Bright Sword: Starting from Obtaining the Equipment Slot

The Japanese trucks had already reached the center of the valley.

Chu Yunfei lowered his binoculars, his fingers gently stroking the pistol at his waist. He had waited far too long for this moment.

The Japanese devils kept clamoring to serve their country with seven lives, so of course he had to satisfy them properly.

"Send these little devils to meet Amaterasu! Fire!"

The moment the order was given, all twenty cannons in the artillery battalion roared simultaneously.

Eight Shanxi-made Type 13 75mm mountain guns, each with a six-man crew, each performing their specific duties.

The loader bent down to open the breech, first inserting a grenade, then pushing in the cartridge case, his movements clean and efficient. The aiming hand adjusted the elevation and traverse mechanisms, the gunner stared through the sights and announced the correction parameters, and finally shouted "Fire!" before pulling the firing cord sharply.

Twelve Shanxi-made 75mm mortars stood with their muzzles tilted upwards. The loader placed fin-stabilized shells into the muzzles, where they fell freely down the barrel, striking the base and igniting the primer.

The observer lay prone behind a makeshift shelter, estimating the distance with a measuring rod and constantly correcting the point of impact.

The first salvo of shells, trailing a sharp whistling sound, rained down on the entrance to the valley.

Twenty cannons fired simultaneously, creating a barrage hundreds of meters long in the narrow valley. Shells landed among the dense ranks of the Japanese vanguard, exploding one after another, with flames shooting into the sky.

The three trucks of the Japanese vanguard were instantly engulfed by the explosion.

The first truck was hit directly in the front by the shell, and the engine was blown into a pile of scrap metal. The driver and commander in the cab didn't even have time to scream before they turned into a cloud of blood mist.

The tires of the second truck were blown off, and the entire vehicle overturned. The soldiers inside were thrown more than ten meters away and were already dead when they landed.

The third truck was a little luckier; it was only hit in the fuel tank by shrapnel, and the gasoline instantly burst into flames, turning it into a mobile crematorium.

But this was just the beginning. Subsequent truck convoys were engulfed in flames, one after another exploding, turning the entire valley entrance into a sea of ​​fire.

The fate of the hundreds of soldiers in the Japanese vanguard battalion was even more horrific. Shells rained down on the dense ranks, each shell taking the lives of more than a dozen men.

Some soldiers were blown away and torn to pieces in mid-air; some soldiers had their legs blown off and lay on the ground howling in pain; and some soldiers were thrown over by the blast wave, crashed into rocks, and died on the spot.

The entire vanguard battalion lost a quarter of its strength in the first volley, and the thousands of soldiers were instantly decimated.

The mules and horses were startled, neighing and breaking free of their reins, charging into the Japanese infantry formation.

A warhorse engulfed in flames galloped wildly, and Japanese soldiers scattered in its wake, their once orderly ranks broken into pieces.

The deafening roar of cannons shook the entire valley. Smoke billowed, obscuring the sun, and the acrid smell of gunpowder filled the air.

On the ground, shell craters were one after another, shrapnel and gravel flew everywhere, and screams, groans and gunfire mingled together.

Sakata Shintetsu was sitting in the command vehicle examining a map when a huge shockwave sent him slamming his head against the window.

"Baka!" He scrambled to his feet, his face ashen. "What happened?"

Through the car window, he saw a hellish scene. Soldiers were blown to pieces, trucks were billowing black smoke, and the entire vanguard was in chaos.

"We've been ambushed?" Sakata Nobutetsu asked in disbelief. "How dare the Chinese? How dare they ambush the elite troops of our great Japan?"

He grabbed his sword and flung open the car door. A shell exploded nearby, the blast knocking him to the ground.

He was splattered with mud and gravel, but he didn't care. After getting up, he shouted at the top of his lungs, "Scatter! Take the high ground on both sides! Organize a defense on the spot!"

Soon, the attacked Japanese troops, led by their respective sergeant commanders, found advantageous terrain and launched a counterattack.

