in 1940 during the second world war, a city named shichen is controlled ruthlessly by general takeshi and his imperial japanese army. a masked murderer known as "the black dress killer" is systematically killing japanese soldiers, working his way to the top japanese general, who is responsible for many deaths of men and women, including xiaoyun's family. xiaoyun is a peasant girl who joined the chinese resistance to avenge her family. meanwhile, an american reporter is sent to china to uncover the truth about the unrest between china and japan. what he finds threatens his own life and later forces him to join the chinese resistance.