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

Chapter 211 Kong Jie was overjoyed

Taiyuan First Army Headquarters
"Your Excellency, Commander."

Miyano Michiichi, Chief of Staff of the North China Expeditionary Army, approached Lieutenant General Shinotsuka, Commander of the First Army, and said in a very unpleasant tone: "News has just come from the Military Police Headquarters that more than a dozen squads, with military dogs on their leashes, were tracking the enemy, but without exception, they all stepped on landmines laid by the Chinese. All the military dogs were killed on the spot, and the tracking operation was forced to be terminated."

"Baka!" Lieutenant General Shinotsuka exclaimed in disbelief, "How is this possible? More than a dozen squads stepped on landmines. Could it be that the Eighth Route Army laid out a minefield when they retreated? But even if it was a minefield, how could our military dogs not smell it?"

All the military dogs failed to track the scent, which meant that the five truckloads of tungsten ore were completely lost.

The plan to find the Eighth Route Army's arsenal again, wipe out the Eighth Route Army in one fell swoop, and take back the tungsten ore was thwarted.

“Commander, according to the information from the Military Police Headquarters, these are not ordinary landmines, but bounding mines made by the Eighth Route Army,” Miyano Michiichi said. “The Military Police Headquarters analyzed that the Eighth Route Army must have figured out our military dogs’ ability to sniff out scents, and this is a targeted countermeasure.”

"Baka!" Lieutenant General Shinotsuka cursed again upon hearing this, then questioned, "How did the Eighth Route Army uncover such a secret scheme, especially since it was something we devised on the spot? Even though they recently seized some military dogs from us, they are just puppies and haven't had time to grow up and be trained."

“How the Eighth Route Army saw through our scheme is no longer important to me,” Miyano Michiichi said. “Commander Okamura just spoke to me on the phone. He said the cabinet is furious about the loss of more than 200 tons of tungsten ore and wants you to find the tungsten ore as quickly as possible and eliminate the Eighth Route Army.”

Japan has very limited domestic resources, and tungsten ore is an extremely important strategic metal.

Losing over two hundred tons at once is a huge deal.

It's just that Captain Okamoto and the escorting officers died early; otherwise, they would have been forced to commit seppuku.

But it's not over.

Even if more than 200 tons of tungsten ore cannot be recovered, many people will still have to commit seppuku.

“I will not let him down.” Lieutenant General Shinotsuka nodded emphatically. “I have already given the order. The Ninth Brigade, the Twenty-first Brigade, and the Twenty-ninth Brigade are assembling. In addition, the puppet army’s First and Second Independent Divisions, the Eighth Mixed Brigade, and other units are also assembling. I will definitely uproot the Eighth Route Army and bring back every last gram of tungsten ore!”

"You brought back not a single gram of tungsten ore?" Miyano Michiichi asked skeptically, "Commander, isn't that a bit of an exaggeration?"

This tungsten ore is indeed very important, but to say that we will bring back every single gram is an overstatement.

Lieutenant General Shinotsuka solemnly said, “The importance of tungsten ore is beyond doubt. Only by recovering every single gram can we truly atone for our crimes. Besides, these Eighth Route Army soldiers are just a group of farmers. Even if they take the tungsten ore, they won't know how to refine it themselves. We have blockaded their land, sea, and air routes, so it's impossible for them to sell it. Therefore, it is feasible to bring it all back.”

"Commander, the reinforcements from Commander Okamura's side are on their way." Miyano Michiichi's expression was also solemn. "Then let us join forces to completely annihilate the Eighth Route Army and take back all the tungsten ore we lost."

Miyano Michiichi was the chief of staff of the North China Expeditionary Army, not the chief of staff of the First Army.

The reinforcements sent by Okamura were under the command of Miyano Michiichi.

Jingle Bell!
The telephone on the table rang, and Lieutenant General Shinozuka picked up the receiver: "This is Yoshio Shinozuka."

Sato Haruno's voice came through the phone: "Commander, this is Sato Haruno. Please believe me, I will definitely find the Eighth Route Army's arsenal. Please give me another chance."

Since more than a dozen military dogs were killed by bounding mines, the tactic of using military dogs to track targets by scent failed.

The military police headquarters then stopped supporting Haruno Sato's secret plan.

