Chapter 310

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Protagonist:

Lv Muzhi

Xuzhou, Fifth War Zone Headquarters.

The senior officers were all grinning from ear to ear, and the table was piled high with trophies seized from the frontline.

The old man drew Isogai Rensuke's general's sword, nodding constantly: "Good, Isogai wanted to smash through Shandong, but fortunately Wei Yue covered the bottom, and the Tenth Division was finally wiped out in Shandong!"

Lv Muzhi said: "It's all thanks to the Central Government's proper troop deployment, the officers and men fighting to the death, and the various units uniting as one that we have today's victory."

Twentieth Army Group Commander Tang Enbo said: "It's all thanks to the Chairman personally coming to the frontline to guide us that we have today's victory!"

The old man found these words very pleasing to his heart, but still felt embarrassed to claim such a great merit, looking at Li Zongren: "Delin, I have a scale in my heart, you and Wei Yue wielding twin swords together in the Fifth War Zone is what brought today's great victory!"

Li Zongren also hurriedly demurred: "Where, where, it's all thanks to the comrades of the Fifth War Zone fighting to the death, Wei Yue's meticulous planning, the Chairman's full support... speaking of which, the Youth Army is truly the divine needle that calms the sea..."

Everyone demurred to each other, and no one dared to claim this merit.

Lv Muzhi reminded: "According to aviation reconnaissance, the Japanese Tsuchiya Yuan's Fourteenth Division is outflanking the Longhai Railway on the western side of Xuzhou; I think we should now seriously consider our retreat route."

Li Zongren also nodded: "Correct, the Japanese obviously won't let this rest; I calculated that our main force now numbers nearly five hundred thousand, all gathering in the Xuzhou region;"

"Some of these troops are responsible for the frontal attack on the Tenth and Thirteenth Divisions, some are responsible for blocking and guard missions; to completely annihilate these two divisions, we have indeed expended much effort;"

"Now we should consider our retreat route."

The old man seemed not very satisfied, crossing his arms and staring at the map: "I think in the Linyi direction, we can also create a not-small victory; what do you think?".

Lv Muzhi and Li Zongren exchanged a glance, feeling that the old man seemed to have the intention of expanding the victory.

Li Zongren said: "The Japanese are concentrating heavy troops to encircle us; I fear the situation is not good."

"How many troops have the Japanese committed?" the old man asked.

Li Zongren answered: "According to intelligence from all sides, the naval, land, and air forces number nearly three hundred thousand, constantly gathering in Xuzhou!"

The old man was startled: "That many?!"

Lv Muzhi said: "According to intelligence, the Japanese Kwantung Army far away in the Northeast has dispatched two brigades' worth of forces; the armored train of the Twentieth Division came from the Northeast;"

"In Linyi to the east, there are now the Fifth and Sixteenth Divisions;"

"South of the Huai River, the Ninth and One Hundred First Divisions are crossing the river;"

"The Twentieth Division to the north is holding its ground in place, and it is expected that the North China Area Army will send two divisions' worth of reinforcements; once the reinforcements arrive, they will pressure us;"

"Also, Tsuchiya Yuan's Fourteenth Division is outflanking our western side; once the Japanese complete the encirclement, they will surely try every means to send troops to reinforce the encirclement ring; I think we should break out as soon as possible."

The old man slapped his thigh, pointing at Linyi on the map, and said regretfully: "What a pity, I still wanted to fight another battle with the devils in the Linyi direction!"

Lv Muzhi said: "Linyi's position is not good; it's on the eastern side, where there are two divisions' worth of forces; swallowing them is not a simple matter and requires concentrating heavy troops; the Japanese intention to encircle us is already very obvious; if our main force goes east, it would be diving deeper into the Japanese encirclement ring..."

The old man shook his head while listening, looking at Lv Muzhi: "Wei Yue, can the Youth Army go fight Linyi?!"

The meaning within and beyond these words was very obvious: the old man hoped to further expand the victory of the Xuzhou Campaign, and even hoped the Youth Army would risk itself and take a gamble.

