Chapter 36: A Difficult Battle (Part 1)

  Yue Weihan turned his head again and looked at the Taiwanese lieutenant.

  The Taiwanese lieutenant's face quickly revealed a flattering smile, but Yue Weihan's expression suddenly turned ferocious. Before the Taiwanese lieutenant could react, Yue Weihan swiftly drew his sword and stabbed him in the throat. The Taiwanese lieutenant's eyes instantly became dull, his throat let out a faint hiss, and he soon slumped to the ground, dead.

  Yue Weihan slowly drew out his battle knife and wiped the bloodstains off on the Taiwanese lieutenant's body before sheathing it again.

  Historically, these secondary devils from North Korea and Taiwan were more brutal than their masters. For these secondary devils who assisted the enemy and had blood of our people on their hands, Yue Weihan would never be soft-hearted.

  At this time, the Japanese artillery that had fallen behind was also cleared out. As far as the eye could see, the fields and ridges were littered with Japanese corpses. Several seriously wounded Japanese soldiers were still struggling and wailing in their own blood, when the Northeastern troops nearby went up to them without hesitation and stabbed them with bayonets in a chaotic frenzy, and soon there was no more sound or movement.

  "Sweep the battlefield, all company commanders and above report to me!"

  Yue Weihan gave orders in a casual manner, as if he were the commander of the 668th Regiment. He then turned to the tall Northeasterner beside him and asked, "Hey, big guy, what should I call you?"

  The big Northeasterner scratched his head and said with a silly expression: "My name is Tang Dashan."

  "Is that Tang Dashan?" Yue Weihan nodded slightly, then said in a tone that brooked no argument, "From now on, you're my orderly. Wherever I go, you follow. Don't dare to be more than three meters away from me!"

  "Ah." Tang Dashan said with a silly grin, "Since you think highly of me, I'll follow you from now on."

  Just then, several battalion commanders, deputy battalion commanders and company commanders of the 668th Regiment came to Yue Weihan's side. Although this battle was already over, the battalion commanders and company commanders of the Northeast Army still had red eyes, full of murderous aura, as if they hadn't recovered from the bayonet fight just now. Looking at this situation, it seemed that they would have liked to stab Yue Weihan like a little devil too.

  No wonder, from 9/18 to now, it's been a whole seven years! In these seven years, the tens of thousands of soldiers in the Northeast Army have borne how many curses? Wherever they go, everyone shouts and scolds them, this life is really not easy. But today, they finally vented their anger, from now on, if anyone dares to say they didn't resist Japan, they'll be beaten to death!

  "My name is Yue Weihan." Yue Weihan jumped onto a nearby stone millstone and shouted, "The commander of the Yuanbaoshan camp!"

  "Yue Weihan? Bao Shan Camp?" The Tang Dashan beside him suddenly raised his head, his eyes wide with excitement, and exclaimed, "The Bao Shan Camp that guards the Si Xing warehouse?"

  "That's right." Yue Weihan proudly pulled his woolen military uniform and said, "But now it's the Baoshan Regiment."

  "Are you really Commander Yue?" The dozen or so battalion commanders who had gathered together also seemed somewhat skeptical, "Is this for real?"

  "What nonsense is this?" Chi Chengfeng's face fell, his brow furrowed in anger. "Under the heavens, apart from our own Commander, who else dares to claim to be the commander of the Baoshan Tuan?"

  "Anyone can talk big, but where's the proof?"

  "Yes, you're the squad leader, where's your team?"

  "What makes you think we believe you?"

  Those battalion commanders immediately began to murmur.

  "What's the big idea?" Yue Weihan sneered coldly, his voice dripping with killing intent. "Just because I can lead you bunch of good-for-nothing soldiers to wipe out two enemy infantry battalions in one counterattack!" He then turned to the Northeast Army regiment commander who had been shouting the loudest and said, "Can you do any better? If it weren't for me stopping you in time, you'd have all been chased into the Yangtze River by those little devils to feed the fish!"

  The commander of the Northeast Army immediately hung his head in shame, and the dozen or so regimental commanders beside him also looked embarrassed.

  Yue Weihan's words were arrogant, but what he said was true. If it wasn't for his timely appearance and pulling the situation back from the brink, given the circumstances at the time, they would have indeed been driven into the Yangtze River by the Japanese army.

  On a day as cold as this, jumping into the river would either drown you or freeze you to death!

