Chapter 192: Turbulent Winds Before The Battle Of Beiping
After the 29th Route Army evacuated under the cover of night, the universities in Beiping that were able to open at that time were only the two church-affiliated private universities, Yenching and Fu Jen, as well as Peking Union Medical College. On the middle school side, the ones that could open were also only a few church-affiliated private middle schools such as Yu Ying, Huiwen, Changde, Chongshi, and Beman, etc.
However, the number of students actually attending classes was very small. Even at Yenching University, most had gathered in Tianjin and did not dare to return to Beiping.
Even though the school authorities sent an American professor, Bo Chenguang, to Tianjin to pick them up and prepared a special train, it still could not bring more students back to the Beiping schools to resume normal classes.
And after Zhou Wenhua’s German-equipped troops entered Beiping City,
The originally panic-stricken students, as well as professors and teachers, immediately became excited.
In these universities, many of the students who stayed behind were gathered in twos and threes, or even in groups, in the classrooms, engaging in heated discussions.
“Have you all heard? I heard that those 29th Route Army fled last night, leaving us all here to wait for the Japanese Army to enter, abandoning us. I was furious at first, but now I’ve heard that the Central Army’s German-equipped troops have entered our city! We don’t have to fear those damn Japanese invaders anymore!”
“I’ve heard about it, so I immediately went out to see, and sure enough, quite a few German-equipped troops had arrived! I followed those enthusiastic citizens to visit them and listen to their chatter. Unfortunately, they didn’t say which unit of the Central Army they belonged to, nor how long they would hold fast here, but they guaranteed they would kill more Japanese invaders! And they promised they wouldn’t easily evacuate from here until they had killed at least a regiment of several thousand Japanese invaders!”
“I heard them say that with my own ears; I was there at the time. It’s truly heaven has eyes. I thought after being abandoned by the remnants of those cowardly 29th Route Army who feared death, we would immediately be occupied throughout the city by those damn Japanese invaders’ troops! Now, we suddenly have this German-equipped troop even more elite than the 29th Route Army stationed here, so our lives and property are secure! My parents are no longer so panicked and uneasy because of this!”
“I feel the same way! Originally, after being abandoned by the 29th Route Army this morning, the whole city quickly became panic-stricken. Even my family and I were extremely afraid. I heard those Japanese invaders love arson, killing, looting, and plundering, killing without mercy! I don’t know if it’s true, but panic spread throughout the city in an instant! Then, I never dreamed that at such a time when everyone was panic-stricken and terrified, this elite German-equipped troop would suddenly arrive in our city. Thus, more and more citizens, including my family, felt reassured. Now, our father and brother are assisting these German-equipped troops in reinforcing the defensive works!”
“Exactly! My family and the neighbors next door are also spontaneously sending food and drink to these German-equipped troops. Although these German-equipped soldiers didn’t want our food, they were finally forced to accept it due to the enthusiasm of so many citizens! I saw it with my own eyes, and I really like such a good troop, a good troop that doesn’t take so much as a needle or thread from the masses!”
“So, what unit of the Central Army do you think these German-equipped troops are? I saw their weaponry is really excellent, even better than the Japanese invaders’ weaponry. As for the 29th Route Army’s weaponry, it’s completely incomparable because the 29th Route Army mostly use sabers and cold weapons!”
“Who knows! Anyway, now that we have such an elite troop to protect us, we should be grateful. I’m planning not to go to school, but to join their troops to kill Japanese soldiers and defend our homeland! My family agrees! It’s a pity that those student army went to Yuanping City a while ago; I don’t know how many of them are still alive after Yuanping fell!”
In the classrooms of various universities and middle schools,
All the students who stayed behind to continue studying were eagerly sharing their observations, especially as they were ignited by Zhou Wenhua’s German-equipped clone troops into a heated discussion.
Even among the teaching staff and the citizens in the city, the topic of discussing these supporting German-equipped troops was increasingly ignited.
At this time, the traitors in Beiping City who were preparing to contact the Japanese Army to report the news of German-equipped troops stationed here, as well as the Japanese Army’s spies infiltrating here, were being purged by Zhou Wenhua’s clone troops.
As for the Japanese Army’s 20th Division troops outside the city, who were preparing to launch the first round of offensive operation to probe whether the 29th Route Army in Beiping City had completely evacuated, they were also assembling and ready to depart.
As for Lieutenant General Katsuki Kiyoshi, who was in Yuanping City offering condolences and boosting the Japanese Army’s morale, he too never dreamed that he had already been locked onto by Zhou Wenhua’s clone special forces soldiers who had infiltrated, and could be taken out with a decapitation operation at any time.
Thus, a pre-war storm was brewing.
At this time, the weather in Beiping City was still clear skies, and after gaining hope for survival, the citizens in the city were increasingly spontaneously and enthusiastically supporting Zhou Wenhua’s German-equipped troops in building a new defensive works system.
