In 1940, Liu Hongcai disguised himself as a Japanese soldier to conduct reconnaissance. On his way back, he encountered five militiamen. After briefly observing them, he sensed something was off and shouted, “Stop!”
During the Anti-Japanese War, the Japanese used many cunning tactics. One such scheme involved disguising their puppet troops as Eighth Route Army soldiers or ordinary civilians. These infiltrators were sent into Eighth Route Army bases to assassinate key personnel. These malicious operatives were collectively known as assassination squads.
Speaking of eliminating these assassination squads, one memorable event happened in 1940 when Liu Hongcai bravely undertook a mission to scout enemy positions in Licheng. The city was heavily occupied by Japanese and puppet forces, and the sentries at the gates conducted extremely thorough checks on anyone entering or leaving. However, this did not deter Liu Hongcai. He cleverly devised a plan to disguise himself as a Japanese soldier, boldly entering Licheng under their guise to gather intelligence—truly turning the enemy’s tactics against them.
When Liu Hongcai and two comrades, all dressed in Japanese uniforms, reached the city gate, they were stopped by puppet soldiers who asked, “Sir, where are you headed?”
Liu Hongcai responded in a clear, loud voice, “Changing shifts!”
The puppet soldiers were taken aback—this \"sir\" spoke fluent Chinese, which was unexpected. Sensing their suspicion, Liu Hongcai realized he might have made a slip but remained calm. Suddenly, he raised his arm and struck the puppet soldier hard across the face, feigning anger while shouting a harsh Japanese curse, “Baka yarou!”
The soldier, rubbing his swollen cheek, recognized the erratic brutality typical of Japanese troops. Immediately, he bowed deeply and respectfully allowed Liu Hongcai and his men to enter Licheng.
Once inside, the three cautiously walked the streets, but their relief was short-lived when they encountered real Japanese soldiers. Mistaking Liu Hongcai’s group for their own, the soldiers greeted them in Japanese. Unfortunately, Liu Hongcai didn’t understand the language. To avoid suspicion, he hurried forward, but the Japanese soldiers sensed something amiss and blocked their path, demanding answers.
Caught off guard, Liu Hongcai didn’t know how to respond. When the soldiers received no reply, they raised their guns and pointed them at the three men. At this critical moment, Liu Hongcai gave a subtle signal to his comrades. Instantly, all three drew hidden bayonets and swiftly eliminated the Japanese soldiers.
Yet, killing several Japanese troops in broad daylight invited grave danger, as many other enemy soldiers remained in Licheng. If discovered, escape would be impossible.
Suddenly, Liu Hongcai had a flash of inspiration. He shouted loudly, falsely claiming, “The sir and the officer are fighting!”
This shout caused immediate panic. Bystanders, fearing being caught up in the conflict, scattered in terror, plunging the street into chaos. Taking advantage of the confusion, Liu Hongcai and his men slipped into the crowd and made their way to the city gate. The puppet soldier who had earlier been slapped saw them but dared not speak, quietly allowing them to leave Licheng.
Finally, as Liu Hongcai and his two companions neared the Eighth Route Army base, they believed the danger had passed. However, five peasants approached, three carrying bayonets—an unusual and suspicious sight, as ordinary villagers rarely had such weapons. Liu Hongcai’s instincts immediately warned him of potential danger, though he couldn’t yet confirm the peasants’ true intentions.
The leader of the group quickly identified Liu Hongcai as an Eighth Route soldier and, speaking in the Shandong dialect, pretended to be part of the Eighth Route Army, attempting to coax Liu Hongcai into revealing his destination.
To test their identity, Liu Hongcai offered the peasants some cigarettes. This simple gesture revealed their true nature instantly, and Liu Hongcai executed them on the spot.
One of Liu Hongcai’s comrades asked curiously, “Captain, how did you know they weren’t our people?” These five peasants, as it turned out, were members of the aforementioned assassination squad.
