Chapter 267: Rat
The captain of the 60th Flying Squadron stationed in Shanxi, Colonel Iga Toraji, got up very early today. The eastern sky had just begun to show a faint white glow when he was already dressed neatly, his brand-new military uniform ironed exceptionally straight.
He looked at himself in the full-length mirror, nodded in satisfaction, and then went out the door.
Upon arriving at the entrance, a spotlessly polished Toyota sedan was already waiting by the roadside. After he got in the car, the sedan sped away. After about half an hour, the car arrived at Taiyuan Airport on the outskirts of the city.
Shortly after the car arrived at the airport, a passenger plane modified from a Type 100 transport plane approached from afar. The plane drew a silver arc in the morning light, accompanied by a low and powerful roar. After the plane’s tires touched the ground with a light “screech,” it began to glide smoothly along the runway.
After gliding for several hundred meters, the passenger plane finally came to a slow stop.
Meanwhile, the Toyota sedan also pulled up precisely and quickly beside the passenger plane and stopped.
The gangway slowly lowered, and a lieutenant colonel and a colonel officer stepped out from the cabin door.
They were both wearing neatly tailored grass-green military uniforms.
These two officers, Colonel Nakajima Rinya and Lieutenant Colonel Horita Tatsuta, were both classmates and friends of Iga Toraji.
When their gazes fell upon Iga Toraji, who was already waiting at the bottom of the gangway, the serious expressions on their faces immediately broke into enthusiastic smiles.
The two quickly descended the gangway. Nakajima Rinya strode forward and embraced Iga Toraji, bursting into laughter.
“Iga… long time no see!”
“Nakajima… Horita, welcome to Taiyuan!”
A smile also appeared on Iga Toraji’s face as he warmly embraced them.
After a brief exchange of greetings, the three got into the sedan together, left the airport, and headed toward the city of Taiyuan.
The sedan wove through the city of Taiyuan and finally stopped in front of a building with Japanese-style decor. This was the most famous officers’ club in Taiyuan, specially established for entertaining mid- and high-ranking officers.
Pushing open the door, a unique aroma mixed with tatami mats, sake, and sandalwood wafted toward them. The interior decor was quite luxurious, with redwood corridor pillars, exquisite paper doors, and Japanese flower arrangements everywhere, all showcasing the taste and extravagance of the place.
Led by Iga Toraji, the two passed through the corridor and arrived at the pre-reserved private room. A soft light immediately shone through the washi paper lanterns, creating a warm and intimate atmosphere.
Five geisha dressed in gorgeous kimonos, with exquisite makeup and beautiful faces, were already waiting there.
Seeing Iga Toraji and the others enter, they hurried forward, bowed deeply, greeted them softly, and attentively invited the three to sit down by a low table.
Looking at the exquisite Japanese dishes covering the low table, Nakajima Rinya nodded in satisfaction: “Excellent… Iga, you’ve gone to great lengths.”
Iga Toraji waved his hand: “No matter how exquisite the cuisine, it can’t compare to your arrival. The Chinese have an ancient saying: Isn’t it a joy to have friends come from afar?
I propose a toast to our reunion.”
“Cheers!”
The three raised their glasses and drank them down in one gulp, then exchanged glances and burst into laughter simultaneously.
In the private room, the sound of the shamisen flowed like water. The geisha, dressed in vibrantly colored furisode kimonos, gently swayed their wide sleeves with their elegant dance movements, like fluttering butterflies.
Their faces were coated with thick white powder, their lips dotted with cherry-red color. Under the soft lighting, they appeared both alluring and somewhat eerie.
Nakajima Rinya picked up a white porcelain sake cup and drained it in one go, letting out a satisfied sigh.
“Ah… Taiyuan’s sake still has the best flavor!
Iga, your life here is much more comfortable than ours on the front lines.”
As he spoke, he unceremoniously reached out and pulled a geisha who was pouring sake for him into his arms.
The geisha let out a soft, delicate exclamation, her body going limp as she fell into Nakajima Rinya’s chest.
The sake pot in her hand shook slightly, spilling a few drops of sake onto the tatami mat, where they were instantly absorbed, leaving only a small dark stain and a faint aroma of alcohol.
Nakajima Rinya’s large hand boldly encircled her slender waist. Even through the layers of kimono, he could feel the astonishing softness and elasticity. His fingers gently caressed the side of her waist, feeling the warm, soft flesh beneath the smooth silk.
“Nakajima, you’re joking.”
Iga Toraji smiled and raised his glass in response, unfazed by his old classmate’s actions. “Battle achievements on the front lines are the true glory for us imperial soldiers. I’m just here minding the home for you all.”
“Iga is still so modest.”
Beside them, Horita Tatsuta chuckled, then his gaze began to linger on another dancing geisha.
At that moment, the geisha was bending at the waist, her kimono collar slightly open, revealing a small patch of delicate white skin at the back of her neck, coated with white powder, making it even more enticing.
