At the southeast foot of Taihang Mountain, the sky gets dark earlier than other places, and the moon is already hanging on the treetops in the distance.
A team stopped to rest in a forest and bush.
They originally thought they would only rob three or five people, but unexpectedly, more than thirty people were rescued. Wu Yan and Ma Liang were both dumbfounded. At this time, the two of them were staring at each other.
I only escaped from the execution ground after walking three times with many thanks on the way. I didn't even have time to run away, so I didn't dare to go to death to inform him, so I wasn't worried.
Marching on the plains in broad daylight was an act of seeking death. It was difficult to keep their whereabouts secret. Ma Liang suspected that the Japanese had a conspiracy, so he ran all afternoon and nothing happened.
Since the attack was carried out as planned and the person was "robbed" back, now he had to bite the bullet and find a way to bring the person back to the mountains.
The thirty-two people who were reborn were divided into four groups, with two soldiers guarding each group. Each group was assigned a stretcher. Those who had been tortured and had mobility problems were bandaged, but they all had stomach rumblings.
Every two people form a small group and supervise each other. The method is naturally learned by Ma Liang from Su Qing. He believes that spies must be in the minority. If they are one of their own, they will help each other. If they want to do something to the spies, there will be someone watching at all times. No!
The soldiers were scattered around on guard, and the leading soldiers were far away. They all knew that there were spies among this group of people. Several soldiers were checking and initially learned that several were Eighth Route Army soldiers who were injured and captured, and a few were from peripheral intelligence. The personnel cannot be believed rashly now. Instead, they are injured people who are full of vigilance. Who knows the identities of these people who saved them!
Ma Liang insisted that according to the principles set by Su Qing, he must first go back to the mountain and then verify his identity.
"It's not easy to go back to the mountain!" Wu Yan said solemnly.
"The spies arranged by the Japanese can't be identified now. Since the Japanese dare to let people go with open swords and guns, it shows that they have methods that are not afraid of us!"
"It's nothing to waste time here."
"It's not difficult to go back to the mountain!" It was impossible for the Japanese to discover the cliff path that Ma Liang often walked. There was a spy in the team, and he just didn't want to be exposed.
"That's strange. Normally, none of the guys from the detective team are there, so we can't get any information!" Wu Yan did not doubt that the Nine Company had been operating in the Qingshan Village area, and it was normal to know that there were trails: "No, before we left the mountain, you said that we I can’t get out, this is inconsistent!”
"The Japanese and the security forces were transferred to the foot of the mountain and blocked the way into the mountain. A small number of them climbed the cliff and sneaked in and out. There were too many people and the target was too big, so it was very difficult!"
"The Japanese have already built gun towers in Shanben, why are they blocking it?"
"The Japs marched into the mountains in large numbers to prevent our plain troops from entering the mountains for reinforcements. Although there was a conspiracy that was not suppressed outside the mountains, the artillery towers entering the mountains were erected at the mountain passes. In the past few days, the Japs have entered the mountains to sweep up and strengthened the guards."
"how do you know?"
"We have a source!"
"Uh... OK... Then, how to solve the food problem now?"
"Let's go now and try our luck at Luoye Village! Just pretend you didn't see it. Can't you eat these sorghums? You are so stubborn!"
"How dare you!" Wu Yan was furious!
There is a trail that Ma Liang often goes in and out of, but there are two injured people in the team. It is risky to climb the mountain. If he encounters Japanese on the road, he can only break up in advance.
After the main force of the independent group left, the team now has almost gathered all its strength.
Ma Liang was not too worried about the lack of food. Li Youde had a lot of ready-made food for the rich man. Ma Liang was not sure whether he could get it, but he did know how to contact Li Youde.
"Be honest! I know there is a Japanese spy among you. I don't know who the spy is now. Since you are unwilling to come forward, well, go into the mountain and let me find out. I will put you in a dilemma of life and death!" If anyone comes forward now, I won’t make it difficult for you. If you have a family member in the hands of the Japanese, you can still follow us into the mountains and give you a chance to save your family!"
Everyone narrowly escaped death, and now they knew that there was a spy in the crowd. They looked at each other and turned to stare at the people around them to see if there was the word spy on their foreheads.
Of course, even if there are, not everyone knows them.
