Chapter 211: Kong Jie Is Thrilled To Death
Taiyuan First Army Headquarters
“Your Excellency Commander.”
North China Area Army Chief of Staff Miyano Doichi came before First Army Commander Lieutenant General Shinozuka, his tone very poor: “Gendarmerie Headquarters just sent news that over a dozen squads leading military dogs on scent tracking without exception stepped on mines laid by the Chinese people, all the military dogs were shattered on the spot, and the tracking operation was forced to terminate.”
“Baka!” Lieutenant General Shinozuka upon hearing this, incredulous: “How is this possible, over a dozen squads all stepped on mines, could it be that the Eighth Route Army laid a minefield when they withdrew? But even if it was a minefield, how could our military dogs not smell it out?”
All the military dogs failed at scent tracking, which meant that the five trucks of tungsten ore were thoroughly lost.
Wanting to find the Eighth Route Army Arsenal again, wipe out the Eighth Route Army in one fell swoop while seizing back the tungsten ore, this operation turned into bubbles.
“Your Excellency Commander, according to the news from Gendarmerie Headquarters, this is not an ordinary mine, it’s a jumping mine made by the Eighth Route Army.” Miyano Doichi said, “Gendarmerie Headquarters analyzed that the Eighth Route Army must have seen through our military dog scent tracking trick, this is a targeted countermeasure.”
“Baka!” Lieutenant General Shinozuka upon hearing this, cursed harshly again, then questioned, “Such a secretive scheme, one we arranged on the spur of the moment, how did the Eighth Route Army see through it? Even if they recently seized some military dogs from us, they were just pups, not yet grown or trained.”
“How the Eighth Route Army saw through our scheme, I think is not important now.” Miyano Doichi said, “Commander Okamura just called me, he said the cabinet is extremely furious about losing over two hundred tons of tungsten ore, ordering you to find the tungsten ore back at the fastest speed, and eliminate the Eighth Route Army.”
Resources in the Japanese homeland are too scarce, and tungsten ore is an extremely important strategic metal.
Losing over two hundred tons all at once, the matter is too big.
That is, Regimental Commander Okamoto and the escorting officers shattered early, otherwise they would have already been made to commit seppuku.
But this is not the end.
If the over two hundred tons of tungsten ore cannot be found back, many people still have to commit seppuku.
“I won’t let him down.” Lieutenant General Shinozuka nodded heavily, “I have already issued the order, Ninth Brigade, Twenty-first Brigade, Twenty-ninth Brigade are assembling, additionally Puppet Army First Division, Second Division, Eighth Mixed Brigade and other troops are also assembling, I will definitely uproot the Eighth Route Army, and get back the tungsten ore not one gram short!”
“Get back the tungsten ore not one gram short?” Miyano Doichi upon hearing this, questioned: “Your Excellency Commander, isn’t that a bit too exaggerated?”
This tungsten ore is indeed very important, but getting it back not one gram short, those words are too full.
Lieutenant General Shinozuka solemnly: “The importance of tungsten ore is beyond doubt, only finding it back not one gram short can fundamentally make up for one’s mistakes with meritorious service. Moreover, these Eighth Route Army are just a bunch of farmers, they take the tungsten ore but cannot refine it themselves, sea, land, and air are all blockaded by us, they cannot sell it even if they want. So, getting it all back is feasible.”
“Your Excellency Commander, the reinforcements from Commander Okamura are also on the way.” Miyano Doichi’s expression also solemn, “Then let us join hands to thoroughly strangle the Eighth Route Army, and take back all our lost tungsten ore.”
Miyano Doichi is the North China Area Army Chief of Staff, not the First Army Chief of Staff.
And these reinforcements sent by Okamura are under Miyano Doichi’s command.
Ding ling ling!
The phone on the table rang, Lieutenant General Shinozuka picked up the microphone: “This is Shinozuka Yoshio.”
Sato Jino’s voice came from the phone: “Commander, this is Sato Jino, please believe me, I will definitely find the location of the Eighth Route Army Arsenal, give me one more chance.”
Due to over a dozen military dogs all being blown up by jumping mines, the military dog scent tracking trick failed.
