Chapter 003: Joint

Lin Yao asked while answering, "Huzi, how have you been these past few years?"

Please help me call a car, it is really inconvenient without one

I would like to have a drink when I have the time, but today is not possible as I need to go to the hospital to check on my injuries

After chatting with a few henchmen for a while, a black taxi soon drove out of the village

He is an undercover agent, and he is quite certain that Lin Hu, who has been staying in Taizhai, might know something. However, he does not intend to use Lin Hu as a breakthrough point

Sitting in the taxi, the driver is a young man in his early twenties. Ten years ago, when Lin Yao had not yet left Tazhai, this young man had been a follower behind Lin Yao.

Lin Yao touched the wound on his head, inhaled sharply, and then put on a coat before stepping out the door

Compared to ten years ago, Lin Hu has found that he is not as happy as he used to be; with interests taking precedence, the human touch of those years has diminished

Li Weimin, Deputy Director of the Drug Control Bureau of Handong Province, Commander of the Icebreaker Operation

As the car entered the national highway, Lin Hu glanced at the rearview mirror, hesitating to speak.

What else can we do? We might as well go to the hospital. You all know the clinic in our village is just a sham. I plan to go to the big hospital in the city to have a look; I can't afford to have any aftereffects from the injury on my head

Hiss, your grip is indeed heavy

Brother Yao, to be honest, I think you should not come back

Lin Yao did not get angry but instead smiled; behind this series of accountability, he sensed Li Weimin's concern.

"It's not bad. I run a taxi service in the village, and in addition to the fare, I also receive a subsidy. Life is quite manageable." Lin Hu's smile was filled with contentment

Brother Yao, what are you going to do?

Lost in thought, Lin Hu fell into silence. He had much to say and many grievances to express, yet the words lingered on the tip of his tongue, unable to be uttered.

Tazhai is quite large; nominally, it is a village-level unit, but in reality, its population exceeds 20,000. Not to mention it being a village, many small towns do not have this scale of population

Therefore, within the tower village, there are generally all the amenities found in a typical town, including internet cafes, billiard halls, restaurants, clinics, and even KTVs, all of which are present without exception

Indeed, the current Taizhai is prosperous, holds a position of status, and no one is left single; every household is financially well-off

The first checkpoint is at the village entrance, guarded 24 hours a day. The responsibility for guarding the first checkpoint at the village entrance lies with the second branch, namely the descendants of Lin Yaohua, the Red Heart Ace.

Brother Yao, how about I call a car for you? You certainly can't walk there, can you

No one understands the changes in Tazhai over the past ten years better than Lin Hu

Almost, when Brother Yao was still around back then, he had a good relationship with everyone in the village. If he hadn't left back then, he would probably be a small leader by now

Lin Yao waved his hand, bidding farewell to his former companions

Why is that

Lin Yao pretended not to know and asked in confusion.

Moreover, during this clan conflict, Lin Yao's performance was remarkable; he was both capable and tenacious, which naturally earned him the respect of the subordinates. Therefore, although he had just returned to the stronghold not long ago, he was not an unknown figure.

Lin Hu is an honest man, and in this day and age, the more honest a person is, the more they suffer. Lin Hu has reached the point of driving a taxi in a village like Tazhai, where billionaires are everywhere and every household has savings of no less than one million. Let us not drag him down any further

Boss, it's not that I don't want to call you, but the situation in the tower village is more complicated than we anticipated

With a sigh, Lin Yao withdrew his gaze, took out his mobile phone from his pocket, replaced it with a new anonymous SIM card, and dialed a number that he had not saved in his contacts but had always kept in his heart.

Lin Hu drove away, his expression vacant, reverting to that slightly dull, somewhat foolish, and somewhat out of place Er Huzi.

When Lin Yao arrived at the village entrance, six or seven of the second branch's subordinates were playing mahjong. Mahjong is the traditional form of entertainment for the second branch, just as the members of the first branch enjoy playing Dou Di Zhu, and those of the third branch prefer playing billiards. Even the forms of entertainment have their traditions.

