Canteen System Assistance Notes

The cunning Red Army actually dared to use artillery to bombard our army. Take this!

在国内的日本陆航通常不会挂载特别大的炸弹，这两架97轻爆各自挂了2发5公斤的小地瓜和1发100公斤的地瓜航弹。他们以一个非常标准的浅俯冲，进入下滑轰炸的航线，对着会里村里的两门70曲射炮投弹。

The bombs broke free from the racks and fell into the village. Although the dispersion was large and the landing point was not very accurate, the total of 6 bombs still successfully detonated the 70-round reserve ammunition.

The artillery crew that had no time to escape was lifted into the sky.

They may never understand until their death why they were bombed by friendly forces with plaster flags painted on them.

The 97 light bomber was swiftly pulled up under the stunned gaze of everyone, and the machine gunner in the back seat even fired a burst of fire at the ground with the tail machine gun. Although it didn't hit anything, it finally broke the last nerve of Tsuchida Heigo.

"You idiot, you idiot!"

He rushed forward without caring about his image, grabbed Kikuchi Kaku's collar, and shouted loudly: "Why, why! You bastard! Why are you bombing your own people!" "Your Excellency, Lieutenant Colonel!" "Your Excellency, Captain!"

The troops on both sides hurriedly separated the two commanders to prevent a real fight. Kikuchi Kaku, though also furious, felt a little better after seeing these idiots being bombed. "Tsuchida-san! The Army Air Force can't communicate directly with our unit. Even if they report to suspend support, the communication won't be relayed quickly enough. They can only bomb the designated targets!"

"Didn't we mention Army Aviation support during our negotiations? Why didn't your troops unfurl their flags to prevent accidental casualties?"

"Asshole! Carrying a military flag on an infiltration mission is stupidity on top of stupidity!" Tsuchida Heigo was held firmly by his arms by two team members. "This matter

This won't end like this! I will report your foolish actions to the Commander.

Move! You must take responsibility!"

"Hmph! It's all up to you!"

Kikuchi Kaku didn't buy it. Tsuchida's commander was the North China Expeditionary Army, and his superiors were not only in the North China Expeditionary Army, but also had connections in the Kwantung Army system because of the relationship with the military police. If a quarrel broke out, who would win? He waved his hand at the rangers behind him and asked,

"Have you recorded today's events accurately?"

"Sir! I've written it all down!" The soldier in charge of the combat log stood up and saluted. "Not a single thing was missed!"

"Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!" Although Tsuchida Heigo behind him couldn't move, he was furious when he saw Kikuchi Kaku's impassive look. However, now that the identities of both sides were clear and their forces were similar, he didn't dare to actually open fire on his friendly forces.

He could only turn his head in resentment towards Huili Village, which had just been bombed and was still smoking, and try to vent his anger. "Damn you ZN people! Burn this entire village down! Burn it down!"

"Boom!"

Yes, this bunch of Eighth Route Red Army soldiers is really despicable. Why wouldn't they just set up their headquarters here and let us fight? Instead, they've made things like this, causing the two imperial armies to hurt each other. Amidst the clashing and chaos, one thing seemed to have been forgotten by the commanders of both armies:

This is the territory of the Eighth Route Red Army, and they originally came here to wipe out a possible Red Army headquarters here.

Because the Vanguard Corps and the Rangers copied the uniforms of the Eighth Route Army from different periods, the uniforms of officers and soldiers were similar, but the soldier who saluted Kikuchi just now became his "fox tail", and finally allowed the special shooters of the New Second Regiment on the mountain to find their target.

However, perhaps due to luck and distance, these rounds missed Kikuchi, instead striking the saluting recorder. At the same time, the distinctive whistles of the 82mm and 60mm mortars echoed, and the earthen pillars of Huili Village rose to the sky. The New Second Regiment, awaiting the completion of "air-ground coordination," could finally begin its attack.

"What? What! Enemy attack, enemy attack!"

Shouts and gunshots rang out across the mountains. The classic, classic "Tigers Descending the Mountain" annihilation campaign officially began—this time, the real Eighth Route Army is here! The dark green and khaki Japs shouted hurriedly. Shadowy Eighth Route Army troops rushed onto the roads east and west of the village. Even the mountains to the north began to rain shells into the village one after another, sending flowers into the ground. Some unlucky souls were hit by shrapnel and shock waves, unable to get up again.

The Rangers and Special Operations Corps were immensely powerful in infiltration operations, but in a head-on confrontation with regular troops, they could barely make a dent. Furthermore, the two Japanese units' sole artillery firepower had long been blasted into the air by their own Army Air Force. Now, these two hundred men, less than two hundred strong, were facing the combined strength and firepower of an entire Class B Field Regiment. There was absolutely no hope.

