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

Chapter 306 Fortunately
Chu Yunfei's report was swift, and the high command of the Jin-Sui Army reacted just as quickly.

However, the high command of the Jin-Sui Army was still somewhat conservative, and only sent out troops to make a probing attack on the pursuing Japanese troops.

It turned out that the Japanese troops really did not use poison gas anymore.

Immediately, the Jin-Sui Army held nothing back, and the entire army turned around and charged towards the Japanese rear in Taiyuan once again.

Because the Japanese forces in the rear of Taiyuan were depleted, and because the encirclement and suppression of the Jin-Sui Army had used up a lot of ammunition and supplies, the Jin-Sui Army's counterattack was very successful, and the Japanese troops were forced to retreat step by step.

"Commander, it seems the Japanese really have run out of poison gas." Fang Ligong was overjoyed. "At this rate, we'll be able to reach Taiyuan City very soon."

“Taiyuan is too well-fortified. It would be too difficult to take it.” Chu Yunfei shook his head and said, “Let’s do the most practical thing: take the Taiyuan arsenal.”

Remembering something, Chu Yunfei asked, "What's Li Yunlong's move?"

Fang Ligong replied, "Commander, it's a bit strange. The Eighth Route Army doesn't seem to be going to fight us for the Taiyuan Arsenal. They're heading towards the airport."

Eighth Route Army attacks the airport?
Upon hearing this, Chu Yunfei naturally still didn't quite understand.

Although this airport is very important, if the Eighth Route Army takes it, it can also support our Jin-Sui Army.

But how can the profits from an airport compare to those from the Taiyuan Arsenal?

This is certainly not to say that the planes at the airport are worthless, or that the planes and fuel are useless.

Rather, from the perspective of the Eighth Route Army, the equipment and machinery of the Taiyuan Arsenal were more useful.

"Let them be. As long as they don't come after the Taiyuan Arsenal, let them attack the airport if they want." Chu Yunfei quickly put the matter aside.

"Ah."

……

Taiyuan First Army Headquarters
"General, I suggest you immediately use poison gas against the Jin-Sui Army!"

Major General Miyano Michiichi, Chief of Staff of the North China Expeditionary Army, said to Yoshio Shinotsuka in a serious tone: "The Jin-Sui Army was clearly about to break through and return, but now it has suddenly turned around and attacked again. Our forces are too scattered, and we have also drawn a lot of troops from them, so we cannot completely and effectively stop them. Without poison gas, I'm afraid the Jin-Sui Army will be at our gates."

Miyano Michiichi was also puzzled by the sudden change in the Jin-Sui Army's strategy of not breaking out but instead quickly turning back to fight.

Why did these cowards in the Jin-Sui Army suddenly become so bold?

However, it is no longer important why the Jin-Sui Army has suddenly become so bold.

The important thing is that they must be contained.

Yoshio Shinotsuka was equally annoyed, both angry and conflicted: "It's such a surprise that the defeated Jin-Sui Army has suddenly turned back. It's a pity that Kawashima's troops couldn't quickly reinforce them, otherwise, these defeated Jin-Sui Army wouldn't dare to be so bold! But what if the Eighth Route Army shows up after using poison gas?"

To be honest, although the Jin-Sui Army had a large number of troops, Yoshio Shinotsuka still did not take them seriously.

Because the Jin-Sui Army basically only fights when things are going well, giving them a little hardship or scaring them might make them stop fighting.

But the Eighth Route Army was different.

Although they don't have many troops now, when trouble comes, these Eighth Route Army soldiers are truly daring and determined to fight to the death.

Moreover, this group of Eighth Route Army soldiers has a large number of artillery pieces, and their combat power is now far greater than before, making them even more formidable.

If poison gas is used in advance, what should we do if the Eighth Route Army reappears?

“Use half of the poison gas grenades we have,” Miyano Michiichi said. “The main purpose is to deter them, to let the Jin-Sui Army know that we still have poison gas grenades. I estimate that the reason the Jin-Sui Army turned around and attacked again is mainly because we stopped using poison gas grenades, which made them mistakenly believe that we had no more poison gas grenades, so they changed their attitude and turned back.”

“Hmm, that makes some sense. Let’s use half of it then,” Yoshio Shinozuka said.

Under Yoshio Shinozuka's orders, half of the poison gas grenades were quickly put into use on the battlefield.

Chu Yunfei's 358th Regiment was the first to be hit and suffered losses.

Fang Ligong was stunned: "Commander, didn't you say the Japanese didn't have any poison gas grenades? Why do they still have them?"

Chu Yunfei remained calm: "Don't panic. Didn't you see that the poison gas bombs were only fired once, and then there was no further movement?"

"Does the commander mean..." Fang Ligong asked suspiciously, "that the Japanese only have so many poison gas shells left, and they're just using them to scare us?"

"That's most likely the case." Chu Yunfei nodded and said, "Give the order to continue the attack. If the Japanese use poison gas again, they won't have many. Now that the team has fought its way back, it can't go back empty-handed."

"Yes."

The 358th Regiment, as the vanguard, continued its fierce attack, with other Jin-Sui Army units following closely behind, rapidly advancing towards Taiyuan.

……

"Commander, half of the poison gas bombs failed to stop the Jin-Sui Army, and they are advancing towards Taiyuan again." The staff officer rushed over to report to Yoshio Shinotsuka.

"Damn it, these damned Jin-Sui Army, aren't they afraid of poison gas?!" Upon hearing this, Yoshio Shinotsuka's eyes turned ferocious, wishing he could immediately use the remaining half of the poison gas.

