Chapter 167: Air Raid
Wild Wolf Valley
“Sir, this is a telegram from the Commander-in-Chief!”
Li Gaoyuan took the telegram handed over by the communications staff officer, and after reading it, he let out a helpless sigh.
“Regiment Commander, what instructions does the Commander-in-Chief have?” Staff Officer Wu Qingyun asked from the side.
Li Gaoyuan said helplessly: “What else could it be? The Commander-in-Chief is blaming us for being too timid and wasting the tank battalion, this elite force.”
“But aren’t we afraid that if the attack doesn’t go well, it will cause heavy losses to the tank battalion?” Wu Qingyun said somewhat aggrievedly. “These tanks are so precious. A single Sherman is fifty thousand US dollars. Losing one, even if you sold me, I couldn’t afford to compensate.”
“This might be the difference between the Commander-in-Chief and us.”
Li Gaoyuan rubbed his temples, feeling a bit dizzy.
He hadn’t expected that because of his momentary reluctance last night, he had actually incurred Su Yaoyang’s dissatisfaction. But he really couldn’t bear to let the armored troops detach from the main force to pursue the Japanese alone. If something went wrong and the tank battalion was wiped out, he would not only let down his alumnus John but also betray Su Yaoyang’s trust.
Others might not know, but didn’t he know? The Sherman tank, this gas guzzler, consumed 40 gallons of gasoline per hour, equivalent to twenty silver dollars. A single 75mm high-explosive shell was one hundred silver dollars. Every deployment reeked of money.
But his caution had only earned him his boss’s displeasure.
“Alright, it seems the sir’s thinking is indeed different from ours. From now on, we really can’t be so restrained.” With a helpless light sigh, Li Gaoyuan put away the telegram and was about to go out to check on the trench digging progress when the communications staff officer came again.
“Regiment Commander… a telegram from the Commander-in-Chief.”
“This time it’s again… what… reporters coming for interviews?”
Seeing this telegram, Li Gaoyuan felt a massive headache coming on.
If he had to name the people he least wanted to deal with, reporters would definitely top the list.
These people would do anything to grab news, and they all had stubborn personalities, yet he still had to ensure their personal safety. What kind of nonsense was this?
“Call over Zhao Weide（, the company commander of the regiment headquarters direct special agent company）.”
“Regiment Commander, you called for me?” In no time, a burly young captain came before Li Gaoyuan.
“Take a platoon immediately, drive a few trucks along the highway to pick up the reporters from various places in Shanxi. There are about thirty of them.
Your task is to bring them back safely. You must ensure their safety.”
“Regiment Commander… I…”
“Go now… execute the order!”
“Yes!”
Zhao Weide acted quickly, picking up more than thirty reporters to the regiment headquarters in less than half an hour.
Looking at the men and women getting off the trucks, Li Gaoyuan felt a wave of headache. Battle with the Japanese could erupt at any moment, yet now a group of reporters who couldn’t carry burdens or lift a hand had arrived. How could this not give him a headache?
After all, if any one or two of these reporters were injured or killed, it would be big trouble. If word got out, who knew how the outside world would spin stories about him and the Shanxi Militia.
Though he was a million times unwilling in his heart, he still mustered his spirits and gathered the reporters.
“Everyone… I’ve received the telegram from the Commander-in-Chief and know you’re here to survey the battlefield. I’m sending people to take you there right now, but I hope you can promise me one thing.
Although the battle in that valley has ended, the Japanese could attack again at any time, with the danger of encountering the enemy at any moment.
So once you reach the valley, you only have half an hour for photography and surveying. When time’s up, my soldiers will immediately escort you back to Wuta County. Can all of you agree to this request from me, Li?”
The reporters looked at each other, having come all this way over mountains and rivers to the battlefield, yet only allowed to stay half an hour—they were indeed unwilling.
But on second thought, it was wartime after all. This Li Regiment Commander had already gone out of his way amid his busy schedule to send people to escort them to survey the battlefield; they really couldn’t ask for more.
At that moment, a female voice rang out: “Don’t worry, Regiment Commander Li. I can agree to your request. Half an hour is enough.”
Everyone looked toward the voice and saw a woman around thirty, with somewhat rough skin, stand up.
Unlike the cameras hanging around other reporters’ necks, she was holding a rare domestic 240-type 16mm movie camera in her hand. This thing was terribly expensive.
“Which newspaper is this woman from? So rich?” The reporters exchanged glances, their eyes filled with questions.
“This lady, may I ask who you are…” Li Gaoyuan inquired.
“Hello, Regiment Commander Li. I’m reporter Wang Jiahui from the Shanxi branch of Central Daily News.”
Everyone nodded upon hearing this—it was a Central Daily News reporter, so that explained it.
Li Gaoyuan scanned the crowd: “Reporter Wang has already agreed. What about the rest of you?”
“This…”
The crowd looked at each other, and after a while, finally agreed.
Two hours later
Li Gaoyuan stood on the valley fortifications, patted the sandbags piled on the parapet, pushed hard a few times, and seeing them immovable, nodded in satisfaction.
Distant mountains rose and fell, green pines swayed in the wind, sunlight filtering through clouds casting mottled shadows.
He turned to ask the staff officer beside him: “Have those reporters been sent off?”
“They’ve been sent off. Company Commander Zhao personally led the escort.”
“Good!”
A look of relief appeared on Li Gaoyuan’s face. He’d rather fight a battle with the Japanese than face those troublesome reporters.
But he still couldn’t celebrate too soon.
Before he could speak, a tearing roar suddenly came from overhead.
He jerked his head up, pupils contracting sharply, only to see six grass-green planes diving like vultures, their wings glinting coldly in the sunlight.
“Japanese planes!”
The staff officer’s cry of alarm was drowned by the engine roar. Li Gaoyuan unhesitatingly dove toward the trench, sprawling flat inside, while bellowing.
“Take cover!”
“Take cover now!”
He roared loudly, but his voice was swallowed by the explosions.
The first 250-kilogram bomb slammed into the ground, dirt and debris flying like rain, a blast wave carrying gunpowder smoke rushing forth.
Everyone’s ears buzzed, the world before them blurring in the tremors.
The warplanes screamed overhead, machine gun bullets plowing hideous scars into the ground, vegetation instantly pulverized to dust.
Li Gaoyuan clenched his teeth, crouching in the corner of the parapet.
He stared fixedly at the sky, as if to etch those circling vultures into his eyes, when suddenly a hot surge rose from his chest, his mouth opened, and a stream of liquid sprayed out…
