You are ordered to support the War of Resistance against Japan; China enters Level 1 combat readines

At the same time that the military and civilians of He County were racing against time and preparing for war.

Quancheng, Zhicheng, and Jincheng—three directions from which the Japanese troops gathered.

In stark contrast to the tense yet excited atmosphere in He County, this place is permeated with an almost leisurely, confident arrogance.

Calm and composed, handling things with ease!

The hillsides were covered with khaki military uniforms, bayonets reflecting a cold glint, pack animals pulling artillery, and trucks kicking up dust.

The operation of 100,000 Japanese soldiers and puppet troops was so large that it could not be completely concealed.

The Japanese soldiers seemed too lazy to hide too much; in their eyes, this was more like an armed parade, a hunt destined to be crushed.

What merit does a small county town have to warrant the Imperial Army to dispatch two divisions and an independent brigade?

"Baka! Hurry up! Stop dawdling! We have to get to the designated location before dark!"

The Japanese commander, mounted on horseback, brandished his saber and shouted orders at the marching troops.

But the reprimand didn't contain much of the severity expected before battle; instead, it carried an impatience to urge the prey to hurry into the cage.

The puppet troops, carrying guns, followed behind the Japanese battalion, their faces showing little fear.

With an army of 100,000, it would be enough to take down not only a county town, but the entire Eighth Route Army in Shanxi Province!

During the march, these puppet troops were even more arrogant than the Japanese soldiers.

"Have you heard? Those guerrillas from He County picked up one of our tattered flags and now they think they're something special!"

"Commander Iseki said that this time they're going to show those arrogant fools what the real Imperial Army is like!"

"They're just relying on a few beat-up cars they somehow got their hands on, right? This time, we'll bring out heavy artillery from both divisions together and see how long their turtle shells can hold out!"

"Surround them, bombard them slowly, starve them to death! When they're too weak from hunger, then charge in!"

"Commander Anda's strategy of besieging the enemy's stronghold and ambushing their reinforcements is brilliant! Those Eighth Route Army rats hiding in the mountains will definitely be unable to resist coming to their rescue, and then... we'll wipe them all out in one fell swoop!"

"Let's finish this quickly so we can go back home. It's really uncomfortable to stay in this poor mountain village."

"Hehe, it's time for us to follow behind the Imperial Army, pick up some scraps, and earn our reward!"

"Absolutely, absolutely..."

Arrogant, contemptuous, and disregarding the Eighth Route Army as nothing, as if victory was already in their grasp.

The 100,000-strong army advanced slowly and steadily along the predetermined route, constructing an outer encirclement and setting up ambush positions.

Everything seemed so "composed" and "effortless"!

Three days passed in the blink of an eye.

The 100,000-strong Japanese and puppet army completed the encirclement of He County at a leisurely pace.

The main north-south route was blocked by a large number of troops, and ambush positions were set up one after another in the surrounding mountains, with firepower points interspersed, just waiting for the Eighth Route Army reinforcements to crash in.

In the eyes of Kazuo Shinotsuka, Juzo Adachi, and others, this net was so tightly woven that it was just waiting for the fish to fall into its trap.

However, two days have passed, and the expected "big fish" has yet to appear.

In the command post, Anda Twenty-Three stared at the map, his brows gradually furrowing.

Apart from the newly formed First and Second Regiments, which were confirmed before the encirclement to move towards He County and enter the city, the other main forces of the Eighth Route Army made no unusual moves!

There was no sign of the reinforcements that were expected to rush out from the depths of the Taihang Mountains, and the entire Jin-Cha-Ji Border Region seemed to suddenly become "quiet".

"Something's not right..." Adachi tapped his twenty-three fingers on the table, a hint of doubt flashing in his sinister eyes.

"The Eighth Route Army values ​​loyalty and friendship above all else, but they also value equipment and territory. He County has the arsenal they desperately need and so many new weapons. Logically speaking, they would never sit idly by."

"Such silence suggests only two possibilities: either they've seen through our plan, or... they're preparing some kind of counterattack we don't know about."

Iseki Ren was also somewhat irritated: "We've been lying in ambush for days, and the mosquitoes in the gullies are practically sucking the soldiers dry! What on earth is the Eighth Route Army up to? Are they really willing to give up He County?"

Shinotsuka Kazuo remained relatively calm, but his expression also became more serious.

"Wait a little longer! Order all units to strengthen concealment in their positions and not to let their guard down! At the same time, increase air and ground reconnaissance efforts; I need to know the exact movements of the Eighth Route Army's main force!"

Two more days passed, and the seventh day arrived.

On the ambush site, the initial excitement and vigilance of the Japanese and puppet troops had long been worn away by the long wait, the damp environment, the mosquito bites, and the dwindling supplies.

Instead, there was exhaustion, complaints, and growing dissatisfaction.

Inside the command center, the atmosphere was even more oppressive.

"Commander! We still haven't detected any signs of a large-scale mobilization of the Eighth Route Army!" The staff officer's report was tinged with helplessness.

"Baka!" Iseki Ren finally snapped. "We've wasted seven whole days here!"

"The soldiers' morale is plummeting, and the supply lines are stretching! The Eighth Route Army had no intention of coming to the rescue! Our 'encirclement and suppression' strategy... has been seen through!"

Seven days have passed, and there has been no movement from the Eighth Route Army, which is clearly abnormal!

Anda Twenty-Three's face was so gloomy it could drip water.

His meticulously planned treacherous scheme actually failed?

When did the Eighth Route Army become so "calm" and "willing"? This doesn't fit his usual perception of this army!

Even he was envious of the equipment in He County. Would the Eighth Route Army really give it up?

Kazuo Shinotsuka paced back and forth in the operations room, his hands behind his back.

Seven days is already the limit.

The 100,000-strong army was exposed to the elements for an extended period, which may have seemed impressive, but in reality, the risks were increasing day by day.

General Okamura was in Hokuhei receiving the news of victory, but he remained motionless, unable to give an explanation.

More importantly, the unusual calm of the Eighth Route Army gave him a vague sense of foreboding.

"Gentlemen," Shinotsuka Kazuo stopped, his voice turning cold, "it seems the Eighth Route Army is determined to make us bite off the bone in He County."

He surveyed the crowd: "We can't wait any longer! We must take the initiative and capture He County! Otherwise, morale will completely collapse, and the Imperial Army will lose all face!"

"But, Commander," a staff officer said worriedly, "a direct assault on He County will come at a high price..."

"I know the cost will be high!" Shinotsuka Kazuo interrupted him, "but we must attack!"

The meeting room fell silent.

At this moment, Adachi Twenty-Three slowly raised his head, and a cruel glint flashed in his eyes, which had witnessed the Nanjing Massacre.

"Since they want to be cowards, hiding in the city and refusing to come out... then we'll blast their turtle shells, along with the flesh inside, into pieces!"

He turned around, his gaze sweeping over everyone present, and said, word by word:

"I request the transfer of the artillery regiments of the two divisions, plus the artillery units of the Independent Mixed Brigade No. 3, and also the Independent Field Heavy Artillery Regiment directly under the First Army..."

"At that time, we will have assembled the heavy artillery power of four entire artillery regiments!"

"At least 48 105mm howitzers alone could be concentrated!"

"He County is a small town, and the target is fixed."

"We don't need to target any specific fortification or vehicle; we can conduct a barrage of artillery fire! A saturation bombardment!"

"Bring the entire county seat of He County into the artillery barrage and subject it to indiscriminate carpet bombing!!"