Chapter 144: To Take, One Must First Give
As long as it’s one percent of the business turnover, the price offered by Xiao A Qiao is far below Chen Yang’s mental expectation.
“How about you add a bit more?”
“With Miss Lin’s talent and ability, taking only one percent share, I feel it seems a bit unfair to Miss Lin.”
“Thank you, Mr. Chen, for thinking so highly of me. I think no need to raise the price,” Xiao A Qiao smiled: “I think this price is already very fair.”
Chen Yang couldn’t help but look at the other party a couple more times, and slightly praised: “Miss Lin really knows how to write the two words ‘knowing contentment’.”
“Alright, I agree to all conditions. Here’s to our happy cooperation in advance.”
“Cheers.”
“Cheers.”
*****
Shanghai, Southern Transportation Department.
Chen Yang had just walked into the office when Li Ningyu rushed in hurriedly.
“Officer, the Minister is waiting for you upstairs. He instructed that as soon as he sees you, hurry you up there.”
Chen Yang was slightly stunned, and couldn’t help but mutter in his heart: the materials transportation matter went very smoothly.
Within three days, all goods had been delivered to the designated ports, and Chief of Staff Kitahara Kenichi of the 106th Division had already sent people to pick up all the goods.
What matter is there at this time?
Li Ningyu looked around and came closer: “Officer, the news I just heard: First Section’s delivery of supplies for the 101st Division is delayed again. The Minister is raging upstairs. Don’t let the Minister catch any handle on you, or he’ll scold you too.”
Wow, this girl is born with the body of a gossip saint; she can find out any news…
She is indeed a professional agent trained by the Iwai Agency. Working in a department like the Transportation Department, some insider news can’t be hidden from her at all.
“Alright, I’ll go up right now.” Chen Yang pulled out several prepared documents from the desk and put them into the briefcase, straightened his attire, and headed to the third floor.
Just as he reached the staircase entrance, Chen Yang looked up and saw Matsushima Jun coming down from the third floor with a face ashen.
That face was so grim as if someone owed him millions of Japanese yen and didn’t pay.
At the moment their bodies passed each other, Matsushima Jun suddenly said: “Section Chief Chen, Minister Oshima is in a bad mood. Be careful yourself.”
Chen Yang glanced at Matsushima Jun, but the other party acted as if nothing happened and hurriedly went down the stairs.
At the door of the Minister’s Office on the third floor of the Southern Transportation Department,
“Report.” Chen Yang stood at attention in front of the Minister’s Office door, his voice steady and powerful.
“Come in.” A low and deep voice from Minister Oshima Kenjiro came from inside the door.
Pushing the door open and entering, Chen Yang saw Minister Oshima standing with his back to him by the window, hands clasped behind his back, shoulders tense.
The electric fan in the office buzzed, yet it couldn’t dispel the irritating heat.
“Section Chief Chen, do you know why I called you up?” Oshima didn’t turn around, his voice carrying suppressed anger.
Chen Yang’s gaze swept over the map and report spread out on the desk, and calmly answered: “I think it’s probably about the supply transportation issue for the 101st Division?”
“You’re very smart, Section Chief Chen. If Matsushima-kun had your insight, I believe I’d be much more at ease.” As the words fell, Oshima Kenjiro suddenly turned around, eyes flashing with anger: “Urgent report from the front line: the 101st Division’s supply line is blocked; ammunition and food can only last three days.”
“But the transportation line that Matsushima-kun is responsible for has problems again. I’ve already reminded him not to put all chips in one place, but he just wouldn’t listen, causing materials to pile up in Dean and unable to pass.”
“Does this bastard not know that if materials can’t arrive on time, I’ll be the first to be held accountable?”
“So, I want to know if you have any method to solve this problem.”
Chen Yang didn’t respond immediately but walked to the map, his slender finger pointing to the supply route marked with a red line: “Minister, now the only method is to change the original transportation route.”
“Temporarily changing the route, the risk of doing so is really too great.” Oshima Kenjiro’s expression showed some hesitation upon hearing this.
“Minister Oshima, the original route passes through the area from Dean to Wanjia Ridge,” Chen Yang’s fingertip lightly tapped on the map, “The terrain here is complex, and it’s also an area with frequent Blue Army activity.”
“Our reconnaissance troops have been ambushed here several times, and the vehicles transporting materials have all been robbed here.”
“But this is an important line for supply materials. If you don’t go through here, are you going to take a detour?” Oshima frowned: “Section Chief Chen, this is war; risk is everywhere!”
“Even if detouring around here, it may not go smoothly. Moreover, detouring will make the transportation line longer, and the risk will multiply…”
Chen Yang’s voice remained calm, but a sharp glint flashed in his eyes: “Minister Oshima, I previously made a complete analysis report and designed a transportation plan that can fully replace the previous route.”
“The new route goes via Jiujiang, adding eighty kilometers, but the entire route is under our army’s control, with safety factor increased by 60%.”
Oshima Kenjiro frowned: “Adding eighty kilometers! What about time? Fuel consumption? Can the front line wait?”
Chen Yang confidently took out a document from the briefcase and spread it on the table: “This is the conclusion after my precise calculations.”
“Original route estimated at 32 hours, but actually averages over 48 hours due to combat and terrain factors. New route is 56 hours throughout, but can ensure 95% of materials arrive safely.”
