The War of Resistance Against Japan: Starting with a Calm View of Life and Death

When Takeshi Inoue heard that there was alcohol to drink, his eyes immediately narrowed into slits.

In this freezing weather, who would want to eat dry rations in a warehouse?

He glanced at his watch; it was only a little past seven in the evening, a while before curfew.

"Since it's Lieutenant Okada's kind offer, then I'll accept it without hesitation." Inoue Takeshi waved his hand and shouted to the thirty-odd soldiers in the warehouse, "Assemble! Half of you stay and watch the warehouse, the rest of you come with me to eat! Remember, don't drink too much, we have to go out tomorrow!"

"Hai!" A group of Japanese soldiers cheered.

Zhou Jindong sneered inwardly, but his face became even more obsequious: "Lieutenant Inoue, you, Watanabe, and Su Zhan go ahead. I'll go to the back to arrange the food and drinks, and also bring the 'special supply' drinks prepared for you. I'll be right there."

Takeshi Inoue waved his hand: "Hurry up, don't keep us waiting too long."

Watching Inoue Takeshi lead Su Zhan, Watanabe Kota, and a dozen Japanese soldiers toward the nearby Zuixianlou restaurant, Zhou Jindong stood still.

As soon as their figures disappeared around the street corner, Zhou Jindong's smile vanished instantly, replaced by a cold and stern expression.

Instead of going to Zuixianlou, he turned around and led over a warhorse that had been tied to the door earlier, which he had "borrowed" on his way here.

Zhou Jindong mounted his horse, squeezed its flanks with his legs, and the warhorse shot into the night like an arrow.

Thirty li is nothing to a warhorse. Zhou Jindong lay on the horse's back, the wind whistling past his ears, but his heart was more anxious than the wind itself.

An hour later, in the woods outside Dongzhai Town.

Wang Yuan was pacing anxiously back and forth with his men, glancing up at the sky every now and then.

"Who goes there!" Zhu Zi, who was on guard duty, shouted in a low voice and pulled back the bolt of his gun.

"It's me!" Zhou Jindong reined in his horse, jumped off, and moved swiftly.

"Dongzi! You're finally back!" Wang Yuan rushed up, grabbed Zhou Jindong's arm, and looked him up and down. "How was it? Did you give yourself away?"

"It's alright, it's all taken care of." Zhou Jindong didn't have time for pleasantries and said quickly, "Tomorrow morning, the Japanese will deliver five truckloads of supplies, including food, clothing, fifty guns, and a batch of ammunition. The escort will be half a squad of Japanese soldiers, about thirty men."

The guerrillas around them lit up when they heard this.

"Dongzi, are you saying we're going to ambush them on the road?" Wang Yuan gripped his pistol tightly.

"No, we can't fight on the road." Zhou Jindong shook his head. "If the gunfire starts, the Japanese battalion in the county will know immediately. We'll be surrounded before we even get the supplies into the mountains. We have to outsmart them."

He pulled a small paper packet from his pocket and handed it to Wang Yuan: "This is a sleeping potion I got from my father. It's the kind of sleeping potion that used to be made at the pharmacy. It's very strong. Just a little bit will put someone to a deep sleep, guaranteed to keep them completely conscious."

Wang Yuan took the paper package and looked at him with a puzzled expression: "You mean...?"

"When the Japanese convoy arrives tomorrow, we'll pretend to be Okada Yuta's men to receive the supplies." Zhou Jindong's eyes flashed with a cold light. "Brother Yuan, you take a few clever soldiers, put on the captured Japanese uniforms, and pretend to be Okada's squad."

I will have Su Zhan tell the lieutenant escorting the truck that Lieutenant Okada has prepared food and drinks at the town hall to treat everyone.”

"Then we'll drug the drink?" Wang Yuan reacted quickly.

"Yes, not only the alcohol, but also the food." Zhou Jindong nodded. "As long as they eat, once the drug takes effect, we can take down these Japanese devils without bloodshed."

The trucks and supplies will drive directly into the valley behind the mountain, blocking the road. Even if Okada Tomohisa reacts quickly enough, he won't be able to catch up with us.

Wang Yuan was thrilled and slapped his thigh: "Great plan! These little devils always act so arrogantly, this time we'll let them taste our foot bath water! No, we'll give them a taste of our sleeping potion!"

"Also, don't change the puppet army uniforms. Let them continue wearing them and stand on the sidelines to create a scene and confuse the Japanese," Zhou Jindong added. "Remember, everyone must keep the same story."

"Zhu Zi, take some men to the town hall kitchen to prepare. Shui Sheng, take some men to clear the roadblocks at the town entrance so that trucks can drive straight in."

"Yes!" everyone responded in unison.

"Alright, I need to get back quickly." Zhou Jindong mounted his horse. "My excuse for leaving was to buy alcohol; I can't disappear for too long. Yuan-ge, I'm leaving this to you. Tomorrow, you must act convincingly, especially when you meet that Lieutenant Inoue. Be humble, treat them like royalty, and then act like a subservient grandson later, understand?"

"Don't worry, Dongzi, I, Wang Yuan, am also a master at acting!" Wang Yuan grinned, revealing a set of white teeth.

Zhou Jindong said no more, spurred his horse, and charged into the night once more.

It was already past midnight when we got back to the county town.

The Drunken Immortal Pavilion was brightly lit, and the sounds of people playing drinking games could be heard from two streets away.

Zhou Jindong tied his horse to the backyard, took out two jars of liquor he had bought on the way, poured some on himself to make himself smell of alcohol, and then staggered into the restaurant.

In a private room on the second floor, Takeshi Inoue was surrounded by two women, with two geishas pouring him drinks. Su Zhan and Kota Watanabe stood by, smiling obsequiously, their faces flushed from drinking.

"Inoue... Inoue-sama..." Zhou Jindong hiccuped, pushed open the door, and carried two jars of wine. "I... I'm back... This... this is a special supply from Lieutenant Okada... good wine..."

Inoue Takeshi, his eyes still blurry with drunkenness, looked up and saw the wine jar in Zhou Jindong's hand. He burst into laughter: "Su-san, you...you've done a great job! Come on...drink!"

Zhou Jindong slammed the wine jar onto the table, making the bowls and plates rattle.

He plopped down next to Su Zhan, picked up the wine jug, poured himself a bowl, tilted his head back and gulped it down, then pretended to be unable to hold his liquor and slumped onto the table.

"Sir... this liquor... is strong..." Zhou Jindong mumbled indistinctly.

Inoue Takeshi had no doubts. In his eyes, this "Su Hao" was just a lackey who would do anything to curry favor with his master. What tricks could he possibly have? All he could think about was how to show off his achievements to Okada tomorrow and the fine wine in front of him.

The drinking session lasted until almost dawn.

Takeshi Inoue and several of his confidants were so drunk that they were staggering and could barely hold their guns.

Although Zhou Jindong had also drunk quite a bit, he kept secretly pouring the liquid into his sleeves, and his mind was perfectly clear.

He glanced at the clock on the wall; it was almost time.

"Mr. Inoue, it's dawn, we... should set off..." Zhou Jindong nudged Inoue Takeshi.

Takeshi Inoue opened his eyes with a groan, slurring his words, "Let's...let's go! For the glory of the Empire!"