But he still managed to stop it.

The Eighth Route Army hasn't shown up yet, so the last half of the poison gas can't be used anymore. "Miyano-kun, do you have any suggestions?" Yoshio Shinotsuka turned to look at Miyano Michiichi.

“General, there is no need to be nervous. Taiyuan City is strong and tall, and the Jin-Sui Army cannot attack it in a short time, nor will they attack it,” Miyano Michiichi said calmly. “Didn’t the Kwantung Army’s planes arrive today? Send half of them to attack the Jin-Sui Army and have the air force cooperate with the ground troops.”

“Hmm, that works too.” Yoshio Shinotsuka nodded.

The Kwantung Army provided 30 aircraft. Fifteen were allocated, and the remaining 15 would certainly be enough to ensure that the military trains could transport supplies to Kumamoto.

With these fifteen planes deployed, it's hard to believe the Jin-Sui Army won't retreat.

boom!
boom!
boom!
……

Chu Yunfei watched as the Japanese planes flew overhead and dropped bombs, but his expression immediately froze: "There are more than a dozen planes. It seems that Yoshio Shinotsuka has lost his temper."

Fang Ligong shouted from the side, "Commander, we don't have any anti-aircraft weapons. These Japanese planes are too rampant. If we get any closer to Taiyuan, the casualties will be even greater."

Fang Ligong then continued, "I reckon the higher-ups are also considering whether to withdraw their troops urgently."

"The more desperate the Japanese get, the more it proves the correctness of our attack on Taiyuan!" Chu Yunfei said with a serious look in his eyes. "The Eighth Route Army can reach the airport tonight. As long as the Eighth Route Army takes the airport, there will be no planes tomorrow."

“That’s right, that’s right.” Upon hearing Chu Yunfei’s words, Fang Ligong immediately slapped his forehead. “Yes, how could I forget about the Eighth Route Army? They are only a dozen kilometers away from the airport now.”

To be honest, the Eighth Route Army was incredibly cunning. While our Jin-Sui Army was fighting the Japanese army, they took advantage of the cover to sneak past without being noticed by the Japanese.

When night fell, the Eighth Route Army suddenly launched an attack on the airport, catching the Japanese airport staff completely off guard.

If things go wrong, the airport could be taken over by the Eighth Route Army.

With the airport gone, the Japanese planes also disappeared.

"You should tell my superiors what I'm thinking right away." Chu Yunfei knew his superiors' nature well. With the Japanese planes coming out, his superiors might very well back down in order to preserve their strength.

But as long as the higher-ups know that the Eighth Route Army can take down the Japanese airport tonight, they will hold out for another day.

"Yes, Commander." Fang Ligong immediately contacted his superiors, while Chu Yunfei directed the troops to continue their advance after the Japanese planes left.

……

"Damn it, those damned Jin-Sui Army, why don't they withdraw? Why don't they withdraw!"

When Yoshio Shinotsuka learned that more than a dozen planes had taken off and were bombing the Jin-Sui Army, but the Jin-Sui Army still had not withdrawn, he was furious.

Under normal circumstances, once our planes take off, shouldn't those defeated Jin-Sui Army soldiers immediately run away in a panic?

Why did they become even more aggressive as they fought?

Miyano Michiichi's expression was also very solemn: "General, since the Jin-Sui Army is fighting to the death and refusing to retreat, they must be eyeing the profits in our rear. They won't withdraw unless we inflict a heavy blow on them. Let these dozen or so planes bomb them in turn and see how long they can hold out."

“How about this,” Yoshio Shinozuka said through gritted teeth, “I’ll intervene in the support operations at the airport and bring out all the planes to bomb the Jin-Sui Army.”

Under normal circumstances, airport support operations should not be interfered with arbitrarily.

They are supporting the battle, which is at a critical juncture.

Otherwise, Yoshio Shinotsuka wouldn't have been forced to borrow planes from the Kwantung Army.

Upon hearing this, Miyano Michiichi's eyes widened involuntarily: "General, please don't be impulsive. If your interference affects the battle, the military will be furious."

“The problem is that if we don’t scare the Jin-Sui Army away, their threats are no joke.” Yoshio Shinozuka picked up the telephone receiver on the table. “I’ll make a call and tell them.”

Yoshio Shinotsuka said he would intervene, but he still didn't dare to intervene immediately or casually.

If this were to affect the battle next door and cause it to fail, it would be no joke.

……

In the end, Yoshio Shinozuka's application was successful.

However, not all the planes at the airport took off; only half of them did.

Half of the planes and fifteen other planes took off from the airport, and the Jin-Sui Army's position instantly became a pot of steel soup.

Fang Ligong was dumbfounded: "Are you kidding me? How come the Japanese have suddenly increased their number of planes by more than thirty? We can't fight this war."

Chu Yunfei remained calm: "Is there any need to say anything? It must be that Yoshio Shinozuka interfered with the operations of other aircraft at the airport and transferred other aircraft from the airport."

Chu Yunfei looked up at the fiery clouds on the horizon, which were as red as blood.

The crimson light bathed the earth in a fiery red glow, making it impossible to distinguish between the glow of clouds and the crimson blood.
Chu Yunfei continued, "Fortunately, it's getting dark. After this round of bombing by the Japanese planes, they'll have to go back and rest. Tonight, we'll see what the Eighth Route Army does."

"Yes, thankfully it's getting dark." Fang Ligong said with relief.

(End of this chapter)