Chapter 43: Major Transformation in the Base Area, The Outbreak of the Zion Incident, Jinling, Jinling

"General Su!"

Upon seeing Su Changqing appear, Li Dabenshi's eyes flashed with a peculiar light.

Excitement!
Eagerness!
And the profound relief of finally finding his organization once more.

"Who are you?"

Su Changqing looked at the man before him, finding him quite familiar, yet unable to place him for the moment.

"Reporting to General Su, I am a soldier who joined the Red Army when the Long March passed through Guizhou."
"During the western expedition of the Western Route Army, the Red Army unit I belonged to was unfortunately scattered by the cavalry of the Ma family's warlords."
"My name is Li Chishui."

Hearing the name Li Chishui, Su Changqing had a sudden flash of realization.

Li Chishui!
Li Dabenshi!
The protagonist from the television series *The Undying Legion*.

The crossing of the Chishui River had been a moment of life-or-death peril for the Red Army.
At that time, Su Changqing had followed a unit of the First Red Army Corps, fighting fiercely across the Chishui to cover the headquarters as they broke out of the encirclement.
He had even been pierced through the chest by an enemy bullet, hanging by a thread between life and death.
That was when he truly witnessed what was called "god-tier micro-management."
Crossing the Chishui River four times, seeking survival in absolute desperation.
Ghostly and unpredictable strategic command.
Top-tier psychological anticipation of the enemy.

By comparison, Su Changqing's former superintendent fell far, far short.
One might say that the Commander's micro-management was entirely "divine operations."
As for the micro-management of Su Changqing's superintendent—well, it was similarly "god-tier micro-management."
Except it was reverse "god-tier micro-management."

"So you are a comrade! A comrade indeed!"
"Comrade Li Chishui!"
"Welcome back to the ranks."
"Are you interested in joining our First Red Army Column?"

Su Changqing knew that this fellow Li Dabenshi possessed genuine ability.
This much was obvious from his very nickname!
For someone with talent and extreme loyalty, Su Changqing was naturally more than willing to bring them under his command.

As for Li Dabenshi, he had originally belonged to the Western Route Army.
During the western expedition, he had been routed by the Ma family's forces and eventually lost contact with the main body.
Although separated from the troops for some time, Li Dabenshi had heard word of the Battle of Baizhang Pass.
Thus, his reverence for Su Changqing went without saying.

"Li Chishui is willing to obey any assignment from the organization!"
*Clack!* Li Dabenshi snapped a standard military salute toward Su Changqing.

"General Su!"

"This is my elder brother, Zhu Ziming, the supreme chieftain of Qingfeng Stronghold, and these are my sworn brothers from the stronghold."
"They are righteous men, heroes who rob the rich to aid the poor. In times like these, they were simply forced to take to the greenwood as bandits."
"These brothers harbor a hatred for the Japanese devils that cuts to the bone. General Su, might my brothers be allowed to join me..."

Li Dabenshi cast an inquiring gaze toward Su Changqing.

Qingfeng Stronghold!
Zhu Ziming!
Su Changqing was far from unfamiliar with these names.
In the television series *Snow Leopard*, Zhou Weiguo was supposed to be the second-in-command of Qingfeng Stronghold.
Yet right now, everything seemed to have descended into chaos.
Monk Xuzhu had ended up running with Long Wenzhang.
And Li Dabenshi had become the second-in-command of Qingfeng Stronghold.

"Of course! I, Su Changqing, warmly welcome any brothers who value loyalty and fight the Japanese devils to join the Red Army."
"Chieftain Zhu, would you be willing to lead the brothers of Qingfeng Stronghold and join our First Red Army Column?"
"From now on, we fight the Japanese devils together?"

Zhu Ziming was a man of extreme loyalty. Combined with Li Dabenshi's fervent admiration for Su Changqing and the astonishing combat effectiveness displayed by the First Red Army Column in this very battle, Zhu Ziming was thoroughly and utterly won over.

"To receive General Su's invitation is an absolute honor."
"Qingfeng Stronghold is willing to join the First Red Army Column."
"From this day forth, we follow General Su to fight the Japanese devils!" Zhu Ziming answered without a moment's hesitation.

