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

Chapter 304 Thirty Aircraft

"Is such that……"

Major General Kawashima then explained the whole story to Factory Director Hojo.

Before Major General Kawashima could finish speaking, Factory Director Hojo's expression froze: "Baka! What did you say? Did Fujita Ichiji bring you here?! Baka! This damned idiot, he's brought you here and exposed my natural gas plant!"

They thought that once they got rid of that bastard Fujita Ichiji, the natural gas plant could finally relax.

Unexpectedly, this bastard brought a team here, trying to obtain supplies from this area. This has exposed the natural gas plant.

Why didn't the military court execute this bastard back then... Oh, okay, this bastard has a powerful background; the judges of the military court are his relatives.

"Director Hojo, don't worry. When my troops leave, I'll leave a battalion behind to guard this place for you," Major General Kawashima reassured him. "If I hadn't been forced into this situation, I wouldn't have come here so easily, nor would I have readily accepted Fujita Ichiji's foolish suggestion."

"Even if you have a large battalion helping to guard this place, it's not the theft itself that's worrisome, it's the covetousness of the enemy." Director Hojo was still extremely annoyed. "Since the Eighth Route Army knows about this place and hasn't launched a full-scale attack, they must have their eyes on it. Let alone leaving a large battalion here, even if you leave the entire brigade here, I don't think it makes any sense."

The location of the natural gas plant has been exposed. Perhaps the Eighth Route Army cannot break in, or perhaps they dare not or are unwilling to do so!
But the significance of the natural gas plant lies in extracting natural gas here and then transporting this valuable strategic resource back home.

The Eighth Route Army only needed to control the transportation lines to prevent the extracted natural gas from being transported away.

In this way, no matter how much natural gas a gas plant extracts, it's all meaningless if it can't be transported back.

Major Kawashima continued to reassure them: "Director Hojo, you're overthinking it. The Eighth Route Army is a bit rampant right now, but it's only temporary. China's national strength is far inferior to our empire's, and our army's combat power is incomparable to theirs. Trust our combat troops; it won't be long before we eradicate the Eighth Route Army completely."

"I hope so." Their location had already been exposed, and Major General Kawashima's army did indeed need supplies. There was no point in saying anything more now. Director Hojo didn't say anything more, picked up the telephone receiver on the table, and said to Major General Kawashima, "However, I still don't have the authority to give you these supplies directly. I need to make another call to headquarters to ask for instructions."

"Yes, yes, of course." Major General Kawashima nodded.

……

Taiyuan First Army Headquarters
"Yoshi, yoshi, that's great, that's great! I will definitely not let you down again, I will definitely uproot these damned Eighth Route Army guerrillas!" Yoshio Shinozuka excitedly promised into the telephone receiver.

The call was from Okamura Yasuji, who said that he had already communicated with the Kwantung Army and that thirty planes would be sent as reinforcements.

Okamura Yasuji had already had the military trains reloaded with supplies and had enough aircraft escorting them; he didn't believe the Eighth Route Army could still launch an attack.

After the call ended, Yoshio Shinotsuka put the phone back on the shelf, called someone over, and instructed, "Send a message to Kumamoto. The military train will deliver supplies to them again. This time, there will be enough planes to escort the train. Let him hold on a little longer."

"Hai." The person nodded and left.

Remembering something, Yoshio Shinozuka picked up the microphone again: "Connect me to Haruno Sato."

The call was quickly connected, and Sato Haruno's voice came through: "This is Sato Haruno."

"Sato-kun, how's it going on your end?" Yoshio Shinotsuka went straight to the point.

Although the army in Kumamoto will soon receive supplies, there will also be thirty aircraft to assist him in the battle.

The sweeping operation to eliminate the Eighth Route Army's base areas should proceed smoothly.

but!

If Sato Haruno can find and pinpoint the location of the Eighth Route Army's border arsenal, it will still be the best solution to eliminate the threat completely.

“Commander, the bait has been laid. The Eighth Route Army is cunning; we need to wait patiently,” Sato Haruno replied.

Although he did not choose the 386th Brigade's jurisdiction again, he changed to other Eighth Route Army jurisdictions.

But the Eighth Route Army troops in other jurisdictions weren't stupid either.

Hunters need plenty of patience to hunt down a cunning fox.

“No rush, let’s wait patiently,” Yoshio Shinozuka said. “Whenever you have any progress, let me know as soon as possible.”

Once the thirty aircraft escorted the military trains and delivered the supplies to the Kumamoto army, the Kumamoto army was able to rest briefly and regain its fighting strength.

With the Eighth Route Army's base area ready to be swept away, Yoshio Shinotsuka was no longer in a hurry.

It's even better that Sato Haruno was able to find the location of the Eighth Route Army's border region arsenal in advance.

If we can't find it, we'll just sweep across the entire area, conduct a thorough search, and we'll find it no matter what.

"Yes, Commander." Sato Haruno nodded.

The call ended, and Yoshio Shinozuka had just put the phone back on the shelf.

Jingle Bell!
The phone rang again immediately.

Yoshio Shinozuka picked up the phone: "This is Yoshio Shinozuka."

"Commander, this is Keiji Hojo." Hojo's voice came through the telephone receiver.

"Hojo-kun, is something urgent happening on your end?" Upon hearing Hojo Keiji's voice, Yoshio Shinotsuka's relaxed mood immediately tightened again.

Keiji Hojo's side is in charge of the natural gas plant, and they don't usually contact headquarters unless there's something going on.

Now that he has called in person, Yoshio Shinotsuka is naturally nervous.

