Chapter 23: Hanging Sword Fights Ghost

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Sword Hanging Ghost

  According to the confessions of two Japanese devils, they were ordered by the Japanese military department to infiltrate and gather intelligence on the true situation of the "Ghost Fortress" in Fengling Mountain's Xuanjian Cave. When they found out that Wang Shan-gen had discovered their secret, they killed him to silence him. To confuse and mislead, they framed the Black Tiger Fortress, shifting attention away from themselves so they could escape smoothly. By placing Wang Shan-gen's corpse under Xuanjian Cave, they aimed to prevent an alliance between the three fortresses and disrupt the united resistance against Japan. After being captured, they continued to make false accusations, plotting to create internal strife and weaken the anti-Japanese forces in the Lingfeng area.

  Ba Tian Long had just finished telling the story of the two little Japanese men. Zhen Shan Hu immediately shouted: "Damn it, these little Japanese devils are so poisonous! They use all kinds of despicable tricks. Luckily, Da Si She caught them, otherwise who knows what kind of chaos would have ensued."

  Yun Xiang Tian suddenly asked: "Dragon Uncle, do they often go to Ling Feng City?"

  Ba Tian Long looked at Yun Xiang Tian, who had his brows furrowed, and knew that there must be something else. His heart tightened as he hastily said: "They two said that they killed someone in Ling Feng. They are new here, never allowed to go to Ling Feng City, not even to Qing Shui Wan Town a few times."

  "Uncle, you've been deceived again. They told us everything they knew, and nothing about what they didn't know."

  Zhen Shantiger suddenly stood up, staring with his big eyes and said: "No way, no way! Da Si Snake and I have already interrogated them until they don't recognize their own parents. They can't wait to turn their intestines inside out for us to see. How can you say they still haven't confessed everything? No way, absolutely not!"

  The always silent Hong Shangu asked: "What's wrong with Yu'er?"

  Yun Xiang Tian glanced at the emotionally agitated Zhen Shan Hu and said, "Auntie, Uncle Tiger, do you still remember the Black Tiger Token beside Wang Shan Gen? Where did they get it from?"

  Hong Shan and Zhen Shan were both stunned for a moment, but then Zhen Shan quickly regained his composure and kicked the Japanese man with one leg, cursing: "You damn thing, trying to trick me! You think you can deceive me? Watch me skin you alive today!"

  Hong Shangu asked: "Yu'er, what do you think we should do?"

  Yun Xiang Tian said: "Then you can ask them a simple question first, how many years have they been learning Chinese? Where did they learn it?"

  Hong Shan's wife slowly returned to her seat and said calmly, "Let them ask. As a woman, I'm afraid of seeing that bloody thing."

  Zhen Shantiger rubbed his head and said, "Damn it, I'm coming." He grabbed the hair of two Japanese men and said, "Hey, kids, how many years have you been studying your ancestors' language? Where did you learn it?"

  Two Japanese exchanged a glance and one of them said: "We protest. We are protected by the Geneva Convention. You cannot maltreat prisoners of war."

  Yun Xiang Tian smiled and gently pushed aside the town's tiger, saying: "How could you be prisoners of war? You are brothers who have already joined the Hanging Sword Cave. You violated the mountain rules, and Tiger Da Zhang and Long Da Zhang were just executing family law. Do you two know that when entering the village and joining the partnership, you must clearly explain your past actions, otherwise you will be punished by the mountain rules? You two have already joined the partnership, so you should report truthfully. Can't you even speak a few years of Chinese? Do you really want to suffer the punishment of cutting off your feet? You may not know that the punishment of cutting off your feet is to cut off the feet of those who violate the mountain rules to prevent escape and leakage of mountain secrets, just a small law, not worth mentioning. It's up to you two now. Are you going to speak or suffer the punishment of cutting off your feet?"

  Two little devils were trembling all over. One said: "I've been studying for eleven years in Manchukuo."

  Another one said: "I am a special agent of Dai Nippon Jūchin Kaisha's Tokai Kōtoku, not here to join you. I won't talk to you."

