Anti-Japanese national hatred and family enmity

  Perhaps people really have a sixth sense, when Zhao Zhibang heard his mother mention Ie Uemura, he suddenly felt flustered in his heart, which was not his overthinking, but actually because of this person's appearance, from then on changed the fate of the entire Zhao family, including Xingzi and Zhao Zhibang himself.

  Ishii Shirō had been in Northeast China for some time, and as early as 1933, he moved the original "Epidemic Prevention Research Laboratory" from Japan to Northeast China, where he began secretly developing biological and chemical weapons. At first, the main target was the Soviet Union's Far East region, and China was not considered a major threat, but with the shift of the Japanese military's strategic focus from the Soviet Union in the north to the South Pacific, particularly after the collapse of Japan's boastful claim to conquer China in three months, these biological and chemical weapons were ultimately used extensively on the Chinese battlefield against the Japanese.

  This time, Inoue Masao's trip to the Northeast was not actually to visit his teacher Ishii. After the Japanese army occupied Beiping in July 1937, a unit called the "North China Expeditionary Army Epidemic Prevention and Water Supply Department" immediately moved into the original Nationalist Zhongyang Epidemic Prevention Institute located at the west gate of Tiantan. This indicates that the Japanese army had long been planning to take over this place, as some of the equipment here could be quickly applied to research work. The commander of Unit 1855, which did not appear on the list of Japanese troops after the war, was Nishimura Hideo, who later replaced Ishii Shirō, the commander of Unit 731, who had been dismissed for corruption. Ishii Shirō had been the technical director of Unit 731 from the beginning. Inoue Masao's trip to the Northeast this time was precisely to seek guidance and assistance from his teacher Ishii Shirō.

  Takao Inoue was almost 30 years old at that time, which was considered a big age for being single in both Japan and China. However, the reason he was still single was not because of his poor conditions. With a height of 1.75m, a handsome face, being an excellent student from Kyoto Imperial University, and having a wealthy family background, Takao Inoue was considered a diamond bachelor at that time. As the only son in his family, Takao Inoue was also a worry for his parents. However, he did have a crush on a woman, but unfortunately, he couldn't get her, and she was getting further and further away from him. This woman was Ishii Yoshiko, the niece of his teacher Ishii Shirō.

  So many years have passed, Ishii Kyoko has long been married and had children in China, but for the infatuated Inoue Masao, he has never been able to truly let go of this woman who is now a wife and mother. This woman has always lingered in his heart, so he can only use his workaholic tendencies to drive away the hidden pain in his heart, and when he's idle, he uses liquor to numb himself.

  "Inoue-kun, come drink... In the living quarters of the 1855 unit, Inoue Masao was kneeling on the tatami mat in his room with Lieutenant Ryūgawa Jihiro of the guard unit, clinking cups together. On the table were several empty bottles of Japanese sake. Ryūgawa and Inoue had originally been part of the Japanese North China Garrison Army, and their relationship had been quite good before they were both transferred to the 1855 unit, after which they became even closer friends, often drinking and chatting together in their free time."

  "After all this time, I can finally relax and have a few drinks. You're a true friend, Ryukawa-kun! *clink* Ah, good liquor! *gulp* Good liquor indeed...!" Inoue Masao raised his cup and took a swig, while Ryukawa Jihiro looked like he hadn't even gotten a buzz yet, despite sitting across from him.

  "Isn't Inoue-kun drunk?!" Yagawa Jihiro hurriedly crawled to his side and asked with concern as he supported the almost fallen Inoue.

  "It's nothing... I'm not drunk, let's keep drinking..." Ikeda Masaaki pushed Yanagawa Tsuguo away and reached for the bottle to pour himself another drink, scaring Yanagawa who quickly snatched the bottle from his hand.

  "Yanagawa-kun, I'd like to ask you something..." Inoue Masao said in a dialectical Tokyo accent, looking at him with half-closed eyes.

  "If there's anything you don't understand, feel free to ask, Inoue-kun." Yanagawa saw that he was already seated and picked up the sake bottle in front of him, then sat back down on the opposite side.

  "Have you ever had a crush on a 'girl'?????"

  "Ah, ...!" The words of Naotake Inoue almost made Yuzuru Yanagawa spit out the piece of "chicken" meat he had just put in his mouth. He hadn't expected Inoue to ask such a question. After chewing and swallowing hard, he asked: "Inoue-kun, why did you ask such a question? This... this..." Yanagawa was taken aback for a moment and didn't know how to respond.

  "Never mind, just say yes or no?" Takao Inoue seemed to be really drunk, he knelt on the tatami mat with his eyes half closed, his hands grasping randomly at the table while shouting.

  "There have been, but those are all in the past now, sigh...". After saying that, he picked up his wine cup and drank two cups in one go.

  "Tell me, tell me... Listen, listen..." After listening to Yanagawa Tsuguo's words, Inoue Masao seemed to have suddenly woken up. He supported his hands on the table and looked at Yanagawa Tsuguo with a smile, speaking hastily.

  "Ah, yes... Her name is Xiū Lài Zǐ, she's the most beautiful girl in our area, hehe..." Liú Chuān Cì Xióng said, his eyes fixed on a distant memory, as if he had returned to a scene from many years ago. Liú Chuān Cì Xióng graduated from Japan's Konan Military Academy, his family was ordinary, his parents were owners of a small workshop, and like Inoue Masao, he was considered quite handsome among the short-statured Japanese people.

  However, unlike him, Inoue Masao joined the Japanese army solely to avoid Akakawa, while Yanagawa Tsuguo was a thoroughgoing militarist. The Kōnan Military Academy he attended was generally a school for training low-ranking officers and could not be compared with the Army Academy or the War College which produced talented people.

  Although he and Shulaizi had a good relationship, because of his family background and education, Shulaizi's father strongly disagreed to marry his "daughter" to him. So he was determined to make a name for himself on the battlefield to show that stubborn old man from Hokkaido. Actually, at first, he was reluctant to join the 1855 unit, after all, he thought that to achieve military merit, one had to fight with real swords and guns on the battlefield. However, his request was not approved. This was also the reason why he often got drunk with Inoue Masao.

  "Inoue-kun... " As Yanagawa Jihiro returned to reality from his memories, Inoue Masao was already fast asleep with his head on the table. After glancing at Inoue Masao, he carefully pulled out a small package wrapped in wood-grain paper from his pocket and opened it, revealing a photo of Shūrei with a familiar smile. He gazed at the photo as he lay down on the floor, muttering in broken Chinese, "What is this thing called love? It makes people swear to be together for life and death." Then he also fell asleep.