Chapter 295: Damn Eighth Route Army
“Damn it, aren’t the Japanese Invaders short on aircraft? They’ve even stopped airdrops to the Kumamoto Division’s large army. Yet along this Zhengtai Line Railway, there are actually airplanes escorting the military train overhead.”
Cheng Xiazi looked at the Japanese Aircraft circling in the sky on the distant horizon and irritably said to Liu Weidong, “Scholar, if we want to intercept the Japanese military train, we must work under the attack of Japanese Aircraft. Without anti-aircraft weapons to check the airplanes, our casualties will probably not be small. What’s more, we still need to disassemble the military train, and the Japanese Aircraft won’t just sit idly by.”
Cheng Xiazi brought his troops to help Liu Weidong. He and Liu Weidong’s troops had already approached a section of the Zhengtai Line Railway and were preparing to act.
But seeing airplanes escorting overhead for this military train, Cheng Xiazi immediately had a headache.
The power of Japanese Aircraft is no exaggeration.
“The Japanese Invaders aren’t stupid either. They know that if the supplies carried by this military train don’t reach the Kumamoto Division, the Kumamoto Division’s large army will be in danger, so it’s normal for these airplanes to escort the military train. After all, airdrops can’t meet the Kumamoto Division’s supply needs.” Liu Weidong’s tone was quite calm.
“But as soon as we attack, the Japanese Aircraft will discover us.” Cheng Xiazi pointed out.
Liu Weidong did not answer Cheng Xiazi but said to an orderly beside him: “Pass on my order to pull out the fake Hell Cannons for the Japanese Aircraft to see.”
“Yes.” The orderly nodded, and the order was quickly conveyed.
Only then did Liu Weidong say to Cheng Xiazi: “To guard against Japanese Aircraft escorting, I ordered people to make some fake Hell Cannons. If these fake Hell Cannons are brought out, what do you think the Japanese Aircraft will do?”
“Do I need to say it? They’ll definitely go bomb the fake Hell Cannons right away.” Cheng Xiazi said without thinking, then remembered something and continued, “But once these fake Hell Cannons temporarily draw away the Japanese Aircraft, when we attack the military train, won’t these airplanes come back?”
“They’ll definitely come back.” Liu Weidong nodded wisely. “But after the fake Hell Cannons consume the Japanese Aircraft’s ammunition, even if they come back, what can they do? Kamikaze into us?”
Although Japanese Aircraft are very hateful, their ammunition is not unlimited.
Once the ammunition is used up, they’re just decorations in the sky.
Cheng Xiazi, upon hearing this, couldn’t help laughing and said: “Don’t tell me you have quite a few of these fake Hell Cannons?”
If the fake Hell Cannons deplete the Japanese Aircraft’s ammunition, then this threat is temporarily gone.
“Nonsense, if we don’t make enough, how can we consume all the Japanese Aircraft’s ammunition.” Liu Weidong nodded.
……
The number of escorting airplanes was not large, only three.
While they were on normal patrol, suddenly one airplane’s pilot spotted a considerable number of cannons on the ground.
This pilot immediately alerted the other two airplanes, and after their pilots spotted the ground targets, their expressions were also very shocked.
They quickly exchanged gestures and unanimously believed that so many cannons below were definitely decoy targets.
Because attacking the railway line, one or two cannons would suffice; there was no need for so many.
But.
This escort mission was really too important; no mishaps could be allowed.
It couldn’t be ruled out that the enemies on the ground deliberately made so many fake cannons to cover the real ones inside.
Once these real cannons shelled the military train, it wouldn’t be a joke.
So, after the three airplanes’ pilots exchanged gestures, two of them still broke formation and dived toward those cannon targets on the ground.
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!
……
These two airplanes dropped bombs, successfully destroying all those cannons on the ground.
Their bombs were just right, used up.
But.
A scene that stunned these two Japanese Aircraft appeared.
Because they soon discovered more cannons appearing in their view.
“Baka, these cunning Chinese people!” The pilots of the two airplanes cursed angrily and gestured to each other, telling the last airplane to bomb these newly appeared cannons below.
In the end, the last airplane still came over to bomb.
Because they didn’t dare to gamble.
If there were real ones among these newly appeared cannons, the military train was already approaching.
If they didn’t hurry to destroy them, once the real ones opened fire, it wouldn’t be a joke.
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!
As expected, the last airplane’s bombs were also dropped completely.
Seeing this, Liu Weidong smiled and said to Cheng Xiazi: “These Japanese Aircraft should be out of bombs now. We can safely attack the military train.”
“Haha, Scholar, reading a few more books has indeed made you formidable.” Cheng Xiazi laughed heartily and immediately ordered, “Move out, blow up the railway right away, open fire.”
Cheng Xiazi and Liu Weidong’s two Hell Cannons had already aimed at the railway line, one cannon targeting the railway ahead of the military train, the other targeting the railway behind it.
This was to cut off both the front and rear paths of the military train at the same time, preventing it from escaping.
Here, some might complain: why not bomb the railway ahead to make the military train derail when it comes over? That way, no need to fire the rear cannon, saving cannonballs.
This was because this operation was different; they needed to disassemble the locomotive.
If the train flipped, it would be hard to disassemble.
If flipping damaged the parts, that would be trouble too.
And then.
With the military train stopped normally, unloading supplies from it would definitely be convenient and effortless.
If the military train derailed, unloading things would be affected.
It might even damage the supplies in the carriages during the derailment.
Boom!
Boom!
The two Hell Cannons soon roared in anger.
Both precisely hit the railroad track.
Ahead and behind the speeding military train, large dirt pits exploded, sleepers and sand and gravel flying into the sky.
