Outside the Liujiapu fortified village, the protective body made of tables soon burned fiercely. If it was just heat, the youths below could still endure it. In fact, even with the scorching flames above their heads, the youths only raised the wooden poles supporting the tables slightly higher. The youths hiding under the tables shouted chants and rammed the battering ram fiercely against the gate hooped with iron strips. Again and again, the youths used their last strength, lifting the battering ram and slamming it against the gate. Their hands were shaken to pain; after a dozen hits, their hands began to go numb. The temperature transmitted from the tables above became higher and higher, and the thick smoke became heavier and heavier, choking many youths into violent coughing.

Just then, the ropes tying the tables to the wooden frame broke. Suddenly, the protective cover made of several tables scattered and fell to the ground. Burning flames fell on the youths' clothes, immediately igniting the tattered clothes on their bodies. Some youths continued to try hard to ram the door, while some youths beat the flames on their bodies facing such a sudden change.

And the enemy on the wall didn't give these youths any chance. "Brothers, kill all these bandits for me!" Liu Wentao shouted loudly. Muskets and bird guns fired like splashing water. The storm composed of iron sand and bullets created countless wounds on the youths trapped in the fire. Some youths attacking the door fell without a sound, while others screamed and were beaten down into the fire.

"Give me another oil jar." Liu Wentao ordered. A family guard handed over an earthenware jar. Liu Wentao aimed at the direction and smashed the jar down fiercely. The oil splashing from the shattered jar sprinkled on the youths, instantly fueling the fire.

Amidst the storm of flames and bullets, youths were constantly injured and fell. Some youths were beaten to death directly at the door, and some were beaten injured and unable to move. Some were choked unconscious by the thick smoke. And some youths were burned into firemen, struggling to escape from this dead ground at the door. Their whole bodies were tightly wrapped in flames. Just running out of the area covered by thick smoke, bullets mercilessly knocked the youths down from behind.

Zhou Xingrui looked painfully at his relatives covered in flames, struggling in the sea of fire. They struggled and twisted, flames rising from their bodies, rolling. Hands and feet stretched straight, wanting to escape a life from this hell on earth. But failed to escape.

Screams and wailing suddenly erupted from the crowd that had been silent. That was the wailing of the youths' families. Someone had already rushed over desperately, wanting to save their relatives back. Liu Wentao patiently let them into the shooting range, waited until they approached the vicinity of the sea of fire, and then ordered a volley of random shots. The five or six refugees rushing over were instantly beaten down. Struggled for a while and stopped moving.

Liu Wentao stared at these people carefully. He discovered a detail. He originally thought that when bullets hit those people below, blood would splash everywhere. But after a long time, a small pool of blood appeared under these people. And this blood stain was quickly sucked dry by the sandy soil.

Thick smoke wrapped in the special smell of burning corpses blew over. Liu Wentao frowned and shouted: "Pour a few buckets of water. Don't burn the door." Family guards quickly carried buckets of water over. Several buckets of water were poured down. Accompanied by "sizzling" sounds, white smoke rose instantly, and the fire head was immediately suppressed a lot. Some places were still burning, but a moment later, piles of charred black things could be seen on the ground. There were wreckage of tables, but more were human limbs burned into charred black by fire, scattered all over the ground. The flames were not all extinguished; some human bodies were still burning.

Seeing the fire reduce, confirming that the gate of his fortified village should be fine, Liu Wentao couldn't help spitting on the fire outside. Some family guards were smoked by this smell and were already lying on the wall vomiting. "You stick your heads out to vomit; if the wall is dirtied, will you clean it?" Liu Wentao couldn't help scolding.

A family guard who had shown considerable excitement after hearing the announcement of the bounty for cutting off human heads just now suddenly laughed: "This smell of roasted meat smells quite fragrant." Hearing this, some people couldn't help laughing loudly. And those family guards who were already vomiting vomited even more severely lying on the wall. Not much was eaten in the disaster year, so the little bit of stuff in the stomach was vomited clean very quickly. But this smell of burning human bodies, especially the comments of those heartless guys on human meat, made these family guards unable to stop the feeling of vomiting no matter what. Some people finally vomited out dark green bile.

Bursts of wailing came from the crowd of refugees. That was the voice of grief, indignation, pain, and despair. Although wailing, there were no tears anymore. Everyone's eyes gradually became red. Unknown who shouted first, "Kill all these bastards!" "Kill all these bastards!"

