Bright Sword: From Northwest Shanxi to Changjin Lake, a Hundred Battles, a Hundred Victories

Chapter 240 Chen Ming: Deceiving the Heavens! Okamura: This is perfect!
After the order was relayed to the various units, Ding Wei's and He Jianxin's units in Jining and Guihua began to send out advance troops to remove the city's outer defenses.

In response to the continuous attacks of the Independent Detachment, the Japanese built a large number of defensive fortifications in the three major northern cities of Baotou, Guihua, and Jining.

These fortifications were mostly built on the outskirts of the city and were guarded by a large number of puppet troops and a small number of Japanese soldiers, serving as a buffer zone.

The Japanese troops stationed in Mongolia are already under severe strain and need to defend important cities such as Guihua, Jining, Datong, and Wucheng.

There simply weren't enough troops to fill these fortresses, so they had to use the lives of puppet troops to fill them.

When the independent detachment harassed the enemy, it was the puppet troops who died, and very few of the Japanese soldiers themselves died.

It was worth it for the Japanese to use the lives of their puppet troops to fight a war of attrition against the Eighth Route Army.

In any case, the Japanese could recruit as many puppet troops as they wanted; once a batch died, they could just recruit another.

Sometimes, when weapons are scarce, they are sent to fill in the gaps without even being issued guns.

The Japanese were more than happy to send their puppet troops to fight a war of attrition against the Eighth Route Army.

This time, when faced with the probing attack of the main force of the Independent Detachment, the puppet troops and Japanese soldiers in the outer fortifications of the two cities thought it was just the same as usual, nothing more than ordinary harassment by the Eighth Route Army.

"Baka! Counterattack! Counterattack now!"

The Japanese soldiers inside the offensive urged these puppet troops to hold off the attack and risk their lives to repel the Eighth Route Army's offensive.

Faced with the guns of the Japanese soldiers, the puppet troops were forced to take up arms and launch a counterattack against the vanguard of the Independent Detachment attacking the fortifications.

However, this time was completely different from the past.

"Bang bang bang!"

More than a dozen flying thunder cannons blasted towards the Japanese and puppet troops inside the bunker, and twenty-kilogram explosive charges fell into the fortifications, uprooting large amounts of bricks, tiles and mud.

Even fortifications couldn't withstand the improved explosives of the Flying Thunder Cannon, let alone the Japanese and puppet troops hiding in their bunkers.
After a round of shelling, the Japanese forward fortifications went out of service, and the soldiers pushed the air-to-ground cannons and continued to advance.

Yes, push.

As the independent detachment expanded its control area, it also controlled more and more mineral resources.

After seizing the equipment of the Datong Steel Plant, the steel plant continued to produce steel, relying on the mineral resources within the base area.

In addition, the research and development experts at the arsenal made technological breakthroughs in steel.

The Flying Thunder Cannons of the Independent Detachment no longer resort to the desperate measure of burying gasoline drums in the ground.

Instead, alloy steel is used to strengthen the gun body, eliminating the need for deep burial pits and enabling rapid deployment.

It has truly become a super cannon with an ultra-short range.

Within 300 meters, it can be said that any target it targets, unless it is a high-strength concrete structure, will not survive unless fate decides.

Chen Ming did not waste the retired flying thunder cannons; he distributed them all to the local armed forces and brother units of the Fourth Division.

After all, gasoline cans aren't an easy resource to obtain.

The Flying Thunder Cannons previously used by the Independent Detachment were reinforced and were much stronger than ordinary Flying Thunder Cannons.

Under the bombardment of the Flying Thunder Artillery Group, the Japanese outer fortifications were destroyed one by one, and the Japanese and puppet troops inside were either killed or wounded.

The soldiers stepped onto the Japanese's dilapidated fortifications, not caring whether there were any living Japanese soldiers inside, and threw in a few grenades before continuing their advance.

Under the combined onslaught of flying thunder cannons and hand grenades, even the remaining Japanese and puppet troops inside were essentially rendered incapable of fighting.

