Bright Sword: The Flowers of War

Chapter 157 Preemptive Strike
"Commander, someone's looking for you outside!" A staff officer approached Su Yaoyang, who was reviewing documents in the command post.

"Who is it?" Su Yaoyang asked without looking up.

The staff officer walked up to Su Yaoyang and whispered, "It's the Eighth Route Army!"

"Ok?"

Su Yaoyang was slightly startled, raised his head, and thought for a moment, "Could it be someone sent by Li Yunlong?"

"He didn't say?"

"Invite him in."

"Yes!"

Soon, a man dressed like an ordinary farmer walked in. He had dark skin and a simple, honest expression, looking every bit the part of a typical farmer.

The newcomer had sharp eyes; the first thing he saw upon entering the room was Su Yaoyang, who was looking at him with his hands behind his back.

As the old saying goes, "A change of environment can influence one's temperament and physical condition." After more than half a year of military service, Su Yaoyang has transformed from a 21st-century youth into a qualified soldier.

In addition, having held a high position, and now commanding an army of tens of thousands, he has naturally developed a unique air of authority, which, in later terms, means he has become increasingly bureaucratic.

"Sir, I am a liaison officer of the Eighth Route Army. Our headquarters commander has ordered me to hand over a piece of intelligence to you."

After saying that, he took an envelope out of his pocket and handed it to him with both hands.

Su Yaoyang took the envelope, gestured for him to sit down, and then sat down himself, taking out the envelope to read it.

Upon closer inspection, it turned out that the letter was actually a handwritten letter from the Commander-in-Chief. The Commander-in-Chief first thanked Li Yunlong for the batch of weapons they had given him a few days earlier, and then described the unusual movements of the Japanese army during this period and their predictions of the Japanese army's next move.

The commander-in-chief also thought to himself that if Wutai County really couldn't be defended, he could lead the Shanxi militia to retreat to the Eighth Route Army base. As long as he informed them in advance, they would send troops to meet him.

The letter was thick and long, and it took Su Yaoyang a full half hour to read it.

After reading it, he pondered for a while before saying to the liaison officer who had been sitting in the chair, "Please convey my gratitude to the commander-in-chief and all the leaders. We have been aware of the Japanese army's movements for some time and have made corresponding arrangements."

Seeing that Su Yaoyang remained unmoved, the liaison officer became anxious. "Commander Su, if I may be frank, the Japanese army in Shanxi is still very strong, especially the 20th Division, which is their regular Class A division, equipped with complete artillery, cavalry, and engineer regiments, with a total strength of 25,000 men."

Now that they have come out in full force, it will be difficult for Wutai County alone to withstand their attack. I personally suggest that you take advantage of the fact that the Japanese have not yet attacked and lead your troops to retreat to the mountains.”

"Thank you for reminding me." Su Yaoyang smiled slightly: "But as soldiers, it is our responsibility to protect our country. If we see that the Japanese army is powerful and we don't even have the courage to fight, and we retreat in a hurry, how can we be worthy of the uniform we wear?"
So I appreciate your kindness, please go back and tell your superiors that I thank them for the intelligence, but I can only thank you in my heart; I will not give up Wutai County.”

Seeing Su Yaoyang's resolute attitude, the liaison officer sighed helplessly, "Alright, I will report your words to my superiors. If you have nothing else, then I will take my leave."

"Please stay."

Su Yaoyang called him back, beckoned a staff officer over, whispered a few instructions to him, and the staff officer nodded and went out the door, quickly bringing back two boxes.

"Comrade, you've come from afar, and I don't have much to offer in return. Here's a case of cigarettes and a case of penicillin; please take them back to your superiors as a small token of my appreciation."

"Penicillin?" the liaison officer exclaimed, then stammered, "Sir...sir...you just said the special drug penicillin?"

"Yes."

Su Yaoyang nodded. "This box of penicillin contains one hundred boxes, with ten vials in each box. I hope it will be of some help to your department."

"Thank you... thank you so much. With these medicines, many of our wounded soldiers can be saved. I thank you on behalf of those wounded soldiers."

After the liaison officer finished speaking, he solemnly saluted Su Yaoyang.

Su Yaoyang returned the salute and instructed the staff officer to take the liaison officer down for a meal before leaving.

But the liaison officer was in no mood for food at that moment. He quickly said goodbye to Su Yaoyang and left in a hurry with the two boxes.

Before leaving, Su Yaoyang also had someone bring him a codebook and entrusted him to deliver it to the Eighth Route Army headquarters to facilitate communication between the two sides.

After seeing off the Eighth Route Army liaison officer, the intelligence agent who was lurking in Taiyuan brought news that the 39th Brigade under the 20th Division of the Japanese Army had taken a train from Taiyuan and was heading towards Wutai County along the railway line. It was expected to arrive in Xiangding County in the next day or two. As a result, the two sides could start fighting at any time.

Upon hearing this news, Su Yaoyang and Pi Ruoyu discussed it and immediately ordered Li Gaoyuan to send out the tank battalion, the 1st Regiment, the 1st Artillery Regiment, and the anti-aircraft battalion first to launch an attack on the Japanese army before they arrived in Xiangding County.

As soon as Su Yaoyang gave the order, the entire militia began to get busy. The supply battalion, which was renamed the Logistics Department, opened its warehouse and distributed boxes of ammunition to the various participating units.

The logistics field hospital led by Song Mei also began clearing beds to prepare for receiving the wounded. It can be said that the entire Wutai County has entered a state of combat readiness.

Wutai County is not far from Xiangding County, only about 100 li away. After a day of forced march, the regiment and the tank battalion arrived at a place called Huqiu stronghold outside Xiangding County in the evening.

Tiger Hill Outpost was a small outpost, its main force being a three-story pillbox, which housed a small squad of Japanese soldiers and more than fifty puppet troops. Their mission was to block the road in front of the outpost, and anyone or any vehicle passing by had to be inspected.

At this time, although the Japanese army's cage policy had not yet been formally implemented, it had already taken shape.

The Japanese army had begun to gradually implement a "rationing system," strictly prohibiting the flow of supplies such as food, salt, and medicine into the base areas in order to control resources in the occupied areas.

As evening fell, when John's tank battalion began to appear in front of the Tiger Hill stronghold, the entire stronghold was instantly thrown into panic.

The highest-ranking commander of the Tiger Hill stronghold was a lieutenant named Taiichi Tano. At this moment, he looked at the four Sherman tanks outside the stronghold, their tails spewing thick smoke, and his face showed a look of existential doubt.

"O Amaterasu, please tell me, am I in China? Why are there so many tanks all of a sudden?"

Unfortunately, Amaterasu did not respond to his prayers. Instead, four tanks slowly approached and fired a volley at the bunker where he was located.

"Boom boom..."

Amidst the deafening explosion, the three-story pillbox was instantly engulfed in thick smoke, and most of it collapsed along with the blast...

(End of this chapter)