Section 7

  Facing one failure after another, Ono was very angry and Koji was very unlucky.

  Especially the "tragedy" that occurred in Shangu Town (the small town where Li Tie and others burned the cannon tower) a few days ago, made him even more anxious.

  A detachment of Imperial troops went missing and a fake military squad collectively defected, all of which made Shō think that the main force of the Eighth Route Army was nearby.

  After a heavy rain, the mountain ditch flowed everywhere, destroying the originally narrow road and washing away the traces of the car. Xiaoye only knew that the other party went to the east, but where exactly was impossible to know.

  He reported his ideas to Watanabe Chūsa in the county town while dispatching several reconnaissance teams for disguise reconnaissance.

  For this action, he disguised some of the squads as local guerrillas, some as Eighth Route Army soldiers, and others as beggars, etc. They either went in groups of three to five or alone, killing their way from the county seat in all directions.

  A large invisible net was cast over the base and surrounding areas.

  Li Tie didn't know about this, he was undergoing special training with the Fox Team.

  Today's training subject is driving.

  The training vehicle was that car, fourteen people in one car.

  Li Tie explained the basic operation process to everyone, especially pointed out a few key points, and gave everyone a detailed tour of the car. After that, he prepared to let each person learn how to drive, at least be able to start the car.

  Li Tie used to drive a car, but for people in the 21st century, cars at that time were somewhat unfamiliar, mainly because they were too old and too primitive. However, after getting familiar with it, there was no big problem.

  Li Tie sat in the passenger seat, letting each team member get on and learn. The whole morning passed, and everyone had a slight understanding of it. Even four or five people could drive with some skill. After all, everyone was young, so their learning speed was still very fast.

  At this moment, a guerrilla member came to report: A body of an Eighth Route Army soldier was found outside the southern position, please ask Captain Li to take a look.

  Everyone in the team calls Li Tie "Captain Li".

  Arriving near the southern position, Captain Zhang stayed with his men in a safe area and did not enter the position.

  The southern stronghold covered the entire southern mountain forest. In order to keep it a secret, only members of the Fox Squad could remember the small paths that ran through the stronghold by relying on special signs. Captain Zhang's squad did not know about these signs. At the time, Captain Zhang also wanted to learn from them, but he was too old and kept forgetting one sign after another, so he gave up in the end and handed over the defense of the southern stronghold entirely to Li Tie's Fox Squad, only making obvious signs on the side close to the base to tell the people at the base not to enter the stronghold.

  The corpse in the middle of the array was killed by a crocodile mouth. The so-called crocodile mouth is actually a large-sized rat trap, which hunters use to catch wild wolves and other animals. However, the teeth on this crocodile mouth are also coated with deadly poison. As soon as you get caught by it, before you can even try to open it, the toxin has already entered your body. Therefore, the strength of the trapped prey will only get smaller and smaller until death is inevitable.

  Two members of the Fox team carefully entered the position and after a great deal of effort, they finally carried out the corpse of the Eighth Route Army.

  As soon as the body was in front of him, Li Tie felt that this was not a soldier of the Eighth Route Army. Although he was wearing the authentic gray uniform of the Eighth Route Army, there was always something that didn't feel right. This was a brand new uniform, without a single patch, and even the edges of the clothes were not worn out.

  First, it was the man's face, which gave an indescribable feeling. Then there was his weapon, a nine-millimeter pistol that was almost new, with nearly forty rounds of ammunition. What kind of Eighth Route Army soldier would have so many bullets? Only scouts did. But would a scout wear such new military attire? Would he wear such new clothes to carry out a mission?

  After a body search, nothing was found on him that proved he had any traitorous intentions. Instead, a certificate of introduction was discovered, proving that the man's name was Zhang Xiangrui, and that he was from the 1st Company, 1st Battalion, 686th Regiment of the Eighth Route Army, and was in the area on official business.

  Captain Zhang's face showed a look of distress, to be honest, the position he had set up himself did not eliminate the devils, but instead harmed the lives of his own comrades, and no one would feel good about it.

  Li Tie was also unsure if this person was a disguised Japanese devil or not, but he didn't have a better way to find out. Should he go ask the company commander if such a person existed?

  I am a deserter, although I was in the same battalion, but I have not returned to my unit for a long time. I really can't be sure if I can recognize everyone in my company, let alone the whole battalion.

  "Let's bury him first." Captain Zhang waved his hand.

  Two team members lifted him up in the past and wanted to lift him into the base to find a spare coffin.

  "Stop."

  Li Tie's eyes landed on the shoes worn by the corpse. At that time, everyone wore thousand-layer soles made by the villagers, which were relatively thick. This person was also wearing a pair of thousand-layer soles, but they were new shoes, seemingly changed into not long ago, and the toe area was stiff and hard as if there was something inside.

