Courtyard House: Initial Donation of 50 Million

After receiving the highest instructions from Zhongnanhai, Li Keqin finally relaxed a little after being on edge for several days.

His insistence on reporting Wang Huanbo's suspicious points was not out of deliberate harassment of a meritorious official, but rather a matter of duty as the head of the National Intelligence and Defense Headquarters. In his position, he had to nip problems in the bud and investigate all unknown risks, even if the other party was a pillar of the nation praised by the entire country; all unusual suspicions had to be thoroughly investigated.

However, he always knew in his heart that Wang Huanbo's unparalleled contributions to the rise of China's industry and technology were beyond the reach of ordinary people. If a large-scale investigation and interrogation were carried out, and the news leaked out, it would surely dampen the enthusiasm of returning talents and patriotic overseas Chinese, which would be detrimental to the country's overall efforts to attract talent and promote development.

The compromise between the head of the household and the second-in-command not only safeguarded the bottom line of national security but also protected the reputation and morale of the meritorious officials. It is the most prudent and comprehensive approach at present.

Upon returning to the Special Operations Bureau, Li Keqin immediately summoned his most trusted and capable deputy.

This deputy had followed him for many years, weathered countless espionage storms, acted meticulously, kept his mouth shut, and was well-versed in the rules of covert investigations. He was the only person who could be fully entrusted with top-secret private investigation missions.

With the office doors and windows tightly shut, cutting off all outside noise, Li Keqin, with a solemn expression, explained the verification details to his deputy one by one, each word precise and each sentence solemn.

"Immediately initiate a silent investigation, conducted entirely covertly. No case will be filed, no records will be kept, and the field team will not be mobilized. You will lead the operation alone, conducting a small-scale, covert investigation."

"The core of the investigation is only one thing: to find out the source of Comrade Wang Huanbo's unpredictable skills, to investigate all the blank details in his past and his network of connections, and to verify whether there are any unknown hidden dangers."

"Remember these three ironclad rules: First, never disturb Wang Huanbo himself, and never contact his family, relatives, or colleagues; second, never leak any information about the investigation, and keep it only between the two of us; third, absolutely do not affect his work or life, and do not cause any interference to the production and research of Red Star United Industrial Corporation."

Li Keqin repeatedly issued orders and instructions, clearly explaining the appropriate limits, bottom lines, and taboos, strictly prohibiting any form of excessive investigation or public scrutiny, and eliminating any possibility of disturbing meritorious officials.

The deputy, with a solemn expression, accepted the order and strictly adhered to confidentiality rules throughout, asking no questions before quietly deploying covert verification procedures.

A silent investigation targeting the pillars of the nation unfolded quietly, hidden beneath the surface of the crowds and daily life, unnoticed by anyone.

Just as undercurrents were swirling and a network was being quietly laid in Beijing's espionage scene, a group of long-awaited special guests arrived at Beijing Airport in November 1958.

The Soviet expert team, which was supposed to arrive in China a month earlier to begin its aid work, finally landed safely at the Beijing military airport on a Soviet-dedicated special plane after several delays and multiple deployments.

The reception was of an extremely high standard, jointly coordinated by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and received high-level official hospitality throughout, demonstrating the hospitality expected of a major power.

All the vehicles used for commuting and welcoming the Soviet experts were the latest mass-produced Hongqi high-end sedans from the Hongxing United Industrial Corporation. Their paint was as glossy as a mirror, their body lines were dignified and imposing, their interiors were exquisite and well-organized, and their craftsmanship was superb. Each one was a pinnacle of China's current civilian automotive industry.

These Soviet experts were all top-notch technical talents and industry authorities in the Soviet Union, enjoying prestigious status. Each of them had their own official car and high-level privileges, and they rode in the highest-spec official cars in the Soviet Union year-round. They had extremely high standards, and ordinary vehicles simply did not meet their standards.

But when they stepped off the special plane and lined up in neat rows to see the imposing rows of domestically produced Hongqi cars, everyone looked astonished, their eyes filled with disbelief.

"Is this a high-end sedan produced in China?"

"The appearance, craftsmanship, and quality far surpass those of our Soviet Volga and ZIM cars!"

A group of Soviet experts stepped forward to observe, touching the car body's craftsmanship and examining the interior features, becoming increasingly amazed. In their preconceived notions, the nascent Chinese industrial base was weak and had started late, with heavy industry and high-end manufacturing lagging far behind the Soviet Union, making it impossible for them to produce such high-end passenger vehicles.

However, when the reception staff clearly informed them that this batch of Hongqi high-end cars was completely domestically produced, independently designed, and independently forged, and that all core components and power systems were independently developed and mass-produced by Hongxing United Industrial Corporation without any foreign technology support, all the Soviet experts' views were completely changed, and they instantly looked at China's current industrial level with new respect.