This was a curse from the bottom of the heart. Someone among the refugees immediately followed to shout, "Kill all these bastards!" And the words of this curse became shorter and shorter, soon becoming one word "Kill!" When hundreds of people shouted this word from the bottom of their hearts together, the people on the wall invariably felt a chill on their backs.

"Kill!" "Kill!" "Kill!" "Kill!" "Kill!" The shouts of the refugees became louder and louder. Although Zhou Xingrui knew everyone couldn't hold back and was about to rush out immediately. In this sound with almost hypnotic ability, Zhou Xingrui himself actually couldn't help but want to take the lead in rushing towards the fortified village, towards his irreconcilable enemy. But he held back temporarily. Since ramming the door didn't work, then only climbing over the wall with ladders remained. The remaining reason was still reminding Zhou Xingrui that rushing up in a swarm like this was useless; those carrying ladders must be in front, and others follow behind. He hurriedly shouted for the few teams carrying ladders to come to the front. But he found no one listened to his command. The few little girls and boys remaining among the refugees looked pale one by one, leaning fearfully against their relatives. Men and adult women with red eyes stared tightly at the figures on the wall, shouting a word involuntarily in their mouths, "Kill!"

Liu Wentao on the wall tightened his mouth looking at these people below. As if there was a kind of magic, the family guards who were vomiting suddenly didn't want to vomit anymore, staring dumbfounded at those people below, legs trembling uncontrollably. Those family guards who were still laughing originally also darkened their faces. They held fire guns or broadswords and long spears tightly, staring deadly at the refugees in the distance.

Although knowing rushing up like this wouldn't work, although knowing rushing up like this absolutely couldn't break the fortified village, although knowing the outcome of rushing up like this was death. But in everyone's shouting, Zhou Xingrui couldn't endure anymore. Isn't it just death? Were the days passed every day in the disaster not more terrible than death?

Thinking of death, Zhou Xingrui suddenly felt there was nothing terrible about it at all. As if a warm current rose from his chest, making Zhou Xingrui feel his limbs and bones were light. Until now, what else is there to be afraid of? Right, didn't we come here to die a quick death? Otherwise, why come to attack this fortified village? So what if there are no ladders, so what if rushing up means death? Die early and reincarnate early; everyone no longer has to suffer this living hell.

The remaining reason had vanished completely. Zhou Xingrui, who had no thinking anymore, raised the pistol in his hand high.

"Bang" "Bang" "Bang," accompanied by several crisp gunshots in succession, the refugees were stunned violently. If this gunshot rang in front, as long as one person rushed forward, everyone would rush up desperately. But this gunshot rang behind.

Then, they heard someone shouting from afar: "Everyone wait for us; we come to help!" "Don't move now."

Help? In such days, there are actually people helping? Many people didn't fail to understand this word, but everyone simply couldn't believe there was such a thing.

But soon, several people ran over quickly. They bypassed the crowd and inserted straight between the crowd and the fortified village. One of them carried a refugee on his back. Everyone looked carefully; it was actually Zhou Yizheng. And the person running at the very front held a crimson flag. Just standing still, that person raised the crimson flag high in his hand and waved it vigorously. The eyes of the refugees fell on this flag invariably. They saw that person wave a few times, then forcefully insert the flagpole into the ground. The flagpole was inserted into the sandy soil more than half a foot deep at once.

Such an appearance like singing opera immediately attracted everyone's attention. Not only the refugees, but Liu Wentao and the family guards of the Liu family fortified village on the wall also stared intently at this group of people who suddenly appeared. They uniformly wore dark blue short clothes, with white leggings on their legs and black cloth shoes on their feet.

Liu Wentao's pupils couldn't help contracting. Although not seeing very clearly, on the backs of these few people were carried regular rifles. Liu Wentao could be absolutely sure about this point. As if to prove this, the person in the lead took off the rifle, turned around, and aimed at the people on the wall. The family guards were dumbfounded one by one. That person in blue clothes standing under the crimson flag was very far from here. Even the best gun in the fortified village couldn't hit that far. What exactly was he doing aiming the gun at the fortified village?

With a "Bang," the muzzle spewed out green smoke. The iron bell on the watchtower immediately emitted a crisp "Clang" sound.

Everyone on the wall was shocked in their hearts. They turned their heads invariably, only to see the iron bell used to sound the alarm swaying uncertainly. And the family guard standing by the bell opened his mouth wide, standing there motionless like a wooden chicken. Obviously, he wasn't ringing the bell just now. Instead, that shooter accurately hit the iron bell. The sound of the bullet hitting the iron bell scared the family guard beside the bell like this.

