The War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression Begins in Songhu

Chapter 595 Taking Down (Two Chapters Combined)

The shorter the weapon, the more dangerous it is! This saying can also be applied to Dali, a newbie who just transmigrated here and used to have a severe fear of guns.

Because the weapon Da Chui is currently wielding is a one-handed blacksmith's hammer.

That was the same weapon that Dali found when they ambushed the Japanese 68th Infantry Regiment in Guantang Village, and Dali and a group of laborers were shouting and preparing to join the battle to provide support.

There are many ways to kill a pig, from its rear end to its tail.

Before the close-quarters combat began, Dali had already considered that the hammer in his hand was too short, and that he might be at a considerable disadvantage against the Japanese bayonets and sabers.

Even if he were to pick up a large knife or a rifle with a bayonet, he wouldn't know how to use it because he had never practiced before.

Not to mention that it's better to use the hammer, which they are more skilled at, than to defeat the Japanese soldiers who have extensive experience in bayonet fighting.

A rapid thought flashed through Dali's mind, and in a very short time, he came up with a desperate solution: he ripped a strip of cloth from the hem of his military uniform.

It was wrapped around the palm of the left hand, and it was wrapped around six or seven times before stopping.

The specific effects of such a powerful maneuver were quickly demonstrated in the ensuing close-quarters combat.

As both sides shouted "Kill!" and rushed towards each other, a short, stocky Japanese sergeant suddenly thrust his bayonet at the strong man in the waist.

The speed of that one thrust alone cannot be achieved without two or three years of rigorous training.

Just as the gleaming bayonet was about to pierce Dali's waist, about to tear one of his kidneys apart, at that critical moment...

Dali's left hand, wrapped tightly with cloth strips, was already gripping the bayonet tightly, so that even with the Japanese sergeant's combined efforts, the bayonet could not advance an inch further.

Seeing this, the Japanese sergeant instinctively tried to pull his rifle back.

He refused to believe that his opponent could avoid the sharp blade of a bayonet simply by wrapping a few layers of cloth around his hands for protection.

He only needs to pull back and forth like this a couple of times, and the other person's palm will be slashed to pieces by the blade.

The Japanese sergeant's idea was absolutely correct; the few layers of homespun cloth wrapped around Dali's hands offered very limited protection.

After gripping the bayonet that was thrust at him tightly, several layers of cloth were completely torn apart by the blade in a very short time, and a not-so-shallow wound was also cut into his palm.

Fortunately, just as the Japanese soldier was about to pull his rifle back, worsening the wound on his hand, a powerful counterattack arrived.

After gripping the bayonet tightly with his left hand and pulling, the Japanese sergeant immediately felt an astonishing force pulling him closer to his opponent.

Sensing something was wrong, the Japanese sergeant reacted quite decisively.

As he stumbled forward, pulled along, he immediately released his grip on the rifle, but it was too late.

Because Dali had already swung his one-handed blacksmith's hammer in his right hand and smashed it down on the helmet of the Japanese soldier who was at least a head shorter than him.

Like striking iron, with a crisp "clang".

The Type 90 steel helmet on the Japanese sergeant's head immediately dented deeply downwards.

Along with it, the Japanese soldier's skull under his helmet also caved in; struck a fatal blow, he immediately fell headfirst like a wooden stake.

For Dali, however, the battle had only just begun after he had killed this Japanese sergeant.

He reached out and grabbed the sergeant's shirt by the chest, pulling and lifting him up, turning this short, stocky Japanese soldier into a human shield in Dali's hands.

In the ensuing battle, the corpse, weighing at least 140 or 150 pounds, was easily lifted and parried by Dali with one hand, as if it were a toy doll.

He blocked the bayonets thrust at him by the Japanese soldiers and the samurai swords that slashed at him.

Then he swung the hammer backhand, smashing it hard at his opponent; if it hit the target, the opponent would at least suffer broken bones.

