Chapter Sixteen: The Great Massacre

  "Nonsense, do you think I want to? But judging from the situation, if we don't take action, the Japanese will deal with us. Haven't you seen that they've taken away all our bullets? Do you think the Japanese are giving you rice for free? If you want to survive, be smart today, or else don't blame me for not warning you. All of you brothers should control your own troops well, don't give the Japanese an excuse to deal with you. As long as we get through today, it won't be tough afterwards. Today's task is done, I'll treat all of you brothers to a drink." Mei Huan-yu scolded.

  Mei Huan-yu repeatedly reminded him to look at several trusted men nodding and walking back to control the team, he slightly calmed down. No way, today they had to get through this pass no matter what.

  The village entrance of Lǐ Village's bell was struck, and the village's Bǎo was forced by several fake soldiers to strike the village's tóng clock. After a while, the villagers who heard the bell sound gradually gathered in the threshing field, asking each other what had happened, and everyone wondered why so many devils and traitors had come, wasn't the grain already handed over monthly? The villagers of Lǐ Village were still bewildered and unaware of the great disaster that was about to befall them.

  The village headman, Old Li, nodded and bowed to the Japanese soldier: "Taikun, we handed over all the grain last month without a single grain missing. Commander Mei personally led the team to take it away. If there's anything you want us to do, please have Commander Mei bring a message to us, and we'll definitely get it done." He bowed repeatedly.

  Yamamoto Kōtarō looked at him without speaking, nodding to the interpreter. Jiā Chéng stepped forward and shouted: "Taigūn has received intelligence that there are rebels hiding here. Anyone who knows about it but doesn't report will be punished equally." He glanced at Mei Huanyu as he finished speaking.

  "The villagers, the imperial army has come to protect you, don't be ungrateful. If anyone knows something, speak up now and the imperial army will not only not blame you but also reward you. But if no one speaks up, that's a great disloyalty to the imperial army's kindness. You have until I finish this cigarette to think about it, after that, don't say the imperial army didn't warn you."

  "Your Lordship, Your Lordship, Captain Mei, don't wrong us. There are over 700 people in the village here, not one is missing. We've never seen any rebels before, we're good subjects of the imperial army. Look, I have a certificate of good subject right here."

  Mei Huan-yu slapped him and scolded: "Can the Imperial Army wrong you? The Imperial Army is very wise. Hurry up and hand over the rebels that the Imperial Army wants, otherwise, you won't be spared."

  Old Li stumbled back in front of the villagers: "Fellow villagers, who has someone at home? Quickly hand him over. Don't implicate everyone, please, I beg of you all, it's not good for anyone if the Emperor gets angry. Fellow villagers, quickly think about who has a stranger at home! I, Old Li, am begging you all here."

  The villagers looked at each other, no one knew what to do. Everyone stared at each other, who knows what the devils are looking for? If they rashly go out, who knows what will happen?

  Some young people in the crowd shouted: "Uncle, no one has come, a few days ago everyone contributed food, this just stopped, and no one has come."

  "Yes, there is no chaos party"

  "I haven't seen it either,"

  "With so many eyes, nobody saw anyone coming?"

  Mei Huan-yu looked at the cigarette in his hand and shouted towards this side: "Don't toast without drinking, or you'll be punished with a drink. If you don't hand it over, the Imperial Army won't be polite." As he spoke, he beckoned several puppet soldiers

  "Go ahead and grab those in front of you."

  Soon several struggling men were brought forward. "You few say, whose family has a rebel party? Don't say or be shot!" Mei Huan-yu had to play the role of this evil person.

  A few people shook their heads and kept trembling with fear.

  The devils around set up machine guns outside and surrounded the puppet army and villagers. Interpreter Kasei said, "Don't say we'll shoot them all..."

  The villagers began to cry and shout, the sound of wailing and cursing filled the air, people were in a state of panic trying to escape from this place, the surrounding fake soldiers under the command of several platoon leaders and company commanders, used bayonets to force the fleeing villagers.

  Old Li kowtowed in front of Yamamoto Kitaro, begging for mercy: "Your Excellency, there really are no rebels here, please spare us all, we will definitely pay more taxes next month, please." He had already understood that this time the one in charge was not Mei Dachang, who had benefited from him many times.

  Yamamoto Kitaro kicked open the old man Li with one foot, waved his hand, and a team of devils came to drag the old man Li to the middle of the field. One of them inserted a bayonet into the old man's chest, lifted it up, and blood and internal organs gushed out together.

  Yamamoto Kitaro hinted to Mei Huan Yu to do it, Mei Huan Yu cursed in his heart, isn't this pushing himself to a dead end? But who made him eat this bowl of rice? Although he was disgusted in his heart, Mei Huan Yu asked for the ancestors of the Japanese while waving his hand and calling on several puppet soldiers to follow suit.

  The villagers only realized now, the emotions that the devils were playing for real, and they even killed Li Baozheng. Several old men's relatives rushed to him and wailed in grief. Others tried to escape from this place, but the pseudo-military's cold gleaming bayonets and the devils' machine guns outside made everyone have nowhere to hide.

  Mei Huan-yu shouted loudly outside: "This is the consequence of not cooperating with the Imperial Army. If anyone knows, speak up quickly, otherwise don't blame the Imperial Army for being impolite. What happened earlier was just a warning."

  Just now, several people who were dragged out saw Li Baozheng die miserably on the spot and urinated in their pants. Their mouths were all ajar, trembling with fear. In a rural household like this, where have they ever seen such a thing? Normally, slaughtering cows and killing chickens is rare, let alone watching someone they've known for decades being killed by devils. Those who can still stand are considered heroes.

  Look, a few people did not respond, Mei Huan-yu waved his hand to indicate that the puppet army should follow the example of the devils just now. Several puppet soldiers hesitated and could not bring themselves to do it. From the moment the devil killed Li Baozheng earlier, the puppet soldiers had been muttering to themselves in their hearts, closing their eyes and not daring to look, and several timid ones even wet their pants.

  Mei Huan-yu thought this wasn't the way, and soon the devils would get impatient and angry, and they themselves would be in trouble. Gan Jin gave a signal with his eyes to several of his trusted subordinates. Those guys shouted at their own puppet troops, forcing them to take action, but the puppet troops looked at each other, clearly on the verge of throwing down their guns.

  Mei Huan-yu hastily glanced at Yamamoto Kitaro, and soon a group of devils rushed over, disarming several puppet soldiers who couldn't hold their guns. Then they stabbed the snow-bright bayonet into the body of the puppet soldier and kicked it open with one foot.

  "Quickly! Those who don't listen to the imperial army's words are all rebels. Kill them all. Anyone who doesn't want to die, take action."

  Several puppet soldiers gritted their teeth, shaking with fear as they stabbed the villagers' bodies with the bayonets in their hands. Blood splattered on the faces of the puppet soldiers. Several puppet soldiers covered their mouths and ran to one side to vomit. Several villagers cried out in pain for a while, wailing: "Mom, it hurts..."

  "Mom... my intestines are coming out, I'm dying of pain"

  The villagers were in an uproar, with cries and shouts of anger. Several young men were about to rush forward when they were grabbed by their own family members. "Damn your ancestors, you traitorous dog, you bunch of bastards. You little devils."