Chapter 4, The Tip of the Iceberg

  "Have you ever fired a gun?" Li Ruofeng's gaze finally rested on Biaozi.

  "Been through it, young master." Biaozi replied: "Starting from August of the 17th year of the Republic, the old master gave orders that all Li's Fort belonged to have strengthened their firearms training in a targeted manner. Like these kids, each one has to complete thirty rounds of ammunition every day. They've played with box cannons, Mauser 98 rifles, Czech-made light machine guns, Maxim heavy machine guns, grenade launchers, and mortars, and they're all quite skilled."

  Li Ruofeng nodded slightly without confirming or denying, gazing at Biaozi who was rubbing his hands and smiling blandly: "I still know what you're thinking about, little guy. Come on, go with the Fourth Tiger and let me see if you've made any progress over the years."

  Biaozi apparently wanted to use himself and the four tigers to help Young Master establish his authority. However, on the surface, this guy looked delighted and eager to try.

  As the partner of Biaozi for nearly fifteen years, the four tigers had long been in harmony. He didn't say much either, carefully placing Young Master's suitcase and walking towards the arena with his sleeves rolled up.

  The people in the arena first looked at Biaozi and Sihou, then they all showed an unbelievable expression looking at Li Ruofeng, dispersed to the edge of the field, whispering to each other in small groups.

  Four Tigers and Biaozi, one in front and one behind, sandwiched Li Ruofeng in between.

  Li Ruofeng stood with his hands behind his back and nodded to let Biaozi and the four tigers take the lead.

  "Be careful, young master!" Biaozi let out a loud shout and made a move as if he was about to pounce.

  However, his momentum was completely fake, and the goal was to attract Li Ruofeng's attention. The real attack came from the four tigers on Li Ruofeng's right rear side!

  The four tigers used a common bear-hugging technique and rushed towards Li Ruofeng at an incredible speed.

  Biaozi naturally wouldn't just watch the battle, he sprang into action at the moment when Li Ruofeng and the Four Tigers were about to make contact, flying kick, kicking towards the back of Li Ruofeng's head!

  "Damn it!" Li Ruofeng laughed, but saw that he didn't dodge or evade. His right hand shot out like a snake from an extremely strange angle, and with incredible accuracy, grabbed onto Biaozi's ankle just before his foot made contact with his head. With a slight shift in body position, he swung Biaozi around, sending his massive body of over 160 pounds flying nearly four meters away!

  With his left hand attacking at the same time, it was like an iron hammer smashing onto the right shoulder joint of Sihou, who was tightly hugging Li Ruofeng's waist. Sihou's thick and sturdy right arm instantly lost its mobility, and the bear hug that was holding Li Ruofeng's waist was immediately dismantled.

  Before Sihou's stifled hum could even come out, Li Ruofeng's right hand had already landed on his left shoulder, like an iron claw grasping tightly, followed by a big throw, sending Sihou flying to the ground.

  The whole process from both sides coming into contact to Biaozi and Sihutu falling to the ground took no more than the time it takes for people to blink their eyes twice!

  The sixteen big men who were originally waiting to see the excitement, with a schadenfreude expression on their faces, suddenly changed to another identical expression: their eyes bulged like cow's eyes, and their mouths opened wide enough to fit in a fist!

  Li Ruofeng, like a carefree person, smoothed out his black leather hunting attire that had been wrinkled by the four tigers' hugs, and smiled brightly as he looked at the big guys on the sidelines, asking: "Is there anyone among you who wants to come up and give it a try?"

  Everyone initially nodded in agreement, but immediately afterwards they all shook their heads vigorously.

  Looking at the four tigers and Biaozi still lying on the ground in a daze, Li Ruofeng smiled: "Get up, you two have made some progress over the years, but it's obviously not enough. It seems that this time I'll have to give special training to your batch of people."

  The Fourth Tiger rubbed his waist and got up, with a bitter expression on his face, and replied: "Young Master, in the past when I joined forces with Biaozi, at the very least we could hold out for several rounds under your hands, how did you become so formidable now?"

  "Ah, yes, young master! What kind of skill was that just now? It's so powerful!" Biaozi also got up from the ground at this time and kept rubbing his right ankle joint.

  "Practical combat skills! This is what I've been polishing in Japan all these years." Li Ruofeng replied with a serious expression: "The set we used to use in the Li family, although useful, would appear flashy but lacking in ferocity if actually used on the battlefield. Martial techniques, also known as 'one move to kill the enemy', emphasize practicality, and if you don't take action, then so be it, but if you do, it's either death or injury! What you're practicing now might be useful for general hand-to-hand combat, but it's not enough for battlefield fighting."

  "Master, if what you say is true, then all these years have been in vain!" Biaozi's face was full of disappointment.

  "It can't be said that way." Li Ruofeng said, "You now have a very good foundation, just need to add some training, and you can completely bring your combat power into a new realm."

  "Master, when are we going to start training?" The four tigers' eyes were filled with anticipation.

  "This matter can only be confirmed after I return from the fourth trip, but the time will definitely not be too long." Li Ruofeng thought for a moment and replied: "There is not much time left for us to prepare."

  Since arriving in this era, Li Ruofeng has been thinking about how to blend into this era as much as possible and minimize the losses of the Chinese nation in this world war.

  He was very clear that with China's current national conditions and existing industrial system, it was absolutely no match for Japan at the beginning of the war.

