Amidst the roaring sound of cannons, the biting horses carrying the guards ran wildly at the risk of their lives. From time to time, around them, some cavalrymen were hit by shrapnel or bullets, rolling and falling into a ball.
There was no more movement.
During the retreat, not only the regiment led by Ma Jintao, but also reinforcements coming from the surrounding areas and those who had been resisting desperately were all retreating and withdrawing from the shelling area!
In the mad dash for the road, the cavalry finally returned to their own position after crossing a hillock.
Many soldiers have been temporarily transferred here and hastily formed a defense line. Among them, there are even some civilians who were found from unknown sources to help dig trenches.
"Gather the team"
Ma Jintao gave an order to Wei Ran, threw the word "shao" to him, and then ran towards the signal soldiers who were waving flags near an abandoned farmhouse not far away.
"All come to my place to gather!" Wei Ran blew his whistle, calling for the remaining cavalry to gather over.
After some counting, there were only more than 150 cavalrymen left alive in this cavalry regiment, and less than 20 members of the pistol team were still alive.
Fortunately, there were no serious casualties among the more than 150 cavalrymen. Not far behind, Zhao Jinyu and his men were guarding the position, and no sound of exchange of fire was heard.
On the other hand, most of the remaining cavalry regiments were in better condition than them, but not much better. Especially a small number of those who were still crying were obviously attacked by poison gas bombs.
But what worried him was that, regardless of their regiment or other regiments, most of the cavalry who were lucky enough to survive had more or less fear on their faces.
Wei Ran did not laugh at them because of this. This battle with a huge disparity in strength between the enemy and ourselves has reached this point, with so many casualties and yet they have not yet been defeated. This is already very commendable.
"Company commander, please take a picture of us."
In the cavalry team, a young soldier who looked to be in his early twenties said, "We probably won't survive. Let's take a picture of us."
"Yes, company commander, please take a picture of us." More cavalry soldiers requested. They all knew that Wei Ran had a camera in his hand.
"good"
Wei Ran nodded slightly, reached into his horse sack as cover, and took out Robert's camera. At the same time, he also saw the joy on the faces of the cavalry around him.
Wei Ran sighed silently, and took advantage of this short time to take a few group photos of the more than 100 surviving cavalrymen.
Before he could take some photos of other cavalry regiments, Ma Jintao also rode over.
"Captain, what is our mission?"
One of the cavalrymen asked impatiently, "The company commander took a picture of us, now we don't even have to worry about it even if we die."
After a brief silence, Ma Jintao sighed, "Our group retreats."
"Retreat?!"
Everyone was stunned, some had a look of relief on their faces, while others clenched their sabers still stained with blood unwillingly.
"That's right, retreat." Ma Jintao said, "There is a bridge five miles to the west. Let's go there to set up defenses."
After a short pause, Ma Jintao added, "Call Zhao Jinyu and ask him to rush over with the people in the position."
"We don't want our position anymore?" one of the cavalry asked unwillingly.
"We can't defend here, so we can only abandon our position and retreat."
Ma Jinta shook his head and stopped explaining, "Go and inform Jin Yu, we'll set off right now."
"you go"
Wei Ran said to the young soldier who suggested taking a photo.
The latter gritted his teeth, slapped the horse's butt with the saber in his hand, and quickly ran towards the position guarded by Zhao Jinyu's men not far away.
"Let's go"
After Ma Jintao finished speaking, he was the first to run.
"Let's go"
Wei Ran also muttered something and then rode up to follow. He put away his camera and refilled the two box cannons with bullets.
Halfway through the journey, Zhao Jinyu also followed up on horseback, shouting dissatisfiedly about what was going on.
"How many rounds of poison gas bombs are left?" Ma Jitao did not answer Zhao Jinyu's question, but instead asked what he was concerned about.
"All 10 rounds are here"
Zhao Jinyu said with increasing dissatisfaction, "The Japanese on the other side are as honest as dead, so why don't we just put the formation..."
"The Japanese who landed over there are about to attack."
Wei Ran explained helpfully, "At this time, we can only retreat, otherwise we will get dumped."
"Then let's just run away like this..."
