The sun sets over the western mountains, and the setting sun is like blood.
The 54th Regiment, which had fought fiercely for a day, faced a violent attack by the Japs. After suffering heavy losses, it was unable to fight. Under the leadership of deputy commander Li Weixun, they fought and retreated, and retreated to the Xiling Mountain area.
The loss of the Yaqueling and Tumenya lines announced that the entire perimeter of Yichang's peripheral defense line had been lost, and Yichang was in danger.
Fortunately, during the daytime battle, the Japanese gunboat accidentally hit the defender's oil depot at the dock.
A large amount of fuel flowed into the river, causing a raging fire to burn on the river. The Japanese gunboats could not retreat in time and burned and exploded. The remaining Japanese gunboats had to retreat to the Tanjiapu line and did not dare to attack upstream.
After the Japanese captured Tumenya and Yaqueling, they did not stop their offensive, but continued to attack Yichang City.
The Japanese 39th Division also attacked Yichang City from the north through a forced march, and started a fierce battle with the defenders in the city.
"Report, the 52nd Regiment's defense line was breached by the Japanese!"
"The Japanese offensive is fierce, and the 53rd Regiment has withdrawn to Sanyou Cave!"
"Report, the leader of the 54th regiment, Pi Xuanyou, was killed in action!"
"Report, Peng Jisheng, commander of the first battalion of the 54th regiment, was killed in action!"
"Report, Fu Bin, commander of the third battalion of the 54th Regiment, was killed in action!"
...
Under the cover of aircraft and artillery, the Japanese's offensive was particularly fierce. Especially the Wolf Squadron, which was mixed in with the Japanese's regular troops, caused heavy losses to the front-line defending officers.
As a large number of front-line commanders of the Chinese defenders were shot and killed, and under the fierce Japanese offensive, all units were shaken and all positions were lost.
There was noisy artillery fire outside, and the headquarters of the 18th Division was busy. Division Commander Luo Wenyuan was helpless in the face of the rapidly deteriorating battle situation.
Their dignified elites of the Central Army were beaten to such a miserable state by the Japs. If this were revealed, where would their faces be?
"Report, military command!"
Just as the commander of the 18th Division, Luo Wenyuan, was preparing to gather his troops and retake the lost positions, a staff officer hurried over.
"The military commander ordered the troops to withdraw into the city and build fortifications!"
The commander of the 18th Army, Peng Shan, had also been paying attention to the situation on the battlefield. Seeing that the Japanese troops were pressing forward, there was no hope of retaking the positions outside the city. He could only order the troops to retreat into the city and defend them while calling the surrounding friendly troops to quickly move closer.
Although the commander of the 18th Division, Luo Wenyuan, was very unwilling, he had to issue a retreat order because the enemy was strong and we were weak.
The order was issued, and the battalions that suffered heavy losses immediately retreated into the city, trying to rely on the buildings in the city to resist the Japanese attack.
While the outer garrison hurriedly retreated into the city, a report was also placed on the desk of Army Commander Peng Shan.
"All our forward positions were attacked by Japanese snipers, and important firepower points and officers suffered heavy losses..."
Peng Shan, commander of the 18th Army, was initially puzzled as to why the peripheral troops retreated so quickly.
But when he saw the report sent by Li Weixun, deputy commander of the 54th Regiment, he suddenly realized.
In less than a day, the commander of the 54th Regiment, two battalion commanders, and seven captains and deputy company commanders (including those temporarily promoted from the firing line) were all killed. The number of officers killed in battle was staggering.
And the current report finally cleared up Army Commander Peng Shan's doubts that there was an elite Japanese army specifically targeting them.
"Damn it, you guys will not be human until I am destroyed!"
This group of Japanese soldiers almost killed all of their experienced junior officers, which made Army Commander Peng Shan very angry.
"Let Yang Ling's Lieyan Special Warfare Brigade go into battle immediately and find these little devils and destroy them!"
If it were in the past, Army Commander Peng Shan would have been helpless against these elite little devils, but it is different now.
