While Leitao and his scattered soldiers rested in the manor, his thoughts drifted involuntarily. He recalled the archives he had once studied concerning the Japanese Army’s occupation of Nanjing, and those horrifying scenes surged into his mind like a rising tide.
On the afternoon of December 17, the Japanese Army held a wicked and arrogant entry ceremony in Nanjing. Along the East Zhongshan Road, stretching from Zhongshan Gate to the Guo'an Army headquarters, the participating troops stood in formation like wolves. The commanders of the Japanese Central China Area Army, including Matsui Iwane, Shanghai Expeditionary Army commander Prince Yasuhiko Asaka, and Tenth Army commander Heisuke Yanagawa, rode on tall horses, moving forward with heads held high; their insufferably arrogant demeanor was nauseating. As they rode, they inspected the troops with haughty gazes, as if this land had already become a plaything for them to trample at will. Meanwhile, ninety-five aircraft from the army and navy air wings flew over Nanjing like demonic wings, casting a shadow of terror over the city.
After the fall of Nanjing, the Japanese Army’s disposal of their own war dead and their memorial activities were part of their military occupation and colonial rule. These funeral rites, integrated both in Japan and abroad, served to commemorate the Japanese officers and soldiers who died in the war, while also demonstrating their so-called "victory" to the Japanese public. These activities not only reflected the Japanese Army's commemoration of the dead but also served as a strategy for cultural assimilation and political propaganda under military occupation. As the Japanese war of aggression against China expanded, the number of Japanese casualties grew, and various memorial and commendation activities were staged incessantly.
As Leitao thought of this, he clenched his fists, his teeth grinding together. He felt there was intelligence he could exploit. Were these inhuman Japanese devils not planning an entry ceremony? Were they not planning a soul-summoning ritual for their dead? He would absolutely not let them succeed. "Hmph, I'm going to ruin their damn plans!" Leitao swore to himself.
At that moment, Leitao’s gaze fell upon a female medic busy organizing medical supplies nearby. Her hair was a bit disheveled and her face bore traces of exhaustion, yet her eyes held determination and kindness. A surge of complex emotions welled up in Leitao—a mixture of helplessness regarding the war and anxiety for the future. He walked slowly to her side and asked softly, "Is today December 15th or December 16th?"
The medic stopped her work and furrowed her brow slightly, her curved eyebrows looking like a crescent moon. After thinking for a moment, she replied, "I’m not quite sure. In all this chaos, who can keep track of the days? Every day is spent amidst the roar of gunfire and the moans of the wounded; the days have all blurred together." Her voice was soft but carried a hint of helplessness.
Leitao’s anxiety grew. He had to know the date. He began to search among the crowd and finally found an elderly soldier. Leitao walked up to him quickly and asked respectfully, "Sir, could you tell me if today is December 15th or 16th?"
The older soldier squinted, recalled for a moment, and said, "As far as I can tell, it should be December 15th."
Leitao felt a tightening in his chest; time was running out. He quietly formulated a personal plan. He swore that he would make the devils lose face and turn their entry and soul-summoning ceremonies into a farce.
Just then, Leitao suddenly recalled that, decades later, it would be discovered that two 120mm field howitzers and hundreds of shells had been sealed and hidden in a cave at Toutuo Ridge on Zijin Mountain near here. A thought stirred in his heart: the Japanese Army was planning an entry ceremony and had even invited Western reporters to film it. If he could find those two 120mm howitzers and shell the bastards, he would make them lose face in front of the entire world. Was there no strength left in the Guo'an Army in Nanjing? He would show them that the Chinese people would not submit.
Leitao decided to share the plan with his men. He stepped into the middle of the group, cleared his throat, and said, "Brothers, I have a plan. I know that there are two 120mm field howitzers and over a hundred shells hidden in a cave at Toutuo Ridge on Zijin Mountain. If we can find them, we can catch the Japanese during their entry ceremony and show them that we Chinese are not to be bullied."
The soldiers looked at each other. A scarred soldier said in a Sichuan dialect, "Damn it, are you serious? If we really find those two guns, we can definitely give those devils a taste of our steel."
Another scrawny soldier added, "Exactly. We can’t let the devils be so arrogant. But that Zijin Mountain Toutuo Ridge won't be easy to search. What if we can't find them?"
Leitao said firmly, "We must try, even if there is only a sliver of hope. Besides, time is short; we must act quickly."
At this, an older soldier spoke up, his tone steady: "Young man, your plan has its risks. But we have no other options now, so let’s give it a shot. However, you need to think about how to find those guns and how to use them once we do."
Leitao nodded and said, "I have it figured out. We will split into small groups: one to locate the cave, one to prepare transport, and one to keep watch. Once we find the artillery, we will quickly move them to a suitable position and launch a surprise attack during the Japanese ceremony."
The soldiers nodded in agreement. The scarred soldier added with a grin, "Heh, if we succeed, let’s see if those devils still dare to be so arrogant. We’ll show them who's boss."
Everyone began to prepare, the atmosphere becoming intense and blood-stirring. During the process, some soldiers cracked jokes to ease the tension. One said, "Once we beat the devils into a retreat, we can brag later that we were heroes who fought them." Another replied, "Haha, for sure! By then, we'll be the toughest guys in all of China, and those devils will wet their pants just seeing us."
Although there was a touch of levity, their eyes were filled with determination. They knew this was a difficult fight, but they were unafraid. For the sake of national dignity and the lives of innocent people, they were willing to pay any price.
In this challenging moment, Leitao and his men continued forward, ready to pay any price to defend China and protect its people.