nycdaug Chapter 414: Fierce Battle in the Valley: Matsui Ichiro's Defeat
Chapter 414: Fierce Battle in the Valley: Matsui Ichiro's Defeat
Ichiro Matsui watched the Japanese army retreat like a tide on the battlefield, his face filled with despair, but the fire of unwillingness burned even more fiercely within him. He turned abruptly and shouted fiercely at the sole signalman, "Baka! Quickly contact Yamamoto Yuichi of the Yamamoto Cavalry Battalion. He has one hour to clear the enemy at the entrance of the valley and capture it, and then support our operations. If he fails, we will be annihilated! Let him think twice!" The signalman, his face pale with fear, frantically fiddled with the radio, beads of sweat rolling down his forehead as he nervously sent out a distress signal.
On the battlefield, Zhao Fugui took the lead, leading his cavalry to fight bravely like a tiger descending from the mountain, but he also paid a heavy price in casualties. Several nimble war horses were unfortunately hit by stray bullets from the Japanese army and fell down with a bang. The riders were thrown out by the huge impact and fell heavily to the ground. But they did not hesitate at all, quickly got up from the ground, picked up the weapons that fell to the side, and engaged in close combat with the Japanese army without hesitation. Zhao Fugui's eyes were bloodshot, watching the brothers who had been with him day and night die one after another. The anger in his heart was as hard to contain as a volcanic eruption. He shouted angrily at the top of his voice: "Revenge for the dead brothers, don't let a single devil go!"
He gripped his saber tightly with both hands, charging left and right. In the flash of the saber, the Japanese soldiers fell to the ground one after another. A burly Japanese cavalryman brandished a long sword and slashed at Zhao Fugui from the side. Zhao Fugui's eyes flashed, and he dodged sideways nimbly, and the sharp long sword passed by his clothes. Then, Zhao Fugui raised his right leg and kicked the opponent's horse in the belly with all his strength. The warhorse felt pain and raised its front hooves high, throwing the cavalryman to the ground. Zhao Fugui took advantage of the situation and stepped forward. With a raised hand, he ended the life of the Japanese cavalryman. The long fight made his arms sore and painful, as if they were filled with lead. The sword was stained with the enemy's blood, which kept dripping down the blade, but the murderous intent in his eyes became more and more determined, and he showed no intention of retreating.
At the mouth of the valley, the team led by Scarface Li and Sun Jinhua was locked in a bitter stalemate with the Japanese army. After a brief panic, the Japanese army, relying on their superior weapons, began to organize a frantic counterattack. A bullet whizzed past Scarface Li's cheek, leaving a shallow blood mark, but he was completely unaware. He just tightened the pistol in his hand and shouted in a hoarse voice: "Brothers, hold on! Victory is coming soon. We have fellow villagers behind us, and we must not retreat!"
Sun Jinhua and her female bandits darted across the battlefield like nimble cheetahs, their sharp eyes constantly searching for weak points in the Japanese defenses to launch attacks. Crouching low, Sun Jinhua used the corpses and craters on the battlefield as cover as she quietly approached a Japanese machine gun position. Holding her breath, she slowly raised her rifle, aimed at the gunner's wrist, and decisively pulled the trigger. With a sharp "bang," the bullet pierced the wrist with a precise strike. The gunner screamed, and the machine gun went silent. Seizing this fleeting opportunity, the female bandits quickly emerged from their hiding places and launched grenades. The grenades arced through the air, landing precisely within the Japanese positions. With a series of loud booms and bursts of flames, many Japanese soldiers were blasted to pieces. However, the Japanese artillery fire intensified, with shells raining down like raindrops. Soldiers continued to fall under the barrage, yet not a single one retreated.
