The officers, let alone the ordinary soldiers, were not vigilant and simply regarded the remaining three kilometers as a demonstration.
With rifles on their backs and light machine guns on their shoulders, they walked in two lines around five large vehicles.
"Dong dong dong..."
The sound of heavy machine gun fire suddenly sounded.
On a gentle slope more than 400 meters away from the road, two heavy machine guns suddenly appeared among the dense bushes and fired wildly at the convoy. The bullets flew over as if they were free.
"Concealed, enemy attack..." Lieutenant Huamu was stunned for two seconds before he could react. The moment he fell to the ground, he shouted with a look of shock on his face.
"Are the Eighth Route Army crazy? They actually attacked us next to the Zhongcun stronghold. Aren't they afraid that the garrison at the stronghold will come over and attack us from both front and rear to kill them?"
"Boom boom..." Two explosions came over. They were far away, but they could be confirmed to be mortar shells, and they came from the Zhongcun stronghold a few kilometers away.
Chief Cao, who was worried and didn't know how to answer, immediately shouted: "It was the Zhongcun stronghold that was hit by artillery fire!"
"I understand!" Second Lieutenant Hua Mu shouted in sudden realization.
"The Eighth Route Army sent some troops to attack the Zhongcun stronghold. After we were attacked, the stronghold was unable to send troops to reinforce us."
"But they too underestimated the strength of our escort troops."
"They only have one infantry company. After dividing their troops, they can use up to two platoons to attack us. We have more than ninety people. Including the two recent ambush troops, the total strength is more than one hundred and twenty. We will definitely be able to withstand their attack."
"The troops dispersed their defense around grain trucks, and established firepower points with machine guns, preparing to stand firm and wait for reinforcements."
"The Zhongcun stronghold will definitely see us being attacked and then ask for help from Guanshan Town."
"There are also two hundred mobile troops and cars there. If you go fast, you can kill them in more than half an hour."
Just as he was about to continue talking, a large number of figures suddenly emerged from the bushes on the gentle slope, holding rifles and carrying light machine guns, and rushed towards the road like a wave.
"How is that possible?" Second Lieutenant Hua Mu was frightened by the number of Eighth Route Army troops that appeared.
The Eighth Route Army attacking the baggage train was not at all two infantry platoons as it judged, but a reinforced company.
"Sir, the Eighth Route Army rushing over is equipped with at least nine light machine guns!" a commander called, the calm expression on his face disappeared the moment the Eighth Route Army appeared, and then slowly turned white?
If the Eighth Route Army attacking them was just an ordinary infantry company, everyone would still have a chance to withstand it, but they were equipped with too many machine guns?
New recruits are afraid of cannons, veterans are afraid of machine guns.
With so many machine guns firing at the same time, the flying bullets must be airtight. Veterans and new recruits are all treated equally in front of it, and they will either die or be injured if they hit them.
Second Lieutenant Hua Mu's face began to turn pale, and then he forced himself to calm down, and mustered up the courage to order: "Don't panic, we have grenades that can destroy those light machine guns!"
"Everyone shoots, we can't let the Eighth Route Army rush over."
"Reinforcements will arrive soon. If we hold on, we can get out of here alive, otherwise we will all die."
At the Zhongcun stronghold, two mortar shells fell from the sky and hit the middle of the stronghold.
The splashing fire bombed two soldiers on the spot, and then the Eighth Route Army began to move outside the stronghold.
"All troops have entered the position and stepped up alert. The Eighth Route Army is attacking us!" the garrison team leader responded immediately.
"Sir, something happened. The baggage train transporting supplies to us was attacked three kilometers away!" Commander Cao rushed down from the top of the gun tower and reported.
The squad leader quickly climbed to the top of the turret.
Holding up the telescope, the battle three kilometers away was faintly visible.
Commander Cao continued to report: "The Eighth Route Army attacking the baggage train has a company and two heavy machine guns. They have already begun to attack."
"The gunfire was so dense. In addition to two heavy machine guns, the Eighth Route Army was also equipped with a large number of light machine guns."
"They are getting closer and closer to the road. The escort team must be unable to hold on any longer."
"Sir, we should immediately send troops to reinforce the baggage train. The Eighth Route Army attacked us with two mortars. It was obviously to confuse and harass us and buy time for them to attack the baggage train and prevent us from sending reinforcements."
After much hesitation, the second lieutenant ordered: "Report immediately to Guanshan Town. The stronghold and the baggage train were attacked by the Eighth Route Army at the same time. Please ask for reinforcements."
"Draw two combat units from the garrison, and a platoon from the Imperial Association Army. Immediately attack, go around behind the Eighth Route Army and launch an attack to reduce the defensive pressure on the transport troops."
In less than two minutes, more than fifty Japanese and puppet troops gathered and rushed out of the stronghold with weapons.
"Boom boom..."
Seeing someone rushing out of the stronghold, the two mortars fired at a significantly faster rate and stared at them.
Unlucky soldiers were constantly being killed and lying on the road.
The squad leader was unmoved.
The reinforcements have been on the move and are not large in number. If the Eighth Route Army only deploys two mortars outside the stronghold, it will definitely not be able to stop them.
that's the truth.
More than 40 people from the attacking force of more than 50 people broke through the artillery fire interception.
"Sir, the baggage train is saved. As long as the reinforcements successfully reach behind the Eighth Route Army and knock off their offensive spirit, they will definitely be able to hold on until the reinforcements from Guanshan Town arrive on the battlefield."
The squad leader took a long breath and showed an expression of approval.
But the good mood only lasted less than ten seconds before it solidified.
A heavy machine gun suddenly appeared from the flank of the reinforcements and fired at them.
After a few seconds, a platoon of Eighth Route Army troops appeared and inserted themselves directly in front of the reinforcements.
What shocked the squad leader the most was that this platoon of Eighth Route Army soldiers also brought a heavy machine gun and several light machine guns.
The sentries guarding the blockade ditch were beaten into pieces as soon as they showed up.
It is conceivable that once this platoon of Eighth Route Army troops is inserted into place, the reinforcements will be attacked from the front and back by two heavy machine guns, and their skin will peel off even if they are not dead.
The squad leader was so startled that he broke into a cold sweat and shouted anxiously: "Let the reinforcements withdraw immediately. If it's too late, they won't be able to withdraw."
More than 50 reinforcements fought their way out of the stronghold, but in the end only about 20 returned alive.
There were not many troops stationed at the stronghold to begin with, but one-fifth of the troops were lost even before a direct confrontation with the Eighth Route Army, which was enough to make the squad leader feel heartbroken for a while.
Seeing the Eighth Route Army approaching the baggage train three kilometers away, the team leader was very anxious, but he could not think of sending more reinforcements.
In Guanshan Town, six vehicles carrying more than a hundred Japanese soldiers rushed out of the stronghold.
The speed is very fast. If nothing happens, they can arrive at the battlefield in twenty minutes.
On the road three kilometers away from Guanshan Town, a squad of Eighth Route Army troops formed a skirmish line and quickly approached the road.
When there were still more than 200 meters left, the Japanese and puppet troops lurking in the blockade ditch discovered it.
A crooked handle and more than a dozen rifles were fired rapidly, and the dense bullets pressed them to the ground at once, making them unable to move.
Two artillery shells exploded on the road, with flames flying and black smoke filling the air. The explosion point was nearly 20 meters away from the puppet troops, but it still shocked them.