Chapter Fifteen "At that time, Old Yang had already died."

  Old Yang carried the pole towards the kitchen, and Sun's words echoed in his ears again: "...... If everyone doesn't take the country's survival as their own business, thinking about going home to marry a daughter-in-law, then the day of becoming a slave to a ruined nation is just around the corner. Even future generations will be slaves to the Japanese... As long as we persist in resisting the war and vow not to become slaves to a ruined nation, we are all Yue Fei, Wen Tianxiang, Shi Kefa!"

  Old Yang suddenly found that the middle-aged woman was holding a pair of cloth shoes in her hand, with a gloomy face wandering outside the kitchen.

  Old Yang walked while looking at the middle-aged woman in puzzlement. The middle-aged woman stopped in her tracks when she saw Old Yang, hesitated for a moment, then walked up to him and handed over a pair of cloth shoes, saying in a tone that was almost pleading: "Boss, can you take these shoes to Little Cow?"

  Old Yang put down his carrying pole and sized up the woman in front of him, asking: "What's your relationship with him?"

  Middle-aged woman: "I - I am his mother. Knowing he was stationed here, I ran from my old home in Henan for several days and nights on mountain roads..."

  Old Yang was puzzled: "Then why don't you go give it to him yourself?"

  The little cowherd girl sadly lowered her head: "He...he doesn't want to see me..."

  Old Yang became even more bizarre: "Why don't you want to see me?"

  The little cowherd girl lowered her head and said nothing.

  Old Yang took over the cloth shoes, picked up the carrying pole and said: "Come with me, which son doesn't want to see his mother?"

  The little cowherd followed Old Yang to the outside of the kitchen, and Old Yang turned around and said to the little cowherd: "Come on, follow me in."

  The little cowherd took two steps forward and then stopped again: "No, I still won't go in."

  Old Yang walked into the kitchen alone with a suspicious look on his face.

  In the kitchen. Little Cow was sitting in front of the stove burning fire, Old Yang handed over his cloth shoes to Little Cow: "Little Cow, your mother has come, why didn't you see her?"

  The calf looked at the cloth shoes and then turned its head to one side, stubbornly saying: "No!"

  Old Yang was furious: "Your mother worked hard for you and ran such a long way, how could you be so heartless!"

  The calf snorted: "I don't want to recognize her!"

  Old Yang was furious: "How can a son not recognize his mother? What's going on?"

  The calf suddenly lowered its head and began to cry.

  Old Yang: "Little Niu, what's up? Tell your uncle."

  The young bull sobbed: "She... she went into the gun tower..."

  Old Yang was stunned and hesitated for a while: "How... how did you get in?"

  The little cow lowered its head and said in a very small voice: "Was caught by the devils and taken away... was released after more than ten days..."

  Old Yang seemed to understand and sighed: "Child, this can't be blamed on her. If you want to hate someone, you should hate those damn Japanese devils."

  The calf snatched the shoes and threw them out of the door: "Shame! Why doesn't she just die!"

  Old Yang angrily scolded: "You little rabbit!"

  Old Yang raised his hand to hit Little Niu, but Little Niu's mother rushed into the kitchen, grabbed Old Yang's hand and cried: "Boss, don't hit him, it's my fault, I shouldn't have come..."

  The little cowherd girl ran out crying.

  Old Yang chased to the door, Xiao Niu Niang had already run far away. Old Yang picked up the shoe that Xiao Niu had thrown out and returned to the dormitory, seeing Xiao Niu lying on the military bed with his face against the wall.

  Old Yang helplessly tucked his cloth shoes into his waistband and cursed: "This heartless and ruthless little calf!"

  Old Yang took the dough out of the basin and put it on the chopping board, kneading it. He had only just started when he suddenly stopped, and a voice whispered in his ear: "Get back to your dough, Old Yang! Are you going to use your fists to fight the devils? You're a man, after all!"

  Old Yang irritably slammed the dough onto the chopping board with a loud bang, and Xiao Niu slowly sat up, looking at Old Yang.

  Old Yang quietly took off his tobacco pouch, picked up a burning branch from the stove, lit his tobacco pouch and sat down beside the calf's bed, puffing away with a "huff huff" sound.

  Old Yang looked out the window and muttered to himself: "Uncle liked a woman, when the devils invaded Changsha, I followed the troops and retreated, didn't take care of her... A big man, saying he likes someone, but when the devils came, he ran first. If you can't even protect the woman you like, what kind of man are you?!" Old Yang stroked Xiao Niu's head, "Can't even protect his own mother, still wants to harm her, disown her, curse her to death, what kind of man is that?! Is he even human?"

  The calf lowered its head in shame, and Old Yang took a cloth shoe from his waistband and stuffed it into the calf's hand.

  Old Yang: "Little Niu, tomorrow I'll be leaving and won't be a partner anymore."

