Chapter 117: Waiting for the Big Fish

The th Division and the Japanese Army's 56th Division, both sides are elite, both sides are exhausted troops.

The 56th Division is determined to break through Lashu, and the th Division also aims to reach Lashu and rendezvous with follow‑up forces.

The two sides' objectives are very aligned.

Only Jiang Anguo's Independent Battalion truly adopts a strategy of waiting for the enemy at ease, and its firepower is formidable.

Jiang Anguo knows this is difficult, yet he resolved, "No matter how hard, we must bite off a piece of the 56th Division."

He is fully aware that in Myanmar, at Lashu, he has a chance to square off with the Japanese Army's 56th Division.

"This battle must be swift, let all Lashu units be ready; I will crush the first wave of morale of the 56th Division during the Japanese offensive, that will be our counterattack," Jiang Anguo said quickly, though in fact he still worries about the Japanese Army's support speed.

He worries about the Japanese Army's main forces returning as reinforcement; Jiang Anguo is somewhat over‑concerned. At this moment the 33rd Division is pursuing the English forces on the western road, the central road hosts the Japanese 18th Division and 55th Division, yet they are not hasty to chase the Expeditionary Force, instead they linger behind it.

The main reason is Du Lvming's early withdrawal, which slowed the Japanese speed, and they also bombed the railway from Mandalay to Tonggu.

The only force attacking Lashu from the east road is Watanabe Masao's 56th Division.

Behind Watanabe Masao there is no Little Devil reinforcement; truly, it's just a few Thai divisions on the Myanmar‑Thailand Border.

The more Jiang Anguo thinks this way, the more he wants to keep Watanabe Masao in Myanmar; since he's come, he shouldn't leave.

The only thing Jiang Anguo regrets is lacking enough personnel; otherwise he would have filled Lashu's airport and given Little Japan a heavy bombardment.

Jiang Anguo does not know that Dai Anlan is already wounded; he knows historically Dai Anlan was injured but not fatal, yet after the relocation, lacking medical supplies caused infection, worsening the condition, leading to death on the way back home.

He is still discussing with his Deputy Battalion Commander staff officer how to more effectively eliminate the Japanese Army; regardless of the plan's success, at least the Little Devils of the 56th Division should be left in Myanmar as fertilizer.

"Trouble," the Battalion Commander called from afar.

Jiang Anguo looked up and saw Lin Yi; it seemed something big had happened. "Calm down first, have a cup of tea before speaking. Lin Yi, don't insult me when I'm in a good mood!"

When a mature plan is about to unfold and someone appears before you saying something's wrong, that feeling is exactly Jiang Anguo's current mood.

Jiang Anguo handed his tea cup to Lin Yi, who took a big gulp and said, "Battalion Commander, we have a traitor among us."

No one's expression changed, except Meng Fanle and Xiao Si glanced left and right.

This is indeed a traitor issue, but in fact Meng Fanle and Xiao Si need not worry, because the Guard Company around Jiang Anguo are all his own people, essentially exchanged from his system.

"What exactly is it?" Jiang Anguo asked.

"Battalion Commander, look, this is the troop situation in Lashu; I just intercepted a message, and I doubt anyone would send out information at this time," Lin Yi was correct, because the Expeditionary Army Staff Corps has already fled, and the highest rank in the Lashu forces is Hu Xianqun, a Colonel Regiment Commander, after all he was from the previous th Division's Armored Corps, and those tanks were scarce on the home front.

And Jiang Anguo, because he previously captured a Japanese Army telegram, rose from Major to Colonel.

In other words, Jiang Anguo holds the second‑highest position in Lashu; moreover, he overstepped authority and commanded the 93rd Division in Jingdong.

Jiang Anguo took the telegram Lin Yi handed over; good fellow, it detailed the deployment of all Lashu garrison units, even marking the exact locations of tanks.

"That shouldn't be!" Jiang Anguo was very puzzled; you must know that any Burmese near the barracks have quietly "disappeared," and where they went is unknown.

"Battalion Commander, this doesn't specify each position's troops, only roughly, indicating they are observing from afar," Lin Yi analyzed.

Jiang Anguo nodded, "Lin Yi, you're right."

Lin Yi was correct, but according to his view, this becomes troublesome; Lashu has so many people, not only Burmese but many Chinese, and checking each one individually is clearly difficult.

Even though Lashu is a small city, now tens of thousands live here.

Moreover, because of the Sino‑Japanese War, this former border town suddenly became bustling, turning into a major transportation hub for both nations!

"First impose a full curfew; no one may go out at night," Jiang Anguo felt he was still too merciful; the death toll was still too low.

"Conduct a thorough search inside Lashu City; the Little Devil spies must be there, and they even have radios. It seems Watanabe Masao should now know our situation," Jiang Anguo shook his head and said.

Not to mention Japanese spies, even the Burmese Independent Volunteer Army gives Jiang Anguo a major headache.

These people really are… they could help anyone, yet they specifically choose to help the Japanese.

At present, regarding the Japanese spies lurking in the shadows, Jiang Anguo has no solution but to investigate them one by one; clearly Lashu cannot have only one spy, and uncovering so many details certainly requires more than one person.

The mice will eventually come out; Jiang Anguo has no sympathy for the Burmese.

If a patrolling soldier notices your gaze is off, it's awkward; you can just say good night.

The Japanese now know a situation about their own unit.

Regarding troop redeployments, Jiang Anguo clearly will not intervene; since Little Japan knows, let them know then. However, the letter Lin Yi gave Jiang Anguo only records the troop situation near Lashu.

This document, however, does not show Jiang Anguo on the three defensive lines south of Lashu; those three lines alone would be enough for Watanabe Masao to have a drink.

Indeed, the Japanese have spies secretly probing their own situation.

And we have transport aircraft, which can also be used as reconnaissance planes.

Although we still don't know where the 56th Division has arrived, we can roughly gauge its troop strength.

Moreover, compared with the 56th Division, Jiang Anguo has an advantage: air superiority, and in fact his ground advantage is also far greater than that of the 56th Division.

Jiang Anguo not only has tanks, but also heavy artillery; if the 56th Division dares to launch an attack, it will be a one‑way trip for them.