I used the Mo Dao (a type of long-handled sword) to fight the Japanese.

As they were talking, a troop of Japanese soldiers walked by on the street. They were covered in soot and smoke, looking like coal miners. Some were carrying wounded soldiers or holding small boxes. Their faces were sorrowful, and their expressions were indifferent, clearly showing the demeanor of someone who had suffered a defeat!

"Wow! Are these the same arrogant Japanese devils? Where did they get their comeuppance? That's satisfying!"

"My goodness! Who was the great hero who avenged us? It's so satisfying! So satisfying!"

"Those are the Japanese devils who went out to arrest people yesterday, right? Those heroes who stole Japanese military rations have won again! Good! Good! Our Guya County has produced some capable people!"

"Heroes! Truly great heroes! It's a pity we don't know their names!"

"We'll find out! Such heroes won't be forgotten!"

"Yes! We'll find out in the future!"

……

The two women on the side were dumbfounded. Not to mention ordinary people, even they, the reporters from their newspaper, had never seen such dejected-looking Japanese soldiers! It seems that what those people said might be true!

"Do you think those two did it?" Zhou Xingge was incredibly excited! He immediately thought of those two helpful bystanders.

"You're overthinking it! Do you think they're that capable?" Zhang Jingya was also getting agitated! It was satisfying to see the Japanese soldiers made such a mess of things!

“Let’s go ask around! Maybe we can find those two!” Zhou Xingge said, moving closer to a few villagers to chat.

And let me tell you, someone with a journalistic background is incredibly good at gathering information. It didn't take long for them to find out that the Japanese had gotten into trouble at Huluzui. Without a second thought, they grabbed their best friend and ran there. They weren't about to let this opportunity slip by! Whether it was those two or not, they had to go and see for themselves!

……

Mancang and his men slept until the sun was almost setting before getting up. The villagers had already prepared a feast for them, waiting for their arrival. After washing up and changing out of their Japanese uniforms, they took their seats under the eager gaze of the villagers. Once everyone was seated, the clan chief, Zhao Renyi, began to speak with great enthusiasm:

"Men, young and old! This time, Mancang and his Mo Dao Regiment really taught the Japanese devils a lesson! Did you all eat the flour they brought back yesterday? That was military rations that our Mo Dao Regiment snatched from the Japanese! It was for the Japanese soldiers fighting on the front lines! The Japanese are eating our food and then turning around to fight us. This time, they can't take it anymore! Well done, Mancang! Well done, young men of the Mo Dao Regiment!"

"Good! Well done! Let's see how arrogant the Japanese devils can be without food!"

"That's what we'll do! Don't be shy about taking anything from the Japanese! What's that saying again? 'If we have no food or clothes, the Japanese will bring them to us.' You guys are all real men!"

"Well done! Not only did you seize the grain, but you also managed to avoid harming the Japanese soldiers. That's what makes the old hunter so amazing!"

"That's a mountain of white flour! We've never seen so much white flour even at a landlord's house, well done!"

"Come on! Let's toast the children. Everyone has worked hard!" Zhao Renyi raised his glass to toast the children, making the young men feel flattered and overwhelmed!

Mancang sat at his seat, eating heartily and drinking heartily, accepting every toast offered. So many days of ambushes and trekking through mountain gullies had truly exhausted them; finally being able to eat in peace was incredibly comforting!

"Hey! You scoundrel! Look at you, all smug! You're planning to just stay in this village and be a mountain king? You sure know how to enjoy yourself!" Zao Hua rolled her eyes at him and said.

"Of course! With just a few dozen men and a few dozen guns, do you think we can fight the Japanese head-on? We're lucky if we can protect the villagers and let them live in peace! You want us to go to the battlefield?" Mancang said dismissively.

"Look at your pathetic self! I ask you, where did you get the heroin you stole? It was taken from ordinary people by the Japanese! If you have the ability, why don't you rescue more people?" Zaohua retorted.

"How do you know I don't want to? But look at our current numbers, how many rounds could we possibly survive if we went out to fight the Japanese head-on?"

"We're hiring! You have guns and cannons, and you have plenty of food and clothing. Why don't you recruit a thousand people to fight the Japanese devils together! Let's drive all the Japanese devils out of the county and restore peace and order to the people!" The girl became more and more excited as she spoke, as if a bright future was within her grasp!

"Haha, little girl, you have ambition! But recruiting people isn't so easy. These past few years, all the able-bodied young men have been taken by the Japanese to work as laborers. What's left are the old and the young. It's not easy to find strong, brave young men who dare to fight. Besides, we're still weak right now, and the best we can do is develop secretly under the noses of the Japanese. Getting noticed by the Japanese is no good!"

“What you said makes sense. Let’s put this aside for now. Professor Song and I are both joining the Mo Dao Regiment. We’ll train with you and fight the Japanese devils together!”

"Aren't you already the cultural officers of the Mo Dao Regiment? Wouldn't it be better to teach everyone to read and write? Why do you have to fight and kill each other?"

"Don't bring up cultural matters! Is it human to teach a bunch of grown men to read every now and then? Your team members are like wolves; it gives us the creeps!"

"Huh?...It can't be that bad, can it?..."

"I don't care! I just want to train! I want to fight the Japanese devils!"

"Have you thought this through? The training is going to be tough!"

"I'm not afraid!"

"Oh well!"

……

Just as the two were arguing, Zhang Jingya and Zhou Xingge arrived near the village. As soon as they got close, a pack of hunting dogs surrounded them!

"Ah!...Are these wolves or dogs? So many..." Zhou Xingge was a bit bolder, holding up his hiking stick and staring at the hunting dogs. Zhang Jingya, however, was far less composed. She grabbed Zhou Xingge's arm and hid behind him, trembling uncontrollably!

"Huh? Who are you? How did you get here?" Tiger was the first to notice the hunting dog's strange behavior, and he strolled over to the two of them and asked.

"us……"

"We are Zhao Manxiang's friends, and we have nowhere else to go, so we have come to seek refuge with him!"

Zhang Jingya was about to say it was a nearby villager to fool them, but Zhou Xingge interrupted her abruptly. Having walked this far, the girl was certain this was where those two kind-hearted people had stayed!

"Huh?...When did Manxiang get such fashionable friends? How did you two meet?" Tiger was still suspicious. These two looked like young ladies from a big city. How did Manxiang, who never leaves his house, know young ladies from the city?

“You…you should let these dogs scatter first…” Zhou Xingge said, pointing to the hunting dogs surrounding them.

"Huh? Oh, oh... Everyone disperse! Go and call Manxiang over!" Tiger waved his hand and the hunting dogs dispersed, letting them go and call people.

"Huh?... Dogs can bark at people?..." Zhou Xingge was bewildered. Dogs can bark at people now?