Before the battle at Li Jiapo, Li Yunlong was coaxing the logistics department head, Zhang Wanhe, at the Shuiyao Munitions Factory.
Li Yunlong was of medium height and had a well-proportioned appearance. However, his head was a little big. In his own words, it was because when he was young, his master had made him practice the head technique too hard. He kept using his head to hit the stone tablet. After a while, his head became bigger.
Li Yunlong had been entangled with Minister Zhang for more than two hours, not for anything else but to get more grenades made in the Border Region. This was a local product of the Taihang Munitions Factory of the Eighth Route Army. In all fairness, Li Yunlong did not think that this kind of homemade grenade was good at all. It was far worse than the Japanese lemon-type grenade. The quality of the cast iron body made in the border area was too poor. Sometimes it only exploded in half after the explosion. The shrapnel's killing effect was extremely bad. This kind of thing often delayed things in battle. But then again, it was impossible to supply the troops with this kind of "border production". In Li Yunlong's words, Being able to pull out pus was a good ointment. It was better than nothing.
Zhang Wanhe, the head of the logistics department, was Li Yunlong's hometown in the Dabie Mountains. He was an old acquaintance during the Red Army period. Therefore, they were used to speaking casually, as if it would be too polite if they did not scold each other.
Minister Zhang said," You don't f * cking look like a soldier. You're a f * cking businessman. Your heart is really black. I've already given your Independent Regiment ten more boxes, but you're still f * cking greedy."”
"I've long heard that the logistics department head, Zhang Wanhe, isn't actually a Dabie Mountain person. He fled from the famine in Shanxi. I didn't believe it, but now I really believe it. F * ck, if you don't give it to me, I won't leave today. You still have to take care of my meals.”
"How is this f * cking bastard like a Guild Leader? I'm just a scoundrel. If they're all like your regiment, then I'm not going to be the logistics department head. Alright, I'll give you another ten boxes. Alright, don't thank me yet. I won't give it to you for free. You have to exchange it with something.”
Li Yunlong smiled and said," I'm a pauper. I don't even have a wife. If I did, I'd trade my wife for 50 boxes of grenades."”
Minister Zhang snorted and said sarcastically," Tsk, tsk. I don't know which mother-in-law your wife is in. You motherf * cker, you even paid in advance." Besides, what kind of golden branches and jade leaves could be worth 50 boxes of grenades? I don't want anything else, but when there's another war, you have to get me a Japanese commander's sword.”
Li Yunlong was relieved when he heard that. He said,"I thought it was a treasure. It was a piece of cake. The saber was easy to deal with. We couldn't get Okamura Ningji's saber, but it wasn't difficult to get a Zuo Guan's. How about this. Give me ten more boxes, and I'll get you a Japanese girl…"
"Go to hell…"
Li Yunlong didn't know that while he was entangled with Minister Zhang, the Japanese Yamazaki Brigade was muddle-headed toward the gateway of the Eighth Route Army's Taihang Base, the Line of Heaven.
Captain Yamazaki was like most Japanese men of that era. He was short, bow-legged, strong, and had a neck as thick as his head. At first glance, he looked like a large shotgun bullet. He had the usual expression of a Japanese officer on his face. Cold and determined. He was a warrior who was ready to sacrifice himself for the emperor at any time. He had never taken his life seriously. A person who did not even care about his own life would naturally not care about the lives of others. Therefore, in this sweep, the Yamazaki Brigade did not find the main force of the Eighth Route Army. However, the commoners on both sides of the Zhangshui and Qinhe River were unlucky. The Yamazaki Brigade burned and killed all the way as if they had entered an uninhabited land.
That afternoon, Yamazaki led his team to walk more than 40 miles on the mountain road. The people and horses were tired, and they were resting by the edge of the forest. Commander Yamazaki was leaning against a big tree with his legs crossed. He was wiping his beloved heirloom, a Chrysanthemum Army Knife given to him by Emperor Meiji. The handle of the sword was inlaid with a golden chrysanthemum pattern that symbolized the Japanese royal family. It shone brightly under the autumn sun. Yamazaki would never have thought that his life was no longer his own, just like the sword.
