The bug at 26 minutes and 35 seconds in Chapter 25.

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Chapter 25: The Bug at 26 Minutes 35 Seconds

(1)

“What do you mean, a pointed circle?” Chen Bo asked in surprise.

“Pointed—bigger than a lowercase k.” Guan Shan wrote an “a.”

Chen Bo could not help laughing. “All right, all right. Just write a q. I mean, a circle. Let’s continue. Keep looking—LC County, near Heyuan Town…”

There were seven or eight locations in all, including the site where the reconnaissance unit of the Independent Regiment’s Third Battalion had come under attack, as well as the place where Guan Shan had encountered the enemy during his mission. They marked them all out in no time.

As Chen Bo folded the telegram and slipped it into his pocket, he asked, “Comrade Guan Shan, come here. Based on these locations, use your instincts. What do you think the Japanese are trying to do?”

Guan Shan straightened and thought for a moment. Then he took two steps back, putting a little more distance between himself and the map, before walking forward again.

Chen Bo watched with interest. He neither asked what Guan Shan was doing nor stopped him.

It would certainly not do to rashly claim that the Japanese were targeting the headquarters or the headquarters of the 129th Division. A low-ranking soldier like Guan Shan could not possibly know anything so confidential.

“And Lijiapo…” Guan Shan said as he walked over.

“Oh, right. Mark Lijiapo too. That’s where the Japanese Yamazaki Battalion is.” Chen Bo nodded in agreement.

“Chief, what about the places near these sites where the Japanese were discovered? Wait, do you have a compass or something I could use? Never mind, I’ll use a piece of string…” Guan Shan asked.

“Of course! We have a compass, set square, protractor—everything!” Chen Bo said, pulling a stationery case from the leather satchel he carried with him.

Guan Shan opened the case and took out a compass. After pretending to think for a moment, he said, “Let’s use… thirty li. We’ll just assume a number for now. Chief, can I draw circles on this map?”

“It’s fine. Go ahead. Pencil marks can be erased—and this is only a copy!”

Using each place where the Japanese had been spotted as the center, and thirty li as the radius, Guan Shan lightly sketched several circles across the map.

As Chen Bo watched, his brows slowly drew together…

He had realized that if the circles’ radii were extended to sixty li, one location would fall within most of them.

That location was precisely Chenjiayu.

(2)

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After completing the map work in the operations room, Chu Yunfei straightened up, clasped his hands behind his back, and gazed at the map.

“The situation between the enemy and us is already perfectly clear. Look here—this is your position, and these are the positions of the Japanese Fourth and Ninth Brigades.”

Li Yunlong narrowed his eyes at the map and said in puzzlement, “The little devils’ formation is strange indeed. What are they trying to do?”

“Old Li!” Zhao Gang hurried into the operations room. “The division headquarters’ orders are here. We’re to move into Chenjiayu and secure the flank of headquarters!”

Li Yunlong frowned and fell silent. Clearly, he was unwilling to give up the chance to attack the more than three hundred Japanese he had lured out of Huting Stronghold.

“Your headquarters commander has quite some nerve, leaving only two regiments by his side!” Chu Yunfei exclaimed.

“That’s exactly the problem,” Li Yunlong replied. “If the little devils know where headquarters is, sending five regiments won’t make any difference.”

Zhao Gang urged him, “Old Li, the troops are ready. What do you think?”

“We can’t spend half the day mourning without even knowing who died!” Li Yunlong thought for a moment and said reluctantly, “Even if the little devils can predict everything, they have no reason to mobilize two brigades! The movement of two brigades is far too conspicuous. Obviously, they aren’t coming for me, Li Yunlong. If they aren’t coming for me, then tell me—who are they coming for?”

Zhao Gang cut him off. “Old Li, we have to trust our superiors. They’ll figure it out.”

“That doesn’t mean we should see everything clearly and still pretend to be fools!” Li Yunlong calculated for a moment. Ignoring the darkening expression on Zhao Gang’s face, he continued, “How about this: Old Zhao, take the Second and Third Battalions to Zhaojiayu. Leave the First Battalion with me. I want to see exactly what trap the Japanese from Huting Stronghold have set for me!”

Guan Shan happened to hear this as he reached the doorway, and he secretly laughed.

This was a bug in the television series *Drawing Sword*. At twenty-six minutes and thirty-five seconds of the fifth episode, Li Yunlong had mixed up his line, saying “Zhaojiayu” instead of “Chenjiayu.” Heh. Who would have thought that even in this world, that bug would still be preserved?

Zhao Gang had no time to correct Li Yunlong’s mistake. He said sternly, “Old Li!”

“Who’s there? Who’s outside?” Li Yunlong seized the opportunity to change the subject.

“Reporting! I’ve just returned from the communications office. I heard the chiefs discussing important matters, so I didn’t come in.” Guan Shan hurriedly stepped forward.

“All right, Old Zhao, no need to say anything more. We’ve already made arrangements! You handle domestic affairs, and I’ll handle the military!” Li Yunlong ignored Guan Shan and lifted his chin at Zhao Gang. “That settles it!”

Before Zhao Gang could say anything, Li Yunlong ordered Guan Shan, “Guan Shan, perfect timing. Go notify Zhang Dabiao for me. First Battalion, assemble!”

Zhao Gang glanced at Guan Shan but did not stop him.

The story had now completely returned to its original plotline.

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(3)

“Yes, sir!” Guan Shan answered, then turned and ran off.

Earlier, in the communications office, after drawing all those circles, Guan Shan had not continued analyzing the situation in detail. Chen Bo had not discussed it with him any further either. He had merely praised him a couple of times before sending him away.

So Guan Shan could only continue fulfilling his duties as a communications orderly: obeying orders and following instructions. As for offering suggestions or expressing opinions, he certainly was not qualified to do that yet.

After delivering the order, Guan Shan returned to the operations room. Chu Yunfei had also gone to make preparations for departure. Li Yunlong asked Guan Shan what Chen Bo had summoned him for, and Guan Shan truthfully told him.

“What? The Japanese have been spotted in several other places, and some of them were even disguised as Eighth Route soldiers?” Li Yunlong frowned and looked at Guan Shan. “Come here. Point them out to me. Where were they? Do you still remember?”

With a pencil in hand, Guan Shan marked all seven or eight locations on the map one by one.

Looking at the map, Li Yunlong asked, “And then? What did Chen Bo say?”

Guan Shan shook his head. “He asked me to analyze the situation. I used a compass and a radius of thirty li to make an analysis, but I couldn’t figure anything out. Chief of Staff Chen didn’t say anything else and simply sent me back.”

Li Yunlong asked no further questions. He extended a hand over the map, pointing, tapping, and gesturing as he studied it, while Guan Shan watched from the side.

After a while, Li Yunlong looked up. “Where’s Old Chen? Is he still in the communications office?”

“He was there when I left to deliver the order to First Battalion just now. I don’t know if he’s still there. Do you want me to go call him?”

“All right. Tell him to come see me. Also, go find the political commissar and have him come over. Tell him I need to discuss something with him!” After giving the order, Li Yunlong lowered his head and continued studying the map.

(4)

“The Japanese have been spotted in several places, and some of them were even disguised as Eighth Route soldiers?”

Zhao Gang’s brows knitted tightly. Moving swiftly, he jogged alongside Guan Shan toward the operations room.

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End of chapter

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