Bright Sword: Japs, times have changed

Same night.

Zhang Yuntian left the county under the cover of a group of puppet troops. This time he met one of his few good friends, Xu Lang, who was also a squad leader of the county's puppet troops.

Watching Zhang Yuntian's back disappear into the darkness, Xu Lang's confidant glanced around a few times, and after confirming that no one was around, he whispered, "Captain, the Central Army, the Shanxi-Suiyuan Army, and now even the Eighth Route Army wants to recruit us. Which camp should we join?"

"The Central Army will definitely not go."

If you could see clearly at this moment, you would have noticed that when Xu Lang mentioned the three words "Central Army", his eyes had changed significantly: "There are some things I have never told you brothers. Before I became a traitor, I was a company commander in the Central Army."

The confidant didn't think much about it and asked quickly: "Captain, then why did you become a puppet soldier?"

Xu Lang turned his head, and even in the darkness, one could still see a cold glint in his eyes: "Hmph! If it weren't for that cowardly official, I wouldn't have ended up like this."

During the time he was a traitor, Xu Lang always wanted to leave and return to the anti-Japanese war team.

Unfortunately, his entire family was captured by the traitors and held hostage, forcing him to show submissive attitude towards the devils.

During the recent campaign to clear the countryside, he learned that he was the only one left alive in his family, as everyone else had been slaughtered by the Japanese. In order to prevent him from knowing, the traitors in the county arranged for him to guard the city gate and never let him go home.

If it weren't for the people he had planted in other teams who tipped off, he would still be kept in the dark until now.

Xu Lang swore to heaven that he would avenge the extermination of his family!

But he also knew that he could not do it alone, so a few days ago he had someone secretly contact the Shanxi-Suiyuan Army and expressed his intention to join them.

However, the Jinsui Army in northwestern Shanxi was dominated by the 358th Regiment, which was wealthy and powerful and looked down on them.

Until today, Zhang Yuntian, a good friend who had disappeared for many days, suddenly visited. As soon as they met, he directly stated his identity as an Eighth Route Army soldier and invited Xu Lang to join the Eighth Route Army.

At first, Xu Lang was reluctant because he knew that the Eighth Route Army had suffered heavy losses in the two operations of the Japanese devils and no longer had strong combat capabilities. If he joined the Eighth Route Army, it would be difficult for him to complete his revenge plan.

However, when he heard that the puppet army guarding the warehouse was also going to defect to the Eighth Route Army, he felt a little shaken.

After calming himself down, Xu Lang took out a cigarette. After seeing his action, his confidant immediately took out a match and lit it for him.

The confidant flicked out the match and said, "Captain, it doesn't matter which team we join. We've been taken care of by you. Your revenge is ours, and we must pay the Japanese with blood!"

These words seemed to clarify Xu Lang's thoughts. Given the information Zhang Yuntian had given him, he was more inclined to join the Eighth Route Army. However, he also had to consider his brothers, so he asked, "Between the Shanxi-Suiyuan Army and the Eighth Route Army, which one do you think is more suitable for us?"

The confidant hesitated for a moment and replied, "The Eighth Route Army."

"why?"

The conversation between the two seemed like Xu Lang's subordinates. After asking this question, he was waiting for the answer from his confidant.

"Captain, I always say what I think. If you're unhappy with what I say, you can hit me, but don't hit me on the head, okay?"

Xu Lang kicked him in anger and said, "Stop talking nonsense and fart now!"

"Hey! Okay!"

After being kicked, the confidant felt relieved and said bluntly: "The reason is simple. I have never seen any Eighth Route Army troops defecting to the Japanese. Individuals cannot represent the entire Eighth Route Army."

Xu Lang threw the cigarette butt to the ground and stomped it out, then said with a mixture of laughter and tears: "You haven't considered your own identity. Don't forget, you are still wearing dog skin and are also a traitor and a running dog!"

"This is different. I'm in Cao's camp, but my heart is with Han. Sooner or later, I'm going to take off this piece of shit and stab the devil's heart with my bayonet!"

