Chapter 495: Republic of China: Starting from the First Class of Whampoa Chapter 505 War Elephants

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Protagonist:

Lv Muzhi

In the trenches on the border of Yi'an Province, Meng Fan squatted on the earthen rampart, pinching half a cigarette in his hand, narrowing his eyes to stare at the horizon in the distance.

Colonel Ruan Linqing walked over quickly: "Lieutenant Colonel Meng, the Thai First Division hasn't retreated; it looks like they intend to fight us to the end."

Meng Fan glanced at Ruan Linqing and sneered: "Heaven has a road but he won't take it; hell has no gate but he barges in himself."

Ruan Linqing frowned tightly: "The total land forces of all Thailand add up to only about sixty thousand; this time alone, the First Division has pressed over ten thousand against us."

"It seems their determination to seize Zhongnan State is great; they won't be so easily repelled. Should we launch a heavier strike against the enemy?"

Meng Fan stubbed out the cigarette butt in the mud, patted the dirt off his buttocks, and stood up.

"Of course. The original plan was to make the Thai army retreat in the face of difficulty, and we'd save some strength—just drive them out."

"But this time, if they're so stubborn, we don't mind kicking them dead here."

"We've received word from above that the Youth Army's tanks were loaded onto trains at Hanoi Railway Station a few hours ago, taking the railway special line. The journey is over two hundred sixty kilometers; at the slowest, they'll arrive in eight or nine hours."

"If the Thais still don't leave by then, even if they want to run, they'll have to ask the tank treads if they agree."

Listening to Meng Fan's confident words, Ruan Linqing's tense complexion finally eased a bit, even revealing a wry smile.

"Lieutenant Colonel Meng, I truly envy your confidence; this confidence is built on the Youth Army's formidable strength."

"If our Zhongnan Army could be like the Youth Army, even with only half the strength, I think I could be as calm as you."

Meng Fan chuckled and patted Ruan Linqing's shoulder.

But thinking that Ruan Linqing was a colonel of Zhongnan State while he himself was only a lieutenant colonel of the Youth Army, he withdrew his hand from the other's shoulder and said with a serious face:

"Want to be like the Youth Army? That takes a lot of effort; it's not something done in a day or two."

"The Youth Army's history can be traced back nine years; it was built with real silver and territory. If it were you, I'd say it would take at least ten years—ten years for the army, a hundred years for the navy!"

Ruan Linqing fell silent for a moment, then suddenly turned his head and said very seriously:

"That's a very long time... Lieutenant Colonel Meng, I sometimes wonder, if Zhongnan State's army were the Youth Army, and the Youth Army were the Zhongnan Army, how wonderful that would be?"

"We have common enemies, common interests, and even our training is led by you."

Meng Fan was stunned, his heart thumping, thinking what on earth is this guy thinking?

He quickly laughed it off, waved his hand, and changed the subject.

"Colonel Ruan, your joke is too big; I'm just a lieutenant colonel..."

Ruan Linqing didn't press further, but began talking about Lv Muzhi:

"Lieutenant Colonel Meng, what kind of person do you think your leader, General Lv Muzhi, is?"

This time Meng Fan didn't quip; he grew serious.

"Commander Lu... to be honest, I joined the Youth Army in '38, and I've only seen him three times... He is someone... who can take me home."

"Back during the Marco Polo Bridge Incident, I was still a university student in Beiping. You know what a university is? Never mind, I'm digressing."

"The devils burned our campus, so I couldn't be a university student anymore. Being a hot-blooded youth, I simply joined the army to serve the country."

"When I first joined the army, my superiors shouted every day that they'd take us back to Beiping. The result? We were either retreating or on the road to retreat."

"After the Xuzhou Campaign, my unit suffered heavy losses and was subsequently incorporated into the Youth Army. My life changed from that moment on, and I never lost a battle again."

"One day Commander Lu told us he would lead us back to North China, back to Beiping, to reclaim everything that belongs to us."

"To be honest, I thought he was bragging that day. But the result? In about half a year, I fought all the way from Zhengzhou to Beiping."

"It was a sunny afternoon when I truly went home and saw my father, whom I hadn't seen in two years."

"Commander Lu never lied to us!"

"So, my superior Colonel Long Wenzhang, who is also your division headquarters' Chief of Staff, and I have both concluded: Commander Lu is the most trustworthy good commander under heaven!"

Meng Fan's voice was flat and sincere as he spoke a long string of words.

He poured out everything he had never said before in this foreign land.

Ruan Linqing listened entranced, nodding frequently, and began comparing his own army to see if there was such a leader.

Commander Ruan Wen of the Northern Vietnam Military Region?

No, he's too young; facing the Thais' all-out attack, he's also powerless...

Prime Minister Fan Jing? He cannot gain the full trust of the army...

Who can lead Zhongnan State to splendor?

Just as he was about to sigh a few words, strange howls suddenly came from the distance.

Ao—! Ao—!

It was some giant beast showing off, startling the birds in the forest into flight.

Meng Fan's complexion changed; he snapped out of his reverie: "Ai yo... this, this is a wild boar, right? Must be several hundred jin?"

Ruan Linqing's complexion was somewhat grim; he pointed at the distance with a solemn expression: "Those are the Thais' war elephants. The Royal War Elephant Corps has been deployed!"

The Zhongnan soldiers on the position had obviously also heard this chilling howl.

Many new recruits' legs were already trembling, and some instinctively shrank deeper into the trench.

Meng Fan noticed this scene, cursed in his heart, quickly walked to the artillery observation mirror, and adjusted the focal length.

In his sight, tall giant beasts were slowly emerging from behind the forest.

Those war elephants wore several pieces of simple steel plate armor, and on each elephant's back was a specially made elephant saddle, with a machine gun placed on the saddle.

In his line of sight, one giant beast after another of towering stature slowly emerged from behind the Forest.

Those War Elephants were draped with several pieces of simple steel plate armor, each Elephant's back bore a specially made Elephant Saddle, and mounted on each Elephant Saddle was a Machine Gun.

A colossus over three meters tall, it roared as it advanced with earth-shaking steps, full of intimidation.

There were over fifty such war elephants!

The Japanese tanks even trailed behind like lackeys, advancing behind the rumps of these giant beasts.

"Aiyo, this thing... does it count as cavalry or tank troops? It's certainly much taller than the little Japanese tanks." Meng Fan muttered.

Ruan Linqing explained from the side: "Thailand's Royal War Elephant Corps is very famous in Southeast Asia."

"Once these giant beasts charge, ordinary rifles and machine guns can hardly stop them. After taking a few bullets, an elephant goes mad and charges forward. This beast has thick skin and tough flesh, won't die for a while, ignores pain, and can trample any obstacle flat!"

"My regiment fought them twice and collapsed twice. The Royal War Elephant Corps is indeed very powerful..."

Meng Fan gave a cold sneer, thinking that Colonel Ruan Linqing was like his former self, defeated in battle until he fell into deep self-doubt.

"Colonel Ruan, they just bully you for lacking heavy firepower."

"Mount a machine gun on an elephant's back and they dare to charge forward—I'm impressed!"

"I, Little Master, have even fought the Japanese Imperial Guard Cavalry Brigade, and I'm afraid of this second-rate Thai Royal War Elephant Corps?!"