The first thousand two hundred and twenty-first chapters
There were dangers everywhere in the ruins in the dark night. After the Japanese soldiers' reckless attempts failed, they learned their lesson and stayed in their positions without daring to move.
"Let's go, don't make any noise."
Deputy Battalion Commander Dao Zi and his rear combat team who were stranded on the firing line held on until early morning. When Dao Zi saw that the time was almost up, he patted the brothers on the shoulders one by one and softly ordered them to retreat.
The brothers were all very cautious, and without the Japanese being aware of it at all, they left the ruins one by one, exited the north gate, and got into the darkness of the north.
Dao Zi led his brothers to withdraw from Huaiyin only five or six miles away, when suddenly there was an earth-shattering explosion from the direction of Huaiyin City behind him, and balls of red light shot out, illuminating half of the sky.
When the brothers heard the explosion, they all stopped and turned around to look. The place where they once fought was now plunged into a sea of smoke and fire.
"The mines and explosives we have planted are enough for the Japanese to drink. It would be great if we could blow them all to pieces."
Facing the earth-shattering explosion coming from the direction of Huaiyin, some brothers spoke with great interest.
"Don't dream. The kid is not a fool. Can he stand there and let you blow up?" Some people didn't have much hope for the explosives and landmines planted.
"Okay, let's leave quickly. If the Japanese find out that we have withdrawn, they will definitely catch up."
Facing the brothers who had stopped, the deputy battalion commander Dao Zi withdrew his gaze from the distant firelight and urged everyone to hurry up.
Deputy Battalion Commander Dao Zi and his brothers from the rear fire team chased the retreating troops all night, and only caught up with Yang Ling and others in Siyang County when the sky was clear.
In addition to officers and soldiers like Yang Ling who were covered in blood and gunpowder smoke, there were also some slow-moving refugees who had evacuated earlier and carts full of food and packages.
Daozi found Yang Ling and gave Yang Ling a simple report on the rearguard's attack on the Japanese, which was regarded as handing over the task.
"You did a good job. I'll give you credit when I get back." Yang Ling praised and encouraged the others on the knife, and then told the brothers in the cooking class: "Bring them some water and food."
Soon, the brothers in the cooking class brought some pancakes and water to Dao Zi and the others. Dao Zi and the others were already hungry after traveling all night, so they were not polite and started gobbling them down immediately.
"Continue on your way after eating, can you hold on?" Yang Ling asked as he looked at the knives and others devouring them.
"Sir, please hold on! We have strong legs!"
"Okay, let's eat quickly."
Yang Ling looked at the brothers who had regained their morale, nodded, and walked towards the direction of deputy captain Zhang Liechen.
"If the Japanese find out that we have withdrawn, they will catch up to us soon."
Seeing Yang Ling coming over, deputy captain Zhang Liechen looked down at the map and said worriedly.
"Have you seen any suitable terrain? Let's fight a few battles to delay the Japanese."
Yang Ling also sat down on a stone and looked at Zhang Liechen and asked.
Zhang Liechen shook his head and said: "I have studied the map just now. The area around here is very flat and there is no way to hide people. If we leave a part of it to block the attack, once the Japanese are entangled, the remaining brothers will be dead."
"Our people's foot strength is not as strong as ours. Once the little devil catches up, it will be troublesome."
Yang Ling also knew how ferocious the Japs were, and they didn't care about soldiers or civilians when they killed people.
"If it really doesn't work, it's better to evacuate the people on the spot and let them disperse to the countryside. It's better than being caught up by the Japanese." Deputy Captain Zhang Liechen suggested after thinking for a while.
"Everyone who can go to the countryside to live with relatives has already gone. Now those who are following us to retreat to Lunan are people who have nowhere to go. If we let them go to the countryside now, it will be equivalent to forcing them to die. They will have no food in the countryside.
Those who have no food or shelter will all become refugees in a short time." Yang Ling shook his head and rejected Zhang Liechen's proposal.
