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

Zhou Jindong stared intently at the mountain of spoils.

He grabbed Okada Yudai, who was tightly bound, and shouted to the excited guerrillas, "Listen up! I'm going to assign the next combat missions! First, Captain, you'll need to work hard."

"Yes! What do you need me to do?"

Wang Yuan immediately stepped forward.

"Take the best marksman in your team, bring your rifle, and immediately circle around to the east side of town! Set up a perimeter around the open space in front of the town hall!"

Find a good spot and hide! When you see my signal or hear a gunshot, aim and fire! Focus on those Japanese devils who dare to resist with their guns! Then, act according to the situation, you understand what I mean?

"Understood!" Wang Yuan nodded emphatically, patting his chest as he said, "Don't worry, Dongzi, if any of those Japanese devils dare to make a move, I'll be the first to shoot them!"

"Alright! Be quick! Make sure you stay hidden! Go, my captain!" Zhou Jindong waved his hand forcefully.

He found that he, as a reserve vice-captain, was quite adept at ordering around the captain.

So, does having an official position in name only seem to be irrelevant?

Wang Yuan had no idea what Zhou Jindong was thinking. He immediately called out the names of Er Niu and five others. The seven men quickly shouldered their Type 38 rifles, their arms full of grenades and bullets, and disappeared at the end of the path leading to the east of the town.

Having learned from their previous experience, the group moved with great caution, sneaking away silently along the walls and ditches.

"Izumi!"

"exist"

"Select another six or seven men to enter the town from the west and hide near the town hall. Wait for my signal!"

"OK!"

Without wasting any words, Wang Quan immediately selected seven familiar guerrilla fighters and quickly led them away.

Zhou Jindong glanced at the remaining men, his gaze settling on Su Zhan, San Niu, and two other young team members. "San Niu, Da Pan, Shunzi, you guys carry the light machine gun! Follow me! Take this high-ranking Japanese officer with you! We're going to meet the rest of the 'Japanese officers'! And Su Zhan, you go first!"

When Su Zhan heard that they had to go back to the town center, his calves cramped up a bit, but under Zhou Jindong's gaze, he could only grit his teeth and walk shakily at the front.

Zhou Jindong personally escorted Okada Yudai, whose hands were tied behind his back, while San Niu, Da Pan, and Shunzi struggled to carry the Type 96 light machine gun and followed behind.

They deliberately revealed themselves early, swaggering along the main road in the center of town towards the town hall.

Sergeant Matsumoto paced anxiously in the open space in front of the town hall.

The air was thick with growing tension.

The people who had been driven here huddled together, trembling. A dozen or so Japanese soldiers stood guard vigilantly with their guns, but there was also a hint of unease in their eyes—no news had come back from the pursuing force.

Suddenly, the sound of footsteps approached from afar.

Matsumoto looked up sharply and saw Su Zhan walking ahead with his neck hunched, followed by several men in tattered cotton-padded coats, with a person tightly bound in the middle!

Upon seeing this, Matsumoto's pupils immediately contracted!

He recognized the officer's overcoat, and even more so, he recognized Lieutenant Okada's particularly annoying face!

"Baka!" Matsumoto cried out in shock, as if he had seen a ghost.

The Japanese soldiers around him also became agitated, pulling back their bolts and instinctively pointing their guns at the approaching figure.

Zhou Jindong stopped about twenty steps away from Matsumoto and the others.

He ripped the rag out of Okada's mouth and pressed the muzzle of his captured Nambu Type 14 pistol hard against Okada's lower back, shouting loudly at Matsumoto, "Hey! You devils over there, listen up! Your Lieutenant Okada is in my hands!"

Lieutenant Okada asked me to pass on a message to you! Those twenty "Imperial Japanese Army" soldiers you chased after the guerrillas are all lying dead in Calabash Valley!

"If you know what's good for you, lay down your weapons and surrender right now! Otherwise, I'll send your lieutenant to meet Amaterasu right now!"

His words were like a bomb dropped into a horde of Japanese soldiers.

The Japanese soldiers were instantly in an uproar, staring in disbelief at the disheveled Lieutenant Okada.

Lieutenant Okada came and went in a hurry.

He had been shouting that the warriors of the Great Japanese Empire would never be taken prisoner, but half an hour later, he appeared before everyone looking like a prisoner.

