Bright Sword: The Flowers of War

Chapter 293 This is not a dream
The temporary base of the Eighth Route Army Independent Regiment in the southern suburbs of Wutai County.

This place has become a sea of ​​joy.

The camp, which was usually rather dull due to a lack of weapons and ammunition, was now filled with excited shouts and the crisp sounds of metal clashing.

Boxes of brand-new ammunition were opened, and rows of brand-new rifles and machine guns, gleaming with a deep blue luster, were neatly arranged on the open ground, shimmering with a cold yet captivating light in the sunlight.

The soldiers stroked their new guns as if they were caressing their most beloved girls, their smiles never fading.

Li Yunlong and Zhao Gang were walking side by side in the camp, inspecting the Independent Regiment's uniform change.

Li Yunlong was holding a brand-new Type 11 light machine gun, slapping the gun barrel with his palm, feeling its solid texture, his mouth wide open so much that you could almost see his back teeth.

He turned his head and excitedly shouted to Zhao Gang beside him, "Old Zhao, look, look! After our Independent Regiment was re-equipped this time, it's like we've gone from ragtag guns to cannons!"

No... it's like they've gone from muskets to cannons!
"Let me tell you, if I run into that son of a bitch Yamazaki's crew again, I guarantee I'll take them all out in two hours... no... one hour... one hour!"

Seeing his smug expression and the barely suppressed smile on his face, Zhao Gang smiled and said, "Alright, alright, stop bragging."

"If Commander Cheng's 772nd Regiment had the same equipment we have now, would the brigade commander have needed to send our independent regiment to attack Lijiapo?"

"Hey, that's true."

Li Yunlong, unusually, did not refute. He handed the machine gun to a soldier next to him, looked at the bustling scene before him, and said with great emotion, "Now, our Independent Regiment can be considered truly prosperous. In the past, I would never have dared to dream of such a wonderful thing."

His gaze swept over the rows of soldiers distributing weapons, his voice filled with a dreamlike quality.

"Look at this, a Type 96 machine gun, not only is it directly assigned to each squad, but there are two for each squad."

Damn it, it's even more extravagant than the Japanese Army's Class A division.

Each platoon was equipped with a Type 92 heavy machine gun. And that wasn't all; Brother Su also specially set up an artillery company for our Independent Regiment.

Six 82mm mortars and two 75mm infantry guns! Ammunition piled up like mountains, fire as much as you want! Old Zhao… this… this is like a dream!

As Li Yunlong finished speaking, his voice even trembled slightly, a result of the overwhelming sense of happiness that came from finally turning his life around after enduring poverty for so long.

He took a deep drag on his cigarette, and the smoke rings he exhaled seemed to carry a sense of triumph.

Just as Li Yunlong was still immersed in the immense happiness of "becoming rich" and was expressing his feelings to Zhao Gang, a familiar voice rang out behind him like a thunderclap from a clear sky.

"Li Yunlong!"

Upon hearing the voice, Li Yunlong, who had been smoking a cigarette and looking smug, suddenly felt a shiver run down his spine as if he had been electrocuted.

The cigarette in his hand fell to the ground with a "thud," and he instantly switched from a lazy state to a tense fighting stance.

"Shh!"

He snapped to attention, heels together, body ramrod straight, and Zhao Gang beside him did the same almost simultaneously. The two men raised their hands in unison to salute, and shouted loudly in the direction of the voice:

"Hello, Brigadier!"

Before he finished speaking, the brigade commander, accompanied by two guards, strode up in front of them.

Just now in the command post, he had been persuaded by Su Yaoyang and Bai Chongxi to accept the new combat arrangements.

At this moment, his face was full of seriousness and sharpness, as if a great battle was about to begin.

"Li Yunlong."

The brigade commander walked up to the two men, his sharp gaze sweeping over Li Yunlong first, then looking at Zhao Gang beside him, and asked in a deep voice, "Li Yunlong, Zhao Gang, how is the re-equipment of your Independent Regiment going? Can the troops be put into combat immediately?"

