Canteen System Assistance Notes

"I lost my composure, Commander."

"No need to be polite. There's no commander here today, just you and me." Okamura Neiji grabbed his hand and shook it. "But, look how scared you are. Show off the pride of the Army! Iimura-kun!" "Hey!"

Iimura Mamoru, currently the director of the Japan General Warfare Research Institute, is a distinguished graduate of the Army University. A review of his resume reveals a rich and varied background. He studied at a foreign language school, served as a non-commissioned officer and commander at the grassroots level in the military, served as a military attaché at a foreign embassy, ​​and has also held positions in intelligence, research, and as chief of staff. Through his extensive military service, research, and overseas assignments, he has accumulated considerable experience, truly a true "Japanese elite."

However, perhaps due to his wide knowledge and the ability and courage to "see the world objectively," he wasn't very popular back home in Japan—a fact that Okamura was able to invite him here through his connections. "It's not like Tokyo here, the conditions are rough, please don't be disgusted by it, Iimura-kun."

"No way! Lord Okamura, I'm a banished minister, but I feel right at home here. I must thank you for that!"

Because it was the headquarters of the North China Front Army and there were many Japanese residents, many Japanese-style restaurants and izakayas opened in the city. Under Okamura's guidance, the two turned left and right and entered an izakaya hidden in an alley.

Soon, the maid in charge of guidance reappeared. She knelt on the ground and knocked on the door, and placed salted edamame (edamame), grilled fish back (thinly sliced ​​dried fish), salted dried cuttlefish, and two bottles of Ginjo sake on the table. Looking around, the whole table was filled with pure Japanese food, without any Chinese characteristics.

"Since Iimura-kun has been here, how are the apricot leaves in Hibiya Park doing?"

Okamura took off his coat, sat down in the heated tatami room, and asked kindly, "I still remember the autumn of Showa 10, when the entire park was covered with fallen leaves, like a golden blanket."

"The fallen leaves are also beautiful this year, Lord Okamura." Iimura was a little puzzled. General Okamura didn't continue his conversation about his "exiled minister" but instead talked about completely unrelated topics of love. Why was that? "So, will the Western-style restaurant in Hibiya Park have any new dishes this year?"

Iimura Joi was a little nervous, beginning to wonder what his superior was trying to ask. Could it be that I was actually "exiled" and that the commander disliked me?

He recalled that some time ago, he was presiding over the Total Warfare Research Council and, in front of many leaders, he was conducting a simulation of the battlefield situation after the outbreak of war between Japan and the United States, which was also called a "total warfare map exercise."

Then, his American army defeated the Japanese army on the blueprint: Although the Imperial Navy and Army were able to inflict heavy casualties on the front battlefield, through calculations of the loss rate and replenishment of sea transportation, the sea transportation and supplies in the rear of the Empire were gradually paralyzed as the war progressed.

Even with the addition of many correction factors, by the second half of 1944, it was difficult for those who played the role of the Imperial Kingdom to

They were unable to obtain any resources from overseas and were eventually defeated due to resource depletion.

The meeting hall fell into deathly silence at that time. The naval and land officers and staff officers in charge of the simulation rarely quarreled; the navy minister, army minister and cabinet members who were watching the simulation also remained silent, and no one knew what to say.

Finally, Masanobu Koro, sitting in the back row, leaped to his feet and, amid the hushed silence, roared, bringing up the old story of a member of the imperial family dying in a plane crash and the Prime Minister failing to meet the coffin. His blaring curses finally managed to mask the awkwardness. The cabinet members seized the opportunity to pack up and disperse. General Tojo, who was overseeing the simulation, calmly declared that all details were confidential and quickly fled.

Afterward, Iimura Joi received a message from General Tojo: "Your deduction was excellent, but don't do it again." Immediately afterwards, he received a transfer order, removing him from the General Warfare Research Council. If Commander Kazemura hadn't accepted him, he would have been relegated to a mere attachment to the Army Ministry.

Although, he hadn't really been to Hibiya Park much: if he knew, he knew, if he didn't, he didn't know... Iimura Joi thought about it and could only answer honestly: "Sorry, Mr. Okamura, I hadn't been there before I came here."

"Iimura-kun, actually, there are no 'New Year's new products' at Matsumoto-ro."

Okamura Neiji smiled and casually invited Iimura Jo to try the authentic Japanese cooking of the izakaya owner. It was said that this small establishment had always served high-ranking officers of the Japanese army, and everything from the maids to the ingredients was imported from Japan, which made him feel quite relaxed.

Now that the pleasantries and probing are over, it's time to get down to business.

