Chapter 35

It's just a trick played by new recruits; how can it be called knowing a lot? I don't know if he is too smart or if the people of this era are too foolish.

Fatty felt he should carefully assess the combat capabilities of this group of bandits to avoid getting himself involved. He didn't expect any help from Dogbear and Monkey, but he didn't want them to hold him back either. When Sediaoqian prepared the food, trouble came.

Yang Yun, reeking of alcohol, led two bandits. His guns had been taken, and he had to regain his face; otherwise, he might as well quit being the third leader and go home to sell sweet potatoes.

Before Yang Yun even got close, he heard intermittent gunfire from the direction of the small building where Fatty lived. He was slightly startled. When he got closer, he found that Dogbear was the one using the machine gun. This guy was addicted to short bursts, firing two or three shots at a tree a hundred meters away. All the bullets hit the tree, turning the trunk into a sieve. Yang Yun's mouth twitched and his eyebrows raised. Could a machine gun be used like this?

The bandit camp had three Czech machine guns. Every time they had a firefight, they would spray wildly. Sometimes a whole clip wouldn't even kill one person. With the high rate of fire and the large ammunition consumption, Sai Laohu could only use the Czechs for show, placing them on the watchtowers to scare people.

Now, Dogbear's regular short bursts immediately caught Yang Yun's attention. Dogbear, showing off, saw Yang Yun staring at him and felt proud. Thinking of how cool Fatty looked when he was kneeling and holding the machine gun, he got up, retracted the tripod, and knelt down, aiming the machine gun at a row of young willows a few dozen meters away. Feeling cocky, he fired a long burst as Fatty had taught him.

"Rat-tat-tat..." The Czech machine gun spewed fire, startling Yang Yun. When the gunfire stopped, even Dogbear was surprised; he had shot down the entire row of young willows.

"Amazing!" Yang Yun wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. He had also played with a Czech once, when most of the brothers in the bandit camp were watching. He was full of confidence, and the name "Hundred Steps Through the Willow" could scare a few people. He wanted to set an example for the brothers, but the Czech was not as easy to handle as he thought, and he ended up embarrassing himself. Out of thirty shots, only three hit the target. Since then, the Czech had become his nightmare, and he never dared to touch it again, too ashamed to face anyone.

"Of course, the son-in-law taught the long burst, one sweep and it's accurate. Isn't the son-in-law awesome? Why don't you, the third leader, give it a try?" Dogbear knew the story of Yang Yun and the Czech. While showing off, he didn't forget to flatter Fatty, who he feared immensely. Dogbear was also sweating, knowing that if he had to do it again, he wouldn't achieve such results. It was all luck.

"Uh... awesome, awesome, but it's too wasteful of ammunition." Yang Yun really wanted to strangle Dogbear. Why did he have to bring up this sore spot? This guy didn't even give the third leader any face.

"You dare to show off with this level? Five hundred push-ups!" Fatty, seeing Yang Yun's face turn ashen, found it amusing and kicked Dogbear's butt, shouting.

Dogbear looked innocent, feeling wronged. He had performed a miracle and still got punished. There was no justice in the world.

"Hey, the third leader has honored us with his presence. I'm sorry for not welcoming you properly!" Fatty smiled and bowed, knowing clearly that Yang Yun had come for the Type 98 rifle in Monkey's hands.

"Hehe, I just came to take a look, and I'll leave after that." Yang Yun, startled by Dogbear's Czech trick, had already forgotten about asking for the Type 98. Anyone could see that Fatty was training Dogbear and Monkey with guns. They had the skills and confidence, so he didn't dare to show off. He was just upset that Sediaoqian had taken his gun without a word.

"Don't go. Monkey took your Type 98 and said he would give you a fully functional Type 38 within three days." Fatty smiled, knowing that gun enthusiasts would understand the difference between the two rifles.

Yang Yun's eyes narrowed. He had encountered the Japanese several times and killed over a dozen of them, but the Japanese always took their dead comrades and weapons back, leaving him no chance to get a Type 38. He had seen the accuracy of the Type 38, which could keep the brothers from showing their heads at a hundred meters. The old rifles and Hanyang-made guns in the bandit camp were too difficult to use, and his Type 98 was the only one that could compare to the Type 38.

"Of course, you can ask Monkey yourself." Fatty said, knowing the significant difference in military technology between China and Japan at the time. The Type 38 was highly accurate, while the Type 98 was barely comparable. He had Monkey use the Type 98 because it was the best rifle in the bandit camp, and there was also the issue of ammunition compatibility. The Czech, Type 98, and his sniper 98K all used 7.92mm ammunition. To ensure that one could provide ammunition if the other ran out, he had to consider the logistics of this three-man team.

"Hehe, is my gun good?" Yang Yun saw Monkey lying on the ground with the Type 98, a shell casing on the barrel, and a Mauser pistol on his hip, practicing shooting stability.

Monkey ignored Yang Yun. He didn't dare to speak. After more than two hours, his elbows were bleeding from lying on the ground. He finally understood that balancing a shell on the gun barrel was more painful than doing push-ups. It was a hellish torture. The first time, the shell fell after three minutes, the second time after five minutes, and the third time after ten minutes. After countless falls, he could only keep the shell on for twenty minutes before it fell again. Monkey now knew that Fatty was evil, always thinking of ways to torture him and Dogbear.

"Hey, you little brat, you're showing off, and you don't even acknowledge me!" Monkey's silence annoyed Yang Yun. This monkey was completely ignoring him, the third leader. Did he only fear the new son-in-law, the second leader, and not him, the third leader?

Monkey was frustrated. His breathing quickened, and the shell on the Type 98 wobbled and fell. He moaned, "Damn, Third Leader, you didn't come earlier or later, but just now. You came, and you even provoked me to speak. Look at my arms..."

It didn't matter anymore. He had to start over. Monkey rolled up his sleeves, revealing his arms, which were already bleeding.

"Is it that hard?" Yang Yun didn't believe it.

"Old man, try lying down. If you can keep the shell on for an hour, I'll call you grandpa from now on!" Monkey rolled his eyes. He had suffered, and he wanted to drag someone else down to share the pain. Brothers should share the same fate, right?

"Hey, give me the gun. It seems I have to make you respect me!" Yang Yun, knowing it was a provocation, still felt he had to assert his authority as the third leader. If he couldn't control his subordinates, he would be laughed at, and no one would respect him.

Monkey was delighted. He glanced at Fatty, who was lying in a chair, fanning himself and ignoring their actions. Feeling reassured, he quickly handed the Type 98 to Yang Yun and placed a shell on the barrel, thinking, "Let this guy who doesn't know the son-in-law's cruelty taste it."

Yang Yun lay down with the gun, and Sediaoqian, ignoring Monkey's torment of Yang Yun, applied her herbal medicine to Monkey's elbows. Then she stared at Fatty and said, "Fatso, are you going to torment everyone in the bandit camp?"

"This guy came on his own. You saw it, don't blame me, Fatso." Fatty lit a cigarette, looking innocent. In reality, he had no choice but to train Monkey and Dogbear. He had no power or influence in the bandit camp. Except for Monkey and Dogbear, who would listen to him? He needed to accomplish something to establish his authority, and that something was securing food.

He could have done it alone, and he could have brought back the food, but taking Monkey and Dogbear along was to reassure Sai Laohu. Now, with Sediaoqian following, it was even safer. He didn't have high hopes for Monkey and Dogbear, but having more people was better. They could help with the logistics, and he could train the three of them. Securing food was something he had to do personally.