Sword of Light: Humanoid Self-Propelled Artillery

Chapter 68 Observation Group

But Wang Gensheng also understood that forcing the entire Eighth Route Army base to dig tunnels was basically an impossible task.

After all, before the Battle of Zhongtiao Mountain, who would have thought that the Japanese would turn their guns against the Eighth Route Army in the occupied areas!
It’s just that we can’t manage other bases, but we still have to manage the base of the New Second Regiment.

So Wang Gensheng immediately said:
"Commander, we can't control other bases, but we can't do this to our New Second Regiment's base. We must urge the villages in the base to dig tunnels in their spare time. Even if they're not like our Wangjia Village, they must at least be used for escape!"

In response to Wang Gensheng's suggestion, Kong Jie took a puff of his pipe and said:

"You're right. We have to prepare for a rainy day. We can't wait for the Japs to launch a large-scale raid before urging the civilians and militia to dig!"

Kong Jie had naturally seen the tunnels Wang Gensheng had built to counter the powerful offensive of the Japanese, so he had no reason to object.

However, just when Wang Gensheng was urging the villages in the base to dig tunnels, an observation group composed of regimental-level military commanders from the Second War Zone of the Kuomintang Army came to the Eighth Route Army area to observe and learn.

The reason for this is naturally the impact of the Battle of Zhongtiaoshan. This battle directly caused the Guoan Army to lose the territory north of the Yellow River.

But what Wang Gensheng didn't know was that just when Wang Gensheng was leading the soldiers of the New Second Regiment to dig escape tunnels in the villages of the base, the Independent Regiment welcomed a distinguished guest, and this distinguished guest was naturally Chu Yunfei, who came to the Independent Regiment to observe and learn.

The reason why Chu Yunfei came to watch was naturally because of Li Yunlong's reputation. After all, he killed Captain Sakata with one shot in the Battle of Cangyunling last year, and later wiped out the Yamazaki Battalion. Those were all famous achievements!

Although Kong Jie's newly established New Second Regiment also wiped out an entire Japanese squadron and took out more than a dozen Japanese bunkers, these achievements were not as impressive as Li Yunlong's.

Therefore, there is naturally nothing to say about Chu Yunfei, the commander of the 358th Regiment, going to the Independent Regiment to observe.

Li Yunlong was also very decisive and wanted to show his ability, so he sent a squad to a village near the Huting stronghold to ask for white flour.

Of course, he didn't really want flour, but he wanted to lure out the Japanese soldiers in the Huting stronghold, and then ambush them and wipe them out in one fell swoop, to show Chu Yunfei what Li Yunlong is capable of.

However, what Li Yunlong did not expect was that he originally just wanted to lure out the reinforced squadron of about 300 Japanese soldiers in the Huting stronghold.

But it attracted two regiments of the Japanese devils. You have to know that these were two regiments!
Unlike the Huayao Army's organization of squad, platoon, company, battalion, regiment and lion, the Japanese army's organization from low to high is squad, platoon, company, battalion, regiment, and after the regiment is the regiment, and after the brigade is the lion regiment.

A Lion Regiment is composed of two platoons, and a platoon is composed of two regiments. Therefore, two platoons of Japanese soldiers are four regiments. If some logistics personnel such as engineers, artillery and logistics personnel are added, a Lion Regiment can reach more than 20,000 people.

So many Japanese soldiers gathering at the Huting stronghold naturally scared Li Yunlong, but Li Yunlong was born a fearless person who dared to take risks and win in danger. Otherwise, he would not have dared to go straight to the command post of the Sakata Regiment in the Battle of Cangyunling.

At this time, Chu Yunfei, who was waiting outside the door, asked Li Yunlong:
"Captain Li, when will the troops depart?"

In response to Chu Yunfei's question, Li Yunlong said very apologetically:

"Sorry, the plan is cancelled!"

Then he told Chu Yunfei that two regiments of Japanese troops were supporting the Huting stronghold.

After hearing the news, Chu Yunfei naturally would not blame Li Yunlong for breaking his promise. After all, that's how war works, plans cannot keep up with changes. Besides, the Japanese have dispatched more than 20,000 people. If the more than 1,000 people of Li Yunlong's independent regiment go up to confront them at this time, wouldn't that be courting death!

It was not even enough to fill the gaps in the teeth of the Japanese. Chu Yunfei and Li Yunlong immediately began to study the Japanese's purpose on the map in the regiment meeting room. After all, the Japanese directly dispatched two regiments of troops for no reason. It was impossible that they really came for a small Huting stronghold!
Chu Yunfei gestured on the map for a long time before he spoke:

"The situation between the enemy and us is now very clear. Look, this is your position, and this is the position of the Japanese Fourth and Ninth Regiments!" Chu Yunfei pointed out the positions of the two Japanese regiments on the map. Li Yunlong looked at the position of the Japanese regiment on the map and wondered:

"The Japs' formation is really weird! What do they want to do?"

Just as Li Yunlong finished speaking, Zhao Gang ran over and said:

"Old Li, the order from Shidi has come down, asking us to enter Chenjiayu and ensure the safety of the main flank!"

Before Li Yunlong could say anything after hearing this, Chu Yunfei said:

"Your general commander is quite bold, he only has two regiments around him!"

After hearing what Chu Yunfei said, Li Yunlong sighed and said:

"That's the problem. If the Japs know where the headquarters is, then deploying five regiments will be useless!"

As soon as Li Yunlong said this, Zhao Gang immediately interrupted:

"Old Li, the independent regiment has assembled. Do you think it's time to set off?"

However, as soon as Zhao Gang said this, Li Yunlong said:

"We can't cry for so long without knowing who died. Even if the Japanese were a god, they wouldn't have sacrificed two regiments! The two regiments made such a big fuss, it's obvious that they are not coming for me, Li Yunlong. If they are not coming for me, Li Yunlong, then tell me who they are coming for!"

At this time, Zhao Gang said:

"Old Li, we have to trust that our superiors will figure it out..."

Before Zhao Gang finished speaking, Li Yunlong interrupted:
"You can't even see clearly, you're just pretending to be clueless! How about this, Old Zhao, take the Second and Third Battalions to Chenjiayu, and leave the First Battalion with me. I want to see what trap the Japs at the Huting stronghold have set for me!"

Zhao Gang was immediately anxious when he heard this. This was a violation of the superior's order! He immediately said:

"Old Li..."

But what Zhao Gang didn't know was that disobeying orders was not a big deal for Li Yunlong, so he interrupted him immediately:

"We already have an arrangement. You take care of life, and I'll take care of military affairs!"

So the independent regiment was directly split into two parts. Although it seemed that Zhao Gang led two battalions, in fact, the first battalion led by Li Yunlong's confidant Zhang Dabiao in the independent regiment was actually a reinforced regiment.

Therefore, Li Yunlong leaving behind a battalion was equivalent to taking away more than half of the independent regiment's combat power.

So, Zhao Gang rushed to Chenjiayu with the independent regiment which had only half of its combat strength. Upon learning about this, the Lion Commander naturally asked Zhao Gang to immediately bring back Li Yunlong and the first battalion.

(End of this chapter)