Chapter 213: Brigade Commander: I Just Love Hearing Your Bullshit
386 Brigade Brigade Headquarters
“Brigade Commander, according to the latest intelligence, Shinozuka this Japanese Invader is mobilizing three Japanese brigades as well as puppet army troops, with total troops exceeding fifty thousand.”
The Deputy Brigade Commander reported gravely to the Brigade Commander, “Gangcun has also mobilized a division over here. By then, the total troops for the encirclement and suppression against us will reach around sixty-five thousand.”
Although the Brigade Commander had anticipated it, with five trucks of tungsten ore seized, the Japanese Invaders would not give up easily.
But upon hearing that so many Japanese troops were mobilizing, he still looked extremely solemn: “It seems the Japanese Invaders are really desperate.”
“Not to mention five trucks of tungsten ore—even if it were five trucks of sugar lost, the Japanese Invaders would still go desperate.” The Deputy Brigade Commander nodded and said, “The Japanese Invaders’ military supplies will soon all be in place. Their vanguard troops have already set off toward the expected positions, aiming to first complete a large encirclement of our base area, then the main army will contract the encirclement, sifting us out like through a sieve.”
“Our Border Region Arsenal has only just gotten on track, and the Japanese Invaders’ large-scale sweep has come without delay. Our Border Region Arsenal hasn’t had enough time to produce weapons and ammunition, so the task for our combat troops is very arduous.” The Brigade Commander said gravely, “Headquarters has issued instructions for all troops to prepare for transfer. Of course, before transferring, we still need to create as much trouble for the enemy as possible, buy time, and let our Border Region Arsenal have time to produce sufficient weapons and ammunition. Otherwise…”
The Brigade Commander didn’t finish his words, but the meaning was obvious.
That is, if the combat troops can’t buy enough time for the Border Region Arsenal, and the Border Region Arsenal doesn’t produce enough weapons and ammunition, then they will have to transfer by force.
The current Border Region Arsenal is no longer the old junk workshop; it now has quite a few machines and equipment.
Moving is not an easy task.
Moreover.
The iron smelting furnace at the arsenal can’t stop for even a moment in its twelve hours a day.
Once it stops, the furnace breaks, and the Border Region Arsenal will lose its iron smelting capability afterward.
“Li Yunlong this bastard always has a way at key moments.” The Deputy Brigade Commander thought of Li Yunlong and said to the Brigade Commander, “How about we simply loosen the reins on Li Yunlong? While the Japanese army hasn’t completed the encirclement yet, let Li Yunlong go make trouble—maybe he can…”
“What can he do!” The Brigade Commander solemnly interrupted the Deputy Brigade Commander, “This is sixty to seventy thousand enemies. Even if Li Yunlong pokes a hole in the sky, can his thin arms twist the Japanese Invaders’ thick legs?”
“Let’s try. What if this kid really pulls it off? Send Ding Wei to him, send Cheng Xiazi too. Kong Jie has expanded his troops—let Kong Jie leave the coal mining personnel, and send the rest…” The Deputy Brigade Commander didn’t finish.
The Brigade Commander decisively interrupted: “No, Kong Jie’s forces can’t be moved. Once this large encirclement starts, enemy spy activities will be very frequent. If the Japanese Invaders discover the Border Region Arsenal, Kong Jie’s troops will still need to serve as guards.”
“So we’re sending the 772 Regiment and the New First Regiment with Li Yunlong?” The Deputy Brigade Commander caught the Brigade Commander’s meaning.
No objection meant tacit approval.
“I’ll go talk to Li Yunlong personally in a bit…” The Brigade Commander didn’t finish.
A staff officer hurried over, excitedly saying: “Brigade Commander, the Factory Director of Cuicun Arsenal has finally cracked—he’s going to confess.”
Upon hearing this, the Brigade Commander cursed: “This stubborn rock has finally given in? I thought he could keep resisting.”
Then, the Brigade Commander hurriedly went to the interrogation room.
Ten minutes later, the Brigade Commander came out and said to the Deputy Brigade Commander: “You continue the interrogation from where I left off—make sure to pry everything out of his mouth. I’m going to find Li Yunlong right now.”
“Yes, Brigade Commander.” The Deputy Brigade Commander nodded.
After giving a few more instructions to the Deputy Brigade Commander, the Brigade Commander took his guard troops and hurriedly left Brigade Headquarters, heading to the Independent Regiment.
Independent Regiment
Storm clouds gather before the gale rises, dark clouds press the city as if to crush it!
Although Li Yunlong here still didn’t know the specific intelligence on the Japanese Invaders’ encirclement army, after waking up, he immediately started pondering over the map.
The Border Region Arsenal has only just gotten on track—it absolutely cannot stop production due to transfer and relocation.
Old Li must buy enough time for the Border Region Arsenal.
“Regiment Commander, the Japanese Invaders are definitely coming with overwhelming force. This raid will surely be more brutal than ever before,” Zhao Gang said to Li Yunlong. “Our strength compared to the Japanese troops is still too disparate.”
Of course Zhao Gang knew that not transferring would be best if possible.
But the disparity in strength between us and the enemy was still too great.
Li Yunlong glared and cursed: “Old Zhao, if we let our Border Region Arsenal stop production, that’s when the real nightmare begins! Our only hope is counting on our Border Region Arsenal to keep producing. Younger Brother Li said he can make cannonballs that launch without a cannon barrel—I can’t let Younger Brother Li’s efforts be snuffed out just like that.”