"Let's go guard the bridge"
Ma Jintao finally explained, "The engineer company has also passed. They will plant bombs on the bridge. Only by retreating to the other side of the Shaying River can we have a chance."
"Is it just our group?" Wei Ran asked the question he had been wanting to ask just now.
"There are also several other cavalry regiments that have been disabled."
Ma Jintao explained very straightforwardly, "Our regiments can no longer charge into the formation, otherwise..."
"Otherwise what?" Zhao Jinyu asked urgently.
"Fear of mutiny"
Ma Jintao sighed worriedly. The casualty rate of this cavalry regiment had already exceeded 60%. Even from him, the regiment commander, down to the two company commanders, Zhao Jinyu and Wei Ran, were acting.
The reason why they were transferred to rush for a round of killing just now was because there were really no troops available at that time.
Now that the momentum of the Japanese attack has been temporarily curbed, their almost-defunct regiments will naturally have to withdraw.
Zhao Jinyu was also startled by this four-word explanation, and finally did not continue to ask.
"How many machine guns do we have?" Ma Jintao continued to ask.
"There are quite a few, maybe 20, but there are not too many bullets."
Zhao Jinyu immediately replied, this number is indeed luxurious for their team, which only has more than 150 cavalry, a hundred wounded and logistics troops left, but don't forget, in the battle, they will take turns.
Before, this was a cavalry regiment, a cavalry regiment with a special agent company!
"Where are the grenades?" Ma Jintao continued to ask.
"There are quite a few. It's no problem if each person can get five or six."
This chapter is not finished yet, please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content! Zhao Jinyu paused and continued to explain, "There are also the fire attack jars. I just made forty or fifty more."
"Bring it all with you?"
"I've brought it with me, I must have brought it with me," Zhao Jinyu said quickly.
"Speed up, we don't have much time." After Ma Jintao finished speaking, he urged the horse to increase its speed.
Although the order said that they were to guard the bridge over the Shaying River, in fact, they stopped when they were still one kilometer away from the bridge. At this time, civilians were already digging trenches here, and
The trench is already taking shape.
After Ma Jintao discussed with other cavalry teams that had been withdrawn from the front line, they were able to form an incomplete cavalry regiment of five to six hundred people and hastily assigned the defensive positions of this trench.
Under the leadership of one of the messengers, the war horses were hidden behind a mound more than 100 meters away from the rear of the trench. Many cavalry, auxiliary logistics soldiers and even the wounded immediately entered the trenches they were responsible for with weapons.
Fortunately among the misfortunes, in addition to the grenades and the ten precious poison gas bombs brought by Zhao Jinyu himself, the regiment of the Guards Ran also survived two mortars and three artillery shells.
Before the regimental commanders and acting regimental commanders could discuss how to fight the battle, wounded soldiers were already being withdrawn from the front line in a steady stream, hurried along the edge of their trenches to the vaguely visible bridge behind them.
.
Although the bridge could not be seen clearly, Wei Ran could clearly see the condition of the wounded man on horseback.
Blisters on hands, face and neck, hoarse wails of pain, and blood-red eyes - these are typical symptoms of exposure to erosive poisons!
Looking at the cavalry around him who were busy deepening the trenches, Wei Ran hesitated for a moment and finally suppressed his speculations about the battle situation ahead, and worked hard to dig up the wet yellow sand with the captured Japanese engineer shovel.
This nearly one-sided battle did not give them much preparation time. As more and more wounded people and even the main force began to retreat, the messenger also brought a new order - to break up the rear.
"yes!"
Several regiment leaders or acting regiment leaders, including Ma Jintao, agreed to this desperate order that was tantamount to death without even thinking about it. They led their soldiers and watched as the wounded and large troops hurried past the position.
Towards the ferry bridge that was very close to them.
Gradually, the sound of artillery, gunshots and even the roar of Japanese tanks came closer and closer, and everyone could gradually see with the naked eye the enemy pressing in from a distance.
"pony!"
In the trench, a strong man with a beard and shirtless shouted angrily.
"Here!" Ma Jintao subconsciously stood at attention and straightened his chest.
"I'll leave my wounded soldiers to you!"
The strong, shirtless man had already drawn his saber as he spoke, "Hey guys! Our cavalry must die like cavalry! Four grenades for each person! Charge with me!"
