Courtyard House: The Long-Lost Eldest Son Returns with Military Merit

Li Huaide responded without hesitation: "Section Chief Jia! Please feel free to ask if there is anything I can help you with."

Jia Dongming then explained, "Director Li! I cannot be completely certain at the moment whether there are any other lurking personnel within the security department besides the two we have already identified."

Under these circumstances, it would be difficult for police officers to enter the factory area undetected.

"Therefore, we hope that the factory can provide the police officers with the factory's work uniforms so that they can smoothly enter the steel rolling mill."

Upon hearing this, Li Huaide immediately agreed: "Section Chief Jia! I'll issue the approval slip for the work uniforms right away, and you can pick them up directly from the logistics warehouse."

Jia Dongming shook his head and said, "Director Li! Although I'm not sure if someone is secretly watching me, if I go to collect my work clothes openly, it's very likely to arouse their suspicion."

Upon hearing this, Li Huaide slapped his forehead and said apologetically, "Look, I almost overlooked it."

"Section Chief Jia! Please rest assured, I will arrange for reliable personnel to deliver the work uniform to Jiaodaokou Police Station."

After thinking for a moment, Jia Dongming said to Li Huaide, "Director Li! Please allow me to use your phone to contact the Jiaodaokou Police Station and confirm the exact number of people."

In addition, I will convene the security personnel who are not on duty tonight under the pretext of training, and have them stand by.

You will be responsible for liaising with the local police station to assist them in completely eliminating any enemy personnel lurking within the factory.

Li Huaide understood that Jia Dongming's arrangement was intended to give him a chance to prove himself, and his impression of Jia Dongming improved even more. He then assured him, "Section Chief Jia! Please feel free to entrust the task of liaising with the police station to me."

After receiving the promise, Jia Dongming walked to his desk, picked up the phone, and turned it twice. Once connected, he said, "Is this the switchboard? Please transfer me to Jiaodaokou Police Station."

"Hello, this is Jiaodaokou Police Station. Who are you looking for?"

The call was answered quickly, and a middle-aged man's voice came through.

Jia Dongming immediately introduced himself: "Hello, comrade! I am Director Wang's comrade-in-arms. Is Director Wang in his office?"

The middle-aged man who answered the phone remembered meeting Jia Dongming the night before and politely replied, "Comrade, please wait a moment. The director has just returned to his office. I'll go and ask him to take the call."

Soon, Wang Dapao's voice came from the other end of the phone: "Dongming! I just got back from the branch office. What do you need me for?"

Considering it wasn't appropriate to discuss the details over the phone, Jia Dongming said to Wang Dapao, "Dapao! I've made progress on my end. Wait for me at the police station, I'll come find you right away."

Upon learning that Jia Dongming was coming, Wang Dapao immediately said, "Dongming! I have reported the clues you provided last night to the branch office, and the branch office has set up a special task force."

Since you're coming over, why don't you just come to the branch office?

Remembering the prepared work clothes, Jia Dongming asked, "Dapao! I've prepared a batch of steel rolling mill work clothes for this operation. How many sets do you need? I'll arrange for someone to deliver them later."

After a moment's thought, Wang Dapao replied, "Dongming! Although the steel rolling mill is quite large, the security personnel are responsible for guard duty at the gate every day, so they have some impression of the factory's employees."

"Therefore, if too many of our personnel enter the factory area, even if they are wearing work clothes, it may attract attention."

To be on the safe side, we plan to send in about ten people in batches, while the rest will enter the factory covertly through other means.

We will need you to arrange for someone to meet us then.

Upon learning of Wang Dapao's plan, Jia Dongming felt that it was more meticulous than his own, so he immediately agreed and replied, "Okay! I will contact Deputy Director Li at the factory later and ask him to send someone to meet you at the designated location."

About thirty minutes later, in an office at the Dongcheng District Public Security Bureau, Wang Dapao respectfully introduced the middle-aged man sitting behind the desk: "Chief! This is my former comrade-in-arms, Comrade Jia Dongming, now the head of the security department at the steel rolling mill!"

After Wang Dapao finished his introductions, he turned to Jia Dongming and said, "Dongming! This is Director Li of the Dongcheng Branch, Comrade Li Xidong!"

