Bright Sword: Japs, times have changed

At Xiaowangzhuang.

Lin Qiang and Kong Jie were speculating about the Japanese's intentions, because it seemed that the Japanese did not want to launch a war against the base, but only wanted to increase troops in the Huting stronghold, apparently in preparation for the next battle.

Kong Jie preferred his pipe to cigarettes. While smoking, he said, "It's really weird. These Japanese soldiers haven't been idle all day. From Anhua County alone, they sent two infantry battalions to the Huting stronghold. It looks like they want to have a big fight with us, but these Japanese soldiers are just talking nonsense."

Lin Qiang continued, "It seems the Japs are trying to play psychological warfare on us!"

To describe the actions of the Japanese in Kong Jie's words, it was a large dark cloud, accompanied by lightning and thunder, hanging over the heads of the New Second Regiment and the Independent Regiment.

There was loud thunder, but not a drop of rain fell.

But I dare not be careless, because I never know when the heavy rain will come.

"These little Japs have learned their lesson. Originally, our two teams were supposed to deal with two Japs brigades, but now, the Japs have pinned us down with only two battalions."

Kong Jie exhaled a puff of white mist and cursed, "Damn it, there weren't so many twists and turns in the battles with the Japs in the past."

Lin Qiang laughed and said, "The situation is different now. How many troops can the Japs have in their tiny territory? If they continue to fight us like this, they can't afford the losses. They will have to rely on their brains to fight!"

In fact, Lin Qiang was not at all worried about this. It was impossible for the Japanese to surround the entire base. Even if the independent regiment agreed, the 358th Regiment of the Shanxi-Suiyuan Army would not agree.

Putting aside other factors, once the Japanese occupied the Heiyunzhai area, the supply route of his 358th Regiment would be completely changed.

Going to Lin Qiang is much safer than going to the defense areas of the independent regiment and the other two regiments. After all, Lin Qiang doesn't care about those trivial things.

But if we reach Li Yunlong's territory, I guarantee that all the people and supplies will be detained.

Since the last mutiny in Dagu Town, Chu Yunfei immediately mobilized two battalions to deploy defenses there. Anyone with a discerning eye can see that his purpose is to prevent the Eighth Route Army from blocking him at his doorstep.

At the same time, he was able to respond to several surrounding Eighth Route Army troops in the first time. This move was enough to prove that Chu Yunfei had already made plans for the future.

Therefore, whether for present or future considerations, when the Japanese really start a war, Chu Yunfei will definitely not stand idly by.

This is where Lin Qiang’s confidence comes from.

Lin Qiang even boldly speculated that if he had the intention to withdraw, Chu Yunfei would probably come to his door in person that night and tell Lin Qiang that there was no need to withdraw and that the 358th Regiment fully supported him.

At this moment, the scouts at the front suddenly returned and reported at the door: "Report to the battalion commander, important intelligence has arrived from the county town!"

Lin Qiang glanced at the scout at the door and said, "Come on, what are you standing there for? Do you think Captain Kong is a Japanese spy?"

"Captain Zhang has sent me intelligence. He has found Xiao Ye's whereabouts in the county seat and requested further instructions."

"What!?"

Lin Qiang was surprised and delighted, and asked, "Is the information true?"

"If Captain Zhang didn't make false reports, then the information is true!"

"Okay, go down and rest first!"

"Yes!"

Lin Qiang tried hard to calm himself down. The fact that he asked such a stupid question showed that he was overwhelmed by the news.

This is not a mistake a commander should make.

"Ono?"

Kong Jie asked, "Is he the Japanese colonel from Laiyuan County?"

"That's right!"

Lin Qiang said calmly, "Since I last learned that the guy was still alive, it's been so long since I heard any news from him. I thought the bastard had woken up."

Kong Jie narrowed his eyes, not knowing what he was thinking.

After a while, he looked at Lin Qiang and said, "Brother Lin, I don't usually ask you for help, but today you have to do me a favor."

"what?"

Lin Qiang was stunned for a moment, then asked, "What's the matter?"

Kong Jie took a deep breath, adjusted his mood and said, "Can you leave this Xiao Ye to me?"

"Ok?"

Seeing Lin Qiang's puzzled expression, Kong Jie explained why he asked Lin Qiang to help him.

The story has to start from the first large-scale mopping-up operation. At that time, Kong Jie was still the commander of the independent regiment. The team was pursued relentlessly by the Japanese and had difficulty breaking through a blockade line. More than half of the team had suffered casualties.

Most of the wealth accumulated over the years was lost.

Kong Jie's old partner, old comrade-in-arms, and political commissar of the independent regiment, in order to keep the independent regiment alive and to ensure that the regiment commander Kong Jie could still live to continue leading the independent regiment, resolutely took half of the team as the vanguard.

Taking advantage of the cover of night, the political commissar of the independent regiment led his troops to break through two blockade lines of the Japanese overnight.

Only after watching Kong Jie and the remaining troops disappear from sight did the political commissar ignite the explosive pack with a smile on his face, and die together with the Japanese soldiers who were rushing towards him.

Breaking through the two blockade lines of the Japanese overnight was not something Kong Jie could not do, but he was reluctant to do so.

Two-thirds of the independent regiment's troops died in the breakout. After breaking out, the team was less than a company's strength, and all the battalion, company and platoon cadres were killed.

If the casualties were more severe, the designation of the Independent Regiment might have been cancelled.

At that time, it was the Ono Regiment in Laiyuan County that caused the greatest trouble to the Independent Regiment.

The political commissar, instructor and most of the soldiers of the independent regiment died in the battle with the Ono Regiment.

After breaking out, this became a thorn in Kong Jie's heart.

The last time I learned about Lin Qiang's actions, I thought Xiao Ye was also killed in the explosion. That night, Kong Jie sat alone with a bottle of wine in front of the tomb of his old partner and old comrade-in-arms.

Later he learned that Ono was not dead, but he was unable to find any trace of him. His desire for revenge gradually calmed down.

Now that there is hope for revenge again, Kong Jie, in order to avenge his old comrades and the sacrificed soldiers of the independent regiment, did not care about his old face and said those words in a pleading tone.

After learning about this, Lin Qiang said to Kong Jie without any hesitation: "Captain Kong, I will ask the comrades in the county to cooperate with you."

"But I also have requests."

Kong Jie was ecstatic when he heard this and asked excitedly, "What's the request?"

“You can’t go to the county seat in person.”

"This……"

Kong Jie suddenly calmed down. He knew that Lin Qiang was doing this for his own good, but if he couldn't take revenge with his own hands, how could he be worthy of his old comrades who had sacrificed their lives and the soldiers of the independent regiment?

Lin Qiang seemed to have guessed what Kong Jie was thinking, and he said directly, "If you insist on going, I won't stop you, but you have to think about what the political commissar and soldiers of the independent regiment sacrificed themselves for!"