Bright Sword: From Northwest Shanxi to Shangganling

Chapter 526 Coming and Going Freely
The Kuomintang troops on the front lines were facing increasing difficulties, and the East China Field Army and the Central Plains Field Army naturally would not let go of this great opportunity.

At the front line, Chen Chengxing put down his binoculars and wrapped his American coat tighter around himself.

"I think conventional announcements and broadcasts are no longer very effective."

From the day they began their rest period, the radio station had been broadcasting the Central Committee's urging for surrender to the Kuomintang troops within the encirclement.

“It’s not just broadcasting,” Xu Wu laughed. “The frontline troops are also using mortars, kites, and other means to continuously scatter leaflets onto the KMT positions.”

“Our detachment receives more than a hundred KMT soldiers who surrender voluntarily every day.”

“It’s still not convenient enough,” Chen Chengxing said. “To help Guo Jun get rid of his psychological burden, we have to create convenient conditions for him.”

“Send people to set up small stalls inside the encirclement, hang banners, and write ‘Reception of the Uprising Guo Army’”.

"Or we could open a small gap in the encirclement and, under cover of night, plant more road signs in the direction of the Guo army, writing 'This is the way out.'"

"You guys need to use your brains more."

"Hey! Captain, when it comes to this kind of crooked and unorthodox method, you're the best!" Wei Dayong, standing to the side, gave a thumbs up.

"If you don't know how to use idioms, then don't use them! Like Pigsy wearing glasses, what are you trying to do, pretending to be a college student?!"

"Hehe. I've been studying lately." Wei Dayong scratched his head.

"What? Study?! You?!" Chen Chengxing thought he had misheard.

"Captain, you don't know, that monk has taken a liking to one of the girls in the propaganda team."

"Don't say it! Don't say it!" Wei Dayong hurriedly covered Xu Wu's mouth.

"Well done, monk, I didn't expect you to have such high standards," Chen Chengxing said with a smile.

The girls in the propaganda team weren't exactly beautiful, but they were all fairly decent-looking and had a clean appearance.

"I just feel that I'm not young anymore, and the war is almost over, so it's time to think about marriage."

"You don't have a wife, so there's nothing to be embarrassed about. If you need any help, just let me know."

"Hey! Thank you, Captain!"

After chatting for a while, Chen Chengxing was about to leave when he saw two soldiers escorting a Guo army platoon leader back.

"Wait, what's going on?"

"Oh, Commander, here's the situation. This Guo Jun ate his fill here for a few days and then tried to run back, but he was spotted and apprehended by the observation post."

"I was just about to send him to the back and lock him up."

"Why lock him up?" Chen Chengxing waved his hand. "Let him go."

"Let go?"

"Release them." Chen Chengxing nodded. "We can come and go as we please here."

"Give him two more steamed buns to take with him, so he can eat them if he gets hungry tonight."

The two soldiers holding Guo Jun were a little confused and didn't understand what was going on.

"Didn't you hear what the captain said?! Go get the steamed buns right now!"

"Okay, I'll go right away." A soldier quickly ran to the nearby cookhouse and brought back two steamed buns.

"Take it," Chen Chengxing said to Platoon Leader Guo Jun. "If you get hungry when you get back, you can come back and eat again."

"You're not going to kill me?" Platoon Leader Guo asked, puzzled.

Based on his experience, if he tried to escape and got caught, he would be beaten half to death, if not killed.

"We, the G Party, have always been free to come and go. If you come, we welcome you; if you leave, we see you off."

Platoon Leader Guo was scratching his head in frustration, but he still couldn't understand what Chen Chengxing meant.

After thinking for a long time, Platoon Leader Guo, still unable to figure it out, returned to the encirclement with his doubts.

Watching Guo Jun leave, Xu Wu asked, somewhat puzzled, "Commander-in-Chief, this..."

"You don't know anything. Once Guo Jun goes back, won't he become our human megaphone?"

"His publicity alone is equivalent to that of several radio stations."

If it weren't for the inappropriateness, Chen Chengxing would have loved to send all the Guo army soldiers who had defected back.

Upon hearing Chen Chengxing's explanation, Xu Wu immediately understood.

"Hey! Got it! Got it!" Xu Wu nodded repeatedly: "If this happens again, I'll definitely treat him to good food and drink and send him back home!"

On the other side, Guo Jun's platoon leader, who had returned to his position, was immediately surrounded.

What's the situation on the other side?

Are they fighting over there?

"Is there anything to eat?"

"Quiet down! Quiet down!" Company Commander Guo Jun walked over.

"Old Wu, tell everyone what's going on on the other side."

Platoon Leader Guo nodded, then cleared his throat: "Let me tell you, the G Army on the other side is incredibly friendly!"

"After I arrived, they provided food, lodging, and even gave me things to take with me. Knowing I was leaving, they kept stuffing steamed buns into my mouth."

"Then who are we? We've already eaten their meat buns, so can we take their steamed buns too?"

"But the G army was so enthusiastic that I had no choice but to take two as a token of my appreciation."

As he spoke, he pulled out two steamed buns from his pocket and gestured to the crowd.

As the two white steamed buns swayed in front of them, the Guo soldiers drooled with envy.

Those who were close by kept inhaling, as if they could suck the steamed buns into their stomachs. The news that the G army was providing food, lodging, and even supplies quickly spread throughout the area.

