69novels Chapter 282 Armored Rampage
Chapter 282 Armored Rampage
[Unlimited Pay-to-Win System]
Current funds: £6,543,876
[Daily Increase in Funds]: £3 per second (continuously soaring)
[Current troop strength]: First Army (commanded by Shen Li, five German-equipped infantry divisions, two armored divisions, and the First Independent Heavy Artillery Brigade), Second Army (commanded by He Maofeng, independent motorized infantry division, the Twelfth Division, the Second Independent Heavy Artillery Brigade, an independent armored brigade, etc., and two Central Army reorganized independent mixed brigades), and naval and air force construction units (First Submarine Flotilla).
[System Notification]: The northward march of the army has begun, and the North China theater has been locked! Based on the terrain of the North China Plain, the system has begun matching Krupp heavy artillery spare ammunition and armored mobility equipment!
Nanjing, the study of the Commander-in-Chief's residence.
The morning mist hadn't dissipated yet, and the air in the study was as cold as if it were frozen.
"Bang!"
A blue-and-white porcelain teacup from the Jingdezhen imperial kiln was smashed hard onto the blue brick floor, scattering shards of porcelain everywhere.
Principal Chang's face was ashen, and his whole body was trembling like a leaf.
"Damn it!"
"This is utter nonsense!"
"This is utterly lawless!"
"Without the approval of the Ministry of Military Affairs, he arbitrarily deployed armored trains and personally led the main force northward!"
"Does he even respect me as the Commander-in-Chief?!"
"He's trying to provoke a full-scale war with Japan!"
Principal Chang roared, veins bulging on his forehead, and crumpled the urgent telegram in his hand into a ball of waste paper.
The financial envoy, Song Qingyang, shrank back, his forehead covered in cold sweat.
He lowered his head and cautiously advised, "Principal, Chen Zijun is using the banner of resistance against Japan this time. The Japanese have made a move on the Chinese Eastern Railway, and the whole country is watching. If we forcefully stop them, I'm afraid..."
"Nonsense!"
Principal Chang slammed his hand on the table, making the documents on it rattle loudly.
"Resist Japan? Can resisting Japan save China?!"
"Does Chen Zijun not know how strong the Japanese are?!"
"That's a world-class superpower!"
"The League of Nations' investigation team is arriving soon. Once the League of Nations intervenes, the Japanese will naturally withdraw their troops!"
"His decision to send troops to Beiping now is jeopardizing the overall peace and provoking friendly nations!"
Principal Chang's voice was sharp and high-pitched, echoing in the empty study.
Song Qingyang swallowed hard, his lips twitching slightly.
He had witnessed the steel torrent of Chen's army; the dark muzzle of the Panzer III tank still haunted his dreams.
"But Principal, the vanguard of Chen's army has already passed Yanzhou and is advancing rapidly northward along the Jinpu Railway. If they go any further north, they'll be all the way to Jinan!"
"I heard that they also brought the First Armored Division under Yang Yanzhao in Fujian and transferred it directly there, filling the entire railway line."
Song Qingyang said in a low voice.
A deep sense of fear flashed in Principal Chang's eyes.
What he feared most was not the Japanese, but Chen Zijun, this unruly tiger that had broken free of his control.
If Chen Zijun wins the battle in the north, or gains a foothold there...
Wouldn't the Chen family army steal all the limelight in the world then?!
Where does that leave him, the supreme leader of the Nationalist government?!
"Relay my orders!"
"Immediately send an urgent telegram to Chen Zijun from the confidential office!"
"One isn't enough? Send five! Ten!"
"Order him to immediately withdraw his troops to Xuzhou, station them in place, and await mediation from the League of Nations!"
Principal Chang gritted his teeth and stared intently at Song Qingyang.
"Also, send a secret telegram to Qian Zongwang on the North China defense line."
"Tell him that Chen Zijun's military train must not be allowed to pass!"
