Spy game? Stop guessing, I really am an undercover agent!

Chapter 265 When you fight, you must fight with momentum.

Nanzhuang Village, located in the heart of the Taihang Mountains and the headquarters of the 129th Division.

After the rain, the air was filled with the damp smell of earth, mixed with the burnt smell of lingering gunpowder.

The small courtyard where the division headquarters was located was only lit by a single oil lamp, and the air was filled with a heavy atmosphere.

The division commander stood tall and straight like a pine tree on a cliff. To deal with Tada's encirclement and suppression operation, the division commander had been directing the battle for days, and his fatigue was evident on his face.

His fingers were slowly tracing a map spread out on a worn-out octagonal table.

This map is exceptionally valuable; its edges are stained with blood that has congealed into a dark brown, and several creases tell of the perilous journey it took through fire.

This was the intelligence that the reconnaissance team had risked their lives to obtain.

Li Tieniu and his team were carrying out their mission smoothly, but they were still discovered by the patrolling Japanese during their retreat.

The Japanese army had a so-called expert in mountain warfare, Yamamoto Saki, who led a special operations squad in a relentless pursuit of Red Army scouts.

Li Tieniu's team consisted of more than 20 people, but in the end, only three people returned to their camp!
Besides this topographic map, Commander Liu also had a top-secret document.

Even they themselves didn't know the source of the information; it was secretly sent by someone from Zengjiayan No. 50!
The room was silent. The political commissar sat with a cigarette burning, long ash rising from his fingertips. The swirling smoke couldn't blur the worry in his eyes. He spoke in a thick Sichuan accent: "Boss."

"Tada Shun really went all out this time, 'The Cage'... I have to say, it truly lives up to its name."

"The railways and highways are like interlocking vines, the strongholds and bunkers are like the fangs of a wolf, and with the rapid mobile forces deployed deep inland, he wanted to divide us, nibble us away, and eventually trap us in the Taihang Mountains."

The chief of staff leaned closer to the oil lamp. On the military map in front of him, the blue arrows representing the Japanese army's movements, with their dense circles, looked to him like venomous snakes that were about to devour him.

"A frontal assault? The equipment disparity is too great. The Japanese have infantry guns and grenade launchers all the time. They have planes watching from the sky and armored vehicles rampaging across the plains. If we confront them head-on, we'll be playing right into their hands."

"Therefore, I think we need to change our thinking. Here, 'establish a new stronghold near Liushugou, where the defenses are weak, and designate it as a secondary supply point.' Boss, don't forget our operational policy: 'When the enemy advances, we retreat.' Avoid their sharpest attacks and strike when they are exhausted. This is the key to breaking the deadlock!"

"When the enemy advances, we retreat; when the enemy advances, we retreat," after a long silence, Commander Liu seemed to have made a decision: "Dazhi is absolutely right. 'When the enemy advances, we retreat' is by no means a passive avoidance of battle or a reluctance to advance!"

"Retreat is for the sake of advance! It's to deliver a fatal blow to the enemy's path of advancement!"

"This is the enemy's Achilles' heel! It tells us where the enemy thinks they are safe, but that is actually their Achilles' heel! The enemy advances? Fine, we'll let them in, but with every step, we'll make them step into the blood pit we've dug!"

The division commander sat down again and drew a circle with his finger on a mountainous area near the Liushugou stronghold. "The intelligence says that the terrain here is complex, with crisscrossing ravines, which is conducive to concealment and relocation. It is difficult for the Japanese army to deploy large forces, and it is also a place that their planned rapid reaction route must pass through."

"We cannot betray the intelligence that Tie Niu risked his life for. The first step is to knock out one of Tada Shun's teeth at the weak point of this 'cage,' so that he knows that the cage he drew cannot contain the tigers and wolves of the Taihang Mountains!"

"Fight! We must fight!" The political commissar stubbed out his cigarette and said decisively, "Not only must we fight, but we must fight with great spirit and show the might of our 129th Division! We must let the enemy know that our troops are not those pampered soldiers or bandits!"

"Dazhi, immediately draft a detailed battle plan. Make full use of every detail on the map, down to the enemy's changing of the guard time and the composition of the patrol!"

"Yes, sir!" The chief of staff immediately straightened his back, his eyes burning with the spark of battle.

"Knock knock knock," a series of urgent knocks sounded on the door.

The chief of staff got up and opened the door, only to find a familiar man standing there: "Shulin, what brings you here?"

The visitor was Yang Shulin, the director of the logistics department of the front-line command post.

Some time ago, for some unknown reason, the old man ordered troops near the Taihang Mountains to launch a surprise attack on the Red Army.

Under the leadership of its chief of staff, the Red Party waged a five-day, four-night counterattack in self-defense.

In this battle, Zhu Huaibing's, Shi Yousan's, and Lu Zhonglin's units suffered heavy losses...

In particular, Zhu Huaibing's unit reportedly lost ten regiments!
Yang Shulin walked into the meeting room, dusted himself off, took the cigarette offered by Political Commissar Deng, and took a satisfying drag.