Everyone couldn't help thinking, with such range, such accuracy, if that person in blue clothes aimed not at the iron bell but at themselves just now... Everyone on the wall only felt cold sweat oozing from their backs. Almost simultaneously, everyone including Liu Wentao squatted down, hiding behind the wall and daring not show their heads again.

Lu Zhengping didn't know how to express his mood either. He was actually aiming at the family guard standing highest just now. But the bullet missed, unexpectedly causing a better effect instead. That iron bell was actually just a very inconspicuous little thing in Lu Zhengping's eyes. If not for hitting it by accident, Lu Zhengping wouldn't even have noticed the existence of the iron bell. If asked to aim at the iron bell from the beginning, he absolutely wouldn't hit it.

The rifle was the arms brought by Pu Guanshui when he arrived in Fengtai County. This new-style Hanyang Type 88 received by the Anhui New Army was stronger than the original muskets of the Insurance Corps by more than a little bit, whether in range or power. Although he had fired live ammunition many times, firing a shot truly at the enemy, Lu Zhengping couldn't help praising this gun in his heart. At the same time, he maintained great dissatisfaction with his shooting level.

Turning his head back, what Lu Zhengping saw were puzzled and shocked gazes. The refugees stared tightly at Lu Zhengping with various unspeakable emotions.

According to Zhang Yu's instructions, Lu Zhengping shouted loudly: "Fellow villagers, let's call it a day. We go home first. The People's Party has cooked rice, waiting for everyone to eat together."

The refugees didn't understand the meaning of these words at all, especially didn't understand what the familiar yet strange words "cooked rice" meant exactly?

Zhou Yizheng had been put on the ground by the Insurance Corps soldiers. The bumps along the way made this man who had suffered from hunger almost faint. But he held on and didn't faint. At this time, he walked forward unsteadily, shouting with all his strength: "Fellow villagers, someone came to save us. Finally someone came to save us."

Zhou Xingrui couldn't understand the changes from just now at all. His brain was in chaos, only knowing he seemed to have seen Lu Zhengping's clothes and face. Seeing Zhou Yizheng come forward and say this, Zhou Xingrui also walked forward unsteadily, "Old Three, what did you say?"

"Great-Grandpa, People's Party people came to save us. Several hundred people, bringing grain, bringing doctors. They came to save us." Zhou Yizheng only felt his breath getting shorter and voice getting smaller, but he endured the feeling of dizziness strongly, trying hard to say, "There is grain, there are doctors. Someone came to save us..." Saying this, Zhou Yizheng's consciousness went blank, and he fainted.

Zhou Xingrui wanted to grab Zhou Yizheng who fell on the ground, but he really didn't have that strength. Dragged by Zhou Yizheng's body, Zhou Xingrui knelt on the ground. He looked up; that crimson flag was really inserted there. Those few people in blue clothes were standing in front of him holding guns. Lowering his head, Zhou Yizheng was also solidly in front of him.

Lips trembling, Zhou Xingrui asked: "Are you really here to save us?" After asking this, Zhou Xingrui suddenly regretted it for a while. If those few people in front were not here to save everyone, if Zhou Yizheng was just talking nonsense from hunger fainting. He absolutely couldn't accept this fact.

However, the young man who fired the gun just now said loudly: "Fellow villagers, we, the People's Party, came to save everyone. Let's go back; we brought grain. Everyone go eat together."

Hearing this, Zhou Xingrui lowered his head. "Mn mn..., woo woo..." Zhou Xingrui's shoulders twitched, "Mn mn..., woo woo..." This man in his forties was, and is, a number one figure in ten *li* and eight villages. He had always been respected. In the past few months, his tears had long dried up, but at this time Zhou Xingrui buried his head deeply, hands unconsciously grabbing the sand on the ground, body twitching, crying like a wronged child. Tears soaked the eye sockets that had been dry for unknown how long again.

In this year of despair, after countless days of hope and then disappointment. Finally waited, finally waited. In this hometown destroyed by the flood like a desert, finally someone came to save these not-yet-dead common people.

