Bright Sword: The Flowers of War

Chapter 336 It Boils Over
The autumn wind swept across the Shanxi military airport, lifting the tattered canvas along the edge of the runway, carrying with it oil stains and the smell of gunpowder.

Several silver-gray P-51 Mustang fighter jets were neatly parked on the taxiway, their sheet metal edges gleaming coldly in the setting sun.

Ye Qifeng and Lu Guangbiao, the third squadron leader, stood outside the command tent, arms crossed, their eyes sharply fixed on the front.

Standing before them was a tall, upright young man with taut shoulders and a slight rise and fall of his chest from tension.

"Song Shaojie, right? I heard you also graduated from Kunming Aviation School?" Ye Qifeng spoke, his voice low and tinged with suspicion, as he squinted at the young man's reaction.

"Reporting, sir! Yes, I am from the fourth class of the Kunming Aviation Military Academy!"

Song Shaojie immediately stood at attention, his voice ringing out, but then paused and added, "But I must clarify, I only studied for a year and a half because an elderly person in my family passed away, and I had to return to handle the funeral arrangements. I didn't go back to continue my studies; instead, I came straight here!"

Ye Qifeng raised his left hand and scratched his messy hair, his eyes becoming increasingly suspicious: "Then why don't you go back to Kunming to finish your studies before enlisting? It would only take half a year at most, it won't make a difference, will it?"

The bloodshot in Song Shaojie's eyes was clearly visible, and his voice carried a trace of grief and indignation: "Because I couldn't wait any longer. My parents... were killed by the Japanese devils."

I wanted to avenge them, so I came all the way from Kunming to Shanxi to join China's best air force.

Looking at the young man with a face full of grief and indignation, Ye Qifeng felt a headache coming on, and the muscles on his cheeks twitched slightly, but in the end he only said, "How about this, you go and rest first, we'll discuss it and give you an answer later."

"Yes!"

The wind howled at the end of the runway, and the military markings on the wings of the fighter jets swayed incessantly.

After Song Shaojie was taken away, Ye Qifeng finally let out a long sigh of relief, raised his hand and scratched his head vigorously, his face full of distress, and he couldn't help but mutter a curse under his breath:

"What the hell is going on? Why does a perfectly good young master like himself have to come to our brigade and cause trouble? Don't I have enough problems already?"

Lu Guangbiao was taken aback, looked at Shangguan with suspicion, and asked in confusion:
"What's wrong, sir? Our battalion is short-handed right now! Wouldn't it be a good thing to suddenly have someone who can fly?"

Ye Qifeng glared at him: "Good my ass!"

He frowned, lowered his voice, and said with frustration, "Putting aside the question of how good that kid's flying skills are, just the fact that he's the First Madam's nephew is enough to give me a headache! Let me think about it. If something really happens to that kid, how am I supposed to explain it to the Madam? And how am I supposed to tell the Chief Executive?"

Lu Guangbiao scratched his nose, smiled dismissively, and shook his head, saying, "Sir, I think you're overthinking it."

We're in a life-or-death situation; life and death hang by a thread.

Song Shaojie surely understands this. Since he came to our brigade through the First Madam's introduction, he's already mentally prepared to shed his blood. In that case, what are you worried about?

Ye Qifeng sighed, remained silent for a long time, then shrugged, "I hope so..."

He turned his head and glanced at Lu Guangbiao: "I'll assign Song Shaojie to your second squadron, and you'll personally mentor him."

Lu Guangbiao paused for a moment, then snapped to attention: "Yes, sir!"

Outside Niangziguan Pass, the field command post was dimly lit as night fell.

Outside the command post, the low rumble of artillery fire and bursts of machine gun fire still echoed intermittently in the distance, carrying the unique echoes of the valley, like the beating of war drums.

Pi Ruoyu lifted the curtain and strode in, handing an envelope to Su Yaoyang.

"Sir, this is a letter that Dean Song just sent."

Su Yaoyang took the letter, ran his fingertips along the thick envelope, tore it open with a snap, and unfolded the letter to read it carefully.

After a long pause, he chuckled softly, put down the letter, and said with a touch of wistfulness in his voice:

"Heh... I once heard Song Mei mention that she had a nephew, but they were lost during the war. I never expected... that she would find him here."

Pi Ruoyu listened silently.

Su Yaoyang narrowed his eyes, tapped the map and letter on the table with his fingertips, and after thinking for a while, said, "Since he has chosen to go to the flight squadron for training, let him go."

However, remember to tell Ye Qifeng immediately that he must not be treated specially.

Whether he can take flight and forge a path to survival depends on his own abilities, not on his relationship with my wife.

Pi Ruoyu smiled and nodded, "Okay! I'll go and inform Captain Ye right away."

After discussing family matters, the atmosphere relaxed a bit, and the two immediately turned their attention back to the important matter at hand.

