"Report to the deputy battalion commander that all the Japanese and puppet troops who invaded Zhouzhuang have been killed. This is Lieutenant Japs' command knife!" Zhou Wu reported excitedly, holding a command knife in his hand.
"The cavalry company won the first battle, and you, the company commander, played an important role!" Hong Linfeng praised without hesitation.
Although he had just arrived on the battlefield, he had been following the cavalry company, and his every move when the cavalry company attacked the Japanese army did not escape his eyes.
In just one charge, he killed more than fifty Japs, annihilated all his opponents, and suffered only a handful of casualties. This kind of result can definitely be called a great victory.
Huang Sheng also ran over at this time, and quickly saluted and reported: "Deputy battalion commander, the third company has successfully completed the mission, and cooperated with the cavalry company to attack from the front and back and annihilate the invading enemy!"
"I have just counted that 86 puppet soldiers were captured, and one intact heavy machine gun and two mortars were seized!"
The smile on Hong Linfeng's face grew wider, and he immediately replied: "This is the first annihilation battle since the beginning of our independent battalion's counter-mopping campaign. Everyone fought well!"
"However, we cannot be too happy. The more than 300 Japanese puppet troops only account for less than 10% of all Japanese and puppet troops. If we want to achieve a complete victory in the anti-mopping campaign, we must continue our efforts and kill more Japanese and puppet troops!
"
"The cavalry company will assemble immediately, rest for ten minutes, and then follow me and work hard to reinforce the second company!"
"Captain Huang, you immediately lead your troops and captured heavy weapons on a march to reinforce Laoshu Village. The battalion commander is waiting for you there!"
"The wounded, prisoners, and battlefields will all be handed over to the guerrillas, and they will handle them..."
The independent company station in Laoshu Village has now been occupied by the Japanese and puppet troops.
In the former independent company headquarters, Major Watanabe sat in the position that should have belonged to Zhao Wen, with a sullen face and said nothing.
The adjutant, deputy captain, and several army staff officers all had solemn expressions on their faces, and they were doing what they were doing very carefully, fearing that they would make a big fuss, attract the captain's attention, and become the target of his anger.
The Japanese and puppet troops who attacked the third company were completely wiped out. This news was unlikely to reach here in a short time, so Watanabe was not angry because of this reason.
After a long time, the adjutant couldn't stand the depressing atmosphere anymore, so he gritted his teeth and mustered up the courage to speak.
"Sir, we have searched the five kilometers surrounding Laoshu Village and found no Chinese. I am sure that they must have been moved into the mountains by the Eighth Route Army!"
"But I don't believe that the Eighth Route Army has the ability to move all the people from more than a dozen surrounding villages into the mountains!"
"There is also food. The combined harvest of these villages this year exceeds three million kilograms. Even if the independent battalion has the ability to move people into the mountains, it is impossible to bring so much food into the mountains!"
"I suggest that the troops immediately divide their troops to search the surrounding villages, arrest all the people, and use them to force out the independent camp!"
"Even if these villages are also empty of people, as long as we find food and control the food in our own hands, we can naturally force the people hiding in the mountains to come out!"
"Food is a necessity for them to survive. If they lose the food they just harvested, they will definitely starve to death after winter~"
"For food, but even if the Eighth Route Army mobilizes them to hide in the mountains and not come out, I believe they will not listen!"
"And as long as the common people are forced out, it won't be long before the independent camp is forced out!"
Watanabe shook his head and replied: "It's a good idea, but it's too passive!"
"Can you guarantee that we will be able to find food in these villages? If so, why didn't we find any food in Laoshu Village?"
"Without food, your plan cannot be implemented."
"Also, don't forget, this is the independent battalion base area. There are dangers everywhere. We must not divide our troops!"
"The Independent Battalion is too cunning. Although there are not many troops operating around us, their combat effectiveness is very powerful. Once we divide our troops and attack, it will give the Independent Battalion every opportunity to defeat us!"
