Chapter 25 "New Fourth Army Xiang-E Anti-Japanese Guerrilla Detachment!"

  The front line of the outer encirclement of Changsha by the Japanese army, the sound of cannons is loud.

  Iwai stood in front of the bunker, observing the front of the position with binoculars.

  Iwai put down his binoculars and said with some concern: "The attacking troops are completely pinned down by the enemy's artillery fire from Mt. Niitaka."

  The black land next door grumbled discontentedly: "What are our artillery doing?"

  Iwai: "The cannonballs are probably all used up."

  Kuroda: "Yes, Captain, our ammunition consumption is also very high. The troops didn't carry much ammunition when they set out, and after fighting for so many days, it's already clearly insufficient."

  Iwai smiled wryly: "The original plan was to spend New Year's Day in Changsha, didn't expect to fight for so many days!"

  Kojima ran up hastily and stood at attention before Iwai: "Reporting! Orders from HQ."

  Kojima took out a letter from his bag and handed it to Iwai, who received the letter, opened it and read it, then said to Kuroda: "The commander ordered our squadron to escort the ammunition transport convoy, let's set off immediately. Go get ready."

  Kuroda: "Yes!"

  Zhou Guangren was running with a big sweat and panting, when suddenly he heard crying and shouting sounds nearby. He followed the sound and saw two Japanese soldiers walking towards him, one of them holding a cow by its halter. An old woman ran up from behind, grabbed the cow's reins and begged the two Japanese soldiers pitifully.

  Zhou Guangren was so frightened that he hastily hid behind a mound of earth.

  The old woman grasped the cow's halter, begging desperately. The Japanese soldier pulling the cow tried to push her away, but she held tight to the halter with all her might. Another soldier approached and kicked her to the ground. She got up from the ground and rushed at the cow again, only to be stabbed in the chest by that soldier's bayonet. The old woman let out a blood-curdling scream, clutching her chest as she fell to the ground.

  Watching the two Japanese soldiers leading the cow away, Zhou Guangren, who was terrified, finally got up and ran in another direction. He didn't run far before he saw a small village not far ahead. He licked his dry, cracked lips and ran towards the village.

  At this time, Qin Zhiyong was leading the scouts' warriors on a mountain path.

  In the team, only Old Yang and Old Cao were wearing Japanese military uniforms. Old Yang walked alongside Old Cao, grumbling: "It's all because of you scaring them away, otherwise the two devils wouldn't have run."

  Old Cao also regretted: "I just wanted to tease him, who knew he was so scared!"

  Old Yang: "Now this is good, our mission is accomplished."

  Lao Cao: "Neither of us can speak a word of Japanese, what if we get exposed?"

  Old Yang sighed: "This is an impossible task, let's act according to the situation. If it's good fortune, then so be it; if it's bad luck, we can't avoid it anyway!"

  Old Cao said to Huang Xintian with some worry, "Old Huang, when the time comes, make sure you aim carefully before shooting, don't mistake me and Old Yang for devils and get us killed, how unjust would that be!"

  "Don't worry."

  Lao Yang also said with concern: "Lao Huang, bullets don't have eyes, and we'll have to explain ourselves to the brothers later."

  Huang Xintian was somewhat impatient: "I know."

  Old Yang was still worried: "Don't just let it all out at once."

  Huang Xintian irritably said: "Is that all?!"

  A fork in the road appeared ahead, and the group came to a halt. Qin Zhiyong walked up to Old Yang, Old Cao, and Huang Xintian: "Old Yang, Old Cao, Old Huang, let's split up!"

  Three people saluted Qin Zhiyong: "Yes!"

  Qin Zhiyong raised his hand in return.

  Qin Zhiyong: "Old Yang and Old Cao, you must be extra careful and take action when the time is right."

  Lao Yang and Lao Cao replied in unison: "Yes!"

  Qin Zhiyong: "First and second classes, follow me!"

  Qin Zhiyong led the soldiers of Squad 1 and 2 towards a fork in the road.

  Huang Xintian: "Third squad follow me!"

  Three warriors followed Huang Xintian, Old Yang and Old Cao towards another fork in the road.

