The War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression Begins in Songhu

Chapter 438 Taking It Out (Two-in-One Chapter)

At 7 p.m. that evening, it was completely dark.

On the wooden boat sailing downstream on the Yong River, Hu Biao and the others suddenly realized something: they only had 5 minutes left before they returned to the modern world.

The next second, Lao Tai politely said to Hu Biao and the others, "Xiao Hu, thank you for your trouble."

Oh, by the way! If you all have time to visit your province, I'll take you to see Huangguoshu Waterfall, and we'll eat braised pig's trotters in soup and Guizhou hot pot.

After hearing this, Hu Biao did not speak. He nodded and then picked up a pillow that was probably left behind by the former boatman when he spent the night on the boat, and placed it on the side of Lao Tai's head.

At the same time, he pulled an M1911 pistol from under his clothes and placed it on the pillow.

Then he placed his finger on the trigger, seemingly about to pull it and kill Old Tai with a single shot.

The other transmigrators saw this, and although their eyes were filled with complex emotions, and even Annie looked at Hu Biao with some worry, none of them intended to stop him.

The key reason was that Old Tai, the old man, took the initiative to ask Hu Biao to shoot him and kill him with one shot.

There's nothing we can do! The old man is already 73 years old this year.

Even though his physical condition was quite good compared to his peers, the terrible living conditions and intense battles after he transmigrated were still too difficult for him.

During the time Lao Tai was lying low in Nanning, he had to travel around and make contacts every day, and many times he felt that his body could not take it anymore.

However, due to the heavy responsibility on his shoulders, he gritted his teeth and persevered in the end.

Especially after the operation in Nanning was completed, his hands and feet were trembling so badly that he didn't even have the strength to stand up.

So this old man wasn't afraid of death or the dangers he would encounter after time travel; rather, he was afraid that his physical condition would hinder everyone's fight against the Japanese.

After careful consideration, he asked Hu Biao to shoot him more than an hour ago.

In this way, even if Old Tai dies during a time travel, he won't participate in the next time travel and won't hinder the progress of the younger generation.

After thinking for a minute or two, Hu Biao agreed to the old man's request.

Although he thought that Lao Tai would continue to travel through time even if he didn't take on any missions, his rich life experience would still be of great help to these greenhorns.

But he's already this old, and he's even hunted monkeys in Laoshan. He's done enough for the country, and it's time for him to enjoy his retirement.

Let the young people handle the rest.

As for Hu Biao's action of picking up a pillow and placing it under the muzzle of the gun, don't be misled by the plot in movies and TV dramas. Doing so will not significantly reduce the sound of gunfire.

Hu Biao simply didn't want blood to splatter everywhere after he fired the shot.

Annie's worried gaze stemmed from the concern that killing one's own people to avoid participating in future time travel might incur punishment from that mysterious being.

Seeing that her husband had already made up his mind, she ultimately decided to keep quiet and say nothing; after all, men still have to save face in public.

Finally, after a gunshot, the bran in the pillow flew everywhere, and Old Tai fell backward without a sound.

The others, including Black Star and AT, quickly got to work, stuffing Old Tai's body into a sack; after adding several large stones, they tied the sack shut, lifted it, and threw it into the Yong River.

After a splash of water, the sack sank completely into the water.

During this process, even though they knew that Old Ty would be perfectly resurrected in the modern world in just a few minutes, Black Star and AT's expressions and moods were quite strange.

This kind of experience is really strange.

And so, for the rest of the time, no one was in the mood to speak, silently watching the Yongjiang River flowing quietly beside the boat.

First, they were waiting for the final moment of returning to the modern world; second, they wanted to see what rewards and evaluations the mysterious place had given them during this journey.

The wait was not in vain; two minutes later, the following message floated across the water to the left of the small boat:
Congratulations to all the time travelers, this time travel journey has come to an end.

Among them, Mina, Xiao Henan, Lao Ma, Lao Tai, and Lao Qian died in battle during this time travel. Their souls will be immediately resurrected after being transported back to the modern world 85 years later, but they will not participate in the next mission.

