Chapter 31: Trapped in a Cage, Shunning the Day and Walking by Night

Chapter 31: Trapped in a Cage, Moving by Night

(I)

"Oh, I see! So you all climb this mountain often, too?" Guan Shan asked.

"Forget about just this mountain," Li Tianzuo said, gesturing broadly with an air of extreme arrogance. "I wouldn't dare boast, but within a radius of fifty kilometers, I know every inch of it!"

"Uncle, will you die if you don't brag?" Li Dagou curled his lip, saying disdainfully, "The one who knows every mountain within fifty kilometers is my Second Uncle, not you!"

"Hahaha!" The others clearly knew Li Tianzuo was full of hot air, but they hadn't expected him to be slapped down by his own nephew. Everyone burst into laughter.

"Damn it! Dagou, was your head kicked by a donkey?" Li Tianzuo took off his shoe, making a move to throw it at him.

"Shh! Shh!" Liu Xishan gestured angrily, cursing, "Damn it, are you trying to get us killed?"

Li Tianzuo quickly covered his mouth and swung his shoe at the others who were laughing, trying to scare them into silence.

"What the hell are you making so much noise for? Bored out of your minds?" Sun Bin, having been woken up, muttered a curse, rolled over, pulled his cap over his eyes, and went back to sleep.

Old Xu was even more impressive; he huddled in a flat, wind-sheltered spot with his arms crossed, not moving an inch.

"Rest, everyone rest!" Guan Shan also yawned and stretched.

There were still several hours until dark; they could get a bit more sleep. Once the mission was complete, if he found the time, Guan Shan wanted to pay a visit to Zhang Village to seek advice from the "Second Uncle" that Dagou mentioned and get a better understanding of the situation in these mountain gullies.

There were only two or three months left until the Great Breakout in the summer of 1942. If he wanted to achieve the goal of preventing major losses for the Eighth Route Army headquarters, he had to work hard to gain a comprehensive and thorough understanding of the terrain in this area.

Of course, he also needed to figure out how to deal with the dense network of enemy strongholds and watchtowers along the highways.

(II)

Speaking of strongholds and watchtowers, a set of data came to Guan Shan’s mind. He had encountered it in his previous life while working on poverty alleviation in this region. Because the figures were so shocking, he had verified them, and he remembered them quite clearly.

There was a statistic: during the Hundred Regiments Offensive, the Eighth Route Army destroyed over 2,900 Japanese strongholds. It was a powerful blow against the "Cage Tactics" of General Toshizō Nishio, the commander of the Japanese North China Area Army, causing the Japanese to exclaim that they needed to "reevaluate the North China battlefield."

The "Cage Tactics" were initiated by the Japanese North China Area Army commander in 1939. In little over a year, before the Hundred Regiments Offensive in 1940, they had built approximately 3,000 bunkers and watchtowers across North China.

In other words, one of the achievements of the Hundred Regiments Offensive was the near-total destruction of the bunkers and strongholds across the North China landscape!

If the Kuomintang Central Army, the local warlord armies, and the Shanxi-Suiyuan Army had been more effective, they could have launched a massive counter-offensive against the cities that had become "isolated islands" on the foundation of the Eighth Route Army's Hundred Regiments Offensive...

But as for what happened next, every Chinese person knows. First, Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek sent a sour telegram: "Your troops have seized this opportunity and launched a decisive attack." Then, by the end of the year, he officially announced the suspension of the Eighth Route Army’s military pay and supplies. In January 1941, he launched the "Southern Anhui Incident," an act that saddened friends and gladdened enemies alike...

Forget it, forget it. Can't think about it anymore; it’s too infuriating! A party that couldn't even hold onto an island—one shouldn't expect much from them anyway.

Rolling over and closing his eyes, Guan Shan began to ponder the North China he knew, especially Shanxi.

In July 1941, Yasuji Okamura arrived in North China. After his research, he concluded that the reason the "Cage Tactics" had been successfully raided by the Eighth Route Army was simply that the density was too low...

In the time that followed, the North China Area Army launched sweep after sweep, burning villages and capturing people for forced labor. In one year, across the entire North China landscape, besides restoring the original two or three thousand bunkers and watchtowers, they built 7,500 new ones, bringing the total to over 10,000, reaching a density of "a bunker every five miles, a fort every ten."

When choosing locations for watchtowers, the Japanese usually picked road intersections or elevated terrain. They were often three to five stories tall, some even reaching ten stories and thirty meters in height. Each one was equipped with light and heavy machine guns and searchlights to carry out early warning and blockade missions.

Although the building materials were mainly cement mortar mixed with mud, along with common bricks and timber, the walls were generally over 50 centimeters thick—more than enough to deal with the Eighth Route Army, which severely lacked artillery.

Really enough? They were just big coffins, that’s all. Hmph, a single satchel charge would write them off...

A satchel charge? That’s right! Guan Shan suddenly remembered: it was only late February or early March 1941. The Eighth Route Army hadn't yet promoted the large-scale use of assault tactics based on satchel charges and demolition squads...

Yes, this could be done! Guan Shan pondered how to guide and inspire Minister Zhang, and how he could then wheedle some good things out of him.

Although he had only dozed off for a short while, Guan Shan felt the soreness in his calves significantly ease, and his feet, which had been rubbed raw and burning by his shoes, didn't feel quite so bad anymore.

Thank you, System Daddy. I salute you, I bow to you, I kowtow to you. Thank you for your care; I am grateful for your grace...

(III)

Chenjiayu, Independent Regiment defensive position.

Zhao Gang was inspecting the Second Battalion as they built their positions.

"Political Commissar!" Second Battalion Commander Shen Quan saluted and asked, "Any news from the Regiment Commander yet?"

"Don't worry about that!" Zhao Gang said sternly. "You, just guard these cliffs well! Don't let a single bird fly past! I’ve staked my own head on this to the Division Commander. If my head is gone, I’ll have to execute you first!"

Watching Zhao Gang’s back, Shen Quan touched his own head and muttered, "These intellectuals are pretty ruthless, too."

Turning around and seeing his soldiers stopping their work to giggle, Shen Quan cursed, "What are you looking at? Nothing to see here! I’m telling you, if anything happens, you’d better fight for your lives! Whoever doesn't fight, I’ll deal with first! The leaders are right below our mountain!"

(IV)

Chenjiayu, Headquarters Operations Room. After listening to Chen Bo’s briefing, the Deputy Commander-in-Chief paced back and forth with his hands behind his back, looked at the Deputy Chief of Staff, and asked, "Deputy Chief of Staff, what do you think?"

The Deputy Chief of Staff nodded and said, "Commander, I think Chen Bo’s analysis makes a lot of sense. And I believe the Japanese action this time is just a probe. The real major operation will come in two months, during the summer harvest!"

Chen Bo stood up anxiously, wanting to interject, but was stopped by a look from the Deputy Chief of Staff.

This detail naturally did not escape the Commander's eyes. He paced slowly around the room with his hands behind his back, walked slowly to the table, and stared at the map in silence for a long time.