Chapter 648: Of course it's fine, I personally devised the plan!

Upon hearing this, Okamura Neiji's eyes burst with an unusual light.

I haven't even talked about this with Anda; is all of this the Chief Director's own idea?

It actually coincides with my own thinking.

That old fox Anda also noticed Okamura Neiji's change, and his heart stirred.

Could the Chief Director be right?

"Chief Director Sir, please continue." Okamura Neiji gestured: "If you were the commander of this sweep, what would you think?"

"If the Chief Director could think of launching a rapid assault and encirclement against the Red Party's main force in the Ji Zhong area, swiftly destroying their base!"

"That would truly be a once-in-a-lifetime military genius."

Now it's the turn of those Japanese officers to be surprised.

Doesn't this indicate…

Commander-in-Chief, Your Excellency, do you endorse what he said?

Hearing Okamura Neiji's inner thoughts, Chen Yongren smiled: "Ji Zhong, launch operations centered on Ji Zhong!"

You've given me the answer; I, young master, can't just not copy it.

"Ji Zhong, you actually said Ji Zhong?" Okamura Neiji surveyed Chen Yongren in surprise: "What's your reason for choosing Ji Zhong?"

"Quite simple." Chen Yongren said proudly: "Ji Zhong is of great significance to our security pacification and resource development."

Moreover, the Eighth Route Army's Ji Zhong base also poses a major threat to our main transportation lines, such as the Pinghan, Tianjin-Pukou, Shide, and Beining railways' operations!

Destroying the Ji Zhong anti-Japanese base would greatly reduce this threat, and allow us to use Ji Zhong's rich resources, positively contributing to building North China into a war logistics base!

"Yoish, yoish, yoish!" Okamura Neiji exclaimed three times: "Chief Director Sir, you've truly surprised me, please continue."

"'Dividing the base, Chief Director, I can feel that you will surely arrange it this way.'"

"'This must be your revised strategy.'"

"Yes!" Chen Yongren continued: "If we forcibly launch the sweep, the result might backfire."

What we urgently need now is to concentrate our forces and occupy all county seats, larger market towns, and villages of the Ji Zhong base.

Establish strongholds, dig blockade trenches, divide the Ji Zhong base into thousands of occupied zones, gradually eliminating the resistance forces in the Ji Zhong area to fully control Ji Zhong.

After all.

North China is dead; as long as we clear the obstacles, these lands won't escape.

Dividing and destroying also helps us gradually eliminate the local Eighth Route in batches.

Chen Yongren directly spoke Okamura Neiji's inner thoughts.

After seizing the Eighth Route's base, we can use political, economic, and ideological strategies to achieve the security region's goal in one fell swoop." Chen Yongren answered quite eloquently, speaking coldly.

Launch a ten-sided assault on Ji Zhong, encircling it with iron walls!

While conducting sweeps and 'gnawing' at anti-Japanese sites, launch the 'Security Enhancement Campaign' in coordination.

And through the Political Work Team, carry out the so-called 'Search and Eliminate' and 'Separate Bandits from Civilians'.

Chen Yongren simply repeated Okamura Neiji's inner thoughts.

This damn thing, since there's already a plan, still goes through the motions.

"Chief Director, is this all your own idea?" Okamura Neiji asked.

"Hai!" Chen Yongren replied: "Back when I followed Uncle Akagi, I also learned a lot, understanding the situation in North China."

These are merely my humble opinions; how the plan should be specifically implemented still depends on how the Commander-in-Chief arranges it.

"Chief Director, frankly, your opinion is exactly the same as mine!" Okamura Neiji praised: "I believe that given time, you will surely become the youngest general of the Younger Brother Country."

No, it's marshal.

I've never seen someone as talented as you, and you haven't even attended a proper military academy.

Commander-in-Chief, Your Excellency, you overpraise me." Chen Yongren said humbly.

I'll add this in my heart: I actually look forward to that day; it will surely be fun.

The youngest marshal is the biggest internal spy in Japanese military history; just thinking about it is explosive.

The two had a simple conversation.

The Japanese officers seated at the long table already understood the situation.

"This 'Yuan Chief' said the sweep strategy perfectly matches Okamura Commander's inner thoughts."

They immediately chose to stay silent, saying no more.

"Tell me your concrete ideas, for example, how would you attack?" Okamura Neiji straightforwardly tested Chen Yongren.

Chen Yongren looked at the map in the conference room, pondered for a moment: "We can first dispatch at least a division's forces to sweep the Ji Dong base."

Taking advantage of the local Eighth Route's diverted attention, we then dispatch another division to sweep the Ji Xi region.

Finally, we launch a surprise attack on the Ji Nan military region, which can greatly divide the local Eighth Route's forces.

Of course, relying solely on three divisions is prone to mishaps, so we also need to prepare at least three divisions, several brigades, and an air-land brigade to assist in combat!

Besides this, the Special Agency of Ji Province must also cooperate, gathering intelligence during the sweep.

Lastly, still that saying: prepare for prolonged warfare and build the occupied zones!

The sweep plan should at least be divided into three phases, each with correct objectives; after completing the three-phase plan, ensure we can deal a heavy blow to North China's Eighth Route Army!

And most importantly, the pre-battle investigation; this battle report is too outdated, we should investigate first then fight, so we can handle the battlefield more adeptly.

Now his identity is Japanese, and Okamura Neiji is also an old fox.

Since we're devising a military plan, we must strive to make it as flawless as possible.

Moreover…

Chen Yongren also merely eavesdropped on Okamura Neiji's opinion and then blurted it out first.

"Chief Director Sir, you're indeed different; from now on, when you have free time, you should follow behind me to learn!" Okamura Neiji nodded satisfied, then spoke up.

The mopping-up operation began in early April.

First, the 27th Division conducted a mopping-up of the Eastern Hebei Base Area; on April 25, the 110th Division conducted a mopping-up of the Western Hebei Region; four days later, on April 29, a surprise attack was launched against Southern Hebei.

Starting May 10, the plan entered its first phase.

The 41st Division began a rapid northward advance along the Stone Virtue Road, while the 110th Infantry Regiment rushed southward from the north bank of the Hutuo River…

Okamura Neiji excitedly introduced this mopping-up plan.

Little did they know, on the very night this mopping-up plan was successfully formulated.

The plan lay before the Red Party agent 'Shadow'.

Chen Yongyi stared incredulously at the mopping-up plan before him: '…It adopts multi-directional intensive net‑dragging and comb‑like tactics…'

Attempting to compress our leadership organ and main forces from all directions into the heartland of the base area where Deep Marsh, Limitless, Jin County, Shulu, and Peaceful State meet, and annihilate them!

Seeing this, Chen Yongyi broke out in a cold sweat: 'Where did you get this plan?'

'How fresh, of course I personally drafted it—how's that, not bad?' Chen Yongyi said solemnly.

'What the heck?' Chen Yongyi stared incredulously at Chen Yongren.