Bright Sword: The Flowers of War

Chapter 345 Panlong Ridge

In the 386th Brigade headquarters, the kerosene lamp flickered with a dim yellow light. On the wooden table sat a porcelain bowl full of cigarette butts and a stack of telegrams. The air was filled with a mixture of dampness, gunpowder smoke, and the lingering smell of sweat.

Suddenly, a voice rang out from the doorway: "Report!"

His booming voice was like a firecracker, instantly making the tea canister in the corner shake.

"Come in!"

Brigade Commander Chen, with his back to the door, was discussing the battle situation in hushed tones with Political Commissar Wang when he heard this and said something without turning his head.

As soon as he finished speaking, two soldiers in gray uniforms pushed open the door and entered.

Li Yunlong, wearing a dirty military uniform, strode in, followed by Zhao Gang, who also walked steadily and looked serious.

"Li Yunlong, commander of the Independent Regiment, and Zhao Gang, political commissar, have been ordered to come and receive their mission!"

The two men stood still and reported loudly, their clear voices echoing throughout the room.

Brigade Commander Chen and Political Commissar Wang turned around and fixed their gazes on Li Yunlong.

Brigade Commander Chen subtly observed Li Yunlong, who felt uncomfortable under his gaze. Li Yunlong grinned and said, "Brigade Commander, why are you looking at me like that? I don't have any flowers on my face."

Brigade Commander Chen snorted: "Stop talking nonsense to me. Li Yunlong, Zhao Gang, how many soldiers in your Independent Regiment can still lift a gun?"

With the stalemate at Niangziguan and the ongoing defense of Xinkou, the high-intensity combat by the various units of the Eighth Route Army inevitably resulted in casualties, which led to Commander Chen's question.

Li Yunlong straightened his back and said loudly, "Reporting to the brigade commander, the Independent Regiment still has 1287 soldiers who can still hold a gun!" He paused and then added, "More than 200 of them are lightly wounded, but it doesn't affect their combat ability, and they can still hold their own."

Brigade Commander Chen and Political Commissar Wang exchanged a glance. Zhao Gang then added, "Brigade Commander, Political Commissar, although the Independent Regiment has suffered considerable casualties, its morale remains high and its core personnel are intact. Moreover, the logistics department of the Shanxi militia has just delivered a batch of ammunition, which is more than enough to support a major battle. So please give the orders!"

This is our regiment's casualty report.

After saying that, he took a document out of his briefcase and handed it over.

Political Commissar Wang raised an eyebrow, opened the document, read it carefully, and nodded, saying, "Your Independent Regiment... after fighting the Japanese army for more than half a month, you two still have such combat effectiveness. You two deserve a lot of credit."

Upon receiving praise from Political Commissar Wang, Li Yunlong beamed with joy, patting his chest and saying, "Political Commissar Wang, rest assured, just assign any task to our Independent Regiment, and we guarantee to complete it."

Before Political Commissar Wang could speak, Brigade Commander Chen raised an eyebrow and quickly interrupted, "Hey, Old Wang, don't praise him too much! This guy gets cocky when you praise him, he might cause trouble!"

"No... Brigade Commander, you're so mean. I've already changed, okay?" Li Yunlong was a little unhappy and quickly tried to explain.

Brigade Commander Chen ignored him and changed the subject: "Alright, let's get back to the main topic."

Brigade Commander Chen nodded emphatically: "Absolutely true. In addition, Yan Xishan has also dispatched his First Cavalry Corps, which is rapidly approaching Xinkou. Once these two forces arrive..." He stared at Li Yunlong, "What do you think the consequences will be?"

Before Zhao Gang could speak, Li Yunlong jumped out and said, "Is that even a question? When Brother Su arrives, along with Yan Xishan's cavalry, the Japanese are definitely doomed! No matter how tough they are, they can't hold on, haha!"

Brigade Commander Chen nodded, squinted, and continued, "Li Yunlong, you're quick-witted. Let me ask you again, if you were in command of the Japanese, what would you do?"

Li Yunlong paused for a moment, then gritted his teeth and said decisively, "What else can we do? Run! We're bound to lose this battle. Fighting head-on is suicide. If we don't run, are we just going to stretch out our necks and wait to be cut off?"

The room fell silent for a moment, then bursts of uncontrollable laughter erupted.

Political Commissar Wang tapped his fingertips on the table, a sharp glint in his eyes: "That's right. The Japanese will definitely think the same way. So, your Independent Regiment's next task is to block their path! Hold this position, and once Commander Su arrives with the Shanxi militia and Yan Xishan's cavalry, we can trap them like turtles in a jar!"

Li Yunlong and Zhao Gang both stared at the finger in Political Commissar Wang's hand, which tapped on a high ground on the map, revealing a place name: Panlong Ridge.