  "Where are we going?"

  Old Yang: "Go to the combat troops and fight the devils with real knives and guns!"

  "Uncle, I'm going too!"

  Old Yang laughed and knocked out some cigarette ash: "Someone like you who's been on the battlefield for less than a pack of cigarettes will be dead, you're still young..."

  The young calf said defiantly: "I'm not little anymore, I'm 14! I'm not afraid of death!"

  Old Yang let out a long sigh: "If it weren't for the war, at your age, you should be studying!"

  "What's the use of studying?"

  Old Yang: "Reading books will make you know a lot of things."

  Little cow: "What's going on?"

  Old Yang thought for a moment: "For example, what did humans evolve from? Little cow, do you know what humans evolved from?"

  The calf shook its head in confusion.

  Old Yang: "That is to say, where did humans come from? Do you know?"

  Young calf: "I was born by my parents."

  Old Yang sighed: "If you want to defeat the little devils, it's not enough to just be fearless, you also need to know how to read and write, do you understand?"

  The calf nodded its head.

  Old Yang: "When you have nothing to do, read more books and recognize more characters. You will use them in the future. Don't be like your uncle, who can't even recognize a single character."

  The calf smiled: "Uncle, then you won't go home and marry a daughter-in-law?"

  Old Yang burst out laughing and said with a heroic air: "The Japanese pirates have not been exterminated, how can we take our family as a priority?"

  The next morning, at the training ground.

  Qin Zhiyong, Duanzi, Lao Cao, Zhou Guangren, Huang Xintian and more than twenty soldiers have lined up, Sun Canmou standing in front of everyone.

  Sun's advisor swept his gaze over everyone and loudly gave the order: "Attention!"

  Attention! Colonel Sun: "At ease!"

  Everyone take a short rest. Sun's advisor: "Our reconnaissance team is officially established today, with Qin Zhongyong as the team leader, Cao Bingyi as the first squad leader, Huang Xintian as the second squad leader, Gu Changshuo as the third squad leader, and I will be responsible for training everyone..."

  Inside the house. Old Yang packed his backpack, put it on his back, looked at Little Cow's empty bed and muttered to himself: "This little calf, where did he run off to again so early in the morning?"

  Old Yang was about to walk out of the dormitory, but stopped again, took out a purse from his pocket and walked to Xiaoniu's bed, stuffed it under Xiaoniu's pillow.

  Old Yang walked out of the kitchen, looked around and saw that not far away, Xiao Niu and his wife were hugging each other and crying bitterly.

  Old Yang couldn't help but burst out laughing.

  The little cowherd girl saw Old Yang and hurriedly waved at him. The calf also ran towards Old Yang.

  The calf ran in front of Old Yang: "Uncle, are you leaving now?"

  Old Yang nodded: "Let's go."

  Old Yang glanced at the little cow maiden in the distance: "Little Cow, take good care of your mother, she has suffered enough."

  The calf nodded: "Uh-huh."

  Old Yang turned around and left.

  Old Yang walked a long way, turned his head and looked back, saw the little cow and his mother waving at him together. Old Yang also waved at them.

  The little cowherd girl hugged the calf and watched Old Yang walk further and further away.

  On the training ground, Sun is leading a platoon of fully armed scouts in running exercises.

  After physical training, Sun taught the soldiers tactical skills, including assassination techniques and how to use American Thompson submachine guns, mortars, grenades, explosives and landmines.

  When lecturing on the use of landmines, Zhang heard it particularly seriously.

  After the tactical skills training, Sun's consultant sat in the driver's seat of the truck to teach the soldiers the key points of driving a car, and then asked Zhou Guangren to drive. Zhou Guangren nervously climbed into the cab, started the truck, and the truck drove away with a shaking motion.

  Sun's advisor picked up a Japanese Type 97 hand grenade, suddenly pulled out the safety pin, and everyone quickly lay down, only Old Cao and Huang Xintian stood there laughing loudly. Sun's advisor knocked the grenade on the ground and threw it away, the grenade exploded in the distance, the soldiers had just let out a sigh of relief when Zhou Guangren drove a truck swaying towards the crowd, everyone scattered and ran away.

  "Quickly step on the brakes!"

  Zhou Guangren, in a panic, wildly turned the steering wheel, but drove the car into the river by the side of the road. The water quickly submerged the top of the car, and Zhou Guangren awkwardly climbed out of the window and swam to shore, where the soldiers stood laughing loudly.

  Next, they began shooting practice. The warriors held rifles and shot at a can 100 meters away. Everyone hit the target and knocked over the can, except for Zhou Guangren, who missed again and was ridiculed by Old Cao and others. Zhou Guangren aimed again in frustration, just about to pull the trigger when suddenly a gunshot rang out, and the can was knocked over. Everyone turned around to see Old Yang standing behind them with his backpack on, triumphantly handing the gun back to Huang Xintian.

