Chapter 294: Over Three Thousand Wounded Soldiers
Zhang Wanhe followed Li Muzhi for a stroll and when they returned to the Border Region Arsenal, Liu Weidong from the 115th Division hurried over.
As soon as they met, Liu Weidong got straight to the point: “Factory Director Li, how many Hell Missiles has your arsenal produced again?”
Although Liu Weidong did not participate in the action to attack the Kumamoto Army, he had also heard about the significance of this Hell Missile on the battlefield.
One round of launch wiped out the Japanese Invaders’ heavy cannon position.
So, Liu Weidong also immediately wanted to come and collect Hell Missiles.
“The combat troops collected all the Hell Missiles yesterday, and only eight were produced today.” Li Muzhi replied.
“Eight is enough, give them all to me.” Liu Weidong did not mind the small number.
Zhang Wanhe on the side asked: “Regiment Commander Liu, you’re going to snatch the Japanese military train, right?”
“Yes, Minister Zhang.” Liu Weidong nodded, “Although this Kumamoto Army was defeated, their effective forces still exist. They are now withdrawing towards the Zhengtai Line Railway, and it looks like they definitely want to use military trains to transport supplies for emergency replenishment. Once they replenish, they will most likely immediately come back. We’ll snatch the military train from them, let this Kumamoto Army continue to be in a state of material shortage, and wear them down!”
As long as the ground supply reinforcements to these Japanese Invaders are cut off, he can only rely on airdrops.
But the carrying capacity of Japanese transport planes is limited, and aviation fuel is also very precious, so it’s impossible to send supplies to the Kumamoto Army every day.
We must wear down this Kumamoto Division, wear down their effective forces, so that the counter-raid can truly succeed in a meaningful way.
After hearing this, Li Muzhi hurriedly nodded: “No problem, I’ll have someone give you all eight Hell Missiles right away. Do you need other ammunition?”
Li Muzhi had long thought about it: severely damaging the Kumamoto Army was not a truly meaningful counter-raid success, because once they obtained supplies, they would come back.
Now with this move by Liu Weidong, as long as the Kumamoto Army can be worn down, it would truly buy sufficient production time for the Border Region Arsenal.
“Yes!” Liu Weidong nodded decisively and added, “This time the Japanese Invaders are not fools either; to prevent us from attacking the military train, they have strengthened defenses along the railway, and there are more iron turtles, so I need sufficient ammunition support. But the most important thing is still the Hell Missiles. Because Japanese aircraft have also been deployed, patrolling along the railway. The Hell Cannon’s target is obvious and easily discovered and destroyed. The Hell Missile’s target is small and not easily discovered.”
After hearing this, Zhang Wanhe couldn’t help but say on the side: “Liu Weidong, can’t you sneak attack at night?”
At night it’s dark, Japanese aircraft can’t come out, so the Hell Cannon can be used, right?
Previously, when we snatched Japanese military trains, wasn’t it all done at night?
Liu Weidong said: “This military train comes rumbling over during the day, it’s not waiting for me.”
“…” Old Zhang immediately had nothing to say.
We don’t really understand fighting wars, and made a joke in front of the professionals.
It seems these Japanese Invaders have also learned to be smart; after suffering losses from night attacks on military trains, they know aircraft can’t escort military trains at night, so they changed to daytime travel.
If waiting until night to attack, their military train would have long passed, and the supplies would have reached the Kumamoto Army.
Liu Weidong did not laugh at Zhang Wanhe and continued: “The disassembly team from the arsenal also needs to come with me right away.”
“Okay, no problem.” Li Muzhi nodded.
Soon, basically all the stocked ammunition was taken out, including a little new gadget gifted by Li Muzhi, all given to Liu Weidong.
The arsenal’s disassembly team also set off rapidly with Liu Weidong.
Watching Liu Weidong’s back, Zhang Wanhe couldn’t help saying: “To be honest, I actually want to go along, but unfortunately I have to exchange equipment with the Military Statistics Bureau side and can’t get away.”
Although we don’t know the specific list of supplies transported by the Japanese military train now, we can easily judge.
Inside are weapons and ammunition and grain supplies, and most importantly, there must be a large amount of medicine.
In this battle, the Japanese Invaders have many wounded soldiers and definitely need a lot of medicine.
And our troops also have heavy casualties and urgently need medicine.
Zhang Wanhe wanted to personally go bring back the medicine.
Li Muzhi said: “Regiment Commander Liu has already organized a transportation team and made full preparations; Minister Zhang, you don’t need to go at all.”
“Heh heh, not needing to go and wanting to go are two different concepts…” Zhang Wanhe chuckled, without finishing his words.
The guard sent by the Guard Captain returned and handed Li Muzhi a notebook: “Factory Director Li, this is the feedback data for the flashbangs.”
While taking it, Li Muzhi asked: “What’s the current condition of Takahashi Kōnosuke?”
“It’s quite strange.” The guard replied, “According to the interrogation side, after using the flashbang on Takahashi Kōnosuke once, he became quiet and stopped cursing.”
Upon hearing this, Zhang Wanhe grinned broadly: “Is that really the case? Doesn’t that mean Takahashi Kōnosuke is afraid of the flashbang?”
