Courtyard House: Starting in 1938, kill enemies and loot equipment.

The night was as dark as ink, spilling over the shantytowns of southern Beiping. The gray tiles of abandoned warehouses were hidden in the deep darkness, with only the weeds at the base of the walls swaying gently in the wind. Two furtive shadowy figures huddled close to the brick wall, their eyes fixed on the tightly closed wooden door of the warehouse, their breathing barely audible.

"Is this the warehouse? The Guardian Society's grain and secret supplies are all hidden here?" The man with the pointed face and monkey-like features lowered his voice, his eyes revealing an undisguised greed.

The burly thug beside him hissed, "Shut up! Boss Zhang specifically instructed that if you figure out the defenses and entrances here, the reward will be enough for you to eat and drink for half a year! This Shou'an Society has cut off our source of income from smuggling cultural relics and even stabilized grain prices. The boss has long been fed up with them."

These two men were informants for Zhang Huai'an, a connoisseur of cultural relics. Zhang Huai'an had been operating in Beiping for years, making huge profits by reselling national treasures. However, after Zhou Ye established the Shou'an Society and set the ironclad rule of "no private trafficking of cultural relics, no oppression of the people," his illicit activities were completely blocked. After several investigations, he discovered that the person in charge behind the Shou'an Society was none other than Zhou Ye, who had risked his life to protect the treasures in the Jizhong Mountains years ago. He also suspected that the continuous supply of cheap grain was closely related to the secret national treasures in Zhou Ye's possession, which is why he sent his trusted confidants to investigate.

The burly thug gave a few orders, then turned and disappeared into the alley to scout for a way out, leaving only the monkey-faced man to guard the spot. But the man had just taken out some dry rations and taken a bite when a sharp pain shot through the back of his neck. His vision went black, and he collapsed to the ground without even a groan.

"Drag him into the woodshed, gag him, and don't leave a trace." Zhao Hu's voice rang out in the darkness. Chen Shi and Wang Shuan responded and stepped forward, swiftly dragging the man away without making a sound.

Zhou Ye stood in the shadows of the warehouse, his spiritual sense already scanning the surrounding area for any unusual activity. His brows furrowed slightly: "Are they Zhang Huai'an's men?"

"That's right, it's that treacherous merchant who colluded with the Japanese invaders and sold national treasures back then!" Zhao Hu clenched his fists, his eyes filled with hatred. "I never expected that he would hide in Beiping and dare to target us."

Zhou Ye's eyes suddenly turned cold. National treasures were his bottom line, something he was determined to protect with his life. Zhang Huai'an's spying had already touched a raw nerve. But the transfer mission was urgent, so he forcibly suppressed his anger and said in a deep voice, "Detain these two first. Strengthen the security of the warehouse and the secret passage. Starting tonight, the brothers of the Guardian Society will take turns on duty. No one without a token is allowed to approach."

"yes!"

After explaining everything, Zhou Ye returned to the courtyard house through the thin morning mist. It was just beginning to lighten, and wisps of smoke were already rising from the house as neighbors busied themselves with their tasks, creating a peaceful morning scene.

Yi Zhonghai was chopping wood with an axe, his movements steady and powerful; his wife Xiulan was sitting on the porch picking vegetables, her belly slightly protruding, her eyes full of tenderness.

The deaf old lady sat on the threshold, leaning on her cane, her eyes wise and clear, quietly watching everything happening in the yard;

Jia Fugui was carefully wiping his fitter's tools, preparing to go to the steel mill for work; Jia Zhangshi was squatting in the corner peeling garlic, muttering about family matters; her son Jia Dongxu was helping to move firewood, still a teenager and unmarried.

He Daqing packed his kitchen knife, planning to go to work at the Beiping Grand Restaurant; his son, He Yuzhu, wearing a coarse cloth jacket, skipped and jumped to help pass things, at a mischievous yet enthusiastic age;

Xiao Cao had just gotten up and was carrying a basin of water to pour it out when she saw Zhou Ye. She immediately smiled sweetly and her eyes crinkled.

"Zhou Ye, you're back? Didn't you get any rest all night?" Yi Zhonghai stopped hitting the axe and asked with concern.

Zhou Ye smiled and nodded: "I took care of some business matters. Good morning, Uncle Yi."

Madam Jia glanced at him and couldn't help but chime in, "Zhou Ye, your friends are acting all mysterious, coming back to the courtyard late at night, covered in dirt. There are more and more military police on the streets lately, so you'd better be careful."

Zhou Ye replied calmly, "They're just doing freight transshipment, rushing to meet deadlines. Don't worry, Aunt Jia, nothing will happen."

Madam Jia wanted to press further, but the deaf old lady coughed lightly and glanced at her indifferently. The old lady held immense authority in the courtyard, so Madam Jia immediately shut her mouth, lowered her head, and continued peeling garlic, not daring to say another word.

Zhou Ye felt a warmth in his heart. The deaf old lady always saw through things but didn't say anything, and she could always help him out at crucial moments and protect the peace in the hospital.

He entered the east wing, and Xiaocao quickly came over and handed him a cup of warm water: "Brother, are you tired? I steamed some sweet potatoes, eat them while they're hot."

Looking at his younger sister's innocent and adorable smiling face, Zhou Ye felt a little less gloomy. Just as he was about to speak, a series of urgent knocks on the courtyard gate broke the tranquility of the small courtyard.

The guard from the Shou'an Society rushed in, his face ashen, his voice trembling with panic: "Mr. Zhou! Something terrible has happened! The military police have suddenly sealed off the entire city. The city gates and main roads are all locked. They say they're going to search for rebels. Our grain carts won't be able to leave the city tonight!"

Zhou Ye's hand holding the water glass suddenly paused, a sharp, cold glint flashing in his eyes.

Zhang Huai'an's covert surveillance and the sudden lockdown of the city by the military police—two undercurrents surged simultaneously, and the world of Beiping in this chaotic era was finally about to change.