Chapter Thirty-Six "But We Are Different From Them"

  New Fourth Army guerrilla camp.

  Guo Team Leader sat around the bonfire with Liu Advisor, Qin Zhiyong and others.

  "......It was us who did it!"

  Zhou Guangren smiled and said to Liu Canmou: "How about it, Liu Canmou? Was I right?"

  Liu's advisor said to Captain Guo: "Thanks to Captain Guo, otherwise how would we be able to return and give a good account of ourselves!"

  Liu Zanmou finished speaking and glared at Huang Xintian, who looked somewhat embarrassed and lowered his head.

  "Director Guo mediated: "Comrade Huang has his reasons for doing this too."

  Liu: "Captain Guo, at that time, if it were you, how would you have handled it?"

  Captain Guo hesitated for a moment, saying: "Still can't blow it up! After all, there are still those civilians, can't hurt the innocent. We fight against the Japanese devils, isn't it for their sake?"

  Lao Yang, Lao Cao and Shuanzi all nodded frequently.

  Old Yang: "Yes!"

  Old Cao echoed: "That's right."

  "However, Qin squad leader, you are a soldier, and as a soldier, you should also know that obeying orders is your bounden duty!"

  Qin Zhiyong nodded.

  Liu's advisor also nodded and then said with excitement: "Anyway, the devils' oil truck was blown up, who blew it up is not important anymore!"

  "Who's going to blow it up? It's all the same!"

  Everyone laughed. Zhou Guangren and Liu Xiaoxi next to him were chatting in a low voice.

  "Still, you Captain Guo have some skills!"

  Liu Xiaoxi proudly said: "Of course, our Captain Guo is an old Red Army veteran and an old revolutionary!"

  "No wonder!" exclaimed Zhou Guangren.

  Liu Xiaoxi: "However, I heard our Captain Guo say that after the War of Resistance is won, you will beat us."

  Zhou Guangren fell silent for a moment, then said: "If it's really like that, I won't do it. I'll come find you and join them!"

  Liu Xiaoxi curled her lip: "I don't believe it, you'd shoot at Qin Pai Zhang and Old Yang?"

  Zhou Guangren: "I——"

  Liu Xiaoxi tilted her head and mischievously looked at Zhou Guangren: "Hmph, don't dare?"

  "Come on! For you, I dare anything!"

  "Really?" Liu Xiaoxi asked half-believing and half-doubting.

  Zhou Guangren suddenly stood up and said loudly: "Don't you believe me?"

  Old Yang on the side curiously asked: "What's going on? What are you talking about?"

  Zhou Guangren hastily squatted down again, stuttering: "N-nothing."

  Zhou Guangren whispered to Liu Xiaoxi: "Don't you believe me?"

  Liu Xiaoxi looked at Zhou Guangren with deep feeling: "Believe."

  Lao Cao searched among the crowd of guerrillas for a long time, and asked Xiao Wang, who was holding the "crooked handle" light machine gun: "Hey, you still have another machine gunner, who looks as dark-skinned as me, why haven't I seen him?"

  Xiao Wang: "You're talking about Old Lin, aren't you? He sacrificed himself last time to cover for all of you..."

  Everyone listened and fell silent. Old Cao slowly stood up and walked to one side in silence.

  Qin Zhiyong said with difficulty: "Captain Guo, in order to save us, so many of your brothers were sacrificed..."

  Captain Guo raised his head, gazing into the distance, and said in a low voice: "You're wrong, Lieutenant Qin. They didn't sacrifice themselves to save you, but for our country, for the 40 million compatriots who will no longer suffer from the invaders' humiliation!"

  Liu Canmou and Qin Zhiyong listened, both nodding solemnly.

  The next day, after bidding farewell to Captain Guo and the guerrilla troops, Liu Canmou, Qin Zhiyong and his entourage walked on their way back.

  Liu Canmou walked alone in the front, while others followed behind him whispering to each other. Zhou Guangren poked Qin Zhiyong and pointed at Liu Canmou, Qin Zhiyong nodded in understanding and quickly caught up with Liu Canmou, forcing a smile: "Liu Canmou, after we get back, please put in a good word for us brothers in front of the superior officer."

  Old Yang and others followed nervously behind, stretching their necks to listen carefully.

  Liu Canmo walked on without saying a word, as if he hadn't heard Qin Zhiyong's words.

  Qin Zhiyong still had a smile on his face: "Was the situation special at that time..."

  Liu Canmou completely ignored Qin Zhiyong and strode forward with large steps.

  Lao Cao was getting angry and wanted to rush up and argue with Liu Canmou, but he was held back by Shangzi and Zhou Guangren.

  Qin Zhiyong took a few more steps forward, blocking Liu's path, and looked him straight in the eye. "If you must punish someone, then punish me alone, don't implicate the other brothers."

