Chapter 17: Heavy Rewards Attract The Brave
“Everyone’s here!”
“Attention… report numbers!”
“One, two, three… fifty-six, fifty-seven… one hundred fifty-six…”
Dressed in a brand-new Type 36 gray-green German army field uniform, wearing an M35 helmet, M40 leather boots, and holding an M1 Garand rifle, Lu Shaobin strode up to Li Gaoyuan, who stood with hands behind his back, snapped a salute, and said loudly:
“Report to Officer Li, the garrison troops at St. Paul’s Church should have one hundred fifty-nine men, minus three wounded, actual present one hundred fifty-six men, report complete, awaiting your instructions!”
Li Gaoyuan returned the salute and said coldly: “At ease!”
“Yes… everyone at ease!”
“Rustle…”
The soldiers straightened up, their gazes turning to the officer wearing major insignia, the highest-ranking one present… Li Gaoyuan.
Li Gaoyuan was silent for a moment, intending to say a few words, but he didn’t know where to start.
As an officer who had just retreated from the front lines, he was all too clear about the current situation.
Although through Su Yaoyang, they had equipped all the soldiers present with a batch of brand-new gear, a mere hundred-plus men was far too few against the tens of thousands of Japanese troops who had already breached Nanjing city.
It could be said that once they were discovered by the Japanese, their fate would almost certainly be death, and in such a situation, any words would be powerless.
These days he had seen too many partings of life and death; even an elite unit like his Cadre Training Corps had lost more than half its strength, his regiment reduced to just these ten-odd men, in constant danger of total annihilation.
In light of this, for the moment he surprisingly didn’t know what to say to these soldiers who were all but doomed to die.
Seeing Li Gaoyuan not speaking, the soldiers also stayed silent, just watching him quietly, and the scene fell into complete silence.
Seeing this scene, others weren’t anxious, but our Young Master Su was getting a bit anxious.
He had expended so much mental energy to redeem all that ammunition and weaponry, and his head was still buzzing, all to assemble an armed force in the shortest time to escort himself and his servant out of Nanjing city, right?
If their morale collapsed before the fight even started, what the hell was the point?
Also changed into a Type 36 field gray officer’s uniform without rank insignia, wearing an M35 helmet, with a Thompson submachine gun slung across his chest, Su Yaoyang hurried to Li Gaoyuan’s side and whispered in his ear: “Old Li, say something, don’t just stand there like a mute.”
Li Gaoyuan glared at him. “You make it sound easy, kid. Why don’t you say a few words.”
Su Yaoyang pursed his lips. “I’d like to, but I’m just a civilian, even if I say something, would they listen?”
Li Gaoyuan was amused by his anger, his eyes rolled as an idea struck him, and he then said loudly.
“Brothers, now let’s welcome Officer Su, advisor to the Cadre Training Corps 1st Division 1st Regiment, to address everyone. Everyone applaud and welcome!”
“Rustle…”
The soldiers below were very cooperative; they all knew that the weapons in their hands, the uniforms on their bodies, and the canned food they ate last night were all provided by the young officer surnamed Su standing before them. Now hearing Li Gaoyuan’s words, they too applauded cooperatively.
“Hey… I… %￥# @…”
Su Yaoyang was amused by Li Gaoyuan’s shamelessness; this guy was determined to shear him like a sheep.
He even gave him the title of advisor.
Advisor, an advisor who knows nothing about anything?
At this rate, he had to say something.
His mind raced, and then he spoke: “Brothers!”
“Rustle!”
The soldiers reflexively moved to at ease.
“No need for extra nonsense. Now I’ll tell everyone about the current situation in Nanjing city.”
Su Yaoyang took a deep breath: “The situation now is that most of Nanjing city has fallen into the devils’ hands, Officer Tang has ordered the 36th Division to seal off the riverbank, and we’ve become orphans no one cares for!”
Hearing this, all the soldiers’ eyes dimmed; after all, no one would be happy hearing they’d been abandoned.
At this moment, Su Yaoyang suddenly raised his voice. “Brothers, tell me, do you want to survive?”
“Nonsense, who doesn’t!” one voice rang out from the ranks.
“Do you? Answer me!” Su Yaoyang continued to ask loudly.
“Yes!” This time more people answered, and louder.
“Good!”
Su Yaoyang nodded vigorously. “To be honest, I want to live too!”
“But the devils won’t let us go easily, so to survive, we have to dare to fight for it.”
Su Yaoyang’s voice continued to echo over the courtyard.
“Now we’re surrounded by Japanese devil troops everywhere; carving a bloody path out won’t be easy, so I need the brothers to work together, follow commands. Only if we unite as one can we get through this crisis.
Of course, I know some of you will say, you talk big now, but when the time comes, you’ll have us grunts charge ahead while you follow behind to escape.
Alright, I admit you have a point, but I can promise you one thing: any brother here who dies in battle, I’ll send two hundred silver dollars in pension to his family, enough to support his parents, wife, and kids for life.
Whoever is wounded or maimed, we won’t abandon them either; even if missing an arm or leg, we’ll give him one hundred silver dollars.
This is my promise to everyone; if I break it, any brother here can shoot me in the back, and I won’t complain!”
Su Yaoyang knew that the National Army recruits of this era were very mixed; many soldiers joined just to have full meals, and not a few were conscripted laborers.
Talking big ideals like patriotism to these soldiers was useless; only tangible benefits right in front of them could move them.
At this point, Su Yaoyang’s gaze suddenly turned dangerous. “Of course, I won’t hesitate to put the ugly words upfront.
Whoever sneaks off to surrender to the little devils or becomes a traitor, don’t blame me for not honoring brotherhood; I may know you, but the gun in my hand doesn’t, and if you’re shot dead, don’t blame me for being heartless!
Now, has everyone understood?”
Seeing the fierce glint in Su Yaoyang’s eyes, all the soldiers present knew this fair-skinned young man wasn’t bluffing, and they quickly chorused: “Understood!”
“Good!”
Seeing these stragglers temporarily subdued, Su Yaoyang nodded in satisfaction: “They say heavy rewards bring brave men; today I’ll first hand out some reward money to everyone… Xu Dapeng, bring out the stuff!”
“Yes!”
Soon, Xu Dapeng and three Cadre Training Corps soldiers carried out a heavy basket and placed it before everyone.
