The blockade area is still the territory of the Japanese. After the frontline offensive troops return to support, the anti-Japanese situation here will become even worse.
In order to avoid bringing unnecessary disaster to the villagers, apart from having contact with the underground party, I have not had contact with an ordinary person since I left the mountain.
After attacking the Japanese and puppet troops at the stronghold in Wanfeng Village, the troops retreated to the edge of the mountain and stopped quietly, waiting for the little Japs to take action first.
"Captain, the little devils from Guanshan Town are out." The reconnaissance squad leader, who was staring at the stronghold of Guanshan Town, rushed back all the way and reported with heavy breaths.
"How many people are there and how are the equipment?" Zhang Cheng asked quickly.
This is his biggest concern.
The troops in hand are limited. As the old saying goes, how much rice goes out of a big pot? If the Japanese and puppet troops kill too many troops, in order to preserve their strength, the troops can only return to the mountains to fight guerrillas with them.
"One reinforced squad of the Japanese army, one company of the puppet troops, equipped with two mortars, two heavy machine guns, and nearly two hundred people." The reconnaissance squad leader replied.
The instructor frowned, looked at Zhang Cheng and reminded: "Company commander, there are a lot of enemies."
"If I guess correctly, the little devil has dispatched all the mobile units that can be mobilized in the blockade area."
Zhang Cheng's brows also frowned, but they soon relaxed.
"There are a lot of them. The number of troops is almost twice ours, but we must seize the opportunity to eat them all. If we can't eat one bite, we will eat them in two bites."
"Instructor, you are right, these enemies are all the mobile units that the Japanese army in the blockade can mobilize."
"Eat them, and the remaining Japanese and puppet troops can only stay in the stronghold and dare not come out."
"We can seize the opportunity to destroy more blockade trenches and walls, mess up the blockade area, and then concentrate our forces to fight the returning Japanese and puppet troops."
The instructor also made up his mind: "I agree to fight this battle, but we must be cautious and control casualties."
"Our battle has just begun, and the real pressure is yet to come."
Under Zhang Cheng's deliberate exposure, the Japanese and puppet troops quickly found traces of the company, but failed.
"Sir, the bonfire is still warm. It has been less than half an hour since the Eighth Route Army evacuated this place." A commander, Cao, ran over and reported.
"Sir, we found traces of a large number of people walking in the northeast corner, which should be left by the retreating troops of the Eighth Route Army." Another commander, Cao, ran over and reported.
Commander Cao, who had just inspected the bonfire, continued: "There are three bonfires in total here. Under normal circumstances, an infantry squad uses one bonfire. The Eighth Route Army's strength should be one platoon, which is exactly the same as our initial judgment."
"Sir, I suggest we pursue you immediately."
"They brought a large number of captures and prisoners, and they will definitely not be able to move fast."
The squad leader's last doubt disappeared and he decisively ordered: "Follow the trail and pursue them immediately. We must catch up with them and kill them before dark."
After chasing for less than half an hour, the troops suddenly stopped.
The sergeant of the search team rushed over and reported excitedly: "Sir, we found weapons and ammunition left by the Eighth Route Army in front."
"A total of ten rifles and thirty grenades were wrapped in military uniforms and hidden in the bushes."
"I looked at them and saw that they were all standard rifles used by the imperial army. Many of the rifles still had blood on them. They must be the trophies they had just captured."
"In order not to slow down the marching speed of the troops, we temporarily decided to hide here."
The squad leader's eyes immediately shot out two rays of light.
There is irrefutable evidence. These weapons can definitely prove that the Eighth Route Army he wants to pursue is in front, and the strength is only one platoon as he initially judged. Otherwise, it would be impossible to take away ten rifles.
The Eighth Route Army was poorly equipped and regarded its guns as life and would never throw them away unless absolutely necessary.
He immediately ordered: "Then why are you still standing there? Give chase immediately."
Half an hour later, a mountain ridge lay across the path that the Japanese and puppet troops must pass through.
A company of security guards hid on the ridge, waiting for the Japs' forward search troops to rush to the foot of the mountain before firing.
"Bah bah... da da da..."
Ten rifles and one machine gun fired at the same time. Even though the Japanese search force was very vigilant, they were still caught off guard. The three of them fell to the ground with a groan.
By the time the Japanese fired back, the gunfire on the mountain had stopped and silence had returned, as if nothing had happened.
With the ten rifles just discovered as ironclad evidence, the squad leader was convinced that there was only one platoon in the Eighth Route Army. All subsequent judgments and decisions were made on the basis of this judgment.
When he heard the gunfire, his eyes flashed and he shouted: "It must be the Eighth Route Army behind us, trying to hold us back and buy time for others to retreat."
"The troops ignore them and continue the pursuit."
"After catching up with their main force, these rear troops will naturally emerge to fight with us."
The guard squad did not withdraw, but stared at them from afar, preparing to continue to sneak attacks on them with sparrow warfare.
Looking at the increasing number of corpses in the middle of the team, a sergeant frowned and reminded.
"Sir, the enemy is too cunning. He has been hiding around and sneaking up on us, and he specializes in targeting veterans and machine gunners. The two heavy machine gun squads have all been replaced by riflemen due to heavy casualties. I suspect there is a conspiracy."
The squad leader also felt faintly uneasy and had the idea of giving up the pursuit.
Suddenly, the sergeant of the forward search team ran over. When he saw the captain, he reported excitedly: "Sir, the Eighth Route Army is in front. The search team can already see their backs. There are more than fifty people in total. It will take up to twenty minutes.
We can catch up with them."
The uneasiness in the captain's heart was immediately swept away.
As long as he can kill the Eighth Route Army in front, he can still bear the casualties on the road.
He made a decisive decision: "Continue to pursue, our marching speed will be accelerated, and there should be no hesitation on the road."
"All the wounded and corpses were handed over to the Imperial Army, and the Imperial Army was fully prepared for battle."
Five minutes later, the squad leader also saw the back of the Eighth Route Army.
At this time, the fleeing Eighth Route Army suddenly turned a corner and crawled into a nearby ravine.
The team leader did not hesitate and ordered directly: "Don't stop, just catch up."
"The Eighth Route Army is right in front of us. There is no way there are troops in the ravine ambushing us."
More than 50 Japanese soldiers chased him faster and faster, while the puppet troops moved slower and slower because they were carrying corpses and wounded people.
When the Japanese had completely entered the ravine, they were still on the mountain road two to three hundred meters outside.
On the ridge on the left side of the ravine, more than seventy pairs of eyes were focused on the Japanese rushing in. More than fifty rifles, eight light machine guns, and two heavy machine guns were also pointed at them.
Zhang Chengquan squatted next to the heavy machine gun, holding up the 38 cap, and put a Japanese soldier into the crosshairs.
The muzzle of the gun moved slowly as the Japanese advanced, waiting for the best time to fire.
The thick barrel of the heavy machine gun was also constantly moving, staring at the few Japs most concentrated in the ravine.
As long as the company commander fires, it will release a deadly hail of bullets and kill them all in one round of strafing fire.