Anthropoid

Operation: Anthropoid part II/II

After seeing the well-known radiant and devilish smirk of Kunlun, I was dying to know whether he was alright, so I ended up loitering around the said address and soon I was picked up by one of the resistence members and brought into their hideaway in an underground cellar of one of the Buddhist temples.

Zhao Yunlan had welcomed me with his arms open - literally, to my horror and embarrassment, however, there were strong protests about bringing someone new in suddenly and at such a dangerous moment. The one talking most strongly against Zhao Yunlan was a man called Zhu Jiu, he kept repeating that some of them have families and if word gets out, their wives and children will be in danger. Zhao Yunlan had always countered, that it was my involvement that actually sent the General into a hospital and helped him escape. So how could I be an enemy spy?

There were 7 of us hiding in the temple, waiting for the waters to cool down, so we could escape. The days were dragging on and the news that kept comming in were terrible. The assassination itself was a success, the General died a few days later in the hospital of the wounds' complications, most likely bacterial, however, the answer of the Japanese was hard and cruel. People were being arrested in masses, interrogated and then executed for only agreeing with the assassination, if they were accused of helping the assassins, their whole family would be killed. The Chinese doctors who took care of the General were also shot dead...

I watched the doubt in the faces of the resistence members, even I had thought to myself, maybe I shouldn't have gotten myself involved a few times but only Yunlan remained calm. He kept reassuring everyone, that this only shows it must have been done and that it's a horrible price but it will bring victory in the end.

I had watched many of Kunlun's reincarnations to know, he truly means that, that it's not a lie he'd fabricated to make himself feel better. I knew, he felt greatly for all the horrible HORRIBLE losses but he also knew, they would be even greater in the end if this had not happened.

Once again, I felt the leadership and the soothing wise presence of my Idol God and once again I was consolled by this man like so many years ago...

Even though, technically, I was supposed to be the so much older and wiser one this time...

* * *

Zhao Yunlan watched with interest the new addition to their small group trying to cook something edible out of their military style rations. The stranger's concern for Colonel's health was a bit weird but he himself didn't find it off-putting, it seemed more interesting than anything else. Shen Wei always supported his decisions, never questioning his orders. And though, it was quite odd that such a handsome and smart teacher wouldn't have had a family at this age, considering their lives hanging on a thread nowadays, it came as a plus.

Slightly amused, the young resistence leader watched the keen cook prepare their lunch. "It smells nicely, Xiao Wei, I'd never have thought the army rations could smell so heavenly. You carry seasoning with you by chance as well?"

Shen Wei looked up from his make-shift kitchen with a simple small gas-bomb burner and a can, taking out a steel candy box with a season mix inside. "I guess, I do," he uttered simply, straightening the glasses on his nose.

"Oh, Shen Wei-ah, Shen Wei... how are you so good to us?" Zhao Yunlan smiled, crouching down next to him, reaching for the spoon in Shen Wei's hand.

"Be careful, it's hot..." Shen Wei warned but the careless man had already stuffed his mouth full with the hot food.

Feeling it burn the inside of his mouth, he quickly gulped the food down his throat. "Etetetete!" He needed to cool down his tongue.

His collegues laughed. "That's what you get for stealing a bite!"