Fusion System: Rebirth in a Courtyard - Bird Fighting Chronicles

Chapter 97 Hidden Schemes, Terrifying Blueprints

As dusk settled after Liu Guangtian's wedding festivities, Yi Zhonghai, clutching the red envelope that had been mostly returned, walked hunched over the blue brick path, his shoes crunching over scattered wedding candy wrappers. The pomegranate tree in the courtyard had just sprouted new buds, its branches outlining a menacing silhouette in the twilight, much like his twisted state of mind. Just as he reached his front door, he heard his aunt sighing inside, "Shazhu didn't even glance at us today, not even offered a toast. How are we going to get through this?"

Yi Zhonghai flung open the door, slamming an enamel mug onto the octagonal table, splashing tea onto the yellowed "Factory-Level Model Worker" certificate on the corner of the table. "Endure, endure, endure! All you do is endure!" he growled, veins throbbing on his forehead. "If we keep this up, not only will Sha Zhu dislike us, but even the apprentices in the workshop will dare to ride roughshod over me!" That afternoon at the wedding banquet, he had tried to strike up a conversation with an apprentice from the precision group, but was deliberately turned away. The deliberately lowered "counterfeiting master" felt like a needle piercing his heart.

Aunt Yi shrank back in fright, saying timidly, "You can't blame anyone else. Last time, the incident of helping Qin Huairu revise the evaluation sample caused such a big fuss; the factory leaders even criticized him by name..." "Whose fault is it? Blame Lin Chen!" Yi Zhonghai's eyes were bloodshot, his hand slamming on the table, making the award certificate tremble. "If he hadn't exposed me in public, would I be in this state? What right does he have? A young man who returned to the city after being sent to the countryside, relying on his somewhat shady skills, dares to challenge me!"

These words were like a fuse, instantly igniting all the pent-up frustrations of the past. From exposing Jia Zhangshi's egg-stealing trick when Lin Chen first arrived at the courtyard house, to revealing his misappropriation of apprentice welfare subsidies for the Jia family, and then to making him lose face during the assessment last time, each and every one of these incidents felt like knives ripping at his pride. What terrified him even more was that as Lin Chen's status in the workshop rose, his former colleagues who had fawned over him gradually turned against him. Even Sha Zhu, his "retirement backup plan," had been enlightened by Lin Chen and was now cold and distant towards him.

"No, I can't let this end." Yi Zhonghai slumped into his chair, running his hands through his graying hair, his eyes gradually turning sinister. He remembered the new project the workshop director had announced at the meeting last week—processing high-precision gear forgings for military units. The core blueprints were locked in a safe in the workshop archives. If he could steal those blueprints and frame Lin Chen for trying to sell state secrets, Lin Chen wouldn't be able to clear his name even if he had ten mouths. Not only would he be able to get rid of this thorn in his side, but he could also salvage his reputation under the guise of "meritorious exposure" and even regain the trust of the factory leaders.

Once the thought surfaced, it gripped his heart like a vine. He got up and walked to the window, pulling back a corner of the curtain to look towards the north wing of the courtyard—Lin Chen hadn't returned from the workshop yet, and that room was dark. He heard Yan Bugui locking the door at the courtyard gate; this old shrewd accountant had been hiding at home doing calculations lately because his retirement pension had shrunk, so he didn't need to worry about being caught. He turned to Aunt Yi and said, "I'll be back late tomorrow; just say I'm working overtime in the workshop." Aunt Yi opened her mouth as if to say something, but ultimately swallowed her words, silently tidying up the enamel mug on the table.

The next morning, Yi Zhonghai arrived at the workshop half an hour early. The forging furnace had just been lit, and wisps of smoke rose from the chimney. Liu Haizhong was inspecting the forging dies with Liu Guangtian, the two huddled together, discussing something in hushed tones, their faces full of smiles. Seeing this, Yi Zhonghai's jealousy intensified—Liu Guangtian, who should have been his apprentice, was now Lin Chen's capable assistant, and even the rough-around-the-edges Liu Haizhong was getting a taste of success. He suppressed his anger, took his enamel mug to the tea room to get water, but his eyes kept glancing towards the archives.