  Old Yang walked up to Sun's advisor and stood at attention: "Reporting to the company commander, cook Yang Fuli requests to join the reconnaissance team!"

  Sun's advisor laughed: "Good! Old Yang, I knew you weren't a coward! You'll be the second-in-command, and Huang Xintian will be the deputy commander. Fall in!"

  Old Yang: "Yes!"

  Everyone applauded, but Huang Xintian looked displeased.

  Old Cao warmly put his arm around Old Yang's shoulder: "Old buddy, aren't you planning to go home and get married?"

  Old Yang smiled: "With you Old Cao accompanying me, what's the use of having a daughter-in-law?"

  Everyone burst out laughing.

  "Old Yang, after we've finished off those devils, I guarantee you'll live a life with a warm wife and children by the stove."

  Everyone burst out laughing again.

  Lao Yang's smile faded: "At that time, I, Lao Yang, was already dead."

  Everyone stopped laughing.

  Yamei lay on the bed and woke up from her coma.

  Mr. Peng held a bowl of freshly brewed medicine and walked to the bedside: "Child, are you awake? Quickly drink this bowl of medicinal soup."

  Ya Mei sat up and took over the medicine bowl, drinking it down. She was grateful: "Old dad, if you hadn't saved me..."

  Old Man Peng waved his hand and interrupted her: "What's your name?"

  Ya Mei: "Tan Er Mei."

  "Old Peng: 'How did you end up in the river?'"

  Ya Mei sobbed: "The devils killed my parents and now they want to catch me. I'd rather die than let them capture me..."

  Old Man Peng nodded sympathetically: "Do you have any other relatives?"

  Ya Mei shook her head, with tears hanging from her cheeks.

  Ya Mei thought of her brother, Yoshimura, and knew he must be frantically searching for her everywhere.

  At this time, Yoshimura led the team to search for Yame's trail along the riverbank. Suddenly, he saw a blue cloth hanging on the grass by the river, and he hurried over to pick it up, gazing at it for a long time.

  Yoshimura looked up towards the mountain...

  Changshan lay exhausted on the bed, his wife sat beside him, looking at him with a pained expression.

  Changshan frowned and said: "These days are really exhausting!"

  Changshan's daughter-in-law: "Tell your uncle Qī, can't you just not go?"

  Changshan: "Not going? Hmph, are the Japanese so easy to talk to? A young man from a neighboring village tried to run and was shot dead by the Japanese."

  Changshan's wife: "Stupid kid, why do you want to run away? Changshan, from now on, just do whatever the Japanese tell you to do. Whatever you do, don't provoke the Japanese into getting angry. If something happens to you, who will we two women rely on?"

  Changshan's daughter-in-law burst into tears as she spoke.

  Changshan sat up and hugged his wife, stroking her belly: "From now on, I'll live for the two of you. This time, thanks to Seventh Uncle's care."

  Changshan's daughter-in-law: "Why didn't Seventh Uncle come back with you?"

  Changshan: "Seventh Uncle has gone into town, the Japanese seem to hold Seventh Uncle in high esteem."

  Changshan's daughter-in-law wiped away her tears: "From now on, you should listen more to Seventh Uncle, he understands many things."

  Changshan: "Uh-huh."

  Changshan's daughter-in-law: "When will Seventh Uncle come back?"

  "Tomorrow then."

  The next morning, Qiū Shū (Seventh Uncle) was walking on the road back to the village with his granddaughter in one hand and a small homemade sun flag in the other. Suddenly, a loud rumbling sound came from the sky, and Seventh Uncle looked up to see an airplane flying overhead. Frightened, he quickly pulled his granddaughter down to the ground. Small pieces of paper floated down from the sky, and Seventh Uncle picked one up from his head, on which was written "Certificate of Return".

  Seventh Uncle was very curious, crawling up from the ground, holding the "Certificate of Return" in front of his eyes, looking at it carefully, and reading the words on it in a low voice: "Guarantee life safety, welcome to participate in peace. After consulting with the Japanese army's frontline troops..."

  Seventh Uncle muttered to himself, a smile gradually spreading across his face. He hastily picked up a few more and carefully tucked them into his bosom. At this moment, a group of Japanese soldiers approached from the opposite direction. Seventh Uncle quickly waved the small flag and pulled his granddaughter to stand respectfully by the side of the road, bowing deeply to the Japanese troops.

  The Japanese soldiers who came were reconnaissance squad warriors wearing Japanese military uniforms. Old Cao and Old Yang carried "crooked handle" light machine guns at the head of the squad, while Zhou Guangren, disguised as a Japanese lieutenant, hung his sword and walked beside the troops. Sun Canmou, disguised as a platoon leader, also hung his sword and walked behind the troops.