Seeing the Japanese troops' movements through his binoculars, Chu Yunfei immediately gave the order: "Machine guns on both sides, fire!"

The moment the order was given, the light and heavy machine guns on both sides of the hills roared simultaneously, forming a dense crossfire network.

The ZB-26 light machine guns of the First Battalion were dispersed on both flanks of the position, forming crossfire and fiercely strafing the Japanese troops in the valley.

Bullets struck the Japanese soldiers, pinning them down. Heavy machine guns, meanwhile, were used to eliminate Japanese troops at their assembly points.

Japanese soldiers fell in droves.

Some soldiers had just stood up when they were hit in the chest by machine gun bullets, and blood gushed out.

Some soldiers tried to hide behind trucks but were hit by bullets that pierced through the steel plates; others tried to escape but were riddled with crossfire.

Sakata Nobutetsu's face turned even more ashen upon seeing this. He hadn't expected the Chinese army's firepower to be so intense.

"Grenadier squad, suppress the firepower on both sides of the hills!" Sakata Shintetsu roared.

The Japanese grenade launcher unit completed the setup in just thirty seconds.

The Type 89 grenade launcher is operated from a kneeling position. The left hand grips the barrel tightly to maintain a 45-degree elevation angle, while the right hand skillfully rotates the adjusting screw to set the range, and then pulls the trigger belt to fire.

One grenade after another flew precisely toward the hills on either side.

The Type 97 81mm curved-fire infantry gun company quickly deployed, with six gunners working together.

The optical sight was aimed at the general direction of the 358th Regiment's artillery position. The loader inserted the shell into the muzzle, and at the gunner's command, the shell roared out.

Japanese infantry advanced in small units, keeping a low profile. They used rocks and trees as cover, advancing in alternating cover, their movements as disciplined as a textbook.

Chu Yunfei lowered his binoculars, his brow furrowed. He had witnessed the Japanese army's rapid response; the quality of these Japanese soldiers far exceeded his expectations.

The entire battlefield had turned into a sea of ​​fire.

The defensive line of over a thousand men on the front of the battalion was instantly riddled with holes under the onslaught of the Japanese army.

The three companies of the first line of defense were pinned down by the Japanese grenade launchers and mortars, their soldiers huddled in the trenches, only able to occasionally peek out and fire a few shots.

The Japanese troops charged wave after wave, like a tidal wave. They advanced in small units, using the terrain for cover and taking turns providing cover, constantly infiltrating the First Battalion's defensive line.

Zhao Shi, a machine gunner from the First Battalion, lay prone behind cover, his hands gripping the ZB-26 light machine gun tightly. Beside him, his assistant gunner, Li Mingxuan, was a new recruit, having joined the army less than three months prior.

"Mingxuan, remember this: short bursts, three shots at a time. Even in bursts, control the rhythm!" Zhao Shi said without turning his head. "Don't be like last time in the exercise, getting nervous and firing long bursts, the barrel got red-hot and there wasn't even time to change it."

Li Mingxuan gripped the spare magazine, his palms sweaty.

"Zhi... Brother Zhiyuan, I'll remember that."

Zhao Shi fired short bursts of three shots at a time, the muzzle flashing. Li Mingxuan crouched beside him, his eyes fixed on the gun barrel.

"Change magazine!" Zhao Shi shouted, and Li Mingxuan immediately handed him a full magazine. Zhao Shi removed the empty magazine with one hand and replaced it with a new one, his movements relatively smooth.

But Wang Deming, the machine gunner on the other side, was not so lucky.

He was so nervous that the long burst of fire caused the barrel to turn red-hot. The assistant gunner, Zhang Guodong, tried to change the barrel but was burned and screamed in pain, dropping the barrel to the ground.

The firepower was interrupted instantly.

The Japanese Type 96 light machine gunner seized the opportunity, calmly controlling short bursts of fire, while the assistant gunner skillfully passed magazines, maintaining a steady and continuous firepower, gradually suppressing the 358th Regiment.

