Chapter 29: Suppressing the Bandits! An Infantry Charge of Nearly 30,000 Men from Nine Regiments!

The thrust of the infantry charge and the gunfire that accompanied it swiftly claimed the lives of the bandits. One bandit, fallen to the ground, was trampled by a galloping warhorse—his body crushed in an instant, reduced to a bloody pulp.

On the city walls of Chengyun County, Jiang Bai and his companions observed the infantry regiment's charge through binoculars.

“Excellent. To have trained such infantry in just a few months is no small feat,” Jiang Bai said with satisfaction.

“Yes, Commander. Looking back on the first and second battles of the Direct-Chengyun campaign, the decisive moments always came within two hundred meters. Close-quarters combat has always been the enemy’s strength. But give our recruits time, and when they become veterans, we’ll be able to match them in hand-to-hand fighting,” Wang Xiao replied, brimming with confidence.

Jiang Bai nodded in agreement but said no more. With the benefit of experience from future eras, Jiang Bai understood well that after World War I, close combat was abandoned by mainstream military doctrine, and massed charges were becoming obsolete. As automatic weapons spread and technology advanced, tanks and armored vehicles would replace infantry charges as the decisive force in battle.

The imminent second battle of the dynasty might be the last glorious chapter for infantry charges. In the future, Jiang Bai planned, when conditions permitted, to replace infantry with armored troops.

In wars yet to come, the infantry charge would gradually fade into history.

“Boss, disaster is upon us!”

A bandit rushed to report to Zuoshan Diao.

“What happened?” Zuoshan Diao’s face darkened; clearly, the situation was dire. Their original attack plan had utterly failed, and there was no retreat. Should they stubbornly press on? They were only five minutes away from reaching the foot of the city wall.

“The government troops! All the troops that went up the mountain have come down and are charging. The battlefield is full of government soldiers—the whole formation has collapsed, and everyone is fleeing!” the bandit explained hurriedly.

“All the troops that went up the mountain have come down?” Zuoshan Diao’s face instantly turned pale.

The once-calculating boss Zuoshan Diao was unnerved, and the other chieftains, faces ashen, were seized with panic.

“It’s over, it’s over. We’ve been tricked—if all the government troops are down here, we’re doomed!”

“They’re everywhere, and when they charge, it’s as if they don’t care for their lives!”

“Quick, let’s run! If we get back to the mountains, there’s a slim chance—if we’re late, it’ll be too late!”

The bandit leaders no longer cared for their earlier oaths, leading the remnants in a desperate flight; the bandit army quickly disintegrated.

Yet, retreating to the mountains was nearly impossible for these bandits.

The Seventh Reinforced Division of the Chengyun Army, aside from the Twenty-second, Twenty-third, and Twenty-fourth regiments, had deployed nearly thirty thousand men from nine other regiments, forming an inescapable net—even a mosquito would have trouble flying out.

“It’s all over!” Zuoshan Diao watched his men scatter, his face etched with despair.

The gathered bandits fled in all directions; Zuoshan Diao’s own forces suffered heavy losses—this campaign had cost him nearly everything.

“Boss, we should escape while we can. If we get back to the mountains, we can rebuild our strength and continue fighting the government troops. Who wins and who loses is yet to be decided!” Hassan urged.

Zuoshan Diao shook his head. “No need. I’d rather take a bullet to the head than eke out a miserable existence in the mountains. I’ve had my fill of meat and women—there are no regrets in my life.”

Seeing Zuoshan Diao’s resolve, Hassan said no more, but hurried away with a few trusted followers.

“When an army is defeated, it collapses like a mountain,” Zuoshan Diao sighed, watching the Chengyun cavalry approach rapidly. He drew his pistol, aimed it at his own head, and with a single shot, ended his life.

“We’re surrounded by government soldiers—there’s no way out.”

“This time, we’re truly doomed.”

“No more fighting—we surrender!” Realizing escape was impossible, the bandits dropped their weapons and chose to surrender.

Jiang Bai had already given orders—not to kill surrendering bandits.

In this era, military achievements were often measured in bandit heads.

But they were human, after all; lay down their guns and pick up hoes, and they could still be counted as labor.

Though such “labor” needed a gun at their head to be productive, and efficiency was low, they need not be treated as human.

It gave them a chance to make amends and reduced labor costs—a strategy with multiple benefits.

In the battle for Chengyun County, the bandit forces led by Zuoshan Diao suffered a crushing defeat. Over ten thousand bandits died in the fighting, and the rest scattered in flight. Yet their escape routes were ruthlessly blocked by the Seventh Reinforced Division, making escape a luxury. Facing desperation, most bandits chose to surrender, save for a few who fought to the death.

From the bandits’ assault on Chengyun County to their final rout, the whole process lasted only a few hours. The Seventh Reinforced Division of the Chengyun Army had secured a resounding victory.

“Commander Jiang, the battle is over. The bandits attacking Chengyun County have been wiped out, save for a handful. We’ve taken more than twenty-five thousand prisoners,” Chief of Staff Wang Xiao reported with obvious excitement.

Though the enemy was only a bandit force, to annihilate nearly all of them at minimal cost was a remarkable achievement for a division established only a few months ago.

“Well done!” Jiang Bai was highly satisfied with the Seventh Reinforced Division’s performance. Though the enemy was weak, the battle had at least exposed most of his troops to the crucible of combat, helping to build their experience.

“We’ve found Zuoshan Diao’s corpse—confirmed by other bandits. Should we burn it along with the others?” Wang Xiao continued.

Bandit leaders’ corpses had their uses.

“Hang the corpse at the city gate of Chengyun County, as a warning,” Jiang Bai said after some thought.

“Order all units to clear the battlefield and return to camp,” Jiang Bai continued.

“Commander, we’ve also discovered that an important figure named Hassan was not captured—he may have escaped.”

“Hassan? Any detailed intelligence?” Jiang Bai inquired.

“Not much, but we suspect he’s affiliated with the Japanese. Otherwise, Zuoshan Diao’s force wouldn’t have grown so quickly.”

Jiang Bai nodded. “If we didn’t catch him, so be it. The bandits around Chengyun Mountain have been eliminated—the sky over Sanping should clear at last.”

“Leave one battalion behind, and select twenty company-level officers from the division to form an instructor group. Recruit local able-bodied men, and form a militia. When we leave, they’ll take up the task of defending their homeland.”

“Yes, Commander.”

“Yang Ting, how is Jiang Bai’s campaign against the bandits in Chengyun Mountain going?” After a day’s work, Wang Lin sat down, picked up a cup of hot tea, and asked proactively. Jiang Bai, the young man who had once saved him, had now become the focus of his utmost attention.