The key to the archives was jointly kept by the workshop director and the archivist. The director's office window faced the workshop corridor, making it extremely difficult to steal a copy. Yi Zhonghai returned with water and deliberately circled around to the director's office door, pretending to tidy his work clothes, but actually observing the layout. Director Zhou Jianguo was looking down at documents; his keychain hung conspicuously on a hook on his desk, tied with a red lucky knot. He secretly planned that perhaps he could have a chance to steal a copy when the director went to the cafeteria for lunch break.

All morning, Yi Zhonghai was restless. He made frequent mistakes while instructing his apprentices, who whispered among themselves, "Is he getting senile?" When he went to the warehouse to collect materials, he almost grabbed the wrong specifications, prompting the warehouse manager to jokingly remark, "Master Yi, you're absent-minded!" Finally, lunch break arrived. Seeing his supervisor leave the office with a lunchbox, he immediately pretended to have a stomachache, clutching his stomach and crouching at the corner of the corridor. Once he was sure the supervisor was far away, he quickly slipped into the office, pulled out a pre-prepared bar of soap from his pocket, and pressed it forcefully against the key, leaving a clear imprint.

Just as he slipped the soap into his work uniform pocket, he heard footsteps in the hallway. Yi Zhonghai's heart leaped into his throat, and he hurriedly hid under his desk. It was the archivist, Xiao Li, who grabbed a document and rushed out, completely unaware of the figure under the desk. Only after Xiao Li left did Yi Zhonghai dare to emerge from under the desk, patting his chest and gasping for breath; his back was soaked with cold sweat. He didn't dare linger, quickly leaving the office and pretending to have just returned from the restroom, slowly making his way to the cafeteria.

After get off work in the afternoon, Yi Zhonghai went to the shoe repair shop outside the factory and paid the shoemaker five cents to make a key based on the mold on the soap. The shoemaker's workmanship was rough, and the key he made had uneven edges. He held it in his hand, rubbing it repeatedly, feeling both nervous and excited. Passing by the scrap yard, he picked up a piece of scrap iron, intending to make a lock-picking tool when he got back, just in case the key didn't work. As he reached the gate of the courtyard house, he bumped into Lin Chen pushing his bicycle in. A bulging cloth bag was tied to the back seat, which seemed to contain new forging tools.

"Master Lin, you're off work?" Yi Zhonghai greeted him, trying to appear calm, but his eyes unconsciously drifted towards Lin Chen's cloth bag. Lin Chen stopped his bicycle and nodded with a smile, "Master Yi, you just got back too? You don't look too well, are you feeling unwell?" His words made Yi Zhonghai's heart tighten, thinking that his unusual behavior had been noticed. He hurriedly said, "It's nothing, it's nothing, I'm probably just a little tired." After saying that, he rushed home, not even bothering to exchange pleasantries.

Lin Chen watched Yi Zhonghai's hurried departure, his gaze deepening. In fact, he had already sensed Yi Zhonghai's unusual behavior through the system at the wedding yesterday. At that time, Yi Zhonghai's eyes were filled with resentment, and the system panel even displayed a "Strong malice detected" message. Today in the workshop, he noticed Yi Zhonghai frequently staring at the director's office, and during lunch break, he was seen furtively hiding around a corner in the corridor, fueling his suspicions. He pushed his bicycle into the courtyard and happened to run into Liu Guangtian carrying a toolbox, saying he was going to Lin Chen's house to ask about some technical issues.

"Guangtian, you've come at the right time." Lin Chen ushered Liu Guangtian into the house and took out a newly made forging mold from his cloth bag. "This is a high-efficiency mold I just developed. Try using it to forge parts and see if it can improve efficiency." Liu Guangtian took the mold and examined it carefully, his eyes full of amazement: "Master Lin, your craftsmanship is truly amazing! The precision of this mold is even higher than the original!" The two huddled together to discuss the technology, and Lin Chen asked seemingly casually, "Today in the workshop, I noticed that Master Yi seemed preoccupied. Do you know what happened?"