Whether or not to participate in subsequent time-travel journeys is currently undecided.

Hu Biao, Annie, Black Star, Old K, AT, Uncle Bo, Old Yu, Warehouse Manager, Mo Shuiyan, Xiao Cui, Thug, Guard, Old Third, and thirteen others.
The soul will be transported back to the modern world, and the injuries on the body will be completely healed.

One month later, Hu Biao and the other thirteen people will begin a new journey through time.

The reward for this mission is that all eighteen individuals, including Hu Biao, will receive a slight improvement in their overall physical qualities, including stamina, strength, speed, nerve reaction, and recovery ability.

However, because the number of times the physical fitness of the above eighteen people improved varies, they will receive different evaluations.

The six men—Old Third, Old K, the thug, the guard, Old Tai, and Old Qian—have all improved their physical abilities once. Hmph! They're just a few slightly stronger greyhounds.

Mina, Lao Ma, Xiao Henan, the warehouse manager, and Xiao Cui—the five of them have improved their physical fitness twice in total. It's nothing special! They're just some pretty good greyhounds.

Lao Yu, Hei Xing, Mo Shuiyan, and the other two have improved their physical fitness three times in total. That's alright! You guys are already the kings among greyhounds, but unfortunately, you're still greyhounds.

Annie, AT, and Uncle Bo have collectively improved their physical abilities four times – that's impressive! They're already the undisputed champions among greyhounds, and they remain greyhounds.
Hu Biao's physical fitness has improved six times in total, and he's dead! You, the Tiger of Shanghai, are already showing some tiger-like qualities, but unfortunately, you're still just a little tiger cub.

Friendly reminder: The number of upgrades listed above only represents the upgrade data obtained by the transmigrator and does not represent the individual's final strength; the individual's final strength must also include their inherent physical attributes.

In addition! Besides his improved physical fitness, Hu Biao also received the additional reward of master-level brewing expertise in Guangxi briefcases, rice wine, and gecko medicinal wine.

The third child received the Taro Braised Pork Belly award, a Master-level cooking skill.

Finally, the additional rewards for the Chinese family in the modern world 85 years later have been determined and will be distributed subsequently.

Perhaps due to the increasing number of members in the time-traveling team, the text displayed on the water's surface this time was more extensive and lasted for a longer period.

So everyone quickly read the above content, without having time to digest it.

They could already feel their bodies gradually turning into countless specks of light; the time to return to the modern world had finally come…

At the same time, several cars and trucks arrived at the small dock on the Yongjiang River where Hu Biao had left earlier, amidst the roar of their engines.

Before two of the cars had come to a complete stop, the people sitting inside jumped off and ran towards the river.

Surprisingly, it was four big shots: Bai Jiansheng, Chen Xiuzhi, Zhang Fakui, and Li Jisheng.

It turned out that at this point, they finally learned of Hu Biao and the others' departure, so they hurriedly brought their guards over.

But now, when they looked out over the Yong River, they could no longer see the small boat or any trace of Hu Biao and the others.

Immediately, Bai Jian slapped his thigh hard and said angrily:
"Hu Yitong is a fool! Even if he's leaving, why is he leaving in such a hurry? Couldn't he let the people and soldiers of Guangxi province give them a proper send-off before they go?"

Hearing this, he learned that the old captain of the guard was injured during the siege.

A newly promoted captain of the guard, who was also a distant relative of his, immediately offered his suggestion:
"Commander Bai, don't worry. I heard that Commander Hu and his men traveled downstream in an ordinary small boat, and their speed was not very fast."

"If we just find a small steamboat and drive at full speed, we should catch up with it in no time."

Upon hearing this statement, even the three men, Chen, Li, Zhang, and others, who were extremely shrewd, almost burst out laughing.

Bai Jiansheng and the others breathed a huge sigh of relief when they learned that Hu Biao and the others were willing to leave on their own. Their hasty pursuit and anxious appearance were merely for show.

After all, Hu Biao and others made the greatest contributions in this battle, so it would be best not to give others cause for criticism.

