Bright Sword: Starting from Obtaining the Equipment Slot

The group walked back towards the valley along the same path they had come from.

The night road was difficult to walk, but the soldiers' steps were much lighter than when they came.

They came without a gun and were unsure of themselves.

When they returned, they had a gun in their hands, bullets in their waistbands, and food on their backs.

Ma Feng walked at the very front of the group.

He would stop every now and then, listen carefully to the sounds around him, and only continue forward when he was sure it was safe.

After walking for about an hour, we could see the big tree at the entrance of the valley in the distance.

When the soldiers left behind in the valley saw them return, they ran over to meet them from afar.

A man ran up to Wei Dayong, panting, and said:

"Company commander, you're finally back! We've been waiting here all night, we were so worried!"

Wei Dayong patted him on the shoulder.

"What's the rush? We're back now."

The team entered the valley, and everyone began unloading supplies.

Weapons and ammunition were piled up on one side, while food was piled up on the other.

Wang Xiao took the booklet and recounted all the supplies. The number was exactly the same as when he counted them in Xiaowangzhuang; nothing was missing.

Old Wu led the soldiers of the logistics platoon to carry the grain into the cave and cover it with tarpaulin.

Wei Dayong stood in the middle of the valley, looking at all the soldiers in the company.

With 127 people, plus Lao Wu's logistics platoon of 36, the Independent Company now has a total of 163 people.

Everyone had weapons, plenty of bullets, and enough food to last for more than a month.

"The whole company will rest for a day. We have another battle to fight tomorrow night."

Wang Xiao leaned closer and asked.

"Company commander, where should we fire?"

"Prisoner of war camp".

Wang Xiao was stunned for a moment.

"A prisoner-of-war camp?"

"Yes." Wei Dayong squatted down and drew a simple map on the ground. "When we left, there were still more than two hundred brothers in the prisoner-of-war camp."

Now that the Japanese are frantically searching for us everywhere, they will subconsciously overlook the defenses of the POW camp.

"We have a strong and well-equipped force right now. If we don't seize this opportunity to rescue them, we'll never have such a good chance again."

Wang Xiao squatted down beside him and stared at the picture on the ground for a while.

"Company commander, although the defenses of the POW camp are weak, there is still at least one company of Japanese soldiers stationed there. Coupled with the terrain advantage, it will probably be difficult to take them down."

"The Japanese are tough to fight, but we're not pushovers either!" Wei Dayong pointed with a twig to a spot west of the POW camp. "Look here. Twenty miles west of the POW camp, there's a puppet army stronghold called Majiagou."

"Let's send a team to attack Majiagou first, make a big fuss, and lure the Japanese prisoners of war from the prisoner-of-war camp there."

His finger moved to the location of the prisoner-of-war camp.

"Once the Japanese troops are diverted to reinforce Majiagou, the defenses of the POW camp will be weakened. Our main force can seize this opportunity to infiltrate, quickly defeat the enemy, and rescue all the prisoners inside."

Wang Xiao's eyes lit up after hearing this.

"That's a great idea! We'll feint to the east while attacking in the west, catching him completely off guard!"

Zhou Huaiyuan also came over to look at the map, then looked up and said.

"Company commander, shall I lead the feint attack on Majiagou?"

"Alright, then you'll lead the team." Wei Dayong looked at Zhou Huaiyuan. "Take all the soldiers in the second platoon with you. Just make sure the fighting is lively, but don't let it escalate into a full-blown brawl."

Remember, your mission is to draw the Japanese soldiers' attention, not to fight to the death. Once the POW camp starts making its move, retreat immediately and do not linger.

Zhou Huaiyuan nodded.

"Understood."

Wei Dayong stood up and shouted to the entire company.

"Listen up, everyone! Get plenty of rest and food tomorrow. Tomorrow night, we'll go and bring back the rest of our brothers from the POW camp!"

A chorus of excited responses echoed through the valley.

No one objected; everyone shared the same thought: if Wei Dayong could still care about the prisoners left in the POW camp at this time, then he would be even less likely to abandon them in the future!

The Independent Company rested in the valley for the entire next day.

The cooks used the captured flour to steam buns and cooked a large pot of soup with cured meat.

The soldiers ate heartily, their mouths glistening with oil, and smiles gracing their faces.

After the meal, Wang Xiao led all the soldiers in the company to inspect the weapons.

Each gun was disassembled and cleaned, the barrels were oiled, and the bolts were readjusted.

Ma Fenghuai and his men disassembled and cleaned all six light machine guns and two heavy machine guns, and then filled the magazines with bullets.

Old Wu led the logistics platoon to replenish the ammunition of each soldier.

Each person received sixty bullets, four hand grenades, a canteen filled with water, and a food bag containing two steamed buns and a small piece of cured meat.

In the afternoon, Wei Dayong called Wang Xiao, Zhou Huaiyuan, Hou Yue and others aside. The group squatted on the ground and drew a route on the ground with tree branches.

"Zhou Huaiyuan led the second platoon westward, circling around this gully to the north of Majiagou. The Majiagou stronghold was built next to the highway, surrounded by open ground. Find a sloping hill to the north and set up the machine gun. We'll start firing at the agreed time."

Zhou Huaiyuan stared at the map on the ground and drew a circle on the slope with a twig.

"How long will it last?"

"Fight for at least half an hour. The more intense the fighting, the better. Make as much noise as possible. Once the Japanese come out of the POW camp to reinforce you, you should withdraw. Don't engage them in direct combat."

"understood."

Wei Dayong drew another line, starting from the valley, bypassing the front of the prisoner-of-war camp, and sneaking across the eastern ridge.

"I'll lead the first and third platoons along this route. There's a depression to the east of the POW camp that can hide people. Once the Japanese troops split up to support Majiagou, I'll lead my men up from the depression and storm the POW camp directly."

After assigning tasks, the independent company began its operations.

Zhou Huaiyuan led the soldiers of the second platoon from the western exit of the valley, making their way along the gully towards Majiagou.

Wei Dayong led the remaining soldiers out from the eastern exit of the valley and made their way towards the prisoner-of-war camp.

As Wei Dayong walked, he activated his "Observe in All Directions" feature, mentally mapping out the terrain within a three-kilometer radius.

Under his guidance, they made it to the outskirts of the prisoner-of-war camp without incident.

The defenses of the POW camp were indeed much weaker than before.

At least, Yamamoto Ichiki's special forces are no longer here.

The number of sentries on the watchtower has been reduced by half.

In the barracks on the north side of the prisoner-of-war camp, more than two hundred prisoners of war were locked inside, with only seven or eight Japanese soldiers guarding the door.

Wei Dayong told everyone to lie down in the depression and wait for the signal.

He lay down behind a sloping hill and used binoculars to observe the prisoner-of-war camp.

Soon, the Japanese soldiers in the prisoner-of-war camp reacted, presumably having received news of the attack on Majiagou.

The lights in the barracks came on, and whistles and shouts rose and fell.

Wei Dayong, with his keen eyesight, saw that the Japanese soldiers in the prisoner-of-war camp were assembling.

Less than ten minutes later, about a hundred Japanese soldiers poured out of the prisoner-of-war camp, jumped onto three trucks, and headed west toward Majiagou.

Only the company headquarters and a small squad, totaling more than eighty Japanese soldiers, remained in the prisoner-of-war camp.

Wei Dayong put away his binoculars and gestured to the soldiers behind him.

"Prepare for battle!"