Bright Sword: The Flowers of War

Chapter 267 Rat
Colonel Ieya Tetsuji, the squadron leader of the 60th Flying Squadron stationed in Shanxi, got up very early today. The sky was just beginning to lighten when he was already dressed, his brand-new military uniform ironed exceptionally straight.

He looked at himself in the full-length mirror, nodded in satisfaction, and then went out the door.

Upon arriving at the entrance, a gleaming Toyota sedan was already waiting by the roadside. After he got in, the car sped away, and after more than half an hour, it arrived at Taiyuan Airport, located on the outskirts of the city.

Shortly after the car arrived at the airport, a passenger plane converted from a Type 100 transport aircraft took off from a distance. The plane drew a silver arc in the morning light, accompanied by a deep and powerful roar. The tires of the passenger plane made a soft "hiss" sound after contacting the ground, and then began to taxi smoothly on the runway.

After taxiing for several hundred meters, the passenger plane finally came to a slow stop.

The Toyota sedan also drove precisely and quickly to a stop next to the passenger plane.

The gangway slowly descended, and a lieutenant colonel and a colonel stepped out of the cabin door.

They were all dressed in crisp, well-tailored grass-green military uniforms.

The two officers, Colonel Nakajima Rinya and Lieutenant Colonel Horita Tatsuta, were both classmates and friends of Giga Tetsuji.

When they stepped out of the cabin and their eyes fell on Tetsuji Iga, who was already waiting at the bottom of the gangway, their originally serious faces immediately blossomed into warm smiles.

The two quickly walked down the gangway, and Nakajima Rin also rushed forward and hugged Giga Tetsuji, laughing heartily.

"Yi'e-kun...it's been a long time!"

"Nakajima-kun... Horita-kun, welcome to Taiyuan!"

Tetsuji Giga smiled and gave them a warm hug.

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, the three of them got into a car together and drove away from the airport, heading towards Taiyuan city.

The car drove through Taiyuan city and finally stopped in front of a Japanese-style building. This was the most famous officers' club in Taiyuan, specially set up to receive mid- to high-ranking officers.

Pushing open the door, a unique aroma mingled with the scents of tatami mats, sake, and sandalwood wafts out. The interior is lavishly decorated, with mahogany pillars, exquisite paper doors, and Japanese-style flower arrangements everywhere, all showcasing the taste and luxury of this place.

Led by Tetsuji Giga, the two walked through the corridor to the private room that had been reserved in advance. A soft light shone through the washi paper lanterns, creating a warm and private atmosphere.

Five beautiful geishas, ​​dressed in gorgeous kimonos and with exquisite makeup, were already waiting there.

Upon seeing Yi Eche and the other two enter, they quickly stepped forward, bowed, and greeted them softly, then eagerly invited them to sit down at a low table.

Looking at the exquisite Japanese dishes laid out on the low table, Nakajima Rin nodded in satisfaction: "Yoshi... Giga-kun is so thoughtful."

Yige Tetsuji waved his hand: "No matter how exquisite the food is, it can't compare to your arrival. There's an old Chinese saying: 'Isn't it a pleasure to have friends coming from afar?'"

I propose a toast to our reunion... Cheers!

"cheers!"

The three raised their glasses and drank them down in one gulp. Then they looked at each other and burst into laughter.

Inside the private room, the sound of the shamisen flowed like water, and the geisha, dressed in brightly colored furisode kimonos, swayed gently with their elegant dance, like fluttering butterflies.

Their faces were covered in thick white powder, and their lips were adorned with cherry-red rouge, making them appear both alluring and somewhat eerie under the soft lighting.

Nakajima Rinya picked up his white porcelain wine glass, drank it all in one gulp, and let out a satisfied sigh.

"Ha... Taiyuan sake is still the best!"

"Yi'e-kun, you're having a much better time here than we are on the front lines."

As he spoke, he unceremoniously reached out and pulled a geisha who was pouring him wine into his arms.

The geisha let out a soft gasp, her body went limp, and she collapsed onto Nakajima Rinya's chest.

The sake bottle in her hand wobbled slightly, spilling a few drops of sake onto the tatami mat. The sake was instantly absorbed, leaving only a small dark stain and a faint aroma.

Nakajima Rinya's large hand unceremoniously encircled her slender waist, and even through the layers of kimono, he could still feel its astonishing softness and elasticity. His fingers gently caressed the geisha's waist, feeling the warm, soft flesh beneath the smooth silk.

“Mr. Nakajima is joking.”

Yi'e Tetsuji smiled and raised his glass in response, unsurprised by his old classmate's gesture. "The battle achievements on the front lines are the true glory of us Imperial soldiers. I'm here merely to look after your home."

"Yi'e-kun is still so humble."

Tatsuta Horita chuckled, then his gaze began to linger on another dancing geisha.

At that moment, the geisha was bending over, and the neckline of her kimono was slightly open, revealing a small patch of delicate, fair skin on the back of her neck, which was covered with white powder, making her even more alluring.

