Chapter 155: It Should Be Here
“Wutai County?”
The deputy commander stood up, leaned over to the map and looked for a moment, then suddenly pointed his right index finger on the map.
“Right… the commander is correct, the Japanese target is Wutai County!”
At this point, he scratched the back of his head, “Good grief, the Japanese continuous actions these days have made the entire Shanxi restless, turns out their target is Wutai County.
But I just don’t understand, what exactly is so special about this Wutai County that it merits the Japanese deploying such a large force?”
“You wouldn’t understand that.” The commander beside him laughed: “But that’s not your fault, you’ve been busy with anti-sweep operations these days and haven’t had energy to pay attention to other things, so it’s not strange that you don’t know.
Just two months ago, a force claiming to be the Shanxi Militia suddenly launched an attack on Wutai County, and in just half a day they successively captured Wutai County city, Longquan Pass, Shizui Village, Shashi Town and other strongholds, then stationed there until now.”
“Oh… they captured the entire Wutai County city in just half a day?” The commander was greatly surprised, “As far as I know, Wutai County had six or seven hundred Japanese puppet troops stationed, plus several surrounding strongholds, bringing the numbers to over a thousand.
With such tight defenses, for us to attack we’d need at least four or five main force regiments, and it would take days to take it down. How did that suddenly appearing Shanxi Militia manage it?”
“How else?” The deputy chief of staff smiled helplessly: “They used the dumbest method, directly deploying over ten tanks and dozens of large-caliber heavy guns, and just leveled all the strongholds in Wutai County.”
“Tanks?”
Everyone in the command post let out a collective gasp of surprise.
No wonder they were surprised; tanks were still a high-end item for China today, few forces possessed them except the former Northeast Army and the current Central Army.
Even if one managed to get a few tanks, they would soon break down without spare parts, fuel, ammunition, and ground crew maintenance personnel.
As senior Eighth Route Army commanders, they knew all too well how precious it was to have tanks.
“What’s the name of their commander?” The commander couldn’t help asking.
The deputy chief of staff said: “Their commander is Su Yaoyang. According to our intelligence, he is from Rehe Province and comes from a landlord family.
His whole family was harmed by the Japanese development group, leaving only him, who was studying in Chengde, to escape with his personal maid.
During the Nanjing Defense Battle last year, the two of them were also in Nanjing. Somehow he gathered a force and formed a Nanjing Security Regiment.
Then he went on a killing spree in Nanjing city and released poison gas, inflicting heavy losses on the 6th Division, which still hasn’t recovered its strength.
Immediately after, he led his men out of Nanjing and participated in the Xuzhou Campaign, ordered to hold Taierzhuang, where under repeated attacks by the Japanese 10th and 16th Divisions he dealt heavy blows to both divisions, and was commended by the Chongqing Military and Political Department.
However, because his merits were simply too great, Chongqing didn’t know how to reward him, so they gave him the position of Shanxi Militia General Regiment Commander and a military rank, and sent him to Shanxi.”
Listening to the deputy chief of staff, everyone felt like they were hearing a romance novel.
“My goodness…”
The deputy commander finally laughed after a long pause, “Why do I feel like I’m listening to a myth?”
“Who isn’t.” The deputy chief of staff also let out a long breath: “When I first saw his intelligence report, I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me, so I ordered the intelligence personnel to inquire again. After verifying several times it was still the same result, I had no choice but to believe there really was such a fierce guy.
At this point, the deputy chief of staff suddenly laughed: “Speaking of which, some of our subordinate troops have also had contact with Su Yaoyang.”
“Oh… who?” The commander also asked curiously.
“It’s Li Yunlong, the regiment commander of the New 1st Regiment under the 386th Brigade.”
“Oh… him. I know him.” The commander laughed: “That kid, during the grassland crossing, actually ordered his troops to loot grain, which pissed me off so much I demoted him all the way down. Didn’t expect him to be promoted again now?”
“Hahahaha…” Everyone burst into laughter.
“Tell us, how did this Li Yunlong get to know that guy?”
“This I do know.” Comrade Ping, who had been smiling and smoking on the side, spoke up.
Once everyone’s gazes turned to him, he explained: “Didn’t this Li Yunlong lead the New 1st Regiment on a transfer two months ago as ordered?
Halfway there, he happened to see Su Yaoyang leading men attacking Wutai County. Seeing their strong force, the kid brazenly went up and said he wanted to help.
So he led his men, under the pretext of helping, to join a blocking battle, coordinating with the Shanxi Militia, and at the cost of just dozens of casualties almost wiped out an entire enemy battalion.
Afterward, the guy shamelessly demanded half the spoils, and actually got over five hundred rifles and dozens of light and heavy machine guns. After this battle, the New 1st Regiment, as a basic regiment, leaped to become a force in the 386th Brigade on par with the main force regiments.”
After hearing this, everyone looked at each other in blank dismay, then the command post erupted in even louder laughter than before.
The commander laughed until tears nearly came out, “I believe it… this is exactly the kind of thing that stubborn bastard Li Yunlong would do.”
After laughing, everyone pondered for a moment, then Comrade Ping thoughtfully said: “From this incident, it seems this Su Yaoyang harbors goodwill toward our Eighth Route Army.”
“Indeed.”
The deputy commander also nodded in agreement, “If he didn’t feel favorably toward our Eighth Route Army, he wouldn’t have let that shameless guy Li Yunlong take half the spoils.”
The deputy chief of staff suddenly had an idea: “Since that’s the case, why don’t we send someone to notify Su Yaoyang and remind him to prepare.
And ask him if there’s anything he needs our Eighth Route Army’s help with?
We can provide some assistance within our capabilities, and consider it making a good connection.”
Which of the leaders present wasn’t brilliantly smart? They understood the deputy chief of staff’s idea immediately.
A powerful, generous force had appeared nearby that also harbored goodwill toward them; it would be foolish not to befriend them.
“I think it’s feasible.” The commander waved his hand decisively, “Unite all who can be united—this has always been our policy. It’s rare to encounter someone who feels goodwill toward us; we have no reason not to help them.
Here’s the plan: Deputy chief of staff, immediately send someone to contact the Shanxi Militia, pass on the Japanese intelligence to him, and by the way tell him to speak up if there’s anything he needs our help with. It’s all for the War of Resistance anyway.”
“Good… I’ll go handle it right away.”
