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

"Your entire regiment is equipped with American rifles, German submachine guns, general-purpose machine guns, and mortars?"

Zhou Tianyang nodded, his tone remaining calm.

"Yes."

Deng Chen remained silent for a long time.

He sat there, head down, his fingers tapping lightly on the table, as if he were doing some accounting.

It was as if he was processing the impact of that information.

A while later.

He finally raised his head, let out a long breath, and had a bitter smile on his lips.

"Commander, I've been a soldier for so many years, from Shanghai to Nanjing, and I've seen quite a lot of equipment."

"The German-equipped division was considered the best in the country back then, equipped with German-made Mauser rifles, Czech light machine guns, and Krupp mountain guns."

"Even at its peak, I never saw a semi-automatic rifle or this new type of submachine gun in my possession."

His gaze fell once again on the MP40 by the door, his tone carrying a complex mix of emotions.

"Putting artillery aside, the firearms you just mentioned already far surpass the equipment of the German-equipped divisions back then."

"When did your Eighth Route Army develop to this extent?"

Zhou Tianyang didn't explain much, he just said one sentence.

"Battalion Commander Deng, you'll see for yourself when we get to Shanxi."

"None of what I've mentioned will be omitted."

Deng Chen's gaze lingered on Zhou Tianyang's face for a while before he slowly nodded.

He picked up the bowl of water in front of him and drank it all in one gulp. He put the bowl down on the table, his voice carrying a sense of relief and certainty.

"Okay, I'll wait to see it with my own eyes."

He picked up his chopsticks again, took a piece of rabbit meat, put it in his mouth, and chewed it slowly.

After he finished chewing, he put down his chopsticks and looked up at Zhou Tianyang.

The sentimentality in his tone had largely faded, replaced by a more practical concern.

"Commander, how do you maintain your supply lines?"

"I've heard that the Eighth Route Army's logistics have always been strained. Can you guarantee the supply of ammunition?"

"You don't need to worry about this."

Zhou Tianyang's tone was firm.

"We have stable supply channels, and our ammunition is sufficient for the entire regiment's normal training and combat use."

"After you arrive at the new Second Regiment, you will all be equipped with M1 Garand rifles, and ammunition will be issued in full."

After listening, Deng Chen did not ask any further questions.

He picked up the bowl, took another sip of water, then put the bowl down. His gaze fell on the figures outside the door who were busy packing up supplies, and he remained silent for a moment.

"Commander Zhou, my three hundred-odd men aren't following you for the equipment."

"No matter how good the equipment is, it needs someone to use it."

"Although we are down on our luck, we haven't lost our fighting skills."

Zhou Tianyang didn't reply, but simply picked up the bowl of water and raised it towards Deng Chen.

Deng Chen also picked up his bowl, and the two touched the rims of their bowls together before each taking a sip.

The food on the table has been almost completely eaten.

The stewed rabbit meat was almost gone, and only a small bowl of mixed grain porridge remained.

Zhou Tianyang put down his bowl, stood up, walked to the door, and looked at the campsite in the night.

In the distance, the soldiers were still busy, some packing supplies, some checking equipment, and some talking in hushed tones.

Deng Chen followed his gaze and looked out.

Neither of them spoke; they simply watched the bustling scene in silence.

After a long while, Deng Chen finally spoke.

"Commander, from today onwards, my three hundred-plus men are soldiers of your new Second Regiment."

Zhou Tianyang turned his head to look at him and nodded.

"it is good."

The next morning.

More than three hundred people stood in formation on the open space in the center of the camp, quieter and more orderly than yesterday.

There was no unnecessary conversation, no lingering footsteps.

Everyone carried their own baggage and weapons, standing in their respective positions.

Deng Chen stood at the front of the line, wearing an old military uniform that had been washed until it was faded.

He wasn't carrying anything special in his hands, just an old Mauser pistol tucked into his waistband.

He stood there, his gaze sweeping over the faces of the veterans one by one, and remained silent for a moment.

Then he turned around and nodded to Zhou Tianyang.

"Commander, everyone is here, we can set off at any time."

Zhou Tianyang had already made preparations.

He stood at the edge of the camp, where Ma Yong and the guards were already lined up.

Thirty people, each carrying a Type 38 rifle and a simple bag, stood together.

Although there didn't seem to be many people, their orderly demeanor blended in with Deng Chen's group of over three hundred, so it didn't look out of place.

Three hundred and fifty-five people.

Zhou Tianyang silently recited the number in his mind.

When he left Shanghai, he had only thirty people with him, but now his team has grown more than tenfold.

Although it is not yet the core fighting force of the new second regiment.

But these 300-plus veterans were forged in the blood and fire of the Battle of Shanghai and the Battle of Nanjing.

They don't need to train from scratch; they just need to pick up their weapons again and find a sense of belonging.

"Let's go."

Zhou Tianyang didn't say much, just nodded to Deng Chen, then turned and walked to the front of the group.

Deng Chen walked slightly behind Zhou Tianyang, taking steps that were neither too big nor too small, maintaining a distance of about half a step from Zhou Tianyang.

He didn't rush to speak, but walked quietly along the mountain path, his eyes occasionally scanning the terrain on both sides.

The group walked westward along the mountain path at a moderate pace.

We walked for about an hour and a half.

Zhou Tianyang slowed his pace and turned to look at Deng Chen.

"Battalion Commander Deng, are you familiar with this stretch of road?"

Deng Chen looked up at the winding mountain ridge in front of him and nodded slightly.

"Cooked".

He pointed to the mountain hollow not far ahead.

"Go around that mountain ridge ahead, and then walk west for another ten miles or so, and you'll be out of Shandong province."

"I've walked that terrain several times. The Japanese don't have any strongholds in that area, only patrol teams."

"But I know the patrol's route."

Deng Chen added another sentence.

"As long as you don't take the main road and follow the old road at the foot of the mountain, you basically won't run into them."

Zhou Tianyang didn't ask any more questions, he just nodded.

The group continued moving forward, maintaining its unhurried pace.

In the afternoon, the team crossed a relatively gentle ridge, and the terrain ahead began to change significantly.

The mountains gradually sloped down, and the gaps between the hills widened.

After crossing the ridge, Deng Chen slowed his pace and turned to Zhou Tianyang, saying:

"Commander, we're at the edge of the Luxi Plain ahead. If we keep going, we'll see the border between Henan and Hebei provinces."

"We'll head west from here, through southern Hebei, and then north. If all goes well, as long as we don't run into the main force of the Japanese, we should be able to reach southeastern Shanxi in a few days."

Zhou Tianyang followed his gaze and looked ahead.

He looked at it for a while, then looked away and nodded.

"Let's stay here for the night and continue our journey tomorrow."

Deng Chen had no objection; he turned and gestured to the team behind him.

Several company commanders immediately split up, some going out to scout ahead, while others stopped to arrange for guard duty.

People started looking for places to spend the night.