You were tasked with guarding the Sihang Warehouse, and you brought out a Tiger tank?

Suddenly, several Japanese soldiers carrying Type 38 rifles emerged from a half-collapsed Japanese trench ahead, attempting to put up a last-ditch resistance.

Before they could even pull the bolt...

The first few soldiers of the guerrilla division at the forefront opened fire with their MP-40 submachine guns.

"Da da da da—"

A barrage of 9mm pistol bullets instantly felled the Japanese soldiers in the trench.

The suppressive firepower of submachine guns in close-quarters combat prevented the Japanese soldiers' single-shot rifles from even raising their heads.

Just then, a burst of machine gun fire suddenly erupted from a hidden earthen cave on the side.

Two soldiers from the First Guerrilla Division were shot and fell to the ground.

The attacking team immediately sought cover and lay down.

"Flamethrower soldiers! Charge!"

A squad leader shouted.

A soldier carrying two huge metal canisters, under the cover of two submachine gunners, crouched low and quickly approached the earthen cave.

When they were still more than 20 meters away from the cave entrance, the flamethrower soldier stopped, raised his flamethrower, and aimed it at the entrance.

"call--"

With a hissing sound as high-pressure gas was released, a blazing orange-red pillar of fire shot out.

The gasoline mixture, like a fiery dragon, shot straight into the earthen hole.

The flames spread along the tunnel, sticking to the cave walls and burning wildly.

A pungent smell of burning and fuel instantly filled the air.

"ah--!"

A heart-wrenching scream came from deep within the cave.

Several Japanese soldiers, their bodies engulfed in flames, threw down their weapons and rushed out of the cave entrance screaming.

They rolled frantically on the ground, trying to extinguish the flames on their bodies.

However, napalm cannot be easily extinguished; instead, it burns even more intensely.

The assault riflemen on the perimeter mercilessly pulled their triggers, riddling the firemen with bullets and ending their suffering.

Liu Yongnian slowly lowered the binoculars, his hands trembling slightly.

He looked at the well-coordinated and fiercely armed soldiers, and at the Japanese positions destroyed by flames and shells.

He turned his head, looked at the equally dumbfounded chief of staff, and let out a long sigh.

"Jingyun."

Liu Yongnian's voice was somewhat hoarse, and his tone was full of emotion and bitterness.

"This is what fighting a war is all about."

In the past, we used to carry Hanyang rifles and charge forward against the Japanese machine guns and cannons.

That's not called fighting a war.

That's called reckless action!

-----

a few days later.

"Commander, we have a clear understanding of the situation of each battalion and company."

Chief of Staff Jing Yun, holding a few thin sheets of paper, walked heavily to Liu Yongnian and handed him the newly compiled casualty statistics.

"Our Independent 45th Brigade originally had more than 3,000 brothers."

After these recent series of fierce battles, especially the previous charge at Niujiaoling.

Now, there are only a little over a thousand left who are still alive and able to hold a gun.

Those seriously wounded were taken to General Lin's military hospital, along with those with minor injuries who were holding on, totaling several hundred people.

Liu Yongnian took the list and looked at the names lined up one by one, his eyes welling up with tears.

He led troops for more than a decade, fighting his way from the loess plateau of Northwest China all the way to the Central Plains.

Many of these young men from the Northwest were people he had watched grow up; they were veterans he had personally trained.

After this battle, the Independent 45th Brigade was completely devastated, its very structure almost broken.

"A little over a thousand..."

Liu Yongnian muttered to himself and slammed the list heavily on the table.

He knew it perfectly well.

The man surnamed Tang transferred them to Black Mountain to be the main attacking force, precisely to wear them down.

Now that the 45th Brigade has been decimated, Old Tang is absolutely not going to show mercy and replenish their troops and weapons.

Even after the battle is over, Old Tang will use the excuse of severe troop losses and loss of combat effectiveness to directly revoke the designation of the Independent 45th Brigade.

At that point, he, as the brigade commander, will either be completely stripped of his position or given a sinecure.

The remaining brothers from the Northwest would be completely scattered and incorporated into various units of the Central Army to be looked down upon.

"In Lao Tang's eyes, we ragtag troops are just expendable resources, cannon fodder used to fill holes."

Liu Yongnian gritted his teeth, his fists clenched so tightly they cracked.

The chief of staff sighed, walked to the lookout post of the command post, and looked at the soldiers resting outside.

"Brigadier General, take another look at Commander Lin's troops."

The chief of staff turned his head, his tone full of emotion.

"Lin Feng is now the commander of the Shandong Provincial Military Region, the guerrilla commander of the Jiangsu-Shandong War Zone, and the deputy commander of the Fifth War Zone."

Not only does he hold a high position of power, but he also enjoys an exceptionally good reputation among the people nationwide.

The key is that they are righteous!

The seriously wounded soldiers we evacuated earlier were taken to rear hospitals for free treatment without any hesitation, and trucks were sent to transport them directly.

We have to acknowledge this kindness.

The chief of staff walked back to the table, lowered his voice, and continued:

"Moreover, their soldiers are better equipped, better trained, and their food is incomparable."

They're the First Guerrilla Division, don't be fooled by the name.

I just visited their grassroots positions, and their logistics are ten times better than those of the Central Army's German-equipped divisions!

Each of their companies has a dedicated cooking squad and field kitchen vehicle.

After the soldiers finished fighting and withdrew, they could immediately enjoy hot soup and meals.

The chief of staff swallowed hard, seemingly recalling the scene he had just witnessed.

"Everyone either gets a full meal of mixed grain steamed buns or a hot bowl of mixed grain rice every day."

Occasionally, there are also large steamed buns and rice made entirely of white flour.

Canned meat was even distributed directly to the squad and platoon level to improve their meals.

Various fresh vegetables, vermicelli, and soups simmered in lard, along with a variety of pickled and salted vegetables, are prepared.

At this point, the chief of staff's eyes reddened.

"Traveler, take another look at us."

Since Commander-in-Chief Han was executed, we, the Northwest Army, have become like orphans.

Our superiors not only found ways to withhold our military pay.

The military rations we were given were all moldy, smelly, and old grain mixed with sand.

The brothers could break half a tooth with just one bite.

As for meat and oil, they haven't seen any for months.

"Our brothers are hungry, armed with broken guns, what makes them think they can fight the Japanese devils to the death?"

The chief of staff pulled Liu Yongnian by the arm and led him to the lookout point, pointing outside.

"Brothers, look at the brothers..."

Liu Yongnian looked in the direction the chief of staff was pointing.

On an open space not far away, soldiers of the First Guerrilla Division were taking turns resting and eating.

Several tin cans of meat were pried open, and a rich aroma of meat wafted over on the wind.

Meanwhile, the remnants of the Independent 45th Brigade were all surrounding the enemy's position.

They were all covered in dirt and looked on with longing as the other man used a bayonet to pick up large chunks of beef and chewed them with white bread.

Several young soldiers from the Northwest had their Adam's apples bobbing up and down, swallowing hard, their eyes filled with longing.

This scene was like a knife stabbing into Liu Yongnian's heart.