Hunting
Volume Two, Chapter Nine
The disastrous defeat at "Old Forest Bend" was like a resounding slap across Onizuka Ichiro's face. He not only lost valuable heavy weapons but also suffered a complete loss of prestige among his colleagues in the Kwantung Army. Following his fury came a chilling, bone-deep killing intent. He mobilized all available resources—all the personnel of the Heihe Special Service Agency, a portion of the Japanese garrison, and a large number of puppet troops and informants under duress and coercion—like a giant comb, launching a sweeping purge of the forests radiating from "Old Forest Bend" within a fifty-mile radius.
This time, it wasn't a precise location-based arrest, but a brutal, overwhelming military sweep. The Japanese strategy was simple: burn the mountains, surround them, and press forward step by step, sparing no expense to crush this resistance force that had repeatedly humiliated them in this cold mountain forest.
The charcoal kiln was clearly no longer a viable option. The sounds of explosions and gunfire served as the best guide. Gu Tieshan led his team, carrying two captured Type 92 heavy machine guns (too heavy to be disassembled and carried separately by the group) and some ammunition, and began another relocation before the Japanese could encircle them.
This transfer was more difficult and dangerous than any before.
Cold sleet began to fall from the sky, stinging my face. The forest path became muddy and treacherous, each step a struggle between deep and shallow mud. Behind me, sporadic gunshots and shouts from the Japanese search party could be heard from near and far, as if enemies were everywhere.
Gu Tieshan walked at the head of the group, his expression as cold and calm as the weather. He didn't choose to flee in a straight line, but instead constantly changed direction, sometimes meandering, sometimes turning back, using the complex terrain and harsh weather to confuse and shake off the pursuers as much as possible. The counter-tracking techniques he had taught Geng Dashan and the others came in handy now. They carefully concealed their footprints, used streams and rocky terrain, and even created false tracks when necessary to lead the pursuers astray.
"Watch your step and don't leave any clear footprints."
"Upon hearing a dog barking, immediately climb a tree or cross the stream."
"Rest time should not exceed 15 minutes, and guards should be on duty in shifts."
His commands were brief and effective, like a precise war machine at work. Two days and two nights of intense marching and mental strain had left everyone utterly exhausted. Xiu Niang was practically dragged along by Shuanzi and Geng Dashan, and the child cried incessantly from hunger and cold, so Shen Lanjun and Xiao Chen took turns holding the child and warming the child with their body heat.
During one of his scouting missions, Zhao Xiaoshuan nearly ran into a Japanese search party. Luckily, he was alert and hid in the bushes beforehand, thus escaping unscathed. When he returned, he was pale and terrified.
On the evening of the third day, they found a shallow rock hollow under a sheltered cliff, barely enough to shelter them. Outside, wind and rain raged, and the temperature plummeted. Everyone was soaked to the bone and shivering with cold. Their provisions were almost gone, and they dared not light a fire, so they could only gnaw on hard, nearly empty mixed bread cakes, soaked by the icy rain.
"Brother Gu, the Japanese are determined to kill us this time." Xiao Chen clutched his gun, his lips turning purple from the cold, his voice trembling almost imperceptibly. The continuous escapes and the ever-present threat of death had placed immense pressure on this young soldier.
Gu Tieshan tore off a piece of flatbread, chewing slowly, his gaze piercing through the rain as he looked out at the dark forest. "They have more people and better guns; that's their advantage. But this forest is ours." His voice wasn't loud, but it carried a reassuring power. "The forest is large, so they'll be scattered. Bad weather renders their planes and artillery useless. We have fewer people, smaller targets, and greater agility. Remember, in a place like this, survival is victory."
He looked at everyone and began assigning tasks: "Dashan, you have more experience, take Xiaoshuan to check if there are any caves nearby where we can take shelter from the rain, or any wild vegetables or tree bark we can eat. Be careful. Xiaochen, you are in charge of guarding the first shift. Lanjun, see if there is any dry firewood we can use, and try to get some hot water, the child can't stand it."
His arrangements were meticulous, ensuring everyone's well-being even in dire circumstances. Shen Lanjun nodded silently and began gathering relatively dry moss and twigs from a nearby rock crevice, attempting to start a fire with captured Japanese matches. Geng Dashan and Zhao Xiaoshuan also roused themselves and plunged into the rain.
Gu Tieshan leaned against the stone wall, his eyes closed, seemingly resting, but his ears, like the most sensitive radar, picked up any unusual sounds beyond the wind and rain. He reviewed the routes of the past few days in his mind, judging the possible search focus and troop deployment of the Japanese. With his memories restored, the strategic battlefield perspective of a high-ranking officer allowed him to examine the current predicament from a higher level.