"Iimura-kun, what are your thoughts on the current situation? You're a master of total war research, so please tell me about your research."

So, this is the general outcome for Nanyang. No matter how I cheat on oil production, even if the Helans don't destroy the oil wells, even if our army captures the Shell refinery intact, by 1939, even if our army is outnumbered, the Empire will have no ships to transport its resources back to the mainland."

After a few drinks, Iimura Jō began to talk more. Following Okamura's instructions, he recounted the process of his deductions at the General Warfare Research Council, then uttered a rare complaint.

"My colleagues and I have been collecting intelligence information from the Navy, Army, Planning Agency, and Ministry of Finance since the beginning of this year. We've run our calculations and our deductions are flawless. The result is certain to be accurate—Japan is doomed to fail! But why do Admiral Tojo and his group criticize us so harshly?"

"Commander! Do you also think I did something wrong?"

Okamura looked around. He had already booked the izakaya, so there was no chance anyone would leak the information. He sighed and said, "You need to drink less, Iimura-kun."

"Hi, Commander."

He was indeed a talented man. If he had a little more ability to read the atmosphere, he would have no problem rising to the rank of Chief of the General Staff. But his words were too shocking—could he just say that casually? Okamura Neiji grabbed a few edamame and ate them, then changed the subject:

"Iimura-kun, as a leading figure in the General Warfare Research Association, how much have you researched the Sino-Japanese Incident?" "I'm truly sorry, but because it concerns the southward campaign, I've only dabbled in it."

Iimura Joi humbly admitted that he didn't fully understand it. "I once proposed in a simulation that if the Sino-Japanese Incident wasn't resolved and the US allied with China, they could use Chinese airfields to deploy heavy bombs and launch a bombing attack on the Imperial homeland. But such a simulation simply couldn't be carried out. So I only had a theoretical understanding of it."

"So.......

"limura kun, I seek for your help." (Imura-kun, I ask for your help.)

Okamura suddenly switched to English and knocked on the wall. A moment later, the maid from before came in on her knees, carrying a thick brown paper-wrapped briefcase. Okamura Neiji and Iimura Joi, one a former military attaché and the other an international student, had a solid foundation in English.

The sudden appearance of Japanese-style English finally piqued Iimura Joi's interest. He immediately sat up straight, serious, and took the document package with both hands. It felt quite substantial—that was his first impression.

"Sir, 'll be true to you, offering my all."

Iimura Joi quickly agreed, then looked down at the file in his hand. "It's..." (This is the "Index.")

After the maid left the scene and the room was sealed again, Okamura Neiji lowered his voice and said to Iimura Mamoru in the same serious tone, "You can freely consult the files in the index at my headquarters. I believe that after reading the first part of the information, you will understand the extent of the Sino-Japanese War... You have been at the headquarters recently and have not come to North China for actual observation. You have only read the battle reports, so you probably don't know the current situation."

"Empty reputations mislead people, and Zen sayings are roundabout. This is not our style. I'll be frank here—Mr. Iimura, on the battlefields of North China, the Imperial Army is in a precarious position. The rising Communist Army is already capable of confronting the Imperial Army head-on."

If this continues, not only will the Imperial Army be unable to maintain its occupied territory, but it may also face an irreversible situation on the battlefield..."

"So, since the situation in North China is already like this, why not abandon North China?" Iimura Jo asked bluntly, getting to the heart of the matter. "Is it that North China has irreplaceable resources that the Imperial Army must obtain, or is it that this place has a market that the Empire must seize?" "Ahem, ahem... Iimura-kun, there are some things you can't say outside of the country."

Okamura Neiji did not respond, but just coughed heavily a few times:

"Completely giving up North China is not possible for the time being, so I need your wisdom.

I would like you to investigate the Imperial Army's most formidable enemy—the Communist forces in North China. Despite our best efforts, we can only maintain a temporary balance of power, but we have no idea what the future holds. In short, Iimura-kun, you need to become our army's Liangtian Dewa-no-kami.

He paused and looked directly into Iimura Jo's eyes:

Pay attention to me. You can tell the truth, even if it means our army is doomed to fail." Neiji Okamura pulled out what looked like a comic book and handed it to Iimura. "This is a one-time password. You must know how to use it. You can also report your findings directly to me without going through anyone else."

"The North China Front Army's intelligence system and the ZN Anti-Japanese War Force Investigation Committee will fully cooperate with your actions. Iimura-kun, the safety of the Empire now depends on you!"

Chapter 527 Facing (Part 2) The setting sun on the top of Pagoda Mountain

Monday, November 24, 1941, Liu Helian is on holiday today.

