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

Chapter 45 In full swing
"Baka, baka, baka!"

Hirata Ichiro, who had already been scolded by Lieutenant General Shinotsuka, was already very angry. When Zheng Qianyi heard that they had no money, it was as if a ladle of cold water had been added to the boiling oil of Hirata Ichiro's anger, and the oil quickly boiled over.

Hirata Ichiro stomped his foot angrily and couldn't help but overturn the table in front of him again. "Damn Eighth Route Army soldiers! I will never return to my country until I avenge this!"

Zheng Qianyi truly lived up to his reputation as Hirata Ichiro's top spymaster; even though he was out of money, he still had ways to solve problems.

Zheng Qianyi said to Hirata Ichiro, "Sir, since we're out of money, how about we raise the promotion requirements by one level?"

“Okay, fine, let’s do it this way.” Zheng Qianyi’s suggestion calmed Hirata Ichiro’s anger slightly. “Previously it was a promotion of one rank, now let’s change it to a promotion of two ranks.”

For collaborators to be promoted, they either had to fight hard on the battlefield to earn merits or make other significant contributions to the Imperial Army.

Those Chinese are very cunning and cowardly. They rarely choose to fight on the battlefield; they always choose the latter.

They'd be crazy if they could get two promotions just for helping find clues about the Eighth Route Army's heavy artillery.

"Yes, sir, I'll go right away..." Zheng Qianyi hadn't finished speaking.

Jingle Bell!
The table was overturned, but the phone, which had fallen to the ground, was not broken and began to ring urgently.

Zheng Qianyi picked up the telephone and handed the receiver to Hirata Ichiro.

Hirata Ichiro took the telephone receiver and said into the phone, "This is Hirata Ichiro, the captain of the Kawamoto Military Police."

"Captain, news just came in." The voice on the phone belonged to an intelligence officer from the military police, and his tone was grim. "Supply Depot No. 5 has been attacked by the Eighth Route Army."

"Baka! What did you say? Supply Station No. 5 was attacked by the Eighth Route Army?" Upon hearing this, Hirata Ichiro's anger immediately flared up again.

Supply station number 5 was an important refueling station, specifically for supplying fuel to mechanized units.

The empire was short of resources, especially oil.

Most of the oil has to be imported.

You're telling me now that Supply Station No. 5 was attacked by the Eighth Route Army? Are you kidding me?!
After the Eighth Route Army attacked the county town and looted the money, shouldn't they have immediately gone back? Why did they have to attack the supply depot?
Don't they sleep at night?

Don't we have to work tomorrow?

"Captain, it's true. The mechanized units from the Fourth and Ninth Brigades have already rushed back as quickly as possible," the intelligence officer replied.

"Damn it! Li Tongqiao has been bombed. The mechanized troops have to take a huge detour to reinforce Supply Station No. 5. By the time they arrive, the Eighth Route Army will be long gone!" Hirata Ichiro cursed as he looked at the map.

The intelligence officer remained silent, and whether or not the mechanized troops were sent to reinforce the area was actually of little significance.

After all, Li Tongqiao was bombed, so they would have had to take a detour home anyway; they're just getting home earlier now.

"Was the damage at Supply Station No. 5 significant?" Hirata Ichiro asked after a long while, suppressing his liver pain.

"The exact losses are still being tallied, but the fuel loss exceeds 10,000 liters," the intelligence officer replied.

"Baka! So many?!" Hirata Ichiro's heart skipped a beat.

The Imperial Army launched this war in the hope of finding oil in this land.

The oil exploration team has been searching this land day and night, but they don't know if Amaterasu is no longer protecting them, or if Amaterasu is no match for the spirits of this land, which is why the oil exploration team has not yet discovered an oil field.

and so!
Let alone 10,000 liters of fuel, even one liter is extremely precious. Hirata Ichiro actually has military vehicles, but he usually travels by bicycle as much as possible to save fuel for the empire.

Ten thousand liters of fuel? My God, even if I pedaled my bicycle until it was smoking, I couldn't save that much.

The intelligence officer remained silent, unsure how to comfort Hirata Ichiro.

Hirata Ichiro didn't say anything more, smashed the telephone receiver, and glared fiercely at Zheng Qianyi: "Zheng-san, you go and change the reward for information on the Eighth Route Army's heavy artillery to anyone who can provide information on the Eighth Route Army's heavy artillery to be promoted three ranks!"

The Eighth Route Army's heavy artillery is a huge threat. If we don't find it soon, today they'll launch an armed attack on the county town to rob money and raid Supply Station No. 5 to steal oil. Who knows what they'll do with the heavy artillery tomorrow?

"Yes, sir." Zheng Qian actually wanted to object to Hirata Ichiro's request for another promotion.

A promotion of two ranks was enough for those puppet army officers.

But Zheng Qianyi kept quiet. The attack on Supply Station No. 5 further highlighted the importance of finding clues about the Eighth Route Army's heavy artillery.

With a promotion of three ranks, the bounty on his head would drive everyone crazy.

Perhaps, we will see results very soon.

After Zheng Qianyi left, Hirata Ichiro vented his anger in the office: "Baka, baka, baka! These damned Eighth Route Army guerrillas, I will definitely find you! I will do my best to capture you alive, throw you into the military police's torture chamber, let you taste the taste of torture, and make you regret opposing the Imperial Army! Baka, baka, baka!"

After venting his anger, Hirata Ichiro forced himself to calm down and shouted, "Someone come here!"

"Captain, what are your orders?" A Japanese soldier ran in, looking nervous.

After all, with the office smashed up like this, and the captain getting angry, who among the subordinates wouldn't be afraid?
"Immediately convene a meeting of the key personnel of the military police," Hirata Ichiro ordered.

We can't just rely on offering rewards to find clues about the Eighth Route Army's heavy artillery; we still need to send out all the military police investigators.

"Yes."

……

Zheng Qianyi was very efficient. Although the reward was issued in the middle of the night, its spread was as effective as a plague.

Whether it was the puppet army, the plainclothes police, or other traitorous organizations, everyone was in an uproar:
"Are you kidding me? The previous reward for providing clues about the Eighth Route Army's heavy artillery only resulted in a promotion of one rank, and now it's only been a short time and he's already promoted to three ranks?"

"No mistake, the county town was attacked by the Eighth Route Army, and I heard that the Eighth Route Army almost took the county town. They definitely couldn't have done it without heavy artillery, which is why the Japanese commander raised the bounty for the Eighth Route Army's heavy artillery."

"Yes, the Eighth Route Army relies entirely on heavy artillery to attack cities. If we can take their heavy artillery, they will be like rats with their teeth pulled out, not worth mentioning."

"Providing clues about the Eighth Route Army's heavy artillery can get you a three-level promotion. That's so enviable!"

"If I get promoted three levels, I could be a brigade commander."

"Quickly, wake everyone up! Stop sleeping! Get the hell out of here and find some clues about the Eighth Route Army's heavy artillery!"

"Hurry up, don't let others find the clues about the Eighth Route Army's heavy artillery first."

……

The traitors stopped sleeping and started working through the night, working with great enthusiasm and intensity.

(End of this chapter)