The War of Resistance Against Japan: Starting with a Calm View of Life and Death

Several Japanese soldiers immediately raised their rifles, pulled the bolts, and aimed the dark muzzles at the crowd.

Upon witnessing this scene, the crowd erupted in terrified screams.

"Lieutenant!" The sergeant, a lean, veteran in his forties who had been standing silently behind Okada, couldn't help but step forward and urgently advised in a low voice, "Please be careful! Massacring civilians could provoke retaliation from the Eighth Route Army, or get back to us from above..."

"Baka!" Okada turned around abruptly, the blade almost touching the sergeant's nose, spitting in his face, and shouted, "Are you questioning my orders?"

Sergeant Matsumoto! My soldiers died under mysterious circumstances! These lowly people were accomplices! They must pay with their blood! Execute the order!

If no one confesses, kill them! Leave no one alive!

Sergeant Matsumoto, seeing the near-madness in Okada's eyes, knew that if he continued to try to persuade him, he would be in trouble too. He could only grit his teeth, lower his head, and reply, "Hai!"

He turned around and waved helplessly at the soldiers holding guns.

At this point, a tragedy was about to unfold!

Just at this critical moment, a panicked figure rushed from the direction of the town entrance—it was Su Zhan!

"Sir! Sir! Something terrible has happened! Sir Okada! This is horrible!"

Su Zhan stumbled and fell at Okada's feet in a disheveled state.

"I...I saw it! I saw the Eighth Route Army...the Communist guerrillas! They seem to have captured a few Imperial warriors!"

Okada's sword froze in mid-air. He abruptly lowered his head, staring intently at Su Zhan, and demanded, "What?! Where are you? Tell me!"

Su Zhan seemed terrified. Pointing towards the back mountain, he shouted incoherently, "It's over there on the back mountain! I just ran back from there! Lots of people! They have guns!"

There was also someone being carried, wearing a gray military uniform with several pockets, who looked like... who looked like the Minister Li we were looking for!

They ran...to the northeast of town! I was spotted as soon as I peeked out, and they fired two shots! They almost killed me!

As he spoke, he exaggeratedly patted the dust off his body.

Okada was instantly filled with a mixture of surprise and delight!

To everyone's horror, the missing soldier had indeed met a terrible end.

The good news is that our goal for this trip has finally appeared!

Minister Li from the Eighth Route Army's arsenal! Sure enough, he's here; he didn't go far!

Even though he was confident in his family's powerful background and the support of ruthless people, his team still suffered such heavy losses.

Without a valid reason or meritorious service, the appropriate punishment will absolutely not be escaped!

"Minister Li? Are you sure?"

"It's confirmed! Absolutely true! Sir! They ran so fast, their footprints are still in the snow! You must hurry and chase after them! If you're any later, they'll really get away!" Su Zhan pointed in the direction of the mountains and swore an oath.

Okada's last remaining doubts were also suppressed due to the urgency of the situation.

He shoved Su Zhan aside, who was blocking his way, glanced at all the Japanese soldiers in front of him, and after thinking for a moment, ordered sternly: "Matsumoto! You stay here! Take the messenger, the medic, a grenade launcher team, and the second platoon, and keep an eye on these lowly civilians! Don't let a single one escape!"

Everyone else, First Squad, Third Squad, and the remaining two grenade launcher teams, follow me! Pursue the enemy!

Capture Minister Li and wipe out the guerrillas! Avenge the fallen heroes!

"Lieutenant Okada! The northeast of the town is a mountainous area with complex terrain. Be careful of ambushes!" Sergeant Matsumoto couldn't help but warn Okada again, seeing that he dared to chase into the mountains with only this many men.

"Moreover, they still have hostages. I suspect they're still alive because they've likely surrendered. That means everything about our team is no secret to the enemy!"

"Shut up! Matsumoto! You're becoming more and more like a coward! Don't slander the warriors of the Empire! The warriors of the Empire will never be taken prisoner! Susan must have seen wrong!"

Okada interrupted him fiercely, spitting as he said, "Besides, how fast can a guerrilla force with wounded soldiers run?"

They were able to catch us off guard only because they were in the dark while we were in the light. Now the situation has reversed; they are in the light while we are in the dark, and they certainly don't expect us to counterattack so immediately!

Now is the perfect time to wipe them out!

