Chapter 315: A Sudden Turn
“Brigade Commander, Factory Director Li from the Border Region Arsenal identified it. This is the Japanese invaders’ Natural Gas Factory.”
The liaison returned at the fastest speed and reported to the Brigade Commander, “Factory Director Li also said that the pipes and tanks are full of dangerous flammable and explosive gases. Any single spark could very likely cause the entire factory to explode. The best way is to take it without firing a shot. He’s already organizing a professional Disassembly Team over there. Let him know in advance when you’re moving in.”
Take it without firing a shot?
All the Guerrilla Fighters present furrowed their brows immediately upon hearing this.
The Japanese invaders are occupying the Natural Gas Factory. Without firing a shot, does that mean using words to persuade them to surrender? How is that possible!
Not to mention, when Major General Kawashima left here with his team, he left behind a Japanese Brigade for protection.
Under these conditions, let alone without firing a shot—even if we do fire, our Guerrilla Team can’t take it.
Everyone’s gazes fell on the Brigade Commander’s face again.
For this task that was practically impossible, did the Brigade Commander have a way?
The Brigade Commander pondered for a moment and said, “A strong assault is impossible, so let’s temporarily adopt a siege.”
Major General Kawashima took a large amount of supplies from this Natural Gas Factory when he left. The remaining supplies definitely aren’t much.
On the surface, Major General Kawashima left a Japanese Brigade to strengthen the guard, but in reality, this also increases material consumption.
If we can besiege until the Natural Gas Factory’s supplies are exhausted, without letting the Japanese invaders send in other supplies, there might be an opportunity.
“Brigade Commander Chen, we captured a Japanese Officer.” At this moment, a Guerrilla Fighter brought over a Japanese Officer.
The Brigade Commander quickly looked over, his expression immediately stunned: “Isn’t this Fujita Ichi?”
This Fujita Ichi was already on the Brigade Commander’s list.
No one under the 386th Brigade could kill him easily in advance.
Such a stupid fool, left on the Japanese invaders’ side, would cause more chaos for them, and we could gain more unexpected surprises.
And now, the Guerrilla Fighters had actually captured Fujita Ichi.
Never mind how they captured Fujita Ichi—this man was caught, which messed things up.
While the Brigade Commander was stunned, Fujita Ichi was escorted before him.
Fujita Ichi quickly knelt before the Brigade Commander: “Don’t kill me, don’t kill me. I’m willing to confess. I’ll confess everything.”（
The Brigade Commander looked at Fujita Ichi with a headache: “What are you going to confess?”
What’s done is done; the man was already captured, so let’s go with the flow for now.
First, clarify the situation, then see if there’s anything more to use from this Fujita Ichi later.
“You can ask me.” Fujita Ichi looked up at the Eighth Route Army officer wearing glasses in front of him.
“Do you have a way to help me take this Natural Gas Factory?” the Brigade Commander asked casually.
This was truly a casual question; the Brigade Commander didn’t think Fujita Ichi could do it.
However, to the Brigade Commander’s surprise, Fujita Ichi hesitated, then looked at him: “If I can help you take this Natural Gas Factory, will you not kill me?”
“What’s this? Do you have a way?” The Brigade Commander was very surprised.
“I once served as Deputy Factory Director of this Natural Gas Factory,” Fujita Ichi answered.
“Oh, really?” The Brigade Commander immediately lit up with surprise, and the other Guerrilla Captains all grinned broadly.
This was truly a ray of sunshine breaking through the clouds.
They originally thought there was no way to take the Natural Gas Factory, but unexpectedly captured a Japanese Officer who had served as its Deputy Factory Director.
He must be familiar with the internal situation of the Natural Gas Factory.
“I did serve as Deputy Factory Director of this Natural Gas Factory, but they were very hostile toward me,” Fujita Ichi said truthfully. “To take it, the first step is still to let me regain their trust.”
“Why were they hostile toward you?” the Brigade Commander asked suspiciously.
“Because I once smoked here,” Fujita Ichi said.
“…” Brigade Commander.
“…” Guerrilla Captains.
The atmosphere froze in that instant.
Smoking in a Natural Gas Factory—how stupid of a bastard would have to be to do such an outrageous thing?
At this moment, let alone the Japanese invaders at the Natural Gas Factory rejecting Fujita Ichi—even the Brigade Commander and Guerrilla Captains were very rejecting of him.
For such a fool, it was more than just rejection by the Natural Gas Factory’s Japanese invaders—this was outright boycott.
Under these circumstances, helping him regain the trust of those Japanese invaders at the Natural Gas Factory was no different in difficulty from taking the Natural Gas Factory without firing a shot.
Even, a Guerrilla Captain suggested to the Brigade Commander: “This Japanese captive should just be taken out and shot.”
“No, no, no—don’t kill me, please don’t kill me. I don’t need your help. I’ll gain their trust myself. That should be fine, right?” Fujita Ichi, hearing he was to be taken out and shot, was terrified out of his wits and begged frantically.
“You can gain their trust by yourself?” The Brigade Commander expressed strong doubt.
Smoking in a Natural Gas Factory—any Japanese invader there probably wouldn’t trust you again.
“There are many ways to gain trust,” Fujita Ichi said.
“For example?” the Brigade Commander asked.
“For example, when you’ve besieged them and they have no supplies left, I bring supplies to help them in their hour of need—they’ll trust me then!” Fujita Ichi said.
“Just take him out and shoot him,” the Brigade Commander said speechlessly, waving his hand.
Our Guerrilla Team has them surrounded outside, blocking transportation—how could you send supplies in? Do you think we’re fools, or are the Japanese invaders inside fools?
