151: Chapter 151 Hello, Millet and Rifles

The voice of Chen Xi echoed among the mountains.

In the valley in the distance, that unit performing morning exercises seemed to hear something.

The formation experienced a brief commotion; several figures stopped and looked towards the mountain peak where he was located.

Chen Xi was in no hurry to descend the mountain.

He just stood there on the edge of the cliff, letting the mountain wind blow against his tattered clothes, greedily breathing in the fresh, life-filled air of this land.

For a long time.

Only then did he compose himself and begin to search for a way down.

Another hour passed.

Finally, he descended from the perilous peak and stepped onto the winding dirt road at the foot of the mountain.

He hadn't gone far before he was stopped.

"Halt! What are you doing here?"

A slightly immature voice, trying hard to sound authoritative, rang out from behind the bushes by the roadside.

Chen Xi stopped, and a smile couldn't help but appear at the corner of his mouth.

Three children dressed in gray cloth military uniforms crawled out from behind the bushes.

The oldest one, looking no more than fifteen or sixteen, held an old-fashioned rifle longer than his own arm, aiming it straight at Chen Xi, though the sights were trembling slightly due to nervousness.

The other two were even younger; one, looking about thirteen or fourteen, clutched two grenades with fingers hooked through the pull rings, ready to perish together with him if anything went wrong. The smallest one, looking only eleven or twelve, was actually holding a red-tasseled spear, the red tassel on the spearhead quite vibrant.

"I'm asking you! Which unit are you with?" the oldest youth tried hard to make his voice sound fiercer.

Chen Xi looked at them, a wave of indescribable, complex emotions surging in his heart.

The common people in Nanjing waiting for death in despair.

The big shots in the Chongqing government, full of schemes, suspicion, and framing one another.

And then these three before him, wearing patched uniforms, holding weapons taller than themselves, their immature faces trying hard to display fierce expressions.

This is war.

It forces youths who should be studying in school to take up arms.

【Holy crap, are these Eighth Route Army child soldiers?】

【The smallest one looks like he's only in sixth grade...】

【Tearing up. Is this what the enemy-rear base areas were like back then? Even children were on the battlefield.】

【Master Xi, don't scare them!】

Chen Xi slowly raised his hands to signal he had no malicious intent.

"Don't be nervous, little Comrade." His voice was very gentle. "I'm from the south, one of your own."

"One of your own?" The leading youth looked him over with suspicion. "Then why did you come down from the mountain? That side is the Japanese-occupied zone! Our people all come from the north!"

This child's vigilance was quite high.

Chen Xi thought for a moment and slowly reached into his coat.

"Don't move!" The three children tensed up simultaneously, and the muzzle of that old-fashioned rifle shook even more violently.

"Don't be nervous, I'm just getting something." Chen Xi's movements were very slow and gentle.

From his coat, he took out the hand-drawn map that Guide Liu had given him.

Then he unfolded it and showed it to them.

"I'm here to find the Eighth Route Army. This is the map the guide drew for me. He said if I crossed this mountain, I'd reach the base area."

The leading youth leaned in cautiously, looking carefully at the map.

On the map, several points were marked in red ink, and the largest one was the approximate location of the Eighth Route Army headquarters.

The youth's eyes lit up.

But he didn't lower his gun immediately; instead, he continued to interrogate him: "You said you came from the south, where in the south? What are you looking for the Eighth Route Army for?"

Chen Xi smiled.

This kid was truly dutiful and responsible.

"I came from Nanjing." His voice became somewhat low. "I'm looking for the Eighth Route Army... to help fight the Japanese."

"Nanjing?" The three children looked at each other.

The leading youth was silent for a moment, then slowly lowered his gun.

The two companions behind him also lowered their weapons.

"Comrade, I'm sorry." The youth's attitude suddenly became enthusiastic, even carrying a trace of apology. "There are many Japanese spies now, we have to be on guard. Please don't take it to heart."

Chen Xi shook his head: "You did the right thing. You have to check what needs to be checked."

The youth grinned, revealing a mouthful of white teeth: "Comrade, you came from Nanjing? I heard the fighting there was terrible... How did you get here?"

"I walked."

"Walked?" The three children were stunned.

The smallest one, holding the red-tasseled spear, widened his eyes: "Walked from Nanjing to here? That must be so far!"

"It took a long time." Chen Xi didn't elaborate, just asked with a smile, "Now, can you take me to see your leaders?"

"Yes! Of course!" The leading youth slung his gun over his back and said enthusiastically, "Come with me, I'll take you to the company headquarters! The instructor should be there right now!"

As he walked, he turned his head to ask: "Comrade, what is your surname?"

"I am honored, my surname is Chen, and my given name is Xi. And you?"

"My name is Stone!" The leading youth patted his chest. "This is Erdan, and this is Gouwa! We are all from the Supplementary Regiment!"

Stone, Erdan, Gouwa.

Chen Xi recited these names silently in his heart.

They lacked the imposing presence of Shangguan Zhibiao and the refined elegance of Xie Jinyuan.

But they sounded exceptionally intimate.

Real names, filled with the scent of the earth, belonging to this land.

The group walked along the dirt road, heading deep into the valley.

On the way, Chen Xi saw more things.

He saw terraced fields that had been reclaimed; the soil was freshly turned and emitted the fragrance of the earth.

He saw farmers in plain clothes fertilizing on the ridges of the fields; the fertilizer was a mixture of human and animal waste and plant ash.

He saw a simple shed at the foot of the mountain built with wood and thatch, from which the "clanging" sounds of blacksmithing emerged, with sparks flying everywhere.

"That's our arsenal!" Stone introduced enthusiastically, "Don't look down on it; the company commander says when our guns break, we rely on them to fix them!"

Chen Xi's gaze fell upon that so-called "arsenal."

Several shirtless men were gathered around a clay furnace, sweating profusely as they hammered a piece of red-hot iron.

Piled next to them was all sorts of scrap metal, and even a few steel bars sawed off from railroad tracks.

In his mind, the images that Old Qian had played in the briefing room appeared.

Using railroad tracks to make rifles, using earthen jars to make landmines.

This was not an exaggeration; it was real.

After walking for another stretch, a village appeared before them.

The village was not large, looking like a few dozen households, built against the mountain in a scattered and orderly fashion.

At the village entrance, under an old locust tree.

Several young female soldiers were sitting together, needles and thread in hand, mending military uniforms.

One of them was humming a song.

The tune was light and cheerful, though the lyrics were hard to hear clearly.

But that vibrant, optimistic melody made Chen Xi's steps slow down involuntarily.

He remembered the sorrowful and helpless look in Xie Jinyuan's eyes when he left.

He remembered the suspicion and framing in the Chongqing government.

And he remembered these female soldiers before him, still singing in this simple village.

In his heart, the flame that had grown cold due to the darkness of Nanjing reignited at this very moment.

This was what he was looking for.

This nation's true, unyielding backbone.

He took a deep breath and, following Stone, stepped into the village.

Walking into this land filled with hope.