"I've come with good news, of course." Yang Shulin took out the document approved by Chief of Staff Zuo and said, "The frontline command knows you're preparing for a tough battle."

"This time, our comrades in Shanghai brought over a batch of important supplies, and the Chief of Staff specially reserved some for you."

The division commander and political commissar were speechless as they looked at the ammunition, weapons, and various supplies listed in the document.

Especially when you see the document mentioning twelve mortars and several heavy machine guns, twelve mortars!

When has our 129th Division ever fought such a rich battle?

Chief of Staff Li quickly called over a guard: "Go and wake up Old Zhang. Let's see what good food we have left. We must treat Director Yang well today."

A few days later, one morning, the sunlight pierced through the thin mist, illuminating an unnamed hill on the east side of Willow Gully with crystal clarity.

The high ground offered a wide view, and the winding dirt road at the foot of the mountain was the main patrol road marked on the map, leading to the newly established Willow Gully stronghold.

"Bang! Bang!" The crisp sound of logging suddenly broke the silence of the mountain forest.

Geng Dazhuang, the platoon leader of the 129th Division's Special Service Battalion, was a lean and muscular man with a sharp, angular face. He was swinging a large axe and chopping down several miscellaneous trees that were as thick as a bowl.

The soldiers around him moved swiftly, dragging the felled tree trunks to a conspicuous spot, while other soldiers piled up the cut branches and dry grass.

"Platoon leader, isn't that loud enough? This noise can be heard five miles away!" New recruit Wang Xiaogen asked nervously as he struggled to drag the tree branch.

This was the first time he had carried out such a "luring the snake out of its hole" mission.

Geng Dazhuang wiped the sweat from his face, grinned, revealing a set of white teeth, but his eyes sharply scanned the area below the mountain: "Xiao Genzi, this isn't enough noise! ​​We need to make sure the 'guests' can hear us!"

"Pay attention, everyone! It's clearly marked on the map. This little hill is right under their patrol line. We're cutting down trees in what they specifically designated as a 'clearing zone'! These Japanese devils value this superficial order the most! Light up a cigarette!"

The two soldiers immediately set fire to the pile of dry branches and weeds. Thick smoke billowed up like a beacon fire, rising straight into the clear morning air, clearly visible from miles away.

"Withdraw, and take cover!" Geng Dazhuang waved his hand.

More than twenty soldiers moved with the speed of cats, quickly donned their equipment, and disappeared into the pre-arranged ambush point.

According to the detailed map, this position not only avoids most of the direct fire from below the mountain, but also overlooks the patrol road and the entrance to the valley that will soon become a slaughterhouse. Geng Dazhuang himself lay prone behind a huge boulder, setting up his newly assigned sniper rifle.

Time flowed silently, and every second seemed exceptionally long.

Sweat trickled down Wang Xiaogen's temples, and his palms, gripping the old rifle, were sticky.

Just as the tension was about to solidify, the soldier lying on the cliff top observation post suddenly tugged at the straw rope that had been tied to his back—a danger signal!
"They're here!" Geng Dazhuang's deep and clear voice reached the ears of every hidden soldier.

Through the scope of his sniper rifle, he saw dust billowing along the patrol route marked on the map.

Three sidecar motorcycles, adorned with Chinese flags and equipped with crooked-handle machine guns, sped ahead like arrogant reptiles.

Following behind was a fully-equipped squad of about fifty Japanese infantrymen, arranged in a battle formation. Their tan uniforms were faintly visible in the dust, and their bayonets gleamed coldly in the sunlight as they rushed toward the high ground at great speed.

"Platoon leader, so many people have come? The map says the patrol team usually has about thirty people, there are a lot more today... Could it be?" Chen Shi, the deputy squad leader who was lurking next to Geng Dazhuang, whispered a reminder, his tone tinged with worry.

"Don't be afraid!" A cold glint flashed in Geng Dazhuang's eyes. "The map marks this as the main road to Liushugou, and there are rapid deployment squadrons stationed nearby for reinforcement."

This display of force perfectly demonstrates their quick reaction and adherence to the 'standard procedure' outlined on the map! Perfect, let them taste our real power! Pass the order: three motorcycles! Shoot them out first! Watch my signal!

He gently and steadily focused his scope on the helmet of the Japanese machine gunner on the first motorcycle who was on lookout duty.

The roar of the Japanese motorcycles grew louder and louder, the engine's roar echoing through the valley.

Under the command of Lieutenant Yoshida Fukushiro, more than fifty Japanese soldiers plunged into the valley without hesitation, following the "standard patrol route" marked on the map.

This valley is the perfect ambush spot. Its steep sides provide excellent concealment, and its narrow exit makes it easy to trap the prey like turtles in a jar.

"Attack!" Geng Dazhuang's roar was like thunder, exploding in the valley!
"Bang!" Almost simultaneously with the roar, flames of anger shot from the muzzle of Geng Dazhuang's rifle!

The machine gunner on the first motorcycle, who was on lookout duty, had his helmet pierced with a precise, gaping hole, and he fell to the ground without uttering a sound.

