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

Li Dadi recounted everything he had investigated in one breath. And surprisingly, despite their sluggish business, the two of them had actually gathered quite a bit of information. Zhao Mancang naturally knew Inoue Masao's whereabouts; with such a major incident at Mafang, he, as the head of the military police, had undoubtedly gone there to handle the aftermath!

Looking up at the military police compound across the street, a bold idea flashed into my mind: if I brought my brothers over now and launched a surprise attack, we might be able to take down this military police headquarters in one fell swoop!

However, it was only a fleeting moment. With their current force of twenty-odd men, even if they captured the military police, they couldn't hold it. They were still too weak to directly confront the Japanese. But finding an opportunity to establish their reputation was still worthwhile; once they had a name to speak of, many things would become easier!

Both places have settled down, and further work needs to be explored together slowly; there's no use in rushing.

……

Deep in the mountains, Da Zhao and Hu Zi have been having a wonderful time with their brothers these past two days! They've been eating wild game at every meal, with rabbits, pheasants, roe deer, and other game that they simply can't resist. They're all eating with gusto, their mouths greasy and their appetites overflowing!

More than forty hunting dogs were all energetic and vigorous, searching for prey everywhere. The hunting dog army could not hide the animals in the grass and forests at all. Small animals such as rabbits did not need to be shot. Two hunting dogs chased and blocked them, and they quickly became their food!

"Hahaha, awesome! Meat, gun, and dog, this is the life of a mountain king!" Qingquan laughed as he carried a gun, holding a plump wild rabbit in his hand, its four legs kicking wildly.

"Look how happy you are! A few rabbits and you think you've found a wife to take as your wife!" Da Zhao said from the side.

“We don’t lack wives, we have wives and kids who can already run around!” Qingquan said smugly.

"Look at you, so confident you could fly to the moon! You've been out for so long, aren't you afraid your wife will run off with someone else? How about I give you a few days off to go back and cuddle with your wife?"

"Hehe, that's a good idea! Just let one of the brothers go back! What's that old saying? Nothing tastes better than dumplings, and nothing's more fun than a sister-in-law. One of them can handle the brothers' matter once they go back!"

"Hahaha, good, good! These two brothers are usually as close as one person, one of them is enough to take them back!"

"Haha, why don't we head towards the Ten Thousand People Cave? There should be plenty of prey along the way. After training, we can all go home and visit our families. We all got our bonuses this time, so it'll be better to give them to our families and not let them squander them!" As the younger generation of the two, Manxiang naturally wouldn't joke with them. When the topic of the Ten Thousand People Cave came up, he casually offered his suggestion.

"Great! Carrying these weapons back will make us look good!"

"Go back and take a look!"

"Alright! Since all the brothers are homesick, let's go back and visit. But we can't go back empty-handed. Brothers, let's work harder and bring back more game to improve our families' meals!" Da Zhao agreed when he saw that so many people wanted to go back. With Man Cang gone, he and Hu Zi were the commanders, so there was no need to worry about such a small matter.

As for Hu Zi, he was still immersed in the pain of losing his wife and hadn't gotten over it yet. Although he had calmed down a lot and was no longer like a walking corpse, the bitterness in his heart was overflowing, and he had no mind to care about these trivial matters.

"Of course! How could I let my wife, children, and elderly relatives be disappointed after all this time? Don't worry, I'll make sure everyone has a feast as good as if it were New Year's!"

"No problem! It just so happens that Second Master and the other older generation of swordsmen are quite skilled at tanning furs. Let them process these furs properly to make winter coats for everyone!"

"Yes, yes, Second Master's skills are unparalleled; no one in the surrounding villages can compare!"

"Third Master can do it too, right?"

"I know a little, but Second Brother's skills are better!" Third Master said, stroking his bald head.

Having made up their minds, the group chatted and laughed as they headed towards the Ten Thousand Cave. Along the way, they encountered three wild boars, which they easily defeated with the help of their dogs. Through several attempts, they actually devised a practical method: the hunter would wound the prey with a long-range shot, the two hunting dogs would rush in to hold it off, and then the hunter would draw his longsword and deliver the fatal blow. Simple and effective, two people and a dog could easily handle a wild boar!

If it were the Japanese soldiers, it would be even simpler. As long as one shot hits, whether they live or die, just hand them over to the two hunting dogs and they'll be done with it clearly and decisively!

On the fifth day of their journey into the mountains, the group arrived at Wanren Cave, each carrying at least two prey animals into the camp. Seeing that the villagers had already cultivated much of the wasteland and planted millet, everyone felt much relieved.

"Haha, you're all back! Looks like you've had quite a haul! Tsk tsk, you're all carrying guns now! Last time it was just crossbows, this is a real upgrade!"

"They're back! This is a newly captured Type 38 rifle; it's far more effective than our old matchlock guns!"

"Weren't you guys out fighting the Japanese? Why are you hunting? How many bullets will you waste hunting so much game?"

"Yeah, wouldn't it be better to save bullets for fighting the Japanese?"

"It was arranged by Man Cang. The hunting trip was to train the troops to fight the Japanese better. Sharpening the axe won't delay the work of chopping wood, right?"

"Since it was Mancang who said it, then it must be right. Everyone should go back quickly. Your families have been worried sick about you for so many days!"

When the villagers saw everyone return, they surrounded them, bombarding them with questions. Seeing that their children were safe and sound, and even carrying guns, they felt much relieved. A mother worries about her child even when they are far away, let alone when they went to fight the Japanese. Many families regretted their decision after their children left!

The cave soon became lively. The game brought back was skinned and bled by the villagers and quickly turned into delicious dishes. The whole village held a village feast as if it were New Year's Day, and women, children and the elderly gathered together and had a great time!

"Good! You kids have made something of yourselves! Well done! With just a dozen or twenty men, you took down a Japanese pillbox. Even the Nationalist army couldn't match that achievement, right? You've all grown up, and we old folks can finally rest easy!" Clan Chief Zhao Renyi and several elders sat with Manxiang, Huzi, and Dazhao. The three young men recounted their experiences over the past few days, which moved the elders to sigh with admiration.

"Tiger, your hunting dogs are very well trained! They're almost as good as Big Yellow!" As soon as everyone returned, Second Master set his sights on the forty-odd dogs. They didn't bark or make a fuss when they saw strangers, and they wouldn't eat unless the villagers nodded in approval. They were incredibly obedient!

"Hehe, I learned it all from you! Last time I heard that you saved Manxiang and the others with just a few dozen dogs, I thought I'd train a pack of hunting dogs like that to fight the Japanese. It's only just begun, we haven't faced the Japanese yet, and everyone is looking forward to the hunting dog team showing its might!" Speaking of the hunting dogs, Tiger's face showed a rare smile, and he seemed much more cheerful!

"That's good! Once the hunting dogs are trained, they're just as good as you are with guns! Treat them well, they'll risk their lives to protect their masters when it matters!" Second Master said, affectionately stroking the dog's head.