Chapter 26

Dong Ku and Liu Zhong rushed into the east room one after another.

The moment Dong Ku pushed the door open, he noticed that the southern room was lit while the northern one was dark. He immediately dashed into the southern room.

Liu Zhong followed closely behind, stepping into the room. Upon entering, he saw a bizarre scene.

Mangzi, Shanzi, and Goudan were standing there, each holding a pistol in one hand and a dripping blood-stained dagger in the other, facing the kang (a traditional heated bed) on the east side, motionless.

On the eastern kang, under the dim light of the kerosene lamp, a row of five or six people were huddled in their quilts, looking at them in terror, trembling.

"What's going on!?"

Liu Zhong asked, puzzled.

"They... they are not Japanese..."

Mangzi, who was closest to the kerosene lamp, replied in a low voice.

"Not Japanese?"

Liu Zhong glanced at the row of Hanyang-made rifles under the kerosene lamp and then at the trembling, complex-looking people. His brows furrowed, and he turned to look at Dong Ku, his eyes full of questioning.

Dong Ku had already understood the reason. Without looking at Liu Zhong, he turned to Mangzi and the others and asked, "Why didn't you complete the mission?"

"They... they are... Chinese..."

Mangzi's voice grew lower, his gun gradually drooping, and his dagger fell to his side.

Goudan and Shanzi hesitantly lowered their guns, their faces painted with complex emotions.

Sun Tao and Liu Hai also followed, standing at the door, unsure of what to do.

Liu Zhong's confusion deepened, but he didn't speak, only staring intently at Dong Ku, hoping for an answer.

Dong Ku glanced at Mangzi and the others, then at the trembling pseudo-military men on the kang. He slowly holstered his pistol, turned to look at Liu Zhong, and then, in a swift motion, leaped onto the kang. His dagger flashed, and a chilling blade of light cut through the air, blood spraying like a fountain. He moved swiftly, and as the terrified figures tried to scream and struggle, his dagger swiftly slit their throats, silencing the last one.

Dong Ku was drenched in blood, his dagger dripping. A murderous aura enveloped him.

Without a glance at the fallen, twitching bodies, he wiped his dagger on the blood-soaked quilt, slowly turned around, and with a cold gaze, swept over the stunned men. He jumped down from the kang and stood in front of Mangzi, but looked at Liu Zhong and said, "A soldier should die on the battlefield, fighting for the nation and the people, shedding the last drop of blood. Even desertion is a capital offense, let alone pointing guns at fellow countrymen! They have the skin of Chinese people, raised on Chinese milk, yet they serve as lackeys for the invaders, aiding and abetting! They are no longer Chinese!"

Dong Ku's voice grew louder, a solemn and deadly atmosphere spreading. He continued, "No matter the reason, whether forced or out of survival, selling out one's countrymen and ancestors, and willingly serving as lackeys! They have no chance to atone for their sins!"

Turning to Shanzi, he added, "The verdict on the pseudo-military, Shanzi, should be clear. Your brother and father have already given you the answer with their blood."

Turning back, Dong Ku's gaze swept the room. Seeing everyone lower their heads, he sternly ordered, "Five minutes to clean up the battlefield, then gather at the camp gate."

With that, he turned and walked out of the east room, standing at the camp gate.

The moment Dong Ku left the room, Shanzi's eyes burned with hatred. His father and brother, on their way to treat the villagers, had been captured and brutally killed by the pseudo-military during a mountain search, all for a fabricated charge of being Soviet spies!

Liu Zhong and the others recalled the scenes of the pseudo-military's atrocities, their hearts filled with guilt. They no longer questioned Dong Ku's orders. Looking at the blood-soaked pseudo-military, they felt no emotion. Without a word, they began to clean up the battlefield.

In the night vision device, Shunzi clearly saw Dong Ku walk out alone. The quick entry of the others into the east room had kept him on edge, but now he felt relieved. Seeing Dong Ku standing at the gate, he knew the battle inside was over. He whispered, "Brother Dong, they're done. Let's go to the camp."

Mangzi and Huzi, knowing Shunzi had a special device from Dong Ku that allowed night vision, trusted him. They put away their guns, collected the bullets and grenades, and left their hiding spot.

When the three were about twenty meters from the camp gate, Dong Ku saw them and waved, signaling them to approach.

"Brother Dong, did all forty pseudo-military men die?"

Huzi asked softly.

"Yes, all of them."

Dong Ku nodded, looking back at the people cleaning the main room.

"Brother Dong, I didn't fire a single shot. Next time..."

Huzi, being young, felt a bit disappointed for not participating in the fight.

"Your brother Shunzi didn't fire a shot either."

Mangzi patted Huzi's head.

"But..."

Huzi wanted to argue but didn't know what to say, so he closed his mouth and stood beside Dong Ku, waiting for further orders.

"Shunzi, Mangzi, you two bring the bodies from the side to the room and collect all the ammunition."

"Yes!"

Shunzi and Huzi responded, shouldering their guns and dragging the two bodies from the guard tower into the courtyard and then into the main room being cleaned.

