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

Chapter 62 Li Moumou is both a hypocrite and a doer.

Although Zhao Gang didn't know much about military affairs, he nodded and said, "That's a good idea. But how do we contain the Japanese mechanized and cavalry units?"

If we can't contain the enemy's rapid-fire forces, even if we manage to seize the spoils of Ping'an County, we won't be able to outrun them and will easily be caught in their trap, losing both our resources and our lives!

"That's even easier, just get someone else to do it for us."

Li Yunlong pointed directly to the location of the 358th Regiment of the Jin-Sui Army on the map and said, "This 358th Regiment is a reinforced regiment with 5,000 men. If we can distract the Japanese mechanized and cavalry units, it will buy us time to evacuate. I think it shouldn't be a big problem."

Zhao Gang was puzzled and looked at Li Yunlong: "Old Li, we haven't had any conflicts with the Jin-Sui Army for a long time. Don't provoke them."

Ding Wei also said, "Old Li, you're not Chu Yunfei's superior, so what ability do you have to get Chu Yunfei to help us contain the Japanese mechanized and cavalry units?"

"I haven't had any conflict with Chu Yunfei." Li Yunlong pointed to the edge of the defense zone of the 358th Regiment of the Jin-Sui Army on the map and said seriously, "After we make some money in Ping'an County, we'll go back from the edge of the 358th Regiment's defense zone. I haven't invaded Chu Yunfei's defense zone, and I haven't had any contact with Chu Yunfei. I'm just passing through. What's wrong with that? Can't we march on our own land?"

After listening and looking at the map, Zhao Gang still raised a question: "Even if we are just passing by, what if the Japanese chase us to the edge of Chu Yunfei's defense zone and Chu Yunfei doesn't move? Wouldn't we still be bitten to death?"

“No way.” Ding Wei looked at the map and understood. “According to the map, when we pass through the edge of Chu Yunfei’s defense zone, the Japanese, who are furious and eager to pursue us, will definitely choose to take the shortcut by cutting through the middle of Chu Yunfei’s defense zone in order to save time and distance. The Japanese mechanized and cavalry units are blatantly intruding into Chu Yunfei’s territory, and Chu Yunfei will definitely not sit idly by.”

Ding Wei then added, "Chu Yunfei's troops had already built defensive fortifications in advance, and they also had an artillery battalion. The 358th Regiment was well-rested and ready. Not to mention, Chu Yunfei is a top student who graduated from the fifth class of the Whampoa Military Academy, and his command ability is outstanding. If the Japanese mechanized and cavalry units rashly rammed into Chu Yunfei, their infantry would not be there, and they might suffer a great loss. This is equivalent to giving Chu Yunfei credit. He will be thanking us when the time comes."

"Old Zhao, did you understand? It was the Japanese who provoked Chu Yunfei, it has nothing to do with me." Li Yunlong completely absolved himself of any responsibility, it really had nothing to do with Old Li.

"This is a huge deal. If anything goes wrong, the brigade commander will definitely kill us!" Zhao Gang thought this was too crazy.

It was just a small shell test mission, an attack on a small junkyard, but Li Yunlong turned it into such a big deal!
He couldn't help but start questioning again: Was this really the brigade commander's intention?

"Old Zhao, you better remember this: if you want to do great things, you have to be bold first!" Li Yunlong shouted. "If you want to work with me and get the brothers in the Independent Regiment to respect you, you have to be daring and decisive."

"Commander Ding, what do you think?" Zhao Gang turned to look at Ding Wei.

"If we have the resources, we'll do it." Ding Wei declared directly, looking at Zhao Gang: "Zhao Gang, if you're afraid of dying, then go back. I, Ding Wei, can also record the data for these artillery shells!"

“How could I, Zhao Gang, be afraid of death? You’re kidding!” Zhao Gang was provoked by Ding Wei and glared at him. “From the moment I joined the army, I, Zhao Gang, have already risked my life.”

"Old Ding, don't look down on Old Zhao. He's got both literary and martial skills, he's not some pedantic scholar!" Li Yunlong said to Zhao Gang, feigning indifference. "Old Zhao, I was just joking with you and Old Ding earlier. We can't really go and attack Ping'an County. Let's just follow the brigade commander's orders. The supplies for the 4th and 9th Brigade's encirclement forces are definitely stored in Ping'an County. We'll leave them for the Japanese encirclement forces, so they can eat and drink their fill before they can encircle us."

"Li Yunlong, what nonsense are you spouting!" Zhao Gang glared at him. "What do you mean by leaving supplies for the Japanese? What do you mean by letting the Japanese eat their fill so they can encircle and annihilate us? We should make sure these bastards don't even get a sip of soup! Let's go all out! As long as these bastards can't eat, even if the brigade commander kills me, I'll be willing." "Old Ding, see, see, what did I tell you? I told you our Old Zhao isn't just a pretentious intellectual, he really dares to fight and risk his life in crucial moments." Li Yunlong pressed on, saying to Ding Wei, "Old Ding, you'd better make one last statement. If you don't agree, I, Li Yunlong, will definitely not make things difficult for your old comrade."

"Old Li, stop pretending to be all high and mighty," Ding Wei cursed.

"Haha, I'll add one last thing: it wasn't me, Li Yunlong, who forced you two to do this." Li Yunlong said, trying to be both a hypocrite and an accomplice.

"Go! Go! Go."

……

Heyuan County
Fujita Ichiji personally visited the county town gate and was shocked to see the repair work being carried out on the breach in the gate: "The Eighth Route Army's heavy artillery attack capability is really impressive. It's unreasonable that such a large breach could be blasted out with a single shot."

A trusted aide beside Fujita Ichiji nodded in agreement, saying, "It's absolutely unreasonable. Such a powerful cannon must be incredibly heavy. It's illogical that the Eighth Route Army, without any vehicles, could move so quickly with such a heavy artillery."

“Once we take down the Eighth Route Army, we’ll be able to figure out the reason.” Fujita Ichiji turned his head and asked, “What about the bait? How’s the preparation going?”

"We're still preparing. The main problem is that Captain Hirata lost too many supplies," the confidant replied.

“That good-for-nothing Hirata, watch how I…” Fujita Ichiji stopped mid-sentence, stunned.

Because someone is attacking the city.

Fujita Ichiji quickly grabbed his binoculars and looked inside, his expression as if he'd seen a ghost: "Baka! Am I seeing things? The Eighth Route Army is attacking the city?"

The confidant also picked up the binoculars and looked inside. His tone became tense: "Captain, it really is the Eighth Route Army. What should we do now? The two breaches in the city wall have not been repaired yet. The Eighth Route Army doesn't even need to fire any cannons. They can just rush in through the breaches. We definitely can't hold them off."

"Damn it, these arrogant Eighth Route Army guerrillas really don't respect our Imperial Army at all!" Fujita Ichiji cursed, but still tried to remain calm: "Don't panic, first send reinforcements to the strongholds around Heyuan County, then send a telegram to the encirclement and suppression troops in Ping'an County, and tell them to come to our aid as soon as possible."

Hirata Ichiro's men were standing behind Fujita Ichiji. Upon hearing Fujita Ichiji's order, they scoffed, "I thought you, Captain Fujita, were something special. Isn't this just copying our captain's methods?"

Of course, despite the contempt, Fujita Ichiji's orders still had to be carried out swiftly.

(End of this chapter)