Chapter 26: Renowned Throughout the World

Page (1/3)

Soon after receiving the report from Eighth Route Army Headquarters, Yan’an made its decision at once.

The Central authorities awarded a formal commendation to the First Battalion of the 386th Brigade’s New First Regiment, as well as to the soldier Wang Chengzhu. The entire New First Regiment received a verbal commendation.

Amusingly, our Commander Li managed to secure nothing more than a verbal commendation as well.

Naturally, the telegram requesting recognition was also sent to the Nationalist government. Chiang Kai-shek followed the usual routine: a written commendation and a few medals, and that was the end of it. There was not a single tangible reward.

More importantly, through newspaper reports and widespread publicity, people across the country learned that in Shanxi, an Eighth Route Army commander named Li Yunlong had led an entire regiment to accomplish the unprecedented feat of capturing a Japanese regimental flag.

It was the first such achievement since the beginning of the War of Resistance, and it greatly inspired the people’s determination to fight the Japanese.

In streets and alleys, teahouses and restaurants, people excitedly discussed the news.

“This is wonderful! Everyone, come and take a look!”

“That feels great! The Eighth Route Army is magnificent!”

“Brother Lu, how about we go to Shanxi together?!”

“Good! I was thinking the same thing!”

Many patriotic young men even began planning to travel to Shanxi in groups, join the Eighth Route Army in fighting the Japanese, and, ideally, enlist in Commander Li’s New First Regiment.

The people did not know that Li Yunlong had achieved his victory while disobeying orders. All they knew was that whoever fought the Japanese best was a hero!

Li Yunlong had become famous throughout the land overnight, and this infuriated the Japanese.

At the headquarters of the North China Expeditionary Army, General Hata Shunroku was sternly berating Lieutenant General Shimizu Yoshio, commander of the First Army, over the telephone.

“Damn it! This is nothing less than a disgrace to the Imperial Japanese Army!”

“General Shimizu, I don’t care what methods you use. Speed up the construction of every blockhouse and strongpoint, and wipe out these rats hiding in the mountain ravines! Especially the New First Regiment of the 386th Brigade!”

“This is the crucial moment in forcing the Nationalist government into submission. You must suppress their will to resist. Is that understood?!”

At the First Army headquarters of the Japanese forces stationed in Shanxi Province, Taiyuan, Shimizu Yoshio stood respectfully.

“Yes, Commander! I understand!”

After hanging up, Shimizu Yoshio returned to his desk and stared thoughtfully for a while at the unfinished Go game before him.

“Major Minyuan!”

“Yes!”

A lieutenant colonel staff officer immediately stood at attention, awaiting Shimizu Yoshio’s orders.

Page (1/3)

Page (2/3)

“Order the Special Higher Police to gather all available information on the New First Regiment of the 386th Brigade as quickly as possible—especially information on that Li Yunlong!”

“Also, notify the Fourth Brigade and the Independent Third Mixed Brigade to accelerate construction of their strongpoints and complete the encirclement and division of the Eighth Route Army.”

“They may requisition the puppet troops at any time. Cement and all other materials they require will be supplied without restriction!”

After finishing his notes, the lieutenant colonel was about to turn and issue the orders when Shimizu Yoshio suddenly called him back.

“Wait, Major Minyuan. Have Colonel Yamamoto come to see me. I need to learn a few things from him!”

The failure of this campaign, combined with the humiliation inflicted by the Sakata Regiment, forced Shimizu Yoshio to consider adopting a different strategy to achieve his objective. He was highly impressed by Yamamoto Kazuki’s theories of special warfare and by his special forces unit.

The scene returned to the New First Regiment’s training ground. The regiment’s soldiers stood in neat formation, all looking toward Commander Li on the earthen platform.

Besides Li Yunlong and Xu Gaoxiang, a row of soldiers stood on the platform. They were the elite marksmen selected by Zhang Dabiao, the commander of the Second Battalion, and the Third Battalion.