"What should we do?" the adjutant asked anxiously.
"In another way, to put it more directly, we can call it a plan to wipe out households!" Watanabe had already thought of a solution and replied with a serious face.
"The troops gathered together and we raided each village one by one. Although the speed was a bit slow, our safety was guaranteed!"
"Also, from now on, we will completely destroy a village after we sweep it away!"
"Order the troops to set off in half an hour!"
"After leaving the village, burn the station and the village to ashes!"
"I want those ordinary people to know that there is no way out by following the Eighth Route Army."
"Without their houses, I'll see how they survive the cold winter. I'll also put some pressure on the independent camp and see how they deal with these people who have lost their houses!"
"The financial resources of the Eighth Route Army cannot afford to rescue them."
"If the Eighth Route Army chooses to ignore it, then the public support they have managed to win here will be lost a little bit. When the people are completely disappointed with them, they will lose their foothold in Lingqiu!"
"Sir is wise!"
The vice-captain who had been silent the whole time complimented.
"Sweeping one village and burning another will not only weaken the strength of the independent battalion, but may also force the independent battalion to come out and fight us!"
"The people and their hearts are the lifeblood of the Independence Camp!"
"They must be very aware of the influences you just analyzed, sir. If I were the commander of the independent battalion, I would definitely do everything possible to stop us!"
"We concentrate our forces and act in a unified manner and do not give them any opportunity to take advantage of them. The independent battalion has only one way to stop us, stand up and fight us decisively!"
"Only in this way can they give an explanation to the people and restore their support!"
"And the decisive battle is exactly what we expected."
"If we can kill the main force of the Independent Battalion in one battle, then there will no longer be any enemies in Lingqiu that can threaten us, and we can occupy this place for a long time. I don't believe that the people hiding in the mountains can never come out!"
"As long as they leave the mountains and return to the village, the food needed by the imperial army can be collected in a very short time!"
"Yo Xi~" Watanabe rarely cast an admiring glance at the vice-captain sent by his superiors.
Then he ordered: "In that case, let's take action now!"
On the backside of a highland five kilometers away, the independent company, guard company, and mountain artillery company were all stationed here.
As soon as Li Hao finished his breakfast, the guard sentry guarding the top of the mountain rushed over panting heavily.
"Battal Commander, no good, something happened!"
"Speak slowly, don't be anxious, and don't be nervous, the sky won't fall!" Li Hao replied with a serious look on his face.
The guard post took a deep breath and reported: "The Japanese were ready to leave, but they started to let go as soon as they left the village and the independent company station. Now the whole village is on fire!"
"What?" Li Hao's brows suddenly wrinkled.
Several company commanders were even more anxious, especially the independent company commander Zhao Wen, who climbed up from the ground and rushed to the top of the mountain.
Li Hao caught up and could clearly see the raging fires and billowing smoke burning in the village and the camp without a telescope.
"It's burning, battalion commander. The Japanese are so cruel that they actually set fire. We must go there immediately to put out the fire, otherwise the village will definitely be burned to ashes!" Zhao Wen shouted anxiously.
The troops behind the hill also knew that the Japanese army had set fire to the village. The guerrillas and soldiers from Laoshu Village panicked at that time and started shouting to put out the fire.
Li Hao knew that everyone's morale must be stabilized at this time, otherwise these people would be restless on the battlefield, thinking about the burned down house.
He frowned and ordered: "Don't worry, everyone, if the devils burn down the house, they will burn it down. I promise here that our independent battalion will compensate according to the price, or help the people rebuild their houses!"
"As long as the counter-sweep is over, we will help people rebuild their houses and ensure that everyone will live better this winter than before!"
"However, we can't let the little devils do whatever they want in our base!"
"Independent company, guard company, and mountain artillery company, set out with me immediately. We will take the small road and rush to the front of the Japanese and puppet troops. We will continue to use guerrilla warfare to consume them and surround them!"
"The guerrillas, the district team, enter the village immediately to put out the fire!"
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