Chapter 68: Rescue (2)

  "Captain, we're all ready!", said Zhu Zi as he ran to Old Xu's side.

  "It's about time for our fellow villagers to run far away!", "They've already fled several miles away, the devils won't be able to catch up." said Zhu Zi from the side.

  "Alright, everyone fire immediately to attract the devils' attention, you go back and wait for the opportunity to detonate the explosives." Old Xu instructed.

  "Got it, Captain!" Zhu ran quickly, and the team members followed Old Xu's orders to shoot downwards. The devils below returned fire without stopping, but while they were focused on each other, Dahan and Zhu quietly ignited the explosives behind the mountain cliff. They had just run out not far when a huge explosion sounded.

  "What's going on?" Shan Yuan hastily asked upon hearing the loud noise coming from the side of the mountain cliff.

  "Not good, retreat quickly!" Shan Yuan suddenly woke up to the realization that the Eighth Route Army was going to blast the mountain cliff and attack the troops on the mountain slope with giant rocks. Some who had not yet climbed up were withdrawing, while those in front, due to the narrow mountain road, were packed tightly together, making it difficult for them to quickly move down.

  "Boom!" The massive explosion blew the giant boulder on the cliff into smithereens, and the mountain body had a huge shockwave, as if it was blown apart by explosives. People on the mountain felt a tremor.

  Rocks and dust flew everywhere, making it impossible to see what was happening inside. Huge boulders rolled down from the mountain cliff towards the enemy crowd. The devils on the hillside saw the giant rocks rolling towards them and frantically ran downhill, some even throwing away their guns. At this moment, they were no longer calm and their speed became extremely fast. However, due to the large number of people and narrow road, it was difficult for them to quickly retreat. Some devils were afraid of being crushed by the boulders and started pushing those in front of them. In the crowded group, some devils were trampled by others and fell to the ground, unable to move.

  "Boom! Boom!", the boulders and rocks on the mountain crashed into each other, producing a series of deafening sounds. The rolling speed of the rocks grew faster and faster. The first few rocks that came crashing down went straight through the crowd of devils, crushing them into pulp, blood and flesh flying everywhere. The rocks finally stopped at the bottom of the valley. The devil soldiers became even more panicked, their escape speed increasing.

  "Brothers! We should also withdraw." Team leader Old Xu led his men to quietly cross over the mountain, leaving this place.

  The devils have all withdrawn from the valley, and there are no more rocks falling down from the cliffs. After counting the number of people, dozens were killed or injured, some trampled to death by stones. The slope is extremely terrifying, with bloodstains everywhere, as well as shattered heads, arms, thighs, and other body parts crushed by stones. Looking at this scene of devastation, Shan Yuan was furious to the extreme, constantly cursing. As the dust on the mountain slowly dissipated, through binoculars, he found that the guerrilla group that ambushed them had disappeared again.

  "Retreat!" Yamamoto gave the order to retreat decisively, knowing that he was no match for the enemy and that continuing to fight would only lead to greater casualties. He made a swift decision and ordered his troops to abandon their guerrilla tactics and withdraw from the valley.

  "Captain Xu! We really have to thank you and your guerrilla team! Without you, we would all be dead!" The rescued villagers thanked Captain Xu.

  "We are all from the same family, it's too polite, we came late, otherwise other fellow villagers might not have fallen into the devils' hands." Old Xu said with tears in his eyes.

  All the children cried, except for these escaped children and five villagers who escaped with them. The whole village was slaughtered by the devils, and not all the children escaped. When fleeing to the outside of the village, several younger ones were caught up by the devil soldiers behind and shot dead or stabbed to death.

  "Captain! We must avenge our fellow villagers!" The team members said emotionally, looking at the group of children. Captain Xu squatted on the ground with great difficulty, took out his pipe and lit it up. "Captain, say something! What are we going to do?" Another team member urged.

  "Everyone, don't be too anxious, it's no use rushing. This group of devils has several hundred people, and with our current strength, we can't fight against them at all. The only way now is to go find the Eighth Route Army troops, only they can eliminate this devilish troop." District Commander Old Xu advised. He was very clear about his own strength, and it would be suicidal for the guerrilla team to clash with the devils' large troop. The enemy's firepower configuration was much stronger than theirs, their numbers were greater, and their individual quality was unmatched. They were regular troops who had received formal training, while his small team members were all from peasant backgrounds. Not to mention that their marksmanship and hand-to-hand combat skills were not as good as the enemy's, and their weapons were not as good either. Some people still used old muzzle-loaders, how could they fight? Only a regular army like the Eighth Route Army could deal with these devils.

  "My uncle was also in the Eighth Route Army." a little boy said weakly.

  "You said your uncle was in the Eighth Route Army?" "Really! I'm not lying." "How did you know that?" asked Old Xu, the squad leader, with a puzzled expression.

  "My uncle came back a few days ago and said that they are now stationed in Zhangzhuang." the little boy said to Old Xu.

  "Do you want to find your uncle?" Old Xu asked, the child nodded seriously. "I want to tell my uncle that my father and grandfather were killed by devils, let him avenge my father." The little boy cried out.

  "Don't cry first! Tell me what's your name? What's your uncle's name?" Squadron leader Old Xu hastily advised.

  "My name is Shi Tou, my uncle's name is Wang Yong Quan, and my father's name is Wang Yong Zhen." Little Shi Tou said with tears.

  "Okay, don't cry. You said your uncle is in Zhang Village, right?"

  "Yes, that's what I heard my uncle say. I also don't know where he actually is!"

  "Alright, I'll get this uncle to deliver the message to your uncle. Don't cry for now, okay? Men don't cry." Team leader Old Xu teased Xiao Shi Tou.

  "Zhuzi, run an errand for me. Go to Zhangzhuang and take a look around. If the Eighth Route Army is really there, ask if there's someone named Wang Wenchuan and deliver a message for him!" Old Xu couldn't resist the child's pleading, so he sent Zhuzi to find Wang Yongchuan.

  Looking at this group of orphans, Old Xu couldn't help but feel troubled. How should he settle these children? He had to find a place for them to live on, and they certainly couldn't follow the guerrilla team around! As for revenge, that could only wait until they grew up.

  The 3rd Battalion of the Eighth Route Army's Special Operations Brigade is stationed in Zhangzhuang Village, and after walking for a long time without rest, he finally found this place.

  "Halt! What are you doing?" Several Eighth Route Army soldiers blocked Zhang's way.

  "Comrade, I am from the guerrilla team. Is there a Wang Yongquan here?" said Zhu to several Eighth Route Army soldiers.

  "What brings you to Wang Yongquan?" one of the warriors asked.

  "His family asked me to pass on a message to him, something has happened at his home," said Zhu to the soldier. "Then you wait here, I'll go and call him over," said the soldier, saying a few words to several other soldiers before turning around and leaving.

  On the training ground, warriors were conducting their daily training, and from time to time, they heard the neat shouts of the warriors. "Wang Yongquan! Come out for a moment, someone is looking for you." A warrior shouted on the training ground.

  "What's going on?" Wang Yongquan said with a puzzled expression, putting down the stone lock in his hand and walking towards the outside of the arena.

  "What's wrong? Who is looking for me?"

  "Someone has come to your home and said they have a message for you."

  "Who?"

  "The person is waiting outside the village!"

  Wang Yongquan went out with the soldiers to meet Zhu.

  "It's him!" The warrior pointed at Zhu and said. "Who are you?" Wang Yongquan asked in confusion, because he didn't recognize Zhu at all.