Lv Muzhi simply smiled and said: "Of course we can fight! But relying on the Youth Army alone won't do; we need someone to cut off the Japanese rear in the Linyi direction, someone to launch a strong frontal attack, someone to guard against enemy reinforcements, and a reserve force; not one can be missing."

"Don't forget the Japanese are encircling us; my Youth Army is confident of moving freely among ten thousand troops, but what about the friendly forces? Hundreds of thousands of troops can't just be thrown away; this is our last main force, and subsequent operations cannot be fought with new recruits alone."

Li Zongren said: "Correct, the Youth Army is strong, but still not enough; not everyone is the Youth Army; I hope the Chairman will prioritize the overall situation and preserve the last main forces of the Central Government and local areas; we cannot lose the big picture over small gains."

"Wiping out two Japanese divisions is already enough credit; we soldiers can sufficiently answer to the people of the nation."

The old man then nodded, abandoning his unrealistic idea, and hated that he hadn't raised a few more German-equipped Divisions back then; otherwise, the Xuzhou battlefield might have been the decisive battle, and how could it have come to this situation!

Lv Muzhi said: "While the Japanese encirclement ring has not yet been deployed, we can start arranging the breakout plan from now on."

Saying this, Lv Muzhi took out the breakout plan that had been custom-made long ago.

"We can break out toward the west and southwest; the Japanese encirclement ring is like a big colander, and we can jump out of the encirclement without much effort; the opportunity must not be lost."

Li Zongren nodded: "Please ask the Chairman to leave Xuzhou first; we will arrive later."

The old man thought for a moment and did not refuse; as if remembering something, he asked: "Has the captured Thirteenth Division commander Dizhou Libing been sent over?"

Lv Muzhi shook the telephone on the table, inquired, then put down the telephone and said: "Chairman, the train escorting Dizhou Libing will arrive at Xuzhou shortly; he will be delivered soon."

The old man said resentfully: "The Thirteenth Division is the division that entered Jinling City; this devil Dizhou Libing, if we don't give him a proper trial, it's not enough to vent the hatred in my heart!"

"Wei Yue, you were thoughtful, specially capturing Dizhou Libing alive to show me!"

"Come, I want to see with my own eyes what the so-called commander of a Type A Division looks like!"

The old man took the lead, and the officers in the headquarters all followed him to the train station.

Inside Xuzhou Railway Station, a train emitting white steam slowly pulled into the station.

The carriage door opened, and the commanders of the Youth Army Second Army walked out one by one;

After a while, the disheveled Dizhou Libing was escorted out by guards.

Qiu Qingquan said: "Chairman, Lu Commander, Dizhou Libing has been escorted here by order; how should this war criminal be dealt with?"

Dizhou Libing had long lost his former spirit; his eyes darted about, his figure was emaciated, his eye sockets sunken; it was truly hard to associate him with a Japanese lieutenant general.

The old man had one hand on his hip and one hand pointing at the sky: "Set up a military tribunal, hold a press conference, and then execute him; I want the Japanese high command to see their own future fate!"

As for this point, Lv Muzhi had no objection.

Li Zongren thought for a moment: "Chairman, why not hand him over to the Military Statistics Bureau? Such a high official must have mastered important intelligence!"

The secret police chief Dai Chunfeng, who had been hiding in the crowd, stepped forward and whispered a few words beside the old man.

The old man felt it was not enough to vent his hatred and said: "You Military Statistics Bureau people, act quickly; you must pry open his mouth; use methods when methods are needed!"

After speaking, the old man called over the accompanying reporters and said: "Come, take a photo with us and this Japanese lieutenant general; let the Central News Agency's front-page headline tomorrow be this!"

Thus, the old man and the senior officers of the Fifth War Zone surrounded Division Commander Dizhou Libing like a mascot in the middle and took a group photo.

Dai Chunfeng did not go to take the photo; only after everyone dispersed did he have someone escort Dizhou Libing away, and said to Dizhou Libing: "Mr. Dizhou Libing, I really must give you a good interrogation!"