Chapter 28: The New Regiment Returns to Full Strength! Troop Numbers Exceed Fifteen Hundred!

Hearing the constant thud of bullets piercing the tree trunk behind him, Shimizu Nijusan immediately grasped Li Yunlong’s intent. As a sniper himself, he was well-versed in the various tactics of the craft. Given the marksmanship Li had just displayed, it was entirely possible for him to strike the same spot repeatedly. It wouldn't be long before the trunk was breached and he was eliminated.

Realizing this, Shimizu knew he could not sit idly by and wait for death. If he took a gamble, he might have a slim chance of survival; if he did nothing, he would surely be dead in a few more shots. Gritting his teeth, he steeled himself to make a run for it.

However, the moment he moved, Li Yunlong, having anticipated his reaction, shifted his aim.

*Bang!*

The bullet whistled through the air and struck the ground right in front of Shimizu—a clear and chilling warning. Staring at the shredded leaves where the bullet had impacted, Shimizu’s face turned ghastly pale. He was certain that if he dared to rush out, the next shot would be aimed directly at his head.

While Shimizu remained frozen in shock, Li Yunlong once again lined up his sights on the bullet hole in the trunk and squeezed the trigger.

*Boom!*

The bullet tore through the air, hitting the exact same point with terrifying precision. This shot shattered the final obstruction within the hole, blasting clean through the trunk. The bullet, retaining its remaining momentum, struck Shimizu Nijusan squarely in the head.

*Squish.*

Shimizu felt the world go black, and in the next second, he lost consciousness entirely. His body slumped to the ground, lifeless and still. He was dead beyond any doubt.

The onlookers, including Wei Dayong, watched in stunned silence, their eyes wide with shock. While Wei and his men had witnessed Li Yunlong’s miraculous marksmanship before, they were still shaken. The three Xu siblings, however, were left completely speechless, unable to believe what they had just seen. After all, Shimizu Nijusan was the man who had forced Xu Yihang and Xu Jinchuan into a desperate corner, yet he had been utterly helpless under Li Yunlong’s gun.

Throughout the entire encounter, Shimizu had been completely suppressed by Li, only to be finished off with a single shot, while failing to even graze a hair on Li’s head. The display of marksmanship and tactical prowess left the Xu siblings reeling, unable to gather their thoughts for a long time. It was only when Li Yunlong stood up from behind the tree and began walking toward Shimizu’s position that Xu Erhang finally snapped out of her stupor.

"Sister... Brother..." she murmured, hurriedly running toward Xu Yihang and Xu Jinchuan.

A few minutes later, as Li Yunlong returned with the sniper rifle he had seized from Shimizu, the guards from the New First Regiment had already provided basic medical care to the siblings, successfully stopping the bleeding. Seeing Li return, Xu Erhang introduced him: "This is Commander Li Yunlong of the Eighth Route Army's New First Regiment."

Hearing this, Xu Yihang expressed her gratitude immediately. "Commander Li, we will never forget the kindness you have shown our family. Thank you so much!"

"Commander Li, thank you for saving our lives!" Xu Jinchuan added. "If there is ever anything we can do for you in the future, we will not hesitate to serve."

"It was just a small favor, don't mention it," Li Yunlong replied, waving his hand dismissively.

After the formalities, Xu Yihang turned to her sister. "Erhang, how do you know Commander Li?"

Recalling the ordeal, Xu Erhang felt a lingering fear. "Sister, you have no idea how dangerous it was. Shortly after I left home, I was ambushed by Japanese and puppet troops. We fought as we retreated, but my guards were all killed... I was almost violated by those wretched soldiers! If it hadn’t been for Commander Li, I don’t know what terrible fate would have befallen me."

Upon hearing this, Xu Yihang and Xu Jinchuan were struck by fresh waves of fear and showered Li with further gratitude.

"Commander Li, thank you for your righteous intervention to save my sister!" Xu Yihang said, bowing slightly. "Such great kindness is something the three of us would gladly brave fire and water to repay. If you ever need anything, just say the word; we will give our all!"

"Commander Li," Xu Jinchuan added, "though my second sister is older than me, she has always been the most cherished in our family. You saved her, which is a debt of gratitude as great as the heavens. Even if it costs me my life, I will not hesitate to repay you!"

Li Yunlong waved his hands again. "If I wanted your lives, I wouldn't have saved you. We are all fellow countrymen of China; when we see our people being bullied by the Japanese, we must do our part to help one another. You really don't need to be so formal."

Li then looked at their injuries and said, "Your wounds don't look life-threatening, but they need proper treatment and rest, otherwise you risk long-term complications. If you have nowhere else to go, you can come with us to Jin-Sui Town to recover. It is the base of our New First Regiment, and it is absolutely safe."

Xu Yihang and Xu Jinchuan exchanged a look before she nodded. "In that case, we will impose upon your hospitality, Commander Li. Our family has been wiped out by the Japanese and puppet troops; we three are all that remain, and we truly have nowhere else to go."

"A small matter," Li Yunlong replied with a slight smile.

The group then set off on the journey back to the headquarters of the New First Regiment. By evening, they had arrived. Li Yunlong immediately summoned Han Chunyun. "These are the three Xu siblings. Take them to have their wounds treated, find them some vacant quarters, and ensure they are well taken care of."

"Yes, sir!" Han Chunyun acknowledged.

Five days later, Zhang Dabiao found Li Yunlong, reporting with excitement: "Commander, after more than a month of recruitment and expansion, the strength of our New First Regiment has reached 1,500 men. We have returned to our peak strength."

Before the Japanese "mopping-up" campaign, the New First Regiment had been a main force of the 129th Division, boasting 1,500 soldiers. However, after the Battle of Cangyun Ridge, the regiment had suffered heavy losses. Fortunately, after arriving in Jin-Sui Town and undergoing a month of development, they had finally recovered. As a battalion commander, Zhang Dabiao was genuinely thrilled.