Chapter 21: Fury

  Xue Yue stood cold-faced in the command center. When he saw the report, Xue Yue was shocked. How could the army do such a thing? What kind of behavior is this? The devilish title seems to be an understatement, as Zhai Qin actually cut off the enemy's head and piled it up outside Xuan City like a spectacle.

  Bodies without heads were stripped naked and hung on the city wall, these are more than 400 devils, absolutely creating the greatest sensation in Xuancheng.

  All parties' newspapers were in an uproar over Zhai Qin's behavior, with all sorts of comments, especially Western foreign newspapers, which all demanded that the National Government make an explanation. This is a violation of war conventions and humanitarianism. How can such medieval barbarity appear in this era?

  However, many domestic newspapers also followed suit and cheered loudly, encouraging other Chinese troops to learn from the Independent Regiment, with opinions divided at the time.

  Diqin and his men were on the front line fighting against the devils, he didn't care about these things. Even so, it's hard to dispel the hatred in his heart. What international law, what war conventions, where was international law when the devils committed the Nanjing Massacre? Eight years of resistance war, how many Chinese people died?

  The independent regiment returned to Ningguo and soon suffered a crazy bombing by the Japanese aircraft. Even in Nanjing, General Shizuo Isihara received reports that Lieutenant General Teiichi Nishida, commander of the 116th Division, did not believe when he received the report from the commander of the 3rd Battalion of the 116th Regiment: How could the Chinese do this?

  But in the end, it turned out to be true. Nakajima Teiō was furious and overturned the table and chairs with his baton, vowing to take revenge. He ordered the attacking Imperial Army troops to attack Chinese civilians and shoot captured Chinese soldiers.

  Upon receiving the report from Teiichi Nakajima, General Shizuo Matsui ordered the 18th Division to temporarily halt its advance and regroup its forces in preparation for an attack on southern Anhui Province, determined to teach Xue Yue a lesson and show him the might of the Imperial Japanese Army.

  In this case, Zhai Qin in Ningguo seemed to know nothing. The results of this battle were too rich. More than 30 horse-drawn vehicles and two cars were fully loaded with spoils returning to Ningguo. In fact, the Japanese army's logistics team had several more cars, but only Zhai Qin and Ma Chun knew how to drive among the hundreds of people in the team, so they had to burn all the other cars. He and Ma Chun each drove a car, and the fleet returned to Ningguo with great fanfare.

  The independent regiment was warmly welcomed in Xuancheng, and Zhaiqin's regiment became a hero. The occupation of Xuancheng, the elimination of 400-500 Japanese troops, what people talked about with relish was the thing that Zhaiqin had done.

  Dí Qín was studying how to deal with the spoils of war in his camp when Mǎ Chūn rushed over and handed him a telegram: "Squad leader, a telegram from the commander-in-chief, ordering you to go to headquarters immediately."

  Dai Qin took the telegram, glanced at it, and saw that it was very simple, just a few words ordering him to go to the headquarters immediately. Ma Chun said: "Captain, the commander must be giving you an award!"

  Diqin shook his head and said, "It doesn't seem right, I'm afraid it's not a good thing."

  Ma Chun didn't understand, but said: "The commander-in-chief is a person who rewards and punishes clearly. Such a big military achievement will definitely be rewarded to the captain."

  Dai Qin smiled: "What reward, this is the merit of the independent regiment, not just mine. Get ready, notify Zhao Kai to take charge of commanding the independent regiment. Let Wang Biao lead the logistics team and me to Tunxi."

  Ma Chun stood up straight and said: "Yes." Then he eagerly went to inform Zhao Kai. He believed that he must be going to the headquarters to receive a reward.

  The entire National Army battlefield is filled with news of defeat. The National Army is defeated every time it goes to battle, losing here today and being annihilated there tomorrow. The battlefield is full of reports of defeat, without any uplifting news.

  The Pingxingguan Campaign annihilated a large Japanese army detachment, causing excitement throughout the nation. Even the Chairman of the National Government, who had always been unfriendly to the Communist Party, sent a telegram to commend the 8th Route Army's 115th Division.

  Xuancheng was also a big regiment, although not all of them were annihilated like others, but in two battles, adding up to the elimination of more than 600 devils. The independent regiment had only over 700 people, and the newspaper said something, Ma Chun, this young student-turned-reporter, certainly knew.

  To those who say Independent Regiment is demonic and brutal, even Ma Chun wants to scold them, knowing nothing.

