Resistance against Japan: Starting with the local militia

Chapter 77 Reinforcements Finally Arrive

"Chief of Staff Jersey, the enemy has come out. Charge in at any cost, we can't let them escape." Fujino Kiichi decisively ordered a general offensive.

"Yes."

Staff Officer Sawada committed the remaining one and a half companies of Japanese soldiers and all the puppet troops to the front lines. Suddenly, the situation for the militia and the Independent Regiment became precarious. Tang Weiguo's attempt to order a retreat to the front lines was no longer possible. The militia and Independent Regiment soldiers had no choice but to fight the Japanese to the death.

"Comrades, hold on!" Li Yunfei took the lead, wielding a long sword and slashing down a Japanese soldier.

"Political Commissar, now we've used all our forces, both ours and the Japanese's. It's a matter of who has more resilience and who will give up first."

"Yes, it seems there will be a tough battle today, but I firmly believe that victory will ultimately belong to us." Zhao Xiaogang shot and killed a Japanese soldier who was about to ambush Li Yunfei.

"Come on, let's have a good, satisfying fight today, Old Li."

"I wonder how Commander Tang is doing?"

"Don't worry, he'll definitely be fine."

At this moment, Tang Weiguo led his guard platoon to support Zhou Liansheng's battlefield, which had now become the core of the entire battlefield. Once the divided Japanese soldiers regrouped, they would be in danger.

"Commander, what brings you here?" Zhou Liansheng and Tang Weiguo rushed over.

"What, I'm here after all?"

"No, the battlefield is dangerous. If the commander gets into danger, how can I explain it to the whole regiment?"

"Now that there is no regimental commander, I am just an ordinary soldier in the militia. I will follow Battalion Commander Zhou's orders."

"Commander, you will take command here in my place. I will lead the team to hold off the Japanese troops in the rear."

"Battalion Commander Zhou, I understand. Guard platoon, follow me." Tang Weiguo ignored Zhou Liansheng's previous words and led his team to charge towards the Japanese troops behind them.

When the militia soldiers nearby saw their commander fighting alongside them, their morale soared, and their battle cries grew even louder.

......

Outside the battlefield, Niu Dali transported the box back to the militia's camp and assigned a squad of soldiers to guard it, while he himself hurriedly led the reconnaissance battalion back.

Niu Dali led the reconnaissance battalion and rushed back to Liushangou, but by then the battlefield in Liushangou had already turned into a complete mess.

"Battalion Commander, what should we do?" Company Commander Qin asked.

"It's so chaotic right now. Let's use what our commander said before: 'To catch the thief, catch the king first.' Let's go straight for the Japanese command post and take out the Japanese commander," Niu Dali said.

"Commander, that's a good idea. As long as we take out the Japanese commander, the enemy's command system will be useless," Qin Yang agreed.

"Attention everyone, we're going to infiltrate behind the Japanese lines." After saying this, Niu Dali led the reconnaissance battalion to sneak up behind the Japanese lines on the battlefield.

Neither side, caught up in the bloodlust of the battle, noticed the small unit that had appeared at the edge of the battlefield.

"Battalion Commander, look, that should be the Japanese command post up ahead, they even have an antenna up!" Qin Yang observed.

"Yes, there's also a squad of Japanese soldiers defending the area and setting up fortifications. It seems like it really is them."

"Battalion Commander, provide me with fire support, and I'll lead my men to break in."

"What are you rushing for? Our soldiers' lives are more precious than anything else. Those two Type 92 heavy machine guns placed at the Japanese gate weren't just randomly placed."

"Commander, what should we do?"

"It's a waste to have a cannon and not use it," Niu Dali sneered.

"Erzhuzi, come here right now."

"Battalion Commander, you wanted to see me?" A company commander carrying a mortar ran up from the back of the column.

"Erzhuzi, do you see the Japanese command post ahead? Take it down for me."

"Alright, Battalion Commander, just you wait and see, I've got it covered."

As he spoke, Erzhuzi set up the mortar he was carrying and then adjusted its direction to align with the command post.

"A shell!" Erzhuzi shouted, and a soldier next to him handed him a mortar shell. He took it, put it into the muzzle, and then released it. The mortar shell shot out with a whoosh and flew straight toward the Japanese command post.

At that moment, Fujino Kiichi was observing the battlefield through binoculars in the command post when suddenly a shell landed in the command post. The loud explosion startled Fujino Kiichi, and before he could react, a guard tackled him to the ground and shouted.

"Enemy attack! Take cover immediately!"

"Erzhuzi, well done! Keep it up!" Niu Dali said with a loud laugh.

"Alright!" At this moment, all three mortars carried by the reconnaissance battalion were in position. Under Erzhuzi's command, they began bombarding the Japanese command post.

Staff Officer Sawada, who was overseeing the battle at the front, was suddenly alarmed when he saw that the command post at the rear was under artillery fire. He immediately thought of the safety of the rear and gave orders.

"The troops shall cease their offensive and immediately return to reinforce the command post."

The Japanese troops who were attacking Zhou Weiguo's blocking position immediately retreated like a tide upon receiving the order.

"Commander, what happened to the Japanese? Why did they retreat?" Zhou Liansheng asked.

"I don't know either, but let's take advantage of this opportunity to wipe out the Japanese soldiers in the ambush area. Then the retreating Japanese soldiers will be afraid of us."

"Yes, Commander, I will lead the team to fight now."

"Commander, look, it's Niu Dali and his men." Zhou Liansheng, who was preparing to lead the charge, suddenly pointed to a corner of the battlefield's flank, where a unit dressed in camouflage uniforms charged into the fray.

"Phew, these guys are finally here." Tang Weiguo took a deep breath. Niu Dali's arrival signaled that the battle was about to begin. And at this moment, Tang Weiguo knew without guessing that the retreating Japanese soldiers must have been Niu Dali's doing.

When Chief of Staff Jersey returned with his team and saw that the command post had been bombed into ruins, he felt a chill in his heart and hurriedly ordered the Imperial soldiers to carry out a rescue excavation.

"Chief of Staff, Commander Fujino has sacrificed himself for the Empire." The Japanese soldier who reported this carried Fujino Kiichi's body, which had been blown beyond recognition, and placed it in front of Sawada.

"Commander." Chief of Staff Sawada had been watching without saying anything more.

"Chief of Staff Sawada, let's avenge Commander Fujino!" the Japanese company commander beside him volunteered.

"No, we have no chance of winning now." Staff Officer Sawada was not blinded by anger. Hearing the gunfire gradually thinning out, he knew that the Imperial warriors in the enemy's encirclement were in imminent danger, and there was little point in him leading the attack now.

Looking at the remaining Japanese company and the remnants of the puppet troops beside him, Chief of Staff Sawada sighed and gave the order:

"retreat."

This was the first time Staff Officer Jersey had experienced defeat.

"Chief of Staff Sawada, are you one of the Imperial Warriors in the encirclement?" the Japanese company commander beside him continued to ask.

"Let them ask His Majesty Tianhuang to sacrifice himself. Obey orders and retreat immediately."

"Hay."

On the battlefield, as the soldiers of the reconnaissance battalion beheaded the last Japanese soldier, it foreshadowed that the ambush would end in victory for the militia and the independent regiment, albeit a brutal one.