Siheyuan: At the beginning, I can integrate everything!

Late at night.

The Hongxing Courtyard was as quiet as a graveyard; not even a dog barked.

The cold wind whistled through the bare branches, making a strange, whimpering sound.

The boundary between the front yard and the middle yard.

Two hunched-back, dark figures wrapped in tattered cotton clothes crept into the front yard like two nocturnal mice.

It was Yi Zhonghai and Yan Bugui.

The daytime spectacle of armored vehicles leading the way and armed arrests terrified the two old men.

The image of Liu Haizhong being dragged away like a dead pig, and the miserable state of being reduced to a lifelong latrine cleaner, played on repeat in their minds like a nightmare.

They were scared, truly scared.

This five-and-a-half-year-old Zhang Huaimin is not an orphan at all; he is a living Yama who has connections to the heavens!

If they are not careful, Liu Haizhong will serve as a cautionary tale for them.

"Old Yi, are we...are we really going?"

Yan Bugui's legs were trembling as he walked, carrying two boxes of Daoxiangcun pastries in his hands, the wrapping paper soaked with cold sweat.

He bought it with money he painstakingly saved up, by gritting his teeth.

"nonsense!"

Yi Zhonghai lowered his voice, his tone revealing a fierce determination, but even more so, fear.

"If we don't appease this little devil, one day he might remember what we did in the past and casually pass a message to one of the soldiers..."

Yi Zhonghai shuddered and dared not continue.

He was also carrying two cans of malted milk powder, which was the best he could offer at the moment.

The two approached the door of the east wing with trepidation.

At the entrance, two fully armed special guards stood like iron towers, their cold eyes sweeping over us.

"What are you doing? Stop right there!"

A guard clicked and released the safety on his rifle.

The loud crack startled Yi Zhonghai and Yan Bugui, who both knelt down in the snow with a thud.

"Sir! We are the stewards of the compound, here to... visit Advisor Huaimin!"

Yi Zhonghai's tongue was tied in knots as he desperately held up the malted milk powder in his hand, as if afraid of being mistaken for a spy and executed.

In the room.

Zhang Huaimin sat cross-legged on the heated kang (a traditional Chinese bed-stove).

He was enjoying a White Rabbit milk candy while flipping through a comic book.

He could hear everything that was happening outside the door.

"Brother Chen, let them in."

Zhang Huaimin's clear, childlike voice pierced through the thick wooden door.

The door creaked open.

Chen Bing stood by the door with a cold face, his eyes sweeping over the two men like knives.

"Go inside! Don't look around, don't move!"

Yi Zhonghai and Yan Bugui scrambled into the house.

As soon as you enter the room, a warm, spring-like heat hits you.

But their hearts were colder than the ice and snow outside.

They dared not raise their heads, and knelt on the red brick ground, crawling forward two steps.

"Advisor Huai-min..."

Yi Zhonghai looked up and glanced at Zhang Huaimin, who was sitting leisurely on the kang (a heated brick bed).

The tension in my mind finally snapped.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

Without hesitation, he slammed his head heavily onto the hard red brick floor.

This wasn't just for show; after a few bumps, bloody marks appeared, and his forehead was covered in bruises.

Seeing this, Yan Bugui dared not fall behind and also began to kowtow repeatedly.

While tapping the pastries, he pushed the box of pastries he cherished forward.

"Advisor Huaimin! My little darling!"

Yi Zhonghai looked miserable, his face covered in tears and snot, his former dignified demeanor completely gone.

"We were blinded by greed and made a foolish mistake!"

"They all did those despicable things because they listened to that bastard Liu Haizhong's slander!"

He firmly placed all the pots on Liu Haizhong's head, who had already been relegated to shoveling manure.

"We truly know we were wrong! Please, have mercy and let us go!"

Yi Zhonghai's words were extremely humble, even shameless.

To save his life, he had already trampled on even the most basic dignity.

Yan Bugui chimed in from the side, his voice trembling like a leaf:

"Yes, yes! Huaimin, Third Uncle... no, I, your humble servant, schemed against you before, I deserve to die!"

"From now on, in this compound, if you point east, we'll never go west!"

"We will absolutely follow your lead and serve you like a slave!"

Looking at these two old foxes who once held sway and lorded it over the courtyard house.

At this moment, they were kneeling before him like two lapdogs, wagging their tails and begging for mercy.

Zhang Huaimin remained silent.

He just watched them quietly, then peeled another piece of candy and put it in his mouth.

The sweet aroma of milk filled the air.

Those few seconds of silence felt like an eternity to Yi Zhonghai and Yan Bugui.

Every second was like torture for their nerves.

"Alright."

Finally, Zhang Huaimin spoke.

He casually tossed the comic book onto the kang table and clapped his hands.

"Uncle, Uncle, you are also elders in the courtyard."

"Kneeling like this, people will think I'm bullying you."

Zhang Huaimin's tone was very calm, even carrying a hint of childlike naiveté.

But to Yi Zhonghai and his companion, it sounded like celestial music.

"We won't bully you! We won't bully you! It's our own choice!"

Yi Zhonghai quickly got up from the ground, but his back was still deeply hunched over.

"Advisor Huaimin, please keep these malted milk powder and pastries to nourish your body."

Yi Zhonghai carefully placed the items on the table, barely daring to breathe.

"I'll accept the things."

Zhang Huaimin looked at the few meager gifts and a meaningful smile appeared on his lips.

"As long as everyone gets along well in the future, this courtyard will still be the same courtyard."

"If any more unhealthy practices or evil influences emerge..."

Zhang Huaimin paused for a moment, his gaze suddenly turning cold.

"You've all seen what happened to Captain Liu."

"We heard you! We will definitely behave properly!"

Yi Zhonghai and Yan Bugui felt as if they had been granted a pardon and bowed repeatedly.

They wouldn't dare to have even the slightest wicked thought.

Even if they had ten times the courage, they wouldn't dare to touch a hair on Zhang Huaimin's head now.

"Well... Advisor Huaimin, please rest. We won't disturb you any longer."

Yi Zhonghai pulled Yan Bugui along, and the two of them backed out of the east wing room as if avoiding a plague.

The door slammed shut.

Chen Bing glanced at the things on the table and snorted coldly.

"Huaimin, those two old foxes are just opportunists, they can't be trusted."

"I know."

Zhang Huaimin picked up the can of malted milk powder, glanced at the production date, and casually threw it into the trash can in the corner.

"We keep them around just to reduce the buzzing of flies."

"Things that happen in the compound are ultimately just petty squabbles that can't be brought to the table."

Zhang Huaimin sat cross-legged again and closed his eyes.

Just now, Yi Zhonghai and Yan Bugui completely surrendered.

It gave him a sense of control he had never felt before.

This sense of control comes not only from power and violence.

It is also a complete crushing of the spirit.

Just then.

Deep in Zhang Huaimin's mind.

Suddenly, a dazzling blue light burst forth!

"Ding!"

An extremely crisp electronic notification tone rang out, like celestial music.

[The host has successfully intimidated all the villains in the compound and completely taken control of the courtyard's power!]

The compound instance has been completely cleared!

[Congratulations, host, on achieving the hidden achievement: "Company Overlord"!]

[Rewards are being distributed...]

[Congratulations, host! You have successfully unlocked the advanced spatial trait: 'Spatial Gravity Forbidden Zone'!]