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

Zhao Laosi shouted and led the soldiers of the second platoon down the earthen slope.

This was like pouring cold water into a hot oil pan, throwing the already panicked Japanese troops into complete chaos.

When Chida heard the shout, "The one riding the white horse is Chida," he was terrified.

Without thinking, he squeezed the horse's belly with both legs and lashed the horse's rump hard with the whip in his hand.

The white horse, in pain, let out a long neigh and galloped wildly towards the riverbank.

"Don't let him get away! That's Chida!" Wang Quan, holding a Type 96 machine gun, fired a burst at the white horse's rear.

The bullets struck the rocks behind the horse, sending sparks flying.

Zhou Jindong lay prone behind cover, his Type 98 sniper rifle already locked onto the white horse.

But he didn't fire, because he saw Chida swaying precariously on horseback. If he fired, both man and horse might fall into the river, and the body would be lost, allowing the old Japanese devil to escape.

Zhou Jindong wanted to see Qian Tian alive or dead; he wanted to destroy Qian Tian's spirit and vitality.

"First platoon! Cut off the head! Second platoon! Cover the tail! Don't let the Japanese gather together!" Zhou Jindong shouted, leaping up from the ground and firing two shots into the sky with his pistol.

The guerrilla fighters shouted and charged forward.

At this point, tactical maneuvers are no longer relevant; it's all about who can run the fastest and who is willing to fight to the death.

Chida rode his horse to the riverbank.

The river wasn't deep, but in winter the water was icy cold, and the bottom was full of silt and gravel.

The white horse lost its footing, its front legs buckled, and Chida cried out "Ouch!" as she fell off its head.

"Commander!" Yoshino Yuto shouted from behind, stumbling and crawling.

Chida fell flat on his face, his face covered in mud, and his conspicuous yellow wool coat was torn by thorns.

Just as he was about to get up, he heard the Eighth Route Army soldiers behind him getting closer and closer, and he could even hear the sound of gun bolts being pulled back.

Someone shouted, "The one in the officer's coat is Chida!"

"Baka! I can't wear this!" Chida's mind raced; he knew that this general's wool coat would make him an easy target.

He hurriedly took off his coat, revealing a white shirt underneath.

He stuffed his coat into the mud, grabbed a handful of mud and smeared it on his face, and under cover of darkness, blended into the fleeing crowd.

Zhou Jindong led his men to the riverbank.

It was just getting light, and visibility was poor.

The riverbank was littered with scattered Japanese soldiers, some barefoot, others with blood-stained bandages wrapped around their heads, wandering around like headless flies.

"Dongzi! There are too many people, I can't tell which one is Chida!" Wang Quan ran over with his gun, his arm wound still bleeding, and he stomped his feet anxiously.

Zhou Jindong squinted and scanned the area.

Most of the Japanese soldiers were running towards Shenchi, but a small group of about a dozen people were crouching down and crawling into the reeds next to them.

Although this group of people were also wearing tattered military uniforms, they ran with a steady pace. Moreover, the man in the middle, although not wearing an overcoat, had leather boots and a scabbard at his waist that gleamed in the morning light.

"The one with the general's sword is Chida! Stop that group!" Zhou Jindong shouted, pointing towards the reeds.

Zhao Laosi led his men to rush upwards.

Zhou Jindong grabbed him and shouted, "Don't rush! Shout something! Disrupt them!"

Zhao Laosi was stunned for a moment, then realized what was happening. He took a deep breath, gathered his inner strength, and shouted at the top of his lungs towards the reeds, "The one with the General's Assistant Sword is Chida!! Don't hide! We see you!"

Chida, who was running wildly through the reeds, stumbling and sinking, heard this shout and subconsciously looked down at the general's sword he was carrying.

He discovered that the Eighth Route Army soldiers had incredibly sharp eyesight; they could even spot him like that.

"Commander, they seem to have found your sword..." Yoshino Yuto gasped for breath, his hand trembling as he gripped a Nambu Type 14 pistol.

"Shut up! Throw it away! Throw it all away!" Chida gritted his teeth, throwing the command sword in his hand to Yoshino Yuto, and even trying to take off his conspicuous leather boots.

But there was no time to take off my shoes; the footsteps behind me were already approaching.

Chida gritted his teeth, wearing only a single layer of clothing, and walked barefoot on the ice shards and reed roots, feeling excruciating pain.

But he dared not stop, and led Yoshino and several guards, he ran desperately toward the direction of Shinike Castle.

As long as you enter the Divine Pool and rely on the city walls, you still have a chance to survive.

Zhou Jindong led his men out of the reed marshes, where they found an open area ahead, beyond which lay the outer perimeter of the Divine Pool.

The main force of the 358th Brigade was waiting ahead, and artillery fire had already begun to extend its reach. Shells exploded near the walls of Shenchi City, sending up plumes of black smoke.

Chida and his remaining troops had just charged up a small hill when they were pushed back by the firepower from the front.

The machine guns of the 358th Brigade blocked the way, and the bullets hit the earthen slope with a thud.

"Commander, we can't get through! The Eighth Route Army's main force is right in front of us!" Yoshino Yuto cried out in despair.

Chida lay prone behind the earthen embankment, looking at the dense network of fire ahead, then looked back at the guerrillas chasing after him.

With wolves in front and tigers behind, the old Japanese soldier's eyes turned red with rage.

"Run to the left! Go around the high ground! Head towards Yoshii!" Chida shouted.

In fact, Yoshii had already been recaptured, but he was now in a panic and just wanted to get away from the gunfire.

This group of Japanese soldiers turned and ran into the ravine on the left.

Zhou Jindong saw it clearly from behind. The old man was really desperate. He scrambled and stumbled, his signature "Rendan beard" trembling wildly in the wind.

This was Chida's beard, which he had kept for over ten years. It was neatly trimmed, resembling two strokes of a thick ink "eight," making it very conspicuous among the Japanese soldiers.

I couldn't see clearly because it was dark, but now that it's bright, this beard has become a target.

"Men, young and old! Keep it up! Don't let him escape into the mountains!" Zhou Jindong encouraged his soldiers as he ran. "The one with the distinctive Rendan beard is Chida! Capture him alive and you'll get five hundred silver dollars! Even if he's dead, he's worth two hundred!"

With a generous reward, brave men will surely emerge, and the soldiers ran even faster.

Chida felt a chill run down his spine as the shouts of battle grew closer behind him.

He covered his mouth with his hand as he ran, afraid that the wind would blow his tuft of beard and give him away.

As he ran, he realized something was wrong; the beard was too conspicuous.

He saw a puddle by the roadside with a thin layer of ice inside.

Chida ran over, not caring whether it was dirty or not, and scooped up the muddy water and smeared it on his face.

As a result, this stroke made his two mustaches stand up even more noticeably.

Zhao Laosi, who was behind, had sharp eyes and spotted the disheveled beard in the wind at a glance.

"It's Chida who left the Rendan beard! Don't let him get away!" Zhao Laosi shouted with all his might, his voice cracking.

That shout was like a death sentence for Chida.

Chida, who was running, was startled by the shout, slipped, and fell flat on his face.