Chapter Eighteen: Deployment

  In a wooden hut on the 'First Line Sky', Qin Wei was holding an enemy situation report with furrowed brows, just as the wooden door of the hut creaked open.

  "Report to the captain, several squad leaders and class leaders have arrived." The one who pushed open the door was Vice Captain Ma Hong.

  "Alright, let everyone wait at the command center for me, I'll be right there." Qin Wei said with a glance at Ma Hong.

  "Yes, captain." After finishing speaking, Ma Hong turned around and left.

  Watching Ma Hong's receding back, Qin Wei felt a sense of pride in his heart. Although Ma Hong didn't have much education, he had worked at the grassroots level in the army for a long time and was extremely familiar with the basic things of the military, training, logistics, political affairs, and military affairs were all first-rate, which made Qin Wei feel more at ease.

  Qin Wei also pondered for a long time why Lao Ma couldn't climb up in the Sichuan army.

  Anyway, I got a great deal for myself, hehe.

  Qin Wei thought this was a good thing, anyway he himself was relieved.

  Thinking of this, Qin Wei stood up and took the enemy situation report in his hand, walking quickly towards the command center.

  Walking up to the entrance of the command center, one push of the door and I saw those platoon leaders and squad leaders under me.

  "Ah, everyone's here." He said, and then walked to his own stool.

  "Captain, what's going on today?" said Lei Yaofu, the captain of the second squad in a loud voice.

  "Lei Ya, what are you yelling about? Just because you're loud doesn't mean the whole squad has to listen to your nonsense. Sit down and be quiet, I'll tell you what's going on soon enough. Don't worry, it's definitely not about finding a wife for you." Qin Wei scolded with a smile.

  "I didn't think about finding a wife, I'm thinking of how to fight the devils now." Lei Ya Fu muttered quietly.

  The people around him burst into laughter.

  "Alright, no more joking around. Today I'll show you a piece of intelligence report, which that kid Chen Youde spent a lot of effort to get." As he spoke, he tossed the report in his hand onto the table.

  Ma Hong picked it up first and when he saw the contents, Ma Hong's eyebrows immediately furrowed.

  Guo Kun, who was sitting next to him, also leaned over to take a look, but Ma Shan and Ma Hong were in the same state.

  Lei Ya Fu wanted to take a look, but he recognized the words on the intelligence report, and didn't recognize the words above.

  Chen Anping was very calm and didn't go to watch, but even if he did, he would be just like Lei Ya's husband, who knew the words but couldn't recognize the characters.

  However, the class leaders behind them did recognize the characters and took over the intelligence, quietly reading it out to the two of them.

  The two of them also became like Ma Hong and Guo Kun after listening.

  "What's up, does anyone have any ideas?" Qin Wei asked with a smile as he looked at everyone.

  Ma Hong furrowed his brow and said, "Captain, if this is true, then we have something to do. But I suspect whether the little devils can exert such great strength? This is a large troop force, you know that during the Taiyuan Campaign, a single large troop of the Little Devils dared to attack the position of an entire division of the Shanxi-Suiyuan Army. Is it possible that they would really mobilize a large troop to suppress us?"

  Qin Wei smiled and continued to ask: "What are other people's opinions?"

  Others were deep in thought, their brows furrowed, and didn't respond to Qin Wei's words.

  Looking at these people, Qin Wei 'pffft' laughed: "Huh? Are you all thinkers now? Let you learn more when you have nothing to do, and be dumb at critical moments."

  Everyone still didn't pay attention to him, Qin Wei scratched his head somewhat awkwardly.

  Finally, Ma Hong was the first to speak up: "Captain, we're all a bit confused, why don't you tell us what's going on?"

  Qin Wei looked around at the people present, shook his head and said: "You guys still don't have much experience dealing with the little devils. The biggest characteristic of the little devils is that they don't take losses. This time we annihilated a whole squad of them at General Ridge Station, and now they must be filled with resentment, determined to find us out, cut off our heads and place them on the graves of their dead comrades as an offering."

  Before Qin Wei's words had fallen, Lei Ya shouted: "Damn it, the little devil still wants to take our heads, I want to kick their heads like a ball."

  "It's just that, in the depths of Shanxi Province's great mountains, I'm not afraid of these little devils at all. What's to fear about a single battalion? Even if they scatter throughout the great mountains, how many people will you see? What's there to be afraid of?" Ma Hong stood up with a loud clap and said: "As long as the little devils dare to enter the mountains, we'll treat them like sheep. We'll be the wolves on the mountain, waiting for the moment when they let their guard down, then we'll pounce and take bites out of them, eating away at them bit by bit."

  "Heh heh, your heart is still very big. Those little devils are a pack of wolves, and if you're not careful, they can bite you to death. And yet, you want to bite others? You little scamp, your confidence is truly overflowing! However, we don't want to be wolves, we want to be hunters. With the weapons in our hands, let's wipe out those little devils one by one. Alright, now let's take a look at the map of the surrounding area that we captured from them."

