Courtyard Houses: Longevity Since the War of Resistance

The temporary command post of Tai City was located in the Governor's Mansion. When I walked in, the brigade commander was facing away from the door, staring at the map of Shanxi on the wall that had been covered with red and blue pencil marks by the staff officers.

Hearing footsteps, he turned around, his face showing obvious fatigue and his eyes bloodshot.

"You're here?" He gestured to the stool opposite him. "Sit down."

There was still half a mug of cold tea in the enamel mug on the table. The brigade commander picked it up, took a sip, wiped his mouth, and said, "Li Feng, in principle, after the battle of Taishi, you should rest, and Zhengui should also rest. But there is an urgent matter now that can't wait."

"There's been a problem in Shanghai. Three people have gone missing from our intelligence network, one of whom is Old Zhao, the third-ranking officer in the intelligence department."

I've heard of Lao Zhao before; he's an important figure in the headquarters' intelligence network, responsible for building and maintaining liaison for the intelligence network behind enemy lines in East and Central China for many years.

"The last news that came back," the brigade commander continued, "was that he went to the French Concession three days ago, to be precise, four days ago, and then there was no further news. He was nowhere to be found, neither alive nor dead."

The room was quiet, but you could hear the shouts of soldiers carrying things outside.

"Headquarters is very anxious. Old Zhao has the structure, personnel list, and emergency contact information of the entire intelligence network behind enemy lines in East and Central China. If something happens to him, or if the things he is carrying fall into the hands of the Japanese, our intelligence system in East and Central China may suffer a devastating blow."

He paused, then continued, "Headquarters needs people in Shanghai who are combat-ready and can be used for armed rescue if necessary. I recommended you and Zhen Gui."

I didn't speak immediately.

I know a bit about the situation in Shanghai; it's a true den of dragons and tigers.

The Japanese, Wang Jingwei's secret agents, forces from foreign concessions, the Green Gang and the Red Gang, and all sorts of intelligence brokers were mixed together, making the situation much deeper and more murky than the battlefield in Taishi.

"I'll go." I looked up.

The brigade commander seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. "I knew this mission was dangerous. Shanghai is not like a battlefield. On the battlefield, friend and foe are clearly distinguished, and you know where the bullets are coming from. There, you can't trust anyone; anyone could stab you in the back."

"I understand, and I also want to go myself this time, Brigade Commander."

The brigade commander was clearly taken aback, staring at me for a moment. "Why?"

"Shanghai is a complex city with a large population, making it easy to be spotted. It's easy for me to blend in alone, disguised as a businessman, refugee, or even a thug. But if I were leading a team, I'd have to worry about them, and..."

I looked at the brigade commander and said, "The Demon Suppression Army is now a fully-fledged force. They can select more soldiers, train more soldiers, and expand the Demon Suppression Army."

"Moreover, although we've captured Shanxi, the Japanese aren't finished yet. The Taihang Mountains, central Hebei, and Shandong all need to be pacified. Entrusting them to you, along with the main force, will allow you to fight tougher battles and save more lives."

The brigade commander remained silent for a long time, his fingers tapping lightly on the table. Finally, he sighed, "You kid... fine. I'll take over the Ghost Suppression. Don't worry, they're all good seedlings; I won't let them go astray."

He took a thin brown paper bag from the drawer and pushed it in front of me: "This is Old Zhao's limited information, and information on a few possible contact points. Read it and memorize it, then burn the paper."

He took the paper bag, opened it on the spot, read the contents, and then burned it.

"And this too." The brigade commander handed over a small, heavy cloth bag. "There's some money inside, mainly F-currency and some hard currency. There are also a few blank identification documents; fill in your identity information as needed. There are many places to spend money in Shanghai, so be sure to take care of the necessary arrangements and don't skimp."

"Thank you, Brigade Commander."

"Thanks my ass." The brigade commander stood up, walked to the window, and looked at the soldiers lining up in the courtyard outside. "Tomorrow morning, I'll take you to the edge of the base. The rest is up to you to figure out how to get to Shanghai. You decide the route yourself, whatever is safest you can do."

"clear."

The brigade commander turned around and patted my shoulder hard: "You're back alive. You did the most important job in the battle of Taishi. We haven't even had our victory celebration yet. I'm waiting for you to come back so we can have a good drink together."

"must."

It was already dark when I left the command post. I didn't go back to my base; instead, I went to the temporary cemetery in the west of the city.

The new grave stood quietly in the twilight, its wooden tombstone swaying in the wind.

Tomb of Martyr Wang Tiezhu

"Battalion Commander of the Second Battalion of the War God Regiment"

He died in street fighting in Taiyuan in the winter of 1942.

There were two figures in front of the grave. One was sitting, his left leg heavily bandaged, leaning on a cane. The other was standing, his arm in a sling. Hearing footsteps, they both turned around at the same time. It was Zhao Dahai and Li Qian.

