142: The bad news came

After three days of rest, the Security Team had fully recuperated.

The team members' tense nerves had eased, and their injured bodies had recovered.

The courtyard was filled with the smell of disinfectant and a brief sense of calm.

Li Zhenshan led the uninjured team members in checking their equipment, while Lu Fan was discussing the next course of action with Zhang Tingshu.

Zhang Qingyuan suddenly stumbled in.

He tightly clutched a crumpled, sweat-soaked telegram in his hand.

His face was ashen, his lips trembling, unable to utter a word.

A sense of foreboding instantly gripped Lu Fan and Zhang Tingshu's hearts.

Zhang Tingshu snatched the telegram, and Li Zhenshan immediately leaned in.

The ink-printed words seared their eyes like red-hot branding irons:

"Southern Camp was heavily surrounded by enemy forces on all sides last night. General Zhao Dengyu personally led a part of the 132nd Division in a bloody battle."

"The enemy advanced with tanks, bombed repeatedly with planes, positions changed hands repeatedly, and blood and flesh flew everywhere."

"General Zhao led his troops to break through to Dahongmen, where they were ambushed by elite enemy forces. He was hit by several bullets and died heroically!"

"In his final moments, he left these words:"

"'As a soldier, dying on the battlefield is my duty; there is no need for sorrow. But my mother is elderly, please take good care of her.'"

Looking at these tragic last words, each character felt like a poisoned needle, piercing the hearts of every Security Team member present.

Zhang Tingshu's gaze continued downward, and another shocking piece of news exploded in everyone's minds.

"The soldiers and civilians of Beijing are united, vowing never to become slaves of a conquered nation. Student Lin Yanqiu led a student group in defending their position to the death."

"Even after being hit by several bullets, she shouted to kill the enemy, fighting fiercely until the entire group died for their country, with no one retreating."

"General Tong Lingge was also bombed by enemy planes while commanding at Southern Camp and unfortunately died for his country! Southern Camp... has fallen."

Dead silence.

Even the sound of breathing disappeared in the small courtyard.

Only the thin telegram in Zhang Tingshu's hand emitted a faint, uncontrollable trembling sound.

"Lin... Yanqiu..." A young team member who had briefly interacted with those student soldiers broke the silence with a tearful voice, "Those kids... they... they couldn't even hold their guns steady!"

"General Zhao... General Tong..."

Zhang Tingshu's voice was hoarse and dry, his fists clenched so tightly they creaked, his knuckles turning white from the force.

Zhao Dengyu, that fierce general of the Northwest Army; Tong Lingge, that deputy commander of the 29th Army.

Both were pillars of the North China resistance, just... gone?

Lu Fan closed his eyes and let out a long, cold sigh. Southern Camp had still fallen, and the two division commanders had still died for their country.

His own struggle still seemed so insignificant before the wheel of history.

"It must be the Kamikaze Special Agents, those rats love sneak attacks the most."

Li Zhenshan's eyes were bloodshot as he suddenly punched the earthen wall, shaking dust down, "The ambush at Dahongmen! General Zhao... it must have been those lingering bastards."

As the news spread, an indescribable flame—a mix of immense grief, overwhelming anger, and searing shame—

Exploded in the chest of every Security Team member.

The calm that had been suppressed for three days was instantly torn to shreds.

"Yes~~ it must have been those rats, Boss, take us to get revenge~~"

"Avenge the general~~ avenge that kid Lin Yanqiu~~ avenge Deputy Commander Tong~~!"

"Boss, we're rested, give the order! Let's go back and kill! Kill all those bastards!"

"Damn it, this time it's a fight to the death~"

"Those sons of bitches, blood debts must be paid in blood!"

The courtyard instantly erupted with fervent anger, the roars almost lifting the roof.

Everyone's eyes were red, like wounded beasts, the pent-up rage and killing intent in their chests no longer containable.

The bad news from Southern Camp, especially the tragic heroism of Lin Yanqiu and those young student soldiers fighting to the death without retreating,

And General Zhao Dengyu's last words in dire straits, deeply seared everyone's soul.

It made the incompetence in certain aspects even more glaring.

They needed to vent, needed to use the blood of the Japanese devils to honor the fallen heroes!

Just as the grief and anger were about to burst through the peak of reason, Lu Fan stood up and shouted coldly, "If you want revenge, all of you calm down."

Suppressing the anger in his heart, his stern gaze swept over everyone, "Remember, impulse is the devil!"

Zhang Qingyu's face was equally solemn and sorrowful.

But unlike the nearly uncontrollable fury of the Security Team Members, his eyes burned with a cold, resolute flame.

He didn't waste words, his voice low but firm and decisive, "Everyone, listen to Boss Lu, calm down first."

"Blood must not be shed in vain!"

"Revenge must be taken!"

"But now is not the time for impulse."

"The Japanese devils have taken Southern Camp, their morale is high, and we won't gain an advantage in a head-on clash."

Lu Fan steadied himself and asked, "Captain Zhang, what do you think about this?"

He paused, a cold glint flashing in his eyes, "The Japanese devils have opened Beijing's southern gate, it's a fact now, a direct fight isn't wise."

"If you have a plan, speak freely." Lu Fan humbly sought advice.

Zhang Qingyuan took a deep breath and explained calmly, "Right now, most of the Japanese forces are concentrated at Southern Camp, and Tong County's defenses are weak."

"The Japanese spy agency is in Tong County, and there's also a motorized brigade and many Japanese civilians in the city."

"If we work together, we can directly attack Tong County and hit their base."

Li Zhenshan immediately slapped the table and stood up, "Let's hit them right in the ass, anyway, killing Japanese devils is killing Japanese devils wherever we go!"

Zhang Tingshu nodded solemnly, "Boss, this plan is feasible. Attacking Tong County not only lets us kill Japanese devils,"

"But also ties down the Japanese at Southern Camp, giving Beijing's defenders a chance to catch their breath."

"Boss Lu, according to reliable information, Tong County not only has the Japanese spy chief Nishiki Shigeru, but also the big Traitor Yin Ruxing."

These two names were like ice water, instantly giving the furious crowd an outlet for their anger.

The killing intent in their eyes became more concentrated and sharper.

"That dog Traitor Yin Ruxing, recognizing thieves as fathers, aiding the enemy, harming the people of Eastern Hebei, deserves to die."

"Nishiki Shigeru, the Japanese spy chief, has the blood of our comrades and innocent civilians on his hands."

Zhang Qingyu sped up his speech, with the decisiveness unique to underground workers, "If we work together from inside and out, we can take out Nishiki Shigeru and Yin Ruxing."

"It will both strike at the Japanese devils' morale, intimidate the Traitors, and honor the heroes who died at Southern Camp."

"And open up the situation for our next move, killing two birds with one stone."

All eyes filled with grief, anger, and the flame of revenge focused squarely on Lu Fan.

Only heavy breathing remained in the courtyard, waiting for his decision.

Lu Fan, silently smoking, repeatedly recalled Lin Yanqiu's young and resolute face in his mind.

And General Zhao Dengyu's calm yet weighty last words.

After a few seconds of silence, he spoke, his voice not loud but carrying a heart-stopping resolve.

"Blood debts must be paid in blood!"

"Starting with Yin Ruxing, Nishiki Shigeru..."

"Everyone, prepare your equipment and set out immediately, target Tong County."

"Right in Tong County, we'll give the Japanese devils and Traitors a bloody lesson."

"Let them know that China still has people."

"The blood of heroes will not be shed in vain!"