The Zhengtai Railway, which was destroyed by the 19th Division of the Eighth Route Army in the Hundred Regiments War, was rebuilt and opened to traffic thanks to the Japanese engineers working day and night for several months.
Taiyuan, First Army Headquarters.
"Your Excellency, Commander."
Chief of Staff Hideyoshi Kusuyama reported to Yoshio Shinozuka:
"After the Zhengtai-Taiwan Railway was restored to traffic, a total of four trains departed from Shimen City to Taiyuan, including passenger cars and coal cars. None of them were attacked by the Eighth Route Army."
"Is it possible that the Eighth Route Army did not receive intelligence about military columns and ammunition supplies?"
Yoshio Shinozuka also frowned slightly, his eyes showing contemplation.
Although it was reopened to traffic, Yoshio Shinozuka was still very cautious and did not immediately order the military train loaded with ammunition and supplies to leave.
Let’s first test what countermeasures the Eighth Route Army will take.
But there was no movement at all on the eighth road, which made Yoshio Shinozuka and Hideyoshi Kusuyama a little confused.
Kusuyama Hideyoshi said: "According to the intelligence coming from the mobile brigades, during this period, some unidentified suspicious individuals appeared around their station. They are most likely to be scouts of the Eighth Route Army."
Yoshio Shinozuka said: "It is normal for the Eighth Route Army scouts to appear around the mobile brigade station. It would be abnormal if there were no Eighth Route Army scouts."
"Yes, Your Excellency, Commander." Kusuyama Hideyoshi agreed, "I just don't know if the Eighth Route Army is scouting our mobile brigade, or is it looking for a location to attack the military columns?"
Yoshio Shinozuka glanced at Kusuyama Hideyoshi in surprise, thinking that this brother is more suspicious than me, the commander.
But this is a good thing for the imperial army. The more suspicious it is, the more trustworthy it is, and it also leaves no opportunity for the Eighth Route Army to take advantage of.
Shinozuka Yoshio has been under too much pressure recently, and even when discussing such an important matter, there is no adviser around him.
It wasn't that Yoshio Shinozuka was energetic and didn't need any help from his side, but that he didn't know who else he could trust except Kusuyama Hideyoshi.
"It's very simple to know whether the Eighth Route Army knows the information about the military ranks." Shinozuka Yoshio said: "You will know if you test the Eighth Route Army."
Kusuyama Hideyoshi's expression moved slightly and he asked: "Your Excellency, Commander, do you mean...that we are going to send out decoys?"
"Not bad!" Shinozuka Yoshio said, "Currently the Shota Railway has resumed traffic, and the second batch of ammunition and supplies is coming soon. If this batch of ammunition and supplies are also stored in Baoding and Shimen City train stations, if they are bombed by the Eighth Route Army
If it falls, then our First Army's losses will be great. Don't forget, Li Yunlong has a mysterious special forces in his hands."
Kusuyama Hideyoshi's eyes flashed sharply when he heard this: "It's true that special forces like to do this kind of work the most."
The two analyzed it based on intelligence and Yamamoto Kazuki's investigation report.
The death sniper who killed four Japanese officers and one Japanese soldier with three shots was probably from the mysterious special forces under Li Yunlong.
As for the weapon that can shoot a person into pieces at a distance of 1.7 kilometers, it is impossible for Eighth Route Army to make it. It came from Li Yunlong's mysterious aid channel.
At present, with the intelligence capabilities of the Japanese army, they cannot even find out detailed information about Li Yunlong.
Not to mention Chen Feng, who has not been shown a few times, only the name Chen Feng and the method of aiding the Eighth Route Army were airdrops were found, and nothing else was found.
At this time, Japanese military intelligence had focused its investigation on Chen Feng's airport and the aid channel.
Kusuyama Hideyoshi continued: "There is an old saying in China that all eggs cannot be put in one basket. I think the ammunition and supplies of these three military columns should be transported to Taiyuan first."
Yoshio Shinozuka perked up and said, "Kusuyama-kun, if you think so too, then go ahead and give the order."
"In addition, he secretly conveyed the news to the underground party and let the Eighth Route Army know that a military train was about to leave Shimen City."
"Hi!" Kusuyama Hideyoshi said after a pause, "Commander, I will take care of it right away."
At that moment, Kusuyama Hideyoshi walked quickly to the communications room.
When he arrived at the communications room, he put all personnel, including communications staff officer Toshimatsu Kasai, on leave.
Later, telegraph personnel transferred from other places were asked to take over the work of the communications room.
Not long after, Kusuyama Hideyoshi's order was sent via telegraph.
Then, Kusuyama Hideyoshi returned to the commander's office, paused and said: "Your Excellency, commander, the order has been issued."
"At 10 o'clock tomorrow morning, the first military column transporting ammunition and supplies will set off from Shimen City Railway Station."
"After arriving at Jingxing Railway Station, it stopped. The military train responsible for the decoy set off from Jingxing County and headed for Taiyuan."
"In addition, an order has been given to the Special High School Section. The personnel of the Special High School Section will let the underground party on the Eighth Route know the news without leaving any trace."
"Also, the aviation fuel and aerial bombs required by the 9th Flying Squadron are all ready and ready to take off for rescue at any time."
