The Japanese detachment leader Hisashi Watanabe, who was confident of winning, was very leisurely. Now the troops deployed to the countryside had surrounded several groups of guerrillas like iron barrels.
As long as nothing goes wrong, within a day or two at most, the guerrillas surrounded by them will have no room to hide, and then they will be wiped out.
But what the Japanese detachment leader Watanabe Shouichi didn't expect was that before he could get the news, he would be attacked by Yang Ling and others first.
Yang Ling and the others knew very well that to rescue the brothers who were surrounded by heavy Japanese troops with the troops they could command now would be almost as if they were throwing an egg at a stone.
By then, I'm afraid that the brothers who were besieged by the Japanese would not be rescued, and they would have to get in themselves. This is something Yang Ling doesn't want to see.
The Northern Jiangsu Corps was founded by him, and he did not want to see the Northern Jiangsu Corps wiped out by the Japanese.
It was precisely because of the huge disparity in strength between the enemy and ourselves that Yang Ling decided to encircle Wei and rescue Zhao. He attacked the Japanese headquarters and ammunition storage site Baoying to attract the frontline Japanese soldiers to return for reinforcements, thus achieving the purpose of relieving the siege.
Because the highway from Gaoyou to Baoying has been completely destroyed by Yang Ling and others, and the Japanese are sending people to repair it, their artillery brigade cannot pass it and is still stuck halfway.
At the same time, all their ammunition and supplies were transported to Baoyinglai by the packhorses of the transport troops, and then distributed to various troops.
Now Baoying is not only the command center of the Japs, but also a storage place for materials and ammunition, which can be said to be very important.
Whether the headquarters is taken away or the ammunition is blown up, it is a blow to the Japanese soldiers fighting on the front line.
After all, if the headquarters is taken away, it will not only affect the command and operation, but also affect morale. If there is no ammunition and supplies, it will be impossible to fight.
It has to be said that Yang Ling chose to attack Baoying again, which can be regarded as hitting the snake seven inches, hitting the little devil's life gate.
Yang Ling chose to command only Liu Zhi's 5th Battalion and the guard company, communications company and other troops directly under the corps.
In order to increase the momentum, Yang Ling went out in full force this time, and also summoned nearby militia troops, and at the same time asked some young men from the village to follow behind and wave flags and shout.
At the moment, there is only a Japanese squadron stationed in Baoying. They are not only responsible for the security tasks inside and outside the city, but also responsible for the ammunition depot. The garrison of several gun towers outside the city can be said to be quite weak.
Most of the Japanese soldiers have been transferred to the front line to fight. This is not because the Japanese detachment leader Watanabe Shouichi underestimated the enemy.
After all, the intelligence he received showed that the main force of the guerrillas had been divided and surrounded by them. There was no threat to Baoying's armed forces in the nearby areas, so he boldly dispatched troops to strengthen the encirclement and suppression force.
However, sometimes the intelligence was not accurate. The Japs did divide and surround most of the troops of the Northern Jiangsu Corps. However, Yang Ling and the others were well hidden near Liubao Town, so the Japs did not notice them.
"Nani, a large number of Chinese troops are advancing towards Baoying?"
When the Japanese detachment leader Watanabe Shouichi, whose headquarters was located in Baoying City, received a report from the plainclothes team that the mighty guerrillas were advancing towards Baoying, his first reaction was to not believe it.
The Japanese detachment leader Watanabe Shouichi shook his head and said: "The Chinese guerrillas have been surrounded by our troops in Shanyang Town and Luduo Town. How can there be a large number of Chinese troops? You must have read it wrong."
"Taijun, Taijun, you can't be wrong. I saw it with my own eyes." The traitor from the plainclothes team said with great certainty.
This traitor from the plainclothes team was originally sent to the countryside to investigate the local situation, but who knew he encountered guerrillas on the road, so he came back in a panic to report them.
The words of the traitor in the plainclothes team made the Japanese staff also full of doubts. This was completely inconsistent with the intelligence they had received.
"Could it be that Chinese troops from other areas have arrived in Baoying?" A Japanese staff officer frowned and guessed.
The Japanese detachment leader Watanabe Shouichi shook his head and said: "All the stronger Chinese troops in the nearby areas are being monitored secretly. Once they make any changes, we will be able to get the news. It should not be the other Chinese troops."
"Then where did this Chinese army come from? What is their purpose in coming towards Baoying?" The Japanese staff officers also frowned.
Baoying's garrison strength is very weak now. If a strong force really goes to Baoying, Baoying will be in danger.
"The person who came here must be evil. We should be prepared to fight." said the Japanese staff officer.
"Did you see the other party's number clearly?"
The Japanese detachment leader Watanabe Shouichi could not figure out a reason, and finally turned his attention to the traitor in the plainclothes team who reported the news.
"It's too far, I can't see clearly..."
This traitor from the plainclothes team was also very afraid of the guerrillas. When he saw so many guerrillas, he was so frightened that he ran back after taking a look at them from a distance without seeing clearly.
Seeing that the traitor in the plainclothes team did not give the answer he wanted, the Japanese detachment leader was not angry and waved his hand to let him go. After all, he was not a trained scout, so it was good to be able to come back and report the news.
"Immediately send someone to investigate the number and strength of this Chinese army."
Now a squadron suddenly appeared, which made the Japanese detachment leader Watanabe Shouichi not be careless and immediately sent people to investigate.
"The entire city of Baoying is under martial law, and the troops outside the city have withdrawn into the city to prepare for battle."
"Hiyi!"
There are not many defenders in Baoying Castle. If they are scattered everywhere, it will be easy for others to defeat them one by one, so Touichi Watanabe ordered to shrink the defense.
"The garrison strength in the city is too thin. Should we call the troops at the front to send some troops back for reinforcements?" a Japanese staff officer suggested.
The Japanese detachment leader Touichi Watanabe thought for a while and refused directly: "The frontline battle to encircle and suppress the guerrillas has reached a critical moment. Once the troops are dispatched back, the Chinese guerrillas may break through, so we will not dispatch troops to return reinforcements for the time being."
After finally dividing and surrounding the guerrillas, and seeing that they were all about to be wiped out, Watanabe Juichi did not want to fail.
In order to attract the main force of the Japs to return to Baoying, Yang Ling and the others did not hide their whereabouts this time, but headed towards Baoying in a big way.
The scouts sent by Japanese commander Shouichi Watanabe were much more professional, and they quickly figured out Yang Ling's situation.
"The number of the Chinese Army is roughly more than 2,000. Under the banner of the Northern Jiangsu Guerrilla Corps, there are only four battalion-level numbers found..."
"Nani?"
When the officers at the Japs headquarters in the city heard that there was such a huge force, they were also shocked, with disbelief on their faces.
They could be suspicious of the traitors from the plainclothes team, but now that it was a report from a professional scout, they had to pay attention to it.
"Isn't the main force of the Northern Jiangsu Corps surrounded by the frontline troops? How could it appear here?" This was something that puzzled the Japanese staff.
"Could it be that what the frontline troops surrounded was just a small group of the Chinese Army?" a Japanese consultant speculated.