Chapter 55 Replenishing Supplies and Commencing Military Training

Following the lively cadre meeting, the Independent Detachment officially launched a vigorous and high-intensity military training campaign.

Considering that the intensive training would consume massive amounts of ammunition, grain, meat, and other supplies—and that the current base reserves were not yet abundant enough for a force of nearly a thousand men—Zhang Yun decided to secure a substantial replenishment for the Independent Detachment.

Although there were no immediate combat missions planned, making it difficult to acquire supply replenishment through "booty capture," Zhang Yun fortunately had his own little tricks now.

When structuring the Independent Detachment, Zhang Yun had deliberately separated the Logistics Department from the Military Industry Department. He explicitly stated that, for the sake of confidentiality and the protection of the military industry, the procurement and production of the Military Industry Department must be entirely isolated from the Logistics Department.

Simply put, the Logistics Department was responsible for daily procurement of materials as well as the storage and distribution of all supplies and ammunition. However, the Military Industry Department also held the right to procure independently or acquire goods through special channels, with its procurement and production activities kept confidential from the Logistics Department.

Only after the Military Industry Department handed over manufactured firearms, ammunition, or materials acquired through special channels to the Logistics Department would the latter take charge of inventorying, storing, and distributing them.

To put it bluntly, neither the Logistics Department nor the Military Industry Department knew about each other's purchasing activities, and the Logistics Department only tallied reserve figures upon receiving the weapons delivered by the Military Industry Department.

This was a back door specifically set up by Zhang Yun for cashing out large batches of supplies in the future. After cashing out a batch of goods, he could simply tell the Logistics or Military Industry Department that the other party had procured them or acquired them through special channels.

In fact, once the troops grew even stronger, Zhang Yun planned to establish an Intelligence and Staff Department responsible for developing "Japanese traitors" or "surface puppet troops," which could simultaneously undertake special material procurement and add another procurement entry kept confidential from all other departments.

Utilizing this data revolving door and the principle of confidentiality, Zhang Yun could pull all the strings into his own hands, thereby realizing the covert cashing out of supplies without anyone being the wiser.

Otherwise, relying solely on "booty capture" to cash out supplies was truly a long and arduous road. As supplies grew increasingly abundant in the later stages, "booty capture" cashing would become more and more difficult. After all, the little Japanese were merely an impoverished industrial nation; how could there possibly be so many good things left to be "captured"!

Without further ado, taking advantage of the absence of Old Tang, the head of logistics, and the fact that other comrades in the Logistics Department were unfamiliar with Zhang Yun's experiences in Heshun and Liaoxian, Zhang Yun specifically sought out a few soldiers from the detachment's Logistics Department (formerly the logistics squad) right after the cadre meeting and led them to a concealed cave in the back mountain of Little Wang Village.

"Here are some supplies captured by our Independent Detachment in Heshun and Liaoxian. I arranged for the Heshun militia to specially help us bring them over. Get them entered into the accounts as soon as possible."

"Over the next few days, more supplies such as grain, ammunition, and cloth will arrive through special channels. You must maintain strict confidentiality and must not inquire about their origin."

The logistics soldiers stared in astonishment at the ammunition crates that piled up the back mountain cave, and then looked at Zhang Yun with admiration.

"Rest assured, Captain, we understand. Squad Leader (Minister) Tang has long instructed us that the logistics department must be precise in calculation and tight-lipped!"

Zhang Yun encouraged the soldiers with a few gratifying words and then arranged for them to organize the transport of the supplies.

Over the next three days, using this little trick, Zhang Yun successively replenished the base with 180,000 rounds of various bullets, 1,000 rounds of 82mm mortar shells, 1,000 rounds of 60mm mortar shells, 5,000 grenades, 2 Type 92 heavy machine guns, 8 ZB vz. 26 machine guns, 200 rifles, 500 kilograms of TNT explosives, 2 tons of canned food, 200 bolts of cloth, 5 tons of grain, and a set of minor equipment applicable to the production of wooden-handled grenades.

