Chapter 67: The Blood Wolf Unleashes Its Fury (Part 1)

  Using the fake provincial governor's identity, Ma Zanshan raised a portion of military expenses and secretly sent military supplies to Heihe and other places for anti-Japanese use. Finally, he left Qiqihar with more than 200 followers.

  He immediately joined forces with Li Du of Jilin, Ding Chao and Su Bingwen of Hailar to form the Northeast Anti-Japanese National Salvation Army, setting up its headquarters in Harbin and appointing himself as commander-in-chief. Ma Zhanshan also ordered each county to organize a righteous and brave army, concentrating on coordinated operations in various counties in eastern Heilongjiang.

  In Suileng, Nenjiang and Baiquan, Li Du, Ding Chao and others led three routes of troops totaling over 7,000 men to prepare for the Japanese army's attack.

  "A report, troops from Weixinjing, Qiqihar, Kuanchengzi and Tieling have been dispatched to reinforce Nongan with the Japanese army's Shimizu detachment and Zhang Haipeng's Suiliao army, as well as Ji Xing's puppet Manchurian Jilin army. Over a dozen armored vehicles have arrived, gathering a force of over 20,000 men!" A scout dismounted his horse and ran to report to Ma Zhanshan.

  "The little devils have paid a heavy price, they must take down the Heihe area!" Ma Zhan Shan's face was solemn, but he showed no fear as he ordered: "Continue to scout out and investigate the enemy's attack target clearly!"

  "Yes!"

  Behind Ma Zhan Shan, three hundred cavalrymen stood in formation. The head of the intelligence department walked over and shouted: "Commander Ma, there is a well-equipped unit outside our position requesting to see you!"

  "How many people?" Ma Zhan Shan was very cautious. The battle was about to start, and the purpose of these people's arrival could not but make him guard against them.

  "There were over 400 people, all wearing black leather jackets, carrying a large number of firearms and ammunition."

  "Bring on the leader, I'd like to see what kind of good fellow he is!" Ma Zhan Shan sat on the hillside, waiting for the person to come up.

  Within the borders of Sun Wu, mountains rise and fall, rivers flow, and forests are dense. Hei Shan is the 'gate' of Hei River, once broken through here, Hei River will be occupied by the Japanese army. Following the head of the Intelligence Department to come up was Yong Xiang, wearing a black leather jacket that made him look very 'spiritual'.

  "You——" Ma Zhan Shan opened his mouth wide, this was a 'hairy' young fellow, seemingly the young master of a wealthy family. Was he leading troops?

  "Marshal Ma, don't ask which unit we're from. We're genuinely here to help you! Our young master has brought four boxes of bullets and 200 hand grenades for you. If needed, our artillery will fire at the targets you specify!" Yongxiang stood up straight, deeply admiring this anti-Japanese hero.

  "How many shells?" Since others didn't want to report the number, Ma Zhan Shan also didn't want to ask further.

  "Two hundred shells, and four anti-aircraft machine guns. Our young master said that the Japanese planes and tanks are for us to deal with, hitting the target can also help you clear them out!"

  "More than 400 people? Well, you set up a separate camp and garrison Mount Silian for me!" Ma Zhanshan made up his mind and pointed to Mount Silian in the southeast of Heishan: "Can it be defended?"

  Siliang Mountain is the forefront of the Japanese army's attack on Heishan. To attack Heishan, Siliang Mountain must be taken down first. Yongxiang smiled and said: "The commander has given orders, we will do our best. However, a day later you have to send us some food, and secondly, leave one liaison officer behind."

  "Good!" Ma Zhan Shan nodded. Since they wanted others to risk their lives, it wasn't right to let them starve. Besides, the other side had left a liaison officer behind, and there was nothing unusual about these people.

  A team of soldiers brought over bullets, and Yongxiang said to the team leader: "You stay behind, bring a walkie-talkie!"

  "Squad leader, I firmly request to fight on the front line!" The squad leader shouted anxiously and begged him: "My deputy squad leader is staying behind!"

