Holding the original shares, they fought all the way to the Korean War!

The next day, before dawn.

Zhou Tianyang then continued on his way.

It took about two and a half hours to walk.

The sun slowly rose over the eastern mountain ridge.

Zhou Tianyang stood on a mountain ridge, gazing into the distance.

Ahead, the terrain gradually leveled out.

The mountains are no longer so dense; instead, they are replaced by hills and plains.

Further north lies the Taiyuan Basin.

Zhou Tianyang took a deep breath and continued walking forward.

We walked for about another hour.

He suddenly stopped, and his ears twitched slightly.

A commotion arose ahead.

It wasn't the sound of Japanese footsteps, nor the sound of gunfire.

It was the sound of people talking and the sounds of livestock.

Zhou Tianyang crouched down and, using the bushes for cover, looked ahead.

Ahead on the dirt road, a convoy was slowly making its way.

There were a dozen or so people and seven or eight mules, with goods loaded on their backs.

At the front of the procession, a middle-aged man in his forties led a mule.

He looks like a businessman.

Caravan.

Zhou Tianyang's eyes lit up slightly.

The caravans traveled all over the country, making a living by trading goods.

If I could join this caravan, it would be much easier to get to Taiyuan.

Walking alone would make you too conspicuous and easily attract the attention of Japanese patrols.

Traveling with caravans, with many people around, is actually safer.

Zhou Tianyang thought for a moment, then strode toward the caravan.

"Hey folks up ahead, wait a minute!"

He shouted, his voice exceptionally clear on the quiet mountain path.

The caravan stopped.

The middle-aged man at the front turned around and looked at Zhou Tianyang warily.

His hand subtly moved towards his waist.

Zhou Tianyang noticed this detail, but didn't pay it any mind.

He walked to the front of the caravan, stopped, and smiled.

"Don't be nervous, fellow villager."

The middle-aged man looked him up and down, his gaze lingering on Zhou Tianyang's face for a few seconds.

"Who are you?"

His tone carried a hint of wariness and a touch of probing.

Zhou Tianyang had already prepared his explanation.

"Fellow villager, I'm from Wuxiang County."

His tone was calm, yet earnest.

"I used to serve in the Nationalist Army and I know how to use a gun."

"Later, the team was broken up, so I went home."

"I can't stay at home anymore, I want to go to Taiyuan to stay with relatives."

The middle-aged man listened, his gaze sweeping back and forth over Zhou Tianyang.

"You said you served in the military?"

"Which unit?"

"National Army, 34th Army."

Zhou Tianyang answered very decisively.

The 34th Army fought a battle with the Japanese at Niangziguan Pass and was scattered.

This statement is plausible.

The middle-aged man stared at him for a few seconds, then nodded.

"It's too dangerous for you to walk alone."

"There are many Japanese soldiers, puppet troops, and stragglers in this area who specialize in robbing people on the road."

"If you're alone and something happens to you, you won't be able to escape."

Zhou Tianyang nodded.

"So I want to go with you."

"Once I get to Taiyuan, I'll walk on my own and won't cause you any trouble."

The middle-aged man didn't speak, but turned around and whispered a few words to the old man in his fifties behind him.

The two exchanged a few words, and the old man nodded.

The middle-aged man turned around and looked at Zhou Tianyang.

"Alright, come with us."

"But let's get this straight: you'll have to listen to me the whole way."

"Go when I tell you to go, stop when I tell you to stop. Don't wander off, and don't say anything inappropriate."

"I won't be responsible if anything goes wrong."

Zhou Tianyang nodded.

"Okay, fellow villager, I'll do as you say."

The middle-aged man turned around, took a Hanyang rifle from someone behind him, and handed it to Zhou Tianyang.

"These are the guns used by our merchant protection team. You can take them for now."

He then took out a few bullets from the cloth bag at his waist and handed them over.

"We don't have many bullets, so use them sparingly."

"If you run into robbers, fight if you can, run if you can't."

"Don't be a hero, don't drag us down with you."

Zhou Tianyang took the rifle and bullets, skillfully pulled back the bolt, and inspected them.

Although the gun is old and the rifling is worn, it is still usable.

He loaded the bullets into the magazine and slung the gun over his shoulder.

"Fellow villager, don't worry, I won't implicate you."

The middle-aged man nodded, turned around, and continued leading the mule forward.

"Let's go."

Zhou Tianyang followed behind the caravan, walking alongside the old man in his fifties.

The old man glanced at him, said nothing, and just walked slowly.

The caravan continued along the dirt road at a moderate pace.

As Zhou Tianyang walked, he observed the surrounding terrain.

This is already the edge of the Taiyuan Basin.

The terrain is flat, with a wide view, and large areas of farmland on both sides of the road.

But you rarely see anyone working in the fields.

Occasionally you can see a few villages, with houses scattered about.

But in many other villages, lifelessness reigned, and hardly anyone could be seen.

The old man sighed, his voice tinged with emotion.

"These days, life is tough for ordinary people."

"When the Japanese devils came, they looted grain, killed people, burned houses, and did all sorts of things."

"Many villages have been emptied out, and the remaining people are barely surviving."

Zhou Tianyang listened without saying a word.

He had seen this kind of horrific scene before.

But seeing it with my own eyes still made me feel uneasy.

"Sir, what kind of business does your caravan do?"

Zhou Tianyang asked.

The old man glanced at him, remained silent for a moment, and then spoke.

"They dealt in things like grain, cloth, and salt."

"Buy from the south, sell to the north, and make a profit from the price difference."

"These days, life is tough. Everything is expensive and everything is in short supply."

"We have no other choice but to do this."

Zhou Tianyang nodded.

"Aren't you afraid of running into the Japanese?"

The old man gave a bitter smile.

"Afraid? Of course I'm afraid!"

"But even if I'm afraid, I still have to live."

"If I don't run trade routes, my family will starve to death."

"At least by running a trade route, you can earn a living."

As the two talked, the caravan continued on its way.

We walked for about an hour and a half.

A town appeared ahead.

At the entrance to the town, several men carrying guns stood.

They weren't Japanese soldiers, they were puppet troops.

Zhou Tianyang narrowed his eyes slightly.

puppet army.

These people were dressed in black uniforms, wore black hats, and had armed belts around their waists.

The middle-aged man stopped, turned around, and spoke in a low voice to the person behind him.

"Be careful, everyone. There's a checkpoint for puppet troops ahead."

"In the past, don't speak or look carelessly."

"I'll answer whatever they ask."

Everyone nodded.

The caravan continued onward until it reached the entrance to the town.

A puppet army leader stepped forward and scanned the caravan members with his eyes.

"What do you do?"

The middle-aged man hurriedly went to greet him, his face beaming with smiles.

"Boss, we're just a small business owner."

"Coming from the south, heading to Taiyuan."