"Charge! Charge! Charge!" The less than 100 remaining cavalrymen under the regiment leader shouted, waving their sabers.
"Come with me!"
After the shirtless captain finished speaking, he was already walking towards the sand dunes not far away from the hidden horse, holding a saber in one hand and a box cannon in the other!
"Xiao Ma! I'll leave my wounded soldiers to you, too. Hold your position!"
As he spoke, another regiment leader pulled out the saber that was stuck in the sand, "Babys! Get the grenades! Go fuck the devil's mother!"
"Fuck its mother!"
The cavalrymen under this regiment leader also shouted in unison, drew their sabers, picked up grenades, and followed them towards the sand dunes where their regiment's horses were hiding.
In the trenches, the wounded soldiers and even Ma Jintao's men just watched helplessly, watching those compatriots willingly die.
"Brother-in-law! Let's..."
"Shut up! Hold your ground!"
Ma Jinyu glared at Zhao Jinyu before he finished speaking, and then explained in a loud voice, "I, Ma Jintao, are not afraid of death. Now someone must rush into the formation to stop the Japanese and buy time for the main retreating force.
But there must be someone guarding here, guarding the position and preventing the Japanese from passing by here! Old and young gentlemen! Brothers and uncles! None of our cavalrymen who lick blood with their blades are afraid of death!
The difference today is that you will die early and die later. If someone rushes into the formation, someone must hold the position! Listen to my orders! Load the bullets! Listen to my whistle and prepare to fire!"
"yes!"
In the long trench line, the remaining cavalrymen and wounded men roared in response to the order.
"Jinyu! Get ready to attack the jar with fire!"
"ignition!"
Following Zhao Jinyu's order, the wounded and orderly soldiers under his command immediately lit the torches prepared in advance and poked them at the trench line, and then placed wine jars filled with fuel and yellow sand at hand.
Almost at the same time, the two regiment commanders took their few remaining cavalry and rushed out when Wei Ran pressed the shutter. They rushed against the retreating troops towards the pursuing Japanese and tanks, and rushed towards the place.
A deadly poisonous fog.
"I'm not leaving!"
At this moment, a wounded man with blisters on his body roared hoarsely, turned over and fell off the stretcher, ignoring Wei Ran who subconsciously pressed the shutter towards him, and stumbled a few steps towards the trench, struggling
He saluted, "Commander Ma, give me a gun, or give me a saber."
"Plop! Plop!"
Before Ma Jintao could agree, several more wounded people fell off the stretchers. Some of them had frightening translucent blisters all over their bodies, some were wrapped in bandages, and some had broken legs or broken legs.
The arm was only kept from dying and losing consciousness by the rope tightly strangling the wound.
Under Ma Jintao's panicked gaze, and as Wei Ran pressed the shutter again and again, the wounded helped each other into the trenches, spontaneously taking up the positions vacated by the cavalry who had just left, and picking up those soldiers who were going to die.
The carbines left behind by the charging cavalry loaded bullets into the weapons in their hands amidst the sound of mechanical collisions.
"This is the backbone of my Chinese sons and daughters!"
Ma Jintao clenched his saber and murmured, his eyes as red as stained with blood staring at the cavalry team in the distance that had already engaged the enemy, watching them charge, fall, explode, detour, charge again, and fall again.
...
until...
Until those cavalrymen became fewer and fewer, until those ownerless horses ran wildly due to the severe pain caused by the knife that their owners had cut on their buttocks before they were alive, and finally carried four grenades in their saddlebags to the Japanese.
They exploded one after another on the way to the charge.
Because of the desperate cover of this cavalry, the main force was able to distance itself and quickly retreated to the other side of the Shaying River while avoiding the Japanese artillery fire.
During this process, more and more injured people decided to stay - this is completely different from the historical records Wei Ran learned.
Finally, the Japanese were getting closer and closer, and the Japanese tanks were getting closer and closer, so close that they were within the range of rifles and even box guns, but Ma Jintao never blew the whistle!
While waiting anxiously, the nearest tank was less than 20 meters away from the trench line!
"Toot——!" Ma Jintao finally blew the whistle!
"Da da da da!"
