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

It wasn't that Wu Erdan was particularly loyal to the Japanese, but this defeat had caused a slight wavering in the heart of this die-hard traitor. A bunch of servants could easily take down a sturdy pillbox; the Japanese were far too weak! How could they, who usually commanded everyone, be so easily routed by a group of laborers? If the regular army attacked again, could they even hold out?

This is a very important issue! Once the Japanese army falls, we need to find a way to protect ourselves! We need to find those henchmen as soon as possible. If we accidentally win against the Japanese once by sheer luck, that's fine, but if they are really that powerful, we need to make plans early!

“Yoshi! Wu’s analysis makes a lot of sense. What do you think, Yamakado?” Watanabe asked Yamakado three times.

"Yo-ho! Let's go along this route. If we find any clues, you'll be very rewarded!" Shan Teng praised Wu, the platoon leader beside him.

"Yes! I am willing to serve you, sir!" Wu Erdan bowed and said.

The group searched along the direction of Huifeng Ridge, their pace naturally slow. Perhaps Platoon Leader Wu's analysis was correct; the Ten Thousand People Cave where Zhao Zhuang was hiding was located right on this route!

……

That morning, as everyone went into the mountains for training, Zhao Mancang naturally wouldn't be idle. He changed into clean clothes in the morning and strolled around the Qilixiang market. At noon, he sat down at a pancake stall.

"Boss, two pancakes, a side dish, a bowl of porridge, and a dipping sauce, please."

As soon as Mancang finished speaking, a stray dog ​​darted out from inside and wagged its tail around him, looking very affectionate.

The stall was small, consisting of a simple tent with a stove and four sturdy wooden tables. It was kept clean and tidy, and quite a few people came and went to eat. The stall was run by a husband and wife; the man made the pancakes while the woman served customers. They were busy but organized, creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere.

"Alright! Please have a seat, sir, I'll be right there!" the woman replied crisply, her eyes lighting up as she nodded at him before busily attending to the other guests.

That's right, the dog is Fujita Kuro, and the couple are Dog Hair and Plate. After so many busy days, the pancake stall has officially opened, and everything seems to be going smoothly.

Diezi naturally recognized him, but she didn't act too familiar with him in order to hide it.

"Boss lady, two more pancakes, please. Your boss's cooking is really good. You've spoiled my appetite these past few days. I feel like I haven't eaten if I don't have at least two a day!" a man next to him said.

"I'm glad you like it! Small businesses are all about honesty and integrity. Please come and patronize us often, boss!" Diezi said cheerfully.

"I'll definitely come back! There aren't many stalls like yours in this market that are so clean and have such good food. This is great, keep it up!" a customer commented.

"Keep it up, definitely keep it up! Just for your kind review, we have to keep it up! More customers will make our lives easier, so please continue to support us!" Diezi said with a smile.

"Haha, the boss lady is quick-witted! Just look at your cheerful spirit, your business is bound to be successful!"

"Your pancakes taste great, and you two are easygoing people. You're sure to make a fortune in the future!"

"Thank you all for your kind words! My husband and I are very grateful! If we ever achieve great success, we will never forget your kindness!" Diezi responded appropriately, much more cheerful than when they were in the village.

On the contrary, Gou Mao was busy at the stove and rarely said a word. He looked so focused that it seemed like he was doing some important research!

It wasn't until after noon, when the number of customers at their stall gradually decreased, that the couple packed up a few side dishes, grabbed some pancakes, and sat down with Mancang to rest.

"Haha, your business is doing quite well! The boss's skills are comparable to those of a restaurant chef!" Mancang said with a smile to Gou Mao.

"Uncle Cang, please have mercy on me! When I first started making pancakes, I was the one who managed the business, but I could barely sell a few pancakes a day. The customers who came for the smell were scared away as soon as I opened my mouth! I had to throw away the ingredients I prepared that day, wasting so much flour!"

"Luckily, Diezi noticed the problem and taught me how to make pancakes step by step while she took care of the customers, which made things start to improve. Now my skills are almost as good as Diezi's!" Gou Mao said, taking a bite of his pancake.

"Haha, that's good! I'm relieved to see you've settled down. The brothers have been thinking about you all. A couple of days ago, the brothers pulled off a big heist in Mafang..." Mancang recounted the recent events.

"Great! Great! Brothers, you've really had your fill! It's so satisfying!" The two men were so excited that they wanted to abandon their pancake stall and go back to fight these guys!

"Haha, this is a battlefield for you too, and it's no easier than the battlefield. You could say that whether the brothers can achieve long-term great victories depends entirely on how timely and accurate your information is!"

"I've come here for two reasons: first, to check on your situation; and second, the Japanese have suffered such heavy losses that they can't possibly remain indifferent. You must keep track of the movements of the Japanese strongholds and send them back. The mission is arduous, so don't let your guard down!" Mancang said solemnly.

"This... if the Japanese soldiers have no one inside and just observe from the outside, it might cause problems..." Gou Mao said worriedly.

"...This is a problem, and this is the only thing we can do for now. Whenever a large number of Japanese troops move out, we'll send Fujita Kuro back to report. If he can run fast enough, we'll have time to prepare. Whether it's aimed at us or not, it's never a bad thing to prepare early." Man Cang was also helpless. He'd only been out of the mines for about two months, and planting spies within the Japanese ranks wasn't easy. This was the only thing they could do for now; whether it would work depended on their reaction.

"Alright! Let's try to make as many connections as possible with traitors and hope to gain something," Dog Hair said helplessly.

The three chatted for a while longer before Mancang got up and left. At present, Gou Mao and his group have established a foothold in the market, but it will take time before they can play a role.

Mancang strolled past the compound where the Japanese stronghold was located and saw that the guards at the gate were still heavily armed, and a military truck was parked in the yard without any particular movement.

Seeing that they couldn't figure it out for a while, one of them flagged down a carriage heading to Xiahou Town to check on the other two.

Li Dadi and Wang Chunhua rented a shop on the east side of town to open a tailor shop. The courtyard of the Japanese military police headquarters was right across the street, which made it convenient for them to observe the area. They had only been in business for a short time, and their business was slow compared to Gou Mao's.

"The head of the military police is Inoue Masao, a major. There are more than 200 Japanese soldiers stationed there, and more than 400 puppet troops. Qian Tianjing, that old Japanese soldier, went out with three sidecar motorcycles and two military vehicles and hasn't returned yet. I don't know what he's doing."

"The head of the puppet regime is called Cao Jiagui. He runs opium dens, brothels, and the Yongwang Hotel. He usually harasses the people because he has the backing of the Japanese. Everyone hates him to the core!"