Chapter 26: What a pity to die? (Below) (Urgent need for votes)

  Before long, several days passed and it was early December 1927.

  The moon is bright and the stars are sparse, the officers and soldiers of Bao Shan Camp are rushing northwest under the cover of night.

  For several days, the Bao Shan camp, which had been hiding during the day and emerging at night, had advanced more than 300 miles in a northwesterly direction. The Shanghai-Nanjing railway, which connects Shanghai and Nanjing, was now within sight. Once they crossed the railway and continued north for a short distance, they would reach the banks of the Yangtze River. After crossing the river, they would enter the territory defended by the National Army, and Yue Weihan and the defeated soldiers of the Bao Shan camp would be safe.

  In the final stage of the Battle of Shanghai, due to the hasty retreat of various National Army units, they did not even have time to blow up the railway lines. As a result, the Shanghai-Nanjing Railway became a major transportation artery for the Japanese army to transport personnel and supplies to the front line.

  If conditions permit, Yue Weihan would not mind staying in the Shanghai-Nanjing railway line to fight a guerrilla war for a period of time.

  However, this idea flashed through Yue Weihan's mind and disappeared. The intention to stay in the Songhu area and fight guerrilla warfare was good, but the reality was cruel. If Yue Weihan and the Baoshan camp really chose to stay, at most half a month later, they would be wiped out by the enemy's clearing troops, leaving no residue.

  In a place like Shanghai, an international metropolis, there is absolutely no soil for guerrilla forces to survive.

  Because Shanghai is not only connected by rail, but also has a crisscrossing network of highways and an extensive waterway system, once the whereabouts of the Baoshan camp are exposed, the enemy's main forces will rush in from all directions. There are no forests to hide in or big mountains to conceal ourselves, at that time it will be impossible to find a place to hide, only a dead end!

  Yue Weihan was hurrying along with his head down when Hua Hanlin, the leader of the vanguard who was responsible for scouting ahead, suddenly returned, panting and reporting: "Commander, there's... something up ahead."

  "Disperse!" At Yue Weihan's order, the Baoshan camp officers and soldiers who were rushing forward suddenly dispersed with a rustling sound.

  Yue Weihan then asked in a low voice, "What's going on up ahead?"

  "It's hard to say." Flower Hanlin shook his head and said, "You'd better go see for yourself, General."

  Yue Weihan nodded, ordering the whole camp to rest in place. Then he brought Chi Chengfeng and several other battalion commanders, as well as Liu Tiezhu, the commander of the guard platoon, to follow Hua Hanlin to a not-too-high hill in front. As soon as they climbed up the hill, a large expanse of lights entered their field of vision. It turned out that there was a Japanese camp hidden behind the hill.

  However, this devil's camp is still far away, at least a dozen miles away.

  Soon, Yue Weihan discovered that something was amiss, this devil's camp seemed not to be an ordinary garrison!

  Through the telescope, a row of tanks, armored cars, large trucks and three-wheeled motorcycles can be seen parked around the garrison. To the north of the garrison, there are even rows of traction vehicles and heavy howitzers. What makes Yue Weihan secretly shocked is the level of alertness of this devil's garrison. The sentry posts have been placed thousands of meters away, and the surrounding area is densely packed with guard towers. The searchlights on the watchtowers keep sweeping back and forth, illuminating the entire garrison for several miles around as brightly as daylight.

  What's even more heart-pounding is that there are several armored vehicles constantly patrolling back and forth around the barracks.

  Such a high level of vigilance is like a human being; even if a mouse wants to sneak in, it's afraid it will be difficult.

  Putting down the telescope, Yue Weihan couldn't help but ponder. This devil's lair was absolutely not that simple. From its structure, it didn't seem like an arsenal or a field military station, but rather the devils' temporary command center! Command Center!? At this moment, Yue Weihan's heart began to beat violently.

  What level of command would be guarded by such a heavily fortified Japanese garrison?

  The command post of the enemy's regiment or brigade would never have such a high level of alertness, perhaps the division headquarters might be possible, but at this time, aren't the main forces of the little devil's several divisions all on the front line? The little devil's division headquarters are generally following the troops to move, the troops have gone to the front line, how can the command post possibly fall behind in the rear hundreds of miles away?

  Irrepressibly, a thrilling inference suddenly appeared in Yue Weihan's mind.

  If this is not the command post of General Isamu Yokoyama, Commander-in-Chief of the Central China Area Army, it must be the command post of Lieutenant General Kiyoshi Kawashima, newly appointed commander of the Shanghai Expeditionary Force. Because the direction of attack by the 10th Army under the Central China Area Army is Xuancheng and Wuhu, the command post of Lieutenant General Heitaro Kimura, Commander of the 10th Army, cannot be located near Kunshan.