Zhao Shi felt the pressure mounting. The Japanese firepower was like a net, slowly tightening. His comrades fell one by one, their screams echoing around them.

"Brother Zhiyuan, we can't hold on any longer!" Li Mingxuan's face turned pale and his voice trembled.

Zhao Shi gritted his teeth and didn't turn around.

"Hold on! The commander is still watching us!"

But the Japanese offensive grew increasingly fierce, with bullets raining down on him. Zhao Shi suddenly felt a sharp pain in his chest. He looked down and saw that half of his body was stained red with blood.

He knew he couldn't hold on any longer.

"Mingxuan, take over!" Zhao Shi forcefully pushed the machine gun towards Li Mingxuan. "Remember, short bursts! No long bursts!"

Li Mingxuan took the machine gun, his hands still trembling. He watched Zhao Shi fall to the ground, and tears instantly streamed down his face.

"Brother Zhiyuan..."

Zhao Shi lay on the ground, looking at the sky. He thought of his elderly mother at home, and the old locust tree at the entrance of the village.

"Mom, my son is unfilial..."

The sound grew weaker and weaker until it disappeared.

Meanwhile, on the front line of the First Battalion, Hao Zhenbang, the squad leader of the Third Squad, led more than a dozen soldiers to defend the trenches to the death.

The Japanese troops charged wave after wave, and Hao Zhenbang had already emptied three magazines. His left arm was cut by shrapnel, and blood stained half of his sleeve, but he paid no attention and continued to direct his soldiers in resistance.

"The Japanese devils are coming up! Get your grenades ready!" Hao Zhenbang shouted.

A soldier frantically pulled out a grenade, pulled the pin, but dared not throw it.

"Throw it!" Hao Zhenbang roared. "If you don't throw it, we're all going to die at your hands!"

The soldier quickly threw the grenade. It landed among the Japanese soldiers and exploded. Several Japanese soldiers were killed instantly, while the others cowered on the ground in fear.

Taking advantage of the moment, Hao Zhenbang picked up his rifle, aimed at a Japanese soldier, and pulled the trigger. The Japanese soldier fell to the ground.

"Well done!" Hao Zhenbang shouted, "Keep fighting like this! Those Japanese devils are made of flesh and blood too!"

But the Japanese offensive grew increasingly fierce. Soldiers around Hao Zhenbang fell one by one, and the number of corpses in the trenches grew higher and higher.

"Squad leader, we...we can't hold on any longer..." a soldier cried.

Hao Zhenbang glanced at him, his expression resolute.

"We must hold on, even if it's impossible! This is our position; we'll die here!"

He picked up the machine gun and opened fire on the charging Japanese soldiers. When he ran out of bullets, he drew his bayonet, ready to fight them hand-to-hand.

Just then, a shell landed in the trench, and Hao Zhenbang and several soldiers were engulfed by the explosion.

On the hills on both sides, the battle between dozens of light and heavy machine guns had reached a fever pitch.

The ZB-26 light machine guns of the 358th Regiment and the Japanese Type 96 light machine guns suppressed each other, their firefights creating a continuous blur on the hills on both sides. The roar of the heavy machine guns was deafening, and spent cartridges rained down like bullets.

The Japanese machine gunners were well-trained; they used the terrain for cover and constantly changed firing positions, making it difficult for the machine gunners of the 358th Regiment to lock onto their targets.

Although the machine gunners of the 358th Regiment were well-equipped, they lacked combat experience and were often targeted by Japanese snipers or grenade launcher operators, falling one by one.

Shells continued to explode on the hills on both sides, sending flames soaring into the sky. On the ground, wounded soldiers wailed everywhere, and corpses lay scattered haphazardly.

Our gaze shifted to the Second Battalion's position on the north side of the valley.

Battalion Commander Wu Ziqiang was observing the battlefield through binoculars when a communications soldier stood up to report an anomaly on the flank. He was then shot by a Japanese sniper and fell to the ground.

