Chapter 209: The Enemy Has Arrived

After asking about the bandits' lair, He Yuzhu pulled Yang Xiuqing aside and discussed in a low voice: "Lao Yang, you need to discuss the matter of taking down the Shanzhai with these refugees and see who is willing to go. Those who are willing will definitely get a larger share of the spoils after the deed is done; those who are unwilling will have to work if they want to obtain food..."

After listening, Yang Xiuqing pondered for a moment, nodded, and said: "Alright, I will go discuss it with everyone. However, Zhuzi, how much confidence do you have that we can take this Shanzhai?"

"At least eighty percent," He Yuzhu said in a steady tone. "But people will definitely die. It's hard to say exactly how many will die or be wounded."

Yang Xiuqing nodded, then found a few of the leaders and explained the plan to everyone.

Most people were in favor of taking down the Shanzhai; everyone knew that if the five hundred-plus people really entered the city, it would likely be very difficult to survive.

After repeated deliberations, one hundred people ultimately agreed to go. These people were mostly young and strong; some of the old, weak, women, and children also wanted to participate, but were politely declined by He Yuzhu.

He Yuzhu said to those families with only women and children: "Everyone, do not be afraid. Once we take the Shanzhai, everyone will have food to eat; no one will go hungry. It's just that in the Shanzhai, regardless of gender or age, everyone must earn their keep through labor and perform their respective duties."

Upon hearing this, the women finally felt at ease.

"Everyone, put on the bandits' clothes and disguise yourselves as captives returning in triumph after a successful mission. As long as we can trick them into opening the gate, everyone will charge in together!" He Yuzhu said.

"Good! Zhuzi's plan is brilliant!" Yang Xiuqing praised sincerely.

He Yuzhu took inventory of the captured weapons: there were a total of six Type 38 Arisakas and five Box Cannons.

He looked at the crowd and asked: "Are there any of you who know how to use guns?"

A dozen or so men stood out with a rustle.

He Yuzhu distributed these captured guns to them.

"Is there anyone who knows how to use a Machine Gun?" He Yuzhu asked again.

A thin, tall man in his thirties stepped forward: "I was a machine gunner and fought against the little devils... Once the fighting was over, I went home."

He Yuzhu moved a ZB vz. 26 Light Machine Gun out of the truck: "This type, do you know how to use it?"

The thin, tall man's eyes lit up, and he nodded vigorously: "Czech Light Machine Gun, I know how to use it! I just need two people to help me load the ammunition; the twenty-round magazine runs out as soon as you start firing."

"Good, I'll count on you!" He Yuzhu handed the machine gun to him and also provided several hundred rounds of ammunition.

Not long after, the team set off; some were on horseback, some were in the truck, and others were symbolically tied up with ropes.

By the time they reached the Shanzhai, it was already ten o'clock at night.

The terrain of this Shanzhai was extremely treacherous, backed by a high peak with steep cliffs on both sides, and only a single winding mountain road leading up.

The second-in-command rode at the very front, He Yuzhu followed closely behind, and behind them were the sixty-plus people disguised as captives, with the mounted team bringing up the rear and the machine gunner hidden among the crowd.

He Yuzhu walked side-by-side with the second-in-command and warned in a low voice: "Don't try any tricks, or you will be the first to die."

The second-in-command was covered in cold sweat: "I wouldn't dare, I wouldn't dare... I only ask that the hero spares my life..."

"That depends on your performance."

A bandit on the gate poked his head out, looked at the crowd below with suspicion, and asked: "Is the second-in-command back? Why did you bring so many people?"

The second-in-command immediately shouted at the top of his lungs: "Gu Xiaowu, stop your damn nonsense! Open the gate quickly! These are all refugees I captured who are willing to join us!"

"For real?"

"Bullshit! Hurry up!"

The heavy gate slowly opened with a creaking sound.

The moment the gate opened, He Yuzhu flashed inside like a ghost, his Dagger flashing with cold light, and the five bandits at the entrance were killed instantly.

The second-in-command seemed startled, rolling off his horse and then rolling to the side of the road.

He Yuzhu quickly scanned the entire Shanzhai, seeing rows of houses and a significant scale, and immediately gave a hand signal to the rear.

Yang Xiuqing understood and led everyone in a swarm.

At this time, the Juyi Ting was brightly lit, and the sounds of people playing finger-guessing games could be heard from time to time.

He Yuzhu led his men to charge straight toward it.

