Courtyard House: Home Alone

When the gentleman heard "light and heavy weapons for 100,000 men," his eyebrows twitched slightly, and a hint of shock flashed in his eyes.

His hand holding the teacup paused, then he put it down, leaned forward slightly, and said with a hint of disbelief, "Equipment for 100,000 men? And 105mm howitzers? Young friend Lin, are you sure 'Ghost' isn't joking? This weaponry is enough to equip several main armies!"

It should be noted that although the Eighth Route Army and the New Fourth Army, led by the Communist Party at that time, had a considerable total strength, they were extremely lacking in weapons and equipment. Many soldiers were still using broadswords and spears, and having a rifle was already a luxury, let alone heavy artillery.

For them, heavy weapons like the 105mm howitzer were simply unimaginable "luxuries".

Meeting the man's shocked gaze, Lin Yifan nodded firmly: "Sir, 'Ghost' never jokes."

These weapons are real and intended to provide your forces with sufficient strength to protect these aircraft and supplies, while also greatly enhancing the defensive capabilities of your base and laying the foundation for a subsequent counter-offensive.

Building airports and warehouses requires manpower and time, as well as sufficient military force to ensure security; these weapons are exactly what's needed.

The man remained silent for a moment, his fingers tapping unconsciously on the table, clearly considering the pros and cons and the possibilities.

The Taihang Mountains are indeed one of the core base areas of the Red Party. The terrain is complex, easy to defend and difficult to attack, and the mass base is also very good. Building a temporary airport here is indeed a good choice.

The weapons and equipment for 100,000 people are a timely help, which can not only solve the problem of airport security, but also greatly enhance the combat effectiveness of the troops.

"good!"

The man slammed his hand on the table, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "Let's do it the way 'Ghost' wants! We'll choose the Taihang Mountains as the location, and try to complete it within a month!"

As for the construction of the airport, we will immediately organize manpower and go all out! Even if we have to work through the night, we will get the airport and warehouse completed! His tone was firm and full of determination.

"However," the man changed the subject, a hint of worry appearing on his face, "although the Taihang Mountains are secluded, the sudden gathering of so many supplies and personnel will definitely cause quite a stir."

Japanese and puppet troops frequently operate reconnaissance planes in that area; if they discover us, the consequences will be unimaginable. We must develop comprehensive security measures and contingency plans.

Lin Yifan was prepared for this. He said, "Don't worry, sir, 'Ghost' has also taken this into consideration. He will provide several alternative locations for the airport, all of which are very well concealed and not easily detected by aerial reconnaissance."

In addition, "Ghost" will provide a range of advanced anti-aircraft weapons, such as anti-aircraft machine guns and small-caliber anti-aircraft cannons, to be deployed around the airport to counter potential air attacks.

"Anti-aircraft weapons?" The man's eyes lit up; this was another unexpected delight. With anti-aircraft weapons, the airport's security level would undoubtedly be significantly improved.

"Yes," Lin Yifan nodded, "It includes a batch of Japanese Type 98 anti-aircraft machine guns and twenty 20mm autocannons. Although the number is not large, it should be enough to deal with enemy aircraft flying at low altitudes."

The man breathed a sigh of relief, and the worry on his face gradually disappeared, replaced by full of anticipation and confidence.

He stood up, paced around the hall a few steps, then stopped, looking at Lin Yifan with a firm gaze: "Young friend Lin, go back and tell 'Ghost' to rest assured! After you return, I will immediately arrange for someone to select a site in Taihang, and start construction on a temporary airport, hangar, warehouse, etc. Once the site selection is completed, I will have our comrades in Beiping inform you."

We will do our utmost to ensure a smooth handover!

We will immediately begin the selection and training of pilots. I believe that before long, our own aircraft will be soaring in the skies of the War of Resistance against Japan!

Lin Yifan also stood up and solemnly said, "I will definitely convey your words, sir. 'Ghost' also looks forward to that day."

The two looked at each other and saw in each other's eyes a firm belief and a hope for the future.

Outside the hall, Manager Zhou and the guards stood quietly. Although they couldn't hear the specific conversation inside, they could sense an unusual atmosphere from the laughter of the master and Lin Yifan.

The man gently patted Lin Yifan's shoulder and said, "Xiao Fan, may I call you that? And you don't need to call me 'Mr.' anymore, just call me 'Grandpa.' My surname is Zhou, so you can call me Grandpa Zhou!"

Lin Yifan felt a warmth in his heart and quickly nodded, "Of course, Uncle Zhou!" This "Uncle" instantly shortened the distance between the two, making them less reserved and more friendly.

A relieved smile appeared on the man's face. He pulled Lin Yifan to sit down in a chair, and his tone became even gentler: "Xiao Fan, you've really worked hard this time. Please thank 'Ghost' for us."

To be honest, we still don't know the true identity of the "Ghosts," only that they are a group of patriotic heroes. They've gone to such lengths to help us, and we don't even know who they are... it's truly..."

Lin Yifan understood Grandpa Zhou's feelings. He explained, "Grandpa Zhou, 'Ghost' always keeps a low profile. They don't want to expose their identities because of these things. They just want to quietly do their part for the country and the nation. They said that as long as they can drive out the Japanese devils, it doesn't matter who they are."

The gentleman sighed softly and nodded: "What a fine 'who they are doesn't matter'! Such magnanimity is truly admirable. Well then, since he doesn't want to reveal it, we won't force him. But this kindness, we, the Red Party, and we, the Chinese people, will never forget."

He paused, as if remembering something, and then asked, "Xiao Fan, when exactly will those planes and supplies arrive? We need to make preparations to receive them in advance."

Lin Yifan said, "Uncle Zhou, 'Ghost' said that once the airport and warehouse are ready, he will arrange transportation immediately. He will inform you of the specific time in advance through his comrades in Beiping."

The transportation method is rather unusual, and we will try our best to ensure secrecy and security. We will need your personnel to meet and receive the goods upon arrival.

"Special transportation method?" The man asked curiously, but didn't press for details. He simply replied, "Okay, we'll be on standby. We'll notify you as soon as the airport is completed."

Lin Yifan added, "Uncle Zhou, there's one more thing. 'Ghost' also mentioned that in order to ensure the smooth progress of pilot training, in addition to those twelve primary trainer aircraft, he will also try to obtain some flight textbooks and related technical materials."

Although it may be in Japanese, I believe you should have comrades who understand Japanese who can translate it. Actually, during the attacks on Xiyuan Airport and Nanyuan Airport, he had seized a batch of Japanese flight manuals, which he also gave to the Communist Party this time.

"That's wonderful!" the man exclaimed with delight. "Textbooks and technical materials are exactly what we need right now. With these, our pilot training will be much more efficient and avoid many pitfalls. 'Ghost' has really thought of everything!"