Even further, now all the Japanese invaders’ important supplies are being sent to the Kumamoto Division. Even Major General Kawashima’s team has no supplies and went to the Direct Line Army and Jin Sui Army areas for replenishment.
At this critical juncture, how could you, Fujita Ichi, get supplies? Who would believe you?
“No, no, no—I have a way, I have a way!” Fujita Ichi shouted like a pig being slaughtered.
“Shall we not listen to his stupid talk?” Several Guerrilla Captains turned their gazes back to the Brigade Commander’s face, ready to act.
Although it was their first contact with Fujita Ichi, they could see that keeping such a fool around would eventually be a hidden danger.
As the ancient saying goes, don’t fear enemies who rack their brains—just fear fools who get a sudden inspiration.
Close to black ink turns black; even if such a fool is sent to logistics for modification, the Political Officers might get stupidified by him.
“One last chance,” the Brigade Commander said, looking at Fujita Ichi again. “You’d better think it through before you speak.”
“No need to think—I cherish this last chance,” Fujita Ichi said quickly. “The Factory Director of that Natural Gas Factory—I have leverage on him. With that leverage, I might be able to force him to submit.”
The Brigade Commander, upon hearing this, questioned: “What leverage?”
Fujita Ichi looked left and right, as if very afraid of being overheard by others.
The Brigade Commander cursed: “Spit it out if you have something to say!”
“Not too many people can know about this,” Fujita Ichi said to the Brigade Commander. “Cup your ear over—I’ll tell only you.”
The Brigade Commander took out paper and pen and handed them to Fujita Ichi: “Write it down for me.”
The Brigade Commander wouldn’t cup his ear over—what if the other guy suddenly bit it? That wouldn’t be a joke.
When dealing with Japanese captives, avoid giving them close-range opportunities as much as possible.
“I’ve written it, but with so many of you seeing it, it’s really not good, Officer. Trust me,” Fujita Ichi said.
“Keep dawdling and we’ll take you out and shoot you,” the Brigade Commander glared.
“No, no, no—I’ll write, I’ll write.” Fujita Ichi hurriedly gripped the pen with his bound hands, like a dog, awkwardly sticking out his butt while kneeling on the ground to write.
Fujita Ichi wrote for a few minutes, finished writing the thing, but it was really slow because of the awkward posture.
The Brigade Commander picked up what Fujita Ichi wrote, looked at the content through the nearby Translator, and his expression shrank instantly.
Without hesitation, the Brigade Commander immediately lit the paper and burned it.
To the Translator beside him, the Brigade Commander said solemnly: “From now on, stay by my side and go nowhere. No contact with anyone. Later, I’ll send you to a safe place. Once the traitor is rooted out, you can come back. As long as you guard the secret in your mouth, you’ll get second-class merit then.”
If what Fujita Ichi said was true, this was truly a massive leverage.
This leverage could force the Natural Gas Arsenal’s Factory Director to submit, and at the same time, root out a very high-level Japanese spy lurking beside our army’s high-level personnel.
This Japanese spy’s current identity was very sensitive—no carelessness allowed. Even the Brigade Commander had to investigate secretly.
“Brigade Commander Chen, rest assured. I guarantee I’ll guard the secret,” the Translator said solemnly. Of course he knew what this secret meant—he couldn’t tell a second person even if beaten to death.
Even when sleeping at night, he had to sleep alone to prevent leaking secrets in his sleep.
Of course.
Guarding the secret and finally getting second-class merit—that was also fortunate.
Finally, the Brigade Commander’s gaze fell on Fujita Ichi: “You’d better ensure the information you revealed is true, or else…”
“Officer, rest assured—it’s guaranteed to be true,” Fujita Ichi vowed confidently.
The Brigade Commander then asked suspiciously: “Such a high-level secret—how did you learn it?”
“Wasn’t I in the Gendarmerie for a few days?” Fujita Ichi said.
“Right, right.” The Brigade Commander suddenly realized—yes, this fool had been Gendarmerie Captain for a few days.
“You go rest first.” The Brigade Commander had someone take Fujita Ichi down to rest.
The intelligence Fujita Ichi revealed was too important; the Brigade Commander needed to let his mind calm down.
On one hand, rapidly investigate secretly within our army to verify authenticity, without alarming anyone.
On the other hand, how to use this leverage to force the Natural Gas Factory Factory Director to submit required careful consideration—no sloppiness allowed.
Otherwise, if it pushed the Factory Director to act desperately, there’d be no taking the Natural Gas Factory.
“Yes, Officer.” Fujita Ichi nodded repeatedly and was taken away.
After Fujita Ichi was taken away, the Brigade Commander still asked that Guerrilla Fighter: “How was this Japanese Officer captured?”
“It’s strange—he seemed to be wandering alone nearby,” the Guerrilla Fighter answered.
Wandering alone nearby?
The Brigade Commander thought it absurd upon hearing this.
No matter how stupid Fujita Ichi was, he couldn’t be unaware of our Guerrilla Team’s activities nearby. Him wandering alone definitely had a reason.
The Brigade Commander pondered, wondering if Fujita Ichi felt he couldn’t survive on the Japanese invaders’ side anymore and deliberately wanted to become our captive.
If that was really the case, the Brigade Commander still needed to “release” this Fujita Ichi back as soon as possible.
Keeping him here for modification definitely wouldn’t be as good as leaving him in the enemy camp to continue causing chaos for the Japanese invaders.
The Brigade Commander decided to verify the important intelligence provided by Fujita Ichi at the fastest speed first, then deal with Fujita Ichi.