"Enter the village, enter the village! Send a telegram to the division headquarters quickly, requesting 'tactical guidance'!"

Tsuchida Heigo shouted. The two Japanese armies, previously at loggerheads, finally united under the pressure of survival, shielding each other as they fled towards Kairi Village. But the mortar shells, like lingering ghosts, pursued them all the way, and the Japanese paid a price with almost every step they took.

"Your Majesty, get on board!!!"

The rearguard outside the village issued a declaration of loyalty and death, but the sound of his machine gun was quickly drowned out by more machine guns, and the light machine gunner who was spraying bullets was also shot in the head by the bullet from the side and rear. Tsuchida Heigo was terrified and ran for his life with Kikuchi Kaku, but then a 60mm mortar bullet fell beside him. He felt his eyes go black, his body lighten, and he fell uncontrollably.

"Cough cough cough... Damn it, damn it!"

His vision was stained with blood, and the smell of iron and gunpowder filled the air. Tsuchida opened his eyes and saw Kikuchi Kaku, who had wanted to fight him to the commander's side, lying in front of him - his body was full of shrapnel holes, and black blood was flowing like a fountain. He had already seen Amaterasu, so there was no way he could argue anymore.

No! I'm the God of Guerrilla Warfare. How can I die in such a cowardly way? I have to escape! I can't die here!

-———----

"All those without red armbands are Japanese soldiers in disguise! Those who refuse to surrender will be shot on the spot!"

Tsuchida Heigo's nerves raced under the influence of adrenaline. He struggled to shake off the dead Kikuchi Kaku and crashed into the mud house next door, propping the door shut with a wooden stake. Clothes, clothes! I need clothes! And I need a red armband!

He first took off his belt, thought for a moment, then drew his pistol and put it in his pocket. Then he discarded his Red Army cap and donned a worn straw hat from the firewood pile. Feeling dizzy and buzzing, Tsuchida Heigo wiped the blood from his face and rushed into the house, preparing to search for clothes and escape out the back door.

But at this moment, a sudden noise came from the inner room, and a large, quacking white goose suddenly flew out from behind an empty rice jar. Although the animal was thin and dirty, it had a very bad temper and was a guardian of the house. When the beast saw a stranger, it flew over and bit Tutian's leg!

Goose bites can be very painful, even if they look stupid. Tsuchida screamed in pain. He quickly twisted the goose's neck and threw it hard. The goose fell to the ground and fainted. Meanwhile, the intensive gunfire was getting closer. Chinese voices were heard at the door, and someone was banging on it!

"Someone's coming into the house, right here in this room! Don't let him get away!"

"Want to catch me? Impossible!" Shida grabbed a piece of cloth, a short jacket, and threw it over himself, dashing out of the backyard. This place had originally been a shed, but it had long since collapsed in the explosion, leaving only a pile of straw and broken wood. Fortunately, there was no sign of the Eighth Route Army nearby.

As long as I cross this distance, I can escape from the village!

There were shouts and gunshots behind him. In the chaos, Tutian could not care about others. He rushed forward like a poor farmer, but who knew that he

As soon as I took a step, there was a problem with the feedback under my feet - the ground was not smooth.

It's solid, but it's hollow ahhhhhhhhhhh!

With a loud thud, Tsuchida Heigo missed a step and fell through the loose thatch and thin wooden boards into the villager's dry toilet.

Houses with indoor toilets were practically nonexistent in rural North China these days, and the dry toilets of the villagers in Huili Village had long since collapsed into ruins, having been unable to withstand the ravages of aerial bombs and mortar shells. However, they certainly had no idea that their collapsed toilets would welcome another guest.

"Geese, geese, geese! The geese are all dead, damn devils!"

"How do you say surrender in Japanese? What's that withholding? Clerk! Clerk! Who's going to find the clerk?"

"The back door was open, and he went out through the back door... Oh my god, what is this? It stinks!"

Overhead, the roar of the Eighth Route Red Army grew closer. Tsuchida Heigo strained to prevent himself from fainting from the overwhelming stench. But the stench was clearly draining away his sanity. He strained to climb upward, but the vertical pit proved difficult to climb. Several times, he couldn't escape this disgusting place.

Finally, a few disgusted faces appeared from the top of the pit, and a rope was hung down: "Fuck Fuku! Kakumaliedilu!"

Tsuchida Heigo must have understood by now. He pulled out his pistol and wanted to shout righteously: "Damn Communist Red Army! The Imperial Army will never surrender!" or something like that, but he had to breathe in first to shout, and as soon as the half breath entered his lungs, he immediately fell down.