  Yun Xiang Tianyi Le said: "Tiger Uncle, Dragon Uncle, do you know what a special agent is? A special agent is what we call an informant or spy. Those two are Japanese devils, spies planted here among us. Dragon Uncle, has the punishment for spies changed? Is it still being thrown into a pit and wearing mourning attire?"

  Listening to Yun Xiang Tian's questioning, Zhen Shan Hu stared wide-eyed and secretly admired him in his heart. Hong Shan Gu turned her head to one side and giggled secretly. Ba Tian Long said with a pretentious tone: "That's right, it's still the Earth Exploring Lamp and the Hemp Wearing Mourning Attire, these two torture methods."

  Yun Xiang Tian said with a somewhat unbearable tone: "Dragon Uncle, these two punishments are too cruel. I think it's better to just shoot them and get it over with. I remember last time we caught a spy, he was subjected to the 'exploring the earth' punishment, and he wailed for three days and four nights, shouting until his throat was hoarse and bleeding, soaking through his chest clothes, yet he still didn't die, only after confessing did they let him down."

  The Japanese who had studied Chinese for eleven years was so frightened that he sweated all over and said, "What kind of punishment is 'digging the earth lamp' and 'wearing hemp and wearing filial piety'?"

  Yun Xiang Tian said in surprise: "You don't know what the punishment of 'Exploring the Earth Lamp' and 'Wearing Hemp and Mourning' is? Ah, that's a cruel punishment beyond human endurance! Only we mountain bandits who have lost our humanity can do such a thing. The 'Exploring the Earth Lamp' is to tie a person to a fixed seat, bind their feet with iron chains in an earthenware pot, light charcoal fire under the pot, and slowly roast them for about a day or so, until the feet in the pot are cooked through. But the person will absolutely not die. As for 'Wearing Hemp and Mourning', it's to tie a person's hands and feet to two pillars, use a sharp knife to cut countless wounds on their body, put hemp ropes in the wounds, wrap the wounds with white cloth as wide as two fingers, sprinkle salt water on them, and after two days, the wounds will scab. That's just the beginning of the punishment. The executioner will grab one end of the wrapped white cloth and tear it off strip by strip along with the scabs, and then pull out the hemp ropes that are stuck to the skin and flesh. In the end, the victim is left with only a bloody body without any skin."

  That self-proclaimed Japanese agent turned pale and trembled with rage, saying: "I am a warrior of the Emperor. What you are doing is an insult to our warrior spirit. You...you bunch of barbaric Chinese have no humanity at all! I...I..."

  Yun Xiang Tian Leng snorted, his face stern as he said: "Barbaric? Inhumane? You Japanese people, occupying our land, killing our compatriots, that's not barbaric, that's humane? Uncle Long, I think it's pointless to waste words on them. I originally wanted to spare their lives, but since they refuse to repent, let's execute them!"

  "Come on, take him away and prepare for execution."

  A Japanese who had studied Chinese for eleven years lay on the ground like a puddle of mud, shouting loudly: "No, no, I said, I said."

  "Good kid," thought Ba Tian Long to himself, "I and that sick cat have exhausted ourselves, yet we still can't defeat him with just a few words. It seems that today's recognition is indeed correct."

  "No way! We can't tell what's true and what's false from your words. We have experience that ordinary people will tell the truth after two hours on the interrogation lamp, but you two are different, specially trained agents who even under the lamp need a day and night of charcoal fire roasting, when the skin is slowly peeling off and oil is oozing out, maybe then you'll start telling the truth. Oh, I almost forgot, you're the emperor's warriors, naturally extraordinary. To respect their warrior spirit, Dragon Uncle, I think we should use both torture methods at once, that would be worthy of their emperor." The last sentence seemed to be directed at Ba Tian Long, but was actually meant for the two Japanese men to hear.

  Ba Tian Long suppressed the excitement in his heart and said with a serious face: "That's right, when treating noble guests, we must use the best. Brothers, serve two torture instruments at the same time. Take good care of our guest."

  A Japanese who has studied Chinese for eleven years, his mental defense line has completely collapsed, and he desperately shouted: "I said, don't, don't use torture, I said."

