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

Not all tree bark is edible. The inner bark of poplar and elm trees is soft and white; after washing, grinding it into powder, sifting it, and mixing it with a small amount of cornmeal, it can be perfectly adequate for sustenance, with no side effects except for some difficulty in digestion. However, other tree species are not so safe. Tung trees, cork oaks, and vitex trees, among others, are mildly toxic, and consuming them can cause various problems. Too many people have perished on their escape routes after mistakenly ingesting too much poisonous tree bark!

Because of the call to action from the Mo Dao Regiment, Guya County, the least affected county, saw its households' harvests sufficient to support themselves, resulting in no mass exodus. However, it was precisely for this reason that Guya County welcomed its first wave of refugees shortly after the Mid-Autumn Festival! The arrival of over 100,000 refugees carrying their belongings into Guya County immediately caused Zhang Youcai a major headache. Such a sudden increase in population was a serious concern, especially regarding public security. When people are starving, they don't care about guns; as long as they can get a bite to eat, what does survival matter!

The disaster had already occurred, and every effort was made to save as many people as possible. Mancang specifically formulated measures for the resettlement of the disaster victims. First, they took the opportunity to expand the army, selecting young and strong men to join the army and, after some training, to guard the disaster victims. Next, they designated special areas to build temporary housing for the disaster victims, and called on various shops to select skilled craftsmen and other disaster victims to work in their shops. The wages were very cheap, and as long as they could feed their families, these people would work tirelessly! Finally, they set up soup kitchens, registering and distributing porridge in fixed quantities to elderly people over sixty years old without children, pregnant women who had lost their husbands, and orphans under the age of 12.

The disaster lasted until the summer of 1944 before it gradually subsided. The population plummeted, leaving many villages in the Central Plains completely deserted! Most of those who fled remained in other places and never returned; many more died on the road and were hastily buried, their families unable to find them! Even worse, many families perished from hunger and cold on the road, their lineages broken…

Thanks to abundant grain reserves, the population of Guya County surged to one million in just over a year, with significant progress in commerce, handicrafts, and basic agriculture. During this time, the Japanese also coveted this market, launching two major offensives, both of which were repelled by the Mo Dao Regiment. Even the Nationalist Army, seeing Guya County's thriving development, wanted a share and repeatedly sent troops to forcibly requisition grain. The Mo Dao Regiment revealed a portion of their reserves, terrifying the officers so much that they fled in terror!

As 1944 drew to a close, the entire Modao Regiment became tense, for Man Cang knew that the final battle of the War of Resistance was imminent! Whether they could achieve final victory depended on whether they could hold out in this last battle!

Historically, this battle is known as the "Battle of Western Henan and Northern Hubei," and many people also call it the "Battle of Nanyang." After this battle, the War of Resistance against Japan ended across the entire Chinese mainland, thwarting the Japanese attempt to advance westward via the Henan-Shaanxi Highway. The 14-year-long War of Resistance against Japan ended in victory for the Chinese people!

Man Cang was fortunate enough to travel back to this era and successfully formed the Mo Dao Regiment. After several years of development, it can be described as a strong and well-equipped force! How could he miss such an important battle?

The 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month is the Little New Year, and on this day, Zhang Yiliang, who hadn't been home for many years, returned! He brought with him Sun Zhengyi, a group of guards, and his girlfriend of many years, Li Zizhen. At this time, Zhang Yiliang was the brigade commander of the 683rd Brigade of the 110th Division, stationed in Qingyun County, a neighboring county to the north of Guya County. The Henan-Shaanxi Highway was winding through the border between the two counties, heading west through Xixiakou into the Qinling Mountains.

"Haha, Commander Zhao, you've really made a name for yourself! Come, come, this is your brother-in-law, Zhang Yiliang, the brigade commander of the 683rd Brigade of the 110th Division!" A group of people headed straight for the military compound, where Sun Zhengyi introduced the two men in the conference room.

"Brother-in-law! Brother Yiliang, please sit down! Bring some tea!" Mancang said excitedly, grabbing his brother-in-law's hand.

"Haha, brother-in-law! We've finally met!" Zhang Yiliang said excitedly.

Although I haven't been back for the past few years, we've kept in touch through letters and we know each other's situation. We can be considered old acquaintances who have never met!

"Yes! Yes! Zaohua and I have been married for seven years, and even your little nephew is five years old! It's been so tough!" Mancang exclaimed.

"Haha, you're right! It's been over ten years since I've been back. I almost didn't recognize it when I entered the county! The county is just as prosperous as Yudu City. You did a great job, brother!"

"Haha, it's all thanks to everyone's hard work. Come on, everyone, sit down and let's chat!"

Zhang Yiliang's decision to go straight to the Mo Dao Regiment's garrison without going home was purposeful. After exchanging pleasantries, the other staff members chatted in the conference room, and the two of them got straight to the point once they arrived at the office.

"Over the years, the Mo Dao Gang has grown from nothing to something, from weak to strong. You and your brothers have suffered a lot and shed a lot of blood! You've also managed to govern Guya County so well that it's now prosperous and thriving. It's clear you're a very capable person, brother! What are your plans for the future, brother?"

"Oh? Brother-in-law, please speak frankly. We're family, no need to hide anything!" Mancang said, his heart tightening.

After more than a decade of resistance against Japan, the Japanese were seeing things getting worse year by year, and it was time to divide the cake!

"To be honest, the Japanese are facing increasing difficulties in their campaign in the Pacific, and our domestic battles are becoming increasingly intense, making it difficult to achieve anything further. We are not far from victory!"

"During the War of Resistance Against Japan, in order to fight the Japanese invaders and protect the great land of the Party and the country, the more civilian armed forces like the Mo Dao Regiment, the better! But after the Japanese invaders were driven out, that might not be the case!"

"The Mo Dao Regiment has over 30,000 official members and militia, right? And they have tanks and artillery—you could say they're a strong and well-equipped force. With your intelligence, brother, haven't you thought about the future?" Zhang Yiliang coaxed. He'd made his point clear enough; he believed his brother-in-law understood.

“I’ve thought about it, of course I’ve thought about it! Do you remember when I wrote you a letter asking you to spend more time with Commander Liao? Didn’t you do a good job?” Mancang retorted.

"Huh? What do you mean?..." Zhang Yiliang was completely bewildered. His assignment to serve under Commander Liao was a transfer from his superiors. He had also been given a secret mission: to secretly monitor the 110th Division's every move, and if he discovered anything, he could take down the division commander and replace him!

This brother-in-law did remind him to spend more time with Commander Liao, but that had nothing to do with the mission, right? Does he have the ability to predict the future?

"Looks like my brother-in-law didn't listen to me!" Man Cang understood immediately when he saw the other's confusion. It was only natural for his brother-in-law, who came from Huangbu, to be so devoted to the principal. But the tide had turned, and blindly following along wasn't a good thing!

"Let me be frank, following that wicked and perverse person will lead nowhere! It's best to make preparations as soon as possible!"