Booming explosions and gunshots kept ringing along the Japs' path, but as the large group of Japs outflanked and detoured, the brothers in the blocking position would soon be annihilated.
The brothers in these blocking positions no longer have a front or rear. They are small units fighting independently. They are like nails and are nailed to their respective positions until they are all killed.
"Report, the observation post has discovered that the Japanese vanguard has appeared one mile outside our position."
Although the officers and soldiers of the Third Battalion paid a heavy price, there were too many Japanese soldiers. Even though they tried their best, they still could not stop the Japanese from advancing northward step by step.
Hearing that the Japanese appeared a mile away from them, Third Battalion Commander Shen Biao's face was full of pain.
He led the battalion to guard the last position of the entire deep defense line. Now that the Japanese had appeared a mile away from them, it meant that all the blocking positions in front were lost.
The position was lost, but not a single brother retreated alive. It goes without saying that all the brothers lived and died together with the position.
Their third battalion, together with the first battalion, defeated the Japanese Pingshan Brigade in the last Jieshou battle, and now that the troops were about to be wiped out again, Shen Biao's heart was full of guilt.
"I can't help my brothers..."
Looking at the sky shrouded in gunpowder smoke in the south, Shen Biao's eyes were filled with tears, and his throat seemed to be blocked by something, making him choked up and unable to speak.
"Brothers are not bad, and battalion commander, don't feel bad either. Maybe they are waiting for us ahead." The battalion staff officer stopped looking at the map. There was no need now. The Japanese were already here, so we could only fight to the death.
"How many more people do we have?" Soon, Shen Biao wiped his eyes, regained his mood, and asked the staff.
The staff officer replied: "Including the cooks and orderlies, there are only more than fifty heads in total."
The entire reinforced battalion was beaten like this, and everyone's hearts were as sharp as a knife, but this was the battlefield, and there was no mercy at all.
"Battal Commander, should we ask Commander Yang for permission to give up the leader?" An officer couldn't help but suggest.
"Abandoning the leader now is not worthy of so many of our dead brothers!" An officer immediately jumped up and retorted loudly.
"But if we don't withdraw now, our battalion will be completely wiped out! Battalion Commander, please save some seeds for our battalion." The brother who suggested giving up the frontier said in pain.
Battalion Commander Shen Biao also felt uncomfortable, but he knew that since he had taken on the task of blocking the attack, he could not be allowed to retreat.
"Let the militia teams cover the evacuation of the people. Those of our remaining brothers who want to leave can leave now. Those who are willing to stay can retreat to the town with me and defend. Even if there is one person alive, we cannot let the little Japs cross the border. step!"
The commander of the third battalion, Shen Biao, was just praying that the reinforcements going south would arrive in time, otherwise their third battalion would really be exhausted.
Seeing the decisiveness of the battalion commander Shen Biao, the officer who suggested giving up the leader had no choice but to grab his gun and thought fiercely: "In this case, let's fight, one fight counts for one, and two fights make one!" "
"I will die if the country survives!" The brothers grabbed their guns one after another and roared.
Soon, the commander of the third battalion, Shen Biao, took the remaining brothers and retreated into Jieshou town. The people had already been notified and fled out of the town.
While Shen Biao and others were busy looking for shooting positions in Jieshou Town, some brothers took Shen Biao's orders and went to find the commanders of the militia.
"Jie Shou can't hold on any longer. Our battalion commander asked your militia to cover the people's retreat to the north!" The ordering soldier breathed heavily and gave the order to the militia unit responsible for protecting the people.
A large number of people who evacuated from Jieshou did not leave Jieshou too far. They were all hiding in some woods. The militiamen were responsible for guarding the surrounding areas.
Although everyone knows that the Japs are coming this time, everyone is full of confidence in the Northern Jiangsu Corps. That is, as long as the Northern Jiangsu Corps is here, they will definitely be able to defeat the Japs and they will be able to go home soon.
But these common people have forgotten that the Northern Jiangsu Corps is also a human being, not a god. They cannot guarantee that they will always win the battle. Facing the Japanese with strong troops and pressing northward, the troops of the Northern Jiangsu Corps remaining on the southern front this time It's really unstoppable.
"So? You can't stop the Japanese?" Zhang Baozi, the leader of the militia detachment, looked in disbelief when he heard that they were told to retreat further north immediately.
He knew the strength of the Jiangsu North Corps. It had strong soldiers and horses, and beat the little Japanese to pieces every time. He didn't believe how they could not defeat the Japanese this time.
"To tell you the truth, our main force went to the northern front to attack Baoying. There is only one battalion in the south." Seeing Zhang Baozi, they did not believe it, and the brother who sent the order had to tell the truth.
Yang Ling and others went south to attack Gaoyou with great fanfare, but the main force moved north at night. Because it was a secret military operation, the people were still kept in the dark, thinking that the Northern Jiangsu Corps was on the southern front.
"What? Just one battalion!" Zhang Baozi jumped up immediately when he heard that there was only one battalion fighting the Japanese on the southern front.
"Damn, I said you are losing ground like this, your feelings are so bad." Zhang Baozi's heart suddenly became confused.
"Baoying has been captured by us. Cover the people and evacuate to Baoying. It is safe there now."
"Let's go, hurry up." Zhang Baozi's face was full of panic. One battalion would definitely not be able to stop the Japanese for long. If we didn't leave now, it would be too late.
"Quickly inform the brothers to stop hiding. The Japs are coming. Run north! If you don't run, the Japs will catch up!" Zhang Baozi shouted.
And the common people who were hiding here to wait for the battle to end were also in chaos. If the Japanese suddenly attacked Baoying, how could the North Jiangsu Corps be defeated?
But before they could figure it out, they saw the crowd starting to move north. Out of fear, everyone followed the move north under the shouts of the militiamen.
"Hey, where are you going?" Zhang Baozi took two steps and saw the messenger turning around and heading back the way he came, so he hurriedly grabbed the brother and asked.
"Our battalion commander is still in the town to stop the Japanese. My order has been sent. I have to go back!" the brother said.
"Little brother, don't go back. You will die if you go back. Come with us." Zhang Baozi persuaded kindly.
The brother shook his head and said, "I am a soldier. How can I run away from the battlefield and become a deserter? You should leave quickly. We can still hold back for a while."
After the brother finished speaking, he ran back towards Jieshou Town where the cannons were already rumbling without looking back.
"Boss, what should we do?"
Seeing this brother go back without hesitation, the militiamen who were preparing to retreat north all turned their attention to their detachment leader Zhang Baozi.
"Why do we do this? Stay here and wait for death. Let's go." After Zhang Baozi thought for a while, he prepared to take his brothers and the people to retreat north together.