Chapter 17

For He Zhengdao, encountering someone who had seen him and understood his background was undoubtedly a stroke of luck. After all, he had racked his brains trying to figure out who the original owner of this body was. Now, with someone who knew his identity, how could he not want to learn more about himself!

After listening to Yao Shengjun's introduction, he learned that the original owner of this body seemed to have followed a wandering Taoist priest. By chance, they met Mao Taizhu, who was organizing mass work in the Soviet area at the time.

It seemed that He Zhengdao's master had given Mao Taizhu a reading and displayed some genuine skills, which made Mao Taizhu believe that He Zhengdao's master was an extraordinary person.

As for why He Zhengdao was left by Mao Taizhu, according to Yao Shengjun, he knew very little. He only knew that when He Zhengdao's master left, he mentioned that the age of eighteen would be a major crisis for He Zhengdao.

Only by staying with someone who could truly help him through the disaster could he avoid misfortune. If he could safely pass the age of eighteen, his future would be boundless.

Faced with such a life-saving good deed, and considering He Zhengdao's flying knife skills, which even the guards of the Soviet political department admired, he was eventually specially assigned to serve as a guard for Mao Taizhu. He served in this role until the Red Army began the Long March, when he suddenly fell ill with a fever that could not be controlled.

Perhaps because of this reason, Mao Taizhu left him to recuperate at a local villager's home, hoping he could escape the crisis. It was inevitable that, unable to keep up with the rapid march, He Zhengdao would slow down the army's progress. Mao Taizhu's decision was probably out of necessity.

Regardless, learning more about his background made He Zhengdao feel more integrated into this world. He quickly put aside his personal matters and discussed with Yao Shengjun, the political commissar of the Red Fifth Army Corps, who knew him, how to reorganize this unit.

When discussing the management of the unit, He Zhengdao also called in Wang Tianlin, who was currently serving as deputy battalion commander. The three temporarily decided to expand the rear guard battalion, which already had over 1,200 members, into an independent regiment.

He Zhengdao would serve as the regimental commander, Yao Shengjun as the political commissar, and Wang Tianlin as the deputy commander. The entire independent regiment would be divided into three main battalions, each with four companies, and each company would temporarily consist of ninety people.

In addition to expanding the guard platoon to twice its current size, He Zhengdao also upgraded the mortar platoon to a company and organized a logistics battalion to transport weapons, ammunition, and the few rare cars in the Red Army. This way, they wouldn't need to expand further even if more Red Army members joined in the short term.

After setting the initial plan, Yao Shengjun and Wang Tianlin, who had also been busy all night, were ordered by He Zhengdao to rest. As for the selection of the four battalion commanders and the various company commanders, everything would be discussed after they woke up.

After all, in Dao County, He Zhengdao had the security battalion turn all the flour into steamed buns and pack them away. With these buns, they could stay in the mountains for two days without needing to start a fire.

However, while the other soldiers were resting, He Zhengdao began to think about how he would lead the entire independent regiment to break through the encirclement of the Gui Army, Xiang Army, and the Central Army in the rear and successfully reunite with the main force.

Although it was already determined that the next battle would take place in the entire county, as another military stronghold of the Gui Army, the number of prisoners held there was even greater. If they didn't act quickly, He Zhengdao was truly afraid that the prisoners might be killed.

While he was analyzing the future path, he suddenly heard gunshots from the distant mountains. Although the gunshots seemed to have only sounded once, it undoubtedly raised his alertness. Could there be someone else in the mountains besides his independent regiment?

With this suspicion, He Zhengdao couldn't rest. He woke up the guard platoon soldiers who had just rested and instructed the first company commander, Zhang Cheng, who was now in charge of the guard duty, to strengthen the alert around the area. If there was anything he couldn't decide, he could wake up Yao Shengjun and Wang Tianlin.

