Chapter 223 Comrades! Call for Help Quickly

May 8th at 4:30 p.m.

After the battle on the northern front, Qingshui Guizhi and Ikegami Kenkichi were waiting for the next stage of orders.

In the combat meeting room, a group of staff members smiled, and some even began to dream of completely occupying the North China region.

Suddenly, everyone looked at the door, and a signalman came in with a telegram.

"Major General, Commander Gangcun sent a secret telegram. He asked the 9th Independent Mixed Brigade to set off immediately to open a passage to Yuanqu County for the follow-up troops."

"Chief of Staff Tanabe specifically emphasized that there may be a small unit of the Republic of China with extremely strong combat effectiveness inside Zhongtiao Mountain."

"He hopes that your troops will pay more attention during the march and try to find the mysterious enemy!"

The content of the telegram made Ikegami Kenkichi raise his eyebrows. Both things were unexpected.

Although the 41st Division and the 9th Independent Mixed Brigade had successfully broken through the enemy's defense line, due to the existence of the Eighth Route Army Air Force, the casualties of both units were not small.

According to normal tactics, the superiors should first replenish a certain amount of troops, and then use mobility to expand the results of the battle.

As for the small enemy forces mentioned in the telegram, it was even more puzzling. How could such a small matter be entrusted to a mixed brigade? It was not a security war in the occupied area.

After thinking for a while, Kenji Ikegami began to doubt himself. He took the telegram from the hands of the signalman and tried to find out the deep meaning of his commander and chief of staff.

"Lieutenant General, do you have any special opinion on the orders of your superiors?"

Qingshui Guiji curled his lips with some contempt. He hated the reckless men who didn't like to use their brains the most.

Fortunately, the troops had just won a victory, and the old devil was in a very good mood, so he patiently explained them one by one.

"With the Eighth Route Army's intrusion in this battle, the speed of advancement on the northern front is much slower than expected. I believe the other four fronts have also encountered the same problem."

"You are asked to set off immediately, which must be for the subsequent division and encirclement plan. Moreover, the size of the brigade is just right. It takes into account some concealment while ensuring combat effectiveness."

"As for that small unit, just find it if you can. It's just a bonus. A few hundred people at most can't make a difference. Can they kill you in front of a brigade?"

Someone helped to analyze it, and Kenji Ikegami suddenly realized.

The old devil even showed an eager expression on his face. After all, as long as he successfully completed the tasks assigned by his superiors, he would definitely not be missing out on the credit after the war.

As a person who has worked as a brigade commander for three years, he seemed to see the hope of promotion.

"Thank you for your advice. I will prepare the troops now and try to set off in the shortest possible time. Shimizu-kun, we will meet in Yuanqu County. Long live the great Japanese brother country!"

After saying this, Kenji Ikegami ran to his headquarters with his family's samurai sword.

······

Two hours later, between the Shibaping position and Yuanqu County.

Captain Li stood on the head of a severely damaged truck, with hundreds of busy soldiers around him.

The 1st and 21st Marine Regiments recruited the defeated soldiers while looking for opportunities to ambush the enemy. During this period, not only did they kill thousands of devils, but they also developed the troops from the initial 1,600 to the current 2,100.

Just from the number of people, it is not too much for outsiders to call Lao Li a brigade commander. After all, in the Class C organization of Guoju, a brigade only has two regiments.

"Hurry up and clean up the battlefield! Don't miss a single bullet! We don't have a proper source of supplies now, and all combat consumption can only rely on captured items!"

"Take good care of the seriously injured. Our Eighth Route Army will not abandon any comrade! When we get to a safe place, I will allocate some troops to send the wounded to the Yellow River ferry!"

Just as Li Yunlong was commanding the troops, a middle-aged man in a military officer's uniform came to him.

This man had a lot of blood-soaked bandages on his exposed skin, and he even needed the support of the guards around him to walk. It was hard to imagine what level of pain he was suffering.

