It was already four o'clock in the morning on the third day when Li Hao returned to Laishui County. From a distance, he saw Captain Zhou running towards him with a smile on his face.
After walking up to him, he said happily: "Captain Li, the battle at Hujiazhuang was so exciting that I even knew about it in Laishui County."
"With a single blast of explosives, more than a thousand Japanese soldiers were killed and injured, and they lost their combat effectiveness."
"Intelligence shows that the remaining Japanese and puppet troops at the assembly area have been frightened by us. They are all huddled in the military camp and dare not come out."
"According to this trend, if the Japanese want to retake Laishui, they must continue to mobilize reinforcements from other places. Otherwise, the few remaining troops in the assembly area will definitely not be our opponent."
Li Hao is not as optimistic as Captain Zhou.
After walking into the headquarters and reading the latest intelligence collected by the independent regiment, he said in shock: "Captain Zhou, I suggest that the troops voluntarily abandon Laishui County at dawn tomorrow, and leave with great fanfare."
Captain Zhou didn't understand and asked immediately.
"The Japanese and puppet troops definitely don't have troops to attack Laishui now. When they mobilize troops from other places, it will definitely take five or six days. Even if they give up, they still have to wait for the Japanese to kill them. Why are they leaving now and giving up on their own initiative?"
Li Hao explained: "As the old saying goes, give a sweet date with a hammer. We must do the same when fighting the Japanese. We cannot keep fighting with them, otherwise we will definitely suffer in the end."
"The Japs are now 80% aware that they have been defeated in these battles by us. If we don't give them some sweet dates and let them see some benefits, with their vengeful character, they will definitely deploy more troops to deal with us."
"We can deal with three to four thousand little Japs, but if five, six, or even seven to eight thousand Japs come and kill them all together, it will be difficult to win."
"I guess the little devils on the front line don't know how to report to the superiors now."
"Nearly three brigades were lost without achieving any results. If the report was made truthfully, all officers would be punished and even sent to a military court."
"If we give up Laishui County at this time, the face of the Japanese and puppet troops on the front line will be saved, and we will have an explanation to the superiors to protect our honor and status."
"I can be sure: if we withdraw from Laishui, they will announce the good news of retaking Laishui and severely damaging the independent regiment."
"As for their own battle losses, they must conceal as much as they can."
"If the troops win the battle, the Japanese North China Front will not continue to send more troops here."
"I just read the intelligence sent back by the independent regiment's reconnaissance company: the total number of Japanese and puppet troops who can still attack Laishui at the assembly area is less than 2,000, and half of them are little Japs."
"After the 2,000-day puppet army entered Laishui County, with the current strength of the independent regiment, they can completely trap them in several large strongholds in the county and along the highway, allowing them to occupy Laishui in name only."
"As for the rural areas in Laishui, they don't have the power to control it."
"I understand!" Captain Zhou exclaimed in sudden realization.
"Since we can't keep the Japanese out of Laishui all the time, let's let them in so as not to attract more Japanese and puppet troops."
"When the Japanese and puppet troops occupy the county towns and transportation arteries, we will control the rural areas, develop the base areas, and attack each other in their own way."
"The independent regiment needs guns and ammunition, and the mountain artillery company and the cavalry company have them."
"As long as I have time, I can expand the force to 3,000 men in three months at most, and then slowly deal with them."
"Captain Li, this is a good idea. On the surface, it gives the Japanese a sweet date and saves their face. In fact, it gives the Independent Regiment a chance to breathe and have time to consolidate the base and expand its strength."
"I agree to abandon Laishui County after dawn."
At the Japanese army assembly area, the chief of staff sat in a tent and wrote a battle report to the headquarters with a sullen face.
Halfway through writing, he frowned visibly, put down the pen, and crumpled the half-written message into a ball.
The losses of the troops were too great, and no achievements were made.
Just as Li Hao had judged, once such results were reported truthfully, he would definitely not be able to continue as chief of staff.
"Report……"
A subordinate shouted at the door of the tent. Before the chief of staff could speak, he opened the door curtain and walked in, reporting excitedly.
"Your Excellency, Chief of Staff, good news."
"The reconnaissance force we sent into Laishui reported that the Eighth Route Army suddenly evacuated Laishui County at eight o'clock this morning, and brought with it a large number of wounded, at least 300 people."
"The Eighth Route Army troops on several roads entering Laishui have also withdrawn."
"We also conducted reconnaissance and confirmed that the Eighth Route Army operating behind us in the past few days is the independent regiment that occupied Laishui and some local troops."
"They suffered heavy casualties in the attack on Kato's brigade and assembly area."
"The more than 300 wounded people taken away when evacuating Laishui County are the best proof."
The chief of staff immediately stood up from his seat, strode to the map, pointed at Laishui County and asked expectantly: "Does this mean there is no Eighth Route Army on the road from our assembly point to Laishui County?"
"Hi!" the subordinate affirmed: "Except for a small number of local troops and reconnaissance troops, all the main troops have withdrawn."
"Great!" A smile finally appeared on the chief of staff's heavy face.
"We finally have a result that we can report to the headquarters."
"Pass my order: All remaining troops at the assembly area will be dispatched and march quickly to occupy Laishui County."
"After taking the county seat, I will personally report the victory to the Commander."
In a small mountain village 20 kilometers away from Laishui County, scouts and staff officers were coming in and out, constantly bringing in news from outside the mountain.
Captain Zhou received the intelligence that had just been sent in by the reconnaissance platoon leader, and after just one glance, his face lit up with joy.
While handing the information to Li Hao, he said: "Captain Li, your judgment is correct."
"Less than an hour after we evacuated Laishui County, the Japanese and puppet troops at the assembly area moved."
"The whole army was dispatched and marched urgently towards Laishui County."
"Two hours ago, the Japanese fired a burst of gunfire outside the county town, fired dozens of artillery shells, and then occupied Laishui County. Two infantry squadrons and a battalion of puppet troops occupied two medium-sized strongholds along the highway under the cover of aircraft."
"We gave up on our own initiative."
A smile flashed across Li Hao's lips and he replied: "What we need to pay attention to now is whether the Japanese have any follow-up troops entering Laishui."
"If not, we will give you the sweet date in Laishui County."
"In order to avoid taking responsibility, the Japanese who occupied Laishui lied about the military situation to the superiors and turned the defeat into a victory. The Independence Regiment will have an easier time in the future."
"I will stay here for a few more days. When the Japanese continue to occupy the county seat of Yixian and do not continue to send more troops to Yixian and Laishui, I will return to the base area."
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