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

"He and his company and platoon leaders were all graduates of the Whampoa Military Academy."

"They all trusted the Central Army and the Nationalist Government."

"That's what Deng Chen said."

"The things we believed in ultimately turned into ruins in Nanjing."

Ma Yong's voice was hoarse and suppressed.

When he got to the last few words, his speaking speed slowed down noticeably.

"From then on, he was completely disillusioned with the system of the Central Army and the Nationalist government."

"They no longer believe those empty words, nor do they expect those above to send them supplies, orders, or reinforcements."

"They fought the Japanese on their own and survived on their own."

"Fight for as long as you can, live for as long as you can."

The silence in the valley lasted for a long time.

Zhou Tianyang sat on the rock, his gaze still lowered.

After a long while, he finally raised his head and looked at Ma Yong.

"What else did he say?"

Ma Yong thought for a moment, then spoke:

He said that although this group no longer recognized the Central Army, it had not completely become bandits.

"They have their own rules: they don't rob or beat ordinary people; they return borrowed items and pay for anything they take."

"If we can fight the Japanese, we will fight them; if we can't, we will defend the mountain and prevent anyone from invading."

"He knew that his troops would eventually fall apart, that they would eventually be wiped out in a battle, or that they would disintegrate on their own due to running out of ammunition and supplies."

"But he didn't want to scatter on the mountaintop, didn't want to disappear silently into the cracks between the rocks."

At this point, Ma Yong's voice suddenly lowered, as if what he was about to say was even more difficult to convey than what he had said before.

"He's been waiting for an opportunity."

"Waiting for an opportunity that will allow their team to return to the battlefield in a dignified manner."

Zhou Tianyang's gaze lingered on Ma Yong's face.

He looked at Ma Yong's expression, remained silent for several seconds, and then slowly spoke.

"Deng Chen wants to see me?"

Ma Yong nodded vigorously.

"He wants to talk to you in person."

"I talked to him on the mountain for almost an hour, and he hoped you would come up and sit for a while."

Zhou Tianyang sat there without answering immediately.

He stood up, walked to the stream, bent down, scooped up a handful of water, drank a couple of mouthfuls, and then straightened up.

His gaze fell upon Eagle's Sorrow Ridge in the distance.

After a moment of silence, he turned around and looked at Ma Yong.

"Then let's go see him."

"I will go up the mountain myself first thing tomorrow morning."

Ma Yong didn't ask any more questions or say anything more; he simply stood up.

"Then I'll go and inform them tonight so they can prepare."

Zhou Tianyang nodded, his gaze still fixed on the direction of Eagle Sorrow Ridge.

His mind was filled with the words Ma Yong had just relayed.

A battalion commander from the 88th Division, a veteran who had emerged from the bloodshed of the Battle of Shanghai and the Battle of Nanjing, led more than 300 brothers through nearly a year of hardship in the desolate mountains and wilderness.

They were actually waiting for an opportunity.

This is an opportunity for him to lead this team back to the battlefield.

Ma Yong didn't say anything more and turned to arrange the sentry duty and security for the night.

His footsteps faded into the distance in the valley.

They quickly disappeared behind the bushes in the distance.

……

The next morning, just as dawn broke.

Zhou Tianyang had already gotten up. He dressed and checked his belongings.

Then they left the temporary camp.

Ma Yong had also gotten up early and was squatting by the stream washing his face when he heard footsteps and looked up.

"Commander, I sent someone up the mountain last night to deliver a message. Deng Chen said we can go up at any time today."

Zhou Tianyang nodded, bent down, scooped up some water to wash his face, and then dried it with his sleeve.

"Walk."

He uttered only one word before striding towards Eagle's Sorrow Ridge.

Ma Yong wiped his hands and quickly followed, the two walking side by side on the winding path at the foot of the mountain.

Zhou Tianyang walked quickly but not hastily, his eyes always fixed on the steep mountain shadow ahead.

Ma Yong walked beside him, hesitated for a moment before speaking.

"Commander, what exactly is Deng Chen thinking?"

"He's been staying in the mountains for almost a year, and hardly anyone has come looking for him. When we suddenly come to his door saying we want to recruit him, how could he not have reservations?"

Zhou Tianyang did not answer immediately.

He walked for a while, as if pondering Ma Yong's question, before speaking in a voice that was neither too loud nor too soft.

"It's normal for him to have concerns."

"Anyone who had spent a year on the mountain with more than 300 brothers would have been suspicious if someone suddenly told them that they could rejoin the team."

He paused, his gaze still fixed ahead.

"But the fact that he's willing to see me means that the door in his heart isn't completely closed."

"He wanted to know if there was another way out for this team."

The two stopped talking and continued walking along the mountain path.

The foot of Eagle's Sorrow Ridge is much steeper than it appeared from a distance yesterday.

Only when you get close can you see that the exposed rocks are covered with moss.

They had just reached the foot of the mountain when a person stood up from a bush on the side.

The man was wearing an old military uniform, with the shoulder and collar insignia removed.

He held a Type 24 rifle in his hand, muzzle pointing downwards, his gaze steadily fixed on the two men.

"Is that Commander Zhou of the Eighth Route Army?"

Zhou Tianyang stopped and looked at the man.

"it's me."

The man didn't say much, but simply stepped aside to make way and gestured with his chin towards the mountain.

"The battalion commander is waiting upstairs. Please come with me."

He turned and walked ahead, following a path hidden among the trees.

The road was wider than it appeared from the bottom of the mountain, but the slope was extremely steep, and you had to rest and catch your breath every few steps.

We walked for about fifteen minutes.

The bushes suddenly thinned out, and the view ahead opened up.

A campsite built with rocks and wood came into view.

Completely different from the simple mountain valley where Zhao Zhuzi's guerrillas lived, the layout here was orderly and well-organized.

In the very center of the camp was a large stone and wood structure. Two sentries stood at the door, and when they saw someone coming, they stepped aside to make way for them.

The person leading the way stopped at the door, turned to the side, and gestured for Zhou Tianyang to enter.

"The battalion commander is waiting for you inside."

Zhou Tianyang nodded and strode inside.

A person was standing with his back to the door in front of the window, wearing a faded old military uniform, his back very straight.

Hearing footsteps, the person turned around.

Deng Chen looks even younger than Ma Yong described.

He was about thirty-five or thirty-six years old, with a dark, thin face and slightly protruding cheekbones.

When her gaze fell on Zhou Tianyang, she didn't scrutinize or examine him; she simply looked at him calmly.

"Commander Zhou?"

He spoke, but his voice was not loud.

"Sorry to keep you waiting."

Zhou Tianyang walked to the center of the room and his gaze fell on Deng Chen's face.

The two stared at each other for a few seconds, as if confirming something.

Then Deng Chen pointed to the wooden chair next to him.

"Please sit down."

Zhou Tianyang sat down in the chair, and Deng Chen sat down opposite him.