northernbook Chapter 114 Blocking Battle (3)
Chapter 114 Blocking Battle (3)
The time of July was like the gears being ruthlessly manipulated by the giant hand of fate. Under the enemy's fierce attack like a storm, it passed by like a flash.
During those war-torn days, every minute and every second was filled with cruelty and tension, as if the air was dyed gray and black by the gunpowder smoke.
Zhao Shao, Liu San and others shuttled through the hail of bullets and finally returned to the camp. After eating a few mouthfuls of food, everyone seemed to be pulled by an invisible force and gathered behind the city wall.
The city wall was tall and thick, but it seemed a little shaky under the enemy's artillery fire.
The bricks and stones of the city wall bear traces of time, and new bullet holes have been added to them.
Everyone sat together, listening to the sounds of fighting still coming from afar, and discussing what had happened today with serious expressions.
The sound of war was like the roar of death, reaching everyone's ears from time to time, making people's hearts tighten every time.
Liu San frowned, his eyes full of worry. He looked at Zhao Shao and asked with a trembling voice:
"Squad Leader Zhao, do you think we can drive the enemy away this time like we did last time?"
Zhao Shao listened quietly to the endless sound of fighting, which seemed like the cries of wronged souls on the battlefield.
He couldn't help but sigh deeply, with a hint of helplessness in his eyes:
"This time the enemy is not just engaging in a small fight with us, they are coming with a regiment of over a thousand men.
And after fighting with them, you all know that this group of people is not the last special forces battalion that was like a bunch of empty-handed soldiers who scattered after a fight.
The enemy this time is well-trained and well-equipped.
If you ask me, the situation is too complicated right now, so we can only take it one step at a time!"
Xiao Si in the team held the old sleeve tightly. The old sleeve shone coldly in the moonlight, just like his determined eyes.
His eyes sparkled in the dark, like two bright lights in the darkness.
He said loudly:
"Squad Leader Zhao, I don't agree with what you said.
The battle is not over yet, and it is still unknown who will win or lose.
Besides, are there only a thousand of them?
We still have more than a thousand people, so I don’t believe we won’t have a chance of winning if we fight one by one…”
His voice echoed in the night sky, carrying a fearless courage, infecting his comrades around him and slightly boosting everyone's originally low morale.
.........
Arriving at the front battlefield, on the ten-mile road after Majiagou, the air was filled with the tense atmosphere before the war.
After intense discussions, Wang Zuo, Wang Yaxin and Yuan Wencai quickly deployed three lines of defense.
The first line of defense was Majiagou, where Zhao Shao led the second platoon to arrive first.
The terrain here has some advantages, with some rolling hills and sparse woods.
The soldiers quickly dug simple trenches and set up obstacles.
They carried out preliminary defense here, and their main combat purpose was very clear: to spy on the enemy's strengths and weaknesses.
The soldiers all knew that if the enemy did not have heavy firepower, the rear would increase support for Zhao Shao's second platoon and others. They had to end the war here as much as possible and make the enemy return in defeat.
Otherwise, a second line of defense would have to be established in Changlin, ten miles away from the city wall.
There is a winding river there, and the terrain on both sides of the river is relatively flat, which is conducive to deploying firepower.
The task of Zhao Shao and others is to delay the enemy in Majiagou as much as possible to buy time for our army to deploy heavy firepower in Changlin. When everything is ready, they will fight the enemy with real swords and guns.
As for the last line of defense, it is to retreat to the county town when it is absolutely necessary.
The county town’s walls are tall and strong; they are the last fortress.
The soldiers had to use the advantage of the city wall's high ground to fight a decisive battle with the enemy.
They had to force the enemy into a tough battle step by step, and make the enemy lose their determination to take Yongxin County in the constant consumption.
Each line of defense is like a lifeline, carrying the soldiers' hopes and beliefs in protecting their homeland.
……
At this moment, the full moon hangs high in the sky, like a huge bright lamp, casting a cool light.
This should be a peaceful moment when everything is quiet and all living things are resting.
However, how can the enemy's greedy and cruel heart allow his enemy to sleep comfortably?
Then, shell after shell whizzed out from the enemy's gun barrel as if it were free.
They were like meteors, streaking across the dark sky with a destructive attitude, and then wreaking havoc on the earth like demons.
The trajectory of the flying shells was like the claw marks of the god of death across the sky, each one foreshadowing death and destruction.
In Zhu Kan's regimental tent, Zhu Kan was observing the battlefield with a telescope.
