Chapter Twenty-Five: The Past of Tiger

“Captain, we’ve won!”

A look of disbelief appeared on Huzi’s face, but soon it was replaced by wild joy. He shouted loudly to Chen Qingzhi beside him, expressing the astonishment in his heart.

Yet as he kept shouting, tears suddenly streamed from the corners of his eyes, and he broke down, wailing in the trench.

“We’ve defeated the enemy! Did you see that? The enemy, so much stronger than us, has been defeated by our hands!”

“They’re just men, too! Their bodies aren’t invulnerable—did you see that?”

Huzi cried out, his voice choked with sobs, then collapsed to his knees in the trench, covering his face with his hands and calling to the heavens through his tears.

Watching this scene, Chen Qingzhi sighed deeply, wishing to offer comfort, yet unable to find the words.

He saw the complexity of emotion on Huzi’s face.

Huzi was a man with a story.

From his memories of a past life, Chen Qingzhi knew that he had found Huzi, barely alive, lying by the roadside during one of his marches. After rescuing him, Huzi became silent and withdrawn, but toward Chen Qingzhi, who had saved him, he was utterly loyal, obeying every command without question.

Moreover, Huzi was a master of martial arts; ordinary men—seven or eight at once—couldn’t approach him. Give him a broadsword, and his prowess became even more terrifying.

Chen Qingzhi was curious about Huzi’s past, but no matter how he asked, Huzi never spoke of it. In the end, he had to let the matter rest.

Now, Huzi was suddenly weeping in the midst of battle.

A man of seven feet, an iron-blooded warrior, who had slain the enemy without blinking, now cried and grieved, moving all who saw him.

Chen Qingzhi was filled with emotion.

“Huzi… what’s past is past. Everything will get better,” Chen Qingzhi said, not knowing what else to say, offering what comfort he could.

“Captain, you don’t understand, back then…” Huzi began, and his story unfolded in a steady, heartfelt narrative. Chen Qingzhi listened intently as Huzi spoke of his past.

Through Huzi’s account, Chen Qingzhi finally understood why Huzi never mentioned his history.

Before meeting Chen Qingzhi, Huzi had been a member of the Broadsword Squad of the 29th Army.

After the Mukden Incident, the invaders fully occupied the northeast and then pushed south in an attempt to subjugate China in one swift move.

To stem their advance, Song Zheyuan’s 29th Army was ordered to defend the Great Wall from Lengkou to Malanguan.

Thus began the Battle of the Great Wall.

The enemy was well-armed, while the 29th Army, expanding too quickly, suffered from a severe shortage of guns and ammunition. To counter this, Feng Yuxiang authorized the formation of the Broadsword Squad, led by Zhao Dengyu.

Zhao Dengyu selected five hundred soldiers skilled in swordsmanship and close combat for the squad, and Huzi joined because he was adept with the blade.

Once formed, the Broadsword Squad achieved great feats against the enemy. In the battle at Xifengkou, their exploits struck terror into the hearts of their foes, severely dampening the enemy’s arrogance. During that time, the Broadsword Squad was renowned throughout the nation.

It was the first great victory since the Mukden Incident, and the entire country rejoiced.

The 29th Army’s Broadsword Squad became famous for their resistance at the Great Wall, and the “Broadsword March” composed by Mai Xin was sung everywhere.

But the good times did not last. Though the 29th Army triumphed at Xifengkou, three divisions of the Central Army’s 17th Army were decimated at Gubeikou, allowing the enemy to break through and collapse the entire defensive line.

The Battle of the Great Wall ended in defeat. The 29th Army retreated in disarray, and the Broadsword Squad was scattered.

From then on, the famed Broadsword Squad faded into obscurity, never regaining its former glory.

Huzi’s recounting of those turbulent days left Chen Qingzhi deeply moved, filled with admiration for the heroes of the past.

After hearing the whole story, Chen Qingzhi looked at Huzi again and couldn’t help but sigh.

He had speculated much about Huzi’s identity, but never imagined he was once part of the Broadsword Squad.

No wonder, when clashing blades with the enemy, Huzi wielded his broadsword with such precision and force—he had clearly been trained by a master.

When the 29th Army was first formed, Zhao Dengyu had devised a set of sword techniques tailored to counter the enemy’s bayonets, urging the troops to practice diligently.

The techniques, known as the Breakthrough Blade, blended the essence of classical swordsmanship: simple, direct, fierce in hacking and slashing, overwhelming the enemy.

The enemy’s bayonet skills were renowned worldwide; against ordinary soldiers, three or five would be unable to approach. But those trained in the Breakthrough Blade could fight the enemy head-on without disadvantage, sometimes routing them entirely. Such was the prowess of the Broadsword Squad.

Sadly, after the 29th Army’s defeat at the Great Wall, the squad was scattered. Zhao Dengyu was killed in action, and the sword technique was lost, to Chen Qingzhi’s regret.

But now, learning Huzi was not only a member but a core figure of the Broadsword Squad gave Chen Qingzhi new ideas.

Once the troops were stabilized, he would have Huzi train a new Broadsword Squad. Then, in close combat, they would no longer be at a disadvantage!

The more he thought, the more Chen Qingzhi saw the possibilities, and his heart brimmed with joy.

Who would have guessed Huzi was a member of the Broadsword Squad? It was like finding a treasure!

As Chen Qingzhi plotted this in his mind, Huzi spoke in a low voice: “Captain, when you asked before, I didn’t answer because I didn’t want to recall those days. But captain, you don’t know how many years these words have been bottled up inside me. It’s suffocating. I wanted someone to confide in, but I was afraid!”

“I was afraid to remember the past!”

Huzi spoke with tears streaming, his anguish laid bare.

Seeing this, Chen Qingzhi’s heart went out to him. He could not help but say, “Huzi, it’s all in the past. Now we must look ahead.”

“Captain, I can’t forget those days. Every night in my dreams, I relive them. Keeping this inside, my heart aches.”

“I used to avoid thinking about it, but today, after the battle, I suddenly realized the past I feared to recall was just a barrier I built for myself.”

With that, Huzi looked up at Chen Qingzhi and said, “Captain, you’re right—we should look forward!”

He exhaled deeply and added, “Letting all these words pour out, I feel much better! Captain, don’t worry. I’m fine.”