"No matter what it takes, even if it means tearing up the tracks or blowing up the bridge, we must keep them out of the area!"
"If you let Chen Zijun enter the country, I'll dismiss him from his post!"
Principal Chang almost screamed hysterically.
Song Qingyang didn't dare to hesitate and responded repeatedly. He ran out of the study, his shirt back already soaked with cold sweat.
In the study, only Principal Chang remained, his face pale as he leaned against the corner of the table, breathing heavily.
"Boom! Boom!"
The wheels pounded against the rails, producing a dull, rhythmic thud.
Inside the special train carriages, the green velvet curtains were tightly drawn, completely blocking out the rapidly receding scenery of the North China Plain outside.
The incandescent light overhead flickered slightly, casting dappled light and shadow on the mahogany table.
Chen Zijun leaned back in a comfortable leather chair, holding a cup of strong tea that had already gone cold.
His military uniform was buttoned up meticulously, and the gold stars on his collar insignia gleamed under the lights.
"Young Marshal, news from Yanzhou."
"The First Army's five divisions, two armored divisions, plus a heavy artillery battalion, have all passed the test."
Shen Li pushed open the door and walked in, giving a salute.
His coat still carried the chill of the outside air, but his face was flushed with excitement.
"From receiving the combat readiness order to everyone boarding the train, it only took twenty-one hours. Then, they traveled by express train without stopping for a moment!"
"The heavy flatbed wagons from Mawei Shipyard and Jiangnan Heavy Industry have all been used this time."
"This speed has completely terrified all the former warlord station chiefs in southwestern Shandong!"
Shen Li chuckled, his tone full of pride.
Chen Zijun nodded slightly, a satisfied smirk playing on his lips.
"If the drills I put together at a high price can't even reach this speed, then something's really wrong."
"What about Uncle He?"
He picked up his teacup and took a sip.
"The Second Army's motorized infantry division is leading the way. It has already passed Dezhou and is advancing along both sides of the railway. According to the distance, the next stop should be Cangzhou."
"The armored train will lead the way; anyone who dares to block it will be blasted away with a single cannon shot."
Shen Li spread out a military map on the table and pointed to several red lines on it.
"However, young marshal, the telegraph machines in Nanjing have been running non-stop since midnight."
"The confidential staff's hands were about to break from copying so many documents."
As he spoke, Shen Li pulled a thick stack of telegrams from the pocket of his military overcoat, containing seven or eight sheets.
"These are the first eleven letters, all personally signed by Principal Chang."
Chen Zijun didn't even glance at it, coldly uttering a single word: "Read."
Shen Li cleared his throat and began to read aloud in a pretentious manner:
"To my dear brother Zijun, it is as if we are meeting in person."
"The situation in Northeast China is complex and concerns the national system and diplomatic relations; we must not act rashly."
"The army's unauthorized northward advance may cause great misunderstanding among friendly nations, leading to the spread of war throughout the country."
"Immediately order all troops to halt their advance, retreat to their original positions in Xuzhou, and await investigation by the League of Nations..."
"Tsk tsk, young marshal, the tone of each letter is getting more and more urgent."
"The following letters even said that if we did not withdraw our troops, we would cancel the designation of our Southeast Area Army and stop all supplies."
Shen Li curled his lip, his face full of disdain.
"Cancel the number?"
"Stop issuing supplies?"
Chen Zijun let out an extremely contemptuous sneer.
"My unit designation was stolen from the various warlords of the Beiyang Army. Back then, President Chiang Kai-shek wasn't even in the army yet. When did I ever need President Chiang Kai-shek to give me face?!"
"As for supplies?"
"The Ma'anshan Iron and Steel Plant and Jiangnan Heavy Industry under my control, as well as the Southeast Central Bank managed by Sister Huixin, aren't they all richer than the Nanjing National Treasury?!"
"He's using this to threaten me; it's utterly ridiculous!"