Gendarmerie Headquarters thus no longer supported Sato Jino’s secret plan.
In this context, Sato Jino could no longer borrow military dogs.
So, Sato Jino had no choice but to go over the hierarchy, calling directly to First Army Headquarters.
“Sato-kun, over a dozen military dog squads were completely wiped out, this shows the Eighth Route Army already has a countermeasure to scent tracking. Chinese military tactics also say, do not use the same method twice! The same method is no longer suitable.” Lieutenant General Shinozuka’s tone very serious, “The encirclement and suppression army will soon set out, then implement dragnet search and clearance on the Eighth Route Army Base Area, which can also find their arsenal, don’t call here anymore.”
After speaking, Lieutenant General Shinozuka hung up the phone.
Hearing the hang-up tone from the phone, Sato Jino was very annoyed, unwillingly he called twice more.
But the operator wouldn’t connect him.
Sato Jino annoyedly put the microphone back on the rack.
Seeing Sato Jino’s expression, the assistant knew General Shinozuka did not support, still asked: “Deputy Minister, so is this secret plan still going ahead?”
“Of course it is.” Sato Jino said decisively, “Even if General Shinozuka quickly organizes the encirclement and suppression army, but the Eighth Route Army is in the mountains, their arsenal is still hard to screen out in a short time. Moreover, the Eighth Route Army is now vastly different from before, I estimate the encirclement and suppression operation won’t go so smoothly. At that time, if I can find the location of the Eighth Route Army Arsenal, it will still be of great significance.”
“But we have no military dogs, what to do?” the assistant asked.
“No military dogs, then we can only use people.” Sato Jino said, “At that time, send people to secretly tail the target. Even if the risk of exposure is much greater this way, as long as it succeeds, we can still find the location of the Eighth Route Army Arsenal.”
Immediately after, Sato Jino said: “So, these tracking personnel must be carefully selected, no sloppiness, go, you go pick people first.”
“Hai.” The assistant withdrew.
Sato Jino clenched his fist, cheering himself up: “I can definitely do it, I can definitely find the Eighth Route Army Arsenal!”
……
Border Region Arsenal
Li Muzhi slept and woke up, looked at the time, it was three o’clock in the afternoon.
Put on clothes, washed his face with cold water, wiped the water stains with a towel.
Li Muzhi took his lunchbox and came to the canteen.
The lady serving food hurriedly brought over several dishes for Li Muzhi, smiling: “Factory Director Li, I’ve been waiting for you to wake up, these dishes are just made, see if they suit your taste.”
“How is it all meat.” Li Muzhi looking at these dishes, one plate braised fish, one plate braised pork, another plate stewed chicken, not a bit of vegetables in sight.
“Factory Director Li, you need to eat more meat…” the lady said.
“Forget it, keep the braised fish, take away the other two plates.” Li Muzhi waving his hand, said, “Also get me two steamed buns and a dish of pickled vegetables, pour some boiled water.”
“Factory Director Li, eating so plainly, how to nourish your body.” the lady said.
“Do as I say.” Li Muzhi also knew the other was too enthusiastic, still pretended a serious expression, “In the future, half of my dishes must be vegetables, if you can’t do it, I’ll replace you.”
“No no no, Factory Director Li, don’t replace me, don’t replace me.” the lady hurriedly said, immediately did as Li Muzhi instructed.
“Auntie, that’s right, don’t change it in the future.” Li Muzhi’s attitude much more polite.
Actually, Li Muzhi knew why the food serving lady always gave him all meat dishes.
Besides Li Muzhi’s status.
The food serving lady was also a hard-luck person, her favorite youngest son sacrificed on the battlefield.
Her youngest son shared the same birthday as him.
That is, if her youngest son were still alive, he would be the same age as him.
Her youngest son from childhood envied the fish meat and chicken meat at the landlord’s house, but unfortunately sacrificed in the end, never got to eat it.
The food serving lady was treating Li Muzhi as a substitute for her longing.
“Okay okay okay.” The food serving lady nodded repeatedly, did not disturb Li Muzhi eating.
She hid behind the wall corner, just quietly watched Li Muzhi eat.
When Li Muzhi was almost done eating, Kong Jie came over.