The battle lasted for an hour, and most of the defensive chain around Guihua and Jining was broken.

The fruits of the Japanese soldiers' hard work, which they had painstakingly built over half a year, were thus destroyed in an instant.

Meanwhile, inside the headquarters of the Japanese North China Expeditionary Army.

Okamura was awakened by a series of urgent telegrams.

"Reporting, sir! Our outer fortifications around Jining have been subjected to a fierce attack by an unidentified enemy!"

"Reporting, sir! Our outer fortifications around Guihua have been subjected to a fierce attack by an unidentified enemy!"

"Reporting, sir, our troops..."

A series of urgent military reports gave Okamura a headache.

"Have you found out who attacked Guihua and Jining?" Gangcun asked.

"Reporting to the commander, there are none yet. Judging from the enemy's clothing, most of them are local armed forces of the Chinese troops."

"In terms of firepower, it mainly consisted of the Chinese 'heartless cannons' plus hand grenades, with no trace of regular artillery."

The Japanese staff officer reported.

"What's the situation in Shuoxian County now?" Gangcun asked again.

His biggest concern right now is Chen Ming's wedding in Shuoxian County. Based solely on the situations in Guihua and Jining, he cannot make a judgment yet.

"Reporting to the commander, intelligence from Shuoxian this morning indicates that the wedding of Chen Ming, the commander of the Chinese forces, is proceeding as planned, and they are currently preparing ingredients and cooking in Shuoxian."

"However, our intelligence agent was not of high enough rank to meet with Chen Ming, the commander of the Chinese branch."

The Japanese staff officer reported this based on intelligence relayed by Japanese spies in Shuoxian County.

As Okamura gathered the information he heard, he formed a general judgment in his mind.

He believed that the troops attacking Jining and Guihua were not the main force of the Independent Detachment, but most likely a combination of some local armed forces from the Fourth Military Sub-district and some main forces.

The goal was to draw the Japanese soldiers' attention to the two cities on the day of Chen Ming's wedding.

This is to ensure that the wedding can proceed as planned.

After all, this is the wedding day of Chen Ming, the commander of the independent detachment. As the groom, if he doesn't go to the front line for the wedding night, what else can he do but go to the front line?
Furthermore, with so many important Chinese officials gathered in Shuoxian County, the defense tasks must be very heavy.

To ensure safety, the troops responsible for guarding and protecting the area must be elite.

With all the elite troops stationed in Shuoxian, does the Independent Detachment still have the strength to attack Jining and Guihua simultaneously?
Therefore, Okamura judged that the Chinese troops attacking Jining and Guihua were probably just feinting attacks, and did not really intend to capture the two cities.

"Order the intelligence agents in Shuoxian County to find out the situation of Chen Ming, the commander of the Independent Detachment, as soon as possible," Gangcun ordered.

Although he had made up his mind, he still felt uneasy, as if something was wrong.

Therefore, he issued this order, so that once Chen Ming's presence in Shuoxian was confirmed, the troops in Jining and Guihua could be truly identified.

"At the same time, an order was sent to the 3rd Tank Division stationed in Baotou to dispatch a unit to drive away the Chinese troops in Guihua."

Okamura then gave the order.

He had already determined that the forces outside Guihua and Jining were not the main force of the independent detachment, but after all, there was still the Northern Route Army eyeing them covetously.

If the Northern Route Army were to join forces with these feigned attacks by "local armed forces" to attack Guihua, Guihua might actually be in danger.

After all, the garrison in Guihua is not as strong as it used to be, and if there are too many people, there might be unexpected problems.

Okamura understood the principle that "many ants can kill an elephant."

"Hai!" The Japanese staff officer immediately carried out the order.

It's already 7:30 in Shuoxian County.

The sun has risen, and Shuoxian County is bustling with activity once again.

Zhang Zhengze, on the other hand, began to carry out the plan he had discussed with Chen Ming beforehand.

"Director Chen, please come in."

Zhang Zhengze opened the door and invited the representatives from Shancheng into the inner courtyard.

