Courtyard Houses: Longevity Since the War of Resistance

I agree.

Teacher Renzi walked back to her seat and looked at Li Feng: "Back then, we wanted to take it back directly. After all, when it comes to fighting, who are we afraid of? But that kid Li Feng said we could leave two loopholes, so that their attention would be diverted appropriately, making them think we had compromised."

After finishing her speech, Teacher Renzi paused, recalling certain scenes.

"That brat stole a pack of cigarettes from me while he was talking, thinking I didn't notice, hahaha. I know your way of doing things in the Ghost Town, you're good at doing things behind the scenes. You go first, use your methods to create opportunities and build momentum over there. You can handle the situation yourselves, just one principle: don't give anyone any leverage against you."

He paused, his tone becoming more composed: "I'll be in the open, responsible for overseeing the overall situation and controlling the pace. Once you've created the necessary conditions and it's time to step in and formally take over, I'll handle that."

"Yes, sir!" Li Feng stood up and gave another perfect salute. "Mission accomplished!"

"Sit down, don't just stand there," Teacher Ren gestured again, displaying the casualness of an elder. Once Li Feng sat down, the sharpness in his eyes softened, replaced by something deeper, like concern, or perhaps a trust.

"You thirty-six people from the Ghost Town are out there all year round. It's not easy for you. You walk on the edge of a knife. If you get injured or suffer losses, don't tough it out. Just come back. Our family is not afraid of trouble."

"Teacher Renzi, rest assured, since the day the Ghost Town was established, we have always been the ones who cause trouble for others, and no one has ever let us suffer losses. This is the ironclad rule that the captain established back then."

"Hahahahahaha," Teacher Ren laughed out loud, a rare occurrence, the laughter echoing in the small room. "Good! That's the spirit! Just like the soldiers he trained!" After laughing, he seemed to remember something and asked, "Aren't you really planning to let us know over here? After all, we have deep connections."

Li Feng slowly shook his head: "No, our duties are different, our paths have diverged, and..." A proud smile appeared on his lips, "They are no longer the Ghost Suppressors; the captain has already given them a new name."

"You guys..." Teacher Renzi pointed at him, her expression a mix of amusement and exasperation, "It's been so many years, and you still care so much about this name?"

"A name is essential; if the name is not correct, then words will not be proper. If words are not proper, then things will not be accomplished. The captain said that we are knives hidden in the darkness, hence the name 'Ghost Suppressor.'"

"Alright, alright, you have your reasons, your traditions." Teacher Renzi didn't try to persuade her any further, and waved her hand with a smile. "Go and do what you're supposed to do, remember safety first, and think things through carefully."

"Yes! Take care, Teacher Ren!" Li Feng stood up and saluted again, then turned and strode towards the door without saying anything more.

Teacher Ren sat in the armchair, watching the upright figure disappear outside the gate, the sound of the gate opening and closing very softly. The smile on her face slowly faded, replaced by a deep calm. She picked up her tea, took a sip, and felt refreshed.

A minute later, the door was gently pushed open, and a woman in her early thirties wearing a military uniform walked in. She was tall and straight, with light steps, and her delicate features carried a sense of heroism and composure.

It's Ye Qiao.

"Boss, are you done talking?" She walked to the table, picked up the teapot naturally, went to the stove, added some hot water from the kettle, and refilled the cup.

"Still the same as before?"

Teacher Ren hummed in agreement, took the slightly warmer teacup, and looked at Ye Qiao with a pained yet helpless expression: "Little Ye Qiao, he doesn't recognize you. He insists that you're not the ones who are here to ward off evil spirits."

Ye Qiao immediately raised her eyebrows, looking indignant. "How can we not be? We are the ones who suppress the ghosts! They were recruited by the captain later, at most they can be considered the second team."

"Hahaha..." She was amused by her childish yet self-righteous words. "But your names have changed, so what he said isn't wrong."

Ye Qiao pursed her lips and stopped arguing loudly, but her puffed-out cheeks showed that she was not convinced.

Walking to the east window where Li Feng had just stood, I looked out at the courtyard. The figure was long gone; the courtyard was empty, with only sunlight and tree shadows.

"A shield that walks in the light, protecting the nation."

After leaving the courtyard, Li Feng slowly walked back along the dirt road he had come from.

After walking about a hundred meters, they stopped in a slightly more open clearing in the woods. He calmly tossed a question into the air: "You've been following me all this way, aren't you tired?"

Quiet.

Two or three seconds later, a figure emerged from behind a thick cypress tree to the left and behind. It was a woman in her thirties with short hair that reached her ears. She had her hands in her pockets and her face was expressionless as she looked at Li Feng.

