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

"President." Zhao Lichun took a deep breath, raised his head, and a heart-stopping wildfire rekindled in his cloudy eyes.

"This game in Handong is too rigid; it's impossible to play it well. Those capitalists are ravenous wolves who devour people without spitting out the bones. Dealing with them with gentleness, kindness, courtesy, frugality, and humility won't work. We must be even more greedy, more cunning, and more unscrupulous than them to squeeze their money and technology out of their pockets and keep them on our land in Handong!"

Zhao Lichun's voice became firm and sinister.

"Chief Gao is a flawless piece of white jade; he can't do this kind of dirty work that involves wallowing in the mud. But I, Zhao Lichun, can do this job! I'm willing to be this black knife covered in mud, to snatch meat from the mouths of foreign capital for the chairman and for Handong!"

Looking at Zhao Lichun's bloodthirsty appearance that had been restored, Lin Yang finally curled up a deep, cold smile.

This is the effect he wanted.

Only when Zhao Lichun, this heavy war machine, is attached to it can it unleash its most terrifying speed.

"Very good. It seems your brain hasn't completely rusted after all these years at the local history office."

Lin Yang walked back to his desk and opened the bottom left drawer with a combination lock.

He took out a red appointment letter stamped with the joint seal of the "Modern Reform and Development Association" and the Organization Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China.

Snapped.

Lin Yang casually tossed the appointment letter onto the table and pushed it in front of Zhao Lichun.

"Deputy Director-General of Economic Development for the Handong Region. Enjoys the treatment of a full-fledged department-level official and has full authority over all investment promotion, infrastructure approval, and foreign investment project negotiation in Handong."

Lin Yang's voice was like that of a god who judges fate.

Zhao Lichun looked at the official document on the table, and his body trembled violently.

His breathing was rapid, like a bellows, and his eyes were fixed on the few lead words that represented supreme power. He was in a state of near-manic ecstasy.

He is back!

Zhao Lichun has finally crawled back from hell and stood once again on the stage of this turbulent era!

"but."

Lin Yang's icy voice was like a bucket of cold water mixed with ice shards, instantly extinguishing the arrogance that had just ignited in Zhao Lichun's heart.

"You're not going back to Handong this time to be the general manager, but the deputy. Your direct superior will still be Gao Yuliang."

Lin Yang placed his hands on the table, leaning slightly forward, and the terrifying pressure he exerted pinned Zhao Lichun to the spot.

"This is called the balance of Yin and Yang, the art of checks and balances. You go and get money, projects, and foreign investment for Handong. If you use those shady, underhanded methods to deal with foreign businessmen, Gao Yuliang will be watching you. He will use Party discipline and national laws to punish you. You'd better behave yourself! You will not be allowed to have any thoughts of resistance!"

Lin Yang's eyes flashed with extreme coldness and murderous intent.

"As long as you don't reach into the pockets of ordinary people, as long as you don't cross the bottom line of national defense and military industry, I don't care how you fight with those capitalists outside, or what kind of shady business methods you use to undermine their employees."

"But if you dare to continue as before, attempting to form cliques in Handong, establish your own independent kingdom, and try to sideline Gao Yuliang..."

Lin Yang's voice was extremely low, yet it seemed to pierce Zhao Lichun's eardrums and strike his heart directly.

"Gao Yuliang has a special arrest warrant that I personally signed. He doesn't need to consult me, nor does he need to go through any inter-departmental procedures. As long as you cross the line even slightly, he can have his internal security forces handcuff you and execute you on the spot!"

"Did you understand?"

Zhao Lichun felt a chill run down his spine and straight to the top of his head, and all the hairs on his body stood on end in that instant.

He knew that Lin Yang had put the most deadly noose around his neck this time.

Gao Yuliang is the one holding the remote control; if he has the slightest disloyalty, he could be crushed to pieces at any moment.

But he didn't care!

As long as he can regain power, as long as he can once again experience the thrill of commanding the world and stirring up the winds of change, he would gladly accept it even if the sword of Damocles hangs over his head!

"I understand! I completely understand Lichun now!"

Zhao Lichun suddenly took a step back.

Without hesitation, he knelt down on both knees again.

This time, however, his back was ramrod straight, and his eyes gleamed with an almost beastly fervor and absolute submission.

"I, Zhao Lichun, am the chairman's man in life and in death! Wherever Chief Gao points, I will fight! If I, Zhao Lichun, cannot double the economy of Handong within three years, and cannot extract all the foreign technology and leave it on our land, I, Zhao Lichun, will offer my head to you!"

Zhao Lichun kowtowed heavily, the blood on his forehead smearing on the blue bricks, making it look particularly tragic.

Lin Yang looked at the vicious wolf kneeling on the ground with unfathomable eyes.

This grand game has finally completed its most crucial and sharpest piece.

Gao Yuliang was in charge of law and order, and he was in charge of governing the world; Zhao Lichun was in charge of killing and plundering wealth.

This interplay of good and evil, light and darkness, is enough to unleash an economic storm across the vast land of Handong, making capital worldwide tremble.

"Take your letter of appointment."

Lin Yang turned away, no longer looking at Zhao Lichun.

He walked to the window and looked at the gradually darkening night outside.

"Get out of here in Handong first thing tomorrow morning. Don't let me hear Gao Yuliang complaining to me about your unruly behavior on the phone."

Zhao Lichun held the red appointment letter tightly to his chest with trembling hands, as if it were a second life, as if he had found a treasure.

He got up from the ground and bowed deeply.

"Take care, President. I'll take my leave on the day of Lichun."

Zhao Lichun walked backwards to the door, then carefully pushed it open and disappeared into the night outside.

The spacious study was once again filled with a deathly silence.

Lin Yang stood quietly by the window for a long time.

He turned around and slowly walked back to the sandalwood drawing table.

His gaze fell on the brass compass that he had just polished to a shine, gleaming with a cold metallic sheen.

Lin Yang stretched out his right hand, which was covered in calluses.

His long, slender index finger and thumb pinched the brass flip cover of the compass, which was engraved with intricate patterns.

Accompanied by an extremely crisp and crisp "click" sound,

Lin Yang exerted a slight force on his wrist.

He snapped the flip cover of the compass shut instantly and locked it firmly.

···············

In the sweltering summer of 1982, Beijing felt as if it had been encased in a giant steamer.

The scorching heat of the past few days baked the asphalt roads, sending distorted waves of heat emanating from them. The leaves of the tall poplar trees lining the streets curled up, hanging listlessly from their branches. Cicadas chirped tirelessly among the trees, their sharp, monotonous calls only fueling the restlessness of passersby.

However, the Yuquanshan Military Control Zone, located in the western suburbs of the city, still maintains a quiet and strict atmosphere, isolated from the hustle and bustle of the world. The evergreen pines and cypresses covering the mountain cut the scorching sunlight into fine spots, and the cool mountain breeze sweeps over the towering walls, taking away a trace of the heat.