Chapter Twenty-Three: Large-Scale Recruitment

August 21, 1938, Xuan Gong Hotel, Jiangcheng.

The transaction with the Ministry of Military and Political Affairs went off without a hitch. That very evening, Ouyang Ge directed the sailors to disperse the fifty torpedo boats, and the funding was settled simultaneously. One and a half million silver dollars for a surface force that the Ministry could truly command—it was a deal that was definitely not a loss. Meanwhile, Wang Yue stowed away the large shipment of weapons and ammunition that Alexei had procured into his space.

Upon learning that the Umbrella Corporation could provide another fifty torpedo boats of the same model, Minister Chen of the Ministry of Military and Political Affairs immediately expressed an interest in further purchases, though he requested to pay in legal tender. Alexei neither agreed nor refused, merely stating that he would look into it.

The next day, Mi Long returned from scouting for fellow countrymen. After the war had dragged on for so long, the Northeastern Army, that neglected stepchild of the military, had suffered heavy losses. Consequently, there were many wounded soldiers scattered across various field hospitals. The Independent Detachment lacked manpower, and recruiting new soldiers wouldn't yield combat effectiveness quickly, so he set his sights on these wounded veterans.

"Commander, after several evacuations, there aren't many Northeastern Army wounded left in the shelters. I've checked a few large ones; there are probably fewer than a thousand wounded men who can't return to their original units. They are all clean-record veterans. Should we bring them over?" Mi Long gazed intensely at Wang Yue. The situation for those Northeastern veterans in the shelters was dire—not only were they poorly fed and clothed, but they were also at risk of being dragged to the front line as cannon fodder at any moment. Bringing them into the fold a day earlier meant saving many lives.

"Zhongyi, how did things go?" Wang Yue nodded and turned to Xu Zhongyi, who had become his loyal subordinate. Xu Zhongyi certainly had ability; all he lacked was a stage. Give him that stage, and he could get things done. Just like back at Laojun Temple—even though Meng Fanle had tight control over the prisoners, Xu Zhongyi could always pinpoint their exact movements, sometimes more effectively than Wang Yue’s own soul-searching.

After arriving in Jiangcheng, Wang Yue had tasked Xu Zhongyi with using his connections within the Military Bureau to handle the paperwork: to secure an official designation, troop quotas, supplies, funding, and weapons. In short, to get everything possible.

"Our bottom line has been mostly met. The Independent Detachment’s designation has been expanded from a battalion to a regiment. We have formal approval to recruit disbanded soldiers to fill the ranks. Additionally, we will receive a monthly stipend of 10,000 legal tender, transferred through the Military Bureau station in Taiyuan. Weapons are tight; we were given one hundred old rifles and one Chauchat light machine gun. We did get plenty of uniforms—a full thousand—though they are all gray-blue 'Year One' style inventory, leftovers from years ago. I’ve already withdrawn the funding for the second half of this year. After a fifty percent cut, it totaled 30,000 legal tender, which I converted into 16,000 silver dollars." As he spoke, Xu Zhongyi pulled out several documents stamped with the Commander-in-Chief's seal. Don’t let these thin sheets of paper fool you; Xu had to give away over a dozen bottles of "Umbrella Pharmaceutical" Compound Sulfonamide and Compound Quinine to secure them.

The "Compound Sulfonamide" was something Wang Yue had concocted at Laojun Temple. It was primarily berberine, but to ensure efficacy, he added about 2,000 units of Penicillin V potassium, then mixed in a bit of sulfonamide powder when sealing the capsules. It looked like a fake, but the effect was undeniable—at the very least, it was better than standard sulfonamide.

The "Compound Quinine" was berberine and quinine powder repressed with a small amount of artemisinin. It wasn't that Wang Yue didn't want to add more artemisinin, but the oral dosage requirements were quite high, and poor control could lead to problems. As long as it matched the effectiveness of quinine, there was no need to overdo it, right?

"Fanle, how is the office coming along?" Wang Yue turned his gaze to the slouching Meng Fanle. His task was to find a suitable location to set up the "Jinbei Independent Detachment" office. After all, having a base of operations made things easier—at the very least, it didn't look like a scam.

