Chapter 145

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Protagonist:

Lv Muzhi

The artillery of the Sixth Regiment under Cangyong Lianzuozhang's regiment was anxiously stranded on the east bank of Qiu Jing River.

The Sixth Regiment possessed four Type 91 75mm mountain guns and six Type 92 70mm infantry guns; these artillery pieces were crucial for the enemy's infantry offensive, but at this moment, because the bridge was destroyed, they could not cross the river in time to provide support.

Also blocked along with them were thirteen Type 89 medium tanks, which likewise needed the bridge to pass.

Already wading across the river were the Second and Third Battalions of the Sixth Regiment, about two thousand-plus infantrymen. As soon as they crossed, under the officers' urging, they quickly used engineer shovels to dig trenches and simple field fortifications in the fields and slopes near the river beach.

"Faster! Faster!"

"Dig! Dig deeper!"

A Japanese sergeant major roared at his subordinates, "The Xia army opposite is very likely the Youth Army! You've heard of their firepower! Yoshizumi Battalion was crushed by one of their battalions! Don't want to be turned into a sieve by their machine guns? Then hurry up and fix the cover!"

The Japanese soldiers, hearing this, dug even more vigorously.

Rumors of the Youth Army's terrifying firepower had long spread through the army; that machine gun bullet rain like splashing water and fierce artillery strikes left these Japanese soldiers with lingering fear.

However, after Liao Yaoxiang heard of the Japanese situation, he did not give them time to deploy calmly.

Just as the Japanese infantry were busy building fortifications and had not yet formed a complete defensive line, a main force regiment dispatched by Liao Yaoxiang split into two routes and launched a pincer movement against the two Japanese battalions in the river beach area.

Cangyong Chengzhi on the east bank of the river saw through binoculars that the troops on the west bank were suffering fierce attacks, and was anxious.

"Unexpectedly the enemy actually dares to come right up! Too bold, this must be Youth Army troops!"

"The artillery squadron deploys on the spot, conducting suppressive fire across the river against the Xia army's offensive force."

At the same time, those thirteen Type 89 medium tanks also came over, stopping on the east bank of Qiu Jing River, using their 57mm short-barreled guns and vehicle-mounted machine guns as fixed turrets, firing at Xia army targets within sight on the west bank, attempting to block Liao Yaoxiang's force's offensive and provide fire support for those two battalions of Japanese.

Liao Yaoxiang held up binoculars, saw the Japanese infantry resisting desperately with their backs to the river, artillery and tanks providing fire support from the opposite bank, thought briefly, and ordered: "The attacking force don't get too close, just harass those two battalions of Japanese with fire, lest these Japanese dogs jump the wall when cornered and fight a battle with their backs to the water!"

"Have our artillery units arrived?"

"Report to Liao Commander, trucks are hauling the artillery, still one kilometer to the designated position!"

"Good! Have them hurry, our position is right here; when the time comes the artillery will press down on the Japanese tanks by the river, as for those two battalions of Japanese, don't let them counterattack, and don't let them slip away to the rear, I'll deal with them later!"

A regiment under Liao Yaoxiang maintained a considerable distance from the Japanese, only conducting fire harassment.

The Japanese infantry who crossed the river suddenly became like pawns who have crossed the river; facing the suppression of Liao Yaoxiang's brigade, they could not advance half a step; wanting to turn back, a river separated them, and rashly jumping into the water they feared the Xia State Army would press up.

"Engineer Battalion! Quickly repair the bridge!" Cangyong Chengzhi urged.

Only when the floating bridge was repaired could the two infantry battalions ahead retreat; even if they wanted to fight, their own tanks had to cross the bridge to engage.

However, just as the engineers were repairing the bridge, Liao Yaoxiang's artillery had already arrived at the battlefield and established an artillery position.

Twelve 75mm mountain guns, shells whistling over the Youth Army's heads, then flying onto the heads of the little Japanese on the west bank.

The Type 92 75mm infantry guns of each battalion were also hauled into position by trucks, simply gathered together, totaling twelve, firing at the little Japanese.

"Not good~ Artillery fire, take cover!" A Japanese veteran shouted, burying his head and lying on the ground.

But discovered the shells continued to fly, directly crossing Qiu Jing River, some blowing up the half-repaired pontoon bridge by the engineers, others falling into the Japanese tank formation ahead!

The Japanese tanks acted as mobile turrets scattered along the riverbank, firing at Liao Yaoxiang's infantry; unexpectedly they were directly countered by Liao Yaoxiang's artillery.

Explosion firelight and smoke dust instantly rose among the Japanese trenches; the fortifications just dug were fragile under artillery fire, Japanese soldiers were blown into chaos, casualties heavy.

Boom boom boom!

In Qiu Jing River, on the shore instantly fell into a sea of fire; not only was the pontoon bridge completely destroyed, but the tracks of two Type 89 tanks were blown off by artillery counterfire.

The remaining Japanese tanks hurriedly retreated away from the riverbank, staying with the artillery position.

The Japanese artillery position consisted of six Type 92 70mm infantry guns and four Type 91 75mm mountain guns, totaling ten; caliber was roughly the same as Liao Yaoxiang's brigade, the highest being only 75mm caliber, but in quantity simply incomparable.

Not to mention the Type 92 infantry guns the little Japanese were proud of; meeting the Youth Army's Type 92 75mm infantry guns, range and power could not compare to the Youth Army.

Cangyong Lianzuozhang saw his two battalions of infantry on the opposite bank being bombed by Liao Yaoxiang's artillery; thinking of his Yoshizumi Battalion almost annihilated, he felt very uncomfortable.

"Eight-gah, if we keep fighting like this, I'm afraid my entire regiment will be wiped out!"

The tank unit commander also advised: "Cangyong Lianzuozhang, with the Youth Army blocking us on the opposite bank, we'd better turn around quickly, otherwise we'll all be done for here!"

Cangyong Chengzhi thought it over; this battle had already been fought for over two hours; he finally made up his mind to abandon the plan to attack the left wing of the landing point.

"Order Nomura Squadron and Miyamoto Squadron to cover in front; everyone else turn back and turn around!"

However, Liao Yaoxiang had previously been dispatching troops to pin them down in front, while also long ago dispatching an elite battalion, along Qiu Jing River three kilometers to the north; the whole battalion's soldiers had outflanked to the flank of the Japanese artillery position.

The officers and men of the elite battalion responsible for outflanking, although not carrying anti-tank guns, still brought the Type 92 20mm machine cannon.

Dealing with Japanese tanks, the 37mm anti-tank gun was indeed useful, but weighing three or four hundred kilograms it couldn't be carried across the river; by comparison, the 20mm machine cannon weighed only sixty-eight kilograms; the Youth Army soldiers directly carried the machine cannon across the river.

Along with the Youth Army soldiers crossing the river with artillery, naturally there were also a large number of mortars.

After the Japanese left two squadrons of infantry to cover the rear, over a thousand other Japanese began successively crossing the river to withdraw.

But after the elite battalion soldiers crossed the river, they suddenly emerged from the flank, catching the Japanese crossing the river completely off guard.

Dense machine gun fire and mortar shells kept smashing into the river; Qiu Jing River was instantly dyed a bloody red.

The Japanese artillery and tank soldiers completely did not expect the flank to be attacked; the Type 89 medium tanks started their engines, about to move forward to support.

The artillerymen who were focused on firing toward the south bank were instead mowed down in swaths by machine gun bullets sweeping from the side; artillery operation instantly stalled.