  Old Cao gazed at the distant mountains and said to Old Yang as they walked, "Where did that little devil Er Guizi run off to? I'm really missing him."

  At this time, Zhou Guangren was wandering around the village, and there were no people in the village. Many households had their gates wide open, and on each door were written three Japanese characters "sao da ji", obviously they had all been looted by the devils.

  Zhou Guangren walked to the gate of a closed courtyard, knocked on the door, and there was no sound. Just as Zhou Guangren was about to leave, the door suddenly opened, and it was an 18 or 19-year-old girl who opened the door.

  Zhou Guangren looked at the girl in front of him with thick eyebrows and big eyes, pure and beautiful, and forgot to speak.

  The girl looked somewhat annoyed: "Who are you looking for?"

  "Ah - little sister, can you give me a bowl of water to drink?"

  The girl looked him up and down with a wary eye and said, "Wait a minute."

  The girl closed the courtyard door again. After a while, the door opened once more and the girl handed Zhou Guangren a bowl of water. Zhou Guangren took the bowl and drank it in one gulp.

  Zhou Guangren returned the bowl to the girl and stretched out his hand pitifully: "Sister, can you give me some more food? I haven't eaten anything for a whole day and night, I'm so hungry."

  The girl said disdainfully: "You're a big man, why don't you go to the army and eat your fill instead of running here with your hand out for food?"

  Zhou Guangren: "Been a soldier? I...I used to be a soldier..."

  Girl: "Been a soldier? Oh, you're not a deserter, are you? Hmph!"

  The girl closed the courtyard gate heavily once again.

  Zhou Guangren leaned against the courtyard gate, let out a helpless sigh, and was about to walk away when he suddenly saw those two Japanese soldiers who had stolen the cow again. One soldier was leading the cow while the other sat on its back, both chatting and laughing as they walked towards the village. The bayonets of the two Japanese soldiers were skewered with chickens and ducks, and pig legs hung from their belts. Zhou Guangren quickly hid behind a large tree in front of the courtyard gate.

  At this time, the girl holding a roasted sweet potato opened the courtyard door. Zhou Guangren thought to himself "Oh no!"

  The girl didn't see Zhou Guangren, she walked out of the yard in confusion, and was seen by a Japanese soldier riding on an ox's back. He jumped down from the ox's back, excitedly shouting in poor Chinese: "Miss! Miss!"

  The girl was startled by the shout and looked up to see the two Japanese soldiers, who were running towards her while shouting "Miss! Miss!"

  The girl hastily ran back into the courtyard and closed the gate.

  Zhou Guangren hid behind a tree and saw two Japanese soldiers running over, one in front of the other. The soldier in front kicked open the courtyard gate, holding his gun as he rushed into the yard. The other soldier tied up the cow to the tree where Zhou Guangren was hiding, then also entered the yard with his gun at the ready.

  Zhou Guangren anxiously looked towards the courtyard, and at this time, from the courtyard came the Japanese soldiers' teasing laughter, scuffling sounds and a girl's cries for help.

  Zhou Guangren stood stupidly behind the tree, listening to the sounds coming from the yard, and let out a painful and helpless sigh. He turned around to leave, but the girl's mournful cry stopped him in his tracks. He lowered his head, thought for a moment, hesitated, then walked to the front gate, pushed it open, and saw a Japanese soldier grabbing the girl's arm, while another Japanese soldier was laughing and tearing her clothes apart. The girl was struggling desperately.

  Japanese soldiers tore at her clothes while cursing: "You think you're so great, woman? Want to resist?"

  The girl bit down hard on the hand of the Japanese soldier who was holding her arm.

  That Japanese soldier let out a loud cry and cursed: "What? You dare to resist! Let me deal with you."

  He raised the gun butt as he spoke.

  Zhou Guangren plucked up his courage, cleared his throat and then swaggered into the courtyard.

  The Japanese soldier raised his rifle butt and was about to strike Liu Xiaohui.

  "Your nerve is too big!" Zhou Guangren suddenly shouted in Japanese.

  Two Japanese soldiers were startled and raised their rifle butts, suspended in mid-air, both staring blankly at Zhou Guangren, as if time had frozen.

