Chapter 395

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Protagonist:

Lv Muzhi

The so-called Anle House was known to all the devils: it was a crematorium, used specifically to end the devils' suffering.

Japanese soldiers who were seriously ill, dead, or undisciplined would all be sent here to end their lives.

One fire would burn them all to ashes, and the ashes would be scattered directly into nearby farmland.

The other Japanese prisoners who saw all this simply took it in stride, continuing to bury their heads in licking their own bowls.

Lv Muzhi watched all this from a distance, and had likewise grown accustomed to it.

"Commander Lu, once this section of the levee is reinforced, the Zhengzhou area will be as stable as Mount Tai."

"And the high-standard farmland you planned and designed—we have already designated five thousand mu of low-quality cultivated land for renovation."

"We will definitely turn these five thousand mu of experimental fields into high-standard, high-quality fertile cultivated land!"

Lv Muzhi looked at the blueprints; the so-called high-standard farmland was transformed from ordinary cultivated land.

It adopted a brand-new irrigation and drainage system, possessing excellent drought and flood resistance.

Lv Muzhi closed the blueprints and said: "The chemical plant in the rear has manufactured a batch of fertilizer powder, which can be used then, and agricultural experts will also come to the site for guidance—eating is a top priority, after all."

"The engineer troops' well-drilling plan must proceed simultaneously; under no circumstances can there be negligence."

The original intention of the well-drilling plan was that Lv Muzhi had prepared it to resist unpredictable massive droughts.

Lv Muzhi ordered the engineer troops to launch large-scale well-drilling projects across all of southern Henan, ensuring that when drought came, groundwater could be pumped on a large scale.

The first phase of the project planned to drill 2,000 deep wells.

In the eyes of the local military and civilians, this was taking precautions before trouble arose.

In Lv Muzhi's view, he simply hoped that the situation of total crop failure during the great drought of 1942 could be alleviated.

Lv Muzhi lowered his binoculars, looking at this land beneath his feet.

War had brought a huge burden to the common people on this fertile land.

All he could do was speed up war preparations while doing his utmost to reduce the burden on the local common people.

"Tell the brothers to put in extra effort—the flood season is coming soon; these days require overtime work, prepare for drainage, and reinforce the Yellow River Levee."

"Yes!"

The south bank of the Yellow River was bustling with activity, but in hidden spots on the opposite bank that Lv Muzhi could not see, pairs of Japanese eyes were spying in secret.

North bank of the Yellow River, Xinxiang.

This was the garrison of the Japanese 21st Division after reorganization, with strict defenses and interlocking fortifications.

On a riverside highland outpost, a squad of Japanese scouts was hiding behind a camouflage net.

They were fiddling with high-power optical equipment, spying on everything near the south bank of the Yellow River.

"The Chinese army and common people on the south bank are carrying out large-scale construction of fortifications."

A Japanese scout lowered his voice, quickly sketching on a notebook.

Another Japanese sergeant major did not agree:

"No, those are not defensive works; the flood season in North China is coming. They are reinforcing the Yellow River Levee and, incidentally, building water conservancy projects."

"In my hometown, responsible officials all do this."

The Japanese scout looked at the sergeant major and said in agreement: "Put that way, Lv Muzhi is truly a qualified parent-official!"

The sergeant major kicked the Japanese scout: "Idiot, the opposite bank is the enemy! Quickly report the situation to the division headquarters!"

This unusual intelligence was soon delivered to the desk of Kizawa Tadamin, commander of the 21st Division.

"War preparations—that is what this is."

"Lv Muzhi is truly full of energy—expanding the army and training troops, and building water conservancy projects; it seems he has grand ambitions!"

Yoshizawa Tadanao pondered for a moment, then suddenly came up with a plan.

"Does he think that once the dam is repaired he can rest easy? Lv Muzhi, you don't know—I, too, have read Romance of the Three Kingdoms!"

"Quickly call the Front Army Headquarters; I have a major strategy to report!"

Not long after, the phone was connected.

Inside the North China Area Army Headquarters, the one who answered the phone was Chief of Staff Yamashita Tomoyuki.

"Lieutenant General Kizawa Tadamin, I've said it many times."