"Found it. There's a girls' middle school on the edge of the French Concession that has suspended classes and relocated. I gave the city official in charge one hundred silver dollars, and we can use it as we please, provided we sign a document promising to compensate for any damages. It’s just to help him finish his paperwork. This happens all the time in Jiangcheng; everyone does it." Meng Fanle wasn't sure if he was truly being valued. His command over troops was certainly gone, but he was now truly by the boss's side, involved in more confidential matters. Yet, the tasks he performed still felt so "insignificant." Was this a test of his character?

"Mi Long, Fanle, you two set up the office immediately, then recruit for me. Healthy, no bad habits, clean-record Northeastern Army veterans—we want them all. Everyone who joins gets a ten-dollar settlement fee, with more for officers based on rank. When I have time, I will meet with the new brothers personally. Meals, new uniforms, personal hygiene, and medical checkups—arrange them all. Don't be afraid to spend money! Also, training must keep up. Even without weapons and ammo, we can still do standard drills." Wang Yue wasn't short on weapons, but showing too much strength in Jiangcheng could lead to complications.

"Should we take veterans from other units?" Meng Fanle asked, unsure.

"Don't be too greedy. Only Northeastern Army officers and men. Unless they are technical specialists, don't touch others. By the way, is there any news on the list I provided?" After giving his instructions, Wang Yue turned his attention to Xu Zhongyi. Upon confirming that he was in a cinematic world, he had been specifically searching for the characters he wanted to recruit.

"There is news on all of them. Lin Yi, Long Wenzhang, Shi Xiaomao, and Li Ya are all in the vicinity of Jiangcheng. Zhou Weiguo is in Luoyang. However, the Training Corps doesn't have an officer named Lin Musen. Should I continue looking for this person?" Xu Zhongyi reported quickly. He couldn't understand the list Wang Yue had drawn up. Besides Major Zhou Weiguo, who looked capable, the others had no notable achievements. Could they all be old acquaintances of the Commander? It didn't seem so.

"How much do they want?" Wang Yue nodded. At least this confirmed that the cinematic world had its limitations; not every character could be found.

"Major Zhou Weiguo wants 50,000 silver dollars; the Ministry of Military and Political Affairs will arrange for transport by plane, and he can arrive the same day with full transfer documents. If we want to push for a promotion in rank, that costs extra. As for the others, Lieutenant Li Ya is 5,000, Lieutenant Long Wenzhang is 2,000, Major Lin Yi is 2,000, and Shi Xiaomao is 1,000—a total of 60,000 silver dollars. No individual sales." Xu Zhongyi reported with a smile. These people were all without backers. If they weren't in a hurry, they could haggle. Take Zhou Weiguo, for example—stuck in a shelter with no connections and no money; how could he be worth 50,000?

"Pay them, but I must see these people within tomorrow, with formal military transfers and orders. Also, I need Li Ya and you to hold empty positions at the Jiangcheng Station to handle any trouble we encounter. In the future, Zhou Weiguo will be responsible for our training here." Wang Yue didn't haggle. Sixty thousand silver dollars—Zhou Weiguo alone was worth that price. What a waste to rot away in Hutou Mountain! Wouldn't it be better to cross swords with Yamamoto Ichiki alongside him?

"Commander, shouldn't we negotiate?" Xu Zhongyi was somewhat unwilling.

"Handle it flexibly. Just ensure they arrive by tomorrow. If they don't want money, offering them medical supplies is fine."

—

The next day, scattered Northeastern Army soldiers began to emerge from all corners of the city, converging on the "Loyal and Righteous National Salvation Army Jinbei Independent Detachment Jiangcheng Office." The conditions Wang Yue offered were only decent, but everywhere else, they were just cannon fodder. At the very least, the Independent Detachment offered a glimmer of hope for survival.

They were hesitant, but after thinking it over, they were willing to trust the Independent Detachment, which originated from the Northeastern Army. Don't call them narrow-minded or selfish; in this era, a soldier who didn't stick together and form small cliques was just waiting to die.