  Liu stopped in his tracks, a look of surprise on his face: "What's going on?"

  Qin Zhiyong was taken aback: "Huh? Wha——just——"

  Old Yang reacted and quickly took a step forward, pulling Qin Zhiyong away, saying hastily: "Right, right, nothing's wrong, nothing's wrong."

  Old Yang squeezed his eyes at Qin Zhiyong stealthily, and Qin Zhiyong also reacted immediately: "Ah---nothing---nothing."

  Liu's advisor smiled: "Nothing's wrong, why punish you? Didn't we blow up the enemy's oil truck?"

  Everyone stared blankly at Liu Canmou, and Liu Canmou also looked at everyone, smiling and saying: "Isn't it? Did I say something wrong?"

  Liu Zong Mou finished speaking and continued walking forward.

  Old Yang had already understood: "Yes, Director Liu is right. It was us who set off the explosion. Did you all understand? A bunch of blockheads, go back and say that!"

  Everyone let out a sigh of relief: "Right! Right! It was us who blew it up, it was indeed us who blew it up."

  Zhou Guangren followed behind, shouting loudly: "Director Liu's righteousness is as vast as the sky!"

  Old Yang also shouted: "Love soldiers like sons!"

  Old Cao beamed with joy: "Good fellow, Liu Ziyu!"

  Liu stopped and turned around, looking at Qin with a serious face: "The enemy's oil truck was blown up, this is the best result, but you disobeyed the superior's order, which is not right, I don't want to see such things happen again."

  Qin Zhiyong hastily stood at attention in front of Liu Canmou, gave a standard military salute and said loudly: "Yes! Understood!"

  Liu Zanmou gazed at Huang Xintian: "This matter arose because of you, but since you saved the mother and daughter, let's consider it a redemption."

  Huang Xintian also hastily gave a standard military salute to Liu Canmou and said loudly: "Yes! Thank you, Adviser Liu!"

  Liu's advisor stared at Old Cao: "Who was it that said they wanted to blow my head open yesterday?"

  Lao Cao's smile on his face suddenly disappeared, and he was so frightened that he hid behind Lao Yang.

  Lao Yang pulled him out: "Where are you hiding? Hurry up and apologize to Liu."

  Old Cao bowed his head and walked up to Director Liu: "Director Liu, Old Cao is paying his respects to you."

  Lao Cao was about to kneel down, but Liu Shouzhang turned around and walked away. Lao Cao shouted exaggeratedly at Liu's back: "Thank you, Director Liu, for your great kindness!"

  Liu stopped again, turned around and looked at everyone, saying with a heavy heart: "Think about it, if Captain Guo and his men hadn't blown up the oil truck, the gasoline in these eight cars would have given the enemy's mechanized troops wings! What a great loss this would have brought to our troops defending Changde!"

  Everyone nodded in agreement.

  Liu: "I'm sure you know what to say when you get back?"

  Everyone shouted in unison: "We all know!"

  Liu Zongcai turned around and continued walking forward, saying as he walked: "Everyone has made contributions this time, and when we get back, we'll all be waiting to receive our rewards!"

  Everyone listened and cheered up.

  Huang Xintian looked at Old Yang and said with some embarrassment: "Old Yang..."

  "What's up?"

  "Fortunately you didn't detonate the explosives at that time..."

  Old Yang said indifferently: "I'm doing it for the sake of that poor mother and daughter, and those refugees. It's not worth saving you, Huang Xintian!"

  Huang Xintian chuckled and said: "Anyway, thanks a lot! Old Yang!"

  Old Yang: "Alright! Just don't mess with me and my sword again in the future."

  Lao Cao burst out laughing on one side, Lao Yang and Huang Xintian also laughed.

  Japanese military base.

  A Japanese soldier walked out of the outpost, saluted the sentry and said: "I am Private Second Class Iwai Toshikazu of the 109th Regiment, 116th Division. I want to see Lieutenant Iwai."

  Iwai received the report, didn't even bother to put on his outerwear, wearing geta, and ran out of the barracks in a hurry, embracing Junichi who was walking towards him and about to salute.

  Iwai: "It's really you! Junichi, you've grown so tall! What? You've also been drafted?"

  Shunichi: "Yes, in the 116th Division, 109th Brigade." Shunichi carefully examined Iwai, "Uncle, you've aged a lot."

  Iwai said with emotion: "Uncle's life is also like cherry blossoms, soon to wither and fall."

  Iwai pulled Takeru's hand and walked into the club room.

  Iwai was busy preparing tea and snacks for Shun, asking non-stop: "How's your grandmother? How's your mother? Has your father written to you recently? I haven't received a letter from him in a long time."

  Junyi: "Grandma is fine, mother is fine... Father has made the ultimate sacrifice for the country..."

