Courtyard House: Home Alone

He let out a long sigh of relief, placed the steamed buns on the table, and then turned around to start a fire.

The cold stove hadn't been used for a long time, and the firewood to start a fire was a bit damp. He took out some dry firewood from his spatial storage and it took him some effort to light a small flame.

Lin Yifan added a few thin pieces of firewood to the stove, and the orange-red flames flickered, reflecting on his slightly immature yet unusually calm face.

Seeing that the fire was burning, he added a few more large pieces of firewood. Instead of eating the buns immediately, he sat on a small stool, elbows on his knees, hands supporting his chin, and began to repeatedly rehearse the plan for the consulate's dinner in his mind.

"Infiltration is the first step," he muttered to himself. "There are definitely guards every three or five steps around the consulate. It's almost impossible to get within two hundred meters on the day of the banquet."

We need to find a secluded spot to hide a few days in advance. Where would be the best place? We still need to scout it out beforehand.

When the operation begins and people start running outwards, it will be more convenient to use one's own spatial teleportation, because by then, the Japanese soldiers on the periphery will definitely concentrate inwards, leaving gaps or openings on the periphery.

Then, he thought about the timing. "The dinner is on Saturday night, so I'd better sneak over there on Thursday or Friday."

Then comes the core element—how to create chaos at the dinner party, precisely strike the target, and ensure your own escape unscathed.

"Rushing in and starting a massacre is the most foolish thing to do. The Special Higher Police aren't just for show; there are definitely many skilled people inside. Using explosives? The problem is, we don't know how." Lin Yifan's eyes turned cold and sharp.

"Mental strength is my greatest asset. As long as I can get within two hundred meters, I can 'see' the face of everyone inside and distinguish who the real big fish is."

At that time, it might be possible to use space to teleport short distances, suddenly appear next to the target, kill them with one blow, and then immediately retreat back into space or teleport to a safe area.

"Yes, this is the method!" This thought gave him a jolt of energy, but it was followed by a deeper calm.

"I have about forty hand grenades that I seized from the Japanese patrol. I should be able to use them. But I'll have to go out of town tomorrow to test them out and ensure the success of the operation."

The plan is gradually taking shape, but the details still need to be refined. For example, how to deal with possible emergencies? What if we get entangled by the Japanese's skilled fighters? High-ranking Japanese officials are protected by ninjas.

Before he knew it, the fire in the stove was almost out, and the temperature in the room hadn't risen much, so he added a few more pieces of firewood.

Lin Yifan picked up a steamed bun, took a big bite, and felt a sense of warmth from the warm meat filling and soft dough.

While eating his steamed buns, he continued to refine every detail of his plan until the sky outside the window gradually darkened and the room was completely plunged into darkness. Only then did he enter the space, lie down on the bed, and close his eyes, but his brain was still working at high speed.

This operation targeting the consulate's dinner must be executed flawlessly.

The next morning, just as dawn was breaking, Lin Yifan quietly left the courtyard alone. Today, he wanted to go out of the city to test the captured grenades and see if they could be used as he had planned. If they could, then there would be much more room for maneuver.

In addition, go outside the city to replenish the space with more bullets, and it would be best to find a Japanese stronghold outside the city to replenish more grenades.

He ran quickly toward Andingmen, ready to leave the city as soon as possible and get all the preparations done.

As soon as Lin Yifan arrived near Andingmen, he noticed that the checks at the city gate were more stringent than usual.

Several heavily armed Japanese soldiers stood on both sides of the city gate, their fierce eyes scanning everyone entering and leaving the city. Several puppet soldiers were bowing and scraping beside them, searching and questioning everyone, moving at a snail's pace.

Lin Yifan's heart skipped a beat. He was secretly glad that he had come out early today. He did not go forward immediately, but hid in the shadows of a corner not far away and observed for a while.

He noticed that the Japanese soldiers' attention was mainly focused on young and middle-aged men. Although they also questioned women and children, they were relatively lax, and the body searches were just symbolic pats.

This is an opportunity. Lin Yifan quickly walked into the crowd leaving the city and slowly followed them forward.

Soon it was his turn. A puppet soldier glanced at him and asked, "Hey! Kid, where are you going?"

"Boss, we're out of food at home. My dad told me to go back to my grandparents' place and get some cornmeal."

Lin Yifan lowered his head, his voice carrying just the right amount of timidity and grievance, and a few drops of physiological tears squeezed out from the corners of his eyes.

Seeing that he was young and crying pitifully, the puppet soldier waved his hand impatiently: "Go away, get out of here! Don't waste my time!"

Lin Yifan felt as if he had been granted a pardon. He quickly lowered his head, hurried through the city gate, and escaped the sight of the Japanese soldiers and their collaborators. Once outside the city, he immediately straightened his back, his eyes regaining their sharpness and composure.

"It seems the Japanese have indeed tightened martial law; even leaving the city is so difficult," he muttered to himself. "That's good, though. The more tense they are, the more openings they'll likely make."

Instead of immediately running towards the mountains outside the city, he first went around to a secluded corner and took out a set of worn-out adult cotton-padded jacket and trousers from his storage space to change into. He had casually acquired these clothes while "collecting" supplies, and he never expected them to come in handy now.

He smeared his face with mud, making his hair messy, and at first glance, he looked exactly like a little beggar making a living outside the city. After doing all this, he ran towards the barren mountain he remembered as a suitable place to test for mines.

This mountain is neither too far nor too close to the city. It is usually deserted, with jagged rocks and sparse trees, making it perfect for conducting such dangerous experiments.

Lin Yifan found a sheltered mountain hollow and, after confirming that no one else was around, carefully took out a hand grenade from his spatial storage. It was a Japanese Type 97 hand grenade, heavy and its cold metal casing exuded an aura of death.

He took a deep breath, recalling the method of use that his predecessor had "seen" in movies and TV series. Pull out the safety pin, tap it, throw it, and then quickly hide.

"It shouldn't be too difficult," Lin Yifan encouraged himself. He found a boulder for cover, carefully pulled out the safety pin of the grenade, and then slammed it down hard.

"One, two, three!" he counted silently in his mind, then suddenly threw the grenade at an open space more than twenty meters away.

The grenade traced an arc through the air before landing with a thud on the ground, rolling several times before coming to a stop.

Lin Yifan's heart was in his throat, his eyes fixed on the grenade, while his body shrank behind the boulder.