Chapter 32: The Red Merchant, Rong Shi! The Three Xu Sisters Join the New Regiment! Intelligence!

"Commander, someone is here to see you," a soldier reported to Li Yunlong.

Li Yunlong paused, his brow furrowing slightly as he asked, "Who is it?"

"He says his name is Rong Shi. He's dressed as a merchant and says he has business with you," the soldier replied.

"Rong Shi?" Li Yunlong was surprised to hear the name. He murmured to himself, "It’s actually him!"

Li Yunlong was fairly certain that this visitor was the same Rong Shi from the drama *Arrows on the Bowstring*. In the series, Rong Shi was a wealthy business tycoon who had once left his pen for the sword, possessing exceptional marksmanship and military acumen. When the Japanese invaders arrived, he had resolutely donated his entire fortune to the war effort. Unfortunately, his hometown was eventually captured by the enemy.

However, Rong Shi did not flee. Instead, he endured the stigma of being labeled a "traitor" by pretending to collaborate with the Japanese, all while secretly gathering strength and preparing for the resistance. He had saved many anti-Japanese forces from peril on multiple occasions. In short, he was a patriotic tycoon. More importantly, in the show, he shared a close relationship with the three Xu sisters. Li Yunlong guessed that Rong Shi’s visit was likely on their behalf; as their close friend, he could not simply ignore their plight.

Deciding to meet him, Li Yunlong waved his hand and said, "Take him to the reception room and wait for me. I’ll be there in a moment."

"Yes, sir!" the soldier acknowledged.

...

In the reception room, Rong Shi was already waiting. Dressed in the attire of a wealthy merchant, he carried himself with an air of distinction. Seeing Li Yunlong enter, he stood up quickly and said with a smile, "You must be Commander Li of the New First Regiment. You are truly as impressive as rumor suggests—a man of remarkable stature!"

Li Yunlong laughed and replied, "You are too kind, Mr. Rong. Your reputation precedes you; your business empire is legendary. To say you have the power to influence the market with a mere turn of your hand would hardly be an exaggeration."

"Not at all, not at all," Rong Shi waved his hands dismissively. "I merely manage some small business. The outside world exaggerates; it's just idle talk, not to be taken seriously."

...

After the initial pleasantries, Rong Shi finally stated the purpose of his visit. "Commander Li, did you save three siblings by the name of Xu a few days ago? They are close friends of mine, and I have come for them."

Li Yunlong did not hide the truth. He nodded and said, "That is correct. I happened to stumble upon them while they were being persecuted by the Japanese, so I lent a hand. They are currently recovering here in Jinsui Town."

Rong Shi immediately expressed his gratitude. "Thank you for your assistance, Commander Li. I truly admire your sense of justice."

After thanking him, Rong Shi asked, "Would it be possible for me to see them?"

"Of course," Li Yunlong replied with a smile. "As it happens, they have already recovered. I will have someone bring them to you." He then turned to Wei Dayong, who was standing behind him, and said, "Monk, go and fetch them."

"Yes, sir!" Wei Dayong replied.

...

The three Xu sisters arrived at the reception room shortly after. Seeing Rong Shi, their faces lit up with joy.

"Why are you here?" Xu Yihang asked in surprise.

"I learned that the Rong family had encountered trouble, so I kept searching for you," Rong Shi explained. "I heard rumors that you might have been rescued by the New First Regiment, so I came to find out. I am relieved to see that you are safe."

"Thank you for your concern," Xu Yihang said gratefully. Xu Erhang and Xu Jinchuan also exchanged warm greetings with him.

Afterward, Rong Shi asked, "Would you like to come back with me? I can arrange for you to stay in an absolutely safe place."

Hearing this, Xu Yihang shook her head. "We have already discussed it. We intend to stay with the New First Regiment to join the fight against the Japanese and avenge our fallen family and friends. Furthermore, since Commander Li saved our lives, this is the only way we can repay him."

Li Yunlong quickly stepped in. "Then, on behalf of the New First Regiment, I welcome you!" Although the three sisters were women and specialized in using bows, Li Yunlong had his own ideas—he planned to form a female anti-Japanese special ops team.

"Very well," Rong Shi said, pursing his lips. "I respect your decision. Joining the Eighth Route Army to contribute to the resistance is a noble cause." He then turned to Li Yunlong. "Commander Li, although I am a businessman, I also wish to contribute my own strength to the war effort."

"I still have some business connections and resources at my disposal, and I will do my best to provide support to the New First Regiment."

Li Yunlong was not surprised by this decision, but he was sincerely grateful. "On behalf of the soldiers of the New First Regiment and the common people, I thank you for your righteousness, Mr. Rong. I am also very willing to cooperate with you. If you ever encounter any difficulties, feel free to turn to us!"

As the New First Regiment was currently building a logistics base in Jinsui Town, including an arsenal and industrial facilities, they indeed needed the help of a tycoon like Rong Shi. He couldn't rely solely on his system for everything.

"You are too kind, Commander Li. This is what I ought to do," Rong Shi replied.

Then, his expression turned serious. "By the way, I have some important intelligence. The Japanese general, Zhumu Chunyi, is preparing to lead a full battalion to sweep through this area. I suggest that you evacuate your men to avoid a direct confrontation. After all, the New First Regiment only has one battalion's worth of strength; you would likely be outmatched."

Rong Shi was speaking the truth. Under normal circumstances, not even a brigade or a division of the Eighth Route Army would dare to clash head-on with a Japanese battalion, as their strength lay in guerrilla warfare.

Hearing the name Zhumu Chunyi, Xu Yihang was filled with fury. "That’s the one! He is the superior of Qingshui Ershisan! If I get the chance, I will kill him to avenge the rest of the Xu family!"

Li Yunlong was well aware of the combat power of a Japanese battalion. However, his regiment was no longer the same as it once was. The new recruits had finished their training, and they were well-stocked with arms and ammunition, having seized plenty of equipment on their way to Jinsui Town. The arrival of Zhumu Chunyi’s battalion offered a perfect opportunity to test their combat effectiveness. As for retreating, that was out of the question; they had worked far too hard to stabilize the situation in Jinsui Town to simply abandon it now.

Just then, the voice of the God-Level Selection System rang in Li Yunlong’s mind...