The city hospital arrived quickly, and seeing Lin Yao get out of the car, Lin Hu opened his mouth but ultimately said nothing

However, he is well aware that Lin Hu is not very bold. Judging by the current situation, Lin Hu has not been involved with the village's ice factory or anything of the sort; he is simply leading an honest life as a taxi driver, which can be considered as accepting his circumstances.

Lin Yao can be considered part of the third branch of the family. There is considerable competition among the first, second, and third branches, but they all belong to the Lin clan, and they must maintain a respectable appearance.

He is also the one who transferred Lin Yao from Xiguang to Dongshan, a veteran drug enforcement officer who has spent half his life navigating the challenges of the drug war, and Lin Yao's direct superior

Only at this moment can you be without a mask; you can be human, not a ghost

In recent years, there have been significant changes in the village; many things are different from before, and people's hearts have also changed, which is quite disheartening

Boss, it's me

Beep, beep, beep

Three days, a full three days, and you haven't sent any news at all. Do you still have any sense of organization and discipline? I almost submitted a report of your sacrifice. Do you even know what you are doing?

What is the purpose of saying this, playing cards, playing cards, west wind

As the population increases, the demand naturally rises

The sound of the line connecting came through the phone, and Lin Yao's mood began to calm down.

Lin Yao smiled as he answered and handed out cigarettes to the several henchmen stationed at the village entrance

Lin Hu stood behind the revolving door of the hospital, while Lin Yao watched Lin Hu depart

Watching Lin Yao get into the car and drive away, several henchmen sat down to continue playing cards, casually chatting: "Has it been ten years since Brother Yao left?"

He witnessed with his own eyes how his former companions transformed from their once innocent selves into ruthless and inhumane beings

Brother Yao, I didn't expect you to come back. Shall we have a drink together when you have some free time

Lin Hu did not speak directly, or perhaps he was not even referring to Lin Yao, but rather just to himself

Now everything has changed, looking at the forced familiarity on Lin Hu's face, Lin Yao is very clear that ten years from now, everyone's relationships have long since become distant, and Lin Hu's words are merely polite remarks

The second checkpoint is located on the national highway, where there are more than ten people guarding it. Officially, it is a store, but in reality, it serves as a hidden lookout for entering the tower village

Looking at the smiling Lin Hu, Lin Yao's memories felt somewhat hazy

Indeed, I missed the good times, and now that I am back, it is probably not easy to manage; the changes in the village over the years have been significant

Lin Yao wore a smile on his face; undercover police officers are always in danger. He cannot trust anyone, except for one person, and that is your contact supervisor

You may not be aware that they have set up a German signal reception device within the tower village. Within a radius of ten miles around the tower village, both phone calls and text messages can be intercepted. As soon as I call you, they will quickly be able to trace it back through the phone number.

You are well aware of the energy those people possess. I have just returned to Tazhai, which is currently a key observation target. It is too easy for them to move around and check a phone number. In order to avoid exposure, I can only refrain from taking any action, and I do not even dare to leave the village without a legitimate reason

At that time, he was sixteen, and Lin Hu was fourteen. This kid often accompanied him to dig bird nests and catch fish and shrimp

Upon seeing Lin Yao emerge, the henchmen stationed at the village entrance greeted him with smiles

However, unlike an ordinary small town, Tazhai is not a typical place, nor is it a normal village-level unit

After a few seconds, the call was answered, and a deep and steady voice came through: "Hello, I am Li Weimin"

Tiger, you can go back first. I have to be busy for a while here, and I will take a taxi back later.

Lin Yao, what have you done? I told you before entering the tower village that you must report your safety to me on that day, but how did you do it?

As soon as the title of the boss was mentioned, Li Weimin's roar echoed through the phone.

There is only one road leading out of the village, located to the south. To leave the village, one must take this route, which has two checkpoints.