Chapter 10: The Total Annihilation of the Yamazaki Battalion

Black Wind Gorge.

"Commander, the brothers have all closed the net!" Zhang Dabiao's voice was pressed right against Li Yunlong's ear, kept extremely low.

"First Battalion on the left flank, Second Battalion on the right, First Company of the Third Battalion lock down the exit, Second Company nail down the entrance!"

"Good!" Li Yunlong's entire body was buried in the withered grass, with only his sharp eyes exposed.

"Pass on my orders! Not a single shot is to be fired. Even if the King of Heaven himself shows up, you stay put! Even if you have to shit your pants, you hold it in for me!"

"Yes!"

...

Time ticked by, second by second. From sunrise to high noon.

"They're here!"

Li Yunlong raised his binoculars steadily, seeing a column of puppet soldiers approaching from afar. The Japanese always used puppet soldiers as their vanguard and rear guard. The Yamazaki Battalion was no exception this time, having summoned two regiments of puppet soldiers to coordinate the sweep. Nearly three thousand men stretched out in a long line, with puppet soldiers leading and trailing, while the Yamazaki Battalion’s sun-flag was tightly embedded in the very center of the formation.

Li Yunlong grinned. He had been prepared; the New First Regiment’s lines were stretched equally thin. In the past, he would never have dared to take such a risk. A Japanese battalion, plus two regiments of puppet soldiers—nearly three thousand men—was not something the New First Regiment could chew through. Previously, they could only strike sporadically, firing a few cold shots before running, playing a game of long-term attrition.

But things were different now. Three hundred Type 11 light machine guns were lined up, with a Type 92 heavy machine gun and a mortar positioned every few dozen meters. Such abundant firepower was something Li Yunlong hadn't even dared to dream of. Relying on years of combat experience, Li was confident that a single volley would leave most of these animals dead or wounded. Whether it was the Type 11s or the Type 92s, besides their fierce firepower, their most important attribute was their long range. As soon as the Yamazaki Battalion and those two puppet regiments entered Black Wind Gorge, Li Yunlong had no intention of letting a single one escape.

Lowering his binoculars, Li Yunlong picked up a Type 11 light machine gun.

"Pass the word down: the whole regiment is to be ready. Don't you dare save ammunition for me! Once my gun fires, let loose everything you've got until the barrels are dry!"

"Yes!" Zhang Dabiao’s voice carried an irrepressible excitement as he crouched and sprinted to relay the orders.

Every soldier in the New First Regiment grew tense. When the sun-flag of the Yamazaki Battalion entered his sights, a cold light erupted in Li Yunlong’s eyes, and he pulled the trigger hard!

"Fire!!"

The moment the first shot rang out, the soldiers of the New First Regiment received the signal. Three hundred Type 11s, fifty Type 92 heavy machine guns, and all the mortars opened fire simultaneously!

Boom! Rat-tat-tat-tat-tat! Thump-thump-thump-thump!

The scene was beyond imagination! The Yamazaki Battalion was instantly stunned.

"Baka!" Yamazaki Haruhira was filled with terror. He wasn't surprised by an ambush, but what the hell kind of ambush was this? Lieutenant Colonel Yamazaki Haruhira felt his soul leave his body. He had fought countless battles, but never had he seen such a sky-blackening web of fire. Listening to the noise... hundreds of light and heavy machine guns?!

"The Chinese have gone mad! They've used the heavy firepower of at least a full division!" Yamazaki Haruhira was on the verge of tears. The Chinese had no sense of martial honor! An ambush was one thing, but deploying the heavy firepower of an entire division? His machine guns and mortars didn't even have a chance to be set up!

Just then, several mortar shells whistled toward Yamazaki Haruhira at once. Capture the ringleader first—there was no need to explain that principle.

Boom! Boom, boom, boom!!

A series of deafening explosions erupted, fire spreading everywhere. Yamazaki was blown to pieces along with his horse. Until his death, he couldn't understand how a mere Lieutenant Colonel like himself was important enough to warrant such a show of force from the Chinese. Usually, aside from playing with "flower girls" and killing a few civilians for amusement, he hadn't done anything so heinous.

On the other side, seeing their commander blown to bits by shells right away, the already bewildered Japanese troops fell into chaos. As for the puppet soldiers, there was no need to mention them. They only regretted that their parents hadn't given them two extra legs to run with. They scrambled like headless flies, some kneeling to surrender, wailing and crying for their parents.

...

Ten minutes later, the gunfire stopped. Looking into the valley, there was basically no one left standing. Li Yunlong threw down his scorching-hot machine gun with a clatter and snatched the broadsword from Zhang Dabiao’s hand.

"Fix bayonets! Charge! Leave no one alive!!!"

"Charge—!!!"

The soldiers of the New First Regiment swarmed in from all sides. No mobilization was needed; fueled by national hatred and personal vendettas, their eyes were already blood-red. Blades flashed, and waves of blood churned.

...

Half an hour later.

Zhang Dabiao, covered in blood but with an excited glow on his face, rushed to Li Yunlong: "Commander! It’s all cleaned up! The brothers are currently clearing the battlefield!"

"What are the spoils?" Li Yunlong looked at Zhang Dabiao.

Zhang Dabiao’s voice trembled with excitement: "Commander, we’ve struck it rich this time! A full-strength Japanese battalion! Two puppet regiments! Wiped out entirely! The haul is countless, the brothers are still tallying it up."

Li Yunlong nodded, then asked, "Casualties?"

Zhang Dabiao’s expression turned solemn, though the excitement in his eyes remained: "Sixty-some wounded, twenty-some seriously... thirty-three brothers sacrificed." He then lifted his head, his voice filled with irrepressible pride: "Commander! In this battle, we traded one for a hundred! One for a hundred!"

War always meant death. Although the loss of thirty-three brothers was heartbreaking, the 1-to-100 casualty ratio was incredibly morale-boosting.

Li Yunlong’s facial muscles twitched: "Transport the wounded immediately. Tell the brothers to hurry; the little devils' reinforcements will probably arrive soon." The Japanese usually equipped their units with radios; the 29th Brigade might have already received word and could be rushing here. Thinking of this, Li Yunlong couldn't afford to linger: "Take what you can carry, burn what you can't. Tell the brothers not to feel bad; there will be more in the future."

For some reason, Li Yunlong had a premonition that the wealthy benefactor, Lin, would surely bring him even better things next time. Originally, Lin Ran had only asked him to take out a company or a battalion of puppet soldiers, but he had wiped out an entire Japanese battalion and two puppet regiments! Nearly ten times the required mission! Of course, Li wasn't trying to haggle; he just felt that he hadn't wasted the heavy firepower of a full division that Lin Ran had provided.

Zhang Dabiao took the order and ran. The soldiers of the New First Regiment moved as if wound up, their efficiency surging. Soon, the battlefield was cleared, and whatever couldn't be taken was set ablaze.

Zhang Dabiao ran back clutching a small notebook, his grin reaching his ears: "Commander! It's all tallied! We really struck gold this time!"

"Thirty-two Type 11 light machine guns! Nine Type 92 heavy machine guns! Three mortars!"

"Two thousand five hundred sets of cotton-padded clothes and shoes!"

"Twenty-eight mules and horses! And... eighteen thousand silver dollars!"

A look of joy finally appeared on Li Yunlong’s face.

"Hahaha, good, good, good! Let’s withdraw!"

...

Chang County, Headquarters of the Japanese 29th Brigade.

"Clang!"

A delicate white porcelain teacup was smashed violently against the floor by Major General Sato Ichiro, shattering into pieces!

"Baka—!!!"