A few soldiers who were fetching water rushed over to report that there was a very narrow mountain crack deep in the forest and traces of the team on the grass.
Yamazaki was overjoyed. He immediately ordered the troops to gather and quickly rushed in the direction the soldier pointed out.
After passing through a dense primitive forest, two towering mountains appeared at the end of the ancient forest. There was only a narrow passage between the two mountains that could allow one person to walk. Yamazaki stood in the crack of the mountain and looked up at the sky, only to see a thin line of blue sky.
Forget about it, let's go in first. If you want to take down my Yamazaki Battalion, I'm afraid that the Chinese army doesn't have such good teeth.
The large group of people lined up in a straight line and walked for half an hour before they finally walked out of the One-Line-Sky. His eyes suddenly opened up, and it was actually a different world. The mountain spring gurgled, and wildflowers covered the ground. Yamazaki knew a little about Chinese culture. He remembered that an ancient poet named Tao Yuanming once wrote an essay called " The Peach Blossom Spring." Could this be another Peach Blossom Spring?
The military map did not indicate this place. Yamazaki ordered a report to the brigade commander,"The brigade did not encounter any resistance along the way. They occupied the natural barrier and continued to search."
Commander Yamazaki never dreamed that he would accidentally break into the hinterland of the Taihang Base of the Eighth Route Army.
This line of sky was the gateway to the Eighth Route Army's Water Waist Munitions Factory, easy to defend but difficult to attack. Usually, there was a company of soldiers stationed here. Who knew that when the company commander saw the enemy charge into the frontline, he did not fire a shot and fled with his troops.
The base door opened, and a large group of Japanese soldiers marched straight in. When the news came, it caused a huge commotion in the Eighth Route Army headquarters.
Peng Dehuai, the deputy commander-in-chief of the Eighth Route Army, shouted angrily at Zuo Quan, the deputy chief of staff,""Capture that company commander who fled at the last moment and shoot him to death! Son of a b * tch, you're a disgrace to the Eighth Route Army.”
"I've already ordered the Military Law Department to execute them. Judging from the enemy's movements, they don't know that we have an arsenal here."”
Peng Dehuai slammed his fist on the table, causing the cup on the table to jump."Kill this son of a b * tch Yamazaki Battalion.”
The command from the headquarters was sent out, and all the troops of the 129th Division of the Eighth Route Army gathered from all directions to form a two-way attack group. They surrounded the Japanese Yamazaki Brigade on the Lijiapo Highland, and the battle curtain was opened.
Li Yunlong's Independent Regiment was treated as a reserve by the 386th Brigade Commander Chen Geng. He was extremely dissatisfied, and he cursed and paced back and forth in the regimental command post like a hungry old wolf.
The Independent Regiment's political commissar, Zhao Gang, was looking at a map on the table. He was not tall, his figure was a little thin, his face was fair, and he had a scholarly air. At that time, Zhao Gang was not even 25 years old. Although he was young, he had a lot of experience. Before he joined the regular army of the Eighth Route Army, he was already one of the leaders of the January 29th Movement and a student of Yanjing University in Peking. Such a high degree of education was rare in the Eighth Route Army at that time.
"Motherf * cker, is our Independent Regiment raised by a stepmother? We don't envy others for meat, but at least we have to give them some soup to drink. Every time, our regiment is the reserve team. Isn't this f * cking bullying?”
Zhao Gang didn't even raise his head. He knew Li Yunlong too well. If he was angry, he had to find a way to vent it out. Otherwise, it would be easy to hold it in. He knew that Li Yunlong was picking a fight with him and trying to quarrel with him. Zhao Gang thought to himself, how could there be such a person in the world? He was unhappy in his heart, so he tried every means to find fault with others. What was wrong with him? The staff officers in the command center all knew about the regiment commander's problem and had long found an excuse to slip away.
Li Yunlong saw that Zhao Gang did not say a word, and he became more and more annoyed. He did not think highly of the intellectual. Hmph, a pretty boy, could he fight? I just want to do some political work and practice my eloquence. Even if this regiment doesn't have a political commissar, I can still lead troops. He was annoyed and began to curse even more.
Seeing that he was getting more and more outrageous, Zhao Gang advised," Old Li, it's not good for the soldiers to hear you complaining like this. The higher-ups must have their considerations when they let us be the reserve team. Good steel is used on the blade..."
