Chapter 58: Not Seeing the Enemy, Holding the Fire

Chapter 58: No Hanging the String Until the Devils Are in Sight (Part I)

"Once the enemy starts running back, a few of our fighters will go down there, dressed as ordinary folks instead of in military uniforms, so the Japanese devils in the blockhouse think they are guerrillas. That's the only way to lure them out..."

"After those fighters go down, they will pretend to rummage around for supplies, but actually, they'll shove hemp-sack mines under the carts and pull the strings. This has to be done by soldiers who understand demolition and know how to handle mines. Company Commander Chu said he could organize about a dozen, but we won't need that many—five or six men going down will be enough."

"Goddamn it, when these little Japanese devils run into Guanshan, they're bound to get screwed to death!"

"Yeah, yeah, Guanshan, you rascal! You're not just a lucky general, you're a brilliant strategist too!"

"Regimental Commander, how about this? Can we have Guanshan transferred to our 2nd Battalion and make him a deputy company commander..."

"Shen Quan, what do you mean by that? Is my 1st Battalion not as good as your 2nd?"

"What are you bickering about? Are you still going to listen or not? Even when listening to storytelling, people know not to interrupt. Look at you two, what do you look like!" Li Yunlong pounded on the heated brick kang table to restore order.

"However, isn't it a bit too complicated?" the 3rd Battalion Commander muttered in a low voice.

"Right, right, right! Especially complicated! Regimental Commander, so I strongly suggest that for the battle at the No. 4 ambush position, Comrade Guanshan should come over to our 2nd Company to provide on-site guidance!"

The 3rd Battalion Commander said loudly, "Regimental Commander, what I mean is that our battalion has more demolition veterans. I think this task should be given to our battalion..."

"That's right!" Zhang Dabiao immediately leaped up and said, "Regimental Commander, Company Commander Chu's suggestion is extremely reasonable. The scheme we just heard sounds lively, but if it isn't executed properly, it would be such a pity!"

Li Yunlong and Zhao Gang exchanged a smile. The effectiveness of this pre-battle Zhuge Liang council was truly exceptional!

"Regimental Commander, then what about the application for the Baicun demolition team..." Zhang Dabiao pointed at Li Yunlong's pocket with a beaming smile.

"Come on, Old Zhang, you're too damn crafty!"

***

"That's right, Regimental Commander and Political Commissar, whatever happens with the No. 1 assault, we definitely can't tire out the comrades of the 1st Battalion again, right..."

"Alright, alright!" Li Yunlong bellowed. "Stop bickering, all of you! If you keep arguing, damn it, we won't settle a thing by tomorrow morning!"

Scolding aside, Li Yunlong and Zhao Gang were still gratified in their hearts. The battalion and company commanders had a high eagerness to fight, and none of them were willing to play a supporting role; everyone was striving to be the sharp blade. This kind of drive was infinitely precious.

Guanshan leaned closer to Zhao Gang and asked in a low voice, "Political Commissar, what's going on with the Baicun demolition team? Has the attack time been brought forward?"

"It hasn't been brought forward. It's still night clearance and dawn assault," Zhao Gang said.

"Oh, then it's fine. After I finish helping out at the No. 4 battlefield and come back, I'll make it in time!" Guanshan said softly.

"What?" Zhang Dabiao stared wide-eyed, shaking his head as he said, "Regimental Commander, you need to reconsider what you just said. If you really make Guanshan run around like that, then you'll be slapping the faces of the veterans in our 1st Battalion!"

Guanshan looked at Zhao Gang in puzzlement, not knowing what Zhang Dabiao was talking about. What words? Reconsider what?

Zhao Gang explained in a low voice to Guanshan, "You and Company Commander Chu weren't here just now. Battalion Commander Zhang brought a pact written in blood, asking the Regimental Commander to replace you as the No. 1 demolitionist, saying that if the veterans aren't convinced, it would be equivalent to the Regimental Commander using you, a rookie, to slap them in the face..."