A large battlefield map was spread out on the table, with red arrows covered in code names pointing directly to the core of Niangziguan Pass.

Su Yaoyang raised his eyes and said to Pi Ruoyu, "Old Pi, we have been attacking Niangziguan for seven or eight days now. The troops are making good progress. Judging from the intelligence and what we have seen on the front lines, I estimate that the Japanese ammunition reserves are almost exhausted."

A glint of sternness flashed in his eyes: "I reckon the Japanese army's defeat is just around the corner!"

Pi Ruoyu's expression hardened, and he immediately pressed on in a deep voice, "What does the commander mean...?"

Su Yaoyang's gaze turned cold as he traced the blue arrow representing the Japanese army with his fingertips: "But we can't let our guard down. We must be wary of the Japanese having other tricks up their sleeves. A cornered beast's struggle is often more deadly. You must pay close attention and keep a close eye on the enemy's reinforcements. Don't let your guard down for even a moment."

Pi Ruoyu stood ramrod straight, his gaze resolute, his voice steady and powerful: "I will."

Just then, the curtain was suddenly flung open, and a communications staff officer rushed in, bringing a gust of cold air with him, and urgently reported, "Sir, urgent telegram from the Second War Zone!"

His chest heaved as he handed over an urgent telegram, his voice trembling with anxiety as he said, "Three hours ago, two regiments of the Japanese 27th Division suddenly advanced straight into the area around Rulai Cave, Yuhua Cave, and Wenquan! The 83rd Army stationed there was completely unprepared and was utterly routed on the spot!"

Su Yaoyang frowned, paused, and froze for a moment. Pi Ruoyu, standing beside him, also suddenly looked up.

The staff officer continued urgently, "The Japanese 27th Division has now broken through the 83rd Army's defenses and is heading straight for the rear of the Eighth Route Army's 129th Division and 61st Army."

Commander Yan is urgently dispatching troops to reinforce Xinkou, but there's simply not enough time. Commander Yan requests that we quickly send a capable force to Rulai Cave and Yuhua Cave to intercept the Japanese 27th Division!

The air suddenly solidified.

"Oh no!" "It's broken!"

Su Yaoyang and Pi Ruoyu exclaimed almost simultaneously, rising from their seats. Their eyes were fixed on the narrow valley corridor on the map… the crucial passage for the Japanese invaders to advance directly on the Zhongtiao defense line!
Pi Ruoyu's voice was deep as he pointed his finger at the arrow pointing to the northern front: "Commander-in-Chief, the 129th Division and the 61st Army are currently engaged in a fierce battle with the 4th Division on the front. If they are attacked from both sides... it's not just dangerous, it's a complete collapse of the entire situation!"

Su Yaoyang narrowed his eyes, a cold light flashing in his pupils.

He exhaled slowly, his chest heaving with anxiety, but his voice remained cold and authoritative: "Old Pi! Immediately produce the latest troop deployments for each unit and calculate for me the fastest-moving and most lethal force. Stop this 27th Division at all costs!"

His knuckles crumpled the map, and his voice was like a hammer striking the ground: "If we can't stop them... they'll tear a huge hole in the entire war!"

In the distance, the thunderous artillery fire outside Niangziguan Pass still echoed through the valley, as if resonating with the weight of those words.

Pi Ruoyu paced in front of the map, his finger moving back and forth between Niangziguan and Rulai Cave, his mind racing. After a moment, he looked up, his eyes still showing some hesitation.

"Commander-in-Chief..." he hesitated for a moment before saying, "If we're talking about the most mobile and lethal units, then our two armored regiments are undoubtedly the best. But... they are currently engaged in fierce fighting with the Japanese outside Niangziguan Pass. If we were to withdraw them, our offensive capabilities against Niangziguan Pass would inevitably be greatly reduced."

He paused, pointed to the core of the Japanese defense line on the map, and said in a more serious tone: "Moreover, that old devil Yamawaki Masataka isn't stupid. He must already know about the 27th Division's success, and he's probably dreaming of waiting for us to withdraw so he can launch a counterattack!"
"If we actually withdraw the armored forces, wouldn't that play right into his hands?"

“No… Yamawaki Masataka is indeed cunning, but he’s not stupid.” Su Yaoyang shook his head.

“Seven days ago, he certainly had the right to challenge us. But now…” Su Yaoyang’s lips curled into a disdainful sneer, “A guy who’s short on food and ammunition, and who’s been beaten to the point of near death by us, if he really dares to crawl out of his turtle shell, wouldn’t that be offering himself up for us?”

"Hmm...that makes sense." Pi Ruoyu thought about it again, and his tense nerves relaxed a little.

Su Yaoyang's words were indeed reasonable. At this moment, Yamawaki Masataka was more like a trapped wild beast, struggling to protect himself, and the possibility of him taking the initiative to attack was extremely slim.