"Damn it!" Wu Ziqiang cursed, grabbed his pistol, and charged toward the flank.

The Japanese detachment had reached the flank of the Second Battalion's position. Taking advantage of the indirect fire capability of the Type 89 grenade launcher, they continuously fired grenades into the middle of the Second Battalion's soldiers.

The soldiers of the Second Battalion were pinned down in the trenches, unable to raise their heads. Some soldiers tried to peek out to observe, but were shot by Japanese snipers.

"Order all platoons to pay attention to the flanks!" Wu Ziqiang shouted to the communications soldier.

But the communications soldier had just stood up when he was shot by a Japanese sniper and fell to the ground.

Japanese junior officers employed flexible command and constantly adjusted their tactics. They used the terrain for cover, advancing under alternating cover, and gradually eroding the Second Battalion's positions.

The Second Battalion's defenses began to show weaknesses.

Some platoons were divided and surrounded by the Japanese army, leaving them to fight alone.

The battle lasted for two hours, and the fighting became increasingly intense.

The entire valley had become a battlefield, with deafening roars of artillery fire, the ground trembling, and smoke obscuring the sky, even turning the sunlight a dark red.

The Japanese counterattack had been fully launched. The First Battalion was holding back the First Battalion on the front, the Second Battalion was flanking from the north side of the valley, and the Third Battalion was penetrating from the southern hills.

The three battalions of the 358th Regiment were under immense pressure. Two of the three lines of defense on the front of the first battalion had already been breached, and the soldiers were retreating steadily under the fierce attacks of the Japanese army.

The Japanese army also infiltrated the northern defense line of the Second Battalion, leaving many positions isolated and helpless.

The southern defensive line of the Third Battalion was on the verge of collapse, as the Japanese assault troops had penetrated deep into the rear of the position.

The entire battlefield was filled with the sounds of gunfire, artillery fire, shouts of battle, and screams of agony.

Shells continued to explode on the position, sending flames soaring into the sky. On the ground, wounded soldiers wailed everywhere, corpses lay scattered haphazardly, and blood stained the entire valley red.

At the artillery battalion's position, gunner Zhou Chongshan was directing the relocation of the last few artillery pieces. The direct-fire capability of the Japanese Type 92 infantry guns was too overwhelming; two mountain guns had already been destroyed, and more than ten gunners had been killed.

"Quick! Remove the breechblock!" Zhou Chongshan shouted.

The gunners frantically dismantled the mountain gun, but Japanese shells kept falling around them. One gunner had just bent down to remove the breechblock when he was hit by a shell and blown to pieces.

"Damn it!" Zhou Chongshan cursed, grabbed a shovel, and started prying open the breech.

But another shell exploded beside him, the blast knocking him to the ground. He struggled to his feet and saw the gunners around him falling one by one, a feeling of despair washing over him.

"Brothers, let's retreat!" Zhou Chongshan shouted. "As long as we're alive, we can always rebuild!"

The remaining gunners helped each other and retreated in a disheveled state. Behind them, several mountain guns lay silently on the ground, some with their barrels bent and unusable.

Chu Yunfei stood in front of the command post, observing the battlefield through binoculars.

He saw the Second Battalion's defense line breached, saw the First Battalion soldiers unable to raise their heads under the suppression of Japanese fire, and saw the artillery battalion lose one mountain gun after another.

His heart sank little by little.

Suddenly, he saw something even more heartbreaking.

The entire southern defensive line of the Third Battalion had been cut off by the Japanese Third Battalion, and there were scattered soldiers and pursuing Japanese troops everywhere.

A company of soldiers was surrounded by Japanese troops behind a rock. More than a hundred soldiers were huddled together, completely powerless to fight back against the Japanese encirclement.

Their tactical maneuvers were chaotic; some tried to charge out, while others tried to retreat, resulting in collisions and complete disarray.

The Japanese soldiers deployed their ranks in an orderly fashion, using the terrain for cover and firing alternately, herding the soldiers of the 358th Regiment like sheep.