Liu Guangtian scratched his head and said, "Who says otherwise! Master Yi kept making mistakes while instructing us today, and he almost took the wrong materials. During lunch break, I even saw him sneaking into the director's office; I wonder what he was doing." Lin Chen's guess was confirmed. He said calmly, "Maybe he's getting old and his energy isn't what it used to be. Be more careful in the workshop from now on, and tell me immediately if anything unusual happens." Liu Guangtian nodded. He knew that Lin Chen and Yi Zhonghai had a past conflict, and he understood that Lin Chen was reminding him to be careful.

That evening, Yi Zhonghai locked himself in his room, polishing the copied key by the light of a kerosene lamp. His wife, Aunt Yi, brought in dinner and, seeing the key in his hand, asked suspiciously, "What are you polishing?" "Mind your own business!" Yi Zhonghai snapped impatiently, startling Aunt Yi so much she almost dropped her bowl. She put down the bowl and whispered, "I'm just worried about you. You've been acting so mysterious lately. What if something happens to you?" Yi Zhonghai stopped what he was doing, looking at his wife's worried eyes. A flicker of hesitation crossed his mind, but considering his current situation, he suppressed it: "I'm doing all this for this family. Once it's done, we can finally hold our heads high."

For the next few days, Yi Zhonghai observed Lin Chen's get off work hours in the workshop. Lin Chen usually arrived at the workshop at seven in the morning and left around seven in the evening, occasionally working overtime until nine. He also noticed that the windows of the archives room had no security measures at night, only a simple latch. He chose a day when Lin Chen was working overtime, planning to sneak into the workshop at night to steal the blueprints. To avoid arousing suspicion, he specifically told Aunt Yi that he had to work overtime to meet the deadline and might be back late.

That evening, Yi Zhonghai went out after dinner. He didn't go directly to the factory, but instead wandered into the alley behind the courtyard house, waiting until it was completely dark before daring to head towards the factory. The factory gate was already locked. He walked along the wall to a quiet corner where an old locust tree stood, its branches reaching over the wall. He climbed the tree, vaulted over into the factory courtyard, and twisted his ankle upon landing, wincing in pain. He rubbed his ankle and limped towards the workshop.

The workshop was pitch black, with only the faint glow of the emergency lights. Yi Zhonghai took out his key from his pocket and carefully inserted it into the lock of the archives room. The key was indeed difficult to use; he turned it for a long time without success. Frustrated, he took out a tin lock-picking tool he had prepared beforehand and began prying at the lock cylinder. With a soft "click," the lock opened. He pushed open the door and tiptoed inside, his flashlight beam sweeping across the filing cabinets.

The core blueprints were kept in the innermost safe, the combination being the workshop's founding date. Yi Zhonghai had seen the safe's usage record in the director's office before and had already memorized the combination. He turned the combination lock, and after a few clicks, the safe door opened. Inside, various blueprints were neatly arranged, with the high-precision gear forging blueprints on top, the cover stamped "Confidential." His hands trembled with excitement as he grabbed the blueprints and stuffed them into his coat.

Just then, the workshop lights suddenly came on. Yi Zhonghai was terrified, dropping the blueprints in his hand. He looked up and saw Lin Chen standing at the workshop entrance, followed by the workshop security guard and director Zhou Jianguo. "Master Yi, sneaking into the archives in the middle of the night to steal confidential blueprints, what are you trying to do?" Lin Chen's voice was calm, yet carried an invisible pressure.

Yi Zhonghai's face turned deathly pale, his lips trembling as he couldn't speak. He tried to turn and run, but a security guard grabbed his arm, rendering him immobile. Zhou Jianguo picked up the blueprints from the ground, stared at the "Confidential" stamp on them, and his face turned ashen with rage: "Yi Zhonghai! You've disappointed me greatly! I never imagined you could do something like selling state secrets!"

"I didn't! I didn't intend to steal or sell!" Yi Zhonghai shouted frantically. "It was Lin Chen! He framed me! This was all a trap he set!" He struggled to break free from the security guard's grasp, but the guard held him firmly. "Framed you?" Lin Chen walked up to him, took out his phone—a makeshift recording device he had modified using system-integrated old parts. "This records the entire process of you stealing the key and sneaking into the archives. What else do you have to say?"