On the Battle of Shanghai, a hundred or so brave warriors from the Japanese Empire could outrun an entire Chinese division.

Now, I am leading twenty brave warriors, and we can at least catch up with a regiment of the Eighth Route Army!

My only worry now is that I'm not running fast enough and the Eighth Route Army gets away from me!

"Su Sang, lead the way! Quickly! The reward is huge if we capture Minister Li!"

Ignoring Matsumoto's worried expression, he waved his hand and declared with high spirits, "Imperial warriors, let's go! Full speed ahead!"

Seeing that the Japanese soldiers had fallen for the trap, Su Zhan immediately scrambled to his feet, bowing and scraping as he ran to the front of the line: "Hello! This way, sir! The footprints are just ahead!"

And so, Okada led the remaining Japanese infantrymen from two detachments (including two complete grenade launcher teams totaling eight men), along with Su Zhan, a total of twenty men, and charged out of the town with murderous intent. Following the direction Su Zhan pointed out, they plunged headlong into the vast snow-covered forest behind the mountain.

Sure enough, there was a line of slightly messy footprints on the snow, leading straight into the deep mountains.

Sergeant Matsumoto watched the group disappear into the forest, let out a heavy sigh, and his face was filled with an ominous premonition.

But he had no choice but to carry out orders, directing the remaining dozen or so Japanese soldiers and a grenade launcher squad to continue guarding the terrified civilians.

……

The mountain road was rugged and difficult to travel.

Okada led his team, trudging through the snow and desperately following the footprints.

His rage for revenge and his greed for credit in capturing "Minister Li" completely robbed him of his former caution.

Two squads of soldiers, carrying grenade launchers and ammunition boxes, followed the infantry, panting heavily, which slowed their pace considerably.

But Okada didn't care; he just wanted to catch up with the "guerrillas" as soon as possible.

Su Zhan led the way, glancing back every now and then with a glint in his eyes.

In order to survive, he made full use of his intelligence.

He intentionally or unintentionally led the troops, using the excuse that he knew the shorter route and deliberately choosing the more strenuous forest paths to exhaust the Japanese soldiers.

Finally, panting, they climbed over a ridge, and a valley suddenly appeared before them.

On both sides are rugged hillsides covered with thick snow.

A narrow, winding valley runs through the middle.

The entrance to the valley is narrow, allowing only four or five people to walk side by side. After going in for several dozen meters, it opens up slightly, but at the end it becomes an even narrower "gourd mouth".

The biting mountain wind swept through the valley, making a strange howling sound.

Although Okada was blinded by rage, he still retained his basic military skills.

He stood at the mouth of the valley, looking at the treacherous terrain, and felt a chill run down his spine.

"Stop advancing!" he shouted, raising his hand to halt the procession.

The Japanese soldiers immediately stopped, raised their guns, and cautiously surveyed the steep cliffs around them.

The grenade launcher team quickly put down their equipment, preparing to take a break as soon as possible.

"Damn it! This place..." Okada cursed under his breath, instinctively feeling uneasy.

He whirled around, wanting to get to Su Zhan, who had led the way, and ask him something: "Su Sang! Where are the footprints? Are you sure they went in here? Huh? Where are they? Su Sang?"

However, there was nothing behind him.

Su Zhan, who was bowing and scraping beside me just moments ago, has vanished without a trace, like a ghost!

A surge of shame and indignation at being fooled welled up inside me instantly!

His pupils constricted, and he suddenly realized he had been tricked!

This is a trap! That bastard Su Zhan!

"Damn it! An ambush! Spread out! Find cover!"

But it was all too late!

The moment Okada shouted, more than a dozen heads suddenly appeared on the hillside at the mouth of Hulu Valley!

Immediately afterwards, more than a dozen arms were raised high, and in unison, they pulled off the pull rings and knocked them against a nearby stone.

About twenty hand grenades, tracing parabolic arcs in the dim light, crashed down on the stunned and bewildered Japanese soldiers at the bottom of the valley with a slight whooshing sound!

Although it's a sunny day, a thunderstorm suddenly started!

Zhou Jindong, leading a group of guerrillas, surprisingly did not choose to ambush in Hulu Valley.

Instead, they ambushed directly at the valley entrance!

"Baka! Yamadee!"

When Okada saw this scene, only one thought flashed through his mind.

"My only worry is that I'm not fast enough to dodge this sudden attack!"