Chapter 2: A Windfall Beyond Imagination, Li Yunlong Was Stunned
Cangyun Ridge, Chen Family Village.
Inside the dilapidated headquarters of the New First Battalion, the air was thick with smoke. Li Yunlong puffed on a farmer’s tobacco pipe, the sound crackling with every drag, his brows knit into a tight knot.
“Damn it! Those Japs are driving us into a corner, trying to starve and freeze us to death!”
Zhang Dabiao handed over a bowl of cheap sweet potato liquor. “Commander, the higher-ups call this a ‘cage’—‘scorched earth.’ They just want to bleed us dry!”
Li Yunlong took a hefty gulp, the fiery liquid burning down his throat. “Sakata, that bastard! Last time, old Kong nearly fell for his tricks—I won’t forget this grudge!”
Just as he was cursing, a young soldier with cheeks red from the cold dashed in and stood at attention to report.
“Commander! There’s a young man at the entrance. He claims to be a patriotic businessman and wants to talk business with you...”
“Talk business?” Li Yunlong raised an eyebrow, nearly spraying out his liquor.
He, Old Li, could barely read his own name—who’d want to do business with him?
Business, my ass!
“Who is he? Did you find out his background?”
“No, sir. He looks like the son of some rich city family, dressed warm and thick. But... he drove up in a Jap troop transport. It looks a bit odd.” The young soldier answered honestly.
“Oh?” Old Li grew interested. “Let’s go take a look!”
...
At the entrance to Chen Family Village, the biting wind cut like knives.
Lin Ran pulled his down jacket tighter, but his lips were still purple with cold, and he kept stamping his feet.
“Comrade, could you hurry up and fetch your Commander Li? I’m about to freeze to death out here.”
The company commander, arms crossed, looked at him with disdain. “Wait! The commander will be here soon.”
These pampered city boys, wrapped up like dumplings and still can’t stand the cold—put them on the battlefield, they’d probably wet themselves at the first shot.
Lin Ran opened his mouth, his gaze sweeping over the soldiers’ thin uniforms and straw sandals, but whatever he was about to say, he swallowed back down.
What he’d seen on television was nothing compared to the shock of seeing this up close.
He couldn’t imagine how they’d managed to endure back in those days.
Before long, a group of people emerged from the village entrance.
The man at the front was broad-shouldered, clad in a faded old army coat, walking with the vigor of a tiger—his presence alone was intimidating.
Lin Ran’s eyes lit up: He looked exactly as he’d imagined! That aura, that bearing—this could only be Li Yunlong himself!
“Commander Li! At last, I finally get to meet you!” Lin Ran hurried forward a few steps.
Li Yunlong’s gaze swept up and down Lin Ran. “So you’re the one who wants to do business with me, Old Li?”
This pale-faced young man, slick and polished—clearly some pampered son from a wealthy family.
Zhang Dabiao sidled up to Li Yunlong and whispered, “Commander, that truck... it doesn’t look quite like a Jap troop carrier. It actually seems even bigger.”
Li Yunlong nodded subtly.
“So, tell me—what business do you want to do with me?” He stepped up to Lin Ran, and the pressure honed from years on the battlefield made Lin Ran instinctively shrink his neck.
Lin Ran steadied himself and flashed a confident smile. “An arms deal. I wonder if Commander Li might be interested?”
“Arms?!” Li Yunlong’s small eyes sparkled instantly. “Interested? Hell yes, I’m interested!”
What did the Eighth Route Army lack most? Food, and guns.
Page 2/3
Food, you could manage by tightening your belt, but guns and artillery—without connections, you could only stare helplessly!
Especially now, with the Japs building their ‘cage’—locking them in tight, nothing could get through the blockade.
Without guns or artillery, how could they fight the enemy?
Li Yunlong’s attitude transformed in a heartbeat. “Brother, what’s your name?”
“Just Lin. No need for formalities.”
“So it’s Brother Lin! Come, come! It’s freezing out here. Let’s go inside, warm up, and have a good chat!” Li Yunlong was all warmth and enthusiasm.
“No rush, Commander Li.” Lin Ran held his ground—now that he’d met the man himself, he was in no hurry. “Why don’t we check the goods first?”
“The goods?” Li Yunlong was taken aback. “Where are they?”
Lin Ran pointed to the large truck he’d driven. “Right there, in the truck.”
Li Yunlong followed his finger, then glanced at Lin Ran. The spark that had just flared in his chest was instantly doused.