  "Everyone, look around us, there is a whole regiment of little devils gathered, it's the 79th Infantry Regiment of the 40th Brigade of the 20th Division of the little devils, led by Mori Kiichirō, with a strength of over 4,000 people. The main forces of the first and second battalions have already been deployed between Changshuitown and Sanshilipu, and they have also strengthened their cavalry and artillery. You know that if the devils in Sanshilipu and Changshuitown move north into the mountains, they can sweep us away, and if they move south, they can attack Changzhi City. Now defending Changzhi City is the 47th Army of the Sichuan Army, the little devils are indeed free to advance or retreat. Let's discuss it, how should we fight this battle?"

  Qin Wei directly pointed out the current military situation.

  Everyone looked at the map of the Japanese army's position in silence.

  "After a long time, Guo Kun said in a low voice: 'Little devil, now it's just strength, with nearly three thousand troops, artillery and cavalry, even if we were a whole division, we can't swallow these devils.'"

  With a loud "crack", Guo Kun's head was hit with a burst of anger, Ma Hong jumped up and scolded: "You son of a turtle, your appetite is quite big, we only have so many people now, you little brat are already interested in an entire regiment, if you want to die don't drag us down."

  Everyone saw it and burst into another fit of gentle laughter.

  Guo Kun didn't dare resist and could only mutter incessantly in a low voice.

  Chen Anping, who had been quiet all along, spoke up at this time and said: "Captain, what do you think? Speak out and let everyone hear."

  Everyone nodded and focused their attention on Qin Wei.

  Qin Wei looked around at everyone and smiled, "Alright, I'll share my idea. Let's see what you all think." As he spoke, he picked up a pencil from the table and began to point out locations on the map.

  "In my personal opinion, the little devils will likely launch an attack on the Changzhi area after the new year. The Dongyangguan area should be the main battlefield. The 47th Army is facing a very strong opponent, a full-strength reinforced regiment of devils. The difficulties for the Sichuan army are great. However, we are behind the enemy's back, so the Japanese army cannot put all their strength into the first line of the Changzhi battle. They will not advance southward before resolving their rear worries. They must first deal with us before making a move. And the two large detachments deployed by the devils between Zhangshuitown and Sanshilipu, at least one detachment will be withdrawn to sweep us away." Qin Wei spoke fluently in front of the map.

  The people around him also kept nodding while looking at the map.

  "Judging from the deployment of troops, the little devils are most likely to move out from the areas of Sanli Puping, Duzhuang and Qinjiayingzi, where the Western Sichuan Brigade is stationed. The probability of the Matai Brigade, which guards the Japanese military's warehouse, moving out is very small, unless the little devils don't want those things anymore. The nearby Shanxi-Suiyuan Army, Central Army and Eighth Route Army are all keeping an eye on them. Therefore, my judgment is that as soon as the devils in the Sanli Puping area make a move, we must pay attention and absolutely cannot let them catch us off guard. Everyone should focus their attention on the Western Sichuan Brigade, or else we will suffer losses if we are not careful."

  Qin Wei arranged the matters of attention and continued to say: "However, I have a plan to tell everyone. If this plan can be successful, the attack of the little devils in the entire southeastern Shanxi may be delayed."

  Several people looked at Qin Wei with some confusion, unsure what was going on in their captain's mind.

  "Captain, then say it, don't beat around the bush anymore. What you said earlier was probably for this plan, right?" Ma Hong looked at his captain and said with a hint of understanding.

  "Haha, Old Horse, you're quite clever to have figured this out." He said, picking up a pencil and drawing a circle on the map. Smiling, he continued: "Everyone take a look at this. If we take out this place, what do you think the little devils will be like?"

  Several people looking at the map were stunned and foolish, this is too crazy.

  "Captain, you're not serious, are you?" Ma Hong looked at his captain with a shocked expression, his face full of incredulity.

  Qin Wei burst out laughing and said, "I'm telling the truth, Old Ma. You know? I've been thinking about this plan for a long time, ever since I found out that the little devils have a warehouse in Changshui Town. My eyes have been fixed on it, and if we can really set fire to the little devils' logistics warehouse in Changshui Town, their entire offensive in southeastern Shanxi will come to a halt. I don't believe these little devils can keep fighting with empty stomachs, no ammunition, and no supplies. If they can still fight on, I'll truly be convinced."

  "But, Captain, you should know that in Changshui Town, there's a whole battalion of devils, just us over a hundred people, unless each of us becomes a flying thief or a hidden lady, able to fly and escape, we can't do it." Lei Ya Fu said somewhat foolishly.

  "Haha, no need for everyone to become a lone swordsman, Nie Yinniang, just a few will do." Qin Wei said with a somewhat sinister smile.