Chapter 395: Secret Code

Below a mountain peak with sparse vegetation, protruding strange crags, and steep cliffs, there is a fissure.

Looking down from above, there is a small mountain stronghold beneath this fissure; the entrance to the stronghold is a perilous gorge, with peaks towering into the clouds on both sides of the gorge, as if they were barriers set by nature.

At this moment, Wu Tianlu, leading his troops, could already see the stronghold at the peaks that towered into the clouds. As long as they followed this rugged path forward, they would reach the main gate of the stronghold.

"Mangwa!" Wu Tianlu looked at Mangwa, "You take the brothers and hold here first; I'm going to go say hello."

"Master!" Just as Mangwa was about to continue speaking, Wu Tianlu patted his head, "Master... what master... I am a Battalion Commander now, don't call me master anymore, address me as Battalion Commander."

"Understood... Battalion Commander!" Mangwa nodded: "Battalion Commander, be careful, if anything feels wrong, send word as soon as possible."

Wu Tianlu patted Mangwa's shoulder: "Rest assured!"

The man in the melon-skin cap exchanged Underworld Slang with Wu Tianlu and concluded that the person before him was definitely someone from the path.

Zhu Ziming waved his hand: "For now, let's not worry about it; I will go meet this person from the path."

Having said that, Wu Tianlu strode toward Qingfeng Stronghold.

Liu Goudan rubbed his own head, "Big Boss, I have an urgent matter to report, let me finish speaking first, then you can kick me."

"Could it be that he is being hunted by the Paoge Organization and now wants to join our Qingfeng Stronghold?"

For the first sentence, Zhu Ziming asked Wu Tianlu his surname, and Wu Tianlu replied that his surname was Wu.

The man in the melon-skin cap ran into the council hall, "Big Boss... Big Boss..."

"Also, you are looking to talk business with my Qingfeng Stronghold, what do you want to obtain?"

In the center of the stronghold is a towering watchtower; standing at the top of the tower, one can overlook the entire stronghold. A machine gun is mounted there, and from the style of the machine gun, Wu Tianlu felt it was a Type 11 Light Machine Gun of the little devils.

Taking a rough look, the weapons of the bandits in the stronghold were simply a motley collection: Old Sleeve, Hanyang Rifle, Zhongzheng rifle, Arisaka Type 38 Rifle, Type 11 Light Machine Gun, Czech-style machine gun, and so on!

Wu Tianlu nodded: "Mm, after we finish discussing business later, we shall drink."

After sizing up Wu Tianlu, Zhu Ziming spoke: "Report your origin!"

At the stronghold's main gate, Wu Tianlu waited for a while, and seeing the bandit in the melon-skin cap come over, he asked: "Brother, how is it?"

"Heaven Mouth Vine!" Wu Tianlu replied.

Hearing this, Zhu Ziming grinned and said: "Someone from the path? You exchanged Secret Code with him?"

"Exchanged!" Liu Goudan clapped his hands: "The Secret Code matches perfectly... he is indeed a brother from the path, this man is a Sichuan Province Paoge, he used to hang around our area in his early years."

"Big Boss, a brother from the path has come outside the stronghold, saying he has an urgent matter to discuss with you?"

Wu Tianlu's sudden appearance was also discovered by the bandits guarding the stronghold.

Hearing this, Wu Tianlu stood where he was and shouted: "Brother, I am here to Join the Furnace!"

The meaning expressed by the other party was that I am also someone from the path.

"Brother, wait here for a moment, I will go report it now."

Now the man in the melon-skin cap was inquiring about Wu Tianlu's background and what he was doing here.

"Liu Goudan, go invite the person in."

Subsequently, Wu Tianlu briefly stated that he came from the Paoge of Sichuan Province and had come to the stronghold now because he had some business and needed to see the Big Boss.

"I was just thinking about how to get food! Now your shouting has messed up my train of thought."

The bandit in the melon-skin cap continued: "Which path are you from?"

The Secret Code matched, and Zhu Ziming said with a smile: "Brother Wu! What urgent matter do you have to negotiate by coming to my Qingfeng Stronghold?"