Thin porridge and steamed buns (*mantou*) were supplied quantitatively. The salt in the vegetables was sufficient. This was not mean, but common sense. Letting refugees eat freely, the result was destined to be bursting (eating to death). Insurance Corps people emphasized repeatedly that there would be food tomorrow, but refugees surrounded the marching cauldron subconsciously and refused to leave. Anyway, the rice was distributed, and the pot was empty. The comrades of the cooking squad simply wanted to carry the pot away. Refugees surrounded the cooking squad, insisting on sharing even a small mouthful of pot-washing water.

The soldiers of the cooking squad rarely showed a trace of bitter smile, but still carried the marching pot away. In fact, since seeing the refugees, not a single Insurance Corps soldier could smile.

At the assembly point, Political Commissar Li Zhao re-mentioned the two questions of Commissar He Zudao before departure. Everyone really had no concept of what refugees looked like exactly. Fengtai County suffered a disaster, but everyone didn't suffer calamity. Although it couldn't be said life was good, it could be said life was passable. When comrades saw the appearance of refugees with their own eyes, they shuddered. Refugees like living skeletons made soldiers feel chills on their backs. Moreover, such a group of refugees actually wanted to attack the fortified village. This was even more unimaginable. That was sending themselves to death. Although Insurance Corps soldiers didn't fear fortified villages, that was based on the Insurance Corps' own strength. And this group of refugees had nothing left.

With the pot carried away, the refugees also gave up the thought. Everyone ate. Men cried, women also cried, only children were too hungry to cry. Finishing the first real meal in a few mouthfuls, refugees wanted to surround the Insurance Corps officers and soldiers to ask for food. Zhang Yu had thought of this problem long ago; the Insurance Corps had already withdrawn. Doctors treated patients; actually, it couldn't be called any illness. Under long-term hunger, everything is illness. After pouring a large bowl of rice soup for each patient, the doctors also withdrew.

After experiencing a toss during the day, everyone's spirit was basically exhausted. Although some people tried to follow the Insurance Corps, the marching ability of the two sides differed too much. The troops strictly ordered not to stop. Listening to the begging behind, although the soldiers felt very uncomfortable in their hearts, they knew doing so was also good for the common people. Seeing they couldn't catch up with the Insurance Corps, the refugees had to give up.

Actually, the Waterway Detachment was one of the earliest troops of the Insurance Corps. Every founding unit of the old Insurance Corps had served in turns in the Waterway Team. They undertook the heavy responsibility of saving local common people in Fengtai County during the flood. Soldiers who performed excellently and soldiers familiar with water nature formed the current Waterway Detachment. Although they rarely appeared in Fengtai County, no high-level officials didn't know that this troop maintained Fengtai County's lifeline to the outside world. Grain and supplies were transported to the base area by the Waterway Detachment.

Now, this troop added the elite reconnaissance battalion of the Insurance Corps on land, and other capable soldiers selected to participate in picking up and dropping off Anhui New Army officers and soldiers. The total number reached more than six hundred. Even leaving more than one hundred guards, there were as many as five hundred soldiers coming for disaster relief.

Since the small team led by Lu Zhengping had already met face to face with the Liujiapu fortified village, the staff department released scout teams to intercept the surrounding area of the Liu family fortified village according to the regulations led by Chen Ke, aiming not to let the Liu family fortified village send people to ask for reinforcements. Communication in the disaster area was interrupted. If only breaking the fortified village, it was estimated that no one might know for a few months. But once news leaked, the consequences would be too serious. Liujiapu was not too far from Hongze Lake and belonged to the jurisdiction of Wuhe County. Fengtai County had nothing to do with here. No matter how capable Shang Yuan was, he couldn't manage Wuhe County. If local government intervened, the Insurance Corps would be very embarrassed.

Sure enough, as expected by the staff department, not long after nightfall, two groups of people were caught in succession. Lu Zhengping's "world-shocking shot" during the day scared the people of Liujiapu. If Lu Zhengping really shot someone dead with one shot, it probably wouldn't be so deterrent. The ultra-long range of the rifle had proved that the suddenly appearing Insurance Corps possessed powerful firepower. And hitting the alarm bell, in Master Liu Ba's view, made it clear they wanted to demonstrate. A force possessing such subordinates was absolutely not something Master Liu Ba could easily afford to provoke. Although knowing going to the county to report to officials had extremely limited use, Master Liu Ba felt it better to be careful.

Interrogation of captives was quite rude, basically adopting the routine of separate screening and repeating the same question. Captives who refused to speak were used water torture without hesitation. That is, pressing the head into water until almost suffocated to death. Then still name, age, companion's name, age, asking repeatedly. Captives tortured to exhaustion finally confessed the facts.