As for himself, he needed to go to the nearby mountains to see what was happening. How could gunshots suddenly be heard at this time of the morning, when there should be no hunters or Gui Army or Xiang Army soldiers in the mountains? The only possibility was that there were Red Army soldiers or guerrillas in the mountains. He couldn't rest until he found out.

Knowing that once the young regimental commander made a decision, it was hard to argue, Zhang Cheng, although feeling some danger, could only pray for the safety of the regimental commander as he led the thirty-plus guard platoon soldiers and quickly disappeared into the forest ahead.

In fact, He Zhengdao's guess was entirely correct. Near the Fairy Ridge where they were resting, there was indeed a Red Army unit that was also taking a short break. Unlike He Zhengdao's unit, which had no problems with weapons, ammunition, and supplies, this unit of less than two hundred people looked rather ragged.

The young commander, who looked very young, was scolding a Red Army soldier who had caught a small mountain pig weighing about a hundred pounds: "How could you forget the battlefield discipline? Do you know where we are? Your shot could expose all of us. Do you understand?"

The young soldier, with a red face, replied, "But, but, Commander, you haven't eaten for two days. I didn't want to shoot, but this thing ran too fast. I waited all night to catch it. I really didn't want to let it slip away!"

"With this mountain pig, we can at least replenish some of our strength. If we keep starving like this, we won't be able to hold out until we return to the Soviet area."

Return to the Soviet area? Are you a deserter?

Seemingly moved by the young soldier's slightly stubborn words and his red eyes from staying up all night, the young commander finally sighed, "Alright, remember never to shoot again. I hope your shot didn't alert the enemy. If we lose the remaining 34th Division because of a mountain pig, I will be a real sinner!"

After sighing, the commander didn't blame the young soldier further. He ordered a few soldiers to skin and clean the mountain pig, then cut it into small pieces and distributed it to the hungry soldiers. Even he himself took a piece of raw mountain pig meat with blood and started to eat it.

Knowing that eating raw meat was better than starving, the exhausted and hungry Red Army soldiers quickly immersed themselves in the joy of eating raw pork. The young soldier who had been scolded earlier was now praised by everyone.

As they were eating the raw pork, the guard platoon soldiers led by He Zhengdao had already appeared near the valley where they were hiding. Although He Zhengdao moved without being noticed, the guard platoon soldiers, who were not skilled in jungle warfare, made the branches around them sway, quickly drawing the attention of the Red Army sentries who were resting.

"Commander, there's a situation!"

This statement immediately made all the Red Army soldiers who were still eating the mountain pork stuff the remaining meat into their mouths. They quickly picked up their rifles and hid in any place in the valley where they could hide, waiting for their commander's orders to fight.

The commotion in the valley did not escape He Zhengdao's notice. He realized that their presence had been exposed. Therefore, he ordered the guard platoon soldiers to stay put and went alone to investigate. He needed to confirm whether the people hiding in the mountains were indeed the Red Army. If they were, he could approach alone without causing any alarm.

If he brought the guard platoon soldiers, who were not skilled in jungle warfare, it could lead to a misunderstanding. After all, they were wearing the uniform of the Xiang Army!

Knowing the regimental commander's skills, the guard platoon soldiers could only stay and set up defenses, keeping a close eye on the situation ahead. If a firefight broke out, they would rush to support the commander, whom they increasingly believed was worth following the longer they served with him.

Without the guard platoon soldiers following him, He Zhengdao moved through the jungle as agilely and skillfully as a mountain cat. When he saw a familiar red-starred military cap in his line of sight, he knew he had guessed correctly. There was indeed a scattered Red Army unit hiding here!

Seeing the Red Army soldier, who was probably a sentry, and the many Red Army soldiers lying on the flat ground behind him, He Zhengdao knew that any rash action could lead to a firefight.

Therefore, the best approach was to take down the sentry, who was some distance from the Red Army in the valley, first. Then, he would reveal his identity, telling the sentry that he was also a Red Army soldier and asking him to lead him to the Red Army commander in the valley. This way, he could avoid the danger of a firefight between the two sides!