  What are the devils doing in China? The big captain was right. We do what we want to repay kindness, we just repay kindness with kindness, and grievances with grievances, blood for blood, tooth for tooth. Respect me one foot, I respect you ten feet. The independent regiment is a must-report flaw, and distinguish between kindness and grievance.

  It wasn't long before Ma Chun was influenced by Di Qian and thought that the squad leader was telling the truth. This is how all educated, thoughtful young people were, not to mention those soldiers in the independent regiment who didn't have any independent thoughts at all - Di Qian was simply a god, the heaven of their independent regiment.

  Let the people of the Independent Regiment follow Duan Yunzi, and after withdrawing from Xuancheng, Duan Yunzi actually did something like a bandit, starting to divide the spoils.

  In Xuancheng, Wang Biao led his logistics team, and later Zhao Kai led the entire independent battalion to participate in the crazy looting of Xuancheng. For those pseudo-police chiefs, security team leaders, maintenance committee chairmen, and even village heads, it was like a bandit descending from the mountains.

  Grain and daily necessities that cannot be taken away were all distributed to the common people. As a result, the common people who received the goods were afraid of revenge from the devils and fled with their belongings to the countryside to hide.

  Dai Qin took away all the valuable things, which was already a bandit behavior. However, when they returned to Ningguo, each soldier received 10 yuan, which added up to 7 or 8 thousand yuan. Adding the officers' rewards and compensation for the dozens of casualties, they spent tens of thousands of yuan. The whole battalion's soldiers went wild for three days.

  Ma Chun looked at it, and it seemed like Shuihu Liangshan. But Dai Qin did this, the whole company's officers and soldiers, even including Zhao Kai, were no longer afraid of fighting, and every day they asked Dai Qin where the next target was to be attacked.

  Can wipe out devils and get rich. The captain announced that the more devils are wiped out, the greater the reward will be. If you don't fight with all your might, even if you grab a lot of dollars, no one will have a share. So now it's only been a few days, everyone hopes to go into battle as soon as possible.

  Hearing that the devils are transferring troops from Wuhu to Xuanzhou, the 18th Division's 35th Brigade is preparing to give up attacking Tongling and attack Ningguo instead. They seem somewhat excited, unlike the temporarily reorganized 12th Brigade which is trembling with fear.

  Zhao Kai immediately rushed back to the headquarters, Wang Biao had already made preparations, Zhai Qin handed over a few words to Zhao Kai, and led his logistics team, escorting several horse-drawn carts on the road.

  All the way, Diqin was not in a hurry. He was not as optimistic as Zhao Kai and Ma Chun. The reward seemed impossible, and he had already withdrawn to Ningguo for more than ten days. If the reward were given, it would have been given long ago. The General Command has remained silent, although Diqin didn't think it was a big victory, after all, they had eliminated five or six hundred devils.

  But not even a word of praise, and more than ten days later, he was asked to go to the headquarters, either for some combat mission or for some statement, but absolutely not for reward. Zhai Qin shook his head, he didn't think about these things anymore, and he didn't plan to let people reward him for anything, fighting devils was a must.

  Although he felt that his methods were a bit cruel after calming down, but thinking that this was on Chinese soil, before it was just on the computer, in the data, seeing those photos and pictures, this time in Xuancheng, he saw with his own eyes how the devils treated the Chinese people, anger made Diqin feel that this was not enough.

  There were not many things, and Qi's carriage arrived at Tunxi in just two days.

  As soon as he entered the headquarters of Tunxi, Zhai Qin said: "Wang Biao, send these things to the confidential room of the headquarters and give them to Miss Zhang Min. Tell her that I will go see them tonight and let her distribute the things to those brothers and sisters."

  Wang Biao had never seen Zhang Min, and with a sly smile said: "Squad leader, Miss Zhang must be very beautiful, right? I've heard her background is also very strong, but I've also heard that your family..."

  "Mind your own business, this is none of your concern, get lost!" Zhao Qin kicked Wang Biao and scolded.

  Wang Biao smiled and immediately ordered his subordinates to move things. Diqin walked towards the command center's combat room.

  "Report," said Zhai Qin from outside. Xue Yue looked at Xu Supu and said, "Come in."

  Diqin came in from outside with a cheerful face and gave a casual salute to Xue Yue and Xu Supu.

  Xue Yue didn't say a word, nor did he return the courtesy, or even ask him to take a seat. He just stared at Zhai Qin. The smile on Zhai Qin's face disappeared, and he knew his judgment was correct. However, there was no fear in his eyes, but instead, he stared back at Xue Yue.

  The two of them were like sworn enemies, sticking out their necks and staring each other down, neither one saying a word. Xu Supu stood to the side, finding it amusing - when had Commander become so childish?