Almost simultaneously, a man emerged from the shadow of an old locust tree to the right. He was the same age, tall and thin, holding a military cap which he idly twirled. A half-smile played on his lips as his eyes swept over Li Feng.

Li Feng turned around, his gaze sweeping over the two faces before he smiled.

"Oh," he drawled, "isn't this the infamous stalker duo! Linzhi Liu Hou, it's an honor to meet you. What brings you here today, so free to take a stroll in the woods of the western suburbs?"

Liu Hou clicked his tongue, stopping his hand on his military cap. "Kid, you've got a sharp tongue. What do you mean by 'stalker'? We're just on a mission."

"A mission?" Li Feng feigned surprise. "What kind of mission is it to follow me? I'm a law-abiding young man who doesn't steal or rob."

"Don't give me that." Liu Hou took a step forward. "Our deputy captain wants to see you. Come with us."

"Deputy Captain Ye?" Li Feng blinked, then shook his head, looking helpless. "That won't do. We're two separate organizations now, and we don't interfere with each other. The captain has a rule that we can't interact casually. Your Deputy Captain Ye should know this rule better than I do, right?"

Lin Zhi then spoke up, "Comrade, in terms of seniority, Liu Hou and I have probably been in Zhen Gui for just as long as you. We are your seniors, and this is how you treat your seniors?"

"Hey, senior," Li Feng quickly waved his hand, "We're not Koreans here, we're all comrades, why are you making such a fuss? It's too formal!"

Lord Liu chuckled, exasperated by his stubbornness: "Fine, you've got a sharp tongue, buddy. Looks like reasoning won't work then?"

Li Feng looked completely innocent: "Comrade Liu, you're wronging me. I've been explaining myself properly the whole time. It's you who insisted on making me meet with you, which isn't in accordance with procedure."

Lin Zhi and Liu Hou exchanged a glance, their eyes conveying their decision. Almost simultaneously, their previously relaxed posture shifted slightly.

Lin Zhi's voice remained calm, "Comrade, please cooperate, we don't want to resort to violence."

"See, we still have to take a hard line." Li Feng sighed, looked around, and muttered, "You guys are something else, making sure to work overtime on your day off."

Li Feng's body shot forward through the gap between the two men, and Lin Zhi and Liu Hou reacted with lightning speed. The instant Li Feng moved, the two pounced on him from the left and right, their coordination perfect, their blocking angle flawless.

Even many highly trained fighters would likely struggle to escape from this sudden pincer attack. Yet, Li Feng, with an incredibly small angle, twisted his waist, pushed off the ground, and managed to squeeze past Liu Hou's raised arm and the edge of Lin Zhi's sweeping leg.

"Chase!" Liu Hou shouted, turning around at the same time as Lin Zhi and giving chase.

Li Feng ran ahead, even turning back to shout, "Hey you two, stop chasing! It's the middle of nowhere, you might trip and fall!"

In response, Lin Zhi and Liu Hou's footsteps became even more hurried. Seeing that the distance was not only not closing, but was gradually widening due to Li Feng's strange running style, Liu Hou ran while reaching into his pocket and pulling out a small black cube slightly larger than a matchbox, and quickly pressed a button a few times.

"You're calling for backup, huh?" Li Feng, who seemed to have eyes in the back of his head, laughed heartily. "Too late!"

A jeep drove up ahead, and Li Feng's figure quickly became a line as he climbed into the car under the watchful eyes of Lin Zhi and Liu Hou.

The Jeep started at high speed.

"What the hell? Where did that car come from?" Liu Hou gasped for breath, staring at the direction the jeep had gone, his brow furrowed. Lin Zhi didn't speak; the two of them had worked together to let the jeep escape so easily.

Li Feng patted non-existent dust off his body in the jeep, the nonchalant smile on his face slowly fading, returning to his usual calm.

He knew Ye Qiao would definitely send someone to follow them, but he didn't expect it to be Lin Zhi and Liu Hou, two acquaintances. Of course, he wanted to see his old subordinates, even if it was just to bicker like they had just done.

However, he can't.

The suppression of ghosts and the suppression of the nation, just as he designed them back then, are completely different in nature.

A sword hidden in the darkness, used to sever festering sores.

One step into the sunlight and becomes a strong shield for the nation.

Once the two parties have an unnecessary intersection and a public connection, it will leave room for criticism. Both domestic and international eyes are watching, and any slightest clue could be magnified and distorted, becoming a weapon to attack the country.

The current Zhenguo is no longer the few dozen people it once was; it has deeper roots, wider reach, and a single move can affect the whole situation.

We cannot allow his personal sentimentality to create potential problems for their future employment.

After taking one last look in the general direction of the woods in the western suburbs, the car disappeared into thin air.