Chapter 263: Another Military Industry Expert Lost
Due to the Eighth Route Army Guerrillas destroying the road, Sagi Ichiro from the No. 9 Line base sent Military Industry Expert Takahashi Kōnosuke on his way to Ping’an County Town, but halfway there, he had to switch from automobile to horseback.
This guard detachment numbered a full two companies of Japanese Invaders.
The weapons they were equipped with were also of high caliber; the number of machine guns and grenade launcher mortars was twice that of regular Japanese Troops.
These two companies of Japanese Invaders escorting Takahashi Kōnosuke were hurrying along when, by a twist of fate, they ran straight into Ding Wei’s hands.
That’s right, they ran into Ding Wei’s hands.
Originally, Ding Wei, Gao Xigang, and Yan Kai were scurrying around up front.
Then Li Yunlong and Gao Liujin were leading the Jin Sui Army in pursuit from behind. During this chase, they fully exploited the advantages of mobile warfare, first wearing down these twenty to thirty thousand Japanese Invaders.
Once these twenty to thirty thousand Japanese Invaders were worn out and exhausted, then they would look for an opportunity to deal with their logistics supply.
As a result, Ding Wei, Gao Xigang, and Yan Kai arrived at Aokou, when the vanguard came to report: “Report Regiment Commander, two companies of Japanese Invaders have appeared ahead. They are all on horseback and seem to be escorting some important person.”
“Gao Xigang, you take Yan Kai and continue according to plan. I’ll go wipe out these two companies of Japanese Invaders and see who they are escorting.” Ding Wei immediately decided decisively to intercept them.
“Good.” Gao Xigang nodded, and Ding Wei led the team charging over swiftly.
Although the combat power of Takahashi Kōnosuke’s two-company guard detachment was not weak, it still seemed inadequate in the face of the New First Regiment’s powerful artillery barrage.
The two companies of Japanese Invaders were quickly dealt with by Ding Wei, and Ding Wei also captured Takahashi Kōnosuke alive.
Of course, since the latter was uncooperative, Ding Wei knocked him out, tied him up, and brought him back.
Ding Wei brought Takahashi Kōnosuke over to rendezvous with Gao Xigang, and Yan Kai said in some surprise: “Isn’t this Takahashi Kōnosuke?”
Seeing that Yan Kai knew him, Ding Wei asked suspiciously: “You know him?”
Yan Kai looked at Takahashi Kōnosuke carefully again, then said very affirmatively: “When I was studying in Japan, he was my desk mate.”
Hearing this, Ding Wei was naturally delighted.
This Yan Kai studied in Japan, and his classmates were no ordinary people.
Just like that Yamamoto Sakura earlier.
Ding Wei immediately asked: “So what kind of person is this Takahashi Kōnosuke?”
“He is a metallurgical expert, proficient in refining various ores.” Yan Kai answered.
A metallurgical expert proficient in refining various ores?
Hearing this, Ding Wei was still a bit dazed.
Why wasn’t this metallurgical expert staying put in a smelting place but running out to this wilderness?
However, Ding Wei couldn’t be bothered to think too much about it.
Since such an important expert had fallen into his hands, he definitely needed to handle the man properly.
If the political officers could pry open his mouth, they would surely gain important information from him.
Ding Wei said to Gao Xigang: “Taking him to Taiyuan Rear with us isn’t safe. We’ll wait until we rendezvous with Old Li, then send him to the base area.”
They definitely couldn’t send him now.
Because Ding Wei and Gao Xigang still needed to lead Li Yunlong, the Jin Sui Army, and the Japanese Troops behind them in circles.
“Good.” Gao Xigang nodded directly, then remembered something and asked: “Should we put him with Yan Kai?”
“No!” Ding Wei shook his head directly. Although the two knew each other, they still shouldn’t be put together, to avoid any incidents.
“Alright.”
Capturing Takahashi Kōnosuke was just a minor interlude and did not affect Ding Wei and Gao Xigang’s actions.
The two led the team continuing to scurry around up front, pretending to be fleeing from the Japanese pursuers behind them.
After all, there really were some Japanese pursuers behind them.
And behind those Japanese pursuers, Li Yunlong and Gao Liujin were leading the Jin Sui Army catching up.
Behind those two were the twenty to thirty thousand Japanese Army, everyone exhausted from running.
……
Ping’an County Town
“Colonel, the appointed time has arrived, but Takahashi Kōnosuke hasn’t come.” A subordinate came to report to Yamamoto Ichiki, “Could he have been delayed on the road?”
“With time so tight, he probably wouldn’t delay easily.” Yamamoto Ichiki shook his head and immediately picked up the microphone to make a call.
Yamamoto Ichiki was inquiring with the strongholds and sentry posts along the way.
The first few strongholds and sentry posts all claimed to have seen Takahashi Kōnosuke pass by, but the later ones said they hadn’t seen him.
This made Yamamoto Ichiki’s emotions tense up instantly.
It looked like Takahashi Kōnosuke had probably been attacked by the Chinese People.
Takahashi Kōnosuke was of high value; if something happened to him, the responsibility was not small.
Moreover, the sample on their side was still waiting for Takahashi Kōnosuke to authenticate it.
If he couldn’t come, wouldn’t the authentication be shelved?
Now, the Kumamoto Division’s army had already charged through, and they were going all out.
If they couldn’t verify as quickly as possible whether the sample was tungsten ore, and it turned out to be a false alarm, that would be too embarrassing.
Yamamoto Ichiki picked up the microphone: “Connect me to Your Excellency First Army Commander.”
Soon, the call connected, and Shinozuka Yoshio’s eager voice came through: “Yamamoto, has Takahashi Kōnosuke’s authentication result come out? Is it?”