Standing at the front of the platform with his hands behind his back, Li Yunlong shouted, “Listen up, all of you! The pork we had last night was good, wasn’t it?”

“It was delicious!” the entire regiment happily replied.

“Ha! Of course it was. That pork was bought with Sakata’s head!”

Li Yunlong did not waste time and immediately dangled the bait.

“Do you all want to eat meat again?!”

“We do!”

“I do!”

“We want it!”

The soldiers shouted one after another. Who wouldn’t want meat?

Li Yunlong tilted his head.

“You want to eat meat? Forget it! Is pork going to fall from the sky?”

“We Eighth Route soldiers are poor! If you don’t believe me, sell this hundred-and-eighty-pound body of mine and use the money to buy pork!”

“Hahaha…”

Li Yunlong began laughing as soon as he said it, and the soldiers joined in.

Seizing the moment, Zhang Dabiao shouted, “Commander, then how are we supposed to get pork?!”

Li Yunlong had been waiting for him to ask.

“When does our regiment improve its meals? When the Japanese come offering us their heads!”

“If you want to eat meat, then fight the Japanese with real weapons and kill them properly. Bring back their heads and trade them for pork!”

“Of course, we can’t be stupid and charge straight at the Japanese. We might not get any meat and end up biting a mouthful of pig bristles instead. What’s that saying? If you want to do good work, you must first sharpen your tools!”

Page (2/3)

Page (3/3)

“If we have good weapons in our hands, how could we fail to get meat? Isn’t that the truth?”

Li Yunlong turned sideways and pointed his thumb behind him.

“As luck would have it, your old commander Li has just acquired a batch of excellent firearms!”

At these words, the soldiers craned their necks and rose onto their toes to look toward the edge of the platform, where a row of wooden crates had been stacked. Their excitement was impossible to contain.

“Commander of the First Battalion, show them what they can do!”

Li Yunlong swept his hand forward. Zhang Dabiao immediately stepped up, took out a rifle, and loaded a magazine.

Under the soldiers’ curious gazes, Zhang Dabiao aimed at the targets on the training ground.

Bang! Bang! Bang! … Ding!

Eight rounds fired in rapid succession. With a sharp ding, the empty magazine flew out and fell to the ground. The soldiers standing in front saw everything clearly: throughout the entire burst, the battalion commander had not worked the bolt even once.

For the New First Regiment’s soldiers, who worshiped the offensive, a rifle capable of continuous fire was a dream come true. During a charge, they would no longer need to spare a hand to work the bolt.

The soldiers immediately began discussing the weapon with great enthusiasm.

Then the battalion commander raised a machine gun. Amid a fierce ripping sound, a terrifying stream of bullets tore into a distant earthen wall. In little more than ten seconds, the wall had been reduced to a heap of rubble, with only its foundations remaining.

The entire regiment erupted in excitement.

With these two weapons in their hands, wouldn’t they be eating meat every day?

Looking at the soldiers staring hungrily at the weapons, Li Yunlong knew the moment had arrived.

“Heh heh, you want them, don’t you?!”

The soldiers were practically dying to have them. Who wouldn’t want such fine weapons?

Li Yunlong stopped teasing them.

“However, there are only a limited number of these weapons. The finest steel must be used where it matters most. I’ve decided to form an assault company. Anyone who joins it will get to use these excellent weapons!”

“Don’t say I’m not giving you a chance. All you have to do is pass the test and you can join. See them?”

As he spoke, Li Yunlong tilted his head toward the row of elite soldiers.

“These are the marksmen recognized by your battalions and companies as the best shots. I’m not asking you to match them. As long as you can reach half their level in the assessment, you’ll qualify for the assault company!”

“Whether you eat meat or drink soup will depend on your own ability. If your skills aren’t up to the task, don’t blame anyone else—and don’t start bawling to me!”

Li Yunlong knew exactly how to motivate people. No sooner had he ordered the battalion and company commanders, together with the elite marksmen, to conduct the assessments than the soldiers rushed forward, eager to take part.

Page (3/3)