Chapter 30

·

·

·

Protagonist:

Lv Muzhi

The principal was immersed in the joy of commanding heavy troops when He Yingqin walked over: "Principal, General Galun has arrived."

"Oh? Invite him to the command headquarters immediately to discuss specific combat strategies together."

Upon hearing General Galun's name, the principal put away the pleased expression on his face, turned, and walked into the command headquarters.

Ye Jianying and a group of senior officers followed him into the command headquarters.

Inside the command headquarters, a city district map hung on the wall, with a long rectangular table in the center; the principal sat at the head, Soviet Chief Military Advisor General Galun sat first on the left, Liao Zhongkai, who had hurried back from Shaoguan, sat first on the right, and the rest were various military officers.

General Galun stood up directly and walked behind the principal, in front of the map.

The principal turned around to watch how General Galun would deploy.

"Comrades, the Merchant Corps Army is not worth a single blow; our army must first seize Dazhatou Railway Station within Guangzhou City as the pivot for our converging attack on the Merchant Corps Army;

The reason Dazhatou Station was chosen as the attack pivot is first, it facilitates offensive support from the Grand Marshal's Office Ironclad Vehicle Squadron; second, our army can ride the railway and charge straight into Huangsha Station, which lies south of the Merchant Corps' West Gate Headquarters, less than one kilometer away—in Chinese terms, we can strike straight at the enemy's heart!"

Everyone at the meeting table agreed wholeheartedly; originally the principal had wanted to first retake the Police Bureau and use it as the attack pivot, but now it seemed Dazhatou Station was more suitable.

After hearing Military Advisor General Galun's words, the principal said nothing, merely nodding repeatedly.

General Galun continued: "After taking Dazhatou Station, we will divide our forces into three routes: the Whampoa Student Army, Workers' Corps Army, Peasants' Corps Army, and Ironclad Vehicle Fleet will form the Southern Route Army, riding the train to charge straight in and launch an attack on the Merchant Corps Army from the south;

The Hunan Army will form the Eastern Route Army, retake the Police Bureau, then turn west to attack the Merchant Corps' West Gate Headquarters;

The Yue Army will form the Northern Route Army, flanking from the north side;

The Fu Army will serve as the Western Route Army, flanking to the west side of Xiguan, coordinating with warships to cut off their retreat route;

Other route forces will conduct a carpet search of Guangzhou City, mopping up remnants of the Merchant Corps in every corner of the city."

As soon as General Galun finished speaking, the principal stood up and said: "General Galun's meaning is my meaning; everyone just do as General Galun says. Anyone who cowers in battle will be subject to military law!"

"Yes!"

All the generals in the command headquarters stood up together, accepting the principal's leadership.

Woo! Woo-woo!!

An armored train five carriages long came from the east, continuously sounding its whistle.

"Whampoa Student Army, set out immediately, marching and fighting by squad; each squad will be commanded by a squad leader together with one instructor!" As soon as He Yingqin walked out of the command headquarters, he shouted at the Whampoa Student Army outside.

The Whampoa Students had four student companies, each student company had subordinate squads, totaling eleven squads.

The students immediately lined up by squad; Lv Muzhi was in Student Company Two, Squad Six, totaling over forty men, jointly commanded by Squad Leader Jiang Dingwen and Instructor Liu Zhi.

Jiang Xiangyun and Song Xilian were in Student Company One, Squad One; Chen Geng was in Student Company Three, Squad Eight.

Lv Muzhi observed that his squad also included many future tough characters: Li Zhilong, Gui Yongqing, Zheng Dongguo, Huang Wei, and others.

"Quick! Follow the train, advance at a run!" Squad Leader Jiang Dingwen gave the order, and Lv Muzhi's student army unit immediately spread their legs and ran after the armored train forward, their target pointing straight at Dazhatou Station.

Apart from this armored train, the troops had only a very few horses carrying supplies; grassroots officers and soldiers all had to advance at a run, while senior officers, lacking horses to ride, even needed to be carried in sedan chairs on the march.

"Run faster! Once we take Dazhatou Station, we can requisition the trains inside!" Liu Zhi shouted urgently.

The Grand Marshal's Office Ironclad Vehicle Squadron's five carriages were equipped with machine gun embrasures and heavy machine gun rotating turrets, leading the way on the rails as the vanguard clearing the path.

The various infantry units following behind divided into three routes and launched a fierce attack on Dazhatou Station.

"Boss! Those soldiers are coming! They're going to attack the station!"

Inside Dazhatou Station, a Merchant Corps soldier shouted at Lu Renjia, the Merchant Corps squad leader guarding the station.

