Courtyard House: I Have Countless Bodyguards

A bold, even crazy, idea exploded in his mind: there is no government, no police, no rules here.

Isn't this the perfect incubator and testing ground for my secret system and my group of absolutely loyal assassins?

In Beijing, at the steel mill, I had to be cautious and restrained at every turn.

But here, in this corner of the world forgotten, can I... freely develop my own underground forces?

The thought made his heart race, but his face remained calm, though a barely perceptible glint of sharp light flashed deep within his eyes.

Perhaps this was his first step in transforming his hidden strength into actual control.

He quickly suppressed his inner turmoil, straightened his back, and stated his position to Tang Yongsheng in a calm and reliable tone:

"Director Tang, I understand the situation. I guarantee I will complete the mission."

He then turned to his team and began issuing clear instructions, speaking quickly and decisively:

"Li Bing, get ready. We'll go check out the situation together in half an hour."

Zhou Yong, Kong Hua, and He Wenmu, the three of you will stay here and follow Director Wu's instructions. Maintain a state of combat readiness. Three days later, depending on the situation, you will infiltrate the village in batches to rendezvous with us as a reserve force and support.

This is standard reconnaissance tactic: the vanguard goes forward while the main force provides support.

Tang Jingxian, who had been listening in, immediately became anxious, stepped forward, and spoke with dissatisfaction and urgency:

"Director Liu, what about me? I'll go in with you." She didn't want to be excluded from the core operation.

Liu Jianguo glanced at her, his brows furrowed slightly, his tone leaving no room for argument:

"Comrade Jingxian, I understand your feelings. But a place like Kowloon Walled City is a mixed bag, lawless and chaotic place. A young and beautiful female comrade would be too conspicuous and have difficulty moving around, which would make her an easy target and increase unnecessary risks."

Your task is to stay here and use your expertise and communication equipment to assist Director Wu in intelligence relay and analysis.

At the same time, ensuring Director Tang's absolute safety is also a crucial step.

His words were half fact and half excuse; the core purpose was to place her in a relatively safe rear area.

Seeing Tang Jingxian's pretty face tense and clearly unconvinced, Liu Jianguo raised his voice and looked at her sharply:

"Tang Jingxian, this is no child's play. In there, any slight oversight could lead to total annihilation. A woman like you going in would be like a light bulb in the dark, instantly attracting all malicious gazes. Your very presence would greatly increase our risk of exposure and bring unpredictable changes. This is the discipline of the operation, and it must be obeyed." His words were cold and direct, shattering Tang Jingxian's last shred of illusion.

Upon hearing this, Tang Yongsheng, who was standing to the side, showed a subtle hint of approval and relaxation in his eyes.

He certainly wanted to keep his daughter in a safe place, but for a father and leader to say such a thing inevitably raised suspicions of using public office for private gain.

Now, Liu Jianguo, the person in charge of the operation, proposed it from a ruthless mission perspective. His reasons were sound and he clearly distinguished between public and private matters, which solved his problem and also shut Tang Jingxian up.

He said in a deep voice at the right moment, "Jingxian, you must obey orders. Comrade Jianguo is considering the overall situation of the mission."

With the personnel arrangements finalized, Tang Yongsheng gave his final instructions:

"Okay, it's settled then. The car is downstairs; I'll take you to the train station. Jianguo, remember, the traitor's life or death is secondary; the key is the document he took. It must be brought back without fail; it concerns the vital interests of the nation."

He solemnly handed a sealed envelope to Liu Jianguo, saying, "Inside is more detailed information about the target's physical characteristics, possible hiding habits, and the contact method and code for our only reliable informant in the village, Lan Yaming. Read it, memorize it, and then destroy it."

Liu Jianguo quickly glanced at and memorized the information inside the envelope, then destroyed it.

Then, Li Bing and he took a dilapidated van to Tsim Sha Tsui Railway Station.

Along the way, the chaotic scenes of Hong Kong streets in the 50s came through the car window.

Gang fights, petty theft, vendors arguing – a bizarre and chaotic scene.

The train stopped at Tsim Sha Tsui Station, and Liu Jianguo and Li Bing got off with the flow of people.

Fortunately, Liu Jianguo and Li Bing were both tall and strong, with a fierce look in their eyes that came from the experience of war. Ordinary thugs would instinctively avoid them when they saw them, not daring to provoke them easily.

It wasn't that they didn't want to continue their journey, but rather that the Kowloon-Canton Railway terminated in Tsim Sha Tsui, and to get to Kowloon Walled City, they would need to walk or transfer to other modes of transport.

Before me lay unfamiliar streets and a bustling crowd.

Liu Jianguo did not act rashly. He first found a seemingly clever newsboy, slipped him some change, and under the pretense that he was a reporter from Southeast Asia looking for some interesting places to interview, carefully inquired about the situation around Kowloon Walled City.

From the newsboy, he learned that the village had several main entrances, and the surrounding area was a mixed bag, but the truly core area inside the village was even more dangerous.

He quickly determined that setting up the initial outpost on the edge of the village was an ideal choice, as it would facilitate observation and infiltration while making evacuation relatively easy.

The two quickly ate a bowl of wonton noodles at a roadside stall, and then headed towards Kowloon Walled City in the direction they had been told.

The closer you get, the more dilapidated and crowded the environment becomes, with a complex mix of smells in the air.

Based on intelligence, Liu Jianguo chose the Ximen area, which was said to be controlled by several small gangs and had relatively weak power, as his entry point.

The place is chaotic, but it has not yet been fully controlled by any major power, making it perfect for outsiders like them to infiltrate quietly.

At the entrance of a dirty alley near Ximen, a shop with a dilapidated "Chang Kee Ice Room" sign came into view.

There wasn't a single customer in the shop. The owner, a middle-aged, overweight man with a gloomy face, was idly wiping the tables.

Liu Jianguo's heart skipped a beat, and he led Li Bing inside. The proprietor, seeing customers arrive, lazily looked up: "What kind of tea would you two like?"

Liu Jianguo did not answer, his gaze quickly sweeping across the shop, which was about forty square meters. Although it was dilapidated, the space was still acceptable, with front and back doors.

He cut to the chase, asking in broken Cantonese mixed with Mandarin, "Boss, are you selling this shop?"

The portly shopkeeper paused for a moment, then sized up Liu Jianguo and Li Bing. Though their clothes were ordinary, their demeanor was extraordinary. He chuckled, his Cantonese accent thick: "Young man, you're joking with me. This shop is my lifeline; you can afford it."

Liu Jianguo's face darkened, and he deliberately revealed a bit of a江湖 (jianghu, a term referring to the world of martial arts and chivalry) air as he took a step closer and lowered his voice:

"Whether I can afford it or not is my business. You just need to tell me, sell or not?"

He pointed to the empty storefront, "I've been looking for a long time, there's not a soul in sight. Your store was bound to close sooner or later. Now that someone's taking over, what more do you want?"