Even if I'm a useless bum at Whampoa Military Academy, I'll be invincible in the War of Re

On the north bank of the river, more than a hundred ferries braved the waves and successfully docked after overcoming various risks in the river, taking fifty-one minutes.

After thanking the boatwoman, Zhao Yunwen leaped off the boat and landed gracefully on the shore. The young girl suspected he was showing off, but having no proof, she could only give him a sweet smile and wave.

"Big brother, I'll wait for you to fight back, and then I'll come pick you up!"

The image of the little girl rowing away was forever etched in Zhao Yunwen's mind. Her frail body carried the hopes of the nation, and he had no reason not to fight back!

"Jiangnan is beautiful, its scenery is familiar from long ago. At sunrise, the river flowers are redder than fire, and in spring, the river water is greener than blue. How can I not miss Jiangnan?"

"Jiangnan, I will definitely fight my way back!"

Zhao Yunwen glanced back at the picturesque Jiangnan region one last time, then resolutely turned and left. His departure today was for a better return tomorrow.

After crossing the river, the troops quickly assembled under the command of officers at all levels. Zhao Yunwen then ordered them to disperse to the surrounding areas, seize advantageous terrain, and take cover on the spot. Although Jiangbei was still under the control of the Nationalist army, the safety of 20,000 men was at stake, and no amount of caution was too much.

Two hours later, the second batch of ships loaded with a large number of mules, horses and supplies successfully docked. Zhao Yunwen finally breathed a sigh of relief and left the rest to time.

The crossing operation on the first night went exceptionally smoothly, with almost no loss of personnel or supplies. There was only one incident where a boat deviated from its course by several hundred meters due to the strong current; however, thanks to the joint efforts of the boatmen and soldiers, it safely reached the shore without any major incidents, with only a small amount of supplies lost.

After daybreak, the troops stopped crossing the river to avoid being detected by Japanese reconnaissance planes. Although Zhao Yunwen could rent fighter jets to shoot them down, there was still a risk of exposing their location, which was not worthwhile.

In Jiangnan, Zhang Yi's troops, who had been covering the rear, also arrived smoothly. There were no pursuers behind them. The Ninth Division, having been terrified, chose to bury their heads in the sand. After confirming that the defending troops had withdrawn overnight, Fujii only sent men to occupy the first peak, and then reported the victory to Yoshizumi Ryosuke, saying that the remaining enemy at Zijin Mountain had been annihilated, with only a few escaping and fleeing into the mountains.

Yoshizumi Ryosuke did not delve into the matter, but instead sent the telegram verbatim to Prince Asaka Kyuhiko.

At this moment, the old Japanese soldier was on his way to Nanjing to participate in the long-planned entry ceremony, and his mind was not on the few remaining soldiers at all. After reading the telegram, he tossed it aside, and Zhao Yunwen moved on from it.

The same was true of the Ninth Division; they rushed into Nanjing, joined in the celebration of victory, and committed numerous crimes.

The crossing continued on the second night, mainly involving the First and Third Regiments and Zhang Yi's troops, totaling about 8,000 people. The task was easier than the first day, but an unexpected incident occurred.

The minimap shows a night patrol gunboat appearing west of Jingjiang, less than 20 kilometers from the ferry crossing, while troops are crossing the river.

Zhao Yunwen quickly exchanged for twenty water mines in the system shop, deployed them on the river to block the waterway, and consumed 10000 contribution points.

Just as the guerrilla column was crossing the river in full swing, the gunboat "Mist Moon" was rumbling towards them on the river twelve kilometers to the west. Its high-powered searchlights could be seen from a great distance.

This was Zhao Yunwen's first time using mines against Japanese warships, so nervousness was inevitable. He checked with the system again:

"Brother Tongzi, is this thing reliable?"

[Host, rest assured, everything the system produces is top-notch. The mine technology from 42 years ago was already quite advanced. Let alone small gunboats with a displacement of a few hundred tons, even large vessels with a displacement of tens of thousands of tons can be dealt with. As long as you have enough mines, you can blockade the Yangtze River waterway.]

Zhao Yunwen was intrigued after hearing this, and asked curiously:

"Approximately how many contribution points would be needed to blockade Wusongkou for a month?"

Zhao Yunwen regretted not having thought of this move earlier, otherwise it could have been used during the Battle of Shanghai.

