in2ebook Chapter 216 Negotiating a Deal
Chapter 216 Negotiating a Deal
Wang Meng got into the car and quickly arrived at the military fortress command center. As soon as he entered the command center, he saw Li Yunlong's face with a half-smile on it.
"Old Li, what's wrong?"
"Our old friend is coming to visit us again, but I don't know what this old weasel is up to by wishing us a happy new year this time."
Wang Meng took the telegram, which contained a simple sentence: Commander Yan Xishan of the Second War Zone will arrive in Pingshun around eight o'clock the next morning.
"Are they here to send us medals again? This piece of crap is not even as good as a bowl of mutton soup with steamed buns!"
"No matter what, let our troops stay back, especially those at the airport. Without my order, even if the guy from Chongqing comes, they are not allowed to take a single step inside. Otherwise, they will be subject to military law!"
"Yes!"
Just as the two were complaining about the stingy Yan Xishan, aviation division commander Lu Tianlong trotted into the command center.
"Commander, Chief of Staff, the group of pilots we coordinated from Chongqing officially graduated from the training course today. There are 60 pilots in total. I'm here to ask whether these pilots will be added to the various fighter squadrons, or..."
Li Yunlong experienced the joy of bombing in the battle of Gaomiao Mountain. The Japanese soldiers who lost air superiority were almost half killed by the aviation division's planes.
"Mengzi, how about we form a bomber squadron?"
This was exactly what Wang Meng meant.
Now his sixty Hellcat fighters can basically guard the skies of Pingshun and Changzhi, but their intentions go beyond that.
To capture cities and territories, we still have to rely on bombers.
"Okay, then let's get a B-17 bomber squadron!"
Wang Meng arrived at Pingshun Military Airport after dark and gave birth to thirty B-17 Flying Fortress bombers in the hangar one after another, just like eggs laying eggs.
The B-17 Flying Fortress bomber required two pilots, a navigator to handle radio communications, a bombardier, and four gunners.
The B-17 was equipped with four engines, each producing 1000 horsepower.
The cabin could carry 30 kilograms of aerial bombs. If a squadron of 17 B-s were fully loaded at the same time, that would be tons of aerial bombs, enough to devastate the enemy no matter if it was dropped on their heads or their cities.
The B-17 was equipped with a total of 10 12.7mm M2 heavy machine guns, including two in the navigator's cabin at the nose, two in the turret behind the cockpit, two in the middle of the fuselage, two in the tail turret, and two in the belly turret.
Such a powerful firepower configuration makes the aircraft's survivability in actual combat far higher than other bombers of the same period.
The B-17 was also equipped with the most advanced "Norton" bombsight, which could hit whatever it was pointed at at high altitudes.
Early the next morning, Lu Tianlong personally led a bomber squadron to the hangar. Looking at the thirty majestic B-17s, each of them looked like a man who had been in prison for ten years seeing an old sow.
"Commander, is this the bomber we are about to fly? It's so majestic!"
Those pilots who had originally regretted not joining the fighter squadron now felt relieved and even a little secretly happy.
Driving such a big toy to lay eggs on the heads of the Japanese, and with thick skin and flesh, even if the Japanese Zero fighters come to cause trouble, they have to consider whether their thin armor can withstand the fire of ten heavy machine guns.
"Master, when can we go to the sky?"
"That depends on your training progress! I will select a navigator from the Aviation Academy today!"
With Li Yunlong's authorization, Lu Tianlong selected bombardiers and machine gunners from the entire column to ensure that the 1st Bomber Squadron would be combat-ready within three months.
Wang Meng handed over thirty "Sky Fortress" bombers to Lu Tianlong and returned to the military fortress. After all, the military fortress would welcome an "old acquaintance" today.
At around nine o'clock, a convoy of jeeps drove into the military fortress. Li Yunlong, Zhao Gang and Wang Meng stood at the door to greet them politely.
Yan Laoxi jumped out of the jeep wearing shiny leather shoes.
"Commander Li, long time no see?"
"Commander Yan, I have been thinking about reporting to you in person, but I have been busy with military affairs and cannot spare the time. The Japanese won't give us a chance to rest. I just can't figure it out. Are we the only Eighth Route Army in Shanxi that has a grudge against the Japanese? Why are they targeting Old Li?"
After hearing Li Yunlong's indirect criticism, Yan Laoxi's eyelids tightened. Doesn't this mean that he was having an affair with the Japanese?
However, this does not injustice to Mr. Yan.
This old guy is a two-faced person. He shouts about fighting the war and saving the country in public, but he has an unclear relationship with the Japanese devils behind the scenes.
The two battles were fought so fiercely that not a single soldier from the Shanxi-Suiyuan Army was seen.
Especially the 358th Regiment, which was stationed in Linzhou next to Pingshun and was nearby, did not do anything.
Old Yan laughed twice.
"Well, with great ability comes great responsibility. The 386th Jinnan Independent Column has become the backbone of our Second War Zone. Didn't they just win another great victory?"
Like a magic trick, Yan Laoxi took out four Blue Sky and White Sun medals and handed them to Li Yunlong "solemnly".
"Commander Li, this is the commendation and recognition from the Chongqing Military and Political Department. Please continue to work hard to kill the enemy and save the country!"
Li Yunlong and the other two looked at each other. The one from Chongqing was quite generous in giving out medals. They had received quite a few in the past two years.
Wang Meng stepped forward, took the four small boxes from Yan Laoxi with both hands, and then stepped aside.
Li Yunlong put his hands behind his back and glanced casually at Wang Meng's hand.
"Commander Yan, our Lao Li is a rough man, and he doesn't like to wear any small things on him. Is there any practical reward?"
When Yan Laoxi heard Li Yunlong compare the Blue Sky and White Sun Medal to fragments, the corners of his mouth twitched.
"Commander Li, of course there is!"
Yan Laoxi waved his hand, and his adjutant took several large boxes down from the car.
"Twenty kilograms of gold! Plus fifty thousand dollars in cash!"
When Li Yunlong heard this, he thought, that's right. Money as a reward will never go out of style no matter what era it is!
When Li Yunlong and the other two saw that there was money to be made, they immediately put their legs together and straightened their bodies.
"I will fight bravely and kill the enemy!"
Old Yan waved his hand. These were people who would not give up until they saw the rabbit. In the future, it would be better to be straightforward and give benefits first to avoid unpleasantness.
After exchanging pleasantries for a while, Mr. Yan dismissed his attendants.
Li Yunlong also understood and asked the irrelevant people to leave, leaving only the three of them.
"Commander Yan, I see you seem to have something to say, why not just say it?"
Yan Laoxi was slightly stunned. He didn't expect Li Yunlong to be so direct. Naturally, there was no need for him to hide anything.
"Commander Li, I'll be frank. I have a deal I want to discuss with you, but let me be clear, no matter whether this deal is successful or not, once we leave this room, we'll just forget about it."