Chapter 41: Puppet Soldiers Extorting

The sound of knocking was like a beating drum, one strike tighter than the next, brutally slamming against the door; each blow felt as if it were striking directly at He Yuzhu's heart.

With his mother and Yushui there, he felt a heavy burden of concern in his heart; today, he would likely have to find another way to deal with them.

He Daqing ran out from his room in a hurry, his face pale. Having learned from Shen Guizhi last night that he was already under investigation, he appeared exceptionally panicked at this moment.

"Master Chen, what... what should we do?" His voice trembled as he looked toward Chen Qingshan.

Chen Qingshan's expression was grave as he turned to look at He Yuzhu.

He Yuzhu remained silent, his mind rapidly calculating how to deal with this search and arrest.

Seeing him silent, Chen Qingshan suddenly drew the Box Cannon from his waist and said fiercely, "At worst, we fight! Kill them, and we escape!"

At this moment, Chen Daya poked her head out from the side of the door and said urgently, "Dad, Uncle Daqing, let's hide! I was tidying up the courtyard yesterday and found a cellar in the northeast corner behind the firewood pile; it's very hidden!" She pointed toward the corner.

He Yuzhu's eyes lit up, and he immediately said, "Good! Master and I will handle them at the front; you all hurry and hide in the cellar!"

He Daqing and Chen Daya immediately took action.

He Yuzhu quickly lifted the cellar entrance, letting the few of them climb inside.

The knocking on the door outside grew increasingly fierce, as if they would break in the very next second.

He Yuzhu took out twenty Big Ocean and stuffed them into Chen Qingshan's hand: "You go handle them first; try to use the money to send them away. If that really doesn't work... lure them into the courtyard and finish them."

Chen Qingshan weighed the money bag and shook his head, saying, "Twenty is too much; it will only arouse suspicion. Ten is enough." He quickly took out ten Big Ocean and returned them to He Yuzhu.

He Yuzhu took the money, saw that everyone was well hidden, carefully covered the cellar entrance, and piled firewood on top.

He quickly scanned the room to ensure there were no flaws, then walked slowly toward the outside.

Chen Qingshan, with the Box Cannon tucked at his waist, walked with a much steadier pace than usual, carrying a sense of desperation.

"Coming, coming!" he replied, then pulled open the main door.

Outside the door, four puppet soldiers stood with guns, looking aggressive, their hats tilted, their yellow uniforms wrinkled as if they might open fire at any moment.

Chen Qingshan put on a smiling face and cupped his hands, saying, "Gentlemen, what are your orders? We just rented this shop and plan to open a steamed bun shop; it's still empty inside! There's nothing to inspect!"

A white, fat leader with his hat brim pulled low squinted his eyes and barked, "Less nonsense! Take out your Good Citizen Certificate and let us see!"

He Yuzhu shrank behind Chen Qingshan, pretending to be afraid, while two Flying Knives were already gripped tightly in his hands.

Chen Qingshan hurriedly explained, "Gentlemen, my name is Chen Qingshan; I just arrived from Tianjin and haven't had time to get a Good Citizen Certificate yet! Could you please be lenient and make an exception?" As he spoke, he stuffed a small bag of Big Ocean into the white fat man's hand.

The white fat man weighed the money bag, his expression softening slightly: "You're sensible! But the rules must be followed—you three, go in and search!"

"I'll take you gentlemen inside!" He Yuzhu gave Chen Qingshan a look—if there was any trouble inside, the one outside must absolutely not be left alive.

He Yuzhu led the three puppet soldiers to check the three rooms in the back. The rooms were almost empty; the men rummaged through them carelessly and then retreated.

A thin, small man reported, "Boss, there's nothing inside, just an empty shop."

The white fat man nodded, pocketed the Big Ocean, and led his men in a rush toward the next house.

He Yuzhu whispered, "Master, I'll follow them and take a look."

Chen Qingshan wanted to stop him, but He Yuzhu had already slipped out the door, quietly following behind the group.

He Yuzhu was certain that those four would not easily let Chen Qingshan go. Just now, they only took the money to delay for a moment. He knew the evil of human nature well; today, he had to take action himself and stir up these muddy waters.

The four puppet soldiers searched a few more houses, quickly clearing the entire alley, then tilted their hats and swayed into a breakfast shop.

The white fat man said triumphantly, "This job has good pickings today! That shopkeeper just now was a real sucker; he actually pulled out ten Big Ocean, more than the whole street combined!"

