Bright Sword: From Border Region Manufacturing to Major National Heavy Industry

Chapter 213 Brigade Commander: I love listening to your nonsense
386th Brigade Headquarters

"Brigade Commander, according to the latest intelligence, that little devil Shinotsuka is mobilizing three Japanese brigades and puppet troops, totaling more than 50,000 men."

The deputy brigade commander reported to the brigade commander in a solemn tone, "Okamura has also mobilized a division. When that happens, the total force to encircle and suppress us will reach about 65,000 men."

Although the brigade commander had anticipated that the Japanese would not easily let the matter rest after the five truckloads of tungsten ore were seized.

But upon hearing that so many Japanese troops were being mobilized, he remained extremely solemn: "It seems the Japanese are truly desperate."

"Let alone five truckloads of tungsten ore, even if they lost five truckloads of sugar, the Japanese would be furious." The deputy brigade commander nodded and said, "The Japanese military supplies will be all in place soon. Their vanguard has already begun to head towards the planned location, aiming to be the first to complete the encirclement of our base area, and then the main force will tighten the encirclement, sifting us out like through a sieve."

"Our border region arsenal has only just gotten on track, and the Japanese have launched their massive mopping-up operation so quickly. Our arsenal doesn't even have enough time to produce enough weapons and ammunition. Our combat troops have a very difficult task," the brigade commander said gravely. "Headquarters has issued instructions for all units to prepare for relocation. Of course, before the relocation, we must create as much trouble as possible for the enemy, buying them time so our border region arsenal can produce enough weapons and ammunition. Otherwise..."

The brigade commander didn't finish his sentence, but the implication was clear.

That is, the combat troops cannot buy enough time for the border region arsenal, and the weapons and ammunition produced by the border region arsenal are insufficient, so they have to be forced to relocate.

The border region's arsenal is no longer the dilapidated workshop it once was; it now possesses a considerable amount of machinery and equipment.

Moving is not an easy task.

and.

The iron-smelting furnaces in the arsenal can't stop running for twelve hours a day.

Once it stops, the furnace breaks down, and the border region's arsenal loses its ability to smelt iron.

"That bastard Li Yunlong always has a way at crucial moments." The deputy brigade commander remembered Li Yunlong and said to the brigade commander, "Why don't we just loosen Li Yunlong's reins and let him cause some trouble before the Japanese army completes the encirclement? Maybe he can..."

"What can he do!" The brigade commander solemnly interrupted the deputy brigade commander. "These are sixty or seventy thousand enemies. Even if Li Yunlong were to cause a major upheaval, do you think his skinny arms could possibly twist the Japanese devils' thick legs?"

"Give it a try, what if this kid can really do it? Send Ding Wei to him, and send Blind Cheng too. Didn't Kong Jie expand his troops? Let Kong Jie keep the coal miners, and the rest of the personnel..." The deputy brigade commander didn't finish his sentence.

The brigade commander decisively interrupted: "No, Kong Jie's troops cannot be moved. Once this large-scale encirclement and suppression begins, the enemy's espionage activities will be very frequent. If the Japanese discover the border region's arsenal, Kong Jie's troops will still be responsible for its protection."

"So that means the 772nd Regiment and the New 1st Regiment will both go with Li Yunlong?" The deputy brigade commander understood what the brigade commander meant.

No objection means tacit approval.

"I'll go talk to Li Yunlong myself later..." The brigade commander didn't finish his sentence.

A staff officer rushed over, excitedly saying, "Brigadier, the director of the Cui Village arsenal has finally given in and is about to confess."

Upon hearing this, the brigade commander cursed, "So this stinking rock has finally given in? I thought he could keep putting up a fight."

Then, the brigade commander hurriedly went to the interrogation room.

A dozen minutes later, the brigade commander came out and said to the deputy brigade commander, "Continue my work and keep asking him questions. Make sure to get everything out of his mouth. I'm going to find Li Yunlong right now."

"Yes, brigade commander." The deputy brigade commander nodded.

After the deputy brigade commander gave a few more instructions, the brigade commander, along with his guards, hurriedly left the brigade headquarters and headed to the independent regiment.

Independence Corps

A storm is brewing, the wind is howling, and dark clouds are pressing down on the city, threatening to crush it!
Although Li Yunlong did not yet know the specific details of the Japanese encirclement and suppression army, he immediately began to study the map after waking up.

The border region's arsenal has only just gotten on track, and production must not be stopped due to relocation.

Old Li has to buy enough time for the border region's arsenal.

"Commander, the Japanese are definitely coming with great force. This sweep will be more brutal than ever before," Zhao Gang said to Li Yunlong. "After all, the difference in strength between us and the Japanese troops is still too great."

Zhao Gang knew, of course, that it would be best if the relocation could be avoided.

However, the disparity in strength between the two sides was still too great.

Li Yunlong glared and cursed, "Old Zhao, if our border region arsenal stops production, that will be the real beginning of a nightmare! Our only hope is that our border region arsenal can continue production. Brother Li said that he can make shells that can be fired without a cannon barrel. I can't let Brother Li's hard work be extinguished like this."

