Chapter 58: The Military Statistics Bureau Operative Makes a Major Contribution, Su Changqing Enters the German-Equipped 87th Division
“Did you see that?”
“The flames near Jiangyin Fortress—that’s the Eastern navy fleet caught in our trap.”
Zheng Yaoxian, clad in a heavy military coat, clenched a cigarette between his lips.
He drew in a deep breath and exhaled a ring of smoke.
Before him knelt Huang Jun, former chief secretary of the Qingtiandang Administrative Office.
At this moment, the great traitor trembled violently.
Huang Jun, already broken beyond recognition from relentless torment, and his son, both shuddered with fear.
“Sixth Master, have mercy on us—please spare me and my son! Spare us!”
“Name your price, I’ll give it all to you, everything!”
How could a betrayer like Huang Jun possibly be made of steel?
After going through the entire military intelligence procedure, Huang Jun was truly terrified.
This was evident from the way he and his son were trembling now.
“Spare you?”
“Damn it! Spare you? If we spared beasts like you, who would spare the people of Great Xia?”
“Damn!”
“Fuck off!”
Zheng Yaoxian raised his foot and delivered a brutal kick to Huang Jun’s stomach.
“Jian Zhi, hand me my gun.”
“Yes, Sixth Brother!”
A crisp “click” echoed as the gun was cocked.
Zheng Yaoxian held a Browning pistol, aiming it squarely at Huang Jun and his son.
This scene terrified the two traitors to the point of helplessness.
“Damn it.”
“In this life, I hate traitors the most.”
“Some refuse to betray, but these bastards choose to be dogs.”
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Zheng Yaoxian emptied the Browning’s magazine in a burst.
“Ahhhh…”
“Ahhhh…”
Huang Jun and his son screamed like slaughtered pigs.
Zheng Yaoxian tossed the pistol to his brother Zhao Jian Zhi.
“Sixth Brother, what shall we do with these traitorous dogs?”
Zhao Jian Zhi asked hurriedly.
“How to deal with them?”
“Boss Dai entrusted me with full authority on this matter.”
“Isn’t there a new surgeon in our military intelligence? Master of the blade, fond of dissections?”
“Let him practice. When we go up against those devils, skilled hands will make the job easier.”
As Zheng Yaoxian’s words fell, the screams of Huang Jun and his son grew even more pitiful.
“Remember!”
“Don’t let them die so easily.”
“Yes!”
“Jian Zhi, tell the brothers to close the net.”
“No Eastern spies in the capital who know we are after them will escape.”
“Especially that Eastern female spy, Nanzao Yunzi.”
“Boss Dai ordered her capture at all costs.”
“Yes, Sixth Brother!”
That night, amidst the booming cannon fire near Jiangyin Fortress, gunshots echoed relentlessly throughout the capital.
All the little devils’ spies, including Nanzao Yunzi, were caught in the tight net laid by Zheng Yaoxian.
All were swept up without a single one slipping away.
The next day, the cannon fire at Jiangyin Fortress finally ceased.
The once arrogant Eastern fleet on the Yangtze River had vanished without a trace.
Wrecked enemy warships were being towed back to port by the Great Xia navy.
On the water’s surface floated severed limbs and corpses of the enemy.
Some corpses were bloated grotesquely, drowned like swollen pigs.
Rows upon rows drifted on the river.
At the wreck site, piles of enemy bodies formed gruesome mountains.
“Damn, these devils all got trapped here.”
“What a disaster!”
The militia responsible for retrieving the bodies grimaced at the bloated remains of enemy soldiers and officers.
Of course, their efforts were not motivated by any humanitarian concern for the enemy.
There was no mercy for the devils.
Rather, allowing thousands of corpses to rot here risked disease and water contamination.
That would be disastrous for the people of Great Xia.
“Boss! Boss!”
“Come see! Looks like a big fish—damn, it really is a big fish!”
Hearing his men’s shouts, the militia leader paddled quickly toward their direction.
“This is an Eastern navy uniform. Judging by its style, this devil at least held the rank of staff officer.”
“Lieutenant Colonel!”
He pried open the tightly clenched right hand of Sato Ichisuke and lifted the samurai sword.
“Clang!”
The blade gleamed dazzlingly under the sunlight.
“Damn!”
“This fish is no small fry.”
“Brothers, haul this bastard’s body out separately.”
“This is a major achievement.”
“Yes, Boss.”
…
“Good, good, good!”
“Wonderful, truly wonderful.”
“The Jiangyin Fortress operation was a complete success. This is a great victory—Great Xia’s first major triumph.”
“Over six thousand devils annihilated, twenty-six warships sunk, and the Eastern navy Yangtze fleet commander, Sato Ichisuke, killed.”
“Heaven bless Great Xia, a victorious start.”
“A victorious start!”
“I want to commend everyone and issue awards to all units.”
The voice paused as he turned to Boss Dai.
“Yunong, this operation succeeded because of your subordinate Zheng Yaoxian discovering that great traitor hidden within our party’s upper ranks.”
“I heard that man even tried to sell me out to the Eastern devils, attempting an air attack on my convoy.”
“So Zheng Yaoxian not only saved the Jiangyin Fortress plan but also saved my life!”
“This time, Zheng Yaoxian shall be awarded the highest honor.”
“Yes!”
News of the Jiangyin Fortress bombardment of the Eastern Yangtze fleet spread like wildfire across the land.
The entire nation rejoiced.
Such a tremendous victory in the first battle greatly boosted the morale of both the people and the army of Great Xia.
For the larger war effort, this was undoubtedly excellent news.
Su Changqing folded the newspaper, his mood considerably uplifted.
After all, the “Jiangyin Fortress Plan,” once unrealized, had now been successfully executed thanks to his involvement.
Though the losses near Jiangyin Fortress were not crippling to the Eastern Empire’s vast navy, they still stung.
Most importantly, the Eastern Yangtze fleet had been completely destroyed.
This boded well for the upcoming battles at Matsudo and later the capital.
With the Eastern navy’s Yangtze fleet gone, the pressure on Great Xia’s forces would lessen.
As long as Su Changqing could remain steadfast like a nail on the outer battlefield of the capital, buying enough time,
and organize an orderly evacuation within the capital,
the tragedy that befell the capital would never repeat.
As Su Changqing contemplated future strategies, a familiar voice suddenly reached his ears.
“Though Jiangyin Fortress was a great victory, the Eastern devils’ military might must not be underestimated.”
“In the Battle of Matsudo, we soldiers must be ready to sacrifice our lives for the country.”
“As soldiers, to die for the nation, wrapped in horsehide—it is our honor.”
“From the third battalion downward, no one returns alive unless I say otherwise. Understood?”
“Understood!”
“Understood!”
…