Courtyard House: First, kill the hypocrites, leave none alive.

Room 203, second floor of the guesthouse.

The dim light bulb cast a halo that barely illuminated a corner, casting blurry, flickering shadows on the wall. It was completely dark outside, with only the occasional indistinct shouts and bicycle bells in the distance, emphasizing the silence of the small room.

Xiaoyu had changed into clean clothes, her short hair, half-dry from washing, softly clung to her pale forehead. She sat on the edge of the bed, covered with Chen Feng's coat, holding an enamel mug in her hands, sipping warm water. Her eyes occasionally glanced up at Chen Feng sitting in the chair opposite her; the initial fear in her eyes had faded somewhat, but her dependence and unease were still clearly visible.

Chen Feng kept looking at her, his gaze calm, with a kind of desperate, almost greedy focus. Two months of separation, more than sixty days and nights of agonizing searching, had finally brought him a brief moment of solace. His sister was alive, right before him, breathing, thin and frightened, but alive.

That's enough. As long as she's alive, he has the reason and the strength to continue.

"Go to sleep," Chen Feng said in a very low voice, afraid of disturbing the hard-won tranquility. "Get a good night's sleep here, no one will bother you."

Xiaoyu looked at him and nodded gently. After two hellish months in the shantytown, this not-so-comfortable, even somewhat dilapidated wooden bed, this room with a door and a lock, and her brother watching over her, were now an unimaginable safe haven for her.

She obediently lay down, pulled the blanket up, revealing only half of her face, her eyes still fixed on Chen Feng.

Chen Feng got up, walked to the bedside, squatted down, and took the revolver out of his pocket. The gun was cold, with a dull metallic luster under the light. He carefully took out the bullets, loaded them into the cylinder, closed it, and handed it to Xiaoyu.

"Put this under your pillow," he said softly, his tone as calm as if he were instructing someone on an ordinary item. "If... in the unlikely event that someone breaks in, and it's not someone you know, take this out, point it at them, and pull the trigger here." He pointed to the trigger. "Don't be afraid, your brother will be back soon."

Xiaoyu stared at the pistol, her pupils contracting slightly, her fingers twitching for a moment. But quickly, she reached out and took the weapon, which felt somewhat heavy to her. She didn't ask why, nor did she show excessive fear; she simply gripped the handle tightly and nodded. These two months on the run had taught her the meaning of weapons and violence.

Chen Feng then pulled out several stacks of money and food coupons from his inner pocket, all of large denominations, a thick pile. He carefully stuffed them under Xiaoyu's pillow and weighed them down. "Keep these safe too. In case... I mean in case, your brother comes home late, or... you get hungry, cold, or need anything, just take these to buy it. But remember, try not to go out, lock the door, and don't open it for anyone except me."

He paused, looking into his sister's clear yet deeply wounded eyes, and his heart felt as if it had been pricked by a needle. He reached out and gently brushed away the stray hairs from her forehead, his touch softer than ever before.

"Xiaoyu," his voice was lower and deeper, carrying an undeniable promise, "Brother has some errands to run. You stay here and wait for me. Soon, when I'm done, I'll take you away from here to a place where no one knows us, and we'll never be apart again."

Xiaoyu's eyes quickly welled up with tears. She blinked hard, forcing the tears back, gripped the gun and money under her pillow even tighter, nodded forcefully, and squeezed out a weak but clear word from her throat: "Mmm."

Chen Feng took one last look at her, as if trying to etch this moment into his mind. Then he stood up, walked to the door, checked that the latch was secure, and listened to the sounds outside.

"Go to sleep," he said again, his back to her.

He heard the rustling of blankets behind him. Xiaoyu lay down and closed her eyes. But Chen Feng knew she wouldn't fall asleep so easily.

He didn't linger. He gently opened the door, slipped out, and carefully closed it from the outside. Hearing the soft "click" of the latch being inserted from inside, he turned around. The gentleness and calmness on his face vanished instantly, leaving only a cold hardness and chilling killing intent.

He hurried downstairs, passing through the empty reception area—the middle-aged woman on night duty had apparently gone off to doze off somewhere—and slipped out of the guesthouse like a shadow, disappearing into the deep night outside.

