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

Zhou Tianyang nodded, a hint of satisfaction flashing in his eyes.

This Sun Shengli speaks logically and doesn't boast or brag.

Knowing the difficulties and his own abilities, he is good material for reconnaissance.

Let me explain a few points to you.

"Safety first."

He extended his index finger, looking directly at Sun Shengli.

"You're going to scout, not to fight."

"Try to figure it out if you can, otherwise leave if you can't."

"The most important thing is that the person came back alive."

"Did you understand?"

Sun Shengli nodded.

"I understand."

"Secondly, without alerting the bandits, we should try to find out as much as possible about their background."

Zhou Tianyang extended his middle finger.

"We need to find out everything we can about the village."

He paused, then continued:

"But remember one principle: it's better to touch less than to alert them."

"Once we alert them, the bandits will be on guard, and it will be difficult for us to fight them later."

"clear."

Sun Shengli answered without the slightest hesitation.

"Third, once you've figured things out, don't linger; return as soon as possible."

Zhou Tianyang extended his ring finger.

His tone became more serious.

"Whether we figure it out or not, we have to be back before dawn tomorrow."

If you don't come back by then, I'll assume something happened to you.

Sun Shengli's eyes flickered slightly.

But things quickly calmed down.

"Don't worry, Commander, I will definitely be back on time."

Zhou Tianyang stared at him for a few seconds, then nodded.

He reached out and picked up a cloth bag from the table, handing it to Sun Shengli.

"Here are fifty pistol bullets, some dry rations, and a canteen of water. Take them with you."

Sun Shengli took the cloth bag and hung it around his waist.

"What happened to the two people you picked?"

Zhou Tianyang turned to look at Zhao Wenlong.

Zhao Wenlong walked over from the wall and said:

"I've made my choice."

"One is named Ma Xiaozhu, and the other is named Liu Dazhuang."

"They are all veterans from the third squad, bold, meticulous, and skilled."

"Ma Xiaozhu used to be a scout in the 25th Red Army, and Liu Dazhuang is a local."

"I am fairly familiar with the terrain around Black Wind Stronghold."

"Let them in."

Zhao Wenlong turned and walked out.

A moment later, he came in with two other people.

Ma Xiaozhu was in his early twenties, not very tall, with a round face, and looked like a teenager.

But his eyes darted around, revealing a cleverness.

Liu Dazhuang was in his thirties, burly and with a square face; he looked like a farmer.

But his eyes were steady, and he walked silently.

This contrasts sharply with his rugged appearance.

The two entered the room, stood up straight, and looked at Zhou Tianyang.

"Please sit down."

The two sat down next to Sun Shengli.

Zhou Tianyang's gaze swept across the three people's faces before he slowly spoke.

"Commander Zhao has already told you about the mission, so I won't repeat it."

"The three points I just told Sun Shengli also apply to the two of you."

"I'm reminding you again!"

"Safety first."

"Did you understand?"

"I understand!"

The three answered in unison.

Zhou Tianyang nodded, then added:

"There's one more thing."

His gaze sharpened.

"Tonight, no matter what happens, don't act impulsively."

"If you encounter a bandit patrol, hide if you can, run if you can't hide, and fight if you can't run."

In short!

"Coming back alive and bringing back intelligence is a hundred times more important than killing a few bandits."

The three men's expressions became even more serious.

Sun Shengli, representing the three, spoke first:

"Don't worry, Commander, we've got it."

Zhou Tianyang stood up from his chair.

He walked up to the three people and looked at their faces one by one.

"You are all veterans, you have fought in battles, seen blood, and you know what the battlefield is like."

"Although Black Wind Stronghold is located in a dangerous area, the bandits are not Japanese devils."

"They didn't have that strong fighting spirit, nor that tight organization."

"As long as you are careful, there will be no problem."

"Any other questions?"

The three looked at each other and shook their heads.

"Let's go then."

The three stood up, saluted, and turned to leave.

Soon, the three disappeared into the night.

The footsteps gradually faded into the distance.

The courtyard fell silent again.

Zhou Tianyang stood at the door.

He stared at the direction where the three had disappeared, remaining motionless for a long time.

Zhao Wenlong walked to his side and whispered:

"Commander, don't worry, Sun Shengli is a veteran, he's done this kind of thing more than once."

"I know."

Zhou Tianyang turned around, walked back to the table, and sat down.

"But when it comes to reconnaissance, nobody can say for sure."

"We were unfamiliar with the terrain, the situation was unclear, and we were outnumbered by the enemy. If we made a wrong move, we might not be able to come back."

Zhao Wenlong was silent for a moment, then spoke:

"Commander, should we make any preparations?"

Zhou Tianyang thought for a moment and then said.

"Wenlong, go and make the arrangements."

"Let the soldiers sleep fully clothed tonight, ready to be deployed at any time."

Zhao Wenlong was taken aback.

"Commander, are you worried that something might happen to Sun Shengli and his men?"

"It's not about worrying, it's about preparing."

Zhou Tianyang stood up and walked to the map on the wall.

"If Sun Shengli and his men are exposed, the bandits will definitely give chase."

"We'll need someone to meet us then."

Zhao Wenlong stood at attention and saluted.

"yes!"

"I'll arrange it right away!"

He turned and strode out.

Zhou Tianyang was the only one left in the room.

……

Black Wind Village is located halfway up the mountain.

From a distance, only a few dim, yellowish lights could be vaguely seen.

Like a will-o'-the-wisp suspended in mid-air, flickering on and off.

Sun Shengli lay prone behind a large rock, his eyes fixed on the flames.

He was camouflaged with weeds, blending into the surrounding rocks.

From three meters away, you wouldn't be able to tell that there's a person lying there.

Ma Xiaozhu and Liu Dazhuang lay on either side of him, also in the same disguise.

They've been lying here for almost two hours.

"Brother Shengli, aren't you moving?"

Ma Xiaozhu lowered his voice.

His voice was very soft, so soft that only the two people next to him could hear it.

"wait."

Sun Shengli only said one word.

He was waiting for the bandits at the village gate to change shifts.

From their hiding place, they could see the first checkpoint of Black Wind Stronghold.

It was a simple gate made of stones and wood.

There is a watchtower on each side, built of thick wooden stakes, more than two zhang (approximately 6.6 meters) above the ground.

On each of the watchtowers stood a bandit, holding a gun in his arms, pacing back and forth.

A lantern hangs in the center of the village gate.

The dim light only illuminated a small area in front of the door.

The further away the place appears, the darker it seems.

Sun Shengli observed for nearly two hours and roughly figured out the pattern.

The bandits on the watchtower changed shifts approximately every two hours.

Each time the shift changed, two new bandits would emerge from the village to replace the previous shift.

The shift change was very short, less than two minutes in total.

It's 2 a.m.

This is when people are most tired.

The two bandits on the watchtower had stopped moving around much, only occasionally taking a few steps.

Most of the time, he leans against the railing.

My head started to doze off little by little.