Siheyuan came through and sent Jia Zhang to prison

The boss sat opposite, his fingertips tapping the table unconsciously. His gaze lingered on Ma Xin's face for a moment before he suddenly broke the silence: "Actually, there's something else I want to tell you."

Ma Xin was just putting a piece of green vegetable into her mouth when she heard this. She looked up, her cheeks still slightly puffed out, and mumbled, "Just say what you have to say. Why are you being so polite with me?"

The boss leaned forward, lowering his voice to almost touching the table: "It's about Ma Ran. We've already had people following her, ostensibly for protection, but actually... it's also to keep an eye on her." He paused, glancing quickly at Ma Xin, "You know she's your weakness. Only by ensuring her safety can you be at ease, and that's... guaranteeing your safety."

Ma Xin's hand, which was picking up food, suddenly stopped, her chopsticks hovering in mid-air. She looked up at the owner, a flash of coldness crossing her eyes, like the sharp edge of an icy blade, so quick it was almost an illusion. The next second, that coldness transformed into a faint smile, but the curve of her lips held no warmth, and her eyes remained clear and sharp: "Alright, I understand what you mean." She slowly put down her chopsticks, her fingertips lightly tapping the edge of the table, making a soft "thud." Her tone was as calm as if she were discussing the weather, yet it carried an undeniable air of authority, "But remember, if anything happens to Ma Ran—even just a scratch—I don't care who did it, and I don't care how noble your so-called rules are, feel free to try my revenge."

The boss's expression froze for a moment, as if stung by the chill in those words, and his fingers stopped moving. He remained silent for a moment before slowly nodding, offering no further explanation.

The only sounds in the restaurant were the whooshing of the ceiling fan and the occasional soft rustling of Ma Xin turning over the dishes. Outside, the sky gradually darkened, and the streetlights along the street lit up one after another, casting dappled shadows on the table through the glass windows, but unable to dispel the invisible tension between the two.

Everyone knows that Ma Xin is always smiling and speaks with a girlish charm, appearing obedient and harmless. But only those who have truly met her know that this cute appearance is just a thin layer of disguise. Once her bottom line is crossed, the pressure she exerts when she gets angry can send chills down the spine of even the fiercest opponent.

The boss was clearly also intimidated by the aura he had just displayed. His Adam's apple bobbed, and as he looked at Ma Xin's tense profile, his voice softened slightly: "Ma Xin, I know what's important. Don't worry, there won't be any problems with Ma Ran. Our people will be there to protect her every step of the way and will never let her suffer any injustice."

Ma Xin turned her head, the coldness in her eyes still lingering: "It's best if it's just protection." She picked up her chopsticks, gently stirring the rice in her bowl, her tone light yet tinged with bloodlust, "Otherwise, you should know what I'm capable of. If you can't help but kill someone, don't blame me for not giving you a heads-up."

The boss forced a stiff smile and didn't reply. He knew Ma Xin's capabilities and, more importantly, her ability to keep her word; saying anything more at this point would be superfluous.

Ma Xin didn't look at him again. She lowered her head, ate a couple of mouthfuls of rice, and said without looking up, "Okay, I'm going to eat now. You can leave."

The boss was seething with anger, but her unyielding attitude left him speechless. He clenched his fists, finally stood up, and pulled out the chair with a soft creak. Then he turned and walked out, his steps somewhat disheveled.

The door closed gently, leaving Ma Xin alone in the private room. She put down her chopsticks, gazing at the dim light outside the window. The sharpness in her eyes slowly subsided, leaving only a deep, unfathomable complexity.

Deep in the dense forest behind the coal mine, there was a small, dilapidated house half-hidden by vines. Light leaked through the roof, and cobwebs covered the corners of the walls. About thirty people were crammed inside, all wearing faded and patched old military uniforms. They all looked weary, and their eyes were filled with confusion.

In the center of the room, a relatively neatly dressed middle-aged man stood with his hands behind his back. He was the leader of the group and had previously worked for the Military Intelligence Bureau. He was now scanning the crowd: "We did a pretty good job this time. Not only did we get this batch of supplies, but we can also find a way to transport this coal back. It wasn't all the hardship we've endured these past few days for nothing."

The men below kept their heads down, no one responding. Some wiped the sweat from their brows with their sleeves, others stared blankly at the clods of mud on the ground—no one could understand how these soldiers, who had once carried guns to defend their country, had fallen to the point of stealing coal in this desolate wilderness. Rather than wasting their time here, they should go out and find a legitimate job, even mining coal would be better than this shady dealing. But no one dared to say this; the leader was stubborn and his word was law.

The leader seemed to see through their thoughts and raised his voice: "Cheer up! Remember, as long as we succeed in this, the higher-ups will make arrangements, and we can go back with our heads held high, instead of being stuck in this godforsaken place!"

The crowd remained silent, but their doubts only grew stronger: what kind of "legitimate business" was stealing coal? Yet, military orders were absolute, and even in their current predicament, the instinct to obey remained.

The leader said no more, turned and walked out of the dilapidated house. He cautiously looked around to make sure no one was following him, then disappeared into the deeper woods. He stopped under an old locust tree, brushed aside the thick layer of fallen leaves, and revealed a radio disguised as a stone. This man was Zhang Jie, sent by the Ryukyu Islands to sabotage coal production, cripple the industrial base, and pave the way for a future counterattack.

He quickly assembled the radio, adjusted the frequency, and typed Morse code on the keys, reporting the situation in detail: "The rear passage of the coal mine has been secured. The coal and supplies recently intercepted have been properly hidden, and the quantity is considerable. Local investigation efforts have been intensified, so caution is advised."

A response came quickly from the other end of the radio wave, though the signal was somewhat noisy: "Progress is going well so far. Do you need any support? Personnel or equipment can be coordinated."

Zhang Jie frowned slightly and said in a low voice into the microphone, "Transferring the supplies is the biggest problem right now. This batch of coal and equipment is too bulky to be transported out. According to previous instructions, we are preparing to bury it on the spot, but we need more explosives and tools to ensure that it is not easily discovered after being buried deep."

After a moment of silence, the reply came: "The explosives and excavation tools will be delivered within three days via clandestine channels. The contact method will remain the same. Any other requests?"

“There is a significant shortage of weapons and funds.” Zhang Jie said gravely. “My men have been here for a long time and their morale is unstable. We need some money to stabilize their spirits. In addition, patrols in the mining area have been increased recently, and the existing weapons are insufficient to deal with emergencies. It would be best to replenish some lightweight firearms and ammunition.”