Although the middle-aged man's military rank was higher than Li Yunlong's, he was a brigade commander with a regular staff. But when the two met face to face, the other party saluted first.

Such behavior was somewhat unexpected because it did not conform to the rules of military personnel.

Since the implementation of the military rank system, it is generally the subordinates who salute the superiors first, and then the superiors return the salute.

"Hello, I am Gao Jianbai from the 251st Brigade of the 84th Division. Thank you very much for your timely help, otherwise my brothers would really die in a foreign land."

"I will hand over the command next, and I just hope you can treat us equally."

After Gao Guizi ordered the three divisions to cover the retreat in turns, the 84th Division immediately took action to withdraw from the position. Unfortunately, due to the behavior of the 43rd Army next door, the Japanese had infiltrated the rear of the defense line.

The 251st Brigade was the worst victim. As soon as it withdrew, it was attacked from behind by a battalion of enemies.

After finally breaking through the siege, it encountered four Type 97 fighters that were trying to take advantage of the situation. Facing the enemy's low-altitude strafing, the soldiers had no ability to resist.

The successive battles made Gao Jianbai disconnected from the division headquarters and the army headquarters, and eventually led to the interruption of communication and complete separation. If it weren't for the good luck of meeting the 1st Marine Regiment, the final outcome would definitely be annihilation by the Japanese.

In the current situation, handing over the command is definitely the wisest choice. The good reputation of the Eighth Route Army is known to everyone, and if we act together we will definitely not be used as cannon fodder.

What's more, there are less than 300 people left in a brigade, and half of them are guard troops. If they don't find a big helper, they will be finished if they encounter the Japanese army heading south.

For such people who cooperate with the work, Li Yunlong will naturally not deliberately make things difficult for them. He immediately returned a salute and said a little embarrassedly:

"Brigade Commander Gao is too polite! Why do you mention the command right between friendly forces? We just need to work together."

"We not only have the Eighth Route Army, but also the Shanxi Suiyuan Army. We will need you to command when we encounter the Northwest Army in the future. Let's go on..."

Suddenly, Li Yunlong stopped talking. He found that the other party's raised hand seemed a little strange. Looking closely, the man's right hand was broken from the wrist, and there was no palm.

The wrists covered by the military uniform were all tightly wrapped with white gauze, and the red blood seeped from the inside, and some of them had already stained the cuffs.

Old Li's lips opened and closed unconsciously, and his expression was a little dazed for a moment. He did not say those polite words, but stretched out his left hand solemnly with a serious look, wanting to shake hands with the other party formally to show respect.

Gao Jianbai seemed to have noticed the change in the attitude of the Eighth Route Army in front of him. He put down his right hand that was still saluting, and stretched out his left hand hesitantly.

Li Yunlong was about to hold the other party's hand, but he was stunned when he looked down. The other party's left hand was gone.

At this time, the surroundings were quiet, and no one spoke. The accompanying guards also turned their heads away, unable to bear the tears in front of them.

"There are many seriously injured soldiers in the army after a series of battles. Can Brigade Commander Gao lead a company of soldiers to escort the wounded to the south bank of the Yellow River?"

"Now that the major ferry crossings have not been lost, I believe that the commander of the First War Zone will definitely arrange transportation forces to help the injured soldiers cross the river safely."

Being able to say this, it can be seen that Lao Li's emotional intelligence is more than one level higher.

It can not only persuade the other party to lead the seriously injured to the safe other side of the river, but also will not hurt the self-esteem of a soldier. It can be said to kill two birds with one stone.

However, Gao Jianbai just smiled gratefully and then called his adjutant.

"I appreciate the kindness of Captain Li, but I'd better leave the escort of the wounded to my old friend. I am now a cripple who can't even hold a gun. I just want to make some contributions before I die."

"I didn't think about the command right. If I meet the brothers of the 17th Army next, I will be responsible for recruiting them."

