Southern guerrilla warfare: I led the Red Seventh Army Corps to amassed a million troops.

"Who else?" Commander Song's face showed a hint of pride. "I'm not bragging, but our Commander Zhang is the top dog in the Henan-Shaanxi bandit gang. Have you heard of Liu Zhenhua of the Zhen Song Army? Everyone has to treat him with utmost respect."

When Zhou Zeyuan heard the words "Yu-Shaanxi" or more precisely, the word "Shaanxi," his eyes flickered slightly.

In his mind, the calculation of the value of united front work began to explode.

This isn't a warlord, this is clearly a democrat!

We must win them over, we absolutely must win them over!

Su Yu spoke up during his moment of contemplation: "Outlaws, gathering in the mountains and forests, will never amount to much."

"You're talking about the majority of cases. You should know that heroes of the martial world are most patriotic." Zhou Zeyuan immediately raised his hand to interrupt him.

He turned to Commander Song and said, "I have long admired Commander Zhang, having heard of his emphasis on education and his passion for preserving traditional culture. Personally, I admire him greatly."

"If what you say is true, and he is willing to give way on the main road, abandon the city's defenses, and not be an enemy of my Red Army, then I would be willing to make him a friend. After entering the city, find a chance to escape back."

Commander Song was completely stunned. He had only been bragging casually, after all, their band of outlaws had always been discriminated against by all sectors of society.

Unexpectedly, the title of their own commander was so useful that even the leaders of the Red Army had to give them some face.

He asked cautiously, "And what about my brothers...?"

Zhou Zeyuan waved his hand: "We still have to accept the trial. We will never let those who have blood on their hands go unpunished. This is the principle of our Red Army. As for the others, those who are willing to join the Red Army can join. Those who are not willing will be given travel expenses, their personal belongings and equipment will be returned, and they can leave on their own."

Su Yu frowned slightly, "Returning equipment like this... seems a bit against the rules."

Zhou Zeyuan turned to look at him, quite satisfied with his straight man, and said firmly:

"We're here to make friends, so we should treat everyone with sincerity. Without equipment and weapons, what if we get robbed by bandits on this long and arduous journey through mountains?"

"Commander Song, you can go and rest now. Please convey my good wishes to him later."

Commander Song stood up and solemnly cupped his hands in greeting to Zhou Zeyuan.

"Commander Zhou, I will definitely pass on your message. I swear on my life that my commander will appreciate this kindness."

Zhou Zeyuan nodded slightly and said nothing more.

Commander Song nodded to Su Yu again, then turned and followed the guard at the door out.

His steps were much lighter than when he came in, and his back was straighter.

The room was quiet for a moment.

Su Yu looked at Zhou Zeyuan with a puzzled expression.

"Zeyuan, we've encountered so many warlord armies, and I've never seen you so enthusiastic. What's so special about this Zhang Jin?"

Zhou Zeyuan explained, "We are now operating in the south, so naturally we have irreconcilable conflicts with the local warlords. Territory, food, and troops—every single one is a life-or-death struggle."

"But the northern warlords are different. Their base is in the north, which does not border our sphere of influence, so there is no direct conflict of interest. Naturally, we can win them over."

"At least it will prevent them from becoming our enemies. We will eventually have to go to the north to fight the Japanese invaders anyway, so it's definitely beneficial to build good relations in advance."

Upon hearing this, Su Yu's brows relaxed slightly. "Oh, I understand. Your tactic is called 'spending a fortune to buy a horse's bones,' which is to make a name for yourself in the warlord circles of the north in advance."

Zhou Zeyuan was stunned. This reading comprehension ability was absolutely perfect, and even surpassed the original author's perfect score.

He pondered it carefully. Although Zhang Yi's strength was not great and his men were a mixed bag, in terms of seniority and seniority, he was top-notch in the warlord circle.

A veteran of the Tongmenghui, a former member of the Northwest Army, and the top figure in the Henan-Shaanxi bandit gang, his connections and influence were truly remarkable.

He certainly had the ability to help the Red Army build a good reputation among the warlords, at least letting them know that the Red Army was not only good at fighting, but also understood human relationships.

Didn't Old Zhang say that?

The martial arts world is not just about fighting and killing; it's about human relationships and social interactions.

But frankly, this benefit is rather vague.

Zhou Zeyuan's greatest hope was that after the Red Army entered Shaanxi, they would have another good neighbor.

In particular, the 25th Red Army, the second vanguard force heading north to resist Japan, will establish a base in the border area of ​​Hubei, Henan and Shaanxi in the future. Zhang Yi's connections and foundation in Shaanxi may come in handy someday.

However, the 25th Red Army had only just set off, so he couldn't say these things to Su Yuming.

I can't exactly tell people that I've already figured out that the Red Army will establish a base area in the border region of Hubei, Henan, and Shaanxi!

After the main force crossed the Nanpu River in batches, the vanguard of the Red Army began a rapid advance.

As expected, Pucheng has become a ghost town.

Therefore, Su Yu immediately commanded two divisions to quickly move north, leaving the remaining troops and logistical supplies to Zhou Zeyuan.

Given the current situation, at least in the short term, Pucheng cannot be retaken by the Nationalist army.

Therefore, Zhou Zeyuan decided to play a bluffing game.

But before that, he needs more troops.

Local armed forces from Songxi and Zhenghe counties began to move towards Pucheng, and local guerrillas also began to assemble in the county seat after receiving his orders.

And so, a day passed, and the messenger sent by Zhang finally arrived in Nanping.

Thus, the principal's catchphrase, "This is too much," also became Jiang Dingwen's catchphrase.

At this moment, Jiang Dingwen held the urgent military intelligence report that Zhang Yi had sent by fast horse in his hand, spitting as he spoke.

"What kind of bullshit is this about the command post being attacked and the radio being destroyed? Why would these Red Army soldiers not execute the commander but instead target the radio? They're treating me like a three-year-old!"

The officers in the command post were all silent and trembling, not daring to even breathe loudly.

"Damn it! This is outrageous! I was blinded by greed. Li Yannian warned me long ago that these warlords were unreliable. I thought they'd at most desert in the face of battle, but I never expected them to pull such a stunt!"

"It delayed us for a whole day! A whole day! If this were on the front lines, we'd be dead a hundred or two hundred times over!"

Jiang Dingwen grew increasingly angry as he spoke, slamming his hand on the table: "Damn it! You old scoundrel, I've treated you well, and you actually betrayed me like this! This is outrageous! I'll report this to Nanchang and have you executed! Executed severely!"

There was a moment of silence in the command center.

After a long pause, an older staff officer cautiously took half a step forward: "Commander, now is not the time to dwell on these things. There will be plenty of time to deal with this old man later."

"We need to report the situation to Commander Luo Zhuoying immediately. The Red Army has taken Pucheng and is definitely heading towards the Jinqu Basin. Commander Luo is in danger."

Jiang Dingwen slapped his forehead: "I was too busy getting angry! Quick, quick, draft a telegram and send it to Luo Zhuoying. Tell him that the main force of the Red Army has taken Pucheng and is advancing rapidly northward. Their target is most likely the Jinqu Basin. Ask him to strengthen defenses and guard against a surprise attack by the Red Army."