Chapter 23: The Will of the People! A Grand Mobilization!

Over the next half-month, the town square in Jinsui was bustling with activity every day, as it served as the venue for the land reform redistribution. Families registered their household members, reported their populations, and proceeded with the allocation and planning of their land. The soldiers of the Second Battalion were already well-versed in these procedures, allowing the process for the townspeople to move along quite rapidly. However, given the significant population of Jinsui Town, the land reform took a full fifteen days to complete.

It is worth noting that the New First Regiment’s Second Battalion extended the land reform beyond Jinsui Town to include all the surrounding villages under its jurisdiction. As a result, the people of Jinsui Town and its neighboring villages became staunch supporters and defenders of the New First Regiment. Whenever they encountered the soldiers, the locals showed no fear—only respect and enthusiasm. In just two weeks, the soldiers of the New First Regiment had become local heroes, greeted with cheers and praise wherever they went. This experience only served to deepen the soldiers' faith in the Eighth Route Army and strengthen their resolve to protect the land.

With the land reform fully concluded, Li Yunlong immediately summoned his three battalion commanders and Zhou Weiguo.

"Everyone," Li Yunlong said, looking at the four men before him with a serious expression, "the land reform within the Jinsui Town area is complete, and the support from the people for our New First Regiment is overwhelming. Our next priority is to recruit and expand, taking this opportunity to bolster our strength. After all, with only a little over a thousand men, if we were targeted by a major force of the Japanese invaders, everything we have worked so hard to build would be destroyed in an instant. Strength and manpower are the foundations of defending our land. But remember, we must strictly adhere to the principle of voluntary recruitment—better to have fewer men than to lower our standards. Under no circumstances is forced conscription allowed. If anyone is found doing so, they will be dealt with according to military law. Is that understood?"

"Understood," the four replied in unison.

While Zhang Dabiao, Shen Quan, and Wang Huaibao didn't think much of the instruction, Zhou Weiguo felt a stir in his heart. Once again, he recognized the fundamental difference between the Eighth Route Army and the Nationalist government. From top to bottom, the Nationalist forces largely relied on forced conscription—often kidnapping young men—which caused their support among the populace to plummet. The Eighth Route Army, however, insisted on voluntary service. Though this might seem less efficient at first, it secured the genuine support of the people. Furthermore, those who joined of their own volition were driven by conviction, making the Eighth Route Army a more cohesive and pure fighting force. Zhou Weiguo’s own belief in his role within the Eighth Route Army grew firmer than ever.

Soon after, the recruitment drive officially began. Through the distribution of tasks, Zhou Weiguo was assigned to handle recruitment in Jinsui Town itself, while Zhang Dabiao, Shen Quan, and Wang Huaibao led their teams to recruit in the outlying villages. Even Li Yunlong and Wei Heshang took to the field themselves, heading to the surrounding villages. It was clear how much importance Li Yunlong placed on this expansion.

Zhou Weiguo quickly had his men gather the residents of Jinsui Town. With the success of the land reform, the people responded enthusiastically, flocking to the central square. Standing on the same platform that had been used for the land distribution, Zhou Weiguo addressed the crowd.

"Fellow villagers, I am Zhou Weiguo of the New First Regiment!" he announced in a clear, resonant voice. "We have gathered you here today because our regiment is recruiting. Please, do not be anxious; hear me out first."

Seeing the tension on the faces of the crowd at the mention of "recruitment," he spoke soothingly. "I believe you all know that our nation is in a moment of great crisis. The Japanese are invading our land, burning, killing, looting, and committing every evil imaginable. Countless fellow countrymen have fallen under their blades. At such a critical time, as children of China, our blood should be boiling. We cannot allow these villains to continue their encroachment! We must stand up, take up weapons, and resist the invaders to protect our homes and country."

"Fellow villagers, we in the New First Regiment will never force anyone to join; everything is entirely voluntary. We believe that as Chinese people—especially the youth—you all carry a fire within, a desire to enlist, defend the nation, and achieve greatness. I also understand that many of you have concerns regarding family and loved ones, and are hesitant to put yourselves in harm's way. That is human nature, and I understand it well. But I ask you to consider how this hard-won life you have now came to be. We are in wartime, and the enemy could appear at any moment. The New First Regiment will always risk our lives to protect you, but our strength is limited. I hope you will step forward to protect your homes, your families, and this life you have fought so hard to secure."

"Only through your continued support can the New First Regiment grow, ensuring your families live in peace and allowing us to save even more of our countrymen! I sincerely hope you will join the Eighth Route Army and fight alongside us to defend our nation!"

It must be said that Zhou Weiguo was a gifted speaker. His words set the atmosphere ablaze.

"I am willing to join the Eighth Route Army to defend our Jinsui Town and protect my family!"
"I, too, want to join and fight the invaders to save our country!"
"The Japanese are cursed; I want to join you in the resistance!"
"The Eighth Route Army gave us land and provided my parents with a better life. I won't let the Japanese destroy that. I'm joining the regiment!"

The patriotic fervor was immense, with many young people and even middle-aged men stepping forward to volunteer. Seeing this, Zhou Weiguo immediately began the registration process.

Meanwhile, Li Yunlong and Wei Heshang had arrived at a village known as Chen Family Village, also called "Hunter's Village" because most of its inhabitants were hunters. Li Yunlong delivered a personal, heartfelt speech that deeply moved the villagers. Many expressed a desire to join, and Li Yunlong welcomed them warmly, instructing his staff to begin the registration. Just then, he noticed a short, dark-skinned man among the crowd. Li Yunlong took a closer look and smiled; the man was someone he knew all too well.