So many important factories in the World War II zone were lost, could it be that the Chinese also found the natural gas plant?
“It’s like this…” Hojo Keiji relayed Major General Kawashima’s words to Shinozuka Yoshio. He’d only gotten halfway through his sentence when Shinozuka Yoshio’s anger flared instantly: “Baka! What did you say? That idiot Kawashima brought troops to your natural gas plant to resupply!”

Baka! Kawashima, that damned bastard!

I sent you to the county town to replenish supplies, but you're going to the natural gas plant!
What's in your head? How did you become as stupid as Fujita Ichiji?

Now that the location of the natural gas plant has been exposed, the Eighth Route Army is not going to give up easily.

"General Kawashima said that Fujita Ichiji brought him here..." Hojo Keiji didn't finish his sentence.

He was interrupted again by Yoshio Shinotsuka: "Baka! What? Did Fujita Ichiji lead the way?"

Yoshio Shinotsuka is just strange.

The natural gas plant was located in such a secluded place, how could Major General Kawashima possibly know where it was? How could he have made such a foolish mistake?

Unexpectedly, it was that stupid bastard Fujita Ichiji who influenced him.

“Commander, things have come to this point, there’s no use saying anything now,” Hojo Keiji advised. “I think General Kawashima’s words make sense. Although the Eighth Route Army is rampant now, China’s national strength is not on par with ours. They are not even a fraction of our strength. As long as our combat troops can quickly wipe out the Eighth Route Army, the crisis at the natural gas plant will naturally be resolved.”

"Yes, that's true." Yoshio Shinotsuka nodded.

The Kwantung Army provided support with thirty aircraft, which could escort military trains to deliver supplies to Kumamoto, thus turning the tide of the game.

As long as the Eighth Route Army's stronghold is finally destroyed, and the remaining Eighth Route Army members are relentlessly pursued and wiped out, the crisis at the natural gas plant will indeed be resolved.

However, Yoshio Shinotsuka was still extremely angry. He said into the phone, "Tell that bastard Kawashima that after you give him the supplies, hurry up and go to the territory of the Jin-Sui Army and the direct forces to replenish your own supplies. Once you have replenished your supplies, quickly reinforce the rear of Taiyuan and help me eliminate the Jin-Sui Army and the Eighth Route Army."

Although Kumamoto's forces suffered losses, they gained supplies and had air support, so their strength should be sufficient to continue sweeping through the Eighth Route Army's base areas.

Therefore, there is no need for Major General Kawashima's troops to go there.

The Jin-Sui Army is still desperately trying to break through the encirclement.

Without the suppression of poison gas, it was only a matter of time before the Jin-Sui Army broke through.

However, if Major General Kawashima's forces can be quickly replenished and then return to reinforce, there is a high probability that they can block the Jin-Sui Army again.

If these Jin-Sui Army clowns can be surrounded and severely damaged again, it will be of great significance to the security of the Second World War Zone.

Of course, if the Jin-Sui Army is wiped out, the Eighth Route Army will definitely have to be eliminated as well.

“Yes, Commander, I will relay your orders to General Kawashima,” Hojo Keiji replied.

"Also, tell Kawashima to get rid of that bastard Fujita Ichiji immediately, and don't let that stupid bastard follow his group anymore!" Yoshio Shinotsuka cursed, spitting as he spoke.

There's a Chinese saying: "One who stays near ink gets stained black."

Fujita Ichiji is such a fool; wherever he goes, he affects the intelligence of the people there!

"Yes, Commander." Hojo Keiji responded again.

The call ended, and Yoshio Shinozuka slammed the receiver back on the shelf, cursing, "That damn Fujita Ichiji, I have to find a way to kill him with the help of the Chinese."

Originally, the Kumamoto Division was saved because the Kwantung Army had air support.

As a result, before I could even be happy for two minutes, Fujita Ichiji's idiot actions immediately plunged my mood back into despair. What a jerk!
……

After ending his call with Yoshio Shinotsuka, Hojo Keiji said to Major General Kawashima in front of him, "Commander Shinotsuka said that the supplies can be given to you. You are to go to the territory of the elite army and the Jin-Sui army as quickly as possible to replenish the supplies, and then lead your troops to support the rear of Taiyuan and help to encircle and eliminate the Jin-Sui army and the Eighth Route Army."

“Okay, no problem.” Major General Kawashima nodded immediately.

Taiyuan's rear is currently sparsely defended, and those despicable Jin-Sui Army and Eighth Route Army are also a thorn in Major General Kawashima's side!

Having been completely outmaneuvered by them, Major General Kawashima harbored a deep resentment that he was determined to vent.

Hojo Keiji added, "The commander also said not to let Fujita Ichiji follow your troops anymore, and to send him away."

"Okay, no problem." Major General Kawashima nodded again.

With the natural gas plant exposed, Major General Kawashima has already pinned the blame on Fujita Ichiji.

The blame has been placed on Fujita Ichiji's head, so this boundary must be drawn quickly.

In Chinese idioms, it's like "killing the donkey after it has done its work."

Major General Kawashima's troops quickly received valuable supplies from the natural gas plant, while leaving behind a battalion to increase vigilance.

"Fujita-kun, I have an important military operation to attend to and cannot take you with me. You'll have to find somewhere to stay on your own," Major General Kawashima said bluntly to Fujita Ichiji.

"General, don't leave me behind, I..." Fujita Ichiji was stunned. He had finally managed to make it in the combat unit, and now he was going to be kicked out again?

"Fujita-kun, I believe you have somewhere to go." Major General Kawashima didn't waste any more time with Fujita Ichiji and quickly led his troops to set off.

“I can’t stay in the military police, and I can’t stay in the combat troops, so where should I go?” Fujita Ichiji was in a dilemma.

(End of this chapter)