It turned out that Lin Chen had already detected Yi Zhonghai's plot through the system. Last night, he used the system to modify the workshop's surveillance equipment and even installed a miniature camera at the entrance of the archives room. Tonight, he deliberately stayed in the workshop to work overtime, waiting for Yi Zhonghai to take the bait. He had also notified the security guards and the director in advance, just waiting for Yi Zhonghai to make his move and catch him red-handed.

Yi Zhonghai stared at the recording equipment in Lin Chen's hand, then collapsed to the ground. He knew the evidence was irrefutable, and no amount of explanation would change anything. He thought of all his scheming throughout his life, of his title as a "factory-level model worker," of the days when he was the center of attention, and now he was utterly disgraced. Tears streamed down his face. "I just wanted to retire, I just wanted someone to take care of me in my old age..." he murmured, his voice filled with despair.

Looking at Yi Zhonghai, who was slumped on the ground, Zhou Jianguo sighed and said, "Yi Zhonghai, you're an old worker, how could you be so foolish? Can state secrets be stolen so easily? This is a legal offense!" He told the security guards to keep an eye on Yi Zhonghai, then took out his phone and dialed the police station.

Soon, the police from the local station arrived. They verified the situation and took Yi Zhonghai away. As he left, Yi Zhonghai glanced back at the workshop and at the set of blueprints he had stolen, his eyes filled with regret and resentment. Lin Chen stood at the workshop door, watching the police car drive away, feeling no satisfaction, only a sigh. He knew that Yi Zhonghai's fate was self-inflicted, but it was truly poignant that this once-glorious level eight fitter had ended his life in such a way.

It was late at night when Lin Chen returned to the courtyard. The courtyard was quiet, save for the rustling of the wind through the pomegranate trees. The light was still on in Liu Haizhong's house, and Liu Guangtian was standing at the door waiting for him. "Master Lin, how did it go?" Liu Guangtian asked hurriedly upon seeing Lin Chen return. Lin Chen nodded and said, "It's alright. Master Yi has been taken away by the police."

The two entered the courtyard and ran into Qin Huairu, who was coming out to get some water. Seeing Lin Chen, she quickly asked, "Master Lin, I think I heard a police siren just now. What happened?" Lin Chen briefly explained what had happened. After listening, Qin Huairu covered her mouth in surprise: "I never imagined Master Yi would do something like this..." She recalled how Yi Zhonghai had "taken care" of her in the past, which was actually all for the purpose of having her support him in his old age. She couldn't help but feel a little scared.

"One should always be honest and down-to-earth." Liu Haizhong also came out; he had heard the commotion and had been waiting at the door. "I always thought Yi Zhonghai was cunning and calculating, but I never imagined he would fall victim to his own scheming." He looked at Lin Chen and said, "Lin, you're right. Only by relying on your skills and acting with integrity can you go far."

Lin Chen smiled and said, "Master Liu is right. No matter what, we must never forget our original intentions." He looked up at the sky, where the moon was hanging high, casting its bright light. The gray bricks and tiles of the courtyard gleamed softly in the moonlight. This courtyard, once filled with scheming and conflict, was finally about to usher in a period of peace.

Back inside, Lin Chen opened the system panel, which displayed: "Fallen Yi Zhonghai's plot to frame you, gained 500 points, system level upgraded to level 6." He looked at the notification with a calm expression. He knew this was just a small episode in his life, and many more challenges awaited him. He took out the forging mold he had developed that day and carefully began polishing it under the light, his eyes filled with anticipation for the future.

Meanwhile, in the police station, Yi Zhonghai sat on a cold chair, gazing at the moonlight outside the window, finally understanding the biggest mistake of his life. He didn't lose because of Lin Chen's skills, nor because his conspiracy was exposed, but because of his own obsession. He made retirement his sole goal in life, resorting to any means to achieve it, ultimately ending up isolated and imprisoned. If he had a second chance, perhaps he would have chosen to live an honest life, relying on his skills to live out his later years in peace. Unfortunately, life doesn't offer second chances.