Bright Sword: From Northwest Shanxi to Changjin Lake, a Hundred Battles, a Hundred Victories

Chapter 12 Ambush
"I know the soldiers are all great and fearless, but if you want to earn a mission, then show me what you're capable of. Don't just stand here bluffing and glaring at me; it's useless."

"If you can't figure it out, then think about it slowly."

"Yes." Wang Gui saluted Chen Ming and left, holding his anger in his throat.

Once they stepped outside, several soldiers immediately surrounded them.

"Captain, how did it go? Did you manage to secure the mission?"

"Strive for what? Let me train them all, don't get in the way."

Wang Gui, who dared not lash out in front of Chen Ming, finally found someone to vent his anger on when a group of squad leaders surrounded him.

The squad leaders who had been scolded by Wang Gui could only smile awkwardly.

They knew their unit's training level was inferior to that of the first platoon, so they encouraged the platoon leader to ask the captain for a mission, hoping to try their luck even if it seemed hopeless.

As expected, squad leader Wang Gui was scolded by the captain.

"Hehe, let's go organize the soldiers for training right away."

The squad leaders scattered in a panic.

Wang Gui wasn't idle either; he went to training as well. He was determined to train hard and then use his skills to snatch the mission from the other squad leaders next time.

Before long, the more than forty soldiers of the first squad and the six soldiers of the sharpshooter squad assembled.

After being provided with weapons and ammunition, Chen Ming led his team to set off.

An hour and a half later, Chen Ming led his team to a place called Huangtuling.

This was a crucial route for the Japanese to transport grain. The road was elevated above the surrounding hills, making it an unsuitable place for an ambush.

This was a choice Chen Ming made specifically for this purpose.

Since they could all figure out that this place was unsuitable for ambushes due to the low ground, the Japanese could naturally figure it out as well.

There were also places suitable for ambushes along the Japanese transport routes.

However, the Japanese would be highly vigilant in such places, and if they discovered the enemy in advance, the ambush would turn into an encounter battle.

Chen Ming wasn't confident he could win an encounter battle against the Japanese with a 5:3 troop ratio.

Even if they win, the casualties are something Chen Ming cannot afford.

An ambush at Huangtuling could be a surprising and decisive victory, catching the Japanese off guard.

"Hurry up and dig hidden trenches. Make sure they are well concealed and that the Japanese can't see them from the road," Chen Ming ordered.

"Yes."

The soldiers of the first detachment began earthwork, digging trenches to hide the troops.

The most important advantages of ambush warfare where the enemy is at a lower elevation are concealment and surprise. Such battles require accurate intelligence and meticulous organization.

And coincidentally, Chen Ming, who possesses a three-dimensional combat map, can leverage this advantage to the fullest.

After the trenches were dug, Chen Ming inspected them from the road. They were indeed very well hidden, and it would be difficult to find them without carefully looking for subtle flaws.

In this unsuitable location for ambushes, the Japanese soldiers were far less vigilant than at ambush sites with steep terrain.

After digging the trenches to hide the soldiers, Chen Ming began laying landmines on the highway.

This time, their squad has pulled out all the stops, gathering all the explosives they've accumulated for this ambush.

One day later, at noon.

As more than thirty red dots appeared on the three-dimensional combat map in Chen Ming's mind, Chen Ming knew that the Japanese had arrived.

"Prepare for battle, the Japanese are coming."

Chen Ming gave the order.

Before long, five Japanese trucks came into view.

Their ambush point, situated between the Japanese stronghold and the county town, was frequently raided and therefore relatively safe. Furthermore, the Japanese still had sufficient resources, using trucks to transport grain. The five trucks, distributed with the troops, reflected a strategy of "heavy force at the front, light force at the rear, and a combination of feints and real attacks."

The first truck also had a heavy machine gun mounted on its roof, which was used for reconnaissance and fire suppression.

Seeing the Japanese troops' deployment, Chen Ming had a plan in mind.

As the first Japanese truck approached the designated ambush location, Chen Ming said in a low voice, "Get ready."

"boom!"

As Chen Ming pressed the simple electronic detonator, a huge roar was heard, and the first truck, which had the most Japanese soldiers and the best equipment, instantly turned into a ball of fire.

This explosion killed more than a dozen Japanese soldiers.

"beat!"

At Chen Ming's command, the soldiers, who were already prepared, threw out all the grenades they carried.

The hidden tunnels were only about 20 meters away from the road. At that distance, even a woman could throw a grenade at the Japanese soldiers.

In an instant, more than twenty grenades were thrown next to the truck behind the Japanese soldiers. After a series of explosions, the Japanese soldiers were stunned and disoriented.

"Come at me!"

Seeing that only seven or eight Japanese soldiers were still able to move, Chen Ming ordered a charge.

The distance of over twenty meters was covered in just a few breaths. Before the Japanese soldiers could organize an effective counterattack, they were shot dead by a group of soldiers.

"That was awesome! So awesome!"

Dafei grabbed the team's only machine gun and fired it, yelling how exhilarating it was.

This was the first time he had ever fought such a thrilling battle; with just one charge, more than thirty Japanese soldiers were wiped out.

The other soldiers also had smiles on their faces.

"Quickly clean up the battlefield, see if there are any surviving Japanese soldiers, finish them off as soon as possible, and then report the casualties," Chen Ming ordered.

This place is only twelve kilometers away from Ping'an County. It would take the Japanese no more than two hours to discover it and arrive at the scene.

If we drag this out for too long, it will be difficult to retreat.

"Yes."

The soldiers happily began cleaning up the battlefield. When they discovered some Japanese soldiers still alive, five or six soldiers rushed at them and stabbed them more than a dozen times before stopping.

As the last Japanese soldier died, a voice echoed in Chen Ming's mind.

[Congratulations, Commander! Your team has successfully completed an annihilation battle and has earned a Level 2 Shooting Badge.]

[Level 2 Shooting Badge: Increases the shooting accuracy of your troops by 40%]

"Report to the captain: In this ambush, we killed a total of 35 Japanese soldiers. Our squad suffered two deaths, one serious injury, and four minor injuries. One of the minor injuries was caused by twisting his ankle while charging too fast."

"One intact truck, four scrapped trucks, one Type 92 heavy machine gun, two light machine guns, twenty-nine Type 38 rifles, a number of bullets, and a number of hand grenades were seized."

"In addition, fifteen tons of grain were seized."

Dafei reported happily.

This ambush was undoubtedly a great victory.

The casualty ratio between the two sides reached 1:5. Although it was just a small battle, this casualty ratio was very rare at this time!

If reported to higher authorities, it would definitely be a combat case study for the entire army to learn from, and an excellent combat experience.

"Hurry up and gather the supplies, then retreat immediately. The Japanese will find out soon."

Chen Ming gave the order.

(End of this chapter)