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

A group of people staggered out of the restaurant.

Zhou Jindong had already arranged everything; seven trucks were already filled with fuel and parked at the warehouse entrance.

The Japanese soldiers escorting the truck helped each other climb into the back of the truck, while Takeshi Inoue sat in the passenger seat of the driver's cab.

Zhou Jindong, Su Zhan, and Watanabe Kota boarded the lead car.

With the roar of engines, the convoy slowly drove out of the county town and headed towards Dongzhai Town.

......

At this time, Wang Yuan and his men had made full preparations in Dongzhai Town.

The roadblocks at the town entrance have been removed, and the townspeople are being moved in an orderly manner to the back of the mountain under the command of the guerrillas.

In the courtyard of the town government, there were more than a dozen tables set up, with steaming meat dishes and wine jars on them.

The convoy slowly came to a stop in front of the town hall.

Wang Yuan, along with Zhu Zi and others, stood ramrod straight, dressed in brand-new Japanese military uniforms.

Seeing the car come to a stop, Kosuke Ogawa immediately ran forward, gave Takeshi Inoue a crisp military salute, and shouted, "Welcome, Inoue-kun! Lieutenant Okada has been waiting for you!"

Still a bit hungover, Takeshi Inoue shook his head, looked at the "Imperial Army" soldiers in front of him, and nodded with satisfaction: "Yoshi, you guys are in good spirits. The supplies... are all in the truck."

"Thank you for your hard work, Inoue-kun!" Kosuke Ogawa waved his hand. "Quickly, help Inoue-kun move his things! Also, Lieutenant Okada has prepared a victory banquet for everyone. Please, Inoue-kun and all the warriors, take your seats!"

Upon hearing that there was food to eat, and it was a victory celebration banquet, the Japanese soldiers who were not yet fully sober immediately perked up, jumped off the vehicle, and followed Wang Yuan and the others into the courtyard.

Inoue Takeshi felt something was off; why did the town look so empty?

But when he turned his head and saw Watanabe Kota standing respectfully next to Zhou Jindong, his doubts were dispelled.

Watanabe is a close confidant of Okada Yudai; with him here, there shouldn't be any problems.

"Su-san, you're here too." Takeshi Inoue called out to Zhou Jindong.

Zhou Jindong rushed over and took Inoue Takeshi's arm: "Inoue-sama, please take a seat! This is all from our lieutenant. You need to eat well to have the strength to escort the car back."

Zhou Jindong half-dragged, half-supported Inoue Takeshi to the main table. Su Zhan kept pouring wine and saying all sorts of flattering things, making Inoue Takeshi very happy.

"Come, sir, this is the best wine in Dongzhai Town. Let me toast you!" Su Zhan walked over carrying a large bowl.

Takeshi Inoue took the bowl of sake, smelled it, and a strong aroma of sake wafted into his nostrils.

Without thinking much, he tilted his head back and drank it all in one gulp.

Seeing this, the other Japanese soldiers also picked up their bowls and drank heartily.

Zhou Jindong stood aside, observing coldly.

He stared at Takeshi Inoue's face, silently counting: three, two, one...

Just as Takeshi Inoue put down the bowl, he suddenly felt a blackout before his eyes and the world spinning.

He swayed, and the bowl in his hand fell to the ground with a "crash" and shattered into pieces.

"This wine... how come..." Before Takeshi Inoue could finish speaking, his head lolled to the side and he slumped heavily onto the table, snoring loudly.

Immediately afterwards, a series of thuds echoed in the courtyard.

The thirty-odd Japanese soldiers didn't utter a sound; they all collapsed to the ground, sleeping like dead pigs.

"Let's do it!"

Zhou Jindong gave a low shout.

Wang Yuan and Zhu Zi acted swiftly, instantly drawing their daggers and rifle butts from their waists and finishing off the fallen Japanese soldiers, ensuring they were completely dead.

The whole process took less than five minutes and was quick and efficient.

"Quick! Move the supplies!" Zhou Jindong shouted. "Brother Yuan, you take some men and drive the trucks into the back mountain. I asked the puppet troops, and some of them can drive cars. Find a way to drive directly to the entrance of the valley!"

"Zhu Zi, you take your men and strip the Japanese soldiers of their equipment. Drag their bodies to the backyard and bury them without leaving a trace! Shui Sheng, go and inform the villagers to hurry into the mountains!"

The guerrillas immediately sprang into action.

Some quickly went to find puppet soldiers who could drive to start the cars, while others unloaded the fifty rifles and ammunition boxes and distributed them to the team members.

Zhou Jindong walked to Inoue Takeshi's body, took the approval slip from Inoue Takeshi's pocket, sneered, and casually threw it into the brazier next to him.

"May you go to hell! Don't blame anyone else, blame only you bunch of beasts for actually coming to China! Besides, it was Su Hao who lied, what does it have to do with me, Zhou Jindong?" He muttered to himself, then turned and walked out of the town hall.

By this time, it was already broad daylight, and the sunlight shone on the rooftops of Dongzhai Town, but it couldn't penetrate the bustling courtyard.

Seven trucks, loaded with supplies, slowly drove toward the entrance to the back mountain, led by Wang Yuan.

Zhou Jindong did not go into the mountains with the convoy; he had more important things to do.

He returned to Su Zhan and Watanabe Kota's side. Watanabe Kota, witnessing this scene, turned deathly pale and trembled all over.

He didn't expect Zhou Jindong to actually dare to kill this entire Imperial Army squad with drugs.

"Captain Zhou... Captain Zhou..." Watanabe Kota's teeth chattered.

"Watanabe, it's come to this. We've been through thick and thin together." Zhou Jindong glanced at him. "If you want to live, do as I say. Su Zhan, you stay here and work with Wang Yuan. Take the surrendered Japanese soldiers and those puppet army prisoners and clean up the town hall. Erase all traces."

"Any... other tasks?" Su Zhan asked tremblingly.

"Take care of what's in front of you first," Zhou Jindong said. "Watanabe, you're coming back to the county town with me."

"Back...back to the county town?" Watanabe Kota nearly wet himself in fear. "Captain Zhou, after all we've done, if Inoue and the others don't send any news back! This...isn't this like walking into a trap?"

"We have to go and report back." Zhou Jindong straightened his clothes. "We tricked so many supplies and even poisoned a squad of Imperial Army soldiers. If Okada Tomohisa finds out, will he let it go? We need to go back and put his mind at ease, and delay him from discovering anything amiss as much as possible."

Kota Watanabe was completely dumbfounded. What was this guy's courage made of?

He just killed someone and stole their stuff, and now he wants to go back to his hideout to fool the boss?

Zhou Jindong ignored him, turned around and walked to the corner of the yard, where there were three horses that had come with the convoy.

"Brother Yuan, I'm leaving this to you. And Su Zhan, you need to cooperate well with the captain. If anything goes wrong, you know the consequences." Zhou Jindong mounted his horse and looked down at Su Zhan.

Looking into Zhou Jindong's icy eyes, Su Zhan dared not utter a word of dissent. He nodded frantically, saying, "Captain Zhou, don't worry! I'll handle it perfectly! You... just watch my performance, but please don't forget the antidote!"

Zhou Jindong nodded, spurred his horse, and led the dazed Watanabe Kota out of Dongzhai Town.