Chapter Thirty-Five: The Great War Looms

  The harassment by the special warfare squad delayed Daishu's advancing army on the road for five or six hours, and considering the slowdown in speed from riding to walking, the "Eagle" headquarters gained at least a dozen hours.

  In fact, thanks to Zhao Jun's timely transmission of intelligence, Chen Jifan and Zhong Dingcheng in Xiaowangzhuang received the news more than three hours after the devils set out.

  Chen Jifan asked Xu Yang if the other squads had also received the news, and Xu Yang replied that several people had almost set out at the same time, and by calculation, the second and fourth squads in front should have already known about the devils' invasion.

  Chen Jifan arranged for Xu Yang to go and rest, and immediately began to study the map. According to Zhao Jun's words, the Japanese army would arrive in the Xiao Wang Zhuang area in a few hours at most, which means that they only had a few hours of preparation time on their side. The most critical issue is that this time, it is absolutely impossible to give up transferring from Xiao Wang Zhuang. There are a large number of supplies stored in the troops in Xiao Wang Zhuang, and it is fundamentally impossible to transfer them all within a short period of several hours. Moreover, if the troops drag these heavy objects, their combat effectiveness will be severely weakened, and when the time comes, they will be completely defeated along with their equipment. Furthermore, the troops have just stabilized their footing here, and at this time, leaving the villagers to the Japanese would mean certain death for them. Who would still believe in "Shen Ying" then? Therefore, this battle must be fought hard against the devils, and it is necessary to defend against the enemy outside the national gate.

  Once the decision is made on how to fight, the efficiency of the headquarters in handling affairs will be revealed.

  Three minutes later, the communication platoon of the battalion headquarters set out one after another, bringing the order from the battalion headquarters to rush to each company's garrison with the command for the troops to assemble immediately.

  Five minutes later, the inner guard troops assembled and rushed to lay mines on the only way into Xiaowangzhuang from outside.

  After the Inner Guard Regiment withdrew, the assault team immediately went to a high ground north of Xiaowangzhuang under the leadership of Su Jingwei to carry out earthwork. This high ground controls the only road into Xiaowangzhuang, and if the devils occupy this high ground, they can control the entrance and exit channels of Xiaowangzhuang from a height.

  The terrain of Xiaowangzhuang is a typical basin, surrounded by mountains on all sides, with only 3 square kilometers of low-lying land in the middle. In the northeast direction, there is a single pass leading to the outside world. Not far from this exit is the high ground where the assault team built fortifications.

  All the guns of the battery were placed on the high ground behind the col and began to correct and test fire.

  The hospital temporarily recruited several brave women from the common people to organize a battlefield rescue team, and the rest of the personnel in the camp were responsible for the fortifications from the pass to Xiaowang Village, including setting up roadblocks, digging trenches, laying landmines and laying barbed wire. Dr. Wu Qing was preparing everything needed for surgery with Xiaojuan.

  Deng Fangshun's logistics department, which usually looked unassuming, had become the busiest department at this time. The long queue of porters and civilian support teams in front of the warehouse were constantly transporting boxes of ammunition to the defensive positions.

  Wang Jicai also took the initiative to lead a militia team to carry out evacuation work among the masses. The "Divine Eagle" had been stationed in Xiaowangzhuang for so long that the villagers had gradually become accustomed to considering themselves as part of the "Divine Eagle", and they had already heard about the cruelty of the little devils, so the evacuation work went relatively smoothly.

  After Chen Jifang handed over the internal organizational coordination work to the deputy regimental commander and Li Tao (the liaison officer sent by Sun Liren), he himself brought Xu Yang to ride two horses to conduct a detailed on-the-spot reconnaissance of the terrain around Xiao Wangzhuang. Although there is only one road in and out of Xiao Wangzhuang, Chen Jifang had to guard against the little devils suddenly launching a surprise attack from somewhere, as they were familiar with surprise attacks.