Bang! The Mauser pistol in his hand performed stably and successfully fired a bullet. However, this thing did not hit anything, but because of the open fire it produced

The flammable gas emitted by some filthy things was ignited.

There was one more explosion in the village, but one life was lost.

The sound was dull and low, bringing a funny end to this chaotic farce.

Chapter 314: A British Gentleman's Trip to the Border (Part 1): Civil Servants and Lords

If the dry toilet was Tsuchida Heigo's final destination, then if we go back a few months, Tsuchida Heigo, who organized six suicide squads to infiltrate and attack the Taihang base, felt like a school broadcast controller: he pressed the button and rang the last bell for the morning get out of class, which immediately triggered a group of students rushing out of the teaching building and running towards the school cafeteria.

The Eighth Route Army consisted of the teachers drinking tea in the teaching building, the elderly women and men serving food in the cafeteria, and the cafeteria staff responsible for pouring leftovers into the Miluo bucket. However, this time, among the group of Eighth Route Army soldiers watching the show on the roadside of this school, there were quite a few foreigners.

The British came to the border area.

Going back a bit further, after the February Incident ended and Comrade Liu Helian was once again ordered to Europe and the United States, the Nationalist government's 20-strong army was swept away by the Eighth Route Army with fewer than 10 troops, even seizing control of almost the entire Northwest Passage and the Hexi Corridor. This geographical concept of the Far East may be difficult for Europeans and Americans to understand, but under the guise of a "Shangri-La-style Oriental legend," the Eighth Route Army's victory became like this;

"A peasant army from Far Eastern South China defeated Chiang's government forces and took control of an area nearly 1,200 miles long—the distance from Paris to Istanbul!"

You see, the impact is much greater.

For Britain, a country far from the European continent but hoping to manage European affairs but unwilling to take responsibility, and still struggling with the fall of the Relief Nation, this was simply a pillow delivered to its doorstep. Look, two forces in a country in the Far East were now evenly matched, and this force was also hostile to Germany's Far Eastern partner, Japan. Could there be a better "offshore balancing" target than this?

The arrogant British finally passed on a message to you through their consul in Gaojing, saying they would be sending an official delegation to your controlled area for an inspection and hoped for your assistance. They also thoughtfully noted at the end of the message: "To avoid causing international disputes and causing you no trouble, this visit cannot be called an official one."

We can discuss how to do it specifically: for example, how about setting up an "art and culture investigation team"? Although the Eighth Route Army basically had the qualifications to compete with the Guofu after the February Incident, the Central Committee still agreed to this request, presumably because the British wanted to find a way out of not wanting to offend the Guofu, and allowed the British to come to the border area for investigation in the form of a "cultural investigation."

More than a month later, in July 1940, the British delegation, after traveling through many places, finally passed through the troublesome route of Switzerland, North Africa, Egypt, and Iran.

Passing through Afghanistan, transfer to the border area and Liu Helian Sino-foreign joint venture "Sino-British Northern

Air" flight arrived at Fushe Airport.

In this strange detail, the British really showed their pride as a veteran empire. I don't know whether it was to fit the title of "tourism" or to show some importance, but the British actually found a lord to be the leader of this "tour group" and even assigned a "local tour guide" to lead it.

Their names are Lord Simon Christopher Joseph Fraser Lovat and Patrick Cardinal Mason Sedgwick. For simplicity, we will call the former Lord Lovat, while the latter is more familiar to everyone: Shi Zhiyi.

It was a sunny day when the plane landed. Shi Zhiyi, who had arrived in the border area early from the mountain town, went to the supply and marketing cooperative and bought a pack of "Workers, Peasants and Soldiers" cigarettes. He chatted with people from the Central External Liaison Department while distributing cigarettes to them.

Compared to other "China experts", Shi Zhiyi is a "real China expert", a serious and conscientious British social animal, a humble social tool. Although he is related to the British Hong Kong government, his main job is to give advice to the Governor and act as "Mr. Humphrey". But now, he is seconded to the British Embassy in the mountain city to work, handling various diplomatic affairs, and inevitably dealing with the Eighth Route Army.

"The weather's nice today," Shi Zhiyi said, pulling out his lighter and lighting a cigarette. He then joined several Eighth Route Army soldiers in their Mao suits in a puff of smoke. "It's a good day for flying. May God bless them with smooth sailing."

