The father of the sword is Kong Jie

Chapter 394
Sure enough, Balu also arranged fortifications on the back side of the turn.

The Japanese army, who attempted to forcefully break through the turning of the mountain, launched three consecutive attacks, all of which were repelled by the third platoon and militia fighters with powerful firepower and the terrain advantage at the turning.

Seeing this scene, Ishii Haraichi frowned slightly. It seemed that it would not be easy to break through the defense of the Eighth Route Army in front of him.

"Reporting to your Excellency, Captain, there are a large number of Eighth Route Army on the back side of the turn. According to preliminary estimates, the number is 600. Their firepower is very fierce, and our attacking troops have suffered a lot of casualties."

The retreating leader of the Devil Squadron reported to Ishiihara Yihui.

As for why the devil squadron leader made such a misjudgment?
It turned out that according to the order of the first company commander, militia soldiers wearing Eighth Route Army uniforms stood scattered on the back side of the mountain turn, and with the help of the mountains on the back side and the surrounding rock mass as cover, at first glance, it can visually form a large The impact, as if there were people in all directions.

The devils were sizing up in a hurry while being hit by firepower, so the number of people guessed would be a little more.

And the phrase "five or 600 people" really made Ishiiharaichi and the devil's chief of staff hesitate.

"Your Excellency, Captain, according to the information from Xicun, the main force of the Independent Regiment of the Eighth Route Army is undoubtedly located in Xicun, and there is now an Eighth Route Army team of 600 people. Could this be the main combat force arranged by the Eighth Route Army on the first road in Zhangjiazhuang?"

In the view of the devil's chief of staff, the possibility is very high.

As for Nishimura, due to the disconnection of communication, the Ishii Regiment did not know the specific situation, let alone what kind of firepower the Japanese troops along the way in Nishimura encountered.

In the communication, Xi Cun's troops only stated that the Eighth Route Army ambushed by Xi Cun had quite strong firepower, and they were definitely the main force.

As for how powerful this firepower is, there is no standard.

The Eighth Route Army currently has 600 troops. According to the information from the combat troops ahead, the enemy has five heavy machine guns, plus more than 20 light machine guns. Such a firepower configuration is indeed not weak.

In the Eighth Route Army camp with backward equipment and scarce ammunition, it is absolutely rare.

……

Ishii Haraichi, who was in deep thought, picked up the binoculars and continued to investigate the battle at the top of the slope.

The more than 200 imperial warriors he was proud of were actually repelled by the counterattack of the Eighth Route Army in the slope top area.

Then, Ishiihara thought that the squadron attacking the top of the slope could win the round with the firepower of the rear grenadier.

However, he was shocked to discover that the firepower of the grenade launchers placed in the rear of the attacking squadron was quickly cleared by the artillery fire of the Eighth Route Army on the top of the slope.

These Eighth Route Army also seem to use grenades.

The dropped shells were significantly more powerful than the [-]-type grenade shells.

This scene completely dispelled the last hesitation in Ishiihara's heart.

"Notify the artillery squadron to immediately cover the slope top area with firepower!"

The devil's chief of staff was taken aback, "Your Excellency, Captain, our first attacking force has been entangled by the counter-attacking Eighth Route Army and has not withdrawn yet!"

Ishii Haruichi's face was cold, and his voice was calm without any emotion, "When they withdrew, the Eighth Route Army hid behind the reverse slope and carried out the order!"

"Hi!"

boom -

With the artillery fire intensity of the Ishii United Artillery Squadron, there are four 75mm mountain guns, four 37mm rapid-fire guns, and six Type [-] infantry guns. (After confirming that the Eighth Route Army had been fooled and placed the main force in Xicun, Ishiihara immediately contacted the nearest stronghold and asked the transport truck to pull the regiment's artillery over.)
In terms of artillery fire intensity alone, the artillery squadron of the Ishii Regiment is enough to crush the two artillery companies of the Independent Regiment.

Coupled with their abundant logistical supplies, it doesn't hurt at all to use shells.

A round of artillery fire covered it, many of which were curved artillery fire, and the area on the top of the slope was directly submerged in the sea of ​​flames.

Repelled by the counter-charge of the Eighth Route Army, the devils who retreated in a hurry were dumbfounded, and the company commander and others who launched the counter-charge were also dumbfounded.

"Company commander, the devils have used large-caliber artillery!"

The fifth squad leader in charge of the observation post said hoarsely.

As far as the long-term eyes of the company were concerned, the surrounding soldiers were injured in large numbers. In the first defense before and the counter-charge just now, in fact, the soldiers of the company did not suffer much casualties, but in this moment of bombardment, The casualties of the entire first and second rows have exceeded one-third.