  Xu Supu knew that Xue Yue was angry, he was the former commander-in-chief of the front enemy, and there were many factions within the National Army. Xue Yue also had a lot of people who were jealous of him. After Zhai Qin's affair came out, it immediately suffered attacks from pro-Japanese and surrendering factions, and became an excuse to attack Xue Yue.

  This is because Zhaoqin's unit was directly under the command of the Forward Enemy Command Independent Brigade. This is clearly Xue Yue's intention. Especially when Zhaoqin plundered wildly, this money might have been arranged by Xue Yue, otherwise a small lieutenant colonel like him wouldn't have had the guts to do so.

  Although Zhai Qin's approach made Xue Yue feel relieved and pleased, he also resented Zhai Qin for bringing him trouble. As the two glared at each other, Xu Supu cleared her throat and said: "Zhai Qin, why did you bring so many horse carriages here?"

  Diqin was a businessman in later generations, so he naturally understood that Xu Supu was diverting the topic.

  Xue Yue, after all, was the commander, and one of the few people that Zhai Qin admired. His face resumed its usual cheerful appearance: "Nothing much, just a small gift. This time we attacked Xuan City, the results weren't great, and the battle wasn't fought well either. But there were some spoils of war, how could the Chief of Staff, who was directing from behind with all his might, forget about you?"

  Xue Yue was furious, what kind of military bearing is this? It's just the face of a sly merchant and a petty bourgeois. Before the battle, he didn't ask for instructions, after the battle, he didn't report back. Now he says the chief of staff directed with all his might, a typical flatterer. Coldly, he said: "When did we ever direct you?"

  Diao Qin hastily stood at attention, his face serious as he said: "Sorry, Commander. Don't be jealous. You are the commander, no matter where we win a battle, it's all under your command."

  "Am I the one who's sour?" Xue Yue was both laughing and crying. However, what Zhai Qin said was also right, he was the former commander-in-chief of the enemy army, victory or defeat were all his responsibility. His expression unrelenting, he said: "Your behavior in Xuancheng had a severe negative impact. It tarnished the reputation of the military, is this my command?"

  Dai Qin finally determined that Xue Yue was not satisfied with where he was. He also regained his composure, "Commander Xue, have you seen how the devils treat Chinese civilians? How they treat captured National Army officers and soldiers? I believe you haven't seen it before. What kind of influence is this? I kill Japanese people, who does it affect? Does it affect the Japanese? We are warring nations, sworn enemies to the death. Are we afraid of affecting them? Wouldn't it be better if they were more afraid?"

  Xue Yue didn't know whether Zhai Qin was really stupid or pretending to be so, and his voice grew louder: "Damn it, am I talking about influencing the Japanese? It's the international community, the Western countries. The Chairman is mediating through the League of Nations, and what you're doing has already led to public condemnation from Western countries, putting the Chairman in a very passive position."

  Zhai Qin's smile disappeared, and the anger in his heart was finally triggered. This is a shame, international society, League of Nations? Even the United Nations in later generations only maintained the strong and bullied the weak, what kind of justice and righteousness. In his excitement, Zhai Qin forgot who was in front of him.

  His voice suddenly rose: "Don't give me that crap, the international community, the League of Nations, Western countries, are all a bunch of bastards. During the Jinan Massacre, during 918, during the Lugou Bridge Incident... when the Japanese army slaughtered 300,000 Chinese people in Nanjing, where were they? This is China's territory, who invited them to come, why are they interfering with China's affairs? Their guns, bullets, killed Chinese people, we are resisting, self-defending, not invading. Do you want us to kneel down and beg for mercy?"

  The last few words, Zhai Qin's tone was severe and somewhat hysterical as he shouted: "This is the lightest way to treat him. If I catch that son of a bitch Tian Huang, I'll do the same to him. Begging the international community is no better than begging ourselves. China has 400 million people, two to one, three to one, and will also make Japan extinct. What's the point of relying on others?"

  This time Xue Yue was stunned. According to his understanding, Zhai Qin's family is from Changsha, Hunan. That place isn't even a battlefield, how could he have such deep hatred for the Japanese? When saying these words, his eyes were fierce and his tone was hysterical.

  Diqin said that Xue Yue was not unaware of these things, but what could he do? Had he changed? Diqin's thinking was too radical, and this would lead to trouble.

  Zhai Qin's words have already implicated the Chairman, this is a person without political brains. His face immediately sank: "You despise military discipline, disregard superiors. Shoot prisoners of war and civilians. Come on, take Zhai Qin away."