He watched as the shells rained down on the peasant army's positions, and then formed a huge ball of light the moment they touched the ground. The ball of light was as dazzling as the sun, and then disappeared in a flash, leaving behind only a mess and the breath of death.
Deputy Head Xie Liutang asked cautiously:
"Captain Zhu, can you bear the thought of firing bombs like this without any cost?
Or you can wait until the site is officially launched tomorrow, then it won’t be too late to use it!
It's just like playing cards. Who would throw out two kings right at the start? Isn't that just a waste?"
There was a hint of dissatisfaction and confusion in his eyes, and he didn't understand the leader's seemingly crazy behavior.
Zhu Kan's mouth twitched, and he cursed inwardly:
"I was wondering why you always have the most to do in every war."
But then he realized that this deputy head was elected by the landlords and there were complicated interests behind it, so he was no longer too angry about it.
Instead, he said with great force:
"Deputy Captain Xie, do you remember what I told you on the battlefield?"
Xie Liutang couldn't help but think that if he hadn't withheld the troops' supplies last time, causing an emergency at the front line, it would have almost caused a disaster.
Fortunately, Zhu Kan brought people to stop the losses in time and asked him to distribute the supplies back. Otherwise, he would have sat on the throne of the group leader long ago and would not have to endure his anger.
At that time, Zhu Kan said with reason and evidence:
“What should I do?
Just do (⊙o⊙) what?
Don't think too much about it.
Don’t regret it later because I won’t be there to help you clean up the mess.”
This made Xie Liutang realize that he was still inferior to Zhu Kan, and he also knew that it would be better for him not to meddle in other people's business.
But this time, as a representative of the landlord group, he felt he had to speak out.
He quickly replied:
"Understood, Zhao Xiao."
At this time, the shells falling on Changlin also stopped.
Zhu Kan couldn't help but put down the telescope and turned to look at Xie Liutang, asking with a scrutinizing look in his eyes:
"Since you know, then tell me what you know?"
Xie Liutang's heart tightened, and then some thoughts flashed through his mind, and he quickly replied:
"In this military camp, everything must be done according to your orders, right?"
Zhu Kan raised the corners of his mouth slightly, revealing a hint of a smile:
"Yes, it seems there has been progress.
Of course I won't make things difficult for you. After all, we are all in the same boat. If I'm gone, you'll be gone too.
As for why I stayed up late at night and fired artillery without even knowing the enemy's true position, you should know how to explain it to those people!"
Deputy Captain Xie couldn't help but take a deep breath. He knew that this was the captain testing him and making him understand his position.
He replied:
"If they ask, I'll tell them that you, sir, are trying to keep the enemy awake at night. When the real battle starts tomorrow, we'll have a huge advantage over them and damage their morale, leading to their complete defeat. Do you think I'm right, sir?"
Captain Zhu said nothing, but just walked past him. A hand patted his shoulder and said slowly:
"It seems you are becoming more and more aware of the current situation."
Then he walked out of the tent. His figure looked a little cold in the moonlight, as if he was the incarnation of the god of war, ready to continue commanding this brutal battle.
.........
Now let’s look at the second line of defense.
The trenches filled with sandbags were filled with the thick smell of gunpowder and blood.
From time to time, there would be one or two huge tunnels, which were the hideous scars left by the falling shells.
From time to time, one or two soldiers would lie on the ground and wailing beside these tunnels.
Their bodies were twisted in pain, some were missing limbs, and some were covered in blood.
Meanwhile, a fellow peasant soldier covered his mouth and soothed him, saying:
"Good brother, just bear with it, it will be over soon."
The comrade's eyes were filled with tears and his voice was tearful, but he tried hard to suppress it, not wanting more enemies to hear what was happening here.
He covered his injured comrade's mouth tightly, with veins bulging on his hands, as if this could share some of his comrade's pain.
As he was talking, tears started to flow down the grown man's face.
He looked at his good brother with wide eyes, which were filled with desire for life and fear of death.
His legs were blown off by the shells, and the blood was flowing out like a broken dam, unable to be stopped.
The blood gathered into a pool on the ground, staining the surrounding soil red.
He wanted to wail loudly to ease his pain, but his comrades covered his mouth, so he could only stare with his eyes wide open, and the light in his eyes gradually faded.
He waited quietly, waiting for death to come, like a drowning man slowly sinking in the dark abyss.
Fortunately, the process was quick. His eyes gradually dimmed, and he lay on the soil of his hometown. The soil seemed to be crying for him, absorbing his blood, and witnessing this cruel war.
The comrades around him had flames of anger in their eyes. They clenched their weapons, ready to avenge their dead brothers.
………～