"Reporting to the leader: Each box contains twenty gas masks, and there are a total of fifteen unopened boxes here, a total of three hundred gas masks!" A squad leader of the guard company ran over to report.

"That's great. Three hundred gas masks can just equip all the infantry of our two companies. With them, we don't have to worry about using poison gas bombs when we deal with the Japanese in the future."

Most of the soldiers in the room didn't understand the meaning of the regiment commander's words, and some people had never even heard of poison gas bombs, but Chief of Staff Chen Zhengyu was clear about it.

He had seen the Japanese use of poisonous gas bombs on the Chinese army before. The shells did not explode, but instead emitted yellow or orange smoke based on the strength of the toxicity. Whenever they encountered these smoke, the soldiers would develop symptoms of poisoning. Some people were bleeding from their seven orifices, and some fainted on the spot. If they were more serious, they were poisoned to death.

Because the poison gas spread very quickly, the entire position was covered with smoke in the blink of an eye, and everyone had no chance to run away, and there was no place to run away.

After the poison gas was almost dissipated and the smoke faded, the Japanese appeared on the battlefield with a pig's nose gas mask. They stabbed the Chinese when they saw them. After a battle, except for a few lucky escapes by chance, the others were killed by the Japanese, and the Japanese army themselves did not suffer any casualties.

What's even more cruel is that in order to destroy the evidence of his use of poison gas bombs, the Japanese actually brought a destruction of corpses to the battlefield after the battle, and all the corpses were thrown into a big pit and burned...

If the troops in the defensive positions had gas masks at that time, even if they could not escape death in the end, they could kill many Japanese soldiers before they died, instead of being scattered by the Japanese first with poisonous gas, and then being slaughtered without any ability to resist, and finally being destroyed by the Japanese.

When I saw many soldiers looking at Zhou Cheng with a look of incomprehension, I didn’t understand why he was so happy when he saw these pig nose gas masks, so I immediately stood up and explained.

"Comrades, these gas masks have a great effect. Apart from fighting the Japanese arsenal, they will definitely not be captured on the battlefield."

"Originally, gas masks were standard equipment for Japanese devils. Like rifles, each Japanese devil had to carry a pair with them. However, because our Chinese army was too backward and there were no poison gas bombs, the Japanese devils gave up the gas masks in order to reduce their burdens, concentrated them in the arsenal, and took them out and used when needed on the battlefield."

Don’t you think that gas masks are ugly, they are comparable to pig’s nose shapes, and they are not very useful to the Japanese, but for our National Salvation Army, these gas masks are no less effective than the rifles in our hands.”

"Our Chinese army does not have poison gas bombs, the Japanese have them, and they often use them on the battlefield regardless of the Geneva Convention. Every time we use poison gas bombs, our Chinese army will suffer heavy losses because they are not equipped with gas masks. Sometimes a piece of poison gas bomb hits our position, and a regiment of troops will be poisoned to death by the Japanese if they don't shoot them."

"Our National Salvation Army has repeatedly severely damaged the Japanese, and it has become a major concern for the Japanese. It is not ruled out that they will bring poison gas to the next time they attack us."

"If we don't have these gas masks, no matter how well our national-savior army is equipped and the combat effectiveness of the soldiers, it will become vulnerable in the face of the poisonous gas of the Japanese."

"Now with gas masks, I don't have to worry about the Japanese using poison gas on us. Although the number is not large, we can use it for the most critical troops at the most critical moment. As long as the Japanese army know that their poison gas bombs are useless to us, if they eat twice, they will no longer use poison gas bombs in the next battle."

As soon as Chen Zhengyu explained, everyone understood. Zhou Cheng nodded in praise and ordered: "Company Commander Liang, in order to prevent the Japanese army from dispatching planes to bomb the arsenal after dawn, you immediately arrange for people to transport all the weapons and ammunition in the room out of the city, especially fifteen boxes of gas masks. You must protect it. No one can move without my order."

"Next, let's go to other warehouses to see if there are any other gains!"

Zhou Cheng later arrived at the Japanese garrison command center an hour later. All the Japanese corpses here had been cleared and there were almost no traces of fire exchange.

As soon as Zhou Cheng walked in, Chen Zhengyu followed him in, his expression was very complicated.

After Zhou Cheng sat down, he took out the seize list he had just counted: "Captain, the ammunition and grain warehouse we just went to were all intact. Through the Japanese registered account book, I have counted the final results here."

"There is also food in the grain warehouse that can be used for 1,000 people for three months, about 150,000 kilograms of rice, 30,000 kilograms of white flour, 40,000 kilograms of millet, about 30,000 kilograms of corn, soybeans, etc."

"There are also fifty boxes of 2,500 cans of canned food that the Japanese and puppet troops had just replaced. The winter quilts that the Japanese and puppet troops had just replaced were some scattered supplies."

"The ammunition depot contains 300 gas masks, 38-large covers, 100, 100, 5 crooked handles, 2 Czech Republic, three grenade launchers, 600 mortar shells, 30,000 heavy machine gun bullets, 200,000 65-caliber pacifist machine gun bullets, 50,000 79-caliber pacifist machine gun bullets."

"There are two thousand grenades, one thousand five hundred grenades, five hundred grenades for special grenades, five thousand Mauser pistol bullets, two thousand kilograms of explosives..."

Zhou Cheng nodded. He was already satisfied to be able to seize so many weapons and ammunition in a small county like Xiyang.

Moreover, this was only captured by the troops in the arsenal and grain warehouses. There must be a lot of gains on the battlefield. Maybe they can seize a lot of heavy weapons.

