The news of the theft from the vaults of three banks sent shockwaves through Imperial Japan.

Under no circumstances could they allow the three banks to fail.

They needed to project an image of a rising great power with formidable strength to the other powers.

They wanted the world to see that they were not only a military power, but an economic one as well.

The proposed solution was met with satisfaction within the Empire.

The imperial banks would not fail, and the Empire's face would be saved.

As for the gold and foreign exchange lost by the three banks, they could simply seize it from others through war.

The crowds gathered outside the Japanese banks finally received news:

They could withdraw their money starting tomorrow morning!

This announcement was made simultaneously by five Japanese banks.

They also announced the immediate closure of all five banks' branches for the rest of the day.

This was to prepare for tomorrow's business.

The people who had been guarding the banks' doors were powerless, no matter how angry they were.

They could only trudge home, dejected and mournful.

November 4, 1937, morning:

Serious incidents had occurred one after another in his area of control recently.

General Iwane Matsui, commander of the Expeditionary Force, was furious.

In less than ten days: the failed attack on Sihang Warehouse had disgraced the entire Empire before the world!

Hongqiao Airport had been completely destroyed by "our unit," and no one had yet identified who they were.

A transport unit carrying poison gas bombs had been annihilated, and no one had taken responsibility for the incident.

Jiangwan Airport had been attacked again by "our unit," resulting in heavy casualties.

This had led to a severe shortage of aircraft for the Empire in Central China.

He could still control his emotions when these incidents occurred within the Imperial forces.

But the report from the concession this morning was infuriating: the vaults of three Imperial banks had been completely emptied!

Although it had little to do with him directly, officials in the concession, after an investigation, insisted that it was the work of the Marine Corps.

Seven sentries at the concession checkpoints testified that they had personally witnessed a unit of the Imperial Marine Corps last night.

They were transporting poison gas bombs in three vehicles and had passed through the checkpoints.

The unit was full of vigor and spirit, a quality unique to the Imperial army.

This infuriated Matsui: they had failed to manage their territory properly.

And yet, they were slandering the Empire's brave soldiers. Of course, Matsui could understand.

After all, the Shanghai Marine Corps had been entrusted with such high expectations by the people of the Empire.

Yet, they had made a laughingstock of themselves in the recent battle to attack the Sihang Warehouse.

He could understand that the people of the Empire had turned their love into hatred.

Had the Shanghai Marine Corps become everyone's whipping boy?

They were even being blamed for the bank robbery.

If the blame truly fell on the Shanghai Marine Corps, he, as the commander of the Shanghai Expeditionary Force, could not escape responsibility.

That was why Matsui was so furious.

Regardless of how aggrieved or angry Matsui was!

No matter how unwilling he was to believe it, no matter how absurd he found the matter!

He still dispatched investigators to delve into the Shanghai Marine Corps.

Matsui had to give everyone an explanation.

For now, whatever his mood!

He had no choice but to suppress his anger and receive a distinguished guest.

He was currently forcing down his rage as he entertained a major sent from the homeland.

Major Yuma Fujiwara had just graduated from the Berlin Military Academy in Germany and had been sent directly to the Central China battlefield without returning home.

Major Yuma Fujiwara had not been assigned; he had requested the transfer himself.

He had even used some connections back home to make it happen.

Matsui was personally hosting him, not simply because a major had graduated from the Berlin Military Academy.

But because of the Fujiwara surname, the most noble family name in Japan.

Moreover, Yuma Fujiwara was a close relative of the imperial family; Matsui was entertaining his status.

Major Yuma Fujiwara was well aware of this, and it felt like an insult.

He wanted to be recognized by Commander Matsui for his abilities, not his status.

Of course, he conveniently ignored the fact that he had used his connections to come to China.

Major Yuma Fujiwara had graduated from the Berlin Military Academy with top honors.

During his five years of study, he had not only systematically learned the German army's specialties in trench warfare and siege warfare.

He also had a particular penchant for and dedication to individual military skills.

His strong personal combat skills had earned him a place in the Brandenburg training camp for three months of training.

Major Yuma Fujiwara's opportunity was due to a combination of his imperial status and his formidable combat skills.

Both were indispensable.

When Major Yuma Fujiwara left the Brandenburg training camp, he was the first foreigner to successfully complete the three-month special training and leave.

Other foreigners who had received training always failed to complete the special training for various reasons and remained in the Brandenburg training camp forever.

With such experiences, Major Yuma Fujiwara really did not want to rely on his imperial status.

Although he had only arrived yesterday, he already knew that on the very night of his arrival, two major events had occurred: the attack on Jiangwan Airport and the robbery of three banks.

Matsui had to personally host this distinguished major and ask which unit he would like to train with.

Major Yuma Fujiwara immediately proposed: "I want to form a small team to investigate the two airport attacks.

If we don't find this unit, they will continue to cause significant losses to the Empire."

Matsui was also aware that the "our unit" hidden in the shadows had become a thorn in the side of the Imperial forces.