  Two hours later, Hu Yunfeng led the second company to arrive first, followed by the first company. The two old friends met again, although they had only been apart for a short seven or eight days, but it was as if they had been reunited after a long time.

  "Song, old chap, you seem to have put on a bit of weight since I last saw you. Living the good life, eh?" Hu Yunfeng teased first.

  Song Guanhu came over and patted him on the shoulder, saying: "Hey, little brother, you're not bad either. By the way, as your older brother, I have something to ask for your help."

  Hu Yunfeng thought he was talking about something serious and immediately put away his smile, saying: "Song brother, just speak, what's the difference between us?"

  "It's nothing, just later when the battalion commander selects troops to take on the main defensive position, little brother don't compete with me." Song Guantao smiled slyly.

  "This won't do, everything else is easy to say, but this one thing won't do, otherwise I'll have no way to explain it to the brothers of the second company. Ah, you're not being honest with me, coming up and setting a trap for me." Hu Yunfeng pretended to be very displeased.

  Just as the two were talking, Chen Jifan and Xu Yang rode back on horseback. Chen Jifan got off his horse, simply said "I'm here", and went straight into the command center of the camp. Hu Yunfeng and Song Guantao followed him into the room in a daze.

  Chen Jifan was bent over, staring at the map on the table, occasionally glancing up with his pencil. Seeing them come in, he didn't even lift his head: "The battalion headquarters has decided that your two companies will be responsible for the frontal defense of the high ground outside the pass, under the unified command of Song Guantao. The machine gun platoon is also assigned to Song Guantao's command. Remember, you must stick there like nails, the battalion headquarters won't send a single soldier to reinforce you. Any questions?"

  "Complete the task resolutely!" The two stood at attention on the spot. Hu Yunfeng also gave Song Guantao a glance.

  "Now you take the troops and replace the repair workers' assault team, wait for the third and fourth companies to arrive, I will send someone to notify you to attend a meeting at the battalion headquarters."

  Two battalion commanders led their troops to the front line and immediately began conducting on-site reconnaissance of the terrain. The earthwork of the assault team surprised both of them, especially Song Guantao, who was originally a central army's direct descendant and digging fortifications was a routine for him. Now, looking at it, the soldiers of the Taxation Police Corps were even more formidable than himself. Ring-shaped fortifications, reverse firepower points, trenches, command posts - everything was complete.

  As the commander-in-chief, Song Guantou began to deploy tasks. He first drew out a squad from each of the two companies as the general reserve team, then deployed the two companies in an L-shape, with the rear relying on a defensive system centered on heavy machine guns.

  "Old Hu, the devils didn't bring cannons this time, but those little devils are quite handy with their grenade launchers. We've suffered losses from those grenade launchers before, Old Hu, I'm leaving the devils' grenade launchers to you, taking out one is as good as taking out one."

  In comparison, the machine gun squad leader Wang Dazhu was much more tense. As soon as they started fighting, Wang Dazhu would run back and forth non-stop, reminding everyone of their tasks. No wonder, every time after a battle, the machine gunners had the highest casualty rate, so he couldn't help but repeat the same words every time.

  About two hours later, the Chinese "Divine Eagle" combat meeting was held at the camp headquarters. When Hu Yunfeng and Song Guantao arrived, all the unit commanders had already arrived, only to see Zhao Junwen and Wen Chuanhao's faces showing signs of fatigue.

  Zhongding City Deputy Commander Qing cleared his throat and first reported the enemy situation. Then Chen Jifan began to deploy tasks, this battle although related to major events, but due to the overall strength of "Divine Eagle" being not much different from the opponent, so Chen Jifan decided to adopt a strategy of counterattack, first weakening their morale, then striving for complete annihilation of the enemy.

  For the Japanese devils, as long as there is an opportunity, Chen Jifang will absolutely not let them go back. His military career in the 21st century has made him never take the Japanese devils seriously from the very beginning. Although they look fierce and formidable, after several small-scale battles, Chen Jifang believes that as long as the Chinese army has good organization and training, and equipment is at least half of what the Japanese have, the Japanese will not be able to do much. Now these 600 devils don't have air support, artillery or armored forces, so strategically speaking, Chen Jifang is not very worried.

