Chapter 17: Big Scar Qiu

Chapter 17: Qiu the Scar

“Commander, does Qiu the Scar have any hobbies?” Wu Ze continued to inquire.

“All his hobbies are within Fortress Village,” Li Yunlong replied without annoyance, answering every question. “For example, playing mahjong and smoking opium.”

“Does he have any other personal traits?”

“This guy treats his soldiers well. The laborers who help plant potatoes in Fortress Village don’t get their rations cut by him; sometimes he even gives out benefits. Many people who couldn’t make a living ended up voluntarily joining him just for food,” Li Yunlong cursed. “This bastard is very skilled at winning people over.”

“Anything else?”

“He used to be a filial son, very devoted to his father. When the Japanese soldiers invaded, to test his loyalty, they forced him to slap his father. But he refused, even when they pressed bayonets against his neck and slashed him—he still didn’t lay a hand on his father. That scar on his neck came from that. In the end, the Japanese spared him out of respect for his filial piety,” Li Yunlong said angrily. “But Qiu the Scar’s father wasn’t a good man. He betrayed over a hundred of our wounded soldiers to the Japanese, and the village was surrounded; all those wounded were killed. Because of that, many people went to desecrate his grave, making sure the old bastard never rests in peace.”

“Is Qiu’s father’s grave not in Fortress Village?” Wu Ze asked.

“No, before he died, he chose a place with good feng shui and insisted on being buried there. It’s outside the village. Qiu the Scar followed his father’s will and buried the coffin there. The local guerrillas often dug up his grave to lure Qiu out. Every time Qiu wept and cursed himself for being unfilial, but he never sent his troops out—his men always stayed holed up inside Fortress Village,” Li Yunlong cursed again. “That’s why I say Qiu the Scar is a staunch traitor. He was so filial to his father that he wouldn’t harm him even under the Japanese bayonets. But when we tried to use his father’s grave to draw him out, that old fox never took the bait.”

“Could it be that Qiu the Scar set up a fake grave and the guerrillas never found the real one?” Wu Ze doubted.

It seemed unlikely that he would not come out every time the grave was disturbed, especially given how he wouldn’t harm his own father even under threat.

“Many locals witnessed the burial, and the guerrillas even exhumed the body. How could they be mistaken?” Li Yunlong cursed. “Qiu the Scar has been completely brainwashed by Hirata Ichiro and has forgotten his roots. That’s why he never falls for it.”

“Does Qiu the Scar really stay in Fortress Village all year round without ever leaving?” Wu Ze asked again. “When the crops are harvested, they must transport the grain out, right?”

“Hirata Ichiro has a special transport team made up of Japanese soldiers, armed with heavy weapons and sometimes even covered by aircraft. Trying to attack that convoy is impossible,” Li Yunlong explained.

...

Along the way, Wu Ze kept learning about Fortress Village and Qiu the Scar from Li Yunlong until they arrived at the village.

Now called Qiu Family Village, it is built against the mountain.

On the hillside stand a dozen or so watchtowers, their firing angles covering the entire village without blind spots.

The village is surrounded by high walls, and at regular intervals, there are watchtowers or bunkers.

These fortifications support each other, providing mutual fire coverage.

In short, without heavy weapons and ample ammunition, capturing this formidable defense is a pipe dream.

That was why Li Yunlong didn’t want to attack Fortress Village even though the division commander had given him half a month.

With only five rounds of artillery, it was impossible to take it down.

“Damn it, I haven’t been here long, and Qiu the Scar has already built two more watchtowers on the back mountain,” Li Yunlong said, peering through binoculars at the rear of Qiu Family Village where two new towers had appeared.

“Commander, Fortress Village is as solid as a fortress. We’ve been set up by the division commander,” Wang Chengzhu told Li Yunlong.

Having finally gotten the Italian cannon, only to have it taken away after half a month by the division commander, the artilleryman Wang felt conflicted.

“Chengzhu, can you not mention this?” Li Yunlong said irritably. Talking about it just made his blood boil.

“Commander, can I have a look through the binoculars?” Wu Ze asked, still hoping to find a weak point in the village defenses.

“Here you go,” Li Yunlong handed the binoculars over and said, “Wu Ze, if you find a flaw, these binoculars are yours.”

Wu Ze didn’t reply but took the binoculars.

After observing for some time, Wu Ze had to admire Qiu the Scar; he had made the defenses incredibly strong.

With defenses like these, not even a fly could get in.

The base of the walls was sealed tight—no chance of digging through.

There were dogs on the walls; even the slightest noise outside would set them barking wildly, alerting the puppet soldiers inside.

“Well, Wu Ze, found anything?” Li Yunlong asked, seeing the deep frown on Wu Ze’s face.

“Commander, if our New First Regiment attacks head-on, we’ll just be biting off more than we can chew. The defenses are too formidable,” Wu Ze said gravely.

“Sigh, my Italian cannon... is it really going to be wasted like this?” Wang Chengzhu sighed nearby.

Li Yunlong kicked him sharply. “You useless bear, if you don’t shut up, I’ll treat you like a mute.”

Though he boasted about taking Fortress Village within half a month, saying it was easy was one thing; actually doing it was another.

Just thinking about the division commander cheerfully hauling away the Italian cannon in half a month made Li Yunlong’s heart bleed.

He even wondered if Qiu the Scar’s defenses were so strong that even with the Italian cannon, the commander might not be able to break through.

“Commander, trying to take Fortress Village directly is probably hopeless,” Wu Ze shook his head and asked, “Where is Qiu the Scar’s father buried?”

“Over there—the grandest grave you see—that’s Qiu the Scar’s father’s tomb,” Li Yunlong pointed toward a nearby hill covered with graves, where one stood out, magnificently built.

A large round tomb made of blue bricks, it stood like a crane among chickens.

Wu Ze was suspicious. “Commander, you said people often dig it up, so how is it still so well preserved?”

“Our men dig it up, and Qiu the Scar sends laborers to repair it right after,” Li Yunlong replied.

“Didn’t you try to stop them?”

“Of course, but what good does it do? Do we have people watching it in rain and wind every day?” Li Yunlong cursed. “Besides, Qiu the Scar always uses laborers for repairs. What can we do to them?”

“I’ll go take a look.”

“Xiao Wuzi, take Wu Ze over there,” Li Yunlong said, feeling too upset to walk and wanting to stay put quietly.

“Yes, sir,” Xiao Wuzi responded and led Wu Ze away.

(End of Chapter)