Upon hearing the brigade commander's question, Li Yunlong dared not be negligent in the slightest. He puffed out his chest even more and reported loudly, "Reporting to the brigade commander, the Independent Regiment has completed its re-equipment! The entire regiment is in high spirits and ready to engage in battle at any time. Please give the order, brigade commander!"

"Well!"

The brigade commander nodded in satisfaction; this was exactly the kind of spirit he wanted.

Without further ado, he issued the battle order, his voice strong and clear, echoing through the noisy camp.

"That's good! Now, I order your Independent Regiment to immediately complete all combat preparations. One hour from now, the entire regiment will depart on time and advance rapidly towards Taiyuan!"

He stretched out his finger and pointed in the direction of Taiyuan.

"After arriving at the outskirts of Taiyuan, you will be assigned to the attack cluster of the Shanxi militia."

Your mission is to follow the 1st and 2nd Armored Regiments of the Shanxi Militia, and cooperate with their 1st and 6th Infantry Regiments to forcefully penetrate the opening created by the armored forces.

"Like a sharp knife, wipe out all the Japanese troops on the outer defense line of Taiyuan! Leave not a single one alive! Do you understand?"

The brigade commander's tone was resolute and unquestionable.

Li Yunlong and Zhao Gang exchanged a glance, both able to see the excitement and fighting spirit in each other's eyes.

They snapped to attention again and answered with a thunderous roar:
"Yes! Promise to complete the mission!"

After loudly accepting the order, Li Yunlong's quick mind started working again. His eyes darted around, and he immediately asked, "Brigade Commander, this assault mission shouldn't be limited to just our Independent Regiment, right? With such a large-scale operation, which other unit have you sent?"

"You're quick-witted, kid."

The brigade commander couldn't help but laugh at his shrewd expression, and the tense atmosphere eased considerably. "And Ding Wei's new 1st Regiment. You two regiments, as the fist of our 386th Brigade, are responsible for cooperating with friendly forces in the attack and mopping-up operations on the outer perimeter of the Japanese positions."

At this point, the brigade commander's expression turned serious again. He patted Li Yunlong on the shoulder and said earnestly:

"This time, you guys better fight to the death and show the might of our 386th Brigade! You know, I had to talk a lot with Commander Bai and Regiment Commander Su to get this mission for you."

"What? Is there such a thing?"

Li Yunlong and Zhao Gang were both taken aback. In their view, fighting was a matter of course, so how could it be that the brigade commander had begged for this battle?
"Of course I would lie to you."

The brigade commander snorted softly, a hint of displeasure on his face, as if he were recalling the scene in the command post.

"Originally, they didn't plan to send us to this attack. It was only after I pleaded and assured them that we were given this mission to follow behind and expand the victory."

So if you don't perform well this time and embarrass the Eighth Route Army, just wait and see how I deal with you when I get back!

"no……"

Li Yunlong was truly enraged this time. His stubborn temper flared up, his neck stiffened, and he shouted defiantly:

"Why do they look down on us? Haven't we fought enough fierce battles? What makes them so great that they dare to look down on us!"

"Because we don't understand combined arms operations, or combined arms operations! Because they're afraid we'll charge in and get accidentally hit by their own tanks and heavy artillery!"

The brigade commander retorted with a single sentence, his expression instantly turning extremely serious, his eyes sharp as knives, piercing straight into Li Yunlong's eyes.

"Do you know what? When Commander Su brought up this issue in front of me and Commander Bai, I found myself speechless!"

The brigade commander's voice carried a hint of heaviness and resentment, "Who told us to be poor? Who told us to be so unsophisticated and never come into contact with these modern things?"

What they said is true, what can I say to refute it?

Seeing Li Yunlong speechless after being rebuked, the brigade commander softened his tone slightly, but the content was even more thought-provoking.

