Newborn 1927

Then, Sun Zhiyong was left to lead the sniper team to keep an eye on these people; Yan Donglai was to lead the special operations team to search the entire warehouse area to prevent any escapees from causing unnecessary losses.

Yang Jiefang ordered the warehouse door opened and pulled Wu Junxu inside to inspect the supplies. Upon seeing the contents, they were greatly disappointed. There were over a hundred rifles, but all were old. Yang Jiefang inspected them briefly; these rifles hadn't been properly maintained, were covered in rust, and some had their rifling almost worn down. These rifles were practically useless; whether the bullets would be accurate was another matter, and how far they would travel was also questionable. There were, however, over a hundred boxes of ammunition, so it wasn't a complete loss.

Yang Jiefang looked at Wu Junxu with a frustrated expression and asked in confusion, "Your Warehouse No. 3 has such a big name, how come you only have so few guns, and they're all broken and unusable?" Wu Junxu smiled bitterly, "Didn't we sell all the good guns? These are the ones that were left over. If you like them, just take them all! Consider it a free gift to make you a friend." Yang Jiefang said, "So you have these old, unused guns? I don't want what others don't want either. Going to war with guns like these is no different from courting death." Wu Junxu said, "Not necessarily. The underworld isn't all about fighting and killing. Whether it's a good gun or a broken one, if you point it forward, it can still intimidate people." Yang Jiefang nodded and said, "That makes sense. It's better than nothing. Then take them all." He ordered his men to bring in the mule cart and load the guns and bullets.

Yan Donglai led a search and actually caught a few escapees: two cooks and a groom. There were also over a dozen horses there, used for transporting supplies. The guns originally issued to the guards were found in their quarters and moved over in batches. Yang Jiefang glanced at them and was fairly satisfied; the hundred-odd guns were mostly in good condition. He had originally intended to rob an armory, but the guns inside were worse than those held by the guards. What kind of situation was this? Yang Jiefang suddenly paused, sensing something was wrong. Why were so many men guarding just a few broken guns? After a moment's thought, he realized he had fallen into a misconception. If Warehouse No. 3 had nothing good, what about Warehouses No. 1 and No. 2? So he called Yan Donglai over and asked, "Did you find any other warehouses during your search?" Yan Donglai replied, "Yes, they were locked from the outside, so we didn't go in to check." Yang Jiefang clapped his hands and said, "Go check them out!" Yan Donglai agreed and immediately led his men out.

A moment later, Shanpao ran back excitedly, shouting, "Little Boss, great news! We've struck it rich!" Yang Jiefang asked anxiously, "What did you find?" Shanpao replied, "Lots of bullets and guns, all in Warehouse Number Two." Wu Junxu, standing nearby, paled and staggered back two steps. Hou Fei steadied him, saying, "Commander Wu, be careful. I'm holding a rope; if I accidentally pull it, my life is worthless, but yours is precious. You absolutely cannot let anything happen to you!" Wu Junxu was so frightened that he immediately dared not move.

Yang Jiefang patted Wu Junxu on the shoulder and said, "Let's go take a look together." As they walked, he asked, "What's in Warehouse No. 1?" Wu Junxu replied, "Just cannonballs from the mountain forts, left over from the Qing Dynasty. Now it's just a pile of scrap metal." Warehouse No. 2 had the better stuff, and its location was more hidden. They originally thought Yang Jiefang would overlook it, but it was still discovered.

Arriving at Warehouse Number Two was indeed a huge surprise. Thousands of rifles and hundreds of Mauser pistols, all brand new, their oil-paper wrappings unopened. There were also twelve machine guns, about 70-80% new. Even more excitingly, there were two Maxim heavy machine guns and two 60mm mortars. Ammunition and shells were piled up like mountains.

Yang Jiefang laughed, "Quartermaster Wu, why aren't all these guns used to equip the troops? Are they just sitting in the warehouse waiting to multiply?" Quartermaster Wu explained, "Recruiting soldiers is easy, but maintaining them is difficult! The East China Sea Garrison Brigade has over three thousand men on its official payroll, but in reality, the pay issued can barely support about a thousand. So, these guns are just extra." Yang Jiefang asked, "And are these mortars and heavy machine guns also extra?" Quartermaster Wu replied, "There was originally a machine gun platoon on the official payroll, but we don't actually have one. The guns and ammunition from previous years' supplies are all just sitting here." Whatever the reason, they're all ours now.

