"Zhang Dabiao, Zhang Dabiao, it's only been a few months, and your belly has gotten so big."
Yang Village, the New First Regiment's garrison.
After Li Yunlong issued his orders, the main officers of each unit immediately led their troops back to regimental headquarters.
Because the troops were scattered, many units ran into each other on their way back.
The Fourth Battalion Commander, seeing Zhang Dabiao being teased, also laughed and said, "This kid goes to collect protection fees from the Japanese devils' supply convoys every few days."
"He eats canned beef every day and drinks authentic Shanxi Fenjiu liquor; he can barely walk anymore."
"Heh heh, this is called me having good luck. If I were worried about the Japanese devils cornered and attacking the common people.
Not a single supply truck from the Japanese devils would be able to pass through my defense zone."
"Speaking of which, you two must have struck it rich. I've long heard that your Second and Third Battalions took down a stronghold together.
How was it, did you capture any good stuff?"
"Sigh, we captured two of those Japanese devils' Type 11 37mm infantry guns."
"What?"
"37mm infantry guns?"
"Do the Japanese devils even have such guns?"
"Second Battalion Commander, are you sure you're not mistaken?
The ones you captured, aren't they the Japanese devils' Type 94 37mm anti-tank guns?"
"They aren't anti-tank guns; if they were anti-tank guns, that would be great.
The captured puppet troops told us that those were indeed Japanese devil guns.
It's just that the Japanese devils don't use those types of guns anymore, so they handed them over to the puppet troops and the Japanese devils' second-line units for use.
They had only recently obtained them,
and before they could even train with them, I captured them."
"There were also over fifty artillery shells.
And this gun only weighs about 160 jin,
making it very convenient to carry. It's very effective against the Japanese devils' earth and wood blockhouses."
"Strange, why don't I see that kid Qin Yangming? Where is he?"
Zhang Dabiao looked around, unable to find Qin Yangming,
and quickly asked the others beside him.
"Where else could he be? He hasn't arrived yet.
He was still leading people to attack a stronghold the day before yesterday, so he should still be on the way."
The Second Battalion Commander, who had some information, said mysteriously.
"Guess how many men the Vanguard Battalion has now?"
"A thousand? Or two thousand?"
The Fourth Battalion Commander replied curiously.
The Second Battalion Commander shook his head.
"His Vanguard Battalion has about three thousand men.
The troop strength of his one battalion is almost equal to a main force regiment!"
The Third Battalion Commander beside him added.
"Not only that, but this kid also formed an artillery company."
Everyone wasn't too surprised by the news that Qin Yangming had formed an artillery company.
Everyone had witnessed Qin Yangming's skill in acquiring equipment.
Many of the weapons and equipment they had were obtained by Qin Yangming.
Seeing everyone's reaction, the Third Battalion Commander quickly continued.
"His artillery company isn't like the Regiment Commander's artillery company, which is composed of Type 92 infantry guns and 60mm mortars."
"His is an artillery company made up of three Type 41 mountain guns and six 82mm mortars!"
"This kid also set up a machine gun and artillery platoon in each company.
Type 92 infantry guns,
60mm mortars,
and they even have a heavy machine gun called something like 'Fu'!"
"This kid has struck it rich.
According to the soldiers of the Vanguard Battalion,
when he was attacking a bandit lair,
which is where the Vanguard Battalion is stationed now, he discovered an armory!"
At this moment, everyone was truly shocked by the information the Third Battalion Commander provided.
Zhang Dabiao had originally thought that his First Battalion's strength was the strongest in the New First Regiment.
He never expected there to be someone even more formidable.
With the roar of trucks and the neighing of mules and horses, a large-scale unit entered Yang Village.
"Holy crap, the Vanguard Battalion has two light machine guns per squad!"
"What is that black thing on the muzzle?"
"I've seen it before in the National Army,
it's used to fire something like a grenade.
It's similar to the Japanese devils' grenade launchers,
but it doesn't shoot as far."
"That heavy machine gun actually has two wheels.
Pulling it with mules and horses is much easier than carrying it by hand."
"This kid Qin Yangming is a genius. Where did he get so many submachine guns?"
Zhang Dabiao's eyes also grew envious as he looked at the equipment of Qin Yangming's troops.
