The Taihang Mountain Hunting Squad

(A long-form writing exercise)

In July 1937, the Japanese invaders occupied Liao County, burning, killing, looting, and committing every kind of atrocity. The entire area along the Qingzhang River became occupied territory. In the winter of 1937, after the provincial capital, Taiyuan, fell, various resistance groups secretly formed at the foot of the Taihang Mountains. They were the Fierce Tigers, Hidden Arrows, and Thorns, striking straight at the enemy's heart again and again and dealing them deadly blows. But they, too, lived on the edge of a blade, amid flames and surrounded by wolves, facing danger at every turn and constantly at death's door. Two Japanese majors stationed in Liao County were killed in succession, sending shockwaves through Japanese headquarters. The Japanese immediately launched a massive county-wide manhunt, slaughtering many progressive young people and students.