“Factory Director Li, eating.” Kong Jie smilingly came up to Li Muzhi.
“Regiment Commander Kong, just say what you have to say directly.” Li Muzhi seeing Kong Jie’s attitude, knew he had something.
“Hehe.” Kong Jie chuckled, “Nothing can hide from Factory Director Li you.”
Immediately after, Kong Jie said: “I received an order from my brigade headquarters, the brigade commander said to incorporate the district squads, county brigades, guerrilla warfare in this area into my New Second Regiment’s establishment, this way my troops expand nearly threefold.”
“Isn’t that good?” Li Muzhi said, “Troops expand nearly threefold, then Regiment Commander Kong your current troops must be nearly three thousand.”
“Not bad, about two thousand eight hundred plus.” Kong Jie nodding, then looking at Li Muzhi, “My New Second Regiment isn’t helping you coal mining? I want to ask you, how should I mine the coal next, have all two thousand eight hundred plus dig for you, or as before?”
“The Japanese military train snatched quite a bit of coal back again, Border Region Arsenal coal is currently very ample.” Li Muzhi thus said to Kong Jie, “Mine as before.”
How could Li Muzhi not understand what Kong Jie meant.
Mining as before, Kong Jie’s troops could divide into three parts to take turns coal mining, the other two parts could seize time to train troops and fight wars.
After all, New Second Regiment is combat troops, incorporating district squads, county brigades militia, soldier quality uneven, also needs time to reorganize.
And the best reorganization is to go to the battlefield!
Troops tempered by flames of war, later if Japanese invaders sneak attack the arsenal again, Kong Jie’s troops won’t be shaved bald again for lack of war baptism.
Kong Jie upon hearing, overjoyed: “Factory Director Li, really mine as before? I didn’t hear wrong.”
“If not mining as before, and have your two thousand eight hundred plus all fed by logistics, Minister Zhang would jump up.” Li Muzhi joked.
Feeding New Second Regiment’s original near thousand, Minister Zhang had big opinions.
For the sake of the arsenal power needing coal, Minister Zhang reluctantly agreed.
Now New Second Regiment expanded to two thousand eight hundred plus, to have Minister Zhang feed them all, it would definitely explode.
“Haha.” Kong Jie laughed heartily, said, “Rest assured, rest assured, how could I give logistics such big trouble, the expanded personnel will solve their own food and clothing.”
Brigade commander gave Li Yunlong so many hard goods to us, the district squads, county brigades and other guerrilla teams we incorporated have rich guerrilla warfare experience, just lacking goods.
Now with the goods in hand, still worry about food?
Of course.
Even if the food problem is solved, the standards probably still can’t compare to the arsenal meal standards.
But no matter.
Troops divide into three parts, these three parts take turns to coal mine for the arsenal, take turns to eat here.
This way, everyone’s nutrition is also balanced, even distribution.
Thinking of something, Li Muzhi asked: “Regiment Commander Kong, Regiment Commander Li gave you so much artillery, has Minister Zhang talked to you?”
So much artillery, Old Zhang comrade impossible not to covet.
“Isn’t that nonsense.” As soon as Li Muzhi mentioned this, Kong Jie’s expression turned bad, “My artillery was taken away half by him, I said to keep enough artillery, later I want to protect the arsenal, Minister Zhang still took it.”
“Hehe.” Li Muzhi chuckled, said: “No problem, wait until new type rockets are made, I’ll make it up to you a bit.”
“Hahaha.” Kong Jie delighted to death, “Factory Director Li, good, then I’ll wait. Factory Director Li, you eat slowly, won’t disturb you, I’m off.”
“Good.”
Kong Jie left jubilantly, Li Muzhi finished eating, prepared to go to the office, Zhang Wanhe appeared: “Xiao Li, I heard you woke up, I came right over from the office.”
“Minister Zhang, something wrong?” Li Muzhi asked.
“Last night, didn’t you go rest first?” Zhang Wanhe explained, “Later Gao Liujin and them snatched quite a few things at Yuehua Station, some of which we don’t recognize, so need you to identify.”
“Alright, then I’ll go with you to see first.” Li Muzhi nodded.