"So, Li Yunlong, Zhao Gang! This time, I'm sending you to fight alongside the Shanxi militia, not just to fight the Japanese devils."

It's also to teach you, to open your eyes wide, prick up your ears, and take a good look at how modern armies fight!
Not only do we need to perform well and show our fighting spirit, but we also need to learn all their excellent combat experience! Understand?

These words struck Li Yunlong and Zhao Gang like a heavy hammer blow. They instantly understood the brigade commander's good intentions. This was not just a battle, but also a valuable learning opportunity.

The two men straightened their backs, their expressions turned serious, and they roared with all their might:

"Yes! Promise to complete the mission!"

Seeing the serious and solemn expressions on Li Yunlong and Zhao Gang's faces, the brigade commander knew that they had taken his words to heart.

He nodded in satisfaction: "Good that you understand. I won't say any more. Remember your mission: fight bravely and learn something!"

He turned around, preparing to leave, and said as he walked, "I still need to go to the New First Regiment to give Ding Wei some instructions."

That kid's got a lot of tricks up his sleeve, and he's never easy to deal with.

"hey-hey……"

Upon hearing that the brigade commander was going to "reprimand" his old comrade-in-arms Ding Wei, Li Yunlong's face immediately broke into a gloating smile. His previous serious demeanor vanished instantly, as if he could already imagine Ding Wei being scolded and humiliated by the brigade commander.

Watching the brigade commander and his bodyguards hurriedly depart, Li Yunlong's smile vanished instantly, replaced by a decisive and efficient expression. He took a deep breath and roared at the messenger beside him:
"Assembly call! All personnel, assemble immediately!"
Five minutes! I need to see everyone lined up on the playground within five minutes... Hurry!

The sharp call to assemble immediately resounded throughout the entire Independent Regiment's garrison. The soldiers, who were still familiarizing themselves with their weapons and organizing their equipment, dropped what they were doing, grabbed their weapons, and rushed to the parade ground as fast as they could.

The entire camp instantly transformed from its previous hustle and bustle into a tense and orderly atmosphere, filled with the sounds of soldiers running and officers shouting orders.

In less than five minutes, the more than 1,000 men of the Independent Regiment had assembled on the parade ground in the order of battalion, company, and platoon. The troops stood straight and silent, waiting for the regimental commander's instructions.

Li Yunlong and Zhao Gang strode onto the makeshift platform. Li Yunlong had just cleared his throat, preparing to give a pre-battle pep talk, when a sentry on guard duty rushed over.

"Reporting to the regimental commander! Political commissar!"

The sentry saluted and reported breathlessly, "A lot of trucks have arrived outside the camp! A huge, dark mass of them, blocking the road! An officer from the Shanxi militia got out of one of the trucks and said he has important business to discuss!"

"truck?"

Li Yunlong and Zhao Gang exchanged a glance, both somewhat puzzled.

Before they could think it through, the militia officer, led by the sentry at the gate, strode over. He walked to the foot of the platform, gave Li Yunlong and Zhao Gang a crisp military salute, and reported in a loud voice:
"Reporting to Commander Li and Political Commissar Zhao!"

Zhang Youshan, Battalion Commander of the 1st Battalion of the Shanxi Militia Motor Transport Regiment, has come to assist your unit on orders from General Su! My battalion is ordered to transport all soldiers and equipment of the Independent Regiment to their designated attack positions on the Taiyuan front as quickly as possible!

"What? A car... to take us to the front lines?"

Li Yunlong was stunned on the spot. He picked at his ear, wondering if he had misheard.

In the past, fighting relied entirely on foot; covering a hundred or two hundred li a day was considered a forced march. Now, they actually had cars to ride into battle? This kind of treatment was something Li Yunlong never even dared to dream of before!

Standing next to him, Zhao Gang was also shocked and surprised. He looked at the equally dumbfounded soldiers around him, and then at the officer's confident expression, and finally realized that he was not dreaming.

(End of this chapter)