Chapter 23: The Battle at Old Clock Tower (3)

  Under the scorching sunlight of a sunny afternoon, the clear sky had not a cloud in it. Such good weather ironically made the Chinese soldiers feel even worse, because the clear weather and good visibility were advantageous to the Japanese air raids.

  To counter the Japanese air raids, Chinese soldiers lit a fire every hundred or so paces around their defensive positions, throwing in everything they didn't need - tires, wet straw and all. Under the low-pressure airflow, thick smoke billowed into the sky, setting off an intense battle that was even more brutal than before.

  The rolling smoke lingered in the sky above Tonggu for a long time, unwilling to disperse, just like the wandering souls of fallen soldiers, gazing at the battlefield.

  "Artillery position Zhao officer's call!" The staff who answered the phone handed it over to Song Yuanhang, this was the first time the artillery had called in, previously they were always the ones calling for artillery fire support.

  Song Yuanhang understood in his heart that if there was no artillery support, the positions on both wings of the old bell tower would have fallen into the hands of the Japanese army long ago. So he made a very polite phone call.

  The Heavy Artillery Battalion, led by Colonel Zhao Guochang, had no time to chat with Song Yuanhang at the moment. The air raid that morning not only cost him a precious 42-caliber 150mm howitzer but also dozens of brothers and two anti-aircraft machine gun squads.

  Zhao Guochang directly got to the point: "The Japanese vanguard has already approached the west gate of the old city, and our troops have prepared a backup position in the new city area. However, there is not enough time for me to move these artillery pieces away, so I'd like to ask you brothers for help."

  Song Yuanhang understood Zhao Guochang's intention, these artillerymen did not want to give up their own big guns. Indeed, now every rifle and every bullet in the ancient city were extremely precious, these precious weapons were exchanged for the flesh and blood of Chinese soldiers and civilians, especially these powerful heavy artillery, without them Lao Zhong Lou would have fallen long ago.

  Zi Mingbin stood by and listened very clearly. He and Zhao Guochang were classmates before entering Huangpu, and their feelings could be said to be deep. He was clear about Zhao Guochang's feelings towards those big guns. If he was still in command, he would definitely resolutely defend the position until the artillery was safely transferred. However, the commander on the position at this moment was Song Yuanhang.

  Qī Míngbīn handed a blood-stained note to Sòng Yuǎnháng, who was hesitating. The content of the note he had already seen. Due to the full retreat of the defending troops, the old clock tower's position was now exposed in front of the Japanese army. The command center sent intelligence for the troops to withdraw to the new city district line and continue to resist the Japanese army with favorable terrain.

  Zi Mingbin was just about to speak up and ask to lead some troops to cover their retreat!

  Song Yuanhang looked at the content on the note. He picked up the phone and said, "Brother Zhao! We are your shield. But you must speed up. Because once the Japanese army discovers our withdrawal from the position, the location of the old clock tower will be even more prominent. With three sides under attack, I'm afraid we can't hold on for long!"

  "Thank you! After I've won the battle, I'll take my wife and kids to treat you to a drink." A man's promise came from the other end of the phone.

  Zi Mingbin burst out laughing. Song Yuanghai was slightly stunned. What's so funny about Zhao Camp asking himself to drink?

  Qī Míng Bīn hastily explained to Sòng Yuǎn Háng: "Zhào Guó Chāng last time said he would bring his wife and kids to drink with me. I really believed him. Thinking that this kid could actually find a wife was truly amazing. So, I bought a lot of good stuff and went. Unexpectedly, it turned out to be 2 bottles of Fen wine, half a pack of peanuts, and sitting on the artillery field drinking! I found it strange. Didn't he say he got married and had kids? So, I asked him where his wife and kids were? He pointed at the 150mm cannon and said that's his wife. Then he pointed at the 88mm cannon and said that's his son!"

  This will not attack the Japanese. Only sporadic gunfire. The soldiers with gunpowder on their faces and the wounded soldiers leaning against the wall to put bullets on the machine gun canvas chain are all listening with their ears up. Then bursts of laughter erupted from inside the bunker.

  It wasn't long before the Japanese army discovered that the Chinese garrison was shrinking its defensive position. As Song Yuanhang had anticipated, the Japanese army pressed in fiercely from all sides.