Despite being a newcomer, Dali's performance in close combat was quite remarkable.

In light of this result, one can only say that the code name Dali chose for himself is quite fitting; although his brute strength is not comparable to that of Zanana and Hu Biao, it is still quite terrifying among ordinary people.

Furthermore, during close combat, when the skulls of Japanese soldiers were smashed open with great force, and their shoulders and arms were broken, a large amount of blood and flesh, and even white brain matter, would often splatter out.

Soon, they will cover Dali in dye.

Not long after, Dali looked as if he had been pulled out of a pool of blood.

Despite this, Dali became even more ferocious; he was nothing like the man who had suffered from severe gun phobia just over a week ago, and seemed completely unafraid of anything anymore.

Despite the carnage before them, Pa and Dali were still somewhat terrified.

However, compared to all of this, he was more afraid of not being able to eliminate these Japanese devils, and that these Japanese devils would continue to run rampant on this great land inherited from their ancestors.

Or to put it another way: it was a power called 'protection' that allowed him to suppress the fear in his heart with the courage he unleashed...

******
Gripping the knife with both hands, Annie swiftly swung it to the left, delivering a sharp, reverse slash.

With a crisp 'clang', a Japanese bayonet that was thrusting towards Annie was deflected high into the air, naturally failing to pierce her.

Immediately afterwards, Annie took a quick step forward.

With a flick of his wrist, he slashed the knife that had just been raised upwards at an angle, essentially delivering a 'kesa slash'—a technique from Japanese swordsmanship—to the wide-open chest and abdomen of the Japanese soldier in front of him.

After a flash of gleaming blade, a long, diagonal gash was immediately sliced ​​open in the chest and abdomen of the Japanese soldier in front of him.

A large amount of fresh blood, along with colorful organs, gushed out of the wound.

In a state of terror, the Japanese soldier hurriedly dropped his rifle, freeing his hands, and despite the inhuman pain in his chest and abdomen, tried to push his protruding organs back in.

The wound was just too long and too wide. He had just pushed one clump of intestines back in when another clump of organs started to spill out. His blood-soaked hands couldn't keep up.

Ultimately, under inhuman physical pain and immense mental pressure, the Japanese soldier collapsed in excruciating agony.

By this time, only four or five seconds had passed since his chest and abdomen were cleaved open by the kasaya slash.

In such a short time, Annie had already chopped off the head of another Japanese soldier, and was now charging toward her next opponent with a blood-stained knife in hand.

Judging from the above scenes alone, this girl Annie's performance in close combat is impressive.

It can be described with words like fierce, efficient, and even terrifying.

Unfortunately, even so, Annie, who was currently wreaking havoc, did not show any of the familiar smugness on her face. Instead, she looked somewhat depressed and anxious.

There are two reasons for this.

On the one hand, the weapon Anne is using now is no longer the samurai sword that the Japanese soldiers used, which would break easily, but a large sword weighing four pounds and one ounce.

After switching to this broadsword with its wide and heavy blade, it was indeed much more satisfying to cut down the Japanese soldiers.

You can chop wherever you want without worrying about the angle of your strike or the blade bending or breaking.

However, in terms of swordsmanship, although Annie had learned the "Eight Cuts of Breaking the Edge," she only learned it to a limited extent.

He never practiced regularly, spending all his time practicing Japanese sword techniques; as a result, although he wields a large sword now, his moves are all those of a Japanese samurai sword.

With her good stamina, speed and agility, Annie can also perform well in close combat; however, she always feels a little awkward and is unable to unleash her full potential.

On the other hand, and most importantly, Kanda Masatane, the Japanese soldier, chickened out.

This guy initially charged over with a gritted-teeth expression, brandishing a samurai sword bestowed by the Heavenly Locust, looking quite formidable.

What was the result? Based on Annie's understanding of samurai swords, she faced the opponent's slashing blow.