Li Yunlong flipped the pages when he heard that." Don't give me that dogskin plaster. Is that fucking New Tuan's son?" Why did they get all the good things? If you ask me, the only reason why our Independent Regiment can't get anything out of this is because the political commissar is too much of a bear in front of his superiors. What are you afraid of? Why don't you dare to fight with the brigade commander?" Li Yunlong's face turned red and blue veins popped out as he roared.
" Old Li, who are you scolding?..." Zhao Gang couldn't help but flare up, but he immediately restrained himself and shook his head with a bitter smile. He knew that Li Yun Long had a temper and would scold anyone when he was unhappy. After that, it would be over. He was so angry today mainly because he was thinking about Yamazaki's commanding knife. Since he had boasted to Minister Zhang, he had to keep his word. How could he sit back when he pooped? If he couldn't get this saber, how could he face Zhang Wanhe again? Zhao Gang thought that this person was too stubborn. With so many brothers participating in the attack, how could he be so sure that the saber should be seized by him?
Brigadier General Chen Geng called,"Li Yunlong, you must be cursing again, aren't you…"
"Which son of a b * tch told on me…" Li Yunlong raged.
"Don't accuse others wrongly. I guessed it. You better stay here obediently. You'll fight the war. If the attack at the front isn't going well, you'll have to fight sooner or later. Listen, when it's your turn to go up, if you can't beat him down…"
"You twisted my head off and used it as a chamber pot! Thank you, Brigadier General, thank you, Brigadier General. I'll kneel down and kowtow to you.”
"Hmph, keep it for yourself. I don't need such a big chamber pot.”Chen Geng hung up the phone.
Li Jiapo's position was filled with smoke. Several Japanese planes took turns to dive and bomb. The Eighth Route Army's attack force suffered heavy casualties.
Yamazaki, who graduated from the Imperial Army University, was an outstanding strategist. The field fortifications he commanded were very ingenious. The top of the Lijiapo Highland was a flat round platform. According to the convention, the fortifications of the garrison side should be built on the ridge of the hillside platform. This way, they could have a panoramic view of the movements of the attacking side, and it was also convenient to display firepower from above. However, Yamazaki had built the circular fortifications in the center of the flat platform on the high ground. The attacking forces could not see the defenders at the bottom of the slope, so the direct fire was useless, and the curved fire such as mortars was very rare. The attacking troops had just rushed up the steep slope. As soon as they showed their heads, they were immediately knocked down by the Japanese snipers. The battle lasted for an entire day. The hillside was covered with the corpses of the Eighth Route Army soldiers. The first few main forces that participated in the attack had lost more than half of their ability to attack.
Li Yunlong saw everything clearly through the binoculars. He pulled a battalion commander who had just retreated from his position and asked,""How far is the edge of the hill from the circular fortification?”
The wounded battalion commander immediately understood what he meant."It's more than 80 meters. The grenades can't reach it.”
Li Yunlong frowned and said,"It's not a good idea to force it. This is a losing business."?”
Once the battle at Li Jiapo started, the entire Huabei region became lively. The Chief of Staff of the Japanese Army, Sakagaki Seishiro, the Commander of the Japanese Army in China, General Nishio Shouzao, the Commander of the Japanese Army in Shanxi, Shinozuka Yoshio, and the Commander of the Japanese Army in North China, Tada Shun, were all watching the map in their headquarters. The combat staff officers at all levels of command were nervously working on the map. On the map, Li Jiapo was surrounded by huge arrows of different colors. The 36th Division of the Japanese army in Lu 'an, the 16th Brigade in Fenyang, the 9th Brigade in Taiyuan, and the 4th Brigade in Yangquan were all working day and night to attack the Lijiapo area.
At the same time, all the Eighth Route Army reinforcements in North China had already joined the Japanese reinforcements. The order from the Eighth Route Army Headquarters was firm: Stop the enemy from sending reinforcements at all costs. As a result, around the little-known hill of Li Jiapo, the Eighth Route Army troops and Japanese troops in North China had already assumed a decisive battle stance, and the top commanders of both sides were still watching the previously unknown hill in Shanxi. The Battle of Lijiapo was destined to go down in history.