  Almost all aspects of the Japanese army were victorious, and when they attacked the Chinese military positions, the Japanese troops attacking Lao Zhong Lou retreated back to their starting position after leaving behind more than a hundred corpses.

  An hour later, under the cover of air raids and artillery fire, the Japanese army launched a new round of fierce attacks! Soon both wings of the position fell into hand-to-hand combat.

  Under the scorching sun of 46 degrees Celsius in Myanmar, the Chinese and Japanese armies engaged in a fierce battle amidst the smoke-filled sky. After a brief chaos, the Japanese army, with their superior numbers, concentrated their firepower! Two Type 11 machine guns instantly mowed down three guards beside Song Yuanhang.

  In the intense battle, Song Yuanhang himself was also grazed by a bullet on his shoulder, and the huge impact force knocked him to the ground, unexpectedly avoiding the Japanese army's firepower tracking.

  "Chief of Staff!" Several gendarmes who had been following Song Yuanhang's assault rushed forward, throwing hand grenades at the Japanese machine guns amidst a hail of bullets.

  Boom! Boom! Two consecutive explosions, several Japanese machine gunners lay bloodied on the twisted wreckage of their guns.

  The Japanese army's momentum suddenly dropped without the support of firepower, and they began to withdraw in succession. Song Yuanhang, who was helped up by others, ignored his shoulder injury, picked up a Type 38 rifle with a bayonet from the ground, and commanded his troops to thoroughly drive the Japanese out of the defensive line.

  At this moment, Song Yuanhang was very clear that this offensive was the most violent attack launched by the Japanese army today, and it was likely that the Japanese were also desperately holding on. As long as they could recover their positions, there might be hope to hold out until tomorrow.

  Something that made Song Yuanhang almost desperate happened, the retreating Japanese army suddenly stopped in their tracks dozens of meters away. More than 200 Japanese soldiers formed a skirmish line under the personal leadership of a lieutenant.

  Chinese soldiers had just gone through a fierce battle and were only concerned with pursuing, but now many of them suddenly found that their submachine guns had no more ammunition.

  When Chinese soldiers were searching for something handy everywhere! The Japanese army lieutenant slowly drew out his samurai sword, the blade slanted and let out a loud shout: "Haiya ku! Kamaro hei!"

  Japanese soldiers suddenly opened fire, and a string of yellowish bullets fell to the ground!

  Song Yuanhang looked around at the dozens of survivors, none of whom were officers. He vaguely remembered that at the beginning, those who had charged forward alongside him were all officers. This reminded him of a memoir he had read in military school by an old veteran of the resistance against Japan, which said that during battles against the Japanese devils, officers from Huangpu Military Academy always led the charge and therefore suffered the highest casualty rates.

  Facing the Japanese man's gleaming knife forest, Song Yuanhang lightly flexed his arm and secretly lamented: This body is too weak, causing my strength to not be fully utilized! Having narrowly escaped death this time, I must train properly next time.

  The soldiers of both Chinese and Japanese armies were staring at each other with eyes like hunting prey, who was the prey would be seen immediately.

  When the two sides confronted each other, the commander of the 56th Division, Watanabe Masao, had just accompanied the Imperial General Headquarters' special envoy, Yamashita Tomoyuki, to inspect the front line. The Japanese journalists who followed them keenly discovered the troops confronting each other at the front line and repeatedly asked to take pictures of the Imperial Army's brave fight.

  Watanabe Masao readily agreed to the reporters' request, but Yamashima Heiichi's request for a frontline observation was rejected. The current battle situation is still unstable, and the Chinese army's snipers are unpredictable. If the envoy makes a mistake, the consequences will be unthinkable, and it may also affect his own future prospects.

  Watanabe also knew that Yamashima Heiichi was not a broad-minded person, he knew that by depriving the special envoy of the opportunity to perform bravery and loyalty in front of the reporters, he had to make up for it properly.

  Watanabe handed a telescope to Yamashima Heiichi, waved his hand to screen the surroundings, and smiled as he whispered in Yamashima's ear: "I know you have an extraordinary ability to appreciate antiques and a passion for collecting. My subordinates have just collected some gold artifacts from the 14th century of the Burmese dynasty, and they want to give them to you as a memento of your visit to Burma!"

  "Wow!" Yamashita Heiichi put down the binoculars and gazed at Watanabe Masao with a look of admiration. This was a guy who really understood people's intentions.