Director Chen, who was leading the team, had no suspicions, after all, Zhang Zheng was another important figure in the Independent Detachment.

Just as Director Chen and his entourage were about to enter the inner courtyard, the guards stopped the last few people from entering.

"I'm sorry, Director Chen, the inner courtyard is a sensitive area and it's not appropriate for too many people to enter," Zhang Zhengze said apologetically.

Director Chen was taken aback when he heard this. Thinking about it, it made sense; some places really didn't qualify people to enter if they weren't at the required level.

Therefore, Director Chen entered the inner courtyard with only two entourage members and Zheng Yaoxian.

"Director Chen, please. Old Chen has been wanting to see you alone for a long time."

After leading the group into the inner courtyard, Zhang Zhengze spoke to Director Chen.

[Could it be true, as the CEO said, that Chen Ming really has other ideas? Otherwise, why would he want to meet with me alone? Isn't he afraid of what others might think?] Director Chen thought to himself after hearing Zhang Zhengze's words.

However, he came with a mission, so if Chen Ming wasn't afraid, why should he be?

"That's good. I also want to hear Chen SL talk about how he fought the Japanese. He's been in the rear and has never had any plans to go to the front lines."

Director Chen followed Zhang Zhengze into Chen Ming's room, while the remaining people were separately arranged for hospitality.

When Director Chen entered Chen Ming's room, he did not see the person he expected, but only several soldiers with live ammunition standing in the room.

[Could this be a trap?] Director Chen was shocked as he looked at the soldiers staring at him.

"Political Commissar Zhang, I've come to the Independent Detachment as a guest to offer my congratulations. What's the matter?"

Although he felt a little uneasy, Director Chen, having taken the position of Director of the Attendant Department, remained calm and asked the question.

"Director Chen, please be patient and let me explain slowly," Zhang Zhengze explained to Director Chen according to the words he had prepared in advance.

"What? There are Japanese spies in my team who want to carry out an assassination mission? How is that possible? That's utter nonsense."

Director Chen immediately retorted.

Anyone would react the same way upon hearing this news.

The mountain city has been thoroughly infiltrated, a fact that the city itself is well aware of.

However, Director Chen came with a special mission this time, and his entourage had undergone rigorous screening to ensure that the information was not leaked.

But now Zhang Zhengze is telling him that there are Japanese spies in the team he brought, which Director Chen finds hard to believe.

Isn't this a slap in the face?

If there really is a spy in the team he brought, what will Chen Ming, the target of this mission, think?
Is Yamashiro trying to use this opportunity to eliminate him by having the Japanese eliminate him?
Or has the mountain town's ability declined to such an extent that it is completely unaware of the mole in its home?

This only applies to Chen Ming personally.

For outsiders, if Chen Ming were assassinated by his entourage from Chongqing at this wedding, the public outcry would be enormous.

No matter how they explain it, it will all sound weak and unconvincing; the outside world will only assume that it was an assassination attempt by someone sent by Shancheng.

Chen Ming is now the most famous general in the country, and his reputation has even spread to the international community. He also enjoys great prestige among the people.

The capture of Datong, the severing of the Tongpu Railway, and the recovery of large swathes of lost territory forced the Japanese to back down. These achievements brought Chen Ming immense fame.

If Chen Ming were assassinated, it would provoke a violent reaction across the country.

The CEO won't be happy then.

Because of Chen Ming's actions, the president saw a glimmer of hope in winning Chen Ming over.

If the deal falls through before it's even finalized, the CEO will feel like he's lost a key figure.

It's like when you're fishing, the float moves and you're about to hook a fish, but then someone throws a firecracker into the river and kills all the fish.

At this point, the fisherman would definitely feel that the person who threw the firecracker ruined his good time, otherwise he would definitely have caught a fish.

The key issue is that the blame for killing all the fish in the river by frying was placed entirely on the fishermen.

The CEO will definitely be "Damn it!" at that time.

It can be said that Chen Ming can be assassinated, but not at this time in full view of everyone!

