Chapter 23: Push Forward 500 Meters

Hahaha, truly a dog can't change its habit of eating shit; Sakata this old devil, after suffering a loss once, still acts like this coward.

Behind a bunker on the frontline, Li Yunlong raised his binoculars and saw the Japanese laying wires below a small hill; soon a communications antenna went up on the hilltop, and Sakata's command post was quickly erected. This made Li Yunlong overjoyed, as if he had eaten bee feces.

He really couldn't fathom how Sakata Nobutetsu, having lost nearly a thousand men, could still be so brazen as to openly place his command post directly opposite his position.

Sakata, Sakata, Kong Erlengzi's weapon will be paid for with your head; whether I can continue as regiment commander depends on whether the brigade commander wants to use your head as a chamber pot.

In fact, Sakata had reasons for building his command post so close to the frontline.

First, he thought the defending Eighth Route Army unit opposite had no heavy weapons left. Even if they hid some ammunition, this position was beyond the range of their 60mm mortars, so building his command post here was safe.

Second, in his stereotypical view, he was the attacker and the opposite side the defender; given that weapons, materiel, and soldier quality were not in their favor, the opposing commander being able to hold the line was already the limit—how could they possibly attack?

Finally, in this blocking battle, the soldiers of the Great Japanese Locust Army suffered some setbacks, and the troops' fighting spirit was not as high as when they first began the mop‑up. He established his command post in a place where all the Japanese soldiers could see it, to tell his men that their commander was with them.

Unfortunately, Sakata Nobutetsu never imagined that his opponent was a man who would seize every opportunity on the battlefield, and that man's subordinates were a pack of hungry wolves.

Li Yunlong said to his guard Huzi beside him: "Go call Wang Chengzhu for me."

Soon a man with a big head and round face came running from afar—none other than the New 1st Regiment's best artilleryman, Wang Chengzhu.

"Reporting, Regiment Commander, Wang Chengzhu awaits your orders."

Li Yunlong lowered his binoculars, but still stared at the battlefield, and without turning his head told him: "Come over."

After Wang Chengzhu approached, Li Yunlong pointed at the battlefield and handed him the binoculars he was holding.

"Do you see the tents on the slope? Those tents are surely the little devils' command post. Placing their command post this close is not just a slap in my face; it's a contempt for our New 1st Regiment's artillery. The mortars I asked Section Chief Zhang for weren't meant for breeding, and you're going to vent this anger."

Hearing Li Yunlong say that, although he knew the regiment commander was just provoking him, he was still angry.

"Can your guns reach?"

Wang Chengzhu raised his thumb, closed his left eye and opened his right eye—this is the distance‑measuring method often used by artillerymen.

"'Regiment Commander, the distance is too great; it's already beyond range.'"

According to Wang Chengzhu's visual estimate, the Japanese command post is over two kilometers away, and his 60mm mortar cannot reach that far.

"'These little devils are quite cunning, placing their command post outside our range. What do you think? Think of a way and hit them with one shot.'"

Wang Chengzhu narrowed his eyes, calculating the distance in his mind: "Regiment Commander, if my big gun were still here, that would be great—you sent my big gun to the Logistics Department to trade for supplies. If we want to fire now, we need to move forward five hundred meters."

"'You still have the nerve to say that? I didn't just exchange you for six mortars? Cut the crap—I'll send you to the five‑hundred‑meter mark; are you sure you can do it?'"

"'I can, I can.'"

Seeing Wang Chengzhu's hesitation, Li Yunlong said to him: "You little brat, why are you hemming and hawing? Just speak up if you have something to say."

"'Regiment Commander... we only have two shells left!'"

Actually, this isn't Wang Chengzhu's fault. Whether attacking or defending, his duty is the heaviest. He not only has to watch the enemy's light and heavy machine‑gun strongpoints, but also deal with the enemy's grenade launchers and mortars,

and in his spare time he has to help the infantry share the pressure.

Every time he just finished firing, he has to pick up the mortar and move; often before he's even stopped for a few seconds he hears Li Yunlong's shout. "Zhu, you damn well take out that heavy machine gun; Zhu, you're blind—go blow up that grenade launcher for me." Wang Chengzhu can honestly say that not a single shell is wasted; his shells are timely rain for the unit.

Seeing Wang Chengzhu timidly shrinking his neck, bracing for a scolding, Li Yunlong flew into a rage; he understood the reasoning, but he still had to yell.

"'What did you say? Damn it, you prodigal, why don't you use it sparingly? Do you think I'm Yan Lao Xi, a Shanxi landlord?'"

After lecturing Wang Chengzhu, Li Yunlong deeply understood the principle of using both hard and soft measures, and before the battle he also didn't want him too nervous.

"'Hehe, after the battle I'll reward you with half a catty of roasted sweet potato. Besides, I'll personally take you to the Logistics Department to ask Section Chief Zhang for a cannon that shoots far and is thick. But you need to think it over: how to use two shells to knock out the enemy's command post, ah! I'll say the ugly truth up front—if we miss, don't talk about sweet potato noodles; we'll all die here. Got it?'"

"'Yes, I guarantee to complete the mission!' Wang Chengzhu saluted straight and then returned to the rear of the position."

Li Yunlong returned to the command room, preparing to hold a pre‑battle operations meeting.

He needed to decide with the three battalion commanders the specific attack route, firepower preparations, personnel for the first assault wave, and to set up flank guards. All these things had to be arranged early.

Although the battalion commanders of the New 1st Regiment had never received systematic training, and the regiment commander himself was a rough old man, their combat experience was extremely rich, and before forming the regiment they had been cadres in other units. In this era, the cadres of frontline Eighth Route Army units were never incompetent; they were all top‑notch. They often quickly familiarize themselves with the environment, have a keen battlefield sense, and can seize ever‑changing opportunities. Only thus can they survive in occupied territory, sometimes prevailing against superior numbers. For them, a pre‑battle meeting like this takes at most a few minutes to finish.

After the meeting ended, the battalion commanders conveyed the specific battle plan, including preparations for dealing with unexpected events.

Li Yunlong then went to find Zhang Dabiao to inquire about the situation of the assault team.

"'Zhang Dabiao, how ready is the assault team?'"

No matter which country's armed forces, assault teams usually suffer the highest casualties. They are the spear that tears open the enemy's body, the scouts that detect enemy troop dispositions, the shields that protect comrades. They are a force that, with a small strength, can defeat several times their own number and, for the main force, clear obstacles to accomplish the mission.

"'Regiment Commander, just look— in terms of firepower we're inferior to the little devils, but in bayonet combat we Chinese are their ancestors! Today we will teach the little devils how to be human, teach them how to honor their ancestors.'"

"'Hahaha, you need to bring back the spirit of the Big Sword Team, chop off a few more devils' heads, and give me some face.'"

"'Five hundred meters ahead, the unit will advance five hundred meters. Hold that position, buy time for the artillery!'"