Chapter 8

Muyang was just about to open the system in his mind when he heard a commotion in the distance. The inn was 200 meters away from where Muyang had ambushed, and during the day, he probably wouldn't have heard anything. However, in the quiet of the night, the sound carried far, and he could faintly hear the commotion from afar while standing by the window.

A few seconds later, gunshots rang out from the distance. After the first shot, a barrage of gunfire followed. This was clearly not a demonstration by the Japanese soldiers; it was a real fight.

Muyang was taken aback. What was going on? Could someone else be ambushing the Japanese soldiers? Were they from the Nationalist or Communist forces, or perhaps the Eighth Route Army? The gunfire finally subsided after a while.

Muyang didn't want to get involved, so he closed the window and lay down on the bed at the inn.

No matter what the situation was, it wasn't his concern. The more Japanese soldiers that died, the better. It would be even better if the Eighth Route Army attacked the county town directly.

He decided to focus on his own affairs. With excitement, he opened the system interface in his mind to check it.

The first task bar had changed. "First World Opened, Task One: Kill a Japanese soldier" now had the word "Completed" added. Below it, a new line read, "Task Two: Kill ten Japanese soldiers" with the option "Accept?"

Seeing the second task, Muyang's heart sank. It had taken him so much effort and courage to kill one Japanese soldier, and he had only managed to complete the task by ambushing a Japanese patrol. Now, he had to kill ten? Wasn't this asking him to risk his life?

Forget it, he thought. He wouldn't dwell on it now. He would check the rewards first. This was the most exciting moment. He had endured so much hardship, hunger, and danger, all for the system's rewards.

He opened the second bar, the reward bar, and found a new option, "Claim Reward?"

"Of course, I'll claim it. Let's see what luck I have," Muyang clicked to claim the reward. The option then turned into four buttons: "Fluent Japanese," "Ariska Rifle," "Cooking Skills," and "Activate System Space."

What did this mean? He quickly opened the third bar, the explanation bar, and found that it said, "You can choose one of the four rewards as your task reward."

Muyang was a bit disappointed. Only one reward? That seemed a bit too little. However, the system was supreme, and he had to accept its rules. If he didn't like it, he could just not use it. Besides, this was the simplest and most basic system he had seen in novels, and it couldn't even communicate. He had no chance to flatter, beg, or act cute.

Since he had to choose one, he needed to pick carefully. The Ariska Rifle was out. He would have plenty of opportunities to take one from the Japanese in the future. Although it could help him complete future tasks, it wasn't worth wasting his hard-earned reward. What was the best reward? Skills, of course. Skills could enhance his abilities, which was more practical than any item.

Cooking skills were not very useful to him, so he ruled them out.

The best option was to activate the system space. This was something everyone dreamed of. With a space, he wouldn't have to run back and forth like a fool to retrieve items.

As for fluent Japanese, it was also very practical. Muyang studied foreign languages, with English as his major. He knew how difficult it was to learn a foreign language. If he could master Japanese, he could easily pass the Japanese language major and even get a minor degree. Moreover, in this time, if he could speak Japanese, he could act as a spy and get closer to the Japanese, which would greatly help him in his missions.

It was a tough choice. After considering for 0.01 seconds, Muyang chose to activate the system space.

He could always learn Japanese on his own. The system space was an incredible ability, and he couldn't afford to miss this opportunity. Who knew if this option would be available again in the future? As the saying goes, missing an opportunity might mean losing it forever. Muyang didn't want to miss this chance.

After selecting to activate the system space, the other three options immediately disappeared, leaving only the system space. Muyang's mind clearly showed the functions and usage of the system space.

Level 1 System Space: 50 cubic meters. Can store any item except living beings. Time is frozen inside the space.

Muyang grinned. This was an incredible ability. 50 cubic meters was like carrying a large container with him, and he could access it anytime, anywhere. It was truly a god-like ability. Food would never spoil, and he could always have weapons ready, making it perfect for daily life, travel, and even combat.

He checked the three system bars again and found no other information. Muyang then exited the system interface and prepared to sleep. However, his excitement kept his mind sharp, and he had no sleepiness. He lay on the wooden bed, looking at the ceiling and grinning.

Killing for the first time and completing the first task to receive such a powerful skill as the system space was a significant achievement. More importantly, it had honed his willpower and made him less afraid of difficulties.

What was the second task again? Kill ten Japanese soldiers. Alright, he accepted it. There were always more solutions than problems. Facing challenges head-on was the way of a true man. He would find a way. He entered the system interface and selected the option to accept Task Two.

Outside, chaos erupted again. Muyang walked to the window and opened a small gap to look outside. He heard car engines, motorcycles, and the sound of troops marching, along with many voices shouting in Japanese.

The Japanese had reacted and mobilized all the soldiers in the city to conduct a large-scale search of the entire county.

In reality, from the time Muyang returned to his room to when the Japanese launched a full-scale search, only a few minutes had passed. The Japanese were indeed quick to react. Fortunately, Muyang hadn't directly attacked the Japanese; otherwise, with his current skills, he would have had no choice but to escape back to the modern era.

Suddenly, Muyang noticed a figure running through the alley below the window, stumbling. Because it was close, he could see the figure. Otherwise, in the darkness, he probably wouldn't have noticed.

"Who is that? Could it be the person who ambushed the Japanese patrol?" Muyang thought. He saw the person stumble as if about to fall, and his heart tightened. The person seemed injured.

The person leaned against a low wall, apparently trying to rest. Muyang's courage grew, and he opened the window, lowering his voice to call out, "Hey, do you need help?"

The person seemed to look up at the window, then pushed off the wall and climbed onto it. Grabbing the window sill, the person flipped into the room, startling Muyang. This person was bold, running straight into his room.

The person was dressed in black, tightly wrapped. The room was dim, and Muyang couldn't see clearly. Hearing the Japanese soldiers' shouts growing louder outside, he quickly closed the window to avoid being discovered.

"Are you okay? Do you need help?" No matter who it was, anyone opposing the Japanese was a good person, and he should help.

He called out a few times, but the person lay on the ground, motionless and silent. Muyang reached out to touch the person, feeling a bulge in the chest. Was it hiding something? He pinched it, and the person groaned. "Damn, it's a woman," he realized, knowing where he had touched.

He quickly let go but couldn't leave her lying on the floor. He reached out again, picked her up, and carried her to the inner room. The woman's body was firm and full, and it felt good to hold her.

"Are you injured? Tell me, and I'll help you," Muyang tried to communicate.

"My injuries are beyond your help. I just need to hide here and rest. I'll leave once I recover some strength. I won't involve you," the woman said weakly. Her voice was young and pleasant.

"Four seas within, all are brothers. Since you oppose the Japanese, I should help you. There's no need to worry about involving me."

Muyang placed the woman on the bed, closed the door, and sealed the window with a sheet. "Can I see your injuries? Even if I can't treat them, I can at least help you feel better."

"I have gunshot wounds on my waist and thigh. You're not a doctor, so how can you help?" the woman said.

Muyang lit the oil lamp with a lighter and walked to the bed. The weak light from the oil lamp illuminated the room, and the firelight shone on their faces. They looked at each other and simultaneously exclaimed, "How is it you?"

A flash of cold light appeared, and the woman put away her dagger. Muyang believed that if they didn't know each other, she might have done something to him, probably using threats and intimidation.