under fire

A battlefield scout suddenly reported that the Japanese were approaching.

Luo Fugui quickly assembled the team that had hastily planted landmines, and then sped south.

The major followed the Japanese attack on the skirmish line. When he saw the corpses of the puppet troops on the ground, he even took off his military cap and pretended to mourn for half a minute.

After pausing for a moment to observe the crater, which was five or six meters in diameter, created by a large landmine, they continued south.

Upon closer inspection of the Eighth Route Army's trenches, one wonders if this can truly be called a trench?
Only about twenty mounds of earth were sparsely piled up like small graves on the north side of the east-west ditch.
Very simple. Extremely simple!
The Eighth Route Army was very cunning; on their escape route, they would occasionally plant several tripwire mines hastily set up with hand grenades.

Fortunately, the Eighth Route Army could not change the problem of the long fuse delay of hand grenades in a short time.

Even if someone kicks a grenade and sets it on fire, the hissing sound of the fuse will give the warriors enough time to dodge.

The major did not order a charge because the darkness was not conducive to an attack.

He is now adopting a steady and methodical pursuit tactic.

The Eighth Route Army lacked food and their physical strength was no match for that of the Imperial Army.

Let's take our time, hopefully until dawn.

During the day, the plains belong to the Imperial Army.

The puppet commander hastily gathered more than two hundred men and followed behind the Imperial Army to collect the bodies of his men who had died in the attack.

With the Imperial Army clearing the way ahead, we are safe to follow.

Despite the deaths of over a hundred of his men, the fake commander felt little sorrow.

The Imperial Army will pay pensions to these fallen brothers, taking two-tenths of the money, and several thousand silver dollars will end up in their pockets.

Having struggled through so many chaotic times, what kind of scenes haven't I experienced?
These days, there are plenty of people who want to become collaborators and live off the government's paycheck; they can even collect a "connection fee" later.
Changing your mindset doesn't seem difficult.

Soon, the puppet commander became furious again because the Eighth Route Army had seized his men's guns and ammunition.

We are mortal enemies with the Eighth Route Army!
It was they who caused the heavy casualties among their men.

If they hadn't been operating in the Imperial Army's territorial waters, I wouldn't have been able to launch a sweep and suffer such heavy losses.
As long as I'm the leader of this group, I can make money every day.

How pleasant it would be to stay in the city collecting protection money, selling opium, drinking, listening to operas, and sleeping with women!
He completely forgot that he was still a Chinese citizen.

The autumn night is cool.

Watching the Imperial Army pursue southward, the puppet commander secretly vowed that he would launch a large-scale manhunt for those civilians who were accomplices of the Eighth Route Army when he returned.

It's all my fault for being too soft-hearted all these years, turning a blind eye to those who colluded with the Eighth Route Army on many occasions.
Leading his men to closely follow the Imperial Army, he gradually discovered that, despite the Imperial Army's slow pace, his men were slowly falling behind and becoming separated from the ranks.
Company Commander Kong and his hundred or so soldiers consciously split into two groups with Old Qi's men.

The two did not speak, but walked on calmly.

After this battle, the security troops under Company Commander Kong began to admire the Eighth Route Army.

To achieve such a great victory at such a minimal cost was something I never dared to dream of before.

Even the supposedly elite Central Army could only run away when facing the Japanese.

It seems that the rumors of the Eighth Route Army and the Japanese being mortal enemies were not unfounded.

Being able to fight alongside them is something I can brag about for at least half a month when I get back.

The only problem right now is whether his clansmen will be held accountable by the Japanese if they go back; it's hard to say.

Following the Eighth Route Army meant a bleak future.

When the sky in the east begins to lighten.

Company Commander Kong finally stopped.

Luo Fugui, who was covering the rear, caught up and looked at Company Commander Kong, who was stopped on the riverbank: "Why aren't you moving?"

Company Commander Kong looked at Luo Fugui and subconsciously forced a smile: "Cross the canal and go home."

Luo Fugui was taken aback: "Home?"

From childhood, his impression of his family was one of poverty.

Suddenly I thought of my mother. She was so poor that she was skin and bones, and even when she saved up her food, he still couldn't get enough to eat.

I eventually starved to death!
"I think that although it's risky to go back now, as long as we say we took the wrong road last night, there shouldn't be any problems." Company Commander Kong's smile was not at all natural.

"Follow us to fight the Japanese invaders, contribute to the nation and the people, and you will be remembered for eternity." Heaven knows where Luo Fugui learned such inspiring words of persuasion.

"Without us, the women, children, and elderly in the village will hardly survive the coming winter."

