We promised to develop a game called Candy Crush, what the hell is the Third Reich?

Chapter 213 [The Blue Star People Shocked by the Various Regions of the Republic of China] (4.2k)

As players gradually catch up.

We gradually arrived at the point in time, 1937.

For some players on Earth in other provinces, the Battle of Shanghai has already passed in the storyline, and their surroundings are quietly changing.

Seven hundred thousand soldiers from all over the country shattered the Japanese army's "three-month delusion" with their blood and flesh, trading space for time.

During those difficult three months.

Factories, schools, and political forces across China completed a strategic westward relocation as a final safeguard.

It restructured the core focus of the Republic of China.

The situation has now shifted from a localized war of resistance to a full-scale war of resistance.

Inside Shi Rui's live stream room.

After infiltrating the Sihang Warehouse, they recorded the shocking close-range gunfight between the Central Army and the enemy at a distance of twenty meters.

Shi Rui was hit by bullets in the chaos and has now restarted the game.

Fortunately, Polaris officially opened up the timeline at this time, allowing players to directly select the 1937 timeline, thus avoiding the need to keep skipping through the story.

at this time.

Shi Rui chose to present himself as a reporter.

Since posing as a reporter to broadcast live for so long during the Battle of Shanghai, Shi Rui had grown to like the profession, and when the game restarted, he simply chose to be a reporter.

The current point in time is after the Battle of Shanghai.

Shi Rui is currently in Shanxi province.

Following the soldiers of the Red Army's 129th Division, they prepared to ambush the Japanese army.

Shi Rui, positioned on another high vantage point some distance from the main position, briefed his viewers on the situation via livestream:

"Brothers, we are currently in the Taihang Mountains."

"The Red Team just launched an attack on the Japanese stronghold in Licheng, north of Shentouling."

"The only recent reinforcements from the Japanese army can come from Lucheng in the south, so we are currently preparing to ambush Japanese soldiers heading to Licheng at Shentou Ridge."

Let's see if we can catch a big fish.

After briefly introducing the current situation, Shi Rui continued:

"After the Battle of Shanghai, the entire Republic of China was engaged in a war of resistance against the Japanese army, with each country having its own distinct style of resistance."

"In Shanxi, the main fighting was guerrilla warfare and ambush warfare carried out by the Red Army."

"Relying on the mountainous terrain, small units were dispersed to harass the Japanese army, and in coordination with the construction of base areas, a protracted war of resistance was formed."

"That is what the Red team referred to as a 'protracted war'."

As Shi Rui was speaking, Japanese reinforcements heading to support Licheng appeared on the road in the distance between Shentou Ridge and the mountains.

Looking at the long column of Japanese troops, Shi Rui used the photon supercomputer to estimate that it was about a company of soldiers. At this time, the supply trucks carrying the troops were moving slowly.

Watching this scene, some netizens on Earth in the live stream were puzzled:
[Why are the Japanese trucks moving so slowly? Could they be decoys?]

There might be a large force following behind.

[Oops—host, please remind me!]

"Surely not. The Japanese army's column is so long, would they really be willing to use so many people as bait?"

[I don't think so either; the Japanese army seems a bit too relaxed, doesn't they?]

Looking at the comments in the live stream, Shi Rui was giving his commentary:

"normal."

"Because this is the place the Japanese army least expected to be ambushed."

As he spoke, Shi Rui glanced at the Shentouling area in the distance.

Only when the entire outline was clearly seen did the viewers in the live stream understand why Shi Rui said this was the place the Japanese army least expected to ambush.

Because this road is on a wide mountain ridge.

There are no obstructions on either side; it's a straight downhill slope, making it look like a single-plank bridge.

Who would ambush someone under the log bridge?
This may have been the thinking of the Japanese army, which is why the marching troops were so relaxed and nonchalant, because they never expected anyone to set up an ambush here.

But the red team actually did it.

Using this reverse thinking, the Red Army concealed themselves with camouflage fortifications, and the Japanese army had already gone halfway there without discovering the Red Army soldiers hiding at the entrance.

By this time, the Japanese troops had all entered the encirclement.

As they traveled more than halfway, the first Japanese truck ran over the landmines that the engineering company had laid overnight.

boom--!
The deafening explosion echoed through the mountains.

"beat--!!!"

With a roar echoing through the mountains, hundreds of grenades flew up simultaneously, swarming towards the Japanese convoy in the middle of the road from both sides.

A Japanese soldier had just jumped off the truck.

boom!
They were killed by the explosion of grenades. Some grenades detonated Japanese trucks, turning the road into an instant inferno, with gunfire constantly erupting from both sides of the road.

