Taiyuan, Independent Garrison Command (First Army Command).

The summer sun blazed, flames burned the clouds on the horizon, and waves of heat rolled in.

The Japanese soldiers standing guard outside the headquarters were soaked in sweat, their clothes clinging to their bodies.

At this moment, the windows of the headquarters office were still open, and a cool breeze blew into the room, causing the temperature to drop several degrees.

A middle-aged man dressed as a lieutenant general was sitting behind a desk reviewing documents, with three cherry blossom stars prominently displayed on his shoulder.

This man was none other than Yoshio Shinotsuka, Commander-in-Chief of the First Army of the Japanese North China Area Army.

"Ring ring ring!"

Just as Yoshio Shinotsuka was about to put down his pen, the office phone rang.

"Whose call is this? Answer it." Yoshio Shinotsuka picked up the receiver and put it to his ear.

A moment later, Yoshio Shinotsuka put down the phone, a gloomy expression on his face.

"Shinotsuka-kun, I just received intelligence from the Special Higher Police. It seems that the Chinese army in Shanxi is being mobilized..." came the voice of Terauchi Hisaichi, the Supreme Commander of the North China Area Army, over the phone.

"Really? What are they up to?" Yoshio Shinotsuka asked, frowning.

The intelligence quality of the Special Higher Police of the North China Area Army is quite high; Terauchi Hisaichi wouldn't speak carelessly.

Moreover, if the Chinese army in Shanxi didn't make any moves, Terauchi Hisaichi wouldn't have called Shinotsuka Yoshio; it would have been completely unnecessary.

Yoshio Shinotsuka's thoughts were racing.

He understood that the sudden mobilization of the Huaxia army in Shanxi must mean that something major had happened.

"Your Excellency Terauchi, I would like to know the specifics: what exactly does the Chinese army in Shanxi intend to do, and what actions are they currently taking?"

Terauchi Hisaichi's voice came through: "I'm not entirely clear on the specifics either. You should ask the Special Higher Police."

"Hi, Lord Terauchi!"

After saying that, Terauchi Hisaichi hung up the phone.

Yoshio Shinotsuka put down the phone, his brows furrowed.

What exactly does the Chinese military want to do?

He had a bad feeling.

"Thump! Thump thump thump..."

Just then, there was a rapid knocking at the door.

"Come in!" Yoshio Shinotsuka looked up at the doorway.

A moment later, the First Army Chief of Staff Shunsuke Nishimura, the Operations Director Shoji Ono, the Intelligence Director Masao Takahashi, the Special Attack Section Chief Sasaki, and others filed in.

"Sir, something's happened!"

"It is Nishimura Shunsuke who spoke."

"Oh?" Yoshio Shinotsuka frowned.

"Your Excellency, according to our intelligence, the Huaxia army in Shanxi is sabotaging the Zhengtai Railway and the Tongpu Railway, and they have completed their deployment and begun operations on both sides of the railway..."

Chief of the intelligence department, Masao Takahashi, handed a piece of intelligence to Yoshio Shinotsuka, saying, "Please take a look."

Yoshio Shinotsuka took the information and read it carefully.

After a moment, he raised his head and asked in a deep voice, "Mr. Takahashi, why did the Chinese army in Shanxi sabotage the Zhengtai Railway and the Tongpu Railway?"

Yoshio Shinotsuka was somewhat puzzled, but not too surprised.

He thought that the Chinese army sabotaged the railway simply to disrupt the Japanese army's transportation and cause difficulties in their logistical supply.

"Sir, that's not important. What's important is that the Chinese army's sabotage of our supply lines definitely indicates a major operation..."

"Nishimura-kun, what are your thoughts?" Yoshio Shinotsuka asked Chief of Staff Shunsuke Nishimura.

"Your Excellency, the Chinese army in Shanxi sabotaging the Zhengtai Railway and the Tongpu Railway is definitely planning something big, but we don't know what they're up to..."

"I have a feeling they're about to launch a large-scale attack..."

"Therefore, we must strengthen the defenses of strategic locations such as Niangziguan, Yangquan, and Yuci, and absolutely not allow the Chinese army to sabotage the Zhengtai Railway..."

Yoshio Shinotsuka nodded, agreeing with Shunsuke Nishimura's opinion.

What Shunsuke Nishimura said coincided with Yoshio Shinotsuka's thoughts.

"Sasaki-kun, what about you over there? What's your Special Attack Division's opinion?" Yoshio Shinotsuka asked Sasaki, the head of the Special Attack Division.

The special attack unit of the Special Attack Section was the elite of the First Army, and was known as the "spearhead unit".

Although they only number a few hundred, the infiltration and special operations they are responsible for are extremely important and their role should not be underestimated.

Sasaki is a short, clumsy guy who has already become a colonel at a young age, and he is quite capable.

"Hi!" Sasaki quickly saluted Yoshio Shinotsuka.

"General, my view is similar to that of Mr. Nishimura and Mr. Takahashi. The Chinese army in Shanxi is merely harassing our supply lines, trying to disrupt our logistics and thus affect our operations in Shanxi..."

"Therefore, we must strengthen the defenses of railway nodes such as Niangziguan..."

Yoshio Shinotsuka looked up at Sasaki, frowned, and said, "Sasaki-kun, are you sure?"

"You're an expert in special operations, so tell me, what exactly is the Huaxia army in Shanxi thinking? Are they really just harassing our supply lines? And nothing else?"

"Reporting to Your Excellency, General!"

Sasaki quickly stepped forward and said solemnly, "If I were the commander-in-chief of the Chinese army, I would definitely not just harass our supply lines. I would choose one point and launch a large-scale attack..."

"The Chinese army excels at guerrilla warfare and mobile warfare, but they lack heavy firepower, making it impossible for them to wage a decisive battle..."

"I think they will choose a node on the Zhengtai Railway, surround and ambush our reinforcements."

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