Courtyard House: I Rely on Time-Space Trade to Build a Nation

Soon Shuanzi pushed the door open again and entered.

"Reporting to the brigade commander, this is the outpost on the outskirts of the village. About an hour ago, a group of unidentified, haphazardly dressed people tried to approach the threshing ground where our trucks are parked. They were spotted by the patrol and a warning shot was fired. Instead of retreating, they opened fire. The militia guard company stationed in the village has now driven them back and captured several wounded prisoners. The company commander is interrogating them."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Ping'an was not nervous at all; instead, his eyes lit up. His sleepiness vanished completely.

Isn't this exactly the kind of "opportunity" that comes knocking on our door?

In the previous annihilation of the Fourth Regiment, he relied more on strategic planning and overwhelming firepower. In the actual close combat and battlefield fighting, it was Liu Dazhu and Wang Dahai who were on the front line.

Strictly speaking, although Zhao Ping'an, who transmigrated here, inherited the military memories and skills of his predecessor, he had never actually tried personally leading troops in combat in complex terrain.

Right now, he happened to have two guard companies with him, the same ones that had previously escorted equipment. Now that Commander Li had taken over the defense of the penicillin factory, these two companies had withdrawn to the village to rest. They were now fully equipped, with all their weapons, and high morale. Besides the light and heavy machine guns, he also had eight 60mm mortars with him. Wasn't this the perfect opportunity for live-fire training?

With that in mind, Zhao Ping'an no longer hesitated. He grabbed the walkie-talkie he carried with him and tuned it to the agreed frequency.

"Old Xu, Old Xu, this is Zhao Ping'an. Please respond if you hear me." His voice was steady and clear.

Soon, Xu Yuanshan's slightly surprised voice came through the walkie-talkie:

"Peaceful? This is Lao Xu. What's up? Is there a problem on your end?"

"A small group of bandits and defeated soldiers tried to attack the trucks in the village, but they were repelled by the militia," Zhao Ping'an said succinctly.

"I plan to lead the 1st and 2nd guard companies around me to pursue and eliminate this threat in the direction they retreated."

"What? Bandit suppression?" Old Xu's voice immediately rose, filled with disapproval. "Comrade Ping'an, your primary task is to ensure the penicillin factory goes into production smoothly! And to maintain uninterrupted communication with them. Bandit suppression is the responsibility of the local troops and militia! Even if you're leading two guard companies now, you can't easily take risks! I disagree!"

"Old Xu, listen to me. Since these bandits have set their sights on the truck, it means they've noticed this direction."

If we don't completely eliminate them, and they still don't give up, sneaking over at night to spy on us and discovering the penicillin factory on the mountain, then we'll be in big trouble.

Therefore, we must nip potential problems in the bud!

"That won't do either. I'll contact my superiors immediately and have them send troops over right away." Old Xu hadn't finished speaking when...

Then came the voice of Regiment Commander Li, "Political Commissar Xu, you don't trust me, Old Li? I have a regiment of soldiers here. I'll send a battalion to wipe them out right now!" It seems that Regiment Commander Li is also a hot-tempered and capable "fierce general".

"Old Xu, Commander Li, listen to me first," Zhao Ping'an said, sensing an opportunity in Commander Li's words.

"Old Xu, I understand your concerns. But the situation is special. Here's what we'll do: I'll go and fetch the militia company commander now, and you have Commander Li immediately use the walkie-talkie to inquire about the situation. Let's hear the report from the front lines before making a decision."

"Alright, let's hear the report from the front lines first." Old Li said a few more words before Old Xu finally agreed.

Soon, Shuanzi invited the militia company commander over and reported the situation to Commander Li.

According to the initial confessions of the prisoners and the assessment of the battlefield, the attacking enemy numbered about 120 to 130 people. They were of mixed backgrounds, including habitual bandits from the nearby mountains and a small number of scattered Central Army soldiers. Their equipment was disorganized and their combat effectiveness was weak.

In this engagement, our side killed seven people and captured eleven wounded. The rest fled to the Black Wind Ridge mountain area in the northwest.

After the militia company commander finished his report, Old Xu's voice rang out again, his tone much gentler, but still cautious: "Even so, stay safe. Don't pursue a cornered enemy; the mountainous terrain is complex..."

"It's precisely because the terrain is complex that we must pursue them!" Zhao Ping'an interrupted decisively.

"Old Xu, we're not arguing about tactics right now; we're protecting the absolute safety of the penicillin factory! The enemy has spotted the trucks and knows there's 'profit' in this area. They might retreat temporarily after suffering losses, but who can guarantee they won't come back? Or let them inform someone even more troublesome? Only by completely eliminating and scattering them, making them afraid to even think about this place again, can the penicillin factory truly remain hidden! This isn't just a simple military operation; it's a necessary security measure to ensure the production of our strategic materials!"

There was another silence on the other end of the walkie-talkie. Zhao Ping'an could imagine that Lao Xu and Regiment Commander Li were quickly weighing the pros and cons.

Finally, Lao Xu's voice came again, carrying a hint of helplessness and compromise, but more so an acceptance of reality: "...You're right, Ping An. I didn't think things through; I only thought about production and ignored potential security vulnerabilities."

Eliminating this bandit threat is indeed a crucial step in ensuring the safety of the pharmaceutical factory. I agree to your request for action.

However, safety must be paramount! You are the brigade commander; you cannot risk your life! The pursuit should be moderated, with the primary objective being to disperse and annihilate their forces. There is no need to strive for total annihilation or venture into dangerous territory!

"Understood! I will handle it carefully." Zhao Ping'an breathed a sigh of relief, his tone firm. "Please have Commander Li immediately select several local soldiers familiar with the terrain of Black Wind Ridge or reliable guides to meet me at the village entrance. I will assemble the troops and depart immediately!"

"Okay! I'll have Militia Company Commander Wang make the arrangements right away. The guide will be here soon! Be careful!" Old Xu gave his final instructions.

After ending the call, Zhao Ping'an felt a surge of energy. The opportunity for real-world practice had finally arrived!

Of course, for personal safety, Zhao Ping'an specifically exchanged his equipment for a helmet and bulletproof vest. As for why he didn't equip the guards? This set costs over 9000...

That's enough to arm a platoon of soldiers.

At present, what our soldiers lack most is weapons.

Zhao Ping'an quickly checked his pistol and equipment again before striding out of the room.