  "I am Yue Weihan, now the leader of the Baoshan team." Yue Weihan said with a menacing tone, "You believe it or not, but you have to believe it. Now I declare that you bunch of defeated soldiers are being reorganized!"

  …………

  Nanjing Garrison Command

  Tang Shangjiang, with eyes full of bloodshot, was sprawled on the map, searching for reserve troops to mobilize.

  The commander of the 672nd Regiment of the 113th Division stationed in Yangzhou, Liu Yi, has just sent an urgent telegram saying that the Japanese army is fiercely attacking Yangzhou and the 672nd Regiment has already suffered more than half casualties and can hold on for at most two days!

  Yangzhou's strategic position is extremely important and cannot be lost at all!

  The navy paid a great price to build the second line of sunken ships in the Yangtze River, Zhenjiang section, making it impossible for the Japanese army's troop ships to sail directly up the Yangtze River to Nanjing. Therefore, if the Japanese army wanted to encircle Nanjing from the north, they could only choose to land on the north bank of the Yangtze River downstream of Zhenjiang and then turn westward by land.

  As a result, Yangzhou became a strategic point that the Japanese army had to eliminate.

  The Japanese army can only take a big step westward by occupying Yangzhou and then march towards Pukou.

  Now, the Japanese army is gathering its forces to launch a fierce attack on Yangzhou. If Yangzhou falls, Pukou will be exposed. If Pukou falls, the hundreds of thousands of National Army troops besieged in Nanjing will instantly become fish in a barrel. Moreover, the 600,000-700,000 refugees who have not yet been evacuated from Nanjing city will also have no way to escape, because Wuhu has already fallen and the retreat route to the west has been cut off by the Japanese army.

  This really made General Tang anxious, tens of thousands of soldiers were nothing, they would fight to the death!

  What about the 700,000 refugees in Nanjing? What if the little devils really come and slaughter the city? Although General Matsui Iwane has promised that the Japanese army will not kill prisoners of war or civilians, who knows whether it is true or false?

  If the little devils really want to slaughter the city, Tang Shenzhi cannot bear this historical responsibility!

  In any case, we must hold on to Pukou and ensure that the 700,000 refugees in Nanjing can be safely evacuated!

  As the forefront of Pukou's bridgehead, Yangzhou cannot afford to lose, and must adjust troops to reinforce Yangzhou at all costs!

  But where to deploy the reinforcements? Tang Shen's gaze suddenly fell on the city of Jingjiang, and he immediately ordered his deputy: "Immediately telegram the 668th Regiment guarding Jingjiang, don't wait for the Baoshan Regiment to cross the river, rush to Yangzhou to reinforce!"

  The deputy officer did not take orders and leave, but instead took out a telegram with a strange expression.

  "What's he standing there for?" General Tang angrily shouted, "Hurry up and pass on the order!"

  "Commander, this is a telegram from the 668th Regiment two hours ago." The deputy officer said with a bitter smile, "At that time you were directing the battle at Guanghua Gate, so I didn't have time to report it to you."

  "What about the telegram from the 668th unit?" General Tang frowned and asked, "What does it say?"

  "The telegram says that Jingjiang County is under fierce attack by the Japanese army."

  "Was Jingjiang also attacked by the Japanese?" General Tang frowned and asked, "What's the situation now?"

  "I don't know." The deputy officer shook his head, "After sending this telegram, the signal of the 668th regiment was interrupted and there has been no contact since. It's estimated that something went wrong."

  "Then contact the Baoshan team," said General Tang, "Let Yue Weihan cross the river immediately."

  "The Bao Shan team is also out of contact." The deputy officer sighed, "I reckon they must be crossing the river now."

  Tang Shang opened his bloodshot eyes and swept the map back and forth, saying in a low voice: "Help me take a look, is there any other troops that can rush to Yangzhou?"

  "Commander, it's really gone," the deputy officer sighed. "The IJA's 10th Division is moving south along the Tianjin-Pukou Railway, and the 5th Division is also rushing west along the Jiaoji Railway. The two routes of Japanese troops are advancing in unison, with their spearhead pointing directly at Xuzhou, a key military town in northern Jiangsu Province. To ensure that Xuzhou does not fall, most of the 57th Army in southern Jiangsu has been ordered to move north."

  "There's no other way." General Tang said in a stern voice, "Tell Liu Yi to hold on to the end!"

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