The first company commander survived the artillery fire, his ears were just buzzing, as if he couldn't hear anything, and he didn't care whether the other soldiers could hear him or not. Looking at the surrounding situation, Roaring and retreating with his eyes wide open, he kept beckoning to the soldiers, telling them to retreat to the reverse slope.

"Withdraw, quickly withdraw—"

The first company commander, who couldn't hear his own voice, roared silently, and did not retreat until he greeted all the soldiers and then retreated.

"Company commander, hurry up, retreat quickly, fifth squad leader, quickly grab the company commander's hand!"

The row of bosses who had withdrawn roared.

Near the slope of the reverse slope, there was a small gentle slope. The fifth squad leader hurriedly stretched out his hand, ready to pull the first company commander back. The first company commander seemed to hear the roar of a row of leaders, and looked at the nearby slope. Looking at the fifth squad leader who had already stretched out his hand towards him, a smile appeared on the corner of his mouth.

Stay alive, close at hand.

boom -

The cannonball hit the company commander not far away. Amidst the explosion that resounded through the sky, the company commander was directly blown away by the shock wave of the bomb, and hit the ground heavily, and there was no more movement.

"Captain—"

Tears welled up in the fifth squad leader's eyes. Looking at the company commander not far away, he rushed out without caring about the scratches from the shrapnel on his body.

boom boom --

Another round of artillery fire swallowed the first company commander and the fifth squad leader together.

"Squad leader five—"

"Captain—"

Tears rolled in the eyes of the soldiers behind the top of the slope.

Some soldiers beat their heads in frustration, "If the company commander hadn't been busy telling us to retreat, he wouldn't have..."

"You bastards, they started bombarding them before they even retreated!"

A row of long red eyes, holding back the tears, shouted in a crying voice: "Put the tears away for me, our independent regiment has no cowards, even if we want to cry, we have to wait until we get rid of these devils!" Well, let’s talk after we kill them all.”

"Comrades, withdraw, our goal has been achieved. After leading the devil to the low cliff, we will avenge the company commander and the fifth squad leader!"

"Revenge revenge!"

The soldiers roared and evacuated from the slope top area with tears one by one. Under the cover of the devil's firepower, they couldn't even recover the remains of the company commander and the fifth squad leader.

While evacuating, the platoon leader greeted some soldiers and planted some booby traps in the forest on the back side of the reverse slope to delay the pursuit of the Japanese army.

After meeting with the third platoon leader and militia comrades on the back side of the turn, the first platoon leader gave the order to retreat.

The third platoon leader and the militia captain who didn't know were puzzled.

"Where's the company commander? Why didn't you see the company commander?"

As soon as these words came out, the leader of the first platoon, the leader of the second platoon, and the soldiers behind him couldn't stop their silent tears from falling down, and they choked up silently.

The corners of the third platoon leader's eyes were soon soaked with tears, and he forced himself to order: "The third platoon listens to my order, and the ninth squad is left behind, and quickly lays some mines, and the other personnel retreat immediately."

……

The sound of shelling lasted for a long time at the top of the slope. Ishiiharaichi, an old devil, was furious at the heavy casualties caused by the Eighth Route Army in front of him because of his repeated charges. The shelling in front of him was venting with revenge.

Under the continuous bombardment of the Devil's large-caliber artillery, the artillery fire lasted for nearly 10 minutes, and the entire top of the slope was almost flattened.

After the artillery fire ended, the devil's attack started again.

The troops are still divided into two groups, attacking the slope top area and the turning point of the mountain respectively.

The devils who have experienced the fighting power of the Eighth Route Army are obviously much more cautious in their attack this time. Some young devils even have nervousness and anxiety in the corners of their eyes.

In this way, the trembling devils attacked the troops, approaching the top of the slope and the corner little by little, and even tried to bombard the Eighth Route Army's position with grenadier fire, but still did not get any response.

Until the vanguard of the devils took the lead to cross the fortifications on the top of the slope, they saw the empty backside of the turn and the back of the Eighth Route Army gradually retreating.

Only then did the devils learn that the defending Eighth Route Army retreated on its own initiative.

The following devil soldiers all breathed a sigh of relief, and quickly occupied the position on the top of the slope and the position at the turn.

But what remained in the position was only the mutilated corpses of Eighth Route Army soldiers mixed with the corpses of Japanese soldiers, and there was no living person in sight.

Many devil soldiers among them were blown to death by the devil's artillery fire on the way back.

In addition, there are the remains of two heavy machine guns that were completely blown up.

"Report to Your Excellency, Captain, the Eighth Route Army has retreated!"

"idiot!"

Ishiihara was furious, and just when he was using all his strength to wipe out this group of Eighth Route Army in one fell swoop, who would have thought that this group of Eighth Route Army would retreat directly, it was like punching cotton, how could he feel feel bad.

"Order the troops to pursue at full speed, and don't let this Eighth Route Army go!"

