Bright Sword: Japs, times have changed

"Nani?"

Harahira Koizumi was stunned after receiving the reply.

It would be fine if Yoshio Shinozuka disagreed, but why did Commander Neiji Okamura also disagree?

Are they really going to make the 4th Brigade repeat the same path as the 7th Brigade?

After all, the 4th Brigade is Ningji Okamura's trusted unit!

Harahira Koizumi was so angry that he cursed, but there was nothing he could do.

"No, if I continue like this, I will become the second Kawashita Hide sooner or later."

Yuan Ping Xiaoquan began to think of ways to save himself. After much deliberation, he once again sent a signalman to inform Gangcun Ningci: "Say that the team has been completely attacked. The main force of the 129th Division of the Eighth Route Army has surrounded us. The reinforcements from the Ping'an direction have also been blocked by the 358th Regiment of the Shanxi-Suiyuan Army and cannot be reinforced."

"To ensure the success of the plan, the entire Fourth Brigade will retreat back to Laiyuan County, conserve our strength, and go all out once the operation begins!"

The signalman sent the message according to what Harahira Koizumi said, and then contacted the various troops to start retreating.

News of the Japanese retreat quickly reached the command post. Lin Qiang was still a little surprised when he heard about it: "The information is correct? Are the Japanese really retreating?"

"Reporting to the battalion commander, according to the report from the forward observation post, the main force of the Japanese troops has indeed retreated back to the county town. In addition, all the small groups of Japanese troops have also begun to retreat."

"Okay, I understand. Continue to closely monitor the whereabouts of the devils and report to me immediately if there is any situation."

"Yes!"

After the soldiers left, Lin Qiang sat on the stool and thought for a long time.

Having learned from the previous experience, Lin Qiang was worried that the Japanese would launch another sneak attack.

But the defenses on all sides have been strengthened, and even if the Japanese launch another sneak attack, they will not be able to cause any unexpected losses to the independent camp.

Is it possible...

Lin Qiang picked up the intercom and shouted, "Air defense team, be prepared for air defense. The Japanese bombers may appear at any time!"

"As long as the Japanese bombers come into range, shoot them down immediately. Not a single bomb will be allowed to fall on our positions!"

A resounding reply came from the intercom: "Air defense team received the message. We will not let a single bomb fall on our position!"

Although there are means to intercept the Japanese telegrams, the interception range is limited. Once the distance exceeds this, interception cannot be carried out.

The Japanese retreated back to the county town. The distance was too far, so the equipment naturally could not receive the signal from the Japanese radio station.

Xiao Wu suggested, "Captain, how about you give me a few men and we sneak to the vicinity of the county town?"

"no!"

Lin Qiang refused, "It's too dangerous. The enemy-occupied area is full of devils. You will be easily exposed."

Xiao Wu thought that Lin Qiang was worried about the equipment, because in his opinion, even if people died in battle, they had to protect the hard-earned radio station, not to mention that it was a device that could intercept the Japanese telegrams.

"Captain, don't worry. I will never take any risks. Even if I'm exposed, I will send the equipment back safely."

"I said no, this is an order!"

This was the first time Lin Qiang spoke to a soldier with a stern face, but he quickly explained, "Do you think I'm concerned about the equipment? I'm worried about you getting into trouble."

Talent is more valuable than equipment.

Equipment can be obtained through various channels such as seizure and purchase, but it takes a lot of time to train a high-level talent.

Comparing the two, the superiority is obvious.

Hearing this, Xiaowu felt warm in his heart.

He joined the army relatively late, and it was inconvenient for the team to separate, so he had almost no chance to see Lin Qiang. Moreover, many soldiers had been in the base for quite some time and had never seen Lin Qiang.

Most of what I know about Lin Qiang comes from the old squad leader, and the same goes for Xiaowu.

After joining the army, he was very curious about the battalion commander Lin Qiang. He could not imagine what kind of ability a person needed to support such a large team, and nearly 10,000 civilians.