Everyone was whispering and discussing it.

Shift work suddenly became the most sought-after task; if you didn't have connections, you wouldn't even get a turn.

However, each time the sentry rotated, he would disappear without a trace, gun and all.

As soon as the KMT soldiers arrived at the G army's forward positions and put down their guns, several hands grasped theirs.

"Congratulations, brother, you're free!"

Then, a meat bun was stuffed into one hand, and a cigarette was lit in the other.

If you didn't know better, you'd think they were lost and had just gotten back.

"It's so much better here!" The Guo army soldiers were almost in tears.

"Over there, only those above the rank of regimental commander still have a stutter. The rest of them eat whatever they can find, and if they can't find it, they don't eat. Now they've almost pulled up all the wheat seedlings."

Once they arrived at their assigned accommodation, Guo Jun couldn't hold back any longer:
"Damn it, life over there is inhuman. The roofs are either blown off by artillery or dismantled to make bunkers."

"Now there are no bunkers left, they've been burned down with firewood, even the straw mats have been burned away."

"It has been snowing for the past few days, and many of the wounded soldiers who were sleeping outdoors have frozen to death."

"Brother, once you're here, we're comrades. So feel free to stay here! There's a kettle of hot water outside; just pour yourself some if you're thirsty, don't be shy!"

While the G Army was busy at the front lines, the 13th Army Corps headquarters was shrouded in gloom.

"Officer, the number of officers and soldiers surrendering every day is increasing, and Deputy Chief Officer Du has no countermeasures. If this is not stopped..."

"What are you thinking?" Li Bingwen asked Chief of Staff Song Botao.

"I have ordered increased surveillance of the soldiers on the front lines. At night, except for those on guard duty, all weapons have been put away and everyone is sleeping in groups."

"The company commander is in charge of the rifles, and the battalion commander is in charge of the light and heavy machine guns. If any soldier is seen running towards the G army, fire immediately."

"But now the sentries have become the main force of escapees." Song Botao felt a headache coming on just thinking about it.

What used to be something to be avoided like the plague has now become a highly sought-after task.

"Forget it, there's no need for that." Li Bingwen waved his hand.

"You should secretly tell the division commanders, regimental commanders, and battalion commanders that if the soldiers want to go to the G army, let them go."

"Whether you come back after you've eaten or not, it doesn't matter."

"My only request is that you are not allowed to bring weapons."

Song Botao hesitated for a moment.

"That's fine. Don't let Qiu Feng and Deputy Chief Du know." Li Bingwen gestured for him to pass on the message.

"yes!".
Upon receiving Li Bingwen's secret order, officers at all levels of the 13th Army Corps began to turn a blind eye.

However, many of the KMT soldiers still carried guns when they ran to the KMT positions.

Even if they were to steal someone else's gun, they would still bring their weapons when they surrendered.

According to them, it wouldn't be right to come and eat and drink for free without bringing something.

These surrendered soldiers not only greatly weakened the strength of Du Guangting's group, but also brought out detailed information about the inside of the encirclement.

Every defensive deployment of the Guo Army was thoroughly understood by the East China Field Army and the Central Plains Field Army.

Du Guangting was well aware that his troops were gradually collapsing. He racked his brains every day, but couldn't come up with any solutions.

"Deputy Chief Commander, the Chairman has airdropped another code box. This is the code received in the telegram, and you need to translate it personally." Shu Shicun brought in a metal box.

Upon hearing that it was an airdrop, Du Guangting's head was about to explode.

If it weren't for that airdrop order, he wouldn't have ended up like this.

Frustrated, Du Guangting found a secret room, deciphered the code, and opened the box.

There was only one letter and a small notebook inside.

The letter was long, but it was all nonsense; the key points were just a few.

First, Chang Ruiyuan had previously ordered Huang Peiwu to break out during the day, but Huang Peiwu insisted on breaking out at night. As a result, he was unable to provide support, which ultimately led to the annihilation of the entire army, much to Chang Ruiyuan's dismay.

Secondly, Chang Ruiyuan had been trying to find a way to rescue Du Guangting, who was trapped, but he couldn't find any troops. The only way now was to break out.

Third, Chang Ruiyuan instructed Du Guangting to break out during the day, as he had already prepared poison gas bombs for him to use; the booklet in the box contained the instruction manual for the poison gas bombs.

After the message was passed around, Li Bingwen hesitated, saying, "Poison gas bombs are prohibited by international conventions."

Qiu Feng, standing to the side, seemed unconcerned: "What time is it? Why are you still worrying about this?"

If the poison gas bombs worked, Qiu Feng would love to throw all of the KMT's poison gas bombs at the KMT.

"Poison gas bombs are useless." Du Guangting shook his head.

"The Chairman is being too naive. The G Army's encirclement is so tight that without reinforcements, breaking out would be certain death."

"A little bit of poison gas can't change the course of the battle at all."

Du Guangting didn't mind using poison gas, after all, they had reached a life-or-death situation.

"Deputy Chief Siling, no matter what, we must make changes, even if it means going all out."

"Otherwise, the G army's ropes will slowly strangle us to death."

Upon hearing Qiu Feng say he was going to do it, Du Guangting rubbed his temples, feeling a bit of a headache.

"I know that, I will send a telegram to Chairman Chiang to communicate."

(End of this chapter)