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

Just as Zhao Mancang and his men were escorting two carts of food back, Wu Zilu and Luo Xiang, along with five other Nationalist soldiers, encountered a major problem far away at Hulu Pass in Dayan Mountain!

After defeating the Japanese soldiers, the train crew feasted for two meals at the old couple's house. The next morning, they headed towards the county town along the route Wu Zi had described. The Nationalist army, having cultivated bad habits for years, completely disregarded the common people. Whatever they lacked—food, clothing, or necessities—they would simply rob the villagers when passing through villages. If they refused, they would be beaten; ordinary civilians were no match for these thuggish soldiers with their weapons. The villagers, beaten, dared not resist and could only watch helplessly as their hard-earned possessions were stolen…

This gave Inoue Masao a clue to follow. As soon as he heard that five Nationalist soldiers had appeared in a village near the railway, Inoue Masao locked onto the target. He was certain that the incident at the iron mine was the work of these Nationalist prisoners. The other miners were honest, simple people. How could they have the guts to go against the Imperial Army? Even if they had the will, they didn't have the courage or the ability to start a rebellion. Only these Nationalist prisoners had the ability in the entire mining area.

Once the target was identified, the tracking became clear. In addition, the Nationalist troops were completely oblivious to the fact that the local people were complaining wherever they went. With a little inquiry, their route was determined. Looking at the map, it was obvious that their destination was the county town.

So Inoue Masao personally led a 30-man squad to wait for their arrival at Hulukou in Dayanshan. This was a necessary route to the county town via the mountain road. They waited there to ambush the Nationalist army.

"Mmm, mutton still tastes the best! What we've been eating these past few months in the mining area, can you even call it food? Even the landlord's pigs wouldn't eat it! When we get to the county town, I'm going to find a tavern and get drunk for three days and three nights to make up for all the suffering I've endured these past few months," said Luo Hao, a Nationalist soldier, while gnawing on a leg of lamb.

"Isn't that obvious? Who doesn't know how delicious mutton is? Look at your pathetic self, getting drunk and that's it? You should at least go to a brothel and have some fun with a girl, right? You're over twenty and haven't even been with a woman yet, are you even a man?" Shao Bing chimed in from the side, his mouth dripping with oil as he spoke, having already eaten most of the roast chicken in his arms.

"Hahaha, Old Shao, you've saved up some food! Can your old arms and legs take this? Don't collapse on a woman's belly!" Cheng Fengzi laughed loudly, the half-elbow he was holding almost falling off.

"Let's rest here for a while. These past few months of mining for the Japanese have taken a toll on my health. My back and waist are already aching after walking for just a short while, and I'm not as good as I used to be!" Shao Bing suggested, pointing to a large rock not far away, without getting annoyed.

"Let's rest for a while. Huluzui is just ahead. After Huluzui, it's another day's walk to the county town. We need to find a place to get some clothes. This leather suit won't do; it'll be too conspicuous," Wu Zi said, looking at the shiny black Nationalist army uniforms on everyone's bodies.

"That's easy! There's a small village at the bottom of Huluzui Gully. We'll spend the night there!" Cheng Fengzi said, pointing to Huluzui Gully in the distance.

"And these weapons, you'll have to throw away the long ones and hide a shorter one for self-defense. Make sure they're all hidden so those puppet troops don't find them when you pass through the checkpoints!" Luo Xiang warned.

"It's a shame to throw away that old Japanese gun with its long range and stable firing. Maybe we should find a place to hide it; we might need it sometime."

"This old hag isn't a real woman, so what are you planning to do, hug her to sleep? She's only good for self-defense in the mountains and scaring the locals. Once she's out of the mountains, she'll be constantly looking for trouble, like she's afraid the Japanese won't be able to find her or something."

"You, Cheng the Madman, are so capable! Xiangzi said to only keep the short-handed ones, what are you still babbling about? Don't underestimate this gossipy old woman just because she's not a real woman. If we really wanted to take her out, we could sell her and buy a real woman instead! Don't you know how to manage a household?"

"Huh?...Really? This thing can be exchanged for a real wife? I'd better hide it well! How much can this thing sell for?"

The mention of money always makes everyone's eyes light up. They had heard plenty of stories about officers in the army secretly selling weapons when they were in the military.

"At least twenty silver dollars. How much do you think it would cost to marry a wife?" Shao Bing said smugly.

"This..." Everyone gasped. This was a way to make a fortune! In this chaotic world, many people with the means wanted to get a few guns to guard their homes, not to mention bandits, robbers, gangsters, and other forces. Whoever had a gun had a strong back, and as long as you had guns, you didn't have to worry about finding a market for them. If you operated it well, you could make your first pot of gold.

“The madman is right. We’ll find a place to hide once we’re out of the mountains. Once we’ve established ourselves, we’ll start this business. The Japanese and the Nationalists will be our sources of weapons. If we make it big, it’ll be no problem for everyone to take several concubines!” Wu Zi declared.

"Let's do it! I can't say for sure about other things, but getting weapons from the Nationalists and traitors is still very easy!"

"That's right, our Ninth Company's company commander has secretly sold guns several times. These things sell well!"

"That scoundrel Shao Bing finally came up with a good idea, awesome!"

"Alright, everyone hurry up and finish your food so we can get out of the mountains as soon as possible. Once we're in the city, the sky's the limit, and everyone can rely on their own abilities. Whether you can live in a big house and marry a concubine depends on your capabilities!"

"Dele!"

Having found a way to make money, the group stopped their idle chatter and quickly finished their food before setting off again. They soon arrived at the outskirts of the gourd-shaped bend, and as soon as they approached, a flock of birds they couldn't identify flew out from the nearby woods on the left...

"Gah~gah~gah~"

A crow flew over the heads of the crowd, cawing loudly.

"Hmm?...There are people in that forest!" Luo Xiang felt a chill on his neck and pointed warily at the forest a few hundred meters ahead.

"...That's normal. It's perfectly normal for people to go into the mountains to collect firewood when there's a village at the bottom of the gully."

"Could they be Japanese soldiers?"

"How could that be? How far are we from the mining area? Is it really worth going to such lengths to venture into these deep mountains and forests just for a few deserters like us? You think too highly of yourself!"

"...Be careful, everyone!" Wu Zi also felt it couldn't possibly be the Japanese; it wasn't worth it for them. But being careful was better than not being the Japanese. It would be better if it wasn't the Japanese; even if it was, they wouldn't be without a fighting chance if they had counterfeit goods.

This reminder made everyone cautious, and they loaded their bullets and walked forward step by step.

In the warm spring of March, the trees were just sprouting and had not yet unfurled their leaves. The mountain forest was quiet. Clumps of thorns among the cork oaks of varying sizes blocked the view. The group became alert and advanced step by step in search formation.

"Bang bang bang bang!"

"Ta-ta-ta-ta!"

As soon as the group entered the forest, gunfire erupted. Dozens of Japanese soldiers scrambled up from under the trees and opened fire, instantly filling the forest with gunfire. The five men were immediately surrounded by the Japanese soldiers; it was too late to escape!