The War of Resistance: From Overseas Chinese Mechanics to King of Nanyang

"I'm fine."

After a long while, Dai Anlan's voice slowly rang out. Then she slowly closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and when she opened them again, the tears in her eyes had been forcibly suppressed.

He knew better than anyone that he was the commander of the 200th Division and the backbone of his brothers. His every word and action at this moment would directly affect the morale of the entire division. If he were to lose heart, the entire 200th Division would truly lose its backbone, and not only would revenge be out of the question, but even returning home safely would become a luxury.

Upon hearing this, Gao Jiren breathed a long sigh of relief, his heart finally at ease.

Originally, his biggest worry was that Dai Anlan would be devastated after waking up and learning about the sacrifices of his brothers. If the division commander collapsed, then the 200th Division would be in real trouble.

Seeing that Dai Anlan was able to pull herself together, Gao Jiren's eyes flashed with relief, and he quickly said, "Commander, it's good that you can think positively. Just focus on recovering. With us here, we will never let our brothers sacrifice themselves in vain."

Dai Anlan nodded slightly, his mind now relatively calm, and continued, "So, is the army still stuck at Langko?"

In his mind, the delay in marching must have been due to the treatment of his injuries. Therefore, the most important thing right now was to lead the remaining troops back to China as soon as possible, firstly to receive better medical treatment, and secondly to preserve the 200th Division's future.

They had been stuck in Langko for two days and one night. The Japanese army had suffered such a great loss, and they were sure to seek revenge. They had even sent people to search for their whereabouts. Once they found them, they would definitely send troops to pursue them. At that time, it would only be more difficult to break through.

"This..." Upon hearing this, Gao Jiren's expression instantly became hesitant, and his tone paused slightly.

Previously, he was so focused on reporting Huang Zurong's rescue efforts to Dai Anlan that he forgot to mention discussing with Huang Zurong the plan to jointly attack Lashio.

Now that the other party has taken the initiative to inquire about the troop's movements, he was momentarily at a loss for words.

After all, according to orders, they should have returned home as soon as possible, but now they have chosen revenge, and he is afraid that if he says it, it will displease the other party.

"What's wrong? Did something happen? Tell me the truth, don't hide it from me." Dai Anlan sensed something was amiss and quickly asked.

Seeing that he could no longer hide it, Gao Jiren simply spoke directly.

"Commander, please don't be agitated. Nothing serious has happened. It's just that... after discussing with Regiment Commander Huang Zurong, we've decided to postpone our return to China and prepare to concentrate our forces to attack Lashio to avenge our fallen brothers."

He did not make any excuses. After all, he was one of the key decision-makers in the plan to attack Lashio. At this moment, he spoke frankly and stared intently at Dai Anlan, waiting for his decision.

"Attack Lashio?"

Upon hearing this, Dai Anlan was stunned for a moment, her eyes filled with disbelief, as if she hadn't heard clearly, and subconsciously repeated it.

He never imagined that while he was unconscious, his subordinates would make such a bold decision: instead of returning home, they would launch an attack on Lashio, a strategic stronghold occupied by the Japanese army.

Upon seeing this, Gao Jiren hurriedly reported the detailed battle plan in detail: troop deployment, weapon support, the 200th Division's assault mission, the weakness of the Japanese army's dispersed forces, and the feasibility of a surprise attack on Lashio... He explained every detail clearly, fearing that Dai Anlan might think the plan was too hasty.

Dai Anlan listened quietly without interrupting, her gaze gradually deepening, and she fell into silence.

Silence returned to the tent, broken only by his faint breathing and the officers' slightly tense waiting.

Is the plan feasible?

Dai Anlan weighed the options repeatedly in his mind. From a tactical perspective, it was entirely feasible. If he were in the position of a Japanese commander, he would definitely think that the 200th Division was currently in a sorry state and desperately trying to escape back to Japan. He would never have expected that they would launch a surprise attack on Lashio.

Such a surprise attack, if successful, would surely catch the Japanese army off guard, and might even cut off their retreat route to the north, achieving unexpected results.

Of course, risks also exist.

Although Huang Zurong provided a batch of weapons support, the combat strength of the 200th Division was greatly weakened, and the risk of attacking was very high. Once the Japanese army reacted and sent reinforcements, they would likely be in a desperate situation of being attacked from both sides.

Even so, overall, the benefits still outweighed the risks—it avenged the fallen brothers and tied down Japanese troops, relieving pressure on the domestic battlefield.

But a real problem once again confronted him—a telegram from the Expeditionary Force Headquarters, every word clear, demanding that they return home as soon as possible.

As a soldier, obeying military orders is his duty; how could he arbitrarily change orders?

But when he thought of his brothers who had sacrificed their lives, and the countless soldiers of the expeditionary force left behind in foreign lands, their bodies never to be found, the flame of revenge burned fiercely in his heart.

Especially when he looked up at the hatred in the eyes of the officers present, as well as their long-suppressed desires and determination.

Dai Anlan fell silent again.

It was clear that the brothers all wanted revenge and to seek justice for their fallen comrades.

He ultimately couldn't bring himself to say the words, "Continue to carry out the orders."

Especially when he thought of his brothers who had risked their lives for him, such as Dong Gan, Liu Shuren, and Liu Jie, and how they had sacrificed themselves in a foreign land, a piercing pain welled up in his heart.

Military orders are as firm as mountains, but what about the grudges between comrades?

Are we just going to abandon this idea?

Although it is said that a gentleman's enmity can be avenged even after ten generations!

But he didn't want to wait that long.

After a long while, Dai Anlan slowly closed his eyes, leaned wearily against the sickbed, and said in a weak voice, "Brother Gao, I am very weak now and cannot preside over military affairs. The safety of the entire division is entrusted to you and Tingji."

Almost instantly, Gao Jiren understood what the other party meant.

Although no explicit statement was made, handing over command of the troops to them was tantamount to tacitly approving the plan to attack Lashio.

Gao Jiren immediately straightened his back and solemnly saluted, saying, "Please rest assured, Commander! We will certainly not fail in our mission, and will command the troops well to avenge our fallen brothers."

After a brief pause, Gao Jiren asked again, "Commander, how should we reply to the telegram from headquarters? If we don't reply soon, the higher-ups might become suspicious."

Upon hearing this, Dai Anlan pondered for a moment and then slowly said, "Just say that I am seriously injured and currently unconscious. In order to cover my medical treatment, the army is temporarily unable to set off to return home."

"In this way, the higher-ups will probably not urge us, and at the same time, it will make the Japanese army lower their guard, thinking that we are already too busy to take care of ourselves, and they will not expect us to launch a surprise attack on Lashio."

"Yes! Commander, you are wise." Gao Jiren quickly flattered him.

Dai Anlan nodded gently, then closed his eyes again. The pain in his chest made him feel increasingly tired.