Chapter 4, Military Law
However, this plan was soon negated by itself
"Yes!" Chen Qiming nodded.
Damn it! After a long pause, Chen Qiming finally couldn't hold back any longer. He stood up abruptly and said, "We can't just sit here doing nothing. This mess was caused by our engineering regiment, and if anyone is to be executed, it can't just be the regiment leader!"
"Hey!" Little Zhejiang stood up and said: "Our leader is also a tough guy; we cannot let his sacrifice be in vain because of our mistakes"
If Wang Mazi were to unconditionally execute Zhang Chi, it is likely that Zhang Chi would die without even understanding what happened
There is no need to say what the warriors are thinking
The conversation between the two quickly elicited a response from the soldiers, who stood up one by one in agreement:
This escape is not an escape, and not escaping is also not an option. Thus, Zhang Chi seems to realize one thing: his fate appears to be tied to that of the expeditionary force. Only by doing his utmost to reduce the casualties of the expeditionary force, and even by turning around the situation of their retreat from the Wild Man Mountain, does he have a greater chance of survival
If one cannot be a deserter, then one can only remain in the military
I just suffered a defeat, and it was a collapse that happened in an instant
Zhang Chi's first thought was to become a deserter
Not to mention that the 200th division maintains strict military discipline, the only possible outcome for a captured deserter is execution by firing squad
"Report, Commander! I ... ..." At this moment, Zhang Chi realized that he did not even know his own number
Hmm! Wang Mazi nodded, then said, "The troops you mentioned that were reported to the Japanese in advance, are they him?"
Then you tell me what to do! A voice retorted: "Are we just going to sit here like this?"
He does not care about the fate of the leader, nor does he care whether the engineering corps will be looked down upon by others
Later, upon reflection, Zhang Chi felt a sense of dread, as at that moment, Wang Mazi had mistakenly believed that Zhang Chi might be a spy and had developed murderous intent, while Zhang Chi remained oblivious to the situation.
Before long, this sound quickly spread throughout the entire engineering regiment, and in an instant, everyone was filled with indignation and eager to confront the division commander
However, Zhang Chi was aware that during the first expedition of the expeditionary force, they suffered a devastating defeat due to the British's lack of will to fight and chaotic command, with only less than 40,000 survivors out of the original 100,000.
Yet only Zhang Chi sat there in silence, not uttering a word
Upon hearing these words, the warriors found them to be reasonable, and thus their voices immediately quieted down significantly
At worst, let us go to the battlefield and fight against the Japanese devils to redeem our past mistakes
The sound of cannon fire is thunderous, and the cries of battle resonate through the heavens
"What are you arguing about?" At that moment, a hoarse voice came from the other side: "Isn't there enough trouble already? Everyone sit back down and wait for orders!"
You are right! We should be punished together!
He feels that these matters have nothing to do with him; what concerns him is how to escape this battlefield filled with gunfire and find a safe place to preserve his life
A military officer with a face full of pockmarks and a scar at the corner of his mouth appeared before Zhang Chi
"Come with me!" Wang Mazi commanded Zhang Chi, while the corner of his mouth unconsciously twisted.
If this were in other military units, it would not be considered anything significant, as many troops in the National Revolutionary Army have faced similar defeats against the Japanese army. However, this involves the 200th Division, which has repeatedly defeated the Japanese army and achieved the great victory at Kunlun Pass, killing the Japanese brigade commander Major General Nakamura Masayuki, while still holding firm against twice the number of Japanese troops. This comparison further highlights how inept the engineering corps is.
This means that out of five, three are destined to die, which implies that more than half of one's life is already lost
Report, Deputy Commander! Seeing Zhang Chi in a daze, Chen Qiming beside him shot a disapproving glance at Zhang Chi and interjected: "He is my soldier, Zhang Chi, the squad leader of the 7th squad in the 3rd platoon of the 1st company!"
Outside, the Chinese and Japanese armies are engaged in fierce combat, yet within a spacious hall in the city of Tonggu, the soldiers of the engineering corps are all downcast and silent. The air, mixed with the scent of gunpowder, feels as if it has solidified, pressing down on people and making it hard to breathe
Wang Mazi was transferred to the engineering corps because he sustained an abdominal injury during a combat operation, making it difficult for him to engage in high-intensity combat on the front lines
Zhang Chi was momentarily speechless; firstly, he did not know how to answer this question, and secondly, he was merely a class leader. In this unit, there were squad leaders and company commanders everywhere, so it was not his turn to respond to this question.
"Which part are you from?" Wang Mazi stepped forward to ask Zhang Chi
Thus, if one were to escape like this, it would mean that regardless of whether one encounters Chinese, Burmese, or Japanese people, it would result in killing... ? ... Damn it, wouldn't that be just like a rat crossing the street? !
The Japanese army in Tonggu launched another fierce attack in order to restrain the expeditionary forces, preventing them from posing a threat to the Japanese troops that had just occupied Keyongan Airport
Upon realizing this, Zhang Chi suddenly stood up and stopped the soldiers who were about to seek out the commander, saying: "Squad leader, brothers... At this moment, the commander is directing the troops in battle against the Japanese devils. Going to find the commander now would only add fuel to the fire and further aggravate his anger!"
The deputy regiment commander... a few officers wanted to say something, but they were silenced by a glare from the man with the pockmarked face.
Zhang Chi did not feel anything, but the comrades around him revealed a hint of surprise and fear in their eyes, for they all knew that when Wang Mazi twisted the corner of his mouth, it meant he was contemplating murder
The sounds of gunfire, cannon fire, the roar of airplanes, and the cries of anguish... Various sounds intertwine to create a scene of brutal carnage in war
This scarred face belongs to the deputy commander of the engineering regiment. He was originally a battalion commander in the combat troops. According to his own words, the number of people he has killed is as countless as the scars on his face. Furthermore, since his surname is Wang, he is referred to as "Wang the Scarred, who kills like a reaper".
What particularly made Chen Qiming unable to bear was when several injured soldiers, missing arms and legs, passed by them and disdainfully spat a few times... Although the injured did not say anything, their gazes and actions pierced the hearts of every soldier in the engineering corps
Even if one is fortunate enough to successfully escape from the military... here is Myanmar, and at this time, the people of Myanmar do not know that the Chinese Expeditionary Force has come to assist them in resisting the invasion of the Japanese army. The people of Myanmar, including the common citizens, believe that the Chinese have come to help the British enslave the people of Myanmar, and soon the entire Myanmar will be occupied by the Japanese army
... ...
Chen Qiming has a fiery temper; how could he possibly endure such humiliation? Yet at this moment, he had no choice but to swallow his anger. The reason is simple: those few injured soldiers were even coughing up phlegm tinged with blood. As they had fled from the battlefield, what right did they have to argue with him?