Chapter 4

When the prisoners of war (POWs) were gradually escorted from the vehicle to a temporary concentration area enclosed by barbed wire on the platform, Yang Zhen finally learned from the conversation between two Japanese officers what fate he and the others were about to face.

After these Chinese POWs were escorted from the parking area to the temporary concentration area enclosed by barbed wire, a Japanese lieutenant colonel stood outside the barbed wire under the protection of several guards, carefully examining each POW in front of him. Only after his gaze had almost swept through the entire group of POWs did he nod in satisfaction.

Seeing the satisfied expression on the lieutenant colonel's face, a captain ran out from the escorting Japanese troops and, led by a major, stood at attention and saluted the lieutenant colonel, reporting: "I am Lieutenant Colonel Kozaburo Ogasawara, a staff officer of the North China Area Army, reporting to you as ordered by the Chief of Staff, Lieutenant General Naosaburo Okabe. I have escorted the Chinese POWs here."

"This time, a total of six hundred Chinese POWs were escorted. Excluding those who attempted to escape and were shot dead, as well as those who died of illness on the way, the remaining five hundred and thirty were all successfully escorted here. Here is the roster, please inspect it, Lieutenant Colonel."

Saying this, Lieutenant Colonel Ogasawara presented a thick file to the lieutenant colonel. Perhaps he had been reminded by his superiors before departure, so he showed great respect to the lieutenant colonel in front of him, despite the fact that the lieutenant colonel, who wore the insignia of a military doctor, was only one rank higher than him.

Seeing the roster presented by Lieutenant Colonel Ogasawara, the lieutenant colonel, being a high-ranking officer, naturally would not personally inspect these Chinese POWs, whom he considered to be extremely despicable. Such trivial matters would naturally be handled by someone else. He waved his hand, and the major who accompanied Lieutenant Colonel Ogasawara took the roster, turned around, and began the inspection with several soldiers who had "Military Police" written on their arms.

After the major started counting the POWs according to the roster, the lieutenant colonel arrogantly returned a somewhat unstandard military salute and said, "I am Lieutenant Colonel Masaharu Ota, Chief of the General Affairs Section of the Kwantung Army Epidemic Prevention and Water Supply Department, receiving these POWs as ordered by Colonel Shiro Ishii, the commander of the department."

After saying this, the Japanese lieutenant colonel touched his neatly trimmed mustache and glanced at the POWs in the barbed wire enclosure before continuing, "General Okabe is quite considerate. Colonel Ishii asked for three hundred Chinese POWs, but he sent six hundred. Although some died on the way, the remaining number is still too many. The prison of the Epidemic Prevention and Water Supply Department was built to accommodate three hundred people, so it will be a bit of a hassle to accommodate the extra ones."

"Lieutenant Colonel, you know that the Chinese are generally very weak compared to the robust physique of our Yamato people. For safety, we couldn't provide them with sufficient supplies on the way. General Okabe was worried that too many would die on the way, which would affect the Kwantung Army's major plans, so he specially selected twice the number required by the Kwantung Army."

"However, if Lieutenant Colonel thinks there are too many, should we eliminate the extra two hundred? When the Kwantung Army needs them again, the North China Area Army can send them over. After all, we have plenty of these pig-like Chinese. If necessary, we can send a unit to sweep the countryside." As he said this, Lieutenant Colonel Ogasawara made a chopping motion with his hand.

This man was clearly an experienced killer of Chinese, and his chopping gesture was extremely proficient. The lives of these POWs, including Yang Zhen, were not even worth mentioning to him. In his eyes, the lives of Chinese were probably not even worth as much as a pig.

"There's no need for that, Lieutenant Colonel Ogasawara is overthinking it. Although the number of Chinese POWs is more than expected, our Epidemic Prevention and Water Supply Department can handle it. We can use the extra ones as well."

Lieutenant Colonel Masaharu Ota clearly did not want to argue too much with this young lieutenant colonel on this issue and changed the topic, saying, "Lieutenant Colonel Ogasawara, you have had a hard journey. When you return, please convey my and Colonel Ishii's gratitude to General Tani and Lieutenant General Okabe for their strong support of the Kwantung Army Epidemic Prevention and Water Supply Department. I also personally express my respect to Lieutenant General Okabe."

At this point, the arrogant Japanese major, who had been aloof since the meeting, casually said to Lieutenant Colonel Ogasawara, "How is General Okabe doing? Is he still working as hard as before? I haven't seen him for a few years, and he has already been promoted to general, truly a smooth career path. This guy should have come to Manchuria to see me, an old acquaintance, when he came to China."

After saying this, he looked at Lieutenant Colonel Ogasawara's expression and laughed, "Lieutenant Colonel Ogasawara, don't be suspicious. I am from Hiroshima, and General Okabe is my fellow townsman and a close friend for many years. He entered the Hiroshima Army Local Youth School at the age of thirteen, while I later entered the Imperial University to study medicine."

