While the German-Italian fleet was making waves in South America, the Combined Fleet, the initiator of the raid tactics and the Battle of Tarawa, was about to return to the Japanese mainland after a short rest in the Marshall Islands. Pen @ fun @ pavilion wWw. ｂｉｑUｇE。 ｉｎｆｏ

After three weeks of recuperation and treatment, all the 23 surviving officers and soldiers on Tarawa survived, only a few of them were only malnourished and weak, and the rest were more or less inflammatory, and at least half of them would have died. But this time, with the special medicine imported from Germany, under the action of a penicillin in the morning and evening, the lives of these people were finally saved, and there was not even a need for amputation. This is also thanks to the good luck of this group of people, at this time penicillin has just acted on the human body, and they don't understand anything about allergies at all, if they are allergic to penicillin, even Amaterasu can't save them.

The survivors of Tarawa were amazed by the miracle of the potion, but when they heard that one was equivalent to a private's salary (about 150 yen) for a year, and that each of them had to use two a day, their faces turned pale. Even Keiji Shibasaki, who earns as much as 5,000 yen a year, thinks it's too spicy to use.

"It's nothing, you are all meritorious people, and the chief must take care of it."

When getting along with Shibasaki Keiji in private, Kusaka Ren said with a thousand instructions: "150 yen is the price that the German side gives us special preferential treatment, and we will sell it on the black market at least 500 yen a piece, and the people who are red-eyed do not know how many, so you have to explain to your subordinates, you must be cautious in your words and deeds after returning home, and you must not disclose it, otherwise it will not only bring you yourself, but also bring endless trouble to the commander." ”

Keiji Shibasaki is a smart person, and this matter is clear at a glance: "The great grace of the chief is beyond retribution, and the humble position will never be forgotten." ”

"When you return to China, you have to declare your merits, and the commander has also reported your name, it is estimated that the rank of lieutenant general is just around the corner, congratulations."

"I will ask the chief of staff to take care of me in the future!" Regarding the news of the promotion, Shibasaki Keiji has also heard a little in the past two days, and heard that Horikichi has listed a large list in the report, especially hoping that Kondo Nobutake, Takasu Shiro, Tsukahara 243 and Kusaka will all be promoted to generals.

In his opinion, Kondo Nobutake has no problem with promotion, qualifications and merits are here, Takasu Shiro is a veteran of the 35th period, and Horikichi is embarrassed to leave him behind, as for the commander of the mobile fleet with the most outstanding achievements, Tsukahara 243 is estimated to be no problem, he thinks that the only thing that is a little mysterious is the Kusaka one, because the latter is only the 37th period of the navy, and there are a lot of seniors in the 35th, 36th, and even 34th periods in front of him. And Horikichi is strong, after all, it can't be too unusual, so Shibasaki Keiji was very careful not to wish the other party a promotion, so as not to cause unnecessary trouble, but looking at the proud appearance of the spring breeze of Kusaka, it seems that it has not been affected.

In fact, Cao Lu himself was deeply puzzled by the matter of promotion nomination: although he was a very important position within the Combined Fleet, in the entire naval system, according to his qualifications, he was not qualified to be promoted at all. According to the position, the chief of staff does not seem to be as important as the admirals in the combined fleet, so why should the chief have to nominate himself? He once asked Horikichi about this issue, but the latter just smiled: "This is politics, you don't understand, let's do it according to my opinion first." ”

Regardless of whether he can be promoted in the end or not, at least one thing is very clear - he is very important in the eyes of the chief, and with this premise, Cao Lu will feel that everything is worth it, and the general will not be the second. He has always been very happy to fight with Horikichi in the war, and there is a resourceful and not a personal commander, he deserves to be the chief of staff, to be honest, he really gets him a spare post in the country to be a general, it is better to continue to stay as a vice admiral and chief of staff of the combined fleet.

Taking the opportunity of any joy of Kusaka, Keiji Shibasaki quietly told everything that happened on Tarawa Island as it was, and how to defend tenaciously was just a passing mention, but he tried to motivate his subordinates to insist, especially the section on eating human flesh was very detailed. He knew that these situations could not be concealed, and eating the corpses of the enemy was secondary, even the corpses of his own side, and this was a great psychological burden (corpses are valued very seriously in Japanese culture), and over time, it would turn into a time bomb - it didn't matter to ordinary officers and soldiers, and for a person like him, a person at the level of a general might have bad things at a critical moment.

Caolu was silent for a long time: "Your concerns are also right, I will report to the chief once, you don't talk too much on other occasions, you can't categorically admit or deny it, it's best to be vague." ”

Horikichi sighed after listening to the inside story: "Actually, I've guessed some, but I just don't want to pierce this layer of window paper, since Shibasaki himself said it, let's go over, I believe it won't affect his future future." ”

When Keiji Shibasaki and his surviving officers and soldiers heard that Kusaka relayed Horiyoshi's opinion that "there is a reason for the incident, there are extenuating circumstances, and there is no example for the next one", they were all so excited that they burst into tears.

The main force of the Combined Fleet sailed unhurriedly towards the mainland, and on 27 September, while sailing nearly 500 kilometers from Tokyo Bay, they encountered an escort fleet and a transport ship waiting nearby, who had been waiting in place for three days. A staff officer once asked Keno Kurita, who led the team, why he didn't go to the landing and unload the cargo first according to the commander's order, but stayed and waited. This question was ruthlessly rebuked by Keno Kurita: "The combined fleet has returned triumphantly from Europe and the United States, bringing countless supplies and fruitful results, and Tokyo has thousands of empty alleys, millions of blessings, and His Majesty has personally welcomed it, what a glory?" What face and merit do we have to receive the cheers before the commander? ”

Everyone nodded yes, deeply admiring Kurita's comprehensive consideration.

After the meeting, Horikichi also asked curiously: "Why didn't Kurita-kun go to the country to pay the order first?" ”

Kurita Keno replied respectfully: "The chief has not arrived, and he does not dare to go first. ”

"Have all the delivery tasks of the Nanyang Islands been completed?"

"All of them are completed, and the various departments guarding the island are very grateful for the care of the chief; As for the most valuable industrial machinery, it has been returned to China first via the Taiwan Strait via the inland sea, and there has been no loss on the way. ”

Although Kurita Keno is quite timid, too cautious, and not bold enough among the high-ranking generals on weekdays, he is not as high as Kakunoda Kakuharu, and Kusaka himself also holds a similar view, but now it seems that Kurita Keno is very good at transportation and escort, and he has to fight tough battles and hard battles, and Kanoda's performance is also very good, but if the two switch places, I am afraid that neither of them will be able to do a good job - the level of the chief who knows people well can be seen.

"You have worked hard, then we will go back to China now, and I will invite everyone to drink after returning to Tokyo." Horikichi smiled, "This time we will only drink sake brought from Europe!" (To be continued.) )