The reason why the Japanese were able to fight continuously was because their arsenals were constantly supplying ammunition and ensuring the logistics of their military supplies!
If our border region arsenals were to cease production, our vital supply of weapons and ammunition would be cut off, which would be fatal.

“But the Japanese will definitely have a lot of troops to encircle and suppress us. What are you going to use to fight them?” Zhao Gang said. “Hmph, the Japanese will definitely have a lot of troops to encircle and suppress us, but don’t forget,” Li Yunlong changed the subject, “Shanxi Province is so big. The Japanese have to divide their troops to garrison it. Now that they’ve mobilized so many troops, their rear will definitely be vulnerable. If I can break out of their encirclement and go to the outer lines to fight, and advance towards Taiyuan, I don’t believe that those Japanese devils, Shinotsuka, won’t be desperate!”

Upon hearing this, Zhao Gang's expression became extremely solemn: "Old Li, putting aside the fact that the Taiyuan city wall is sturdy and tall, if you really do this, you'll easily find yourself surrounded by the Japanese army."

Taiyuan, that's where the headquarters of the Japanese First Army is located.

Once Li Yunlong actually goes that way, Yoshio Shinotsuka isn't stupid either.

"Stop talking nonsense! Do you think a living person can be killed by holding their pee?" Li Yunlong roared. "Do you think I'm stupid enough to head straight for Taiyuan? I won't run off to other places and then accidentally end up in Taiyuan? I'll wreak havoc on the Japanese rear, and I don't believe their encirclement and suppression troops won't come back."

If we can disrupt the Japanese forces' rear, and the main force inside the encirclement can cooperate with us from the inside, there is still hope of breaking the counter-encirclement.

"I'm afraid we don't have enough troops," Zhao Gang said.

"As long as I can buy time for the arsenal, once the headquarters finds out, won't they give me one or two divisions?" Old Li was incredibly arrogant.

Ding Wei is absolutely right.

If he really had one or two divisions, Li would have dared to attack Taiyuan.

Before the brigade commander even arrived, his voice preceded him: "Li Yunlong, you son of a bitch, you're really after a lot of power. You want to be a division commander, so does that mean I, the brigade commander, have to take your orders too?"

"Hey, Brigade Commander, what brings you here?" Upon hearing the brigade commander's voice, Li Yunlong's arrogant demeanor instantly vanished, and he hurriedly greeted him obsequiously.

The brigade commander sat down in front of Li Yunlong and encouraged him, saying, "Keep bragging, keep bragging and let me hear your brilliant strategies."

"Brigade Commander, I was just bluffing." Li Yunlong said sheepishly.

Boasting in front of the brigade commander is tantamount to inviting humiliation.

"It's alright, I just enjoy listening to your nonsense," the brigade commander said seriously.

"Brigade Commander, please don't tease me. I really wouldn't dare to talk nonsense in front of you." Li Yunlong lowered his stance again.

The brigade commander's expression also turned serious. He said, "I just received intelligence that the Japanese have a total force of 65,000 men. Headquarters has issued instructions that both combat units and logistics units must prepare for relocation in advance."

“Brigade Commander, our border region arsenal has only just gotten on track and needs time to produce weapons and ammunition for our combat troops. We can’t move it now,” Li Yunlong said immediately.

"So, I'm telling you to give me a good talking to." The brigade commander brought the topic back and looked at Li Yunlong seriously. "Some people have suggested that I loosen the reins on you and let you cause trouble. Let's see if you can disrupt the Japanese encirclement and annihilation, so we don't have to move."

"Hehe, Brigade Commander, as the saying goes, you can't do a job you're not qualified for." Li Yunlong chuckled, no longer pretending, and leaned closer to the brigade commander, saying with a smile, "You said it yourself, this is sixty or seventy thousand enemies, this is not a small force, my troops are not enough."

“I don’t have the authority to move other units, but I’m giving you my entire brigade, is that enough?” the brigade commander said.

"That's definitely enough, but you, Brigade Commander..." Li Yunlong said with a smile, "What will you do then..."

On the Independent Regiment alone, the combined strength of the county brigade, district squad, and militia already amounts to several thousand men.

Otherwise, when Lao Li attacked Ping'an County, a regiment could have gathered tens of thousands of people.

If all the county brigades and district squads in the 386th Brigade area were gathered together, the troop strength would definitely be sufficient.

There's a problem: the brigade commander gave all the troops to himself, so what is he supposed to do?

"How about I come with you and act as your advisor?" the brigade commander said.

"Brigade Commander, no, no, no!" Li Yunlong hurriedly said, "You are of noble birth, please don't come with me to risk your life."

With the brigade commander accompanying him, Old Li's activities couldn't be fully unleashed.

With the brigade commander away, Old Li is practically out of reach of the emperor.

"Don't worry, I won't bother you so you can perform well," the brigade commander said. "After all, the county brigade and district squad are not the main force. You have a good relationship with Director Li of the border region's arsenal, right? Go talk to him and ask Gao Xigang to come with you too."

Gao Liujin had nearly two thousand men, and Gao Xigang's 28th Regiment had more than three thousand men, making a total of five thousand troops.

Li Yunlong has taken on a very difficult task this time, and he can't afford to have too few troops.

(End of this chapter)