Chapter 307: The Past

Fangzheng never expected such an outcome as he felt somewhat disappointed. How was he to complete the mission by helping the elder without knowing anything?

At that moment, Huang Xinghua came over. When he heard Huang Zhenhua, he had a vague guess as to the topic of conversation. He said, “My father doesn’t enjoy talking. He keeps everything close to his heart. Especially this matter. He has never told us. I think it’s something he wishes to complete by himself. Although he has never said so, we do know that he’s searching for someone. As for who it is… None of us know.”

Fangzheng pressed his palms together, “Amitabha. So that’s the case.”

Fangzheng looked at the elder through the window and asked, “Can This Penniless Monk enter to take a look?”

Although Fangzheng appeared a little strange, what he had done had made Huang Xinghua look at him in a different light. Besides, he did not appear like he had any nefarious thoughts towards the elder. If not, there was no reason for him to suggest them to send the box in. Therefore, Huang Xinghua nodded in response to the request.

However, Huang Zhenhua said, “You can enter, but you are not to disturb my father’s rest.”

Fangzheng nodded, “Patron, don’t worry. This Penniless Monk will only take a look and not disturb his rest.”

Only then did the two brothers agree. Fangzheng walked into the ward and saw the elder lying motionless in bed, his eyes staring widely at the box. He could not help but sigh. He could not figure out the reason for the elder’s obsession with the box. He was even more perplexed over what the elder had experienced. What had he done to amass such massive amounts of merit?

Red Boy whispered to the side, “Master, if you wish to really understand him, can’t you just enter his dream? Although this elder is suffering from dementia, he must be thinking about this matter all the time.”

Fangzheng was stunned. He nearly forgot about his divine power! Therefore, Fangzheng’s mind stirred as he activated A Golden Millet Dream!

“One! Two! One!”

“One! Two! One!”

“Brother, why are we practicing this? Can’t they just hand us guns?” a small-built youth grumbled as he followed a platoon.

“What do you know? This is what you call organization discipline. Don’t think so much and just follow,” a rather tall man beside him said.

And not far away, Fangzheng and Red Boy were standing beside the platoon.

“Master, why did you bring me into the dream?” asked a puzzled Red Boy.

“No good reason. Let’s watch together.”

Red Boy curled his lips, “What’s there to watch? They definitely aren’t anything special just from their attire. I can ignore their tattered clothes, but all of them are so skinny…”

Fangzheng rapped Red Boy on the head, “But these people are the ones that protected 9.6 million square kilometers of our nation!”

Red Boy exclaimed, “How is that possible? The enemies must be trash.”

Fangzheng did not answer him and instead said, “Watch quietly. You will see their enemies.”

This was deep in the mountains. There was only one single-storied house and the surroundings were dilapidated. The soldiers were not uniformly dressed. Although they looked ragged, their spirits were extremely high. All of them had eyes as bright as stars, filled with spirit as though they were passionately waiting for something.

The platoon in front of them had more than twenty people. By their side was an officer dressed in a light blue uniform with numerous patches. He was shouting commands and informing them of the training goals of the day, “You bunch of recruits lack discipline! Who asked you to charge before the command to do so was given? Also, Huang Ren. Your behavior is ridiculous. You always attempt to skip lectures!”

“Sir!” Huang Ren shouted.

“Speak!”

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“I’m not skipping lectures. I just can’t understand what’s the point of all of these! I’m here to fight the Japanese. Can’t you give me a gun and be done with it?”

“Give you a gun? And let you charge blindly like before? Are you going to send yourself to death after I give you a gun?”

“I’m not afraid of dying! When I came here, my mom said that those that are afraid of death are not sons of Hunan! If you’re afraid of death, don’t be a soldier! As long as I can send the Japanese scurrying, death doesn’t matter. I’m not afraid!”

“Hehe, dark punk. You sure can speak. But I’m telling you, you are recruited as a solder to kill the Japanese, not to send yourself to your death! Your life is precious. I want you alive, so stay alive. Only by being alive can you kill more of the enemy! Do you get it?” said the Commissar.

“Yes, sir!” shouted Huang Ren.

“Chen Dashan!” yelled the Commissar.

“Yes, sir!” a tall man standing beside Huang Ren tipped his head and puffed his chest as he shouted in response. Clearly, he was more soldierly than Huang Ren.

The Commissar said, “You have gone through proper training as a soldier. You are literate, so guide Huang Ren well.”

“Yes, sir!” shouted Chen Dashan.

“Alright, continue the training!” said the Commissar.

The scene changed and Huang Ren and Chen Dashan were hiding under a straw shed. It was raining heavily outside. However, the duo were not concerned with the rain.

Chen Dashan was squatting, using a pole to write out two words.

Huang Ren asked in excitement, “Is this my name? Brother Dashan, are you for real? Why does my name look so nice?”

“That’s right. It’s your name. Huang Ren, these are the words I’m teaching you today. Practice your own name first. In the future, I’ll teach you bit by bit, alright?” said Chen Dashan with a laugh.

“Great. Really great. Hahaha!” Huang Ren laughed with immense joy.

Following that, Chen Dashan taught Huang Ren how to write his name by showing him each stroke. Huang Ren was indeed a clever man. Not only did he learn his name that day, he even learned his platoon’s name—Great Propitious Platoon.

That night, Huang Ren kept pestering Chen Dashan for more. After some thought, Chen Dashan decided to teach Huang Ren the word—man!

Then, he said something with great seriousness, leaving Huang Ren stunned in the spot…

The scene changed again. A lot of time had clearly passed as Huang Ren had grown taller. Chen Dashan remained the same, acting as an elder brother, standing by Huang Ren’s side. He was like a mountain that sheltered him, constantly protecting this younger brother of his.

The two laid prone in the mountains, bodies draped in vegetation and twigs. Clearly, they were laying in ambush.

Not long later, a Japanese platoon was in retreat. Their anxious looks implied that they were a defeated platoon that was escaping in retreat.

With a command, they began firing!

Unlike one’s imagination with sustained gunshots like in television dramas, the gunshots sounded more like lit firecrackers thrown into a bucket. As for Huang Ren and company, they were trying their best to aim before firing! There was no other way. They did not have many bullets. They could not randomly fire for they could not afford it!

Pa!

A crisp gunshot rang as a Japanese soldier fell with a tragic cry as blood splattered. Huang Ren yelled in excitement when he saw that, “I got one!”

By the side, Chen Dashan pressed Huang Ren’s head down to the ground. At the same time, Huang Ren felt two bullets graze past his head. He had nearly lost his life!