Holding the original shares, they fought all the way to the Korean War!

Brigade Commander Chen's smile faded slightly.

He sat up straight, placed his hands on the table, as if he were thinking about something.

"award......"

He repeated the word, his brow furrowing slightly.

"Sooyoung, what you said has reminded me."

"Tianyang has made a tremendous contribution this time. The headquarters will definitely make arrangements, and the brigade should also reward him."

"But the problem is..."

He spread his hands, his tone tinged with helplessness.

"You've seen the current situation of the new Second Regiment."

"More than 1,500 people, all equipped with American weapons, guns and cannons."

"Even their training is more thorough than that of our brigade's main regiments."

"As the brigade commander, I don't even know what else I can give him."

After listening, Wang Xiuying thought for a moment and then spoke.

"Old Chen, what you said is true."

"The strength of the new Second Regiment has indeed surpassed that of many veteran main force regiments."

"Tianyang might not care about a position, but he has his own connections when it comes to equipment."

Commander Chen leaned back in his chair, looking up at the night sky as if talking to himself.

"What else can we give you?"

The courtyard was quiet for a moment.

Wang Xiuying didn't respond; she knew that Commander Chen needed to figure this out himself.

After a long while, Brigade Commander Chen sat up straight again, his gaze falling on Wang Xiuying's face.

"Never mind, let's wait until he gets back."

"He's the kind of person who doesn't do things for the sake of superficial things."

"After he comes back, I'll have a good talk with him and see what he wants."

"I will give as much as I can."

Wang Xiuying nodded and did not continue the topic.

She put away the neatly folded military uniform and then changed the subject.

"Old Chen, you've been in the Second New Regiment for half a month now. What do you think of this unit?"

Brigade Commander Chen's expression relaxed somewhat.

He picked up the bowl of water, which had gone completely cold, took another sip, and then put it down.

"There have been many changes."

What changes?

Commander Chen tapped his fingers lightly on the table twice, as if he were organizing his thoughts.

"When I first arrived, the new Second Regiment had a lot of people and good equipment, but I always felt that something was missing."

"After staying there for a few days, I finally understood what that feeling was all about."

"At the time, I thought that Tianyang was good at fighting, but he was still young when it came to leading troops, and the new Second Regiment needed time to mature."

Wang Xiuying didn't respond, waiting for him to continue.

Brigade Commander Chen paused, his tone carrying a hint of surprise and emotion.

"But after spending the last two weeks here, I realized I was wrong."

"Those soldiers, especially the new recruits, were completely different from the new recruits I had seen in other regiments."

"Their marksmanship, their tactical maneuvers, and their teamwork all exceeded the level expected at this stage."

Wang Xiuying's lips twitched slightly, but she didn't say anything.

Brigade Commander Chen continued:

"I asked Zhao Wenlong, and he said it's normal for new recruits to progress quickly."

"But we've been in the army for so many years, we all know what it means for new recruits to progress quickly."

"The soldiers in the new Second Regiment didn't improve quickly; their foundation was different."

"It was like suddenly having a breakthrough."

Hearing this, Wang Xiuying finally spoke.

"So you think it's because Tianyang's training was effective?"

"Some of them are."

Brigade Commander Chen nodded, but then shook his head.

"But no matter how good the training is, it is impossible for a new recruit who has been in the army for two months to be able to fight to a draw with a veteran of three years in bayonet fighting."

"This is not normal, but I can't figure out why."

He paused, his gaze falling on the distant night.

"However, I don't intend to investigate this matter further."

"Tianyang has his own methods. If he doesn't tell me, I won't ask."

"The important thing is that this team can be deployed to fight and kill the enemy on the battlefield."

"As for how they trained, that's Tianyang's skill."

Wang Xiuying listened quietly and did not ask any further questions.

Commander Chen sat for a while longer, then stood up and stretched his shoulders.

"Alright, it's getting late."

"Get some rest."

He turned and took two steps into the house, then stopped and looked back at Wang Xiuying.

"Xiuying, do you think Tianyang will be unhappy if he comes back and finds out that the reward our brigade headquarters won't be able to give him for the time being?"

Wang Xiuying smiled, a smile that carried a certainty born from having seen through something.

"He won't."

"He'll be happy for half a day if you give him a verbal compliment."

"He's not the kind of person who cares about superficial things."

Brigade Commander Chen smiled and nodded.

"Too."

He turned and went into the house, the door closing gently behind him.

Wang Xiuying sat in the courtyard for a while longer.

She looked up at the moon in the sky, then looked down at the telegram on the table that had been put away.

"Three Japanese officers..."

She repeated those words softly, then stood up and went back to her room.

The courtyard returned to silence.

In the distance, the footsteps of the sentries continued on the threshing floor.

The outline of the Taihang Mountains stood silently under the moonlight.

Only the light in Commander Chen's room stayed on for a while longer before going out.

……

at the same time.

Taiyuan City.

First Army Headquarters.

The light in the commander's office was still on.

Yoshijiro Umezu sat behind his desk.

A recently translated encrypted telegram lay before him.

The telegram was forwarded by the North China Area Army Headquarters; it was brief and restrained in its wording.

Yoshijiro Umezu read the telegram three times.

On the first read, he confirmed the authenticity of the content.

The second time, he mentally recreated the scene.

At the East China Expeditionary Army Headquarters, two general-level targets were sniped upon arrival in broad daylight.

It was almost identical to the report he had received in Taiyuan.

On the third time, his gaze lingered on those two lines of text, and a slow smile curved his lips.

The curve is so subtle that it's almost imperceptible unless you look closely.

But that arc does exist, and it's gradually widening.

He stood up, walked to the window, turned his back to the desk, and looked out at the city of Taiyuan in the night.

He thought of that day a few months ago.

Kiyoshi Kazuki was sniped at Kosha Airport. One bullet casing, one body, and one killer who vanished without a trace.

Although the headquarters did not publicly hold him accountable.

But the warning hidden in that restrained telegram remains vivid in his memory.

From then on, he thought about it almost every day.

The murderer killed his predecessor on his very first day in office.

Even if those people at headquarters didn't say it, they probably had their doubts about him.

They suspect he ordered the attack and that he resorted to any means necessary to secure his succession.

He couldn't explain himself clearly, nor could he prove his innocence.

During that time, he lived like a frightened bird.

Every time they enter or leave the headquarters, they must confirm the safety of the route; every time they make a public appearance, they must deploy a large number of troops in advance.

He even began to suspect his closest adjutant, wondering if he, like the murderer, was lurking in the shadows.