Anti-Japanese War: From Becoming Chu Yunfei to Rising

Pengcheng, the temporary headquarters of the Japanese 65th Division.

Inside the underground bunker, the dim light bulbs swayed wildly in response to the shelling overhead.

The light and shadow cast grotesque shapes on the wall, much like the twisted minds of these Japanese officers at that moment.

"Snapped!"

An enamel mug was smashed to the ground and shattered.

"Has General Headquarters gone mad? Disbanding the North China Area Army?"

Why haven't reinforcements arrived yet?

A major staff officer, his eyes bloodshot and veins bulging like earthworms on his neck, shouted: "We were sacrificed! We held Pengcheng to draw away the main Chinese forces so that the other main combat units could retreat. What bastards!"

"Those cowards in the Kwantung Army are still on the north bank of the Yellow River, unable to break through. Do they really want to come and help?"

Despair spread like a plague.

No one is stupid.

Everyone could see that the barrier of North China was gone, and these tens of thousands of people were like naked girls, exposed to the bayonets of hundreds of thousands of troops in North China.

"Baka! Shut up!"

Major Kato Masao suddenly drew his command sword and slashed at the corner of the table, sending wood chips flying.

His eyes were fanatical, revealing the madness of a gambler who has lost everything: "Who said we are discarded pawns?"

"This is the final test before 'shattering like jade'!"

"Look at the bigger picture, look at Europe, look at the British Dunkirk evacuation!"

Kato Masao brandished his saber, spitting all over the other man's face: "The British have retreated, so they have a chance to win later!"

"As long as we hold this position, even if we all die, as long as we can hold off Chu Yunfei's main force for half a month, Jinling can build a new defensive line!"

"If we drag this out long enough, the international situation will change!"

"The Americans will get tired, and the Soviets might also fall out with them!"

"That way, our brother country will have leverage in negotiations!"

"Do you want us all to die here? It's pointless!"

One pessimistic officer roared, "You've seen the Chinese heavy artillery, how long can the fortifications around Pengcheng hold out?!"

"We must stop them even if we can't!"

"Even the heavily fortified outer defenses couldn't stop their attack, so how could Pengcheng possibly stop their advance?"

"You are undermining the morale of the army, you traitor to our brother country!"

The noise from the argument almost lifted the roof off.

"enough."

Lieutenant General Yoneo Ota, the division commander who had been facing away from everyone and staring at the huge map of Xuzhou on the wall, finally turned around.

"You don't want to die, do you?"

Ota Yoneo's voice wasn't loud, but it instantly silenced the noisy command post.

He slowly walked to the map, and instead of pointing the baton in his hand at Haizhou where they were retreating, he pointed heavily at several high grounds on the outskirts of Xuzhou—Jiuli Mountain, Yunlong Mountain, and Yuwang Mountain in the direction of Pizhou.

“Look at these places.”

"The Chinese are very hardworking. We already knew from the Battle of Xuzhou five years ago that the Chinese had built a lot of defensive fortifications here."

"Although some places are abandoned, the steel and concrete are still there, and the framework is still there!"

Yoneo Ota abruptly threw down his baton, his eyes turning ferocious:

"Commander Okamura's order is clear: our troops must cease their breakout attempt!"

"All units must immediately move into the old fortifications and reinforce them!"

"We want to turn Pengcheng into a curled-up hedgehog."

"We must use the Chinese bunkers to kill the Chinese!"

"We will turn the Chinese tanks into scrap metal here, and make their men bleed to death here!"

"Want to eat us? We'll break all his teeth!"

"Warriors of the Brother Kingdom, the time has come to serve His Majesty the Heavenly Locust and to die for the Yamato people."

"Hai—!!!"

A civilian machinery factory in Changzhi Industrial Zone, Shanxi Province.

Here, the sun shines brightly, red flags flutter, and the heat is intense!

Inside the enormous factory, the roar of the machines was like the roar of a dragon.

Commander-in-Chief Chu Xichun of the Second War Zone was standing at the end of the final assembly workshop, his hands trembling slightly and his eyes filled with fervor.

Before him, a dark green, rugged truck with a metallic sheen was quietly parked under the red silk, like a tiger poised to pounce.

Right in the center of the front of the car, the silver logo gleamed in the sunlight—Friendship.

It's not a foreign language, it's Chinese characters!

The upright and dignified square characters!

"Sir, we're ready!"

