Chapter 268: Catching Thieves

When Zhou Lian took the pistol, his fingers trembled slightly, beyond his control.

He stared at the revolver gleaming with a cold light, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down; finally, he slumped and placed the gun back on the table: "Kid, you're tough... you win! I concede."

He Yuzhu said coldly: "Zhou Lian, I won't interfere with you drinking in the future, but don't get in my way."

"No problem! Absolutely no problem!" Zhou Lian nodded repeatedly.

He Yuzhu then counted out one hundred from the one thousand US dollars on the table and slapped it down: "This is a greeting gift for the brothers, add a side dish for your drinks."

Zhou Lian's face immediately beamed with joy, and he affectionately threw his arm around He Yuzhu's shoulder: "Brother, you're generous! I, your brother, guarantee I won't cause you any trouble."

He Yuzhu already knew in his heart that these old soldiers couldn't be counted on at all.

He stuffed a pack of Camel Cigarettes into Zhou Lian's hand and said: "If you run out of smokes, come find me anytime. As long as I'm here for a day, you won't be short on cigarettes."

Watching He Yuzhu leave, Zhou Lian muttered to himself: "This kid is a character. If he were in the army, he'd definitely be able to become a Company Commander..."

Not far from the barracks, Team Leader Ma Yu couldn't help but ask: "Deputy Section Chief, you were too reckless just now. If something had gone wrong..."

He Yuzhu smiled indifferently: "I've always had good luck."

Ma Yu couldn't help but feel a sense of awe for this young man.

In fact, the moment He Yuzhu closed the cylinder, he had already quietly and imperceptibly stored the bullets into his space.

The group arrived at their lounge—a room of over a hundred square meters, where employees took afternoon naps in the summer. It was too cold in winter, so no one came here. Now, only a dilapidated large communal bed remained, and there wasn't even a stove for heating, making it appear exceptionally desolate in the bitter winter.

He Yuzhu looked around: "Team Leader Ma, have your men clear this place out this afternoon. From now on, this will be our dormitory."

Ma Yu looked troubled: "Section Chief, this... there's no fire for heat at night, I'm afraid we'll freeze."

"You don't need to worry about that. Just clear out the useless clutter first. I'll go procure supplies. Rest assured, I won't just make sure everyone lives comfortably; I'll also build a kitchen to ensure there's meat at every meal."

The team members were instantly stirred up, and someone asked timidly: "Section Chief, for meals... do we have to pay?"

"As long as I'm here for a day, it's all free!" He Yuzhu said decisively.

Upon hearing this, the team members immediately patted their chests, promising to work hard.

He Yuzhu left the factory area, found a secluded spot, released a truck from his space, loaded it with bedding, chairs, and other daily necessities, and then went to Liu Rusi's honeycomb briquette factory to haul half a truckload of coal and three large stoves.

When he returned with a truck full of supplies, the thirty team members were all dumbfounded—the truck not only had military-style pillows and quilts, but also five brand-new Phoenix bicycles.

Ma Yu pointed at the bicycles, his voice trembling: "Sec-, Section Chief, these bicycles are..."

"The factory area is too big; we need them for patrols and errands. Those who don't know how to ride should learn quickly," He Yuzhu said with a smile.

"Section Chief, you are too good to us! We will definitely serve you with our lives!" everyone said in unison.

"Don't be in such a hurry to thank me, wait until tomorrow passes," He Yuzhu smiled meaningfully.

Once the dormitory was arranged, He Yuzhu personally led several team members to inspect the New Factory Area.

This 150-mu site was quite vast, and although it was surrounded by high walls, patrolling it was not easy. Only then did He Yuzhu realize that thirty people might indeed be too few.

Returning from the inspection, He Yuzhu readjusted the defense plan based on the actual situation and assigned clearer tasks to each squad.

As night fell, an enticing aroma began to drift through the New Factory Area.

He Yuzhu cooked himself, preparing a pot of Braised Pork that was perfect in color, aroma, and taste for the team members.

The chunks of meat, a mix of fat and lean, bubbled away in the pot, the soy-red sauce foaming up, making everyone swallow their saliva.