"Commander." Zhao Dahai's voice was hoarse as he tried to stand up, but I quickly stepped forward and pressed his shoulder down.

"Don't move." I looked at his bandaged left leg, then at Li Qian's sling-up arm. "How's the injury?"

"He won't die." Zhao Dahai grinned, his smile more like a grimace. "He fell from the third floor and broke his leg. Qianzi's arm was pierced by a bullet, but he'll be able to shoot again after two months of recovery."

I nodded, my gaze falling on the grave in front of me. Wang Tiezhu had a loud voice and a straightforward personality, but when it came to fighting, he was incredibly meticulous.

"Where did the pillar go?" I asked in a low voice.

Zhao Dahai was silent for a moment, his eyes fixed on the tombstone: "On the day of the attack on Tai City, when we were storming a building, Zhu Zi led his men to breach the side with explosives and rush in..."

"The clearing was quick, but one Japanese soldier was still breathing and detonated a grenade. The pillar was the closest to him, only two or three steps away. If he had lunged backward, he could have dodged in time, but there were four or five of our men behind him in that narrow passage."

"That damn grenade was already smoking. In the blink of an eye, Zhuzi didn't hesitate at all and lunged forward, landing on top of the Japanese soldier. Then there was a muffled thud..."

Li Qian's eyes were red. "When we rushed over, Zhu Zi was still breathing, with blood foam coming out of his mouth. When he saw us surrounding him, his lips moved and he said to tell the regimental commander that the Second Battalion had not disgraced the War God Regiment. After he finished speaking, he breathed his last."

The wind howled over the grave, it was the pillar calling out, the regimental commander gave me a cigarette.

I crouched down, took out the half-pack of cigarettes from my pocket, and pulled out three. I placed one in front of Wang Tiezhu's grave, and handed the other two to Zhao Dahai and Li Qian.

Zhao Dahai took the cigarette, his hand trembling slightly, and Li Qian lit it on Zhao Dahai's match.

"Zhu Zi," I said softly, looking at the tombstone, "we agreed to go to your house for your wife's knife-cut noodles after the war, but you broke your promise."

Zhao Dahai took a deep drag on his cigarette, coughing and tears welling in his eyes: "His wife doesn't know yet, there's a three-year-old child at home."

"After the war is over," I said, "I'll tell his wife that I ate the knife-cut noodles for Zhuzi, and that we'll adopt him as our godson."

The three of them stood in front of the grave for a long time, until the smoke had completely burned out. Finally, I patted Zhao Dahai and Li Qian on the shoulder: "Take good care of your injuries, don't go looking for Zhu Zi, let him suffer in the afterlife."

It was completely dark when we left the cemetery.

Back at the town's camp, a fire had already been lit. The team members sat around talking. Zheng Dapao was boasting that he had discovered another cellar where the Japanese had hidden ammunition that day. Lei Dachui chuckled憨憨地, Bai Su was counting medicines, and Ye Qiao was writing and drawing in her notebook by the firelight.

As I stepped into the courtyard, everyone stopped what they were doing and all eyes turned to me.

"Captain," Ye Qiao stood up, still holding her small notebook, "the brigade commander summoned you for a new mission, right?"

I walked to the fire, sat down next to Zheng Dapao, and warmed my hands with the fire.

"Mmm," I replied without looking up.

"Where are we going to fight?" Zheng Dapao immediately leaned over and nudged me with his elbow. "With the help of Zhengui, we'll take it down in three days!"

I rubbed my hands together and looked at the flames: "I'll go alone this time."

The courtyard fell silent instantly. Even the crackling of the firewood seemed exceptionally clear.

"Alone?" Lu Yuan's voice came from the other side. He stopped cleaning his gun, still clutching the oilcloth in his hand.

"What kind of mission is it that even we can't join?"

I looked up and glanced around. Ye Qiao pursed her lips, Bai Su's eyes were filled with worry, and Lei Dachui stood there dumbfounded with his mouth agape.

"The details of the mission are confidential; that's the rule. I can only tell you that after I leave, Zhen Gui will be placed under the direct command of the brigade headquarters, and all future operations will be under the command of the brigade commander."

"Captain!" Zheng Dapao exclaimed anxiously, his voice rising, "What kind of talk is this? When have we in Zhengui ever separated? What mission do we have to keep secret even from our own brothers?"

"Cannon." I watched him stiffen his neck, wanting to say something, but Lei Dachui next to him tugged at his sleeve, so he sat back down with a thud, kicking the pebbles on the ground far away.

"It's not that I'm hiding it from you, it's just that the nature of the mission is special, and having too many people would be inconvenient. Think about it, when we did those jobs behind enemy lines before, weren't the more capable the better?"

Ye Qiao asked softly, "Is it dangerous?"

I chuckled. "What we do isn't dangerous?"

These words made the others grin, and the atmosphere eased a little.

"But this time it's just you," Bai Su muttered softly, unconsciously rolling up a piece of bandage in her hand.