There is a reason for the weekday holiday. Just a week or two ago, the large monitoring station built in the base of Shandong Province discovered that the call signs usually used by the Japanese Navy in the east had disappeared collectively, so the information that the Japanese Navy might have a major operation recently was reported to the central government through the cafeteria network.

When the news reached Liu Helian's phone, he immediately understood that the Japanese were assembling their fleet, preparing to head to Hawaii to gamble on the nation's fate. So, after reporting to the Central Committee, Comrade Liu, along with his crew, used the futuristic vehicle eMule to transform into an XF-12 Rainbow long-range reconnaissance aircraft, and flew to Danguan Bay at an altitude of 12000 meters and a speed of 600 kilometers per hour.

Anyway, at this altitude, there are almost no planes or anti-aircraft guns that can intercept us.

Sure enough, at noon on November 22, during a break in the clouds, the crew of the Eighth Route Army's "special aircraft" arriving at Danguan Bay witnessed a rare spectacle: this desolate harbor was packed with ships: aircraft carriers, battleships, light and heavy cruisers, as well as numerous supply ships and destroyers. From the air, it looked like a chessboard filled with pieces or a field covered in flour.

I wonder if the Japanese navy in this time and space will still fight smoothly at first, but then suffer a crushing defeat? Oh, this general trend is unlikely to change, and the only thing that will change is the turning point... With the war situation in China at such a state, and the army's available manpower reduced, will the navy still fight to the death in Southeast Asia?

Will a battle like Midway, which is full of accidents, happen as planned? If it doesn't happen, what will the story be like?

Liu Helian's mind was full of the modern leaps and bounds of thought. After much thought, he couldn't help but feel like he couldn't stay indoors. Finally, he put on a coat and went out for a walk.

After staying up all night flying, people are easily fatigued. When tired, they inevitably sleep disoriented, and it takes several days to adjust. It was already afternoon when Liu Helian left. After much deliberation, he decided to climb Phoenix Mountain. Looking down from Phoenix Mountain, the scenery was completely different from what it had been that year.

The streets that were once filled with cave dwellings and sheds have been renovated and replaced with cement pavement. Electric poles have been erected, and the houses along the streets have been renovated and painted with new slogans and stylish propaganda posters. As the economic structure of the border region has shifted, these propaganda materials have expanded beyond anti-Japanese slogans like "Action! Aid the Soldiers on the Anti-Japanese Front" to include labor safety advertisements like "Wear gloves when operating a machine tool, you only have two fingers left" and "Be careful with curling machines for long hair."

As for Qingliang Peak and Pagoda Mountain, they had also changed. A water tower had been erected on Pagoda Mountain, supplying running water to various government offices, factories, and departments. Atop Qingliang Mountain, a fixed steel tower had been added: the transmission tower for Fushi Radio Station. From here, the station's broadcast could cover China throughout the day.

If you look closely, you can also see anti-aircraft gun positions hidden in camouflage netting on mountaintops and hillsides. Anti-aircraft weapons such as .40 Bofors and water-cooled .50M2 machine guns stand with their barrels raised, guarding the skies alongside large-caliber anti-aircraft guns and interceptor fighters, which are not visible from here.

However, it wasn't dark yet, so he had to wait a while before he could see the tiny sparks that would light up the city as night fell. Speaking of which, Fushe was still under a basic blackout. He wondered what the night scene would look like once the border area was completely safe.

Then, at this moment, a familiar and kind voice came from behind Liu Helian:

"Look! That shadow I'm talking about! It's a little bit fat—it must be Comrade Xiao Liu!"

Liu Helian immediately recognized the newcomer's identity when he heard the thick Hunan accent. He turned around and saw the Chairman, dressed in sportswear, jogging up the mountain.

"Hello, Chairman. You are here to exercise too."

Liu Helian still held a deep respect for this Chairman, who didn't need to add his surname before the words "shengxi". Although they had communicated frequently over the years and were already familiar with each other, and their discussions and chats were usually less polite, the admiration of the future generation still stubbornly emerged like a weed, manifesting itself in some subconscious reactions.

"Oh, you see, I secretly took a vacation and went to the mountains to hide away for a while, but I was discovered! Comrade Xiao Liu, don't tell anyone later.

The Chairman wiped the sweat from his face and looked thoughtful for a few seconds. "Comrade Xiao Liu, you deserve a vacation too. You worked overtime recently to defeat the branch, and then flew a reconnaissance plane for more than ten hours to Japan. You shouldn't overwork yourself. Give yourself some more time off to relax."

