Chapter 68

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Protagonist:

Lv Muzhi

Lv Muzhi nodded: "Exactly. The rebel artillery positions inside Huizhou City are actually one-time use; the rebel artillery inside Huizhou City has no cover or obstruction, unlike our artillery placed on high ground. As soon as the rebels fire a shot, Commander Chen Cheng can quickly capture their artillery position opposite."

"If I were the rebels, I wouldn't easily use the artillery positions inside the city until the final moment, unless our army launches a total attack."

While speaking, Chen Cheng guided the artillery to counter the rebel artillery positions inside the city. Fifteen minutes later, the rebel artillery fell completely silent.

Then the artillery bombarded the exposed heavy machine gun firepower points on the city wall. Bricks and stones crumbled everywhere on the wall, and the rebel machine gunners were thrown high into the sky by the shock wave, then fell heavily back down from the city wall.

"Then... Muzhi, why do you say our army taking Huizhou City will be more difficult?" Liu Zhi asked with intent.

Lv Muzhi said honestly: "Regimental Commander Liu clearly knows, yet you still test me?"

Seeing Liu Zhi just smile, Lv Muzhi continued: "Just because our First Division's main force is still here watching the show. Huizhou City is a big city, unlike Danshui City which is a small city. The Principal has already seen that Huizhou City is hard to fight and is unwilling to send the main force into battle."

Speaking, Lv Muzhi pointed to the ammunition boxes on the artillery position: "Our shell supply, I fear, is not enough to support us taking Huizhou City today."

Indeed, although Chen Cheng's artillery achieved good attack results, the firepower on the rebel city wall remained extremely fierce.

Some experienced rebel machine gunners could skillfully fire single shots, avoiding continuous firing that would expose their position.

Plus the city wall was long and wide enough, so the rebels could keep moving and changing positions on the wall.

The soldiers of the Fourth Regiment, Second Brigade, First Army facing the wide city wall only felt bullets coming from all directions, unlike Danshui, that small city, where the rebels' firepower deployment was only on that short city wall.

After fighting for an afternoon, although Huizhou City was battered by artillery into a thousand holes and a hundred holes, the rebels still firmly held the city wall.

Fighting until dusk, the field artillery shells were nearly exhausted. The Fourth Regiment attacking the North Gate organized five attacks, all repelled by the rebels on Huizhou City.

The Principal ordered Chen Cheng to stop the artillery strike, and all units to stop attacking the city.

On Fei'e Ridge, the Principal, who originally did not want to fight Huizhou, turned to Military Chief Advisor General Galun: "General, Huizhou is hard to attack. I propose leaving one regiment to monitor the Huizhou garrison, while the other regiments bypass Huizhou and directly attack Hailufeng."

General Galun, however, frowned: "The reason Huizhou is hard to attack is merely that the Principal's determination is lacking. If we concentrate our forces, taking Huizhou is not impossible."

Speaking, General Galun also deliberately glanced at the three regimental commanders of the First Division watching the battle from the rear on Fei'e Ridge.

He Yingqin, as the commander of the First Division, felt his face burning and stood up directly: "Principal, the First Division requests to fight for Huizhou!"

Political Advisor Paul Ting also advised: "The Principal previously said that whether attacking Huizhou succeeds or not, the time limit is two days. Only one day has passed now, why change your mind again?"

"The road of the Eastern Expedition is still long. I don't want our officers and men to leave too much blood here." The Principal shook his head and said somewhat regretfully.

The three divisions of this First Army were established by the Principal with great difficulty, like his own treasures.

Wu Instructor insisted: "Principal, retreating now is equivalent to suffering a great defeat. The morale of our officers and men will inevitably drop, and it will also make other rebels think our army is weak, provoking the enemy to become even more arrogant. If we don't shed some blood to take Huizhou, there will be endless trouble!"

"Yes, Principal! My First Division's three regiments request again to join the attack sequence!" He Yingqin requested.

Seeing no one supported him, the Principal could not make the First Army his own one-man rule, so he nodded: "Alright then, let's try once more."

First Division Commander He Yingqin immediately suggested: "Since that's the case, I have three proposals:

First, transfer the Aircraft Squadron to drop bombs. Although the effect is not great, it can be used to intimidate the enemy;

Second, surround three sides and leave one open, opening the East Gate to let the enemy escape;

Third, continue the convention of attacking Danshui City by organizing a Storming Brave Team to lead the storming force in attacking the city together!"

The Principal sighed and waved his hand: "Proceed as such."

That night, the First Army began selecting and organizing the Storming Brave Team throughout the entire army.

Each regiment had a certain quota for the Storming Brave Team. As a regimental commander, Liu Zhi naturally had to mobilize his subordinates to join the Storming Brave Team.

But what Liu Zhi did not expect was that his Special Service Company Commander Lv Muzhi was the first to sign up.

"Muzhi, you must think this through. This is no joke." Liu Zhi advised.

Lv Muzhi had already let it go: "My platoon leaders are all eagerly signing up. If I shrink back at the critical moment, it would be truly hard to convince the crowd. Also, if I don't fight desperately, how can I stand out among so many outstanding contemporaries?"

Liu Zhi stepped forward and patted Lv Muzhi's hand: "Muzhi, the honor of the First Regiment is entrusted to you!"

Lv Muzhi nodded heavily. To rise quickly, scheming and taking shortcuts won't do; one must show oneself in hard and bitter battles.

Liu Zhi selected one hundred and fifty Storming Brave Team members from the entire regiment, including many graduates of Whampoa Class 1, with Special Service Company Commander Lv Muzhi as commander.

The Second and Third Regiments each organized a Storming Brave Team as well.

In total, three Storming Brave Teams, each with one hundred and fifty men, totaling four hundred and fifty men. In tomorrow's attack, they will lead the entire army's storming troops, charging at the very front.

However, this Storming Brave Team was different from the one in the previous Battle of Danshui that cost a fortune. This time, each regiment arranged resettlement fees for the Storming Brave Team members, so the soldiers could charge forward without worries.

The next afternoon at three o'clock, the First Army officially launched a total attack on Huizhou City.

Taking the North Gate as the main attack direction, with the West Gate coordinating the attack.

Before officially launching the attack, Jiang Xiangyun, Party Representative of the Seventh Regiment responsible for attacking the West Gate, came to the North Gate and proposed lighting wet rice straw soaked in kerosene to cover the Storming Brave Team's attack with thick smoke.

The Storming Brave Team was divided into three attack echelons, with Lv Muzhi commanding the Second Echelon.

Jiang Xiangyun came to Lv Muzhi's Second Echelon and patted his shoulder: "Fight well. I'm here. I'll coordinate your attack at the West Gate."

Lv Muzhi reminded: "Xiangyun, as the Party Representative of the Seventh Regiment, don't rush too far forward. Party Representatives shouldn't learn from us company commanders; you should stay where you should be."

Jiang Xiangyun smiled and pointed to the old Russian military advisor in the rear: "The Party Representative is equivalent to the old Russian's Political Commissar. You know about Political Commissars, right? I said last time that Political Commissars always charge at the very front in battle."

Lv Muzhi knew but did not know Jiang Xiangyun, and this was also his place of defeat, so he said nothing.