  Because what he was thinking about was not how to defend Xiao Wangzhuang, but how to annihilate this enemy. Chen Jifan began to carefully explain the battle plan.

  When they heard that the regimental commander wanted to eat away the devils, everyone's expression was shocked, as if the regimental commander was going to eat himself. The idea was too bold, this was the first reaction of Li Tao, Song Guantao and Su Jingwei, who were officers from the National Army. Their concerns were not unreasonable, 600 elite Japanese field troops, their combat effectiveness can be compared with a division of the National Army, if there are planes and artillery to assist in the battle, it is not certain that a division of the National Army can gain an advantage. The Eighth Route Army ambushed the logistics unit of the Fifth Division at Pingxingguan, resulting in "killing 1,000 enemies and losing 800".

  So when the squad leader finished speaking, everyone started discussing it in a lively manner.

  Chen Jifan looked at them without saying a word, and the voices below gradually grew fainter.

  "The headquarters had a good reason to make such a plan. Firstly, the Japanese army was harassed by the special warfare team all the way, with nearly a hundred casualties; secondly, the special warfare team's blocking action made the Japanese army's morale frustrated, and because their cars were destroyed, they had to march on foot, and when they arrived here, they were already exhausted; finally, and most importantly, the devils did not understand our true strength at all, so I plan to use one company and two companies to take charge of the frontal defense, making it seem like we are making a desperate resistance, this way the Japanese army will launch an all-out attack on our position, humph, the Japanese do not have heavy artillery, but we do, how can we let them get away without shedding blood for the sake of our dead Chinese compatriots."

  "So the key to this battle is whether the first and second companies can withstand the enemy's attack. If the enemy breaks through your defense line quickly, our plan will be ruined and the whole battle will be very passive. When the enemy is exhausted, the third company, fourth company and assault team will launch a surprise attack on the enemy from the side and rear, under the cover of artillery fire, with the aim of annihilating them completely. Any questions?"

  "It's all gone"

  Zhongding City began to announce the combat order: The first and second machine gun platoons were responsible for the front-line defense, and the artillery platoon was mainly responsible for covering the enemy's attack route with firepower; The third platoon served as a reserve team, responsible for mobile defense in various parts of Xiao Wangzhuang. Once the front line had an incident, it would immediately reinforce; The internal guard platoon and the remaining personnel of the battalion were responsible for the alleyway defense inside Xiao Wangzhuang. The assault team and the fourth platoon turned to the outside line to hide and wait, and the special warfare platoon continued to harass the enemy.

  "In every department, in the battle, we must promote a brave style of play. Whoever retreats from the battlefield will be killed! Those who withdraw without permission will be killed!" Chen Jifan ended with a fierce killing intent.

  As dusk approached, Oshima Hitsu brought his troops to the outskirts of Xiaowangzhuang, while the trucks were left in Daliu Town due to poor road conditions. All personnel marched on foot, including the wounded. Oshima did not dare leave them behind in Daliu Town.

  From the telescope, ōshima Hideki had already seen the dense fortifications on the opposite high ground and the barbed wire standing in front of him, his brow furrowed deeply. It seemed that these Chinese devils were well-prepared. After putting down the telescope, his gloomy mood was slightly alleviated. Having marched all the way here, they had finally arrived. Next, let the enemy taste the Empire's Imperial Army's unstoppable attacking power!

  Oshima was closely watched by Chen Jifang's scouts as he approached Xiao Wangzhuang, and Chen Jifang knew his every move. Fighting on home turf, without even this advantage, would be a waste of time in Xiao Wangzhuang.

  Oshima ordered his troops to deploy and attack as soon as the preliminary reconnaissance was over.

  For the First and Second Divisions defending, a fierce positional defensive battle was waiting for them.