Because it wasn't an official visit, and the Eighth Route Army's traditionally frugal style, the welcoming ceremony was minimal, with only a few people from the External Relations Department waiting. The leader, Yang Chengwu, watched the familiar Englishman speaking fluent Chinese and expertly holding a filter cigarette, feeling a strange sense of discomfiture. "Mr. Shi Zhiyi, tailwinds are not common on airplanes," he said.

He asked, "Mr. Shi, I'm a little confused. How come you have a VIP card for the Supply and Marketing Supermarket?"

"Oh!"

Shi Zhiyi looked down at himself and the cigarette in his hand, then smiled and said, "Over the past few years, I've visited many places with Ambassador Karl and met with your Vice Chairman Zhou several times. Although I haven't been to the border area many times, I have been to Bayi in the mountain city many times."

He took out his membership card and showed it to me. "You've expanded your business to Shancheng and Chuncheng, and you can even find these 'northern goods' in Wan Chai. Naturally, I can't help but apply for a VIP card."

After a brief incident, a Lockheed L18 with the name "Northern Airline" landed. This "Plus" transport aircraft, derived from the Lockheed L14, is currently Northern Air's largest passenger aircraft. It is specially used to fly planes from Dihua and Hami back to the border areas, successfully stealing business from the Germans and KMT.

The boarding ladder approached the cabin door, and soon a group of neatly dressed gentlemen and ladies came down.

"Mr. Young, look, this is Sir George Young of the Foreign Office; that is Major Ian Fleming; and that is Major Rodney Keller of the Canadian Army.

This lady, um, sorry, I don't know her, but this uniform should be

Royal Air Force..."

Shi Zhiyi reminded him, "The one walking at the back, the one dressed most casually, is Lord Lovat. Oh, and the one next to him should be his personal orderly, Merlin. Yes, the one with the big bag on his back."

They say you can tell a person by his appearance. Yang Chengwu glanced at the lord and was quite surprised by his youth and his expression, which was much more sunny and energetic than the thousand civil servants and officers before him. He concluded that this man must be a rebellious and freedom-seeking individual. He adjusted his Mao suit with a calm demeanor and formally greeted him.

"Hello, Mr. Lovat, I'm Yang Chengwu, welcome to Fushi."

Yang Chengwu deliberately avoided addressing the other party as "Lord." As Shi Zhiyi translated, the expressions of the colonel and the civil servant changed, but the Lord himself didn't care. He also stepped forward, extended his hand openly, and shook hands with Yang Chengwu.

"Hello! Mr. Yang, nice to meet you!"

—――———--

Lord Lovat's delegation, though small, covered a wide range of areas. George Young represented the Foreign Office; Major Fleming, who served as an assistant to the Intelligence Bureau and creator of the 7th series, represented the British Navy; Major Keller represented the Canadian military; and the young woman, Mary, a serving member of the Women's Auxiliary Royal Air Force (WAAF), represented the British Air Force. And Lord Lovat himself, a Lieutenant Colonel and the highest-ranking member of the delegation, naturally represented the British Army.

This visit, which included representatives from the government and the three armed forces, was a very high-level visit for the Eighth Route Army. The Party Central Committee also arranged for representatives from the Party organization, the border region government, the army, the air force, and the river defense force (which was considered the navy) to attend and hold the first meeting with them.

The two sides exchanged a barrage of meaningless political nonsense, which I won't elaborate on here; they fully exchanged views on the current international and domestic situation, offering their own perspectives and making effective progress. Compared to the lord and the younger Lady Mary, who had a rigorous education and were adept at communication, the rest of the British civil servants, often harboring a hangover from their colonial past, carried an annoying, innate sense of superiority, forcing the Eighth Route Army to constantly counterattack, using a few British jokes to slap them in the face.

Ultimately, Britain's primary concern was to cause trouble for the Germans. They couldn't do anything about the Japanese, the Eighth Route Army, or even preserved fruit in the Far East. Meanwhile, the Eighth Route Army's primary concern was to annihilate the Japanese invaders, preventing them from landing on the British Isles and feeding Miu Xian Bao to the civil servants in Downing Street. Both sides ultimately returned to their respective conference frameworks. According to Lord Lovat's pre-departure instructions, the British side wanted to know:

Will the Eighth Route Army completely break up with the preserved fruit?

Does this northern communist power have the ability to counter Japan, or even unify the entire country? What impact will it have on the British Empire's interests in the Far East and even in Asia? If one had to choose to invest in either side, which one should they choose?

These issues required not only negotiation but also investigation, and even more so, seeing with one's own eyes and experiencing with one's own body. This Scottish nobleman clearly had the blood of a northern Highland barbarian. After a few days, the twists and turns in the meeting finally made him lose interest.

