Chapter 6: Seizing the Initiative in Missions

Chapter 6: Taking Initiative to Secure Assignments

(Part One)

“Guanshan?” Zhao Gang was momentarily stunned when he saw Guanshan appear. Noticing the crutch in his hand and the still-unremoved splint on his left leg, he widened his eyes and asked Li Yunlong, “Old Li, why did you bring him here? He hasn’t fully recovered yet!”

“Ah?” Li Yunlong was also surprised. He glanced over, then glared at Wei Heshang and shouted, “Damn it, why didn’t anyone remind me!”

Guanshan hurriedly replied, “It’s nothing! Regiment Commander, Political Commissar, I’ve mostly recovered! I’m ready to carry out missions at any time!”

Once again, Guanshan took the initiative to bring up the mission.

Missions are won through initiative; power and influence are also gained by those who actively seek them.

You must first volunteer to take on tasks, shoulder responsibility, and bear greater burdens. This is why, when many leaders are promoted, senior leaders and personnel departments often say, “Take on more responsibilities.”

“Ah? So soon?” Zhao Gang looked him up and down in disbelief, then nodded and said, “Stand guard. Old Li, come here!”

Wei Heshang led the horse toward the stable, then turned back to wink at Guanshan and silently gave a thumbs-up.

Inside the room, the sound of benches being moved and several voices greeting the regiment commander could be heard, probably seven or eight people, likely all the company commanders and political instructors of the Third Battalion had arrived.

Li Yunlong took a bowl of water from Third Battalion Commander Wang Huaibao, gulped it down, wiped his mouth with his sleeve, then placed one foot on a bench, tossed the bowl onto the table, and said, “What’s the situation? Speak up quickly!”

Zhao Gang instructed, “Third Battalion Commander, you have a more comprehensive understanding. You speak! Everyone else, sit down.”

The wooden door of the room creaked shut.

Taking advantage of the time while the regiment commander and political commissar were meeting and Wei Heshang was tending the horse, Guanshan found a spot in the courtyard to sit down. He untied the splint on his left leg, pulled out some leg straps from his bag, and bound both legs firmly, preparing himself.

(Part Two)

On the way over, Guanshan had already pieced together and analyzed the fragments of information he overheard.

Because he had been allowed to enter Li Yunlong’s room these past few days, and because he took the initiative every morning to clean the regiment’s courtyard and several offices, Guanshan had nearly memorized the roughly hand-drawn map on the operations room wall and had a general grasp of his position.

From the place names on the map, the Independent Regiment’s defense area seemed to cover dozens of villages at the junctions of several counties on the southeastern slopes of the Taiyue Mountains—Lingyang County, Yueze County, Qinhe County, and Gucheng County.

It was quite a coincidence. In his previous life, during the vigorous poverty alleviation campaigns, every frontline city and major factory giant had their own assigned areas. As a middle-level cadre in a big factory, Guanshan was also the primary responsible person for a village-level unit. He had personally led teams to inspect and station in a place called Mopanshan Village, Niutoushan Township, Dadonggou Town, Yueze County. There, they helped develop specialty farming and e-commerce to benefit farmers. After about two years of effort, the village finally shook off poverty in 2018.

Back then, while stationed in Mopanshan Village, Guanshan had heard many stories from the War of Resistance period. Now, seeing that he had transmigrated back to the very place where he had once worked and fought, he couldn’t help but feel a deep sense of nostalgia.

Looking at the map, Guanshan suddenly realized that Niushan Village, where he and Wang Gensheng were born and raised in this life, was actually the location of the Niutoushan Township government he had frequently visited in his former life.

Every chance encounter in this world was, in fact, a destined reunion from long ago.

Then, studying the map on the operations room wall, the Independent Regiment was scattered across dozens of villages within a radius of more than fifty miles, organized by companies and platoons. The local county party committees, special committees, county brigades, and district squads were also marked. Surrounding the base area were county towns, fortified towers, strongholds, Japanese troops, puppet forces, the Jin-Sui Army, and bandit dens ruling their own territories.

The map was crudely hand-drawn, lacking any indication of mountain heights, rivers, or contour lines. It was hard to imagine how Li Yunlong managed troop deployments and commanded battles relying solely on such a rough tool.

(Part Three)

“Monk! Monk!”

Before the wooden door was even pushed open, Li Yunlong’s loud voice floated out.

“Here, Regiment Commander! I’m here!” Wei Heshang responded loudly, jogging over from the stable, brushing off bits of dry hay from his hands and clothes as he ran.

“You, ride my horse and deliver the orders to the First Battalion. Tell Zhang Dabiao to assemble all troops before nightfall and prepare for relocation. The route and specific instructions are in the letter!” Li Yunlong held several letters in his hand.

Guanshan, having just finished binding his legs, rushed forward and volunteered, “Report, Regiment Commander! Let me deliver the letter to the First Battalion! The route here to the First Battalion has several mountain paths that horses can’t run fast on, but I know some shortcuts!”

Li Yunlong was momentarily taken aback. He exchanged a glance with Zhao Gang, then looked at the crutch and splint left behind the courtyard gate. His eyes narrowed sharply, and he said sternly, “Don’t try to be a hero! Military intelligence is urgent—this isn’t a matter for showing off!”

“I really can do it! I’m not just showing off!” Guanshan pleaded anxiously.

Li Yunlong hesitated, then shook his head and said, “Wei Heshang, what are you dawdling for? Hurry up!”

“Yes!” Wei Heshang quickened his pace and took the letter from Li Yunlong.

“Xiao Zhang!” Zhao Gang called over his bodyguard. “Ride my horse and deliver the orders to the Second Battalion!”

“Yes!” Xiao Zhang ran over and took the orders.

Guanshan felt a small pang of disappointment but stood straight, looking at Zhao Gang and Li Yunlong with eager eyes.

“Xiao Shanzi!” Li Yunlong finally called Guanshan by name.

“You should return to the regiment headquarters. Since you came over unharmed, it should be okay to go back!” Li Yunlong said, handing the letter to the beaming Guanshan. “Find Deputy Regiment Commander Xing and have him notify the regiment staff to assemble. The details are in the letter.”

“Yes, sir!” Guanshan stood at attention and saluted.

Zhao Gang added, “If Deputy Regiment Commander Xing isn’t there, go to the Political Department and find Director Huang. Have him pass the orders to the headquarters staff first.”

“Oh, and Shanzi!” Li Yunlong thought for a moment and handed Guanshan the remaining two letters. “Give these two to Dong Dahai and have him arrange for delivery.”

“Yes, sir!”

These were familiar names from the original “Drawing Sword” work, and Guanshan could recall them well. Deputy Regiment Commander Xing Zhiguo appeared multiple times in the original novel and TV series. Dong Dahai was mentioned in the chapter where Li Yunlong was injured during the Huaihai Campaign. He was the company commander of the Second Division’s guard company, who had once threatened execution. When he enlisted in 1941, he had been Li Yunlong’s communications officer. According to Guanshan’s memory, Dong Dahai was now the platoon leader of the Independent Regiment’s direct communications platoon and Guanshan’s superior.

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(End of Chapter)