Yang Ling believed that as long as these people who were willing to follow them were brought to Lunan, then everyone would work together to open up wasteland and grow food, which would at least be better than being refugees.
"Let's go like this, let's go separately." Yang Ling thought for a while and then said: "You take the people and some of our machinery and equipment and take the small roads to retreat to Lunan. I will take the large troops and take the main roads to attract the attention of the Japanese.
Covering for you."
"In that case, you will be in danger." Zhang Liechen's face was full of worry.
"There's nothing dangerous. It's okay if the Japanese don't catch up. If they really catch up and want to eat us, we won't have fire sticks in our hands. It just depends on whether they have good teeth." Yang Ling said fiercely.
Deputy Captain Zhang Liechen had no better opinion for a while and could only follow Yang Ling's order to make arrangements.
The machinery and equipment and people who retreated to Lunan left the road and dispersed to the small roads to march toward Lunan, and were escorted by part of the army.
Yang Ling, on the other hand, personally led First Battalion Commander Blacksmith, Second Battalion Commander Wu Changqing, and Fourth Battalion Commander Liu Zhi on the main road to attract the attention of the Japanese.
During the Battle of Huaiyin, the Northern Jiangsu Guerrilla Corps suffered heavy losses, except for some of the brothers who had previously evacuated with deputy commander Yuan Guangtao and the brothers who stayed in Baoying and Huaiyin to fight guerrillas.
At this moment, Yang Ling could only command more than 700 combatants, and there were another 300 or 400 wounded soldiers who had to evacuate along small roads with Zhang Liechen.
Because they were worried about the pursuit of the Japs, Zhang Liechen and the others moved quickly. After making a simple arrangement, they took the wounded, civilians and machinery and equipment off the main road and turned into a small road.
Yang Ling also temporarily reorganized the disabled troops. Although the organization of the first, second and fourth battalions was still retained, the troops that each battalion could directly command only had two companies.
"Brothers, lift your heads!"
Although Yang Ling successfully withdrew the troops from Huaiyin and minimized losses, the morale of the troops was unprecedentedly low, and he had to step in to boost morale.
After hearing Yang Ling's words, the frustrated brothers subconsciously raised their heads and looked at Yang Ling.
"I don't deny that we lost the battle this time, but what I want to tell the brothers is that victory and defeat are common matters for military strategists! There is no general in this world who is always victorious, and there is no army that is always defeated!"
"This time we were defeated at the hands of the Japs. Many brothers died in battle, but they died in a bloody fight with the Japs. They are brave and fearless, and they are our role models!"
"The brothers who died in the battle are watching us from the sky right now, watching us avenge them. Do you think we should avenge this revenge?!"
After hearing Yang Ling's words, the brothers recalled that countless familiar brothers fell beside them. They clenched their fists and were filled with righteous indignation.
"Tell me loudly, do you want revenge?!"
Yang Ling looked at the brothers who were all filled with indignation, but didn't say anything, and asked again at the top of his lungs.
"think!"
This time the brothers roared out loudly, full of hatred for the little devil.
"Okay! This is the real man! Since you want to take revenge, then cheer me up and don't let the little devil look down on you by hanging your fucking head!"
The brothers all stood tall and solemn, and a fierce murderous aura filled the air.
Looking at the excited brothers, Yang Ling said again: "The little devil is not a fool. He will not stand there and let us kill him. So if you want to take revenge, you must listen to my command and obey my orders. Otherwise, not only will you not be able to get revenge,
We have to risk our own lives for revenge! So we have to wait for the opportunity to take revenge!"
After hearing what Yang Ling said, the brothers who wanted to immediately kill the Japanese for revenge were also calm; some nodded in agreement.
"Now I order you to withdraw to the north first, lure the Japanese away, and cover the evacuation of the people. Once the people have safely evacuated, we will look for opportunities to kill the Japanese and take revenge!"
"yes!"
The brothers also knew that the time had not come yet and there was nothing they could do if they wanted to take revenge, so they all agreed in unison.