Under these circumstances, Haruno Sato was unable to borrow any military dogs.

Therefore, Haruno Sato had no choice but to bypass his superiors and call the First Army Headquarters.

“Sato-kun, the complete annihilation of more than a dozen military dog ​​squads shows that the Eighth Route Army has developed countermeasures against scent tracking. As the Chinese military strategist said, ‘The same methods are no longer suitable.’” Lieutenant General Shinotsuka’s tone was very serious. “The encirclement and suppression army will be ready to be deployed soon. At that time, we will conduct a dragnet search and mop up the Eighth Route Army’s base areas and find their arsenal. Don’t call me again.”

After saying that, Lieutenant General Shinotsuka hung up the phone.

Hearing the phone call end, Haruno Sato was furious. Unwilling to give up, he called twice more.

But the operator wouldn't connect him to the line.

Haruno Sato had no choice but to put the telephone receiver back on the shelf in annoyance.

Seeing Sato Haruno's expression, the assistant knew that General Shinotsuka did not support him, and still asked, "Vice Minister, are you still going to carry out this secret plan?"

“Of course we’ll do it,” Sato Haruno said decisively. “Even if General Shinozuka quickly organizes a large-scale encirclement and suppression army, the Eighth Route Army is in the mountains, and it will be difficult to find their arsenals in a short time. Moreover, the Eighth Route Army is not what it used to be, so I estimate that the encirclement and suppression operation will not go so smoothly. If I can find the location of the Eighth Route Army’s arsenal, it will still be of great significance.”

“But we don’t have any more military dogs, what should we do?” the assistant asked.

“Without military dogs, we’ll have to use people,” Sato Haruno said. “We’ll send people to secretly follow the target. Even though the risk of being exposed is much greater, as long as we succeed, we can still find the location of the Eighth Route Army’s arsenal.”

Immediately afterwards, Haruno Sato said, "Therefore, the people we follow must be carefully selected. We can't be careless. Go ahead and choose the people."

"Hai." The assistant left.

Sato Haruno clenched his fists, encouraging himself: "I can do it, I can definitely find the Eighth Route Army's arsenal!"

……

Border Region Arsenal

When Li Muzhi woke up from his nap, he checked the time and it was three o'clock in the afternoon.

After getting dressed, I splashed cold water on my face and dried it with a towel.

Li Muzhi took his lunchbox and went to the cafeteria.

The woman serving the vegetables quickly brought Li Muzhi a few dishes, smiling broadly: "Director Li, I've been waiting for you to wake up. These dishes are freshly made. Do you like them?"

"Why is it all meat?" Li Muzhi looked at the dishes: a plate of braised fish, a plate of braised pork, and another plate of stewed chicken. There wasn't a single vegetarian dish in sight.

"Director Li, you need to eat more meat..." the old woman said.

"Alright, leave the braised fish, take the other two plates," Li Muzhi said, waving his hand. "Also, give me two steamed buns and a dish of pickled vegetables, and pour some hot water."

"Director Li, how can you maintain your health if you eat so much vegetarian food?" the old woman said.

"Do as I say." Li Muzhi knew the other party was being too enthusiastic, but he still pretended to be serious. "From now on, half of my dishes must be vegetarian. If you can't do that, then I'll replace you." "No, no, no, Director Li, please don't replace me, please don't replace me." The old lady hurriedly said and immediately did as Li Muzhi instructed.

“Auntie, that’s right, don’t change it in the future.” Li Muzhi’s attitude became much more polite.

In fact, Li Muzhi knew why the vegetable vendor always gave him only meat.

Besides Li Muzhi's identity.

The woman who served vegetables was also a tragic figure; her beloved youngest son had been killed in battle.

His youngest son shares the same birthday as him.

In other words, if her youngest son were still alive, he would be the same age as her.

His youngest son had always envied the landlord's fish and chicken since he was a child, but unfortunately he died before he could eat them.

The woman serving vegetables was indirectly taking Li Mu's name as a symbol of her longing for him.

"Okay, okay." The woman serving the vegetables nodded repeatedly, without disturbing Li Muzhi's meal.

She hid behind the corner of the wall and quietly watched Li Muzhi eat.

Just as Li Muzhi was finishing his meal, Kong Jie came over.

