Bright Sword: From Northwest Shanxi to Shangganling

Chapter 211 I am doing this for the greater good of this empire

After escaping the Japanese encirclement and switching to external combat, the First Battalion began to continuously send out small units to harass the Japanese logistics and supply units.

In the following days, the Japs continued to pursue the First Battalion, but they came up empty-handed every time and never caught the First Battalion's tail.

After a few days of tossing and turning, Xishan Jian began to get impatient. He led his troops into the battle for military merit, not to play hide-and-seek with the Eighth Route Army.

Especially, every time he saw the troops of the 3rd Mixed Brigade, he was furious. He led the team to help the 3rd Mixed Brigade fight, but ended up fighting at home instead of away. Who can stand this?

Moreover, Nishiyama Ken was also very clear that even if he assisted the 3rd Mixed Brigade in driving the Eighth Route Army south, the credit for ultimately destroying the Eighth Route Army would not fall on him.

Now the 9th Mixed Brigade has not yet completed its original combat mission. If it continues like this, not to mention military merit, it may even be blamed.

After another failed attempt, Xishan Jian decided to stop the sweep of Zhongyun Mountain.

"Mr. Yamada, send a message to the headquarters, saying that our army's supplies are running out and we can no longer carry out the mopping-up mission. We are now preparing to turn west and join up with the 9th Mixed Brigade's logistics and supply troops."

"Brigade Commander, the Ishiguro Battalion is still sweeping westward. Should we send them a telegram as well?" asked Nobuhiro Yamada.

After thinking for a while, Nishiyama Ken said, "Send a copy to the brigade headquarters of the 3rd Mixed Brigade. I think Nara Yukio should understand what I mean!"

"Ha!"
After receiving Ken Nishiyama's telegram, Yukio Nara did not take it to heart. Now his plan had been basically achieved, and it didn't matter whether the 9th Mixed Brigade withdrew or stayed.

"Brigade Commander, should we send a telegram to Major General Nishiyama to explain?" Toyama Ryotaro couldn't help but say.

No matter which unit the 3rd Mixed Brigade cooperates with, it will offend that unit once it does. In the long run, Ryotaro Toyama is afraid that he will be shot when he goes out.

"Explain? What to explain? I'm doing this for the sake of our empire. I don't think Xishan-kun will care." Nara Yukio looked at the map on the wall without turning his head.

Looking at Nara Yukio's back, Toyama Ryotaro didn't know how he had the nerve to say that. When the 109th Division ignored the rd Mixed Brigade, you were jumping up and down and cursing.

"But." Toyama Ryotaro still wanted to persuade him. If they continued like this, all the troops of the First Army would be offended.

Nara Yukio interrupted Toyama Ryotaro and said forcefully: "Colonel Toyama! I am the brigade commander!"

"Hai!"

Seeing that Nara Yukio was not going to listen at all, Toyama Ryotaro could only put aside the matter of offending friendly forces and deal with it later when there was a chance. The most important thing now was to complete the encirclement and mopping up.

After looking at the map for a while, Nara Yukio suddenly said, "Higashiyama-kun."

"Hai!"

"Send a telegram to the Ishiguro Battalion, and after the 9th Mixed Brigade retreats, have them advance to Dujia Town, then head south from Dujia Town, drive the Eighth Route Army troops to concentrate in the south, and cooperate with the main force to eliminate the New 2nd Regiment." Nara Yukio ordered.

"Brigade Commander, it may be difficult to accomplish this relying solely on the Ishiguro Battalion," said Ryotaro Toyama.

In order to drive out the Eighth Route Army, we must divide our forces and advance on multiple fronts.

But the new Second Regiment in the Zhongyun Mountains is not like the Eighth Route Army that swept through the area before. If they dare to split up their forces easily, the final outcome would be that they would be defeated one by one.

The 3rd Mixed Brigade has suffered such a loss before.

"I know. Tell Ishiguro Shosuke not to divide the troops. Just gather them and advance southward along the main road. Drive away as many of the Eighth Route Army as possible," explained Nara Yukio.

This time, Nara Yukio's idea was to capture the big and let the small go. As long as the main force of the New Second Regiment could be wiped out, the remaining small groups of the Eighth Route Army could be slowly swept away later.

After hearing what Nara Yukio said, Toyama Ryotaro thought about it and felt that there was no problem. Even if he couldn't drive away many of the Eighth Route Army's encirclement troops, at least he could form a pincer attack on the main force of the New Second Regiment from north to south.

As soon as the Japanese from the 3rd Mixed Brigade retreated westwards, Chen Chengxing immediately received the information.

"Captain, do you want to go north and attack the Japanese Ishiguro Battalion?" Sun Xun asked. If the Ishiguro Battalion also retreated, their trip would be in vain.

"Third Battalion Commander, don't attack blindly at any time. We only have the right to start the war on the battlefield. Once the fighting starts, no one knows what the outcome will be, so we have to try our best to find a more suitable opportunity." Chen Chengxing said while looking at the map.

Although the Japanese only have one battalion and a puppet corps, if it turns into an offensive and defensive battle, the first and second battalions will gain no advantage.

"If the Japanese escape, we will be in trouble once they meet up with the Third Brigade," said Sun Xun.

Even if we don't count the 13th Regiment of the puppet army, this independent infantry battalion alone accounts for 20% of the main combat units of the rd Mixed Brigade, which is not a small number.

"According to intelligence, the Japanese 9th Mixed Brigade is retreating westward, but the Ishiguro Battalion shows no signs of retreating eastward at the same time. Instead, it remains in place without taking any action."

"That is to say, even if the Japanese want to retreat and join the main force, they will not retreat recklessly before they sense danger, so we can't easily provoke them now."

