36: Chapter 36 You don't know you were wrong, you're just scared!

With the repeated reports of "No casualties," the atmosphere within the entire stronghold changed completely!

When the final "No casualties" was announced, the entire battlefield fell into a silence even more eerie than when the gunfire had ceased.

Li Yunlong froze. He picked at his ear, almost thinking he was hallucinating.

He turned to look at Sun Desheng and Wei the Monk beside him, finding them also wearing expressions of dull shock and disbelief.

"Is... is everyone done reporting?" Li Yunlong's voice was a bit dry. "Count again for me! Report one by one, and make it clear!"

Although the platoon and squad leaders were also in a state of immense shock, they followed orders and counted the numbers once more.

The result was the same!

Zero casualties!

Li Yunlong felt his brain buzz, and his mind went blank.

He had been fighting for over a decade, from the Red Army era to the Eighth Route Army, experiencing countless major and minor battles. When had he ever fought a battle with "zero casualties"?

And this was while capturing a stronghold with solid fortifications, garrisoned by hundreds of Japanese devils and Puppet Army!

An offensive battle with zero casualties?

This was simply... simply a fantasy!

Yet, before his eyes, the soldiers stood intact, and indeed, not a single person had fallen!

Not even one had been wounded!

"Zero casualties! Regiment Commander! It's zero casualties!" Wei the Monk was the first to react, grinning widely.

"My God... we... we really didn't lose a single person..."

Sun Desheng, that iron-willed man, felt his eyes grow hot at this moment.

Immediately after, the soldiers of the Cavalry Company were also ignited!

"Zero casualties! We did it!"

"Hahaha! You damn Japanese devils, you have your day too!"

"Long live the Eighth Route Army! Long live the Independent Regiment!"

Cheers and shouts erupted into the sky, and the soldiers waved the Type 56 submachine guns in their hands, unable to contain their excitement.

They had created a miracle!

A battle achievement so brilliant it was dizzying, something they wouldn't have dared to imagine in the past—wiping out an entire enemy stronghold with zero casualties!

Killing or capturing over a hundred enemies!

Li Yunlong was equally moved to tears; zero casualties were truly unexpected.

But upon careful reflection, it seemed to make sense.

The entire battle process lasted no more than two or three minutes; the 99A came up and immediately blasted the entire stronghold to pieces.

The remaining Japanese soldiers didn't even have time to fire a few shots!

Moreover, in their panic, facing the highly mobile Cavalry Company, it was normal that they couldn't hit anything.

At this moment, Li Yunlong suddenly remembered Shen Wang's words.

"Fight one first to see the casualty situation..."

"Could it be... could Mr. Shen have anticipated this result all along?"

"Hiss!" Li Yunlong gasped.

He had originally thought that Shen Wang wanting to clear all the surrounding strongholds was a pipe dream, but now it seemed the clown was none other than himself.

But immediately after, Li Yunlong became excited again!

Could it be... could they really clear out all the surrounding strongholds?

This, this, this...

He, Old Li, was about to achieve an unparalleled feat!

Perhaps when he went back, he would be on equal footing with the Brigade Commander!

Of course, Old Li was just thinking about it; he wasn't qualified to be on equal footing with the Brigade Commander!

Just then, the walkie-talkie hanging on Li Yunlong suddenly transmitted Shen Wang's voice: "Calling Regiment Commander Li, I hear the gunfire has stopped. Is the battle over?"

Li Yunlong hurriedly grabbed the walkie-talkie: "Mr. Shen! Call received! The battle is over! We... we have taken the Xiao Wang Zhuang Stronghold!"

He paused, his voice involuntarily rising: "Guess what? Zero casualties! Damn it, zero casualties! We killed or wounded dozens of Japanese and Puppet Army, and even captured over a dozen prisoners!"

Hearing about the zero casualties, Shen Wang was also taken aback: "Zero casualties? Regiment Commander Li, you did a great job! The soldiers of the Cavalry Company did beautifully!"

Immediately after, he asked: "Prisoners... how many?"

"There are 35 of them in total, 14 Japanese devils, 21 Puppet Army!" Li Yunlong replied.

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the walkie-talkie, and then Shen Wang's voice came through: "Regiment Commander Li, these prisoners... how do you plan to deal with them?"

Li Yunlong was a bit troubled: "Mr. Shen, according to our discipline, we can only detain them for now and decide later."

Discipline?

Shen Wang smiled.

You have discipline, but I... do not!

Shen Wang continued: "Please, Regiment Commander Li, send men to tie these prisoners up tightly, whether they are Japanese or Puppet Army, and bring them to the open ground on the east side of the stronghold."

"Uh... okay! Mr. Shen, I'll arrange it right away!"

Although Li Yunlong didn't know what Shen Wang wanted to do, he still followed Shen Wang's instructions.

Soon, the 35 prisoners were tied up like rice dumplings, connected in a string, and kicked and shoved to the open field on the east side of the stronghold.

At this moment, these animals still didn't know what they were about to face.

The Puppet Army just kept begging for mercy.

"Grandpa Eighth Route Army, spare us! We were all forced into this!"

"We won't dare to do it again! Please, give us a way to live!"

"I still have an eighty-year-old mother at home..."

However, the 14 Japanese prisoners were still relatively calm.

They jabbered on, emphasizing things like "international treaties," "favorable treatment of prisoners," and "exchanging prisoners of war."

Some Japanese soldiers even wore a trace of superiority belonging to a "civilized nation," feeling secure in the knowledge that they had backing.

They were certain that these "uncouth Eighth Route Army soldiers" wouldn't dare do anything to them.

However, when they were moved to that open ground and saw the 99A turret slowly rotating, all the animals were stunned!

Li Yunlong also instantly understood what Shen Wang wanted to do.

But not only did he not stop him, he was actually happy.

Shen Wang killing prisoners—what did that have to do with him, Li Yunlong?

In the walkie-talkie, Shen Wang's voice came again: "Regiment Commander Li, have our men retreat a bit further."

"Understood!"

Li Yunlong waved his hand, and the Cavalry Company retreated another distance, watching from afar.

At this moment, in the center of the open ground, the prisoners were almost crying.

"baka! What are they doing?!"

"You can't do this! It violates international law!"

"Yamete! I don't want to die! I don't want to die!"

"We surrendered! We have already surrendered! You can't do this!"

The Japanese soldiers were finally panicking, completely panicked!

They struggled desperately, wanting to retreat, but the ropes were tied tightly.

Their previous toughness and composure had vanished without a trace, replaced by the most primal fear and wailing, no different from those Puppet Army!

Some were even so scared that they lost control of their bowels, making a pathetic display.

The Puppet Army were even more scared out of their wits, their cries shaking the sky as they kowtowed repeatedly.

Through the scope, Shen Wang coldly watched these animals.

"You don't know you were wrong; you just know you are about to die!"

Want to admit you were wrong, right?

Fine! Go tell that to the villagers who died!

See if they forgive you!

And he, Shen Wang, was only responsible for sending these animals to the compatriots who had perished!

"Boom!!!"

A thunderous explosion!

A high-explosive grenade shot accurately into the center of the group of prisoners!

Just one shot.

The world was quiet.

Li Yunlong found it incredibly satisfying!

This is exactly how it should be done!

He felt more and more that this Mr. Shen was perfectly suited to his own temperament.

At this moment, the walkie-talkie rang again:

"Regiment Commander Li, how about it, should we... keep fighting?"