"Lieutenant Colonel, are you an old acquaintance of General Okabe? Before I left, General Okabe never mentioned to me that he had an old acquaintance in the Kwantung Army Epidemic Prevention and Water Supply Department. If I have been disrespectful, please forgive me, Lieutenant Colonel."

"General Okabe is strong and energetic, always a model for our Imperial Army officers. Although his work is busy, he always handles it well. His demeanor is a role model for me. General Okabe has received a transfer order and will soon become the commander of the First Division of the Kwantung Army. He may want to surprise you when he comes to see you."

As a trusted confidant of Lieutenant General Naosaburo Okabe, the current Chief of Staff of the North China Area Army, Lieutenant Colonel Ogasawara, upon hearing that the seemingly arrogant and more arrogant than the regular divisional colonels in the field army was actually an old acquaintance of Lieutenant General Okabe, and that their relationship was not just casual, his initial dissatisfaction immediately vanished. His face not only showed no displeasure but became even more respectful.

Seeing Lieutenant Colonel Ogasawara's body, which had become three parts shorter after hearing his words, Lieutenant Colonel Masaharu Ota patted his shoulder with some self-satisfaction and said, "Lieutenant Colonel Ogasawara, you have had a hard journey. General Ishii has already arranged a place for you to stay. After the inspection is complete, you and all the officers can rest. As for your troops, someone will take care of them."

"Is this your first time in Manchuria, Lieutenant Colonel Ogasawara? Since you are here, you should stay for a few days. The scenery in Manchuria is something you can't see in Japan. Especially the charm of Russian women, which is incomparable to anything in Japan. If you don't like Russian women, there are also petite Korean women and various Chinese women. As for General Okabe, I will speak to him on your behalf."

At this point, he took off the white gloves he had just used to pat Lieutenant Colonel Ogasawara's shoulder and threw them to the guard behind him, and said casually, "I am a soldier, but also a doctor. I am used to wearing medical gloves, and the standard Army gloves always feel a bit uncomfortable. I hope Lieutenant Colonel Ogasawara doesn't think too much of it."

Seeing the lieutenant colonel, who, despite his neatly pressed uniform and meticulously groomed appearance, did not wear the standard military sword, and who seemed to lack the heroic demeanor that Lieutenant Colonel Ogasawara expected of a soldier, Yang Zhen felt that the smile on his face hid a wolf-like ferocity. Although he knew that the lieutenant colonel's explanation was not genuine, he did not dare to ask any more questions.

The conversation between Lieutenant Colonel Masaharu Ota and Lieutenant Colonel Ogasawara was naturally not in Chinese. From the interrogation records that came with the roster, it was clear that none of the Chinese understood Japanese well, so the two did not have much to worry about and stood outside the barbed wire enclosure where the POWs were held. The small railway station, although heavily guarded with Japanese soldiers and no ordinary passengers, was far from the bustling atmosphere of a regular station, and was very quiet. However, the noise from the military dogs, which had been fed on the flesh and blood of Chinese people and were excited by the sight of the Chinese POWs, was quite significant. This unusual noise did not make their conversation any louder, but it was certainly not quiet either.

Neither Lieutenant Colonel Masaharu Ota nor Lieutenant Colonel Ogasawara had expected that among the Chinese POWs in front of them, who they believed were mostly illiterate and could not understand Japanese, there was someone who could understand their conversation. This person was none other than Yang Zhen, who had already lived two lives.

If Yang Zhen did not understand Japanese, it would have been fine, but unfortunately, in his later life, he had studied Japanese at his own expense while attending military school. Although he was not fluent, he was quite proficient. The location of their conversation was right in front of him, so he heard their conversation clearly.

Mentioning the name of the Kwantung Army Epidemic Prevention and Water Supply Department, not only the Chinese of this era but also the Chinese of the future were largely unaware of the nature of this unit. However, if you mention its other name, "Unit 731," almost everyone in China knows it. The name is infamous in China, and the Chinese of the future hate it with a vengeance.

Unit 731 of the Kwantung Army, established in 1932 by the Japanese bacteriological warfare fanatic Shiro Ishii, specialized in using Chinese people for human experiments to develop various biological weapons. Initially known as the Kamo Unit or the Togo Unit, it was renamed the Kwantung Army Unit 731 in 1941. The so-called Kwantung Army Epidemic Prevention and Water Supply Department was just a cover name.

Hearing the name of the Kwantung Army Epidemic Prevention and Water Supply Department from the Japanese lieutenant colonel, Yang Zhen, who knew the history of this unit well and understood what the so-called epidemic prevention and water supply department actually did, immediately realized the true intention of the Japanese in transporting these POWs to Northeast China. It was not to use them as special workers in mines or to build secret warehouses, but to use them for human experiments to develop biological weapons.