Chen Zijun slammed the teacup down on the table, his eyes flashing with cold light.
"Young Marshal, should we ignore him or not?"
Shen Li asked.
"Qian Zongwang has probably also received President Chang's death order."
"Ahead are Dawenkou and Tai'an. There are many railway bridges along the way, and it is also their defense zone. It is our only way to go north."
"What if this spineless coward really dares to set up a roadblock on the bridge? What should we do?"
A hint of violence flashed in Shen Li's eyes.
"How do I do it?"
Chen Zijun raised his head, his gaze sharp as a knife:
"Wherever my chariots pass, those who submit will prosper, and those who oppose me will perish!"
"If he wants to be Principal Chang's dog, then crush him and his dog together!"
Just then, the door to the outer confidential room was suddenly pushed open.
A pale-faced cipher officer rushed in, clutching a red telegram in his hand.
"Report! Young Marshal! Urgent telegram from Nanjing!"
"Twelfth urgent telegram!"
The clerk, his hands trembling, handed over the telegram, still warm from the ink.
"read!"
Chen Zijun suddenly waved his hand, his voice icy cold and devoid of any warmth.
"yes!"
The cipher clerk swallowed hard, his voice trembling slightly as he read:
"Chen Zijun's troops are ordered to immediately stop at the nearest station and hand over railway dispatching authority."
"If they advance even half a step further into North China, they will be treated as rebels, and the Central Government will mobilize all armies to jointly encircle and suppress them. Do not say you were not warned!"
"Rebels? Encirclement and suppression? Don't say we didn't warn you!!"
Chen Zijun suddenly burst into laughter, the sound echoing in the narrow private room, sounding exceptionally arrogant and domineering.
"Ha ha ha ha!"
"What a wonderful saying, 'Don't say we didn't warn you!'"
"The enemy has reached our doorstep, and the three northeastern provinces are in imminent danger. Instead of resisting, he's pointing his guns at us?!"
"I led my troops north to fight the Japanese, and he wants to treat me as a traitor?!"
His laughter abruptly stopped, and his face instantly turned incredibly gloomy and violent.
"Let's go to the telegraph room."
Chen Zijun stood up, his military overcoat fluttering behind him, and strode toward the telegraph box next door.
Shen Li and several guards exchanged glances, their eyes gleaming with bloodlust, and followed closely behind.
"Young Marshal!"
When Chen Zijun entered the telegraph box, the two technicians quickly stood up and saluted.
The telegraph machine was still clicking away, and a long string of telegrams was slowly being ejected from it.
Chen Zijun walked to the telegraph machine and coldly stared at the constantly beeping machine.
"Snapped!"
He suddenly reached out and pulled out the specially made Browning pistol from his waist, cocked it, and the movement was clean and efficient.
"Young Marshal, what's wrong...?"
Before the technicians could react...
"Bang!"
A piercing gunshot rang out in the enclosed carriage.
Sparks flew everywhere, and the valuable German-made telegraph machine was instantly pierced with a large hole, with parts and debris flying all over the ground.
The telegram's "da da da" sound abruptly stopped.
The only remaining smell in the carriage was the strong smell of gunpowder.
"Young Marshal!"
The two technicians were so frightened that their legs went weak and they knelt on the ground, their faces ashen.
"Bring me those twelve telegrams."
Chen Zijun put the gun back in its holster and coldly gave the order.
Shen Li immediately handed over the stack of urgent telegrams stamped with the red seal of the Jinling State Government.
Chen Zijun took the telegram and casually struck a match.
A faint flame flickered in the darkness and touched the edge of the telegram.
"call!"
The flames suddenly intensified, illuminating Chen Zijun's cold, expressionless face.
He casually tossed the burning telegram into the tin trash can.
The flames devoured the paper, and the words "withdraw troops within a time limit," "cancel the unit number," and "treat as traitors" quickly turned into black ashes in the fire.
"Pass on my order! All army commanders, heed my command!"