Chapter 18: Li Yunlong in Peril! The Sato Brigade Strikes!!
North China Area Army, First Army, 29th Mixed Brigade Headquarters.
Major General and Brigade Commander Ichiro Sato sat cross-legged on the tatami mat, his face dark as he polished his sword.
Under his 29th Brigade were only six battalions, among which the Yamazaki Battalion was the most elite.
And now, Yamazaki had been taken out!
A disgrace! An overwhelming disgrace!
Over a thousand Imperial soldiers had perished to the last man!
Commander Tada was furious, and if there was no explanation, Ichiro Sato would have no choice but to commit seppuku in atonement!
With fierce determination burning in his heart, Sato vowed to use the blade in his hand to personally sever the heads of the enemy!
“Report!” A staff officer hurriedly entered.
“Hai-yo! Commander, the culprit who killed Captain Yamazaki has been identified!”
Sato snapped his head up, cold light flashing in his eyes. “Speak! Who dares slaughter the Empire’s heroes?”
The officer opened a folder. “Investigations reveal it was the 386th Regiment of the Eighth Route Army, specifically the 1st Battalion stationed around Cangyun Ridge. They ambushed at Black Wind Gorge and cunningly assassinated Captain Yamazaki and his valiant men.”
“Baka!” Sato exploded in rage.
“The 1st Battalion? A mere bunch of ragtag guerrillas wiped out three thousand Imperial soldiers? Nonsense!” Spittle nearly flew at the officer’s face.
Sato knew the Eighth Route Army well: poor rifles and shabby artillery, a regiment barely reaching a thousand men, fit only for guerrilla warfare in mountain valleys!
How could they possibly annihilate his well-trained elite battalion?
The officer trembled and quickly added, “Commander, please calm down! The Tokko Section’s latest decoded telegram indicates that seven days ago, a mysterious arms dealer supplied the 1st Battalion with a large quantity of heavy weapons!”
He took a deep breath and recited the chilling figures:
“Among them were 300 light machine guns, 50 heavy machine guns, and 30 mortars!”
“Nani?” Sato’s face shifted from fury to shock as if struck by lightning.
His entire 29th Brigade had only 40 heavy machine guns! The enemy’s single battalion had 50?
No wonder they wiped out the Yamazaki Battalion!
But then, a cold dread crept down Sato’s spine.
With such terrifying firepower in the 1st Battalion… could his remaining five battalions, over six thousand men, really chew through them?
The cost… would be unbearable.
Sensing Sato’s hesitation, the officer quickly revealed critical intelligence:
“But, Commander! According to the latest reports, most of the 1st Battalion’s heavy weapons have been transferred to the 386th Brigade. The 1st Battalion now only retains 50 light machine guns, 10 heavy machine guns, and 5 mortars.”
“Yoshi!” Sato’s tense nerves suddenly relaxed.
A cruel smile curled on his lips.
The current 1st Battalion’s firepower was no more than one of his battalions.
And he still commanded five battalions—over six thousand men!
Crushing them would be as easy as flipping a hand!
“Commander Tada’s order!” the officer straightened up proudly. “Our 29th Brigade is to spare no cost to annihilate the 1st Battalion completely! Avenge the Empire’s heroes!”
“Hai-yo!”
Sato snapped his legs together, eyes blazing with bloodthirsty fire.
“Report to Commander Tada, the 29th Brigade will surely avenge this disgrace!”
***
“Pass my orders: full assembly of the 29th Brigade!”
“Target: Chenjia Village!”
...
Chenjia Village.
The 1st Battalion’s base.
In stark contrast to the gloomy atmosphere at Sato’s headquarters, the air above Chenjia Village was filled with the enticing aroma of meat and lively laughter.
In large iron pots, glistening fatty pork slices boiled amidst vermicelli and cabbage, the broth bubbling and steaming.
Nearby, freshly steamed white buns and polished rice steamed hot, dazzlingly white.
Soldiers and villagers crowded around the pots, eyes fixed intently, swallowing hard as the sounds of gulping rose and fell.
The scene was ten times livelier than New Year’s celebrations!
Then—
“Hyi—!”
A sharp cry to rein in horses shattered the tranquility at the village entrance!
Several swift horses kicked up a whirlwind of dust as they galloped straight to the regiment headquarters!
On spotting the riders, alert soldiers snapped to attention and saluted.
“Commander!”
“Commander!”
The brigade commander dismounted cleanly, his face as dark as water.