"Yo Xi!" Yoshio Shinozuka said happily, "The next step is to see if the Eighth Road doesn't take the bait."
"Yes!" Kusuyama Hideyoshi said in a sinister tone, "If the Eighth Road is taken advantage of, then there will be two elite Imperial Army brigades on the decoy train, more than 140 light and heavy machine guns, 4 combat anti-cannons, and one every 10 kilometers
The elite brigade of the Imperial Army and the 9th Flying Squadron will definitely make the Eighth Route Army have a wonderful day."
"If the Eighth Route Army did not take the bait, it would prove that we had made a false alarm. The Eighth Route Army had no idea about the ammunition and supplies for the division battle, and had not made any preparations in advance, so they could safely and boldly transport them."
With only one day, it was absolutely impossible for the Eighth Route Army to make preparations to rob military columns and transport them so quickly.
It is impossible to even mobilize a large number of troops and civilians to reach the Zhengtai Railway, let alone survey the terrain in advance, formulate combat plans and prepare for emergencies.
This time, Yoshio Shinozuka and Hideyoshi Kusuyama also worked very hard to catch the eight fish.
Not only was an elite brigade deployed on the decoy train, more than 140 light and heavy machine guns, and 4 combat anti-cannons were deployed.
Each carriage of the decoy train was reinforced with steel plates. Bullets from the outside could not penetrate the steel plates, but the light and heavy machine guns and combat anti-aircraft guns inside could penetrate the outside through the shooting holes.
There was also a Type 94 armored train and armored vehicles to escort them.
There are also elite mobile brigade and aviation troops deployed on the Zhengtai Railway to support at any time.
This kind of firepower and support made Principal Chang silent and Yan Laoxi shed tears.
If anyone comes to rob this train, they will definitely suffer a big loss.
…
"At 10 o'clock tomorrow morning, a military column loaded with ammunition and supplies will set off from Shimen City to Taiyuan?"
The intelligence revealed by the intelligence officers of the Japanese Special High School and the comrades on the hidden front were passed to the headquarters without knowing the inside story.
After listening to the chief of staff's dictation, the boss looked at the information in the hands of the chief of staff and narrowed his eyes slightly.
"That's what the intelligence says." The chief of staff nodded, "Boss, are you doubting the authenticity of this intelligence?"
"It's not that I'm suspicious." The boss waved his hand and said, "It's just that I feel like something is wrong, but I can't put my finger on it."
The chief of staff heard this and thought for a moment: "This information may be false, or it may be true."
"What do you say?" the boss asked with a stunned expression.
"Boss, your feeling is actually right." The chief of staff said: "Boss, think about it carefully. It has been more than half a month since the Japanese army's three military trains transporting ammunition and supplies have been in Shimen City and Baoding. We are on the hidden front.
Our comrades on the hidden front have not received even the slightest bit of news, but the Japanese military train is about to leave, and our comrades on the hidden front have obtained the information. Isn't this worthy of suspicion?"
"What do you mean?" the boss asked in a deep voice, "this is information sent to us intentionally by the Japanese army?"
"This possibility cannot be ruled out." The chief of staff nodded and said, "According to this analysis, either Shinozuka Yoshio is playing under the lights and deliberately spreading the information at this juncture to make us suspect that it is false information and a fake show.
Make a military train transporting ammunition and supplies to Taiyuan."
The boss followed the chief of staff's words and said: "Either this is a trap, deliberately tempting our Eighth Route Army to take the bait."
The chief of staff smiled slightly: "But fortunately we have special forces..."
"Li Yunlong sent a telegram to say that his special forces have penetrated into Shimen City Railway Station and Baoding Railway Station, and have connected with our comrades working in the railway stations. Every military train transporting ammunition and supplies has done so.
Okay, special mark."
"Moreover, Li Yunlong's special forces brought three sets of artillery scopes and set up surveillance points kilometers away from the train station."
"Whether it's a kid playing a trick of hiding under the light or a fishing strategy, it can't escape our eyes."
"Okay!" The boss looked satisfied and said everything was under control, "But we still need to order the 386th Brigade to prepare for an attack, just in case the old devil Yoshio Shinozuka does something to us."
"good!"
At that moment, the chief of staff took out a pen and paper and drafted a telegram to the 386th Brigade.
The telegram detailed the enemy's intelligence, as well as the headquarters' guesses and orders, and then ordered the telegraph operator to send it out quickly.
…
In the middle section of Taihang Mountains.
Jinshan.
Several main regiments of the 386th Brigade have already arrived here.
This is located about 6 kilometers south of Niangziguan.
Moreover, it belongs to the sphere of influence of the Eighth Route Army base area. It is difficult for the Japanese to detect the large-scale garrison here.
In addition to the main force, there are also a large number of militiamen from the Taiyue Military Region and a huge transportation team.
Each person only brought 6 days of dry food. If it took another 4 days, the Japanese troops transporting ammunition and supplies would not enter Shanxi.
The main force of the 386th Brigade and these militiamen, civilians and transportation teams had to return in vain.
After receiving the telegram from the headquarters, the brigade commander immediately ordered all units to act according to the original plan, and each combat unit arrived at the designated location in the middle of the night.
Quietly waiting for the Japanese army column to arrive.