Chapter 65: The Ranks Expand Further, Launching the June Offensive!

In early June, Liu Changqing returned with his troops after more than ten consecutive days of combat, bringing back nearly 600 new recruits.

While continuously capturing minor outposts, Liu Changqing followed Zhang Yun's instructions to fight, conduct propaganda, and recruit soldiers all along the way. Leveraging the Independent Detachment's reputation of winning battle after battle, they attracted many mountain residents who were indignant at Japanese brutality or harbored deep blood feuds to follow them. After careful screening, Liu Changqing selected these nearly 600 young men and brought them back.

Added to the 500-plus personnel previously brought back by Zhang Yun, the Independent Detachment's 5th Company (the Recruit Company) now boasted over 1,100 new recruits.

However, the Independent Detachment no longer required joint collective training for the entire force. According to the current system of the Independent Detachment, Deputy Commander Xing would use the 90 veteran instructors of the Recruit Company to independently handle the new recruit training. After completing thirty days of basic training, these recruits would be assigned to the regular 1st through 4th Companies, where they would complete subsequent training alongside the veteran troops.

This recruit training system ensured that the main force of the Independent Detachment remained combat-ready at all times without worrying about a surplus of recruits compromising combat effectiveness, while also facilitating a steady supply of well-trained, high-quality soldiers.

Setting aside the matter of recruit training, Liu Changqing and the various company commanders were led directly by Zhang Yun upon returning to the base to tour the construction site in the back mountains, where the essential elements of the future base's defense were explained to them.

"The fortifications are currently under construction and will not be fully completed until early next year. The central mountain body will house the military factory, material supply warehouses, and the headquarters, with three reserved entry-exit points and several firing ports. Normally, these sections will not interfere with one another, but in case of necessity, they can be connected through heavy fire doors."

"The four surrounding mountains serve as defensive fortifications, primarily consisting of reinforced concrete structures and tunnel networks inside the mountain masses, complemented by numerous machine gun bunkers and artillery positions. These four mountains and the military factory are connected underground by tunnels. The four peaks can shelter at least 4,000 people."

"In the future, the 4th Company will be responsible for the defense of these four peaks. The 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and Artillery Companies will also conduct regular defense drills to familiarize themselves with the fortifications. Under normal circumstances, we will adopt an offensive defense—continuously raiding enemy communication lines, outposts, townships, and even county seats—rather than stubbornly holding our base. However, if the enemy launches a massive assault, I expect the 4th Company to hold out for at least one month, while the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Companies operate on the exterior lines. When necessary, all forces will be committed to fortification defense combat."

"Additionally, I will secretly construct a tunnel leading directly into Heshun territory. Under the most extreme circumstances, we will use this secret tunnel to transport supplies, evacuate the wounded, and reinforce personnel."

On the back mountain construction site, listening to Zhang Yun's detailed explanation against the blueprint and watching hundreds of construction workers simultaneously digging caves across the five mountains, Liu Changqing and the others dropped their jaws in astonishment.

They had never imagined such a defensive combat strategy, nor had they ever dreamed that a military factory could be built inside a mountain. Even more surprising was Zhang Yun's astonishing pace of progress; after being away for just over ten days, they felt completely outpaced by the rapid development of their home base.

"Commander, once our fortifications are completed, we won't have to fear the devils' artillery anymore!" As someone from a main force background, 1st Company Commander Zhang Miao had fought face-to-face position battles against both the Nationalist Army and the Japanese invaders. He had the deepest appreciation for the destructive power of the enemy's artillery and had felt utterly helpless against it.

"That's right, exactly," several company commanders nodded in agreement, but Wang Dachuan thoughtfully remarked, "No, it means we won't have to fear the devils' airplanes anymore either."

"In a clash of forces, firepower is king; whoever has the stronger artillery gains the upper hand. But back when our Northeast Army first fought the Japanese, our artillery firepower was no weaker than theirs. Yet very soon, the Japanese airplanes arrived, bombing our artillery positions into a complete mess. After that, the enemy artillery gained the upper hand and won the artillery duel!"

