared, pointing at Lin Yang with a megaphone.

Lin Yang didn't move. He remained standing in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, slowly turning around.

Those deep, cold eyes, filled with a chilling killing intent forged from mountains of corpses and seas of blood, swept over everyone who rushed in, as if they were tangible.

For a moment, the air in the entire office seemed to freeze.

The few rebels at the forefront were stunned by Lin Yang's terrifying aura of authority and subconsciously took a half step back, their hands holding the rope trembling slightly.

He was a man who had slaughtered American aces on the Korean battlefield and commanded the nation's most important weapons in the Gobi Desert of Northwest China! The innate, iron-blooded aura emanating from him was simply unbearable for these rabble who only knew how to shout slogans.

Wu Qiang swallowed hard, forcing himself to muster his courage, and shouted at the top of his lungs, "You...you still dare to act tough! You're a counter-revolutionary! A class enemy! Don't be afraid, everyone, we have the masses backing us up, go and tie him up!"

"Anyone who dares to lay a finger on the commander, I'll kill him!"

With a roar, Zhao Lichun, like an enraged cheetah, charged forward, grabbed a heavy brass ashtray from the desk, and stood firmly in front of Lin Yang.

Zhao Lichun's eyes were frighteningly red. He knew this was the best moment for him to show his loyalty, and also a moment to gamble with his life.

"You blind, depraved beasts! When Minister Lin was bleeding on the battlefield, you were still wearing open-crotch pants! Where were you when they were building atomic bombs in the Northwest? You dare to challenge a high-ranking national general with just a fabricated big-character poster? I think you're tired of living!"

Holding an ashtray like a vicious dog guarding its master, Zhao Lichun pointed at Wu Qiang and began to curse him.

Enraged by the insults, Wu Qiang waved his hand and shouted, "And this guy surnamed Zhao, he's Lin Yang's henchman, arrest him too!"

A dozen or so strong rebels immediately pounced on them.

Zhao Lichun was, after all, a scholar. Although he fought back desperately and smashed an ashtray on the head of a rebel, he was quickly pinned to the ground by several people. His arms were tied behind his back, and his face slammed heavily onto the carpet, blood spilling from the corner of his mouth.

"stop."

Lin Yang finally spoke. His voice wasn't loud, but it made everyone freeze in place.

Lin Yang straightened the collar of his Zhongshan suit, took long strides, and walked step by step to Wu Qiang.

He didn't look at the ropes pointing at him, but simply looked down at the clown jumping around.

"No need to tie me up anymore. I'll go with you." Lin Yang's tone was frighteningly calm. "I want to see how you plan to put on this show."

Lin Yang knew very well that in the face of such frenzied group emotions, resorting to force to resist was the most foolish thing to do.

If he fires a shot in his unit, or orders the guard company to open fire, causing bloodshed, then he has truly fallen into the enemy's trap.

Once he leaves this place, the veteran military commanders behind him and the trump cards in his hands will naturally come into play.

"You're smart to know what's good for you!" Wu Qiang sneered, waving his hand. "Take him away! Lock him in the cowshed in the basement! Take this secretary surnamed Zhao with you!"

Lin Yang and Zhao Lichun were roughly escorted out of the office building.

Under the gaze of countless complex eyes, Lin Yang's back remained ramrod straight, like a steel spear that would never bend.

……

The second basement floor of the Ministry of Heavy Industry's office building, which was originally a storage room for old tables and chairs, has now been converted into a temporary detention center for "capitalist roaders," commonly known as a "cowshed."

In the dark and damp room, only a dim incandescent light was on.

Zhao Lichun was tied to a dilapidated wooden chair. Half of the lens of his gold-rimmed glasses was broken, and there was a cut on his forehead from which blood flowed down his cheek, staining his faded Zhongshan suit red.

Lin Yang was locked in a separate room next door to prevent them from colluding.

The door to the room was pushed open, and Wu Qiang walked in carrying a stack of letters and a dip pen. Behind him were two burly men carrying belts.

"Secretary Zhao, you're not having a good time, are you?" Wu Qiang walked up to Zhao Lichun and looked at the once high-ranking minister with a smug expression.

Zhao Lichun slowly raised his head and spat out a mouthful of bloody saliva. Although he looked disheveled, his one intact eye revealed a chilling mockery and ruthlessness.

"Wu Qiang, that's all you've got. You used to wag your tail like a dog, and now you think you can turn the world upside down just because you've latched onto a powerful figure?"

"You're so stubborn!" Wu Qiang slapped Zhao Lichun across the face, making Zhao Lichun's head snap to one side.

Wu Qiang slammed the letter and pen onto the small table in front of Zhao Lichun, sneering, "Zhao Lichun, let me show you a clear path. You're Lin Yang's political secretary; you know best what he does in the shadows. Just write a denunciation here, proving that Lin Yang is indeed connected with American imperialism and that he opposes the Great Leader's line. I guarantee you won't suffer any physical pain, and once we completely smash the old bureaucracy of the Ministry of Heavy Industry, the position of Director of the General Office will still be yours!"