Yang Jiefang immediately ordered the captured guards to be brought over and loaded onto the carts. There were thirteen horses here, so there was no shortage of flatbed carts, which were harnessed to transport weapons and ammunition. Including the five mule carts Yang Jiefang had brought and Wu Junxu's horse-drawn cart, there were a total of nineteen carts, far more than could be loaded. Seven carts were filled with guns and cannons, and eleven with bullets and shells. Wu Junxu's horse-drawn cart, originally intended for passengers, wasn't wasted; it was used to transport miscellaneous items. Besides guns and cannons, there were also binoculars, military maps, and other supplies, which Yang Jiefang naturally wouldn't overlook. Watching the busy captured guards, Yang Jiefang had an idea: he brought over the extra flatbed carts and a dozen wheelbarrows to load ammunition, and had the captured guards handle the hauling. He also didn't let the extra manpower go to waste; each person was given a carrying pole or wooden stick to carry two boxes of ammunition.

When everything was ready, it was getting dark. The group ate dinner on the spot, took three days' worth of rations, and set off that very night. To prevent escape, they were all chained together with hemp ropes tied around their waists, ten people in a string. Yang Jiefang threatened them, saying that if even one person escaped, the rest of the string would be shot.

The team set off one after another. Yang Jiefang found a brush and ink and said, "Wu Junxu, could you write a few words for me?" Wu Junxu readily agreed and took the brush from Yang Jiefang. Yang Jiefang led him to the gate of Warehouse No. 2, pointed to the gate, and said, "Write for me: Zhang Zongchang is finished..." Wu Junxu smiled bitterly, not caring much, and began to write. Then Yang Jiefang added, "...I... quit..." He asked Wu Junxu to write one word at a time, and when he finished, Yang Jiefang laughed, "That's all done, let's go!" He had Hou Fei pull Wu Junxu along. Wu Junxu took a few steps, glanced back, and suddenly realized what had happened. He shouted, "Yang, you framed me!" He was the quartermaster, and all the guards here were his men. Now that everything had disappeared, and he had even left a message on the gate, wasn't he now the scapegoat?

Yang Jiefang said, "With something this serious happening, do you think you can go back? Why don't you follow me from now on? My team needs to grow, and we'll need more guns and ammunition. You have connections in this area, which is exactly the kind of talent I need." Wu Junxu said anxiously, "Are you trying to force me to join the Liangshan bandits?" Yang Jiefang said, "You can think that way if you want. Don't worry, as long as you sincerely follow me, I won't treat you unfairly. How about I return that beautiful Miss Baihe to you?" Thinking of Baihe, Wu Junxu's heart immediately burned with excitement, and he said, "What about these brothers?" Yang Jiefang replied, "They'll still be your brothers. If you don't believe me, I can swear by the moon." Wu Junxu agreed. When it came to getting guns and ammunition, he was confident in himself. He agreed, and his mindset changed. As they walked, he encouraged the captured guards to join him. Yang Jiefang was right about one thing: the armory was robbed, and he couldn't escape responsibility. He really couldn't go back.

It's over a hundred li from here to Qinglong Village. Yang Jiefang plans to get back in three nights, but not by mountain path, but by main road. During the day, he'll rest hidden in the roadside bushes. Midway, he arranges for Hou Fei to leave the group and go to the Chu family, while he and Zhao Yuanbao, along with Chu Shiwu, Bai He, and He Huan, travel during the day to Qinglong Village on their own.

The special forces soldiers were already experienced in night marches and kept a close watch on the troops. Perhaps Wu Junxu's reassurance also had some effect, as there were no desertions along the way. They arrived at Qinglong Village early in the morning. Hou Fei and Chu Shiwu had traveled during the day, which had greatly increased their speed, allowing them to arrive a night ahead of schedule. They had already reported the operation and their gains to Black Widow. The heroes, who had just run ten miles, came out to greet Yang Jiefang upon hearing the news of his return. Upon seeing Yang Jiefang, they all shouted "Little Boss!" their joy and admiration overflowing.

Black Widow and Master Kong, upon hearing the news, were also thrown into a frenzy and rushed out. Nearly three million silver dollars, over a thousand guns, hundreds of thousands of rounds of ammunition, two small cannons with over two thousand shells, and tens of thousands of hand grenades. Such a massive spoils caused an uproar throughout the entire mountain stronghold. Kong Zongru excitedly led his men to count the items and register them in the warehouse. Qinglong Stronghold didn't have a warehouse large enough to store so many supplies. The guns were easy to obtain; they could be distributed to the brothers on the mountain, and there wouldn't be many left. But so many bullets, shells, and grenades had to be stored separately.

Yang Jiefang no longer needed to worry about the supplies. He gathered the prisoners together and said, "Welcome to Qinglong Village! You've all had a long and arduous journey. I sincerely hope you can all join us, but our village has high standards and strict rules; we don't accept just anyone. Therefore, you must undergo a period of labor reform. Once you've completed your reform and meet the requirements for joining, I will arrange for you to join us and become one of our brothers. Those who don't want to join us will be released. Now, please follow our instructions: eat when you're supposed to, sleep when you're supposed to, and work when you're supposed to. If anyone refuses to undergo labor reform, then I'm sorry, but you will be punished accordingly." Regardless of their willingness, he handed everything over to Li the carpenter. Only Wu Junxu was kept behind.