The system said coldly:

[Host, naval mines are defensive weapons, only effective for blocking enemy ships, and a large quantity is needed. Once a Japanese ship sinks, they will send minesweepers to clear it, making it very inefficient and consuming too many contribution points. We do not recommend using them.]

Zhao Yunwen immediately dismissed the idea. His contribution points were very valuable; he only had 842000 left. Locking up the river would consume at least 30 points a month, which he couldn't afford.

However, he will keep this method in mind, as it should come in handy during the Battle of Jiangcheng. His immediate priority is to accumulate more contribution points.

Just as Zhao Yunwen was plotting how to ambush the Japanese with mines, the "Mist Moon's" good luck came to an end. After luckily dodging more than a dozen mines, it still struck one of them, and with a huge explosion, a huge gash was torn open on the port side.

A massive amount of river water rushed into the cabin, causing the ship to sink rapidly. Amidst the desperate cries of dozens of Japanese soldiers, it capsized and sank to the bottom of the river. The Japanese sailors struggled desperately in the icy water, eventually feeding the fish with their own blood.

Without the disturbance of the small gunboats, the river crossing operation continued in an orderly manner. By dawn, all troops had safely crossed the river, and the boatmen had also returned home smoothly, riding the morning mist.

Crossing the river was crucial for the northward march. After the troops entered the Central Jiangsu Plain, Zhao Yunwen looked into the distance and saw a flat plain that stretched as far as the eye could see.

The river wind, damp and cold, felt like ice shards on my face. The path beneath my feet was a dark brown clay track; each step left a muddy cradle, and after only a few steps, my trouser legs and leggings were completely covered in mud. The ground was as flat as a damp cloth spread out before me, with ditches and canals forming a dense spiderweb, interspersed with stretches of paddy fields and wild reeds. Not a single mountain was in sight; only the white walls and black tiles of distant villages floated forlornly on the plain.

After a brief adjustment, Zhao Yunwen ordered the guerrilla column to head north, traveling by day and resting by night. Starting from the north bank of Jingjiang, they passed through Taixing, Taizhou, Xinghua, northwest of Yancheng, Huaiyin, Suqian, and Xinyi, eventually entering the southern Shandong region.

The further north you go, the harder the wind blows, the drier the ground becomes, and the water network becomes slightly less dense, but it is still a vast plain with long dirt roads. Many villages and towns along the way have been bombed, leaving behind ruined walls, charred timber, and empty houses. Occasionally, unclaimed corpses lie by the roadside, where crows perch and only take flight when people approach.

As the troops approached the border between Jiangsu and Shandong, the terrain quietly changed. The flat land gradually rose into gentle slopes, and low, gentle hills could be seen in the distance. It was no longer a pure water town plain—this was the southern edge of the Yimeng Mountains, and Tancheng, the guerrilla column's destination for heading north, was in sight.

After crossing the Longhai Railway, the road surface became harder underfoot, and the wind carried the pungent smell of loess. Ahead, the road forked:

One route heads straight for Tancheng, while the other heads northwest towards Linyi.

After departing from Jurong, the guerrilla column had been marching for more than ten days, including crossing the river, and the soldiers were generally exhausted.

Zhao Yunwen quickly made new arrangements: the reconnaissance battalion moved forward to the north of Linyi for guard duty, the main force dispersed and hid for rest and reorganization in regiments, Zhang Yi's troops returned to their original units, and minor adjustments were made to reduce the strength of the Second Regiment to 2500 men, so that the organizational structure of each regiment was standardized.

While the troops rested, the command center dared not remain idle. Zhao Yunwen summoned officers of regimental rank and above to deploy new combat missions. Once everyone was present, Zhao Yunwen solemnly stated:

"Brothers, just as we left Jurong, the main force of the 10th Division crossed the Yellow River in the Quancheng and Qingcheng area and attacked Shandong Province, while the 5th Division provided support from the outside."

Commander-in-Chief of the 3rd Army Group and Provincial Governor Han Fuju adopted a passive defense, leading to the rapid collapse of the Yellow River defense line. Subsequently, 100,000 troops abandoned Quancheng, Tai'an, and Dawenkou without firing a single shot, retreating to Jining. This effectively handed over the Yellow River, Quancheng, Tai'an, and the Shandong section of the Jinpu Railway to the Japanese, leaving the northern gate of Pengcheng wide open.

After hearing this, everyone was filled with righteous indignation and began to curse loudly. The Second Brigade Commander, Qiu the Madman, very cooperatively added:

"Commander, the brothers are itching to fight! Just tell us how we're going to attack!"