He pointed to a string of numbers: “More importantly, the Jiujiang route can utilize water transport for a segment, reducing fuel consumption per ton of materials by 15% instead.”
Oshima stared at those numbers, brows tightly furrowed.
The office fell into brief silence, only the buzz of the electric fan and the distant sound of car engines.
“Section Chief Chen,” Oshima finally spoke, his tone softened somewhat, “You know the importance of the 101st Division to our attack on Wuhan. If the battle opportunity is delayed due to supply issues…”
“Captain Iizuka Kunigoro will come at me with his samurai sword.”
The Japanese army’s organization is quite interesting; their regular divisions are from the 1st to the 20th.
Among them, there is uniquely no 13th Division, because influenced by Chinese culture, the Japanese believe the number thirteen represents ‘death and injury’, so after twelve it jumps to fourteen.
After 1925, to improve combat efficiency, the Japanese army disbanded the 15th, 17th, and 20th Divisions.
In 1938, as the Japanese army’s warfare advance in the Chinese battlefield stalled, besides regular divisions, they also set up a unique reserve system by supplementing divisions with troops.
That is, whether the 101st Division or 106th Division, they are actually reserve troops.
The 101st Division is the reserve formation of the Army 1st Army Group’s 1st Division.
All officers of this division are composed of active soldiers or officers from the 1st Division.
The whole army continues the Japanese army’s traditional 4-3 formation, that is, a division has four regiments, and a regiment has three battalions.
A battalion has about 1,200 men, four regiments total around 15,000 men, plus engineer regiment, artillery regiment, supply regiment, totaling over 23,000 men…
First Regiment Captain Iizuka Kunigoro, known as the military god of the 1st Division, has a very fiery temper and extremely cruel personality.
If he knows the Southern Transportation Department can’t deliver supplies on time, he will really go mad…
“Precisely considering this point, I insist on changing the route.” Chen Yang stared straight into Oshima’s eyes, “Minister, you know better than me: without reliable logistics, even the most elite troops will collapse. If the 101st Division runs out of food and ammunition on the front line, the consequences are unimaginable.”
Oshima paced to the window, then turned back: “Commander Okamura has ordered that within five days, all supplies for the 101st Division must be ensured to support the 106th Division’s attack on the Mount Lu defense line.”
“Section Chief Chen, do you think your plan can achieve this?”
Chen Yang’s corner of the mouth slightly lifted, revealing a confident smile: “If the order is issued tonight and the Jiujiang transport fleet is mobilized, it can be completed in two and a half days. I have already prepared a detailed execution plan.”
He pulled out a few pages from the folder, densely filled with timetables and materials distribution plans. Oshima took them and flipped through, the anger in his eyes gradually replaced by surprise.
“You prepared all this long ago?”
“As the Third Section Chief of the Transportation Department, anticipating and solving supply issues is my responsibility.” Chen Yang said calmly, “I studied all terrain data and enemy intelligence reports in this area; the Jiujiang route is the optimal solution.”
Oshima let out a long breath and sat back in the chair: “Needing navy help, I think Commander Okamura won’t like this change.”
“But history only remembers the right paths chosen by victors.” Chen Yang said softly, “Minister, please allow me to speak frankly: compared to explaining the route change to the Commander, explaining the supply interruption to the front line will be more embarrassing.”
Oshima stared at Chen Yang for a long time, then suddenly laughed: “Section Chief Chen, sometimes I really don’t know whether to admire your talent or worry about your boldness.”
He sighed, still picked up the steel pen: “Alright, execute according to your plan.”
“If everything goes smoothly, next I want Third Section to take over First Section’s transportation responsibility, undertake the main transportation mission, and First Section do auxiliary transportation.”
“Section Chief Chen, I think highly of you. As long as you do well, the Empire won’t treat you poorly.”
Oshima Kenjiro still didn’t forget to paint a big pie at the end.
Chen Yang didn’t care about the issue of being treated poorly or not; his goal was to control the transportation line.
Originally thought it would take at least a month to push Matsushima Jun down, but he still underestimated the urgency of the transportation mission.
Just two mistakes have already made Oshima greatly disappointed in him.
“Understood, Minister.” Chen Yang stood at attention and saluted, a barely perceptible glint flashing in his eyes, “I won’t let you down.”
Back in the office, Chen Yang immediately handed the previously prepared proposal to Li Ningyu and had her communicate with the Dispatch Center.
Chen Yang then called the Navy Logistics Department to coordinate the Jiujiang transport fleet matter with Saito Koichi.
After arranging everything properly, Chen Yang slightly relaxed.
This plan’s smoothness exceeded his expectation. Next, as long as he transports supplies a few more times, Chen Yang can use AI’s precise calculations to figure out the normal firepower configuration, various troop structures, and numbers of the 101st Division and 106th Division.
Yes, he can indeed improve transportation efficiency, but his role is limited to that—just improving efficiency, not making materials more.
But on the other hand, he can quickly grasp the Japanese army’s movements and detailed troop data. Comparing the two, the benefits outweigh the drawbacks.
Military strategy says: To take, one must first give.
It’s like fishing: without feeding them some bait, how will they bite.
Ding ling ling, ding ling ling. Suddenly, a phone bell rang. Chen Yang picked up, and Kagesa Shinzhao’s voice came from the other end.
“Mr. Chen, put aside your current work for now and come to the Consulate.”