A grenade from a grenade launcher landed in the crowd and exploded. More than a dozen soldiers fell instantly, their blood staining the rocks where they were hiding.

The remaining soldiers were even more panicked. Some tried to raise their guns to return fire but didn't know who to aim at, while others huddled behind rocks, trembling and completely losing their will to fight.

Even worse, some tried to run but were held back by their companions, and the two sides struggled as they watched helplessly as the Japanese army approached step by step.

Battalion Commander Wang Boyuan led his guard company in an attempt to organize a counterattack, but the Japanese firepower was too intense, and they were suppressed as soon as they rushed out.

Wang Boyuan was shot in the left arm, and blood gushed out, but he gritted his teeth and continued to direct the soldiers to resist.

Chu Yunfei put down his binoculars and remained silent for a long time.

Fang Ligong, standing beside him, also witnessed this scene. He knew that Chu Yunfei must be feeling very distressed.

"We're all soldiers, so why is there such a big difference in combat skills?" Chu Yunfei suddenly said in a low voice, "Our equipment is no worse than theirs, and in some aspects we even have the advantage."

But look at their soldiers—well-trained, with precise tactical maneuvers and perfect teamwork. And look at our soldiers—tense, panicked, and making frequent mistakes…”

Fang Ligong remained silent. He knew Chu Yunfei was right; this was a gap that couldn't be bridged by one or two cannons.

Chu Yunfei concluded with passionate words: "I have always believed that fighting is the business of professional soldiers. Scholars have their own ways of serving the country. Since ancient times, scholars have died for their country, and warriors have died in battle."

Once thousands of soldiers lose their organization and become leaderless, they become like sheep, laying down their weapons and at the mercy of others. What they hold in their hands are not mere sticks, but weapons!

Even if only one person is left, they will fight to the death.

Most importantly, soldiers must have spirit: as long as they have breath, they will fight on! With this spirit, the Japanese will have no chance of enslaving China!

Just as Chu Yunfei was heartbroken, in the battalion command post, Qian Bojun watched the soldiers fall one after another, and his plans became clearer and clearer.

He knew that if they continued to fight head-on, the casualties in the First Battalion would only increase. This battalion was his lifeline; if they were wiped out, how could he maintain his position in the 358th Regiment?

"Zhang Fugui, organize the troops and prepare for retreat," Qian Bojun said.

Zhang Fugui was taken aback: "Battalion Commander, the command post hasn't been evacuated yet..."

"The command post is overseen by the regimental commander," Qian Bojun said coldly. "Our battalion has already completed its mission; continuing the fight would be a pointless sacrifice."

At this moment, Sakata Nobutetsu stood on the hillside, one hand on his hip and the other on the hilt of his sword, overlooking the entire battlefield.

He turned around, his gaze sweeping over the staff and officers behind him.

"Did you all see that?" Sakata Nobutetsu's voice carried a hint of mockery. "The Chinese defenses are as flimsy as paper! After two hours of fierce fighting, the Locust Army has completely regained the initiative on the battlefield!"

He paused, raised his command sword, and pointed it at the valley: "In fact..."

Sakata Shintetsu deliberately drew out his words, his eyes filled with disdain: "We've already won too much!"

"Hai!" The adjutant, Ono Jiro, immediately stepped forward, bowed ninety degrees, and echoed with a fawning expression, "The regimental commander is wise! The Locust Army is mighty! We have indeed won far too much!"

He raised his head, his eyes slightly red, as if he were about to cry with excitement: "Please, Commander, don't win anymore! If you keep winning, the Chinese will probably be so ashamed that they'll commit seppuku! The Locust Army's reputation has already shone throughout North China!"

Sakata Nobutetsu glanced at him, shook his head slightly, and showed a hint of dissatisfaction on his face: "No, no, no, Ono-kun, you don't understand the glory of the Locust Army."

He suddenly straightened his back and shouted, "We must win even more! We must win until we can't win anymore! We must make the Chinese utterly despair, and make them understand that resisting the Great Japanese Empire means certain death!"