The daily consumption is a terrifying figure, enough to provide food for a family of five for a year.

Moreover, every meal was either steamed buns or dumplings, and once in a while we could have canned beef and braised pork.

This is the first time Xiaowu has eaten such a standard of food since he was born.

Isn’t it said that the conditions of the Eighth Route Army were difficult and life was even more difficult?

So he often went to his old squad leader to learn about the battalion commander Lin Qiang, but all he knew was hearsay. He only knew that the battalion commander was a gentle and easy-going person, and that he cared especially about the soldiers.

I had only heard about it before, but today Xiaowu experienced it personally and found that what the old squad leader said was right.

"Continue monitoring and report anything to me."

"Yes!"

Xiaowu put aside the distracting thoughts in his mind and listened carefully to the unique electromagnetic waves and sounds of the radio station.

After Lin Qiang confirmed again and again that the Japanese had retreated, he called Zhang Yuntian and Hu Zi back.

These two people are the think tanks of the independent camp, and Lin Qiang often listens to their advice.

……

the other side.

Halfway through the retreat, Harahira Koizumi always felt that something was not right.

"Commander Okamura Neiji hasn't replied to the telegram yet?"

"Hi Yi!"

The signalman's answer made him feel even more that something was wrong. The order he had received before was to delay the independent battalion for three days, no matter what.

Now that a telegram requesting retreat has been sent to Commander Okamura Neiji, he should receive a reply no matter what.

After much deliberation, Harahira Koizumi said to the signalman, "Continue to send a message to the Commander-in-Chief. Tell him that the troops are under fire from the independent battalion's howitzers and request air support."

"Hi Yi!"

The 4th Brigade stopped, and Haradaira Koizumi did not continue retreating until he received a reply from Commander Okamura Neiji.

Because he always felt that the telegram just now had not been sent. If he discovered this problem after retreating to the county town, it would be too late.

When he received the reply, Yuanping Koizumi was extremely glad that he did not retreat all the way back to the county town.

"The Commander replied, saying he has personally telegraphed Shinozuka Yoshio that bombers will take off from Taiyuan, and that our troops must retreat to a safe area and wait for the bombing to end."

"Nani!"

The huge difference between the responses he received before and after made Harahira Koizumi suspicious.

But judging from the tone of the telegram, it was indeed from Commander Okamura Neiji.

"Could it be that the Eighth Route Army has the means to intercept telegrams?"

Harahira Koizumi guessed correctly, but he himself thought it was a fantasy.

The Eighth Route Army didn't even have a few radios, so how could they equip a mere independent battalion with a radio? This was completely impossible.

After confirming that it was Okamura Neiji's reply, Harahira Koizumi flew into a rage: "Damn Lin Qiang, how dare he use such means to play tricks on our little locust army? I must kill him with my own hands!"

Immediately, Harahira Koizumi ordered the team to turn back and return to the position of Hulukou, and the team occupied the mountains on both sides.

This news was quickly passed back to the Xiaowangzhuang Command Post. When they learned that the Japanese had returned, Hu Zi and Zhang Yuntian were completely confused.

Lin Qiang explained to the two, "It's very likely that the Japanese discovered the error in the telegram and received a reply from either Okamura Neiji or Shinozuka Yoshio."

"It looks like the Japanese bombers are really coming."

Zhang Yuntian was experiencing this kind of situation for the first time, and he was clearly nervous. "Battalion Commander, what should we do? Should we withdraw from our position?"

"No."

Lin Qiang said: "Withdrawing from the position can indeed prevent the Japanese bombers from dropping bombs and causing casualties, but once the Japanese infantry and bombers cooperate, it will be difficult for us to return to the position in the first time to stop the Japanese."

"Once we lose the initiative, when the entire Japanese army is mobilized, our situation will be dangerous."

"Well, immediately order the soldiers to reinforce the cat ear caves. Dig them as deep as possible and cover them with wood and stones."

"Let the brothers suffer a little, but we can't lose our position."