sjar Chapter 1114 Saving the Life of a Laborer
Chapter 1114 Saving the Life of a Laborer
"Sir, sir, I am in charge of these laborers. They have to work all the time, and we let them rest over there so they can finish faster. There are no weapons in the warehouse over there except for uniforms and boots. I can guarantee that nothing will happen to them. If we let them go out, it will take at least half an hour to get back."
Just as the Japanese soldiers were about to move, a weasel-faced fellow jumped out from the side. This kind of person didn't even need to introduce himself; Li Shaoyi could tell at a glance what he did. He was clearly one of those traitors from old TV dramas, not even needing to wear makeup.
"Damn it! Half an hour is nothing! Even if it's an hour, you guys have to run! To ensure the safety of the entire port area, these people are not allowed to rest around the warehouses, not even in their uniforms and boots. Execute the order immediately."
Seeing the major's anger, a group of Japanese soldiers immediately drew their bayonets and rushed over to evacuate the Chinese laborers from the warehouse. The men were still cursing and swearing, unaware that they were being saved. If an explosion occurred, their proximity would certainly cause problems. Furthermore, if the Japanese investigated, they would be in serious trouble.
The Japanese military police standing nearby didn't think there was anything wrong with the major's order. "Our warehouse area has all sorts of weapons and equipment, as well as a lot of flammable and explosive materials. These Chinese are not to be trusted. The major just said, what's half an hour? Even if it's an hour, you have to run!"
The traitorous collaborator wanted to say something, but two Japanese military police grabbed his clothes and dragged him to the back. Didn't you hear our major's order? We told you to carry out orders, and you dared to bargain here. We're being lenient by not hitting you.
More than 2000 Chinese laborers were being led away. Li Shaoyi saw that their new gathering place was about 1 kilometer away from here. When the explosion happened, as long as these people weren't stupid, they would definitely run to a more distant place. Their lives should be safe. Let them curse now, it's not like we're going to lose anything. After the explosion, they'll know our good intentions.
The Japanese soldiers throughout the base sprang into action. They had been resting in the shade, but now that they saw the 2000-plus Chinese laborers about to be expelled, they all came over with bayonets at the ready. In truth, they hadn't considered the lives of these Chinese laborers, nor did they care whether they were tired or not. Since the major had ordered them to do this, they would simply carry out the order.
Moreover, deep down, these Chinese laborers are indeed uncomfortable staying here. There are over 2000 of them, and if someone were to cause trouble, our two or three hundred soldiers might not be able to suppress them. The best arrangement is to expel them all to the port and bring in only the number of people we need.
Taking advantage of the lull in the crowd, Li Shaoyi continued walking forward. When he arrived at the door of a warehouse, several Japanese soldiers opened the door immediately without him even having to give an order.
"I have some personal belongings inside. Don't let anyone in for at least half an hour."
Li Shaoyi called over a leading Japanese sergeant, who readily agreed and said he would instruct his soldiers to ensure they would not utter a single word.
It was no secret that Japanese officers engaged in smuggling, including carrying contraband on transport ships. Since those in command often turned a blind eye to such activities due to insufficient pay and a desire to bribe lower-ranking officers, they were more inclined to do so.
Of course, Japanese soldiers were different; they couldn't do this kind of work. Space on transport ships was limited, and if everyone had this idea, there wouldn't be enough time to transport military supplies. But Japanese officers were able to set an example—that's the advantage of high rank.
Upon entering the warehouse, Li Shaoyi gasped in astonishment. It was approximately 20 meters wide and at least 350 meters long. The shelves on both sides were filled with military equipment; this warehouse alone contained enough weaponry to arm at least a first-class division.
The warehouse had four exits, but the other three were locked. Only the exit Li Shaoyi had just entered through was now open, and he was quickly filling his storage space with items. He ran there, and everything within a five-meter radius vanished. Luckily, no one saw him; otherwise, they would have been terrified.
In less than three minutes, Li Shaoyi had basically finished packing everything, leaving not even the wooden crates behind. "I'll take them back, chop them up, and burn them for firewood. They can keep warm in the winter. I'm not leaving anything for you Japanese devils."
Knowing that the Japanese soldiers outside would definitely come in to check after he went out, Li Shaoyi didn't go through the main gate but went out through a ventilation fan. Next was the next warehouse. The reason was the same as before: the guards at the door quickly called the soldiers inside out and made room for their superior to take things. They couldn't let their superior think they were trying to take advantage of the situation; if their superior remembered that, their lives would be over.
Li Shaoyi's ability to move so easily from warehouse to warehouse was directly related to the class consciousness within the Japanese army. The gap between soldiers and officers was like a chasm; once an order was issued, it would remain in effect unless another officer intervened.
None of the people present had any doubts. They all stood obediently at the door, waiting for Li Shaoyi to tell them that they would be let in after half an hour. Since there was no requirement to pick up goods today, everyone just stood at the door in the sun.
Li Shaoyi had emptied all the contents of the 19 large warehouses, and they were now entering the 20th warehouse. This warehouse didn't contain Japanese goods, but rather the belongings of foreign merchants. These items were extremely important to them at the moment, including steel, gun parts, and machinery.
However, some of them were second-hand, taken from abroad, and were somewhat outdated for them. But for us, this was a leap from 0 to 1, so Li Shaoyi assembled them all, knowing they would be useful in the future.
Before they had even finished scrambling through the last warehouse, the piercing alarm went off...