Sun Weimou's face was shiny with oil, and his voice was hoarse with excitement: "This is our first mass-produced car that has been completely assembled and tested independently!"

"Open it!"

Chu Xichun waved his hand.

"Wow!"

The red silk fell, revealing the true form of this steel behemoth.

It doesn't have the streamlined shape of American trucks, nor the cumbersome small wheels of Japanese trucks.

With its boxy shape, high-riding chassis, and six massive off-road tires providing excellent grip, it exudes a rugged and tough vibe!

"Comrade Petrov."

Chu Xichun turned to look at the Soviet expert with a full beard beside her. Although they couldn't communicate in the same language, everyone could see the warmth in his eyes: "This car, is it really okay?"

The translator immediately stepped forward.

Petrov proudly puffed out his chest, gave a thumbs-up, and uttered two words in broken Chinese: "Hala Shao!"

The translator quickly added, "Sir, Chief Engineer Petrov said that the chassis of this vehicle uses Soviet GAZ technology, but the suspension and frame have been specially reinforced to suit the road conditions in North China!"

"The data was just measured not long ago."

Sun Weimou excitedly counted the numbers, his voice trembling: "Top speed, 70 kilometers per hour! On the roads in Shanxi, it runs faster than the Japanese trucks."

"The fuel consumption is 21 liters per 100 kilometers, which is not exactly fuel-efficient, and it's on par with the Soviet Union."

"The most crucial factor is load capacity!"

Sun Weimou held up three fingers, then suddenly opened his palm: "The rated weight is 3 tons, but we tested it privately before. It pulled 4 tons of shells, and the main beam didn't even bend. This is an iron ox!"

"Good! Good! Good!"

Chu Xichun said "good" three times in a row, her face flushed with excitement: "This is exactly what our national defense and military construction needs."

"With this thing, we can transport several times more artillery shells to the front lines!"

"How many fewer people could die if the wounded were spared?!"

Chu Xichun faced the hundreds of workers and technicians in the workshop, all dressed in dark blue overalls and with expectant faces.

Upon closer inspection, most of these people's hands were covered in black engine oil.

Their faces bore the weariness of long hours of overtime, but their eyes shone brighter than the stars in the sky!

Chu Xichun took a deep breath and roared, "Brothers!"

"I am Chu Xichun!"

"You are the Commander-in-Chief of the Second World War Zone. On behalf of the Second World War Zone, the North China Joint Command, and all the people of the country, I would like to express my gratitude to you!"

Done.

This dignified lieutenant general actually stepped back and solemnly gave the workers a standard military salute!

"boom!"

The crowd erupted in cheers. The workers had never seen such a high-ranking official salute them before.

They were all at a loss, some even with tears in their eyes.

Chu Xichun waved her hand: "Pull the stuff up!"

The workshop gate opened, and several American-style ten-wheeled trucks drove up to a spot nearby.

Once the rear panel was lowered, it revealed a mountain of stuff inside.

flour!

Rice!

And those white, even dripping, half-slabs of pork!

"hiss--"

A chorus of swallowing sounds filled the air.

This year.

Big fat pigs are a real commodity, something you can only eat during holidays and festivals.

Chu Xichun pointed at the meat, her gaze sharp as lightning, sweeping across the entire room:
"listen!"

"General Advisor Chu has given the order!"

"All this flour and pork should be distributed to the frontline technicians and workers!"

"This is for people who work hard and sweat!"

"This is for the people who made the cars!"

Chu Xichun chuckled and continued, "As for the management personnel..."

"There are no rewards for grains, oils, or meat this time, but there are silver dollars."

"Furthermore, let me make this clear: it is not allowed to take meat from the mouths of workers and technicians. If it is theirs, it is theirs. Anyone who dares to take a bite of meat from a worker's mouth will be court-martialed."

The entire room fell silent for a second.

Followed by.

"Long live!!"

"Long live the Second World War Zone!" "Long live Commander Chu!"

The cheers were so loud they almost lifted the roof off the workshop!

The workers were so moved that tears welled up in their eyes, and some of the veteran workers even cried like children.

In this chaotic world where human life is as cheap as grass, giving money is not unusual.

But this respect for workers, this rule that "cadres are not allowed to eat meat," is simply unheard of!

A scholar dies for a confidant!

At this moment, even if they were asked to get off work non-stop without stopping, these workers would not complain!
Looking at this scene of intense emotion.

A surge of pride welled up in Chu Xichun's heart, and she dropped another bombshell: "We're not going to play games!"