  "Monitor, a thousand days of training for one battle, let's leave one soldier behind!" The deputy monitor was also unwilling, and Yongxiang glared and said: "This is an order, it must be carried out!"

  "Yes!" The squad leader took over the walkie-talkie and stretched out his hand again: "Platoon Leader, give me a sniper rifle!"

  "Good!"

  Yongxiang led the troops to walk towards Siling Mountain, looking at the fortifications built by Ma Zhan's division, and said with a bitter smile: "Can this withstand artillery fire? Everyone, add some effort and transform the position again! The first battalion guards the left position, the second battalion guards the right position, the third battalion and I will stay here, and the artillery quickly finds a suitable position!"

  "Yes!" This 400-man unit, more than 200 of whom were temporarily "borrowed" from the Blood Wolf Battalion. The fourth company was an artillery company, carrying forty rocket launchers, two mortars, four anti-aircraft machine guns, and several grenade launchers.

  Ma Zhan Shan held the binoculars, staring at the Si Lian Mountain position without blinking: "Hmm, the position is built very professionally, and the speed is quite fast. Squad leader, where did you 'get' your equipment from?"

  "This is a secret!" The class leader sat on the ground in despair, communicating with Si Lian Shan.

  "Is this thing also a secret?" The walkie-talkie, Ma Zhan Shan really hadn't seen one before.

  "Of course!"

  Met a sulky gourd, Ma Zhan Shan no longer wanted to bother with him. Yong Xiang's intention was precisely this, fearing that the talkative person would spread the news out.

  Zhang Haipeng, under the command of the Japanese Kwantung Army, led the Second, Third and Fourth Divisions of the puppet Manchurian-Mongolian army to attack Rehe. Sakuji Masanori served as an advisor, with a small contingent of Japanese troops controlling this force of 15,000 men.

  The second detachment of the pseudo-Mongolian cavalry, detachment commander Peng Fei. The third detachment of the pseudo-Mongolian cavalry, detachment commander Liu Maoyi. The fourth detachment of the pseudo-Mongolian cavalry, detachment commander Fu Mingxun. The pseudo-Mongolian infantry independent regiment, regimental commander Li Tieshan was full of confidence, thinking that Heihe was not worth a blow and could take down Sili Mountain in one day!

  "What a fine horse!" From the telescope, Yongxiang watched the cavalry of the Imperial Allied Army. The Fourth Lotus Mountain gathered three cavalry brigades of the Imperial Allied Army, an infantry regiment, and a small team of Japanese supervisors, with at least six thousand men.

  "Captain, this battle will be a long stalemate, we must get that guy to 'supply' us with some ammunition!" Wen Liang knew that the pseudo-army's weapons were all left behind by the Northeast Army, which was the same model as their ammunition.

  "Want to launch a sneak attack?" Yongxiang saw through Wenliang's motive at a glance, and the binoculars scanned the target: "There! There are several tents in that mountain valley, estimated to be their ammunition supplies. Take your squad down quietly, and after we start fighting here, bring back the ammunition!"

  "Yes!" Wen Liang responded with a warm and pleasant tone, leading his troops down from the back mountain.

  Commander Li Tieshan of the Imperial Army Infantry Independent Regiment, with more than 2,000 men under his command. He didn't take the four lotus mountains seriously and ordered the artillery to start bombarding. After three minutes of artillery fire, more than 2,000 men began to attack in a scattered formation.

  "Capture Ma Zhan Shan alive!"

  Yongxiang and others stopped firing, lying on the ground looking down. The sniper had already started shooting, with bullets aimed at the commander and machine gunner first. In less than five minutes, Li Tieshan led his troops to retreat.

  "Hachigata, this is a godly gunner!" Sakuma Ryōzō felt that Shirai was not good to deal with and ordered the cavalry to charge.

  "Human wave tactics!" Yongxiang ordered the mortar: "Three rounds of rapid fire, then quickly shift positions!"

  "Yes!" Putting down the receiver, the fourth platoon leader began to order the artillery: "Target 1500 meters, three rounds of rapid fire!"

  The first mortar strike is an opportunity for the gunner. A squad of soldiers quickly determine the target, and under the squad leader's hand signal, begin to strike the enemy.

