More than a dozen guns were loaded with bullets, and the dark muzzles were pointed at the dirty and exhausted friendly troops. Platoon leader Li Tiezhu only had the Dingjiaqiao position in his heart. Anyone who wanted to retreat without permission and become a deserter, not even the King of Heaven, could do it!
"Let me tell you, Platoon Leader Li, you don't even look at the situation. The troops have been scattered and there are Japs everywhere. Even if we go back and retake the position, we still can't hold it." Lao Wangtou listened as the people behind him got closer and closer.
Hearing the sound of gunfire, he hurriedly stepped forward to persuade.
Li Tiezhu took a step back and pointed the muzzle of his gun at Lao Wangtou: "The commander has not ordered a retreat, no one is allowed to be a deserter! Now go back and fight the Japanese ghosts!"
"Hey, let me tell you, Platoon Leader Li, we are obviously like meat buns beating dogs and will never come back. How can you repay kindness and let us go back to die?"
Li Tiezhu was slightly touched, but still stubbornly blocked the way: "I don't care, anyway, no one can retreat without permission without orders from the commander, and must stick to their position..."
Ah! Before Li Tiezhu could finish speaking, a huge fist suddenly hit him in the face. He was immediately kicked to the ground, and the rifle he was holding was forcefully pulled out of his hand.
"You beat the officer! You are impatient..." Li Tiezhu was punched, and he was in pain. He struggled to get up from the ground, and saw Yang Ling's face as cold as a knife, angry.
His voice weakened involuntarily.
Yang Ling didn't like anyone pointing a gun at him, whether it was an enemy or a friendly force. Faced with Li Tiezhu, who was stubborn and couldn't understand the situation, he didn't bother to talk. He would never speak if he could do something.
Yang Ling took action to hit Li Tiezhu, but neither the Gui Army soldiers following Li Tiezhu nor the remaining soldiers following Yang Ling reacted. They were stunned on the spot, still thinking about why they suddenly hit someone?
"Tie him up!" Yang Ling ordered Wu Jiang, the platoon leader behind him.
Wu Jiang Mentou stepped forward without saying a word, took out the cowhide belt from his waist, pressed Li Tiezhu down before he could react, and began to tie it up.
"What are you doing?! Do you want to rebel!" Li Tiezhu struggled and roared. He was beaten and about to be tied up. He shouted at Yang Ling: "Yang! What do you want to do!"
Yang Ling didn't pay attention to the yelling Li Tiezhu. He was just stubborn. Now that the Japanese had broken through their defense line, there was no way he would survive if he went back now.
In the dark night, the troops were scattered. Even if the commander wanted to give the order to retreat, they could not receive it. Yang Ling was not afraid of death, but did not want to die meaninglessly, so he withdrew with the remaining soldiers.
However, Li Tiezhu has become accustomed to executing the orders of his superiors. Facing dangerous situations without analyzing them and rushing back, that is not bravery, but short-sightedness. Not only will he die, but also those who follow him will suffer.
Also die.
"What are you doing standing still! Shoot! Kill these deserters!" Li Tiezhu's hands were tightly tied, and he shouted anxiously at the dozen or so Gui soldiers who were still holding their guns.
More than a dozen Gui soldiers looked at each other with embarrassment. These were their friendly troops who were fighting Japanese troops in the same trench, and they really couldn't bear to let them shoot.
Moreover, these Gui Army soldiers also did not want to go back to die and wanted to find a way out. However, facing the stubborn platoon leader Li Tiezhu, they had no choice but to rush back. Now seeing that Li Tiezhu was tied up, they hesitated and stood still.
He didn't move where he was.
"What do you want to do! Do you also want to be a deserter?!" Li Tiezhu shouted and asked the Gui soldiers. At this moment, his hands were tied and he could not move.
"Platoon leader, we don't want to desert, but there are Japanese soldiers everywhere. We will die if we go back. Why don't we retreat and wait for the commander's order..."
"You cowards! Cowards!" Li Tiezhu yelled angrily.
Yang Ling frowned: "Stop his mouth."
Lao Wangtou took out a dirty rag of unknown purpose from his pocket, stepped forward and smiled: "Platoon Commander Li, I'm offended." He ignored Li Tiezhu's wide eyes and opened his mouth.
It was blocked, and only the sound of struggling was left.
