Chapter 416

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Protagonist:

Lv Muzhi

South of Hanyang Town, on the horizon rolling with smoke and dust, the Youth Army's rocket artillery vanguard was fully supporting the defenders of Hanyang Town.

Lv Ziqing shouted excitedly:

"Brothers! Commander Lu's reinforcements have arrived! The time for counterattack has come!"

Only to see on the distant road, more than ten rocket artillery vehicles lined up in a row, tongues of flame spitting unceasingly.

And in front of these gun vehicles, the outlines of tanks were already faintly visible.

Boom—!

The Youth Army's tanks drew ever closer to Hanyang Town, until the paratroopers could clearly hear the tanks' engine roar.

"The tank troops have arrived too! They're our tanks!"

A paratrooper covered head to toe in blood leaned in the trench, watching the steel monsters whistle past before his eyes, overwhelmed with excitement.

A Sanhao Tank paused for a moment, its tank cannon opening fire on the Japanese positions.

Several medium anti-aircraft vehicles entered Hanyang Town, the four 20mm gun barrels on the vehicles firing simultaneously in direct fire.

What a gruesome sight!

Every 20mm shell could shatter a human body directly.

The Japanese 37th Division reinforcements that had been stubbornly resisting, before this Steel Torrent, were like wheat reaped by a sickle, falling in rows.

The tank troops had no intention of stopping, but continued advancing, launching an attack on the Japanese positions.

More and more Youth Army reinforcements entered Hanyang Town.

They were all rushing from Fenglingdu.

Fenglingdu is eight kilometers from Hanyang Town; the Youth Army infantrymen came running on foot or arrived by vehicle, constantly reinforcing Hanyang Town's defenses.

Finally, Hanyang Town gathered a force sufficient to counterattack and push back the Japanese 37th Division.

The Youth Army's infantry and tanks operated in coordination, launching a counterattack together against the frenzied Japanese to the north of Hanyang Town.

The great army marched mightily!

More than thirty tanks led the way, over two thousand elite Youth Army troops who had just landed at Fenglingdu, fully armed.

Seeing this scene, the fighting spirit of the Special Airborne Regiment was further ignited.

They had been garrisoning Hanyang Town for thirty-six hours already, with the strength of two thousand men, withstanding the attack of over eight thousand men of the Japanese 37th Division!

The troops suffered heavy losses. But they still followed the main force to launch an attack on the enemy facing them.

Lv Ziqing led over nine hundred paratroopers, following the main force in pursuit.

That group of puppet troops who had originally been trembling with fear now also rushed out with guns in hand.

Seeing their own tank cluster so mighty, those puppet troops were practically changed men, battle cries rising one after another.

"Damn it, fighting with this kind of unit, this life hasn't been lived in vain!"

The Japanese to the north of Hanyang Town were soon repelled.

And the Youth Army's armored forces continued advancing, actually pressing the victory to march toward Yuncheng, the garrison of the 37th Division!

The paratroopers of the Special Airborne Regiment had no vehicles, and with continuous combat over several days, their strength was exhausted, so they had to stop.

Lv Muzhi sent a telegram ordering the Special Airborne Regiment to return to Hanyang Town immediately for rest and reorganization; Lv Ziqing had no choice but to act according to the order.

Regimental Commander Lv Ziqing had just returned to Hanyang Town when he saw that Lv Muzhi had already stationed himself in Hanyang Town.

The field hospital entered Hanyang Town together, carrying out emergency surgical treatment for the paratrooper wounded within the town.

Inside the field hospital, Lv Muzhi coordinated a large quantity of medicines and supplies to enter, for the treatment of the paratroopers.

This was a paratrooper unit he had cultivated at great personal expense; relying on them in this battle, they were able to open the southern gate of Shanxi so quickly.

The entire battle lasted less than two days, during which the brave paratroopers alone held out in Hanyang Town for thirty-six hours.

In this less than two days, for Lv Muzhi and the entire Youth Army, it was not long.

But for the Special Airborne Regiment surrounded by the enemy within Hanyang Town, it could be said to be the longest of days!

"Report to Commander Lu! Special Airborne Regiment Commander Lv Ziqing reports as ordered!"

Lv Muzhi turned his head and saw his elder brother's son, Colonel Lv Ziqing.

Before the outbreak of the War of Resistance, Lv Ziqing studied special operations in Hans State; after returning to the country, he started from Company Commander.

After the Jinling Defense War, he led a team to the United States for a year and a half of paratrooper training, serving as commander of the country's first airborne regiment, with the rank of Colonel, yet still able to lead from the front in combat.

This point made Lv Muzhi very gratified.

Although the two were relatives, every time Lv Ziqing fought bravely and took the lead, he could establish immortal military achievements, and no one in the military dared to gossip.

"Lv Ziqing, you fought this battle very bravely; I will award every one of you a medal!"

Lv Ziqing looked at the wounded in the field hospital and said painfully: "These brothers are all men I personally selected; the Airborne Regiment's first combat operation suffered heavy casualties, and I have no face to accept this medal."

Lv Muzhi asked: "What are the casualty figures for this operation?"

"The Special Airborne Regiment had 403 killed in action, 119 seriously wounded, 505 lightly wounded, with casualties exceeding half."

Speaking of this, Lv Ziqing felt quite self-reproachful and was also very angry.

This was also why he previously led his troops to follow the main force in pursuing the 37th Division.

It was simply hatred that drove him!

Lv Muzhi patted his shoulder: "Not bad at all; you used two thousand men to block Japanese artillery bombardment, tank charges, and the轮番 attacks of over eight thousand devils!"

"With your unit here, the morale of the Japanese garrison at Fenglingdu was very low, because behind them they had you, this enemy force; this is also one of the reasons we were able to quickly take Fenglingdu."

Besides this, because of your presence, the Japanese Army's reinforcements have been unable to reach Fenglingdu.

"If you lose Hanyang Town, and the Japanese Army's reinforcements arrive, whether my main army can cross the Yellow River remains an unknown."

"Even if you spend much effort to take Fenglingdu, you must still spend thought attacking Hanyang Town; how much more time is needed is truly difficult to calculate......

Therefore, in this battle, the Special Airborne Regiment is undoubtedly a great contributor!"

After hearing these words, Lv Ziqing's guilt in his heart gradually eased.

"Starting now, the Special Airborne Regiment will rest and reorganize on the spot; there is no need to follow the main army on campaign."

"You are an odd soldier; just stand by at the airport."

"Also, I will think of a way to make up for the Special Airborne Regiment's losses."

"After all...... you cannot stay in this regimental commander's position forever......"

Lv Muzhi said earnestly, forcefully patting his nephew Lv Ziqing's arm.

After hearing this, Lv Ziqing nodded forcefully: "Yes! The Special Airborne Regiment stands by anytime! Always ready to fight!"

After Lv Ziqing left, Qiu Qingquan reported the latest developments on the battlefield to Lv Muzhi.

"Sun Liren leads the Armored Assault Group, has passed through Hanyang Town, entered the flat Jinnan Basin, and is launching an attack on Yuncheng! Striving to pacify Yuncheng in one battle!"

Lv Muzhi stood with his hands behind his back, looking toward the North Side: "Tell Sun Liren that after occupying Yuncheng, the entire army will temporarily stop assaulting."

"Our troops and supply train have not yet completely crossed the river; the troops that have crossed lack supply rations, and Sun Liren should not advance too deep alone as an isolated army, to avoid being surrounded and annihilated by the Japanese Army."

"Once we transport all the artillery units and supply units across the Yellow River, I estimate it will take about one week, and then we can launch a general offensive against the Japanese Army in Shanxi!"