Resistance against Japan: Starting with the local militia

Chapter 66 New Situation

"Jia Sang, you've worked so hard lately, here's a hundred silver dollars for you. I'll ask Commander Fujino for a commendation on your behalf later." Fujino took out a roll of silver dollars wrapped in red paper from the drawer and handed it to Jia Chusheng.

Jia Chusheng accepted the heavy silver dollar and couldn't help but smile broadly.

"Thank you, Lord Sakai. I will serve the Imperial Army to the death."

"Yoshi. Jia Sang, keep up the good work."

"Yes, Mr. Sakai." Jia Chusheng took the silver dollars and left Sakai Taiji's office.

After Jia Chusheng left, Sakai Taiji dialed Fujino Guiichi's number.

"Commander Fujino, that's me, Sakai Taiji."

"Hmm? Does Sakai-kun have any information to report?" Fujino asked in an unfriendly tone when he heard Sakai Taiji's voice.

Fujino Kiichi is extremely dissatisfied with the progress of Sakai Taiji's intelligence department. So much time has passed, and there's still no progress; he's practically useless.

If it weren't for the powerful backers behind Sakai Taiji, Fujino would have replaced him long ago. What the hell is this guy?

"Commander Fujino, thanks to the tireless efforts of our intelligence department, we have finally located the Chinese troops that attacked Ono's squadron earlier."

Even over the phone, Fujino Kiichi could feel Sakai Taiji's excitement.

"Really?" Fujino asked, somewhat uncertainly.

"The intelligence is correct. The reconnaissance team has discovered two regiments in Tangjia Town, and they are conducting covert training. According to Jia Chusheng of the reconnaissance team, these two regiments are regular regiments," Sakai Taiji reported.

“If that’s the case, it seems that this is the unit that attacked Ono’s squadron,” Fujino Kiichi agreed after thinking for a moment.

"Commander Fujino, what's our next plan? Should we launch an attack to avenge the fallen Imperial warriors?" Sakai Taiji asked.

"We'll stay put for now. Our current mission is to ensure the safety of the military train," Fujino Kiichi said.

"According to the notification from the North China Command, there is a possibility that the Eighth Route Army may sabotage the railway line in the near future. Therefore, the North China Command has ordered the troops stationed along the line to strengthen the protection of the railway line. After this period is over, we will turn around and deal with these Chinese troops properly. Two mere regiments are nothing in front of our imperial warriors." Fujino Kiichi did not take the Chinese troops stationed in Tangjia Town seriously at all.

"Hay."

After hanging up the phone, Fujino Kiichi went to the table where the map was placed and checked the location of Tangjia Town on the map.

"Okay, found it. Tangjia Town is here. Sanjiaji is the only way out of Tangjia Town." After carefully looking at the map, Fujino returned to his desk and dialed a number.

"Hey hey hey, I'm Fujino Kiichi. I order your squadron to immediately proceed to the Sanjiaji outpost and, together with Ikeda Squadron, monitor the direction of Tangjia Town. According to intelligence, a Chinese army is stationed in Tangjia Town. You must be on high alert."

"Hai, I'll go right now."

The reconnaissance battalion led by Bian Niu Dali of the militia returned safely, and Tang Weiguo convened another operational meeting.

"Everyone's here, now let Niu Dali give us a briefing on the investigation," Tang Weiguo said to everyone.

"Yes, Commander," Niu Dali replied, then continued:

"Based on our reconnaissance, the situation regarding our planned operational area is somewhat different from the previous intelligence."

"Yes, I also received a notification from the Eighth Route Army's Independent Regiment that the Japanese have temporarily added a company of puppet troops to each of these two locations to assist them in defense," Tang Weiguo added immediately.

"Yes, Commander, the enemy's forces have increased. Judging from the equipment of the puppet troops, the reinforcing puppet troops should be considered the elite of the puppet army."

"Besides that, there's another piece of bad news. There's another Japanese station stronghold 4 kilometers behind the bridge, also with a company of Japanese soldiers stationed there. Based on the time estimate, if this company of Japanese soldiers learns that the military train has been attacked, they can come to our aid within half an hour. At that point, our blocking Japanese force will have gone from one company to two companies."

"Based on this situation, I suggest that the reconnaissance battalion company, which was previously scheduled to carry out harassment missions on the other side of the bridge, be canceled. Facing a company of Japanese soldiers, it will be difficult for this company to play a diversionary role."

"In addition, at night I sent the soldiers to sneak around the railway to see if there were any suitable places to build blocking positions. According to the soldiers, the soil along the railway is hard and it is difficult to build trenches in a short time."

"If we don't have trenches for cover, it will be difficult for us to fight the Japanese head-on in a direct firefight. Even if our regiment holds the line, we will suffer heavy casualties."

"What about the bridge defense?" Tang Weiguo then asked.

"The fortifications the Japanese built at the bridgehead made it virtually impossible to launch an attack from above the bridge, so we had to find a way under the bridge."

"It's late November now, and the river under the bridge is frozen over. People can walk on the ice normally, so the Japanese have arranged a small squad of Japanese soldiers to patrol under the bridge."

"Moreover, the Japanese installed searchlights on the bridge and kept shining them onto the ice, making it difficult to launch an attack from under the bridge."

"Commander, this is all the information I've gathered from my reconnaissance." Niu Dali finished his report and then sat down.

Tang Weiguo listened without speaking, quietly pondering the situation. He considered the difficulties of this attack on the Japanese, but the intelligence gathered from the actual reconnaissance proved to be even more challenging than he had imagined. Tang Weiguo's first thought upon hearing the report was to telegraph the Independent Regiment to cancel the attack on the military train.

"What do you all think?" Tang Weiguo suddenly asked.

"Commander, based on Niu Dali's reconnaissance intelligence, I think our key breakthrough point is still this bridge. If we can successfully destroy the bridge, then a company of Japanese soldiers on one side of the bridge and on the other side will not be able to provide timely support."

"Oh right, and the ice surface too. We need to destroy the ice surface as well to prevent the Japanese from using it to cross the river to the other side."

"In that case, the number of Japanese soldiers we face is the same as before, and the additional company of puppet troops will not pose much of a threat to us."

“Therefore, the core of this battle is to destroy the bridge. If we cannot complete the task of destroying the bridge, then I suggest we abandon this operation,” Tang Xiaohu said, standing up.

"Another problem is the construction of trenches. If we can't quickly build defensive trenches, our casualties will be huge," Tang Dazhuang also raised this issue.

"Commander, the engineering regiment can be responsible for constructing the defensive positions." Tang Weiguo had specially invited Professor Zhao to participate in this operational meeting, hoping he could provide some professional advice.

"Oh, Professor Zhao, do you have a solution?" Tang Weiguo asked.

"We can use directional blasting to create trenches," Professor Zhao explained.

Tang Weiguo's eyes lit up after hearing this; this was a good idea.

"That's a good idea. This solves the trench problem. Now we only have one problem left," Tang Weiguo said.