  Zhou Guangren plucked up his courage and walked in front of the two Japanese soldiers, continuing to speak in a formal tone in Japanese: "Which unit are you from? What is your squad leader's name?"

  The Japanese soldier holding the gunstock hastily put down his gun and stood at attention, answering involuntarily: "We are——"

  Another Japanese soldier held up a hand to stop him, took a step forward and cautiously looked at Zhou Guangren, asking: "May I ask who you are?"

  Zhou Guangren deliberately put on a very lazy look: "Haven't you heard of Fujino from the Military Police Corps?"

  Two Japanese soldiers exchanged tense glances with each other.

  A Japanese soldier cautiously asked: "May I see your identification?"

  Zhou Guangren hesitated for a moment, then immediately calmed down and scolded: "Isn't bringing that thing going to expose your identity? Don't you even understand this?"

  Another Japanese soldier: "How can you prove that you are from the Kempeitai?"

  Zhou Guangren decisively raised his hand and slapped him, and the Japanese soldier who was beaten stood up straight with a conditioned reflex.

  "Is this proof enough? Bastards! If I were an enemy, you'd all be dead by now."

  Two Japanese soldiers stood at attention and replied: "Yes!"

  Zhou Guangren: "There are often enemy plainclothes teams here, don't you know?"

  A Japanese soldier, A, cried with a sad face: "There's no way, sir... our rations have been cut off for several days..."

  Zhou Guangren looked at the chicken and duck hanging from their bayonets and the pig legs hanging from their belts, and said with a mocking face: "Not bad harvest, you two are really hardworking!"

  Another Japanese soldier quickly untied a ham from his belt and handed it to Zhou Guangren with a smile: "Constable, you've worked hard too, please take this."

  Zhou Guangren contemptuously pushed the ham hock away: "If you're trying to bribe me, that's an additional crime."

  Zhou Guangren lazily sat down on a bamboo chair in the courtyard, with an absent-minded look: "The military police have received several reports of soldiers going missing, don't you all know?"

  The two Japanese soldiers simultaneously shook their heads.

  "Didn't I order you not to go out privately? What's going on here?"

  Two Japanese soldiers kept bowing: "Yes! Yes!"

  "Preposterous! Get out of here!"

  Two Japanese soldiers looked at the girl with a reluctant glance and snickered, refusing to leave.

  Zhou Guangren's eyes widened: "What? Do you want me to remember your names?"

  Two Japanese soldiers hastily bowed to Zhou Guangren: "No, no need to bother, we'll leave now."

  Two Japanese soldiers fled out of the yard in disarray, carrying chickens and ducks, as well as a pig's leg.

  Looking at the back of the Japanese soldier, Zhou Guangren wiped the sweat from his forehead, and with great effort he stood up from the bamboo chair, swaying twice, looking at the girl who was still in shock and said: "Sister, quickly escape from the back door, it's possible they'll come back."

  The girl looked at Zhou Guangren with suspicion: "You - what are you after all?"

  "Want some food? Hehe."

  Suddenly, Zhou Guangren found the girl staring at his back in surprise. Zhou Guangren turned around and saw that the smile on his face froze instantly. Two Japanese soldiers swaggered into the yard again.

  Zhou Guangren immediately put on a stern face and plucked up his courage: "Hey! How - how did you guys come back again?"

  A Japanese soldier accompanied by a smile: "Haven't the military police gone yet?"

  Zhou Guangren awkwardly said: "Horse... horse is leaving immediately."

  The Japanese soldier smiled and said: "MP sir, may I ask a question?"

  Zhou Guangren pretended to be calm: "What... problem?"

  Another Japanese soldier: "The name of Yokozuna who has won 69 consecutive games suddenly can't be remembered, you must know it?"

  Zhou Guangren panicked and stammered: "Horizontal... horizontal... you're talking about mutual... mutual flanking, right? 69 rounds..."

  Zhou Guangren's forehead was covered in sweat, he opened his mouth but couldn't speak for a long time.

  The Japanese soldier showed a ferocious expression: "What? Don't you know? In Japan, he's a household name and a great hero!"

  Another Japanese soldier took a step forward: "You don't even know about Mount Futabayama?"

