Chapter Twelve: First Display of Skill

  "Ah! Hit the Japanese, it's not possible now!" Zhong Batian immediately shouted.

  "No!" Zhao Xiao Feng shook his head, staring at Hong Shan who had already been appointed as the company commander of the Northeast Anti-Japanese Army: "This time I'll have to trouble you, Hong Shan!"

  Hong Shan was taken aback and rubbed his head in confusion, saying: "Commander, what's going on...?"

  Zhao Xiaofeng said: "You've done business with the Japanese before, this time it's up to you!"

  "Me?" Hong Shan pointed to his own nose and said, "Commander, don't joke around! I've made up my mind to fight the Japanese, how can we still do business with them?!"

  Zhao Xiaofeng took a sip of water and said, "Hong Shan, we must now seize every opportunity to arm ourselves, and it's best if we can become strong before the Japanese launch their war. So, we need to think of all possible ways to obtain resources. If we can use the enemy's equipment to strike at the enemy, wouldn't that be even more perfect? Therefore, I am appointing you as a special envoy with full authority to do business with the Japanese devils. As long as we can get their support into our hands, it doesn't matter if we have to make some sacrifices!" Zhao Xiaofeng was quite pleased with this idea he had come up with!

  "Hmm...!" Hong Shan thought for a moment, then suddenly exclaimed excitedly: "When the Japanese first gave me the machine gun, they said that if I could clean up all the nearby bandits, they would even give me cannons!"

  "Hmph!" Zhao Xiao Feng coldly snorted: "They are borrowing a knife to kill people, wanting Chinese people to fight against Chinese people themselves!"

  "Hmm!" Hong Shan said: "I also know that our own people can't fight our own people, so this matter has been dragging on."

  "Good!" Zhao Xiaofeng said: "As long as these two things are settled, all our problems will be solved! And..." Zhao Xiaofeng said to Hong Shan: "You must think of a way to get the Japanese to send over a batch of German 98k Mauser sniper rifles and a batch of bullets!"

  "Alright! I'll take care of this!" Hong Shan, with Zhao Xiao Feng's support, immediately agreed with great enthusiasm.

  "What's next will be arranged by Master Pu!" Zhao Xiao Feng said immediately.

  "General! I'm no match for this! I can provide the materials at any time, but it's up to you to give the order!"

  "Hmm!" Zhao Xiao Feng nodded, knowing that Pu Ye's words made sense. This Pu Ye had no other abilities and was just an old teacher who had been deceived by Hong Shan to come up the mountain. The seven of them immediately finalized their plan of action in a flurry of discussion.

  This time, Zhao Xiaofeng decided to use only his own elite cavalry company, which had only 160 men. Each of them was equipped with a handgun and five bullets, as well as a steel knife. Zhao Xiaofeng knew that these men were now almost trained to the point where they could "ride horses while sleeping and shoot without letting flies fly". Although everyone was worried, Zhao Xiaofeng's attitude was very resolute, so no one dared to oppose him, and he only ordered Ah Lang and Cao Shangfei to follow him.

  After they all left, Zhao Xiaofeng finally took a deep breath and ordered Ah Cai to make himself a cup of tea, savoring it slowly.

  He sat alone, quietly gazing at the teacup in his hand and the clear, fragrant tea leaves inside. At this moment, Zhao Xiaofeng felt a little bewildered. Was what he had done right or wrong? Should he have ordered Hongshan to make a deal with the Japanese? Should he have ordered the soldiers to attack the "Wild Horse" stronghold? Could his actions change history?

  "Cough! These should be things that bandits would do!" Zhao Xiao Feng let out a breath, he really felt uncertain about his future path.

  January 1, 1931. This day is New Year's Day! At three o'clock in the morning, all soldiers were ready and Zhong Ba Tian and Shan Mao each led a company to take over the "Wild Horse" store and real estate.

  Zhao Xiaofeng led A Lang and Cao Shangfei, riding horses, swiftly charging towards the front slope. Looking at his uniform cavalry under his command, Zhao Xiaofeng was deeply moved.

  This time, unexpectedly, the Japanese readily gave Hongshan 10,000 rifle bullets and a submachine gun, so Zhao Xiaofeng was even more confident!

  Looking at the murderous aura in the eyes of his subordinates, Zhao Xiao Feng did not say much, he just waved the double guns in his hand and said: "Hurry up! You remember! We must kill all the rebels!"

  On this road, Zhao Xiao Feng was also worried. This was his first time leading them out to battle. If he made a mistake, he really wouldn't be able to explain himself to the brothers. But who told him to boast?

  "Be careful! Must be careful!" Zhao Xiaofeng muttered to himself.

  This time Zhao Xiaofeng had made a tight deployment, but he was still afraid of failure, afraid that he hadn't yet stood firm in this period and would be driven out by others.

  "Whatever!" Zhao Xiao Feng thought to himself: "I now have 160 elite soldiers, while Ye Ma definitely won't have that many! His men are scattered in various shops. Today is the best opportunity, I heard that because today is New Year's Day, Ye Ma has already given his subordinates a day off, there will definitely be no problem!"

  "Commander! The mountain ahead is the bandit's lair!" Shi Li said in a low voice.

  "Hmm!" Zhao Xiao Feng nodded, "Tell the brothers to get off their horses, assign two people to keep watch, and have the rest disperse and move up the mountain quietly. No one is allowed to make a sound, got it?"

  "Yes!"

  Zhao Xiaofeng looked up and saw that this wild horse was quite capable, a bandit's lair was actually managed by him in an orderly manner, like a stronghold.

