Chapter 155: Jiang Anguo's Lashu Troop Muster

Jiang Anguo had just stepped out of the ward when the th Division's officers swarmed into the tent. Seeing the Division Commander awake, everyone's faces were both excited and unmistakably annoyed.

"What?!"

After hearing Deputy Division Commander Gao Jiren and Chief of Staff Zhang Zhige's report, Dai Anlan widened their eyes, with an expression of disbelief, and the previously pallid complexion flushed with excitement.

"Division Commander, that's the situation," Gao Jiren sighed, his tone full of regret, "the regiment's Eighth Company had already sent a message, preparing to discuss our two forces striking from east and west to encircle and annihilate the Japanese Army Quinary 56th Division that had entered near Lashu. But at that moment... you were injured, the front line turned into a mess, and the matter was set aside."

Chief of Staff Zhang Zhige also added, his tone tinged with amazement: "Division Commander, you don't know, the Independent Regiment is truly strong now! I saw with my own eyes pristine German Mauser rifles, and the machine guns rattling 'da da da' as if they were free, just like the ones used by the regiment's reinforced company. I thought only that company had such fine gear, but the entire Independent Regiment is equipped the same!"

Dai Anlan heard it, but their heart was in turmoil.

"Dong!"

A muffled thud, Dai Anlan's fist slammed heavily against the iron bed rail. The punch used full force, shaking the bed frame, and faint blood seeped from the freshly changed bandage.

The intense pain struck, but Dai Anlan seemed numb, leaning back onto the pillow, eyes a bit glazed. This was still their first time deeply feeling that their long-held command style of "charging ahead, sharing hardships with the soldiers" was actually a mistake.

"So..." Dai Anlan's voice trembled, "Jiang Anguo over there had long been confident, planning to join my th Division to encircle the Quinary 56th Division from east and west. As a result, because of my temporary injury, the whole operation couldn't be completed?"

This wasn't just a matter of aircraft; the plan was bold, and its success rate was very high.

If successful, it would be a devastating blow to the Quinary 56th Division.

Gao Jiren saw the Division Commander's reaction so intense that he even tried to stand, and, frightened, hurried forward to support him, consoling: "Division Commander, don't take it to heart, and don't blame yourself. It's unavoidable. When the 148th Regiment withdrew, they were so ruthless that they blew up all the bridges from the Mi River to Lashu. Even if we wanted to encircle the Quinary 56th Division, we couldn't find enough boats to cross the river quickly, making pursuit difficult."

But Dai Anlan didn't think so. He had only been worried about the strength comparison, but now he understood that since Jiang Anguo dared to set this plan, he must have absolute confidence. He initially thought Jiang Anguo didn't pursue because of insufficient strength or to preserve it, but now he realized Jiang Anguo already had a more perfect plan in mind.

The final problem turned out to be Dai Anlan themselves.

If I hadn't charged forward, would the Little Devil's Quinary 56th Division also have perished in northern Burma…

………

After leaving the ward, Jiang Anguo thought more and felt increasingly blocked in his heart.

After that conversation with Dai Anlan, he was like waking from a dream. Yes, what was he really afraid of? Even if the Quinary 56th Division's main force didn't suffer a devastating blow, morale after continuous battles and long marches would surely be hit, and logistics were strained. At this moment, a decisive pursuit, biting the enemy's tail, would surely yield a piece of meat!

No more hesitation!

"Meng Fanle!"

Jiang Anguo rushed into his command post, shouting at Meng Fanle who was sorting documents.

"At ease! Regiment Commander!" Meng Fanle was startled, immediately stood at attention.

"Send orders! Notify the Four Regiments' Song Mengqin, the Fifth Regiment's Meng Shan, have them abandon the defense zone in An and Nammbang, leaving only a few sentries, and gather all! Keep the Anti-Aircraft Company, Tank Company, Artillery Company to hold the position; the rest of the troops, all set out to pursue the fleeing Quinary 56th Division!"

Meng Fanle paused, then a spark of excitement flashed in their eyes: "Yes! Regiment Commander! This is a big job!"

"Wait, also!" Jiang Anguo added, "Also notify the Sixth Regiment's Yan Sen to immediately take over the positions left by the Four and Fifth Regiments, and not retreat a step!"

The troops were dispatched, but the position couldn't be abandoned. After all, the Anti-Aircraft Company, Tank Company, and Artillery Company are precious heavy equipment; without infantry cover, even a small special forces unit or guerrilla raid could blow up these treasures.

As for why tanks weren't used to pursue, it was unavoidable. The mountain roads in northern Burma are extremely rugged; the Japanese Army's retreat route, even reaching Taunggyi, has no decent road, only mountain gullies. If a tank tried to go in, it would be a disaster, stuck in mud and unable to move, better to keep it on the position as a fixed artillery platform, still deterring the enemy.

It would be better to wait until reaching Taunggyi and Tonggu, then directly use the tanks previously rewarded by the system to form a tank unit.

Of course, Jiang Anguo forgot that he left the Tank Soldier technical troops in Lashu, so later no one would be able to operate tanks!

"Ah!"

After arranging all this, Jiang Anguo let out a long sigh, with a hint of regret.

If it weren't for that damned Jiu Mi Jingyi's parachute raid on Bamo, even attacking Myitkyina, Jiang Anguo wouldn't have personally led troops to Bamo that time.

Actually Dai Anlan also didn't know the situation of Myitkyina and Bamo, otherwise there would be no need for self-blame!

Bamo and Myitkyina are the Expeditionary Force's main lifeline. Especially Myitkyina, behind it lies Yunnan Western Yunnan. Once Myitkyina falls, the Japanese Army not only blocks the Expeditionary Force's retreat route but can also directly threaten the interior of Western Yunnan, which is the deep rear!

If not for Jiu Mi Jingyi's rear sabotage, Jiang Anguo's original intention was a perfect encirclement battle with Lashu and the th Division. He had carefully positioned the defenses along the "Zai An" line, luring the enemy deep, letting the Japanese Army Quinary 56th Division spread its line. Jiang Anguo could then have the th Division from Xibu attack the 56th Division from behind, forming a joint encirclement.

Of course, the th Division, engaged in continuous combat, lacked ammunition, but Jiang Anguo saw that as no problem. Before attacking Xibu, he had already sent large ammunition supplies to the th Division via transport planes, and used those few precious transport planes to evacuate the th Division's wounded from Xibu as well.

Every plan was so perfect, truly a textbook ambush battle.

But never expected that the problem finally lay in Dai Anlan's injury.

Dai Anlan is the th Division's soul, its courage. Dai Anlan habitually charges ahead, resulting in injury; this incident disrupted all deployments. Something that could have been avoided still happened.

Fortunately, Dai Anlan ultimately faced no life danger; the Doctor said only three to five more days lying down before they could walk.

PS: After reading many comments, the typing was affected, complaining that the rank progression was too slow; good guy, the timeline of over two months went from Major to Colonel, which did awaken me, so I'll end here with the Regiment Commander position, but later fighting Yichang, destroying a division, is a bit overwhelming!