At the Japanese artillery position, the battle went smoother than expected.
Nearly half of the more than 500 gunners and ammunition carriers were puppet troops. They did not have the courage of the Japanese gunners to launch a counterattack against the secret service company and the independent company with their bare hands. Instead, they stayed at the artillery position and waited to surrender.
Only one-third of the more than two hundred Japs who counterattacked had weapons, and many of them were bastard boxes with an effective range of no more than thirty meters, which had almost no practical significance.
The secret service company and the independent company first used machine guns to shoot out most of the Japs with weapons, and then used bayonets and pistols to kill the remaining Japs... and the battle was over.
"Company commander, except for a few field guns equipped by the little devils who were blown up by them before they died, the mountain guns equipped by the puppet troops, most of the mortars, and the four heavy guns are all intact." A platoon leader of the secret agent company hurriedly said.
He ran over and reported.
The company commander stood next to a heavy artillery piece with a smile on his face. Just as he was about to speak, the reconnaissance squad leader hurried over.
"Company Commander, there is a group of Japanese and puppet troops coming towards us. The Japanese have a squadron and the puppet troops have a company. They are very fast."
"Everyone is here, prepare to fight!" the company commander opened his mouth and ordered without saying a word.
After hearing the news, the commander of the independent company rushed over and reminded: "Captain Zhou, these Japanese and puppet troops must be coming for us. I suggest a quick battle and deal with them as soon as possible."
"The main force of the regiment is attacking the Japanese blocking position. The sooner we end the fighting here, the sooner we can reach the main battlefield to reinforce the main force of the regiment and reduce the loss of the main force of the regiment."
Captain Zhou of the special agent company showed an expression of approval, and then his eyes became hot, and he yelled with his eyes shining brightly.
"Artillery, we have captured so many artillery, it will be in vain if we don't use them."
"Call the two artillery squad leaders over immediately. I have a task for them."
To the southeast of the artillery position, more than a hundred Japanese soldiers and nearly a hundred puppet troops had already spread out their forces during a rapid march to form an offensive formation.
The major who led the team ran at the back of the team. Looking at the swaying figures 300 meters away and the artillery position that seemed to be in a state of chaos, he decisively drew out his command knife, moved the blade forward, and waved the command forcefully.
"attack……"
"While the Eighth Route Army has not yet established a firm foothold in the artillery position, we rush in directly and destroy them with bayonets."
"Kill me..."
For more than two hundred days, the puppet troops formed skirmish lines and pounced on the artillery positions like hungry wolves.
The machine gunner held the machine gun in his arms and fired while charging.
The gunner walked at the end of the team carrying a grenade, ready to stop at any time to set up the gun and launch grenades.
On the artillery position, more than 200 soldiers were lying on the Japanese guard position, holding guns and machine guns, waiting in strict formation.
Behind them stood a row of twelve mountain cannons.
The muzzles of the guns were all leveled, and the lowest firing angle was used to aim at the Japanese and puppet troops rushing towards them.
Next to each mountain cannon squatted several puppet gunners, and behind them squatted a row of Eighth Route Army soldiers, holding rifles raised, keeping an eye on them to prevent any puppet troops from making any small moves while firing.
This is the method that Captain Zhou of the special agent company came up with in order to win the battle quickly: "Add bayonets to the mountain cannons, and use the cannons to kill mosquitoes."
Twelve mountain artillery aimed at the Japanese and puppet attacking troops at close range and severely damaged them with shells, and then the infantry came up again to eliminate the remaining enemies and end the battle.
"Captain Zhou, the Japanese are coming..." the independent company commander reminded.
"The artillery fires, each gun fires five rounds rapidly. After the firing, we will rush out!"
"Boom boom boom..."
Twelve mountain cannons fired at a position more than 20 meters behind them. Twelve shells whizzed past their scalps and smashed into the Japanese and puppet attacking troops.
Black smoke rose in the splashing firelight. Many Japanese and puppet troops were blown away while running, and more Japanese and puppet troops were blown over and fell on the attack road.
"Rumble..."
As soon as the first round of explosions stopped, the second round of shelling started.
The Japanese captain rushed behind the team, and the first round of shells hit a few dozen meters away from him, but was not affected.
But his luck ended here, as the second round of shells hit him directly in front of him with a screaming sound.
The moment the fire splashed in front of his eyes, he flew up on the spot. A sharp pain quickly spread throughout his body, and then he lost consciousness.
In less than a minute, all five rounds of artillery shells from the mountain artillery battalion were used up.
After receiving sixty rounds of artillery shells, the neat offensive formation of the Japanese and puppet troops was directly blown to pieces. Although the Japanese and puppet troops who were still alive did not stop and continued to rush towards the artillery position, the pace of the assault was obviously not as vigorous as before.
and confidence.
Company Commander Zhou had been counting the number of shellings in his mind. The fifth round of artillery had just sounded, and before the shells had even hit the ground, he stood up from the guard position.
Holding the box cannon, he rushed out of the position, giving orders as he rushed.
"Comrades, follow me to kill the Japanese..."
At the Caoziling Japanese Army Command Headquarters, after the reinforcements were dispatched, the commander began to walk back and forth in the tent to relieve his nervous and anxious mood.
If the reinforcements are defeated, the Caoziling defense line stationed there will definitely not be able to hold, and everyone, including himself, will die here.
As time passed by, the commander's face became more and more anxious.
Suddenly, a second lieutenant rushed in with fear on his face.
Before he could even open his mouth to report, an explosion of "boom, boom, boom..." sounded outside the headquarters, scaring everyone to the ground.
Only then did the second lieutenant who rushed in realize: "Sir, the reinforcements have been defeated. The Eighth Route Army attacking the artillery position is coming towards us. You must move immediately."
"Boom...ta-da-da..."
The second round of explosions soon sounded outside the headquarters, along with the sound of machine rifle fire.
"Sir, this Eighth Route Army is obviously coming towards us. You must move immediately." The guard captain was the first to react.
The commander did not move, but retorted with a look of despair: "The position is right in front of us, and they are all under attack. Where else can we move?
The guard captain was silent. Fighting was happening everywhere in the Caoziling position, and there was really no safe place to move to.
Just when he was racking his brains not knowing what to do, the commander spoke again.
He directly ordered with a farewell tone vowing to live and die with the position: "The guards will defend the headquarters."
"Combat staff officers, communications officers, and orderlies all go to the battlefield."
"Contact the frontline troops immediately. From now on, all troops in the position will fight independently and defend the position. No soldier can withdraw from the position without my order."
"Reporting to the division headquarters, the Cao Ziling defense line has been attacked from the front and rear by the garrison. The artillery units have been completely lost, and the headquarters has also been attacked. I have decided to coexist with the position. In order to prevent accidents, please prepare the Cao Zi Ridge defense line.
Prepare for the Ridge Defense Line to be breached."
After saying that, the commander picked up a rifle and several rows of rifle bullets, and walked out of the command post with a determined look on his face.