Smoky Battlefield

In the city district of Shancheng, within a lavishly decorated villa, Zhang Xuan sat on a soft sofa in the living room, looking completely at ease. Beside him, the middle-aged man who had come to pick him up stood respectfully.

"Mr. Song, you people really know how to enjoy yourselves!" Zhang Xuan surveyed his surroundings, his anger deepening. He roared, "The land of China is filled with suffering and displacement, yet you hide here in this palace indulging yourselves. Do you truly... deserve to die!" Zhang Xuan thought for a long time, unable to find words to describe them; any word felt too mild. He could only conclude with "deserve to die."

Mr. Song trembled slightly, murmuring incoherently.

Zhang Xuan glanced at Mr. Song, cursed again, then spoke, "Immediately summon everyone, fully armed with American equipment. I'm going to the battlefield!" Zhang Xuan was too weary to deal with the National Government's mess. He only wanted to drive all the Japanese devils from China and restore a clear sky to the land.

War is no child's play; it has never been something one person could change, unless you are an unparalleled warrior who sweeps through armies. Killing the Japanese Emperor or generals would be very simple for Zhang Xuan, but it wouldn't end the war. Instead, it might cause the enraged little devils to unleash their fury upon the Chinese people. Only by killing the little devils one by one, gun by gun, and driving them out of China could the suffering of the Chinese people be ended.

People, China has plenty of people. Hydra also has many people in China. Guns, with China's industrial base, Hydra, despite possessing countless high-tech weapons, cannot produce them, thus naturally cannot arm the Hydra soldiers in China. Equipment, they could only request from the National Government. The Hanyang Type is too outdated; they must have full American equipment to have a chance to fight the Japanese devils head-on.

Hearing Zhang Xuan's request, Mr. Song looked troubled. After a moment of hesitation, he said, "Mr. Zhang, I am merely the Minister of Finance. I can gather the people, but the military equipment..."

"Chiang Kai-shek has that authority!" Zhang Xuan rudely interrupted Mr. Song, his voice involuntarily raising significantly. "If you can't, then I'll go find him myself!"

Mr. Song was startled by this and quickly explained, "Mr. Zhang, China is different from Europe and America..."

"I am also Chinese, I know China's traditions!" Zhang Xuan interrupted Mr. Song again, slamming his hand on the coffee table in front of him, which shattered with a crack. "Tradition cannot defeat fists. Whoever has the stronger fist is right!"

"Immediately gather the people for me. I'll go find Chiang Kai-shek for American equipment!" Zhang Xuan didn't allow Mr. Song to say another word, commanding with extreme assertiveness.

Mr. Song sighed helplessly and nodded before walking out.

Seeing Mr. Song leave, Logan, who was by his side, smoking a cigar, asked with surprise, "Alex, I didn't expect you to be in China..."

Before Logan could finish, Zhang Xuan waved his hand wearily, interrupting him. "I really don't want to deal with these bureaucrats. Once the people and equipment are ready, we'll head to the battlefield!"

Logan glanced at Alex and changed the subject. "Shouldn't we let Steve and the others know we're safe?"

"Oh, yes, we should tell them." Zhang Xuan immediately remembered and nodded. "I also need to trouble Howard with a few things!"

The next day, by whatever means Mr. Song employed, Zhang Xuan became the commander of an army in the National Revolutionary Army, with nearly thirty thousand men under his command. These were all Hydra members. Of course, more importantly, this army was fully equipped with American weaponry, and as per Zhang Xuan's request, all personnel were equipped with light and heavy machine guns. This was unprecedented; not just among the national army, but in any army worldwide.

Looking at the documents Mr. Song handed him, Zhang Xuan's expression brightened, and he praised, "Mr. Song, you've done an excellent job!"

"Thank you for your praise, Young Master Zhang!" Mr. Song felt a pang of bitterness, his heart aching. To fulfill Zhang Xuan's request, Mr. Song had gone to great lengths and paid a heavy price. However, when he thought of Zhang Xuan's identity, Mr. Song felt it was all worth it.