Li Yunlong and Zhao Gang exchanged a glance. That place was behind the 27th Division and was also their only way to retreat. Once it was cut off, the 27th Division would really be locked in a cage.

Li Yunlong raised his hand and snapped to attention, saluting loudly along with Zhao Gang.

"Guaranteed to complete the mission!"

The gloomy sky pressed down like a lead weight. On both sides of the road, sparse crops drooped low from the autumn rain. Sewage splashed from the muddy road flowed down the soldiers' leg wraps, soaking their toes until they were icy cold.

Masaharu Honma, riding a chestnut horse, hadn't even had time to calm his anxiety when a communications soldier, panting, handed him a thick telegram. When he saw the signature "First Army Headquarters, Yoshio Iwamatsu and Shun Tada" at the bottom, his heart sank.

The moment the note was torn open, raindrops fell on the paper, blurring the ink into black blotches, yet the words remained glaringly obvious:
Niangziguan Pass fell.

Most of the 3rd Division was killed in action.

Division Commander Masahiro Yamagaku has already perished.

Your unit is ordered to immediately turn back and retreat along the route you came from, without lingering!

Otherwise, there is a risk of being surrounded.

By this point, the telegram was wrinkled from being gripped so tightly, and his knuckles were cracking.

He knew very well that this was not a "well-intentioned reminder" from his superior, but a complete "life-or-death order."

Honma Masaharu inhaled sharply, the cold air mixed with autumn rain filling his nostrils and causing a slight pain in his chest.

He looked around and saw that the army of more than 10,000 men was marching slowly and exhausted. There were soldiers supporting the wounded, supply wagons with horses' hooves half-sunken in the mud, and artillery carriages that were rusted by the rain.

He abruptly pulled on the reins and shouted, "Halt! Halt the entire army!"

The marching drummers at the front immediately sounded their horns, their calls urgent and piercing.

As the bugle sounded, the forward torrent came to an abrupt halt, the roar of the tracked vehicles subsided, and the sounds of soldiers panting and mud hitting the ground were mixed in. The entire column resembled a broken iron snake.

"Send the order!"

Masaharu Honma turned to his staff officer beside him, his voice shrill, "The troops must turn around immediately and retreat swiftly. All troops... are not to advance any further, execute immediately!"

The staff officers looked at each other, feeling uneasy even before they heard the order.

The battle has reached this point, and then suddenly they retreat. Even a fool would know that something terrible has happened.

However, an order is an order, and everyone must obey it.

The drums and bugles sounded again, and the long column began to turn around abruptly on the muddy road. Countless troops began to turn back, and for a time, friction arose between the various units, with complaints filling the air.

Masaharu Honma rode a tall horse, rain streaming down his helmet and dripping into his eyes, stinging them and bringing tears to his eyes.

He never dreamed that the Third Division, a standing division, would be gone just like that.

The defeat at Niangziguan left his 27th Division isolated in an instant.

Now, the only thing to do is to retreat to a safe place as soon as possible before the Chinese army surrounds them.

Panlong Ridge. The rain poured down like a torrent, the raindrops pattering against the leaves on the mountain ridge, making the entire ridge seem like a slippery loach, with mud flowing everywhere.

The Independent Regiment finally arrived at noon.

The road was muddy and the soldiers' feet sank into the paddy-like soil, making a "scratching" sound with every step.

Li Yunlong jumped off his horse, his boots immediately sinking below his knees. He cursed angrily, "Damn you, heavens... this wicked heaven is trying to kill me!"

Despite his scolding, he didn't dare delay and immediately ordered his soldiers to dig trenches. However, after a few strokes of their hoes, water immediately gushed out from the mud soaked with rainwater, and the trenches instantly turned into small puddles.

The soldiers looked miserable, shoveling and cursing as they dug. Even the strongest laborers could only dig a few shallow pits after half a day.

Zhao Gang was soaked to the bone. He stopped the anxious Li Yunlong and advised, "Old Li, don't waste your energy! With this much rain, we can't do any big construction. We should be grateful if we can find some soil and stones to dig foxholes on the spot."

Li Yunlong cursed helplessly, but ultimately had no choice but to comply.

So the entire regiment spread out along the ridge, selected some high points, and desperately dug some messy pits and trenches, covering their heads with sheets and tattered mats to keep out the rain. Rainwater seeped into their clothes down their backs, and the damp cold seeped into their bones. Many people's lips turned blue, but they still gritted their teeth and endured it.

Foxholes lined the position, one after another, forming an irregular defensive line. Soldiers carried rifles, their ammunition belts soaked with water and extremely heavy. Several mortars were moved up the slope by the soldiers, but rainwater dripped from their barrels, so they had to be covered tightly with tarpaulins.

Rainwater flowed down the mountain ridge, forming several muddy streams that soaked the ammunition baskets in the trenches. Several soldiers simply stuffed the bullets into their clothes and protected them tightly.

