Bright Sword: Japs, times have changed

Xiaowangzhuang position.

The guerrillas who picked up a large amount of supplies sent people to deliver them to the Xiaowangzhuang position. The guerrilla captain's surname was Zhang, but his real name was unknown. Everyone called him Lao Zhang.

Upon hearing that the guerrillas were delivering supplies to the independent battalion, Lin Qiang went to see Lao Zhang in person: "Lao Zhang, where did you make all this money? How's the situation? Did the team suffer any major losses?"

The supplies sent by the guerrillas were all Japanese equipment, even a heavy machine gun!

With such weapons configuration, the Japanese have at least a squadron of troops.

Although with the help of Lin Qiang, the weapons and equipment of the local armed forces and guerrillas were replaced and their combat effectiveness increased dramatically, even so, the price to pay for destroying a squadron of Japanese devils was very heavy.

Even if we win, it will be a tragic victory.

Lao Zhang took out his pipe and prepared to smoke a pack, but Lin Qiang stopped him with his hand: "Here, have this, authentic Lao Dao brand."

Lao Zhang took the cigarette without hesitation and said cheerfully, "Then I won't be polite. I usually get cigarettes from the devils, but once they are distributed among the troops, they are gone in a day. I haven't smoked a cigarette in almost half a month."

After lighting a cigarette and taking a puff, Lao Zhang's face showed a look of satisfaction.

After he cleared his lungs a few times and felt better, he answered Lin Qiang's question: "Battalion Commander, these weapons and equipment were all picked up by the brothers on the roadside."

Lao Zhang is a kind person with an active mind. He can get along well with anyone, including the monk He Shang, Zhang Yuntian, and Duan Peng.

So, after hearing what Lao Zhang said, the monk smiled and said, "Lao Zhang, why don't I believe it?"

Lin Qiang also expressed disbelief. After fighting for so many years, he knew that weapons and ammunition could be seized, purchased, and manufactured, but he didn't know that they could also be picked up on the roadside.

Seeing that no one believed him, Lao Zhang suddenly became anxious: "Battalion Commander, you know me, I never lie!"

"If you don't believe me, go ask the other brothers and you'll find out if they picked up these weapons on the roadside!"

Seeing that Lao Zhang was anxious and didn't seem to be lying, Lin Qiang asked seriously, "Lao Zhang, what exactly is going on? Please tell me in detail."

Lao Zhang finished the cigarette in his hand, threw the butt to the ground, and stepped on the butt very hard. At the same time, he looked at the monk, as if Lao Zhang was not stepping on the cigarette butt, but on the monk's head.

"Lao Zhang, it's only been half a month since we last met, how come you've become so stingy?"

The monk knew he had offended Lao Zhang, so he said, "Wait a moment, I will apologize to you."

After saying that, the monk turned around and went back to the command post, and came back a few moments later with a bottle of wine.

"This is what the battalion commander gave me to drink. There are still a sip or two left. If you don't mind, take a sip to warm yourself up."

I don’t know why, but men of this era, when they see wine, their eyes light up as if they’ve seen a pretty wife.

Lao Zhang snatched the bottle, put it to his nose and smelled it. After confirming that it was wine, he tilted his head back and drank it in one gulp.

After finishing, he smacked his lips and raised his eyebrows at the monk, meaning that he was still not satisfied. Is there anything else?

The monk shook his head.

Old Zhang dropped the bottle in disappointment, then began to answer Lin Qiang's question: "The situation was this: a large number of Japanese soldiers came out of Laiyuan County. There were many people, probably several thousand."

"It happened to be seen by our comrades. After receiving the news, I led the team to follow them secretly. I thought that with so many devils, there must be some big move. I wanted to report the situation to the battalion commander immediately."

"These devils were originally heading towards Dagu Town, but suddenly turned back halfway and headed towards our Xiaowangzhuang. They were very fast and dropped things as they ran."

"After seeing what the Japanese had discarded, I immediately sent someone to report the situation to the battalion commander, and then hid in the dark to see what the Japanese were up to. After waiting for a long time, there was no movement. I went up to take a look and saw that the Japanese had thrown away all their weapons and equipment along the way."

"These things are the supplies abandoned by the devils."

After listening to Lao Zhang's explanation, both Lin Qiang and the monk believed it.

Because the Japanese that Lao Zhang was talking about were the Japanese that Lin Qiang forced back to reinforce Dagu Town.

"Hey, it's true that good things always happen to you, Old Zhang!"

Lin Qiang smiled and said, "Take these weapons and equipment back with you. Put the heavy machine guns in Tuan Village. That way, when the Japanese raid, they'll have heavy weapons to fight back."

"Also, any supplies captured from now on will be your own spoils of war. You don't need to hand them in. You must vigorously develop your own troops. When the time is right, I will ask the brigade commander to grant you an official designation."

"Really?"

Lao Zhang was extremely excited after hearing this. He had fought guerrilla warfare for two years until he met Lin Qiang and finally settled down.

He had more than 200 brothers under his command. Nominally, they were part of the Eighth Route Army, but no other unit recognized them and they did not have a unit number.

Lin Qiang once suggested that they join the independent battalion and become regular troops, but Lao Zhang refused.

He had promised his brothers, both living and dead, that he would give the team a formal number, otherwise he would not be able to face those brothers after his death.

Now that he had heard Lin Qiang's words, Lao Zhang felt much more at ease: "Battalion Commander, you must keep your word!"

"do not worry."

Lin Qiang reassured Lao Zhang: "As long as the team exceeds 500 people, I will immediately apply for a number for you."

During this period, having a military number was equivalent to having a place in the army and was also recognition by the party. For a soldier, a formal military number was a great honor.

Of course, the only truly recognized main regiments of the 772th Brigade are the 771nd and st Regiments. Only these teams with numerical numbers can be considered regular troops in the principal's eyes.

The regular unit number that Lin Qiang agreed to here is only the number recognized by the Eighth Route Army.

Before Lao Zhang left, Lin Qiang gave him a few packs of cigarettes and a few bottles of Fenjiu, and also gave Lao Zhang some steamed buns left at the position that morning.

The conditions for the guerrillas were very difficult. Due to their limited combat effectiveness, the Japanese soldiers they were able to intercept were generally not very profitable, and they had to tighten their belts to survive.

Lin Qiang's help has greatly improved their situation, but their lives are still not easy, and they still have to take care of the villagers and refugees who have fled.

After seeing Lao Zhang off, Lin Qiang also received the latest information that the Japanese Fourth Brigade was marching towards Dagu Town.

This made Lin Qiang speechless. He had just forced back a regiment of the Japanese army not long ago. Now, not only was the regiment gone, but also the remnants of the Japanese 4th Brigade.

Helpless, Lin Qiang called Li Yunlong and told him the information.

Li Yunlong's voice on the phone was very helpless: "It seems that God won't let me trick Chu Yunfei!"

"But if my first battalion withdraws from Dagu Town, Chu Yunfei will definitely not allow himself to be attacked from both sides. If he also gives way, you will have to face tens of thousands of devils. Can you handle it?"

Lin Qiang said disdainfully: "It's just tens of thousands of devils. It's not like we haven't fought them before."

Li Yunlong was stunned for a moment before he cursed with a smile: "Damn it, only you dare to say that."

"You have to be careful. I estimate that it won't be long before the boss starts the whole plan!"

After the phone call was hung up, Lin Qiang was unable to recover for a long time.

The famous Hundred Regiments Campaign in history, I want to witness it with my own eyes and participate in it in person!