Fortunately, the Independent Detachment did not disappoint these veterans who had survived nine deaths and were nearly in despair. Upon reaching the office, there was rice porridge and pickled vegetables. Once they had regained some strength, they filled out forms. After the vetting process, there were medical exams, disinfection, showers, issuance of uniforms, and reorganization. The most crucial part was the money—at least ten silver dollars, not legal tender, but heavy, solid silver. The moment they held the silver, these veterans finally let their guard down.

The food wasn't great, but it was filling. The meals weren't spoiled, and there was no sand or grit. At the very least, it was food for humans, not slop. Every day, fish and shrimp were brought from the riverside, and occasionally there were offal and meat. The soldiers' long-depleted bodies began to recover.

They no longer wore tattered rags or clothes stripped from the dead. The Independent Detachment issued them genuine new uniforms. While not the National Army's Type 24 style, they were brand new. The gray-blue Year One uniforms served as a reminder that they were different from the Central Army.

They lived in clean, tidy student dormitories. Although the sheets and quilts were rough, undyed homespun cotton, it was the most comfortable they had slept since leaving the Northeast. Lying on soft straw mats, smelling the hay, and feeling the coarse texture of the cloth, everyone felt as if they were walking on clouds.

They still wore straw sandals, but they were uniform hemp sandals—sturdier and softer, making training easier. Honestly, in Jiangcheng in August, whether you wore leather boots or cloth shoes, nothing beat straw sandals.

The only thing these veterans, who had spent too long in shelters, couldn't get used to was the strictness of the military discipline. It was even stricter than it had been in the Northeastern Army. Violations meant whips or canes. But compared to their current treatment, it was nothing. As veterans, they understood that strict discipline was the guarantee of combat effectiveness.

Training progressed comprehensively despite limited conditions. Physical fitness, bayonet practice, and military boxing were all covered. While live-fire drills were impossible, they increased training in rifle maintenance and shooting theory. It was hard to imagine that some veterans with over a decade of service didn't know how to disassemble or maintain their weapons. They knew basic troubleshooting, but it was all amateurish, lacking a theoretical foundation. Shooting was the same—many relied on "feeling" rather than the sights, and tactical coordination was sloppy.

Beyond standard training, the Independent Detachment added cultural classes. While the Japanese soldiers weren't highly educated, they were at least literate enough to stumble through newspapers and orders. Their side was far behind, and this shortcoming had to be addressed. Besides, these were battle-hardened veterans; they couldn't be grunts forever. When the war ended, they would eventually return to normal life, so they had to prepare in advance.

While learning, reading newspapers and listening to the radio became daily habits. Occasionally, they would invite storytellers or opera troupes to entertain the troops and relax their spirits. They even brought in a projector. There weren't many films, but they played one from time to time. For people of this era, the requirements weren't that high.

There was a small incident during this time. The soldiers training in their Year One uniforms drew too much attention from reporters, who publicized the story. Although the words were full of praise, it deeply embarrassed the Ministry of Military and Political Affairs. That same day, they delivered one thousand Type 24 uniforms and one thousand M35 steel helmets, complete with leggings, belts, canteens, mess kits, and leather shoes. There was only one condition: when training outside, they had to wear Central Army uniforms, and it was repeatedly emphasized that the Loyal and Righteous National Salvation Army belonged to the Central Army's order of battle.

They talked a good game, but there wasn't a single round of ammunition included. For training, they still relied on those one hundred old rifles and one Chauchat light machine gun. Wang Yue brought out one FN1930 light machine gun and one M1892 Maxim heavy machine gun for training purposes, as technical specialists needed to be cultivated. As for artillery, while he didn't dare procure a real cannon, he had a wooden training cannon made at the Hubei Bureau for practice.

There weren't many Northeastern Army veterans left who had nowhere to go and still wanted to fight. Excluding those with other agendas or issues, Wang Yue managed to find 825 men, including 589 soldiers and 236 officers. Some tried to cause trouble, but after Wang Yue revealed his identity, they quieted down. One had to admit, the original host's father still carried weight; even high-ranking Northeastern Army officers with star ranks dared not make a move. If the Ministry hadn't worried about Wang Yue growing too strong and halted the recruitment, he likely could have gathered even more troops.