The Japanese army was caught off guard by the sudden attack and its command was in disarray, leaving it no time to respond.

The battle quickly escalated to a fever pitch, with the Japanese troops desperately charging towards the high ground in an attempt to capture it. However, the Red Army soldiers also fearlessly fought back against the Japanese suicide squads.

On the other side of the hillside, Shi Rui was broadcasting the battle to the live-streaming room.

Some people are curious about who is in charge of this red force, because after the Long March, many players on Earth were drawn to the Battle of Shanghai and didn't pay much attention to the red side.

I wonder how things have developed.

Looking at the questions in the live stream, Shi Rui began to explain:

"The Red Army's 129th Division is ambushing the Japanese troops below, and its commander is Deputy Commander Liu."

"The 386th Brigade under the 129th Division is the main attacking force, with the 771st Regiment to the north and the 772nd Regiment to the west."

"correct."

"Brigade Commander Chen Geng of the 386th Brigade was a graduate of the first class of the Whampoa Military Academy."

As Shi Rui explained, he observed the battle situation below.

Meanwhile, the viewers in the live stream widened their eyes as they listened to these introductions. Wow, these are all top players from the Red Team! No wonder they have such overwhelming combat power and tactics.

the other side.

Previously, a security regiment temporarily reorganized from a small town in the Northwest was sent to support the Battle of Shanghai.

After dying in battle, streamer Li Ran restarted the game and once again chose the Northwest. This time, he was still a soldier in the security regiment, but his mission was different.

In the gullies of the Loess Plateau, Li Ran followed the team, escorting a mule and horse caravan westward.

The mules and horses carried heavy machine parts, and the driver kept shouting to urge the horses forward on the rugged mountain road. Li Ran stared at the parts in a daze.

Because when I entered Shanghai before, I happened to encounter that factory relocating.

Now that the game has restarted, the factory equipment that was evacuated during the Battle of Shanghai has reappeared on the vast Loess Plateau in Northwest China.

With the fall of the eastern coastal areas, the strategic value of the vast northwest region deep inland became apparent.

I didn't think much of it at first.

However, as the analysis deepened, netizens on Earth increasingly felt the power of their Chinese ancestors.

The vast territory of the land gave the people living on it an extraordinary tolerance for error, even after the economically developed coastal areas, North China, and East China fell to the enemy.

The Loess Plateau in Northwest China became a strategic rear area supporting the protracted War of Resistance against Japan.

The complex terrain of the Loess Plateau and Qinling Mountains in the Northwest inland rendered the Japanese mechanized forces completely ineffective, greatly limiting their offensive capabilities.

International aid can also reach the Loess Plateau through the western passage, becoming another lifeline.

The Guanzhong Plain and the Hexi Corridor in Gansu are also important grain-producing areas, supplying the daily food needs of the army and the people. Without the geographical advantages of the Northwest region...

Therefore, the economic and social structure of the Republic of China would likely collapse rapidly within a few years after the Battle of Shanghai.

However, it was supported by the Northwest region.

By trading space for time, the vast Northwest region can accommodate not only hundreds of universities, but also the relocation of hundreds of factories, refugees, troops, and so on.

It served as a material supply base, a military buffer zone, and a channel for international aid during the War of Resistance against Japan.

These are what have prevented the existing social system and structure from collapsing.

The importance of the Northwest may not be apparent in peacetime, but it becomes especially crucial in wartime.

After escorting the factory's machinery, anchor Li Ran stayed behind to continue observing the changes in Northwest China following the Battle of Shanghai.

the other side.

Xia Jie, a news anchor based in Northeast China.

I was following at the very back of a group of 30 people. The group was walking with difficulty on the snow at the foot of Changbai Mountain. Their breath was white and their hair was covered in ice.

The live stream was very quiet; although there were many viewers, there were very few comments.

Some newcomers were confused and posted question marks, while the veteran viewers in the live stream explained:

[New viewers, the streamer isn't mute, he just needs to conserve energy and can't speak.]

[Things will be better once we find a camp. We've just survived a Japanese raid, and the situation is very difficult.]

As the veteran viewers in the live stream explained, the new viewers also learned a lot.

Within the storyline of the anchor Xia Jie.

Having just survived the Japanese army's "winter sweep," the team suffered heavy losses, as can be seen from the perspective of the live stream, with everyone's cotton-padded clothes in tatters.

The cotton-padded coat was covered with various knife cuts, bullet holes, and dark brown bloodstains.

The news of the defeat in the Battle of Shanghai not long ago dealt a significant blow to the anti-Japanese guerrillas who were persisting in the Northeast, coupled with the Japanese army's "winter sweep".

The team, which originally numbered nearly 100, has been reduced to only 30 after a fierce battle.

