Chapter 152: The Hound of the Fallen House – Yang Chengdong

Lin Yu stood by the window, gazing toward the French Concession, a faint cold smile curling at the corner of his mouth.

The familiar System Prompt tone rang in his mind.

【Ding! Detected host's consecutive hard actions, evaluating...】

Lin Yu squinted, awaiting the system's assessment.

【Hard action assessment as follows:】

【1. Public execution of French Gendarmerie Captain Dupont: B‑rank hard action】

Evaluation: Publicly executing foreign law‑enforcement personnel, demonstrating an extreme hard stance.

Reward: 3500 hardness points】

【2. Slaughter of three hundred French gendarmes: A‑rank hard action】

Evaluation: Massive annihilation of foreign armed forces, showing an absolute hard attitude.

Reward: 8000 hardness points】

【3. Armed takeover of the French Concession: A‑rank hard action】

Evaluation: Forcefully challenging the Great Powers, altering the concession's governance pattern.

Reward: hardness points】

【4. Forced takeover of French economic entities in Shen City: A‑rank hard action】

Evaluation: Thoroughly striking the Great Powers' economic interests, displaying hard economic measures.

Reward: hardness points】

【Total reward: hardness points】

【Current hardness points balance: points】

【Special evaluation: Host's consecutive hard actions have caused international shock, national prestige reaching a historic high, system grants extra hardness points】

【Final hardness points balance: points】

【Prompt: Host's hardness points have reached the S‑rank hard action threshold, unlocking "Advanced Lottery" function】

Lin Yu looked at the figure, nodding with satisfaction. Over 80,000 hardness points, far beyond his expectation. More importantly, he had finally unlocked the "Advanced Lottery" function.

"Now that's a real reward," Lin Yu muttered to himself. "It seems the French are even more valuable than I imagined."

He turned toward his desk, sat down, opened the system panel, and stared at the blinking "Advanced Lottery" button, a hint of anticipation flashing in his eyes.

"It's time to see what this Advanced Lottery can actually give me."

The system panel flickered before his eyes:

【Consume hardness points for Advanced Lottery?】

Lin Yu hesitated not at all: "Draw!"

Inside the Defense Army Commander's compound, desolation reigned. The once‑grand building had been shattered by artillery, its walls riddled with shell holes, windows almost all shattered. Most of the military vehicles parked inside were blown to wreckage, belching black smoke. Soldiers were exhausted; some leaned against corners to rest, others kept a wary eye on the perimeter, their weapons long out of ammunition.

This had been Yang Chengdong's power hub, the command core of the Shen City Security Army. Now it resembled a doomed island about to fall.

In the third‑floor office of the headquarters, Yang Chengdong sat in a spacious chair, his gaze blankly fixed on the wall map. The red‑marked zones were shrinking, while the blue zones—representing Lin Yu's controlled territories—had already covered most of Shen City.

Yang Chengdong's lips were chapped, his face lined with fatigue. He hadn't slept in three days. A half‑filled cup of cold tea sat on the desk, beside it several battle reports, each delivering more desperate news.

"Commander, the latest battle report," the Chief of Staff said, pushing the door open, his face grim.

Yang Chengdong lifted his head, no glint in his eyes: "Speak, what more bad news?"

"The Fifth City Defense Brigade was annihilated in the eastern suburbs; Brigade Commander Zhang Zhi Yuan fell. The Mixed Seventh Brigade was surrounded in the western district, lost contact, and Brigade Commander Zheng Shihao's whereabouts are unknown. The Thirteenth Infantry Brigade was ambushed during retreat; Brigade Commander Sun Desheng is gravely wounded, and fewer than five hundred managed to break out."

"At present, our total forces are under four thousand, most of them lightly wounded. The Shen City Security Division has also suffered heavy losses, leaving only two crippled regiments."

Yang Chengdong forced a bitter smile: "Four thousand… three combat brigades plus the security division, a force that once numbered over thirty thousand, now reduced to four thousand broken soldiers."