Now Yang Ling's Lieyan Special Warfare Brigade is on standby in the city. Good steel must be used on the blade. Since the Japanese are so arrogant, he will not hide it and prepare to let Yang Ling and the others join the battle.
Yang Ling and others have also been paying attention to the situation on the battlefield. Facing the retreating defenders, they asked for a fight several times and tried to advance, but they were all suppressed.
"If we don't join the war, Yichang will be doomed!"
With good equipment in their hands and watching the friendly troops being defeated by the Japs, the officers and soldiers of the Lieyan Special Warfare Brigade couldn't wait to go up and beat the Japs.
But they are soldiers, and soldiers must obey orders. When there are no orders, they can only endure it even if they want to go up.
"Sir Yang, the military commander asked you to go to Area 3 and join the battle immediately!"
Just when the officers and soldiers of the Lieyan Special Warfare Brigade could hardly bear it any longer, the military headquarters finally came with an order.
Yang Ling took the order stamped with the seal of the 18th Army Headquarters and quickly scanned it, his face becoming extremely serious.
"Everyone gather!"
The heavily armed officers and soldiers of the Fierce Flame Special Warfare Brigade quickly gathered in formation, and every one of them was filled with murderous intent.
"Take a break!"
"Tell me about it!"
Yang Ling faced the officers and soldiers lined up neatly and raised the order in his hand.
"In Area 3, a small elite unit of the Japanese was found mixed with their regular troops. They targeted our heavy firepower and grassroots officers and shot them. They were also responsible for breaking through. They were equipped with submachine guns and sniper rifles. The military ordered us to assist immediately.
The defenders of Area 3 must contain the actions of this group of devils!"
After Yang Ling finished speaking, the officers and soldiers of the Lieyan Special Warfare Brigade, who were full of fighting spirit, became excited.
"Did you hear the order clearly?!" Yang Ling asked loudly.
"clear!"
The officers and soldiers of the Fierce Flame Special Warfare Brigade responded neatly and loudly, with a fierce murderous look on each of their faces.
"Set off!"
Yang Ling also wanted to compete with this elite force of the Japs, so he didn't waste any time. After reading out the order, he led the officers and soldiers of the Lieyan Special Warfare Brigade straight to area three.
An artillery company directly under the army and the first battalion of the 52nd Regiment were guarding Area 3. They were relying on the buildings on both sides of the street to resist the Japanese attack.
The ferocious little Japs are launching a fierce attack on Area 3, and among these attacking Japs, the snipers of Makino Kanichi's Wolf Squadron are also mixed in.
"Da da da!"
The officers and soldiers of the defenders set up machine guns on the windows of private houses and blocked the streets condescendingly. This made the attacking Japanese very angry, and they were forced to retreat after several attacks.
"boom!"
The Japanese sniper seized a favorable position. After observing for a while, he aimed at the defender's machine gunner hiding behind the window and decisively pulled the trigger.
The whistling bullet penetrated the holed window paper, and penetrated the head of the defender's machine gunner hiding behind the window unabated. There was a dull sound, a stream of blood sprayed out, and the machine gun roared suddenly.
And stop.
"Japanese snipers have discovered us, move quickly!"
Upon discovering the machine gunner lying on the ground with a bloody hole in his forehead, the deputy gunner hurriedly moved away with the machine gun, and the ammunition hand hurriedly followed with the ammunition box.
After the Japanese sniper fired a shot, he quickly retracted the bullet and loaded the gun again. In the scope, he saw several figures moving quickly through the dilapidated wooden building, and pulled the trigger again.
.
"puff!"
The deputy shooter carrying the machine gun ran out a few steps before a bullet penetrated his body. He staggered to the ground, and a light-transmitting hole was exposed on the thin wooden board next to him, from where the bullet flew.
came in.
The Japanese snipers were very arrogant. They kept firing at targets everywhere. With the rhythmic gunshots, the defenders' commanders and firepower points were eliminated one by one.