The War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression Begins in Songhu

Chapter 542 is just the beginning (bonus chapter for FC Master Mo)
"Blow the bugle! Blow the charge!"

Amid the still-sounding explosions of landmines, Hu Biao, Annie, Chen Tang, Zanana, Lao Ma, and other seasoned time travelers almost simultaneously shouted out the same sentence at the top of their lungs.

The fact that the first phase of this ambush went so smoothly was naturally something they were happy to see.

However, they were more aware of one thing: now is not the time to be happy.

There are still too many factors and stages in the subsequent battles that could cause this plan to fail, and the outcome remains to be seen.

For example, even though the Japanese are now in complete chaos.

However, this elite Japanese unit had exceptionally capable junior officers and veterans, which was evident not only in their individual skills but also in their excellent command of on-the-spot tactics.

Although they seem to be running around like headless flies right now, this state won't last long.

Soon after, the other Japanese soldiers would be organized and hastily built a defensive line to resist.

Based on Hu Biao's experience, they should first gather in small groups of three to five to form small defensive points; soon after, these points will connect.

In a short period of time, it eventually became a solid temporary defensive line.

Given that their current forces are mostly composed of new recruits, they might suffer heavy casualties and be unable to break through the Japanese lines and engage with them, thus entering the next stage of the ambush.

Therefore, every second that followed was precious to the Japanese soldiers, who were still in a state of panic...

Amidst the roars of Hu Biao and his men, at least ten buglers, led by Xiao Henan, who had rejoined the main army the day before, leaped to their feet.

They straightened their backs, puffed out their chests, and puffed out their cheeks, then vigorously blew the trumpet they had placed to their lips.

Immediately, the rhythm of the Nationalist army became even more rapid, and the 'toot-toot-toot' bugle calls echoed across the hills on both sides.

At first, the horn sounds were somewhat chaotic, but after a few seconds they became a unified chorus; the high-pitched horn sounds were deafening, and for a moment they could pierce the sky.

And such a piercing horn signaled the call for everyone to take action.

No! It must be a signal that everyone except the laborers who helped transport the supplies had taken action; they all started moving immediately.

All the light and heavy machine guns positioned on the hilltops, once their camouflage was removed, began firing wildly at the Japanese soldiers, completely disregarding the consumption of bullets and whether the gun barrels were rapidly turning red.

Areas with a higher concentration of Japanese troops were their primary targets.

The main strategy was to use machine guns to suppress the enemy and delay the time it would take for them to gather and form a defensive line.

All the infantry units, except for the cavalry battalion—whether infantry, guard, or supply—were disregarded; every single one of them, led by Hu Biao and others, charged down the hillside.

Throughout the entire process, apart from barely maintaining the shift schedule and everyone rushing in one direction, there was absolutely no formation whatsoever.

They all took off running, emitting roars that they probably couldn't even understand themselves.

Before the battle began, they had all been repeatedly instructed by their superiors to charge forward immediately once the bugle sounded.

Charge as fast as you can, and after you've used up all your rifle fire, throw grenades, and then slash with your knife.

Engage in a shootout with the Japanese? What are you thinking? Your marksmanship is no match for theirs.

The Japanese soldiers were far more powerful than anyone imagined. This was a desperate battle that required everyone to risk their lives to win.

After this battle, Commander Hu and his comrades couldn't guarantee who would survive.

All I can guarantee is that I'll charge forward with everyone, and if we die, we'll die together; even if we die, our families will receive a pension so that our deaths won't be in vain.

Furthermore, anyone who deserts in the face of battle or fails to advance out of fear of the enemy will be executed without mercy.

Only Uncle Bo and the 200 snipers he personally trained were not included in the above situations.

Although they mingled with the crowd and rushed forward with everyone, their occasional pauses were not considered violations of military orders.

The main thing was that when they stopped, they opened fire on some of the Japanese officers and veterans who were organizing the defense, killing them first.

The same method was intended to delay the speed at which the Japanese could organize their defensive lines.

At such a momentous time of all-out attack, the cavalry battalion would naturally not be idle.

