Chapter 223: Cannonballs Raining Down
Li Yunlong and Ding Wei had just transferred the raw materials and supplies they couldn’t take to the people when someone came to report: “Report, Regimental Commander, a regiment of Japanese invaders is rapidly reinforcing.”
“Where did a regiment come from?” Ding Wei asked.
The Japanese troops in the defense zone of this Twenty-first Brigade were basically all withdrawn, and with our four regiments here and another sweep, let alone a regiment of Japanese invaders.
If even a squad of Japanese invaders could gather, that would be a rare event.
“They were drawn from the encirclement,” the messenger replied.
“He’s arrived just in time. I’ve just replenished my grenade launchers and mortars, and my hands are itching,” Li Yunlong said boastfully. “Old Ding, you continue hiding things here, and I’ll go deal with this regiment of Japanese invaders.”
On Cangyun Ridge, I could deal with the Sakada Regiment with just a few mortars.
Now I have over a hundred artillery pieces again, this mere regiment of Japanese invaders is just a warm-up for me.
“Let’s go together,” Ding Wei said. “This regiment of Japanese invaders is clearly trying to rescue the Yanzhen Arsenal, and we need to stop them from bothering Liu Weidong. Once Liu Weidong has finished taking the equipment, he won’t be hounded by the Japanese invaders. If you go alone and the regiment splits its forces, some to contain you and others to head for Liu Weidong, it will still be troublesome.”
A regiment of Japanese invaders was drawn from the encirclement, which further reduced the strength of the encirclement.
At that time, it would be easier for Liu Weidong to break through the encirclement and take the equipment back.
“Alright,” Li Yunlong nodded.
The two left one company to continue the work of hiding things.
They also sent people to inform Liu Weidong’s side to quickly leave with the supplies when the fighting started, and not to get involved.
Ding Wei and Li Yunlong led their troops and immediately met the Wuyong Regiment.
Boom!
Boom!
Upon meeting, Li Yunlong and Ding Wei’s Hell Cannons fired two shots at the Japanese invaders.
Then, light and heavy machine guns cooperated with over two hundred grenade launchers and mortars, pushing forward with a barrage of artillery fire.
The Japanese invaders of the Wuyong Regiment were stunned: “Baka, where did the Eighth Route Army get so much artillery!”
The commander of the Wuyong Regiment quickly understood: “Baka, the Eighth Route Army must have gotten it from the Yanzhen Arsenal, they’ve already captured the Yanzhen Arsenal!”
“Regimental Commander, the Eighth Route Army has too much artillery, we can’t win, should we keep fighting?” a Japanese officer asked the commander of the Wuyong Regiment.
Based on the current situation, the Yanzhen Arsenal has been lost, and fighting head-on with these Eighth Route Army soldiers would not be wise.
This must be a covering force for the Eighth Route Army; their transportation team must be transferring equipment and supplies.
“We’re not fighting anymore, disengage quickly,” the commander of the Wuyong Regiment decided decisively. “The urgent task is to find the Eighth Route Army’s transportation team and then attack them.”
As long as the Eighth Route Army’s transportation team is found and engaged, and then the Brigade Commander can send reinforcements, the equipment of the Yanzhen Arsenal can truly be saved.
However, the Wuyong Regimental Commander’s idea was good.
As his troops were preparing to disengage, Gao Xigang and Cheng Xiazi’s forces emerged from behind them.
It turned out that these two regiments had just passed by not far from here after capturing the horse feed and supplies at Kuroshima Morita’s post.
Hearing the fighting, they came to see that it was Li Yunlong and Ding Wei fighting the Japanese invaders.
So, Gao Xigang and Cheng Xiazi did not hesitate, and the two regiments immediately launched a fierce attack from behind the Wuyong Regiment.
Caught in a pincer attack from both sides, the Wuyong Regiment suffered heavy casualties and was eventually forced to retreat.
To prevent the Wuyong Regiment from returning to the encirclement, Li Yunlong and the others even pursued them, intending to annihilate them.
The telegram from the Wuyong Regiment soon reached Major General Kawashima.
“Baka, these damned Eighth Route Army have obtained sufficient artillery from the Yanzhen Arsenal, the Wuyong Regiment has been defeated and is being pursued!” Major General Kawashima looked at the telegram requesting reinforcements with an angry expression.
If he didn’t send troops to reinforce the Wuyong Regiment, their situation would become increasingly dangerous.
However, with the Eighth Route Army having obtained sufficient artillery reinforcements from the Yanzhen Arsenal, even if reinforcements were sent, they probably wouldn’t be able to win.
After all, Major General Kawashima only had one regiment left, and the Puppet Army First Division could not be withdrawn.
Because the encirclement could not be lifted.
Troops had to be stationed here.
Finally, Major General Kawashima could only send a reply telegram to the Wuyong Regiment: “Tell Mr. Wuyong to abandon their weapons and ammunition, flee lightly equipped, and preserve as much combat strength as possible.”
After the telegram was sent, Major General Kawashima said sternly: “All units strengthen their vigilance. The Eighth Route Army’s covering force is being contained by the Wuyong Regiment, so their transportation team will surely seek an opportunity to return. Once the Eighth Route Army’s transportation team is found, immediately engage them!”
The Yanzhen Arsenal had a lot of equipment, and the Eighth Route Army’s transportation team carrying the equipment would definitely not be able to move quickly.
As long as the transportation team was engaged, they would have to abandon the equipment if they wanted to escape.
…
Liu Weidong finished his work quickly.
He also received the news passed back by Li Yunlong that a regiment of Japanese invaders had been drawn from the encirclement and had been completely destroyed by Li Yunlong and his men.
