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

"There's just one thing I don't understand: who fired the first shot?" Man Cang asked his brothers.

"...It was my order. At the time, the Japanese seemed to have sensed something and called a group of puppet troops to try to break down the door. I thought we had already occupied a favorable position, how could we let the Japanese gain an advantage? The weapons we have are not firewood sticks. Anyway, we have already occupied the pillbox, so let's just do it!...Isn't it a bit too early?" Da Zhao asked cautiously.

"No, not at all! If the Japanese hadn't discovered us, it would have been better if it had taken longer, but since they've noticed, we can't afford to delay! Very good! Very decisive! Very timely!" Man Cang also breathed a sigh of relief. His biggest fear was that one of his team members might accidentally fire due to excessive tension and expose themselves. Now that it's confirmed the Japanese have discovered us, that's a different story!

"As I just mentioned, everyone was very brave in this operation, so everyone will be rewarded with ten yuan, including the blacksmith, the carpenter, and the two girls!"

"Ah? I have one too?...No need, right? It's just for guarding the house..." the blacksmith said shyly when he heard that he also had one.

"Haha, you're still not happy with the bonus? Let me tell you, this time shooting the Japanese devils with the crossbow was absolutely amazing! Whoosh, one arrow after another, the feeling was so smooth!"

"Ah? Hahahaha, Qingquan is right! This repeating crossbow played a crucial role in our successful capture of the pillbox! The firing was almost silent, making killing Japanese devils incredibly smooth!"

"That's right! Everyone deserves credit for this great victory! With you all at home keeping an eye on things, we can fight with peace of mind, so you deserve a good reward!"

Yes! It deserves the award!

"This award is well-deserved!"

……

"Alright! Everyone take this money. The Japanese have suffered such a huge loss this time, they definitely won't let it go easily. Let's all keep a low profile for a while and use that time to practice our marksmanship! Practice with the Type 38, Type 14, and Type 96 crossbows, and figure out how to combine these firearms with our crossbows for greater efficiency. Next time we kill the Japanese, let's not shoot in all directions like this time!"

Although we achieved some good results in this battle, the amount of bullets wasted was truly appalling! If the brothers' marksmanship were all decent, those dozen or so Japanese and puppet troops wouldn't have been able to escape!

The spoils from this operation, along with the ammunition brought back from the mine, are enough for everyone to practice to their heart's content. Half of it will be used for combat, and the rest can be used for all-out shooting. As long as it improves our marksmanship, it's all worth it!

"Hahaha, great! The brothers have been itching to get their hands on this for ages, it's so satisfying to have this thing in hand and give us a good thrashing!"

"That's a waste of bullets! When Master Cang said 'blowing up everywhere,' he was referring to you!"

"You're not much better, are you? Do you know what it means to be like a crow laughing at a pig?"

"Practice as much as you want! This is a Type 38 rifle, much better than the landlord's musket!"

"That's right! How far can a musket shoot? You'd better be happy with that!"

"Alright, brothers, as long as you have confidence! Tiger, Da Zhao, tomorrow you take the brothers into the mountains. You're only allowed to bring one day's worth of rations; you'll be living in the mountains for seven days. Also, bring hunting dogs. The food for the men and dogs will be up to you to hunt. Whether you eat meat and barbecue or pick wild fruits and eat tree bark is up to you! We'll check the results after seven days. If anyone goes hungry after getting nothing, don't blame the brothers for shaming them! Do you all understand?" Man Cang continued to give orders.

Hunting is undoubtedly the most effective training method for quickly improving combat effectiveness. In this era, there's no need to worry about protecting animals; the wild game in the mountains is enough for everyone to practice on. Pheasants, rabbits, wild boars, and wolves frequently come down from the mountains to damage crops, so as long as you're not too weak, you won't go hungry.

"No problem! The brothers all grew up in the mountains. Once we're in the mountains, it's like coming home! If we're hungry after coming home, we can only blame ourselves for being stupid. We deserve to starve!" Da Zhao said excitedly.

"Hahaha, that's right! There's everything in the mountains, maybe we can even get everyone a set of fur-lined cotton-padded coats!"

"Yes, yes, yes! Wolfskin rugs and wolfskin tubes are great things! Let's try to get one for everyone!"

……

That night, the brothers drank until late into the night before finally going to sleep. The next morning, they carried their rifles and hunting dogs into the mountains, looking as proud and spirited as if they were going into battle!

While they were busily training in the mountains, Shan Teng and a group of Japanese and puppet troops were busy at work. Following previous leads, they planned to start by searching for Zhao Village! The reason was simple: the hunting dogs they had rescued last time belonged to Zhao Village, and they believed that finding Zhao Village would definitely yield results.

The main problem is that finding people is too difficult! Although they have seen the servants torture Tiger to the point of death, finding a few people in the vast sea of ​​people is like finding a needle in a haystack. In comparison, it is much easier to find a village!

"Sir, this is the former Zhao Village. Last time, Lord Inoue burned all the houses down..." Cao Jiagui, the chairman of the Xiahou Town Maintenance Association, introduced the village where the Zhao family used to live, as he led a group of people led by Shan Teng back to the village.

“Alright! Let’s start from here!” Yamato nodded to Watanabe Sando beside him.

"Yes, sir!" The latter commanded a group of Japanese soldiers and puppet troops to search the mountains. A village couldn't just vanish into thin air; they must have hidden themselves in some remote corner of the mountains. As long as they searched the mountains, they wouldn't have trouble finding any clues!

A group of Japanese soldiers and puppet troops carried their equipment into the mountains, complete with ammunition, rations, and tents, clearly preparing for a protracted war!

Half a day passed quickly, and the group of Japanese soldiers and puppet troops searched the mountains surrounding the village and found clues along three routes.

"Sir, there are signs of human activity here. The cut tree stumps, the broken and regrown branches, and the dried cow dung on the narrow path all indicate that many people have been active here in the past," said Wu Erdan, the puppet army platoon leader, pointing to the obvious signs of activity.

“Hmm, the map,” Watanabe groaned for the third time.

The soldiers behind them took out a map and unfolded it in front of the two men, clearly showing the terrain around Zhao Village.

"From here is the waterlogged gully. The Langquan River flows out of the valley, and usually only hunters and herb gatherers go in and out. People who graze their cattle and sheep dare not go too deep."

"Ahead in this direction is Echo Cliff, which is equally steep, with a sheer cliff stretching out in front of us, and it is also rarely visited by people."

"This is Huifeng Ridge, where the terrain is slightly gentler. After passing through three valleys, you will reach Dayan Mountain. Further east is Yuguan Town, which leads to the county seat."

"The most likely place to hide a village is along the Huifengling route. Finding a relatively flat area to build houses and clear land shouldn't be a problem. I suggest we start looking along this route!" Wu Erdan said, pointing in the direction of Huifengling.

He had put in a lot of effort for this mission. After deciding to start from Zhao Village, he inquired about the surrounding terrain. Now he explained it in great detail, and even the detectives on the side nodded in agreement.