"I have no surplus troops to reinforce you; the reorganized 21st Division has only three under-strength Japanese infantry groups!"

"The guerrillas in Shanxi are simply too rampant; my military duties are busy—don't call me again!"

"Please wait! Please don't hang up on me; I have a major situation to report!"

Chief of Staff Yamashita Tomoyuki glanced at the telephone receiver, then helplessly asked: "What exactly is the matter?"

"I have a plan that can make our army turn the tide and completely defeat the Youth Army!"

Yamashita Tomoyuki was stunned: "You also have a plan?"

"Lv Muzhi is building water conservancy projects; there is a Chinese saying..."

Yamashita Tomoyuki interrupted directly: "Division Commander Kizawa Tadamin, please get to the point; my time is precious and cannot withstand your wasting it like this."

"Alright, I'll get to the point: I plan to blow open the levee on the south bank of the Yellow River, using flooding in lieu of troops, so that all three hundred thousand Youth Army troops south of the Yellow River will become water ghosts!"

On the other end of the phone, Division Commander Yamashita Tomoyuki fell silent for two seconds.

"You mean, you want to blow open the south bank levee of the Yellow River and drown those Chinese?"

"Exactly! Once the plan succeeds, the Youth Army Headquarters inside Zhengzhou City that Lv Muzhi commands will become a historical site!"

Yamashita Tomoyuki fell silent for a moment, then said excitedly: "Lieutenant General Yoshizawa Tadanao, you're a damn genius!"

"Out of the entire North China Area Army Headquarters, only you proposed this suggestion; this plan of flooding in lieu of troops is indeed a brilliant plan!"

Yoshizawa Tadanao said smugly: "There is an old Chinese saying: Water Can Carry a Boat."

"Lv Muzhi built water conservancy, but never expected that this surging Yellow River water would end up destroying him!"

Yamashita Tomoyuki corrected him: "You illiterate fellow, this old saying isn't used like that!"

"Forget it, I can't make you understand; I'll report to General Sugiyama Gen right away and strive to have the Type 24 Howitzer transferred to you."

"Relying on the massive 305mm caliber of the Type 24 Howitzer, we can definitely blast open the Yellow River Levee in one go!"

Yoshizawa Tadanao asked tentatively: "I heard the latest Zero Fighters have arrived at the North China Area Army; can you send a portion to support me?"

"My headquarters is bombed every day by the Youth Army's air force, and I've been working in the basement all this time."

Chief of Staff Yamashita Tomoyuki directly refused: "The Army's Zero Fighters are now few in number, mainly used to defend Beiping."

"If transferred to protect your 21st Division's skies, what happens to the North China Area Army Headquarters? What happens to General Sugiyama Gen? What happens to me, this Chief of Staff?!"

"Mind your own business; I'll immediately have professional artillery come to assess the plan's feasibility!"

The phone hung up; Yoshizawa Tadanao couldn't get the latest Zero Fighters, and could only wait for the heavy howitzers to be transferred over.

"Once the Type 24 Howitzer is in place, we'll have great confidence in blasting open the levee on the Yellow River South Bank."

"I will use the Chinese Man's culture to defeat Lv Muzhi, recreating the flooding of the seven armies, the flooding of Xiapi, and the flooding of Fancheng from Romance of the Three Kingdoms!"

Meanwhile, the Guerrilla Corps on the Yellow River North Bank.

Chu Yunfei had previously received a promotion and had been in good spirits lately.

Relying on the military equipment and logistics supplies sent by Lv Muzhi, Chu Yunfei could be said to have had a prosperous year.

However, holding a guerrilla corps establishment of fifty thousand men, only slightly over twenty thousand had actually arrived.

Whether that gap of thirty thousand men could be filled to achieve a fully staffed guerrilla corps depended entirely on Chu Yunfei's own ability.

To repay Lu Commander's generosity, Chu Yunfei decided to make a big move north of the Yellow River.

Expand his sphere of influence and give the North China Area Army north of the Yellow River a little shock.

"Summon the Guerrilla Corps, notify the friendly forces nearby; I, Chu Yunfei, want meat, want soup—everyone follow along!"

"Sing Wildly, Wild Ambition for whom is heroic!"

"Lu Commander trusts me so much; I, Chu, must achieve some results!"