Courtyard Houses: From Bronze Compasses to Global Reach

As batches of steel equipment were piled up in the space warehouse, Lin Yan unfolded the map of Japan once again.

His gaze swept over the names that had become the backbone of Japan's military industry by 1969, and the coldness in his eyes deepened.

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries, Fuji Heavy Industries, Sumitomo Heavy Industries, Mitsui Shipbuilding... Behind each of these names lies a full-scale, all-encompassing weaponry of land, sea, and air, and the unrepentant ambitions of some individuals.

"Gentlemen," he said casually to the five hundred Nascent Soul cultivators standing before him, "we're going to deliver another 'generous gift.' This time, we're not just 'moving,' we're also going to 'enlighten' them."

Under the cover of darkness, the same group of people rushed toward a more heavily guarded target.

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Nagoya Aircraft Mechanics Co., Ltd.

The "Mysterious Yin Isolation Array Plate" descended once more, silently enveloping the area. Immediately afterward, the Nascent Soul cultivators formed hand seals and unleashed the even more unpredictable "Dream Weaving and Soul Capturing Technique."

His divine sense swept across the area like ripples, quickly locking onto the core engineers and technicians wearing white coats or operating precision machine tools.

For these individuals, the power of magic precisely invades their brains, stripping them of all professional knowledge and memories related to military technology, and placing a "chaotic illusion" in their minds. This illusion does not impair their basic living abilities, but it is enough to dull their thinking, rendering them incapable of complex logical reasoning and creative work.

"Young Master said this is called turning them into 'carefree, obedient babies'," a cultivator conveyed Lin Yan's "compassion" through divine thought.

Meanwhile, the whirlwind of looting and shuffling began again. Machine tools, production lines, precision instruments, and even samples from experiments were all swept away.

"All paper documents—drawings, flowcharts, data, reports—not a single one left!" Lin Yan's order was strictly carried out. The drawings and documents in the archives and design department seemed to have been organized and packaged by an invisible hand, disappearing one by one.

For ordinary employees who are not core staff, the gentle "Great Dream of a Thousand Autumns" method remains, allowing them to sleep peacefully without any physical harm.

After the operation concluded, looking at the mountains of military equipment and boxes of technical documents piled up in the warehouse, he clapped his hands in satisfaction, as if he had just completed a routine warehouse inventory.

Wang Qin handed over a cup of tea at the opportune moment.

Lin Yan took the document, took a sip, and looked at him with a half-smile: "Wang Qin, do you think we were particularly 'merciful' this time? Moving the equipment was to prevent them from building more weapons and to maintain peace; taking the data was to prevent the spread of technology. We put a lot of thought into it."

He strolled over to the group of engineer "samples" with blank, vacant eyes, his tone tinged with a mocking pity: "As for these people, I didn't kill a single one. I even spared their lives, just made them... a little more 'naive.' Compared to simply scattering their ashes, this is practically the heart of a bodhisattva, isn't it?"

The more he spoke, the more reasonable he became, and finally, he couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction. Standing with his hands behind his back, he exclaimed, "Tsk tsk, I destroyed its foundation, yet spared its life; I seized its weapons, yet still left it a chance to breathe. I swept the house clean to await the wise men of the future... I, Lin Yan, am truly becoming more and more benevolent!"

Thinking of this, he couldn't help but let out a low, pleasant laugh. He could almost see the next morning, when the sun rose as usual, and the Japanese government and public faced countless empty factories and a large number of "demented" elites, their expressions of frantic confusion, bewilderment, and even fear.

Just as he was about to announce the end of the mission, a flash of inspiration struck him, and he remembered those array plates from several years ago.

"Xie Qingci!" he called out.

A figure appeared in response; it was Xie Qingci, a master of formations. "Your subordinate is here!" he bowed and awaited instructions.

Lin Yan's lips curled into a calculating sneer as he ordered, "Take a few men and find those array plates that we 'forgot' in the waters around Japan a few years ago."

He paused, a playful smirk playing on his lips, like a cat toying with a mouse: "Replace all the spirit stones inside with top-grade ones! The 'Myriad Manifestations Gale Formation' caused enough trouble last time, so take it back for now. But the 'Vortex Dragon Imprisonment Formation' and the 'Boundless Illusionary Sea Formation'..."

His eyes turned icy: "Restart it, and at maximum power! For the next five years, not even a single iron ore, let alone a large cargo ship, will be able to drift into a Japanese harbor!"

What he wanted was not temporary destruction, but a suffocating blockade lasting for years. Without raw materials, even if they still had residual industrial capacity, they would be powerless to make a meal without ingredients.

Xie Qingci understood immediately, a hint of admiration for his young master's methods flashing in his eyes. He immediately clasped his hands in obedience and accepted the order:

"Yes, sir! I will take care of it immediately and ensure that this island nation becomes completely isolated within the next five years!"

Having said that, he turned and selected several cultivators skilled in water escape and formations. They transformed into streaks of light and headed straight for the turbulent sea surrounding Japan. Lin Yan watched them disappear in the direction they went and nodded in satisfaction. This "after-sales service" would likely bring even greater "surprise" to some people.

This "New Year's gift" will surely make some people have an unforgettable New Year.

On the morning of Lunar New Year's Eve, sunlight streamed into the bedroom through the gaps in the curtains. Lin Yan was still asleep when he felt a damp, warm sensation on his face. He groggily opened his eyes and met a pair of large, round, golden eyes.

Lin Yan suddenly reached out and scooped the furry little guy into his arms, beginning his daily routine of "torture".

"Awoo..." Xiao Qi symbolically struggled for a moment.

However, as they played, Xiao Qi seemed to have completely given up "resisting". She simply lay down on her back in his arms, staring with a pair of innocent big eyes, looking like she was completely giving up and was ready to be taken advantage of.

When it stopped resisting, Lin Yan lost interest, and his mischievous enthusiasm quickly faded.

"Alright, alright," he said listlessly, stopping what he was doing. He lifted Xiaoqi up in front of him and rubbed his forehead against its wet little nose. "Boring. Get up, I'll take you to the kitchen and have your sister Yuling make you something delicious."

As he spoke, he picked up the little darling, lifted the covers, got out of bed, and shuffled out the door in his slippers.

After washing up, Lin Yan, unusually, felt the urge to dress up. He opened the walk-in closet, browsed around with interest, and finally changed into a well-tailored dark gray suit with a crisp white shirt collar. He even looked in the mirror, took some hair wax, and meticulously combed his usually slightly casual black hair, instantly making him look exceptionally handsome and radiant.

As he walked briskly downstairs, he ran into He Yushui coming out of the guest room. Seeing his refreshed appearance, Yushui's eyes lit up, and a genuine smile spread across her face. She sincerely praised him, "Xiao Yan, you look so handsome today!"

Lin Yan was taking a steaming cup of coffee from Wang Yuling when he heard this. He smiled slightly and replied casually, "Really? It's New Year's Day, so I have to dress a little more smartly." He took a sip of his coffee and added, "I'm usually too lazy to bother with that."

Wang Yuling interjected with a smile, her tone carrying an undeniable sense of protectiveness: "Young Master, even without dressing up, you're still incredibly handsome." As she spoke, she looked down and playfully touched the little puppy at her feet, which was happily munching on a meat jerky. "Little Seven, right? Isn't our young master the most handsome?"

Xiao Qi immediately released the jerky, tilted its fluffy little head back, and let out a soft "woof" in Lin Yan's direction, wagging its tail like a little windmill, echoing him with all its might.

This tacit understanding made Lin Yan chuckle, and the morning of New Year's Eve started in a good mood.