The War of Resistance: My Expedition, My Country

Not far away, Gangcun, under the cover of a dozen veterans, hid in a small and secluded cave. The entrance of the cave was on the edge of a cliff. A large amount of weeds covered the entrance, making it difficult to find from the outside.

At that moment, the agonizing screams of the dying Japanese veteran with a broken leg echoed through the cave, sending shivers down the spines of Gangcun and the others hiding inside. The veterans exchanged glances, determined not to hide in this narrow cave. If discovered, they would likely face the same fate as the veteran. These stubborn militarists refused to surrender, nor did they want to face such a tragic death. Resolutely, they stood up and prepared to storm out.

"Baga!" Gangcun scolded softly, "Do you want to die? If you want to die, please don't implicate others!"

Gangcun's roar calmed these people temporarily, but he also sighed, "I know no one wants to be burned to death. I don't want to either. Let's just hide here. If we are discovered, we will commit suicide." There was a hint of despair and helplessness in his voice.

Daybreak had already arrived, and the entire battlefield was filled with the smell of gunpowder, with only sporadic gunfire and explosions ringing out from time to time. Chinese soldiers were searching everywhere, carefully firing at suspicious points and occasionally throwing grenades to ensure that no enemy was lurking.

Colonel Li and Colonel Liu of the Airborne Regiment stood side by side with a Brigadier General named Wang, the overall commander of this operation. His position was Deputy Chief of Operations of the 3rd Group Army, and his expression was serious, showing no trace of excitement over this victory.

"How's the cleanup going? Has the enemy leader been found? How many are estimated to have escaped?" Brigadier General Wang's three consecutive questions left the officers staring at each other in bewilderment. For a moment, no one answered. A Lieutenant Colonel, holding a stack of data, quickly stepped forward and reported, "The current count is as follows: 2354 enemy killed, 7651 captured. Approximately 100 escaped through the positions of the 537th Company, nd Battalion, th Regiment. The rest are unlikely to be many, estimated at just a few dozen. They took advantage of the night's chaos to detach themselves from the main group and escape."

The adjutant continued, "Among the enemy killed, Adjutant Abe confirmed that there were three battalion commanders and a dozen squadron commanders, essentially wiping out the vast majority of their core personnel. One of the enemy leaders, Gushan Nishito, and his young son were captured. However, Okamura Shiobu has not been found. According to Abe, Okamura and his dozen or so guards have also been found. Whether they were connected to the escaped enemy group is currently unknown."

The Brigadier General nodded slightly, expressing satisfaction with the Lieutenant Colonel's timely statistical work. He turned to Colonel Li and Colonel Liu and asked, "What do you think?"

Colonel Li and his men were the last to emerge from the town, still covered in the fatigue and dust of battle. Colonel Liu glanced at Brigadier General Wang and Colonel Li, his eyes revealing a hint of determination and confidence. He knew this was a test from Brigadier General Wang, and also an opportunity to demonstrate his abilities.

Colonel Liu took a deep breath and carefully recalled every detail of the battle. He shook his head and said slowly, "Deputy Minister Wang, I don't think Gangcun escaped with the small group of enemies who escaped." His voice was low and powerful, as if carrying an unquestionable authority.

Brigadier General Wang didn't immediately comment. His eyes were fixed on Colonel Liu, as if awaiting further explanation. Colonel Liu continued calmly, "First, when Gangcun discovered he was surrounded and trying to organize a breakout, he was in the area just below us. The small group of enemies that escaped was over 700 meters to the south. With Gangcun's speed, it's impossible for him to reach that point in such a short time and then abandon so many of his men to flee alone. This doesn't align with his character and combat style."

Colonel Liu paused, then continued, "Secondly, Adjutant Abe and Adjutant Gangcun separated around dawn. By then, the small group of enemies was already in a frantic rush and escape. There was no way they would have stopped and waited for Gangcun to arrive before escaping. This is also confirmed by the traces we found on the battlefield."

Brigadier General Wang nodded with satisfaction, a glint of admiration in his eyes. He asked again, "So where do you think Gangcun should be now? Why can't you find it?"

Colonel Liu thought for a moment, then replied firmly, "Deputy Minister Wang, I believe Gangcun and his group are currently hiding in a secret cave nearby. The enemy here knows the terrain better than we do, and they are likely using this cave to evade our search. I think we should intensify the search and not miss any suspicious locations."

Brigadier General Wang nodded in agreement, his voice tinged with anticipation. "Very good! I'll leave this matter to you. All troops will obey your orders. Immediately launch a carpet search and make sure Gang Village is not left behind!"

After Colonel Liu left, Brigadier General Wang called Colonel Li aside and whispered, "Colonel Li, do you know why you weren't allowed to participate in the search for Gang Village?"

Colonel Li looked helpless, a hint of dissatisfaction in his voice. "It's just that my mission hasn't been completed yet. I know. I'll set off with the advance battalion shortly, heading south and trying to reach Sun Moon Lake. I think the Gaoshan people should be there."

Brigadier General Wang shook his head helplessly at Colonel Li and said earnestly, "You're absolutely not going to be able to keep searching blindly like a headless fly. Even if you find them, what can you do if they're deliberately avoiding you and won't even see you? You have to know that the order from the Marine Corps Command is to approach them politely and not resort to forceful tactics!"

Colonel Li looked at Brigadier General Wang with a worried look on his face. He knew his method wouldn't work, but he couldn't think of a better idea. Brigadier General Wang was furious and anxious to see him like this. He pointed at him and said sternly, "You don't know how to use the people you have. What good will it do if you run around like that?"

Colonel Li was no fool. He immediately realized that Brigadier General Wang might have an idea, and hurriedly asked, "Minister Wang, do you have any good ideas? Tell me quickly!"

Brigadier General Wang deliberately kept the question in suspense, and said slowly, "I don't have any good ideas. But someone does."

"Who? Tell me quickly!" Colonel Li asked impatiently.

Brigadier General Wang rolled his eyes at him and said, "Isn't Gushan Xiteng a ready-made person? According to Adjutant Abe, Gushan has connections with those chiefs."