Chapter 25: Deputy Chief of Staff: Is This Really a Bandit? An Unexpected Prize of War

As Li Yunlong, who was leading the assault, set his eyes on the Japanese officer opposite him, he immediately realized this was the supreme commander of the Japanese invaders in Xijing Town.

He promptly raised his rifle and took aim.

"Capture the bandits by capturing their leader first!"

As long as the Japanese officer could be eliminated, the enemy’s morale would crumble rapidly, allowing him to defeat them with ease.

"Bang!"

The distance between the two sides was less than a hundred meters. At such a range, Li Yunlong’s marksmanship had a ninety-nine percent hit rate. As he pulled the trigger, Ichiro Watanabe, who was busy directing his troops, collapsed instantly like a kite with a snapped string.

This scene threw the Japanese camp into chaos. Li Yunlong decisively issued the order to attack.

"Zhang Dabiao, push forward!"

"Cover with machine guns!"

"Rat-tat-tat... rat-tat... rat-tat-tat..."

The New First Regiment’s firepower was now in no way inferior to that of the Japanese troops; in fact, it was even stronger. Furthermore, with their superior numbers, they successfully suppressed the Japanese in the ensuing firefight.

In an instant, many Japanese soldiers fell under their gunfire. Facing the constant casualties, the puppet troops, who were already struggling to hold their ground, saw that the situation was dire and began to retreat in disarray.

A chase ensued within the town. Initially, the two sides had been evenly matched, but as the main force of the New First Regiment arrived as reinforcements, the situation shifted to a landslide.

The Japanese suffered heavy blows, with many killed or wounded. Seeing that they could not hold out, the puppet troops began to flee. When it came to reading the situation, the puppet soldiers were quite adept. Seeing the Japanese being battered so severely and facing such a fierce offensive, they knew there was only one outcome: defeat was inevitable. If they didn't run now, they would never get the chance. Consequently, many puppet soldiers stopped fighting and scrambled to grab their money and valuables, preparing to escape.

With the collapse of the puppet troops, the New First Regiment advanced even faster. The entire town of Xijing fell into total chaos.

...

On a hillside outside Xijing Town, the Deputy Chief of Staff had relocated to observe the situation through his binoculars. When he heard the intense sounds of battle coming from the town, his suspicions were confirmed.

These "bandits" were indeed attacking the Japanese and puppet forces in Xijing Town. They had already broken through the enemy's defensive lines and reached the interior of the town. This speed of advance left the Deputy Chief of Staff and Captain Chen feeling astonished.

"It seems those bandits were merely bait to lure the Japanese in," Captain Chen praised. "The leader of this bandit group is truly daring."

"If they hadn't succeeded, they would have been surrounded and trapped in a very dangerous situation."

The Deputy Chief of Staff shook his head slightly, disagreeing with the Captain.

"Not entirely."

"I would say this commander is both bold and meticulous. Although it seems very risky, one can see from the overall deployment that he had already prepared for the worst-case scenario."

"If I am not mistaken, the squads escorting the 'prisoners' must have quickly seized the town's entrance, thereby breaching the enemy's defensive lines."

"However, the strength of this unit's firepower configuration and their command capability are beyond my expectations."

"This is no ordinary group!"

"Perhaps they aren't bandits at all, but a well-trained military unit. Look at their offensive posture, their rhythm, and the coordination between the squads—this is the mark of a disciplined army."

Captain Chen was quite surprised to hear such high praise from the Deputy Chief of Staff, yet he realized it seemed to be the truth.

"Chief, should we arrange for someone to contact this unit and find out who they really are?"

The Deputy Chief of Staff nodded slightly.

"I think that would be appropriate."

"However, we must wait until the fighting is over to avoid any friendly fire or misunderstandings."

"Understood." Captain Chen nodded, then continued to observe and wait for the battle to conclude.

...

Inside Xijing Town, with the collapse of the puppet troops, the remaining Japanese soldiers were left isolated and unable to withstand the New First Regiment's offensive. Even when the Japanese launched suicidal counterattacks, it was to no avail.

While this did result in some casualties for the New First Regiment, it also thoroughly enraged them. Every Japanese soldier they encountered was neutralized completely, leaving no opportunity for them to launch further suicidal attacks. Whenever a Japanese soldier was spotted, they were met with grenades or gunfire, followed by a final strike to ensure they were truly dead.

Such ruthless tactics completely crushed the Japanese and terrified the puppet troops. At the same time, it ignited the iron-blooded spirit of the soldiers. Although they had previously experienced the fires of war while clearing out bandits, they hadn't yet forged a true military soul. This battle, however, instilled that iron-blooded spirit in many of the men.

Li Yunlong felt the change in the atmosphere of his troops and felt a sense of gratification. Even though they had paid a price in blood, the spirit ignited within the unit was priceless. This battle, even with its not-insignificant casualties, was worth it.

As the clearing operation progressed, the remaining Japanese were wiped out, and the puppet troops, under Li Yunlong’s meticulous planning, had nowhere to run.

Half an hour later, the gunfire gradually ceased. The battle had ended.

Li Yunlong immediately arranged for Shen Quan to take a company as reinforcements to intercept the enemy coming from the direction of Huangyadong Town. After all, judging by the time, the enemy's reinforcements were likely already engaging their blocking force. To minimize casualties, the main force had to clear the battlefield quickly and withdraw. As for holding Xijing Town, Li Yunlong had no such intention for the time being.

As the battlefield was cleared, the spoils of war were sorted. Because they had sent out scouts beforehand, the attack had focused on protecting the warehouses holding these supplies. As a result, the Japanese and puppet troops failed to move or destroy the goods, significantly preserving the volume of the spoils.

The food supplies alone were enough to sustain the New First Regiment for half a month. Regarding weapons and ammunition, there were nearly 500 rifles of various types, nearly 30 light and heavy machine guns, tens of thousands of rounds of ammunition, 12 grenade launchers, and nearly a hundred mortar shells. Some of the equipment, however, was damaged and required repair before it could be used.

There were plenty of other supplies as well, including medical supplies, padded winter clothing, military boots, and more. These were likely the reserves the Japanese had kept for the daily needs of their own troops and the puppets, which would solve the New First Regiment's clothing shortages. The equipment alone was enough to fully outfit another regiment.

They also seized a significant amount of enemy funds, including gold bars and silver dollars. It could be said that this haul was quite substantial and would cover the New First Regiment's expenses for some time!

However, these were not what Li Yunlong was most concerned about. In his view, from the moment he set his sights on Xijing Town, these things were already his. What piqued his curiosity was the nature of the supplies the Japanese had recently transported in—supplies that had made them so cautious.

Li Yunlong walked briskly toward the location where the Japanese had stored these specific items.

...

Elsewhere, in a warehouse, Zhang Dabiao, who was searching according to his objectives, looked at the trucks inside with a puzzled expression. Recalling how the Japanese had protected these goods with their lives, he became even more curious about what was inside the crates.

He noticed that both the crates and the bombs inside were marked with skull insignias.

What kind of shell was this? Why did it feel so different from the previous bombs? Was this the reason the Japanese had been so nervous and protective?