Chapter 20: The Commander Strikes Back—Damn It!
“Report! Urgent message from the reconnaissance company! The enemy troops are gathering in the direction of Chang County!”
“The entire 29th Brigade is mobilizing! Along with the 20th, 21st, and 22nd puppet regiments from the city—they’re all pressing forward!”
The brigade commander and Li Yunlong’s faces changed abruptly; the air inside the room instantly froze.
With a fierce punch, the commander slammed the table, a thunderous bang causing bowls and dishes to leap high.
“What did I just say? After wiping out Yamazaki’s battalion, do you think the enemy would let it go so easily?”
“Look, the retaliation has come! They’re trying to swallow your entire New First Regiment, bones and all!”
Li Yunlong’s faint relief vanished. He licked his dry lips, his gaze turning fierce.
“Tsk, tsk, a whole brigade of enemy troops, plus three regiments of puppets... damn it, over ten thousand men! They really think highly of Old Li!”
The commander glared at him. “Enough chatter! The fire is right at your eyebrows!”
“Afraid of what?” Li Yunlong stretched his neck, his eyes flicking to the commander. “Isn’t the great Buddha here to guard us? Even if it’s a division coming, they’ll have to kneel and call you grandpa before us!”
“Stop feeding me nonsense!”
The commander growled, forcing down his anger as his mind raced.
Reinforcements? Too late!
Retreat? Absolutely impossible!
Here lay hundreds of tons of supplies recently delivered—not only the hard work of wealthy Lin but also the life-saving grain for countless soldiers and villagers!
If lost, the deputy commander-in-chief would surely tear him apart!
After pondering, the commander looked at Zhang Dabiao. “Map!”
“Yes!”
Zhang Dabiao immediately spread a worn defensive map on the table.
The commander picked up a magnifying glass, his gaze sweeping across the map, fingers tracing the names.
“Chang County, Cangyun Ridge, Chenjia Village…”
Moments later, he jabbed forcefully at a point.
“Here!”
Li Yunlong and Zhang Dabiao leaned in, speaking simultaneously.
“Guazi Gully?”
“Yes! The enemy comes from Chang County, and this is the only route!” the commander said decisively.
He suddenly looked up, eyes burning as he fixed Li Yunlong with a stare. “You said Mr. Lin also delivered… 20 105mm howitzers?”
“Right! The big guns are hidden in the hills behind!” Li Yunlong nodded eagerly, then his face fell. “But no one in our regiment knows how to operate them! We’re all greenhorns!”
A cold, iron-willed smile curled the commander’s lips. “No matter. I know!”
He sprang up, an invisible aura of authority enveloping the entire headquarters.
“Order this at once! From now on, the entire New First Regiment—including the county battalion, district squads, every militiaman and reserve who can carry a gun—will be under my command!”
“Yes!”
Li Yunlong and Zhang Dabiao straightened their backs, voices shaking the roof tiles.
This was a matter of life and death, a critical moment allowing no hesitation.
If things went wrong, the New First Regiment’s designation would be wiped out!
The commander’s gaze was sharp as a blade, locking on Li Yunlong.
“Li Yunlong!”
“Here!”
“Immediately gather all armed forces. Each man will carry one of the submachine guns Mr. Lin delivered!”
“Also the general-purpose machine guns, mortars, and 75mm mountain guns. Carry as many as you can!”
“Objective—conceal and wait on the outskirts of Guazi Gully!”
“If the enemy wants to play big, then we’ll give them a show that shakes the heavens!”
“Understood!” Li Yunlong’s eyes blazed with terrible light, his blood boiling with excitement.
No wonder the commander’s orders were earth-shattering.
“Remember!” The commander’s voice was ironclad. “Set up a field telephone line! Once you’re in position, and you confirm the enemy main force is trapped at the bottom of the gully, report immediately! Do you know what to report?”
“Fire at will!” Li Yunlong shouted.
A flicker of approval passed through the commander’s eyes. “Good, Li Yunlong, you understand! But—”
His tone suddenly hardened. “Stay well away from the gully edge! Don’t get too close!”
