Courtyard House: Home Alone

He walked to the table and sat down, his spiritual energy once again quietly spreading out and covering the entire courtyard.

He "saw" Yi Zhonghai collecting money from door to door. Although most people were unwilling, they had no choice but to grit their teeth and hand over silver dollars under the current circumstances.

Madam Jia grumbled and looked pained, only reluctantly handing over the money after being scolded a couple of times by Jia Gui. Only with the deaf old woman did Yi Zhonghai whisper a few words before bowing and withdrawing, clearly indicating that her share had already been prepared.

Lin Yifan had already checked the situation in the courtyard and knew that Grandpa Zhang, Aunt Li, and the other three families were really broke. So, on a whim, he placed two silver dollars in each of their hiding places. Of course, Li Ermazi wasn't among them.

An atmosphere of oppression and panic permeated the entire courtyard. The bombing of the consulate and the Japanese soldiers' midnight search were like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, making everyone feel the heavy weight of an impending storm.

Lin Yifan withdrew his mental energy. He knew that after tonight, this courtyard, and even the entire city of Beiping, would enter a more chaotic and dangerous period.

"Deaf old woman, Yi Zhonghai... no matter how cunning your schemes are, don't even think about outsmarting me." A cold glint flashed in Lin Yifan's eyes. "In this chaotic world, might makes right. Anyone who tries to stand in my way will die!"

He ignored the commotion outside, sat cross-legged on the bed, and began to consolidate what he had gained that night. The improvement in his mental strength, the enhancement in his physique, and the insights he had gained into Bajiquan—each of these required time to digest and become familiar with.

Only by constantly becoming stronger can one survive longer and kill more satisfyingly in this world surrounded by wolves!

Outside the window, the night remained dark. The sounds of sirens and sporadic gunfire seemed to have gradually thinned out, but the gloom hanging over Beiping City grew even deeper. A much larger storm was quietly brewing.

It wasn't until dawn that Lin Yifan was able to process and adapt to the changes in his body. Then he looked at the upgraded space and found that the space area had reached more than 500 acres, which was twice the size.

A virtual shop has appeared in my mind, offering everything from basic necessities and supplies to weapons, ammunition, and various skills, all at reasonable prices. A mustard gas shell fired from an infantry gun costs only 15 contribution points, making it quite cost-effective.

Weapons beyond this era are not even within Lin Yifan's consideration; he will not exchange for them because he does not want to be bound by them.

He first looked at the various seeds, then exchanged some for pasture grass, wheat, corn, and vegetable seeds. With a thought, he planted them. Next, he exchanged for a batch of fruit tree saplings, planted them as well, and watered them with water mixed with spiritual spring water.

After two system upgrades, the flow of time seemed to have changed. He communicated with the system and learned that the current flow of time was 15 times that outside. He checked the earliest planted rice and estimated that it could be harvested tomorrow night.

On a whim, he exchanged for several piglets and dozens of chickens, ducks, and geese. These livestock and poultry had ample pasture and water in the space, which would be just enough to meet his future needs for meat and eggs. Once the pasture grew, he could exchange for some cattle and sheep.

Since there was cornmeal from the spoils, they could make do with feeding them for now. After doing all this, Lin Yifan surveyed his "territory" with satisfaction. The more than 500 acres of space were now filled with crops and fruit trees, and livestock were leisurely grazing on feed, resembling a small farm, full of vitality.

He believed that it wouldn't be long before this place could provide him with a steady stream of supplies.

Exiting the space, Lin Yifan stretched, feeling the surging power and clear thoughts within his body, a smile appearing on his lips.

The benefits of the system upgrade far exceeded his expectations. Not only did his strength increase significantly, but he also gained access to a resource-rich space and a powerful online marketplace. He now had enough confidence to weather the storms that lay ahead in Beiping.

"Gurgle..." His stomach growled at an inopportune moment. Lin Yifan smiled, took out some wild game and rice he had prepared the night before from his spatial storage, heated it up briefly, and then wolfed it down. After a night of exertion and physical enhancement, his appetite had increased considerably.

After eating and drinking his fill, Lin Yifan extended his mental energy once again. "Wow!" He discovered that his domain had expanded to 400 meters, and the viewing distance had increased to more than 500 meters.

Next, he began to investigate the movements inside and outside the courtyard. It was already broad daylight, but the atmosphere in the courtyard was still somewhat oppressive. People's faces were gloomy as they talked in hushed tones about the search and the payment from the previous night.

Grandpa Zhang was squatting by the door, smoking a pipe, his brow furrowed. Yi Zhonghai was pacing back and forth in the yard, seemingly deep in thought.

Lin Yifan noticed that Li Ermazi was sneaking up to Jia Gui, looking in the direction of his house in the backyard, and whispering something. A look of greed and hesitation appeared on Jia Gui's face.

Lin Yifan's eyes turned cold. These two bastards seemed to still be plotting their revenge. However, now was not the time to deal with them. The Japanese search was not yet over, and it was best not to cause any unnecessary trouble.

He withdrew his mental energy and began to consider his next course of action. The consulate operation was just the beginning; he needed to continue creating chaos, dampen the arrogance of the Japanese, and earn more contribution points and skill points at the same time.

Many items in the shop, such as higher-level skills and more powerful weapons, require a large amount of contribution points to exchange for.

Last night's operation wiped out almost all the Japanese soldiers and high-ranking officials of the puppet government. Martial law and curfew will definitely be in effect for the next few days. Apart from the Japanese soldiers and puppet troops patrolling and inspecting the streets, you won't see anyone else.

We could start by targeting these people, especially the Japanese soldiers and puppet troops who come out to inspect the alleys. They directly harm ordinary people, and the lives of ordinary people are already difficult enough. We should make sure they dare not enter the alleys.

Just then, the sound of arguing between Grandpa Zhang and Li Ermazi came from outside the courtyard gate, seemingly about sweeping the floor. Lin Yifan frowned slightly; this Li Ermazi, always causing trouble so early in the morning.

He couldn't be bothered with these trivial matters and refocused his attention on planning for the future.

Lin Yifan's eyes flickered, and he had already made up his mind. These Japanese soldiers and puppet troops who ran rampant in the alleys were like bloodsuckers clinging to the people. If they weren't beaten hard and made to fear, the people would never have a peaceful day.

Moreover, killing these small patrol and inspection teams is relatively low-risk, and it also allows you to continuously accumulate contribution points and skill points, making it a win-win situation.

"That's settled then. Let's clean up the trash on the street first. Let's call it 'Street Cleanup' operation." Lin Yifan made up his mind and began to recall his experience last night and his current strength.

With a wider range of mental power and sharper perception, combined with an enhanced physique and Bajiquan, he should be more than capable of taking on a dozen puppet soldiers or a few Japanese soldiers head-on.