  Judging from the time, Matsui Ishkon should still be in Shanghai for medical treatment, so Asakayama Koyo's possibility is the greatest!

  The two main forces of the devils should have already captured Changzhou and Xuancheng, Wuhu and Nanjing are already wide open, while the area from Kunshan to Jiading has become the devil's rear. The commander of the Shanghai Garrison, Asaka Yoshio, also took command of the general headquarters for the capture of Nanjing, it is reasonable that he will move his command post forward.

  "His grandma, this little devil has a big array!" Chi Chengfeng's eyesight was better than the crowd, although he didn't have binoculars, but he could also see all the things that the naked eye could see clearly. He immediately exclaimed, "Compared to the last time we blew up the devils' base, this is much more powerful! Yunzuo, do you think this might be the command center of some big devil official?"

  Yue Weihan didn't make a sound, but his mind had already started racing rapidly.

  The camp in front is probably the temporary command center of Asaka Yasuhiko, a Japanese imperial family member. For this little devil, Yue Weihan knew him very well, because the real culprit behind the Nanjing Massacre was actually this little devil, and Matsui Iwane, that old devil, only took the blame for him.

  This is historically evidenced, before the attack on Nanjing, Matsui Iwane issued "The Key Points of the Battle Plan for Nanjing", which specifically mentioned that the military discipline and style of the troops should be strict, so that the Chinese soldiers and civilians would admire and surrender to the imperial army's prestige. It also clearly stated that for the National Army officers and men who had already surrendered, they should be treated with a tolerant and compassionate attitude and indiscriminate killing was strictly prohibited.

  After Nanjing fell, Matsui Iwane once shed tears and rebuked the Japanese army during a memorial service for fallen soldiers: "You fought hard to make the Emperor's prestige shine brighter, but some of your brutal acts have also made the Emperor's prestige sweep the ground!"

  What's more, after Nanjing fell, the order to kill all captured personnel was also signed by Asaka Yasuhiko, and it was this "in principle no prisoners will be taken" order signed by Yasuhiko that ultimately led to the Japanese army's atrocities getting out of control, evolving from the initial large-scale massacre of POWs to the large-scale massacre of civilians, and eventually resulting in the heinous Nanjing Massacre.

  It can be seen that Matsui Iwane, who was recuperating in Shanghai at the time and had already de facto relinquished his position as the supreme commander of the Central China Front Army, did not approve of the large-scale massacre of prisoners of war and even civilians. As for why he did not stop Asaka Yasuhiko, the reason is unknown to anyone, but the most likely reason is that he was under pressure from the Japanese military headquarters, because Asaka's uncle was Prince Higashikuni Naruhiko, who was then the Chief of Staff of the Japanese Army.

  At that moment, Yue Weihan's mind began to surge uncontrollably. If he could just get rid of Chōshō Kōen, the "Nanjing City Attack Strategy" issued by Matsui Iwane would have a chance to be truly implemented, and the Nanjing Massacre could be completely avoided. This was something that Yue Weihan simply couldn't resist!

  Of course, it is absolutely impossible to completely eradicate the atrocities of the Japanese army, but without the demon king Chōshō Heirin, the possibility of the Japanese army launching another Nanjing Massacre will definitely decrease greatly. And even if a massacre is unavoidable, at least it would give the National Army in Nanjing some time to prepare their defenses.

  As long as the National Army in Nanjing can hold out for a while, not too long, and the refugees trapped in Nanjing can be evacuated in time, then even if the Japanese army wants to kill them, they won't be able to.

  Everyone has fled, what's the point of killing anymore? This way, the Nanjing Massacre could have been avoided.

  In an instant, Yue Weihan's mind was left with only one voice - Kill that damn Choushengong Yuzuru!

  Even if it costs the lives of all officers and soldiers in Baoshan Camp, even if it costs his own life, Yue Weihan would not mind.

  To be frank, Yue Weihan was very afraid of death and extremely fearful of dying. However, a man should have something to stand for and something not to stand for. As long as it can prevent the tragedy of the Nanjing Massacre from happening again, as long as it can exchange for the lives of tens of thousands of fathers, elders and fellow countrymen in Nanjing City, what's the harm in Yue Weihan sacrificing his life? What's the harm in all the officers and soldiers of Baoshan Camp sacrificing their lives?

  ……

  PS: Everyone guess, can Yue Weihan defeat Chōshō Kōgen? If so, what means are most likely to be used?