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

"Alright! Let's avenge ourselves! We'll all follow the Mo Dao Regiment!"

"Yes! Join the Mo Dao Regiment to fight the Japanese devils and avenge them!"

"Kill the Japanese devils without hesitation! Too many civilians have been ravaged by them!"

"Damn it! Kill that old devil!"

Upon hearing the call to defend the county town, fight the Japanese invaders, and avenge the dead, the villagers were filled with enthusiasm. The hatred the people felt for the Japanese invaders was truly heart-wrenching! The Japanese invaders had occupied the county town for over a year, causing immense suffering to the people. They burned, killed, and looted, leaving many villages deserted, and the people lived numbly like lost souls...

Now that the Mo Dao Regiment has driven away the Japanese devils, the villagers feel as if they have found their backbone and have hope for the future!

"Great! As long as we unite as one, those Japanese devils won't dare to bully us anymore! We can all live in peace again!"

"Those villagers who are homeless and still able-bodied can join the Mo Dao (a type of traditional Chinese weapon) troupe, while the elderly can work in the Wangyue Mountain mines to support themselves. The elderly, women, and children will be provided with shelter in vacant villages by the Chamber of Commerce. Let's cultivate some land, raise some livestock, and get by!"

"In short, the Japanese devils used to make our lives miserable, but now that they've run away, we're going to improve our lives! Only when we improve our lives will we have the courage to stand up to the Japanese devils! Don't worry, everyone, our Mo Dao Regiment isn't some landlord or rich man; we won't bully or exploit you like those officials did before!"

"As for avenging the Japanese devils, leave that to our Mo Dao Regiment! I'll say it again: if the Japanese dare to come again, they'll never return! I will never let something like today happen again!"

Mancang spoke at length, captivating the villagers. They had dreamt of such a life many times before, and now it could finally come true! Living peacefully, free from the Japanese invaders—that was true life!

……

Three days later, order was restored in the county town, and just as Mancang had said, many young people chose to join the Mo Dao Regiment. The elderly and children returned to their villages, which had been ravaged by the Japanese, to start anew; life finally had hope!

Thanks to the efforts of Da Zhao and Man Tun, there were no more Japanese soldiers or puppet troops in the entire county. Each township held public trials to try those puppet troops who had followed the Japanese in oppressing the people. Those whose crimes were heinous could not escape execution, while those with lesser crimes were sent to the mines to begin their path of atonement in shackles.

Thanks to the efforts of Zao Hua and her father, the entire Guya County was transformed within a month. With land, people had hope for the future, and the towns and villages returned to a prosperous state.

That day, Sun Zhengyi came to the compound to say goodbye to Mancang. He had been recuperating here for three months since he was shot and wounded. Now that he had fully recovered, it was time for him to leave.

"Haha, isn't it great to stay here? Teach Man Gui and the others how to use tanks, and it'll be so much fun to fight the Japanese alongside the brothers!" Man Cang felt a pang of heartache when he heard that the Nationalist company commander was leaving, as he had helped everyone a lot during this time!

Of the nine tanks captured last time, six have already been repaired by the Japanese. And the remaining three, under this guy's guidance, were disassembled and patched up to form another tank! That means they now have seven tanks!

Therefore, he specifically selected a company of brothers to learn how to drive tanks from this man. Although he wasn't very professional, he was still very knowledgeable! In just one month, he managed to teach them all how to drive tanks and barely be able to use them for attacks! He desperately needed this kind of talent! It would be best if they could stay!

"Haha, to be honest, I'm also reluctant to leave! You guys have really transformed this small county, and the people's lives are gradually improving. When we go out, the villagers greet us warmly, something we've never experienced over there!"

"But I can't stay! After all, your brother-in-law still needs me. Deserting isn't the way we brothers are! You don't want to lose contact with your brother-in-law, do you?"

Sun Zhengyi was telling the truth; he had truly experienced the joy of being here during this time! The moment the topic of fighting the Japanese came up, the brothers would roar and charge forward, their seemingly rudimentary weapons always managing to rout the Japanese. The brothers shared meals and work together, and he could completely entrust his back to them while fighting the Japanese. This atmosphere was captivating! If he didn't have a military rank, he would have truly wanted to stay and fight the Japanese forever with the Modao Regiment!

"Brother-in-law? Have you heard from them?" Man Cang suddenly realized that he hadn't heard from his brother-in-law since the Battle of Seoul ended. It had been several months, and he didn't know if they were alright.

"I don't know yet, but the regimental commander said before that they were going to return to the wartime capital with the main force. The regiment suffered heavy losses in the last Battle of Seoul, so they should be resting somewhere in the wartime capital." Sun Zhengyi spoke of his troops with a bitter expression. Clearly, their individual combat capabilities, weaponry, and combat concepts were far superior to the Mo Dao Regiment. But why did they always lose more battles than they won against the Japanese?

This is a question worth pondering!

"Alright! I won't force you to stay since you're so eager to go back. I wish you a safe journey and a speedy return to your unit. Also, try to get my brother-in-law to come back sometime. Zaohua and I might get married before the New Year!" Mancang instructed.

"Haha, definitely! It's a pity I can't witness your wedding ceremony in person! I wish you a long and happy marriage and many children! I don't have much to give you, but this pen can be a nice gift!" Sun Zhengyi took a Parker pen out of his pocket and handed it to Mancang.

"Well... the thought is what counts, you should keep the pen yourself, it's too precious!" Mancang knew that Parker pens were not easy to obtain in this era. Often, one or two could only be obtained from foreigners, and the price was extremely high. A Parker pen could easily be exchanged for a pig!

"Haha, we're friends who've been through thick and thin together, no need to care about these superficial things! Besides, this is a reward I got from the chief of staff after completing my last mission, don't worry about it too much!" Sun Zheng said, stuffing a pen into Man Cang's hand with great sincerity!

"Alright! I'll accept it! Next time I fight the Japanese, I'll give you a colonel's sword as a return gift!" Mancang said without ceremony, holding up his pen.

"Hahaha, great! I believe it won't be long!" Sun Zheng laughed and waved goodbye, then left the compound and headed west.

After seeing Sun Zhengyi off, Mancang was lost in thought, fiddling with his Parker pen. Xizi pushed open the door and rushed in, saying hurriedly:

"Master Cang! We have news! We have news!"

"Hmm? What news is there? You're such a grown man, how come you're still so clumsy and lack any composure!" Mancang said, looking at Xizi.