Under the night, more than 150 officers and soldiers of the First Squadron of Dameishan Independent Brigade were digging roads non-stop. The road from Pukou to Huilonggou had been dug into holes and was incomplete.
Wan Zhongshan and Xu Dekun were squatting on the roadside smoking cigarettes, with serious expressions on their faces.
Because of his outstanding performance in the last battle, Xu Dekun has been promoted to deputy squadron leader, and he still serves as the squad leader of the 1st Squadron. Everyone can see this arrangement. Xu Dekun will take over as squadron leader sooner or later. Because Wan Zhongshan cannot always hold the position of captain of the 1st Squadron.
Xu Dekun said: "Yingzuo, this is not okay. The Japanese will arrive before we can dig out the road."
Wan Zhongshan remained silent. The progress of the first squadron's attack was indeed a bit slow. Based on the current progress of the attack, the Japanese engineers could repair it quickly. The problem was that this was already their limit. Due to limited tools, , the manpower is even more limited, and it is impossible for them to completely dig out the entire road.
In comparison, the task of the second squadron was much easier.
Because there are two highway bridges from Fengyang Town to Huilonggou, Heipi and the others can hold back the Japanese from Fengyang for at least four hours by blowing up these two bridges.
Xu Dekun suddenly said: "Yingzuo, I have an idea."
Wan Zhongshan hummed, turned around and asked, "Tell me, what can I do?"
"Landmines!" Xu Dekun whispered, "Let's prepare a huge minefield for the Japanese!"
"Minefield?" Wan Zhongshan frowned, "We only brought ten mines, can you create a minefield?"
Xu Dekun said in a low voice: "Didn't the captain often say that soldiers are deceitful, and they are only real and fictitious? Let's use these ten real landmines to blow them up, and then bluff them. The little devil will be blown up by these ten landmines." If you are afraid, you may not dare to use their truck to break in. After all, the kid's truck was not blown by the strong wind."
Wan Zhongshan's heart moved, and he said in a deep voice: "Sure, no matter whether it works or not, it doesn't hurt to try."
"I'll take people to lay out the minefields, hehe." Seeing that Wan Zhongshan had adopted his opinion, Xu Dekun hurriedly ordered a dozen veterans to lay out the minefields.
(Dividing line)
Yasuya Machida squinted his eyes slightly and was taking a nap in the passenger seat.
Machida Yasuo didn't care about the upcoming battle.
The reason is very simple. Ogawara Junsi and Muto Akira are well aware of Xu Rui's power, but Machida Yasuo does not know, because he was just transferred from Nanjing and originally belonged to Tani Hisao's Sixth Division, the Sixth Division From Shanghai to Nanjing, they have always been the best-performing troops, which can be said to have great military exploits.
This also developed the arrogant and arrogant character of the officers and soldiers of the Sixth Division.
Therefore, Machida Yasuo did not take Xu Rui's independent brigade seriously at all.
Machida was wishful thinking that as long as his troops appeared on the battlefield, the "Dameishan Independent Brigade" on the opposite side would immediately fall apart. In Machida's view, the so-called Dameishan Independent Brigade was simply a group of rabble, and even the National Government's The regular army is no match for them, let alone a group of rabble
Of course, Machida Yasuya has also heard about Xu Rui's record, but he does not recognize it.
A proud person always has a way to find excuses for being proud. A proud person always thinks that he is the only smart person in the world, and that everyone else is a fool.
"Creak!" The truck that was slowly moving forward suddenly stopped.
Machida Yasuo's slightly squinted eyes immediately opened and asked: "What's going on?"
The first-class soldier driving the truck said helplessly: "Sir, the car in front is blocked!"
Machida got out of the car with a frown, and then, surrounded by adjutants, staff officers, communications soldiers, and orderlies, he passed through the trucks and three-wheeled motorcycles blocking the road and came to the front.
A second lieutenant officer came forward and immediately reported: "Sir, there is a minefield ahead."
"What, a minefield?" Machida Yasuo looked in the direction of the car lights, and sure enough he saw dense wooden boards or branches on the road ahead.
The ensign officer had asked someone to retrieve a piece of wood.
I saw a line of Chinese characters written on this wooden board: There are mines here.
"Is there a landmine here?" A disdainful sneer appeared on Machida's lips, and he said ferociously, "This is just a bluff trick by the China Army. Don't worry about it. Order, the convoy continues to move forward."
"Hai." The lieutenant paused heavily, then turned around and waved, shouting, "Open the way!"
The vanguard team consisting of five three-wheeled motorcycles immediately hit the road again.
As soon as Machida turned around and was about to return to his truck, there was a loud bang behind him. When he looked back quickly, he saw a huge red light rising on the road ahead, and he was walking in front. The three-wheeled motorcycle at the front of the team had been overturned by the air wave and fell to the side of the road.
The three Japanese soldiers on the motorcycle also fell to the ground more than ten steps away.