The sudden explosion forced the Japanese military train driver to emergency brake.
The heavy military train, like a rampaging beast, was yanked by a powerful force around its ankles.
It roared unwillingly, wheels friction with the railroad track sparking all the way, the sound ear-piercing.
In the sky, the three Japanese Aircraft, seeing this, all beat their heads in frustration: “Baka, these cunning Chinese people, we were tricked.”
The three airplanes circled in the sky, powerless without ammunition, like three clowns.
In the end, the pilots of the three airplanes could only turn back urgently and speedily.
Return to the airport, reload ammunition, and come back quickly.
On the ground, after the Japanese military train was forced to stop, Liu Weidong and Cheng Xiazi’s teams quickly attacked.
Rat-tat-tat!
Rat-tat-tat!
Rat-tat-tat!
Boom!
Boom!
……
In front and behind the Japanese military train, there was an Iron Turtle each.
The machine guns and artillery on these two Iron Turtles immediately unleashed fierce firepower, suppressing Liu Weidong and Cheng Xiazi’s teams.
But the Hell Cannons roared again, and the two Iron Turtles soon lay still obediently.
The troops rushed to the side of the military train, which also had escorting Japanese Soldiers on it.
After fierce fighting, all the escorting Japanese Soldiers were killed.
“Hurry, hurry, hurry, grab the time to move the things away.” Liu Weidong shouted, “We only have half an hour. After half an hour, we withdraw immediately.”
Liu Weidong calculated the time: the Japanese Aircraft fly back to the airport, reload, and come back, about forty-five minutes.
Leaving fifteen minutes for hasty withdrawal.
Cheng Xiazi was puzzled: “Scholar, half an hour isn’t enough to move everything, right? Aren’t we supposed to disassemble the military train? Why haven’t I seen the arsenal’s disassembly team come?”
Liu Weidong said: “In half an hour, the disassembly team couldn’t successfully disassemble and take the locomotive anyway. If Japanese Aircraft come, they won’t hold back.”
“Then when do we disassemble? We can’t move all these things…”
“Wait until dark.” Liu Weidong interrupted Cheng Xiazi. “With this military train parked here, even if the Japanese are furious, I estimate they won’t bear to bomb it. As long as they don’t bomb it, the things stay on the train. When the airplanes go back at night, we hurry to work.”
“Right, right.” Cheng Xiazi suddenly understood.
The transportation team and soldiers proceeded in an orderly manner.
The carriages were quickly opened, and whatever things were on them, no one had time to unpack.
Anyway, the team moved like ants carrying home, grabbing whatever they saw.
Although half an hour was tight, the transportation team had plenty of manpower.
Though not all the heavy supplies on the military train were moved, nearly half were taken.
“Time’s up, go, withdraw!” Liu Weidong watched the second hand return and immediately ordered decisively.
“Regiment Commander, if the Japanese Aircraft come back and bomb the military train and the remaining half supplies, won’t that be a pity?” Someone was still reluctant.
“These are lifesaving supplies for the Kumamoto Division’s large army; the Japanese won’t bear to bomb them.” Liu Weidong was confident. “Let’s go. When it’s dark, we’ll come back to move more.”
“Yes, Regiment Commander.”
Leaving a few troops hidden here to observe, the main force quickly withdrew, and the transportation team hurried to transport the things back.
Meanwhile, the combat troops wouldn’t return; they would ambush along the way.
To prevent Japanese ground troops from reinforcing to the military train, since these things were now theirs, the Japanese wouldn’t be allowed another chance to take them back.
……
First Army Headquarters
“Your Excellency Commander, this is the urgent telegram just received.” The staff officer ran up to Shinozuka Yoshio like his butt was on fire and handed over the urgent report with both hands.
“Could it be that the military train was attacked?” Shinozuka Yoshio didn’t dare to take it.
Relying on airdrops was only treating the symptoms, not the root, for the Kumamoto Division’s large army.
To truly supply the large army, they still had to rely on military train transportation.
To ensure the military train’s transportation, Shinozuka Yoshio had even requested three airplanes for escort.
Now with an urgent telegram, could it be that even three airplanes couldn’t protect the military train?
“Yes, the military train was attacked by the Eighth Route Army…” The staff officer nodded.
“Baka!” Shinozuka Yoshio, upon hearing this, kicked over the table hard, sending documents scattering all over the floor. “Weren’t there three airplanes escorting? The local Eighth Route Army has no anti-aircraft weapons; are those three airplanes just for show?”
The staff officer explained: “The telegram said the local Eighth Route Army set up many fake cannons in advance. The airplanes worried there were real cannons among the fakes, so they destroyed them all, thus depleting their ammunition.”
“Stupid, utterly stupid!” Shinozuka Yoshio roared. “Immediately send a telegram to Kumamoto, tell him the military train was attacked, and have him quickly send troops to reinforce.”
Although troops could be drawn for reinforcement around the attacked military train site, the numbers were very limited.
To reclaim the military train supplies, they still had to rely on the Kumamoto Division’s large army.
Fortunately, they weren’t far from the Zhengtai Line; with extra effort, they should make it in time.
“Yes.” The staff officer hurried off.
“Baka, also notify Army Aviation: the local Eighth Route Army grabbed so many supplies, their ground targets must be obvious. Have the airplanes find the Eighth Route Army transportation team’s position, then provide it to me for bombing, and give the position to the Kumamoto Division Commander.” Shinozuka Yoshio added.
“Yes.”
“Damn Eighth Route Army, damn Eighth Route Army, baka, damn Eighth Route Army…” Shinozuka Yoshio vented madly.
……
