Courtyard House: I Have Countless Bodyguards

Liu Jianguo saw a familiar face, Wu Liang, the director of the Municipal Public Security Bureau's Security Investigation Division. Wu Liang nodded to him as he entered, his eyes showing a hint of familiarity and scrutiny.

Next, Tang Jingxian, dressed in a well-fitting police uniform, walked in smartly. When she saw Liu Jianguo, her eyes lit up, she nodded slightly, and then quietly found a seat.

There were other faces, some composed, some capable, a total of thirteen people.

Liu Jianguo exchanged brief greetings with a few acquaintances through glances or nods.

Once everyone had arrived, Tang Yongsheng cleared his throat, and the office immediately fell silent.

His gaze swept across the entire room, his expression serious:

"Comrades, let's begin the meeting. With the approval of our superiors, the Shadow Chasing Special Operations Team is being established effective immediately, with me as the team leader and in charge of overall command."

He pointed to Wu Liang, "Comrade Wu Liang serves as the deputy captain, mainly responsible for coordinating the intelligence and liaison group and the communications and logistics group."

He then announced the specific group assignments:

"Intelligence and Liaison Group, Group Leader: Lü An, Members: Zhang Jun, Qin Fei."

The three of you are responsible for liaising with our informants in Hong Kong, transmitting and analyzing intelligence, and handling necessary translation and codebreaking work to ensure uninterrupted information flow.

Communications and Logistics Group, Group Leader: Xu Qing'an, Group Member: Yun Jian.

You are responsible for all communications support, the preparation and management of medical equipment and emergency medicines, ensuring smooth logistics throughout the operation.

Finally, Tang Yongsheng's gaze fell on Liu Jianguo, and he introduced him:

"This is Comrade Liu Jianguo, deputy director of the security department of Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill, who is serving as the deputy leader of the action team. I believe many comrades are familiar with him. Comrade Jianguo made great contributions to the recent cracking of two enemy spy cases."

He then announced: "The action team is led by Li Bing, with members Tang Jingxian, Zhou Yong, Kong Hua, and He Wenmu. The action team is responsible for all fieldwork, reconnaissance, and direct action when necessary. It will be directly commanded by Deputy Captain Liu Jianguo."

Tang Yongsheng's tone became extremely serious, emphasizing discipline:

"Comrades, given the special nature of the area where this operation is taking place, we must strictly abide by discipline."

In Hong Kong, unless absolutely necessary, public actions are strictly prohibited, and directly arresting people is even more forbidden.

All actions should be carried out through legitimate local institutions in Hong Kong and in accordance with local legal procedures, as far as possible.

The relevant departments have made a high-level informal notification to the Special Branch of the Hong Kong Police Force through special diplomatic channels.

Deputy Captain Wu Liang was responsible for liaising with the Hong Kong side.

All of us will use our identities as senior reporters and staff members of Xinhua News Agency's Hong Kong branch as cover.

This point must be remembered! Is everything clear?

"clear!"

Everyone in the office lowered their voices, but answered in unison with unusual firmness. An invisible sense of tension and mission permeated everyone's hearts.

Tang Yongsheng glanced around and, seeing that everyone's expressions were solemn and no one raised any objections, raised his hand to look at the Shanghai watch on his wrist and nodded:

"Alright, now that we understand, let's not delay and set off now. The timing is perfect; we'll take the train to Guangzhou first."

His tone was decisive and carried an unquestionable authority: "Maintain discipline on the way. Board the bus in batches, keep a low profile, and refrain from talking unless absolutely necessary. Dismissed. Meet at the train station in ten minutes."

The group quietly left the municipal bureau and traveled to the train station in several inconspicuous jeeps.

The platform was crowded with people, who mingled with ordinary passengers as they boarded the train bound for the south.

Liu Jianguo, Li Bing, Tang Jingxian, Zhou Yong, Kong Hua, and He Wenmu were assigned to opposite berths in the same hard sleeper carriage.

The wheels started moving, and the scenery outside the window slowly receded.

Tang Jingxian sat in the lower bunk opposite Liu Jianguo. At first, she remained reserved, but as the train pulled out of the city, she couldn't help but lower her voice and ask with a hint of curiosity and barely perceptible intimacy:

"Brother Jianguo, have you ever been to Hong Kong? What's it like there?"

Her eyes flickered with trepidation about the unknown mission, as well as a hint of dependence on Liu Jianguo.

Liu Jianguo leaned against the lower bunk, his gaze fixed on the fields rushing past the train window, his voice calm:

"I haven't been there. But war zones, bustling cities, or even backwaters where all sorts of people mingle, are essentially pretty much the same."

He withdrew his gaze and looked at Tang Jingxian, as if addressing the other team members who were listening intently:

"It's all about human nature, interests, and life-or-death struggles. The only difference lies in the explicit or implicit rules and the methods used. On the battlefield, the enemy is wearing military uniforms."

He paused, then said, "In a place like this, the enemy could be wearing anything, even the person who looks the least harmful to you. Calm down, observe more, speak less, and remember your place."

The atmosphere inside the carriage was somewhat somber.

During this time, Liu Jianguo casually chatted with Li Bing, Zhou Yong, and others.

He inquired in detail about Zhou Yong's expertise in reconnaissance and tracking, Kong Hua's proficiency in combat and weaponry, and He Wenmu's knowledge of Cantonese and familiarity with the ways of the city. He also asked about their specialties, past experiences, and even their living habits and strategies for dealing with emergencies.

He asked detailed questions, occasionally interjecting with comments or providing hypothetical scenarios for the other party to answer.

Li Bing listened quietly to the side. He knew that Director Liu was personally assessing the capabilities of each team member who would be fighting alongside him.

While seemingly chatting casually, Liu Jianguo was actually rapidly constructing a combat capability map and coordination plan for this team in his mind.

"Moreover, moreover, moreover..."

The train moved slowly, and after the initial tension and novelty, the long journey began to reveal its tedious side.

Zhou Yong dozed off against the car window, Kong Hua carefully wiped a small knife he carried with him, and He Wenmu flipped through an old copy of "People's Pictorial" over and over.

Tang Jingxian initially looked out the window, but later she couldn't help but feel drowsy.

In this era, long-distance train travel is done without cell phones, tablets, or even a decent novel; time flows slowly amidst the monotonous clatter of wheels against the rails.

Liu Jianguo closed his eyes to rest, but his ears were constantly listening to the movements inside and outside the carriage.

Over the course of more than three days, the train made numerous stops at small stations, and even changed trains in Wuchang.

When the announcement of "Guangzhou Station has arrived" finally came over the loudspeaker, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

Liu Jianguo got off the train with the crowd and stepped onto the slightly humid and stuffy platform in Guangzhou. He couldn't help but sigh: In this era, traveling is truly a form of spiritual practice.

There were no direct express trains; the old-fashioned green trains chugged along, barely faster than later buses, yet they were incredibly tiring to ride.

He stretched his stiff neck and quickly scanned the noisy platform.