Chapter 67

At this moment, the Zhejiang army prisoners, after having lunch, were huddled together, sitting or lying in a disorganized manner, drowsy under the afternoon sun.

The new recruit who wanted to eat luncheon meat couldn't sleep due to the heat. Even the refreshing river breeze couldn't dispel the afternoon's heat. He turned over, sat up, and decided to find some water to drink. However, he saw his squad leader quietly sitting nearby, his back drenched in sweat, staring intently at the road ahead.

The new recruit approached him and asked curiously, "Squad leader, why aren't you sleeping? What are you looking at?" The squad leader glanced at him and said indifferently, "Even if I tell you, you won't understand."

"Huh? Squad leader, why are you looking down on me? I even listened to private school lessons for two years when I was a kid. Is there anything I don't understand?" The new recruit felt belittled and shouted angrily. He thought that since they were all prisoners now, there was no need to fear the squad leader.

The squad leader didn't mind his tone and smiled, saying, "I've been watching since after lunch. During this time, all the 6th Division has been using trucks! I haven't seen a single infantryman walking! Do you understand what this means?"

"Huh?" The new recruit was dumbfounded. What did it mean? "Hehehe." A company commander lying nearby laughed and said, "I also noticed earlier. We lost for a good reason! Just the trucks that Governor Gao provided to the 6th Division are enough to outstrip us by a mile! Not to mention the heavy artillery, the planes in the sky, and the warships on the river." He got up, patted the squad leader's shoulder, and said with a smile, "I never realized you were so perceptive. You're a talent."

The new recruit was still confused and said stubbornly, "What's so... "

His words were cut off by a melodious military bugle call. They looked up in surprise to see that, at some point, a bugler was standing every few dozen meters along the road.

Trucks began to slowly drive from the Jiangyin Fort along the road toward Nanjing. On the trucks stood stern-faced military police with white gloves, next to them were the bodies of the 6th Division's fallen soldiers, covered in white cloth. As each truck passed, the buglers would play a long, mournful tune!

Gradually, the 6th Division soldiers who were resting under the shade of trees, under vehicles, and behind various supplies all slowly gathered along the roadside, quietly watching the trucks carrying their former comrades pass by.

The soothing, long bugle calls resonated in their ears, moving them deeply, making them bite their lips and tears well up in their eyes. At this moment, a loud voice called out, "Salute!!!" "Swish." Everyone raised their arms to salute their former comrades, wishing them a safe journey.

The Zhejiang army prisoners were also moved by this solemn scene and stood up silently, watching everything.

The new recruit muttered, "What are they playing? It makes me feel like crying." The company commander said indifferently, "I went to Nanjing a while ago. I heard that Governor Gao built a military cemetery on the southern slope of Zijin Mountain. They might be sending the bodies there for burial. This bugle call is used only by the 6th Division and the 19th Division. It's called the 'lights out' call!"

"Lights out? Military cemetery?" The squad leader murmured, "If I could have this kind of funeral after I die, I would die without regrets."

The company commander said with a grim smile, "If Governor Gao can't win the world, then heaven is blind! Look, even the prisoners want to die for him!"

The long bugle calls drifted with the wind, reaching further and further, eventually reaching the ears of Gao Yang on the Hai Rong. Gao Yang closed the document, extinguished his cigarette, and stood up.

He left the bridge and walked to the ship's rail, looking at the shore in the distance. Wei Ke walked beside him and said softly, "They are sending the fallen soldiers home." Gao Yang bit his lip and didn't speak. After a while, he turned to Ouyang Ji and said softly, "Captain, please have the navy pay respects to the soldiers!" Captain Ouyang Ji saluted and left.

A moment later, the ships on the river sounded their whistles, and the heavy artillery fired, "Boom, boom, boom." The sound of the artillery echoed across the sky! Wei Ke stepped forward and shouted, "Attention, salute!" Everyone raised their hands to salute the fallen soldiers!

Gao Yang murmured, "We need to end this war as soon as possible."

The convoy left, and the 6th Division soldiers gradually dispersed. The Zhejiang army prisoners were still reflecting on the scene, with many whispering about what they would do if they were in the 6th Division. The new recruit wiped his eyes and said to the company commander beside him, "Company commander, I also want to join the 6th Division. I want to have such a grand funeral if I die."

The company commander smiled and patted his shoulder, saying, "Don't rush, there will be a chance." At this moment, the prisoners began to stir again. The company commander followed the others' gazes and saw a long line of 6th Division soldiers on the road. However, those on the sides were military police, and in the middle were dozens of soldiers tied with ropes!