(Grenade production is relatively simple, requiring minimal equipment, akin to the "Seven Men Back" method. However, the equipment provided here by Zhang Yun was specially synthesized and exchanged through workshop-style equipment in his inventory space into miniature equipment dedicated to foreign military factories, capable of high yield and superior quality.)

Currently, the ammunition in Zhang Yun's inventory space had basically been cashed out, but a large quantity of weapons and equipment still remained, including over 700 rifles, 10 heavy machine guns, 2 infantry guns, 1.4 mountain guns, alongside massive amounts of grain, cloth, iron, and copper.

This was precisely why Zhang Yun was so eager to establish a military industry department. Compared to weapons and ammunition, the booty-bonus system allowed him to easily obtain large quantities of production and daily living supplies through "occupation."

As long as a dedicated military industry department was formed, a large number of grenades and mortar shells could be obtained in the initial stage to resolve ammunition shortages. In the medium term, he could obtain partially copied firearms and mortars of various calibers. Once the military factory grew and expanded, it could even produce brand-new bullets, various field artillery pieces, and shells.

Following several days of replenishment, Zhang Yun had the logistics department tally the material reserves. Currently, the base held over 250,000 rounds of ammunition and more than 2,000 mortar shells. Although grain currently stood at only around 20 tons and canned food at just 7 to 8 tons, the Jinzhong region would begin its wheat harvest in June, and a large volume of grain could subsequently be acquired through capture and purchase.

As supplies grew increasingly abundant, the Independent Detachment's training gradually got on track. Following the pattern of the first training session, the Independent Detachment arranged for the recruits to intensively engage in drills such as close-order formations, marksmanship, and tactical movements.

Zhang Yun also intensified the soldiers' training in trench digging and fortification construction, deliberately building a dense circle of concentric defensive fortifications around Little Wang Village by making full use of the terrain and steep slopes.

This was a preparation made by Zhang Yun for future anti-mopping-up campaigns. He intended to expand outward bit by bit and gradually replace them with permanent fortifications using "captured" cement, wooden boards, and other materials. His ultimate goal was to establish a three-layered defense system: a core circle centered on tunnels, reinforced concrete blockhouses, and bunkers (serving as civilian shelters, military factories, and supply depots); an inner circle dominated by permanent concentric fortifications (protecting core villages); and an outer circle consisting of permanent positions at key road sections and hilltops (safeguarding peripheral villages).

Once training commenced, nearly 800 soldiers would surround the mountains near the Little Wang Village base every day, practicing concealment, attacking formations, and long-distance raids, followed by continuous rounds of live-fire marksmanship practice at the back mountain shooting range.

Per Zhang Yun's requirements, recruits had to perform at least five live rounds of shooting daily, while novice artillerymen had to conduct at least one live artillery drill.

Every time the soldiers engaged in target practice, it was invariably the liveliest time in the Independent Detachment. Organized by company, the men would watch and learn from one another, pondering shooting movements and techniques.

Soon, quite a few sharpshooters with exceptional accuracy stood out among the recruits, becoming key marksmen cultivated by the detachment.

The company and platoon officers hailing from the main forces trained the recruits with beaming joy while secretly shedding tears of envy. When they had joined the Red Army, there was no such comprehensive recruit training; every skill they possessed had been learned by risking their lives on the battlefield.

While the soldiers cheerfully carried out their training, the logistics soldiers felt a constant ache in their hearts. After all, just collecting the spent cartridge cases filled a large hemp sack every day, and the gathered shells were on the verge of filling up an entire small warehouse. Yet, knowing this was the price of the recruits' growth, no matter how much it pained them, they strictly followed Zhang Yun's instructions to distribute ammunition and arrange shooting sessions for everyone daily.

As training continued and the combat effectiveness of the Independent Detachment's soldiers steadily rose, Zhang Yun had already begun studying the wheat harvest offensive slated for late May. Unexpectedly, a piece of news sent by the local county committee altered his plans.

Military industry talent had been found, but it came with certain complications!