  Li Tie took off his shoes and used a dagger to pry open the sole. A small object fell out.

  A metal ellipse. This small metal plate has one side engraved with: 144ta14. The other side is engraved with: Six countries guard the middle first five 0.

  This is the Japanese military's "recognition ticket".

  The Japanese military used an identification tag called a "recognition ticket" for its soldiers. Each soldier had a "recognition ticket", some of which were tied to the inside of their right shoulder with a string, while others were embedded in the belt used to hang their military sword, also known as the "saber belt". The front was engraved with the wearer's unit number, company number and personal number. Officers also had their name and rank printed on it, so that they could be identified if they died or were injured in battle and their face was disfigured or their uniform was damaged.

  From this "recognition ticket", Li Tie believed that the person was a soldier of the Northern Army; "Six countries guard one middle five zero" should be the sixth national border defense team, first squadron, 50th number.

  The body of the deceased was confirmed, and two team members who had just lifted him spat at the corpse. Captain Zhang's expression on his face immediately changed from disappointment to excitement, but then turned into worry.

  After dealing with the body, Li Tie and Captain Zhang returned to their barracks. The two of them went back into the house, sat down facing each other, and looked at one another. They both saw from each other's eyes that this matter was not simple.

  "I think this is a scouting party sent by the devils. They have already become suspicious of this place. It's possible that we will be exposed immediately."

  "There is such a possibility, we must make early preparations."

  The two men reached an agreement and immediately convened a meeting with everyone.

  "Comrades, everyone knows what happened today, so I won't say more. Now I want to remind you of one thing: the battle may happen soon, please get ready. At the same time, closely monitor all places in the base, especially pay attention to the movements of strangers. As soon as a stranger comes to the base, report it to Captain Zhang or me immediately. Does everyone understand?"

  "I understand."

  All team members spoke with one voice.

  "Now everyone please go back and make good preparations, while also informing the folks in the base area about this matter, and ask them to pay attention to the movements of strangers, and report immediately if there is any situation."

  "Yes."

  Li Tie returned home after finishing decorating.

  Since bringing his dry mother, he has built two houses for his dry mother and used branches to clip a small courtyard. The small courtyard opened up a piece of land for vegetables. As long as he had time, he would come here to chat with his dry mother about family affairs. Occasionally, he would also bring some wild products and fresh goods to his dry mother. It was harmonious and happy. His dry mother didn't idle either, spending her days making military shoes or mending clothes for everyone. She also worked together with other villagers, throwing herself into the surging and vigorous activities of supporting the army.

  There is no one at home. The aunt has gone out.

  It wasn't until nightfall that Stepmother returned.

  "San Er, you're back?"

  "Hmm, Auntie, why did you just get back?"

  "Oh, just now, someone said to pay attention to the activities of the living, I went to the village entrance and stayed for a while. I'll bake a pancake for you to take away. You still have a lot of white flour left."

  Gan Niang lived a happy life with Li Tie's family, enjoying this rare familial bliss.

  "The devils may be coming, we will have to fight here too."

  "These devils who were killed that day won't let people live in peace for a few days. Your father and two brothers are also unknown."

  Thinking of her husband and two sons, Dangniang's eyes became slightly moist.

  "Don't worry, Mother, they'll be fine. In a few days I'm planning to go out and maybe I'll run into them."

  After dinner, Li Tie returned to his post, and Captain Zhang was smoking a cigarette by himself.

  "Has there been no news from our superior comrade yet?"

  "No, just said it has already departed."

  A few days ago, Comrade Li Tie's underground party brought a letter to the troops and asked them to send a telegraph operator. Although they have a radio station, they don't know how to use it. If there is a telegraph operator, then they can keep in touch with the troops and ask their superiors for help if they encounter any problems that they cannot solve themselves.

  "I'm preparing to go out for a few days, make some noise outside, divert the enemy's attention, and incidentally meet up with comrades from the unit. If possible, I'll also look for my adoptive father."

  Li Tie has a foster father's matter that Captain Zhang and the guerrilla comrades all know, and they are also filled with respect for this kind-hearted old lady.

  Captain Zhang has been obedient to Li Tie's arrangements since he brought back a large amount of supplies with the Fox Team.

  In his view, this young man is not simple. His entire guerrilla team has only seven cleverer younger men, but they were all picked out by others at once. He himself led dozens of people in these mountains for several years, almost to the point of starving, while others came and had weapons and supplies. It seems that regular troops are indeed regular troops, we should learn from them properly, don't look down on others just because they respect us now, although I am the team leader.

  Taking advantage of the darkness, the fox team set off again.

  Nobody knows where he went.

  Li Tie's target is the station.