  Junichi hung his head in distress, and Iwai suddenly stopped what he was doing, his body frozen in place. After a long silence, he asked in a low voice, "When did this happen? Why didn't I know?"

  Junyi: "At the end of last year, on Luzon Island——"

  Iwai sat slowly in the chair, tears streaming down his eyes.

  Iwai: "Did grandma know?"

  Junyi: "I know. It's grandma who didn't let me tell you..."

  Iwai: "You were drafted into the army, did she know about it?"

  He nodded slightly: "I know."

  Iwai fell silent for a while: "Junichi, you're only 16 years old... I didn't think the domestic manpower was so tight..."

  National Army Garrison

  In the barracks. Zhou Guangren lay on the upper berth, looking at a Japanese book. Old Cao approached and curiously asked: "Second Ghost, what are you reading?"

  Zhou Guangren: "The Art of War Array"

  Lao Cao: "What's going on?"

  Zhou Guangren: "It's the little devils' turn to guard."

  Lao Cao: "Where did it come from?"

  Zhou Guangren: "Liu Canmou gave it to me, let me study it."

  Lao Cao: "What's it for?"

  Zhou Guangren said seriously: "In the future, we should provide some help when making battle plans for our superiors and chiefs of staff."

  Lao Cao sincerely praised: "The two devils really have some skills."

  Old Yang said disdainfully: "You really believe him."

  Zhou Guangren couldn't help but chuckle, and Old Cao continued to ask curiously: "What's written on top?"

  "Rather than live in captivity and shame, I would rather die and leave no dishonorable name behind."

  Lao Cao: "What does it mean?"

  "Which means living cannot be a prisoner, dead without leaving a bad name, that's what they call the spirit of Bushido."

  "Damn it! What Bushido? They killed so many old people, women and children, is this Bushido? Can't fight, use poisonous gas, how many brothers weren't shot dead but were suffocated by the enemy's poisonous gas, is this Bushido? To hell with it!"

  Old Yang: "If you say the devils won't surrender, that's in the past. Capturing one prisoner would cost the lives of several brothers, but this time when the devils attacked Changsha, there were quite a few who surrendered."

  Old Cao: "Yes, I heard there are still many child soldiers."

  Old Yang: "What does this mean?"

  Lao Cao was puzzled: "What does it mean?"

  Old Yang: "It means that Little Japan is already in decline and its fate is about to be exhausted!"

  Old Cao slapped his thigh: "Right! This time by the railway, if it wasn't for Old Huang's iron shovel, we could have caught one alive!"

  Old Yang quickly used his elbow to nudge Old Cao, and the two of them simultaneously looked at Huang Xintian lying on the bed.

  Huang Xintian lay there silently, staring at the ceiling.

  Old Yang: "That little devil, deserves to be killed!"

  Old Cao hastened to echo: "Right! He deserves to be killed!"

  Lao Cao asked Zhou Guangren: "Second Ghost Son, is this ghost's language easy to learn?"

  Zhou Guangren's eyes rolled: "You want to learn?"

  Old Cao: "Ah, teach me a simple one. Last time because I didn't understand the devil's language, I almost suffered a great loss. If it wasn't for Old Yang's timely intervention, I would have died a heroic death for my country."

  Zhou Guangren smiled and said: "Alright then, let me teach you a sentence." Zhou Guangren spoke in Japanese, "Joufuku nakare!" ("Surrender or be killed!")

  Old Cao parroted back: "'Surrender and you won't be killed!' What does that mean?"

  "Exactly 'surrender and spare'".

  Lao Cao was disappointed: "I don't learn, this sentence is useless to me."

  "What's wrong with it?"

  Lao Cao: "Little devil, whether you surrender or not, you should be killed!"

  Old Yang: "Right! They all deserve to be killed!"

  Zhou Guangren: "You don't understand this, killing prisoners of war violates some kind of Geneva Convention!"

  Lao Cao: "I don't know what you're talking about."

  Lao Yang: "Second Ghost, did Little Ghost follow the rules of that thing called 'Waguo Agreement' you mentioned?"

  Zhou Guangren was speechless.

  Old Cao: "Yes, did the little devils obey? In Nanjing, how many of our brothers were killed by the devils? They all put down their weapons, and there were many wounded soldiers."

  Old Yang: "Little devils are no better than beasts!"

  "You're just like him, no better than a beast!"

  Lao Cao: "This is called repaying blood with blood, and a tooth for a tooth."

  Lao Yang: "Right! For beasts, we must use beastly methods. Isn't that right, Lao Huang?"

  Huang Xintian seemed as if he hadn't heard anything and lay there silently, staring at the ceiling.

  Lao Cao: "Second Ghost, teach me another sentence."

  "What do you want to learn?"

  Old Cao thought for a moment: "Little devil, I'll screw your ancestors! How's that?"