Chen Geng, the brigade commander of the 386th Brigade, saw through the binoculars that his attack force was like a tidal wave, charging towards the main position. In an instant, it retreated like a tidal wave. The hillside was covered with corpses in gray military uniforms. Chen Geng gritted his teeth, grabbed the phone and ordered,""Concentrate all the artillery fire on the top of the mountain. We must use up all the artillery shells. However, the reserve team will be mobilized.”
"Brigade Commander, I have a request." Li Yunlong said on the phone.”
"Why are you so nosy?" Chen Geng said angrily. Tell me quickly."
"The artillery battalion will be under my command for the time being. If I can't take down Li Jiapo, I don't have to come to see you with my head raised, because I'll definitely be lying on the hillside by then. I can only promise you that none of our 1,000 men will leave the battle alive.”
Chen Geng's eyes were wet, and his hand holding the microphone trembled.""I agree with your request. The artillery battalion will be under your command. Brother comrade, I want you to take down Li Jiapo and come back alive. This is an order! You must execute it."
In the command post of the Independent Regiment, Li Yunlong said to Guan Dashan, the commander of the first battalion,""Do some calculations. From the edge of the slope to the circular fortifications, it is more than 80 meters. In other words, our charging distance is so long. In this open land, our entire group will become live targets for the Japanese. Moreover, from the terrain, it was impossible for the entire regiment of more than a thousand people to spread out. It would be troublesome to do so. One company and one company would be used separately, which would become a 'boosting tactic.' This was called increasing the number of troops one by one. It was a taboo for military strategists. I would not do such a stupid thing. I wanted to shorten the charging distance.”
Guan Dashan's eyes lit up.""Regiment Commander, you mean to use the method of excavation?”
Li Yunlong punched Guan Dashan and said with a smile,""Your brain is quite fast. Your battalion has 360 people. I'll transfer all the grenades in the regiment to you. Each of you will bring 10 grenades. Oh, 3600. All troops move to the bottom of the slope. No one is allowed to show their heads. Damn it, the Japanese's marksmanship is not bad. I won't be unlucky. If we use the soil excavation method to advance forward, we only need to dig 50 meters. For the remaining 30 meters, even a woman can throw grenades into the circular fortifications. Once the signal flare is up, the entire battalion will throw grenades together. Each of you must throw out 10 grenades in two minutes. Hehe, 3600 grenades are enough to make that Yamazaki kid suffer.”
Guan Dashan was amused." Commander, this is the best move. We'll pull the bowstring and wait for two or three seconds before we throw them. We'll make sure that all of them explode in the air. He won't be able to find a safe corner or hide."”
Li Yunlong said to the Second Battalion Commander Shen Quan," All 20 light machine guns in the regiment will be used by the Second Battalion. All the machine gunners will be assigned to the First Commando Team. The machine guns will be hung on the chest and used as submachine guns. Once the grenade explosion stops, immediately charge forward. The 20 machine guns will fire at the same time. The firepower must not be interrupted. If someone is hit, someone will have to take up the rear. With a 30-meter impact distance, it will take less than a minute to charge forward.”
Li Yunlong looked around at everyone and gave a death order,""Everyone from me down, don't leave a single one alive. Prepare for a hand-to-hand battle. Remember, no one is allowed to shoot that Yamazaki brat. Leave him alive, I will chop him into pieces.”
Old Wang, the regimental cook, stopped Li Yunlong and said,""Captain, can you lend me your Ghost Head Blade? I don't have a good weapon yet.”
Li Yunlong glared at him." Dream on. I'll give you a knife. What will I use it for?" Go, go, go. Kitchen knife, rice spoon, if you really can't do it, then take the carrying pole and think of a way to go.”
The entire regiment was engaged in pre-battle preparations. Everything was carried out in an orderly manner. Only two grooms from the groom class quarreled. They were fighting over a guillotine and even wanted to seek justice from the regiment commander. They were scolded by Li Yunlong.
Li Yunlong was holding a Ghost Head Blade that was being sharpened very quickly. He had a shell gun with its nose open on his belt. While checking the magazine, he said to Political Commissar Zhao Gang,""I'll lead the assault team first. You're in charge of bringing up the rear.”
