Resistance against Japan: Starting with the local militia

Chapter 141 Unexpected Victory

Tang Weiguo checked the time; half an hour had passed since the battle began. The defensive battle was exceptionally fierce. Zhang Haoshan had already led his guard platoon to the front lines to provide support, leaving Tang Weiguo alone in the command post to direct the battle.

"Commander, Battalion Commander Niu is here to provide support!" the communications officer shouted excitedly as he ran over.

"That's great! Niu Dali is truly my timely help; he always arrives at the crucial moment." Tang Weiguo's brow relaxed slightly after receiving the news.

"Order Niu Dali to divide the reconnaissance battalion into two parts, with him and Staff Officer Long each leading a portion of the troops to reinforce the garrison on both sides."

"Yes, Commander." After saying that, the messenger ran back to relay the order.

"We've held out for half an hour. Now that the reconnaissance battalion has arrived, we can have the artillery prepare to retreat," Tang Weiguo thought to himself.

"Communications officer!" Tang Weiguo called out to another communications officer.

"Here, Commander."

"Notify the mountain artillery battalion to fire for 10 minutes and then immediately withdraw."

"Yes, Captain."

"In addition, notify all units to hold their positions for half an hour, after which they shall cover each other and retreat."

"Yes, Captain."

......

"Damn it! How come we always fall short in every attack!" Ikeda Maken, who was commanding the battle, slammed his fist on the table in anger when he saw the puppet troops who had just charged onto the position being driven back by the enemy soldiers on the defensive line once again.

Seeing the enemy soldiers' inability to capture the position, and witnessing the tenacious fighting spirit of the defending force before him, Masato Ikeda momentarily considered retreating. This thought, like a seed, took deep root in his heart.

What neither side expected was that another unit secretly infiltrated from behind the Japanese troops. It turned out to be none other than Li Yunfei leading the Independent Regiment that had retreated earlier.

On his way back, Li Yunfei suddenly received intelligence from the county brigade that a puppet army was heading towards Sanjiji.

Upon hearing this news, Li Yunfei was shocked. He knew that Commander Tang's militia was currently blocking the Japanese in the Sanjiaji area. So he discussed it with Political Commissar Zhao, and the two of them acted separately. Political Commissar Zhao led the wounded soldiers back to the Independent Regiment's camp, while Li Yunfei led the remaining soldiers of the Independent Regiment towards Sanjiaji.

"Take cover, take cover! Commander, look! Commander Tang and his troops are right ahead!"

"Commander Tang and his men are fighting really fiercely. They didn't even call for our support beforehand, despite the intense fighting."

"But our old Li is thick-skinned and came uninvited. The operator sent a telegram to Commander Tang, saying that our Independent Regiment had reached the rear of the Japanese troops and was preparing to launch a surprise attack on the Japanese troops."

"Yes, Captain."

"Zhou Zhengbiao, you take your men and head to the other side. We'll coordinate our attacks from both sides, one on the left and one on the right, to assault the Japanese."

"Yes, Commander. Just you wait and see. The First Battalion, get out of here." Zhou Zheng-biao led the soldiers of the First Battalion and sneaked over.

"Commander, there's a telegram." At this moment, Li Qin ran over.

"A telegram?" Tang Weiguo wondered why a telegram would arrive at this hour, and his heart tightened.

After reading the telegram, Tang Weiguo said with great joy:

"That's wonderful! Commander Li arrived just in time!"

"Li Qin, immediately send a telegram back to Commander Li, thanking their Independent Regiment for their support. Commander Li and his men can choose an opportune moment to launch an attack."

"Yes." Li Qin replied happily and immediately sent the message.

"Phew, it seems we've overcome the hurdle." Tang Weiguo breathed a sigh of relief.

"Well, what did Commander Tang say?" Li Yunfei asked the telegraph operator who had received the telegram.

"Commander Tang thanked us for coming to support us and gave us the freedom to choose when to attack."

"Alright, signalman, sound the charge! We're attacking!" Li Yunfei ordered.

"Yes!"

"Beep beep beep beep, beep beep beep."

"Go ahead."

Under the cover of darkness, the Independent Regiment charged toward the Japanese troops who were attacking.

"Where did that bugle call from the Eighth Route Army come from?" Masato Ikeda asked hastily upon hearing the bugle call from the Eighth Route Army.

"It's bad, Commander! A unit of the Eighth Route Army has appeared behind our lines and is attacking us!" The staff officer immediately ran back to report.

"What! Baka yarou! Order all troops to cease attack and retreat immediately."

Seeing this, Masatoshi Ikeda could no longer conceal his desire to retreat and immediately ordered his troops to withdraw.

"The rearguard, suppress this band of Eighth Route Army soldiers and cover the main force's retreat," Masato Ikeda continued, issuing the order.

"Yes, Your Excellency, Commander."

As soon as Masato Ikeda gave the order, the Japanese troops that were attacking retreated like a tide, leaving behind a field of corpses.

"It seems that Commander Li and his men have succeeded." Tang Weiguo said, watching the Japanese troops retreating rapidly.

"We can't let you retreat so easily."

"Communicator, order the troops to pursue the Japanese!" Tang Weiguo decisively issued the order.

"Yes."

"Charge!" Tang Xiaohu received the order and quickly rushed out of the position, chasing after the Japanese soldiers.

However, this Japanese unit was indeed an elite force. When they discovered that the troops in their position were attacking them, they immediately formed a defensive force to cover the retreat of the main force.

Seeing this, Tang Xiaohu, wanting to avoid unnecessary casualties among his soldiers, ordered a halt to the pursuit and watched the Japanese soldiers leave the battlefield.

"We won."

Suddenly, someone shouted. Immediately afterward, all the militia soldiers shouted loudly, hugging each other excitedly. They had really given so much in this battle.

Meanwhile, after completing their support mission, the Independent Regiment quietly withdrew back to its base.

"Commander, we won! I don't know which unit pulled a surprise attack on the Japanese from behind!" Zhang Haoshan shouted as he ran over. In fact, Zhang Haoshan knew in his heart that the only unit that could provide support at this moment was the Eighth Route Army Independent Regiment, which was also operating in the Wolong Mountain area.

"Then we really have to thank this unit." Tang Weiguo replied with a laugh, seeing that Zhang Haoshan hadn't pointed it out.

"Communications officer, tell all units to quickly clean up the battlefield. We need to go back for the New Year," Tang Weiguo said with a smile.

"Yes, Commander." The communications officer excitedly ran out to inform everyone.

"It's a new year again." Zhang Haoshan looked in the direction of his hometown, seemingly lost in thought.

"In the new year, we will continue to fight the Japanese devils." Tang Weiguo stood beside Zhang Haoshan.

"Yes, keep fighting the Japanese devils and drive them out!" Zhang Haoshan's gloomy mood vanished, and he and Tang Weiguo exchanged a smile.

"Commander, you stay in the command post for now. I'll go and keep an eye on those guys and make sure they clean up the battlefield quickly."

"Since we're just sitting here doing nothing anyway, I'll go with you."

After saying that, the two of them walked out of the command post together and looked at the militia soldiers who were busy on the front line.

Two hours later, Tang Weiguo led all his soldiers out of the battlefield and back to the Wolong Mountain military camp.

Tang Weiguo had already informed Bi Shoucai in advance to prepare hot dumplings for the militia soldiers returning to the Wolong Mountain military camp.

"Let's celebrate our victory on the first day of the new year," Tang Weiguo said to all the militia soldiers at the victory banquet in the mess hall.

"Long live victory!"

Amidst the joyous celebration of victory, Tang Weiguo welcomed his second New Year since his time travel.