Chapter 62: Li Yunlong's Support, Two Hundred Thousand Troops of the First Special Brigade Head South

August.
Mount Wutai.

"Ding Wei, Kong Jie, why are the two of you pulling such long faces, motherfuckers? Do we look like we're sending me off to my own funeral?"
"I am heading to the capital this time, the capital!"
"You hear me!"
"Hahaha, and we're marching there fair and square, too."
"Kong the Wooden-head, look at that gaze of yours."
"Green with envy, jealousy, and hatred, aren't you?"
"Let me tell you, it's useless, hahaha!"

Li Yunlong chuckled heartily as he looked at Ding Wei and Kong Jie.

"Motherfucker!"
"Who doesn't know you, Li Yunlong? You're the commander's precious little darling."
"Going to the capital, and he's taking you along."
"Damn it!"
"When the hell will I ever get treatment like that?"

Kong Jie glared at the smug Li Yunlong, profound displeasure written all over his face.

"Logically speaking, I'm the one the commander should be taking most. But you, Li Yunlong, you little punk?"
"You say you're going to the capital, but who the hell knows what kind of trouble you'll stir up for the commander and our 1st Special Detachment?"
"Only the commander would be willing to take a rascal like you along; he spoils you far too much."
"If I, old Ding, were the commander, I'd nail your punk ass right here to the Mount Wutai base and not let you go anywhere."

Even Ding Wei, watching Li Yunlong lead such an elite force, felt a sour taste in his mouth as he spoke.

"Hahaha!"
"Hahaha!!"
"I'm telling you two dogmatic bastards, just go ahead and be envious."
"You never expected that one day, old Li here would also get to go to the capital."

The Northwest Shanxi Iron Triangle exchanged playful banter.

Despite the sour tones with which Kong Jie and Ding Wei reacted to Li Yunlong's orders to head for the capital, both of them were acutely aware of the risks involved in this mission.

The military situation right now was unfavorable!

The little Japanese devils had thrown the absolute best of their elite forces entirely into the Shanghu region.

Although Great Xia currently possessed greater troop strength, anyone with a discerning eye knew that the shifting tides were unfavorable for Great Xia.

Shanghu wouldn't hold out for long.

And if Shanghu couldn't hold out for long...

How long could the capital possibly endure?

Even Su Changqing had stated that going to the capital was undoubtedly a desperate journey with nine chances of death and only one of survival.

Therefore, as Ding Wei and Kong Jie watched Li Yunlong depart for the capital, what they felt wasn't really envy, jealousy, or hatred.

It was worry.

Worry that Li Yunlong might perish in the capital and never return.

They were all comrades who had crawled out of the same trenches, bound by life and death.

Even though they had grown accustomed to witnessing mortality, upon learning that their old comrade was heading to a purgatory battlefield like the capital, a wave of deep concern naturally arose within them.

After all, the bond among the three of them ran deep.

"Li Yunlong!"
"You punk are always reckless when it comes to fighting, but the troops attacking the capital will be the absolute cream of the little Japanese devils' crop."
"With our current resources, trying to deal with those elite Japanese devils will demand an immense price."
"You punk!"
"You punk better..."

Ding Wei looked at Li Yunlong, wanting to say more, but unable to find the words.

"Old Ding!"
"You've repeated that motherfucking speech eight hundred times already."
"My ears are practically growing calluses."
"Don't worry, old Li knows what he's doing."

Li Yunlong grinned widely, his face radiating boundless heroism.

"Besides, no matter how elite these little Japanese bastards are, they still only have one head and two shoulders."
"I specialize in fighting elites. If they aren't elites, old Li wouldn't even deign to look at them!"
"You two just wait right here at Mount Wutai to hear the good news from old Li."
"By then, my name will shake the entirety of Great Xia."
"You two mustn't turn green with envy, hahaha."
"Knowing the commander the way I do, this battle for the capital definitely won't be simple."
"The commander is never one to take a beating passively."
"Just watch, before long I'll hack off some Japanese divisional commander's head, snatch that bastard's samurai sword, and send it to you, old Ding, as a souvenir."

Hearing Li Yunlong say this, Kong Jie immediately chimed in, "Old Li, you motherfucker cannot play favorites."
"Giving a samurai sword only to old Ding and leaving me out?"
"That motherfucker is a general's saber! Walking around with a trophy like that, wouldn't it make all our comrades weep with envy?"

Hearing Kong Jie's words, Li Yunlong immediately retorted.

"Hey!"
"Don't worry, Kong the Wooden-head, I'll bring you a valuable gift that's every bit as good as a Japanese divisional commander's samurai sword."
"What?"
"What kind of gift could possibly compare to a Japanese divisional commander's samurai sword?"

Hearing Li Yunlong boasting like this, Kong Jie's interest was instantly piqued.

"Hey!"
"It'll definitely be worth more than its value."
"When the time comes, old Li will procure one of the Japanese divisional commander's wives for you."
"I hear those Japanese women are submissive beyond belief."
"Not only can they warm your bed, but they're also motherfucking virtuous to the extreme."

Hearing Li Yunlong derail the conversation like this, Kong Jie immediately cursed, "Go to hell, you motherfucker!"
"Hahaha..."
"Hahaha..."

The Northwest Shanxi Iron Triangle looked at one another and burst into laughter.

"Old Li!"
"I won't say much else." Ding Wei stepped forward and saluted Li Yunlong.
"Come back alive!"

Kong Jie also saluted Li Yunlong.

"Right, old Li!"
"Come back alive and fight the Japs with me."
"Without your punk here, fighting the Japs just isn't as fun."

"You motherfuckers can rest easy a hundred times over."
"Old Li's life is tough as nails, I'm definitely coming back alive."
"You two better guard the Mount Wutai base well for me; don't let me come back and find my home is gone!"
"Go to hell, you motherfucker. With me, Ding Wei, here, those little Japanese devils think they can take the Mount Wutai base?"
"Exactly, Li Yunlong! Don't think you're the only one who knows how to fight; my troops are an elite force too, you motherfucker."

Just as the three of them were bidding farewell, a voice rang out from the distance. It belonged to the commander dispatched by the headquarters to lead this army toward the capital.

This man was also a junior alumnus of Su Changqing from the Whampoa Military Academy.

"Li Yunlong!"
"Present!"
"Prepare yourselves immediately and set out!"
"Our army must reach the capital no later than December."
"Those who violate this order..."
"Will be dealt with according to military law!"
"Understood!!"

According to Su Changqing's estimation, the time when the little Japanese devils would launch their offensive against the capital would be roughly early December.

Due to the extreme brutality of the Shanghu campaign, the timeline might be pushed back somewhat.

However, it wouldn't significantly affect the Japanese offensive against the capital.

The 1st Special Detachment had completed its re-equipping by early August, so they had to march rapidly south toward the capital right now.

Only by doing so could they catch up with the upcoming battles.