For a moment, all the machine guns deployed on this trench line opened fire at the same time, covering the enemies who were close at hand!
At the same moment, another part of the cavalry who had already prepared rounded their arms and threw out the grenades and fire jars they had prepared!
Amidst the rumbling explosions, the fastest tanks were ignited one after another and stopped. The Japanese behind the tanks also fell to the ground under the double blow of grenades and machine guns.
"Poison gas bomb!" Ma Jintao gave a new order, Zhao Jinyu immediately set up the grenade, and Wei Ran immediately took a poison gas bomb in one hand and got ready.
"Boom!"
Four seconds after the order was issued, the first gas bomb was fired at the minimum range. At this time, there was no need to aim at all.
"Tum! Tum! Tum! Tum!"
Amidst the intensive firing sound, Zhao Jinyu pulled the firing trigger again and again, risking his life, and at the same time slightly changed the throwing direction of the grenade laterally, while Wei Ran fired the remaining gas bombs one after another.
One by one, the two men fed the grenade into the grenade. With tacit cooperation, the two men fired almost one round per second!
After all ten grenades were fired, panicked screams were heard from the Japanese charging formation, and even the momentum of the attack slowed down.
However, at this time, a breeze blew from behind Wei Ran and others, pushing the poisonous mist farther away.
This unexpected surprise made the other cavalry more energetic in throwing grenades and firing!
"If you can still ride a horse, come with me after throwing the grenades!"
Ma Jintao said hello and was the first to run along the traffic trench towards the sand dunes behind the trench.
After receiving the order, both Wei Ran and Zhao Jinyu did not hesitate, picked up their sabers and ran towards the sand dunes of Cangma.
"If we charge from the side, how many rounds can we kill?"
Ma Jintao said, already getting on his horse, "Brothers, risk your lives! Get on your horse!"
Following the order, more than 150 cavalrymen who were still capable of fighting came and mounted their horses without hesitation.
"Special Agent Company! Charge!" Ma Jintao shouted his most accustomed slogan at this critical moment of a life-and-death battle.
"Qiang! Qiang! Qiang!"
The cavalry also responded in the most accustomed way - including Wei Ran.
"Open the Heavenly Gate!"
Following Ma Jintao's roar, everyone subconsciously leaned forward and clenched their sabers with slumped shoulders and elbows!
Under the collision of the stirrups, the war horse, which had already had a premonition of something, ran at a speed unprecedented in the past!
"puff!"
Wei Ran's first knife sliced through the neck of a Japanese soldier easily.
Without lifting it up at all, the saber was gently placed on the shoulders of the second and third Japs.
Thanks to the bonus brought by the poisonous mist, the losses in the first round of killing them were not great, and the gains were considerable.
Moreover, the machine guns on our own position also cooperated with them very well, almost pressing against the horse heads and tails of the charging troops to suppress them!
However, when they started the second round of killing, the machine guns in the Japanese tanks had also reacted, and the infantry who were lucky enough not to be affected by the poisonous mist had also begun to raise their guns to attack.
"puff!"
Wei Ran once again chopped off a Japs arm, and he was also stabbed in the leg with a Japs bayonet.
"clang!"
During the chop, which was slightly deformed due to the inability to exert enough force due to his injured thigh, the saber in Wei Ran's hand collided with the rifle that the Japanese subconsciously raised horizontally.
The high speed brought by the horse's running easily knocked over the Jaap, but the opponent's subconscious block caused the saber full of gaps in Wei Ran's hand to be broken into two sections!
Throwing away the remaining half of his saber, Wei Ran directly pulled out the box cannon and shot out fan blades one after another while running wildly.
Until they emptied the bullets in two box cannons in succession, they rushed to the other side again - by this time, they had less than a hundred people left, especially...acting leader Ma Jintao did not survive!
Just like the cavalry they saw before, these people who did not survive also pulled the firing wires of the grenades in their swags before they died, and slashed the horses' buttocks, allowing the horses to help them
The final round of death charge was carried out!
"I am the acting leader Wei Ran! Follow me and continue rushing!"
While Wei Ran was speaking, his hand had already taken out the anti-Japanese sword from the metal book under the cover of his turban!
"rush!"