Hotta Tatsuta's Adam's apple bobbed involuntarily as he picked up his wine glass, concealing the desire in his eyes. "Speaking of which..." Nakajima Rinya, while enjoying the soft, warm body in his arms, abruptly changed the subject, his tone becoming serious.

"The fighting in the south doesn't seem to be going very well lately. I heard that the Sixth Division has suffered quite a bit in Yichang."

Although his hands were still roaming over the geisha's body, his eyes sharpened as he looked at Giga Tetsuji.

Yi Eche'er's smile faded slightly. He sighed and said, "It's more than just suffering. According to intelligence, the main force of the Shanxi militia, which was originally based here, suddenly arrived in Yichang."

Starting the year before last, their commander, Su Yaoyang, somehow acquired a batch of advanced American fighter jets and reportedly hired a group of American pilots to form an air force.

Then these people turned into rabid dogs, biting anyone they saw. My 60th Flight Squadron suffered too many losses at his hands.

We were already struggling to survive until last month when they sent a batch of planes to Yichang, which made things a little easier for us.

Although I don't know how well they fared in Yichang, I'm certain that the soldiers of the 6th Division suffered heavy casualties under their multi-pronged offensive.

"It's not just minor, it's a complete loss of vitality." Hotta Tatsuta sighed softly, sat up straight, and withdrew his hand that had been wandering over the geisha.

Nakajima Rin picked up a piece of sashimi, dipped it in soy sauce, and put it in his mouth, savoring the freshness of the fish. After a while, he closed his eyes, seemingly reminiscing about the deliciousness of the sashimi. Only after a long while did he put down his chopsticks and say in a deep voice.

"That is one of the reasons we came here."

As he spoke, his eyes deepened, and the geisha in his arms seemed to sense the change in atmosphere, her body stiffening slightly, no longer daring to make the slightest unnecessary movement.

Nakajima Rinya seemed oblivious, his hand stroking upwards along the geisha's back, finally resting on the back of her delicate neck, his fingers gently pinching the soft flesh there.

As the three drank, two geishas began to strum their shamisen strings, while another geisha began to sing softly. The clear sound of the shamisen accompanied their melodious singing, echoing in the private room.

Tatsuta Horita picked up the sake bottle and filled the cups with sake for Tetsuji Giga and Rinya Nakajima. The sake shimmered in the white porcelain cups.

After putting down the wine jug, he said seriously, "The headquarters attaches great importance to this Shanxi militia, which has become an increasingly serious threat in recent years. They have even given that Su Yaoyang the nickname 'War Ghost'."

"We're here to gather intelligence and find a way to remove this thorn in our side!"

As he spoke, he brought his face close to the ear of the geisha in his arms and whispered in a voice only the two of them could hear: "Tell me, how long can the warriors of our Great Japanese Empire allow these inferior Chinese races to be so arrogant?"

The geisha trembled slightly, a blush rising to her face, but she dared not answer, instead lowering her head even further, revealing an even more alluring, snow-white neck.

Seeing the geisha's reaction, Nakajima Rin smiled with satisfaction. He pinched the geisha's chin, lifted her face, and then lowered his head to press his lips to hers.

The shamisen music in the private room had stopped at some point, and was replaced by a chorus of coquettish moans and screams.

At almost the same time, the atmosphere at the Shanxi militia headquarters set up in Wutai County was completely different, serious and tense.

There were no luxurious decorations here, only walls covered with military maps, a telegraph machine constantly making a "drip-drip" sound, and staff officers coming and going in a hurry.

Pi Ruoyu, the chief of staff of the Shanxi militia, was sitting behind his desk, his brows furrowed as he looked at the documents in his hands.

"Tuk tuk tuk..."

"Please come in!"

A lieutenant colonel in charge of intelligence and security pushed open the door, walked to his side, saluted, and solemnly began his report:
"Chief of Staff, something seems amiss in Wutai County lately."

Pi Ruoyu shifted his gaze from the document to the lieutenant colonel's face. "Be more specific."

His voice wasn't loud, but it carried an indescribable seriousness.

"Yes!"

The lieutenant colonel straightened his back and reported: "According to the joint investigation by our intelligence department and the military police, a large number of unfamiliar faces have suddenly flooded into the county town in the past week."

These men were neither refugees nor itinerant merchants. Most were strong and sturdy, with sharp eyes, and they spent money lavishly, frequently appearing in groups of three or five at taverns and casinos.

He paused, his tone becoming even more worried: "More importantly, with the arrival of these people, the county's public security has begun to deteriorate into chaos."

Fights, brawls, gambling, and even robberies were rampant. Our military police were constantly on the move, but these people were very slippery; even after arresting several, they couldn't get any useful information out of them, only claiming to be businessmen from out of town.

As Pi Ruoyu listened to the report, his fingers unconsciously tapped lightly on the edge of the sand table, making a soft "tap, tap, tap" sound. A cold glint flashed in his eyes.

"Businessman?"

He sneered, "A bunch of 'businessmen' who don't talk about business, only know how to cause trouble? Looks like some rats have sneaked into our rice warehouse."

(End of this chapter)