"Director Li, are you eating?" Kong Jie said with a smile as he approached Li Muzhi.

"Commander Kong, just say what you have to say." Li Muzhi knew from Kong Jie's attitude that he had something to say.

"Hehe." Kong Jie chuckled. "Nothing can be hidden from you, Director Li."

Immediately afterwards, Kong Jie said, "I received an order from my brigade headquarters. The brigade commander told me to incorporate the district squads and county brigades engaged in guerrilla warfare in this area into the organization of my new Second Regiment. In this way, my troops will be expanded by nearly three times."

"Isn't this a good thing?" Li Muzhi said. "The troops have expanded nearly three times, so you, Commander Kong, must have nearly three thousand troops now."

"It's alright, about two thousand eight hundred people." Kong Jie nodded, then looked at Li Muzhi, "Isn't my Second New Regiment helping you mine coal? I wanted to ask you, how should I proceed with mining this coal? Should all two thousand eight hundred people mine for you, or should we continue mining as before?"

“The Japanese army has looted a lot of coal again, so the border region's arsenal has plenty of coal now,” Li Muzhi said to Kong Jie. “Let’s continue digging as before.”

Li Muzhi understood perfectly what Kong Jie meant.

According to the original plan, Kong Jie's troops could be divided into three parts to take turns digging coal, while the other two parts could focus on training and fighting.

After all, the Second New Regiment is a combat unit. The militia from the district, county, and brigade were incorporated into it, and the quality of the soldiers varied. It would take time to reorganize them.

The best way to reorganize is to go to the battlefield!

Having been tested by the flames of war, if the Japanese were to launch another sneak attack on the arsenal, Kong Jie's troops would not be wiped out again due to the lack of combat experience.

Kong Jie was overjoyed: "Director Li, are you really digging according to the original plan? I didn't hear wrong, did I?"

"If we don't dig according to the original plan, and you still let the logistics department provide meals for these 2,800 people, wouldn't Minister Zhang jump up in anger?" Li Muzhi joked.

Minister Zhang had a lot of complaints about the fact that nearly a thousand people from the Second Regiment were eating.

Minister Zhang reluctantly agreed, considering that the arsenal needed coal for power.

The new Second Regiment has now expanded to more than 2,800 people. If Minister Zhang were to support all of them, the regiment would definitely be shut down.

"Haha." Kong Jie laughed and said, "Don't worry, don't worry, how could I cause such a big trouble for the logistics? The expanded personnel will take care of their own food and clothing."

The brigade commander asked Li Yunlong to give us so many hard weapons. The district squads, county brigades and other guerrilla units we recruited have rich guerrilla experience, but they are just lacking weapons.

Now that we've got this guy, why worry about food?

Of course.

Even if the food problem is solved, the quality of the food will most likely still not be comparable to that of the arsenal.

But it doesn't matter.

The troops were divided into three parts, and these three parts took turns digging coal for the arsenal and taking turns eating there.

In this way, everyone gets a balanced diet, and everyone benefits from the benefits.

Remembering something, Li Muzhi asked, "Commander Kong, Commander Li gave you so many cannons, has Minister Zhang spoken to you about it?"

With so many artillery pieces, it's impossible for Comrade Zhang not to be concerned.

“That goes without saying.” Kong Jie’s expression darkened when Li Muzhi mentioned this. “He took half of my artillery. I told him I wanted to keep enough artillery to protect the arsenal in the future, but Minister Zhang still took it from me.”

"Hehe." Li Muzhi chuckled and said, "It's alright, I'll give you some more once the new rockets are made."

"Hahaha." Kong Jie was overjoyed. "Director Li, okay, I'll wait. Director Li, take your time eating. I won't bother you anymore, I'm leaving now."

"it is good."

Kong Jie left happily. After Li Muzhi finished his meal, he was about to go to his office when Zhang Wanhe appeared: "Xiao Li, I heard you woke up, so I came over from my office right away."

"Minister Zhang, is there anything I can help you with?" Li Muzhi asked.

“Didn’t you go to rest first last night?” Zhang Wanhe explained, “Later, Gao Liujin and his gang robbed a lot of things at Yuehua Station, some of which we didn’t recognize. That’s why we need you to identify them.”

“Alright, then I’ll go with you and take a look.” Li Muzhi nodded.

(End of this chapter)