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

Xiao Jianyun and Xie Jinyuan were finalizing the next marching route. After breaking out of the International Settlement, passing through Jing'an Temple, building roads across the border in western Shanghai, and crossing Caojiadu to reach Beixinjing, their next stop was Hongqiao. The originally planned thirteen-kilometer route had turned into a nearly twenty-kilometer hike with detours, while the Japanese search party was still wandering around aimlessly, completely unaware that they had already reached Beixinjing and shaken off ninety percent of their pursuers.

Xiao Jianyun pressed his fingertip on the map and said in a deep voice:

"The commander-in-chief is about 50 kilometers from here, around Anting Town. To take Qingpu first, we must pass through Hongqiao. From Beizhai Road, turn onto Huqingping Road. There's a 7-kilometer stretch of farmland with no Japanese defenses. Even with the detour, we should arrive in about two hours. After a short rest at Hongqiao, we'll take the Huqingping straight road to Qingpu County, which is 20 kilometers. We'll camp in the southern suburbs tonight. Tomorrow, we'll continue north along the straight road, passing Baihegang to Anting, which is another 20 kilometers. What do you think?"

Xie Jinyuan stared at the map, nodding repeatedly, his eyes filled with admiration—this plan was even more meticulous than his own, a professionally trained staff officer! He immediately clasped his hands in a fist and said, "I'll follow your arrangements! After leaving the concession, we gathered three groups of defeated soldiers, adding over a hundred men and more than sixty guns. We also wiped out two scattered groups of Japanese soldiers, seizing twenty-seven guns. We finally have some confidence! Before setting off, I never dared to imagine it would go so smoothly. Your preparations were excellent! Brothers of the Lone Army Battalion, we will follow your lead!"

He adopted an extremely humble posture, partly out of politeness, but more so because he was awestruck by the reconnaissance company's combat prowess—their unbelievable combat methods compelled him to observe and learn along the way, a skill honed by the "six skills" of a staff officer. No one knew that this flawless plan was merely the work of a single telegram from Zhao Yunwen. With the "trump card" of a precise minimap, Zhao Yunwen's remote micromanagement allowed them to repeatedly evade the main Japanese forces.

With departure imminent, Xiao Jianyun rushed to the wounded. Looking at Yang Ruifu, who was still unconscious, he frowned and said:

"Dr. Su, why hasn't Battalion Commander Yang woken up yet? Has his condition worsened?"

Su Wanqing still remembered the grudge of being kidnapped by him. She wanted to ignore him coldly, but business was important, so she replied curtly:

"Thanks to penicillin, his condition is very stable! It's good that he's still unconscious, so he can recover and avoid further complications."

Although Xiao Jianyun didn't understand the intricacies, he believed in Zhao Yunwen's abilities—the chief commander's miraculous medicine could pull even the King of Hell's soul back from the Bridge of Helplessness!

"We're heading to Qingpu County tonight. The road conditions are good for the 20-kilometer straight stretch. If we need to rest, have Xiao Hubei report it. Battalion Commander Yang, I'm entrusting him to you. You must ensure his safety, understand?"

"Understood!"

Su Wanqing subconsciously straightened her chest and answered the order, adopting the military posture she had learned from Xiao Hubei. As soon as she finished speaking, she regretted it and slapped her forehead—she wasn't his soldier, so why should she obey orders? But by the time she wanted to change her mind, Xiao Jianyun had already strode away, leaving only his broad-shouldered back.

Hmph, that big oaf is certainly imposing, and his back view isn't too bad. But the thought of being held hostage at gunpoint makes her teeth itch. When she sees General Zhao, she'll definitely file a few complaints against him and teach him a lesson for his arrogance!

Little Hubei couldn't hide his suppressed laughter, and Su Wanqing immediately glared at him:

"What are you laughing at? Stay away from certain people in the future, and don't pick up their bad habits!"

Little Hubei immediately smiled ingratiatingly and begged for forgiveness: "Sister Su, I wasn't smiling! I just think you look beautiful even when you're angry!"