  Zhou Guangren opened his mouth, but didn't say anything.

  Lao Cao sneered: "You don't know? Such a simple phrase and you don't even know it?"

  Old Yang: "He will 'spare those who surrender'."

  Huang Xintian suddenly sat up from his bed and shouted: "Can't you all be quiet for a moment?"

  Everyone looked at each other in dismay, staring blankly at Huang Xintian. Huang Xintian got out of bed and walked out of the barracks.

  Lao Cao looked at Huang Xintian's back and was puzzled: "What's wrong with Old Huang these days, he's been moody."

  Old Yang said with deep meaning: "I miss the old Huang who used to have faith."

  Huang Xintian walked out of the barracks, and a young cow came towards him with a pole on its back.

  "Uncle Xintian, where are you going? It's time for dinner!"

  Huang Xintian: "Go out and take a walk. Ah - Little Cow, isn't Suffering Doll speaking yet?"

  The calf excitedly said: "Said and said! But just can't understand, he sometimes says the devils killed his whole family, and sometimes says the devilish brother saved him. I also don't understand, how could this devil save him? This kid's brain might be broken."

  The calf let out a sigh and walked into the barracks with his carrying pole. Warm greetings came from inside: "Little Cow is here! What delicious food do you have?"

  Huang Xintian stood there stupidly.

  Japanese military base.

  The dim sunset hung on the western mountain top, and Iwai saw off Toshitsune at the gate of the stronghold.

  Junyi: "Uncle, I'm leaving, take care of yourself!"

  Iwai: "Shunichi, be careful during battle! Grandma can't lose you again..."

  Jun's eyes were firm as he said, "Grandma will support me. The country is at a critical juncture of life and death, we should all fight to the last breath, be loyal to the Emperor, isn't that right, Uncle?"

  Iwai nodded vaguely.

  Junichi: "Uncle, do you like Saijou Hachi's poem? '...You and I are two cherry blossoms, we will fall sooner or later. Why not go to the flower kingdom Yasukuni Shrine, on that spring day's branch, forever together.' What a beautiful poem!"

  Junichi gave Iwai a standard military salute and turned away.

  Iwai looked at Toshitsune with a dejected expression, walking towards the grayish sunset, gradually disappearing into the afterglow of the setting sun...

  National Army Garrison, evening.

  In the barracks, the soldiers have fallen asleep.

  Huang Xintian lay on the bed, tossing and turning, unable to fall asleep. The scene of the small island slowly falling down and the Japanese old soldier kneeling on the ground begging bitterly kept appearing in front of his eyes.

  Huang Xintian simply got down from the kang and walked out of the barracks.

  Huang Xintian came to the outside of the barracks and saw Director Liu sitting alone under a big tree, so he walked over and saluted him.

  Liu: "Oh, it's Huang Squad Leader, why aren't you sleeping yet?"

  Huang Xintian: "Can't sleep."

  Liu: "Come over and sit for a while."

  Huang Xintian sat down beside Liu Canmou. Huang Xintian: "What is Liu Canmou thinking about?"

  Liu: "I'm thinking of that mother and daughter by the railroad tracks."

  "Huang Xintian: 'Huh?'"

  Liu Canmou: "These past few days, their shadows keep appearing before my eyes. When they knelt in front of me, I suddenly felt fortunate that they were still alive. If it weren't for Qin Paizhang and the others holding me back, those two women, as well as you Huang Xintian, would have all died at my hands."

  Huang Xintian smiled: "If I die, I'll just die. There's nothing to regret. Many brothers have died already. Even if I was really blown up that day, I wouldn't hate you."

  Liu Zongmu patted Huang Xintian's leg and sighed: "Over the years, I've seen so many comrades and superiors die for their country. My heart has become harder and more numb. This time in the battle, I even sent wounded soldiers from the hospital to the battlefield. Many of them died in battle. At that time, there was really no other way. I feel like I'm becoming less human."

  Huang Xintian: "Director Liu, you said the devils are all beasts, worse than animals. Should we not treat them with humanity?"

  Liu: "Yes, they are devoid of humanity. This time when they retreated, in order to maintain the so-called honor of the imperial army, they even burned their own wounded soldiers alive. But we are different from them and should not be like them. That's why we can ultimately defeat them. In the face of an enemy who has lost all sense of humanity, we cannot lose our own humanity. This is a war where civilization triumphs over barbarism, not a struggle between beasts."

  Huang Xintian nodded deeply.

  Two people were chatting when suddenly a loud roar of an airplane came from the sky, they looked up and saw US bombers and fighter jets flying over.

  Liu: "Changde has already started fighting."

  "Is it from the enemy?"

  "It's from the Allied Forces."

  Old Yang ran out of the barracks, looking at the planes flying over the sky one by one, and muttered anxiously: "Xiao Yu, that child, I don't know how she is doing."