The night wind was cold, carrying the bleakness of early winter. Chen Feng turned up his collar, obscuring half his face, and walked swiftly and silently towards the west of the city. The coal dust on his face had been washed away, and he had changed into a more inconspicuous dark gray work uniform, his hat pulled low. At this moment, he was no longer the brother who tried his best to control his emotions and carefully comfort his sister, but had transformed back into the avenger who had crawled back from hell, his hands covered in blood.

Xiaoyu has been found, and half of my anxiety has subsided. But the other half, the heavier part, is just beginning.

Those who offered rewards for finding Xiaoyu, those who lurked in the shadows like hyenas, trying to use his sister's safety to obtain the reward or achieve other goals, must pay the price.

Especially the Zhao family.

Zhao Jianguo is dead, but his family is still alive. His brothers, nephews, and nieces are still alive. They are still offering bounties, still taking action, and still trying to use Xiaoyu as bait. The four thugs in the shantytown are just small fry. The real threat is the Zhao family behind them, who are providing the money and the ideas.

And then there are... all sorts of people from all walks of life who, while not directly involved in the bounty, are also searching for Xiaoyu, with varying motives. As Skinny Monkey had previously reported, besides the bounties offered by the Zhao family and "Wang Dagang" (himself), several other forces on the black market are also secretly inquiring. Some want to sell information for money, some want to take the opportunity to curry favor with the Zhao family or "Wang Dagang," and some are simply joining in the fun or have ulterior motives.

These people are like flies buzzing around a wound, disgusting and potentially bringing new infections and dangers at any moment.

Before he could get Xiaoyu out of Beijing safely, he had to swat these flies with one slap.

Not a single one can be left alive.

In the west of the city, deep within a low-rise shantytown that is even more dilapidated and crowded than the south of the city.

There were hardly any decent roads here, only muddy paths worn into the ground, winding between crooked shacks and garbage heaps. The air was thick with a sour, rotten smell, even more pungent than in the south of the city, mixed with the strange odor of cheap coal smoke and some kind of chemical. A few tiny oil lamps flickered through the cracks in the shacks, illuminating numb or wary faces.

Chen Feng was no stranger to this place. One of the several places of refuge that Skinny Monkey had found for him was on the edge of this area, in an abandoned, semi-underground brick kiln. It was more secluded and safer than an air-raid shelter—because it was dirty and chaotic enough that even the police were reluctant to conduct in-depth patrols.

He turned into a narrow alleyway that was almost blocked by garbage, pushed open a half-closed door made of broken wooden planks and sheet metal, and went in sideways.

Inside was a small space, probably a rest area for brick kiln workers in the past, now filled with all sorts of odds and ends, the air thick and stuffy. A kerosene lamp hung from the beam, illuminating a few people sitting around a broken wooden table.

Skinny Monkey, along with his three most capable henchmen—nicknamed "Iron Head," "Loach," and "Gap Tooth"—were all longtime followers of Scarface Wang, ruthless but relatively loyal. Upon seeing Chen Feng enter, the four immediately stood up.

"Big Steel Brother." Skinny Monkey greeted him, his expression somewhat grave. He clearly already knew what had happened in the shantytown—four corpses, a gunfight. Although the news was being suppressed by the police for the time being, it had already spread through the underworld.

Chen Feng nodded, said nothing, and walked straight to the table to sit down. The other three also sat down, but all sat up straight, their eyes filled with awe and a hint of barely perceptible fear. This "Wang Dagang," although he hadn't been around for long, had already far surpassed the deceased Scarface Wang Dali in his decisiveness, ruthlessness, sophistication, and powerful aura. Especially the clean and efficient four-man kill in the shantytown last night had truly terrified them.

"You know everything?" Chen Feng asked, his voice not loud, but exceptionally clear in the quiet cave.

Skinny Monkey nodded, swallowing hard. "I've heard. Big Steel, you...you found the person?"

Chen Feng didn't answer directly, his cold gaze sweeping over the four men: "Anyone who looks for her must die."

