The big guy and the silly boy were stunned on the spot, things changed so quickly, how could it become like this in the blink of an eye.
Wang Laokou followed him out of the bunker and grabbed the gun in Hu Yi's hand: "Xiao Hu, calm down. You can't do this."
Hu Yi was very sober. There were two reasons for his sudden outburst. One was that Hu Yi saw a self that even he hated from Zhao Yong's scolding. The other was that Hu Yi finally decided to be himself again. He pressed Zhao Yong to the ground with a gun because he had always done it.
The five people in the third row crouched in the shelter again, but the atmosphere changed subtly.
Hu Yi ejected the bullets from the gun chamber, casually placed it horizontally on his legs, glanced at everyone, and finally spoke: "My last name is Hu, because I was an orphan and was adopted by Hu Zi, so my last name is Hu. It's just a name, because being a Hu Zi means being disloyal, unfilial, and unkind. The only word left is "righteousness". Although we have only been together for one day, it is considered a friendship. If anyone wants to leave now, I will never stop them. Now I have decided, I want to leave too! But I, Hu Yi, have been in the Northeast Army for eight years. Even if I want to leave, I have to give an explanation to the 107th Division. The 638th Regiment is now in great trouble, so I will execute the last order, leave no debt, guard this open area, and don't leave until the last moment."
Hu Yi's voice was not loud, but it was sonorous and powerful in everyone's heart. Everyone was silent.
Wang Laokou coughed and broke the silence: "Xiao Hu, I'm not mistaken, you are a good man. Don't be afraid of you laughing at me, I became the platoon leader purely for the extra money compared to others. Now is the time to choose your fate, and you can't delay everyone. I don't care whether others stay or go, I will listen to you."
The big guy also spoke up: "Brother Hu, I respect you. I will listen to you."
The silly boy then said, "Brother Hu, I believe you. I will follow you, and I will do whatever you tell me to do."
Zhao Yong kept his head down. Hu Yi's words made him regret his previous extreme behavior, so he just whispered, "Count me in."
At this point, a new third platoon was formed. The people were still the same, and Hu Yi officially became the command core of the third platoon, although he was not the platoon leader.
Night finally fell, and the battle started in the east, because there were trees and bushes there, and it was easiest to get close to the city. First there was the roar of mortars, and after a while there were the sounds of grenade launchers and machine guns, and gradually the back and forth rifle fire was mixed in, the interweaving lines of fire and flashes of explosions were reflected in the night, dazzling and beautiful.
Afterwards, the battle on the northern defense line of Desheng Port also started, which was rapid and fierce. Judging from the gunshots alone, the intensity of the battle in the north was more intense than that in the east. The 638th Regiment judged that the east was the main attack direction of the Japanese, so the second battalion with the most troops was in the east, the third battalion was responsible for the northern line, and the first battalion with the least troops defended the west.
As midnight approached, there was no sign of the Japanese attack on the western defense line, and the northern line was in a critical situation. Considering that the terrain on the west side was more open, the regiment finally gritted its teeth and transferred a company from the first battalion on the west side to reinforce the northern line.
Hu Yi lay on the weeds on the ridge of the field, staring at the night in the west. The other two directions had been fighting for almost half a night, but there was no movement here. With years of experience, Hu Yi had a bad feeling. The Second Company had been transferred to the north. Now there were only the understaffed First Company and the disabled Third Company in the west. If this was the Japanese's tactic of cutting off the enemy's support, then the attack should be imminent.
Wang Laokou crouched down beside Hu Yi and whispered, "Xiao Hu, it's already midnight, why is there no movement in our west? Do you think the Japanese will not attack this side? Maybe they think this side is too spacious? Or maybe they only want to win the victory port, and they left a hole in the west for us to escape."
Hu Yi shook his head: "No, if they let us go, it will be troublesome. The devils are not that stupid. It's not daytime now. Look at how dark it is. Even if there is an open area, you can't see too far. Why don't they come?"
At this point, Hu Yi was startled. He turned to Wang Laokou and said, "Brother Wang, give me your matches." Then he picked up the dead branches and grass he had collected during the day to cover the shelter, crouched forward for more than ten meters and put them down, then turned back to continue picking them up.
Wang Laokou looked at Hu Yi, who had suddenly started to work, in confusion. He asked in a low voice: "Xiao Hu, what are you doing?"
Hu Yi continued to work and answered casually: "Tell the big guy and Zhao Yong to be alert and ready for battle. The Japanese may have already arrived."
The silly boy hid in the bunker, while Wang Laokou, the big guy and Zhao Yong lay on the ridge of the field and stuck their heads out, with their guns ready. The three of them watched Hu Yi in the front, moving back and forth over and over again, pulling and dragging the grass, branches and bushes around the bunker and piling them together in front, making it look like a grave. Then he struck a match to light the dry grass, crouched down and ran back quickly, jumped into the ridge of the field, and grabbed his guns.
A faint light flickered about ten meters ahead, then gradually expanded and brightened. The dead branches and weeds burned very quickly, and in the blink of an eye, flames rose up, devouring the haystack with a crackling sound. The light source slowly spread out, gradually pushing away the surrounding darkness.
"Look, platoon leader, there's a fire ahead!"
Wu Gui got up with a start and leaned out the window. Just in front of the third row, about 70 or 80 meters away in the open area, a fire was burning, getting stronger and stronger. What was going on? What was the third row doing? Was it trying to get killed again
Staring at the gradually spreading fire, Wu Gui was stunned for a while, and then finally realized that something was wrong. The third platoon was using the fire to check the surrounding situation. He immediately ordered: "Everyone prepare for battle, and the machine guns are in place immediately. Everyone, watch carefully and keep an eye on them."
Two light machine guns were mounted in the buildings on both wings, and more than a dozen gun muzzles were scattered on windows, roofs, and walls, all pointing at the open area in the firelight.
The third row was in the front, so they could see more distance and details. As the flames shot up into the sky, the range of light gradually expanded, and they finally discovered something unusual on the open ground not far to the west.
A faint flash of light in the distance flashed in Hu Yi's eyes for a moment, then disappeared. Hu Yi guessed that it was a bayonet. A few dark shadows on the ground in the distance gradually became clearer as the range of the fire spread. Hu Yi judged that they were steel helmets.
Finally unable to hide anymore, the blurry figures lying on the ground gradually emerged and began to wriggle, trying to crawl backwards and hide in the darkness.
Bang! The first flame jumped out of Wang Laokou's gun muzzle, Hu Yi also opened fire, and the big man Zhao Yong pulled the trigger, and the bullets shot at the blurred object in the distance. The three rows of guns fired, and the first row of guns followed suit, and the machine guns quickly swept one magazine after another into the dark horizon.
The battle in the west began amid a fire.