Before flying to Guanwan, Liu Helian had indeed been working non-stop on a number of tasks related to the Lost Branch. According to the canteen system's establishment and upgrade standards, the "canteen network," which had always been operating behind the scenes, seemingly non-existent yet omnipresent, had expanded rapidly.

Up to now, the bases under the Eighth Route Army and the New Fourth Army have 8 headquarters-level canteens, located in Fushi, Huinong, and Yumen in the rear, Dadian in Junan, Shandong Province, Huimin in Bohai in North China, Zishi in Hai'an, northern Jiangsu, and Yingshan in Hubei, Henan, and Anhui in Central China, which have become an important support for local development.

These eight headquarters-level divisions provided a total of 16 division quotas. After discussion at the Central Committee, Liu Helian deployed these to Xingqing Prefecture, Suide, Liyang in Guanzhong, Daqingshan in Jinsui, Pianguan in northwestern Shanxi, Yutai in Shandong Province, Liaoxian in the Taihang Mountains, Hejian in central Hebei, Yingshan in the Hubei-Henan border region, and Tanggou in the Wanjiang River. With the conclusion of the Suiyuan Campaign, Liu Helian deployed two of the remaining six quotas, deploying them to Lucheng and Jining.

"Chairman, even though it's tiring, I also enjoy it. Losing the branch was organizational work, and seeing the cafeterias destroyed one by one was also very fulfilling. Going to Danguan Bay to photograph the Japanese fleet was both organizational work and my hobby. To be honest, I still like to see those big battleships, especially since many of them will be sunk in the future. If I don't take pictures, I might never see them again."

Liu He hurriedly explained, "And this wasn't a spur-of-the-moment decision. Earlier, the monitoring station in Shandong Province intercepted the Japanese Navy's daily telegrams and heard that the Japanese Kaga had left its anchorage in Sasebo and headed for Nagasaki Port, but then immediately fell into radio silence."

"In history before me, this was because the Japanese needed to modify the torpedoes of their carrier-based attack aircraft to make them rise quickly and not sink to the bottom in order to attack Pearl Harbor!"

"Comrade Xiao Liu is able to draw on experience and details to make predictions in advance, which is excellent. If you can build on this foundation and make analysis and judgments based on current realities, that would be even better." The Chairman nodded. "But Comrade Xiao Liu, the history of this time and space is increasingly different from yours—we, a group of little butterflies, have at least stirred up a little bit of trouble!"

"From now on, those 'historical' crutches you know are really just crutches!"

"I understand, Chairman. We need to focus on the present while also drawing on our experience—we need to walk on two legs!"

During a break in the exercise, the Chairman chatted with Liu Helian with great interest about the details of the Japanese Navy's use of wooden frames to modify torpedoes to circumvent the shallow waters of Pearl Harbor. Drawing on his historical knowledge, Liu Helian explained this interesting detail to the Chairman in a simple and accessible manner.

In short, while the Japanese made the strategically flawed decision to attack Pearl Harbor, they did get a number of tactical details right. Liu Helian concluded his presentation, saying, "This does fit with some stereotypes about the Japanese."

"This is the fundamental problem of militarist fascist Japan. War is like eating and sleeping to them. Without war, they cannot survive."

Chairman Mao also said, "Now, the Japanese are not gaining any advantage on the Chinese battlefield. They want to attack the Soviet Union, but were shattered at Nomonhan. They want to go to Southeast Asia, but they must face direct conflict with the old capitalist powers. However, they must start a war. Naturally, they can only put more effort into details and hope that these changes in details can bring them continuous victory.

He used his signature fearless tone: "It's a pity that the unjust war launched by Japanese fascism for the purpose of expansion and aggression will ultimately lead to complete failure." "The Japanese fascism not only tortured the people of other countries, but also tortured and persecuted the citizens of its own country." Liu Helian looked at the setting sun in the west.

He sighed, "Unfortunately, in our history, due to the emergence of the post-war Cold War structure, a considerable number of war criminals who committed war crimes were not punished, and were even protected by the Chiang Kai-shek army and American imperialism.

"At least this time, I hope we can punish the Japanese war criminals who committed crimes in China."

The sun had already set, casting a golden glow across the city. The two men chatted until they reached the handover between the day and night shifts at the factory. As the virtual time chimed from the loudspeakers, the city began to bustle. Faint smoke drifted from many places, quickly dispersing as the setting sun tinted the city a fiery crimson—like its skin was wrapped in a veil of red gauze.

"Comrade Xiao Liu," the Chairman said.

"We Communists emphasize objective materialism and have always emphasized people's subjective initiative."