Furthermore, because cavalry are naturally more impactful than infantry, they also bear an even greater responsibility in the second phase of this ambush.

When the bugle sounded, Lao Ma led his 392 cavalrymen into action. Four legs are naturally faster than two, so Lao Ma and his cavalry were among the first units in the entire army to engage the Japanese in fierce combat.

And from the very beginning, the battle was filled with extreme bloodshed and cruelty.

To be more specific, it's like this...

******
When the bugle sounded, the old horse leading the charge merely used the heel of its military boot to gently kick the belly of the warhorse beneath it, as if it were not in any hurry at all.

Actually, there's not much to say about this situation.

To put it simply, the cavalry battalion's ambush location was about a hundred meters behind the reinforced artillery battalion on a dirt road.

All the horses, mules, and donkeys had a stick stuffed into their mouths beforehand to prevent their neighing from alerting the Japanese soldiers.

After seeing the wizard and the others light the fire, Old Ma took a deep breath.

They began to let their warhorses walk slowly, and the brothers behind them did the same.

After walking forty or fifty steps, the horse was gently nudged in the belly to begin slightly increasing its speed; this maneuver is considered a basic operation for a warhorse to build up strength and accelerate before charging.

The real change came after the artillery company had been reinforced and all the rockets had been fired.

Ignoring the thick smoke still billowing around them, they rushed onto the ground immediately, pushing the wooden frames and rails aside like garbage on both sides of the dirt road, clearing the way.

After they finished doing all this, they slipped back to the side of the road.

Old Ma was less than 20 meters away from the original DIY rocket launcher firing position when he and his men spurred the horse's belly hard, making the mount trot and then run faster and faster.

After breaking through the thick smoke, they saw the Japanese scout squad charging towards them while firing, now only 150 or 160 meters away.

Finally, he whipped the horse's rump hard, spurring it into a charge.

Then, Old Ma picked up an MP28 submachine gun—a knock-off from who-knows-where—with one hand, and shouted, "Cavalry Battalion!"

Half a second later, a huge roar erupted behind him; it was his more than three hundred men shouting in unison, "Advance, no retreat!"

This slogan was also the mission, or rather the requirement, they were given in this battle:

They charged forward along the dirt road at all costs until they had cut through the Japanese troops for miles and completely torn them apart.

Of course! Old Ma and his men knew that this was an impossible task; so in their minds, they had a different idea.

Go as far as you can, until you can't go any further.

Even though this so-called cavalry battalion didn't have many horses, with the rest being mules and donkeys, the sheer number of nearly four hundred horses charging together created an incredibly impressive sight.

To be honest, the Japanese soldiers of the 68th Regiment were truly elite.

Or to put it another way, heaven knows how many "marching pills" they took before today's infiltration tactics began.

Because of the close proximity, they suffered no losses from the rockets.

When they saw the massive cavalry charge, as if emerging from hell, rushing towards them like a tidal wave, ready to strike at any moment, they realized what was happening.

Although they were terrified, they did not collapse from fear. They merely stopped in their tracks at the officer's shouts and began to fire wildly at the cavalry.

Bullets kept hitting the galloping steed and the riders on it.

However, the most threatening firepower to the cavalry battalion came from the light machine guns and grenade launchers that the Japanese had successfully set up in some rear positions.

Bullets were flying around me, and deadly grenades were constantly exploding.

Old Ma heard muffled groans of his wounded men and the painful roars of his injured mounts coming from behind him.

There were even instances of mounts being killed, with the rider and mount crashing heavily to the ground with a dull thud.

He hastily fired a burst of bullets from his submachine gun, briefly suppressing the Japanese soldiers in front of him, but then, still on the undulating horseback, he didn't even have time to change the magazine.

The only thing he could do was draw a saber and lie down on the horse's back.

Based on his relevant experience, one thing is crystal clear to him at this moment:
Once they reach those Japanese soldiers, it will be the end for them; but before that, they must pay a price, and whoever dies can only blame their bad luck...

(End of this chapter)