Bright Sword: Leading the Special Operations Squadron to Fight the Japs

The independent regiment's success in the Linzhou battle attracted strong attention from the headquarters leaders, especially when the headquarter leaders learned that a battalion of the independent regiment had 6 infantry companies, 3 heavy machine gun companies, and 1 artillery company.

"Li Yunlong, this kid, silently gathered three regiments of troops. It seems that the master behind this kid is really a bit of a master!"

"Boss, it has to be Li Yunlong. If it's anyone else, even if there's a master behind him, he won't be able to raise this flag!"

This is indeed true. Only a commander like Li Yunlong who is unconventional and seeks development can use weapons and equipment to the fullest extent and achieve such good results.

The head of the headquarters was also afraid that Li Yunlong would attract attention due to his status as a powerful figure, so he simply promoted Li Yunlong to a higher level and asked him to consider breaking away from his status as the "illegitimate son" of the 386th Brigade and establishing an independent column in western Shanxi under the leadership of the 386th Brigade.

Li Yunlong held a meeting to tell this "good news" to Zhao Gang, Deputy Head Xing Zhiguo and Wang Meng.

Li Yunlong did not express his opinion. He wanted to hear the opinions of his two partners first.

Zhao Gang didn't care. He didn't care about his status at all. If he cared about his status, he could have found one in Chongqing with his status as a top student at Yan University.

"Lao Li, I think as long as we can fight the Japanese, we can be anywhere. Status is just a false name, a thing outside of our body."

Xing Zhiguo is an old Red Army soldier with a lot of experience and a long-term perspective, so he is a little worried.

"Old Li, we have gone from being a formal unit of the Eighth Route Army to a local independent column. Isn't that a bit of a step backward? People go to higher places, and water flows to lower places. Will the soldiers have any thoughts on this?"

Li Yunlong pondered for a moment. He had already expected such a situation.

Therefore, the result of his careful consideration was that the veteran cadre Xing Zhiguo took charge of the independent regiment, and those soldiers who wanted to stay in the old unit stayed.

"Old Xing, I've given it some preliminary thought. Even if the Jinxi Independent Column is established, the banner of the Independent Regiment cannot fall. When the time comes, the soldiers who are willing to stay will follow you to support the Independent Regiment! Don't worry, I'll leave you enough weapons and equipment for a reorganized regiment!"

Even though Xing Zhiguo was somewhat reluctant to part with Li Yunlong, he had to admit that Li Yunlong's plan was the best one at the moment, as it not only took into account the emotions of some officers and soldiers at the Guanzhong Commandery, but also preserved the flag of the independent regiment.

"Okay, but the selection of the future leader of the independent regiment will still have to be decided by the head of the headquarters. We will listen to our superiors!"

"If you have no objection, I will report the plan to the brigade commander and the boss!"

After Li Yunlong submitted the plan, he immediately found Wang Meng. He originally wanted to say goodbye to Wang Meng. After all, the name of the Independent Column was much weaker than that of the Independent Regiment of the 386th Brigade, and he was not sure whether Wang Meng was still willing to follow him.

"Mengzi, this is the situation. If you are still willing to work with us, I, Li Yunlong, will be yours for life. If you want to just leave, we will also welcome you to see you off."

However, he was completely overthinking it. After Wang Meng returned from Linzhou, he began to consider the issue of expanding the army again.

After the system upgrade, light weapons were given away for free. He wanted to take advantage of the opportunity to strengthen Li Yunlong's strength, find a place to settle down, and facilitate subsequent long-term development.

"Captain, I definitely don't want your people, but I'm willing to follow you. On behalf of the special forces, I'm also stating my position: We're going to work with you!"

Li Yunlong was so moved that he burst into tears. He never expected that there were honest people like him who were indifferent to fame and fortune and only wanted to fight the Japanese.

"Good brother, let's prepare to separate in the near future!"

Brigade Commander Chen and the headquarters also agreed to Li Yunlong's plan, appointing Xing Zhiguo as the acting commander of the independent regiment and splitting up as soon as possible.

To Li Yunlong's surprise, when he surveyed the soldiers in each battalion who wanted to stay in the independent regiment, none of them were willing to sign up. He was forced to take out an infantry company from each battalion to form the independent regiment, and the remaining soldiers were recruited from the new recruits.

李云龙临走的时候，给独立团留了1300条毛瑟步枪、72挺MG34通用机枪、150支MP40冲锋枪，还有36门50毫米轻迫击炮、12门81毫米重迫击炮。

In addition, there are 15 bullets of various types and 2000 mortar shells.

These equipments are enough to equip three infantry battalions and a heavy machine gun company.

Xing Zhiguo looked at the weapons and equipment that filled the training ground and had nothing to say about his old partner Li Yunlong. Just with these weapons and equipment, they would be among the top three in the entire Eighth Route Army.

Brigade Commander Chen, who arrived at the scene, was sincerely impressed by Li Yunlong's generosity and looked at him with new eyes.

"Li Yunlong, I underestimated you before. Well done!"

"Commander, no matter how we split up, we are still under the leadership of the 386th Brigade, not to mention that it is our old unit. But I, Old Li, tell you the truth, our family assets are really emptied out. Please have mercy on us and stop targeting us!"

Brigade Commander Chen saw that Li Yunlong was not serious for a while, then started to laugh and scold again.

"Good boy Li Yunlong, wait for me here. Don't worry, for now, the Jinnan Column and the Independent Regiment have no missions, so I'll give you at least three months to adapt. You can go to Shipo Township south of Pingshun County to develop!"

"Yes!"

Li Yunlong led a force of more than 6,000 men into Shipo Township and established contact with the local base.

At Wang Meng's suggestion, the three battalions were stationed in Shipo Township, Dongjingling Township, and Daxiayu Town, respectively, in a V-shape.

Shipo Township is in the north and is stationed by the regiment’s directly affiliated troops and the first battalion.

Dongjingling Township is in the west and is stationed by the second battalion.

The town of Grand Canyon was to the east and was stationed by three battalions.

After each battalion had set up their foothold and rested for three days, Li Yunlong called them to the regiment headquarters for a meeting.

"You bastards have come at a good time. Zhang Dabiao, Shen Quan, and Wang Huaibao are appointed as the commanders of the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Regiments of the Jinnanxi Independent Column of the Eighth Route Army, respectively!"

Although the three knew that this was expected, they were still very excited. Although the number of troops they led in the independent regiment was close to 2000, it was only a real force without a reputation.

Now it’s different. Previously, company-level troops consisted of four platoons, with four squads in each platoon.

The five infantry companies, three heavy machine gun companies and one artillery company under his command only needed to be slightly dispersed and directly dismantled into three battalions, each with two infantry companies and one heavy machine gun company.

As for the troops directly under the regiment and the battalion, we will develop them slowly.

Li Yunlong looked at the three smiling new captains and wound them up again.

"From today on, we have arrived at a new place, so we all need to cheer up and develop as needed. Don't act like a good kid in front of me. Good kids don't get any candy with me!"

Wang Meng also interjected.

"Commanders, it turns out that Wei Heshang's reconnaissance company will be expanded into a direct reconnaissance battalion, Wang Chengzhu's artillery battalion will also be expanded into an artillery regiment, and Sun Liansheng's tank company will also be expanded."

Zhang Dabiao and the other two were drooling after hearing this. They thought they had gotten a great deal, but they didn't expect that they were the winners in life.

"Captain, that's not right, Commander, this isn't fair!"

"Fairness, tell me what is fair?"