135: What a convenient way to read but not reply!

The small wooden hut was now piled high with staggering amounts of supplies.

Brand-new Type 11 light machine guns were neatly stacked, a full 140 of them.

Wooden ammunition crates filled with Gleaming Yellow Bullets were piled into a small mountain, totaling 100,000 rounds.

Fifty crates of heavy Wooden-Handled Grenades.

Three white metal boxes printed with Simplified Chinese Characters; upon opening them, rows of neatly arranged, crystal-clear Glass Vials were revealed.

Picking up the Instruction Manual, it read that this was an Antibiotic to suppress infection: penicillin.

Ten crates of First-Aid Kits marked with red crosses, fully stocked with Gauze, Bandages, and medicine.

And mountains of Compressed Biscuits, Canned Goods, and Cloth.

On the Kang Table sat an ordinary Tin Box and a letter.

Yang Jingyu suppressed the storm of shock in his heart, picked up the letter, and unfolded it. There was only one line of bold, forceful characters:

"Make the most of these supplies, kill more Japanese invaders, victory in the War of Resistance is certain! — Merchant: Lu Fan, left behind."

Then, he opened the Tin Box, inside were neatly stacked, glittering Gold Bars.

"This... this..."

Even with a heart as firm as rock, Yang Jingyu was so moved that his fingers trembled slightly.

He surveyed the room full of weapons, ammunition, life-saving medicine, and precious food.

Then he looked at the heavy Gold Bars in his hand and the short but weighty letter.

A great warmth and an indescribable shock surged through his entire body.

"Commander! Who on earth is this Mr. Lu?" Wang Detai's voice trembled with excitement.

"He..." Yang Jingyu took a deep breath and looked south in the direction Lu Fan had left.

His gaze seemed to pierce through the layers of forest, filled with respect.

"He is a true Red Merchant, the backbone of the nation and its people. This generous gift is a kindness akin to rebirth!"

He tightly clutched the letter and Tin Box, faced south, and solemnly gave a military salute.

In the Secret Camp, all the Anti-Japanese United Army soldiers who witnessed this scene were filled with reverence, hope, and strength.

What Lu Fan left behind was not just supplies, but a blazing torch ignited in the darkness.

Three days later, Lu Fan returned to Qingxu Temple with Little Northeast.

He pushed open the door of the Side Hall, covered in dust, and was met with a stifling, oppressive atmosphere.

Compared to when he left, the Security Team members stationed here were all listless and dejected, their morale as low as frostbitten eggplants.

There was no despondency from defeat, but a deeper sense of frustration and powerlessness.

Even a hot-tempered man like Li Zhenshan just silently cleaned his gun without a word.

"Tingshu~" Lu Fan frowned, his voice carrying a barely perceptible chill, "What happened? Did we lose the battle?"

Zhang Tingshu stood up from the corner upon hearing this, his expression equally grim. He motioned for Lu Fan to speak in a quiet spot outside the hall.

The two walked to the backyard of the temple. The air after the rain carried the smell of damp earth, but it couldn't dispel the gloom in their hearts.

"Boss, you're finally back..." Zhang Tingshu's voice was low and hoarse, filled with uncontrollable resentment.

"We didn't lose the battle! On the contrary, the brothers were fired up and fought the Japanese devils several more times, taking out a few of their strongholds."

"But... but we couldn't withstand our own people stabbing us in the back, and they did it ruthlessly and stupidly!"

Zhang Tingshu said, hanging his head, utterly dejected.

"Our own people? Who?"

Lu Fan's eyes sharpened.

"Who else? That highest-ranking official in Beijing, Song Zheyuan!"

Zhang Tingshu almost spat out the name through gritted teeth, "After you left, he did three major things!"

"First," Zhang Tingshu held up his first finger, the tip trembling slightly.

"He went to Tianjin and signed that damned 'Xiangyue Detailed Agreement' with the Japanese devils."

"In the agreement, the 29th Army apologized to the Japanese devils, the 37th Division withdrew from Wanping City, and it banned our civilian resistance organizations."

"What the hell kind of treaty is this for the side that won the battles?"

Lu Fan's face instantly darkened, a surge of fury rising to his head.

"Second," Zhang Tingshu held up his second finger, his voice colder.

"After signing this humiliating agreement, he not only didn't return to Beijing to lead the resistance."

"Instead, he moved all the main forces of the 29th Army away from the outskirts of Beijing, shifting them south."

"Guess what he sent the troops to do?"

Zhang Tingshu's eyes were full of absurdity and anger, "He was afraid the Central Army would come and take his territory, so he sent troops to block our own people."

Lu Fan was utterly speechless at such a fantastical move, his fist clenching tightly, knuckles cracking softly.

This wasn't just stupidity; it was idiocy.

"And that's not all." Zhang Tingshu took a deep breath, suppressing the surging rage in his chest.

"From Jinling, telegrams and orders came one after another, urging him to return and command the troops, to resist firmly."

"Do you know how he replied?"

Zhang Tingshu counted them off on his fingers for Lu Fan, each one like a whip lashing at the heart:

"July 12th, Minister He's order: Return to Beijing immediately to command the troops in the resistance!"

"Song Zheyuan: Read but no reply."

"July 13th, the Chairman's personal order: Must return to command the army and resist firmly!"

"Song Zheyuan: Read but no reply."

"July 15th, Minister He's second telegram: Several Japanese divisions are urgently mobilizing toward Pingjin, the situation is extremely critical! Return immediately!"

"Song Zheyuan: Read but no reply."

"July 16th, the Chairman's second order: Do not be lulled by the enemy, must return to the troops immediately to deploy the resistance!"

"Song Zheyuan: Read but no reply."

"July 17th, the Chairman delivered a resistance speech at Lushan, calling on the entire nation! The whole country was shaken!"

"Song Zheyuan: Read but no reply."

"July 18th, Minister He's third urgent telegram: War is imminent! Return immediately!"

"Song Zheyuan: Read but no reply."

"Six whole days! Six highest-level orders and warnings! He acted as if he were deaf and blind!"

Zhang Tingshu's voice rose with agitation: "During these days, the Japanese attacks on Wanping City never stopped."

"The brothers were bleeding and fighting on the front lines, while he was in the rear colluding with the Japanese devils, signing traitorous agreements."

"Moving the main forces to guard against our own people!"

"Ignoring the orders from Jinling!"

"Letting the Japanese devils mobilize their troops, putting a knife to our necks!"

"What kind of leader is this? What kind of war is this to fight?"

Zhang Tingshu's chest heaved violently; clearly, these grievances had been pent up for too long, and now they poured out with blood and tears.

He finally said through gritted teeth: "Boss, tell me, how can the brothers swallow this anger?"

"How can we fight this war? What are we fighting so desperately for?"

Lu Fan listened quietly, his face expressionless.

Only deep in his eyes, a cold, murderous intent surged like eternal ice.

The low pressure emanating from him made Zhang Tingshu unconsciously take half a step back.

The air in the backyard of Qingxu Temple seemed to freeze, stifling and suffocating.

"Good... what a Song Zheyuan, what a 'read but no reply'..."

Lu Fan's voice was as low as if it came from the depths of the underworld, each word dripping with bone-chilling coldness.

He suddenly stood up and ordered: "Assemble the troops, everyone on combat alert. I'm going to show this coward."

"What price he'll pay for disregarding the fall of our homeland and treating the lives of his comrades as worthless~~~"