10: Chapter 10: Reactions from All Sides – The Boss is Stunned!

Beijing.

North China Army Headquarters.

"baka!!"

An hour after the incident, the news finally reached the North China Army Commander, Tada Shun.

Tada Shun was stunned after hearing the whole story.

"Slap!!"

He slapped the staff officer who came to report across the face.

The staff officer was unlucky, taking the blow full-on, and then hurriedly bowed.

Among the Japanese, superiors hitting subordinates was as common as daily meals.

Most of the time, subordinates just took the beating, but on rare occasions, they would unleash their ultimate skill—insubordination!

This was also a tradition among the Japanese.

However, at this moment, the staff officer certainly dared not use the insubordination skill, because Tada Shun was so angry he was ready to kill.

"One person! One vehicle! Solo! In the location of my North China Area Army Headquarters! In the core area of the Imperial Army heavily guarded by troops! Killed my Gendarmerie Commander, abducted the high-value prisoners, and then... walked away unscathed???"

Tada Shun roared this sentence almost word by word, his face darkening with every word he spoke.

"A great humiliation! This is a disgrace the Imperial Japanese Army has never seen since the Meiji era!! Abe Sho, that piece of trash! He deserved to die!!"

He cursed wildly, not just because of Abe Sho's incompetence, but because this loud slap had landed squarely on his entire North China Area Army, and on his own face, Tada Shun!

Once this news spread, he would become the laughingstock of the entire Imperial military!

The rage lasted for several minutes, and all the officers in the Headquarters held their breath, keeping their heads low, fearing they might suffer from the fallout.

To be honest, these Japanese officers were equally furious.

This wasn't just a loss of face for Tada Shun alone; their entire North China Army had lost all face!

Finally, Tada Shun finished venting and sat back in his chair, panting.

With his feet off the ground, his sharp intellect regained the high ground.

"Hmph! The enemy just caught us off guard, exploiting our blind spot in thinking that the enemy would never appear from within."

It was as if he were speaking to his subordinates, and also as if he were comforting himself.

"But at the end of the day, it was just one tank!"

"Orders!" Tada Shun regained the dignity of a Commander.

"Set up checkpoints at all crossings, mountain passes, and main traffic arteries around Beijing! Mount anti-tank guns! Bury anti-tank mines!"

"Hai! Wise, Commander!"

The other Japanese officers hurriedly echoed in agreement.

Although this incident was embarrassing, none of the Japanese present thought it was too tricky.

They ran away?

Just catch them again!

Surrounding a tank around Beijing was simply too easy!

As long as they set up their 37mm anti-tank guns, any tank would have to surrender!

And as long as they caught the enemy, they would recover some face.

However, as the North China Army Commander, what Tada Shun was thinking was far more complex than what those officers were thinking.

What truly sent a chill down Tada Shun's spine was another, more terrifying question—

How on earth did that tank appear inside the city?!

Undoubtedly, there must be an inside man!

And, to be able to let such a big iron block sneak into the heavily guarded Beijing city without anyone knowing, the level of this inside man... must be terrifyingly high!

It was even possible that they were right beside him, inside this Headquarters!

Thinking of this, Tada Shun felt a chill run from his spine to the top of his head.

Over the past six months, his situation had already been precarious.

Not long ago, the Hundred Regiments Offensive launched by the Eighth Route Army had caused him heavy losses and loss of face. The Imperial General Headquarters was extremely dissatisfied with this, and there were rumors that they were going to send someone to replace him.

Now, such a malicious and absurd incident had occurred!

This was truly pouring rain on top of a leaking roof!

But...

A glint of ruthlessness flashed in Tada Shun's eyes.

If he could catch the person driving the tank and follow the vine to find the fruit, exposing the inside man hiding at the top level... this would undoubtedly be a monumental contribution!

It would be enough to offset his previous setbacks, and might even allow him to regain a firm footing in the Imperial General Headquarters!

After much deliberation, a crazy pursuit plan took shape in his mind.

"Transmit my orders!" Tada Shun's voice carried a hint of madness.

"Not just Beijing! Order all garrison troops in Hebei Province, Chahar Province, Shanxi Province, Rehe, and Eastern Mongolia... get them all moving!"

"Cavalry, motorized units, aviation reconnaissance planes... use everything you can!"

"Radiating two hundred kilometers from Beijing, conduct a dragnet search!"

"If any suspicious vehicles or personnel are found, it is better to kill by mistake than to let one slip through!"

"I want to cast a net over the entire North China! Let's see where he can escape to!"

"Hai!!!"

The other Japanese officers hurriedly responded.

Although they thought that using such a big commotion to surround and capture one tank was too exaggerated.

But at this moment, no one dared to defy Tada Shun.

What kind of Leader is the most dangerous to offend?

First, one who is about to be promoted.

Second, one who is about to be demoted.

A Leader being promoted can decide whether you get promoted, and a Leader being demoted can decide whether you get demoted.

In short, Tada Shun's pursuit order instantly swept across the entire North China Area Army.

In an instant, the entire North China land shook!

The Japanese troops around Beijing swarmed out, setting up roadblocks and checking all passing vehicles and pedestrians.

On the Hebei Plain, the Japanese cavalry raised clouds of dust, shuttling between towns and villages.

The border checkpoints of Chahar and Rehe were suddenly on high alert, with security increased several times over.

The Japanese in Shanxi Province also received orders to assist in the investigation and strengthened patrols on major roads.

Even the Japanese garrison in Eastern Mongolia dispatched motorized detachments.

In the sky, one could occasionally hear the humming of reconnaissance plane engines...

A huge pursuit net covering hundreds of thousands of square kilometers and involving tens of thousands of Japanese soldiers had been brazenly cast!

To be honest, Shen Wang himself didn't expect that, inadvertently, he had stirred up the situation in the entire North China.

...

Meanwhile, thousands of miles away.

Shanxi Province, Eighth Route Army Headquarters.

"What? Three comrades were rescued?"

The Deputy Commander turned his head in shock, looking at the intelligence officer who had just entered the room and was responsible for liaison with Beijing.

The officer's face was filled with incredulous excitement as he nodded vigorously: "Yes, Leader! According to intelligence from the Beijing 'Nightingale' unit, the three comrades, Ding Zhijian, Meng Guanglin, and Sha Zhenjiang, have been successfully rescued!"

"What exactly is the situation? How were they rescued? What about our people's casualties?" The Chief of Staff immediately asked.

The officer paused, a trace of confusion appearing on his face: "The specific process... the telegram was extremely brief, only saying... they were rescued by an unidentified armored vehicle."

"Unidentified... armored vehicle?"

The Chiefs at the Headquarters were even more confused.

What kind of nonsense is this?

Using an armored vehicle to rescue people in Beijing, where the Japanese had heavy troops stationed?

Are you kidding?

Besides, they didn't have any armored vehicles!

"Could it be... a smokescreen deliberately released by the Japanese?" Suddenly, one of The Chiefs spoke up.

As soon as these words were spoken, the expressions of all The Chiefs in the Headquarters changed.

Although this Chief spoke very tactfully, everyone understood the implication.

That was... the Beijing intelligence network... might have already been exposed, or even... completely captured!

This speculation was like a bucket of cold water, instantly cooling the glimmer of hope that had just risen among everyone.

To be honest, in the eyes of The Chiefs, the possibility of the intelligence network being uprooted seemed higher than the personnel being rescued.

For a time, the atmosphere in the command room became very oppressive.

Not only did they fail to rescue the comrades, but they also lost the Beijing intelligence network...

This loss was simply too great!

And just then, another officer in charge of intelligence walked in:

"Report..."