The new recruit asked in surprise, "Company commander, what's going on?" The company commander pursed his lips and said softly, "Deserters!"

At the open space by the river, in front of the prisoners, the military police lined up the deserters. Some of the deserters, sensing their impending doom, begged pitifully, some cursed loudly, some cried with snot and tears, and some were so scared they wet their pants and called for their parents.

The stern-faced military police just watched them coldly. A military police lieutenant colonel walked up to the deserters and shouted loudly, "You deserters, who fled from the battlefield, will be stripped of your military status, and your families will not receive any military benefits! Your bodies will be returned to your families for burial! This is the military law of the 6th Division!"

After reading the judgment, the execution squad stepped forward, raised their guns, aimed, and fired. The execution ground fell silent. The military police stepped forward to remove the deserters' name tags and soldier IDs, threw the bodies onto the trucks, and piled them up, without even a piece of white cloth.

After dealing with the deserters, the military police stood on the trucks and drove to the areas where the prisoners were, shouting, "All opium smokers, come out! All opium smokers, come out!"

The prisoners became restless, not understanding what the military police were doing. However, eventually, over a hundred prisoners stepped out and gathered on the road. Opium smoking was very common in the army at that time, and the 10th Division and the 6th Mixed Brigade were considered to have relatively good discipline.

The military police lifted several large boxes from the trucks and opened them, revealing piles of silver dollars! The military police lieutenant colonel held a tin bucket and shouted loudly, "All opium smokers, come and collect 30 silver dollars as travel expenses, and you will be released. Hurry up!"

The prisoners were confused. Not only were they being released, but they were also being given money? When the first prisoner stepped forward and received the silver dollars, the military police indicated for him to leave. The prisoners became excited, and many stepped forward to collect the money. Some were real opium smokers, and some just wanted the money to leave. The military police didn't care who they were; they gave money to anyone who stepped forward.

The new recruit was tempted. This was 30 silver dollars! Seeing more and more prisoners receive the money and leave, the new recruit was about to step forward but was pulled back by the company commander. The new recruit looked at the company commander in confusion, who smiled and shook his head.

The squad leader laughed and said, "Fool, do you still want to eat the tin box? The 6th Division is clearing out the weak. Opium smokers and those with weak wills are leaving on their own. The 6th Division is still righteous; at least they gave 30 silver dollars. The company commander is doing this for your own good."

The company commander said softly, "I heard in Nanjing a while ago that a new recruit in the 6th Division gets 10 silver dollars a month! All real pay! Do you want the 30 silver dollars, or do you want to join the 6th Division?"

The new recruit didn't speak, looking at his company commander with gratitude. The other prisoners who heard this also fell silent. Their restless thoughts disappeared, and they watched the scene with a sense of amusement.

There were also many smart people among the prisoners. Many quickly understood the situation, and soon no one was stepping forward to collect the silver dollars. A few former Zhejiang army soldiers who had received the silver dollars and were about to leave played with the silver dollars in their hands, mocking their former comrades for being fools. They wouldn't take the money to go home! They insisted on staying as prisoners, which was truly foolish.

When the military police lieutenant colonel saw no one stepping forward to collect the silver dollars, he stood on the truck and held the tin bucket, shouting, "You are all veterans who have been through the battlefield! The 6th Division of the Army hopes you will join us to serve Governor Gao!"

He paused and continued, "Of course, Governor Gao will not treat you poorly! As long as you join the 6th Division, you will receive at least 10 silver dollars a month! All real pay! Those who want to drink the soldiers' blood have already been executed by the firing squad! Those who want to join the 6th Division, come and sign up. We will arrange physical exams and send you to the new recruit camp for training. Your pay will start from the moment you enter the new recruit camp! Those who pass the training will be assigned to the units, and the excellent ones will be sent to the military academy for further training! Those who don't pass don't worry; you can join the construction corps, and your pay will remain the same! Sign up now! Pay attention to the order! Don't crowd!"

Before the lieutenant colonel finished speaking, the prisoners surged forward. 10 silver dollars a month! "I, I, I, I want to sign up!!!" The prisoners shouted in unison, creating a chaotic scene. After the military police restored order, the prisoners formed multiple long lines.

The former Zhejiang army soldiers who had been mocking the others were now dumbfounded. They looked at the dense lines of people signing up and at the 30 silver dollars in their hands, wishing they had swallowed the silver dollars! How could they have been so foolish for just 30 silver dollars?

A few tried to sneak back and join the signing-up line but were caught by the military police. "You all admitted to being opium smokers and have already registered your names and hometowns. Even if you go home and sign up for the army, you won't pass the new recruit examination! Save your effort and go home to farm."

Some of the former Zhejiang