Bright Sword: I checked in amidst the aftermath of the battle

Chapter 97, 5th Battalion, Independent Regiment!

The three company commanders were puzzled. Had the battalion commander gone mad?

Is this something a battalion commander would dare to do? I doubt even Li Yunlong would dare to do it.

The new recruits didn't understand; they had no experience in this area. They just listened to Wang Yousheng speak with great enthusiasm, as if he were someone who was about to do something big.

The phrase "show the spirit of the Fifth Battalion of the Independent Regiment" was particularly inspiring, and the soldiers responded in unison, their morale soaring.

Zhang Shan finally couldn't hold back and asked, "Battalion Commander, is it true that you're leading us to attack the Japanese supply corps? The Japanese supply corps is tough to attack!"

Wang Yousheng disagreed, saying, "Company Commander Zhang, don't worry. As long as the soldiers follow my orders, we can still manage!"

"But the Japanese are approaching our base area, and they're sending tens of thousands of troops at a time. Not to mention the entire northwestern Shanxi region, just in our southwestern Shanxi region alone, the Japanese will send at least one or two regiments, plus a large number of collaborators. The frontline battles are very difficult. Do you really think we can outflank the Japanese?"

Zhang Shan's words made sense, and Wang Xikui and Wang Gensheng nodded in agreement.

They experienced several large-scale mopping-up operations. Take the one in 1939, for example. The Japanese deployed two regular divisions, plus several independent mixed brigades, and some traitorous security forces, totaling 50,000 to 60,000 people, to sweep through northwestern Shanxi. That mopping-up operation caused immense suffering for the Chinese military and civilians.

Zhang Shan vaguely remembers that at the time he was a soldier in the logistics department of the 129th Division. His job was to cover the retreat of the logistics department, which was located in the rear, so there was obviously plenty of time for the retreat.

But the Japanese surprise attack was too fast. First, dozens of bombers bombed the base area, and the bombs were used like they were free.

Then came the Japanese infantry, in coordination with tanks and armored vehicles, launching a mass assault. In just three days, the base area was divided into seven or eight pieces. Then the Japanese slowly tightened the encirclement, leaving mountains of corpses and seas of blood in their wake.

The Japanese were able to launch such a large-scale mopping-up operation not only because of their fierce weaponry and equipment, but also because of their strong logistical support.

Such large-scale operations would be impossible without adequate logistical support.

The Japanese army's supply lines were located behind the combat troops. To attack the Japanese army's supply lines, one would have to bypass the Japanese vanguard.

The problem is that the Japanese have formed an impenetrable encirclement. Let alone a frontal breakout to launch a surprise attack on the Japanese logistics units, even if successful, it will be met with a fierce counterattack from the Japanese.

Therefore, the question raised by Zhang Shan is worth considering by the commander.

However, Zhang Shan's problem was insignificant to Wang Yousheng.

Because he now controls the large map, he knows exactly where the Japanese soldiers came from and where they are stationed.

Meanwhile, Zhou Huaiqi had been bound to him as a second-level teammate, and the aftershocks of the battle that Zhou Huaiqi reported back also provided him with valuable information.

Furthermore, Zhou Huaiqi sent a secret letter yesterday, saying that the Japanese troops had already left Yangquan County and that their vanguard had passed through places such as Daxia Village, Baishi Village, and Huting Stronghold.

Looking at the map again, it's clear that the vanguard of the Japanese army has indeed emerged, followed by their supply train.

Wang Yousheng's plan was simple: wait for the Japanese vanguard to pass, then ambush and attack the enemy's supply train.

As for how to fight, he had figured it out.

Zhou Huaiqi is now the head of the maintenance committee in Wanjia Town. Although he has no say in front of the Japanese, the Japanese will not easily touch him.

There was also a secret passage in his house. As long as the entire company hid in the secret passage, even if the Japanese supply troops were strong, even if the Japanese did not pass through Daxia Village, the company could still successfully evade this large-scale mopping-up operation.

"Company Commander Zhang! I know your concerns, but I'll say it again: as long as you follow my orders, there will be absolutely no problem!"

Wang Yousheng said again.

Seeing that Wang Yousheng was determined to do this, Zhang Shan didn't say anything more. Now he understood Wang Yousheng's purpose in making everyone sign the military pledge; it was for this reason.

He looked at the young battalion commander and had to admit that this was the first time he had ever seen such an arrogant person who dared to take such a risk.

"Alright! Comrades, the battle plan has been drawn up. Second and Third Companies, you must guard the entrance to the base area and not let the Japanese invaders in easily. Even if you die, you must hold the position and buy time for our Eighth Route Army to cover the retreat of the civilians!"

"yes!"

"Okay, let's distribute the weapons for our Fifth Battalion as well. This time, our Fifth Battalion has a total of three heavy machine guns, seven light machine guns, and about twenty boxes of grenades. I'll take three light machine guns and ten boxes of grenades. The rest will all be left to the Second and Third Companies!"

"What?"

In an instant, the soldiers of the three companies erupted in cheers again.

Logically, weapons and ammunition should be distributed equally. Wang Yousheng is leading his company deep behind enemy lines, so he should be allocated stronger firepower. However, Wang Yousheng only has three light machine guns. Although such firepower is not bad, it is still not enough.

Company Commander Wang Xikui hurriedly said, "Battalion Commander, you've gone deep behind enemy lines; you should take the heavy machine gun with you. Don't worry, we will definitely hold the position!"

"Nonsense!" Wang Yousheng objected. "I'm leading a company on a mobile mission. Heavy machine guns are too cumbersome to carry. Besides, your two companies need heavy weapons to defend the position, otherwise you won't be able to hold off the Japanese for long."

"this……"

Wang Xikui agreed wholeheartedly, saying that the Eighth Route Army was only lacking heavy machine guns and artillery when defending its positions, and with those two things, the Eighth Route Army would not have suffered such heavy losses.

Wang Yousheng added, "Alright, I only have one order for you: defend. Even if it means death, hold out until the villagers are evacuated to a safe zone."

"yes!"

The three company commanders nodded vigorously.

The Fifth Battalion of the Independent Regiment broke camp and set off!

During the march, Wang Yousheng received a system mission!

The first task: to hold the high ground of Qingfengling Mountain west of Wanjia Town, and buy time for the people in the rear to evacuate.

The second mission: Break through the enemy's sweeping blockade.

The third mission: Infiltrate the enemy's blockade zone, wait for the right opportunity, and defeat the enemy.

Each mission awards 100 merit points, obviously because the missions are difficult.

The first two tasks were orders assigned by his superiors, while the third task was decided by himself.

In other words, he is now a commander, and as long as he leads his troops to fight the Japanese, he can trigger subjective missions.

If he changes his mind now and doesn't go to the Japanese-occupied area, he can still trigger the mission. There's only one location, and as long as it's related to the resistance against Japan, there will be a mission.

Of course, there are different levels of such operations.

For example, this infiltration of the Japanese blockade zone is a three-star subjective mission. Each three-star subjective mission rewards 100 merit points, while a one-star mission only rewards 30 points.

As for routine inspection posts and the like, those are objective tasks.

Objective tasks are mandatory; this is what any Eighth Route Army commander should do, regardless of who they are.

Moreover, objective tasks are not graded; their difficulty level depends on the task assigned by the superior.