Why can the Japanese Invaders keep fighting nonstop? Because their arsenals keep providing ammunition, ensuring arms logistics!
Once our Border Region Arsenal stops production, our key weapons and ammunition supply will be cut off—that’s fatal.
“But the Japanese Invaders’ encirclement troops definitely won’t be few—how are you going to fight them?” Zhao Gang said.
“Hmph, the Japanese Invaders’ encirclement troops are definitely numerous, but don’t forget.” Li Yunlong changed tack and said, “Shanxi Province is so vast—they have to split troops to garrison it. Now that they’re mobilizing so many troops out, their rear must be empty. If Old me can break out of their encirclement, go to the outer lines to wreak havoc, and strike toward Taiyuan, I don’t believe Shinozuka this Japanese Invader won’t panic!”
Hearing this, Zhao Gang looked extremely grave: “Old Li, not to mention Taiyuan’s walls are fortified and tall—if you really do that, you’ll easily get trapped in heavy Japanese Invader encirclement.”
Taiyuan—that’s the nerve center of the Japanese Invaders’ First Army.
Once you Li Yunlong really strike there, Shinozuka Yoshio isn’t a fool.
“Cut the crap—can a living man be choked to death by urine!” Li Yunlong roared, “You think Old me would stupidly head straight for Taiyuan? Old me won’t dart to other places first, then slip toward Taiyuan when they’re not looking? Old me will stir their Japanese Invader rear into chaos—I don’t believe their encirclement troops won’t come back.”
As long as we can disrupt the Japanese Invaders’ rear, the main forces inside the encirclement can link up with us from within and without—there’s still hope to break the anti-encirclement.
“Our troops might not be enough,” Zhao Gang said.
“As long as Old me can buy time for the arsenal, once Headquarters leaders hear, won’t they give me one or two divisions?” Old Li was full of bravado.
Ding Wei was right.
If there really were one or two divisions, Li Mouren really would dare to attack Taiyuan.
The Brigade Commander’s men hadn’t arrived yet, but his voice did: “Li Yunlong, you bastard, your official addiction is huge. You want to be Division Commander? Then should I this Brigade Commander listen to your commands too?”
“Yo, Brigade Commander, how come you’re here.” Hearing the Brigade Commander’s voice, Li Yunlong’s bravado instantly turned to a mouse seeing a cat, and he hurriedly greeted him warmly.
The Brigade Commander sat in front of Li Yunlong and encouraged: “Keep boasting—continue boasting well for me, let me hear your grand strategies.”
“Brigade Commander, that was all nonsense,” Li Yunlong said sheepishly.
Boasting in front of the Brigade Commander was asking for humiliation.
“No problem—I just like hearing your nonsense,” the Brigade Commander said seriously.
“Brigade Commander, don’t tease me—I really don’t dare boast in front of you,” Li Yunlong lowered his stance again.
The Brigade Commander’s expression also turned serious, and he said: “I just received intelligence—the Japanese Invaders’ total encirclement troops have reached sixty-five thousand. Headquarters has issued instructions: whether combat troops or logistics organs, all must prepare for transfer in advance.”
“Brigade Commander, our Border Region Arsenal has only just gotten on track—it needs time to produce weapons and ammunition for our combat troops; we can’t transfer,” Li Yunlong said immediately.
“So, I’m asking you to boast some nonsense for me,” the Brigade Commander circled back to the topic, looking seriously at Li Yunlong. “Someone suggested loosening the reins on you, letting you go make trouble—see if you can disrupt the Japanese Invaders’ encirclement, so in the end we don’t have to transfer.”
“Heh heh, Brigade Commander, as the saying goes, without diamond drilling, don’t take on porcelain work.” Li Yunlong chuckled, dropped the pretense, leaned close to the Brigade Commander, and grinned, “You said it yourself—this is sixty to seventy thousand enemies, not a bag of smokes. My troops aren’t enough.”
“I have no right to mobilize other units—Old me’s giving you this whole brigade—is that enough?” the Brigade Commander said.
“That’s definitely enough—it’s just that you, Brigade Commander…” Li Yunlong said with a smile, “By then…”
Just the Independent Regiment side, with county brigade, district squad, and militia added up, already several thousand troops.
Otherwise, when Old Li attacked Ping’an County Town, one regiment could muster over ten thousand.
And summoning all county brigades and district squads from the 386 Brigade area, the troops would absolutely be sufficient.
Just one problem: if the Brigade Commander gives him all the troops, what does he do?
“How about I go with you—be your staff officer?” the Brigade Commander said.
“Brigade Commander, no no no,” Li Yunlong said hurriedly. “You’re a body worth a thousand gold—don’t risk it with me.”
With the Brigade Commander along, Old Li couldn’t fully unfold his operations.
Without the Brigade Commander, Old Li would have free rein.
“Don’t worry—for you to perform at your best, I won’t interfere,” the Brigade Commander said. “These county brigades and district squads aren’t main force troops after all. Aren’t you on good terms with Factory Director Li at the Border Region Arsenal? Talk to him—have Gao Liujin and Gao Xigang go with you too.”
Gao Liujin has over a thousand troops on hand, Gao Xigang’s 28th Regiment over three thousand—together that’s five thousand troops.
This time Li Yunlong is taking on porcelain work—can’t do it with too few troops.