  Zhou Guangren shouted in Japanese: "Ichi-ni, ichi-ni..."

  Baozi saw Seventh Uncle and hastily pressed down his hat brim, lowering his head.

  The team walked past Qiū Shū, who mechanically waved the small sun flag in his hand and smiled fawningly until the team was very far away before pulling his granddaughter to continue on their way.

  Old Cao cursed in a low voice: "Bah! Traitorous dog!"

  Old Yang disagreed: "That's not a traitor! It's just an old man and a child."

  Zhou Guangren continued shouting orders in Japanese: "Ichi-ni, ichi-ni... Tate!"

  All the warriors stood at attention, except for Old Cao and Old Yang, who were still walking and arguing in a low voice.

  Lao Cao: "Welcoming devils is being a traitor!"

  Old Yang: "Those traitors are numerous, they were intimidated by the Japanese devils..."

  Huang Xintian urged in a low voice in the team: "Lao Cao, the dumplings have been given, let's go!"

  At this time, Zhou Guangren rushed to the front of Old Cao and Old Yang, raised his hand and gave each of them a slap in the face, scolding in Japanese: "Bastard! Can't you understand orders?"

  The two were about to erupt when Sun Zongcao walked over: "Good fight! If you can't understand Japanese commands in the face of the enemy, you're dead for sure."

  Lao Cao and Lao Yang turned back to find that the team had stopped far behind them, and they looked at each other helplessly.

  "Enter formation!"

  Old Yang and Old Cao stood at attention with a lack of energy and replied: "Hey!"

  Zhou Guangren was not very satisfied, and repeated in Japanese in a loud voice: " Nyūretsu!"

  Old Yang and Old Cao had no choice but to stand at attention again and answer loudly: "Yes!"

  The two re-enlisted.

  "Shōho aruke!"

  The team continued to move forward.

  Lao Yang walked and whispered to Zhou Guangren, who was walking in front of him: "You damn Japanese devil, don't you want to live? Dare to hit my face in front of the brothers, wait till I get back and see how I'll deal with you!"

  Old Cao gritted his teeth and chimed in: "Right! We'll settle the score with him when we get back!"

  "Zhou Guangren turned around and intentionally said loudly in Japanese: 'What? Want to resist? Bastard! Say another word, I'll chop your head off!'"

  Zhou Guangren held the hilt with one hand and the scabbard with the other, making a motion to draw his sword. The two of them glared at each other, daring not to speak out of anger.

  The team continued to move forward.

  Old Peng stood on the half mountain slope with a bundle of firewood on his back, glaring at the troops passing by on the small road below, silently cursing in his heart: "Bastards, see how many more days you can struggle!"

  Peng Lao Die carried the firewood back to his own courtyard, and saw Ya Mei sitting on the mountain slope outside the house, looking thoughtful. In the distance, the mountains were layered, the stream was babbling, and the birds were chirping in the valley.

  Old Peng complained to Yamei: "Second sister, how did you get up?"

  Ya Mei turned back and smiled: "Dad, I'm much better now."

  Yamei ran to Old Man Peng's front and helped him take off the firewood on his back.

  Yamei: "Dad, the scenery here is so beautiful! I really want to stay here forever!"

  Old Peng smiled: "Well, that's good, Second Sister. You can stay here then. Anyway, I have no children of my own."

  Yamei: "Old man, where are your family members?"

  Old Peng picked up the firewood and walked towards the thatched cottage: "They're all dead, they were all killed by those Japanese devils... these damn things..."

  Ya Mei was stunned for a moment, half a silence, Peng Lao's words brought her back to the real world, she looked up at the distant mountains and said sorrowfully: "If only there were no wars, how good it would be!"

  Old Peng put the firewood in front of the house, then sat on a wooden stool weaving a bamboo basket, muttering to himself: "If you want no war, you must drive those Japanese devils back home. What a good place they've ruined! Just now I saw a group of Japanese soldiers at the foot of the mountain, those damned dogs!"

  Ya Mei was taken aback and asked: "Where?"

  "Down the mountain."

  Ya Mei couldn't help but look down at the mountain.

  "Brother, is it you..."

  At this time, Yoshimura Masao led a small group of Japanese soldiers through the dense forest.

  Yoshimura walked with his head down, staring at the blue cloth in his hand. He recalled the voice of Yami: "...Brother's letter said that being a staff officer is boring, but that's not right! Many great heroes in the Imperial Army started out as staff officers, like General Tōjō, General Ishiwara, General Itagaki, General Mutō, and General Tsukada. Even Prime Minister Tōjō was once a staff officer! They're all great figures! So don't be discouraged, brother! I've always been proud of you since we were kids! Brother, ganbare..."

  Yoshimura gazed at the distant mountains and whispered in his heart: "Yamei, I must find you..."