Zhao Gang was putting bullets into the magazine when he heard Li Yunlong's words. He didn't like it and said sternly,"You dare? You should be in the command position, not the commando team. I'll call the brigade commander immediately. If you don't cancel your qualification to participate in the war, my surname is not Zhao.”
"Don't…don't, that's too much.”Li Yunlong immediately softened.
Yamazaki, who was in the circular fortifications of Lijiapo, felt that something was wrong. Why was it so quiet all around? It was so quiet that the Japanese soldiers felt a chill in their hearts. Soldiers disliked silence the most because the silence on the battlefield often contained greater danger and heralded a more intense battle.
Yamazaki instinctively realized that the 8th Route Army was preparing for an even fiercer attack. After a day of fierce fighting, more than half of the Yamazaki Battalion had been killed or injured. He did not care about the casualties. He knew that the reinforcements were closing in on him. With the favorable terrain, sufficient ammunition, and close air support, it would not be a problem to hold on for another two days. He hoped to rely on his own brigade to firmly attract the main force of the Eighth Route Army. When the reinforcements closed the encirclement, he would bloom in the middle. He longed to make a name for himself in the Battle of Li Jiapo.
Yamazaki found a horn made of white iron sticking out from the hillside. A Japanese voice came from the other side,""Captain Yamazaki of the Japanese army, listen up. The commander of the Eighth Route Army Independent Regiment, Li Yunlong, knows that you come from a warrior family and are proficient in Kendo. Regiment Commander Li believed that the swordsmanship of your country was just the tip of the iceberg of the Chinese swordsmanship. The status of master and disciple had already been determined in the Tang Dynasty. If Your Excellency cherishes the honor of being a warrior, stop shooting and walk out of the fortifications. Regiment Commander Li is willing to have a formal duel with Your Excellency by sword. Regiment Commander Li guarantees with the honor of a soldier that if you are defeated by Your Excellency's sword, the Independent Regiment of the Eighth Route Army will immediately stop attacking and make way for your army.”
"Pa!" "Pa!" The Japanese snipers opened fire, and the iron horn was immediately hit with a few holes. The Japanese translator of the 129th Division's Ministry of Works was shocked to the point of numbness.
Yamazaki replied," Your Excellency Regiment Commander Li of the Eighth Route Army, I deeply admire the bravery of your army in battle and am deeply honored by your challenge. I cherish the title of samurai very much and am willing to spar with you in swordsmanship. Unfortunately, I have military affairs to attend to and cannot duel with you alone. I am very sorry." If you can lead your troops to attack my circular fortifications, I am willing to fight you in a hand-to-hand battle.”
In the Independent Regiment command post, Zhao Gang found it funny."What kind of nonsense is this? Do they still think that they are medieval knights who want to duel at the drop of a hat?”
Li Yunlong said disdainfully,"Yamazaki is such a boring kid. He's not a real man."”
The first battalion's soil work progressed very quickly, and the Japanese army soon discovered the Eighth Route Army's intention. Mortars and grenade launchers came one after another. Dozens of fighters of the no. 1 battalion were killed in the explosion…
The mortar battalion of the 129th Division opened fire under the command of Li Yunlong. Dozens of shells fell from the sky like black crows and fell into the Japanese fortifications. The fire was shining and the smoke was filled. The Japanese artillery could not be bothered with the first battalion of soil work. They hurriedly bombarded the Eighth Route Army artillery. The excavation speed of the first battalion was faster.
Yamazaki used the radio to call for air support, and a few Type Zero fighter jets roared over. Li Yunlong used heavy machine gun firepower to form a dense fire net, forcing the Japanese aircraft to not dare to enter the dive position...
Yamazaki found that his cold sweat was flowing down his forehead. He watched as the open space in front of him was slowly being eaten away. He was only 30 meters away from his fortifications. The Japanese mortars and grenade launchers were fired almost vertically. The distance was too close, and the shells were very likely to fall on his head.