After hearing the introduction, Jia Dongming immediately extended his hand to shake hands and politely greeted, "Director Li! It's a pleasure to meet you!"

Li Xidong was decisive and efficient. After shaking hands with Jia Dongming, he got straight to the point: "Comrade Jia Dongming! Regarding the situation you reported, we actually received an anonymous tip last year and launched a secret investigation."

"I just didn't expect that the enemy agent mentioned in the whistleblower letter would be Chen Jianfei, the captain of your Security Section's Second Team."

This also explains why our several attempts to infiltrate the steel rolling mill for investigation ultimately yielded nothing.

Jia Dongming never expected that the Dongcheng Branch had already begun investigating the matter last year and had even secretly entered the steel rolling mill to verify the contents of the report.

Upon learning this information, Jia Dongming responded earnestly: "Director Li! It is indeed unexpected that a captain of the security department of the steel rolling mill would be an enemy agent infiltrating our ranks."

He paused briefly before continuing his report: "Director Li! According to the information we have, besides Chen Jianfei, there is another person in our security section who also comes from the Second Brigade, named Wang Defa."

"In addition, we suspect that there is still an enemy agent hiding in the management of the steel rolling mill."

After the accident in Workshop 2 last year, the engineer in charge of the investigation clearly pointed out that the accident was caused by human error, but the investigation team did not adopt this conclusion and ultimately classified it as a work-related injury.

More notably, shortly after the accident, Engineer Xue was transferred to another location.

Upon hearing Jia Dongming's account, Li Xidong realized that there might still be enemy agents within the steel rolling mill's management. His expression immediately turned serious, and he asked solemnly, "Section Chief Jia! Regarding the enemy agents you mentioned within the management, are there any specific suspects at present?"

Jia Dongming remembered Li Huaide's instruction to wait for notification, and then explained to Li Xidong: "Director Li! Before coming here, I had already communicated with Deputy Director Li of the factory."

Based on the content of the exchange, I suspect that the enemy agent is very likely Zhou Xudong, the deputy factory director in charge of finance, discipline, and the labor union!

"Because the investigation into the accident in Workshop 2 last year was led by Zhou Xudong, and he is also one of the people in charge who has the ability to mobilize Engineer Xue."

At this point, Jia Dongming recalled the enemy agents' actions of digging tunnels and burying them underground in the special workshop, and quickly added: "Director Li! This morning, after I arrived at the steel rolling mill, I immediately began a detailed investigation around the special workshop."

A crucial clue was gleaned from a casual conversation among the cleaners, leading to an investigation of the area surrounding the special workshop.

"As a result, a tunnel leading to the special workshop was discovered in an abandoned hut not far from the special workshop, which contained a large number of items."

To avoid alerting the other party, I did not remove the connecting fuse.

Upon learning that enemy agents had planted a large number of informants within the steel rolling mill, Li Xidong gasped in shock and solemnly declared, "Section Chief Jia! Our original plan was to remain undercover for a long time, gradually identifying all members of this group of enemy agents before launching a coordinated operation to wipe them all out."

"But now enemy agents have been planted underground in the special workshop of your steel rolling mill. In order to avoid the workshop being bombed and causing major losses to the country, we must adjust the original plan, take the initiative, and arrest the exposed enemy agents first."

Jia Dongming was initially focused on following the clues to completely eliminate enemy agents within the steel rolling mill, but he overlooked the potential risks faced by the special workshop.

Upon hearing Li Xidong's decision, Jia Dongming realized that he had been too focused on eliminating enemy agents and had neglected the safety protection of the special workshop.

After realizing this oversight, Jia Dongming pondered for a moment and suggested to Li Xidong, "Director Li! You are right. The special workshop is related to our construction and is a key target that must be protected."

Therefore, I think we can first send some people disguised as steel rolling mill employees to enter the factory area from the north and south entrances during the afternoon shift.

"At that time, I will cooperate with the police officers who have entered the factory area to quietly carry out a raid on the small house."

Once the hut is under control, immediately remove the fuse, then lie in ambush inside and wait for the enemy agents to appear.