Just as the soldiers were becoming numb, a sentry shouted sharply, "The Japanese... the Japanese are coming!"

The rain curtain pressed down on the end of the mountain road in the distance, and a dark mass of figures gradually emerged—the vanguard of the 27th Division.

They too were soaked to the bone, water constantly streaming from their helmets, but their formation remained intact. Rows of Japanese soldiers, their raincoats gleaming in the rain, rifles and bayonets flashing coldly, advanced alongside mortars and mountain guns. Iron hooves and wooden wheels churned up mud, the thunderous roar shaking the mountains.

The urgent orders repeatedly relayed by Masaharu Honma spurred them to move with lightning speed and maintain strict military discipline.

Although they were disheveled and exhausted, they possessed a fierce determination to break through no matter what.

Li Yunlong wiped the rain from his eyes, gritted his teeth, and cursed in a low voice: "Damn it, those Japanese devils really came! Brothers, tighten your sacks, this is the mouth of the jar, we'll stop them right here in this rain today!"

Zhao Gang added in a deep voice, "Comrades, remember this: this is the Japanese devils' final destination! Not a single step back is allowed!"

The raindrops pelted the soldiers' helmets and weapons like countless bullets.

Just as their vision was blurred by the splashing rain, gunshots rang out.

"boom!"

With the sound of bullets slicing through the air, the first Japanese soldier fell to the ground, and the battle at Panlong Ridge officially began.

Li Yunlong's roar rolled through the rain like a wild beast: "Hold on, all of you! If the sacks can't hold, use your bodies! Don't let your guns sit idle, if any Japanese dare to come up, give them a burst!"

Although the Independent Regiment was better equipped than in the original timeline due to Su Yaoyang's secret support, and their equipment was no longer the outdated Hanyang rifles, but all of them were equipped with Japanese equipment, with Czech light machine guns even being issued to the squad level, their more than 1,000 men were still like eggs hitting rocks when facing the massive 27th Division.

However, the terrible weather has become their greatest ally at this moment.

The rain poured down from the sky, and large drops of water continuously seeped into the gun barrels. Several Japanese soldiers had just set up the mortars and grenade launchers when, within seconds, the gun barrels were filled with rainwater.

Under such circumstances, it was impossible to fire the cannon. One gunner, refusing to believe in the danger, cursed as he tried to stuff a shell into the muzzle. The result was a "poof" sound as smoke billowed out of the barrel and landed in the mud less than two meters in front of him, scaring the surrounding artillerymen into lying down on the ground.

The group waited for several minutes before cautiously getting up.

"You idiot, are you trying to kill everyone?"

The soldiers, both frightened and angry, surrounded the bastard and beat him up.

Faced with such terrible weather, even the most powerful artillery pieces were rendered useless. Before long, someone gritted their teeth and fired another shell. The next second, a loud "BOOM!" was heard, and the mortar exploded instantly. Smoke and mud splattered, and several Japanese soldiers fell into pools of blood.

Li Yunlong, who had been cursing the weather, happened to see this scene through his binoculars, and his brow instantly relaxed: "Damn it, even God is on our side!"

The soldiers of the Independent Regiment lay prone in shallow foxholes, letting the rainwater soak their chins, and opened fire on the Japanese troops at the foot of the mountain.

Despite mud splattering onto their faces from time to time, no one bothered to wipe it off; they just kept firing. Although they were in a sorry state, their opponents were in an even worse state, so no one dared to laugh at anyone else.

Their clothes were soaked through as they charged through the rain, and their once sturdy leather shoes were now stuck in the mud, making every step a burden.

This made their legs feel like they were filled with lead, slowing them down even more. Their usual "pig-like charge" seemed like a sick ox being dragged along in the mud.

In this situation, both sides can only engage in firefights using individual light weapons.

"Crack!"

Rain and flames mingled, the trailing sound of bullets diluted by the rain.

The air on the mountain ridge was filled with the smell of blood and gunpowder.

On the other side of the Independent Regiment's position, Zhao Gang kept a close eye on the front line and calmly issued orders: "Everyone, hold your ground, conserve your bullets, and do not fire blindly."

Faced with Wang Qiang's resistance from the Independent Regiment, the Japanese vanguard was thrown into complete chaos.

When he tried to set up the machine gun, he found that the heavy Type 92 machine gun kept slipping in the mud. The ammunition feed plate became dirty after being covered in mud. After firing a 30-round ammunition feed plate, it jammed several times. The machine gunner had to pull it out by hand from time to time, which made him so angry that he cursed loudly.

In an instant, curses, wails, orders, and shooting were all mixed together in a chaotic mess, accompanied by the sound of the rain, creating a scene resembling a living hell.

(End of this chapter)