Dinner is served! At He Yuzhu's call, the team members couldn't wait to gather around.

One bite of the Braised Pork and it was savory, soft, and glutinous, fatty but not greasy; everyone ate until their mouths were glistening with oil, praising it endlessly.

Section Chief, your skills are amazing!

I've never eaten such delicious Braised Pork in my life!

Just then, Zhou Lian came over with a large basin, saying shamelessly: "Brother Zhuzi, don't mind me, but when the brothers smelled you all eating meat, they couldn't stand the craving. Can we have some?"

He Yuzhu nodded; he had made plenty to begin with, so he scooped a basin full for them. The thirty brothers stared fixedly at Zhou Lian, very protective of their food.

After Zhou Lian left, He Yuzhu said with a smile: "Distant relatives aren't as good as close neighbors; there's nothing wrong with having a good relationship. Besides, Zhou Lian isn't a bad guy."

Once everyone was full, He Yuzhu began to organize the shifts.

They would rotate every four hours. He included himself in the roster, taking the night shift from 12:00 to 4:00 AM.

After nine o'clock in the evening, He Yuzhu prepared to sleep. The room was warmed by three large stoves, creating a cozy atmosphere that stood in stark contrast to the bitter cold outside.

Lying on the bed, he suddenly remembered the jade he had obtained from Xu Damao.

System, he called out in his mind, if I offer all those jade pieces to you, what new functions can I unlock?

Host, among those jade pieces, only the Double Dragon Jade Pendant contains energy that can upgrade the system level; the rest are ordinary jade.

He Yuzhu asked further: Then what functions can the Double Dragon Jade Pendant upgrade?

You can choose one of two: increase the Detection System range to 90 meters, or expand the planting space by 30 mu.

He Yuzhu pondered for a moment. At the moment, his demand for grain wasn't high, so expanding the detection range was more practical.

I choose to increase the detection distance to 90 meters.

System upgrading, please wait...

Five minutes later, the upgrade was complete.

He Yuzhu couldn't wait to activate the Detection System, and sure enough, the perception range had expanded significantly.

Even while lying on the bed, everything within 90 meters was clearly visible: steelworkers were pouring ore into the furnace, patrol members were walking back and forth in the courtyard, and even the night birds perched on distant treetops were clearly distinguishable.

This new ability might come in very handy at a critical moment.

He Yuzhu thought to himself and gradually drifted off to sleep.

At two o'clock in the morning, the moon hid behind the clouds. The factory area was pitch black.

He Yuzhu was leading a patrol team to inspect the New Factory Area, and everything was in perfect order.

Just as he habitually activated his detection ability to scan the surroundings, his brow suddenly furrowed—in the forging workshop of the old factory area next door, four sneaky figures were moving something.

He Yuzhu calmly instructed the squad leader: "You all continue patrolling; my stomach is a bit upset, I'm going to find a restroom."

Seeing the patrol team walk away, He Yuzhu moved like a civet cat, climbed the wall with a running start, and then jumped down without making a sound.

Under the cover of night, He Yuzhu followed those few figures silently.

Those four people were carrying several pieces of forged steel, hurrying toward the direction of the wall.

He Yuzhu held his breath and focused, following far behind; he saw them arrive at a hidden corner by the wall, skillfully lift the manhole cover of an underground sewage pipe, and climb down one after another, then replace the cover.

Once they had gone far away, He Yuzhu moved the manhole cover aside and quietly followed them.

After walking about 500 meters, he reached the end of the passage.

He Yuzhu hid in the sewer and listened to the few people talking.

"Bai Jiarui, just selling this steel won't earn much money; do me a favor—I heard your new factory needs to replace a batch of refractory materials, can you get them to use ours?"

"I can't make the call on this; Lou Laoban has to agree to it," Bai Jiarui said.

"Isn't procurement the responsibility of Cao Guoyong? Doesn't he like going to Badahutong just like you? Bring him out another day, I'll host him, and I guarantee I'll make him satisfied."

"That's easy to handle!" Bai Jiarui said.

Hearing the footsteps of the few parasites getting closer, He Yuzhu hurried back.