Courtyard House: I Have Countless Bodyguards

Liu Jianguo nodded emphatically, turned around, deftly opened the passenger door of the lead car, got in, and said in a deep voice, "Let's go!"

The convoy roared as it slowly drove out of the steel mill gate. Because the trucks were carrying extremely precious national treasures that were sensitive to shocks and collisions, the convoy dared not travel too fast and maintained an almost cautious pace as it slowly drove out of the city.

Such a huge truck and such heavy guards naturally attracted countless passersby to stop and watch, pointing and whispering.

People stared curiously at the behemoth wrapped up like a giant rice dumpling, and chattered amongst themselves.

But when they saw the heavy machine gun on the lead vehicle, its muzzle pointing diagonally to the sky, and the submachine guns gripping their chests, loaded with bullets, and the cold, wary eyes of the escorting members, everyone rationally kept their distance, watching the convoy, which exuded an aura of unapproachability, drive away.

The convoy traveled all day on bumpy dirt roads, the scenery outside the windows changing from the city to the countryside, and then gradually into desolation.

As the sun set, darkness quickly descended, leaving only blurry silhouettes of the distant mountains. Liu Jianguo glanced at his watch, then surveyed the road conditions and the desolate landscape, before picking up the car's walkie-talkie and ordering: "It's getting late, the road conditions are unclear, and continuing through the night is too risky. Find an open, sheltered spot ahead and stop to camp!"

The convoy stopped in a relatively flat, open area on the riverbank.

Liu Jianguo jumped out of the car and immediately began to deploy the night watch duties. He called Li Cheng over and gave the order:

"Arrange sentries to guard the heavy trucks. Ten men, divided into three shifts, each shift lasting three and a half hours. They must keep their eyes wide open and fire a warning shot immediately if they spot anything unusual." In this desolate wilderness, any negligence could lead to utter ruin.

After arranging the security, Liu Jianguo walked towards Wang Ming, the logistics manager, a shrewd and capable man in his thirties.

"Wang Ming, what are you planning for dinner? Did you bring enough dry rations?"

"Chief, everything is ready!"

Wang Ming quickly replied, "I have compressed biscuits, pickled vegetable dumplings, and a bag of cornmeal. We can make some porridge to warm it up."

"Okay, you can arrange it as you see fit, make sure everyone gets a hot meal as soon as possible." Liu Jianguo nodded.

In the wild, a bowl of hot soup or water is crucial for boosting morale.

Liu Jianguo looked around. Night was falling, and the howls of unknown wild beasts echoed in the distance, adding to the desolation and chill.

He ordered again: "Li Cheng, send two quick-witted men with guns to the edge of the nearby woods to collect some dry branches. They need to be durable enough to burn."

He emphasized, "Gather more. In this desolate wilderness, the campfire must not go out. It's necessary to keep warm and protect against wolves." In the wild, a roaring campfire is the best way to protect against wild animals.

The soldiers quickly collected a lot of branches, but most of them had just fallen from the trees and were still damp.

Wang Ming built a simple stove pit with several large stones in the open space and put a cooking pot on it.

He tore off a few old newspapers, stuffed them under the branch, and struck a match to light them.

The paper quickly caught fire, but the flames licked at the damp branches, producing only a plume of smoke before extinguishing themselves with a few hiss; they were utterly unignitable.

Wang Ming tried several times, sweating profusely with anxiety, completely at a loss when faced with this pile of "lifeless" damp firewood.

Liu Jianguo, who was watching from the side, immediately saw the problem: wet firewood was hard to light, and if he continued like this, he wouldn't be able to start a fire even by midnight.

He frowned slightly, and then made a decision that was considered extravagant and even illegal in this era.

He called Li Cheng over and ordered in a low but authoritative voice, "Go, use a can to siphon half a can of gasoline from the truck's fuel tank."

Li Cheng hesitated for a moment; gasoline was a scarce commodity. But seeing the determination in Liu Jianguo's eyes, he immediately replied, "Yes!"

Li Cheng ran quickly towards the truck. In this era where every penny had to be carefully spent, using precious gasoline to start a fire was simply wasteful.

If it were anyone else, this very thought would be enough to be labeled as wasting national resources.

But Liu Jianguo dared to do this, and he had the confidence to do so. First, the mission was special; ensuring the combat effectiveness of the team and the safety of state property and equipment were the top priorities.

Secondly, his special status earned him the deep trust of the factory leaders, giving him the power to make decisions arbitrarily.

Thirdly, there is the pragmatic thinking that transcends his time, which is inherent in his bones. Things are inanimate, but people are alive. At critical moments, things should be used for people's benefit.

Li Cheng quickly returned with a small can of gasoline. Liu Jianguo took it and carefully poured it onto the woodpile. Then, he stepped back, lit a match, and gently tossed it over.

"boom--!"

A bright orange flame suddenly shot up high, accompanied by a slight popping sound. The wet firewood was quickly ignited with the help of gasoline, soon turning into a roaring campfire that dispelled the surrounding darkness and chill.

After the flames had burned steadily for a few minutes and the moisture had dried, and the firewood had started to burn normally, Wang Ming quickly put the cooking pot on the stove and poured in some water.

After the water boiled, he skillfully sprinkled the golden cornmeal into the pot and stirred it constantly with a spoon. In no time, a pot of steaming hot and fragrant cornmeal porridge was ready.

The aroma of corn porridge filled the camp. Logistics officer Wang Ming worked quickly and efficiently, placing ten pieces of dried meat, which had been cured with coarse salt and dried until they were as hard as firewood, on a rock next to the campfire to roast.

With a soft sizzling sound, oil seeped out, and the aroma of meat mixed with the smell of smoke wafted out, attracting frequent glances from the team members on duty and resting nearby, their Adam's apples bobbing involuntarily.

Next, he took out a dozen or so yellow and black mixed cornmeal buns with a small amount of white flour, and placed them directly on top of the warm roasted jerky to steam them with the heat.

In those days, for ordinary escort missions, team members mostly ate cold, hard cornbread they brought themselves, along with pickled vegetables and dumplings. Having a sip of hot water was a rare treat.

Now, everyone knows that the fact that they can eat hot, soft steamed buns and even juicy jerky is a far cry from standard treatment, all thanks to the influence and attention given to Commander-in-Chief Liu Jianguo.

Wang Ming's position as a full-time logistics officer was specifically secured because of the high level of this mission.

Liu Jianguo, carrying a steaming bowl of porridge, sat down next to Hong Hao, a middle-aged expert who was taking small bites of a baked bun.

Hong Hao wore glasses and a faded blue Zhongshan suit, looking every bit the intellectual.

"Hong, are you getting used to the bumpy ride?"

Liu Jianguo asked casually. Hong Hao quickly put down his steamed bun and replied politely, "It's nothing, it's nothing. Director Liu has made very thoughtful arrangements."

After a few casual words, Liu Jianguo discovered that this man was eloquent, had a solid professional foundation, and was very knowledgeable about mechanical principles. What was rare was that he lacked the bookishness and pedantry often found in technical experts; he spoke in a down-to-earth manner, revealing a pragmatic and flexible approach. This left Liu Jianguo with a very good impression of him.