Traveling through 1937, starting from the Battle of Songhu

Chapter 228 Trouble with the Japs

Early the next morning, everyone got up early. After Gu Changfeng explained the training matters to Zhou Qianli, he began to organize the team.

"Captain Gu, the artillery company is ready. This time we carry 200 rounds of artillery shells." Lu Daya said happily.

He was very happy to feel that the artillery company had come back to life, because only with artillery shells could he have confidence.

"Reporting to Commander Gu, the second and third companies are ready and can depart at any time."

Yang Zhenhua and Wu Mazi were also quick in their preparations and walked forward one after another to report.

"Set off."

Gu Changfeng planned to go out first. His target this time was the nearby towns. Since the Japanese were preparing to raid the countryside, they would definitely send people out.

When the time is right, they will just start fighting after they have completed the investigation. As Laiyuan is just a county, he estimated that the Japanese troops would not be very numerous.

This time, we brought about 500 people including logistics, with an artillery company and ten heavy machine guns, which was enough to deal with a battalion of Japanese devils.

However, for the sake of his own losses, he decided to act according to the circumstances and it would be best to target the Japanese squadron first.

The main purpose was to stockpile weapons and ammunition, so he treated the Japanese as logistics and just went to get them if they wanted.

Gu Changfeng only brought three days of dry food this time, so he had to gain something from this trip, otherwise it would be embarrassing.

It was also because we had only been here for a short time, the intelligence network had not been established, and there was not enough food left in the village, so we decided to just leave first.

"Send a few teams out to investigate, and also send a few teams out from Laiyuan. Bring radios and report any developments immediately."

Gu Changfeng gave the order. He was in the mountains and forests more than 40 kilometers away from Laiyuan.

A dozen kilometers to the right is Zhaojiayu, which is also a relatively large market town near Laiyuan. If the Japanese go to the countryside to raid, they will definitely not let go of this place.

"Captain Gu, let me lead the team to the county town," Wu Mazi was a little impatient. Instead of blowing the cold wind in the mountains, he might as well go out and take a look.

"Okay, then why don't you just take 50 people out? I'll give you three heavy machine guns, and have Lao Lu send out two mortars. If you encounter any Japanese squads, just kill them."

Gu Changfeng thought about it and agreed. There was not much point in staying here. Since they were waiting anyway, it would be nice to let them go out.

"Commander Gu, how about I go out too?" Yang Zhenhua asked.

Gu Changfeng smiled and said, "Okay, they all have the same configuration. Let's go find Lao Lu."

He is personally watching over this place, so it doesn't matter whether the two company commanders are there or not.

They waited for a whole day, but the Japanese didn't make any movement and the soldiers who went out didn't send back any news.

Although Gu Changfeng was a little anxious, he still remained patient and asked the soldiers to clear a place in the mountains for camping.

The weather in March is still very cold, especially in the mountains at night, where temperatures below zero are common.

Fortunately, the soldiers were used to it. After more than 40 days of camping in the wild, they were quite experienced and set it up in no time.

At night, except for the soldiers on guard, everyone else went into the tents and began to rest.

Silent all night.

There was no news on the second day. On the third day, when the last meal of the dry food was left, news came.

"Reporting to Commander Gu, Captain Wu sent a message saying the Japanese are coming out of Laiyuan. They are leading the way with seven or eight trucks and three motorcycles, heading our way."

The soldier from the telecommunications squad reported.

Gu Changfeng was delighted when he heard this, and secretly thought: "Two squadrons of devils are not bad, just the right thing to eat."

With his strength, the devils didn't take it seriously at all, and fired mortars first.

Then with the machine guns and snipers, the Japanese had no chance of touching them.

"Lao Lu, the Japanese are coming, get ready for dinner." Gu Changfeng shouted, then gave orders to the other soldiers.

"Prepare to build a position, all the damn aiming points, I'm very poor now."

"Third Company, the mission to stop the Japanese is assigned to you. Don't let any of them escape."