The out-of-control motorcycle roared and crashed into the rocks beside it. The fuel tank burst into flames upon impact, sending sparks flying everywhere!

Immediately afterwards, two more precise bursts of fire followed, and the driver and machine gunner of the third motorcycle fell to the ground. The out-of-control motorcycle rolled over and dragged several Japanese soldiers who couldn't dodge in time under its wheels, causing a chorus of screams!
"Da da da!" "Bang! Bang! Bang!" The firepower of the soldiers who were ambushed on both sides of the cliff and in the crevices of the rocks poured down on the Japanese troops in the valley like a flood.

Old-fashioned rifles, Hanyang rifles, and Type 38 pistols fired in unison, bullets raining down on the Japanese army ranks.

Several Japanese soldiers had just raised their guns to try and find a target when they were taken down by sniper shots from tricky angles.

The Japanese troops were instantly stunned, and chaos ensued, with shouts and curses filling the air.

"Baka! Counterattack! Machine gunners! Suppress the flanks!" Lieutenant Yamada drew his sword and shouted hoarsely, trying to regain his footing.

The remaining Japanese soldiers lay down and hastily returned fire, relying on a second motorcycle and limited cover.

The Type 91 machine gun fired blindly towards the cliff face, sending sparks flying and rocks scattering everywhere. Several Japanese grenade launcher operators began frantically loading their weapons.

But that's exactly the chaos that Geng Dazhuang wanted!
Just then, "Boom! Boom!" Two muffled and huge explosions tore through the valley!
These are not hand grenades, but anti-tank mines and cluster grenades pre-buried at the "best ambush points" marked on the map, designed to target Japanese light armored vehicles and personnel!

They were precisely detonated between the second motorcycle and the Japanese squad that was lying down and packed together!

The violent explosion sent the second motorcycle, along with three or four Japanese soldiers hiding behind it, flying into the air!
Broken parts and severed limbs flew everywhere, and scorching flames swept down, carrying deadly fragments!

Thick smoke and flames instantly engulfed an area near the valley entrance.

Screams rose and fell, and Lieutenant Yamada only had time to let out half a desperate roar before a huge piece of shrapnel ripped off half of his head!
This sudden and massive casualty inflicted chaos and panic among the Japanese troops to its peak! The surviving soldiers fled in terror, unable to find any safe direction.

"Whoosh..." Just then, a shrill whistle came from outside the valley, followed by the heavy rumble of armored vehicle tracks crushing the ground!
"Platoon leader! Enemy reinforcements! Armored vehicles!" The soldier relayed the enemy's movements again through a straw rope signal.

"Good! Just in time, that's exactly what we're going to do!" Geng Dazhuang showed no panic, a cold smile playing on his lips. "Attention everyone, proceed as planned! Take turns providing cover, retreat!"

As soon as the signal was given, the firepower on the cliff suddenly became sparse and precise, and several exposed Japanese soldiers were accurately targeted and taken down.

At the same time, several plumes of smoke from the explosion point at the valley entrance rose up, obstructing the Japanese army's view during their pursuit.

Like well-trained shadows, the soldiers quickly holstered their weapons, shouldered their equipment, and retreated in three groups along the pre-prepared hidden paths.

Chen Shi and two soldiers crouched low and quickly crawled toward several key positions pre-arranged at the entrance of the valley.

Booby traps had already been planted there.

They skillfully set up the hair-pulling and hair-pressing devices and carefully disguised them with loose soil and dry grass.

To further confuse the enemy, they deliberately left obvious signs of retreat at the main fork in the road leading to another small village to the south!

Scattered rags, several empty shell casings, and even a wooden handle of a grenade made in the border region that "accidentally" fell to the ground.

This is the equipment of the "Eighth Route Army" that the Japanese army is most familiar with, according to intelligence. The map marks that direction as "open terrain, easy for mechanized pursuit," and there is indeed a road suitable for vehicles, but at its end is another pre-planned dead end.

As the thick smoke dissipated, the Japanese reinforcements had arrived at the valley entrance.

Leading the way was a Type 89 light tank, its clumsy turret turning and its machine gun scanning warily. Behind it followed seven or eight trucks full of soldiers and more infantry.

The squadron leader, Shibasaki, jumped off the truck, and the sight before him made him gasp in shock!
The valley was a scene of devastation, with three motorcycles twisted and burning, and more than twenty Japanese soldiers' corpses lying haphazardly on the ground.

Most of them died in gruesome ways, and the air was thick with the stench of blood and burning flesh. The enemy, however, had vanished without a trace!

"Baka yarou!" Squadron Leader Shibasaki's face turned purple, veins bulging on his neck, as he slammed his foot into the charred wreckage of the motorcycle.

"A bunch of useless trash! They couldn't even stop a few guerrillas!"

As soon as he finished speaking, he drew his command sword and furiously pointed it at the "deliberately" left marks at the southern fork in the road. "They fled south! With armored vehicle support, what are we afraid of! Chase them! Crush them with our wheels! Avenge the fallen Imperial warriors!"

"Hayi..."

(End of this chapter)