"Baga." Machida Yasuo said angrily, "Where are the medical soldiers, please save people quickly."
The medical soldier carrying the first-aid kit rushed forward and dragged the three injured Japanese soldiers back. Fortunately, the three Japanese soldiers were only injured and not killed. However, in a sense, To be honest, this is not a good thing for the Machida Brigade, because it means that at least six soldiers and three sidecars must be sent back.
The second lieutenant officer from just now came forward again and said: "Sir, it seems that the Chinese are not bluffing."
"Baga, are you trying to teach me a lesson?" Machida Yasuo glared at the second lieutenant officer fiercely, and then said, "Order, the engineering team will immediately carry out mine clearance operations."
"Hai." The engineer team leader who was following Machida Yasuo paused heavily, then turned around and nodded to a few engineers, "You, you, and the two of you, we will clear the minefield within ten minutes."
"Hai." The four engineers paused and walked forward slowly with detectors.
Then, just as the four engineers approached the minefield, a gunshot suddenly rang out in the night sky ahead.
The next moment, the engineer walking in front whimpered and fell in a pool of blood. The remaining three engineers immediately fell to the ground when they saw this. Unfortunately, lying on the ground was not necessarily safe. Another gunshot rang out. The engineer lying in front tilted his head and stopped moving. The remaining two engineers quickly retreated and hid behind the truck.
The engineer squad leader said to Machida Yasuo: "Sir, there are Chinese Army snipers ahead."
"Baga." Machida gritted his teeth, turned around and roared, "Hattori-san, send two teams from your squadron to detour through the wilderness on both sides of the road and kill the China Army snipers!"
"Hai." The squadron leader who called Hattori immediately ran back, signaled the Japs on two of the trucks to get off, and then ordered them to leave the road, and detoured from the wilderness on both sides of the road to the front of the minefield, preparing to eliminate the Japs who had just ambushed the Japs engineers. The Chinese snipers, however, were completely stunned when they detoured back to the front.
They didn't find the Chinese sniper, but they found a huge minefield.
Under the moonlight, they could see that the entire road was covered with dense branches and the like. They had not seen it before because of the mountain obstruction, but after they rounded the hillside, the two teams of Japanese soldiers could see clearly. I saw warning signs starting from the minefield just now and ending one thousand meters away!
This turned out to be a super minefield that stretched for more than a kilometer!
It would take at least two days to clear such a super minefield!
The two Japanese team captains met and immediately sent communications troops to report their findings to Machida Yasuo.
"Nani?!" Machida Yasuo glared at the communications soldier who came back to report the news, and roared in disbelief, "A super minefield that stretches over a thousand meters? How is this possible? How is this possible? A mere regular army has No, China’s local armed forces are actually so generous? It’s a bluff, it must be a bluff!”
The second lieutenant who acted as the vanguard also felt that it was impossible for the Chinese to lay so many landmines in such a small place, but he still euphemistically suggested to Machida Yasu: "Sir, since the Hattori Squadron has chased away the snipers ambushing the roadside, then We might as well send out engineers to carry out mine clearance operations to ensure safety."
"Baga." Machida Yasuo said angrily, "How long will it take to sweep such a large minefield?"
Indeed, if such a large minefield had to be cleared, the day lilies would have been cold long ago, the war at Huilonggou would have ended long ago, and the military supplies would have been robbed by the Chinese.
"Order!" Machida Yasuo roared loudly, "The convoy continues to move forward!"
Machida Yasuo never believed that such a large minefield was all real. In such a large minefield, one thousandth of the landmines in it would be as high as the sky. Although this one thousandth of the landmines would also cause damage to the Machida brigade. It's a lot of damage, but it's completely within Machida's psychological tolerance.
The second lieutenant team leader had no choice but to order the departure.
However, in the next moment, there were violent explosions one after another on the road. The six three-wheeled motorcycles and a truck leading the vanguard team were all blown over on the road. The more than 30 Japanese on the truck were fine, and the six However, several of the Japanese on the three-wheeled motorcycles died, and the rest were all seriously injured.
At this time, Machida could only order the troops to stop advancing.
Machida Yasuo roughly estimated the density of the minefield. The convoy just traveled fifty meters and hit about eight mines. According to this density, it would need to be bombed at least one hundred and sixty times after walking through the minefield of several thousand meters. After one hundred and sixty explosions, how many vehicles are left in his convoy? I'm afraid there won't be any left!
But if it were to clear mines, there would be no time at all.
The cost of breaking in was too high, and there was not enough time to clear mines. Machida Yasuya was also at a loss.
Time is moving forward little by little, but the battle situation on the other side of Huilonggou cannot wait.
Taking out his pocket watch to check the time, Machida Yasuo finally made up his mind and roared loudly: "Order, the transport squadron returns to Pukou along the same route, and the remaining infantry squadrons and artillery squads take a shortcut to Huilonggou." (To be continued.)