  "Boom! Boom! Boom!"

  Six shells were fired quickly and the soldiers moved the cannon towards the bunker while running.

  The cavalry was hit by artillery fire and lost a quarter of its men in an instant. Sakuma Ryōzō ordered the counter-battery fire, while other troops continued to charge forward.

  Wen Liang led his men to sneak into the tent in the mountain valley, and the first squad leader personally took care of the sentry. A platoon of the Imperial Army was caught off guard and was ambushed by the Blood Wolf Battle Team.

  "Don't kill us, I surrender!" The commander of the imperial guard nearly had a heart attack when he saw this group of people.

  "We are all Chinese, I won't kill you! Tell me, what's in the tent?" Wen Liang asked, seeing that the soldiers had already entered the tent.

  "Officer, there are ammunition and food in the tent!" The squad leader replied hastily and fawned, "And a batch of canned goods, fresh products from Zhuanghe!"

  "Really?" Wen Liang couldn't help but laugh: "It's delicious, isn't it?"

  "Sir, the pure fish meat, beef and chicken meat are delicious, I'll go get some for you!" The squad leader seemed to have found an excuse to leave and was about to hurry off.

  "Don't bother!" Wen Liang shouted at him, ordering the soldiers to escort them: "Carry the ammunition and supplies on your backs and follow us!"

  The third unit had just withdrawn more than three li from the San Gou, when Sakuma Ryōzō received a report that the ammunition had been robbed. The three cavalry units, which were eager to attack, hastily retreated and began to pursue the robbers.

  "Hurry up and contact the battalion commander, let the artillery deal with them!" Wen Liang stayed behind, picking off the vanguard cavalry one by one.

  Yongxiang had already seen Wenliang's situation and said to the fourth squad leader of the rocket artillery position: "Target Qibing, two shells per gun, blast his dog day!"

  "Yes! Brothers, the rocket artillery is used for the first time, everyone must fight well, and two large shells will be fired first!" The captain of the 4th company shouted excitedly, taking off his outer garment: "Let me fire one!"

  The cavalry was pursuing, the road in the mountain valley was not easy to walk, and this group of cavalrymen were crowded together. Shells flew over, and forty rocket shells hit them right on target. The loud rumbling sound, limbs and arms flew into the sky. The horses were frightened, people panicked, and those who had given up on the pursuit began to flee towards Sun Wu's direction.

  "Hachigatsu, quick retreat!" Sakujiro Mitsuzane saw the supplies being looted and the intense enemy artillery fire. He was originally at a loss, but then he saw that all three cavalry units had run away on their own initiative. He could only give the order to retreat, but unexpectedly, the pseudo-Manchurian infantry independent regiment had already abandoned its command post and followed the cavalry in flight.

  The Japanese army wasn't stupid either, they couldn't take care of the telephones, radios and tents, supplies, carrying guns and scattering like rabbits' legs running. Yongxiang burst out laughing and said to his soldiers: "Quickly, dispatch a small team to 'fetch' the supplies up the mountain!"

  "Good fight!" Ma Zhan Shan led the guards up the mountain, walked to Yong Xiang's side and watched the mountain below, then turned around and looked at the constructed array: "Li Du, Ding Chao, Su Bingwen, learn from them this array construction, send a pig over from behind!"

  "Get back!" Yongxiang pointed to the place that had just been bombarded: "There are many guns and ammunition, as well as a batch of dead war horses. Go get them back, I estimate there won't be any battles for two or three days!"

  "Booty for us?" Ma Zhan Shan rubbed his unbelieving eyes, and he admired this young commander even more.

  "General Ma, he can't even have children, I'll leave him behind and you can take the whole battalion of government troops away!" Yongxiang laughed happily, ordering the guard to offer Ma Zhanshan a cigarette.

  "If I'm not mistaken, you're one of the Three Juniors!" Ma Zhan Shan stared at Yong Xiang and said with great certainty.

  "Hehe, I won't tell you!" Yongxiang's cunning eyes narrowed into a smile.