These words, spoken so casually, caused the temperature inside the cave dwelling to drop several degrees.

Skinny Monkey and the others exchanged bewildered glances, their eyes filled with shock. Everyone? This was far too vast! The Zhao family had offered a 500-yuan reward, Big Steel himself had offered a 1000-yuan reward, and with others who had jumped on the bandwagon, there were at least dozens, if not hundreds, of people involved, with complex backgrounds. There were ordinary thugs, relatives of the Zhao family with some influence, and possibly even some with official connections secretly involved…

"Brother Da Gang, this..." Skinny Monkey forced a smile, his voice dry, "All the people we've found... there are just too many, and what about the Zhao family..."

"The Zhao family?" Chen Feng interrupted him, a cold smile curving his lips, his eyes sharp as knives, piercing the skinny monkey. "What? Scared?"

The murderous intent and pressure in that gaze sent chills down Skinny Monkey's spine, and the words he was about to say stuck in his throat. He had no doubt that if he showed any sign of backing down or questioning, this "Big Steel Brother" would not hesitate to eliminate him first.

"No! Don't be afraid!" Skinny Monkey immediately straightened up, his voice rising with an almost instinctive will to survive. "We'll definitely do what Brother Da Gang ordered! It's just... the Zhao family has more people, and they're definitely on guard now. If we attack directly..."

"I didn't say we were going to storm into the Zhao family and kill them." Chen Feng withdrew his gaze, his fingers lightly tapping on the rough wooden table, producing a rhythmic "tap-tap" sound that was particularly eerie in the silence. "The Zhao family's bounty is based on money and their so-called 'family influence.' Money can gather people, but it can also scatter them. Influence, without a core, is just a pile of loose sand."

He paused, his voice growing colder: "Zhao Jianjun is the boss, he has some influence in the steel mill. Zhao Jianshe and Zhao Jianye each have their own connections. Wang Qiang is the breakthrough point, but not enough. What I want is for the Zhao family to be completely thrown into chaos, unable to take care of themselves, and no longer having the mind or ability to look for others."

Skinny Monkey seemed to understand something: "Big Steel means..."

"Zhao Jianguo is dead. Who does the Zhao family hate the most now? Besides me, who else?" Chen Feng asked.

Skinny Monkey thought for a moment: "Wang Dagang? You?" He didn't quite understand.

Chen Feng glanced at him: "It's 'Wang Dagang.' A guy who came from out of town, killed Scarface's henchmen, and then offered a thousand-dollar reward to compete with them for the chance to find him. In the Zhao family's eyes, 'Wang Dagang' is a rival who's competing with them for revenge, an enemy in the underworld."

Skinny Monkey's eyes lit up: "Provoke? Let the Zhao family fight with 'Wang Dagang' first?"

"Not enough." Chen Feng shook his head. "We need to make them feel that 'Wang Dagang' is not only an opponent, but also a more dangerous and direct threat than Chen Feng. We need to make the Zhao family feel that 'Wang Dagang' has already found Chen Xiaoyu, or will find her soon, and that once he finds her, he will not only not use her to lure Chen Feng, but will instead use her to blackmail the Zhao family, or... simply take her away and leave, so that the Zhao family can never take revenge."

The cave was silent except for the crackling of the burning kerosene lamp wick. Skinny Monkey and his men were terrified, a chill running down their spines. This scheme was utterly insidious, completely exploiting the Zhao family's eagerness for revenge and their distrust and fear of underworld figures.

"How do we do it?" the skinny monkey asked.

"Spread the word that 'Wang Dagang's' men have made a major discovery in the south of the city, finding clues to Chen Xiaoyu's whereabouts and that they will soon capture her. The information must be true and detailed, such as... the specific area and what distinctive items they saw," Chen Feng said slowly. "At the same time, spread another message, saying that 'Wang Dagang' is looking for Chen Xiaoyu not to avenge Scarface, but because he's after the five hundred yuan reward offered by the Zhao family, and may even... be colluding with Chen Feng."

"Can we trust the Zhao family?" Tie Tou couldn't help but ask.