Lu Renjia had served as a soldier in many warlord forces, was experienced, and was personally recruited by Merchant Corps Regiment Commander Chen Lianbo to train and command the Merchant Corps Army.

Lu Renjia placed his hand on his forehead, looked into the distance, and indeed discovered a huge crowd of people on the eastern tracks.

"Damn it, so many people—I should have torn up the tracks earlier!" Lu Renjia slapped his thigh in anger.

"What do we do now, Squad Leader?"

"What else can we do? Pile all the coal blocks in the station onto the tracks, don't let those iron turtles from across get close. Once those foot soldiers arrive, each of us fires three shots—that will be worth the pay Regiment Commander Chen Lianbo gave us! After that, whether you retreat to Xiguan to rely on Regiment Commander Chen or become prisoners is up to you!" The Merchant Corps squad leader panted heavily, clearly believing this battle had no chance of victory—he only had over a hundred men.

Afterwards it's either return to Xiguan to seek refuge with Chen Tuan Zhang or be a prisoner, your choice!" The Merchant Corps squadron leader panted, clearly thinking this combat had no chance of victory—he had only over a hundred men.

The armored train approached the station, sounding its whistle as a final warning.

The Armored Train approached the station, sounded its whistle, as a final warning.

On the train station platform, the Merchant Corps squad leader, from behind sandbags, was the first to open fire on the armored train.

Bullets struck the iron plates covering the armored train, leaving only white dots.

Bullets struck the iron plates covering the Armored Train, leaving only white dots.

The rotating machine gun turret on the armored train had a Maxim Heavy Machine Gun firing at the platform.

On the Armored Train, a rotating machine gun tower, a Maxim Heavy Machine Gun was opening fire at the Platform.

Some Merchant Corps soldiers hadn't even fired three shots before being hit by the heavy machine gun, rolling on the ground or clinging to their last breath.

Some Merchant Corps soldiers had not yet fired three shots before being hit by the heavy machine gun, rolling on the ground or clinging to life.

The suppression army under the principal's command, divided into three routes, launched an attack on Dazhatou Station.

The Whampoa Student Army where Lv Muzhi was located was in the center route, advancing with the Ironclad Vehicle Fleet; the Workers' Corps Army and Peasants' Corps Army led by Instructor Wu were also in the center route.

It could be said that the Merchant Corps Army guarding Dazhatou Railway Station was not worth a single blow.

Many Merchant Corps soldiers fired one or two shots, then threw down their guns and surrendered with hands raised, or ran toward the West Gate Headquarters in the rear.

In this battle, Lv Muzhi's Mosin-Nagant Rifle fired only five shots; after emptying the magazine, he was burying his head in reloading when the battle ended.

"Is that it? I didn't even kill a single enemy!" Li Zhilong slung his rifle over his shoulder, feeling somewhat incredulous.

"Is that all? I haven't killed a single enemy!" Li Zhilong slung his rifle over his shoulder, feeling incredulous.

Jiang Xiangyun happened to be nearby, saying: "This is just a side dish to whet the appetite. The Merchant Corps Army numbers in the tens of thousands; what we just saw was only about a hundred. The main force is still behind!"

"That's right, but don't let your guard down. Although the quality of the Merchant Corps Army personnel is poor, their numbers are there. When it truly comes to no retreat, don't forget that even a cornered rabbit will bite!" Lv Muzhi looked around, checking for enemies in the dark; he did not want to be shot by a cold gun.

"Hey! Lv Muzhi! Bring the Fifth Squad and get on the train quickly!" Instructor Liu Zhi was in the distance, having already climbed onto a coal-hauling freight train, waving to Lv Muzhi.

The Whampoa Student Army, Workers' Corps Army, and Peasants' Corps Army searched for trains inside the train station to serve as transportation for the next phase of the march on Xiguan.

The station has been taken; troops are clearing obstacles on the railway line. The battle to annihilate the Merchant Corps has entered Phase Two—divide and converge!

All armies under the Principal's command advanced triumphantly, unstoppable, as if victory were already within reach.

The Armored Vehicle Fleet, Whampoa Student Army, and Worker-Peasant Corps Army rode trains as the Southern Route;

the Yue Army as the Eastern Route;

the Hunan Army as the Northern Route;

the Fu Army as the Western Route.

Inside a coal-dust-covered freight carriage, Liu Zhi was rallying the students before battle: "Students! The doom of the Merchant Corps Army is at hand. Do not be afraid; be willing to sacrifice your lives for the revolution and dedicate yourselves to the ideology!"