Long-suppressed humiliation, frustration, and fury were set ablaze in that moment.
A burly Northeastern man suddenly flung the newspaper in his hand to the ground and roared, his eyes bloodshot.
"Brothers! We're men of Kanto, not a bunch of cowards hiding behind a shell!"
"Second Young Master is fighting for his life up front all alone. Can we really stay here?"
"No!" The crowd's response erupted like a deafening tidal wave.
"To Pine Town! Support Second Young Master!"
"That's right! To Pine Town! Let's beat the hell out of those Japanese bastards!"
"Even if I die, I'll die charging into battle! I'll never be a slave in a conquered nation!"
The crowd seethed with fury!
Just then, a squad of soldiers in different uniforms hurried over and blocked their path.
They were the Governor-General Troops Zhang Xueliang had sent to keep watch over them.
The atmosphere in the camp turned tense in an instant.
"What? You still want to stop us?" An old veteran and Platoon Leader stepped forward, pointing at the officer leading the Governor-General Troops. "You want to carry out that bullshit order not to resist? You'll have to step over my dead body first!"
But the officer of the Governor-General Troops did something no one had expected.
He snapped to attention and gave the crowd a crisp Military Salute.
"You're right, brothers!"
He shouted.
"We're all men of Kanto! Our homes have been taken, our parents are being bullied—can we really pretend we don't see it?"
"We've all read Second Young Master's statement! That's what our Feng Army should say, and what we should do!"
He tore the Armband identifying him as part of the Governor-General Troops from his sleeve and hurled it to the ground.
"From this moment on, there's no such thing as the Governor-General