Chapter 237 Black Three

237

"Yes, I happened to be in the county that day and saw a notice posted by the machine factory recruiting workers, so I went there to give it a try."

"Who knew I'd actually pass the exam! I guess the factory was in a hurry to hire people, so their requirements weren't that high?"

"Baozhu? She's just a little girl, an apprentice in the factory. What connections could she possibly have? We didn't dare bother her this time!"

"Yes, yes, yes, it was pure luck!"

No matter how much they were asked or how they were tricked into revealing information, they insisted on using "coincidence" and "luck" as if they had planned it all along. If pressed, they would earnestly complain, "Sigh, being a temporary worker isn't easy. There's a three-month probation period, and if you don't do well, you'll have to pack up and go back to farming. The pressure is immense!"

Captain Guo Mancang knew perfectly well that Lin Baozhu was definitely involved in this matter.

He felt somewhat dissatisfied, thinking that the Guo brothers didn't respect him as the brigade leader and didn't think of the village first when they had connections.

But on second thought, the fact that Guo Tiezhu, Guo Jianshe, and Guo Weidong all passed the worker exam at the same time shows that Lin Baozhu has a lot of influence in the machine factory.

Being on good terms with the Guo family is tantamount to climbing up Lin Baozhu's powerful tree.

This is a ready-made network of connections! Whether the village needs a letter of introduction, to buy some extra fertilizer, or even if the kids want to become apprentices in the factory in the future... they might all have to ask these people for help!

Having figured this out, Guo Mancang's initial dissatisfaction immediately transformed into a pragmatic attempt to please.

Instead of pressing the matter further, he actively voiced his support in the village: "Tiezhu and the others getting into our village is a great honor for Guojiazhuang! It shows that our village has good feng shui and promising young people! Everyone should learn from them, work hard, and opportunities will come!"

He also specifically instructed the Guo brothers: "Work hard at the factory and bring honor to our village! If you encounter any difficulties, the team will help as much as it can!"

The Guo brothers readily agreed.

Just as Lin Baozhu was busily building the electric fan workshop, Qin Haifeng brought her some news that made her heart clench.

"There's movement over at the sinking pool."

Qin Haifeng's expression turned grave as he continued, "He's been in frequent contact with someone lately. I investigated, and that person is called 'Black Three,' a key figure in the city's black market network. He's incredibly powerful and ruthless. Most importantly..."

He lowered his voice, "According to the intelligence we have, 'Black Three' is very likely connected to that overseas organization and is an important henchman they planted in the mainland! Shen Kaichi's connection with him is definitely not just for reselling some supplies!"

Lin Baozhu's eyes sharpened instantly. It seemed that Shen Kaichi had already become suspicious and was about to take action.

"What exactly are they planning? Do you have any clues?" Lin Wanwan pressed.

"They were very cautious; the meeting place was secluded, and the conversation was difficult to hear."

Qin Haifeng shook his head, "But I feel that Shen Kaichi is providing some kind of information to 'Black Three' or seeking some kind of protection and support. 'Black Three' seems to be treating him... a bit too 'courtesy,' which is very abnormal."

Lin Baozhu pondered for a moment, and a bold idea arose in her mind: "I want to personally investigate the background of this 'Black Three'."

"No! It's too dangerous!" Qin Haifeng firmly rejected the idea.

“‘Black Three’ is a man with a lot of blood on his hands! I’ve already notified the higher-ups, and they’re already in a meeting to discuss it. I believe the matter will be resolved soon.”

Lin Baozhu knew he was worried about her, so she grabbed his hand and said, "Don't worry, I know what I'm doing and I won't force you."

"I just want to observe him from a distance, to see his usual routine and the people he associates with. There are some things I can't tell you yet. I'm not married to you yet, how could I let anything happen to me?"

"I'll go with you!"

"Idiot! Why would Shen Kaichi contact that Hei San? He probably already knows that Old Master Shen has discovered something, which is why he risked contacting him. Maybe he wants to use Hei San to get rid of Old Master Shen. Then, who will know his fake identity? Besides, taking you with me is a good idea. You're tall and strong, so it's easy to disguise yourself and alert the enemy. Be good..."

Qin Haifeng couldn't persuade her otherwise, and having vaguely guessed her abilities, he could only reluctantly agree in the end.

"You can't get too close to them. If anything happens, run away immediately. No one's life is more important than yours."

Lin Baozhu, speaking in a literary style, tiptoed and kissed him on the lips, laughing, "Don't worry, I value my life more than anyone else!"

Lin Baozhu decisively handed over all the affairs of the new electric fan workshop at the county machinery factory to her second brother, Lin Erlang. As evening fell, the setting sun painted the sky orange-red, casting a dilapidated and dangerous hue over the abandoned railway freight yard.

Lin Baozhu wore a tattered straw hat with worn edges and old clothes that were faded and patched, completely immersing herself in the role of a "country girl who came to the city to find work," and quietly arrived near the vague location provided by Qin Haifeng.

Like a raccoon, she carefully lurked, using the piles of sleepers at the edge of the freight yard as cover.

A strong smell of rust, engine oil, and dust mixed with the fishy odor of withered grass filled the nostrils.

She held her breath, lowered her body as far as possible, revealing only her sharp eyes, and stared intently through the gaps in the sleepers at the relatively empty area deep in the freight yard.

Time ticked by, and just as Lin Baozhu began to doubt whether the intelligence was correct, a deep engine sound came from afar.

A mud-caked Volga sedan slowly drove into the freight yard and stopped next to several abandoned train cars. The door opened, and a figure emerged.

It's the "Black Three" in the photo!

He was lean and wore a dark blue Zhongshan suit that was neither new nor old, but ironed exceptionally neatly, which seemed out of place in the dilapidated environment.

His face was ordinary, the kind of person you'd easily lose in a crowd. But his eyes were sharp, like those of a hawk circling in the sky, slowly scanning every corner of the freight yard, even lingering for a moment in the direction of the pile of sleepers where Lin Baozhu was hiding.

Lin Baozhu instinctively shrank back further, his heart pounding in his chest. He was waiting for someone…

Lin Baozhu clung to the ground like a gecko, using scattered sleepers, discarded bearings, and even clumps of tenacious wormwood as cover, inching slowly and insidiously into the freight yard.

I took each step very carefully, making sure not to make a sound, and I breathed very softly.

Her goal was to get close to the abandoned, sealed freight car with its door half open, not far from "Black Three," where it might offer better cover and a clearer view—or even better hearing.

Just as she was fully focused, less than ten meters from the entrance of the freight car, and could almost see every crease of the "Black Three" Zhongshan suit—a bone-chilling, icy coldness, like the hiss of a venomous snake, shot up from her tailbone to the top of her head without warning!

Danger! Extreme danger!