Chapter 3

Looking at the four most common Hanyang-made rifles of the era, He Zhengdao picked one in better condition and held it in his hand, while the other three were slung over his shoulder.

He loaded five of the more than twenty round-nosed bullets he had collected into the magazine, aimed at a reference point ahead, and found that using this gun was really not a habit.

After understanding his identity and the era he was in, He Zhengdao quickly overcame the brief discomfort and broke free from his confusion. Although in the 21st century, he had loved ones, comrades, and even a few close female friends.

But since he had already come through, what was the point of thinking about people he could never see again in this life? Discarding the unrealistic fantasy of going back, He Zhengdao began to consider more about the path he would take next.

Since heaven had given him a chance to travel through time, a chance to truly use the military skills he had learned in his previous life, and a chance to kill the despicable Japanese without any moral qualms, what more could he ask for with so many opportunities?

The Battle of the Xiang River was about to end tomorrow, and he, who was two hundred miles away, could do nothing to change the outcome. Thinking about the tens of thousands of soldiers who would die or be injured, and the brave soldiers who would be scattered and their fates unknown, his heart felt heavy.

After a comprehensive consideration, He Zhengdao decided to try his best to gather some of the scattered Red Army soldiers and organize them to catch up with the main force. He did not want these heroes who had contributed to the country to suffer the tragedy of bleeding and weeping.

The Red Army soldiers who grew up during this period were all seasoned veterans who had been through many tests. As long as they could survive, they would become the most solid foundation of this army when they reached the revolutionary holy land of Yan'an. He Zhengdao could not guarantee that he could save every scattered Red Army soldier, but he would try to bring as many as possible to catch up with the main force.

Understanding that the Long March, which was called a military miracle of the world, had just begun, and that there were countless unpredictable difficulties ahead for this army that had suffered so much, He Zhengdao hoped to use his knowledge of historical events to avoid some major casualties. If he could not be the vanguard, he hoped to be the iron rear guard, doing his best to reduce the pressure from the pursuing enemy for the main force that was constantly on the move.

This task was very difficult and dangerous, and a single misstep could lead to being surrounded by a large number of enemy troops. Even if He Zhengdao considered himself skilled in martial arts, in a situation where guns and cannons were firing, and the enemy even had planes, if he were to be surrounded, his fate would not be good.

However, He Zhengdao, who loved adventure and enjoyed challenges, was excited by the more dangerous and difficult the task. Moreover, he was clear about his advantages and the every step the Red Army would take during the Long March, and thus also knew the every step of the pursuing enemy.

As long as he did not deviate too much from the historical trajectory, it should not be too difficult to survive and lead a group of people to catch up with the main force. Even if he were to be surrounded by the pursuing enemy, he believed that the enemy would have to be prepared to pay a heavy price to eliminate him.

After determining the path he would take next, the first thing He Zhengdao wanted to do was to rescue the five Red Army soldiers who had been captured and detained by a platoon of Guangxi troops in the village ahead.

There is a saying, "One hero needs three helpers." He Zhengdao considered himself a hero, but without a few helpers, it would be difficult to accomplish anything significant.

The Red Army was like one big family! At this time, the Red Army, unlike the various factions and warlords who were wary of each other and feared being swallowed or dominated, would be easier to unite and lead if He Zhengdao could rescue these scattered and captured Red Army soldiers.

Even if he could not remember who he was, with the red paper that proved his identity and the military uniform, he believed he could still gain the trust of the scattered Red Army soldiers. His current mindset was to save as many as he could.

Perhaps because of the presence of the Guangxi search team, the village, which should have had many residents, was now extremely quiet. Looking at the two sentries at the village entrance, who were yawning and standing lazily, He Zhengdao thought their quality was extremely poor.

According to the information provided by the captured soldier, the Guangxi search team that had entered the village, besides the four soldiers who had volunteered to go up the mountain, included twenty more Guangxi soldiers, including the platoon leader. Excluding the two sentries at the entrance, this meant there were still eighteen Guangxi soldiers and one platoon leader hiding in the village.

Before He Zhengdao could find out where the Red Army captives were being held, he took advantage of the two sentries gathering to share a cigarette and quietly slipped into the village's alleyways. He began to carefully listen to the sounds around the houses and alleyways.

Just as He Zhengdao was about to turn into another alley, he soon noticed four soldiers staggering down the straight alley, carrying what seemed to be chickens and ducks from the villagers. The soldiers looked very pleased with their loot.

In this situation, he could not afford to be merciful. At this time, these Guangxi soldiers in military uniforms were mortal enemies of the Red Army. Not dealing with them would make it impossible to safely rescue the captured Red Army soldiers.

Moreover, these soldiers in military uniforms were more despicable than bandits and did not deserve to be called soldiers. Describing their current actions as those of soldiers was an insult to He Zhengdao, who had once been a soldier of the People's Republic of China.

He took the rifle off his shoulder and carefully placed it against the wall. He then took two throwing knives in his hands. From the battle in the courtyard on the mountain, He Zhengdao knew that this set of twelve throwing knives was made by a skilled blacksmith.

The steel used for the throwing knives was not the common steel of this period but was likely mixed with other unknown materials. The flexibility and sharpness of the knives made He Zhengdao, who was familiar with various advanced military knives from the future, very pleased. With this set of finely crafted and sharp throwing knives, his close combat killing power could be significantly enhanced.

Since these throwing knives belonged to the body he now inhabited, He Zhengdao would not let their power go to waste. He would make them drink the blood of the enemy and use them to their fullest potential. Today was the time for the throwing knives to drink the blood of the enemy!

Standing on a pile of stones at the corner of the alley, He Zhengdao listened to the footsteps of the soldiers, who were completely unaware of the impending death, approaching. As soon as the first soldier turned the corner and entered the alley where He Zhengdao was hiding, he moved.

Like a fierce tiger descending from the mountain, He Zhengdao, holding a throwing knife in each hand, leaped into the group of four Guangxi soldiers who were almost walking together. Under the stunned gaze of the soldiers, he began to harvest their lives.

The four Guangxi soldiers, seeing He Zhengdao suddenly appear in their ranks, felt a sudden confusion. Before they could even shout for help, they felt something cut their throats, and then they found it hard to breathe and speak.

As blood gushed from their throats, the four Guangxi soldiers, unwilling to die like this, could only look at He Zhengdao with terrified eyes and fall to the ground, stopping their breathing.

Seeing the four dead soldiers, the chickens and ducks they had been holding scattered in panic, running quickly down the alley. Strangely, these chickens and ducks did not even make a sound, as if they too were shocked by the bloody slaughter.

He Zhengdao did not pay attention to the fleeing chickens and ducks. After carefully checking an unoccupied house by the alley, he quickly searched the bodies of the soldiers, collected their guns and ammunition, and hid them in the house. He also hid the four bodies in the kitchen.

Considering that carrying so many guns would be inconvenient, He Zhengdao kept only the rifle with loaded bullets, leaving the rest with the bodies. He also took several dozen bullets for backup. He then climbed over the wall and continued to search for the rest of the Guangxi search team and find an opportunity to rescue the captured Red Army soldiers.

After circling the village and using his throwing knives to kill eight more Guangxi soldiers, He Zhengdao finally found five Red Army soldiers tied to wooden stakes in a simple brick courtyard in the village.

What made He Zhengdao furious was that, besides the two sentries at the village entrance, the other six soldiers and the platoon leader were all gathered in the courtyard, beating and verbally abusing the captured Red Army soldiers for entertainment.

This inhumane and cruel behavior made He Zhengdao, who was now also a member of the Red Army, silently issue a death sentence to these people. You are all dead!

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