Not to mention anything else, the reconnaissance team captured two mortars and three grenade launchers at the north gate, and other troops must have gained a lot.

But Chen Zhengyu didn't seem to be very happy.

He asked quickly: "Chief of Staff, the troops successfully captured Xiyang City and seized so many weapons and ammunition. This is the largest battle that our National Salvation Army has taken the initiative to provoke since its establishment, and it has won. But you don't seem very happy. Is there something wrong?"

Chen Zhengyu shook his head and explained: "Captain, there is no problem, it's just that Xiyang is too poor."

"We say it is a county town here. Look at the houses in the city are not as good as those in Laiyuan. It's so poor."

"When we went to the ammunition depot and grain depot just now, I specifically observed it. In addition to the command center, grain depot, ammunition depot, and Japanese and puppet army barracks, the houses that ordinary people live in are basically earthen houses. Now, there is no such house in Laiyuan City."

"There are also common people, I can see from the crack in the door that everyone has pale face and skinny skin, and they are all hungry."

"The county towns are so poor, aren't the people in the villages outside the city even poorer?"

"I'm a little worried now that our decision to capture Xiyang is right. Although you are full of confidence, you still feel that we have won a piece of waste, and maybe it will drag us down!"

Chen Zhengyu said these things Zhou Cheng also saw.

Xiyang is indeed very poor, but it is not without a reason.

The most fundamental problem is that there is little land that can be cultivated, the per capita land area is insufficient, and you can only grow miscellaneous grains. The little grain you harvest does not fill your stomach, and then you will become poorer and poorer.

But according to Zhou Cheng's memory, the population of counties like Xiyang will increase several times after liberation, with a total population exceeding 200,000. At that time, the local food produced in the local area could meet the needs of the local people, not to mention that they are now supporting 60,000 to 70,000 people.

As long as you find a way to solve the arable land problem, guide the people to open up more land in the mountains, and plant a large number of sweet potatoes, potatoes, grains, and millet with high yields. It is definitely okay for the people to support themselves. Maybe they can build Xiyang into a large granary behind enemy lines and support the surrounding Eighth Route Army troops in difficult times.

Of course, Zhou Cheng would definitely not say these things before they started doing them.

If you talk big and make a joke in the future, it would be embarrassing.

But Zhou Cheng did not let Chen Zhengyu continue to worry, and thought for a while and replied: "Chief of Staff, poor does not mean that Xiyang will drag us down and become a useless rib of the national rescue army.

"In my opinion, poverty is not useless. If you operate well, you can still bring great benefits to our national rescue army."

"The people are not satisfied. If our National Salvation Army set up a sign to recruit soldiers, everyone will definitely sign up to join the National Salvation Army. This will save the family a ration."

"After joining the National Salvation Army, we will give the new recruits a settlement fee, usual rewards and allowances, which can help their families and prevent them from going hungry!"

Seeing Chen Zhengyu showing a thoughtful expression, Zhou Cheng continued: "After the establishment of the National Salvation Army, one or two thousand new recruits were recruited in Donghui Town and Zhangzhuang Town, especially in Zhangzhuang Town. In the past, when Wang Dehou was the commander, he arrested strong men, almost all the young people in the defense zone were pulled to the army."

"After the reorganization of the National Salvation Army, we let many people go home, but the proportion of young people in Zhangzhuang Town is still very small, so we can definitely not recruit new recruits from there."

"Although the situation in Donghui Town is better, I can't continue to provide us with too many military sources."

"The National Salvation Army will continue to fight the Japanese, and people will die when fighting. New recruits need to continuously replenish their troops. Captives can replace some new recruits, but they will definitely need to recruit new recruits from the defense zone."

"Xiyang was poor, and the people could not feed themselves and could not even support themselves. Then come to the national army to serve in the army. Not only can they support themselves and save their families a meal, but they can also get commendations and allowances to support their families by earning military merits!"

Chen Zhengyu understood: "Captain, do you want to turn Xiyang into the source of our national rescue army?"

Zhou Cheng refused to comment: "There are 60,000 to 70,000 people in Xiyang County. If the elderly, weak, women and children are reduced, there are at least 10,000 young people who can join the army. Without affecting local production, it is definitely no problem to recruit two thousand new recruits."

"And I am confident that in a year, Xiyang will produce more food, which will not only meet the needs of local people, but also support our national rescue army, but also make money by taking out food!"

"At that time, Xiyang will not only be the source of our National Rescue Army, but also the granary and logistics base of our National Rescue Army."

Chen Zhengyu was shocked by Zhou Cheng's bold idea. Although he didn't know whether Xi Yangneng could develop into a granary and logistics base of the National Salvation Army in the hands of the regiment commander, the source of troops must be true. This reason alone is worthy of the National Salvation Army occupying this place.

If a force wants to grow and grow, in addition to equipment and food, talent is the most important thing.

Without soldiers, no matter how good the equipment is, it is a pile of scrap iron. No matter how much food is, it will be stolen by the enemy and cannot be saved.

Thinking of this, Chen Zhengyu's mood suddenly improved a lot. He immediately asked Zhou Cheng: "Captain, the county town has been taken down by us, and the Lijiazhuang Town stronghold has also been captured by us. There is no longer a Japanese and puppet army in the entire Yangquan. How can we control Xiyang, defend Xiyang, and manage the 60,000 to 70,000 people in Xiyang? You still need to decide."

"We are all materials for war and have no experience in managing the people. This problem must be solved, otherwise there will be chaos in Xiyang."

"There are also county towns, although there are only a few thousand people and they are very poor, but after all, they are the first county town we have taken behind enemy lines. We must manage them well, otherwise it would be too embarrassing."
Chapter completed!