Zhang Yun nodded with satisfaction and said to the cadres, "Company Commander Wang is describing modern warfare. Because our own artillery is usually too weak, the enemy doesn't bother using aircraft to continuously attack and suppress our ground forces. But when the Central Army fights the Japanese, they lose for two reasons: first, the range of most of their cannons falls short of the enemy's; second, they lose to the air force. The Central Army actually possessed artillery pieces of better quality and longer range than the Japanese cannons, but because they were suppressed by the enemy air force, the moment an artillery position was discovered, it was obliterated. Consequently, their artillery had to operate covertly and could never unleash its proper firepower."

"The greatest strength of our defensive position lies right here. The surrounding mountain ranges prevent the enemy's heavy artillery regiments from entering, and the mountain fortifications protect us from enemy bombing. Furthermore, we hold the geographical advantage. As long as our supply of bullets and shells holds out, no matter how many Japanese troops come, it won't be enough for us to wipe them out!"

"There is also good news: the arsenal can now begin production and is currently capable of manufacturing mortar shells, grenades, and a small quantity of bullets. According to the estimates of our experts, in another two months, this place will be able to produce 60mm and 82mm mortars, and by early next year, we can trial-produce mountain guns. Since they performed similar work at the Taiyuan Arsenal, and given that our equipment and raw materials are of higher quality than those at Taiyuan, manufacturing mortars and mountain guns will not be a problem. By next year, our Independent Detachment will no longer lack artillery or shells!"

Because Zhang Yun provided funds and supplies generously and possessed the miraculous ability to "procure" top-tier foreign equipment, the three experts, upon seeing that mortar shell production had commenced, grew to believe Zhang Yun's previous promises. They promptly wrote letters inviting their struggling old colleagues who were barely surviving in the Jinzhong region.

Now, with the assistance of the Yuci organization and guerrillas, and supported by Zhang Yun's ample "operating funds," more than thirty veteran master craftsmen from the former Taiyuan Arsenal had already joined Zhang Yun's military factory, with others continuing to arrive one after another. At the same time, the family members of the previously rescued experts, drawing upon their familial technical heritage, actively threw themselves into Zhang Yun's military factory to help produce weapons and ammunition to kill the Japanese invaders. As a result, Zhang Yun's "Yunyan Factory" currently had over 170 workers, alongside ongoing training programs for new recruits.

Going forward, Zhang Yun also planned to follow the developmental model of people's defense industry by outsourcing accessories such as wooden grenade handles and ammunition crates to nearby villagers, thereby further optimizing the production process and increasing military output.

In late June, considering that more than 15 days had passed since the last "occupation," and that the Jinzhong and Yangquan regions had entered the summer harvest season with various localities beginning to store grain, Zhang Yun, Liu Changqing, and the others discussed launching another offensive against the Japanese and puppet outposts in the mountainous areas. Within the Independent Detachment, this was designated as the June Offensive.

Objectives: Japanese and puppet outposts, traitor maintenance association outposts, and Zhengtai Railway outposts in the mountain-adjacent townships of Xiyang, Pingding, Shouyang, Yuci, Taigu, and Yushe. Meanwhile, per instructions, they were to "fight, conduct propaganda, and recruit soldiers all along the way."

Forces: The 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Companies (each expanded to 302 personnel) and the Artillery Company (already expanded to 150 personnel), along with elements of the Reconnaissance Platoon, Special Operations Platoon, and Communications Platoon.

Support: Yuci Guerrillas, Shouyang Guerrillas, Xiyang Militia, and other local armed units.

Ammunition Supply: 4,000 rounds of 82mm and 60mm mortar shells produced by the military factory (actually including 2,800 rounds cashed out by Zhang Yun, as the factory was still in its preliminary phase with low output while training workers), 200 infantry gun shells, 40,000 rifle and light machine gun rounds, and 2,000 hand grenades. The majority of the ammunition had already been transported in advance by the Yuci and Shouyang guerrillas to hidden local caches to reduce transportation difficulty and enhance troop mobility.

Deployment: Zhang Yun and Liu Changqing split their forces into two routes to campaign against Yuci, Taigu, Yushe, and Xiyang, Ping'an, Shouyang respectively. Afterward, the two forces would converge in Shouyang to jointly raid the Zhengtai Railway.