Chapter 1: The Crossing of Yī Jiǎ Zǐ

  In 1937, Nanjing, the ancient capital of six dynasties.

  The Rising Sun flag of the invaders has been hoisted on Yu Hua Tai and Zi Jin Shan. Large groups of soldiers in khaki uniforms, like a raging torrent, poured into the capital through the gates of Zhonghua, Guanghua, Shui Xi, and Zhongshan, bringing with them a bloody hue that gradually spread throughout the city.

  In the ruins of Taihe Bridge, Lin Xiaotang lay quietly on the ground, with a shocking wound on his forehead. His eyes were tightly closed, occasionally revealing painful and contemplative expressions, while his eyelids twitched and his head kept twisting back and forth.

  Because a ghost invaded his body, attacking his mind. The newcomer claimed to be a Chinese agent from sixty years later, who was sacrificed in the execution of a secret mission, and unexpectedly, his soul traversed six decades of time and arrived in Nanjing on the same day sixty years later.

  And now Nanjing is at its darkest moment in history. ?? Counter-attack of the Republic's special agent 1

  Lin Xiaotang only felt a warm current drilling into her brain, like an empty warehouse that was suddenly filled with all sorts of things. As more and more things poured in, the swelling sensation expanded continuously, spreading to every corner of her body.

  At last, Lin Xiaotang suddenly had an epiphany and abruptly opened her eyes.

  Everything in front of me seems to have changed, the air is filled with black smoke and swirling dust, making it hard to breathe smoothly. The deafening explosions and non-stop gunfire that keep ringing out are almost enough to pierce a person's eardrums.

  Lin Xiaotang turned her head and saw a person's face in front of her, but it seemed like just a face.

  Because of him, only one skull was left, with dull grayish-white eyeballs staring quietly at Lin Xiaotang, as if telling his unwillingness and anger. Lin Xiaotang recognized him, the boss of the pharmacy next door, Old Fang.

  Lin Xiaotang's pupils suddenly constricted, as if something had bitten him abruptly, and he frantically crawled backward, his heart racing uncontrollably. His chaotic thoughts were mixed with fear and the pain from his wound, making him feel utterly bewildered.

  Suddenly, a familiar cry came, it was Fang Rou, Boss Fang's daughter!

  Lin Xiaotang shook his head hard, only then did he realize that he was not dreaming now. He got up and ran quickly to the window of the remaining house ruins, stuck out half of his head, and carefully looked outside.

  In front of the ruins was a hut, through the doorway, one could vaguely see a Japanese sergeant in yellow uniform pinning down a frail figure on the old door panel, constantly tearing at her clothes; while Er Gou, who grew up with him, knelt at the door, his hands tied behind his back, and a sturdy Japanese soldier stood behind him, holding a Type 38 rifle in one hand and forcing Er Gou's face with the other, forcing him to "appreciate" the tragic scene inside the hut. At Er Gou's feet was a corpse wearing a long gown without a head.

  An unstoppable rage suddenly ignited in Lin Xiaotang's heart, his fists slowly clenched, he stood up, and with a push of his right foot on the window frame, he jumped out.

  The Japanese soldier holding two dogs turned around and saw Lin Xiaotang, hastily picked up his rifle and pretended to pull the bolt.

  Lin Xiaotang's eyes blazed with fury as he punched the short and stout Japanese soldier in the throat, crushing his Adam's apple. Then, he strode into the hut, grasped the sergeant's head from behind with both hands, and twisted it violently.

  The killing intent gradually dissipated from Lin Xiaotang's eyes, and she stared blankly for a while, looking at the two corpses on the ground, then at her own hands, before suddenly running out of the hut, holding onto a charred tree trunk and vomiting uncontrollably.

  Two dogs broke free from their leashes and ran to Lin Xiaotang's side: "Seventh Brother, are you okay?"

  Lin Xiaotang raised his pale face and smiled bitterly, indicating that he should take a look at Fang Rou's situation in the hut first.

  Two dogs supported Fang Rou, who had a somewhat stunned gaze, as they walked out of the shed. It wasn't until they saw Lin Xiaotang that Fang Rou's face, wrapped in Er Gou's jacket, regained some color. However, upon catching sight of the headless corpse on the ground, Fang Rou's legs gave way, and she collapsed to the ground, her hands covering her mouth as she wept silently.

  Lin Xiaotang sighed, and had to force herself to gather her spirits. She trembled as she picked up Mr. Fang's head and placed it with his body, then found a mat to cover them.

  At this time, Lin Xiaotang's thoughts gradually cleared up. Nanjing had been surrounded for more than a week, and the city defense war was fought with great fanfare. Today, Lin Xiaotang originally planned to return to university and discuss with his classmates about organizing people to go to the front line to offer condolences. But suddenly, news came that the National Army was retreating and the Japanese were entering the city, and Nanjing instantly became chaotic.

  Lin Xiaotang rushed back home to find his elder brother and sister-in-law, wanting to reunite with them as soon as possible and leave the city. However, just as he arrived at the door, he was caught in a Japanese artillery bombardment and was knocked unconscious by the blast wave. He only came to earlier today.

  "Where's my brother and sister-in-law?" Lin Xiaotang asked, staring straight at the ground with her big eyes.

