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

Zhou Tianyang's gaze swept over the guerrilla fighters, then looked at the Japanese soldiers' corpses on the ground.

He didn't rush to ask for details, but instead said something to Ma Yong first.

"Have someone clean up the battlefield and see if there's anything usable."

Ma Yong nodded, turned around and told the soldiers to search the Japanese soldiers' corpses and their equipment.

Zhao Zhuzi turned around and called out to the few team members behind him who were still able to move.

"Don't just stand there, help us clean up!"

The guerrillas responded and moved.

They followed the soldiers of the guard platoon to begin cleaning up the battlefield.

Zhou Tianyang and Zhao Zhuzi stood side by side in the middle of the valley, watching the people busy at work.

Zhao Zhuzi looked at the Japanese soldiers' corpses and let out a long breath.

"Commander Zhou, I thought I was going to die here today."

"Those Japanese devils chased us for more than ten miles, and they've been relentlessly pursuing us since yesterday afternoon."

"We've run out of ammunition, and the rest of us have scattered. There are only about a dozen of us left."

"If we hadn't run into you guys, we probably would have been finished a few miles away."

Zhou Tianyang didn't rush to reply, but asked a question first.

"From which stronghold did those Japanese soldiers come?"

Zhao Zhuzi pointed eastward.

"There's a town over there called Ping'an Town. The Japanese have stationed a small squad there, more than a hundred men."

"We carried out a sabotage operation on the outskirts of Ping'an Town and blew up a section of highway that the Japanese had built."

"We originally planned to bomb the place and then retreat, but we were spotted by their patrol team during the retreat and they've been chasing us ever since."

He paused, a hint of helplessness in his voice.

"There were only about forty of us in total, and half of them scattered after this battle."

"If it weren't for you guys, the remaining dozen or so wouldn't have escaped either."

Zhou Tianyang did not speak immediately after listening.

His gaze fell on Zhao Zhuzi's face.

"Captain Zhao, how long have your guerrilla unit been operating in this area?"

Zhao Zhuzi thought for a moment.

It's been almost a year.

"We were already waging guerrilla warfare in this area last year, mainly disrupting the Japanese supply lines and harassing their strongholds. We fought when we could, and ran away when we couldn't."

"The Japanese can't really do anything about us either. We were just unlucky this time and got caught up in their trap."

Zhou Tianyang nodded.

Ma Yong walked over from that side.

"Commander, the cleanup is complete. We've captured over thirty guns and some ammunition."

Zhou Tianyang glanced at the captured equipment and then said something to Zhao Zhuzi.

"You're probably running low on ammunition, aren't you?"

Zhao Zhuzi smiled somewhat embarrassedly.

"There aren't many left. We emptied our ranks after firing just a few shots, otherwise we wouldn't have had to run away in such a sorry state."

Zhou Tianyang said to Ma Yong:

"Leave the captured ammunition to the guerrilla comrades, and leave the guns to them as well."

Ma Yong didn't ask any more questions and turned to make the arrangements.

Zhao Zhuzi watched Ma Yong's retreating figure, then turned back to look at Zhou Tianyang.

"Commander Zhou, I can't accept this..."

"Take it. You'll need ammunition to fight guerrilla warfare in this area."

Zhou Tianyang's tone was calm, without any hint of charity.

Zhao Zhuzi remained silent for a moment, then nodded and did not refuse again.

He wiped his hands on his clothes and then reached out his hand to Zhou Tianyang.

"Commander Zhou, you've traveled such a long way, why don't you stay at our camp tonight?"

"Although the conditions are basic and can't compare to your large group, at least we have a place to shelter from the wind and rain."

Zhou Tianyang thought for a moment and nodded.

"Then I'll take my leave."

Zhao Zhuzi grinned and turned to shout at the guerrillas behind him.

"Are you all packed up?"

"Pack it up! Back to base!"

The team resumed their journey.