As a person who has been mixed among major forces for many years, he certainly knows the situation faced by the Eighth Route Army. Letting a regiment commander command the soldiers of the Northwest Army is not good for both sides.

Just as the two were talking, Li Yunlong's portable communicator on his waist received a reply from the reconnaissance company.

"Captain, a large number of Japanese soldiers have appeared in the north and are expected to contact us in 20 minutes. There are at least 4,000 of them! It should be an independent mixed brigade!"

Li Yunlong's eyes flashed after receiving the information. He signaled Gao Jianbai to wait for a while, and then shouted to the soldiers who were cleaning the battlefield:

"Everyone hide! Take away anything you can! If you can't, blow it up!"

"The main force of the Japanese is catching up! We are short of troops and must avoid their sharp edge! Retreat quickly!"

"Reconnaissance company! Keep watching that enemy! If the enemy has any unusual movements, be sure to notify me in time and be prepared for air-to-ground coordination!"

······

The perspective shifted to the team of the 9th Independent Mixed Brigade. At this time, Chi Shangji looked solemn. He sat in the co-pilot seat of the truck without saying a word, and his fingers kept tapping the door frame.

From the 18-ping position to the current position, there were four battlefields in just 30 miles.

The result of the battle was without exception that the side was defeated, and there were many battalion-level troops that were wiped out. The enemy was much stronger than expected, and there was not even a single survivor along the way.

Although the 41st Division lost a lot of warriors from the younger country when breaking through the northern defense line.

But it is not easy to destroy one's own troops in an organized manner, unless there is a leader who recruits the defeated soldiers along the way.

"It seems that Chief of Staff Tanabe is right. There is indeed a mysterious enemy active. It's a pity that these enemies will definitely avoid my troops."

"It seems that this journey will be smooth sailing, boring! Too boring!"

According to Kenkichi Ikegami's combat experience, the number of the enemy should be around 1,500. After four fierce battles, it is the limit to have 1,000 left.

His own independent mixed brigade has a total of 4,500 people.

Although it is only a garrison force to maintain public order, with tanks, cavalry and artillery, it can definitely disperse a military-level unit of the Republic of China in plains and mountainous terrain.

Facts have proved that people will not have a good end after planting the flag. This view has long been verified by Meyer.

Just when Kenji Ikegami was still imagining that he would lead his troops to kill all around, some buzzing noises were heard in the distant sky.

If it were in the past, no army except the Kwantung Army would panic. At that time, all the troops above their heads were their own army aviation. After all, the Republic of China's sky had long belonged to the eagles of their brother country.

But now is different from the past. The Eighth Route Army's air force has seized the air supremacy of Zhongtiao Mountain. When planes appeared in the sky, it was obvious that the enemy's death god had returned to the battlefield.

"Hide! Camouflage!"

"Put up camouflage nets on the armored forces! Cavalry enter the woods! All infantry should not move around at will!"

After hearing the order from their brigade commander, the Japanese soldiers took out dark green and yellow camouflage nets, trying to blend the trucks and tanks into the terrain.

Although the effect of the improvised things was average, it could at least have some effect on the enemy planes in the sky.

As expected, half a minute later, a four-flight formation flew over. They were the enemy's Hurricane and Gladiator fighters, and everyone present had been bombed by them once.

The Japanese soldiers held their breath, fearing that they would make any noise and attract the attention of the Eighth Route Army Air Force.

It seemed that the camouflage net worked, and the fighter planes of the First Air Division did not discover the Ninth Independent Mixed Brigade below. The four fighters only circled in the air for half a minute before they flew away very casually.

Watching the enemy planes leave, Kenji Ikegami wiped the sweat from his forehead and breathed a sigh of relief. In order to prevent accidents, he told the soldiers:

"Everyone, don't move. Wait until the enemy planes fly away before removing the camouflage net! It seems that Amaterasu is always looking after us. Today is a lucky day!"