With his firepower, there is no need to play tricks with the Japanese. He can just block the triangle line and the Japanese will find it difficult to fly out even if they have wings.

Soon, the third company, led by several platoon leaders, began to select ambush points.

There were only two squadrons of Japanese soldiers, so no one took them seriously. They just found a few slopes and used them as fortifications.

A few kilometers away, the Japanese troops who were raiding the countryside were heading straight for Zhao Jiayu at a speed of more than ten kilometers per hour.

The Japanese team was led by Captain Asano Asaichi this time. His goal was to incorporate Zhao Jiayu's security team, which had been discussed before.

In fact, after taking over Laiyuan last year, they could have taken over the surrounding towns with ease.

However, it was already winter, and the Eighth Route Army was constantly harassing. After much deliberation, the regiment commander Wu Xinchun finally decided to defend the county town.

It was not until recently that they received support from the 14th Regiment that they prepared to leave the city.

As for the security groups in various towns and villages who were willing to surrender, the old Japanese Wu Xinchun started contacting them as early as last year.

Through various bribery and infiltration, at least one-third of the security groups in various towns and villages were willing to surrender, and Asano Asaichi's team was just one of them.

"Asano-kun, these Chinese are so spineless. The Imperial Army only needs to pay a small price to make them surrender without a fight."

Lieutenant Du Jiu, the combat staff officer, had a look of disdain on his face. For their field troops, the most despised thing was the surrendering soldiers.

"Toku-kun, these Chinese are willing to work for the Imperial Army. Isn't it just right to let them manage their own people?"

Asano Asaichi's tone was calm, but the disdain in his eyes was no less than that of Watari.

"Asano-kun is right." Lieutenant Watakyu agreed and then changed the subject.

"The Tubalu have been making a lot of noise lately. I don't know what the commander is thinking. The empire's warriors haven't left the city to fight in a long time."

Speaking of the Eighth Route Army, Asano Chaoyi became interested and said, "In my estimation, the regiment commander will soon take action."

"This time, the brigade has provided support with a regiment of troops, plus an artillery squadron. They probably also want to attack the Eighth Route Army here. They recruited these security groups to serve as the vanguard of the Imperial Army."

"In fact, the Eighth Route Army in Laiyuan is quite strong, otherwise the commander wouldn't have sent two squadrons out of the city. Be careful!"

Asano's last reminder did not make Watanabe alert, but rather excited.

Hiding in Laiyuan for a whole winter was undoubtedly very frustrating for these militarist fanatics.

Just as Lieutenant Watanabe was about to say something, a loud explosion suddenly came from outside.

Boom boom boom!

Twelve mortars fired at the same time, instantly covering the Japanese on the road.

Although the heavy artillery was lost in the Battle of Jinling, the mortars were well preserved. All 16 of them were brought here, becoming Gu Changfeng's biggest trump card at this time.

"Baga, enemy attack!"

The two Japanese officers were hit on the head and bleeding, and they only had time to say this sentence.

Soon, the second round of shells followed.

Boom boom boom!

Needless to say, after two rounds, four or five of the Japanese vehicles were overturned, and they were unable to organize any effective resistance.

"Okay, stop the shelling,"

Gu Changfeng felt like a complete failure at this moment. Twelve cannons were fired at the same time, but he didn't know if they damaged anything inside.

Lu Daya seemed to have seen through Gu Changfeng's thoughts, baring his big teeth and saying:

"Brothers, we were all watching. We didn't shoot at the roofs of the enemy vehicles. Otherwise, none of these enemy soldiers would have gotten out."

Gu Changfeng nodded. It was indeed the case when looking through the telescope. Basically, everything was under control.

"Okay, wait until you see a group of Japanese soldiers and then launch an artillery attack, don't attack them all at once."

Gu Changfeng gave some instructions, took the rifle from his deputy and walked towards the preset position in front.

At this time, snipers and heavy machine guns had already started to attack. Under the three-pronged attack, the Japanese soldiers were already stunned. They barely fired a few shots and fell unwillingly on the road.