Zhou Tianyang led the guards and soldiers, following Zhao Zhuzi and his men, along a path almost completely covered by weeds as they walked into the mountains.

The mountain road became narrower and narrower, and the bushes on both sides became denser.

Zhou Tianyang walked in the middle of the group, his eyes constantly scanning the surrounding environment.

The terrain in this area is more complex than that in southeastern Shanxi, with steeper slopes and deeper ravines.

This kind of place is indeed suitable for guerrilla warfare. Large Japanese troops cannot get in, and small troops that do get in are easily ambushed.

It took about half an hour to walk.

A mountain valley, hidden by trees, appeared ahead.

There were a few low mud-brick houses scattered inside.

Some houses are inhabited, while others have had half their roofs collapsed.

Zhao Zhuzi stopped at the mouth of the mountain pass, turned around and smiled at Zhou Tianyang.

"We've arrived. This is our guerrilla territory."

Zhou Tianyang followed him into the mountain valley.

The inside appears larger than the outside, with several mud-brick houses arranged in a semicircle.

Several guerrillas were squatting in the open space making a fire when they saw Zhao Zhuzi returning with his men. They all stood up and came to greet them.

"Captain, you're back?"

"Are you alright?"

Zhao Zhuzi waved his hand.

"It's alright. We ran into the Eighth Route Army on the way. Thanks to their help, otherwise we wouldn't have made it back."

The guerrillas' eyes immediately turned to Zhou Tianyang and the soldiers behind him.

"Commander Zhou, please sit down and rest for a bit. I'll go get someone to get you some food."

Zhao Zhuzi led Zhou Tianyang to a relatively flat spot in the open space to sit down.

Zhou Tianyang did not refuse. He sat down on the wooden board, took the bowl handed to him by a guerrilla, and took a sip.

Zhao Zhuzi sat down next to him.

He took the other bowl of water and drank most of it in one gulp before letting out a long sigh of relief.

After a moment of silence, Zhou Tianyang asked a question.

"Captain Zhao, how's the situation on your side lately?"

Zhao Zhuzi put down his bowl, thought for a moment, as if organizing his thoughts.

"Not very good."

"After the Japanese troops established a foothold in that small squad in Ping'an Town, they expanded rapidly."

"Now their controlled area covers a radius of thirty or forty miles, and they have set up several checkpoints along the way. People have to have their good citizen certificates checked when they enter or leave."

"We used to be able to move freely in the surrounding villages, but now we get watched as soon as we get near the highway."

He paused, then pointed to the scabbed abrasion on his thigh.

"This wound was sustained last month when I went to scout the outskirts of Ping'an Town. I was almost caught by a Japanese patrol."

After listening, Zhou Tianyang had a general idea in his mind.

In Ping'an Town, a small Japanese squad of over a hundred men has been established there for more than half a year.

It's stuck in a major traffic artery, like a nail driven into the heart of the area.

If this thorn is not removed, the space for the guerrillas to operate in the surrounding area will be squeezed narrower and narrower.

But instead of immediately giving his opinion, he asked another question.

Are there any other Japanese strongholds nearby?

"There's another one about thirty miles to the north, and a small squad is stationed there as well."

"There's another one about twenty miles to the south, a bit smaller, but it's still a stronghold."

"The Japanese squad in Ping'an Town, relying on its superior numbers and equipment, frequently sent out small groups to sweep through the surrounding villages, causing considerable damage."

He looked up at Zhou Tianyang, his gaze carrying something indescribable.

It was as if they were testing the waters, or perhaps anticipating something.

"Commander Zhou, since you're passing by, perhaps you could..."

"Let's rest first."

Zhou Tianyang interrupted him, his tone remaining calm.

"After a long day of travel, I'll get a good night's sleep tonight and we can talk about it tomorrow."

Zhao Zhuzi glanced at Zhou Tianyang's expression, swallowed the words he was about to say, and nodded.

"Okay, then let's rest for today."