  Japanese soldier: "You should at least know the name of your military police captain?"

  "Captain's name... is... is..." Zhou Guangren stammered as he backed away in a panic.

  At this time, the girl had discovered that something was wrong and took the opportunity to sneak back into the house.

  A Japanese soldier slapped Zhou Guangren twice and kicked him several times, scolding: "What are you doing? Are you a spy? You almost fooled me, take him away!"

  Zhou Guangren was knocked to the ground, covering his head and not daring to get up. Another Japanese soldier laughed loudly: "Haha! Catching you is a big harvest! You speak Japanese quite well!"

  Grabbed Zhou Guangren's collar and tried to pull him up

  Another Japanese soldier looked around and asked: "Where is that woman?"

  At this time, the girl came out of the house again, with a small pistol hidden in her right hand behind her back.

  The Japanese soldier saw the girl and was about to approach her, when the girl raised her hand and fired a shot. The bullet hit him right in the head, and he let out a "hmm" before falling to the ground.

  Zhou Guangren and another Japanese soldier were both shocked.

  The Japanese soldier released Zhou Guangren and was about to raise his gun when the girl pulled the trigger again, but the gun jammed.

  The Japanese soldier thrust his bayonet at Liu Xiaoxi, and Zhou Guangren, who was sitting on the ground, quickly stretched out his foot and tripped the Japanese soldier to the ground. Zhou Guangren got up and picked up the Japanese soldier's gun, but before he could stand up, a bayonet stabbed him to death.

  The girl put away her gun and said to Zhou Guangren: "Let's go quickly, the devils nearby will hear the gunshot and come soon."

  The girl ran out of the yard, Zhou Guangren was stunned for a moment, holding the gun and also running out...

  Changheng Highway

  A dozen or so Japanese military trucks were parked on the highway, with soldiers from Iwai's unit lined up in front of them. Iwai and Kuroda stood beside the vehicles.

  "Everyone, get on board!" Kuroda shouted loudly as he gave the order.

  The soldiers scrambled into the back of the truck.

  Iwai to Kuroda: "Let's depart at once! We must arrive before nightfall!"

  Kuroda Tatsuaki: "Yes!"

  Kuroda sat in the driver's cab of the first car and Iwai sat in the driver's cab of the last car.

  A dozen or so military trucks loaded with Japanese soldiers departed along the highway...

  At this time, Qin Zhiyong led the scouts to ambush in the dense forest outside the Japanese army's warehouse.

  Qin Zhiyong observed the Japanese army warehouse with binoculars.

  There were Japanese sentries around the warehouse, and four more stood guard at the entrance, where a "Type 96" light machine gun was mounted on sandbags piled up in front of the door.

  Qin Zhiyong put down the binoculars, looked at his watch and whispered to a soldier beside him: "When we start fighting later, take out those sentries first!"

  The warrior nodded.

  The girl was running along the mountain path, jumping and skipping, with Zhou Guangren following behind her, carrying a gun on his back.

  "Thanks a lot, sis! I almost got caught by the devils. If I had fallen into their hands, it would have been worse than death!"

  The girl smiled and said: "I haven't thanked you yet, why are you thanking me?"

  "Little sister, what's your name?"

  Girl: "Liu Xiaoxi."

  "Zhou Guangren: 'My name is Zhou Guangren. Hey, little sister, how did you learn to use a gun? What do you do for a living?'"

  Liu Xiaoxi smiled and asked in return: "What do you do?"

  Zhou Guangren stuttered: "I-I-"

  Liu Xiaoxi: "Plainclothes of the Central Army?"

  "Ah... is... is ah..."

  Liu Xiaoxi: "You speak Japanese so well, why don't you join our troop?"

  "Who are you?"

  Liu Xiaoxi's face was filled with pride: "The New Fourth Army's Hunan-Hubei Anti-Japanese Guerrilla Detachment!"

  Night. A dozen or so Japanese military trucks with headlights on sped along the highway.

  Huang Xintian led three squads of soldiers in ambush on the mountain slope, and from a distance came the rumble of cars.

  Soon, the first truck appeared in Huang Xintian's line of sight...