Zhu Ziming did not believe that this Brother Wu before him was giving Qingfeng Stronghold a free deal; having roamed the underworld for so long, he also knew that there was no such thing as a free lunch in this world.

Zhu Ziming's gaze sharpened as he sized up Wu Tianlu a few times: "What kind of big business? Tell me about it first!"

Wu Tianlu went straight to the point, "Big Boss Zhu, now that the country has fallen and the Japanese invaders are ferocious, the Chinese nation has reached a critical moment. I come from the Paoge Organization, but I am also a soldier now."

After the main gate opened, Wu Tianlu walked inside and entered the stronghold; a narrow alley wound forward, with uneven houses on both sides, the walls covered in the traces of time.

The houses here were all built with simple stone and wood, looking crude and old.

The Big Boss in the stronghold also likes to make many friends; now that this person has come to discuss business, he must go notify the Big Boss.

First, a burly man with a thick beard, wearing black clothes and two Mauser C96s tucked into his waist, was sizing him up with sharp, spirited eyes.

Once the bandit in the melon-skin cap shouted, it immediately attracted the attention of several other bandits, and everyone's gaze turned toward Wu Tianlu.

The bandit in the melon-skin cap left, leaving the other two bandits standing at the Outpost of the stronghold's main gate.

"Coming up the mountain today is to discuss a big deal with Big Boss Zhu, I just don't know if the Big Boss is willing or not?"

Wu Tianlu even saw that some of the bandits' weapons were Broadswords and Spears!

Led by Liu Goudan, Wu Tianlu arrived at the council hall, where he saw the leaders of Qingfeng Stronghold.

Wu Tianlu cupped his hands toward Zhu Ziming, "Big Boss Zhu, you enjoy a great reputation on this path, and I have long admired you."

As soon as Wu Tianlu spoke, the bandit in the melon-skin cap smiled; so he was also a hero of the green woods who roamed the mountains and forests, and he even spoke Underworld Slang to him.

Inside the stronghold!

Zhu Ziming was discussing with the Second Boss and several trusted aides that the food in the stronghold was running low and they should go down the mountain to get food.

Zhu Ziming frowned and looked at Liu Goudan, "Goudan, what are you shouting about?"

While observing the layout of the stronghold, Wu Tianlu was also observing the condition of the bandits; first of all, in terms of the Outpost, the bandits' setup of the Outpost was acceptable.

The Second Boss, Li Wu, spoke up: "What is this Paoge doing coming to our Qingfeng Stronghold?"

"Yes!" After Liu Goudan responded, he ran out of the council hall.

One of the bandits wearing a melon-skin cap shouted: "Hey... you kid, stop right there! If you take another step forward, I won't be polite!"

"When I traveled north and south in those years, I came to this area; perhaps I can even strike up a conversation with this Qingfeng Stronghold!"

At this moment, Wu Tianlu looked at the plaque above the stronghold's main gate, on which the three large characters "Qingfeng Stronghold" were carved; the handwriting was already a bit blurred, but one could still feel an aura of vicissitudes.

"Our Big Boss invites you in!" Liu Goudan responded, then had people open the stronghold's main gate.

"Mm!" Zhu Ziming hummed lightly: "Whatever bullshit matter you have, hurry up and tell me."

Looking at the seating arrangement in the stronghold, Wu Tianlu knew that the burly man in black with the thick beard before him was the Big Boss of Qingfeng Stronghold.

With this machine gun, it means the bandits of Qingfeng Stronghold have already fought against the Japanese.

"Today, several columns of the Japanese Army are rushing toward Teng County, and our Sichuan Army 22nd Group Army is working hard to resist the Japanese Army; according to intelligence, the Japanese Army is arrogant, underestimating the enemy and advancing rashly."

"I hope the heroes of Qingfeng Stronghold will ambush the Japanese Army's Supply Troops; of course, our Sichuan Army will provide Big Boss Zhu with a batch of weapons."

(End of this chapter)