The expeditionary force began to dominate Southeast Asia by recruiting defeated soldiers

Everyone followed Xiao Qi's gaze and looked deep into the warehouse.

Under the dim flashlight, six silent Matilda II infantry tanks stood there quietly, like the chariot figurines in the Terracotta Army, silent but shocking.

The heavy armor of the infantry tank gleamed coldly under the light, and a suffocating feeling came over me.

"Damn!" Lu Daniu swallowed hard. "These are heavy weapons, Lao Ma, did you see? With these things, we can walk sideways!"

Zhang Chi walked towards the tanks, tapping lightly on the cold steel plates with his fingers.

He turned to look at the soldiers in the guard platoon, his eyes gleaming with excitement and determination. "With these tanks, we can form a tank company. Then the Japanese infantry will have to reconsider whether to stand in front of us. Hahahaha."

Speaking of the Matilda II infantry tank, this heavily armored tank with 78mm front armor but a main gun of only 40mm was the main force of John's army in North Africa in the early stages of World War II.

As a result, due to the obstruction of Mediterranean shipping, the Hans African Corps, which could not obtain domestic supplies, had to use the captured tank. As a result, this tank nicknamed "Queen of the Battlefield" became the favorite of the Desert Fox Rommel by accident, and achieved good results in the battle against its old employer, the John people.

Zhang Chi chuckled, as if he saw a future scene where the Matilda II infantry tank was leading the way, his Sherman Organ tank and M8 self-propelled artillery were providing fire support from behind, leading thousands of infantrymen straight to Mandalay.

The only problem Zhang Chi faces now is how to put these goodies into the system space without making any noise?

------

At the same time, the new 38th Division headquarters was far away on the border of Sindhu.

"Commander, good news! When we arrive in Sindhu, the Allied Theater Command is ready to directly change our equipment." A staff officer rushed into the division headquarters holding a telegram.

"Oh? What is the specific organization?" asked the division commander Kong Zhongneng.

那参谋兴奋的回答：“史蒂文森将军准备为我们全面换装美式M1903春田步枪和M1919系列机枪，另外再给我们配一个12门105榴弹炮的炮营和一个12门37mm反坦克炮的反坦克营啊。”

Division Commander Kong Zhongneng took the telegram calmly and read the details carefully.

The staff officer was puzzled as to why the division commander did not look particularly happy.

That's 12 105mm howitzers! A division can directly command such a powerful weapon. If this were in China, it would be unthinkable. (The 105mm howitzer is directly commanded by the war zone in China.)

“Why are there no tanks?”

After carefully reading the planned organization table, Division Commander Kong Zhongneng frowned.

He was very confused. The invincible Hans Wehrmacht on the European battlefield had already proved the importance of tanks. Why didn't the Bald Eagle people equip him with tanks?

Doesn't it count as a token of his allegiance that he disobeyed his superiors' orders this time and escorted a large number of John refugees and defeated soldiers directly back to Sindhu?

"Does that John Governor still require us to surrender all our weapons and enter the territory of Sindhu as refugees?" Kong Zhongneng put down the telegram and asked the question that he was most concerned about recently.

The staff officer said, "General Stevenson of the theater command and his superiors in the general staff are still negotiating with the Johns. They are very stubborn. They insist that we are not allies but defeated forces and must be neutral in order to enter the John colony."

Kong Zhongneng became furious after hearing this.

"Tomorrow, if the John people still have this attitude, I will go to the hospital with my gun in hand and ask Mr. Slime, the commander of the First Army of the John Colonial Army, whether these John people have any conscience. I saved his life in Yenangyaung and saved the lives of countless John people!"

"Is this how the John people repay me?" Kong Zhongneng asked, and angrily threw his pencil on the map on the table.

"Commander, calm down," the staff officer said hastily. "This is John's territory after all. The Bald Eagle and the John are in cahoots. If we really piss them off, what will happen to our equipment? Think about those 12 105mm howitzers, Commander."

"That was equipment only independent heavy artillery regiments used to have. When the war started, the entire country only had 40 of the Hans imported 105mm howitzers. Now we'll have 12!"

"Alas..." Kong Zhongneng sighed and sat down dejectedly.

The atmosphere in the command center was gloomy at the moment, and it was impossible for Kong Zhong to surrender his weapons.

But considering the 12 105mm howitzers, he decided not to break up with John's people first, but to try to build some connections.

Those who were worried about a mere 12 105mm howitzers certainly didn't know that their comrades far away were worried about how to transport more than 50 large-caliber howitzers and hundreds of various types of artillery.

-----

At the same time, a celebration banquet was being held in Mandalay.

In the luxurious banquet hall, the lights were brilliant, the glass chandelier cast a dazzling light in the center of the room, and the air was filled with the smell of victory.

The long table covered with a snow-white tablecloth was filled with exquisite dishes and expensive wines. Sitting on the seats were a group of senior Japanese military officers and representatives of the Burmese puppet government, wearing neat uniforms and shining stars on their shoulders.

Lieutenant General Shojiro Iida, commander of the 15th Army, sat at the head of the group. His face was serious, but there was a hint of satisfaction in his eyes.

Lieutenant General Mutaguchi Ren'ya, commander of the 15th Division next to him, talked to him in a low voice from time to time, while Lieutenant General Sakurai Shozo, commander of the 33rd Division opposite him, raised his glass to greet him from time to time with a faint smile on his face.

Throughout the banquet, the atmosphere of victory was overwhelming, as if they had just conquered the whole world.

"Stop grimacing and come have a drink."

Ito Masayoshi, commander of the 113th Infantry Regiment, handed a glass of champagne to Sato Mikichirō, commander of the 146th Infantry Regiment, who was looking worried.

Sato Mikichiro sighed and took the glass of champagne.

He had just been severely reprimanded by the division commander Yuzo Matsuyama before the banquet.

The reason was that both of his battalions suffered heavy losses during the pursuit. When all the friendly forces were winning, his successive failures undoubtedly brought shame to the 56th Division.

Ito Masayoshi had a faint smile on his face. When his troops were chasing the 96th Division and passing through Grape Town, they discovered a John warehouse and seized a large amount of ammunition inside.

Although the Fuso army never had the habit of using captured weapons in battle, the large number of John-type weapons could be handed over to the newly established Pegu vassal army for use.

Taking advantage of this opportunity to make a contribution, Ito Masayoshi has sent the gold and silver seized in Pegu back to his country to build connections. He estimates that his military rank will be able to move up soon.

"Is the defense of the warehouse okay?" Sato Mikichiro asked casually.

"Dumb tape, no problem at all. There are four tanks backed up by the 1st Tank Regiment there. What can those John's agents with only pistols do?"

The complacent Ito Masayoshi didn't care about the defense issue at all. His mind was full of joy at being promoted to general.

Seeing Lieutenant General Shojiro Iida, who was sitting at the main seat, raise his glass, everyone in the banquet hall also raised their glasses.

Ito Masayoshi and Sato Mikichiro beside him also raised their glasses of champagne.

"I wish you good health, Commander."

After the two of them read out their toasts loudly, they drank the champagne in their hands.

Everyone in the banquet hall was completely unaware that an army in the distance, whose goal was to completely destroy them physically, had just received the largest batch of arms since its establishment.