This scene is utterly ironic!

The people who were being held captive also began to stir.

Upon hearing Zhou Jindong's words, Sergeant Matsumoto's shock was quickly replaced by rage.

He stared intently at Okada and roared, "Lieutenant Okada! Before we set off, you scolded us for being cowards! You scolded me for being timid and hesitant! You said something about 'being worried that I wasn't running fast enough'!"

And now? Why don't you just die! Why don't you serve His Majesty the Emperor!

You ran really fast! In less than half an hour, you were captured by the enemy!

"To be captured by Chinese guerrillas as an Imperial Army officer is an absolute disgrace to the Imperial Japanese Army!"

He abruptly turned to his soldiers, roaring hysterically, "Soldiers! Forget Lieutenant Okada! He's been captured by the enemy and is no longer a soldier of the Great Japanese Empire! Fire! Kill these Chinese pigs! Avenge the fallen heroes! Anyone who hesitates will be court-martialed!"

His fierce gaze swept over Zhou Jindong and the others, a sinister smile spreading across his face. He said harshly, "Fools! You think you can threaten us by capturing Okada?"

You think our Imperial Japanese Army would lay down its arms for a captured coward? Dream on!

Look around you! We have nineteen Imperial Warriors! And you have only five!

Five people! You think you can make us surrender? That's ridiculous!

We outnumber them and have more guns!

I command you to lay down your weapons and surrender immediately!

Otherwise, I will order the slaughter of every single one of these lowly Chinese people here! Leave no one alive!

Matsumoto's words were like a bucket of ice water, instantly extinguishing the glimmer of hope that had just ignited in the eyes of the people.

Under Matsumoto's intimidation and orders, the Japanese soldiers on the scene regained their fierce look, their fingers were on the triggers, and the muzzles of their guns were slightly raised.

Zhou Jindong showed no surprise on his face; instead, his eyes grew even colder.

He didn't look at Matsumoto, but suddenly raised his leg and kicked Okada hard in the back of the knee!

Okada fell to his knees with a thud.

Almost as soon as he knelt down, Zhou Jindong raised his pistol, pressed the muzzle down, and pulled the trigger without hesitation, aiming at the exposed outside of Okada's left thigh!

"Snapped!"

A crisp gunshot rang out!

"what!"

Okada cooperated perfectly, letting out a bloodcurdling scream like a pig being slaughtered!

Warm blood gushed out instantly from the bullet hole on the outside of his thigh, staining his military trousers and the snow beneath him.

The excruciating pain instantly snapped him out of the shame of appearing in front of his colleagues!

He immediately understood his situation.

"Baka! Matsumoto! Are you trying to kill me?!" The pampered Okada was in so much pain that his whole body was convulsing, tears and snot streaming down his face. He no longer cared about his officer's dignity or the spirit of Bushido.

He roared at Matsumoto and the others, "Don't fire! Put your guns down! Put them down! That's an order! I'm your direct subordinate lieutenant!"

I command you! Lay down your weapons and surrender immediately! You bastards! Matsumoto! Do you want to rebel?! Think carefully about who you are, and who I am! "..."

His hysterical roar echoed throughout the empty stadium.

Judging from his attitude, it seems that Matsumoto was the one who was captured, while Okada was the one on the side of justice!

Of course, he wasn't a complete fool; he had his own plans.

When he set off to pursue them, he took Matsumoto's confidants with him, while the dozen or so Japanese soldiers left in the town were mostly his own confidants or people who usually obeyed his orders!

Matsumoto's statement that "we don't need to care whether Okada lives or dies" has pushed him to the brink!

He also completely revealed his true nature, caring nothing for the lives of others as long as he could live!

As expected, Okada's roar and threats had an effect.

Most of the Japanese soldiers hesitated, their gun barrels involuntarily lowering, their eyes scanning back and forth between Okada and the enraged Matsumoto with suspicion.

Only four or five soldiers, clearly die-hard Matsumoto loyalists, still held their guns, the muzzles fixed on Zhou Jindong and his men.

Seeing Okada's disgraceful behavior and his soldiers' wavering, Matsumoto's face turned ashen with rage, his eyes blazing with fury: "Cowards! Traitors to the Empire! What are you waiting for! Shoot! Kill them!"

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