allonlinenovel Chapter 992 No! This won't do!
Chapter 992 No! This won't do!
In the evening, Li Shouren returned to the refugee camp empty-handed.
The so-called "home" had been completely reduced to rubble; not a single intact item could be found, except for one of the daughter's favorite dolls.
The atmosphere in the refugee camp was oppressive and complex.
Old Zhang, who shared a room with Li Shouren, was holding a bowl of thin porridge that he had brought back from the porridge stall. He was sipping it slowly as he said to Li Shouren, "Shouren, do you see that?"
The military police are following the rules now! I heard that today, Old Wang from the next street had his rice stolen by two drunk Japanese soldiers. He went to the military police to complain, and guess what happened?
Those two Japanese soldiers really got a good beating from their superior officer and even had to pay Old Wang double the amount of rice! In this world, just surviving is difficult enough; sometimes... you have to face reality." There was a sense of resignation and compromise in Old Zhang's tone.
In the corner, Mr. Chen, who used to teach at the school, snorted coldly. In front of him was a little bit of fried dough paste, made from a little bit of flour that he had secretly hidden away.
He was emaciated, but his eyes remained sharp: "It's all an act! It's all an act! They turned this city into hell with bayonets and torches, and now they're pretending to be saints with scriptures? This soup kitchen, this order, is just to prevent the plague from spreading, to prevent the international community from looking bad, and to prevent us from dying out and having no one to serve them like slaves!"
This porridge is eaten with human blood! I, Chen, would rather starve to death than eat this food offered in contempt! His words caused a slight commotion. Some people remained silent, some nodded, and some turned their faces away indifferently.
Just then, a middle-aged woman ran in crying. She had gone out during the day to search for her husband's body: "Found him... over at Wulongtan... he's frozen stiff... Please, someone kind, help me bury my husband... I beg you..." Her cries were shrill and desperate, immediately overshadowing the earlier debate about "order" and "survival."
Several men who had spent the day working for the military police, now listening to the cold remarks of those around them, silently stood up, picked up the tools they had received from the Japanese during the day, and walked out.
Such tragedies unfold daily in the refugee camp, serving as a stark reminder of the harsh reality.
The next day, the second day of the Lunar New Year, intense hunger compelled Li Shouren to leave the refugee area again, hoping to find something to eat, even wild grass.
He had to live to continue searching for his daughter and wife... He couldn't die!
Just as he was passing through a relatively intact block, he was suddenly stopped by three Japanese soldiers.
The three soldiers were very young, and their faces carried the unique air of conquerors—a mixture of superiority and neurotic excitement.
The short, stout soldier at the head of the group, with a few pimples on his face, grinned, revealing crooked teeth. Holding up an open, greasy can of beef, he shouted in extremely broken Chinese, "Hey! Chinaman! Eat! It's delicious!"
"A gift from the Imperial Army!" The grease in the canned food congealed into a white color in the cold air, emitting a strong, spice-like aroma.
Li Shouren froze, instinctively took a step back, and waved his hands repeatedly.
Seeing this, another tall, thin soldier clicked his tongue impatiently, suddenly drew his Type 30 bayonet from his waist, waved the gleaming tip in front of Li Shouren, pointed at the can, and finally pointed at Li Shouren's mouth, his eyes fierce.
The threat was self-evident.
They couldn't understand each other's languages at all; violence was the only language.
Li Shouren's face turned deathly pale, and his heart pounded wildly.
He dared not refuse any longer and could only slightly open his mouth.
The short, stout soldier chuckled and then scooped out a large piece of cold, white, oily beef with his hand, and rudely stuffed it into Li Shouren's mouth.
Salty, greasy, and cold chunks of meat with a strong preservative smell were stuck in Li Shouren's throat, making him feel nauseous, but he had to force himself to swallow them.
Seeing that he had eaten, the three soldiers burst into laughter, as if they had accomplished a funny prank.
Even more surprisingly, the short, stout soldier stuffed the leftover canned food into Li Shouren's hand, and then took out more than a dozen identical military cans from the canvas bag he was carrying, piling them all into Li Shouren's arms without saying a word.
The cold touch and heavy weight of the tin can almost made him unable to hold it.
Just as Li Shouren was at a loss, the short, stout soldier stretched out his hand, rubbed his index finger and thumb together skillfully, and revealed a shrewd smile on his face.
Li Shouren understood instantly.
This is not a gift; it's a forced sale. The pile of cold metal cans in his arms are "goods" that require payment.
He hurriedly put down the can, frantically rummaged through every pocket of his body, and only managed to pull out a few worthless legal tender notes and a few copper coins. He eagerly handed over the money, pleading with his eyes.
The Japanese soldier glanced at the scrap paper in his hand, and his face immediately darkened.
The short, stout soldier snatched back the two cans, cursing under his breath.
Their gazes swept over Li Shouren like a scanner, finally settling on the section of an old watch chain that was faintly visible through the opening of his cotton-padded jacket.
The short, stout soldier's eyes lit up, and he reached out to grab it! Li Shouren recoiled as if struck by lightning, jerking his hand back and clutching it tightly.
That's Xiu'e's watch!
"No! This won't do!" he cried out, even though he knew the other person wouldn't understand.
The soldiers were enraged by his fierce reaction.
The tall soldier and another square-faced soldier who hadn't spoken until now pounced on Li Shouren, grabbed his arm, and slammed him against the cold wall.
Fists and gun butts rained down on his back and shoulders.
Li Shouren struggled desperately, like a wild beast trapped in a desperate situation. The watch chain in his hand dug into his palm, drawing blood, but he used all his strength to curl up and protect the hand holding the watch.
"Xiu'e... Xiao Juan..." he cried out silently in his heart, tears of humiliation and despair mingling with blood as they streamed down his face.
Just when he was about to give up, a sharp, urgent whistle tore through the tense air!
Approaching from afar, accompanied by the crisp sound of leather boots striking the pavement.
Five Japanese military police appeared! They wore distinctive military police armbands, their belts were neatly fastened, and their rifles had gleaming bayonets. Their movements were swift and synchronized.
The leader was a sergeant with a stern face.
The three soldiers, who had been arrogant and domineering, turned pale as soon as they saw the military police. They hurriedly released Li Shouren.
The short, stout soldier even frantically brushed the dust off Li Shouren's clothes a few times, then quickly stood at attention with the other two, heads bowed, not daring to breathe.
The military police sergeant strode forward, his sharp eyes sweeping across the scene.
Without saying a word, he raised his hand and slapped each of the three soldiers several times across the face, shouting at them in Japanese.
The soldiers remained motionless, not even daring to wipe the blood seeping from the corners of their mouths.