  For nearly a decade, the warlords have been fighting each other, exhausting China's national strength. A disunited China, a China with internal strife, how can it be a match for Japan, which has long been planning and has a well-developed industrial system?

  Although he knew that this war would ultimately end with China's victory, however, China did not get the benefits it deserved as a victorious country. Nearly 40 million Chinese lives were exchanged for unequal and unjust treaties given by the Allied Powers. He yearned to make some improvements through his participation, but alas, how easy is it?

  Fortunately, he made a good throw, although the strength of Lijia Village is not on the same level as that of the domestic warlords who are currently in power. However, fortunately, the Li family was united and recognized the true face of the Japanese and Russians early on, so they will not be fighting alone in the upcoming full-scale war.

  The head of the Li family, also his father in this era, is absolutely a conservative and feudal figure. Including his six uncles, not one of them is a thrifty person. It's precisely because he lives in such an environment that Li Ruofeng doesn't dare to reveal what he knows about history. He can only use the opportunity of studying abroad to make predictions and judgments for the future as a disguise through the sedimentation of time and knowledge.

  To know, he will come and do many things, all based on strategic arrangements. A person who has never commanded an army, never attended a military school, never fought in a big battle, and never systematically studied military strategy, how can he possibly be a qualified military strategist?

  So far, his efforts have been fruitful, and his family has basically adopted the various suggestions he put forward after studying in Japan.

  At first, Li Ruofeng also spent a lot of effort on these suggestions. He didn't dare to use written information or telegrams, but instead used the business network set up by his family in Japan, and had his trusted subordinates bring them back to China.

  Lying comfortably in the heated bathroom, in that wide and spacious wooden bathtub, Li Ruofeng couldn't help but think of his own meticulous arrangements over the years, and had to shake his head and sigh at how insignificant his personal abilities were compared to the national machine.

  Biaozi and the four tigers, although they can be his most loyal confidants, none of them possess the great wisdom to plan and strategize with him. They can be his sharp blades, but not qualified advisors. There are too many things that he can only keep in his stomach, even letting them rot there forever, unable to share with others. This kind of long-term feeling of loneliness and helplessness as a stranger in a strange land, if it weren't for the iron will he had cultivated since childhood, would be enough to drive a normal person mad.

  Perhaps he was too tired, or perhaps it was a subconscious relaxation of finally returning to his hometown, but Li Ruofeng unknowingly fell asleep, and even the movement of the four tigers coming in to heat up and change the water for him did not wake him up.

  At the same time, in the Japanese Embassy in Beiping located on Dongjiaominxiang.

  In the luxurious tatami room, Ito Masao and a stout middle-aged man with a pomaded beard around 40 years old sat facing each other on their knees, carefully listening to the report of another young man dressed like a street punk under the futon.

  Half an hour later, a middle-aged Japanese man waved his hand and signaled that thug to back off.

  The room fell into a brief silence, and after a long while, Ito Masao smiled with ease: "Takeda-kun, it seems that my actions this time, without any disguise, have successfully drawn the attention of the Chinese spies to Li Ruofeng."

  After finishing the thick stack of documents written in Japanese, Takeda Shinsei closed his eyes and thought for a moment before saying slowly: "According to this information provided by the military department, this Li Ruofeng is not simple!"

  "Yes, Takeda-kun, the military department attaches great importance to this person. From their perspective, Li Ruofeng is even more outstanding than Jiang Fangzhen, Cai E and Zhang Xiaowei in his heyday!" Ito Masao said: "On the surface, it seems that this person yearns for the culture and customs of our Great Japanese Empire, but he has bluntly refused the empire's repeated invitations. To be honest, I find it hard to see through this person."

  "Why don't you stop him from going back to China?!" Takada Nobuyoshi asked with a glint of murder in his hawk-like eyes.

  "Chen Ye personally led the Taoist disciples to send Li Ruofeng onto the boat." Ito Masao said with a wry smile.

  "The Kwantung Army headquarters is planning to occupy the whole of Manchuria. If at this critical moment, there are people like Li Ruofeng in Manchuria who are enemies of the Great Japanese Empire, it will bring great resistance and loss to the Imperial soldiers!" Takada Shinji said resolutely: "Since this person cannot be used by the empire, we must get rid of him as soon as possible! We absolutely cannot let such a terrible factor that threatens the interests of the empire exist!"

  "In the imperial homeland, Takada kun, who dares to provoke the authority of Chiba Kō? Moreover, Honjō Shigenaga Kō has given instructions that he hopes to meet with Li Ruofeng again after his return to Manzhou, and before then, no one from the Kantō army is allowed to make any rash moves against Li Ruofeng."

  "Someone who can make Heilongjiang surrender will take action!"

  "Takeuchi, to deal with a master like Li Ruofeng, it's hard to take his life without using the military, other means are not enough!" Ito Masao shook his head and sighed: "Because before this, the high-ranking members of the Black Dragon Society had taken action five times, each time suffering losses."

  "What Mr. Ito means is..."

  Ito Masao took an envelope from his bosom and handed it to Takeda Nobuyoshi.

  Takeda Shinji took it over and saw that the envelope was not sealed, so he carefully pulled out the letter inside.

  "Wow! This plan is brilliant! Ito-kun, I'll definitely cooperate fully on this end!"

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