Chapter 16

**Request for recommendation votes, thank you.**

----------------------------------------

"This Tiger Mouth Mountain has a perilous terrain, with the mountain range resembling a tiger's mouth, spanning north to south with crisscrossing paths. There is only one passage to the main peak, making it the ideal hideout for bandits throughout the ages..." As Captain Ma walked, he introduced the situation of Tiger Mouth Mountain to the soldiers and doctors accompanying him. Fatty also listened intently, but the information he heard was the same as what he had seen in the Japanese battalion headquarters.

"Tiger Mouth Mountain is home to about three hundred bandits. The leader, Sai Laohu, is skilled with a large saber and is said to be incredibly strong, having practiced the Golden Bell Shield since childhood, making him invulnerable to blades and bullets. The second-in-command is Sai Laohu's sister, Sai Diaochan, who is said to be well-versed in military strategy and skilled with dual pistols. The third-in-command, Yang Yun, is known as the Cloud-Piercing Leopard and is said to have the ability to shoot an arrow through a target from a hundred paces. The fourth-in-command..."

Captain Ma was planning to establish a base here, and before coming, he had thoroughly investigated the enemy and friendly forces, as well as the various armed factions within the base area, making all necessary preparations.

"Who's there!" The sentry, Little Li, quickly drew his gun, expertly disengaged the safety, and pointed it at the night ahead, interrupting Captain Ma's speech. The soldiers also drew their guns.

"It's me, Little Li." A voice came from the darkness. In the moonlight, a figure emerged, and as it approached, it was revealed to be a soldier from the Eighth Route Army who had been sent ahead to scout.

"It's you, Second Dog. You scared me. What's the situation ahead?" Little Li put away his gun and smiled at Second Dog.

"There's an inn ahead. I came back to report. Old Tang is still watching ahead." Second Dog walked over to Captain Ma, saluted, and reported.

"An inn?" Captain Ma frowned. This was not mentioned in the intelligence. It was unusual to have an inn at the foot of Tiger Mouth Mountain. If it were a regular family, how could they not fear the bandits on the mountain?

However, thinking about the team's situation, they had been camping in the mountains for several days to find a way through the Japanese minefield. The male soldiers could manage, but the only female doctor, Wang Yi, had suffered, not having bathed for days. In such hot weather, it was unimaginable how uncomfortable she must have been.

"Little Li, take a soldier and check it out. If there's any danger, signal immediately." They still had a day's journey to reach the base. Considering Wang Yi's condition and the need for Fatty to rest his leg, Captain Ma decided to take a risk. Besides, the bandits in Tiger Mouth Mountain had a good reputation among the local villagers, having engaged in Robin Hood-like activities before the war and later fighting the Japanese, earning the support of the people. Captain Ma didn't believe the bandits would dare to harm the Eighth Route Army.

Little Li immediately called Second Dog, and they walked ahead together. Captain Ma led the team to follow at a distance, waiting to meet up with Old Tang. Sure enough, they saw a simple inn nestled by the mountain and water. Due to the darkness, they couldn't see the inn's name clearly, but the open door revealed a light, as if welcoming them.

Little Li and his two companions cautiously approached the inn. The innkeeper was a kind and honest old man, the kind you could find anywhere. The waiter, however, was a girl with a large birthmark on her face, which startled Little Li when he first saw her.

The three men thoroughly searched the two-story inn but found nothing unusual. After signaling that it was safe, Captain Ma led the team inside.

An old man and a disfigured girl running an inn in such a place was certainly unusual, but the soldiers could stay awake and on guard, while the doctors needed rest. Captain Ma had to ensure the safety of these precious doctors, so he assigned three soldiers to protect them at all times.

"Old man, don't be afraid. We are the Eighth Route Army, fighting the Japanese for the people. What's your name, sir?" Captain Ma smiled and asked the innkeeper, who was cowering behind the counter. Seeing the innkeeper's demeanor, he felt somewhat reassured.

"Sir, I am Jia. If you have any requests, I will have my daughter prepare them for you." The old man, Jia, looked panicked and his hands were trembling.

"Old man, don't be afraid. We need to rest here for the night and will leave at dawn tomorrow. Here's the money." Captain Ma took out two silver dollars and placed them on the counter. Jia quickly took them and called his daughter to show them to their rooms.

Captain Ma's intention was clear: they would not eat the inn's food to minimize risk, wash up, and leave the next morning. Even if the inn had issues, it was just an old man and a young girl, and they couldn't possibly pose a threat to over a dozen armed Eighth Route Army soldiers.

These soldiers were the elite of the Third Regiment, each capable of handling four or five ordinary men. Moreover, the team had Fatty, who was exceptionally skilled and could take down anyone who tried to harm them.

The birthmarked girl led the soldiers to their rooms. Captain Ma instructed Little Li to set up night shifts, with two soldiers guarding the hallway in turns, to ensure their safety.

As Fatty climbed the stairs, he felt a pair of eyes filled with murderous intent watching him, as if ready to devour him. When he turned around, his gaze swept over Jia and the birthmarked girl, and the intense killing intent vanished. This feeling of being watched by a predator, yet unable to pinpoint the source, made him very uncomfortable.

He wanted to warn Captain Ma, but Captain Ma had already taken all necessary precautions. Fatty couldn't directly tell Captain Ma that he had a special sense of danger from his many brushes with death, which was hard to explain.

The soldiers who were not on duty bathed and slept, having not had a good rest for days. Many of them, including the four doctors, fell asleep as soon as they hit the bed. Wang Yi was given a private room. After bathing, the fatigue and tension of the past few days melted away, and she soon fell into a deep sleep.

"You've been in two battles today. Rest and regain your strength. I'll keep watch." Captain Ma and Fatty shared a room. Seeing Fatty fully armed and lying on the bed after bathing, Captain Ma understood his concern.

"Fat Master never entrusts his life to others!" Fatty loaded his sniper rifle and twenty-round magazine, keeping them by his pillow, not fearing any accidental discharge.

"What kind of twisted logic is that?" Captain Ma was taken aback. Fatty's words, though devoid of malice, revealed a unique perspective. Did this guy not trust his comrades?

Fatty didn't bother to explain, closed his eyes to rest, and focused his hearing. His ears were always sharp, but hearing was not the same as smell. When his dull sense of smell detected a strange fragrance, he suddenly felt a sense of danger. He tried to grab his gun but found his limbs heavy as lead, his consciousness fading. The last thing he heard before losing consciousness was a voice.

"This fat man is the interpreter for the Japanese battalion in the county. Today, I will avenge the villagers harmed by the Japanese!"

---

**Previous Page AD Starts**

**Previous Page AD Ends**