The sound of gunfire resounded through the city of Nanjing, and the Japanese poured in in groups along the gaps in the city wall. They were roaring ferociously, screaming strangely, and their bayonets were red. The ancient city was shrouded in an atmosphere of terror.
The walls of Guanghua Gate had been blasted with many gaps by Japanese heavy artillery. Although the defenders fought desperately to block the attack, they suffered heavy losses and had to retreat into the inner city blocks.
Xie Chengrui's Second Regiment of the Teaching Corps withdrew to Yudao Street, the remnants of the guerrilla battalion led by Yang Ling withdrew to Daguang Road, and the remaining officers and soldiers of the other units retreated to Babaoqian Street with the military police battalion.
Under the gloomy clouds, countless houses in Nanjing are burning, thick smoke is billowing, and the air-tearing artillery shells are roaring and bombarding the residential areas in the city indiscriminately.
Artillery shells fell from time to time, rumbled and exploded, causing houses and bricks to fly across the road. Smoke, dust and gunpowder smoke filled the city wantonly, and an atmosphere of chaos spread among the residents.
Yang Ling held a gun and trotted among the rubble-strewn ruins. The captured military shoes he wore on his feet made a knocking sound against the uneven ground from time to time.
The brothers in the guerrilla camp also followed him panting and retreated towards Daguang Road. The bloody battle at Guanghua Gate left them all covered in blood and smoke, but their eyes still followed Yang Ling firmly.
Yang Ling panted and ran to Daguang Road and stopped. The Japanese who invaded the city were not familiar with the terrain. They were rushing towards the spider web-like streets in groups at the moment. They could not catch up for a while, but Yang Ling knew that the Japanese who were left behind could not catch up.
Not much time is given to them.
"Come here, your company commanders."
Yang Ling looked at the panting and embarrassed team and waved to Liu Yidao and the others.
The machine gun company commander Blacksmith was shot several times and was rescued and sent to a field hospital.
The three company commanders Liu Yidao, Wang Huzi and Qin Shou immediately ran to Yang Ling and stood still.
"Qin Shou, you immediately take people to the ammunition depot to ask Chief Lu for ammunition. Get as much ammunition as you can! Go now!"
"Yes!" Qin Shou agreed loudly, ran a few steps, turned around and ran back: "Batalion Commander, we didn't approve the note, what will happen if the person named Lu doesn't give it?"
Yang Ling still has time to go to the superior to write a letter of approval. By then the day lily will be cold. He pointed at the gun in Qin Shou's hand and said: "The gun in your hand is not a fire stick. Use your brain and he won't give it to you."
Don’t you know how to think of a solution yourself?”
After hearing Yang Ling's words, Qin Shou immediately understood. He gritted his teeth and turned around and waved, "Follow me in a row!" He said and went straight to the direction of the ammunition depot.
The Japanese had already invaded the city of Nanjing, and Yang Ling did not have time to apply for the approval slip to receive the ammunition, so he could only kill first and then report, and then get the ammunition. Anyway, this was not the first time he made a mistake.
"Wang Beard, let me fire a platoon of machine guns at you. You can rely on the ruins of the house to ambush me!"
"Liu Yidao, you take the Third Company and the remaining brothers to retreat to the back to rest and serve as a reserve team."
Yang Ling's order was simple and concise, and the brothers who retreated to Daguang Road quickly got busy and rushed to their respective positions under the leadership of their respective commanders.
"Huzi, go count the number of casualties in each company and report them to me as soon as possible."
Their guerrilla battalion suffered heavy losses at Guanghuamen. The machine gun company commander and blacksmith were seriously injured and sent down, not to mention ordinary brothers.
"Batalion Commander, we have run out of bandages, what should we do?" As soon as the guard Huzi left, the medical soldier Xizi ran over.
The shortage of medical supplies has always been a headache for Yang Ling. Many brothers were injured during the battle and could not receive timely treatment, which made his heart feel like a knife. However, the conditions were so bad that he had no choice.
Yang Ling pointed to the corpses of the brothers who had been snatched away on the stretcher and said through gritted teeth, "Tear off the bandages on their bodies, boil them, and reuse them. I'll find a way for you here."
