Bright Sword: From Border Region Manufacturing to Major National Heavy Industry

Chapter 180 Poison Scheme
Japanese Military Police in Heyuan

"Vice Minister, we just received a call from Zhangjia Village. The railway line has been repaired and is open to traffic."

The assistant came over and announced the good news to Haruno Sato.

"Great! With this railway line completed, our military trains can now transport supplies, weapons, and ammunition here," Sato Haruno breathed a sigh of relief.

The bait he personally laid out had already caught the attention of the Eighth Route Army's spies.

What Sato Haruno needed was to wait for the Eighth Route Army to take the bait, to get supplies and provisions, and to organize the encirclement and suppression army.

"Vice Minister, something terrible has happened!" Fujita Ichiji ran over in a panic. "The railway section near Wangzhuang has been attacked by the Eighth Route Army. A troop transport vehicle has been forcibly stopped and is out of contact."

"Baka! Why are the Eighth Route Army attacking our railway again?" Sato Haruno's expression instantly turned liver-colored.

The railway line had just been completed, and before anyone could even catch their breath, it was attacked by the Eighth Route Army. What do you Eighth Route Army think this railway line is, your own vegetable garden?

You can pick vegetables whenever you want.

The assistant said from the side, "Vice Minister, some guerrillas from the Eighth Route Army are also sabotaging our roads. Now they're openly attacking the Wangzhuang Railway. The Eighth Route Army must know what our military trains are transporting supplies, weapons, and ammunition to them, so they're deliberately launching this attack."

"Hmph!" Sato Haruno snorted heavily and said, "Send orders to the troops below to immediately send reinforcements to Wangzhuang Railway."

Fujita Ichiji spoke up: "Vice Minister, I'm afraid we can't send troops to reinforce them."

"Damn it! If we don't send reinforcements, are we just going to let the Eighth Route Army tear down another large section of the Wangzhuang Railway and steal another military train from us?!" Sato Haruno roared. "Besides, our troops are running low on ammunition. If we don't hurry up and salvage the railway line, what will we use to replenish our supplies later?"

“Vice Minister, if we move our troops away, our defenses will be weakened,” Fujita Ichiji said. “What if the Chinese troops here take the opportunity to cause trouble again? After all, the Eighth Route Army is not what it used to be. They have heavy artillery and shoulder-mounted light tactical artillery, and they are fully capable of launching another attack on our side.”

"How about this, let Captain Kuroshima and Ueno's tank regiment go and provide reinforcements." Sato Haruno thought for a moment and also felt that Fujita Ichier's words made sense.

The Eighth Route Army has grown strong now, so it seems we really can't spare too many troops from our side.

Otherwise, the Eighth Route Army would definitely take the opportunity to shit on our necks.

The railway line to Wangzhuang is a bit far away, and it would be too slow for infantry to get there.

Kuroshima Morita and Ueno Village's tank regiments were fast, and there were also Imperial Army infantry there, so they could cooperate in combat.

The assistant couldn't help but say to Sato Haruno, "Vice-Minister, the troops under Commander Kuroshima and Commander Ueno have suffered heavy losses. Their combat strength has declined too quickly, and the troops haven't even had a chance to rest and regroup. If they rush to reinforce them now, and then encounter a surprise attack from the Eighth Route Army's shoulder-mounted artillery, I'm afraid..."

The assistant didn't finish his sentence, but the meaning was clear.

These two rapid deployment units have already suffered heavy losses. If they rush to reinforce them and encounter the Eighth Route Army's shoulder-mounted artillery, they may be completely wiped out.

Sato Haruno pondered, "If we combine them with Commander Hojo's tank regiment, the risk should be greatly reduced."

Naoki Hojo's tank regiment is still in full formation.

With Kuroshima Morita's cavalry and Ueno no Mura's chariots joining him, it was like adding wings to a tiger.

Even if we encounter Eighth Route Army rocket launchers, I don't believe we can't defeat them!

“That makes sense.” The assistant nodded and turned to leave.

“Vice Minister, I think there’s something I should tell you.” Fujita Ichiji looked at Sato Haruno.

"What's going on?" Sato Haruno immediately had a bad feeling. Fujita Ichiji, that idiot, could he be hiding something important from him? Baka!

“My men just monitored the area; Eighth Route Army spies are secretly searching the Cui Village arsenal area…” Fujita didn’t finish his sentence.

Sato Haruno said angrily, "The Cui Village arsenal has already fallen into the hands of the Eighth Route Army, that's an indisputable fact. What are the Eighth Route Army still searching for! Could it be that there's some important place over there?"

Half of the equipment and supplies at the Cuicun Arsenal fell into the hands of the Eighth Route Army. Sato Haruno had already managed to do so by leveraging his powerful connections.

They found a scapegoat.

And now, judging from what that idiot Fujita Ichiji is saying, could it be that this bastard is hiding something important?
My God, this idiot is deadly!
"I originally thought that the Eighth Route Army would stop after taking over the Cuicun Arsenal, but who knew they were still looking for it there." Fujita Ichiji was also quite annoyed.

Even if we had led the military dogs there before, your Eighth Route Army would have determined that there was a military stronghold there.

You found the Cuicun Arsenal, took it over, completed your mission, and got your share of the spoils. You should have left by now, right? But who knew that the Eighth Route Army wouldn't give up?