Five minutes later, the entire camp was cleaned. Dong Ku entered each room to check, found three gold bars and some valuables in the pseudo-military lieutenant's room, and then left, ordering, "Lock all the doors, gather at the eastern camp."

Liu Zhong and the others lined up and ran quickly toward the eastern camp...

In the main room of the Japanese camp, Liu Zhong and the others stood in two rows, their faces still flushed with excitement from the battle.

Looking at the blood-stained, blood-soaked men, Dong Ku said sternly, "Mangzi acted on his own during the operation, putting his comrades in danger. He is reprimanded. If it happens again, he will be sent back to Heizui to hunt!"

Seeing Mangzi lower his head without a word, Dong Ku continued, "The pseudo-military, whether coerced or out of necessity, as long as they live, countless countrymen will die at their hands. A traitor who sells out their ancestors and nation does not deserve to be Chinese. Today, you kill one, and tomorrow, fewer or even no more civilians will die." He paused and raised his voice, "I reiterate, anyone who collaborates with the Japanese, whether a traitor or a lackey, must be eliminated. This is to save the lives of Chinese people!"

Seeing everyone look up at him, Dong Ku loudly asked, "Do you understand!?"

"We understand!"

The nine men shouted in unison.

"Though you are not soldiers, you must hold yourselves to the standards of soldiers. This is the first and last time. There will be no second chance! From now on, when given an order, there are only targets, no questions! Can you do that!?"

"We can!"

The nine men shouted loudly.

Seeing the determined looks in their eyes, Dong Ku felt a slight bitterness. He thought to himself, "I am not bloodthirsty; I just want to minimize the sacrifices..."

However, he would never regret giving this order. The pseudo-military were not deserters; they were traitors to their ancestors and nation, unworthy of existence.

"Ten minutes to clean the Japanese camp. We are preparing to leave."

"Yes!"

The nine men stood straight, loudly acknowledged the order, and turned to leave.

Dong Ku watched as Mangzi left. He did not detain him.

Earlier, he had asked Shanzi about the incident. It turned out that after Mangzi and the others killed everyone in the northern room and cleared the sleeping pseudo-military on the western kang, they were about to clear the eastern kang when a sleeping pseudo-military man's mumbling made Mangzi suddenly turn on the kerosene lamp, leading to the scene that followed.

Dong Ku knew they were hunters and ordinary people. Faced with the pseudo-military's atrocities, they would kill. But they also harbored the hope that they were all Chinese, some coerced and innocent, and were reluctant to harm their countrymen. Dong Ku understood this, but he believed that those who betrayed their nation, regardless of the reason, had no chance to atone. He had no time to educate these pseudo-military. It was better to eliminate them to prevent them from causing more harm and to save bullets and lives.

However, if the situation had been mishandled, his newly formed team would have fallen apart. The hunters would have seen him as bloodthirsty and indiscriminate. But Liu Zhong and the others understood that to remain hidden from the Japanese, the means had to be clean and swift, leaving no traces.

"Phew..."

Dong Ku exhaled, calming his emotions, and looked at the Japanese office...

A minute or two later, he found thirty gold bars, over five thousand silver dollars, and some antique jewelry in the office. These old, used antiques and jewelry were clearly looted from the people.

"Damn!"

Dong Ku, usually calm, cursed.

Behind these valuables lay the blood of countless civilians. Collecting the valuables, Dong Ku was about to leave in a truck with some ammunition when the phone on the desk rang.

"Hmm?"

Dong Ku paused, hesitated for a moment, and before the second ring, he picked up the phone. Before he could speak, a series of orders came from the other end.

"Hai!"

Dong Ku replied in fluent Japanese, "Please rest assured, Lieutenant, everything you need will be prepared!"

Hanging up, Dong Ku frowned. A company from Qitaihe was bringing supplies to Raohe and would pass through here to replenish fuel and provisions. The company would arrive at Jiapi Gou tomorrow morning and set out after the ground froze tomorrow night, covering over a hundred kilometers and arriving here the morning after.

The Japanese military structure at this time was not the same as in the early stages of World War II. It was the old structure, and the situation was not yet critical, so the units were fully staffed. A standard infantry company had over five hundred men, divided into three platoons. Escorting supplies, they would likely carry plenty of weapons.

The roads were already thawed, and only the evenings were cold enough for travel. Dong Ku estimated this was the last supply run of the year, or they wouldn't have sent a full company...

Dong Ku narrowed his eyes, calculating. This was a rare opportunity. If they could eliminate this company, it would have a significant impact on the surrounding forces.

Five hundred men...

Dong Ku's eyes slowly brightened. He had a crazy plan: ten men to eliminate this standard company. He would cut off the supply lines due to the spring floods and the marshes, keeping all the supplies and leaving no survivors.

PS: Thank you to all who have supported me with donations. I am deeply grateful. Due to time constraints, I will update at around 10 AM and 8 PM from today onwards. If there are any changes, I will let you know.