Chapter 26: Clearing the Air

Chapter 26: Let’s Get the Unpleasant Truth Out of the Way First

(I)

"Old Li!" Zhao Gang greeted Li Yunlong as soon as he entered the room.

At this moment, Chen Bo and Chu Yunfei were both in the operations room, discussing with Li Yunlong in front of a map.

"Old Zhao, come, come!" Li Yunlong beckoned. Seeing Guan Shan standing at the door, he added, "Little Shan, you come over too!"

"Oh, yes!"

"Old Zhao, look here!" Li Yunlong said to Zhao Gang, "I was just discussing with Old Chen and Colonel Chu, and we have a new idea. I want you to join the discussion."

Zhao Gang nodded.

"The intelligence section at headquarters has discovered Japanese soldiers disguised as Eighth Route Army troops in several locations. Little Shan should have reported that to you already, right?"

"Yes, he did."

"Look here, Old Zhao!" Li Yunlong pointed at the map. "This line here, this is what Colonel Chu just marked—the positions of the 4th and 9th Brigades..."

Guan Shan saw that the map was covered with a sheet of transparent paper, marked with thick and thin red and blue arrows and crosses, which likely represented the intertwined situation of the enemy and friendly forces.

"Old Zhao! Look at these points here; these are the places where no Japanese movements have been detected or reported!"

Guan Shan followed Li Yunlong's finger to where a thin line was drawn.

"On the map we captured from the Japanese, this area is also blank. There are no decent roads; let alone trucks or motorcycles, even mule carts and ox carts can't pass through!" Li Yunlong gestured toward Chen Bo and continued, "Old Chen's Special Operations Regiment has also scouted this area and confirmed that the Japanese motorized units cannot enter via this path."

Zhao Gang looked at Li Yunlong and asked, "The Japanese unit at Yang Village?"

"Exactly! I had Old Chen show that photo to Colonel Chu earlier. Colonel Chu is well-read; he said these were German submachine gun rounds. What was that name again?" Li Yunlong asked.

Chu Yunfei, with his hands behind his back, said with a touch of arrogance, "The Brandenburgers. It is said to be a non-combat unit aimed at sabotage behind enemy lines and sowing chaos. Their reputation isn't great; they aren't exactly considered honorable."

As he spoke, Chu Yunfei gave Li Yunlong and Zhao Gang a meaningful look.

(II)

"Right! That’s the one. Old Zhao, tell me, why do these little Japanese devils insist on learning all this messy stuff instead of something proper?" Li Yunlong chuckled.

"Oh, Old Li, you mean that the Japanese are making enough noise on the periphery to cover this squad of theirs... as they drive out from Taiyuan or wherever they are stationed in trucks, and then proceed on foot into the mountains at this location..."

Zhao Gang's hand followed that thin line through the rugged, untouched mountain terrain toward its destination—which was none other than Chenjiayu!

"What? You’ve already analyzed the potential route of the Japanese, and you still want to launch an attack?" Zhao Gang looked at Li Yunlong in confusion.

Li Yunlong waved his hand dismissively. "Old Zhao, that’s where you don’t understand, haha! Look, the Japanese going through this route can only carry light weapons on foot; at most, they can bring a few mortars. Look, if you’re at Chenjiayu, you can pre-construct positions and occupy the high ground. You wouldn't even need two battalions. If I were there, two companies would be enough!"

Zhao Gang frowned but remained silent. He wasn't entirely ignorant of military tactics, and what Li Yunlong said was indeed logical.

Li Yunlong rubbed his hands together and said, "Furthermore, if the Japanese are making a big fuss just to cover this small squad’s surprise attack, then my idea is—hehe—why not play them at their own game?"

Zhao Gang looked at Chen Bo, then at Chu Yunfei.

Chen Bo pursed his lips and said nothing, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.

Chu Yunfei kept his eyes on his own nose, maintaining a neutral expression. He had already stated that he had only brought his eyes and ears this time and would not interfere.

Li Yunlong said, "Guan Shan! I have a mission for you!"

"Oh, me? Yes!" Guan Shan was taken aback, not expecting Li Yunlong to call on him suddenly.

"Come here, look!" Li Yunlong beckoned Guan Shan to the map. "I’ve already arranged for Zhang Dabiao to pick a few soldiers from the 1st Battalion’s scout company—men who are fast runners. You prepare some dry rations and water and set out at noon!"

Guan Shan nodded, listening carefully to Li Yunlong's instructions.

"The Japanese squad’s target is Chenjiayu. They might set off from Taiyuan by truck, so the place where they stop the trucks to enter the mountains could be here, here, or here—those are the three possibilities!"

Li Yunlong had analyzed the general direction correctly; this was how it happened in the story.

However, neither the film nor the original work specified exactly where Yamamoto Ichiki’s special forces disembarked to enter the mountains. Li Yunlong’s analysis of three possibilities was likely to be accurate.

(III)

"Your specific task is simple: find the location where the Japanese enter the mountains. Keep watch there, and then run back to this position immediately. I will arrange for people to meet you there! Do you understand?"

"Yes! Guarantee to complete the mission!"

Everyone understood. Guan Shan even noticed Chen Bo wanting to speak but holding back. He likely wanted to take on this "flanking" mission, as locating the Japanese squad was originally his task from headquarters.

But Chen Bo ultimately kept quiet. Clearly, he understood Li Yunlong’s personality and knew that speaking up would be useless. Li Yunlong would never give up the chance to flank and eliminate the Japanese to their Special Operations Regiment.

Li Yunlong looked at Chen Bo and said, "Old Chen, let’s get the unpleasant truth out of the way first. I know this is your mission, but I can't let this one go—not even if the Heavens themselves told me to! It can't be helped; after all, this squad of Japanese has a blood feud with our Independent Regiment."

"Fine! It’s a deal!" Chen Bo smiled and pointed at the map. "After I go back, I’ll arrange a unit to set an ambush to the north. If you, Old Li, don’t catch them, I’ll pick up the scraps in the north. That should be fine, right?"

Li Yunlong glared, but he couldn't refute that, as his defense zone was in the south, and the Japanese would have to head north to return to Taiyuan.

"Enough, stop arguing! It’s bad for unity," Zhao Gang persuaded. "Actually, there's no need to go through all this trouble. I'll just wipe them out in one go at Chenjiayu; wouldn't that be simpler?"

Li Yunlong stared at Zhao Gang as if he were a stranger. After a long pause, he said, "Damn it, when an intellectual starts bragging, it actually sounds quite convincing!"

Chu Yunfei stifled a laugh, and it wasn't until everyone else started laughing that he joined in.

The 1st Battalion headquarters was also in Mopan Village, located at the other end of the village.

Following Li Yunlong’s orders, Zhang Dabiao arranged for Tian Daqing, the deputy leader of the 1st Battalion’s scout platoon, to lead his 1st scout squad to assist and protect Guan Shan in this operation.

"Isn't there an ambush mission? Why aren't we being assigned to participate?"

When Guan Shan arrived at the battalion headquarters, he heard the soldiers complaining to Tian Daqing from the doorway.