Yang Ling raised his head and looked at the Gui Army soldiers who were still holding their guns and said: "As the company commander, I order you to put down your guns immediately, follow us to retreat to the next position, and wait for new orders from the commander."
"Yes!" These Gui Army soldiers who followed Li Tiezhu originally did not want to go back and die. Now that a company commander like Yang Ling gave the order, they naturally put down their guns without hesitation and prepared to evacuate and escape. Whoever goes to die is a fool.
Li Tiezhu watched helplessly as the people following him were fooled away by Yang Ling, and he cursed Yang Ling in his heart, coward! Coward! Of course, Yang Ling couldn't hear it, only Li Tiezhu's whine.
The Japanese's attack was very fierce. The Chinese defenders from Jiangwan to Yunzaobang were covered by fierce artillery fire. The troops suffered heavy losses and were scattered. The broken troops poured into the rear positions in large numbers.
The disorganized Chinese defenders were like driven ducks, constantly fighting in the dark with the pursuing Japanese assault troops and infiltrating and intersecting troops. The road from Yunzaobang to Zoumatang was littered with corpses.
Yang Ling and his group of remnants, under Yang Ling's flexible command, moved left and right, sometimes running and sometimes hiding to ambush the pursuers, and repelled several groups of Japanese soldiers who were pursuing them.
Fighting and retreating, by dawn, they had completely thrown off the pursuers. Their own team had expanded to more than 300 people because of the retreat.
It's medium to large.
"Company Commander, do you think we will get shot if we lose our position and evacuate without permission?" After breaking away from the contact with the Japanese, Lao Wangtou has been very worried. Although he is trying to survive, he evacuated without permission without orders.
Violated military law.
Yang Ling turned away and looked at the frowning old Wangtou and comforted him: "Don't worry, I gave the retreat order. Even if the supervising team holds the responsibility, I, the company commander, will be responsible."
Now the five or six divisions of the Gui army on the front line have been defeated and suffered total losses. Even if Yang Ling and others want to hold on to their position, they will be unable to survive the fierce Japanese attack. Rather than making meaningless sacrifices, the so-called green mountains will not be afraid of running out of firewood.
If they are to be burned, it is better to retreat to the second line position and hold on.
"Company Commander, Company Commander, someone is coming from ahead!" A soldier in charge of the investigation ran back panting.
Yang Ling looked stern and shouted: "Old Wu, take people to the slope on the left, and the others will hide on the spot!"
As soon as Yang Ling finished speaking, the more than 300 remaining soldiers dispersed with a roar, and the sound of gun bolts being pulled was heard everywhere.
It was dim and bright, and it was not clear whether the people coming were Japs or friendly forces, but there were many people in the dark area. The remaining soldiers were extremely nervous and clenched the guns in their hands tightly.
When those people came closer, Lao Wang raised his head from the grass and whispered: "Company commander, it seems he is one of our own."
Yang Ling was also observing. Although he couldn't see clearly, the other party was not wearing a helmet and his footsteps were messy, not like a Japanese soldier.
"Which unit are we in front of?" Lao Wangtou shouted outside at Yang Ling's signal.
This voice startled the people who were marching quickly, and they hurriedly fell down and pulled the bolt of their guns.
"We are the troops withdrawn from the 174th Division. Which part are you from?"
"We are from the First Army!"
The two sides asked each other and confirmed their identities. It turned out that they were the First Army who had been ordered to block the gap.
"You have just withdrawn so few people? Where are the rest of them? Where have the Japs arrived?" A middle-aged officer came up to meet him. Seeing the sparsely scattered remnants of more than 300 soldiers, he asked several questions in succession like cannonballs.
question.
Yang Ling took a step forward, waved his hands towards the middle-aged officer and saluted him: "Report to the commander, we have been dispersed..."
Hearing Yang Ling's description, the middle-aged officer frowned. He did not expect that the previous battle was so brutal. He looked at the scarred soldiers and said to Yang Ling: "The theater command has given you a retreat order. Maybe you will fight."
If they are scattered and not received, the headquarters will ask you to evacuate south of the Beijing-Shanghai Railway and rest on the north bank of the Suzhou River."
After the middle-aged officer finished speaking, he waved to the team and began to advance in the direction of the Japanese, leaving behind a happy and encouraging crowd. They finally no longer had to worry about being labeled as deserters, and the gloom in their hearts was swept away.
"Everyone is here! Retreat!" Yang Ling cleared his throat and shouted.