He rose, walked to the window, and looked out through the shattered glass. In the distance, Lin Yu's forces had already formed an airtight encirclement. Soldiers clad in black uniforms he had never seen before were strictly disciplined and well‑equipped, a stark contrast to his own exhausted troops.

"What exactly are those units?" Yang Chengdong muttered, "Where did Lin Yu get so many elites?"

The Chief of Staff shook his head: "Intelligence calls them 'Ghost Masters', apparently a secret unit trained by Lin Yu. There's also an armored unit equipped entirely with Germany's latest tanks and armored vehicles."

Yang Chengdong turned, a flash of anger in his eyes: "Why did we receive no intelligence before? How could Lin Yu train such a force right under our noses?"

"We… we underestimated him," Wang Deming whispered.

Yang Chengdong sank heavily back into his chair, fingers drumming the desk: "Everything was originally planned perfectly. The court backed us, the Fourth Young Master promised aid. After we jointly sanctioned Lin Yu, I could take over the entire Shen City Security Army; that immature kid Qin Chang'an could never compete with me."

He forced a bitter smile and shook his head: "Now everything is a basket‑drawing‑water, all for nothing."

The office door was thrust open again, and the communications officer rushed in: "Commander, the court's envoy has been detained by Lin Yu! He's also taken over the French Concession! The French consul and the entire gendarmerie have been killed!"

Yang Chengdong sprang to his feet: "What?"

"Just received word: Lin Yu not only detained the court's envoy, but also killed French consul Lemelle, slaughtered the entire French gendarmerie, and seized all enterprises in the French Concession," the communications officer's voice trembled with terror.

Yang Chengdong's eyes widened, disbelief evident as he stared at the officer: "Has he… gone mad? Killing the French consul? Slaughtering the gendarmerie? Does he intend to spark an international war?"

The Chief of Staff's expression grew even more grave: "Commander, this means we can no longer count on external aid. With the French Concession seized, the Fourth Young Master's forces there will be restrained. With the court's envoy detained, the court won't dare act rashly in the short term."

Yang Chengdong staggered back a few steps, leaning against the wall to steady themselves. They felt a wave of dizziness, as if the whole world were spinning.

"Lin Yu… what kind of person is he really?" Yang Chengdong muttered, "How could he… how can he…"

Outside the window, artillery roared again. The ground shuddered, dust on the wall fluttered down.

"Commander, they've begun the general assault!" the Chief of Staff said urgently, "We must decide: fight or surrender?"

Yang Chengdong watched the fireworks outside, then laughed suddenly, a laugh full of bitterness and despair: "Fight? With what to fight? Four thousand exhausted soldiers against a force as fierce as wolves and tigers?"

He walked back to the desk and picked up the phone: "Connect to Lin Yu's communication line."

The Chief of Staff looked at him in surprise: "Commander, you want…"

"Surrender," Yang Chengdong said calmly. "Continuing to fight only sacrifices soldiers in vain. Lin Yu has won, completely won."

The call connected, Yang Chengdong inhaled deeply: "This is Yang Chengdong, I want to speak with Bureau Chief Lin."

On the other end, Lin Yu's calm voice said: "Yang Commander, I've been waiting for your call."

Yang Chengdong closed his eyes, his voice full of fatigue: "We surrender. Please stop the bombardment, give my soldiers a way out."

"A wise decision, Yang Commander." Lin Yu's voice carried the composure of a victor, "Lay down your weapons, I guarantee no harm will come to the surrendering soldiers."

Yang Chengdong hung up the phone and looked out the window. The cannon fire gradually ceased, replaced by an eerie silence.

"Pass the order down: the entire army lays down weapons and surrenders." Yang Chengdong said to the chief of staff.

When he walked to the window again, he saw Lin Yu's forces beginning to advance orderly toward the headquarters. Those soldiers were well-trained, their movements uniform and precise, like a precise machine.

Yang Chengdong gave a bitter smile and shook his head. He once thought he knew every corner of Shen City, grasped the city's lifelines. But now he realized, he had never truly understood Lin Yu, nor had he ever truly controlled this city.

Outside the window, Lin Yu's flag snapped in the wind, proclaiming the arrival of a new era for Shen City.