"Pa!" As a red signal flare rose into the air, Yamazaki understood that the final attack of the Eighth Route Army was about to begin. The Japanese soldiers silently aimed their weapons at the front. No one revealed themselves. Just as Yamazaki was feeling suspicious, a dense number of grenades flew into the air from the trench 30 meters away. It was as if a flock of sparrows were flying in the sky. In an instant, grenades exploded in the air above the Japanese fortifications. The short series of explosions was deafening. The flying shrapnel whistled down with the smell of death. The panicked Japanese soldiers could not find a safe corner. Many soldiers were hit by several grenades at the same time and were blown apart. 3000 grenades might not be a big deal in a battle; however, in such a narrow area, the lethality of 3000 grenades was undoubtedly terrifying.
At this moment, Zhao Gang, who was leading the second echelon, had already entered the charging position. He held a shell gun in his hand and witnessed Li Yun Long's unique firepower attack strategy. He could not help but be shocked by the power created by the war. He remembered a classic quote from Napoleon about war: " The principle of war is the same as the principle of siege. Firepower must be concentrated on a single point, and a gap must be opened. Once the enemy's stability is destroyed, the next task is to completely defeat it.”
Zhao Gang thought," This regiment commander Li Yunlong, who doesn't know who Napoleon is, is a natural strategist. It seems that in the Bloodshed Land, theory is pale, and rich combat practice is important."
At this moment, Li Yunlong, who was leading the first echelon, did not think too much. He only muttered,"Yamazaki, that son of a b * tch, don't get blown up by the explosion. I still want to fight him.”
There was no sound of the charge, no shouts of the charge. As the last batch of grenades left their hands, the commandos lying at the foot of the slope jumped up. In the sprint, 20 light machine guns opened fire at the same time, forming a dense fire net. The Japanese fortifications were hit by the dense rain of bullets, and the remaining Japanese soldiers recovered their strong nature after the explosion. They howled and fought back without fear. The Eighth Route Army commandos continued to fall, and the backup shooters behind them quickly replaced them. Both sides were red with killing. Some Japanese soldiers were so aggressive that they jumped out of the fortifications without any cover to face the rain of bullets. However, they were instantly beaten into a honeycomb shape. In just 30 meters, Li Yunlong's first commando machine gunners were all killed. No one survived. The battle was extremely fierce.
The assault team rushed into the circular fortifications. The bugle call sounded. More than 1,000 people from the Independent Regiment, led by Li Yunlong, who was wielding the Ghost Head Blade, let out an earth-shattering " Kill!" sound. More than 1,000 bayonet glinted under the sunlight. The troops surged into the camp like a tide. The last batch of people who rushed to the high ground were the cooks and coachmen who were holding kitchen knives and guillotines.
The Independent Regiment resolutely carried out Li Yunlong's orders. They did not leave a single one alive and joined the attack.
The Yamazaki Battalion was completely annihilated, and Yamazaki himself was riddled with holes from the machine guns.
The soldiers of the Independent Regiment stood at the top of the mountain and cheered. Only Li Yunlong, who was holding Yamazaki's commanding sword, was cursing,""Which son of a bitch killed Yamazaki? " Stand up for me…" He felt extremely regretful that he could not fight Yamazaki with his sword.
Chen Geng saw Li Yunlong jumping and cursing on the top of the mountain through the binoculars. He was amused and turned to the deputy brigade commander,""This kid is really a genius in war. If we had let the independent regiment fight earlier, perhaps the casualties would have been much smaller.”
The deputy brigade commander snorted and said in a cultured manner,""Xiao He wins and Xiao He loses. This kid was good at fighting, and he was also good at causing trouble.”
During the battle summary meeting, Zhao Gang asked Li Yunlong,""Old Li, what if Yamazaki defeats you in the duel? Are you really going to fulfill your promise and make way for the Japanese?”
"Tch, that kid?" Li Yun Long said disdainfully. That's impossible."
"What I'm asking is, what if we lose?" Zhao Gang asked stubbornly.”
Li Yunlong said tactfully," If he were to be defeated, my head would definitely be removed. I can personally make way for him, but will you? It's your business if you don't give way. You can't say that I don't keep my word, right?”
Zhao Gang laughed,"What a f * cking cunning farmer."”
This book is provided by FunNovel Novel Book | Fan Fiction Novel [Beautiful Free Novel Book]