If Hu Biao were to be brought back and such a menace were to remain in Guangxi Province, Commander Bai would likely be devastated.

Whether you want to say it or not! Bai Jiansheng is a big shot in the Guangxi clique, and his shrewdness is several stories high. Even if he wanted to kick this good-for-nothing out on the spot.

His face was full of sighs and lamentations, and he said:
"Enough! It would be better if we had never met, my friend. You grow old in Jiangnan, while I am in Yanbei. Hu Yitong is a very upright man. Since he is determined to leave, we cannot stop him. Today, they helped my Guangxi Army to retake Nanning. If there is an opportunity in the future, we will repay this kindness properly."

When he said the second half of the sentence, "I will repay you properly," Commander Bai was quite sincere.

In short, if we were to describe Officer Bai's current state of mind in modern terms: as long as Hu Biao doesn't covet his territory or cause trouble in his old stronghold in Guangxi Province, they are good friends.

******
Even after Hu Biao and the other time travelers left, the world in 1930 would not stop because of their departure.

It continued to develop along the original, enormous historical inertia.

However, the arrival of Hu Biao and his group, and their frantic efforts, still brought about some changes to the world.

Even though such changes are insignificant to the world as a whole, they can be quite painful yet surprising for the people and forces involved...

On the Japanese side, in this campaign in Guinan, they not only failed to achieve their strategic objective of cutting off China's largest overseas supply line, but also...

They also suffered huge losses in terms of manpower and equipment.

The renowned 5th Steel Army Division of the Army, the 18th Division whose combat power was comparable to that of a Class A division, and the Taiwanese mixed brigade were almost completely wiped out.

Even division commanders, brigade commanders, and other generals were not spared.

The situation was better for the Imperial Guard Brigade, but only slightly better, as their casualty count exceeded 70%.

The aircraft carrier Gah, although eventually extinguished with the help of a large number of warships in the vicinity, did not sink due to the fire igniting the fuel tanks and causing a massive explosion.

But its state of disrepair was only slightly better than a complete sinking.
After being towed back to the shipyard, not only will the work in the dock be disrupted, but it will also likely take a long time to repair.

In the time to come, it's uncertain whether this main Japanese aircraft carrier will be able to participate in the future attack on Pearl Harbor, as it has in history.

Almost all of the senior officers on the Gakh were wiped out, and more than half of the sailors, pilots, and ground crew were lost; not a single one of the sixty or seventy carrier-based aircraft on board was left.

In addition, the anti-aircraft firepower and personnel of several other heavy cruisers and destroyers also suffered considerable losses.

In summary, the Japanese army's operation in Guinan this time was a case of trying to steal a chicken but losing the rice instead; they ended up losing a lot of money.

Even so, the Japanese stubbornly claimed that the 5th and 18th Divisions had only suffered heavy losses and had not been annihilated.

And soon after, the rebuilding of these troops began.

However, anyone could see that these two rebuilt Japanese divisions were useless. With almost all their veterans dead, their combat effectiveness was not even comparable to that of a second-rate division.

At the same time, even though the Japanese suffered such a crushing defeat.

They cut off China's largest overseas supply line, and their idea of ​​forcing the bald-headed principal to surrender has not been abandoned even at this point.

In late May of 5, they began pressuring legal entities to close off the import of goods from French Annam to China.

At this point, the French were almost beaten to a pulp by the Germans and were only a few days away from surrendering, so they finally agreed to the Japanese demands.

It was Hu Biao and his team's presence that extended the operation of this overseas supply route by four months, allowing 27,000 tons of supplies to be successfully transported in.

It could be considered as providing some much-needed relief to China, which was facing immense difficulties at the time...

In such a difficult year, China's victory was a great boost to the determination and confidence of the military and civilians in the war of resistance.

Therefore, almost all ordinary soldiers and civilians couldn't help but keep one thing in mind:
The Nationalist government and the bald-headed principal have yet to announce any specific rewards for Commander Hu and his comrades, who made the greatest contributions in this battle. Will they be ignored again as before?
This concern finally came to a conclusion in mid-March.