······

At the same time, at a commanding height two kilometers away from the 9th Independent Mixed Brigade of the Japanese Army.

The reconnaissance unit of the 1st Marine Regiment was lurking here. Two comrades were holding 7x50 military binoculars to monitor the every move of the devils.

Duan Peng looked at the fighter planes gradually going away in the sky, and then picked up the portable communicator in front of him.

"Captain, the situation has changed! The devils are so good at pretending to be cuckolds! They actually deceived the comrades of the 1st Air Division!"

"Let's take action. Such a good opportunity can't be wasted. Although the enemy brigade is not fully staffed, it is also a big piece of fat meat. We can't let them slip away!"

After hearing the reply, Li Yunlong nodded. The enemy is not a fool. After so many bombings, he must be prepared.

However, the devil is one foot high and the way is ten feet high. The current situation is still under the control of him and Zhao Gang. The two even made a relative plan in advance.

After a brief thought, Lao Li agreed to the request of the reconnaissance company.

"Okay! Action!"

With the approval of his own regiment leader, Duan Peng waved his hand back, indicating that the soldiers should start to act according to the original plan.

The artilleryman reflexively let go of his hand, letting the shell hanging above the barrel slide to the bottom. After letting go, the shell fell into the chamber, and the artilleryman immediately lowered his head and covered his ears.

Ten seconds later, several 82mm mortar shells with whistling sound drew a perfect arc in the air, and continuously fell into the hiding place of the devils.

Boom boom boom!

"Baga!"

"Everyone disperse! There is an ambush!"

Ikegami Kenji shouted and gave orders nervously, knowing that his brigade was going to be unlucky.

The sudden bombardment will most likely attract the attention of the Eighth Route Army Air Force. A unit without field air defense capabilities is simply a piece of meat on the chopping board.

Now, unless Amaterasu can favor him again, he will die.

Whoosh x10!

Ten red flares were launched at the same time, completely breaking Kenji Ikegami's fantasy.

At the same time, the enemy's fighter planes also turned around in the air, obviously discovering their own formation.

"Scatter quickly! Spread out in squadrons! Find a way to reunite after the air raid is over!"

"Throw away those damn ammunition boxes! Don't you want to die? Except for the ammunition you carry with you, blow up the rest! Don't leave it to the enemy if you can't take it away!"

······

Time goes back to one minute ago.

After receiving the news that the northern defense line was breached, the deputy commander immediately woke up the pilots who were still resting.

Although the soldiers had only slept for a few hours, many were still exhausted. But the superiors assigned combat missions, and the comrades set out immediately without complaint.

Arriving above the battlefield, everyone frowned at the messy positions, and even Captain Wang Hai, who usually didn't talk much, couldn't help but curse a few words.

The mission of the Air Force 1st Division this time is to delay the enemy's attack on Yuanqu County, and can choose to attack the enemy's ground forces if conditions permit.

Considering that the northern positions have been lost, there is no need to attack.

Under the leadership of Captain Wang Hai, 300 fighters of various types flew south along Hengyuan Avenue and flew towards the enemy's must-pass place.

After entering the mountainous forest area, the difficulty of searching rose sharply.

In order to maximize resources, the entire fleet was divided into dozens of four formations, each led by an instructor from the aviation school or a soldier with outstanding performance on the battlefield.

The team numbered 13, except for Captain Fang Ziyi who drove the Hurricane, the rest of the members were fighter fighters.

After half an hour of searching, the soldiers were a little tired. After all, everything on the ground is a small dot from the air, which is very eye-consuming and energy-consuming.

"Captain, when can we fly a Spitfire? Although the Gladiator is not bad, it is still a little behind the Japanese Type 97 fighter."

"Now every battle is just licking the ground, at most chasing the enemy's bombers. I want to fight the enemy's fighters! Otherwise, all my skills will be in vain!"

