Chapter 171: Heavy Rain, Retreat While Fighting

Jiang Fei's Special Forces Unit forced a gap in the Japanese Army's encirclement, finally breaking through the heavy siege.

"Brothers, follow." Jiang Fei shouted loudly.

While the Japanese Army had not yet had time to re‑encircle like a steel bucket, Jiang Fei hesitated not at all, pushed Yan Zicheng and roared: "Take Watanabe Masao, retreat quickly! No matter what, bring that old devil back to the Commander! It's more important than your life!"

If the whole unit blindly retreated now, they would inevitably be gnawed by the mad Japanese troops behind them, exposing the Special Forces' rear to the Japanese guns, becoming extremely passive and possibly being annihilated.

The Japanese Army is now in a fanatical, reckless state, after all their division commander was captured—this is not only a grave humiliation but a crisis for the entire Quinary 56th Division. Those devils will definitely bite Jiang Fei's Special Forces without letting go.

"Yes, Company Commander." Yan Zicheng, eyes reddened, gritted his teeth and said.

He and another soldier first moved Watanabe Masao away, while Jiang Fei and the reinforcement troops brought by Li Defa blocked the enemy.

At this moment, Jiang Fei's unit plus Li Defa's support squad totaled no more than sixty men. To cover the main force's withdrawal, those already wounded or unable to retreat quickly stayed behind, using their last bullets to hold off the Japanese.

At the cost of their lives, they formed successive blocks to slow the Japanese pursuit.

The gunfire behind grew quieter; clearly, the brothers left behind had all been sacrificed.

Jiang Fei, eyes reddened, immediately organized the remaining soldiers into staggered resistance. He let a small portion withdraw first, establishing a second defensive line on favorable terrain, while he personally led a team to set up the first defensive line on the spot, using flesh and blood to block the Japanese torrent.

"Prepare to fight!"

Jiang Fei lowered his voice and roared, his rifle already topped with a bullet.

The distant jungle quivered; the Japanese Army re‑organized their ranks.

Those Japanese soldiers with faces full of madness and ferocity now charged forward recklessly, as if there were no hail of gunfire ahead.

Tap tap tap—

The few MG42 machine guns Li Defa had brought from the rear roared again like the death god.

A dense rain of bullets swept the Japanese at the front like a silver reaper, lives falling like cut grass.

The Japanese screams echoed across the whole position; the wounded wailed and rolled in the mud and water.

Yet the Japanese commanders ignored this, having no intention to rescue the wounded; driven mad by the obsession to "save the division commander," all tactics and compassion were cast aside, only wanting to trample over corpses and charge.

On the other side, Yan Zicheng, who was escorting Watanabe Masao out, encountered unexpected difficulty.

He had originally thought to ride a horse with the captive, thinking it would be faster.

But in the mud‑filled rainforest, the warhorse could not run; the slippery, rugged ground caused the horse's front hoof to slip shortly after, the whole body jerking, throwing him off the saddle.

The warhorse let out a terrible cry from the fall, breaking its leg and collapsing in the mud.

With no other choice, Yan Zicheng and the other soldier, limping, carried the remaining warhorse. They bound Watanabe Masao like a sack tightly to the horse's back, the two of them pulling the horse forward and backward, stepping shallowly toward the main force's direction.

Rainwater ran down Yan Zicheng's face into his eyes, salty and astringent. He dared not look back; at this moment his only persistent thought was: even if he dies halfway, he must deliver that old devil Watanabe Masao to the rear, to the Commander!

Torrential rain poured, the mountain path was treacherous.

Jiang Anguo clenched tightly the telegram Li Defa had just sent; the communications squad still could not reach Jiang Fei's unit.

Only now did he understand why the front line fought so fiercely: Jiang Fei's radio had been soaked by the rain and lost contact, but fortunately Li Defa's support squad brought a spare radio, transmitting this earth‑shaking news back.

"Damn! Give it to me fast! That old devil Watanabe Masao finally fell into my hands! Quick! Everyone, speed up!"

Jiang Anguo was so excited his features nearly twisted; he thrust the telegram into his chest, clenched his teeth, his legs moving as if a motor were installed.

He was truly running for his life; along the way, everything he could toss—whether water bottle or dry rations—was thrown into the mud, just to gain even a second.

One must say, this Independent Regiment's communications setup was extravagantly extreme.

It was also thanks to Jiang Anguo possessing a system no one else had.

The radio was issued down to Company Commander level; in special cases, even Platoon‑level units like Li Defa's had radios, and future units would be equipped with walkie‑talkies.

Recalling the previous battle, Jiang Anguo felt a mix of emotions.

When he was on the Zai An Defensive Line, he schemed to give the 56th Division a "dumpling‑wrapping." Though he knew the Japanese rear was limited by terrain and troops, he couldn't solve it completely, but even taking a large chunk of the 56th Division would cripple this elite force.

Yet fate is not as one plans; just as he prepared to cast the net, a wave of Japanese paratroopers suddenly parachuted onto the strategic points Bamo and Myitkyina.

Those were the throat of the Expeditionary Force's main retreat! This sudden change forced Jiang Anguo to personally lead troops to break the siege.

Of course, he could have assigned other generals, but he didn't trust others to command such a critical battle; another practical issue was weapon transport. Moving heavy weapons from Lashu to Bamo would take at least two days, even in clear weather without enemy aircraft—a ideal speed.

At that time he had to prioritize whether the Expeditionary Force's main troops could safely return to Myitkyina and Bamo, a matter of life and death for the whole situation.

It was precisely this strategic shift and that hint of hesitation.

Should he abandon the pursuit of the main force to rescue the flank?

After the Japanese 56th Division headquarters was taken by Shi Xiaomao, the 56th Division's 146th Regiment commander Jin Gang Zong Si Lang seized the moment of Jiang Anguo's divided forces and immediately made an adjustment, executing a strategic relocation.

That hesitation gave the Japanese a full two days of withdrawal time. Those were two precious days!

However, Heaven is ultimately fair.

Today the Japanese 56th Division's commander Watanabe Masao fell into Jiang Anguo's hands; this is a bigger prize than wiping out thousands of Japanese troops. Thinking of this, Jiang Anguo felt that even if his legs broke, it was worth it; he must see how this old devil dared to march alone north to Lashu and still aim to capture Lashu before April 29.