The first thousand three hundred and seventy-six chapters gather troops
On the position outside Yichang City, a large number of civilians who had been temporarily recruited were urgently repairing and digging trenches under the guidance of the officers and soldiers of the Lieyan Special Warfare Brigade.
This was originally the garrison's position, and a large number of fortifications, trenches, machine gun nests, traffic trenches, and concealment areas were built.
It's a pity that the Japs destroyed all these military facilities when they evacuated Yichang, and now Yang Ling and the others have to dig again on the ruins.
Although the shovels and hoes in everyone's hands were swung very quickly, Yang Ling was still as anxious as an ant on a hot pot, because he knew that he had to race against time, and the Japanese would fight back soon.
If there is no trench fortification inside and outside Yichang City that can be defended when the Japanese attack back, then the battle will inevitably be very difficult, and Yichang City will be lost again in a very short period of time.
"Hurry, everyone, hurry up!"
While Yang Ling was turning his shovel to dig out the machine gun nest, he was also loudly urging the people around him.
Hundreds of people were working enthusiastically on the position. Fortunately, this was the original position. They just needed to clean up the soil and complete the repair work.
If the trenches were to be truly rebuilt on the spot, it would probably be difficult to complete in a day or two.
"Boom! Boom!"
Just as Yang Ling and the others were busy sweating profusely on the battlefield, suddenly there was a muffled sound like thunder in the east.
"Why is it thundering?"
Many people looked at the clear sky with doubts on their faces.
Yang Ling's expression also changed. Although he knew that the Japs were going to fight back, he still had some luck. But who knew that the Japs would really fight back and come back so quickly.
He hurriedly jumped onto the trench and looked eastward with his telescope. He did not see the explosion point in the telescope.
"It's the Japs who are fighting back, but the sound of the cannons is still far away."
When they heard that the little Jaap had really left and returned, the officers and soldiers of the Lieyan Special Warfare Brigade looked at Yang Ling with admiration and felt very happy.
If they chased after them impulsively, they would collide with the returning Japanese soldiers, and the battle would be brutal. Thinking of this, they couldn't help but feel a little scared.
"Sir, what should we do now?"
The Japs have fought back, but in their current position guarding the highway, there are only dozens of officers and soldiers of their Lieyan Special Forces Brigade and hundreds of civilians. It is obviously difficult to stop the Japs.
What can be expected is that the troops chasing the Japs encountered a strong counterattack by the Japs. They were lucky not to collapse. It was impossible to expect them to stop the Japs.
"Zhang Tie, send someone to the 18th Division immediately and ask them to send us reinforcements!"
After Yang Ling put down the telescope, he immediately turned to Zhang Tie and gave an order to Zhang Tie, asking him to send people to the nearest 18th Division headquarters to seek reinforcements.
"The investigation team will go out quickly and report any situation as soon as possible!"
"The Flame Special Warfare Brigade stopped digging trenches and prepared to fight!"
"All the common people should seize the time to help repair the trenches. Once the Japanese attack, you will retreat."
"Sir, we are Chinese too, we can help fight the Japanese!"
Some young people among the common people heard that they would be asked to retreat later, but they immediately refused and wanted to stay.
Yang Ling explained: "I know your good intentions, but the little devil's fighting power is very strong, and his marksmanship is also very accurate. You have no weapons. Staying on the position will only give us a lot more worries."
"Once we engage in battle here, you will retreat to the back and hide. If we can hold on here, we will trouble you to transport the wounded and deliver food and water to us." Yang Ling added.
"Okay, let's listen to the commander. Although we can't fight, we can deliver the wounded and food and water."
Hearing what Yang Ling said, the people all agreed one after another.
Just as Yang Ling and the others were urgently preparing for battle, the sound of cannons from the east became louder and louder, and soon the dense gunfire could be heard.
Not long after, scattered soldiers retreated from the front along the road in panic.
"Which part do you belong to? What was the situation like before?"
Yang Ling stepped forward to stop a retreating soldier and asked.
The soldier saw that Yang Ling was wearing an officer's uniform and hurriedly stood up and saluted: "Sir, I am from the 2nd Battalion of the 54th Regiment. We encountered a Japanese counterattack at Tumenya and our battalion was dispersed."
"What's the firefight over there?" Yang Ling pointed to the sound of gunfire in the east and continued to ask.
The soldier replied: "That was a battalion of the 199th Division that was fighting with the Japanese. It probably won't last long. The Japanese have tank troops."
Yang Ling quickly learned about the situation through this soldier. The Japanese had really launched a massive counterattack and were fighting the pursuing Chinese troops.
"Grizzly Bear!"
"have!"
"Immediately set up checkpoints on the highway to collect the scattered soldiers. The wounded soldiers can be let go, and the others can be temporarily organized on the spot to let them enter the position!"
Yang Ling and the others now have insufficient troops, so they have to collect the retreating skirmishers on the spot, hoping to hold on to their position longer and give the 18th Army headquarters behind them time to react.
"yes!"
After receiving the order, Grizzly Bear quickly led more than a dozen brothers to set up machine guns on sandbags on the roadside and began to gather the skirmishers on the spot.
Most of the skirmishers were defeated and ran back in a hurry. Not knowing the specific situation, they naturally wanted to run to a safe place.
Now there are not only a large number of people repairing positions here, but also Yang Ling and others guarding here. They are not as panicked as before. They stopped, accepted Yang Ling's order, and prepared to stand firm here.
However, there were still some soldiers who wanted to escape to a safer place, but turned a deaf ear to Yang Ling's orders and wanted to run back.
"Catch him as a deserter!"
Faced with these ruffians who were still trying to run away, Yang Ling was not polite and directly asked Grizzly Bear to catch them.
Seeing that the Lieyan Special Warfare Brigade directly accused these people of deserting, the others did not dare to make a mistake. Deserters would be shot, and they did not dare to risk their own lives.
When Yang Ling and others set up a blockade here to collect the broken troops and enter the position to resist the impending Japs, a staff officer from the 18th Division also came over with a guard company for reinforcements.
All the troops of the 18th Division have been sent out to chase the Japs, and now they are just a guard company at the division headquarters.
Hearing the sound of exchange of fire in the distance, they also realized that something was wrong. When they were about to retreat, Yang Ling sent someone to ask for help. They immediately sent the guard company over, hoping to buy some time and give them another chance.
Prepare a solid line of defense.
"Sir Yang, our commander asked us to obey your orders." The staff officer saluted with a military salute and explained the situation.
"In that case, I will be disrespectful." Yang Ling did not hesitate and directly took over the command.
The guards of the 18th Division are well equipped and have not had any contact with the Japanese yet. They are full of fighting spirit at the moment and are very different from the skirmishers who have just retreated.
After Yang Ling handed over the position to Grizzly Bear, he left the position with more than a dozen officers and soldiers of the Lieyan Special Warfare Brigade and the officers and soldiers of the guard company, and walked eastward along the highway for about two miles.
"The Japanese who come here can never predict that our troops will be here. We will set up an ambush here and fuck him hard."
The positions at the back have not been repaired yet, so Yang Ling is going to take the security company and some officers and soldiers of the Lieyan Special Warfare Brigade to ambush the Japs here first. Even if they cannot eliminate many Japs, they can still delay the Japs' actions.