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

"Zhuge Liang? Isn't that a character from a play?... You mean you are Zhuge Liang?... Is there really a way to get out?..." Tiger's eyes lit up as if he saw hope, his expression filled with joy, as if he could go home at any moment.

"Haha, we can't rush this! How far can you run in your current condition?" Zhao Mancang said with a laugh.

"This..." Tiger was stunned and speechless. Even a tough man like him had become weak and frail after working hard in the iron mine. Even if he escaped, he wouldn't be able to get very far!

"Haha, don't sleep too soundly tonight!" The words clearly indicated that if he offered some real benefits later that night, Tiger wouldn't be able to escape! After finishing, the guy pulled up his pants, turned around, and left, leaving Tiger standing on the toilet looking completely bewildered!

That night, as usual, they got a lot of food from the Japanese soldiers' courtyard and woke Tiger up when they got back. When they handed him a big white steamed bun, the guy was instantly wide awake!

"Steamed bun!...Where did you get this?..." Tiger said indistinctly, taking a big bite of the steamed bun.

"Shh!...Keep your voice down..." Third Master was about to remind the guy to keep his voice down, but it was too late! Tiger's shout had woken up everyone around him!

"Tiger, where did you get these steamed buns? Share some with me!" The puppet soldier Da Zhao got up and approached Tiger in surprise.

"There are steamed buns! Where are they?"

Give me some!

"Damn it, where did you get your steamed buns from?"

……

One stone stirs up a thousand ripples. In no time, all the laborers in the house woke up and glared fiercely at Tiger, who was eating a steamed bun! Even in the darkness, it sent chills down their spines!

Well! The secret can't be kept now. These people are like wolves that haven't eaten for months; they all show a hostile smile at the sight of white steamed buns.

"Shh!...Are you all courting death! If we alert the Japanese, none of us will escape!" Since we can't keep the secret, let's just confess. There are twenty-eight men in this room. The original plan was to take them down one by one and gradually control the whole room, but now that we know everything, we might as well just take them all at once!

As he spoke, Zhao Mancang simply stood up and went to the center, still speaking to everyone in a breathy voice.

"Everyone, we've been in this godforsaken place for quite a while now! I'm just asking if you all want to get out?"

"I want it! I dream about it! These past few months have been absolutely unbearable! We used to be big shots in Erlong Mountain, but now what do we do? We're worse than dogs!"

"Who wouldn't want to! It's exhausting and hungry here, and I might just drop dead any day!"

"What, do you have a way?"

"Yeah! What's the use of just thinking about it? Do you have a way to get out?"

"You're still a kid, aren't you? If you were so capable, you would have gone out on your own long ago!"

"You're not thinking of using us as cannon fodder while you sneak out, are you? Let me tell you, no way!"

……

Upon hearing what the kid said, everyone realized what was going on, and their reactions ranged from mockery and disdain to hope and various other expressions!

"Haha, you might not believe it! That's alright, it's only human nature, I understand. Let me put it this way, I want to organize a group of people to fight the Japanese and find a way to escape. Who wants to follow me? There are benefits to be had!" Zhao Mancang wasn't in a hurry. Subduing these people wouldn't be easy, especially in this precarious environment where everyone was wary of each other. It was wishful thinking to think he could gather people together with just a few words!

"Me! I'm willing! I, Tiger, know you're capable, this big white steamed bun was brought by you! I'll follow you!" Tiger was the first to respond, still holding half a steamed bun in one hand and eating it with relish.

"I'm willing too!" Third Master naturally wanted to support him, but everything had happened so fast that he hadn't had time to react. He was a cautious and timid man who had never seen much of the world, and the sudden news of fighting the Japanese terrified him. Later, seeing that even Tiger supported his distant grandson, he naturally stood up, after all, this family bond was unbreakable!

And this kid is really capable! Who else could get steamed buns from the Japanese soldiers' courtyard?

"Will you get any steamed buns if you follow me?" a puppet soldier next to him asked.

"Of course! Can't you see they're eating right now? But first and foremost, loyalty is paramount. I don't want your puppet army's two-faced, backstabbing, and betrayal tactics!" Zhao Mancang said, looking at the puppet army's big move.

"No way! We were puppet soldiers and dogs for the Japanese before just to make a living! Who knew the Japanese didn't treat us like human beings at all! They came to my house as guests, served us good food and drink, and after they were full, they even wanted to sleep with my wife! How could we tolerate that? Two shots and you two were taken down!"

"Now I understand. The reason the Japanese didn't kill me for revenge was to squeeze every last drop of blood out of me! Anyway, I have nothing left! My wife was violated by the Japanese and died of anger, my parents went back to their hometown, and I'm all alone here, barely clinging to life. I'll fight! If I can escape, I'll keep fighting the Japanese to avenge my wife. If I can't escape, I'll at least take at least one Japanese soldier to pay with his life! It's better to fight to the death than to live a miserable life here! After being a dog for two years, I have to be a human again! A man who can pee standing up!"

"You've got some skills to get your hands on steamed buns, so I'll do it! So, are you going to accept it or not?" Da Zhao recounted his entire experience in one breath, clearly having made a huge decision!

"Alright! I'll take anyone who's sincere in fighting the Japanese! Many hands make light work. Escaping won't be easy, so we have to unite to have any chance of success!" Zhao Mancang agreed. Although he was quite disgusted by Da Zhao's past actions—after all, nobody likes being a puppet soldier—he was still willing to give him a chance. As long as he didn't leak any information, even if he couldn't help, at least he would have handled a gun, which would make him better than ordinary civilians.

"Alright! Thank you for your help! If I really escape, I will remember your kindness for the rest of my life, and I will never hesitate to do anything you ask of me!" Da Zhao excitedly came to stand next to Third Master.

"This traitor actually said something sensible this time! He's right, being able to get steamed buns in this godforsaken place shows you have guts and skills. Let's do it! I'm joining too!"

"I, Zhang Laosan, am just a farmhand who works for a landlord. I've spent my whole life farming and I don't have any great skills. But I'm obedient! If you tell me to go east, I'll never go west! Anyway, I'm just a worthless life. At worst, I'll take a Japanese soldier with me when I die!" Zhang Laosan said from the other side, his attitude very firm.

"Alright! Everyone, rest assured, following me, I will never let you make unnecessary sacrifices! As for the uprising in the future, as long as you are all focused on fighting the Japanese, even if you die, everyone will remember your kindness! Those who have families and escaped will be treated as your own family! You have no objections, right?" He asked, looking at the few people who had already stood over.