During his inspection tour of the Guinan region, the bald man arrived at the core area of ​​the battlefield in Dadong Township, in front of the crooked pomegranate tree in front of the township government.

After carefully examining the remaining bloodstains on the tree trunk, the bald-headed principal announced the rewards for Hu Biao and the others:

Hu Biao, Annie, AT, Black Star, and the other eighteen people who traveled through time were awarded the Order of the Blue Sky and White Sun; this was a breakthrough for them in terms of honors awarded by the Nationalist government.

Meanwhile, the Northern Jiangsu Independent Regiment established a base in Pingding County, Northwest Shanxi, and upgraded the guerrilla area in Northwest Shanxi.

It was a secondary guerrilla zone under the Shanxi Province guerrilla zone, nominally under the leadership and command of the Second War Zone.

Modern people may be relatively unfamiliar with the concept of Kuomintang guerrilla zones.

Only a very few insightful people disdain the bald principal's ulterior motives.

In the Republic of China's military, military ranks were divided into two types: official ranks and merit ranks.

Position and rank are easy to define; generally, the position you hold corresponds to the rank you hold, such as major general brigade commander or lieutenant general division commander.

Military ranks are determined by a comprehensive evaluation of seniority, combat achievements, years of service, and position, status, and prestige within the military.

It belongs to a more formal, important, and crucial military rank.

In summary, if we were to be precise about Hu Biao's rank in the Nationalist Army, he would still be a lieutenant colonel and a regimental commander.

It feels similar to the situation where Liao Yaoxiang, in the future, would command the 9th Army Corps with a total of 15 troops, but his military rank would only be that of a cavalry colonel.

However, even if Hu Biao knew about the bald principal's little schemes and tactics, he wouldn't care much.

The reason is simple: that batch of equipment, which was traded between the Russians and Uncle Sam, and consisted of equipment equivalent to five divisions, has finally been delivered.

I guess it's so that they can get such a pleasant surprise next time.

The bald-headed principal was surprisingly straightforward, handing over a portion of the agreed-upon equipment, almost without any discount, to the Pingding County base area and our party's troops in the Baota area.

It was only at this time that our Party's army, which had been accustomed to poverty, realized just how luxurious the equipment of a standard Soviet army division was.

According to the standards of 1930, a Soviet division had 18,800 men.

If this were in the context of China, it would be considered an army of this size, and a relatively strong one at that.

Even if the Russians played some tricks, resulting in a significant reduction in the actual equipment delivered, including the absence of support tanks, many artillery pieces, and light and heavy machine guns.

The various figures on that list were still outrageously extravagant in the eyes of the Chinese people:

加农炮团一个，36门76毫米加农炮；反坦克营一个，18门45毫米反坦克炮；高射炮营一个，12门37毫米高射炮。

In addition, there were 48 82mm and 50mm mortars, 288 light and heavy machine guns, more than 400 PPD submachine guns, 8600 Mosin-Nagant rifles, and 460 pistols.

And two basic loads of shells, as well as bullets of various calibers.

On the contrary, the soldiers of this era, because they did not officially participate in the war, were equipped with far less luxurious equipment than those in the later stages of World War II, and even less than the Soviet army.

However, even after the reduction in equipment standards, the level of luxury still left many Chinese people quite astonished:

75毫米榴弹炮36门，24门37毫米反坦克炮，81毫米和60毫米迫击炮52门。

256 light and heavy machine guns, 96 Thompson submachine guns, 6100 Springfield rifles, and 370 pistols, all with two basic loads of ammunition.

The Central Army was overjoyed upon receiving this equipment, not to mention how much more extravagant it became.

Our Party's headquarters personnel in the Baota area, and Zhao Zheng in charge of the actual work in the Pingding County base area—no! It should now be called the Northwest Shanxi Guerrilla Area.

For a long time, they felt as if it were Chinese New Year, and even had a very prosperous one.

This guy! He's really got his hands on it...

(End of this chapter)