Chapter 24: What are the Japanese up to?

Chapter 24: What Are the Japanese Up To?

(I)

In the darkness, Guan Shan lay wide awake, turning his recent dream over in his mind.

In the TV series, there was no mountain climbing competition injury, no surprise attack on the reconnaissance unit that forced the Independent Regiment to relocate, and certainly no mission where Guan Shan had helped eliminate two members of the Japanese Mainland Advance Force disguised as Eighth Route Army soldiers.

Yet, it wasn't entirely different. For instance, the scene from the show was perfectly accurate, but Guan Shan remembered clearly that the Japanese officer behind Yoshio Shinozuka had not uttered a single word from beginning to end!

Recalling the dream, Guan Shan remembered a line of subtitles appearing next to that Colonel: Colonel Soemon Matsuyama, 224th Regiment, 36th Division, Regimental Commander.

Guan Shan recalled that in the reports regarding the attack on the Eighth Route Army headquarters, it was mentioned that the two detachments executing "Plan C" both belonged to the 36th Infantry Division of the First Army. One was the 9th Company of the 223rd Regiment; he had forgotten the company number of the 224th, only remembering that the commander was named something like "Dachuan."

This meant that in the "Bright Sword" world he had transmigrated into, Yoshio Shinozuka’s First Army possessed more than just Yoshio Yamamoto’s special forces unit—"Plan C" and those two companies likely existed as well!

Moreover, while the character was silent in the TV series, the Soemon Matsuyama in his dream had lines, claiming that the two missing soldiers were his men. That meant the two Japanese soldiers he had killed belonged to the Dachuan Company of the 36th Infantry Division's 224th Regiment!

The Dachuan Company—oh, he remembered now. The other company was known as the "Masuko Advance Force," the name used by the Eighth Route Army. Including Commander Shigeo Masuko, it consisted of 4 commanders and 102 soldiers, plus 18 Chinese agents and interpreters led by Warrant Officer Amemiya, totaling 124 men. They were equipped with heavy machine guns, heavy grenade launchers, small wireless radios, and other sophisticated weaponry.

Presumably, the Dachuan Company was similar to the Masuko Advance Force.

So far, this was all the information Guan Shan had, and it did not include the current whereabouts of these Japanese units.

As he drifted off into a hazy daze, a wave of exhaustion hit him. He yawned, rolled over, and fell back asleep.

(II)

Yoshio Shinozuka paced slowly in front of the map, deep in thought.

Yoshio Yamamoto and Soemon Matsuyama stood at attention, their hands respectfully at their sides.

Shinozuka stopped, glanced at Matsuyama, then turned his gaze to Yamamoto, saying, "Chief of Staff Miyano is a perceptive man. He sent the battlefield observation group here out of consideration for the overall strategic situation in North China. Therefore, the work must be done by us, the First Army."

"Since it cannot be declined, General, you must promise that the entire First Army will revolve around my special forces unit. I am willing to give it a try," Yamamoto said, his tone humble but his attitude firm.

"Of course. You are the expert, and they are here for you!" Shinozuka turned to Matsuyama. "Notify all units to report any suspicious enemy activity immediately. I must find the most favorable tactical opportunity! Ensure that Yamamoto-kun performs well."

The muscles in Matsuyama’s cheeks twitched. It was clear he was not reconciled; he wanted a chance for himself as well.

Shinozuka frowned slightly and cast an imperceptible look at him.

"Understood! We will fully cooperate with Yamamoto-kun!" Matsuyama replied.

What was the meaning behind that exchange of glances between Shinozuka and Matsuyama?

During his morning run, Guan Shan pondered this question, but no clear thread emerged. If his system had a name, he felt it should be named "Subtle."

(III)

"Shan-zi! Come here!"

"Guan Shan!"

Just as Guan Shan emerged from his room after his morning exercise and a quick wash, he heard his name called from both sides simultaneously.

"Yes! Reporting!"

Guan Shan looked left and right. Li Yunlong, standing at the door of the operations room, was also glancing at Chen Bo, who stood at the door of the confidential office. Behind Li Yunlong, Chu Yunfei watched Guan Shan with interest.

"Is this your genius apprentice who doesn't know a single character but can read maps?" Chu Yunfei asked softly.

"Yes, that's the lad!" Li Yunlong replied, then waved his hand at Guan Shan. "Alright, alright, go over to Section Chief Chen. Do your best, don't embarrass me!"

"Yes!" Guan Shan stood at attention and saluted Li Yunlong.

Chen Bo smiled and said, "Thank you, Regiment Commander. It’ll only be for a moment, he’ll be back in half an hour!"

The exchange contained many details, and Guan Shan inwardly marveled at Li Yunlong’s attention to detail hidden beneath his rough exterior.

First, the title: Li Yunlong didn't call him "Chief of Staff Chen" but "Section Chief Chen," clearly not wanting Chu Yunfei to know Chen Bo’s true status.

Second, Chen Bo’s feedback on the details. Actually, Li Yunlong and Zhao Gang had already agreed to let Guan Shan participate in Chen Bo’s "Taihang Shield" operation. However, because the specific plan for the operation was not yet finalized and remained in the preparatory stage, Guan Shan was only to assist Chen Bo when needed, while continuing his usual training and duties as a courier.

Watching Li Yunlong and Chu Yunfei enter the operations room, Guan Shan trotted over to Chen Bo.

According to the main plot, in the operations room, Chu Yunfei should be marking current Japanese movements on a map for Li Yunlong. But as for what was happening with Chen Bo and the confidential office, Guan Shan had no script.

(IV)

"Xiao Guan, I just received some intelligence from the headquarters confidential office. Help me mark and analyze it on the map!" Chen Bo didn't waste words and led Guan Shan to a table.

Two maps lay on the table: one was a concise copy drawn by Teacher Bai and Shen Xingbei, and the other had been captured from the two Japanese soldiers.

Guan Shan walked over, picked up a red and blue pencil, and looked at Chen Bo.

Chen Bo took several sheets of telegram paper from his pocket and read, "Xiao Q Village! Mark it. The masses there reported discovering a spy disguised as an Eighth Route Army soldier."

Guan Shan searched the map with his finger.

"Yes, yes, that's the spot. Make a mark!" Chen Bo continued reading, "Northwest of TY, at Laolingedong. This is a report from the local militia on guard duty. They said there were about a hundred people in plain clothes."

Guan Shan quickly searched, marked it, wrote "100," and circled it.

"The SX County armed work team encountered a unit in the Lianshan area. They claimed to be the Eighth Route Army's New Sixth Brigade, but we don't have that designation."

Guan Shan searched, marked, and wrote "N6"... He hesitated, looked up at Chen Bo, and asked, "The New Fourth Army has a 'New' prefix, but for a Brigade... how should I write it? Army, Division, Brigade... should I write it out? Or use a circle?"