He had ridden at a breakneck pace, anxious to warn Li Yunlong against Japanese reprisal. Instead, he found the entire regiment feasting and carousing!
Where was the battle readiness? This was utter complacency!
He cracked his whip in his hand with a sharp crack and strode into the headquarters, exuding a chill.
Inside, the scene was even more lively.
Li Yunlong, Zhang Dabiao, and several officers gathered around a low kang table, sweating profusely and devouring huge bowls of food, their faces smeared with grease.
“Li Yunlong—!!!”
The commander’s roar exploded like thunder.
“Pft—!”
Zhang Dabiao, mid-bite, nearly spat out his meat.
Everyone jumped as if shocked, hastily saluting.
“Oh ho ho, Commander, what wind blew you here?” Li Yunlong immediately plastered on a sycophantic smile and slithered like an eel to the commander’s side.
“Look at the timing, better late than never! Haven’t eaten yet, right? Zhang Dabiao! Where are you? Hurry, bring the commander a fresh set of bowls and chopsticks! Big bowls!”
“Yes!” Zhang Dabiao responded and quickly fetched the utensils.
“Commander, please sit! Try this pork—stewed till tender!” Li Yunlong eagerly pulled out a stool.
But the commander remained unmoved, his icy gaze cutting into Li Yunlong like a blade.
He suddenly whipped out his leather belt and slammed it down on the kang table with a loud crack, rattling the bowls and utensils.
“Li Yunlong! Just won a battle, got some spoils, and now your tail’s wagging like you own the place?”
“The whole regiment’s having extra rations! Pork flowing like it’s free! Do you think you’re some local landlord?”
“Is this how you treat spoils? Tossing discipline to the dogs?”
Li Yunlong shrank back from the belt’s thunderous strike, feeling wronged in his heart.
“Commander! Commander! Please cool down! This time, you really misunderstood old Li!” He pointed to the oily dish, “This isn’t spoils! It’s a windfall! From that rich man Lin... he just sent it to us!”
“What?”
The commander’s fury was abruptly stifled by this unexpected news, his thick eyebrows lifting.
“That Mr. Lin… again?”
“Exactly!” Li Yunlong pressed the commander down onto a stool. “Commander, please sit, please sit!”
The commander shrugged off his hand and sat heavily, face still grim.
“Even if it’s a gift, it’s money squeezed from the common people’s belts! Their blood and sweat! Their goodwill!”
“Li Yunlong, you eat like a glutton! Ever heard of rationing? You’re a spendthrift!”
Looking at the glistening pork, his heart ached—how many jin of millet could feed that?
Not even New Year’s was this extravagant!
Determined to rein in Li Yunlong’s arrogance, the commander set his mind to discipline him.
Li Yunlong chuckled, rubbing his hands, eyes glinting mischievously.
“Commander, don’t rush to scold. Do you know how much that Mr. Lin, our benefactor, sent us this time?”
The commander’s eyes narrowed, killing intent returning. “Stop beating around the bush! Speak plainly!”
“Alright, listen carefully!” Li Yunlong stopped stalling, fanning out his large hand and counting on his fingers:
“Mr. Lin sent us 50 tons each of rice, white flour, pork, cabbage, vermicelli, and potatoes...”
“Clang!”
The commander sprang up so suddenly that the small kang table shook violently.
“You’re telling the truth?”
That totaled a full 300 tons of food.
Li Yunlong patted his chest. “Absolutely! Commander, when have I ever fudged the truth on such matters?”
The commander slowly, slowly sat back down, chest heaving.
He knew Li Yunlong was bold, but never a liar on such things!
But—
Three hundred tons of food!
In these times of famine and chaos, this was a fortune capable of feeding thousands of soldiers and civilians, shifting battles locally!
Its value… incalculable!
Thinking of Mr. Lin, a stranger who repeatedly sent such tremendous gifts, a complex wave of shock, gratitude, and respect washed over the commander, dousing his anger.
“Good! Good! Good!” he repeated, voice trembling.
“A timely gift in dire need! That’s a true heroic merchant! A patriot without equal!”
At that moment, Zhang Dabiao brought over bowls and chopsticks.
“Commander, please enjoy!”
The commander waved him off, eyes burning as he fixed Li Yunlong.
“Did Mr. Lin bring weapons this time?”
Li Yunlong grinned mysteriously and winked at Zhang Dabiao.
“Dabiao, bring our new toy over, let the commander have a look!”