Xizi also knew Yang Ling's difficulties, so she had to sigh and find someone to remove the bandages on the dead body, preparing to boil them in water and reuse them.
The Japanese have broken into Nanjing City. Although the defenders everywhere are still resisting, the city is already very dangerous. Yang Ling is very worried about the safety of Zhang Hongying in the field hospital.
Taking the opportunity to find medicine and bandages, Yang Ling sent people to the field hospital to tell them that the Japanese had entered the city and asked them to evacuate to a safe area immediately.
After Yang Ling finished giving instructions, he turned and walked towards a house next to the street. The Japanese hadn't chased him yet. He was exhausted both physically and mentally. He wanted to seize the time to be alone for a while. The battle was so brutal that his nerves were tense. He
I want to be quiet and relax.
The city of Nanjing was destined to be undefendable, but he did not want to flee and evacuate immediately. He had to resist until the last moment, otherwise he would not feel at ease.
Yang Ling opened the door and got into the house. The doors and windows were closed, and the house was dark as if water had been drained. When he got used to the dim light in the house, he became alert and realized that something was wrong in the house.
Yang Ling was also startled. He hurriedly raised his gun, pulled the bolt and aimed it behind the table, shouting: "Who is it! Come out!"
"Boss, don't shoot, don't shoot..."
A gray-haired old man emerged from behind the table with his hands raised, his face full of fear.
Yang Ling saw clearly that it was a commoner who had not evacuated, and he breathed a sigh of relief. He thought it was the Japanese who had infiltrated the area, which frightened him.
He put down the muzzle of the gun and his expression softened: "Old man, these Japs are coming, why haven't you left yet?"
When the old man saw that Yang Ling and Mei Shanmu did not look like bad people, the fear on his face dissipated a little, and he sighed and said, "I won't leave, I won't leave."
Yang Ling was also tired and found a chair to sit down by herself.
"Old man, why don't you leave? This kid is killing people like crazy. It's in danger if you stay here. I'll have someone escort you away."
The old man hurriedly waved his hand, picked up the teapot and poured a bowl of water for Yang Ling. He sat down across the table from Yang Ling, shook his head and sighed.
"Boss, I won't bother you with my old bones. I'm buried up to my neck in loess. It doesn't matter if I die. Our family has lived here for generations. I'm lucky to die at home."
The old man then said to Yang Ling: "You soldiers came all the way here to fight the Japanese. Many of your dead people were buried hastily. Your family doesn't even know whether they are alive or dead. How pitiful you are.
"
Hearing what the old man said, Yang Ling was filled with emotion. Troops from all provinces were marching to the anti-Japanese front line. Corpses were scattered everywhere, and there were many bones. But except for their family members, who else remembered them.
Yang Ling forced out a smile and said: "Old man, we are soldiers and we have to protect our country and protect our country. Moreover, loyal bones are buried everywhere in these green mountains. Why should we return them wrapped in horse leather? Even if we sacrifice, there are still thousands of Chinese people."
Stand up and fight the Japanese, and we will eventually win."
"Okay, okay, as long as you are here, even if Nanjing is gone, the little devils will never think of destroying our country." The old man said and began to wipe his tears: "My poor three sons, they all died when they attacked Shanghai.
I can no longer wait for the day of victory."
Yang Ling inquired carefully and learned that the old man's three sons were all serving in the army and died one after another within a month of leaving for Shanghai. Only death notices were sent back.
Thinking of the white-haired old man bearing the heavy blow of the white-haired man sending the black-haired man away, his son was gone, and the family was about to be lost, Yang Ling felt a heartache in his heart. The sufferings caused by the Japanese to the Chinese nation were too numerous to describe.
"Old man, your son has been sacrificed, and we continue to fight. As long as we still have breath, we will continue to fight to the end. But it is really unsafe for you to stay here, making it difficult for us to free our hands and feet to fight. I still
Let me escort you to a safe place." Yang Ling persuaded him earnestly.
After Yang Ling's persuasion, the old man finally agreed to leave. Yang Ling had people sort out the neighborhood again and sent the residents hiding in the houses to the back, not wanting them to die in the gunfire.