"What do you think I'm doing? Do I look like a spy? I think you are a spy!" As soon as they were out of danger, they started to quarrel with each other.
Having said this, Zhen Balu breathed a sigh of relief. Who dares to say that he is a real spy? Once he admits it, it would be strange not to shoot him immediately.
After resting for a while, several soldiers didn't ask for a clear answer, their stomachs growled, and they walked away, no longer caring about the people who were suspicious of each other.
After a while, the tired team, which had been traveling all afternoon, once again set foot on the road into the mountains in the moonlight.
More than fifty people disappeared in the forest.
...
The low hills begin to rise, and the mountains are gray and black. Under the moonlight, no high mountains can be seen, but everyone knows that not far ahead is the road into the mountains, but there are natural chasms everywhere.
Before dark, a team finally arrived more than ten miles outside the mountain. They were all riding on horses. There was a dusty village not far away.
The leading man asked the people next to him: "How far away is the Japanese blockade?"
"The Japs have set up two blockades. The ones on the outside are puppet troops. It is not difficult to avoid them. The key is that the Japs are stuck at the mountain pass. Our military division has concentrated its efforts on fighting for more than ten days. The casualties are huge and it is impossible to rush through! "
"How did you manage that so many Japanese invaders came into the mountains and yet you didn't pay attention to them?"
"Hey, can I make the decision? The Japanese have raided so many times. Who knows, this time the Japanese have found out the situation at the headquarters so clearly. Maybe, this is fate!"
"How many troops have you gathered here now?"
"There are more than 10,000 soldiers, but most of the soldiers don't even have guns! This battle can't be fought."
"How many Japs are there in Yamaguchi?"
"Not much. There is only one squadron at the mountain pass. As for the situation in the mountains, I am not sure."
"A squadron? Are you kidding us? Our weapons are fifty to one, and we can kill these little devils in a heap!"
"The Japs have invested a lot of troops this time and have taken advantage of the location. We don't have heavy weapons, so many people are useless. There are Japs troops on the periphery searching and mopping up. If the Japs are attacked in one place, reinforcements will appear from all directions."
"These Japs have become spirits? No news has come out in the mountains?"
"There is news that the division headquarters is fine, but the general headquarters suffered heavy losses. The division ordered all troops in the mountains to reinforce the headquarters at all costs!"
"I knew it earlier. The news was ten days ago. Where is the new news?"
"The division arranged for a reconnaissance force to go to the headquarters, and a lot of news came from it. I really don't understand it. The reconnaissance force didn't even have a code book and sent all the clear telegrams."
"Did you know that the left chief of staff was killed in action? This news is still being blocked."
"We, a military subdivision, can't even get through a mountain pass. This time we are embarrassed at my grandma's house!"
"Why don't you take the opportunity to attack the county town and force the Japanese to return for reinforcements!"
"Commander Zeng, don't stand and talk without hurting your back. This work has been done long ago. The county town has been attacked twice. The Japanese in Yamaguchi are indifferent and ignore it at all. Moreover, this group of Japanese is from out of town!"
"The Japanese have spent a lot of money. Is there no other way?"
"As for the armored vehicle in Yamaguchi, it is an insurmountable obstacle. To be honest, we are used to fighting guerrillas and ambushes. We all have the same methods to attack difficult situations!"
"Where are your cannons?"
"There are a few small cannons. We attacked earlier and all the shells were fired. We only killed one Japanese armored vehicle."
"Then, are there no other roads nearby? There are no mountain roads either?"
"I don't know how the Japs are so well prepared. Not to mention the trails, even the cliffs are guarded by puppet troops. At the intersection at the foot of the mountain, the Japs have already built gun towers, and the road into the mountain is almost completely blocked."
"What did you say? If I remember correctly, there are thousands of roads into the mountains. Are the Japanese so powerful that they can block all the roads?"
"It's true. If we include the common people, we have invested at least tens of thousands of people, but we still can't find a way into the mountain."
"I don't care. Let's rest now. Tomorrow, we will concentrate our forces and we must open a way into the mountain no matter what!"
The dusty cavalry team entered the deserted village. At this time, the panting soldiers running behind hurriedly arrived.
The rangers acting as sentinels scattered in all directions.