Hou Fei was instructed to fetch Bai He and He Huan. Jiang Xiaojun and Chu Gu also came along. After returning to the mountain yesterday, Bai He was arranged to stay in the Black Widow's courtyard, living with Jiang Xiaojun and Chu Gu; they had already become familiar with each other.

Upon seeing Bai He, Wu Junxu's eyes immediately lit up with fervor. He exclaimed, "Little Boss, are you really going to hand Bai He over to me? How can I possibly accept that?" He'd started calling him "Little Boss" since everyone else did, acting as if he were one of them. Yang Jiefang chuckled, "This grudge between you two needs to be resolved eventually; the sooner the better!"

Bai He's eyes turned bloodshot upon seeing Wu Junxu, as if they were spitting fire. Yang Jiefang approached and said, "Miss Bai, do you still want to avenge your deceased parents?" Bai He retorted fiercely, "Of course I do. You were the one who wouldn't let me." Yang Jiefang drew a pistol from his waist, released the safety, chambered a round, and then handed it to her with the muzzle pointing downwards, saying, "I won't stop you now. You can take your revenge." Bai He hesitated, looking at Yang Jiefang in confusion, but didn't take the gun. Chu Gu stepped forward and nudged her from behind, signaling her to take the gun. She had chatted with Bai He the previous night and learned of her ordeal, naturally hating Wu Junxu as well. Bai He realized what was happening, took the gun, and turned to walk towards Wu Junxu.

Wu Junxu immediately sensed something was wrong. He glanced around and saw that everyone around him was staring at him menacingly. Knowing that escape was impossible, he immediately shouted, "Little Boss, what's going on?" Yang Jiefang replied, "I said I was handing Miss Baihe over to you, and now I'm handing her over to you. You can decide how to resolve your grudges! I won't interfere."

One was unarmed, the other armed—wasn't it obvious? Wu Junxu pleaded, "Young Master, you can't do this! Have you forgotten? You swore an oath to the moon." Yang Jiefang pointed to the sky and laughed, "Look closely, it's daytime now, there's no moon. Besides, the moon has its phases, it's not constant. Even the moon changes, so how can an oath made by pointing to the moon hold true? I clearly told you, nothing is ever perfect. Have you never read a book and don't understand this principle?"

Wu Junxu couldn't help but curse, but it was no use. So, gritting his teeth, he abruptly ripped off his outer garment, revealing the explosives still wrapped around his waist. Then, he pulled the rope behind him, shouting, "If we're going to die, we'll die together!" He hated Yang Jiefang to the core and actually turned and charged towards him. Yang Jiefang, instead of retreating, advanced and kicked Wu Junxu in the chest. Wu Junxu fell to the ground, still shouting "Let's die together!" But after waiting for a while, there was no explosion. He sat up and found that the rope had been pulled, but the explosives hadn't detonated. He bit open the explosives with his teeth and found that it was just wood ash mixed with yellow mud—not explosives at all. The so-called explosives were a hoax from beginning to end. Wu Junxu was stunned, his face ashen.

Bai He stepped forward, her hand trembling uncontrollably as she held the gun. Although she hated Wu Junxu to the core, she was, after all, a weak woman, and couldn't bring herself to kill him. Wu Junxu reacted, looked at Bai He, and said, "Even a day as husband and wife is worth a hundred days of kindness. For the sake of our past relationship, please let me go, okay?" His words only fueled Bai He's rage. She closed her eyes and fired a shot haphazardly. The shot naturally missed; the recoil of the pistol made her hand tremble, the pistol fell to the ground, and she herself stumbled backward in shock.

Wu Junxu seized the opportunity and lunged at the pistol on the ground. This unexpected turn of events caught everyone off guard, and reactions varied: some drew their guns, some retreated, and some charged forward. Yang Jiefang rushed forward again. But someone was closer and faster than him, rushing forward first, stepping on the pistol with a long leg, then kicking Wu Junxu in the chin with his other leg, sending him sprawling backward. This person was Chu Gu, who had been by Bai He's side. She kicked the gun at her feet to Yang Jiefang and drew her own from her waist. She didn't fire immediately, but beckoned Bai He to come over.

Bai He was held in He Huan's arms, who gently comforted her. Seeing Chu Gu beckoning, she went over. Chu Gu pulled Bai He close, shoved the gun into her hand, and then covered her hands with her own. Seeing this, Wu Junxu immediately understood Chu Gu's intention. He shouted at Yang Jiefang, "I'm still useful! I can get you more guns, more bullets… Spare me!" Yang Jiefang smiled smugly, completely unmoved.

With the help of Chu Gu, Bai He fired three shots in succession, all hitting Wu Junxu in the chest, with one shot hitting the center of his mouth.