Bright Sword: This unit is really ruthless

"Zhang Ling..." Old Zhao hesitated for a moment, "Let me ask you, what is the current situation in Taiyuan City? How many Japanese soldiers are there? Which part of the troops is guarding the city?"

Zhang Ling's heart skipped a beat. This old Zhao was really straightforward. He asked such a sharp question right away. How could he know what the current situation of Taiyuan City was? He only remembered that Taiyuan was captured in history. As for the specific details, he knew nothing.

Seeing Zhang Ling hesitating and unable to answer, Lao Zhao's eyes flashed with suspicion. He raised his rifle and pointed it at Zhang Ling again: "Tell me! Who are you? If you don't tell the truth, I'll shoot you!"

"Old Zhao, don't be impulsive!" Seeing this, the young soldier hurried forward and grabbed Old Zhao, "I don't think he is a Japanese spy. Why don't we take him back first and interrogate him after the regiment commander and the political commissar come back."

Lao Zhao thought about it and felt that what the young soldier said made sense, so he put down his rifle and said to Zhang Ling: "You better behave yourself, kid. If I find out that there is something wrong with you, I will never let you go!"

"Yes, yes, I will tell the truth!" Zhang Ling nodded and bowed quickly, looking timid and cowardly.

Two soldiers escorted Zhang Ling up the mountain along the mountain road. Along the way, Zhang Ling was observing the surrounding environment, hoping to find some useful clues.

The troop was stationed on a not-too-high mountain with an open area on the top of the mountain overlooking the surrounding terrain. On the hillside, there were some simple houses built with branches and straw, where the soldiers lived and trained.

Judging from the soldiers' clothing and equipment, the conditions of this unit were not good. The clothes they wore were patched up, and the straw sandals on their feet were worn out. The weapons and equipment were even more rudimentary. Apart from a few old machine guns, most of the soldiers were holding rifles and swords.

"Brother, which unit are you from?" Zhang Ling asked tentatively.

"We are from the independent regiment." The young soldier answered casually.

"Independent Regiment?" Zhang Ling's mind was moved. Independent Regiment, Li Yunlong's unit? He immediately became interested. "Is your regiment commander Li Yunlong?"

"You know our commander too?" The young soldier looked at Zhang Ling in surprise. "Why, have you heard of our commander before?"

"I've heard a little bit." Zhang Ling said vaguely. He couldn't say that he had traveled through time and knew Li Yunlong's name, right?

"Our regiment commander is a great man. The Japanese were afraid of him during the war!" the young soldier said proudly, "Thinking back then..."

The young soldier was talking excitedly when he was interrupted by Lao Zhao: "Xiao Wang, stop talking nonsense!" He glared at the young soldier and said, "Can you just talk nonsense about the commander's affairs?"

The young soldier suddenly wilted and stopped talking.

Seeing this, Zhang Ling laughed in his heart. It seems that Old Zhao is a cautious person and not easy to deal with.

After walking for about half an hour, the group finally reached the top of the mountain. On the top of the mountain was a simple barracks made of stones, with two soldiers with guns standing at the door.

"Report! A suspicious person has been caught!" Lao Zhao shouted towards the barracks.

"Come in!" a rough voice came from the barracks.

Old Zhao pushed open the door and took Zhang Ling in.

In the barracks, a burly man with a full beard was sitting at the table, holding a map in his hand, with a frown on his face. After hearing Lao Zhao's report, he looked up at Zhang Ling and asked, "What's going on?"

"Report to the commander, we caught this guy at the foot of the mountain. He was sneaking around and his behavior was suspicious. We suspect he is a spy sent by the Japanese!" Lao Zhao said loudly.

"Japanese spy?" The man put down the map, stood up, walked to Zhang Ling, and looked him up and down.

Zhang Ling also carefully looked at the man in front of him. He had thick eyebrows, big eyes, a square face, and a scar on his face, which extended from his left eyebrow to the corner of his mouth, adding a bit of murderous aura to him. He was wearing a gray coarse cloth military uniform, and the cuffs and collar were worn white, but the whole person looked energetic and vigorous, and at first glance he was a general who had been on the battlefield for a long time.

Zhang Ling was secretly delighted, thinking that this person must be Li Yunlong!

"What's your name? Where are you from? What are you doing here?" Li Yunlong's eyes were sharp and his tone was cold, as if he could see through people's hearts.

Facing Li Yunlong's sharp gaze, Zhang Ling felt a little nervous. He took a deep breath and said in a deep voice: "My name is Zhang Ling, from..."

He was just halfway through his words when he heard hurried footsteps outside the barracks. Then, a soldier ran in in a panic, shouting, "Captain! It's bad! The Japs... the Japs are coming!"

Zhang Ling's mind was filled with a thousand horses galloping through it. What on earth was going on? He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down, and forced a bitter smile on his face: "Two brothers, you really misunderstood! I really came to join the Eighth Route Army!"

"Join the Eighth Route Army?" Old Zhao sneered, "You are a city dweller, delicate and tender, would you join the Eighth Route Army? I think you are here to be a traitor!"