Horita Tatsuta’s Adam’s apple bobbed unconsciously. He picked up his sake cup to mask the desire in his eyes.
“Speaking of which…” Nakajima Rinya, while enjoying the warm, soft beauty in his arms, suddenly changed the subject, his tone turning serious.
“The war situation in the south lately doesn’t seem to be going well. I heard that the 6th Division took quite a beating around Yichang.”
Though his hand continued to roam over the geisha’s body, his gaze sharpened as he looked at Iga Toraji.
The smile on Iga Toraji’s face also faded somewhat. He sighed and said, “Far more than just a beating. According to intelligence, the main force of the Shanxi Militia that was entrenched here suddenly showed up in Yichang.
Starting from last year, their commander Su Yaoyang somehow obtained a batch of advanced American fighter planes. It’s said he even hired a group of American pilots to form an air force.
Then these people turned into mad dogs, biting anyone they saw. My 60th Flying Squadron has suffered heavy losses at his hands.
We were barely holding on until last month, when they transferred a batch of planes to Yichang, and our situation improved a bit.
I don’t know how they’re faring in Yichang, but I can say for sure that the warriors of the 6th Division have taken significant casualties under their combined arms assault.”
“Significant? It’s a devastating blow.” Horita Tatsuta sighed lightly, straightened his body, and withdrew the hand that had been roaming over the geisha.
Nakajima Rinya picked up a piece of sashimi, dipped it in soy sauce, put it in his mouth, and savored the freshness of the fish. After a moment, he closed his eyes as if relishing the flavor, then finally set down his chopsticks and spoke gravely.
“That’s one of the reasons we’re here this time.”
At this point, his gaze deepened. As he spoke, the geisha in his arms seemed to sense the shift in atmosphere, her body stiffening slightly, not daring to make any extra movements.
Nakajima Rinya, as if unaware, let his hand slide up the geisha’s back, finally stopping at her delicate nape, where his fingers gently pinched the soft flesh there.
While the three drank, two geisha began plucking the shamisen, and another started singing softly. The crisp sound of the strings accompanied their melodious voices, echoing in the private room.
Horita Tatsuta then picked up the sake pot and filled the cups for Iga Toraji and Nakajima Rinya, the liquid shimmering faintly in the white porcelain cups.
Setting down the pot, he said solemnly: “High Command is taking this increasingly threatening Shanxi Militia very seriously. They’ve even given that Su Yaoyang the nickname ‘War Ghost.’
We’re here this time to consolidate intelligence and find a way to pull out this thorn!”
As he spoke, he leaned close to the geisha in his arms and whispered in a voice only they could hear: “How long do you think our Great Japanese Empire’s warriors will let these inferior Chinese rabble get away with their arrogance?”
The geisha’s body trembled lightly, a blush rising on her face, but she didn’t dare respond. She only buried her head lower, exposing an even whiter and more enticing stretch of neck.
Seeing the geisha’s reaction, Nakajima Rinya smiled in satisfaction. He pinched her chin, lifted her face, then lowered his head and pressed his lips to hers.
The shamisen in the private room had stopped at some point, replaced by a flurry of coquettish gasps and squeals.
Almost at the same time, the atmosphere at the Shanxi Militia headquarters in Wuta County town was completely the opposite—serious and tense.
There were no luxurious decorations here, only walls covered with military maps, a telegraph machine constantly clicking “beep-beep-beep,” and staff officers hurrying back and forth.
Shanxi Militia Chief of Staff Pi Ruoyu was sitting at his desk, frowning tightly at the documents in his hand.
“Knock knock knock…”
“Come in!”
An intelligence and security lieutenant colonel pushed open the door, walked to his side, saluted, and reported gravely:
“Report to Chief of Staff, something’s off in Wuta County town lately.”
Pi Ruoyu’s gaze shifted from the documents to the lieutenant colonel’s face. “Be specific.”
His voice wasn’t loud, but it carried an unmistakable gravity.
“Yes!”
The lieutenant colonel straightened up and reported: “Based on the joint investigation by our intelligence section and military police, a large number of unfamiliar faces have suddenly flooded into the county town in the past week.
These people don’t look like refugees fleeing disaster or traveling merchants. Most are strong and robust, with sharp eyes, and they spend freely, often going in groups of three or five to bars and casinos.”
He paused, his tone growing more concerned: “More importantly, with their arrival, the town’s public order is starting to slide toward chaos.
Fights, group gambling, even robberies are happening non-stop. Our military police are running ragged, but these people are slippery. We’ve caught a few, but they claim to be out-of-town businessmen and give nothing useful.”
Pi Ruoyu listened to the report, his fingers unconsciously tapping lightly on the edge of the sand table, making soft “tap, tap, tap” sounds. A glint of cold light flashed in his eyes.
“Businessmen?”
He sneered, “A bunch of ‘businessmen’ who don’t do business and only stir up trouble? Looks like rats have slipped into our granary.”