  Yun Xiangtian patted his thigh and said seriously, "Alright, it seems you want to tell the truth. We will treat those who tell the truth as friends. Come, take this friend to the side hall, bandage their wounds and entertain them well." After the Japanese man was taken away, Yun Xiangtian turned to another one and said, "You are a warrior, I think we don't need to drag this out any longer? Let your warrior spirit enjoy the pleasure brought by the lanterns and mourning attire. Perhaps that's more suitable for you."

  That damned Japanese samurai, scared shitless and pissing his pants, stared at his companions with a terrified gaze as he was helped up and taken away. He could no longer hold back the fear in his heart, and on his knees like a dog, he begged: "Please spare me, I'll tell you everything I know, please don't torture me."

  According to the two Japanese men, their operation was codenamed "Hunting Hawk", with the goal of occupying Fengling Mountain and uncovering its secrets. They had begun making arrangements two years prior, sending undercover agents to various mountain strongholds. These agents were controlled by a mysterious figure known only as "Sakura", but they did not know this person's true identity, merely exchanging information at predetermined times and locations. He also revealed a shocking piece of intelligence: a Japanese special forces unit had been hiding in a cave at the foot of Fengling Mountain. If their plan to frame others for murder succeeded and sparked infighting among the mountain strongholds, the Japanese special forces would launch a surprise attack when the various factions were weakened, and seize control of Fengling Mountain in one fell swoop.

  After getting the information, Yun Xiang Tian laughed and said to the two Japanese men in a sarcastic tone: "The laws I mentioned don't exist at all, I just made them up. I was trying to scare you, but I didn't expect two dignified Japanese warriors to surrender to my few words, it's really pitiful." His face suddenly turned serious and solemnly said: "Think of the great China, a country of etiquette, how could we be like you, a group of robbers who kill people, set fires, and commit all kinds of evil, destroying human nature. Come on, take them away, and keep a close eye on them."

  The self-proclaimed Japanese samurai struggled and shouted: "How dare you cheat me, you Chinese pig. I want to duel with you."

  Hong Shan girl, who had never taken action before, punched the Japanese man in the face and scolded: "You son of a bitch, how dare you call people pigs? What kind of damn emperor are you, leading this group of beasts to rob food from others' doors?"

  Ba Tian Long let out a sigh and said, "Alas, you're all wrong. Don't insult the beasts, they don't even deserve to sit with them as equals. Quick, get this pile of trash out of here, it's an eyesore."

  As the Japanese man was pushed out, everyone burst into laughter. Ba Tian Long gave a thumbs up to Yun Xiang Tian amidst the laughter and said: "Impressive, impressive! Good kid, your few words were actually able to counter the sick cat's fists. Well done, awesome!"

  Hong Shangu blocked Zhen Shantiger who was about to argue with Ba Tianlong again and said, "Yu'er, what do we do next?"

  Not only did Hong Shangu think so, but even the usually arrogant Ba Tianlong and Zhen Shantu also took Yun Xiangtian as their mainstay.

  Yun Xiang Tian said humbly: "Auntie, with Uncle Hu and Uncle Long here, I am just a junior..."

  Zhen Shantiger slapped the table and said: "Yun Xian nephew, whatever you say we'll do. Dammit, I'll listen to you."

  Ba Tian Long chimed in: "Yun Xian nephew, go ahead and say it. Don't just say that the sick cat is obedient to you, even I, Dragon Uncle, am convinced by you. Good kid, you've really opened my eyes today. Whatever you want, just give the order, just say it."

  Yun Xiang Tian burst out laughing and said: "Since the two uncles have spoken, Yu'er will not decline. There's nothing more to say, just ask the two uncles to guard the mountain gate well, don't let the brothers in the fort go down the mountain, lest the information leak out and let the agent 'Sakura' escape again."

  Zhen Shantiger stared with wide eyes at Yun Xiangtian and asked: "A-and what about the devils below the mountain?"

  Yun Xiang Tian smiled and said: "Heavenly secrets cannot be revealed."