"It's like hunting. Once the prey senses any movement, it will surely flee madly. It will not be easy to catch up with it at that time. What we have to do is to kill it with one blow." Chen Chengxing said.

"Oh, then what should we do now?" Sun Xun said that he understood, but didn't understand how to kill with one blow.

"The fighter planes haven't appeared yet, so we just need to wait quietly." Chen Chengxing said, then stood up and shouted, "Communications Squad!"

"Yes!" Several signalmen who had been on standby immediately came forward. "Send a message to the first battalion, and have them assemble in the southeast of Beicun and wait for orders."

Since the Japanese 9th Brigade retreated, the crisis of the 1st Battalion was resolved. Although the 1st Battalion could not do anything to the Ishiguro Battalion, the Ishiguro Battalion could not defeat the 1st Battalion either.

"Also, send a communicator back to the regiment headquarters and have the telegraph operator send a message to the military district, asking it to dispatch troops to attack the Japanese invaders of the 9th Mixed Brigade in the east of Shuiquan, and to attract the 9th Mixed Brigade toward Hekou Town." Chen Chengxing ordered.

Even if the troops of the 9th Mixed Brigade withdrew from the Zhongyun Mountains, they were still sweeping the area between Zhongyun Mountain and Yalu Mountain, which was still quite close to here.

Once the fighting breaks out on our side, the 9th Mixed Brigade will be the most likely force to provide support, so we must make plans early.

"yes!".
The next afternoon, Sun Xun rushed into the temporary command center.

"Captain, the Ishiguro Battalion continued to move south and should have reached Dujia Town now!" Sun Xun said anxiously.

Dujia Town is right next to the Xinshui Highway. If the Japanese choose to retreat eastward from here, they can go directly to Zhangdian along the highway, and then turn south to reach Sanhe Town.

"Why are you in such a hurry?" Chen Chengxing said unhappily.

"I think the Japanese will continue to move south to Dujia Town," Chen Chengxing said affirmatively.

If the Japanese wanted to take the highway, there was no need to go to Dujia Town. They could take a small road and go directly to the Xinshui Highway. Although the road was not easy to travel on, the distance was shorter and a lot of time could be saved.

"Continue to go south?" Sun Xun's mood suddenly changed after hearing Chen Chengxing's words.

The Japs' march southwards and retreat eastwards are completely different things.

Across the Xinshui Highway is the territory of the Third Battalion. Sun Xun is very familiar with this area. If the Japanese continue to move south, there will be too many places for ambushes.

"That's right, this is our chance to kill with one blow." Chen Chengxing nodded.

From Dujia Town to the south, the terrain is surrounded by mountains and is dangerous. The further south you go, the farther you are from other Japanese troops, which is more advantageous for the New Second Regiment.

"Captain, give the order." Sun Xun said. He couldn't wait any longer.

Looking at the map, Chen Chengxing thought for a moment and ordered, "Send a message to the First Battalion. Guerrilla Team 1 will move to Dawangzhuang to guard the area around Xinbao Town and block the support of the Ninth Mixed Brigade of the Japanese. The rest of the main forces will all move to the area around Dujia Town."

Although the New 1st Regiment had already engaged in a battle with the Japanese in the southern part of Shuiquan, attracting most of the attention of the Japanese 9th Brigade, Xinbao Town was the Japanese's material transfer point, and there was still an infantry battalion of the Japanese left here.

Chen Chengxing must be on guard against this and cannot pin all his hopes on the New 1st Regiment.

"Yes!"

Sun Xun immediately went out to assemble the troops and prepare to set off.

After the Ishiguro Brigade arrived at Dujia Town in the afternoon, they did not continue to advance, but chose to occupy civilian houses to camp and rest.

Their next target was Sanlu Town, which was 20 kilometers away from Dujia Town. It would be impossible for them to arrive there before dark.

In the territory of the Eighth Route Army, no one dared to travel at night, as that would simply be playing with their own lives.
After a night's rest, it was not until after breakfast the next morning that the Ishiguro Battalion urged the 13th Regiment of the Puppet Army to set off again.

Along the way, the Japanese and puppet troops only raided the villages along the way, and ignored the villages far away from the main road.

According to Nara Yukio's telegram, their first priority was to penetrate the flank of the New Second Regiment's base and cooperate with the large force to attack the main force of the New Second Regiment.

However, Ishiguro Shosuke didn't know that the main force of the New 2nd Regiment, which was used to attack them from both sides, was already guarding the route they had to take.

Sun Xun, who was lying on the ground feeling a little bored, suddenly saw a dead tree on a distant hill fall down. This was the signal agreed upon in advance.

"Captain, the devils are coming!"

"Comrades, get ready. The first wave of fire attack is the most important. Don't skimp on it. The artillery company should focus on attacking the Japanese artillery team." Chen Chengxing ordered.

When the Japanese were marching, their density was the highest, and there was no time to deploy heavy firepower. The New Second Regiment could fight however they wanted at this time.

"Everyone, get ready for battle, put on bayonets!"

"Everyone get ready for battle!" Sun Xun stepped back to convey the order, and at the same time he had to go to the artillery company's position to command.

Hearing the battle preparation, everyone focused their attention and unscrewed the caps of the grenades to make it easier to throw them later.

A few minutes later, the puppet army and the Japanese came towards this side one after another.

Although the distance between the Japanese and the puppet troops was not very far because they had never been attacked, the team of 1,700 to 1,800 people was still very long.

Chen Chengxing felt a little regretful. It seemed that the Japanese and the puppet troops could not be ambushed at the same time.

However, Chen Chengxing did not intend to let these puppet soldiers go. Although the puppet soldiers in the ambush circle could not get any food, he could still give them other food.

(End of this chapter)