  "Listen to me," Er Gou's voice was somewhat low and mournful: "Don't look for them anymore, they've all been buried underneath. Only I, Boss Fang, and Xiao Rou managed to escape, and we're trying to rescue people... when the Japanese devils arrived, forcing Boss Fang to... to Xiao Rou... Boss Fang refused, and his head was chopped off with a single knife."

  "No way, I have to find them, maybe they're not dead yet." Lin Xiaotang seemed to ignore these words, stupidly stood up, patted the dirt on her body, and made a gesture to leave.

  "Seventh brother, we can't look for him anymore. The Japanese have entered the city and are killing anyone they see. Soldiers and civilians are all fleeing towards the ferry terminal. If we don't leave now, it's a dead end!"

  Two people's wailing cries finally woke Lin Xiaotang up, he stroked his forehead, but tears flowed down uncontrollably. How could this be? How did he lose his home? The warm home was reduced to ashes in the gunfire, and his elder brother and sister-in-law were separated from him in an instant, leaving him with a feeling of sudden isolation and helplessness that filled Lin Xiaotang's heart with fear and confusion.

  "Seventh brother, you must think of something! Where are we going to go? If we don't leave now, we really won't be able to leave!" Er Gou anxiously looked at Lin Xiaotang, Fang Rou helplessly pulled on Lin Xiaotang's sleeve, the seventeen-year-old girl was clearly already frightened by everything that had happened today.

  "Go, go to the ferry, first get to the north of the river and then talk!" Lin Xiaotang suddenly calmed down, his mind quickly calculating.

  After Nanjing was besieged, both Chairman Chiang and Garrison Commander Tang Shengzhi said they would defend to the death and could hold out for several months, so not even ordinary citizens were evacuated. But now, in less than ten days, the city defenses suddenly collapsed, and the Japanese advanced at a shocking speed, already breaking through the outer defense lines and entering the city. The gates of Nanjing are gone, they must have fallen into Japanese hands, now only the docks at Xiaguan can be reached.

  Lin Xiaotang was somewhat surprised by his calmness and composure, which was in stark contrast to his usual timid, introverted and indecisive self. Perhaps he wasn't dreaming when he fainted just now? But how could such an absurd dream be explained?

  Lin Xiaotang wiped away her tears, picked up the southern pistol and magazine worn by Jun Cao, pulled Er Gou and Fang Rou, and rushed towards the direction of Xiaguan Wharf along the already ruined streets.

  The once prosperous capital has become a ghost town today, shells occasionally fall beside the three people, splashing up several meters of mud, the mud falls on their bodies with a fishy smell, it's hard to distinguish whether it's the smell of soil or blood, mixed with the burnt smell in the air, stirring up everyone's inner fear and helplessness.

  Just as the three of them turned a corner, a strange voice suddenly came from behind: "This way, this way, there's someone, and it seems like a woman too."

  Lin Xiaotang was taken aback, it turned out to be a Japanese sentence, and she could actually understand it.

  He turned around to see seven or eight figures quickly following behind him, wearing the dazzling khaki-colored 98-style military uniform of the Japanese army, carrying 38-style rifles in their hands, and chasing towards the direction of himself and the other three people.

  The two dogs let out a loud "Ah!" and almost fell to the ground. Lin Xiaotang stretched out her hand to support one of them, while grabbing onto Fang Rou: "Quickly run!"

  Three people didn't dare to look back, using all their strength to sprint towards the direction of Xiaoguan. The Japanese soldiers behind them also opened fire, and bullets flew past the three people's heads, causing their hearts to shatter. Lin Xiaotang began to consciously lead the two people in a curved run, but the pursuing soldiers couldn't be shaken off.

  Lin Xiaotang raised her head, and in front of her was the Guomin Department Store building on Qinglin Road. Originally, this was a bustling street area, but now except for the department store building that had been bombed to half its height, the surrounding area had already become a flat expanse of land.

  Lin Xiaotang opened her mouth wide and tried to calm down her racing heart. As she ran, she asked Er Gou: "Do you see the department store?"

  The two dogs panted heavily and couldn't say a word, they just nodded.

  "Cross over that deep ditch in front, take Xiaorou into the building, make a round inside, and then rush to the dock. I'll stay behind and lead away the Japanese soldiers following us."

  The two dogs heard this and blushed, wanting to retort.

  "Stop spouting nonsense! If we keep running like this, none of us will get away!" - Counterattack in the Republic of China's Special Agent 1

  As they spoke, they had already arrived at the front of the building that deep ditch, Lin Xiaotang felt quite familiar, as if it was a standard trench, and strangely, he actually recognized it.

  Lin Xiaotang pulled his hand back, using all his strength to push the two of them out: "Run forward, don't look back." After saying that, he jumped into a deep ditch over a dozen feet high.

  Two dogs dragged Fang Rou towards the department store, Fang Rou's mouth was wide open in surprise, constantly turning her head back, seemingly wanting to break free from Er Gou's arm, but Er Gou held on tight, dragging her along as they stumbled and disappeared into the entrance of the building.

  Lin Xiaotang crouched in the ditch, trying to hold his breath, his right hand gripping a pistol, while his left hand searched the ground without stopping. After searching for half a day, he only found a worn-out wooden board with many holes. He cursed and picked up a heavy brick instead, then tightly pressed himself against the wall of the deep ditch.