  Now, the whole stronghold of the Wild Horse is quiet and still, who would have thought that someone would dare to touch the whiskers of the "Wild Horse".

  "There is a sentry post at the strategic location of the mountain stronghold, with five guards on it. They are currently gathered together to gamble, and next to them is an alarm bell. If anyone touches that alarm bell, the entire mountain stronghold will definitely be prepared." Shi Li reported.

  "Commander! What shall we do?" Cao asked in a low voice.

  "Damn it! I know what to do!" Zhao Xiao Feng cursed in his heart, but he still said to Cao Fei Ying, "I'll go up and take a look myself!"

  "Alright! I'll go too." Cao Fei followed Zhao Xiaofeng and headed up the mountain.

  Zhao Xiaofeng chose a large tree as cover, quietly looking towards the mountain stronghold. The terrain here was treacherous, with only one small path leading to the entrance of the stronghold, making it easy to defend but difficult to attack. If he ordered his men to launch a fierce assault, even if they succeeded, he would still have to pay a great price. This was something Zhao Xiaofeng could not accept! "Forcing our way in is definitely not an option. What method should we use then? Should we try a sneak attack or set up an ambush and lure them out?" Zhao Xiaofeng thought for half a day but couldn't come up with a good plan. At this time, the sky had gradually brightened.

  Time was pressing, without orders, everyone stood still on the spot, Zhao Xiao Feng sighed, can't let his subordinates rush up with guns?

  Suddenly, Zhao Xiao Feng burst out laughing, "Damn it!" Just thinking of sending his subordinates to attack, why didn't he think of going himself to take down this sentry!

  "His grandma!" Zhao Xiao Feng smiled lightly and immediately beckoned Cao Shang Fei and A Lang to come over. He made some arrangements, then took a short knife from Cao Shang Fei's hand and slipped quietly towards the mountain stronghold.

  Zhao Xiaofeng had carefully observed that the five bandits were now engrossed in their gambling, and the heavy machine gun had become a mere decoration. Now, as long as he acted quickly, he should be able to take them down with one blow!

  "You lost! You lost! I didn't lose!" Several bandits shouted, and Zhao Xiaofeng happened to touch their sentry post and lowered his head, hearing them shouting, Zhao Xiaofeng quickly squatted down.

  "Pfft! Can't take losing! I'm out of here!" A person stretched and said, "I'll take a nap first, you guys keep watch outside!"

  "Good!" Several people replied lazily.

  One of them walked to the railing, undid his belt and was about to urinate. Zhao Xiao Feng was crouching below, he didn't want to drink this bandit's urine, his heart racing with anxiety, he immediately grasped the short knife and jumped up, "plop" the dagger directly inserted into the bandit's heart, he hadn't even urinated before he died.

  While Zhao Xiaofeng, who was as light as a swallow, placed his palm on the railing and did a flip, his body immediately flipped over to the other side of the railing.

  A bandit who had just opened his eyes after hearing a loud noise hadn't fully woken up yet and already went to the underworld.

  "Swish! Swish! Swish!" Zhao Xiaofeng's movements were clean and efficient, without any hesitation or delay. His knife skills were so swift and precise that the other three people didn't even have a chance to shout before they were beheaded by Zhao Xiaofeng.

  The wolf under the mountain had already seen Zhao Xiaofeng's gesture and immediately led his men to sneak up.

  Zhao Xiaofeng did not expect that the wild horse today actually got up early, he was facing more than 50 subordinates in the square and giving a speech: "Today is New Year's Day, you guys be smart for me, whoever can't collect rent, don't come back to see me! No grain? Use goods as compensation. No goods? Use people as compensation. No people? Use houses as compensation! In short, I want everything! Did you hear that?"

  "We've got him!" his men shouted immediately.

  "Ah!" Hearing this loud roar, Zhao Xiaofeng was startled and immediately shouted: "Take cover! Take cover!"

  The soldiers behind immediately dispersed in all directions.

  "Ah!" Zhao Xiao Feng pointed at the flying grass: "Take control of the watchtower, aim your guns inside! Anyone who wants to rush out, I'll kill them all!"

  "Yes!" Cao Shangfei immediately led five people up the watchtower, adjusting their gun barrels.

  Zhao Xiaofeng continued to say to Shi Li, "They have already woken up. You first send someone to block the mountain pass, and then you lead most of the soldiers in an ambush on both sides, striving for a successful strike!"

  "Yes!" Ah Lang replied.

  Zhao Xiaofeng then waved his hand and led three of his men to sneak away from the side, because Zhao Xiaofeng found that the houses in that place were extremely luxurious, looking like they were the residence of Wild Horse.

  After finishing speaking, the wild horse immediately yawned and walked towards its own house with the support of two concubines.

  This gang of over 50 bandits, seeing the big brother leave, immediately rushed to the mountain gate like a swarm of bees. What a lucrative opportunity! Who wouldn't want to rush forward? Today's fortune has arrived! The ocean and beautiful women are beckoning them.

  But what awaited them was not the vast oceans or beautiful women, but a hail of angry bullets. The local bandits who had been evil for days didn't even have a chance to draw their guns before they were all wiped out in an instant.

  A Lang and Cao Shang Fei immediately led everyone to charge inside after annihilating the mob, quickly taking control of the entire stronghold.

  The two wild horses that were just leaning on the shoulders of the two concubines, upon hearing the gunshot, immediately sprang to life, quickly pushed the two women aside and pulled out their handguns from their waists, looking towards the door.