Their combat effectiveness was astonishing. Investigations over the past few days had revealed that they were capable of completely annihilating an Imperial company.

Such combat power meant that the Empire would have to deploy at least a company-sized force in the future.

Otherwise, they risked being completely wiped out. If that were the case, the Empire's forces in Central China would be far from sufficient.

Now that Major Yuma Fujiwara wanted to form a new team to track down "our unit."

Matsui could not have been more pleased. On the one hand, it settled Major Yuma Fujiwara down.

On the other hand, if there were any results, Major Yuma Fujiwara would be credited, and he would benefit as well.

Understanding this, Commander Matsui asked, "How many men does Major Fujiwara need to form this team?

And what name would you give it?"

Major Yuma Fujiwara had clearly thought it through: "I need to select three hundred and thirty-two of the most experienced and combat-capable officers from the entire Central China Expeditionary Force.

I would like to request Commander Matsui to name this team: the Fujiwara Special Forces!"

"Special Forces? Special Task Force! That's a good name!" Matsui genuinely thought the name was excellent.

Major Yuma Fujiwara said earnestly:

"This name was something I decided on when I was studying in Germany, during my training with the Brandenburg secret unit.

I was inspired by that place and decided to establish a team dedicated to the most dangerous and difficult tasks.

I haven't inspected Jiangwan Airport in person yet, but I've already simulated it on maps and sand tables.

It's a unit of no more than five hundred men, and they must be hiding within the Imperial-controlled areas.

Therefore, I need the General's support.

The team I'm going to form must be composed of the most elite soldiers in the Imperial army."

General Iwane Matsui would never reject the request of this imperial relative, especially since his reasoning made sense.

He immediately agreed.

Then he asked, "How many men are you planning to recruit for this team, Major?"

Major Yuma Fujiwara said seriously: "A combat team of three hundred and thirty-three men.

We don't need logistics; all logistical support for the Special Forces will come from the area of operations."

"Sustain war with war!" Matsui immediately understood.

"I can't wait to get started." Major Yuma Fujiwara said.

"Which units are you planning to recruit from, Major?

Selecting suitable soldiers is not an easy task.

It will take time!"

"Three hundred and thirty-three is my ultimate goal.

I can take the soldiers with me and select them in combat.

Initially, I plan to select from the Shanghai Marine Corps.

This unit fought very well in 1931.

They also fought very well in the early stages of this campaign.

The recent battle was simply a case of an incompetent commander ruining the entire army.

The soldiers shouldn't bear the blame for that." Major Yuma Fujiwara clearly had a complete plan for his next task.

Good! Matsui breathed a sigh of relief.

If he had to go around selecting elite soldiers at this time, it would indeed be a difficult task to accomplish.

The front lines also needed those warriors.

General Iwane Matsui, of course, could not personally accompany Major Yuma Fujiwara to select soldiers.

Major Yuma Fujiwara, who had just requested men, continued: "My team must be equipped with a full set of German equipment.

From head to toe.

Today, I will select five hundred men, so I need five hundred sets and four hundred German-made MP36 submachine guns.

This gun has an effective range of two hundred meters and a magazine capacity of thirty-two rounds.

The overall length of the gun is 831mm/620mm (stock open/folded), the barrel length is 250mm, the overall weight of the gun is 3.96kg, the magazine capacity is 32 rounds, and the theoretical rate of fire is 500 rounds per minute.

The gun body is neither heavy nor long.

It's perfect for our use.

It uses nine-millimeter bullets.

In addition, I also need fifty German-made MG34 general-purpose machine guns.

This gun has a barrel length of one thousand two hundred and twenty-four millimeters, a barrel length of six hundred and twenty-nine millimeters, and a gun weight of twelve kilograms.

The muzzle velocity is seven hundred and fifty-five meters per second, and the combat rate of fire is two hundred rounds per minute.

Effective range: eight hundred meters when equipped with a bipod, one thousand eight hundred meters when equipped with a tripod.

It can quickly change the barrel, and the cooling method is air-cooled.

It is equipped with a fifty-round belt or a seventy-five-round drum for ammunition supply.

This gun can be used as a heavy machine gun when using a tripod.

My team needs the most elite personnel and the most sophisticated weapons."

Matsui ordered his staff to immediately follow Major Yuma Fujiwara's instructions.

Thanks to Shanghai, a large metropolis and a paradise for oriental adventurers.

Even if these weapons and equipment were not available in the Japanese army's logistics warehouse, they could be easily purchased from German arms dealers.

And the quantity of this batch was not large, and there was no problem with spot supply.

This was the guarantee given by the logistics department to Major Yuma Fujiwara.

Major Yuma Fujiwara requested: "Equip the submachine guns with five million rounds of ammunition.

Equip the machine guns with two million rounds of ammunition.

For the time being, send them to Jiangwan Airport."

General Iwane Matsui was very supportive of this decisive Major Yuma Fujiwara: he sent a colonel under his command with an order issued by the Shanghai Expeditionary Force.