He knew that simply running away wasn't a solution. He had to find a way to break out of this passive, defensive situation. The Japanese mopping-up operations couldn't continue indefinitely; the longer their supply lines stretched, the more gaps they would create. The key was finding that gap and delivering a fatal blow, letting Onizuka know that the price of continuing the pursuit was unbearable.
Geng Dashan and Zhao Xiaoshuan brought back some bitter wild vegetable roots and a small handful of wild fruits to replenish their strength. Although they hadn't found a better shelter, at least they had something to eat. Shen Lanjun also managed to start a small fire and boil some water using a captured Japanese mess kit. Everyone shared the water, which finally dispelled some of the chill.
As night fell, the wind and rain intensified. Gu Tieshan had the others huddle together at the innermost part of the rocky hollow to rest, while he, clutching his gun, sat on the outermost side, using his body to shield himself from most of the wind and rain. Shen Lanjun insisted on keeping watch with him, and the two sat side by side on the cold rocks, listening to the howling wind and rain outside and the occasional strange noises, whether from wild animals or pursuers, they couldn't tell.
"Can we make it through?" Shen Lanjun asked softly, her voice muffled by the wind and rain.
"Yes." Gu Tieshan's answer was brief and affirmative. "I've survived much more difficult situations. Xifengkou... was ten times worse." There was no boasting in his words, only a calm and conviction that came from having experienced life and death.
He paused, then continued, "Onizuka's actions are costly. I estimate that in three to five days at most, if he still doesn't have definite news about us, he'll have to withdraw his troops. That will be our opportunity."
His judgment, based on a rational analysis of logistics and troop strength, gave Shen Lanjun immense confidence. She gently rested her head on his broad but cold shoulder, feeling that solid support.
On the fourth day, the rain stopped, but the weather remained gloomy and cold. The Japanese search seemed to intensify; at one point, they could even clearly hear Japanese officers below the mountain using loudspeakers to urge surrender.
Gu Tieshan decisively changed his strategy, no longer blindly hiding in the deep mountains. Instead, he began to lead his team, like ghosts, to actively move close to the edge of the Japanese search line. He used the terrain to his advantage, narrowly missing large groups of Japanese soldiers several times. On one occasion, they were hiding in the bushes when they watched a group of puppet troops walk past them less than ten meters away.
This feeling of dancing on the edge of a knife put everyone's nerves to the limit, but it also greatly improved their mental fortitude and ability to lie in wait.
On the afternoon of the fifth day, the opportunity finally arrived.
Gu Tieshan observed that a Japanese platoon of about thirty men had broken away from the main force while chasing a robe they had stumbled upon, and had ventured deep into a valley with complex terrain. This platoon was carrying a radio and relatively ample ammunition and supplies.
"Kill them." Gu Tieshan's eyes flashed coldly as he gave the order.
This time, it wasn't harassment, but a precise hunt. They took advantage of the terrain, setting up simple traps and ammunition, and then occupied the high ground on both sides of the valley.
The battle began when the Japanese squad, carrying the body of their fallen comrade, strode triumphantly into the valley. Gu Tieshan shot down a Japanese soldier carrying a radio with a single shot. Geng Dashan and Xiao Chen suppressed the enemy with precise bursts of fire. Zhao Xiaoshuan and two scouts launched a flanking attack using grenades and captured grenade launchers (seized during the battle at the bend in the old forest and carefully carried).
The battle lasted less than twenty minutes. This Japanese platoon, separated from its main force, was almost completely annihilated in Gu Tieshan's meticulously planned ambush. They captured valuable ammunition, medicine, a intact radio, and some food.
More importantly, while clearing the battlefield, Gu Tieshan found a copy of an order on the body of a Japanese officer. It showed that Onizuka Ichiro had been reprimanded by his superiors for failing to achieve any results and for his troops being scattered and suffering excessive losses. He was ordered to end the clearing operation within two days and withdraw his troops to their original defense zone.
When the news spread, jubilation erupted in the charcoal kiln (where they later found a more secluded new hideout)!
A long-lost look of relief appeared on Gu Tieshan's face. He looked at Shen Lanjun, and the two smiled at each other.
In the battle of will and wits, the hunters and the hunters, relying on their unwavering faith, more flexible tactics, and deeper understanding of the mountains and forests, once again tenaciously survived. This battle forged them like tempered steel, making them more resilient and confident. While the "Jiangwan" transportation station lost its permanent wooden hut, its core strength, forged in the fire and blood of the hunt, truly established itself and is poised for a new transformation.
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