Su Wanqing instantly lost her composure—she couldn't possibly argue with a thirteen-year-old boy. Aside from his military uniform, this child was younger than her own brother. Besides, she had saved Battalion Commander Yang, and Xiao Hubei was exceptionally close to her. In just one day, she already considered him her brother and spoke to him without restraint.

When the rest time was over, the troops set off on time, following the same marching order as before, except that there were more than a hundred deserters in the ranks—their weapons had all been confiscated and distributed to the brothers of the isolated battalion, and the veteran Yang Guai even managed to get a short-barreled Mauser rifle.

Perhaps due to the butterfly effect brought about by Zhao Yunwen's time travel, many brothers in the isolated battalion who should have sacrificed themselves survived: Duanwu, Lao Tie, and the cunning Yang Guai. But ever since he witnessed the sniper rifles of the reconnaissance company, Yang Guai looked down on his short-barreled Mauser. What made him even more envious was the pay of the Security Regiment—he originally thought that the 88th Division's national crisis pay was the limit, but who knew that the Security Regiment's pay was more than half again as much as the 88th Division's!

This isn't being a soldier, it's picking up money! If I could be recruited into the Security Corps, save up enough silver dollars in two years, go home, marry a wife, and live a peaceful life with my mother, how wonderful! Just thinking about this, Yang Guai felt full of energy, and even holding his Mauser, he felt his back straighten up a bit.

The column had barely traveled ten miles when it suddenly came to an abrupt halt! As everyone wondered what was happening, Company Commander Shangguan Zhibiao charged in, his voice booming, "Japanese devils are slaughtering civilians in the village ahead! Company Commander Xiao is going to make dumplings and wipe out these bastards! Those with guns, follow me!"

Yang Guai glanced at the Mauser in his hand, knowing there was no way to dodge, and immediately followed Shangguan Zhibiao out of the main force. The group rushed to the back of the village, where they heard gunfire like popping beans ahead. Shangguan Zhibiao shouted sharply, "Take cover! Lie down!"

Yang Guai darted to Shangguan Zhibiao's side, who lowered his voice and ordered, "Company Commander Xiao, lead your men to fight to the death in front of the village, drive the Japanese towards us! You all keep a close watch, kill any who come out, don't let a single one live!"

Yang Guai was overjoyed—the security team was "herding sheep" in front, while they were ambushing and killing them from behind. This was a cushy job with no risk whatsoever; it was practically picking up heads!

The gunfire in the village grew louder and louder, and Yang Guai became more and more excited as he listened—it was the burst of submachine gun fire and the muffled sound of the 98K sniper rifle he had been longing for. The Japanese gunfire had long been suppressed to a few scattered, dying struggles, and was no match for them at all!

Just as everyone's blood was boiling, the shadowy figures of Japanese soldiers appeared in the distance, about thirty or forty of them, abandoning their armor and weapons and fleeing in panic, fighting as they ran backward.

"The Japanese are coming! Prepare for battle!" Shangguan Zhibiao shouted in a low voice, then added, "Hide well! Don't expose yourself!"

As the Japanese soldiers drew closer, Yang Guai slowly raised his gun, his sights locked on the Japanese soldier with the white flag on the tip of his gun—judging by his demeanor, he was at least a corporal; today he would make an example of him!

Closer! You can see the buttocks under the helmet clearly; it's a Japanese soldier covered in blood, no doubt about it!

"Beat them!"

Shangguan Zhibiao roared, and gunshots rang out instantly! Yang Guai's shot was the first to fire, the crisp sound breaking the silence. The corporal didn't even utter a sound before falling straight to the ground—the veteran's marksmanship was always steady, accurate, and ruthless!

The bullets from the other brothers followed one after another, raining down on the Japanese soldiers. The anger that had been building up for days and the shame of being trapped in the isolated camp were all poured out in bullets! The Japanese soldiers cried out for their fathers and mothers, falling in droves, none of them able to escape this net of death—today, these bastards will surely pay for their blood debt!