Chapter 35: The Doomsday Countdown for the 36th Division!

The room buzzed with excitement. If this surprise attack succeeded, the implications would be monumental. From this day forward, the "little Japanese devils" would truly have to heed Mr. Lin’s words—sleep with one eye open!

The Deputy Commander asked, "By the way, be extremely cautious when surveying the enemy camp! You must first confirm whether there are any civilians nearby. Human life is paramount; we must not harm the innocent!"

"Understood!" The group nodded solemnly.

A senior official in charge of intelligence, wearing black-rimmed glasses, stepped forward with a smile. "You can set your minds at ease regarding that," he said, adjusting his spectacles. "Based on my understanding of the Japanese, their camps are typically surrounded by puppet troop garrisons and nests of traitors. There are rarely any innocent civilians there."

"Good!" A cold glint flashed in everyone’s eyes. "This time, we’ll wipe them out along with the Japanese!"

The Chief of Staff asked, "How many troops do you plan to commit to this operation?"

The Deputy Commander pondered briefly, his gaze sweeping over the map like lightning. "I believe we should use the 386th Brigade as the backbone. Select our finest soldiers and organize one hundred elite platoons. Arm them with one hundred 107mm rocket launchers. We must strike with thunderous force and ensure a decisive victory!"

The group reflected for a moment, then nodded in high spirits. One hundred 107mm rocket launchers meant twelve hundred barrels—enough to give those sons of bitches in the 36th Division a taste of their own medicine.

...

Once the orders were issued, the vast war machine began to operate at high speed. Gathering intelligence, conducting precise surveys, training core artillery crews, distributing field radios, mapping out infiltration routes, selecting observation points—everything was urgent and needed to be done at once. They had to complete the deployment for this fatal strike before the Japanese could launch any potential retaliation.

The Brigade Commander looked at Li Yunlong, who was still lingering nearby, and huffed impatiently, "Major Li, your report is finished. Why haven't you scurried back to your battalion yet? Are you standing here waiting for dinner? And tell me, how does a mere battalion commander like you manage to drag an entire security platoon along? You’ve got a bigger ego than I do!"

Li Yunlong chuckled, offering no defense. He knew the Brigade Commander’s scolding was just a sign of affection. He quickly fished a neatly folded piece of paper from his pocket. "Reporting to the Chief! This is a letter Mr. Lin asked me to deliver to Headquarters. My task is complete; I’ll be off now!"

Handing the note to a staff officer, Li Yunlong saluted the leaders and slipped away faster than a rabbit.

...

The group was taken aback by his frantic departure. "Bring that here. Let me see what pearls of wisdom Mr. Lin has for us this time," the Deputy Commander said, extending his hand.

The Chief of Staff hurriedly presented the letter. As the Deputy Commander unfolded it and read, the expression on his face turned quite remarkable—first astonishment, then a wry smile, and finally, a long, helpless sigh. "This Li Yunlong... he really knows how to give me a headache!"

"Chief, what does the letter say?" the Chief of Staff asked, unable to contain his curiosity.

"See for yourselves," the Deputy Commander replied, passing the paper over.

Several high-ranking officials gathered around, focusing their eyes on the thin sheet:

"To the esteemed officers:
The recent transfer of supplies has been completed. I am deeply impressed by the strict discipline and remarkable efficiency of your soldiers. This success would not have been possible without the tremendous assistance of Battalion Commander Li Yunlong.

Commander Li is a man of absolute loyalty, dedicated to his country and his people. His resolve in the war of resistance is as firm as a rock, and his command is decisive and courageous. Since our initial contact, his actions have been swift and his planning meticulous, ensuring not a single error in the supplies. Whether it was coordinating with local authorities, managing personnel, or overseeing security, Commander Li handled everything personally. He is truly a rare and formidable general for your army, and a pillar of the national resistance..."

The letter was short, but the words "Battalion Commander Li" appeared repeatedly, striking the eye like a hammer. The entire page was filled with such high praise that it was clear the writer held "Commander Li" in the highest regard.

After reading it, the Brigade Commander’s mustache twitched in anger. "Good for you, Li Yunlong! You actually dared to coax Mr. Lin into writing a plea for you! No wonder you ran off like a rabbit!"

The Division Commander, however, stroked his chin and smiled thoughtfully. "He didn't actually write a plea for Li Yunlong."

Someone laughed. "He didn't explicitly ask for mercy, but with all that talk of 'Commander Li,' who couldn't see what he was aiming at?"

The Brigade Commander tightened his belt and straightened his uniform. "I’m going back right now to properly deal with that little rascal!"

The Division Commander stopped him with a wave of his hand. "Hold on. I don't think Li Yunlong asked for this letter."

"Oh? How so?" the others asked.

The Division Commander’s eyes were deep as he said, "Mr. Lin originally sent all these supplies specifically for Li Yunlong, yet we turned around and demoted him. If you were Mr. Lin, how would you feel seeing your chosen partner demoted? This letter isn't so much a plea for Li Yunlong as it is Mr. Lin expressing his... opinion on how we handled the matter."

A collective gasp echoed through the courtyard. It was not a thought to be taken lightly.

If Lin Ran knew, he would have shouted that he was being wronged. He truly had no such intention—and certainly wouldn't dare! He had only felt that since Li Yunlong was demoted because of the gold he had requested, he was writing the letter out of a sense of camaraderie, nothing more. But Lin Ran never imagined that these leaders would hold him in such high regard.

The Deputy Commander nodded gravely. "You make a valid point. It seems our previous decision to demote him was indeed poorly considered and hasty. If we alienate Mr. Lin, the loss would be far too great! We must find a way to make amends."

He paced back and forth in the courtyard with his hands behind his back. "We cannot reverse our order immediately." If they demoted him yesterday only to reinstate him today, what would that make Headquarters look like?

"I have an idea," the Deputy Commander said. "Let Li Yunlong earn his redemption through service. If he handles this ambush well, not only will we reinstate his rank, but we’ll give him even more responsibility!"

"A good idea!" "I agree!"

The leaders unanimously approved; it was the most stable solution and the best way to answer to Mr. Lin.

The Deputy Commander turned to the head of the Political Department. "What about the Political Commissar for Li Yunlong? Have you found one yet?"

The man replied quickly, "One has been selected—a top student from the Anti-Japanese Military and Political University who has led student movements and has an excellent grasp of political work. He is already on his way."

"Good! Make it quick!" The Deputy Commander felt slightly relieved. "Put a leash on him immediately so he doesn't go off causing trouble again!"

The other leaders nodded in agreement. This Li Yunlong had a great talent for warfare, but an equally great talent for stirring up trouble.

The Deputy Commander turned to the Brigade Commander. "You go back immediately and keep a close watch on that brat! This operation concerns the entire North China theater! It must succeed; failure is not an option!"

"Understood! I guarantee the mission will be accomplished!" The Brigade Commander felt the weight of the order and snapped to attention. He understood the gravity of this battle—if they could wipe out an entire Japanese division in one blow, the very heavens of North China would change.