Chapter 753: So They Deserve to Die, Right?

Old Hu's heart was tangled like hemp; going to the bandit camp as a spy was no simple matter — one slip and he'd be dead, just like Xia Yizhen, the intelligence agent who had once infiltrated the bandit camp. He had weathered great rivers and mighty waves, yet because of a careless exposure of his tracks while out, he fought to the end and died a martyr for the nation.

As a member of the intelligence personnel, he had also attended Xia Yizhen's memorial service, and saw how wretchedly his wife wept.

It was only then that his wife learned her husband had been an intelligence officer; she had always thought he was out escorting armed convoys.

Old Hu muttered, "But if I go, what will become of my wife? She's with child again, she…"

Huang Weijie said gently, "On this point, Brother Hu need not worry. Not to mention the military code, our entire intelligence department will be her elder brothers and will certainly look after her. When our Jingbian Army goes to war, we have never had worries left behind. You can set your mind at ease."

Zhou, the community head, also sighed and said, "This Zhou can likewise guarantee that all the brothers and sisters in the ward will help watch over her; we will certainly not let your wife suffer the slightest grievance."

Old Hu thought it over left and right, still muttering, "Better send someone else. You all know me — I, Old Hu, have never been a reliable person in my work… My personal matters are small; I just fear delaying the great affairs of the Intelligence Division."

The three exchanged glances. Kong San said flatly, "After the department's assessment, you are considered bold yet meticulous in your work, decisive in action — a suitable candidate. And it's not just you alone. This time the department is making a big move, dispatching over a hundred agents in total. You are merely one of them."

Old Hu breathed a sigh of relief: "That's good, with so many going, this Old Hu is even less needed…"

He laughed dryly: "As you elder brothers know, I'm rather… rather cowardly and afraid of death… heh heh, cowardly and afraid of death…"

A cold aura spread from Kong San; his eyes were sharp as a hawk's, fixed tightly on Old Hu. Very coldly, he said: "You mean to say, because you are cowardly and afraid of death, you can cling to ease, while others — they deserve to die, is that it?"

He spoke slowly: "So, the officers and soldiers who have fallen in battle through the ages — they deserved to die too, right? Xia Yizhen and the others — they deserved to die too, right? The other brothers in the intelligence department — they all deserve to die, right?"

He shouted sternly: "Everyone else deserves to die; only you, Hu Tiande, deserve to live. Is that what you mean?"

He bellowed: "Why don't you think about it? Without their bitter struggle, could you and your wife live peacefully in Xuanfu Town? Outside, people eat each other, eat tree bark, eat grass roots — they can't even get tree bark and grass roots! You live peacefully in this place, comfortable and content. What do you rely on? It's the very people you call deserving of death — the bitter struggle of the soldiers, the bitter struggle of every brother in the intelligence department. Hu Tiande, you came to this place, so you have a duty. Today is the time to fulfill your duty!"

Zhou, the community head, also looked displeased. He was a veteran who had fought in the Battle of Julu and the bandit-suppression campaigns, and he particularly could not stand Old Hu's evasion of responsibility. He slowly lit his small hand-rolled cigarette and said flatly, "Old Hu, Captain Kong is right. Coming to Xuanfu Town, you have a duty. You must protect this land… Now the roving bandits grow more rampant by the day. What if they strike Shanxi one day, strike Xuanfu Town? If that day truly comes, do you think you can escape? Can your wife escape? Old Hu, a man must act like a man."

Cursed until he was drenched in dog's blood, Old Hu grew agitated too. His eyes bloodshot, he roared: "Why send me? Right — why don't you go, why don't you go?"

Huang Weijie frowned: "Who says we aren't going? Brother Kong and I will both go!"

He said flatly: "What fear has a true man of death? For the Grand General, for this land of Xuanzhen, Huang and the others will go without hesitation!"

Old Hu was struck dumb, but he still shouted: "Not going. I'm not going. I'm staying home to keep my wife company."

Kong San said grimly: "Hu Tiande, do you intend to defy military orders? This officer will arrest you right now and deal with you under military law!"

Huang Weijie's expression also turned cold: "According to the code, your entire family will also be expelled from Xuanfu Town."

Old Hu froze: "What?"

Seeing the two men closing in on him from left and right, and that this was no joke, he waved his hands nervously while backing away: "Don't you come any closer. I'm telling you, my wife and I won't leave this place, and I'm even less likely to go be a spy."

Seeing the two men merely advancing slowly, Old Hu had nowhere left to retreat. A ruthless surge rose in his heart, and he bellowed: "I'll fight you to the death."

With unstoppable momentum, he lunged first at Kong San. Tall, burly, and thick-faced with a fierce look, his charge carried considerable force. By stature, Kong San was much smaller and thinner than him.

But somehow, Old Hu was thrown in a shoulder throw, slammed heavily to the ground by Kong San. With a boom, Old Hu saw stars and his head buzzed.

Old Hu struggled to his feet, but before he could steady himself, Kong San struck him hard in the lower abdomen with a punch that sent his guts churning like an overturned river and sea. His eyes bulged violently, he saw even more stars spinning chaotically, and a taste of blood rose at the corners of his mouth.

Then Kong San's hand shot out like a phantom, like an eagle's talon, seizing Old Hu by the throat and lifting him up with force.

Old Hu's limbs flailed wildly, struggling chaotically like a chicken, but it was useless. Although his skills were decent, Kong San was an elite of the intelligence department, and moreover held the rank of Superior Swordsman. Old Hu was far beneath him, like a flapping chicken or duck in his grasp.

Kong San looked at him coldly and said with contempt: "With your pathetic tricks, you dare act out in front of me? Believe me when I say I could crush you with one hand?"