But then, another more pressing issue came to his mind, and his brow furrowed again: "Sir, the two armored regiments have been engaged in high-intensity combat for a week now, and the troops are extremely fatigued."

If we were to immediately order them to march hundreds of miles, followed by another brutal and continuous battle… I fear the soldiers' bodies and minds wouldn't be able to withstand it.”

"You have to endure it even if you can't!" Su Yaoyang raised his voice, and his eyes became fierce.

He slammed his fist on the table, making the cartridge pen holder shake.

"Old Pi! Once the 129th Division and the 61st Army are defeated, the 4th and 27th Divisions at Xinkou will immediately be free to join forces with the 3rd Division in the south to form a huge encirclement around us! At that time, if all three divisions attack together, even if we have three heads and six arms, we will be finished!"

Su Yaoyang stared intently at Pi Ruoyu.

"Don't you understand the principle of 'if the lips are gone, the teeth will be cold'?"

Pi Ruoyu also suddenly raised his foot, then stomped on the ground and saluted, "Understood, I will go and give the order immediately."

Just as Pi Ruoyu was about to lift the tent flap, Su Yaoyang's voice came from behind him again.

"and many more……"

Pi Ruoyu paused, turned to look at Su Yaoyang, and asked in his eyes.

After thinking for a moment, Su Yaoyang added:

"Give the orders to the Third Flight Group and the Bomber Group."

Order them to take off immediately and launch a continuous bombing raid on the 27th Division in the area of ​​Rulai Cave and Yuhua Cave.

I don't care what methods they use—aerial bombs, machine guns, napalm—I will do everything in my power to delay the Japanese advance and buy our armored regiment time to reach the battlefield!

The order wasn't over yet. Su Yaoyang raised his head, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes.

"Furthermore, order the First, Eleventh, and Twelfth Regiments, which are left behind in their hometowns, to immediately set off at full speed and march towards Xinkou to reinforce the main battlefield!"

"understand!"

Pi Ruoyu saluted again, but this time, his voice trembled slightly. He looked deeply at Su Yaoyang, his heart pounding.

Sending the most elite and exhausted armored forces to fight a blocking attack was already a risky move. Now, the main bombing force of the air force has been deployed, and even half of the forces that are the last line of defense for the stronghold have been sent out. If anything goes wrong, even Wutai, Xiangding, and Mengxian may be in danger.

Although he felt that Su Yaoyang was taking too much of a risk, soldiers are duty-bound to obey orders, and since Su Yaoyang had already given the order, he could only obey unconditionally.

On the tarmac of Mengxian Airport

Lu Guangbiao and Song Shaojie were squatting next to the engine of a Mustang fighter jet with its nose flapped open.

"Shaojie, you must remember that the engine used in our Mustang fighter jet is the V-1650-9 liquid-cooled engine, which is derived from the Rolls-Royce Merlin engine in the UK."

They are characterized by strong power, reliable and powerful output, and small size.

This is precisely why the fairing of the Mustang fighter jet we are piloting can be made streamlined, which makes the aircraft's fuselage slender, reduces flight drag, and facilitates achieving higher speeds.

However, the disadvantages of liquid-cooled engines are also very obvious. In combat, if the liquid cooling system and radiator are hit, the coolant will be lost rapidly, causing the engine to overheat and shut down quickly.

The entire aircraft will quickly lose power and then plummet to the ground like a weight. Therefore, when engaging the enemy in a Mustang, you must be careful to protect your engine. If the engine is hit, eject immediately; never dream of flying the plane back to base.

Song Shaojie asked curiously, "Sir, since liquid-cooled engines have such a fatal flaw, why don't we use air-cooled engines?"

Lu Guangbiao laughed and said, "If the enemy has the ability to aim at the engine and radiator, why not save the trouble and just shoot the cockpit?"
The ability to withstand combat damage is not the most important indicator in fighter jet design; how to strike the enemy and how to avoid being struck by the enemy are the priorities. These cannot be reversed. Relying on the ability to withstand combat damage to save lives is futile.

Look at the Corsair and Thunder fighters equipped by the first and second squadrons. They all use air-cooled engines, and their noses are bigger than millstones in my hometown village. They are incredibly ugly.

Moreover, only carrier-based aircraft prefer air cooling because aircraft equipped with liquid-cooled engines need to have their cooling water checked and replenished before each sortie. On aircraft carriers, where water is scarce and sortie times are tight, storing extra high-purity water and maintaining water-cooled engines is very troublesome. This makes the ease of use of air-cooled engines very attractive.

Lu Guangbiao explained patiently, like a teacher.

Just then, a series of urgent alarms suddenly sounded, and the entire base boiled over like a kettle...

(End of this chapter)