Southern guerrilla warfare: I led the Red Seventh Army Corps to amassed a million troops.

The Red Army cadre's lips twitched slightly, and he explained with a wry smile, "Commander Xia, you've misunderstood! This Director Dai is a representative who has come to negotiate. Our Red Army and your Nationalist Army have already ceased fire. He's here to ransom you!"

Xia Chuzhong stared wide-eyed in disbelief, "Really?"

Dai Yunong nodded quickly: "Of course it's true! The principal has been thinking about you and specifically sent us to pick you up. He even appointed Minister Chen as the head of the negotiation team for this purpose. Senior Xia, I have something I'd like to discuss with you privately, what do you think..."

Xia Chuzhong waved his hand, and the group of young people surrounding him immediately retreated.

The Red Army cadres also wisely moved a little further away, leaving only this small space for them.

Seeing that no one was around, Xia Chuzhong grabbed Dai Yunong's hand and asked urgently, "Director Dai, tell me, what exactly happened?"

Dai Yunong was overjoyed; this was a great opportunity to make connections with the bigwigs from the first cohort of the Whampoa Military Academy.

If we can use this opportunity to get in touch with Xia Chuzhong, our future prospects within the system will be limitless.

"Senior Xia, you can just call me Yu Nong. The situation has been very volatile lately, and the principal has also felt a lot of pressure, which is why he proposed negotiations as a delaying tactic."

"Of course, the most important thing is to redeem you, the elites of the Party and the State, so that you will not fall into the hands of the Red Army."

"What about me? Can I really go back?" Xia Chuzhong's voice trembled slightly.

"Our negotiations with the Red Army are still at a stalemate, but the matter of ransomed you has been basically settled. In a couple of days, once the Red Army confirms that we have also released the hostages, you can take the train back to Nanchang to see the principal."

Xia Chuzhong hesitated for a moment, then asked cautiously, "Then... Principal, what is the principal's attitude towards me?"

That's exactly what I've been waiting for!

Dai Yunong's expression turned serious, and he said with utmost solemnity, "Before I came here, several senior students instructed me to convey their message to you. You must not admit your mistakes to anyone except the principal! Remember this, otherwise even the principal will find it difficult to help you!"

Xia Chuzhong first showed a hint of doubt, then a hint of gratitude flashed in his eyes.

But he quickly suppressed the turmoil in his heart and regained his calm expression.

"Yu Nong, hehe, no need to be so nervous." Xia Chuzhong patted Dai Yu Nong's hand and said in a low voice, "Thank you for taking such a big risk to come to me. However, although I am now a prisoner, I also have a fortune to give you."

Dai Yunong was stunned, even speechless.

You yourself are like a clay Bodhisattva crossing the river, what wealth and honor can you possibly bring me?

But he still patiently asked, "I would like to hear the details."

Xia Chuzhong sneered, his eyes sharpening: "Don't let my current imprisonment fool you. The Red Army still treats us high-ranking commanders with respect, and their control over our daily exercise isn't too strict."

"I was able to communicate with a few close confidants during our breaks, and thus we were able to gather a lot of useful intelligence."

Dai Yunong's heart skipped a beat, and he solemnly asked, "Senior, do your subordinates still have the opportunity to contact the high command of the Red Army?"

"Hmph! You underestimate the capabilities of professional soldiers. It's not only spies who know how to gather intelligence."

Xia Chuzhong leaned closer, his voice extremely low: "My men, through bits and pieces of information from helping in the kitchen and casual conversations, have come to a very important conclusion—the Guangdong Army is supplying the Red Army with large quantities of ammunition! And in enormous quantities!"

"What?!"

Dai Yunong's mind went blank for a moment.

In that instant, countless previously isolated fragments of information rapidly connected in his mind...

Why did the Red Army in the Fujian-Zhejiang Military Region develop so rapidly?

Why did Commander Jiang Dingwen have such a difficult time fighting?

Why was the newly formed 10th Army completely wiped out during the Battle of Xiamen?

So that's where it all started!

Chen Jitang, who was known as the "King of the South," actually stabbed someone in the back!

Dai Yunong pressed on, "Senior, you said the Guangdong Army was supplying ammunition to the Red Army, but how much exactly?"

"Who else besides the Red Army's supreme commander would know the exact number? My men only overheard Red Army cadres talking about it while helping in the kitchen. But based on my estimation, given the Guangdong Army's resources, producing five million rounds of ammunition in one go wouldn't be a problem. And..."

Xia Chuzhong paused, then added with a grim face, "The Red Army has sufficient financial resources to pay for this shipment."

Upon hearing this, both of their faces turned extremely gloomy.

Holy crap! Why would the Red Army have such a huge sum of money?

Weren't they all robbed from their Nationalist army?

Using stolen money to buy guns and then turning around to fight the Nationalist army—that's the most vicious curse ever!

This is so damn frustrating!

Dai Yunong took a deep breath to calm himself down: "This intelligence is indeed extremely important and must be reported to the principal immediately for his decision."

"In that case, our senior's defeat back then was not unjust. Commanders Luo Zhuoying and Jiang Dingwen all thought they suffered losses at the hands of the Red Army, but now it seems they clearly suffered losses at the hands of the 'Red-Guangdong Allied Army'!"

Xia Chuzhong said with a solemn expression, "Yu Nong, what you said makes sense, but you still underestimate the danger involved."

"I can tell you this: we must quickly disintegrate the Guangdong Army, or at least force them to stop selling weapons to the Red Army. We are willing to start a war for this."

"It might seem like this could force the Guangdong Army into the Red Army's camp, but in reality, this current model of 'the Guangdong Army providing weapons and the Red Army providing troops' is more dangerous than a simple military alliance between the Red Army and the Guangdong Army!"

"Why?" Dai Yunong asked subconsciously.

"Because those weapons, once in the hands of the Red Army, posed an enormous threat. Just think about it, who was more powerful with guns, the Guangdong Army or the Red Army? That's a world of difference!"

Dai Yunong's teeth ached from hearing this.

He was a graduate of the Whampoa Military Academy and had basic military knowledge, so he immediately understood the significance of those words.

The Guangdong Army's weapons and equipment were in their own hands, so they were nothing more than a second- or third-rate force.

But once given to the Red Army, they would instantly transform into man-eating beasts. This kind of combat power boost is far more terrifying than a simple alliance between the two armies!

But it was precisely because he had thought of this that Dai Yunong felt even more desperate.

To deal with the Guangdong army, at least 200,000 troops would be needed.

With the Red Army posing an increasingly powerful threat, this was simply wishful thinking and impossible to achieve.

We'll have to resort to some underhanded tactics!

"Senior, let the principal decide this matter," Dai Yunong sighed helplessly. "We should just investigate the truth and verify the information. We shouldn't interfere too much in the final decision."