Chapter 44

Regardless of whether Boss Huang believed it or not, Fatty had already decided to use the bottle of what Boss Huang called "rapeseed oil" to turn the enemy's No. 1 warehouse upside down. The two argued for a long time, neither able to convince the other. In the end, they had to make a bet. If the "rapeseed oil" in Fatty's hand could really achieve the explosive effect he claimed, then Boss Huang would provide all the chemicals needed to produce nitroglycerin and any other materials Fatty wanted for free in the future.

Boss Huang had originally come to deliver explosives to Fatty. Two boxes of black explosives, fifty kilograms each, were right there. Fatty took one look and refused to use them. Forget about blowing up the enemy's warehouse, just carrying these two boxes would exhaust him to death. How could they fight the enemy happily like this?

Headquarters of a certain division of the Eighth Route Army.

"Report!"

"Come in!"

The report from the telegraph operator broke the silence in the command center. The division commander rubbed his temples, perked up, and took the telegram. As he read it, his face showed a look of disbelief.

"Commander, what happened?" The political commissar, noticing the commander's surprised expression, asked.

"Take a look. This Ma Dongming is really going wild, more capable than our entire division!" The commander handed the telegram to the political commissar, his face dark.

The deputy commander, chief of staff, and other key personnel present were all shocked. Hearing Ma Dongming's name, they all wore sarcastic smiles. During the Red Army period, this guy was always causing trouble. Otherwise, with his seniority, he wouldn't have been just a regimental commander.

"With just over two hundred men from the independent regiment and a bunch of bandits, this kid wants to feint an attack on Qingzhou and send a surprise force to raid the enemy's warehouse in the city. He really dares to think!" The commander added.

Everyone present was stunned. This wasn't like the kid. He was an old hand on the battlefield and should know the gravity of the situation. They were all very clear about the situation in Qingzhou, and the kid should be too. If he really wanted to fight a losing battle, they didn't know what he was thinking.

"Send a telegram to Ma Dongming immediately and ask for a detailed report!" The commander said to the telegraph operator.

"This kid is really a godsend. Commander, don't worry. I think Ma Dongming won't be so reckless. He's planning a surprise attack, so he must have some trick up his sleeve. Besides, this operation has great potential. Last time, he escorted the division's doctors through the enemy's minefield without any casualties. He did a good job, didn't he?" The political commissar said with a smile.

What the political commissar didn't know was that to avoid losing face among his peers, Ma Dongming's report on escorting the doctors was just a brief sentence: "Mission accomplished." As for the details, they had nothing to do with him. How could he write about being saved multiple times by a fat guy? That would be embarrassing.

"Commissar, don't flatter this kid. I know him well. With his character, I had to ask an acquaintance to request the Central Army to send elite troops to escort the doctors. Do you really think escorting the doctors was his achievement? I doubt he even knows what the enemy's mines look like, and he's talking about a surprise attack? With this kid's limited abilities, how could he come up with such a plan?"

"This kid is a fierce fighter, I believe that. But I don't believe he could come up with such a plan. Commissar, we can't let him act recklessly. This involves over two hundred lives!" The commander said earnestly.

"Since this kid is determined, let's send two nearby regiments to support him. They must arrive at Qingzhou's Tuoshan before nightfall. The troops will move through the mountains; the enemy's minefield is too complex to risk. If this kid wants to clash with the enemy, we can't let him suffer alone." The commander began issuing orders. He couldn't let the newly formed independent regiment suffer, especially since Ma Dongming's plan had great potential. The feinting force must hit hard to mobilize all the enemy in the city, increasing the chances of a successful surprise attack.

"Commander, I think we should also send the division's 92mm artillery and mortars for support. If we're going to fight, we should fight hard." The political commissar smiled at the commander.

"I have no objection." The commander nodded. Despite his scolding, he was very fond of Ma Dongming. However, he added, "If this kid's surprise attack doesn't succeed in taking out the enemy's warehouse in Qingzhou and uses me as a scapegoat, I'll deal with him!"

In fact, the command center was holding a military conference. At the beginning of the second united front between the KMT and the CCP, the Eighth Route Army was newly formed, and each unit was looking for opportunities to engage the enemy. Ma Dongming's telegram perfectly aligned with the content of the meeting. The commander, political commissar, and other division leaders were just looking for a place to strike the enemy when Ma Dongming's telegram arrived.

"Report!" The telegraph operator reported again, handing another telegram to the commander. The commander read it, his expression changing from surprise to deep thought. He then handed the telegram to the political commissar.

"Hmm? A telegram from Old Huang in Qingzhou..." The political commissar read the content and smiled, saying to the commander, "I see. The commander really understands Ma Dongming. He's not the one who could come up with such a plan."

"This Liu Mang is quite impressive, though his name is easily misunderstood. But he managed to lead Ma Dongming and his men through the minefield, single-handedly sniped an entire enemy battalion, and came up with the plan to feint an attack on Qingzhou and launch a surprise raid. He's a real talent. No wonder Ma Dongming was so confident in his military order. With such a capable person helping him, this plan might work." The political commissar said with a smile.

"Perhaps we can also consider asking Ma Dongming to have this comrade help with the delivery of the medicines donated by the overseas Chinese." The commander nodded, thought for a moment, and issued the combat orders. After the meeting, he said to the political commissar, "Commissar, do you remember when I told you about my family?"

"I remember. Your cousin was a senior member of the Tongmenghui and left Sichuan for the revolution. I remember that." The political commissar nodded, suddenly understanding what the commander was about to say, looking at him in surprise.

"In the past, I had a good relationship with this cousin and often corresponded with him. Before the July 7th Incident, the address on his letters was always Qingzhou. After the incident, I heard nothing from him. I remember he once wrote to me that he had a son, and this is his name." The commander pointed to Liu Mang's name on the telegram.

Same name, same place, and in Qingzhou. It couldn't be a coincidence, could it? The political commissar was stunned and said, "Don't worry, Commander. I'll arrange for the underground workers in Qingzhou to investigate. If it's true, with this kid's abilities, he really hasn't disgraced you, his division commander uncle. If I had a nephew like him, I'd be very proud!"

"Indeed, ha ha..." The commander laughed heartily, both happy about finding a way to engage the enemy and relieved to have found a relative.