After learning of Jia Dongming's plan, Li Xidong repeatedly went through the process in his mind. With a serious expression, he reminded him, "Section Chief Jia! If this plan succeeds, it can not only protect the key workshops of the steel rolling mill, but also take the opportunity to expose the enemy agents lurking in the factory."

"However, you've overlooked the most crucial element: how do we ascertain the exact number of enemy agents in the tunnels? And how do we subdue them all silently? Furthermore, if the operation is detected, will they detonate the planted explosives in a moment of panic?"

Jia Dongming proposed this plan because he possessed eagle-eye abilities, allowing him to see through the ground and confirm whether there was anything inside the tunnel.

Faced with the loophole pointed out by Li Xidong, Jia Dongming pondered for a moment and then replied, "Director Li! This matter is not difficult to handle."

We can put on gas masks and set them on fire in the tunnel before the enemy agents notice.

This way, the people inside can be drugged and rendered unconscious without them noticing, preventing them from acting rashly or detonating the explosives prematurely.

Upon hearing Jia Dongming's supplement, Li Xidong's eyes lit up, and he replied with a smile, "Section Chief Jia! Although your method is not exactly aboveboard, it is indeed effective."

Jia Dongming looked slightly embarrassed upon hearing this and explained, "Director Li! In this emergency, we had to take extraordinary measures to protect the special workshop of the steel rolling mill from damage."

"This method may not be the most dignified, but it is the safest choice to deal with enemy agents and can help us achieve our goal of annihilating them."

Li Xidong nodded in agreement: "Section Chief Jia! The branch office has reserves."

When you return later, I will arrange for a comrade to wear a gas mask and accompany you to the steel mill. The comrade will act according to the situation, knocking out the enemy agents before they can react.

Jia Dongming agreed with Li Xidong's arrangement and then said, "Director Li! Once the tunnel's hidden dangers are cleared, you can send people disguised as steel mill workers to enter the factory through the north gate during the afternoon shift. They can then lie in ambush around that small house and wait for the rest of the enemy agents to be captured."

The three of them meticulously discussed and refined each aspect of the operation in Li Xidong's office.

After the plan was finalized, Jia Dongming rode his bicycle away from the Dongcheng Branch.

Back at the steel rolling mill, Jia Dongming first went to the security department's canteen for a meal to show his face. After the meal, he took the opportunity to rest and went to a place not far from the small house, where he used his eagle-eye ability to investigate the tunnel connecting to the special workshop.

Under the eagle's gaze, there was no one in the tunnel, but in one of the rooms, more than ten enemy agents were spotted.

Besides Zhou Xudong, whom Li Huaide mentioned, Chen Jianfei and three security personnel were also among them. The remaining nine people were all wearing work clothes and should be factory employees.

Jia Dongming had originally struggled to determine the number of enemy agents lurking within the factory, but this gathering of agents unexpectedly provided an opportunity for verification, which was a pleasant surprise for him.

He immediately turned around and headed to the place he had arranged to meet Li Xidong.

While the enemy agents were having a secret meeting in the small house, the public security officers, disguised as steel mill workers, also entered the factory one after another and waited for Jia Dongming at the agreed location.

When Jia Dongming arrived, Wang Dapao was already waiting with more than ten police officers.

He strode forward and whispered to Wang Dapao, "Dapao! I just sneaked into the hut to scout, and those enemy agents are having a meeting inside."

"I suggest we approach them discreetly first, and then split up to follow them after they leave the meeting."

Then I led my men to sneak into the hut and release the spell into the tunnel.

Upon hearing the news, Wang Dapao also showed delight and quickly said, "Dongming! This is indeed a rare opportunity."

If it weren't for the explosives in the tunnel, we could storm the house right now and wipe them all out.

Jia Dongming chimed in, "Big gun! It's still unknown when the enemy intelligence meeting will end."

To ensure a swift and decisive victory, I will now lead you to a nearby ambush location, and then act accordingly.

The group followed Jia Dongming quietly to a secluded corner not far from the cabin.

Jia Dongming used his eagle eye to confirm that Chen Jianfei and the others were still inside the house. He then pointed in the direction of the hut and explained to Wang Dapao, "Dapao! That's the target hut. The enemy agents haven't left yet."

How should we arrange things next?