Chapter 164: Next Stop: Works Bureau

Lin Yu pulls a silver pocket watch from his chest, the hand points to 9 p. m.; he gently closes the cover, a cold smile curls at his mouth: "There's still time; the real show tonight has only just begun."

"Next stop," he says, looking out the window, "the British Concession Works Bureau."

The carriage turns and heads toward Shen City's largest concession district. Compared with the French Concession, the British Concession is undeniably larger and more arrogant. It stretches from the riverbank to the city center, occupying Shen City's prime land. Within this area, Victorian buildings rise one after another, flaunting the "glory" of the Great British Empire.

"Thirty years ago," Lin Yu watches the scenery outside, his voice tinged with coldness, "the British opened Shen City's gates with sturdy ships and powerful cannons. They seized land here, established a concession, and set up their Works Bureau."

The Works Bureau, a privileged institution that stands above the laws of Great Dry. They have their own courts, their own police, even their own army inside the concession. In this way the British created a "state within a state" in Shen City.

"Do you know?" Lin Yu continues, "these years the British Concession has collected taxes greater than the entire Shen City government. They profit from our land, yet treat our people as second‑class citizens."

Zhou Wei and Feng An listen silently, daring not to speak.

"Laborers at the docks, workers in the factories—they are summoned and ordered by the foreigners on their own land. A slight misstep and the British Concession police will haul them into a cell." Lin Yu's voice grows colder, "And those foreigners, they run amok on our ground, hide in the concession when they offend, with the Works Bureau backing them."

The carriage rolls down a wide road. The street lamps are the latest electric lights, illuminating everything. Such brightness is unseen elsewhere in Shen City. The British live a lavish life in the concession with money squeezed from Great Dry's populace.

"The most ridiculous thing," Lin Yu says, looking at the English street sign, "they've built an entirely different world here. English signs, British architecture, even dogs aren't allowed to be led in by locals. How can this still be our land?"

The vehicle draws nearer to the Works Bureau building. It is a grand Victorian edifice, three‑tenths more magnificent than the Public Administration Bureau in the French Concession. Tall columns and exquisite reliefs all proclaim the authority of the Yingjili Empire.

"Tonight," a cold glint flashes in Lin Yu's eyes, "let's tell those British bastards their good days in Shen City are over."

Inside the Works Bureau, tension has reached its peak.

Duke Charles Albert paces back and forth in the second‑floor conference room. The highest officer of the Works Bureau, usually composed with aristocratic poise, now looks restless.

"What are you saying?" he asks in a thick British accent, "the Public Administration Bureau in the French Concession was bombed? That idiot Lei Nuo is dead?"

"Yes, sir," a sweating clerk in a suit replies, "just half an hour ago. People from the Fourth Bureau seized the entire French Concession, then… then leveled the Public Administration Bureau to the ground."

"Damned it!" Albert slams the table hard, "that lunatic Lin Yu actually dared to act!"

The other Works Bureau officials in the conference room glance at each other, faces marked by terror. They all know Lin Yu's fearsome reputation, but never expected him to actually strike at the foreigners.

"Immediately mobilize all the police squads," Albert orders quickly, "notify the Royal Navy Marine Corps in the concession, concentrate them around the Works Bureau."

"Sir," Senior Councilor Williams asks cautiously, "won't this be too obvious…?"

"Obvious?" Albert sneers, "just say we're maintaining order! That lunatic caused such chaos in the French Concession; of course we must protect the concession's safety."

Soon, fully armed police units and marine troops begin to mass around the Works Bureau. They are equipped with the latest Lee‑Enfield rifles, ready for battle.

Albert stands by the window, watching the growing armed force below, yet feeling no safety. He knows Lin Yu too well; the young Fourth Bureau Chief never plays by the rules.

"Send a telegram to the consulate," he says suddenly, "request additional warships. Also transfer all important documents of the Works Bureau to the British Consulate immediately."

"Sir," Williams replies, "we have so many armed forces, he shouldn't dare…"

"Do you think that's enough?" Albert turns, his face dark, "that lunatic even razed the French Concession; do you think he'll care about this handful of troops?"

Outside, more and more armed personnel gather. But Albert knows tonight is destined to be an unsettled night.

Lin Yu's Buick stops on a small lane west of the Works Bureau building. From here the dense armed forces around the bureau are clearly visible.

"Looks like the British came prepared," Lin Yu sneers, pulling a delicate silver pocket watch from his pocket, "but their preparation is nothing more than a farm‑yard chicken against a real army."

He presses the button on the car's radio transmitter: "General Shiteyin, are you there?"

"Present, sir," the radio crackles back.

Shiteyin, the commander of the Ghost Division, is a trump card summoned by the system. Under his command, the Ghost Division has become a fearsome modernized elite force.

"How's Colonel Klaus's unit doing?" Lin Yu asks.

"Report, sir, Klaus has positioned the Seventh Armored Grenade Troop," Shiteyin replies, "thirty armored vehicles, six hundred fully armed soldiers, ready to move."

"In five minutes," Lin Yu looks toward the Works Bureau, "I want your forces to enter the British Concession and take over everything here."

"Understood, sir." Shiteyin's voice is calm and confident, "Klaus is my most capable subordinate; he will show those British what true military power is."

Lin Yu nods satisfied: "Remember, those British love to play clever tricks. Their police and marines are cow‑boys who cower at the first sight of a real army; once they see it, their true colors will show."

"I understand." Shiteyin answers, "with our equipment and firepower, those British won't even have the courage to return fire."

"Very good." Lin Yu glances at his pocket watch, "In five minutes I'll see armored vehicles crush their so‑called 'extraterritoriality.' Let those British know they're just uninvited guests on this land."

"As you wish, sir."

Lin Yu shuts off the radio, turns to Feng An and says, "Tell our people, in five minutes coordinate with Shiteyin and Klaus's operation. I'll make these foreigners know their reign of lawlessness in Shen City is over."