As the captain, Xu Lang had to consider the brothers who were willing to fight alongside him, and he didn't rush to make a choice: "Be it the Eighth Route Army or the Shanxi-Suiyuan Army, as long as I can keep my brothers well fed and clothed, and avenge my family, it doesn't matter which one I join."

"The Eighth Route Army is a true hero in the fight and killing of Japanese invaders! But you know the conditions there are tough. Can you guys stay there?"

Xu Lang said this to express his consideration for his brothers, but unexpectedly, his confidant retorted righteously: "Captain, you are looking down on us! As early as after knowing what happened in your family, we brothers couldn't help but seek revenge on the Japanese. We are all waiting for your words. Even if we don't join any team and go out to establish our own base, we will make the Japanese pay with blood!"

"Is this what you all mean, brothers?"

"Captain, to be honest with you, the brothers are waiting for your order."

The confidant held the gun handle with one hand and said, "As long as you give the order, even if we go to seek revenge on the devils right now, the brothers will never retreat a single step!"

Xu Lang had no hesitation in answering these words, as his men were all brought up by himself. He said, "Since that's the case, I'll take my men to join the Eighth Route Army. Send someone to catch up with Brother Yuntian and tell him to deliver a message to the Eighth Route Army. We need to make this happen as soon as possible, so that we don't have to wait any longer."

"Yes!"

The confidant turned and ran: "Captain, don't worry, I promise I can catch up with him!"

…………

There was no means of transportation in the row, so after leaving the county town, Zhang Yuntian did not choose to take the mountain path, but walked directly on the road.

Of course, if it were daytime, he wouldn't dare to be so brazen, but now it's night, there are definitely no devils around, but it's hard to say for sure about ghosts.

Not long after we walked, we entered a dense forest. The dim moonlight that was originally shining down was now completely blocked by the leaves above our heads.

On his back was a big knife that had chopped off countless Japanese heads. Zhang Yuntian believed that no monster dared to provoke him.

Before he had taken a few steps, he suddenly heard the sound of horse hooves in the distance, followed by the sound of birds, which made him think he had misheard.

But the next sound of a horse neighing made his nerves tense instantly.

He pulled out a pistol from his waist, quickly hid behind a tree on the side of the road, gently opened the safety with his thumb, and was ready to take action at any time.

The sound of horse hooves was getting closer and closer. When Zhang Yuntian heard clearly that there was only one horse, his tense nerves relaxed a lot.

There was only one horse and at most two people, which meant that Xu Lang did not send people to hunt him down, nor did he tip off the Japanese.

Moreover, if Xu Lang wanted to keep himself, he could have informed the Japanese when he was in the county town, and he didn't do this at all.

Could it be that he wants to find the team's base through me?

No matter what the reason was, Zhang Yuntian knew that there was only one way to find out.

Noticing the wood getting closer, he slowly walked out from behind the tree, still holding the pistol in his hand, and blocked the middle of the road.

When the man on horseback got closer, Zhang Yuntian raised his pistol and aimed in the direction of the other party's advance.

Xu Lang's confidant was worried that he could not catch up with Zhang Yuntian, or that the other party was walking on a mountain road, so he held a torch and kept whipping the horse's butt.

"Uu~~!"

"Are you a human or a ghost?"

Traveling late at night made Xu Lang's confidant a little nervous. As soon as he entered the darker forest section, he saw a man standing in the middle of the road. He was so scared that he almost fell off the horse.

Hearing the familiar voice, Zhang Yuntian put down his gun and walked towards the other party, saying as he walked, "Did Xu Lang ask you to come?"

"You are... Zhang Yuntian... No, is it Brother Yuntian?"

"it's me."

Zhang Yuntian put away his gun, feeling relieved. "Thank goodness you spoke up, otherwise, we would have to have another way of communicating."

After calming down, Xu Lang's confidant finally revealed the purpose of his pursuit: "Brother Yuntian, the captain asked me to catch up with you to tell you that he has decided to join the Eighth Route Army. I hope you can go and talk to him. By the way, the captain should hurry up to avoid any more trouble!"