One person: I, Daoist Master, am a cultivator of immortality!

“That’s right, Chief, that’s exactly what I meant. However, if we act in this way, it’s very likely that we’ll give others something to talk about. If they use this as an excuse to launch a brazen attack on Shanghai, you might be seen as the culprit in this war by the ignorant people.”

“A sinner? When have I, Sun Yao, ever been afraid of being a sinner? If my hesitation today leads to the Japanese invasion of our country in the future, then I will be a sinner for all eternity. Give the order to send troops out immediately to take their guns, and kill anyone who resists.”

With a single order from Sun Yao, the fate of these small-time Marines in the Japanese concession of Shanghai was decided. As soon as Sun Yao gave the order, his men immediately sprang into action.

Meanwhile, the headquarters of the Japanese military police in the Japanese concession was also brightly lit. Matsuda Kazuya, the commander of the Japanese marine corps in the Japanese concession, looked at the telegram in front of him with great excitement, "It has begun, it has finally begun! My great Japanese Empire will eventually achieve glory!"

The telegram in front of him clearly stated the Japanese Army Headquarters' plan and orders to conquer China in three months. After receiving the telegram, he began to secretly mobilize his marines. He stayed here until late at night, still excited as he looked at the telegram.

Ever since he was sent here by the Army Command, he had been waiting for this opportunity, this chance to make a name for himself.

He still remembered what his teacher, Daisuke Sakata, had said to him before he came: "The glorious land of China has been glorious for a thousand years, but a hundred years of decay has turned it into a sickly thing. Settle down and lie low, and this vast land will eventually become ours!"

He was always thrilled when he thought of this. Now the time had finally come, and he could finally serve the empire.

Just as he was getting more and more excited, the sound of gunfire suddenly erupted outside. Matsuda Kazuya immediately ran out, yelling, "Baka! Which bastard is firing guns?! Didn't I tell you guys to stay hidden?!"

Just as Matsuda Kazuya was about to continue his outburst, he suddenly froze at the sight before him. In the courtyard of the military police headquarters, a group of people were moving corpses. He instinctively assumed they were his own troops, but when he turned around, his jaw dropped in shock.

These uniforms definitely don't belong to my own troops. Upon closer inspection, aren't my own Marines the corpses they're carrying?

"Did you hear that! They themselves told us to operate covertly, yet you've made such a big commotion. Do you want everyone to know? Even though the Chief said he's not afraid of being criticized, shouldn't we, as his men, consider our superiors' feelings? A bunch of tactless bastards!"

Zhang Qun slapped his adjutant on the head, the adjutant suffering an undeserved misfortune.

Zhang Qun then turned to Matsuda Kazuya, "Sorry, it's our fault for disturbing your daydreaming. But daydreaming all the time isn't a good thing, so we've done you a favor, haven't we? But you're the only little idiot we have here. Are you calling yourself an idiot?"

"Baka yarou, shine!"

Matsuda didn't answer Zhang Qun's question; no, to be precise, he answered Zhang Qun's words with his actions. He reached for his sidearm at his waist, intending to raise it and fire at Zhang Qun.

But Zhang Qun was just as fast as him; before he could even draw his gun, Zhang Qun's fist was already on his face.

"The chief once said that a gun is fast from ten paces away, and accurate and fast within ten paces. But that only applies when the opponent is also an extraordinary person. Against an ordinary person, I can make sure you don't even have a chance to draw your gun. Take him down!"

Zhang Qun was no ordinary military officer; he was a disciple of Wudang and Zhou Sheng's senior brother. Although he also practiced Tai Chi, he was more skilled in a ruthless Wudang martial art called the Tiger Claw Extinction Hand.

After coming down from Wudang Mountain, he entered the Military Academy. Later, when he heard that Sun Yao advocated using force against the Japanese invaders, he took the initiative to join Sun Yao.

Sun Yao originally intended to keep him as an adjutant, but after testing him, he realized that it would be a waste of his talent to have him as an adjutant. That's why the First Guard Division was established. The other two Guard Divisions were established in the same way, after their respective commanders were appointed.

After Zhang Qun occupied the Japanese military police headquarters in the Japanese concession, he immediately called Sun Yao: "Sir, the Japanese military police headquarters has been occupied. I found their telegrams here, concerning their invasion of China."

Sun Yao was very pleased after receiving the call. Zhang Qun completed the occupation of the Japanese concession in less than an hour after he gave the order, which made Sun Yao think more highly of Zhang Qun.

"First, tell me about the casualties?" Sun Yao wasn't in a hurry to deal with the information in the telegram, because he already had a general idea of ​​what the information was.

He was more concerned about the casualties among his men. This guard division was his elite force, and he would be heartbroken if he lost even one of them.

"Don't worry, sir. We were the Marines who led the raid on the Military Police Headquarters and then surrounded and wiped out these Japanese devils. Only a few of our brothers suffered minor injuries. None of them have a single bullet hole in their bodies, so you can rest assured."

"Hmm, very good. Now let's report the details. What information was in the telegram?"

"This telegram says..."

This telegram was much more detailed than what Sun Yao knew, not only about the Japanese invaders' arrogant plan to conquer China in three months, but also about the detailed implementation process.

Upon hearing the more detailed plan, Sun Yao didn't mock the Japanese invaders' arrogance; instead, he felt fortunate for them. If they hadn't been so arrogant in their desire to conquer China in one fell swoop, the course of the war would have been very different.

The Japanese invaders planned to launch a simultaneous attack from the south, central, and north. In the north, the Kwantung Army sent troops south, while in the central region, they used the Qingdao port leased by the Japanese army to land and attack the area south of the Yellow River. In the south, they attacked the Yangtze River basin from Shanghai.

As for the more southern regions, the Nationalist army is powerful and they intend to gradually erode them.

"This telegram, once translated, must be sent nationwide. I demand that its contents appear on the desks of all the major warlords' commanders by tomorrow morning. Furthermore, this matter must be published in the newspapers so that everyone knows about it and it is announced nationwide!"

"Yes!"

With a single order from Sun Yao, the matter was immediately communicated nationwide, especially the Japanese invaders' plan to conquer China in three months.

This matter quickly became a hot topic. Many patriots took to the streets to hold demonstrations, urging the Nationalist government to raise an army to resist Japan and thwart the Japanese invaders' plot to invade China.