Old Hu's face turned purple from the chokehold. He struggled desperately, but Kong San's right hand held fast like an iron clamp, unmoving.

Seeing that this would soon turn fatal, Huang Weijie spoke up: "Brother Kong, that's enough."

Kong San gave a snort and flung Old Hu's body aside.

As if granted a great pardon, Old Hu knelt on the ground, gasping desperately for air, then retched and vomited, his face covered in tears and mud.

Taking a cigarette case from his pocket, he offered one each to Huang Weijie and Zhou, the community head, then Kong San took out another and held it before Old Hu.

Old Hu waved his hands frantically: "No more beating. This Old Hu agrees, alright."

Seeing it was a small hand-rolled cigarette, he hastily took it. Though not as expensive as cloud tobacco, small hand-rolled cigarettes were still beyond the means of ordinary folk. Before his marriage it was fine, but after marrying, Old Hu only indulged occasionally to satisfy his craving.

Kong San smacked him hard on the head: "Refusing a toast only to drink a forfeit."

Old Hu smiled ingratiatingly. A charcoal stove was burning in the backyard; he hurriedly used iron tongs to pick up a piece of burning charcoal.

Fire-lighting tubes for convenient flame were still very expensive. In the army it was tolerable, but few civilians were willing to use them. They generally used flint and steel, but the sparks produced by striking them together made lighting cigarettes far too difficult.

He lit the cigarettes for each of them one by one, and finally lit his own. He took a deep drag, hesitated, then probed again: "Truly no worries left behind? If I… if something happens to me, will my wife truly be cared for?"

Huang Weijie glanced at him flatly. Drawing on his cigarette, he said, "Brother Hu, we won't deceive you. Once you accept the mission, you become a formal member of the intelligence department. The department's benefits: first, a sum of settlement silver, then fifty mu of land — all mature estate fields, no need to till yourself, just collect rent each month. You'll also be assigned a residence, no smaller than this one. You'll receive various allowances while on assignment. If injured or killed, there's a monthly pension, for life. If you render meritorious service, there are further honors. Tell me, what worries do you have left behind?"

Old Hu's eyes widened; he murmured to himself, then said, "This… could the assigned residence be converted to cash? Ah, I've lived here so long, grown attached to the neighbors. I don't need another residence — just give more cash instead…"

Huang Weijie looked at him, not knowing whether to laugh or cry, and said, "Fine, these are all minor matters."

Old Hu gnashed his teeth, his hands trembling, and finally made his resolve: "Damn it all, I'll do it!"

Huang Weijie raised his thumb: "Good, a real man!"

Kong San nodded slightly, and Zhou, the community head, also smiled with relief.

"Right."

Old Hu suddenly spoke again.

"What is it now?"

Kong San, Huang Weijie, and Zhou, the community head, all three frowned deeply in unison.

Old Hu nodded and bowed: "One last thing, one last thing."

His expression turned serious, and he said, "Honestly, why pick me, Old Hu, to be a spy?"

Kong San looked at him flatly: "Who else but you, when you look exactly like a roving bandit? Who else would we find?"

Old Hu roared aggrievedly: "My looks were given by my parents. Is it my fault I look like a roving bandit?"

Huang Weijie laughed heartily, slapping Old Hu's shoulder: "Brother Kong was only joking."

He carefully studied Old Hu's face: "But looking at this face, tsk tsk, it truly has the look of a roving bandit. It would be very easy to infiltrate the bandit camp — most suitable indeed."

Just as Old Hu was about to erupt again, his wife Sun Huiniang's voice rang out: "Ya, Community Head Zhou, Elder Brother Kong, Elder Brother Huang, what are you all doing? Eh, husband, why are you covered all over in mud and dust?"

Then Sun Huiniang came in, looking at them with astonishment.

Old Hu flexed his body and said to his wife, "Just sparring a bit with your Elder Brother Kong and the others. We who escort armed convoys — how can we not spar often?"

Kong San and Huang Weijie also laughed: "Exactly. While we have some free time, we'll spar a bit with Brother Hu."

Sun Huiniang widened her eyes and said with feeling, "You escort couriers truly work hard, never forgetting to practice your skills even in your spare moments."

She said, "That's right — Village Chief Zhou, Brother Kong, Brother Huang, it's nearly noon. I've already bought the groceries and will start cooking now. You must stay and have lunch with us."

Kong San and Huang Weijie both said, "We'll be troubling you, sister-in-law."

Watching Sun Huiniang's figure disappear into the rear courtyard, the two exchanged a glance and both sighed.

Seizing this moment, Kong San and the others briefed Old Hu on the infiltration plan: "The bandits are layered in several rings. The outer ring of starving foot soldiers, though not highly valued, yields no core intelligence either. To enter the inner camp of the mounted troops, their defenses are extremely tight. So after our intelligence sections studied this in detail…"

"Our three-man team — our team's plan — is to first go to Henan and mingle among some minor bandit stockades and refugee dens, pull together a band of men, then fight and swallow up a few small roving bandit groups, absorb their troops. Once we have a thousand or several thousand men…"

Old Hu burst out laughing: "Recruit soldiers and buy horses, become a big stockade chief!"

Kong San glared at him and continued: "Then we go pledge allegiance to a major roving bandit, like the current Little Yuan Camp… Yuan Shizhong roams all over Henan, sometimes joining with Chuang's bandits, sometimes splitting off. He has quite a few troops under him, and he accepts anyone who comes — his composition is a complete mix. Once we join him, we won't attract anyone's attention."

"Then we'll gather as many elite soldiers and fierce veterans as we can, especially mounted troops. When the chance comes, we'll go pledge allegiance to Chuang's bandits. By then, having risen from the bottom ranks and with tough, battle-hardened troops in hand, Chuang's bandits will certainly look upon us with new eyes…" (To be continued..)

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