"Director Chen, don't worry, Comrade Chen Ming also believes that this is not your real purpose."

"However, we have indeed discovered a spy, and we have identified the spy. Please rest here for now, Director Chen, and we will clear your name after we have finished dealing with this matter."

Zhang Zhengze explained patiently.

"You're putting me under house arrest! You're trying to pin this on me!"

Director Chen immediately protested.

However, being under someone else's roof, his protests were destined to be fruitless, and in the end he obediently stayed inside to wait for the outcome.

"Useless Central Bureau of Investigation and Statistics (CBI)! They didn't even know there was a Japanese spy in their ranks. Those damned Japanese devils, they're always ruining my plans."

He was already cursing the Central Bureau of Investigation and Statistics (Zhongtong) and the Japanese spies to death in his heart.

Of course, he didn't know Zheng Yaoxian's true identity, otherwise it would have been even more explosive.

After Zhang Zheng went outside, he found Zheng Yaoxian alone.

"Colonel Zheng, there's something I need your cooperation on."

Zhang Zheng briefly explained the whole story to Zheng Yaoxian.

Zheng Yaoxian was equally incredulous after hearing this.

How did Japanese spies manage to rise to such high positions?
If Zhang Zhengze hadn't said that, Zheng Yaoxian would never have imagined that there was a Japanese spy in his team.

This wasn't because he lacked ability, but because the Japanese spies were too well hidden.

If it weren't for Chen Ming's sudden rise to prominence, the Japanese agent, who had been lying low for over a decade, would never have been activated so easily.

If a mole has been lying dormant for over a decade without being activated, who could possibly know his true identity?

Of course, this excludes people like Chen Ming who have cheat codes.

No matter how many years you've been lurking, even if you've been lurking since birth, you'll still be discovered.

Maps that distinguish friend from foe are just that illogical.

After learning the details, Zheng Yaoxian was initially hesitant and said he needed to consult Director Chen.

After Zhang Zhengze told him about Director Chen's situation, he reluctantly cooperated.

A few minutes later, Zheng Yaoxian walked to the inner courtyard gate as if nothing had happened and started smoking next to a few guards.

The people guarding outside, including the Japanese spies, all surrounded Zheng Yaoxian when he came out.

"Sixth Brother, what's going on? His independent detachment has such a large presence, yet we're not allowed to enter."

one of them said.

"Yes, we're here on behalf of Shancheng to offer our congratulations. Why are we being kept out?" a Japanese spy said, mingling among the crowd.

He was very anxious and eager to understand the situation inside so as to fulfill Gangcun's orders.

But he couldn't show anything unusual, otherwise he would be captured without finding an opportunity to assassinate Chen Ming in the Independent Detachment's headquarters.

"Nothing much? Director Chen is talking to Chen SL from the Independent Detachment. We're not high enough rank to get in."

"Don't ask me the specifics, and don't forget our rules."

Zheng Yaoxian said "casually".

The speaker meant something, and the listener also took it to heart; the Japanese spy gleaned crucial information from Zheng Yaoxian's words.

Chen Ming is still in Shuoxian County, discussing matters with Director Chen.

Both were of very high rank, and they even dismissed everyone else; what they were discussing is highly questionable.

The situation must be communicated as soon as possible.

The Japanese spy thought to himself.

This is essential; whether Chen Ming is still in Shuoxian or has any "connection" with Shancheng, it must be communicated.

Even if this assassination attempt fails, they can still achieve some goals through this "secret agent" mission.

After finishing his cigarette, Zheng Yaoxian went back into the inner courtyard, leaving the group of people outside.

Meanwhile, the Japanese spies found an excuse to secretly pass on the intelligence to other Japanese spies.

The other Japanese spies immediately passed on the intelligence, which soon reached Okamura.

"Is Chen Ming still in Shuoxian, having secret talks with the chief of staff of the China Ministry?"

Upon hearing this news, Okamura felt much relieved.

That's all set!

(End of this chapter)