The War of Resistance: My Expedition, My Country

Hearing Commander Yang's words, everyone present was stunned, their gazes instantly becoming serious and focused. Although Director Wang was filled with dissatisfaction and grievance, he was well aware of the disparity in status between him and Commander Yang. He could only suppress his anger, not daring to resist in the slightest. He understood that this wasn't just a power struggle; it held deeper implications. If he refused to take over, he had no chance of success. Any misstep would put not only himself in trouble, but even his superiors could be implicated.

Director Wang nodded slightly, indicating that he would take over the case, but he was secretly calculating. He knew that the outcome of this case would have a significant impact on his future, so he had to handle it with caution. So, hesitantly, he asked, "Commander Yang, regarding the trial of this case, what do you mean..."

Yang Hong's eyes were firm and cold. He answered without hesitation: "A fair trial. Everyone who commits a crime will be treated equally!"

The Chief of Military Law could not help but frown in confusion and asked, "Commander, are you going to sentence them to death?"

Yang Hong glanced at the director and said, "It depends on the facts of their crimes. If the crimes they committed deserve death, then they must die!"

The military judge's heart tightened, perhaps he had misunderstood Commander Yang's intentions. He thought Commander Yang was trying to legitimately exonerate Zhou Jizhong and the others. He nodded quickly and replied, "I understand. I'll arrange for the best lawyers in the country, and even American lawyers, to come and defend them."

Yang Hong's eyes were cold, with a hint of coldness flashing in them. He said, "I don't care about you, but you all have to listen to this. No matter how you defend yourself, Zhou Jizhong and the main perpetrators of the crime must die. This is the bottom line!"

At this point, Deputy Commander Liao, who had been silent, couldn't help but speak up. He tried to smooth things over, asking, "Commander Yang, your actions really confuse me. If you're determined to sentence them to death, why go to such lengths and hire the best lawyers to defend them?"

Yang Hong's gaze slowly shifted to Deputy Commander Liao, a hint of helplessness and determination in his eyes. He took a deep breath, slowed his tone, and said, "I'm not defending them. I want the world, especially the Europeans, Americans, and Japanese, to see what our soldiers have been through, and what our country has been through. However, these experiences and pains are no excuse for the Chinese soldiers to retaliate against ordinary people. Otherwise, what's the difference between us and the Japanese army?"

Yang Hong turned to the military judge and said, "While you hire a lawyer, please also contact and communicate with domestic and international media. It would be best if you could report on the tragedy that occurred to the Flower Planting Family during this ordeal in the near future."

He then addressed Cai Yong, "Regardless of the situation, Zhou Jizhong and others fought bravely under you and were once heroes of the flower-growing industry. You are his superior, so you should take care of this. List their achievements and hand them over to lawyers if necessary, and report them to the media if necessary. Before they die, the world should know what they have done for world justice and peace."

Now, everyone, including Director Wang, understood Yang Hong's intentions. This was clearly a decision made by the top brass of the Flower Planting Family. They were using this incident to showcase the Flower Planting Family's generosity and fairness, a sign of a rising power.

For several days, the media in China, Europe, the US, and Japan have been extensively reporting on this egregious incident of a Chinese soldier's rebellion. For a time, it dominated the Eastern media. Simultaneously, other media outlets have been reporting on the wartime crimes committed by Japanese soldiers in China, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific. The reams of facts and data contrast starkly with the facts. Meanwhile, a prominent Chinese newspaper has also been reporting on the upbringing of a participant in the incident, meticulously portraying his towering heroic image during his battles against the Japanese. Soon, major European, American, and Japanese newspapers have also reprinted the story, further fueling the hype. High-level officials in the United States, the Soviet Union, and the UK have also begun to take notice.

Eight months later, the trial of this incident opened for the first time. Hundreds of seats for spectators were filled with people, including media from all walks of life, representatives of the Allied forces, and even under Yang Hong's manipulation, some Japanese war criminals awaiting trial were escorted to attend the trial.

Faced with a series of evidence, the lieutenant and other soldiers who committed the crime ignored the obstruction of their defense lawyers and confessed their guilt frankly. They knew that this confession would mark the end of their lives!

The focus is on Lieutenant Colonel Zhou Jizhong. His defense lawyer is a senior defense lawyer from the United States. At the beginning, he came for the huge defense fee, but after learning the truth of the incident, he decisively gave up the lawyer's fee and decided to defend Zhou Jizhong voluntarily.

In his defense, the lawyer said: "Your Honor, ladies and gentlemen. Today, I defend Lieutenant Colonel Zhou with a heavy heart. First of all, I offer my heartfelt apology to those innocent people who died and suffered humiliation. You may say that my apology to them is hypocritical because I am defending Lieutenant Colonel Zhou's mistakes."

"Mr. Judge, ladies and gentlemen, I believe you all know what Lieutenant Colonel Zhou went through in this epic war, and what the soldiers who fought for justice alongside him went through. They were originally farmers, vendors, children, and students. I won't go into the details of why they took up arms to fight the enemy. Just now, the lieutenant who pleaded guilty, his family, his wife, and his sister, were insulted and killed by the Japanese army, those damned beasts, during this war. We won, but their wounded hearts have not been relieved. With such a distorted mentality, they are bound to harbor a desire for revenge."

"Perhaps everyone thinks this is their fault, that they have the same mindset as the Japanese beasts. But I want to tell you, you're completely wrong! What caused their distorted mindset? It was the Japanese officer-led invaders! They forced these once-simple people to become soldiers and killing machines. If your family suffered the same devastation, do you think you would remain mentally normal?"

"I don't think I could do it. I believe you can't do it either! In such an environment, their mindsets are twisted and distorted, until they commit irreparable sins! I want to say that these soldiers have developed a sick mentality because of war, because of the cruelty and evil they witnessed. They have become trapped in it and have developed war syndrome."