Southern guerrilla warfare: I led the Red Seventh Army Corps to amassed a million troops.

The sound of gunfire suddenly rang out in Nanshan, and the two sides engaged in fierce firefights on the narrow mountain road.

The two sides exchanged fire for a while, bullets whistling through the woods, sending bark and wood chips flying everywhere.

Many soldiers were shot and fell to the ground, clutching their wounds and groaning in pain.

His comrades quickly pulled him aside, and a medic bandaged his wounds.

He then sought new firing positions and unleashed bullets of hatred at the enemy.

Hu Tiantao lay prone behind a rock, his Mauser pistol half-emptied.

He squinted and observed for a moment, and quickly determined that the group of Nationalist soldiers opposite him were no ordinary people.

The firing rhythm was steady, and the firing positions were arranged in an extremely cunning manner.

The troops provided alternating cover during each reload interval, clearly indicating that they were highly trained elite troops.

But this judgment did not deter him; instead, it aroused his competitive spirit.

He abruptly ducked behind the rock, changed his magazine, and yelled at the bugler beside him, "Bugler! Sound the charge!"

A loud bugle call suddenly rang out, piercing through the gunfire and smoke in the mountains and forests.

Hu Tiantao drew his bayonet, nocked it at the muzzle of his rifle, and roared, "Comrades! Fix bayonets! Charge with me!"

Before he finished speaking, he was the first to leap out of the cover.

The Red Army soldiers behind him barely hesitated for a moment before leaping up from behind the rocks and tree trunks, fixing their bayonets, and shouting as they charged forward with Hu Tiantao.

Sunlight streamed through the gaps in the tree canopy, shining on the gleaming bayonets and reflecting a blinding light.

Footsteps crunched on fallen leaves and pebbles, making a dull, rapid sound, like a sudden flash flood.

The commander on the Nationalist army's side was also a veteran. When he saw that the other side had fixed bayonets without even giving a warning, his pupils suddenly contracted.

Without a second thought, he drew his command sword from his waist, pointed forward, and shouted, "Brothers! The time has come to serve the Party and the country! Charge!"

The two teams collided violently, like two opposing tides.

A Red Army soldier, bayoneted, lunged at a Nationalist soldier opposite him.

The Nationalist soldier dodged to the side, his bayonet grazing his ribs and tearing his uniform.

He swung the butt of his rifle at the Red Army soldier, who raised his arm to block, but felt a sharp pain in his forearm.

But he gritted his teeth and refused to back down, instead ramming forward, causing the two to tumble to the ground and wrestle together.

Hu Tiantao kicked a Nationalist soldier who was trying to ambush him from the side, and then smashed the butt of his rifle into the face of another enemy who was charging at him. Blood and broken teeth flew together.

He was panting heavily, his eyes scanning the battlefield rapidly.

The Red Army's bayonet fighting skills clearly surpassed those of the Kuomintang's elite troops. The veteran Red Army soldiers who had fought their way up in the mountains of eastern Fujian displayed their close-quarters combat prowess in this moment.

The Nationalist army did not collapse; they continued to grit their teeth and persevere.

The battle lines of both sides were locked in a tug-of-war between pine trees, and every step forward came at the cost of bloodshed.

However, the overall situation on the battlefield was rapidly shifting in favor of the Red Army.

The biggest weakness of the National Revolutionary Army at this moment was its physical strength. They had already exhausted a lot of energy from marching all the way.

They were then ordered to quickly advance into the southern mountains. They were already exhausted and panting heavily.

In contrast, the Red Army was not only known for its iron-footed soldiers, but most importantly, they had been rested and ready to fight, so they still had plenty of energy.

As a result, this weakness was quickly magnified when it came to close combat.

If it weren't for Chen Mingren's strict discipline, the officers and soldiers of the 80th Division would have been routed in their very first encounter.

On the other hand, Su Yu's Third Division was a step too late, and the Nationalist Army's vanguard battalion took the lead in occupying Sangong Mountain.

Left with no other option, Su Yu had to choose to launch a full-scale attack from below...

Danyang Town, the headquarters of the 7th Red Army Corps.

The telegraph machine kept ticking away.

The telegraph operator tore off the decoding paper and strode to the battle map.

"Report! Urgent telegram from the front. Chief of Staff Su Yu has engaged in combat with Chen Mingren's 80th Division. The ambush has turned into an encounter battle. The current situation is unclear."

Zhou Zeyuan took the telegram and scanned the paper with his eyes.

He walked up to the map and sighed softly.

"I guessed the beginning, but not the middle. I wonder if the ending will be as I wish."

Political Department Director Liu Shengmu walked over with a teacup in hand and glanced at the enemy and friendly forces situation on the map.

"We have two divisions against his one, a clear numerical advantage. However, you previously said Chen Mingren was a tough nut to crack, and now it seems he is indeed difficult to deal with. But isn't our Comrade Su Yu a formidable character?"

Zhou Zeyuan laughed and slammed the telegram on the table.

"That's right. Comrade Su Yu was born with a good set of teeth, and he's good at gnawing on tough bones like this."

"Now that Chen Mingren has taken the bait, shouldn't we have Ye Fei's Fujian-East Independent Division withdrawn from the northern front?" Le Shaohua asked.

Commander-in-Chief Zeng Hongyi was wiping his sidearm with his head down, striking a pose like a tough soldier.

But his words immediately ruined his composure: "Why retreat so early? Let's fight a little longer, since we have the advantage now anyway."

He glanced at Le Shaohua and said, "You know, they're both political commissars, so how come Ye Fei is such a good fighter? He can fight against a larger force and still beat them completely."

Le Shaohua's face darkened, feeling as if a sore spot had been hit.

He retorted without hesitation: "You say we're both cadres from the Fujian Military Region, so how come Comrade Zeyuan wins every battle while someone else gets chased around by the white dogs?"

Zeng Hongyi's face flushed red, and he was about to retort.

"Alright." Zhou Zeyuan waved his hand, interrupting the two. "I have a lot to say about this."

The command center fell silent, and everyone looked at Zhou Zeyuan.

Military command is highly dependent on talent. Those with exceptional talent can quickly become leaders with a little training. Those with mediocre talent, even after a lifetime of battles, will only ever be mediocre generals who maintain the status quo.

He straightened up and said solemnly, "I believe that all our comrades are working very hard. Whether they are talented or not, they are all contributing to the revolution. Let's not ridicule each other because of differences in talent."

Zeng Hongyi and Le Shaohua exchanged a glance, then looked away, ceasing their argument.

Liu Shengmu steered the conversation back on track: "Comrade Zeyuan, is Ye Fei's side going to withdraw or not?"

"Reinforcements from Fu'an could arrive at any time. But if Ye Fei withdraws too early, Chen Mingren will be able to free up his forces. Comrade Su Yu is currently locked in a fierce battle. If the Min-Dong Independent Division is preserved, Su Yu will be in trouble."

"My opinion is to give frontline commanders complete authority. I have faith in Comrade Ye Fei's abilities and integrity. Send him a full report on the current overall situation and let him make his own decisions."

"Grant him the authority to make decisions on the spot. If the situation is unfavorable, he may retreat directly without seeking permission."

Liu Shengmu nodded thoughtfully: "Comrade Zeyuan, so you're still advocating for continuing the fight?"

Zhou Zeyuan walked back to the map and traced the points of engagement between the southern and western fronts with his finger.

"Both fronts are now engaged in combat with the enemy. Although the numbers are small, their momentum is considerable. Withdrawing from the battle so early will be detrimental to morale. If we're going to fight, we'll make sure they suffer a crushing defeat."