Chapter Twelve: Old Li’s Worries

July 23, 1938, Old Lord's Temple

Under the watchful eyes of the soldiers, the puppet army prisoners cleaned up the battlefield. A Japanese squad of 57 men was completely annihilated. Of the puppet army’s battalion of 192 men, 170 were captured, and the remaining 22 who were down the mountain inspecting the spoils were all wiped out by Li Wula and his platoon. One had to admit, the Japanese were truly ruthless. Previously, the Central Army soldiers and their families who had fallen into their hands were directly executed, as it was inconvenient to march together. Only valuables and captured weapons were left behind.

After tallying the spoils, the Japanese war loot included: 31 Type 38 rifles, 11 Nambu Type 14 pistols, 2 Taisho Year 11 light machine guns, 3 Type 89 grenade launchers, 2 Type 95 command sabers, and 1 Type 94 telescope.

Compared to the last ambush when the Japanese squad was retrieved, no artillery was used this time, so most of the Japanese weapons remained intact. Even so, they lost one Taisho Year 11 light machine gun, eight Type 38 rifles, and three Nambu Type 14 pistols. Especially the Taisho Year 11 light machine gun, which had been smashed into pieces, pained Du Gui deeply. The last one captured was also damaged, but only bent in the magazine; it could be hammered back into shape. This time, only the barrel and firing pin could be salvaged.

Weapon damage in actual combat is normal—bumps, flying shrapnel, scattered bullets can all ruin equipment. That was why Wang Yue’s swift action left no chance for the Japanese to react; otherwise, more weapons would have been lost. In this terrain, once the Japanese disassembled their bolts and firing pins and discarded them, there would be no way to retrieve them.

On the other hand, the captured puppet army and Central Army weapons were plentiful. The puppet army’s arsenal included: 3 Jinzao Type 65 light machine guns, 4 Qilali light machine guns, 11 Jinzao “big eye” rifles, 77 Jinzao Type 65 rifles, 34 Hanyang rifles, and 41 old revolvers. Although still subpar, it was much better than Jia Youfu’s previous “company,” likely strengthened after the last battle, though still shabby.

In comparison, the Central Army unit was far better equipped: 9 Hotchkiss M1931 light machine guns, 20 Dagu-manufactured MP18 submachine guns, 12 Dahuang “big ring” rifles, 94 Vz.24 rifles, 27 Liao No. 13 rifles, 5 Browning M1900 pistols, 1 Saint-Étienne 1907 heavy machine gun, 2 Taisho Year 10 grenade launchers, and 108 MK2 steel helmets.

Honestly, this firepower matched the Japanese puppet forces in no way inferior. Even if they were outmatched, they shouldn’t have been routed. But the Japanese’s first wave wiped out the Central Army’s company commander, and the remaining platoon leaders refused to obey the deputy company commander, leading to their dispersal in a single charge.

Wang Yue had also figured out Meng Fanle’s current status. After the disastrous battle in Zhili, Meng’s unit was broken up and reorganized. His usual bad luck meant he was not assigned to the elite Central Army but to the 17th Division, which was essentially the Northeast Army disguised under the Central Army’s banner.

Before enlisting, Meng Fanle had been a top student at Yenching University and held the rank of second lieutenant. He was assigned as deputy commander of the 17th Division’s headquarters guard company, living comfortably. But soldiers must carry out missions, and this time it was to escort someone from Shuntian Prefecture at the request of a senior official in Mountain City.

Our young master originally didn’t want to go, but as a local, he was the perfect choice for the task. The division commander specifically named him, so he reluctantly complied. Unexpectedly, trouble arose, and one had to admire his luck.

When Wang Yue met him, he took the chance to probe his mind and learned that Meng didn’t dare go back. He was already considering whether to steal some equipment from Wang’s side and defect to another unit. Wang could only chuckle; even without mind-reading skills, he wouldn’t hand over weapons already in his possession. Even though the remaining 17th Division soldiers were disarmed, figuring out what to do with Meng was a problem — a useless asset, neither tasty to eat nor easy to discard. For now, he’d be assigned to the training squad. Together with Meng, that made 23 men, all veterans from the Northeast Army, effectively their own people.

As for the more than a hundred prisoners, they could only be locked up and sorted out slowly. There was no way to support them all; Meng’s few men barely sufficed, let alone the prisoners. Releasing them was out of the question—they would most likely rejoin the puppet forces and expose their own weaknesses, something Wang Yue was determined to avoid.

The current problem was that the battle had occurred right at their doorstep. No matter what, it couldn’t be concealed. Yet abandoning their small base was unthinkable, and besides, who loses heart before the battle even begins?

“Commander Wang, maybe it’s best if your unit temporarily relocates?” Li Yunlong approached and whispered his suggestion. The Japanese had suffered such heavy losses; they surely wouldn’t let it go. They would gather reinforcements for a massive sweep. Although the independent detachment was fierce, it was only slightly stronger than the Eighth Route Army. Facing Japanese planes and artillery, their endurance was uncertain.

“Captain Li, that requires approval from the higher command. Our unit has orders to hold River Source County. Unauthorized withdrawal would be a serious issue,” Wang Yue smiled bitterly. His small unit was integrated specifically to assist Gu Yufei’s operation. Frankly, the fate of his men meant little to Jiangcheng; they cared only about Wu Ziyu.

“No problem if you don’t retreat. It’s over twenty kilometers from the county seat, and this is mountainous terrain. The Japanese won’t dare cause trouble immediately. When the time comes—” Li Yunlong meant to say he would come to support, but his words caught in his throat. The new first regiment wouldn’t act without orders either.

Even old Li only dared move one company when conducting side operations, fearing reprimand. Of course, Li Yunlong’s company was flexible—it was an enhanced company within the independent regiment, so internal adjustments were possible. But no matter what, 300 men was the maximum strength for a company, and casualties had to be minimal.

“Don’t worry. The Japanese have already begun deploying forces to Jiangcheng. The fighting in southern Shanxi isn’t over yet; they won’t commit to large-scale operations now,” Wang Yue said casually. The Japanese were already stretched thin by the Jiangcheng campaign, nearly collapsing. They likely wouldn’t have the strength for bigger maneuvers. If the local garrison in River Source County couldn’t hold Old Lord’s Temple, they’d probably lie low for a while.

Of course, this was just Wang Yue’s wishful thinking. What he didn’t know was that at this very moment, Ichiro Hirata had already obtained the reinforcements he wanted through the Tokko Section, and the troops were not few.