Lei Tao and his men charged down from the commanding heights like arrows from a bow, engaging in a fierce firefight with the Japanese infantry. The battlefield was thick with smoke, and the cries of battle were deafening. During the charge, team member Yi Guang was tragically struck in the chest by a Japanese bullet, his shirt instantly stained red with blood. Gritting his teeth, beads of sweat dripping from his forehead, he endured the excruciating pain with a fierce determination, firing through his last magazine before slowly collapsing. Witnessing this scene, Lei Tao was overwhelmed with grief and anger, his eyes instantly turning red like blazing flames. He snatched up a captured Japanese machine gun from the ground and, roaring, launched a furious barrage at the Japanese. He charged forward, sending clouds of dust and blood flying under his feet. The team members around him were filled with grief and indignation at Yi Guang's death. They coordinated with each other, taking turns providing cover, and closely followed Lei Tao in a desperate battle against the Japanese. Some team members took advantage of the terrain, cleverly detoured to the Japanese army's flanks, and launched a sudden attack, catching the Japanese army off guard.
Wang Huming and his reconnaissance company's offensive on the north slope was thwarted, pinned down by frantic Japanese heavy machine gun fire. The soldiers could only temporarily hide behind crude bunkers, desperate but unable to break through this deadly fire blockade. Wang Huming crouched down and quickly ran behind a boulder, his back pressed tightly against the rough stone wall. He gasped for breath, his forehead covered in sweat, which mixed with the smoke and dust, coating his entire face. He cautiously poked his head out, squinting, his eyes fixed on the Japanese firepower point like an eagle, his mind racing, pondering a strategy to defeat the enemy.
After a while, Wang Huming whispered firmly to the equally anxious soldiers around him: "Prepare the grenades, count to three seconds and then throw them, and blow up those devils!" The soldiers acted quickly, untied the wooden-handled grenades from their waists, unscrewed the lids skillfully, and clasped the pull rings with their thumbs, staring at Wang Huming without blinking, waiting for his orders. Apart from the crazy strafing sounds of the Japanese heavy machine guns on the battlefield, there were the tense and heavy breathing sounds of the soldiers. Wang Huming stuck his head out again, staring at the firing frequency of the Japanese heavy machine guns, and silently calculating the best time to throw in his heart. Suddenly, he waved his hand and shouted with all his strength: "Throw!"
Several soldiers quickly stood up, slightly bent their legs to gather strength, then suddenly straightened their legs, raised their arms high, and with all their might, hurled grenades toward the Japanese heavy machine gun position. The grenades traced black arcs through the air, carrying the soldiers' anger and determination as they soared towards the enemy. Three seconds later, there were loud "booms," flames shot up into the sky, and smoke filled the air. The Japanese heavy machine gun position was instantly engulfed in the blast and shrapnel, and the roar of the heavy machine guns ceased abruptly. A Japanese machine gunner was blown several meters away and fell heavily to the ground, his life or death unknown. The rest of the Japanese soldiers fled in panic. Seeing this, Wang Huming shouted, "Charge!" He drew his rifle and took the lead, leading the reconnaissance company towards the Japanese position like a tiger descending a mountain. The soldiers charged and fired at the same time. People kept falling down during the charge, but the soldiers behind them showed no fear and continued to advance, stepping on the blood of their comrades.
At that moment, Yamamoto's cavalry battalion, receiving Matsui Ichirō's distress signal, raced towards the valley at top speed. The thunder of hooves swirled into a cloud of dust. From his commanding position on the battlefield, Tang Zhangshan was closely monitoring the situation through binoculars. Suddenly, he spotted a cloud of dust rising in the distance, and a sense of unease seized him. Drawing on his vast combat experience, he immediately identified it as Japanese reinforcements. His brow furrowed, his mind racing as he made a swift decision: "We cannot allow the Japanese reinforcements to converge. Pass my orders, have the 'Ghost' squadron intercept them immediately and delay them! All other units accelerate their attack, taking advantage of the enemy's panic and completely annihilating them before reinforcements arrive!" The messenger, receiving the order, quickly dispatched the various combat units, relaying the order. A new battle was about to begin.
The messenger quickly relayed Tang Zhangshan's order, and the "Netherworld" team, led by Lei Tao, raced against time toward the route the Japanese reinforcements would take. The team members were well aware of the difficulty of this mission, and each of them had a serious and solemn expression, but their eyes revealed a firm determination.