Li Yunlong sat there smiling, unhurriedly pulling that blood-pact paper out of his pocket. He glanced at Guanshan and said, "Guanshan, what I said earlier was this: I said during tomorrow morning's departure mobilization, we'll have the Political Commissar praise this kind of attitude, but your demolition team leader and No. 1 demolitionist positions cannot be canceled just like that!"

Turning his face to look at everyone, Li Yunlong said, "Now Guanshan's mission has been slightly adjusted. He must first go to the No. 4 ambush position to assist Company Commander Chu with command and coordination..."

Drawing out his tone, Li Yunlong swept his gaze across everyone. No one interrupted, and Zhang Dabiao also listened attentively with wide eyes.

"I am amending the order for Baicun, which is the No. 1 assault position! Before Guanshan returns to his unit, Deputy Team Leader and No. 2 Demolitionist Comrade Ma Sanqi will temporarily act as the team leader. If Guanshan has not returned before the general offensive is launched, Comrade Ma Sanqi will lead the First Demolition Team to carry out the assault demolition!"

"Understood!" Zhang Dabiao responded loudly.

"Don't be in such a rush! I haven't finished yet!" Li Yunlong raised a hand to stop Zhang Dabiao and continued, "Guanshan will lead the Second Demolition Team to reinforce the No. 4 ambush battlefield. Upon completing the task of destroying the Iron Turtle pillbox, he is to immediately return to the No. 1 assault position! As for who will serve as the No. 1 demolitionist then, I will decide on the spot!"

Hearing this amendment, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Guanshan still had no idea what everyone had been so tense about.

***

Chapter 58: No Hanging the String Until the Devils Are in Sight (Part II)

After the meeting dispersed, Zhao Gang talked with Guanshan alone for a while. Only then did Guanshan learn that when Zhang Dabiao had produced the blood-pact paper earlier, Li Yunlong had flown into a massive rage, declaring that Guanshan would remain the No. 1 demolitionist without fail, and only if he was killed would they move down the list on the blood pact.

Zhao Gang also explained why Li Yunlong had gotten so angry, hoping to prevent Guanshan from harboring any misgivings in his heart.

It turned out that ever since Guanshan started taking the lead in practicing demolition techniques, some soldiers had been gossiping behind his back, saying that Guanshan was just putting on a show and that the Regimental Commander and Political Commissar would definitely replace him when the time came, letting someone else play the role of the "No. 1 demolitionist," which carried an extremely high probability of casualties.

"Even a few cadres came right up to us and confronted us. Old Li almost got into a physical fight with them." Zhao Gang left it at that.

"Zhu Ziming, Staff Officer Zhu?" Guanshan asked with a frown. "Is that what you were asking me if I knew him last time?"

"What this and that! Stop dragging other things into this. I'm telling you all this so you'll understand why the Regimental Commander said what he did just now. Because Battalion Commander Zhang didn't know about Old Li arguing with those people, for him to pull out a blood pact right in the middle of a full-battalion pre-battle meeting and try to back the Regimental Commander into a corner like that... it just put the Regimental Commander in an even more awkward position."

Guanshan nodded. He could understand Li Yunlong's current predicament. In his previous life, after becoming a middle manager at a large manufacturing enterprise, being cornered like that over projects or personnel appointments was commonplace. Many subordinates failed to understand simply because they hadn't reached that elevation yet, and quite a few outstanding employees resigning in indignation was just an unfortunate reality.

"The battle at the No. 4 ambush position is equally dangerous. You must keep a cool head and not act on impulse. We revolutionary soldiers are not afraid of sacrifice, but we must never make blind sacrifices—that is being irresponsible to yourself and to the organization," Zhao Gang exhorted earnestly.

Guanshan listened attentively and promised seriously, but what occupied his thoughts much more was another matter entirely.

How did Zhu Ziming manage to set his sights on him? And the system hadn't given any prompts either. This question left Guanshan feeling a bit puzzled.

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(End of this chapter)