Just one truck—how much could it hold? At best, equipment for a single platoon.
But then again, even a mosquito’s leg was still meat. Everything Old Li had was scraped together bullet by bullet.
“Yes, yes! Let’s check the goods—checking is most important!” Li Yunlong agreed, already stepping toward the truck’s tailgate.
“Commander, let me!” Zhang Dabiao was quick and blocked Li Yunlong with a single movement.
Who knew what might be hidden in that truck?
If it was an ambush and the commander fell here, the whole New First Battalion would be finished!
Zhang Dabiao, with his background in security, had vigilance ingrained in his bones.
Li Yunlong snapped back to his senses, the survival instincts of a seasoned veteran making him pull back and nod heavily to Zhang Dabiao. “Be careful!”
Lin Ran watched all this unfold, understanding perfectly, but said nothing.
Ever since he’d entered the village, he’d felt nothing but coldness and suspicion—but looking at these soldiers, all he felt was a deep sense of affection and respect.
Zhang Dabiao took a deep breath, like a leopard ready to pounce. He crept cautiously toward the truck’s cargo bed.
The back was covered with a thick, dark-green tarpaulin, tightly secured.
With a swift motion, he lifted a corner and scanned the interior with sharp eyes—no one inside!
Only then did his taut nerves relax a little.
A veteran’s caution was what kept him alive.
Once the coast was clear, Zhang Dabiao vaulted cleanly into the cargo bed with remarkable agility.
Lin Ran nearly clapped in admiration—what a display of skill!
He glanced at the cargo bed—inside, a dozen sturdy wooden crates were stacked neatly.
Zhang Dabiao drew his machete, deftly wedged the blade tip into the first crate’s lid, and pried it open.
With a snap, the lid came off.
The next instant, Zhang Dabiao’s eyes went wide, and he forgot to breathe.
Inside—nothing but Type 24 machine guns.
He could hardly believe it, his hands trembling as he pried open the next crate—still Type 24s!
The third... the fourth...
By the time he reached the last few crates, his heart felt like it was about to burst out of his chest.
Page 3/3
A sharp gasp escaped Zhang Dabiao, his voice breaking as he shouted down below, “Commander! Commander! You have to come up and see this!”
Li Yunlong frowned. “What are you yelling for, like someone died? Look at you, like you’ve never seen the world before.”
Shouting like that would only make it impossible to haggle later.
Besides, it was just a single truck—how much could it really hold?
He turned to Lin Ran with a forced smile. “Brother Lin, mind if Old Li takes a look?”
With that, Li Yunlong copied Zhang Dabiao’s movements and vaulted up into the cargo bed with practiced ease.
“Commander, come see for yourself!” Zhang Dabiao beckoned, face alight with excitement.
“Quiet!” Li Yunlong shot him a glare.
Those capitalists drank people’s blood—the more excited you got, the more they’d bleed you dry.
But the moment he landed in the truck bed and his gaze swept over the opened crates and the others pried halfway open, he froze as if struck by lightning.
A dozen wooden crates, all packed with Type 24 machine guns, Type 92 heavy machine guns, and even a few mortars...
Even Li Yunlong, a man who’d seen his share of storms, felt his mind go blank.
He’d thought Lin Ran might have scraped together some Hanyang rifles, Standard Models, or at most a handful of Mauser pistols!
With the Japs’ blockade tighter than a drum, even getting a few locally made guns was hard enough.
But Type 24s, Type 92s—these were heavy hitters!
Even a Japanese company—about 180 men—was only equipped with 10 Type 24 light machine guns, 4 Type 92 heavy machine guns, and two 81mm mortars.
But this truck...
It was a windfall of unimaginable proportions!
“Haha! Commander Li, does this little gift meet with your approval?” Lin Ran’s voice drifted up from below, tinged with a smile.
“Approve? I couldn’t be more pleased!” Li Yunlong snapped out of his daze, his voice trembling with excitement.
This haul—never mind Li Yunlong, even the brigade commander would be floored!
But then, a new worry crept in.
Just how much would all this heavy weaponry cost?
One Type 24’s official price was a thousand silver dollars—on the black market, two thousand!
The Type 92s, the mortars... he didn’t even dare to imagine the price.
Even if he emptied out the division headquarters, it probably wouldn’t be enough!
He turned, gripping the edge of the truck bed, and looked down at the smiling Lin Ran, his throat suddenly dry.
“Brother Lin...”