"With the world united, the Locust Army will surely prevail!" Sakata Nobutetsu roared hoarsely, drawing his command sword with a sudden burst.

He pointed to the south side of the valley, his expression turning ferocious: "Order the Third Battalion to outflank the Chinese army from the southern hills and attack their right flank! The First Battalion will hold them off from the front, while the Second Battalion prepares for a general offensive!"

"Let's make our mark today!" Sakata Nobutetsu's voice echoed through the valley. "Let the Chinese see the true strength of the Great Japanese Imperial Army!"

The Japanese 3rd Battalion moved swiftly. Taking advantage of the terrain's blind spots and dense vegetation, they infiltrated from concealed positions on the hills south of the valley, avoiding the 358th Regiment's frontal fire.

On the 3rd Battalion's defensive line on the hills south of the valley, sentry Liu Zhenbang lay prone in the grass, vigilantly observing the area ahead. He noticed unusual movement in the grass and immediately grabbed his rifle.

"Who goes there?" Liu Zhenbang whispered, pointing his gun at the bushes.

But his answer was a bullet. The Japanese sniper had already locked onto his position and pulled the trigger the instant he opened his mouth.

Liu Zhenbang was shot in the chest, and blood gushed out. He struggled to fire a warning shot, but his body was no longer under his control.

Japanese soldiers emerged from the bushes and quickly infiltrated the rear of the Third Battalion's position. They moved nimbly, using the terrain for cover, and soon reached the front line.

"Enemy attack!" a soldier shouted after spotting the Japanese troops.

But it was too late.

The Japanese heavy machine guns had been set up and were being used to target and eliminate the exposed firing positions of the 358th Regiment.

The four-man heavy machine gun crew worked in close coordination, with smooth ammunition feeding and timely lubrication. The gunners calmly controlled short bursts, providing precise suppression, and the machine gunners of the 358th Regiment were picked off one by one.

After being disassembled, the Type 92 infantry gun was carried to the front line by manpower for close-range direct fire. It was deployed only 200 meters from the machine gun position of the 358th Regiment and destroyed multiple firing points with direct fire.

The Japanese army broke through the position of the Third Battalion. Wang Boyuan personally took to the front line, but his soldiers had already begun to scatter and could not organize an effective resistance.

"Commander, the 3rd Battalion's defense line has been breached!" The communications soldier stumbled in to report.

Chu Yunfei's expression changed: "Order the Fourth Battalion to immediately reinforce the Third Battalion! They must hold the right flank!"

No sooner had the order been given than another communications soldier came running in, panting: "Reporting, Commander! Something terrible has happened! A Japanese assault force has bypassed the First Battalion's defenses and is flanking the command post! They're less than 500 meters away!"

Chu Yunfei's face instantly turned ashen.

He faced a difficult choice: if the Fourth Battalion was sent to support the Third Battalion, the command post would lose its last protection; but if the Fourth Battalion was not sent, the Third Battalion's defenses would collapse, and the entire right flank would be completely lost.

"Chief of Staff Fang, you and the command staff retreat immediately!" Chu Yunfei made a swift decision. "Notify the Fourth Battalion to support the Third Battalion as originally planned!"

"Then, Commander..." Fang Ligong asked anxiously.

"I'll take the guard platoon to block the Japanese raiding force!" Chu Yunfei drew his sidearm, checked the magazine, and said, "We must stabilize all lines as quickly as possible!"

"Commander, it's too dangerous!" Fang Ligong tried to dissuade him.

"Follow orders! Soldiers must have backbone!" Chu Yunfei interrupted him, his tone leaving no room for argument. "I, Chu Yunfei, have not yet reached the point where I need to retreat!"

Just as Chu Yunfei turned to leave the command post, a sentry rushed in and loudly reported, "Reporting to the commander, the people from Black Cloud Village have sent a letter!"

He said it contained their battle plan, and hoped we would act according to it to turn the tide of the battle and severely damage the enemy!