Ishiihara issued an order, and he has now determined that the group of Eighth Route Army in front of him is the main combat force of the Independence Regiment defending Zhangjiazhuang.

In less than half an hour of confrontation, although his Ishii unit wiped out 80 people from the Eighth Route Army, the Japanese army also killed more than 400 people, including more than [-] people injured.

The devils did not take any advantage, and the number of casualties was even much greater.

"If the Eighth Route Army Independent Regiment is not completely wiped out, the hatred in my heart will not be relieved!" Ishiihara said through gritted teeth.

The squadron leader of the Japanese army who led the attack suffered heavy casualties, but he dared not speak out because of his bitterness.

In fact, nearly one-third of the casualties in his team were caused by the artillery coverage on his side.

Your Excellency, the captain of the regiment, is fine. It's all on the Eighth Route Army's head.

... On the way to chase, Ishiihara looked at the middle section between Xicun and Zhangjiazhuang again, thinking in his heart that the secret service team should also take action now.

……

……

Niukou Village.

Independent regiment.

Kong Jie, who is in the regiment headquarters, has a basic understanding of the current battle situation through the communications from the radio stations of Gexi Village and the Zhangjiazhuang Temporary Headquarters.

"Commander, the direction of Xicun is now stable. The devils who participated were directly repelled, retreated, and occupied a certain slope on the mountain road to defend. As for the puppet troops who followed the battle, some of them were killed by the battle, and most of them directly Surrender."

The monk was all smiles.

Kong Jie said: "The devils continue to defend the West Village. It seems that they are still daydreaming. They hope that they will arrange the main force in Zhangjiazhuang. After breaking through Zhangjiazhuang, they will encircle our fourth and fifth battalions from the back of the West Village."

The monk said: "This little devil is really stupid, our main force is actually in Zhangjiazhuang!"

"I don't know how the plan to lure the enemy in the direction of Zhangjiazhuang is going?"

Just as Kong Jie was talking, there was another movement in the direction of the radio station. After receiving the communication signal from the Zhangjiazhuang Temporary Headquarters, the confidential staff got up and reported to Kong Jiehui:
"Reporting to the head of the regiment, the company has successfully led the main force of the Japanese army along the way to Zhangjiazhuang to the direction of Aoya, but..."

"Just what?" Kong Jie frowned.

"It's just... During the defensive battle at the top of the slope, the devils directly used heavy artillery bombardment. More than half of the company suffered casualties, and the company commander unfortunately died!"

The confidential officer's voice was still echoing in the room for a short while, Kong Jie's heart seemed to be hit hard by something, and the pain was severe, but he could only bear it.

"What about the devil's casualties?"

"According to the reply from the Zhangjiazhuang Temporary Headquarters, the casualties of the Japanese army were at least three times that of the first company. In addition, the comrades of the militia were well protected, and there were basically no casualties."

"Okay, got it."

As Kong Jie said, his eyes were set on the sand table, the low cliff area outside Zhangjiazhuang.

"The company commander is a good guy. I beat the little devil hard. The little devil was hurt. Otherwise, he wouldn't be easily lured away from the direction of Zhangjiazhuang."

"The next thing is to wait for the final battle in the low cliff area."

Kong Jie talked to himself, but he didn't see any response from the monk beside him. Looking up, he saw Kong Wu's powerful monk Wei, crying silently.

"Monk, what are you doing?" Kong Jie lightly reprimanded.

The monk continued to cry, wiped it casually, and said: "Squad leader, I just heard that the first company commander died suddenly, and I couldn't help but want to cry. The first company commander is an old man of our independent group. I just came to our independent group." When I was young, the first company commander I met was the first company commander. He always invited me to drink if it was fine!
I have been playing tricks, saying to pay back the wine owed to him, but it has been owed to him until now, this is all right, even if I want to pay back the wine owed, I have no chance. "

Kong Jie scolded: "Okay, now is not the time to cry. After killing the devils and bringing back Yi Lianchang's body, I won't stop you from crying as much as you want."

"Yes!" The monk replied, wiping away his tears.

……

The entrance of Niukou Village.

Kazuki Yamamoto finally arrived with the special agent team.

Outside Niukou Village, there are many forests, soil slopes, rice fields, etc. If Yamamoto's special agent team does not enter the village entrance area and hide outside the village, it will be easy to hide.

Cannon shots came from the direction of Xicun and Zhangjiazhuang.

Yamamoto knew that the Ishii Regiment had already fought against the Independent Regiment of the Eighth Route Army on the two routes of Xicun and Zhangjiazhuang.

And in the direction of the entrance of the village, several Eighth Route Army troops went out one after another, but they only went out but did not enter. From this, Yamamoto judged that Niukou Village must be in a state of empty troops now.

This is the best time for his secret service team to make a move...

(End of this chapter)