Yamamoto Ichiki’s tone was not good: “Sorry, Your Excellency Commander, I still haven’t seen Takahashi Kōnosuke arrive. Preliminary judgment is that something happened on the road, and the man is lost.”
“Baka!” Shinozuka Yoshio’s eager tone instantly turned to anger, “We lost the sakura tree, and now another Takahashi Kōnosuke?”
“Your Excellency Commander, I analyzed his route; he probably ran into that Eighth Route group outside the encirclement.” Yamamoto Ichiki’s tone was grave.
“Damn it!” The sound of Shinozuka Yoshio slamming the table came from the microphone, “Those twenty to thirty thousand men on Kawashima’s side are all useless!”
Twenty to thirty thousand men couldn’t hold down the Eighth Route and Jin Sui Army, and even let them unexpectedly run into Takahashi Kōnosuke; it was too infuriating.
Yamamoto Ichiki continued: “Your Excellency Commander, the sample on our side still needs to be inspected as soon as possible.”
There was silence on the other end of the microphone for a moment, then he said: “We’ve lost another military industry expert; we can’t make the same mistake again.”
These Eighth Route and Jin Sui Army were scurrying around outside like wild horses that had slipped their reins.
If they sent another military industry expert and this bad luck struck again, it would be a joke.
“So the sample on my side won’t be tested?”
“According to Kumamoto’s report, on his way past Yang’er Mountain, the Eighth Route’s blocking was very strong, causing not insignificant casualties to Kumamoto’s side. And the Eighth Route at Yang’er Mountain are still desperately digging and transferring things. Judging from these two points, Yang’er Mountain is probably buried with tungsten ore.” Shinozuka Yoshio said.
“Your Excellency Commander, judgment is just judgment, it’s not…” Yamamoto Ichiki wanted to say more.
Shinozuka Yoshio interrupted: “The current priority is still the action on Kumamoto’s side and Kawashima’s side. I’m sending an urgent telegram to Kawashima now to have him find Takahashi Kōnosuke. You continue resting there and don’t get distracted. Sato Jino’s side will continue searching for the Eighth Route Army Border Region Arsenal’s location. If there are clues then, you must cooperate well with Sato Jino. This time, Yamamoto, you must not fail again.”
“Yes, Your Excellency Commander.”
After Shinozuka Yoshio and Yamamoto Ichiki ended the call, he was still so angry he jumped in fury: “These Eighth Route outside the encirclement are too hateful. First they captured the sakura tree, now Takahashi Kōnosuke. If we don’t hurry and deal with them, who knows if they’ll come for me tomorrow!”
“Person!” Shinozuka Yoshio shouted wildly outside.
“Your Excellency Commander.” A staff officer hurried in.
“Go, immediately send a telegram in the headquarters’ name to Kawashima’s side, tell him Takahashi Kōnosuke has very likely fallen into the hands of the Eighth Route he’s pursuing. Have him find the man and bring him back to me!” Shinozuka Yoshio ordered.
“Hai!”
……
“Baka, these damn Eighth Route, their artillery fire is really too fierce.”
Major General Kawashima watched as another troop tried to charge over to bite the Jin Sui Army, but was reinforced by the Eighth Route’s artillery fire, and the troop retreated again.
Major General Kawashima was so angry his teeth itched. “If our airplanes could be freed up, how could we tolerate this Eighth Route group being so rampant?”
“Yes, the Eighth Route have shoulder-mounted cannons, our war vehicles can’t get through, and even this defeated Jin Sui Army is daring to counterattack us alongside the Eighth Route. It’s infuriating.” Regimental Commander Yoshino was also furious.
“You two, no need to be so angry.” A staff officer advised, “The Eighth Route’s artillery fire is fierce, but their cannonballs will run out eventually. We just need to consume their cannonballs. Once their cannonballs and claws are gone, will we still worry about subduing them then!”
“That’s true in words, but our logistics consumption is also very heavy.” Regimental Commander Yoshino said.
“War is just a contest of consumption.” The staff officer said, “They are now essentially an isolated army with no logistics replenishment, while we have it.”
“That’s true.” Regimental Commander Yoshino and Major General Kawashima both nodded.
“Brigade Commander, urgent telegram from the Commander.” At this time, the signalman handed the newly arrived telegram to Major General Kawashima.
Hearing it was an urgent telegram from the Commander, Major General Kawashima quickly took it.
He quickly looked down, and Major General Kawashima cursed: “Baka, the Eighth Route captured another one of our military industry experts, right under our noses. What a shame.”
Regimental Commander Yoshino took the telegram, read it, and cursed along: “This damn Eighth Route group, if we don’t hurry and deal with them, I have a feeling more bad things will happen.”
“Perhaps we should adjust our deployment.” Major General Kawashima thought for a moment and said, “We’re pursuing the Eighth Route now, they run so fast, they’re good at mobile warfare, and our passive pursuit seems to leave us forever on the defensive.”
“How should we adjust?” Regimental Commander Yoshino looked at Brigade Commander Kawashima.
“We stop pursuing them. We’ll turn around and go reinforce Kumamoto Division Commander.” Major General Kawashima said, “I don’t believe this Eighth Route group won’t come to rescue when we help Kumamoto Division dig out their lair. That way, the initiative will be in our hands.”
Immediately after, Major General Kawashima said: “If they return, we’ll set a trap halfway and annihilate them on the spot!”
“Yo xi, that’s a good idea.” Regimental Commander Yoshino nodded, remembered something, and asked: “What if they don’t return? If we’re not here, what if they break toward Taiyuan Rear?”
“Taiyuan Rear’s defenses have already been strengthened. Even if they break through, they won’t take it down in a short time. We can always turn back then.” Major General Kawashima said.
“Mm, that makes sense.”
……