"Yes! I think he is a traitor!" the young soldier echoed, "Old Zhao, let's arrest him and hand him over to the regiment commander for punishment!"

"No, no, no! Brothers, listen to me!" Zhang Ling was sweating profusely. "I really came here to join the Eighth Route Army! I... I have evidence!"

"Evidence? What evidence?" Old Zhao and the young soldier were stunned.

Zhang Ling quickly pulled out a crumpled piece of paper from his pocket and handed it to Lao Zhao: "This is a handwritten letter from the brigade commander. Take a look!"

Lao Zhao took the note and read it carefully under the dim light. He saw a few lines of crooked words written on it: "Lao Li, I am writing to introduce you to a man named Zhang Ling. He is a well-educated young man. If you treat him well, he will be useful to you. - Brigade Commander"

Although Lao Zhao was illiterate, he still recognized the brigade commander's signature. He immediately widened his eyes and looked Zhang Ling up and down, as if he was meeting him for the first time.

"You...are you really introduced by the brigade commander?" Lao Zhao's voice was trembling a little.

"It's absolutely true!" Zhang Ling nodded quickly. "I came here this time on the orders of the brigade commander. I have important matters to report to Commander Li and Political Commissar Zhao!"

Old Zhao and the young soldier looked at each other, and saw shock and confusion in each other's eyes. They did not dare to neglect it and quickly took Zhang Ling to a hidden cave.

In the cave, a burly man with a full beard was sitting at a table, drinking wine in big gulps. There were a few simple side dishes on the table. This man was Li Yunlong, the head of the independent regiment.

"Captain, there's a situation!" Lao Zhao walked into the cave and saluted Li Yunlong.

"What's going on? Are the Japanese attacking?" Li Yunlong put down his wine bowl and frowned.

"It's not the Japanese, it's... a man introduced by the brigade commander." Old Zhao said hesitantly.

"The brigade commander introduced him?" Li Yunlong immediately became interested. "The person the brigade commander introduced must be no ordinary person! Let him in!"

Zhang Ling followed Lao Zhao into the cave, and looking at the legendary Li Yunlong in front of him, he couldn't help but feel excited. He was a military fan in his previous life, and he admired Li Yunlong very much. He didn't expect to see him in person today.

"Are you the Zhang Ling introduced by the brigade commander?" Li Yunlong looked Zhang Ling up and down, his eyes full of scrutiny.

"Yes! Report to the commander, I am Zhang Ling!" Zhang Ling stood at attention and saluted, saying loudly.

"What does the brigade commander ask you to do here? Are you here to deliver equipment to us?" Li Yunlong asked expectantly.

"This..." Zhang Ling hesitated. He couldn't say that he had traveled through time, right? And he didn't know why the brigade commander wanted him to come here.

"Hurry up and speak, don't hesitate!" Li Yunlong urged impatiently.

"Report to the regiment commander, the brigade commander asked me to come..." Zhang Ling was about to speak when suddenly, a burst of rapid gunfire was heard outside the cave.

"What's going on?!" Li Yunlong's face changed, he stood up suddenly, strode to the entrance of the cave and looked outside.

"Report to the commander, it's the Japs! The Japs attacked us!" A soldier ran in hurriedly to report.

"Damn it! How dare the Japs sneak attack me!" Li Yunlong yelled, "Old Zhao, gather the troops immediately and prepare for battle!"

"Yes!" Old Zhao turned around and was about to go out.

"Wait!" Zhang Ling suddenly said, "Captain, I know the devil's intentions!"

Li Yunlong and Lao Zhao were both stunned and looked at Zhang Ling with confusion.

"You said you knew the devil's intentions?" Li Yunlong asked suspiciously, "How did you know that?"

Zhang Ling took a deep breath and said in a deep voice: "Because... I come from the future!"

"Old Zhao, does he look like one of ours?" The young soldier leaned close to Old Zhao's ear and whispered, "I think he's probably a spy for the Japanese!"

"Spy?" Old Zhao's face darkened when he heard that. He raised his rifle again and pointed it directly at Zhang Ling. "Tell me! Who are you? What is your purpose in coming here?"

Looking at the black muzzle of the gun, Zhang Ling groaned in his heart. How could he be considered a Japanese spy before he even met Li Yunlong? He tried to calm himself down. He knew that the more panicked he was at this time, the more likely he would be suspected.

"Big brother, you misunderstood! I'm really not a spy!" Zhang Ling raised his hands to indicate that he had no ill intentions. "I really did flee from Taiyuan. If you don't believe me, look here. I have some things I brought from home!"

As he spoke, Zhang Ling hurriedly took out a pocket watch from his arms. This was a relic left to him by his father before he traveled through time, and it was also the only thing on him that could prove his identity.

Old Zhao took the pocket watch with a half-believing and half-doubting look and examined it carefully. This pocket watch was finely crafted and it was obvious that it was not something that an ordinary family could own. There was also the word "Zhang" engraved on it, which was obviously a family heirloom of the Zhang family.