After hearing the complaints of the team members, Fang Ziyi shook his head speechlessly. Perhaps the reconnaissance work is boring, he replied while observing the ground:

"You? And you can fly a Spitfire! You are the good deeds of your ancestors to be able to fly to the Hurricane! Do you know how many our Captain Wang Hai has shot down? A full 27! The little stars are drawn in three rows!"

"Unless we have more advanced aircraft, don't dream."

"Haha, go to hell!"

Amidst a joke, a team member suddenly found several red flares in the area they just passed by.

In order to perform reconnaissance missions, the comrades did not fly at a high altitude.

Knowing that there were planes in the sky, the people who fired the flares were 90% likely to be friendly forces. So the four of them turned around immediately. Although they didn't find where their own people were, the scattered Japanese saw them clearly.

"Comrades! Hurry up and call people!"

"You go contact the main force! I'm watching the enemy here! Be quick!"

"The enemy has a brigade! This time we have to make a contribution! Maybe you really have a chance to drive a hurricane!"

A few minutes later, 300 fighters of various models rushed to the battlefield! Under the command of Captain Wang Hai, all formations freely chose their targets and began to dive and attack!

"Prioritize vehicles and cavalry! Be careful of the enemy's machine guns! Attack!"

This was the first collective action of the Air Force 1st Division. The comrades began to run towards their respective targets like war eagles.

In an instant, countless bombs with whistling sounds were thrown at the 9th Independent Mixed Brigade like dumplings.

With such a large fleet, resistance is meaningless.

"Run! Run as far as you can!"

Amid the heart-wrenching dog barkings of the squadron leaders, bombs fell into the enemy's ranks one by one.

The earth shook violently, and the explosions mixed with screams were very pleasant. Comrades rushed to achieve the goal of leaving no grass wherever they went.

The running speed of the legs can never match the speed of the plane. No matter how fast the devils ran, they could not escape the fate of being strafed by aircraft machine guns and aircraft cannons.

Watching the colleagues around them either being beaten into pieces of meat or being blown into barbecue.

Some of the weak-willed people were directly scared silly. In order to die less painfully, many devils trembled and committed suicide with the weapons in their hands.

Ten minutes later, the Air Force 1st Division dumped all the ammunition on the ground, leaving only some bullets or aircraft cannons for air combat. They passed through the battlefield and headed back to the base in southeastern Shanxi without looking back.

On the commanding heights, Duan Peng's eyes almost popped out when he saw the 9th Independent Mixed Brigade, which had suffered heavy casualties.

The rest of the soldiers in the reconnaissance company were not much better. It was the first time for everyone to appreciate the ground attack of the Air Force 1st Division up close. Such a scene was really shocking.

"Damn it, I was just calculating in my mind. If one plane can kill ten devils, three hundred planes would be three thousand, and the remaining enemies would just be enough for our Marine Corps 1st Regiment to have a bite of soup."

"It seems that my imagination is still not enough. Even if the king of heaven comes, he can't survive this level of bombing."

"I originally wanted to have a bite of soup, but now I can only pick up rags."

After speaking, Duan Peng picked up the portable communicator to contact Li Yunlong.

"Captain! Hurry up! If you don't go up, there will be nothing! The number of enemies is less than one thousand now, it's time for us to finish it off!"

"Okay!"

······

In the 9th Independent Mixed Brigade, Ikegami Kenji collapsed to the ground powerlessly. He looked exhausted, completely devoid of his previous high spirits.

Three hundred fighters, three times the number of the previous attack on the northern defense line.

Such an exaggerated treatment is simply not something a small independent mixed brigade can afford.

Before he set out, he brought 4,500 people with him. After a wave of bombing, it is hard to say how many of them can move now. His own chief of staff was beaten into pieces in front of him. This hellish scene made him unable to calm down now.

"Major General! Let's retreat quickly! If we don't leave, the enemy will rush up! Don't forget the previous mortars! There must be an enemy ambush around!"

I used the last joke of Ball 2 today, and by the way, I saw which old comrade was ambushed by me