The remaining No. 70 or 80 cavalry roared at the top of their lungs and followed Wei Ran in a new round of roundabout attacks without hesitation!
Compared with the previous saber, although the blade length of the anti-Japanese sword provided by the metal book is shorter, it is better in that the handle is longer and sharper!
But even so, after this round of killings, both Wei Ran and the biting black horse were injured again, and a bullet even penetrated the lower edge of Wei Ran's left collarbone.
What's even worse is that there are now less than 30 of them left.
“The last round”
Zhao Jinyu tremblingly loaded the box cannon with bullets and said, "I can't chop anymore, I have no strength."
"Then let's do the last round."
Wei Ran also trembled and took out a magazine, loaded the box cannon with bullets, then pulled the reins, turned the direction with the few remaining cavalry, and began to charge again.
In this round, Wei Ran ran out of bullets again and hacked to death and injured two or three Japanese again.
However, when they were held up by more and more Japanese soldiers with bayonets on them, and even two tanks blocked them to the river, only the last dozen or so of them were left.
He stopped and looked at the position not far away. The position guarded by the wounded was almost occupied - they actually didn't have many bullets, and there was no way for the machine guns to continue suppressing them.
He touched the biting horse's bullet-pierced ears with his hand. The latter snorted in dissatisfaction, but looked at it like that and didn't seem to be afraid.
Pulling back his hand and looking at the blood that flowed out after being hit by a bullet in the abdomen, Wei Ran smiled and suddenly asked loudly in Japanese, "Send your commander over, I want to surrender."
"Put down your weapons," one of the Japanese shouted.
"This bastard wants us to put down our weapons," Wei Ran mocked loudly in the dialect of Hebei province.
"Captain, we still have a unique skill!"
The young cavalryman who begged Wei Ran not long ago to take a photo said, "Stand far away from Brother Jinyu."
"What's your name?" Wei Ran asked, "How do you plan to play?"
"My name is Ma Yingchun, brothers! Throw the gun away!"
The young soldier shouted, and the remaining dozen cavalrymen happily took off their rifles from their shoulders. Under the gazes of the surrounding Japs, they grabbed the barrels and threw them into the Shaying River behind them.
"Let's also disarm"
As Zhao Jinyu spoke, he also took off his cavalry rifle and the box cannon on his chest, and threw them into the river behind him.
"And yours"
The Japs said, at this time, behind him, someone was already walking towards here carrying a command knife.
“easy to talk about”
Wei Ran took out the carbine from his sash and threw it at his feet, then took off the cannon box from his waist, removed the magazine and hooked it with his fingers, holding on to his last bit of strength and said, "Let your commander come over.
, I am the commander of this cavalry regiment."
Until this time, the Japanese soldiers around finally stopped holding their bayonets and gave way to a passage.
"Open the Heavenly Gate!"
At a certain moment, the young soldier named Ma Yingchun shouted softly.
At this moment, the remaining dozen or so cavalry suddenly moved. They waved their sabers and rushed towards the Japanese who had lowered their guard. At the same time, they also pulled hard on a hemp rope extending from the cassock!
At the same moment, Wei Ran also took out an object from his bag.
It was a Japanese gas bomb. Not only had the safety pin been removed, but a smoking wooden handle grenade was also tied to a leggings strap!
Before the Japs could react, he threw the grenade and gas bomb at the Japs commander who was riding a Japanese horse. At the same time, a loaded box cannon emerged from his left hand, and he fired it for the last time.
A fan!
In this moment of life and death, the biting black horse he was riding was severely punched in the nose by a cavalryman passing by with the handle of his sword!
Stimulated by the severe pain, the biting horse subconsciously raised its front hooves, throwing Wei Ran into the Shaying River behind him!
"Plop!"
The moment he fell into the water, Wei Ran clearly saw that Zhao Jinyu, who had just pulled out a box cannon from his waist, was actually knocked into the Shaying River from horseback by a seriously injured cavalry!
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
Amidst the chaotic gunfire, the cavalrymen who suddenly charged fell to the ground one after another, and the last few grenades hidden in their saddlebags exploded one after another.
In contrast, the biting black horse survived, jumped up without hesitation, and jumped into the Shaying River!