Two bandits standing guard at the entrance of the hall saw a group of people coming and hurried over to check the situation. When they discovered something was wrong and wanted to shout, He Yuzhu's Flying Knife had already arrived.

The two fell down unwillingly.

Inside the hall, the Big Boss "Wang Tuzi" was drinking happily with a dozen of his trusted aides, all of them already half-drunk.

He Yuzhu, Yang Xiuqing, and Yang Mei were the first to rush in.

The bandits were startled and wanted to move, but He Yuzhu had already pounced like a fierce tiger, killing five people in an instant.

With the rise and fall of Yang Xiuqing's axe, two more were killed; Yang Mei's blade flashed, and another bandit fell dead.

The remaining bandits had just pulled out their guns when they were surrounded by the swarming refugees and beaten with sticks.

The commotion in the Juyi Ting eventually alerted the remaining bandits in the Shanzhai, and over thirty people rushed out from various places, beginning to fire at those who had entered.

The Czech Light Machine Gun set up in the courtyard suddenly roared!

"Da-da-da-da—!"

Tongues of fire spat out, and the ten or so people charging at the front fell in response.

The subsequent bandits scrambled to find cover, firing blindly outward.

He Yuzhu nimbly climbed onto a nearby roof and took out his sniper rifle.

As long as a bandit showed their head, they would be shot in the head.

The battle lasted less than twenty minutes before all the bandits in the Shanzhai were annihilated.

While clearing the battlefield, everyone discovered over forty emaciated slaves with shackles on their feet in the stables; in the rear courtyard rooms, they also found over twenty women who had been abducted to be abused by the bandits.

Seeing this, everyone felt even more gratified to have wiped out this group of animals.

Yang Xiuqing walked up to He Yuzhu, patted his shoulder hard, and said excitedly: "Brother Zhuzi! Just stay and be our Big Boss! With you leading everyone, our Shanzhai will definitely be able to eat meat in big mouthfuls and drink wine in big bowls, and carve out a place for ourselves in this chaotic world!"

"That won't do, you should still be the Big Boss; I will be leaving very soon!" He Yuzhu said.

"This, how can that be?" Yang Xiuqing said.

"Let's not talk about this for now, let's go check the food in the warehouse," He Yuzhu said.

"Alright, let's go right away!" Yang Xiuqing led everyone excitedly toward the granary.

When the granary door was pushed open, everyone was shocked by the sight before them; all kinds of food were piled up like a mountain.

"These goddamn bastards! Hoarding so much grain, yet still going out to burn, kill, and loot—they have no intention of leaving a way for the refugees to survive!" Yang Xiuqing cursed.

He Yuzhu was also shocked; he had not expected the bandits of the Taihang Mountains to be this wealthy.

The refugees came in together, stroking the grain bags, tears streaming down their faces.

"This is wonderful... for the five hundred of us, this is enough to eat for two years!" Yang Xiuqing said excitedly.

He Yuzhu walked over to the group of rescued slaves and women and comforted them: "From today on, as long as the Shanzhai has food, you will have food. I will never let you go hungry or cold again!"

Yang Xiuqing also came over and said: "Everyone, hurry and cook, let all the suffering brothers and sisters have a full meal first!"

He Yuzhu then led people to search for the wealth hidden in the Shanzhai, ultimately finding not only over five thousand Big Ocean, but also discovering more than two hundred "Small Yellow Fish" under the Big Boss's bed.

He calmly tucked the gold bars into his space. The Big Ocean and other assets were given to everyone.

By the time things were initially settled, it was already the early hours of the morning.

Just as He Yuzhu was about to sleep, Yang Xiuqing ran over in a hurry: "Brother Zhuzi, this is bad! The Second Boss took advantage of the chaos and ran away! What should we do now?"

He Yuzhu frowned: "That is a problem. I am worried he might be in collusion with the government."

Yang Xiuqing gasped: "Then what should we do?"

"No need to be too afraid, but you should organize everyone quickly and have those who know how to shoot train those who don't."

"That's easy to handle!" Yang Xiuqing said: "Bringing those refugees up to the Shanzhai will still require some trouble from Brother Zhuzi."

He Yuzhu spent over four hours and finally brought all five hundred-plus refugees back to the Shanzhai.

The next afternoon, just as those who had participated in the battle were counting the Big Ocean they had received, a sentry came running over, panting and shouting in panic: "Boss! It's bad! Over a hundred soldiers from the Bald Party have come down the mountain, carrying weapons, and they are only five miles away from us..."