Chapter 34: Return to Jiangcheng Once More

October 7, 1938, Office of the Temporary 2nd Division, Jiangcheng

"So, you're telling me you took a trip to Europe and brought back a woman you don't even know?" Milong stared at the visibly exhausted Wang Yue, at a loss for words. It wasn't enough that their commander had flown that sluggish Potez 36 transport plane all the way to Europe; he had to bring back a European woman. Even the most beautiful European woman couldn't possibly be worth the fuel cost of a round trip, not to mention the fact that the plane had been totaled upon landing in Qifeng County.

"It seems, apparently, perhaps, that is one way to put it." Wang Yue was also dazed. He had only been annoyed that the B-71 bomber was taking up space in his inventory; how had he managed to ruin his hard-earned reputation in one fell swoop?

As it turned out, in order to make room for torpedo boats that refreshed in his spatial storage at midnight, Wang Yue had pulled out the B-71 bomber. Later, finding the I-16 fighter too uncomfortable to pilot, he had simply flown the B-71 back. Unloaded, the bomber had a speed comparable to the I-16, but its comfort was in a different league.

Only halfway through the journey did he discover a "stowaway" on board. Judging by her attire, she was likely the daughter or wife of a farmer. Unfortunately, his broken English was useless for communication, and while Nalan Xinde spoke decent English, it turned out this woman didn't know a word of it.

Fortunately, the woman was composed. She ate and drank on the plane without a hint of panic, acting as if she were completely oblivious to the danger. The two of them spent the journey playing a game of charades, which at least kept the loneliness at bay, though having to land for refueling—since he couldn't refuel while the plane was in his storage—was a constant nuisance.

As for crashing the plane upon landing, that was entirely due to his own lack of skill combined with a runway that was a bit too short. The damage didn't look severe, but since Wang Yue couldn't repair it himself, he had brought it to Jiangcheng and had Milong sell it to the Air Force. While they only received 100 Hotchkiss M1931 light machine guns in exchange, it was better than nothing. It was worth noting that the B-71 shared many parts with the SB-2 bombers used by the Volunteer Group, making it easy for them to repair—a small contribution to the war effort on his part.

Luckily, Zhou Weiguo’s German was good enough to bridge the communication gap. The woman, Emilia, was born in 1918, a journalism student at Charles University and an intern at a newspaper in Liberec. After chaos erupted in the city, her father had "dragged" her back home. Upon seeing the bomber near their farm, she had gone to investigate, and through a twist of fate, ended up returning with Wang Yue.

"Commander, it really isn't worth going to Europe just for a bomber. The brothers of the Temporary 2nd Division are all counting on you!" Milong urged earnestly. Everyone understood the precarious position of the Northeast Army. If anything happened to Wang Yue, the Temporary 2nd Division would inevitably be disbanded and used as cannon fodder. There was no other fate for them.

"I know. Next time, I'll take you all with me. By the way, how is the recruitment of the exiled students going?" Wang Yue didn't commit to Milong. There were simply too many opportunities to scavenge in Europe over the coming years; he would look down on himself if he didn't return. His eight-thousand-cubic-meter space wasn't huge, but if utilized properly, it could hold tens of thousands of tons of supplies. This time, he had filled the gaps with bullets, and later with fuel, packing the space tight. These weapons were enough to build a genuine German-equipped division. If he could build it, he would finally have the strength to protect himself without constantly worrying about "friendly forces" taking him out.

"We've recruited 1,191 people—872 men and 319 women. They’ve all passed the tests you laid out; no issues there," Milong reported quickly. Meng Fanle was actually the one handling the task, but since he was closer to the commander, he did the reporting.

"Why are there so many women? Don't tell me you're looking for a wife," Wang Yue joked. He had instructed Meng Fanle to prioritize men; he hadn't expected so many women. Knowing Meng Fanle’s instinct for self-preservation, he shouldn't have dared to deviate from orders.

"The private universities in Jiangcheng are evacuating. The male medical and nursing students were snapped up by the Military Affairs Commission, and they wanted to send the women to military academies. Many didn't want to go, so Fanle picked them up. You know how sweet-talker that kid is; he spun them a yarn, and those girls preferred coming to Qifeng County, even though it's closest to the Japanese," Milong said, sounding genuinely envious. He had no luck with women himself, relegated to visiting brothels when he had nothing else to do.

"Are the men all from the Northeast?" Wang Yue nodded. With so many students in Jiangcheng and the Military Affairs Commission slow to react, this was a real bargain. If trained well, these students would be enough to last until the end of the war.

"Not all. Some are from North China, but they are all dependents of the Northeast Army. You know, half of the Northeast Army isn't actually from the Northeast; there are plenty from North and Northwest China. As you said, we prioritized the families of good soldiers," Milong explained. That was true; at its peak, the Northeast Army occupied half the country, so local recruitment was common. They had also absorbed various other warlord factions—like the current Shanxi-Suiyuan Army, which was, strictly speaking, once part of the Northeast Army. That was why the original body had ended up in the 68th Division of the Shanxi-Suiyuan Army.

"What about those who were flagged?" Wang Yue didn't believe there were no problematic individuals among the recruits. He knew there were surely spies—enemies were not limited to the Japanese.

"We recruited them too, but they are training separately. There are 216 of them. Li Ya and Xu Zhongyi have identified 117 suspects; the others will take time. I observed them as you asked: Li Ya is excellent in every way, but he’s better suited for the military, whereas Xu Zhongyi is a born spy," Milong reported.

"Make the arrangements. I want to personally pin the collar insignia on the new recruits. Once that's done, send them back," Wang Yue nodded. Having probed Li Ya’s mind a few times, he realized the man was still quite raw as a spy—likely due for more training once he reached Shancheng. The Qingpu Class was only an introductory course meant to identify talent, which meant Wang Yue could be bolder in how he utilized Li Ya.

As for Xu Zhongyi, he was a natural. In the right hands, he would be a sharp blade. It was fortunate the Military Statistics Bureau didn't value him, or he wouldn't have been leaning toward Wang Yue's side in the first place.