"Ten thousand vehicles, we'll build ten thousand vehicles for the first batch!"

"besides!"

"Whether they are workers or technicians."

"Whoever can improve the technology, whoever can make the car run faster and carry more, even if it's just by saving a single screw, or even if it increases the load by fifty pounds."

"As long as it works!"

"Houses! Money, they're all generous."

"We can also send our child to the best school in Changzhi!"

"The Shanxi Pacification Headquarters will cover all the children's school expenses!"

"Just talk but don't practice fake moves!"

Chu Xichun, caught up in his emotions, disregarded his composure, rolled up the sleeves of his military uniform, and pointed at the newly rolled-out "Friendship" No. 1 vehicle: "Get some men to fill the truck bed, load it with four tons of sandbags, and I'll personally ride it around!"

"Sir, this..."

Sun Weimou wiped the beads of sweat from his forehead, somewhat worried: "It's hot, and there was a downpour just now. The road conditions outside aren't very good either. Should we reschedule the test?"

"What are you afraid of?"

"If the cars we build can't even get through these muddy puddles, how are we going to send them to the front lines?"

Under the arrangement of Sun Weimou and others, a test driver quickly jumped into the driver's seat.

His name is Lao Zhang, and he used to be a transport soldier in the Jin-Sui Army.

After Chu Xichun greeted him, Old Zhang skillfully shifted gears and accelerated with one hand.

"Sir, hold on tight!"

"boom--!"

The engine roared, and the massive vehicle, carrying four tons of sandbags, charged out of the workshop like an angry bull, kicking up a wave of heat.

The test track outside the factory area is a specially reserved flat ground, and the mud, after being exposed to the sun, emits an earthy smell.

The vehicle shook violently, splashing mud everywhere.

Sitting in the passenger seat, Chu Xichun gripped the armrest tightly. Large beads of sweat rolled down his cheeks, wetting his collar insignia, but he didn't feel uncomfortable. Instead, he felt a sense of security he had never felt before.

This is power!
This is the power of steel!

The wheels rolled over a deep rut, the frame making a sickening metallic creak, but then it bounced back stubbornly and roared forward again.

"Great car, a really great car!"

"Sir."

"If only we had even ten of these vehicles during the Battle of Linfen that year."

"My entire company of brothers, along with hundreds of boxes of mortar shells, can be sent to the front lines."

"Sir, they won't have been trapped in the dry ditch by the Japanese and blown to pieces!"

Chu Xichun's heart skipped a beat, and her nose tingled with emotion: "It's all in the past, Lao Zhang."

"We've built this car!"

"There will be tanks and airplanes in the future!"

"What we've lost, we'll get back."

Jinan, command post.

Chu Yunfei stood with his hands behind his back in front of the map, his eyes slightly closed, seemingly resting, but in reality, his consciousness had already sunk deep into his mind.

Within a three-dimensional combat map.

The topography and troop deployment of the entire border area of ​​Jiangsu, Shandong, Henan and Anhui are clearly visible.

From God's perspective.

In Pengcheng, not far to the south, military markers representing the Japanese army were being constantly moved around.

However, they showed no signs of gathering their forces to break out.

The markings representing Japanese defensive fortifications were increasing at a rate that changed almost daily.

It is clear that Yoneo Ota is building a tortoise shell.

The number of bunkers and trenches increased far faster than previously estimated, suggesting that these Japanese devils had likely captured a significant number of laborers.

Otherwise, such a construction speed would never have been possible.

Judging from the overall situation, these 20,000 Japanese soldiers had no intention of actually breaking through.

Judging from the Japanese army's frequent requisitioning of civilian ships in the Haizhou direction, it is clear that the Japanese army is playing the same old tricks.

"Sacrifice a pawn to save the chariot, or cut off the tail to survive."

"Okamura Neiji, when will you fight me fair and square?"

Ever since his fight with Chu Yunfei.

Okamura Yasuji retreated again and again, suffering defeat after defeat, which made Chu Yunfei feel almost no pressure from the command level.

Just as Chu Yunfei was pondering whether to start preparing for the war against the Soviet Union this year.

Chief of Staff Fang Ligong, clutching a stack of newly compiled reconnaissance reports, hurried over, his expression tinged with doubt: "Sir, the frontline reconnaissance planes and plainclothes teams have sent back some intelligence, and the situation seems a bit strange."

"Are the Japanese soldiers in Xuzhou not only not fleeing, but instead frantically reinforcing their fortifications?"