As everyone boarded the vehicle and took their seats, the exceptional driving experience left the experts deeply impressed.

The Hongqi sedan's self-developed shock absorption and sound insulation systems perform exceptionally well, offering a level of comfort far exceeding that of high-end official vehicles in the Soviet Union. The convoy traveled along Beijing's main roads, traversing several sections of old, bumpy, and uneven roadbeds, yet the vehicles remained remarkably stable. Passengers experienced virtually no bumps or vibrations, and the interior was remarkably quiet, providing a truly top-tier driving experience.

A group of technical experts praised the rapid rise of China's industry, and the atmosphere inside the car was relaxed and enthusiastic.

Beneath this seemingly friendly exchange of praise and conversation, in the back seat of one of the Hongqi sedans in the convoy, a middle-aged mechanical expert with a refined demeanor and gold-rimmed glasses casually rested his fingertips on the car door armrest, but a deep sense of gloom and apprehension lurked in his eyes.

His name was Vasily, and his public identity was that of a senior engineer at the Soviet Heavy Machinery Research Institute. He had an impeccable resume and was highly skilled in his field, making him one of the core members of the expert team in the mechanical field. But no one knew that his true identity was an elite intelligence agent directly under the First Directorate of the KGB, codenamed "Mountain Eagle."

Vasily's heart skipped a beat when he first saw the Hongqi sedan.

Before setting off, the intelligence provided by the KGB headquarters clearly stated that China's automobile industry was still in its infancy, relying on Soviet aid for core technologies, and even the most advanced official vehicles were merely imitations and improvements. However, this Hongqi car in front of them, in terms of body stamping technology, paint quality, and overall design language, had already surpassed the Soviet ZIM sedan by a whole level, reaching the level of a mature, domestically produced high-end model.

This means that the intelligence from headquarters was seriously flawed.

Vasily remained outwardly calm, nodding in admiration along with the expert beside him, his tone full of appreciation, but his mind was racing. He subtly felt the smoothness of the vehicle as it traversed the bumpy road, listening to the almost negligible engine noise, his apprehension growing ever deeper.

If even a high-end civilian car can achieve this level of sophistication, then the legendary three-axis precision CNC machine tools, microcomputers, and arc reactors must be far more technologically advanced than described in intelligence files.

He knew very well that this team of experts had far more than just him as an undercover agent.

The KGB headquarters had been preparing for this operation for a full month—which was the real reason for the expert team's delayed arrival in China. They meticulously selected elites from various departments, fabricated flawless identities and resumes, and then strategically placed them within the expert team. These individuals were completely isolated from each other, with no horizontal communication, and all maintained a single-line connection with headquarters in Moscow. The team included not only technical agents like him, but also "swallows" specifically tasked with infiltration and seduction, each targeting different levels of the organization.

Such extreme secrecy is designed to evade screening by China's national security authorities; even if someone is exposed, the entire network will never be implicated.

Their core objective was highly consistent: the Red Star United Industrial Corporation, and the chief engineer who single-handedly created all the industrial miracles—Wang Huanbo.

Vasily's fingers tightened slightly as his gaze swept across the rapidly receding cityscape outside the window, a chill creeping into his heart.

The Soviet Union desperately needed these technologies. Precision machine tools were the mother machines of heavy industry, electronic computers were the core of future technology, and the arc reactor was a revolutionary technology that could completely change the energy landscape. If these technologies could be stolen and brought back to the Soviet Union, it would not only quickly fill the gaps in precision manufacturing and civilian industry, but also give the Soviet Union an absolute advantage in the US-Soviet rivalry.

He had initially thought this would be a relatively easy infiltration mission, given China's weak industrial base and imperfect security system. However, after personally experiencing the technical capabilities of the Red Star Factory, Vasily completely abandoned any previous underestimation.

The people who developed these groundbreaking technologies are definitely not simple characters.

He even subconsciously recalled the words his superior had specifically instructed him before he left: Wang Huanbo is a man with an unfathomable background and extremely high security. He must not act rashly.

Inside the smoothly moving Hongqi sedan, Vasily slowly withdrew his gaze, his eyes behind his glasses regaining their calm, revealing only unfathomable calculation.

Not urgent.

The cooperation period with China was long enough for him to have access to the production lines, technical blueprints, and core R&D departments of the Red Star Factory. As long as he could get close to Wang Huanbo and infiltrate the core R&D circle, there would always be an opportunity to gradually transmit these cutting-edge technologies back to Moscow.

A transnational espionage conspiracy, disguised as aid to China but aimed at stealing China's cutting-edge industrial technology, has quietly descended upon Beijing, targeting the Red Star General Factory and that unpredictable and accomplished pillar of the nation.