Once this opening was pried open, the following things were much simpler. They poured out everything they knew like pouring beans out of a bamboo tube. Liujiapu's layout, number of people, equipment, military strength, characteristics of various leaders. Recorded one by one, analyzed by the intelligence department.

And the commanders of various units didn't care much about these. What they wanted to discuss was a higher-level problem. Since everyone agreed to attack the Liujiapu fortified village, what to do after capturing it? As a new base for the Insurance Corps? Or leave it to the common people to handle themselves? This was the key among keys. Zhang Yu resolutely refused to dispatch messengers back to report. It was three or four days' journey away from Fengtai County, and going back was upstream, taking longer. This round trip would take at least seven or eight days. Going back by small boat was not good either; first, speed was not fast; second, the road might not be safe. And the fleet's boats were not abundant originally; separating a big boat, even one big boat, was a loss.

Moreover, Zhang Yu had already guessed the intention of the superior. They wanted the comrades below to make decisions themselves. Although he didn't know why exactly the superior did this, Zhang Yu understood this was his chance. As long as he could seize this opportunity and let Chen Ke and others appreciate his ability, obtaining a higher status in the People's Party and Insurance Corps was something just around the corner.

After discussion, everyone gradually reached a consensus: after capturing Liujiapu, Liujiapu would be used as a base temporarily. After all, there must be a lot of grain and property in Liujiapu. Distributing some grain and property to refugees could stabilize the situation here temporarily. As for the longer-term operation of the Liujiapu base, leave it to the superior to decide.

This consideration was considered strategic planning. After strategic planning was completed, corresponding specific issues proceeded in groups. Many officers and soldiers of the Waterway Detachment participated in the siege of Yuezhangji. Since everyone didn't have the ability to create plans, completely imitating the Yuezhangji offensive and defensive battle became the only choice.

Combining information from scouts and the intelligence department, everyone found that Liujiapu's layout was basically consistent with Yuezhangji. That is to say, completely the same attack strategy could be adopted. Burying explosives in the dark at midnight, attracting enemy attention frontally the next day, and rushing in from the blasted gap in the back wall. In order to fight better, the training Chen Ke used to raid the Shanghai Police Station back then was brought over to apply. The Insurance Corps would draw the specific terrain of Liujiapu on an illuminated sandy ground, and then conduct assault training.

Planning to this extent, it was almost dawn. Comrades went to sleep with satisfaction. At dawn, Zhou Yizheng and Zhou Xingrui came to visit the camp.

As soon as he saw Zhang Yu, Zhou Xingrui knelt down to Zhang Yu immediately. Although feeling very comfortable in his heart, Zhang Yu hurriedly helped Zhou Xingrui up. The temporary camp was very simple; all were simple stools made by the Insurance Corps themselves. As soon as Zhou Xingrui sat down, he asked immediately: "Benefactor of the People's Party, do you plan to leave after attacking Liu Ba's fortified village, or plan not to leave?"

Zhang Yu smiled but didn't answer.

Seeing Zhang Yu like this, Liu Xingrui (*Zhou Xingrui*) stood up immediately and said: "Benefactor, I, Zhou Xingrui, am not the kind of person who doesn't know good from bad. As long as you can break the fortified village and give us grain to survive the disaster year, we don't want any other things. Not only that, as long as Benefactor has an order, asking us to fight, we won't frown even once." These words were not polite talk either, but Liu Xingrui's (*Zhou*) heartfelt words. He already knew relying on themselves, they absolutely couldn't beat the fortified village subordinates. Not only that, without the grain given by Zhang Yu, everyone would starve to death immediately.

Let alone nearly twenty people were beaten to death in front of Liujiapu yesterday. Zhou Xingrui and the refugees' hatred for Liujiapu was also real. Since meeting people willing to save everyone and willing to attack Liujiapu. Zhou Xingrui would absolutely not give up the slightest opportunity for cooperation.

Since Zhou Xingrui stood up, Zhang Yu also stood up. He held Zhou Xingrui's hand, "Brother Zhou, our People's Party is here to save the common people. Can't watch everyone starve to death helplessly. Since everyone wants to break the fortified village, we do have things to ask everyone to help with."

"As long as Benefactor says, I'll do anything." Zhou Xingrui answered hurriedly.

"Please Brother Zhou talk about what it is like inside this fortified village," Zhang Yu said immediately.