In front.

Captain Zhao, who was leading the way, turned around and shouted hoarsely behind him:
"Brothers! Hang in there a little longer!"

"We have a secret base in the Gold Rush Valley; there should still be some grain hidden there!"

"hold onto!!!"

In the freezing cold of -30°C, this statement is quite encouraging: having food means having a way to survive.

However, after half a day of trekking, the team finally arrived at Taojingou.

The scene before them made everyone's hearts sink.

Most of the village was burned down, and it was completely silent; clearly, no one was left.

The group did not go to the village again.

Instead, they followed Captain Zhao to a secret base, which was a collapsed mine shaft that had not been discovered by the Japanese army, except that the entrance had collapsed.

After much effort, the group cleared away the rubble, dug out a small bag of grain, cooked it into porridge, and finally everyone came back to life.

After finishing their porridge, they all fell silent, thinking about the tragic scene in the gold rush ditch.

Inside the partially collapsed mine shaft, the cold wind from outside kept blowing into the cave. The nights in Northeast China, with temperatures dropping to minus 30 degrees Celsius, were not easy to endure.

The anchor, Xia Jie, could only huddle in a corner, whispering about the current situation:
"This must be the most difficult resistance force on the side of the Republic of China."

"The temperature at night in Northeast China during winter is generally between -30 and -40 degrees Celsius, and the winter season lasts for half a year."

"Under such circumstances, the Anti-Japanese Allied Army fighters did not yet have a stable base."

"We have to fight and move around from time to time depending on the Japanese army's sweeps, just like my current unit."

"In the battle against the Japanese army during the winter sweep, the number of soldiers was reduced from more than 100 to 30."

"And once the transfer is complete."

"It means using willpower to fight against nature."

"We found the secret base today, otherwise the whole group would have had to endure the night in the snow."

"If you stayed out outside all night in this temperature, you'd probably freeze solid."

"Winter in Northeast China lasts for half a year, and the Anti-Japanese Allied Army soldiers have been fighting for six years, from 1931 to 1937."

The new viewers from Earth who joined the live stream fell silent.

Many people have played World War II games, and some have even participated in the Battle of Moscow and the Battle of Stalingrad, enduring four or five months of harsh winter.

They felt that the situation was already very difficult.

But at this time
We've endured winters with temperatures dropping to -40 degrees Celsius and lasting for half a year for six years now.

How exactly did they manage to get through it?

The viewers in the live stream were pondering this question.

The wind howled and roared outside the cave.

The fire added to the chill of the night, and no one dared to sleep, fearing they might not wake up again. Everyone huddled around the fire, trying to warm themselves a little longer.

suddenly.

Someone asked in a low voice:
"Captain, I heard that the battle at Songhu in the Guanzhong region failed?"

Captain Zhao looked at the fire.

The reflection of the flames danced in his eyes. After a moment of silence, Captain Zhao spoke:
"It's not defeat, it's retreat."

"Last year, the Central Army and troops from all over the country fought in Shanghai for three months. The whole world saw our determination. On the contrary, the Japanese's wishful thinking 'March Plan' failed."

As he spoke, Captain Zhao took out something wrapped in cloth from his pocket, carefully opened it, and revealed the contents: a small booklet that was almost worn out from being read so many times.

Everyone looked at the captain's precious item with curiosity.

Xia Jie and the viewers in the live stream recognized the four characters on the cover of the booklet.

On Protracted War

Captain Zhao opened the booklet by the firelight, his hoarse voice ringing out:
"The War of Resistance Against Japan was a protracted war."

"We are not afraid of sacrifice or hardship; we will persist in the War of Resistance and uphold the united front."

outside the cave.

The north wind howls.

Inside the cave.

Thirty hungry and cold soldiers huddled together, listening to their captain read "On Protracted War," and hope was rekindled in the eyes of many of them.

Xia Jie suddenly understood why they were in this icy and snowy place.

The Anti-Japanese Allied Army fighters were able to persevere for six years, and perhaps even longer in the future, because they possessed an unwavering faith.

That's something the Japanese will never understand—something hotter than minus forty degrees Celsius.

Players on Earth are experiencing the 'Republic of China' era across various parts of China in the [Awakening Era] DLC.

However, the limit for the World War I series is 1939. At this point, the timeline of the story expands to 1937, and the progress of Earth players is accelerated considerably.

Inside the president's office at Polaris Corporation.

According to Zhao Ming's backend data, it will take about another week for players to experience all the storylines from 1939.

More and more players will complete the experience later.

Meanwhile, the war between the great powers in World War II has also begun. By the way, we can redirect the players from World War I to World War II to continue experiencing the storyline after 1939.

(End of this chapter)