A cold gleam flashed in the commander’s eyes. “I’m going to use the 105s to give them a bath first! Don’t get blood all over your clothes!”
“Yes! We’ll stay far away and enjoy the show!” Li Yunlong rubbed his hands excitedly.
It was time to let the enemy taste heavy artillery.
Twenty 105mm howitzers—firepower nearly matching two enemy artillery regiments (each enemy artillery regiment has about 2,500 men, with 24 75mm mountain guns and 12 105mm howitzers).
That would give that old bastard Sato a real pounding!
After the commander’s bombardment, they’d follow up with mortars and 75mm guns.
Finally, a sweeping barrage of 2,000 PPS-43 submachine guns with 71-round magazines...
Li Yunlong felt a surge of blood rush to his head!
With such firepower, not just a brigade, even a division laid out before him, he’d still roar and charge forward to tear at them!
They quickly finalized several key details.
Li Yunlong charged out of headquarters, his roar echoing through the village.
“Regiment assemble! County battalion! District squads! Militia! Anyone who can breathe, grab your weapons! Target—Guazi Gully! Time to strike it rich!”
The soldiers, freshly fed, warmly clothed in thick cotton jackets, roared like tigers on adrenaline, hoisting their brand-new weapons.
The New First Regiment’s spirit was at its peak—daring enough to fire two shots even in the gates of hell.
As Li Yunlong left, the commander led men to bring out the twenty howitzers.
They lined them up, aiming toward Guazi Gully.
“Calibrate data! Set sights! Load shells!” the commander’s orders were sharp and commanding.
He personally demonstrated, coaching the chosen gunners hand by hand.
Time was tight, but every second was precious.
...
Elsewhere, Li Yunlong led the New First Regiment at full speed.
“Faster! Faster! Get ahead of the enemy!”
The soldiers gritted their teeth, carrying heavy new weapons, their feet pounding as they broke a sweat in the biting cold.
At last, the New First Regiment arrived at Guazi Gully ahead of the 29th Brigade.
“This is it!” Li Yunlong gestured sharply; the formation halted instantly.
“Order!” His eyes bloodshot, murderous intent radiating.
“Break into squads! Operate like nails! Nail yourselves into every inch around Guazi Gully where someone could hide!”
“Behind slopes, in rock crevices, under withered grass!”
“Remember, not a single dead spot left uncovered!”
“This time, we’re sealing the trap tight. Those over ten thousand enemy troops will come in and never leave—damned to join Yamazaki’s battalion in hell!”
“Yes!”
Company and platoon commanders, as well as county and district leaders, roared in unison, brimming with killing spirit.
Especially the county battalion and district squads, who had finally upgraded from old rifles to new weapons, every man pushing himself to the limit.
Orders were swiftly given.
Nearly 2,000 men divided into 200 squads scattered like sesame seeds around Guazi Gully.
This time, Li Yunlong had gone all out.
He brought 400 MG42 machine guns, assigning exactly two per squad!
The MG42 would later earn a grim nickname: Hitler’s chainsaw.
Besides these, there were fifty mortars.
He wished for more, but only so many gunners could master these iron beasts in such short time.
Misuse could easily cause friendly fire.
Li Yunlong stared hard at the guns, vowing silently: After this battle, the whole regiment will learn to use them.
Learn with deadly determination.
He was already imagining the New First Regiment’s future “dream squad”—
Each squad equipped with two MG42s, two mortars, every man with a PPS-43 submachine gun loaded with a 71-round drum!
With this firepower, once entrenched, before their bullets ran out, it would take a miracle for even a company of enemies to get close!
Time ticked on.
Li Yunlong lay in the cold withered grass, peering through binoculars, scanning the gully entrance over and over.
Finally,
He saw that disgusting enemy banner fluttering.
They were coming!
Sato, that big fish, had finally taken the bait!
Li Yunlong’s heart clenched sharply.
He grabbed the field telephone before him, shaking it violently.
“Report to the commander: the enemy has reached Guazi Gully…”