He swung his sword forward, slashing horizontally at the samurai sword in Kanda Masane's hand, about twenty centimeters from the hilt.

With a crisp 'clang,' Kanda Masatane was horrified to discover that his precious samurai sword had broken.

What terrified him even more was the determination he sensed in Annie: it didn't matter if she lived or died, as long as she killed him. So, after only one exchange, Kanda Masatane chickened out.

The idea that he absolutely had to kill Annie vanished in that instant.

Driven by his survival instinct, Kanda Masatane hastily retreated, calling out to the other Japanese soldiers to stand in front of him and attack the terrifying woman.

Annie also noticed a detail: in a short period of time, Kanda Masatane, that old Japanese devil, actually glanced at the large lake more than 200 meters away three times.

Without a doubt, this Japanese soldier was trying to escape by jumping into the lake.

If this is indeed the outcome, it would be exactly what Anne hoped to see.

Because as soon as this guy runs away, and he shouts that, the last bit of spirit that the remaining Japanese soldiers have mustered will completely dissipate and collapse.

They will start to scatter, or even kneel down and surrender.

It won't be like it is now, because they have more formidable bayonet fighting skills; to take down one of them, one of their men would basically have to pay with their life.

As for Kanda Masatane jumping into the lake to escape? Dream on. Anne had considerable confidence in her swimming speed and technique.

Unfortunately, Kanda Masatane, that old Japanese devil, is not decisive or efficient enough in handling matters.

He clearly wanted to jump into the lake and escape, but he didn't know whether he couldn't bring himself to do it or if he thought of some other reason.

Anyway, they were hiding behind about ten Japanese soldiers and didn't actually run away.

If Annie wanted to get close enough to Kanda Masatane to put more pressure on him, it wouldn't be possible in a short time.

She was now surrounded by a dozen Japanese soldiers. Although she had killed several people in a short time, the process was as dangerous as dancing on the edge of a knife. If she was not careful, she would be stabbed by a bayonet.

Fortunately, at this crucial moment, a clear voice rang out: "Commander An! I'm here to help you."

As they were speaking, a petite figure rushed forward, brandishing a large sword that unleashed a flurry of blades, instantly blocking seven or eight of the Japanese soldiers surrounding Annie.

The newcomer was a woman; who else could she be but Silver Flower, Anne's captain of guards?

Speaking of which, ever since joining the Northern Jiangsu Independent Regiment, Yin Jinhua has never forgotten the responsibility she bears: to protect Annie and Chief of Staff An.

However, during this close-quarters battle, after the two sides clashed, Annie ran so fast that she plunged headlong into the Japanese soldiers' ranks, and her guards simply couldn't keep up.

Upon seeing this, she was nearly scared to death and led her guards in a desperate fight.

In the midst of the charge, although the entire guard was completely scattered, she still managed to fight her way to her superior's side.

Based on their recent interactions and her understanding of Anne, she successfully discerned that her Chief of Staff, Anne, was clearly somewhat out of control and intended to go and kill Kanda Masatane.

And so, a scene unfolded where they charged forward and helped hold off seven or eight Japanese soldiers.

Upon witnessing this scene, Annie was overjoyed.

He uttered "Well done!" without stopping his actions. With a sweeping slash, he parried a bayonet, and with lightning speed, his right foot lashed out, striking the Japanese soldier in front of him between the legs.

This girl's long legs aren't just for show; besides being long, straight, white, and smooth, they also possess a terrifying amount of strength.

The Japanese soldier who was kicked in a vital spot, though not to the point of being killed, would rather be kicked to death.

After his groin was kicked to pieces, the excruciating pain caused him to clench his legs, clutch his groin with both hands, and roll around on the ground.

As it rolled over, its mouth was wide open, but due to the excruciating pain, it couldn't make a sound.

If he could, he would even prefer Annie to finish him off quickly and give him a quick death.

However, Anne was now in a situation where she had no time to finish him off.