"My target is small and easy to hide, but you are different. Taiyuan has been captured, but the war is far from over. How many tough battles await in the Taihang Mountains, central Hebei, and Shandong Province? You twelve are a complete and sharp knife, and you must be used where you are most needed. Follow the main force, tear open gaps, fight tough battles, and save more people. That is what Zhen Gui should be doing, which is much more important than following me to do this job that can only be done by one person."

Lu Yuan nodded. He was a man of few words, but he understood.

Leng Xing crossed her arms and suddenly asked, "When will you be back?"

"Come back when the mission is complete." I looked at them. "I can't say exactly when, but I'll definitely be back. Until then, you guys need to keep the reputation of our Ghost Town up, don't let people laugh at us while I'm gone. I also have a task for you: pick some good people and expand our Ghost Town."

Lei Dachui patted his chest, his voice booming, "Captain, don't worry, we'll definitely finish it."

"Haha, you and Da Pao can assist with this mission. With your brains, by the time I get back, the Ghost Suppression team will have turned into a bunch of brutes."

The team members all burst into laughter.

Zheng Dapao, still head down, looked up, his eyes a little red: "Captain, you promise to come back? You still owe us a victory celebration drink."

My heart warmed, and I reached out and punched him on the shoulder: "You owe me. When I get back, we'll drink our fill. Whoever passes out first is a coward."

Zheng Dapao grinned, then turned away awkwardly and slapped his face hard.

In the latter half of the night, everyone gradually lay down to sleep. I leaned against the earthen wall, closing my eyes to rest. In my drowsy state, I felt someone quietly sit down next to me.

It's Ye Qiao.

She sat down next to me, but didn't speak immediately. She just hugged her knees and remained silent. After a while, she finally spoke, her voice low, as if afraid of waking someone.

"I...can't sleep."

"Mm," I replied.

She fell silent again, her fingers unconsciously picking at the clods of dirt on the ground.

"Captain, is this trip particularly dangerous for you?" she suddenly asked, not looking at me, her eyes fixed on the nearly burnt-out firewood.

"It's alright," I said.

"You always say it's okay," she said, her voice tinged with complaint but mostly with worry. "But every time you're risking your life!"

I was speechless. This girl doesn't talk much, but she's very thoughtful.

"Captain," she finally turned to look at me, "I know the mission is confidential, I won't ask. I just want to tell you to be careful. More careful than ever before."

She looked up at me, her eyes so bright they made my heart race.

"You're all alone, you don't know where you're going, how long you'll be gone, and you don't even have anyone to look after you. Captain, you're straightforward, you can't stand injustice, and you can't stand seeing people being bullied, but there are some places and some things that can't be solved by brute force alone. You need to be more discreet, observe more, listen more, and speak less."

She spoke so seriously, and her earnestness amused me.

I grinned: "Well done, Ye Qiao, your tone is exactly like my mother's when she saw me off on my long journey. Don't worry, your captain has more experience than you have, I know what I'm doing."

She didn't laugh; instead, she pursed her lips and retorted softly, "That's because you have a heavy palate."

I took a deep breath. "You also need to take good care of them and complete the tasks I've assigned you."

She gave a soft "hmm" and got up to return to her bunk.

As dawn approached, I got up to pack my things, moving very quietly, but the team members still woke up one by one and silently gathered around me.

Zheng Dapao shoved two of his hidden grenades into my bag and said in a gruff voice, "Captain, keep these for self-defense."

Lei Dachui placed his best pair of thick-soled cloth shoes next to my feet, and Bai Su secretly filled my kettle with freshly boiled and cooled water.

I didn't say anything, I just packed everything away one by one and tightened my pack.

As dawn broke, I shouldered my pack and stood in the center of the courtyard. Twelve people stood in a row, ramrod straight. All their eyes were on me.

I raised my right hand and saluted. All twelve hands rose in unison to return the salute. The movements were crisp and clean, carrying the unique energy of a ghost-suppressing spirit.

He put his hand down, turned, and walked towards the courtyard gate. As he reached the gate, he heard Zheng Dapao call out behind him, "Captain!"

I stopped in my tracks, without turning around.

"Come back soon!" His voice was a little hoarse.

I didn't answer, but just raised my hand, waved it in the air, and then stepped out of the yard.

People are already out and about on the streets.

Several villagers were clearing away broken bricks and tiles. When they saw me walking by alone with my bundle on my back, they stopped what they were doing and watched me quietly. An old man nodded slightly at me.

At the city gate, the brigade commander's car was waiting in the morning mist. He didn't say much, but just squeezed my arm tightly and handed me a warm oil paper package: "Something to eat on the road."

I got into the car, started the engine, and the car slowly drove out of the city gate. Looking at the red flag on the city wall in the rearview mirror, it was dazzlingly red in the increasingly bright morning light.

A new day begins, and the road ahead is long.

But I feel at ease, knowing that no matter where I go, there will always be a group of people waiting for me.

Come back home.