They accompanied Major Yuma Fujiwara to the Shanghai Marine Corps to select elites.

Toshizo Hajime had been living a life worse than death these days.

Every day seemed like a year! When he was summoned and saw a colonel accompanying Major Yuma Fujiwara to select people from his team.

He did not dare to neglect it at all, and quickly gathered the soldiers who remained in the camp.

His soldiers had received some replenishment these days and had returned to four thousand men.

However, there were only two thousand soldiers in the camp today.

The other two thousand were on duty and patrolling at various checkpoints!

Major Yuma Fujiwara issued his first order: "All soldiers in the Shanghai Marine Corps who participated in the 1931 battle must be recalled.

Those who are on duty must be replaced immediately.

All qualified soldiers must assemble here within one hour."

After his order was issued, the various detachments, companies, and platoons immediately took action.

Half an hour later, of the original two thousand or so devils who had gathered here, only over a thousand remained.

Major Yuma Fujiwara looked at these thousand or so soldiers and said coldly, "You once created glory and were soaring dragons in the sky.

Now you have been dragged down from the clouds and have become the lowest of the low, worse than earthworms digging in the dirt.

Now there is an opportunity before you.

I: Major Yuma Fujiwara, heir to the Fujiwara family.

My uncle is your god.

Now I am going to form a: Fujiwara Special Forces.

I bestow upon you an opportunity, an opportunity to return to the heavens.

It depends on whether you can seize it.

I only need three hundred and thirty-three men, but today I will select five hundred of you.

The extra one hundred and sixty-seven will be eliminated.

Now, everyone take your full equipment and run from here to Jiangwan Airport.

The first five hundred to arrive will be my men.

Everyone go back and prepare. Gather in five minutes."

Lieutenant Taro Kato was trembling with excitement as Major Yuma Fujiwara spoke.

He knew that his opportunity had come.

The opportunity to jump out of the Shanghai Marine Corps had come.

This time, even if it cost him his life, he would run into the top five hundred.

He wanted to jump out of this quagmire.

If he could follow Major Yuma Fujiwara, his future would be bright!

Five minutes later, when more than a thousand soldiers of the Shanghai Marine Corps reassembled in full gear.

They discovered that Major Yuma Fujiwara, who had just given everyone a speech, was also carrying all his equipment like them.

He was standing at the front of the team.

Beside him were a jeep and a large truck.

Major Yuma Fujiwara simply said coldly, "Move out!"

Just when all these running soldiers thought that Major Yuma Fujiwara would sit in the jeep and supervise their running.

They realized that the jeep was leading the way at the front of the team, with only a driver and a colonel inside.

Major Yuma Fujiwara was actually running like them.

Moreover, during the run, Major Yuma Fujiwara kept running from the front of the team to the middle of the team.

Urging the soldiers to speed up.

Lieutenant Taro Kato personally saw that Major Yuma Fujiwara had already run back and forth in the middle of the team twice.

Major Yuma Fujiwara was a man of iron.

He had been trying his best to run forward.

He was still running as if nothing had happened. Along the way, Major Yuma Fujiwara had run at least one-fifth further than them.

It was not just Lieutenant Taro Kato who saw this scene, and of course, he was not the only one who was thinking.

Those devils who had ideas, pursuits, and wanted to improve.

Now they were like chickens injected with blood, all vying to be the first. Following such a powerful leader, the future would be bright.

Not to mention that he was also the heir to the Fujiwara family!

Major Yuma Fujiwara was the first to stand at the gate of Jiangwan Airport, counting the soldiers who passed through the gate.

When he counted to the five hundredth, the gate was closed. Those soldiers who were running behind could only stay outside the gate at this time.

Inside the airport, Major Yuma Fujiwara was having his soldiers immediately conduct live-fire shooting.

The targets he specified were the burnt iron buckets piled up on the edge of the airport.

There was no need for anyone to report the target. Just listen to whether the iron buckets rang.

These soldiers who ran into the airport had meat to eat at noon, with extra rations.

They were stationed at the airport.

Those soldiers who did not run into the airport had to return the way they came in dejection.

This time, no one would pay attention to them anymore.

Although Taro Kato did not run to the very front, he was one of the best performers in the entire team.

In the subsequent shooting practice, he hit the target five times in a row, successfully attracting the attention of Major Yuma Fujiwara.

Originally, these soldiers were all good at shooting.

It was just that after running more than ten kilometers, they immediately began shooting practice.

Everyone had not even recovered their breath before firing.

This seriously affected the performance of these soldiers.

However, Major Yuma Fujiwara needed soldiers who could immediately engage in combat under any circumstances.

He needed the elite of the elite.

It was just that in this situation, there was no time for him to slowly train soldiers according to the set of methods he had learned from the German military academy.

He could only lower the standards a little and let the soldiers suffer higher casualties.

Let these soldiers grow in battle and be eliminated in battle.