After kicking down the Japanese soldier blocking her way, although there were still two Japanese soldiers on her left, the obstacle between her and Kanda Masatane was no longer there.

After that, Annie showed no intention of continuing to entangle with the two Japanese soldiers on her left.

Her long legs sprinted at full speed, using her speed to forcefully shake off the two Japanese soldiers, and charged towards Kanda Masatane, who was a dozen meters away.

The reason why Kanda Masatane, that old Japanese soldier, never made up his mind to run away was that he realized that if he ran away, his men on the scene would immediately collapse.

Even in other areas of Xiangyin City, those who were still fighting would lose their last bit of courage to fight.

That's why he kept trying to suppress the strong urge in his heart to turn around and run away, plunge into the lake, and escape by relying on his good swimming skills.

However, when he saw one of his soldiers being kicked in the groin by Annie and then charging towards him, Kanda Masatane could no longer bear it.

If he were to be kicked in his groin, the result would be worse than death.

In short, the Japanese lieutenant general could no longer care about anything else, turned around, and ran towards the lake without regard for anything else.

Seeing this, Annie was overjoyed. She could have easily stabbed the old Japanese devil through the heart by simply throwing the big knife in her hand, but she didn't have any intention of doing so.

He simply hurried after them, shouting at the top of his lungs in perfect, thick Japanese:

"Come quick! Kanda Masatane has run away, and they're chasing after him, all by themselves!"

Upon hearing this voice, Hu Biao, Huang Adi, and Dali turned their heads and glanced in that direction.

At that time, Dali, being a novice, hesitated for a second or two because of his relatively limited combat experience; the first two, however, instantly realized why Annie was shouting and doing this.

Immediately, he also started shouting in the Japanese language at the top of his lungs.

Immediately afterwards, more of the more quick-witted Nationalist soldiers joined in the shouting.

The Japanese words they shouted might have sounded quite difficult to pronounce, but that didn't stop the Japanese soldiers on the battlefield from understanding what they meant and looking in the direction of Kanda Masatane.

Sure enough, they soon saw their division commander, who always wore white gloves and a crisp military uniform, being chased by Annie in a very disheveled state.

In fact, as soon as Annie shouted "Kanda Masatane ran away," a huge sense of humiliation and shame rose in the old Japanese soldier's heart, and he gritted his teeth and was about to turn around and fight to the death.

Before he could even turn around, Annie stabbed him in the buttocks.

The thought of fighting desperately that had just arisen vanished immediately, and he continued to flee for his life.

But with his short legs, no matter how hard he tried, Annie, with her long legs, could easily keep up. How could he possibly escape?
In other words, Annie wanted to show this guy his pathetic state so the Japanese soldiers could see it.

Go and crush the last bit of fighting spirit of the Japanese soldiers, otherwise we would have killed them long ago.

Annie's goal was quickly achieved, and with a loud shout, the more than two hundred Japanese soldiers present all turned their heads.

After witnessing this scene, he could no longer continue fighting.

Just as Anne had predicted and expected, the remaining Japanese soldiers either turned and ran, only to be easily killed from behind by the Nationalist soldiers.

They either threw down their weapons, raised their hands, and knelt down in surrender with a deathly pale face, but were still killed by a single blow or by a bayonet.

Even before this battle, Hu Biao had issued strict orders to the troops participating in the battle.

After a flash of bright light, a head, its face still frozen in panic and terror, flew high into the air.

Combined with the loud shouts of battle they had just made, the people on both sides still fighting in other parts of the city were well aware of what had happened.

Immediately, the Nationalist soldiers also cheered loudly, their morale soaring even higher.

The Japanese soldiers, on the other hand, were all ashen-faced, having lost their last shred of fighting courage.

They either committed suicide, scattered like headless flies, or knelt down and surrendered; there was no possibility or option of continuing to fight.

At 5:03 a.m., the gunfire in Xiangyin County completely ceased.

(End of this chapter)