"Idiot, what else is over there?!" Haruno Sato shouted angrily.

“There’s also a copper smelter over there,” Fujita Ichiji replied.

"Baka! What? A copper smelter? You bastard, why didn't you say so sooner?!" Upon hearing this, Sato Haruno angrily grabbed Fujita Ichiji and gave him another beating.

You bastard, what are you so clever about?

This is a copper smelter.

You kept such important news from me!
Why do those damn bureaucrats keep that damn idiot Fujita Ichiji around?

That idiot should commit seppuku for the loss of the Cuicun arsenal!
Sato Haruno originally intended to pin the loss of the Cui Village arsenal on Fujita Ichiji, forcing that bastard to commit seppuku. However, Fujita Ichiji had powerful connections, making him untouchable.

Haruno Sato is already planning to get rid of this bastard when the opportunity arises.

It seems that this opportunity may never come, and I may even be implicated and killed.

Despite Sato Haruno's beating, Fujita Ichiji managed to take a moment to reply: "I reckon the Eighth Route Army also discovered that only half of the equipment and supplies at the Cuicun Arsenal are left. They're searching there, probably trying to find the other half. Vice Minister, if you hadn't secretly moved that half of the equipment and supplies away beforehand, perhaps..."

Before Fujita Ichiji could finish speaking, Sato Haruno angrily hoisted the bastard onto his shoulder and slammed him against the wall: "You idiot, so you're saying I was wrong?! If I hadn't secretly had half of the equipment and supplies moved away beforehand, this entire Cui Village arsenal would have fallen into the hands of the Eighth Route Army. You self-righteous fool, when your mother gave birth to you, did she abandon the baby and raise the placenta instead?!"

Boom!
Fujita Ichiji was slammed against the wall by Sato Haruno, who coughed up a mouthful of blood.

Still not satisfied, Sato Haruno carried Fujita Ichiji and rammed him several more times.

While coughing up blood, Fujita Ichiji said, "Vice-Minister, let me finish what I have to say."

"Stop spouting your nonsense, I don't want to hear it!" Sato Haruno kicked Fujita Ichiji hard in the butt, sending him flying towards the door. "Get out!"

Despite his pain, Fujita Ichiji continued, "Letting the Eighth Route Army continue searching over there is probably not a solution. I suggest we expose the other half of the equipment and supplies as clues to divert their attention. That way, with their attention diverted, we won't have to worry about them finding our copper smelter..."

"Baka! I already told you to shut up, you idiot!" Sato Haruno angrily drew his sword, ready to chop Fujita Ichiji to pieces.

I managed to save the other half of the equipment and supplies, and you idiot are going to send them away again!
Ahhhhh!

There is nothing more foolish than this.

Fujita Ichiji didn't stop, continuing, "Vice-Minister, let me finish what I have to say. When it comes to revealing clues, you could set up a trap beforehand..."

"Baka! You idiot!" Sato Haruno swung his sword down, but Fujita Ichiji dodged it and ran away in a panic, saying as he ran, "Vice-Minister, my suggestion was really correct! Why didn't you listen? Are you going to regret it only when the Eighth Route Army finds our copper smelter?!"

In Fujita Ichiji's view, the copper smelter was far more valuable than the other half of the equipment and materials.

It was absolutely worthwhile to use this additional equipment and supplies to divert the Eighth Route Army's attention.

and!

This wasn't about directly giving equipment and supplies to the Eighth Route Army; it was about setting up an ambush.

Why can't the deputy minister understand this?

"Baka, baka, baka, this damned idiot, idiot!" Fujita Ichiji ran away, and Sato Haruno angrily slashed the table in front of him with his sword.

The trick of using something to lure the Eighth Route Army has already been tried, but the Eighth Route Army isn't stupid; it simply didn't work.

The only way to eradicate the Eighth Route Army is still to use military dogs to locate their arsenal by smell, and then use a large force to eliminate them completely!

Fujita Ichiji wanted to use the remaining half of the equipment and supplies to go fishing, regardless of whether the fishing operation would be successful.

Even if we succeed, what then?

It only eliminated a portion of the Eighth Route Army.

Sato Haruno wanted to completely eliminate the Eighth Route Army!

Only by completely eradicating the Eighth Route Army will we no longer have to worry about them turning the railway line into a vegetable garden.

What Haruno Sato wants is not just a temporary fix, but a cure for the root cause!

After venting for a while, Haruno Sato forced himself to calm down.

Fujita Ichiji's suggestion, though a bit foolish, did serve as a reminder to Sato Haruno.

It would be unacceptable to simply allow the Eighth Route Army to continue searching in the area around the former Cuicun Arsenal.

If the Eighth Route Army finds the copper smelter again, this is no joke.

Therefore, we need to find a way to divert the Eighth Route Army's attention. Of course, the best way is to wipe out all the Eighth Route Army's spies in one fell swoop.

"How can we wipe out all these Eighth Route Army spies in one fell swoop?" Sato Haruno sorted out his thoughts and quickly came up with a vicious plan.

"Someone come here!" Sato Haruno called for reinforcements.

"Vice Minister, what are your instructions?" Another assistant approached Haruno Sato.

"Immediately gather the best men from the military police and come with me." Sato Haruno planned to personally wipe out this group of Eighth Route Army spies.

"Yes, Vice Minister."

……

(End of this chapter)