"And the remnants of the Japanese and puppet troops in various parts of northern Jiangsu are moving eastward toward Haizhou, disregarding everything?"

Fang Ligong paused, looking at Chu Yunfei in surprise: "Sir, how did you know? The intelligence department has only just pieced together the fragmented information."

"It's just another trick of Okamura Yasuji's. Just as you judged, Brother Ligong, he can only be a patch-up artist. He can't solve any of Japan's current predicaments."

Fang Ligong was very clever and immediately figured out the key point: "Those tens of thousands of Japanese and puppet troops in Pengcheng were not meant to defend Xuzhou, nor were they even meant to break out of the siege."

"It's 'bait'!"

“Okamura Yasuji was well aware that after the annihilation of the 12th Army, he no longer had the resources to turn the tide in North China.”

"He ordered Ota Yoneo to defend Pengcheng to the death, intending to use the lives of tens of thousands of men to keep our main force glued to the walls of Pengcheng like a magnet! This would force us to waste ammunition, morale, and time in brutal street fighting!"

"And his real purpose."

Fang Ligong pointed his baton sharply at Haizhou: "It's to cover the retreat of some remnants of the army in northern Jiangsu and even central China through Haizhou Port!"

"Qingdao and Weihai are being pressured by Li Yannian and He Zhuguo's large troop groups, and the Kwantung Army can't get through. Haizhou is his only lifeline!"

"Your Excellency, shall we then dispatch new combat troops to strike directly at Haizhou?"

"No!"

Chu Yunfei's eyes flashed with murderous intent as he resolutely refused: "Pengcheng still needs to be attacked."

"Even if the meat is stuck to my lips, I will chew it up and swallow it!"

"Of course, Haizhou won't escape either!"

"The reserve force of Zhang Xuezhong in episode 19 is dispatched to reinforce Wang Zhonglian's troops, and the troops of Tang Huaiyuan in episode 5 are to immediately turn towards Haizhou."

"We want them to be like a sharp knife, planted directly into the docks of Haizhou Port!"

"We must not let the Japanese devils get what they want."

Fang Ligong quickly jotted down the orders, the pen scratching on the paper: "Yes, Your Excellency, we've turned the tables on you, trapping the dog behind closed doors!"

Li Jingzhong also walked over quickly at this moment.

"Your Excellency! Your Excellency!"

"Fantastic news!"

"An urgent telegram from General Chennault, commander of the Fourteenth Air Force (Flying Tigers)!"

Chu Yunfei took the telegram, glanced at it, raised an eyebrow slightly, and then revealed a complicated smile: "The Americans were quick to agree this time, but they also drew a red line for us."

He handed the telegram to Fang Ligong.

The telegram was concise and to the point:

【

In view of the critical developments in the North China campaign, the main force of our 14th Air Force will devote all its efforts to supporting your offensive in southern Shandong and northern Jiangsu within the next week.

Subsequently, due to strategic adjustments and in coordination with the offensive along the Yuehan Railway in the South China battlefield, the main force of our air force will be transferred to Wuchang and Hengyang airports.

God bless you.

—Claire Lee Chennault

“One week,” Fang Ligong pondered. “Time is a bit tight. It seems that the US has not yet come up with a concrete plan to bomb Tokyo. Their focus is still on supporting the battlefield inside the Great Wall.”

Chu Yunfei nodded, but his eyes burned with even stronger fighting spirit: "The Americans are going to attack the Yuehan Railway from South China. They will definitely tilt their air superiority towards that side, since it is related to our access to the sea."

"A week is enough!"

"Since we only have seven days, let's not be stingy with them!"

"Return the telegram to General Chennault: Thank you for the support of our allies!"

"Please have the 14th Air Force focus on two areas this week!"

"First, we need the air force's bombers to destroy the core Japanese defensive fortifications in Pengcheng with heavy bombs, helping the attacking forces to smash Ota Yoneo's turtle shell!"

"Second, and most importantly—Haizhou Port. Deploy all available air forces to Haizhou Port. The targets are all the docks and piers in Haizhou Port, as well as all Japanese ships anchored in the port, whether warships or fishing boats. Sink them all!"

"I want to see if these landlubbers can swim back to the Japanese islands without a boat!"

"Yes!"

Fang Ligong and Li Jingzhong responded in unison.

All the staff officers sprang into action.

The telephones rang incessantly, carrying a series of menacing orders that flew through the airwaves to the smoke-filled front lines. (End of Chapter)