Chapter 3: Haha, What a Bumpkin from the Mountains

Page 1 of 3

Chapter 3: Haha, It Really Is a Mountain Cannon

“Wang Chengzhu, it’s quite possible there’s a mountain cannon on the other side of the hill. Do you know how to use one of those?” Sun Desheng hurried off while Li Yunlong looked at Wang Chengzhu with a serious face.

If they captured a mountain cannon but couldn’t operate it, it would be nothing but a useless lump of scrap iron.

Wang Chengzhu was a mortar soldier; if he didn’t know how to handle a mountain cannon, Li Yunlong would have to find someone else.

“Commander, I may not have eaten pork, but I’ve seen pigs run,” Wang Chengzhu declared, pounding his chest. “When I was with the artillery regiment, I asked around and learned how to use a mountain cannon.”

“Are you sure you’re not just boasting?” Li Yunlong eyed him with suspicion.

“Commander, how about this: after we capture the mountain cannon, I’ll fire a shot for you right there. If I miss, you can slap me as hard as you want! But if I hit…”

“I’ll reward you with half a jin of sweet potato liquor,” Li Yunlong interrupted.

“Deal, Commander. You said it yourself!” Wang Chengzhu’s mouth was already watering at the mention of sweet potato liquor.

Wu Ze took a few more glances at Wang Chengzhu. Even though Wang had only made a brief appearance in the first episode of the TV drama before meeting his end, he had left a deep impression on the audience.

He was the one who took out Sakata Shin-zhe’s command post with two shells. Among Li Yunlong’s men, only Wang the Artilleryman dared to talk back to Li Yunlong, arguing for himself and accusing Li Yunlong of speaking unfairly. Aside from him, no one else under Li Yunlong would dare to contradict him.

After finishing his conversation with Wang Chengzhu, Li Yunlong turned his gaze to Wu Ze. “Young man, what’s your name? Where are you from?”

“My name is Wu Ze. I have no home left,” Wu Ze replied.

“I see.” Li Yunlong looked over Wu Ze’s frail figure. “Can you still walk?”

“Commander, the Japanese could fix their truck at any moment. I can’t move fast in my condition. You should take the unit and go set up the ambush.” Wu Ze said, knowing he was too weak and would only slow Li Yunlong down.

“How did you know I was the commander?” Li Yunlong paused.

“I heard your men call you that just now,” Wu Ze explained.

“Clever kid,” Li Yunlong praised him, then turned to his orderly. “Huzi, you stay here and look after him.”

“Commander, I want to go with you and protect your safety,” Huzi protested.

Li Yunlong’s eyes widened. “Cut the nonsense and follow orders!”

Page 2 of 3

Finding a stranger here who provided information about a broken-down Japanese truck carrying a cannon—no matter what, Li Yunlong had to check it out.

But Wu Ze also needed someone to watch him.

“Alright then.” Huzi didn’t have Wang Chengzhu’s guts to argue with Li Yunlong, so he agreed.

“Wu Ze, rest here. Once the ambush is over, I’ll send someone for you,” Li Yunlong said before hurrying off with his remaining men.

“Let’s hide over there in the grass,” Huzi said, helping Wu Ze.

“Alright,” Wu Ze replied.

Wu Ze had a deep impression of Li Yunlong’s orderly, Huzi.

On Cangyun Ridge, Wang Chengzhu destroyed Sakata’s headquarters, allowing Li Yunlong to rout the Sakata regiment head-on. But during their breakout, they were blocked by a Japanese heavy machine gun.

Li Yunlong was prepared to clear a path with grenades himself, but Huzi volunteered instead.

Huzi, carrying grenades, crawled toward the Japanese machine gun nest despite being shot in the leg. He turned his cap backward and, dragging his wounded leg, crawled inch by inch to the enemy position. In the end, he managed to blow up the machine gun nest, breaking the encirclement for Li Yunlong, but Huzi lost his life heroically.

“Wu Ze, do you really have no home?” Huzi asked as he helped Wu Ze to the grass.

“Brother Huzi, don’t worry. I’m definitely not a spy,” Wu Ze said. “If I were, I wouldn’t have shown up alone, and I certainly wouldn’t have told you about the broken-down Japanese truck.”

“Wu Ze, I’m not doubting you. I’m just not good with words,” Huzi replied.

“It’s alright. Once the commander finishes the job, there’ll be no more misunderstandings.” Wu Ze didn’t mind at all; he just hoped the Japanese truck hadn’t been repaired yet.

Otherwise, if Li Yunlong found nothing, that would be quite a letdown…

——

“Commander, if we really capture a mountain cannon, Commander Cheng won’t be able to laugh at you anymore,” Wang Chengzhu followed eagerly behind Li Yunlong.

“Hmph, don’t mention that guy. Just wait and see how I’ll get back at him,” Li Yunlong grunted, picking up the pace.

Li Yunlong led two squads to the mountaintop. Scanning the highway with his binoculars, he spat in excitement. “Ha! It really is a mountain cannon!”

Page 3 of 3

“Commander, let me see!” Wang Chengzhu said, excitedly reaching for Li Yunlong’s binoculars.

Li Yunlong handed them over, and Wang Chengzhu scanned the road. When he spotted the Italian cannon, he nearly jumped for joy. “Commander, it looks like an Italian cannon!”

“Do you know how to use an Italian cannon?” Li Yunlong asked.

“Yes!”

“Let’s go,” Li Yunlong ordered, leading the two squads down the mountain.

Sun Desheng, acting as scout, came to report. “Commander, I’ve scouted the situation. There are eleven Japanese in total. Because of the importance of the cannon, they have two Type 11 machine guns; the rest are armed with rifles and pistols.”

“Prepare for battle. Move in with me and grab that cannon!” Li Yunlong ordered.

Li Yunlong’s security platoon had more than thirty men. With the element of surprise, taking down eleven Japanese would be a piece of cake.

“Yes, sir!” The platoon’s soldiers were all visibly excited.

These eleven Japanese belonged to a logistics transport unit, not frontline elite troops.

With the frontlines going from victory to victory, Chiang Kai-shek’s main forces and local troops had been routed repeatedly, leaving even the logistics troops feeling arrogant.

Moreover, there hadn’t been any armed attacks here for a long time, so their guard was down.

Although they had spread out for security, their formation was loose. Only the machine gunners by the two Type 11s looked serious; the rest lounged around in groups, chatting and laughing, completely unaware of the danger approaching.

“Sun Desheng, remember: once we open fire with our two machine guns, take out both enemy machine gunners and their assistants in the first burst,” Li Yunlong instructed as he arranged the battle formation.

Li Yunlong was an expert with light firearms, including machine guns. He took one machine gun himself, while the veteran Sun Desheng handled the other.

Even though these were just logistics troops, there was no room for carelessness.

With only four magazines for their two light machine guns, and the rest of the men with just ten rounds each, they had to eliminate both enemy machine gun nests immediately. If they failed and became suppressed, capturing that Italian cannon would be difficult.

(End of chapter)