As long as you have something you’re afraid of, the workload of our political officers will be greatly reduced.
Perhaps it won’t be long before we can pry open Takahashi Kōnosuke’s mouth.
What?
If Takahashi Kōnosuke still refuses to cooperate.
That’s no problem; we’ll continue producing these flashbangs.
At worst, test one on you every day to see if you can endure it, hahaha.
“Probably so.” The guard nodded.
Li Muzhi finished looking at the data on the notebook, turned to Zhang Wanhe and said: “Minister Zhang, there’s no problem with the flashbang test; you can take the four now. The remaining flashbangs, the arsenal will hurry to produce.”
“Good.”
Zhang Wanhe followed Li Muzhi to get the four flashbangs and left; Li Muzhi continued to work.
…
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!
Although the Kumamoto Army had broken out, on the halfway to the Zhengtai Line Railway city during withdrawal, they still suffered harassment and delays from Eighth Route Army Troops along the way.
Jumping mines and sniper fire and cannon actions were very frequent.
Every step forward for the Kumamoto Army was exchanged with corpses and blood.
“Baka, these damn local Eighth Route Army!” Although Kumamoto Division Commander was cursing fiercely, his emotions were much more stable.
The five carts of tungsten ore were carried away without missing a gram; the Eighth Route is not reconciled.
But no matter how unreconciled you are, it has no meaning.
Your harassment can at most only delay us, and cannot snatch back the five carts of tungsten ore.
As for the casualties during the army’s advance, they are mainly puppet army.
Anyway, for Kumamoto Division Commander, there are plenty of soft bones on this land; no matter how many puppet army die, as long as no Imperial Army soldiers die, it’s fine.
“Once my supplies and provisions are replenished, after emergency rest, I’ll turn around and settle accounts properly with these local Eighth Route Army!” Kumamoto Division Commander’s eyes still flashed with ferocity, “Without the five carts of tungsten ore, the direct line army with heavy casualties won’t join anymore; by then when I deal with you Eighth Route, you won’t have helpers, and I’ll see how long you can hold out!”
“Division Commander, many wounded soldiers in the troops are in critical condition and need emergency surgery.” The medical officer came to Kumamoto Division Commander with a serious expression.
In this battle, over ten thousand wounded Emperor’s soldiers, this is a very heavy burden.
These wounded soldiers are all precious veterans with rich combat experience and strong combat power.
As long as they are treated, once they recover and return to the team, they will be a group of fierce tigers.
If they lose their lives in vain due to delayed treatment, it would be too regrettable.
“Roughly how many people need emergency surgery?” Kumamoto Division Commander asked.
“More than three thousand need immediate emergency surgery.” The medical officer replied.
“Even if surgery is needed, the conditions on the road won’t allow it.” Kumamoto Division Commander’s eyes flashed blood-red.
Not to mention the road conditions are poor; the army is now on the march and cannot stop.
This means that these more than three thousand precious wounded soldiers will probably end up dying in a foreign land with hatred.
More than three thousand people, that’s the size of a regiment.
“Division Commander, they are all precious…” The medical officer’s words were interrupted by Kumamoto Division Commander before he finished, “The army is short of supplies; the most important thing now is to rush to the Zhengtai Line city to replenish supplies immediately, and we cannot delay the lives of tens of thousands for these more than three thousand wounded soldiers.”
“Division Commander, if you do this, the military headquarters will probably send you to military court.” The medical officer couldn’t help widening his eyes.
Kumamoto Division Commander’s words amounted to abandoning these more than three thousand wounded soldiers.
“China has an old saying: mercy does not command soldiers!” Kumamoto Division Commander’s expression twitched, “Go down.”
Of course Kumamoto Division Commander was reluctant, but the situation really didn’t allow it.
Abandoning these more than three thousand, although extremely cruel.
But with fewer wounded, precious medicine can also be saved, and other wounded soldiers can be saved to a greater extent.
After all, the Empire’s resources are limited, and medicine stock is not much.
Moreover, abandoning more than three thousand reduces the burden on the army’s march, and the troops can speed up.
The airdropped supplies have been used up with almost none left, and there are no more airdrops now; the only opportunity is to rush to the city on the Zhengtai Line and wait for the military train to deliver supplies.
“Division Commander…” The medical officer still wanted to say something.
“Baka, didn’t you hear? Get lost.” Kumamoto Division Commander glared.
“Yes, Division Commander.” The medical officer had no choice but to leave dejectedly.
Kumamoto Division Commander called Muto Juichi and Major General Miyai together and explained the situation to them.
After all, among these more than three thousand wounded soldiers, there were not only soldiers from the Kumamoto Division, but also from these two brigade commanders’ subordinates.
Muto Juichi and Major General Miyai both had expressions of strong resistance.
The battle failed, and the army suffered heavy casualties; this was already depressing enough to spit blood.
Now, because there are no conditions, unable to perform emergency surgery on more than three thousand wounded soldiers, having to reluctantly abandon them; this mood was really terrible.
“You two, China has a saying: hesitation leads to chaos!” Kumamoto Division Commander said through gritted teeth, “Hurry and give orders to your respective subordinate officers to handle this matter, no delays.”
“Yes.” Muto Juichi and Major General Miyai could only forcibly suppress the pain in their hearts.