After arriving at the designated ambush site, they quickly dispersed, using the roadside trees, earthen slopes, and boulders as cover while quietly awaiting the arrival of Japanese reinforcements. Lei Tao lowered his voice and instructed his team members, "Everyone, stay calm. No one is allowed to shoot without my order. Wait until the Japanese are within optimal range and catch them off guard!" The team members nodded, gripping their weapons tightly, fingers on the triggers, not daring to breathe.
Meanwhile, the morale of the other troops on the battlefield soared after receiving the order to accelerate their attack. Zhao Fugui, brandishing his saber, shouted, "Brothers, reinforcements are coming soon. Let's work harder and wipe out these little devils!" He led the cavalry in an even more fierce charge toward the Japanese positions, the sound of their hooves like thunder and their momentum like a rainbow.
Scarface Li and Sun Jinhua were not to be outdone. They organized their team and adopted a tactic of alternating cover, gradually approaching the Japanese troops at the mouth of the valley. Scarface Li shouted loudly: "Brothers, follow me! Drive the Japanese out of our territory!" The team members shouted in unison, their weapons spewing anger, and beat the Japanese troops back step by step.
Wang Huming led the reconnaissance company, taking advantage of the Japanese army's panic and concentrating their firepower on attacking weak points in the Japanese defense line. They took advantage of the terrain and cleverly maneuvered through the enemy lines, successfully breaking through several Japanese defenses. Wang Huming led the charge, rifle in hand, charging to the front, inspiring the soldiers: "Charge! For victory, for our fallen comrades!"
Meanwhile, Yamamoto's cavalry, urged on by Watanabe Ichiro, raced towards the valley at lightning speed. Watanabe Ichiro, riding a tall horse, wielded his whip and roared frantically, "Faster, faster! If we don't make it in time, we'll all have to commit seppuku!" The cavalrymen leaned over their horses, whipping them constantly. The horses neighed and galloped even faster.
Soon, the Yamamoto Cavalry Battalion entered the ambush circle of the "Ghost" squadron. Lei Tao kept a close eye on the approaching Japanese cavalry. When they were within optimal range, he suddenly shouted, "Fire!" The team members immediately opened fire, and a dense barrage of bullets rained down on the Japanese cavalry. The Japanese cavalry were caught off guard by this sudden attack, falling from their horses one after another, and the team was instantly in chaos.
Seeing this, Watanabe Ichiro was furious. He brandished his command knife and shouted, "Don't panic! Fight back! Charge forward and eliminate these Chinese!" The Japanese cavalry quickly calmed down. They used their horses' mobility to seek cover and return fire in the direction of the "Ghost" team. The two sides engaged in a fierce exchange of fire, with bullets flying through the woods, hitting trees and sending branches flying.
On the battlefield, with the fierce attacks of other troops, the Japanese defense line was crumbling. Looking at the situation before him, Ichiro Matsui was filled with despair, but he still did not give up and was still desperately organizing the last resistance. He shouted at the top of his lungs: "Warriors of the Empire, hold on! Reinforcements are coming soon!"
However, his cries failed to halt our troops' attack. Zhao Fugui's cavalry had already charged into the Japanese positions, engaging in fierce hand-to-hand combat. Sabres and bayonets clashed, sparks flew, and shouts and screams mingled. Scarface Li and Sun Jinhua also successfully occupied the valley entrance, forcing the Japanese into a desperate situation. Wang Huming led the reconnaissance company to reunite with other troops, encircling the Japanese.
On the interception battlefield, although the "Ghost" team faced a crazy counterattack from the Japanese cavalry, they relied on their tenacious will and excellent combat skills to hold back the Japanese reinforcements. Lei Tao shot while observing the battlefield situation. He knew that as long as they held on for a while longer, victory would belong to them.
As time went on, the Japanese resistance became weaker and weaker. In the end, except for about a squadron of Japanese cavalry and infantry led by Matsui Ichiro and Yamamoto Yuichi who escaped, the rest of the Japanese army was completely annihilated.