In the end, Gu Cheng suggested they find some equipment first.
Two submachine guns were not quite enough.
With more weapons on hand, they would not have to panic if something unexpected happened.
"Hu, I understand your curiosity. I want to know what the Sakura People were up to here, too."
"But we have to make sure we're safe first."
Hu Bayi could only resign himself to it.
He followed the others to the armory.
When they saw the ammunition depot, as large as several soccer fields, and the mountains of wooden crates and supplies, all four were dumbstruck.
"Good heavens! The Sakura People hid this many weapons here? Just how much were they plotting to steal?!"
Fatty Wang's face was full of shock and indignation.
"Why is there so much stuff here? I can't even see the end of those stacks of crates!" Yingzi could not help exclaiming.
Gu Cheng looked at the crates. "The Sakura People stored all this here, hoping they could make a comeback someday."
"They were dreaming!"
Fatty Wang cursed. "If the Sakura People ever dare come back, we should do what the Americans did and drop a couple of mushroom bombs on them. Show them what it means to have their entire people wiped out!"
Hu Bayi walked over, his eyes gleaming as he examined the weapons scattered around.
"The Sakura People kept quite a complete selection of equipment here."
"Look, this is a Type 92 Infantry Gun!"
"This is a Type 92 7.7 mm Heavy Machine Gun!"
Hu Bayi introduced the weapons on the floor with the easy familiarity of someone listing his own treasures.
Soon, they split up to look for suitable equipment.
Now it actually felt a little like a treasure hunt.
Gu Cheng wandered around, opening more than a dozen wooden crates in succession. They all contained various rifles or military supplies.
Then he came across another pile of wooden crates.
When he opened one, he found handguns wrapped in oiled paper inside.
Curious, he took one out and tore away the paper, revealing a brand-new pistol still coated in gun oil.
"Huh? Why does this pistol look like a modern automatic?"
"During the war against Japan, didn't they all use those broomhandle Mausers, the ones they called box cannons?"
He opened the neighboring crates and found the same pistols inside.
Searching nearby, he also found the matching magazines and ammunition.
Holding two of the newer pistols, he went to find Hu Bayi and the others.
They had found a type of submachine gun with a very short barrel.
According to Hu Bayi, it was called the Type 100 Submachine Gun. Production had been limited, but it had a high rate of fire and reliable safety features. Even if it malfunctioned, it would only jam rather than discharge accidentally. It had been a rarity even among the Sakura People back then.
"Hu, take a look at this pistol."
Gu Cheng handed it to him.
Hu Bayi's eyes lit up the moment he saw it, and he quickly took it.
"This is a Browning 1911A1, American-made. It was the best-performing and most popular semiautomatic pistol of World War II, with unmatched stopping power and a fast, accurate single-action firing mechanism."
"Even in the nineties, it was still widely used around the world, especially by special forces. They called it the best tactical pistol."
Hu Bayi turned it over in his hands, reluctant to put it down.
Suddenly, he looked up at Gu Cheng.
"Where did you find it? Are there any more?"
Gu Cheng nodded. "Plenty. There are more than a dozen crates over there, along with ammunition and magazines."
Hu Bayi hurried over.
Fatty Wang and Yingzi followed him.
Hu Bayi and Fatty Wang both loved guns. With pistols this good, of course they wanted a few for their collections.
As for Yingzi, Hu Bayi's glowing description had made her eager to get one, too.
Gu Cheng tucked the two Brownings into his waistband, then slung a Type 100 Submachine Gun around his neck.
He also packed some ammunition and grenades.
Soon, Hu Bayi and the others returned with broad smiles.
Gu Cheng noticed their empty hands. "You didn't take any?"
"Of course we did. They're in Fatty's backpack."
"But these pistols only hold seven rounds. That's too few. When we fight that little beast later, the Type 100 Submachine Gun will be more useful."
Hu Bayi smiled as he spoke.
Gu Cheng nodded.
Then, at his suggestion, everyone took some more grenades.
Suddenly, Yingzi screamed.
"What happened?!"
All three men looked at her.
Yingzi pointed into the distance, her face full of terror. "A child just ran past over there."
A child?!
Hu Bayi and Fatty Wang exchanged looks.
"Yingzi, were your eyes playing tricks on you? This military base has been sealed for decades. There's not a soul in sight. How could there be a child here?!"
Fatty Wang tried to reassure her.
Gu Cheng, however, knew Yingzi had not been mistaken.
What she had seen was probably one of the two children's ghosts from the Gas Chamber.
It seemed they had appeared after all.
Gu Cheng thought for a moment, then said, "We should be careful. This place is strange. There might be something unholy here."
"Young Master Gu, don't joke about that. There's no such thing as ghosts!"
Fatty Wang's face had gone a little pale.
Seeing his reaction, Gu Cheng chuckled. "Fatty, trust me. The world's a big place, full of strange things. Just because you haven't seen something doesn't mean it doesn't exist."
After a pause, he added, "Before you saw that little beast, had you ever seen a snake that big?"
Fatty Wang immediately felt even less sure of himself.