  San Island Pingyi, who was good at understanding and being considerate, nodded in satisfaction to Watanabe Masao: "After watching this small battle, let's go appreciate those antiques! With your ability, you should take on greater responsibilities for the Emperor and the Imperial Country. Work hard! The 15th Army won't be a world of old men."

  Yamashita's words were full of strong implications, and Watanabe Masao was overjoyed, like a rooster in heat, shouting out all the slogans he could remember.

  Watanabe Masao's actions were highly praised and recognized by Yamashima Heiichi!

  Just as the two were flattering each other, the battle broke out! However, the attack was not launched by the Japanese on the right, but Song Yuanhang discovered that a soldier was carrying a military horn on his body. He ordered the soldier to blow the charge and shouted: "I'd rather die than be a slave of a lost country! Long live the Chinese nation!"

  Song Yuanhang was the first to charge at the Japanese army. At this moment, Chinese soldiers had completely lost their fear of death, and the hope of living was too slim for them! Killing one would be enough to make up for it, killing two would gain one! With a determination to die, Song Yuanhang led a group of desperate men to kill towards the Japanese army.

  The Japanese army on the opposite side also launched a charge, and soldiers from both China and Japan shouted in different languages at the same time. Different cultural backgrounds, different beliefs, were engaged in just and unjust wars! In the instant when the two sides collided, the blood splashed out was of the same color.

  A bayonet flashing with cold light thrust forward, a soldier's spade, and the butt of a rifle rose! In an instant of engagement, blood flew and splashed, and the brief contact caused a hint of panic among the front row of Japanese soldiers. The fierce white blade battle lasted only for tens of seconds. Unlike Chinese soldiers, these supplementary troops who had received only three months of training in Japan were full of hope for their future lives. Most of them were forced to join the army under the slogan of "building a prosperous country for the Emperor". Moreover, defeat at the hands of the ancient Chinese army was already inevitable, and most Japanese soldiers thought it unnecessary to 'fight to the death'.

  With a determination to die, the Chinese soldiers instantly overpowered the Japanese in morale. In the first round of bayonet clashes, only a few Chinese soldiers fell, while a row of Japanese soldiers fell down.

  The Chinese soldiers' counterattack to the death left the Japanese unprepared, and two minutes later, the Japanese soldiers retreated from the initial 2-3 people to a collective escape.

  The lieutenant leading the troops was still struggling to control his unit, without noticing the Chinese soldiers who had already rushed to his side. Song Yuanhang's sudden thrust pierced the chest of the Japanese lieutenant.

  The Japanese lieutenant's sword fell at the same time, and he looked at the bayonet protruding from his chest with an unbelievable gaze. His body softened and fell to the ground. Song Yuanhang took advantage of the situation and pinned the Japanese lieutenant to the ground with a rifle, then picked up the samurai sword and hacked at the fleeing Japanese soldiers beside him.

  Watanabe Masao and Yamashima Heiichi were completely stunned by the scene before their eyes. The battle just now was a shame for the Imperial Japanese Army, with twice the enemy's strength, but being defeated by the Chinese army in close combat? If it weren't for what they saw with their own eyes, probably no one would believe that China had such a brave army.

  Enraged Watanabe Seizo picked up the phone and yelled: "Order the artillery to fire indiscriminately!"

  On the other end of the phone, Artillery Regiment Commander Yamagami Yuki paused for a moment, took a deep breath and said: "Sir, our people haven't retreated yet?"

  "Don't mind those losers! Fire at will! Can you hear me? Open fire!" Watanabe Masao slammed the receiver back into place.

  About ten seconds later, the Japanese mountain artillery group that had already fixed their sights began firing a barrage of covering shots!

  As a loud explosion shook the ground, Song Yuanhang suddenly felt his body lift off the ground and crash down again. Qi Mingbin dragged him to a nearby crater as he struggled to regain consciousness from the blast wave. With blood-soaked hands, Song Yuanhang grabbed Qi's hand and whispered weakly: "We must hold this position until the artillery is safely relocated!"

  Song Yuanhang finished speaking and suddenly fainted, losing consciousness.

  Zhao Guochang, who was transferring the troops, found that the gunfire and artillery fire in the direction of the old bell tower seemed to have intensified, and he suddenly kicked a soldier's butt with anxiety, shouting: "Brothers, move faster! The infantry brothers are fighting for us, we must hurry up, so that the infantry brothers can shed less blood."