"Hahaha! Chieftain Zhu, would you like to slaughter a few Japanese devils and get a taste for it?"

Hearing Su Changqing say this, Chieftain Zhu's eyes lit up. He was eager to try.

Not far away, Red Army soldiers were using Japanese devils as targets for bayonet practice.
The Japanese devils let out pig-like shrieks of agony.
Zhu Ziming held not an ounce of affection for the Japanese invaders, and now that Su Changqing had issued the invitation, Zhu Ziming was naturally thrilled.

"Brothers!"
"Didn't you always say how much you hated the Japanese devils?"
"Now!"
"Your chance to practice has arrived!"

Watching hundreds of Qingfeng Stronghold bandits march toward them armed with broadswords and spears, the Japanese soldiers—whose tendon-sinews in wrists and ankles had already been severed—trembled uncontrollably all over.
Some of them were even scared to the point of wetting themselves.

*"Nai-nai de, xiongdi-men, zhe gou-ri-de wushidao, dou zhe moban le, hai gan ma zhe women!"* [Note: The Japanese dialogue below is translated directly from the text's phonetic rendering of Japanese]
*"Naide kuremasen ka! (Please don't come over!)"*
*"Naide kuremasen ka! (Please don't come over!)"*
"Boss, what are these Japanese devils yapping about?"
"Probably... perhaps... well, they must be cursing us!" Zhu Ziming analyzed for a moment and said.

"Damn their mothers! Brothers, these bastard Bushido pricks are in this state and they still dare to curse us."
"Hit them harder!"
"I'm going to butcher these dog-spawn!"

Hundreds of burly men surged forward. Those Japanese devils who wished neither to live nor to die found themselves weeping tears without a tear left to shed.

On the other side, professors and students from various universities in Beiping were also walking toward Su Changqing's location.

"General Su!"
"Thank you for the Red Army's rescue; otherwise, we would scarcely have escaped this calamity."

Professor Zhao of Beiping University extended his right hand and shook Su Changqing's firmly.

"No need for formalities. We are all people of Great Xia, we are compatriots."
"It is only right!"
"Professor, are you and the students heading toward the Southwest on this journey?"
"Precisely so!" Professor Zhao replied.

"I have a presumptuous request, though I am unsure if it is proper to voice it," Su Changqing asked.
"General, please speak freely."
"The Eastern Japanese devils are pressing aggressively upon us at this moment, and a full-scale war will likely erupt very soon."
"Yet, as you know, our military suffers from a severe scarcity of high-level talent."
"We lack proper weaponry and equipment, let alone cutting-edge arms like airplanes, artillery, and tanks..."
"Therefore, I hope to obtain your assistance."

With that, Su Changqing stood at attention and snapped a crisp military salute to these elite students and professors from Beiping's universities.

Just moments before, Su Changqing had used the system to imprint an "ideological seal" upon them.
Combined with maximum favorability ratings, this undertaking was as secure as a fortress.

The group of professors exchanged glances with one another.
They quickly reached a decision.

"Where is there not a place to serve?"
"We are all willing to contribute a share of our own strength to the future of the Great Xia nation."

The professors answered with refreshing readiness, immediately agreeing to the proposal.

As a result of all this, Su Changqing had not only led his forces to annihilate a full cavalry squadron of Japanese devils, but he had also subjugated Qingfeng Stronghold, brought Li Dabenshi back into the fold of the organization, and successfully lured this priceless trove of intellectuals back to the Wutai Mountain base area.
With these people here, and through their influence to unearth and attract other talents from Beiping University, Su Changqing would no longer need to worry overly much about the issue of human resources.
Bolstered by the system's enhancements, the development of the base area was bound to leap forward with each passing day.

Just as Su Changqing's influence and power were expanding and developing with rapid momentum around the Wutai Mountain region, the calendar turned to December 12, 1936.

On this very day!
The Xi'an Incident, which shook the nation of Xia and the entire world, erupted.

And upon learning this news, Su Changqing's eyes blazed with an unprecedented radiance.
For he knew that everything was unfolding precisely according to course.

That very night!
At his desk, Su Changqing used his draft paper to write out two characters over and over again—
"Nanjing!"
Nanjing!!