Carrying a large amount of equipment from the Yanzhen Arsenal, Liu Weidong directly approached the encirclement.
Without any extra moves, two hundred grenade launchers and mortars forcefully pushed through.
Liu Weidong’s troops originally had no artillerymen.
The half-battalion assigned by Ding Wei and Li Yunlong had artillerymen, who then taught the new recruits on the spot.
It didn’t matter if the new recruits couldn’t aim accurately; there were enough cannonballs, like rain. The density compensated for the lack of accuracy, and the night was constantly lit up.
Or rather, the flashes of explosions did not stop, turning the night into day.
The Japanese force at the point of encirclement originally had a battalion; with the Wuyong Regiment gone, only half a battalion of Japanese troops remained for defense.
Therefore, Liu Weidong encountered no difficulty and easily broke through.
Seeing Liu Weidong’s troops continuously moving through, the Japanese forces further away from the encirclement were very unwilling.
However, when the barrage of grenade launchers and mortars rained down, they could only retreat in disarray to a greater distance.
Liu Weidong took the opportunity to cross the encirclement and entered the mountains with a large amount of equipment.
To prevent the Japanese invaders from following, Liu Weidong left some troops and waited with a hundred grenade launchers and mortars for the Japanese invaders to come to their deaths.
“Regimental Commander, just now, the Eighth Route Army’s transportation team broke through our encirclement and passed through,” the news was quickly reported to Major General Kawashima.
“I heard that dense artillery fire,” Major General Kawashima’s expression was one of extreme shock.
He originally thought the Wuyong Regiment had encountered a covering force of the Eighth Route Army, but he didn’t expect the firepower of the Eighth Route Army’s transportation team to be so fierce.
This scale of over two hundred artillery pieces, even our Class A Division could not afford such a grand gesture.
Damn it, this is all the inventory artillery from our Yanzhen Arsenal.
It was supposed to be used to suppress the Eighth Route Army, but instead, it was used against us by the Eighth Route Army.
“Regimental Commander, should we send someone to follow them?” a Japanese officer asked. “The Eighth Route Army’s transportation team is carrying a large amount of equipment, and they are not moving fast.”
“Baka, of course, we must pursue. Immediately send someone to follow, but do not alert them,” Major General Kawashima said immediately.
But soon, bad news arrived.
The soldiers who followed were subjected to covering fire from a hundred artillery pieces, and not a single one returned alive.
Three consecutive groups of following soldiers were sacrificed for the Empire in the same way.
“What a pathetic battle!” Major General Kawashima stomped his feet in anger.
The Twenty-ninth Brigade set foot on this land, and although they dared not boast of being invincible, today’s battle was truly pathetic.
A brigade plus a Puppet Army division, yet they were helpless against the Eighth Route Army.
“Regimental Commander, don’t be discouraged,” a staff officer comforted Major General Kawashima. “When our follow-up main forces arrive, we can launch an encirclement and suppression of the Eighth Route Army. As long as we eliminate them, won’t we get the Yanzhen Arsenal equipment back?”
“Things are not as simple as you think!” Major General Kawashima shook his head. “The Eighth Route Army’s transportation team has at least brought back two hundred grenade launchers and mortars, and with their arsenal producing Hell Cannons and shoulder-mounted cannons, their strength has greatly increased, and they will no longer be as weak and easily bullied as before.”
In the past, when the Eighth Route Army was weak and easily bullied, we still couldn’t eliminate them.
Now that they are gaining strength, it will be even harder to eliminate them.
“Regimental Commander, when did you start boosting the Eighth Route Army’s morale? They are not worthy of being opponents for the Imperial Army,” the staff officer pointed out. “They are just a bunch of farmers who have picked up weapons.”
“It is precisely because many people look down on Chinese people like you that the Empire’s three-month plan to conquer China has failed,” Major General Kawashima shook his head again. “To thoroughly conquer this land…”
Saying this, Major General Kawashima paused, then changed the subject and said, “The Eighth Route Army’s transportation team has passed. They also have other troops outside the encirclement, and their firepower has been greatly strengthened, so go immediately and relay my order: if these other Eighth Route Army units try to return, let them go, do not engage them in a head-on fight.”
Major General Kawashima’s tone was one of humiliation as he said this.
When had the Twenty-ninth Brigade ever been so humiliated?
The local Eighth Route Army was the worst among the Chinese regular army. In the past, they wouldn’t even deign to look at them.
And now, when they appeared, we had to avoid them and give way, truly losing face.
“Regimental Commander, what if these Eighth Route Army soldiers do not go back?” the staff officer asked.
“Hmph, they won’t go back!” Major General Kawashima’s expression was ferocious. “When dawn breaks and our warplanes appear, the advantage will be ours, and we will directly eliminate them!”
…
“Report, Regimental Commander, three groups of Japanese invaders tried to follow us, but they were all dealt with,” the Battalion Commander came to report to Liu Weidong. “I also sent people to scout a long distance behind us and confirmed that the Japanese invaders are no longer sending tails to follow us.”
“Still, don’t be careless. Although the transportation team has entered the mountains, the Japanese invaders might follow on the flanks. We need to be vigilant on both sides,” Liu Weidong did not relax his vigilance just because they had entered the mountains.
“Yes, Regimental Commander,” the Battalion Commander replied and left.
“Regimental Commander, I heard that with this equipment brought back, the Border Region Arsenal can build cannons that don’t need barrels to fire, is that true?” someone asked Liu Weidong with anticipation.
“We’ll have to see what Factory Director Li says after he examines the equipment,” Liu Weidong said, though his eyes clearly held longing.
Cannons that can fire without barrels, could Factory Director Li truly change the centuries-old history of cannon firing?