"Are these people reliable?" Zhang Xuan asked, flipping through the army's detailed records, a hint of worry in his voice. Zhang Xuan was highly skeptical of the combat effectiveness of the national army, but he was even more concerned about the loyalty of these men, as the tasks ahead were crucial and allowed no room for error.

"Rest assured, Young Master Zhang. These individuals have been trained by Hydra since childhood and are absolutely reliable!"

Zhang Xuan nodded at this, pondered for a moment, and then asked, "Where is the nearest Japanese army?" With the personnel and equipment in place, Zhang Xuan was ready to strike at the Japanese.

Mr. Song was momentarily stunned, then after a moment, he came to his senses and slowly replied, "Jiangcheng."

Zhang Xuan mumbled "Jiangcheng" a few times. After a moment, he had made up his mind: they would attack Jiangcheng. Looking up at Mr. Song, he asked, "Do you have any photos of the Japanese garrison in Jiangcheng?"

"The Military Statistics Bureau should have some," Mr. Song replied uncertainly, not knowing what Zhang Xuan intended to do.

"Go find them, you must find them for me," Zhang Xuan commanded forcefully. "It doesn't have to be inside the garrison, outside is fine!"

"Alright, I'll go look right away!" Mr. Song was startled by Zhang Xuan's tone and quickly agreed.

After Mr. Song left, Zhang Xuan also disappeared from the villa. He returned a moment later, carrying a case. Then, Zhang Xuan went back to the Howling Commandos' camp and brought a squad of men back to the villa. For his first battle, Zhang Xuan wanted to make a statement, so he specially invited Steve and the others, and also brought back quite a few energy guns seized from Hydra.

Zhang Xuan did not wish to expose his connection with Hydra at this time, so he did not equip his army with energy guns. His current public identity was that of a commander in the National Revolutionary Army, and nothing more.

Not long after Zhang Xuan returned, Mr. Song also came back, holding a stack of photographs. Seeing the group of foreigners who had suddenly appeared in the villa, Mr. Song maintained his composure, showing no unusual expression.

Taking the photographs from Mr. Song, Zhang Xuan examined them while instructing, "Take me to the army!"

The group left Mr. Song's villa and headed towards the military district stationed outside Shancheng.

The journey from the villa to the military district took over ten minutes. During this time, Zhang Xuan continuously disappeared and reappeared. By the time they reached the military district, Zhang Xuan had found what he was looking for.

Zhang Xuan's army had its own designated station, separate from other units, which was a request Zhang Xuan had specifically made. The station was located in a hidden valley, surrounded by high mountains, with only a small path for access, making it difficult for ordinary people to find.

Upon entering the valley, Zhang Xuan found that thirty thousand men had already assembled, standing neatly on the open ground in the valley, completely silent.

"This is a formidable force!" Steve exclaimed sincerely, looking at the thirty thousand men.

Zhang Xuan felt a degree of pride. Although these men were trained by Hydra, they were, after all, Chinese soldiers. Steve's praise made Zhang Xuan feel a sense of shared honor and pride.

"I am Zhang Xuan, your commander!" Zhang Xuan stood at the very front of the army and shouted loudly, "I don't know who you are, nor do I care who you are or where you come from. Now, you have only one identity: Chinese soldiers! Soldiers are responsible for defending their land and resisting the enemy. The devils occupy our land and bully our compatriots. This is the time for revenge for our family and national hatred!"

The thirty thousand soldiers were Hydra soldiers, but more importantly, they were Chinese. Zhang Xuan's words ignited everyone's hatred for the little devils, stirring up a fervor and heroic spirit.

"I have only one demand of you, and that is to kill, to kill with all your might!" Looking at the fierce-looking soldiers, Zhang Xuan's heart burned with a fiery passion, and he continued to shout, "Concentrate your firepower, hit them hard. Even if you turn Jiangcheng into a sieve, do not leave a single devil alive!"

"Kill! Kill! Kill!" The thirty thousand men responded in unison, their battle cries shaking the heavens, their momentum like a rainbow.

ps: On this day of public commemoration, Scorpion really wanted to write a grand and stirring passage to honor the martyrs, but his writing skills were insufficient. After piecing together this passage, he dedicates it to commemorate all the suffering Chinese people and all the soldiers who died for their country during the War of Resistance!