It wasn't just Zhang Dabiao who was envious; Li Yunlong was too.
Especially those three Type 41 mountain guns.
Ever since he learned that Qin Yangming had three mountain guns, he had been longing for them day and night.
However, since Qin Yangming was also one of his subordinates,
he felt there was no difference whether the artillery was in Qin Yangming's hands or his own.
When he needed artillery, he could just ask Qin Yangming to bring them over,
and he wouldn't have to worry about the training of the artillery company.
After all the troops had been settled,
Li Yunlong also summoned all the Battalion Commanders and Company Commanders to the regimental headquarters courtyard for a meeting.
"I've called you all back because there is an important combat mission.
Our New First Regiment hasn't moved much for about half a year.
I'm afraid your bones have rusted,
or you've gotten so fat you can't walk."
At this point, Li Yunlong looked at Zhang Dabiao and said with a smile:
"So I've called everyone here to get some exercise.
What do you say, Zhang Dabiao?"
"Heh heh, Regiment Commander, just tell us, where are we attacking this time?
Our First Battalion guarantees to charge to the very front."
"Battalion Commander Zhang, your words don't sit well with our Second Battalion.
Why should your First Battalion always be at the very front?
Are our Second, Third, and even Fourth Battalions made of mud?"
The Second Battalion Commander, sitting next to Zhang Dabiao, immediately understood that this guy was trying to snatch the main attack!
Even though he didn't know where they were attacking, it was right to try and secure the main attack mission first.
Zhang Dabiao chuckled, stood up, and pointed to a group of people on his left, saying:
"You guys, don't be unconvinced yet.
Which of your battalions, taken individually, can go toe-to-toe with my First Battalion?"
"How about this, if any of you Battalion Commanders can defeat me,
I, Zhang Dabiao, will absolutely not fight for this main attack mission."
Li Yunlong, standing at the front, watched the various Battalion and Company Commanders below arguing fiercely over the main attack mission.
He didn't speak up to stop them; it was a good thing that everyone wasn't afraid of difficulties.
If the Battalion and Company Commanders under him were timid or hesitant to fight, or said something like: "I'll help you out for the sake of so-and-so."
He would probably be so angry he'd spit blood. For such troops, he'd rather carry a large pot himself.
Qin Yangming, sitting to Zhang Dabiao's right, happily munched on sunflower seeds, watching the show of everyone fighting for the main attack mission.
He wasn't worried at all.
He had already guessed that Li Yunlong was going to attack the county town.
The county town was a tough nut to crack, and tough nuts naturally had to be gnawed by those with the best teeth.
Which battalion in the New First Regiment had the best teeth?
Qin Yangming stated that if all the other battalions attacked together, he could still defeat them.
If they dared to compete with him for the main attack mission, had they asked his sandbag-sized fists?
And the other Battalion Commanders naturally knew this situation, so no one mentioned the Vanguard Battalion.
They just wanted to push the Vanguard Battalion out of the running immediately; otherwise, who could compete with the Vanguard Battalion?
Li Yunlong, at the front, also noticed this situation.
He walked over to Qin Yangming.
"Little rascal, why aren't you going to fight for it?
Aren't you afraid the main attack mission will be snatched away?"
"Oh, my dear Regiment Commander, you're going to attack the county town, right?"
"The county town is a tough nut to crack.
For tough nuts, naturally, whoever has the best teeth,
should be the one to gnaw on them."
"In the entire New First Regiment, if anyone thinks they have better teeth than me,
or can beat me, stand up and show me."
Qin Yangming held a stool, and with a slight exertion of force, he directly crushed the thick wooden board.
He wasn't like Zhang Dabiao, who deliberately avoided mentioning Qin Yangming when talking about the strength of the battalions.
He directly made a sweeping statement.
He blasted all the Battalion and Company Commanders present.
The other Battalion Commanders, upon hearing that they were going to attack the county town, exchanged glances.
An alliance targeting Qin Yangming was instantly formed.
The Third Battalion Commander spoke first: "Battalion Commander Qin, everyone knows that you and your Vanguard Battalion are very capable fighters."
"But no matter how capable you are, you can't defeat all of us before your stamina runs out."