"According to the rules, you have to hand over your guns." Qi, the old bandit, who rushed over after receiving the news, looked at these Kong family members, almost all of whom could read, and felt somewhat reluctant to part with them.

"Why should I?" Company Commander Kong's heart sank; he had long anticipated this outcome.

Luo Fugui, his triangular eyes gleaming, urged, "Further south lies the territory of our newly formed Fourth Army. You can send someone back to bring your clansmen here."

The monkey quickly corrected Luo Fugui: "Don't talk nonsense about territory, you should say defense zone."

“There’s no difference,” Luo Fugui said sullenly. The group stood on the riverbank arguing in the morning breeze.

No matter how much Company Commander Kong argued or how much Luo Fugui tried to persuade him, the old bandit Qi insisted on disarming Company Commander Kong's men.

Only a dozen or so rifles and four Mauser pistols remained.

The sky was getting brighter.

Company Commander Kong stared blankly at the troops heading south.

He even considered mustering the courage to join the Eighth Route Army.

I have a family to support, so I can't follow the Eighth Route Army.

Those damned Japanese devils! If it weren't for their invasion of this world, our people wouldn't be struggling to survive.

His family had always valued poetry and literature, but he was forced to take up arms and become a warrior out of desperation.

Now, in the eyes of the Japanese, he is a deserter, and in the eyes of the Eighth Route Army, he is a spineless cowardly deserter.

Defending the homeland is a matter of national righteousness. The Nationalist army all fled to Chongqing.

How is this any different from the Manchu conquest of the Central Plains?
A wife, children, a warm bed, and the continuation of the family line are the most important things.

As dawn broke, the hesitant Company Commander Kong finally made up his mind: "Swim across the river and go home!"

...

Hu Yi marked several large targets on the map.

One was the appearance of a large number of Japanese soldiers on the south side of the east bank of the canal.

Another message came from Zhang Xiaodao: the Japanese soldiers pursuing them on the west bank of the canal had caught up with Yang Fengzi and Qi Laofei.

The higher command assembled more than ten regiments to launch an attack on the Allied Autonomous Army.

Such a large-scale operation was beyond the comprehension of the Ninth Battalion east of the canal.

Even the division that assigned the Ninth Battalion the mission to block the Japanese advance westward was unaware of the battle plan.
Hu Yi was not so reckless as to fight the Japanese without knowing his own limitations.

Therefore, he did not choose to cross the canal to the west to cut off the retreat of the Japanese soldiers who were pursuing Qi Laofei.

As originally planned, they continued their advance eastward along the canal, aiming to establish a secret transportation route into Shandong Province.

Qi Laofei also received the zone message.

Unable to engage the Japanese in direct combat, but moving south could draw the main force of the pursuing Japanese troops into the Fourth Route Army's defense zone, thus delaying the enemy's westward advance.

When we join forces with the Fourth Route Army, we will inflict another heavy blow on the pursuing Japanese and puppet troops.

West bank of the canal.

The troops in front were fleeing, while the Japanese and puppet troops behind them continued to advance.

The major's expression calmed down.

Even though the Imperial Army was invincible, he did not advance rashly.

His goal was simple: to wait for dawn.

Before dawn, all we need to do is keep an eye on this group of Eighth Route Army soldiers.

The two teams seemed to be heading south in perfect unison.

"After daybreak, the pursuing Japanese will definitely call in planes," the monkey said, looking at the sky with excitement.

Old Qi, the bandit leader, said proudly, "What are you afraid of? This time, we specially made a wooden replica of an air communication signal board."

then.

The fleeing person ahead suddenly transformed.

A small squad of Japanese soldiers, carrying the Japanese flag, led the way south.

A large number of "security troops" followed behind him.

A mile or two further back, there was another company of Japanese soldiers.
The Japanese major never dreamed that he would be among the fleeing troops in the southernmost part of the country, out of his sight through his binoculars.

A group of people wearing the same military uniform as him walked openly.
The radio operator suddenly appeared beside the major: "Report! Urgent telegram from headquarters! The Eighth Route Army attacked the 2nd Regiment of the 3rd Brigade of the Allied Forces, which was coming to reinforce us, in the early hours of last night."

The major frowned.

No wonder the reinforcements haven't shown up yet.

The men sent out to make contact have not returned yet, and it is highly likely that they have also met with bad luck.
Something's not right. The Imperial Army is putting pressure on northern Shaanxi, and the Eighth Route Army has transferred its main force to Shanxi.

There shouldn't be any organized Eighth Route Army units in this sparsely populated land of Hebei, Shandong and Henan, right?

The Eighth Route Army led me this far; could they be planning something big? (End of Chapter)