"They have no choice but to believe it." Chen Feng sneered. "Zhao Jianguo just died, and the Zhao family is now paranoid, seeing everyone as the murderer, especially 'Wang Dagang,' who has a conflict of interest with them. As long as the information we release is convincing enough, and we arrange one or two 'accidents'—for example, the people the Zhao family sent to spy on 'Wang Dagang's' men are inexplicably injured or disappear; or, 'Wang Dagang's' men are 'accidentally' caught by the Zhao family in a sensitive area—once the seeds of suspicion are sown, they will quickly take root and sprout."

Skinny Monkey nodded. Although the plan was insidious, it was indeed effective. Double-crossing and mutual suspicion were the most common occurrences in the underworld.

"What about the others who were looking for Chen Xiaoyu?" Mudfish asked, "Those lone wolves, thugs and hooligans?"

Chen Feng's eyes suddenly turned incredibly cold: "Clean them up. Everyone who actively inquired or took any significant action after the bounty was announced, regardless of whether it was for money or something else. Skinny Monkey, you should have the list."

Skinny Monkey felt a chill run down his spine. He had indeed obtained a list of people who had recently shown unusual enthusiasm for the "young girl with a mole on her neck and wearing a red string necklace" through his subordinates and other channels. The list included some black market brokers, thugs who took dirty jobs, and even a few street urchins. It turned out that Big Steel Brother had noticed this all along.

"Yes, some," the skinny monkey nodded.

"Find them one by one and deal with them. Make it clean, like a revenge killing, a double-cross, an accident, whatever you want. In short, let everyone know that touching this will lead to death." Chen Feng's voice was devoid of any emotion. "I want everyone in Beijing who is still eyeing Chen Xiaoyu to be terrified at the mere mention of her name, and to avoid her altogether."

"Understood!" Skinny Monkey and the other three responded in unison, a layer of cold sweat seeping down their backs. This was about to unleash a massacre, a bloodbath.

"And one more thing," Chen Feng added, stopping his tapping, "prepare some explosives. Not too many, but loud enough, scary enough."

"Explosives?" Skinny Monkey exclaimed in surprise again. "Big Steel, you're going to...?"

"Doesn't the Zhao family like to offer bounties? Don't they think they're rich and powerful?" Chen Feng stood up, the kerosene lamp casting his long shadow on the mottled brick wall, like a demon god ready to devour anyone. "I'll give them a big gift. Let them know that some lines, once crossed, will be washed away with blood."

He walked to the entrance of the cave dwelling and glanced back at the four people who were still in shock.

"If you do a good job, I won't treat you unfairly. If you mess it up..." He didn't finish his sentence, but the unspoken threat was more chilling than any words.

After saying that, he pushed open the door, his figure disappearing into the thick, impenetrable night outside.

Inside the cave, Skinny Monkey and the others remained motionless for a long time, looking at each other, each seeing deep fear and a hint of mad excitement ignited in the other's eyes.

"Brother Monkey, this... are we really going to do it?" The man with the gap-toothed man licked his lips, his voice dry.

Skinny Monkey took a deep breath and gritted his teeth: "Let's do it! If we don't, we'll die right now! If we do it, maybe we can make a name for ourselves following Brother Big Steel! The Zhao family... humph, a bunch of scum who act arrogantly just because they have some status. I've disliked them for a long time!"

A ruthless glint flashed in his eyes: "Do as Brother Da Gang says! First, spread the word and stir up trouble! Iron Head and Mud Loach, you two take your men to 'visit' the people on the list, and be quick about it! Gap Tooth, you contact Old Ghost who deals in explosives, make sure they're powerful and loud, money is no object!"

Once the order was given, the small group immediately began to operate silently, like a sophisticated killing machine.

The night grew deeper. A bloody purge and retaliation targeting all the searchers, especially the Zhao family, quietly began.

Chen Feng was walking back to the guesthouse. His steps were still steady, but his eyes were even more deep and cold than when he arrived.

Light rain, wait a little longer. Let your brother clean up the flies around and eliminate the last potential hazard.

Then we left.

Leave this place of sin and hatred forever.

Everyone who has hurt us must pay the price.

Not a single one can be left alive.