Finally, one evening, he called his personal orderly Bill Merlin, climbed out of the British delegation's guesthouse, and ran away.

Chapter 315: A British Gentleman's Trip to the Border (Part 2) Alpey Pie

Simon Christopher Joseph Fraser: Lovat, a lieutenant colonel in the British Army, a genuine Scottish nobleman with a castle and fiefdoms. His life should have been based on his family's considerable wealth and extensive connections, finding a lucrative but leisurely job, spending the war in peace and quiet, then rising to a higher rank, retiring with honor, and finally becoming a minister or entering the House of Lords, where he could live out his later years in peace.

However, this lord had absolutely no desire to follow the path of this noble son, instead aiming to forge his own path. In the history of this time and space, he and his orderly, Merlin, led the troops onto Sword Beach on D-Day, becoming part of the first wave of landings. Although he was later accidentally injured by a bomb dropped by his own aircraft and had to return home to recuperate, his enthusiasm for leading his men on the battlefield, playing bagpipes, was a testament to his unconventional character.

So now, Lord Lovat didn't want to care about the twists and turns in the negotiations with those British civil servants. He just wanted to go out and have some fun - although there was no highland scenery he was familiar with in this loess land of the Far East, hey, but he just heard a piece of news from his "local guide" Shi Zhiyi: there was a group of Scots in Fushe, a border area.

From the time they were brought in from Britain by Comrade Xiao Liu in late 1938 and early 1939, by mid-1940, many foreign workers had already spent more than a year in the border region. Although the distribution of industries dictated that most of them work in the Huinong Industrial Zone, some remained in Fushe due to personal preference and work arrangements.

They were primarily shipbuilders from Glasgow and Edinburgh, Scotland, most of whom possessed extensive experience in sheet metal work, welding, and locksmithing. Like the other members of the International Brigade, these Scottish technicians primarily served as instructors at the training center, guiding the Eighth Route Army's metalworking apprentices and carrying out teaching duties. Occasionally, they also participated in the fabrication of large pieces of equipment to meet production targets.

Lord Lovat was a Scottish lord himself, so naturally he had much in common with the Scots. Although most of these people were members of the Communist Party of Great Britain and the Communist Party of Scotland, who had been half-driven out by the British government and held different political and ideological views, meeting colleagues with the same accent in a foreign country was like meeting fellow countrymen, and there was a natural sense of closeness.

Lovat spent a small wad of pounds, rented two bicycles from the guesthouse, and rode out of Fushi with Bill Merlin. They rode north for almost an hour before finally arriving at a campus consisting of factory buildings—one of the Border Region's metalworking training schools, and also the office of the Scottish Republican and Red Bank Workers' Association's Chinese Party branch.

It was dinner time, and students in work clothes were walking around the welding school in groups of two or three. They showed no surprise at the sight of Lovat and Merlin, two foreigners, as if they were already accustomed to their presence.

"Sir, there is English here!"

Merlin waved, pointing to a cave dwelling at the foot of a distant mountain. It was nestled deep into the deep yellow cliffs. In the afterglow of the setting sun, the bilingual sign reading "Highland Pub" and "Highland Bar" stood out in sharp contrast, highlighting its identity.

"Thank you Merlin, this must be it!"

The Lord quickly put aside his main task.

Alcohol was prohibited during working hours in the border region, but at night, anyone not working the next day could come drink, as long as they didn't get drunk and cause trouble. So, when Lord Lovat lifted the thick curtain and walked into the cave, he was greeted by a wave of air tinged with alcohol—the familiar smell of gin and whiskey, the unfamiliar smell of fried peanuts and braised tofu, and the lingering scent of secondhand cigarettes and lubricant. He felt as if he had traveled thousands of kilometers in an instant, arriving at a small bar on the damp, cold northern coast.

"Oh, look who's here! Comrades, it's the new guy!"

Someone blew a whistle and welcomed the newcomer with a loud voice. Almost all the people present were workers. Some wore greasy work clothes, with their welding masks aside; some wore worn-out jeans with pencils hanging from their ears; and some sat aside in worn but well-ironed short-sleeved shirts.

"Ha! Man, why are you dressed so formally? Just like an Englishman." Someone pointed at Lord Lovat's plaid shirt and flat cap. "You won't complain about our heavy accents, will you, dear friend? We have British, German, Chinese and Italian people here. It's enough for us to understand what they say."

"How could I be so?" Lord Lovat glanced at the slogan on the wall and naturally dropped his Oxford accent for a thick Scottish dialect, just like switching from northern Mandarin to the Fujian version of Mandarin. "Workers all over the world are one family. Just call me Simon!