Resistance against Japan: Starting with the local militia

Chapter 120 Cruel Japs

"Niu Dali, have all the workers at Xiaoqingshan Coal Mine been rescued?" Tang Weiguo asked.

"Commander, they've all been rescued, over 400 people in total. Oh, and over 100 of them were prisoners of war. They said they were captured by the Central Army." Niu Dali introduced the situation of the prisoners of war.

"Oh, and there are also prisoners of war from the Central Army. Hey, take me to see them," Tang Weiguo said.

"Yes, Commander." After saying that, Niu Dali led Tang Weiguo toward the place where the prisoners of war were.

"Commander, these are the prisoners of war from the Central Army." Niu Dali pointed to the people in front of him.

"Hmm." Tang Weiguo looked at the group of prisoners of war in front of him, their faces sallow and emaciated, almost indistinguishable from the other miners. The only difference between them and the other miners was that these men were now lined up in a slightly more orderly formation, to display the glory of their former status as soldiers.

"Hello everyone, I am Tang Weiguo, the colonel and commander of the Anti-Japanese Independent Militia." Revealing one's rank and position in front of this group of Central Army soldiers was very effective.

"Greetings, Commander Tang," the group of prisoners of war said gratefully.

"Fighting soldiers, you've all been wronged. Our anti-Japanese militia is late," Tang Weiguo said apologetically.

"From now on, you are free. You will no longer be tortured by the Japanese devils. You will even have the chance to pick up a gun again, to avenge the Chinese people who died, to avenge your fallen comrades, and to once again step onto the battlefield and fight bloody battles," Tang Weiguo said to everyone.

"Commander Tang, thank you for coming to rescue us. I just learned that we are a bunch of pitiful wretches abandoned by the government. We can fight for the country and avenge our fallen comrades, but we will never fight for the Nationalist government." Liu Hao, the leader, said resolutely.

After learning that they had been abandoned by the Nationalist army, this group of people no longer trusted the Nationalist government and its army.

"Have any of you considered joining my militia? Although we belong to the Jin-Sui Army, we have a high degree of autonomy. We can fight the Japanese in enemy-occupied territory. We are not fighting for the Nationalist government; we are fighting for this land where our ancestors lived." Tang Weiguo said to the prisoners of war in front of him.

"I, Tang Weiguo, fully respect your wishes. After you return safely to the Wolong Mountain area with us, those who wish to stay can stay, and those who do not wish to stay will be given travel expenses. Don't worry," Tang Weiguo continued.

"Commander Tang, thank you for being so open. As their representative, I, Liu Hao, will not hold back. I am very grateful to Commander Tang for saving us. In my hometown dialect, you saved my life. My life belongs to Commander Tang. I am applying to join the militia, but I cannot accept the offer from the brothers behind me. Commander Tang, please give me some time to ask the brothers for their opinions." Liu Hao looked at Tang Weiguo frankly.

"Battalion Commander Liu, there's no need for that. Saving you was an unexpected act on my part. In short, those who are willing to stay and fight the Japanese with our militia are warmly welcomed. Those who don't want to experience the horrors of war again will be given travel expenses once we reach a safe location," Tang Weiguo repeated.

"Thank you, Commander Tang!" A cheer erupted from the crowd.

"Battalion Commander Liu, please organize our soldiers as soon as possible to help our militia dismantle the Japanese equipment," Tang Weiguo pleaded.

"Commander Tang, don't worry, we're familiar with the Japanese equipment," Liu Hao said, turning to the others.

"Brothers, put all your strength into helping the militia brothers move supplies."

"Yes." With that, everyone scattered to help the soldiers of the Anti-Japanese Independent Militia move supplies.

"Thank you very much, Battalion Commander Liu."

"Commander Tang, you're too kind. I'll go and direct the brothers to help now." Liu Hao said goodbye and left.

"it is good."

"Dali, where is Staff Officer Long?" Tang Weiguo asked.

"Officer Long has gone to direct the miners to help us move supplies," Niu Dali said.

"Good, Staff Officer Long is competent in his job. I made the right choice in selecting him," Tang Weiguo praised.

"The commander is wise." Niu Dali grinned from ear to ear when he heard Tang Weiguo praise Long Wenying. This made him 100 times happier than when the commander praised him himself.

"Alright, look how happy you are." Tang Weiguo teased Niu Dali, who was grinning foolishly to the side.

“These miners have managed to hold on until now because they are in excellent physical condition. If Staff Officer Long can persuade them to join our militia, that would be a great achievement,” Tang Weiguo said with a smile.

When Long Wenying was managing the miners, Tang Weiguo specifically gave him some instructions, and then...

"Commander, Battalion Commander, come and take a look. I've discovered something." Qin Yang ran over, his face full of anger, and said.

"What's wrong?" Tang Weiguo asked curiously, seeing Qin Yang's expression.

“These sons of bitches, you regimental commander and battalion commander, come with me and you’ll see what’s going on,” Qin Yang said.

"Let's go." Tang Weiguo followed Qin Yang without saying a word.

Qin Yang led the two of them to an abandoned mine, where militia soldiers were already on guard.

"Commander, look." After saying that, the soldier next to Qin Yangtang shone his flashlight on the dark coal mine pit.

Tang Weiguo looked in the direction of the light, and when he saw the scene below, he was instantly enraged.

"Those damned Japanese devils."

Under the light, Tang Weiguo saw the bodies, not completely hidden by coal slag, lying densely packed at the bottom of the abandoned coal mine.

There were no fewer than fifty or sixty corpses in front of Tang Weiguo, and he didn't know how many more were buried deep inside.

"Damn it, these little devils." Niu Dali kept cursing the Japanese devils' families for eighteen generations.

It was only then that Tang Weiguo learned about what these miners had gone through.

"Don't worry, we'll settle this score with them slowly," Tang Weiguo said through gritted teeth.

"Niu Dali, I'm giving your reconnaissance battalion an important mission."

"Yes, Captain."

"Now, take precautions to protect the bodies below and then properly bury these miners' bodies that are still warm."

"Then we'll mark the spot, and once we've driven the Japanese devils away, we'll come here ourselves to retrieve the bodies and send them to their own place for a proper burial."

"We don't have time now, Niu Dali. Have the soldiers blast the rock walls around this coal mine and cover them with rocks," Tang Weiguo said, glancing at the time.

"Yes, Commander." After saying that, Niu Dali began to direct the soldiers' actions.

"Alas, it's a pity there are no war correspondents now, so we can't expose this hellish scene to the public and denounce the Japanese atrocities to the world," Tang Weiguo said with some frustration.

Tang Weiguo stood there solemnly and seriously, looking at the coal mine pit in front of him and watching the soldiers in action.

"Reporting to the commander, we have intelligence." Li Qin ran over and reported to Tang Weiguo's back.

"speak."

"After the Third Company of the First Battalion reported, the Japanese support troops stopped advancing after arriving in the Xiaoqing River area and then began to retreat. The current whereabouts of the supporting Japanese troops are unknown."

"The Japanese are behaving strangely," Tang Weiguo said, deep in thought.