He did not answer Liu Helian directly, but turned around and pointed to the distance: the sun in the west finally could not withstand the cover of the mountains, and the last ray of light fell. There was no more flickering golden light in the sky, only a brilliant red glow.

"You see, the sun will set."

Chapter 528: A Little Story Before the War

Stilton is an American worker who is now in the border area.

Unlike the former internationalist fighters often seen here, he was not brought in from Europe by China Resources Group. Instead, he approached a China Resources recruitment center in the United States and volunteered. When the staff asked him why, he said very honestly:

"Sir, your wages are very generous—that's the first reason."

Stilton had to be realistic. He previously worked at a water heater factory in the United States. Due to the aftermath of the recession, the factory's treatment was extremely harsh. During a march demanding higher wages and workers' compensation insurance, he was unable to dodge and was knocked down by mounted police, breaking his leg—which left him walking with a limp.

But misfortunes never come singly. After Mr. Stilton paid a large sum of bail and was released from the police station, he learned that he had been fired twice. His employer had terminated his employment contract because of his misdeeds; and his wife had also terminated her marriage contract due to a burst of discord and conflicts with him, and also threw away the custody of their child.

In the end, although he was acquitted due to insufficient evidence, Mr. Stilton became a typical unemployed worker with no money and a burden.

"Sir, I can weld water heater shells, operate a rotary press, and drive a car. During the recession, I even worked as a forest ranger for the county forestry team. I can handle hunting rifles..." He dragged a teenager along, kicking his still-aching lame leg, and said sincerely to the China Resources recruiter, "My child needs me to get this job, too. This leg has healed a long time ago, you see! There's no problem at all. Look, just hire me!"

As a result, he came to China as he wished and found a job in a factory that manufactured pressure vessels and...bomb casings.

Life in China was not something he was used to, and it was relatively simple, but it was stable. Mr. Stilton worked welding and teaching welding to his son, taking care of him, until mid-November 1941.

"Thanksgiving is coming soon, my dear little Tommy, what do you want to eat?" One evening, he picked up the child with a small schoolbag on his back, spun him in the air, and then put him back on the ground. "Final exams are coming soon. Have you fallen behind in your studies?"

"Not left behind, Daddy!" Little Tommy Stilton answered confidently, "I want pizza, Daddy!" Pizza?

Thanksgiving is a day for the whole family to have dinner at home - although there are only two people in the family, Stilton still insists on making Thanksgiving dinner for his baby himself, fulfilling his responsibility as a father to make up for the child's lack of maternal love.

So, Stilton didn't want to go to a restaurant to solve the problem on Thanksgiving night for the time being.

Okay, pizza is just a round piece of bread with toppings on it. I've seen it before, so no matter how hard I try, I can make one!

Stilton did it right away. He counted the US dollars and Guanghua coins in his wallet, took out a pen and wrote down the steps on paper.

First of all, there are some Italians in the border area. He felt that he should first ask the ancestors of the birthplace of pizza how to make this big flatbread with fillings.

"Crinkle pizza? Making it from scratch is so troublesome." Gil Alonso Valencia, a waiter at the Future Workers' Club, tapped his chin and thought for a moment. The young bartender finally pulled a worker-run supplement to World Cuisine from under the table. "Uncle Tommy, if you really want pizza, why not order one from us in advance and take it back to the dorm?"

"Hey! That won't do! You have to cook Thanksgiving dinner yourself!"

After getting the recipe, Stilton showed his stubbornness and was unwilling to compromise on this point.

"Well, good luck to you, old Uncle Tommy—oh, all right, a big glass of Moonshine Ale? No, no, Brother Claus, I remember you have a late shift tonight! If you have a late shift, drinking is forbidden!"

.... ...

"Flour, yes. Vegetable oil, no problem. Salt and garlic, um, I need to buy some more. Mozzarella cheese... after all, it's cheese, right?"

Leaving the noisy workers' club, Stilton began his next plan in a serious manner. He read the bilingual pages of the newspaper supplement

Welcome to taste the delicious Italian original tomato pizza, - muttering to himself

"Basil? Tomato sauce...but not tomato sauce? What the hell is this?"

Some people already have plenty of these ingredients at home, some need to rummage through boxes, some can be bought from British neighbors next door, and some have to be bought at the supply and marketing store. But as the saying goes, good things take time, and finding ingredients for Western food in China is always a bit inconvenient.

"What? That, salesman, comrade, made with milk, mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, all gone?" Stilton asked the salesman, who was holding a spatula and a spoon, while carrying a bag of tomatoes sold by Italians and a jar of pickled olives made by Italians.