The small man rolled his eyes and said sinisterly, "Boss, why don't we go back and grab him? If he can pull out ten Big Ocean so easily, there must be a problem! What if he's that big thief who robbed the foreign firm? The reward is a thousand!"

The white fat man hesitated: "This... isn't that great, right? They gave us money; we have to have some professional ethics..."

The small man sneered: "In this world, the weak are prey to the strong! If we pity them, who will pity us?"

The other two chimed in as well.

He Yuzhu, hidden in the shadows, heard it clearly and sneered in his heart: "Indeed, one cannot overestimate this scum."

Seeing his brothers all saying this, the white fat man finally nodded: "Fine! We'll do as you say!"

The four ate and drank their fill, wiped their mouths, and left; the breakfast shop owner dared to be angry but dared not speak.

They turned around aggressively and headed straight for Chen Qingshan's shop.

He Yuzhu took a step ahead, leaping onto the wall along their path like a night cat, without making a sound.

As the four swayed along, He Yuzhu pounced down like a hawk!

The moment he landed, his hands struck out rapidly; before the two puppet soldiers could even cry out, their bodies twisted and suddenly vanished!

The other two were completely terrified and turned to run, but were seized by He Yuzhu with lightning speed and taken into his space.

He Yuzhu brushed the dust off himself and turned toward other streets.

With the city-wide search today, although it was inconvenient to act during the day, no one paid attention to a ragged child.

In one morning, he had quietly dealt with twenty-six puppet soldiers.

This group used the name of searching to carry out looting.

He Yuzhu saw with his own eyes a group pushing a cart, searching house by house, moving all valuables onto the cart.

An old woman cried out as she chased after them, but was kicked to the ground; the bundle they snatched away was perhaps all her worldly possessions.

"These animals!" He Yuzhu gritted his teeth and thought. He noted the address, and after dealing with that group, he specifically threw the bundle back in front of the old woman's door.

At noon, He Yuzhu returned to Nanluoguxiang No. 95 Courtyard.

Yan Bugui saw him return and asked in surprise, "Zhuzi, people came to search this morning and questioned your house for a long time. Where is your mother?"

He Yuzhu blinked and said sorrowfully, "She went to look for my father! Neither hide nor hair of him, so she had to ask someone to inquire with the Japanese. My mother fainted from anxiety halfway there and was sent to the hospital."

Yan Bugui sighed: "It really is when it rains, it pours... what do you plan to do later?"

He Yuzhu shook his head and didn't say much.

After returning home, he put everything useful into his space. This place was not a place to stay long; he had to avoid the limelight.

Just as he wanted to get on the kang to rest for a while, the door was knocked on again, and Xu Damao shouted outside: "He Yuzhu! When is your father's funeral?"

He Yuzhu pulled open the door and saw Xu Damao standing there with a lewd grin on his face.

He Yuzhu said coldly, "Wait until your father's funeral is over, then we'll hold mine."

Xu Damao snorted, "I'm kindly offering to help! Even though we don't get along, a funeral is a major event; if there's anything you need a hand with, just say the word!"

"The only help I need from you is for you to get lost!" He Yuzhu's eyes were sinister.

"Fine, you don't appreciate a good heart! Let me warn you, when the collaborators were investigating, that man surnamed Wang at the entrance didn't say little about your father's affairs, watch yourself!" Xu Damao curled his lip.

"Stop trying to sow discord! Just because your family doesn't get along with his, you want to use me as a tool? With your character, you're bound to die without descendants! Get out!" He Yuzhu slammed the door shut with a bang.

After resting for a while, He Yuzhu set out again.

Throughout the afternoon, he took care of another twenty-nine puppet soldiers, but surprisingly not a single Japanese soldier.

It seemed the consecutive days of losses had taught the Japanese soldiers to be cautious, and they dared not come out easily anymore.

He Yuzhu decided to pull off something big this time. To give Guitian a warning.

So he wrote a battle manifesto, intending to plaster it all over the bustling areas:

Guitian:

You turtle grandsons, stubborn and unrepentant! I have repeatedly punished you, yet you still do not know how to repent.

Ask yourselves, how many have you lost recently? Seventy-nine Japanese devils, fifty-seven puppet soldiers; this is all of your own doing!

Today you actually dared to harass again, a crime beyond forgiveness! I have captured another sixty-five puppet soldiers and severed all their heads, placing them at Qianmen Street.

If you remain obsessed and unrepentant, the number of those who perish daily will surely double!

Do not say you were not warned.

Huang Daxian