Rise From Eight Hundred

As thousands of Japanese infantry artillerymen looked up, two Japanese planes were hit by the sudden hail of anti-aircraft machine gun bullets and smoke rose.

One Japanese plane was even more unlucky. It was hit by the Suroton machine gun and lost control and plunged into the hillside, bursting into a ball of fire.

The other three Japanese planes following behind were desperate and tried to pull up, but it was obviously too late.

The effective range of anti-aircraft machine guns against the air is 800 meters. It takes at least 5 seconds for a propeller fighter to increase the altitude from 600 meters to 800 meters, and this is enough for 12 anti-aircraft machine guns to fire hundreds of bullets.

In particular, the last Japanese 20mm twin-mounted machine gun hidden in the 2nd Artillery Company also fired.

It was a machine gun captured from the Japanese army, but the storage capacity of shells was not large, so Cheng Tieshou strictly ordered the machine gun squad not to fire unless it was absolutely necessary.

Together with the Suroton machine gun, there are two twin-mounted machine guns, plus an Oerlikon single-barrel machine gun. The muffled sound of the three machine guns "boom boom boom" played a note of death on the entire battlefield.

The fuselage of a Type 96 fighter was already full of bullet holes, but the caliber of the 7.92mm heavy machine gun bullets was too small to cause too much fatal damage, so it still struggled to climb to an altitude of 900 meters.

Seeing the bright shells that were still igniting in the mountains and forests below getting farther and farther away, the Japanese Army Aviation pilot breathed a sigh of relief.

"Koizumi-kun, be careful!" Captain Sasaki's reminder sounded on the radio.

"Boom!" A loud bang resounded through the radio receivers of the entire fleet.

It was a shrapnel shell fired by a Japanese 20mm machine gun, which exploded less than 3 meters above the side of the fighter that was soaring.

The entire windshield was shattered by shrapnel and air waves. The unprepared Japanese Army Aviation second lieutenant instantly had blood on his face, and he didn't know whether he was hit by glass fragments or shrapnel.

The nearly fainted Japanese pilot could no longer effectively control the fighter plane. The Japanese soldiers in the sky and on the ground watched helplessly as the Japanese plane that had almost escaped from death plunged into the ground like a cannonball.

The terrible thing was that as the large cannonball got closer and closer to the ground, the Japanese soldiers on the ground were horrified to find that it seemed that the big bomb was coming to blow them up.

This big guy fell from a height of nearly a thousand meters. Not to mention the huge kinetic energy, the fire and explosion of the aviation kerosene in the fuel tank alone was no less powerful than a 100-pound bomb.

The Japanese soldiers on the ground were in a panic and fled to avoid.

Hiding is an effort, but whether you die or not really depends on luck.

As the Japanese plane hit the ground fiercely, a ball of fire burst into the sky, and at least five or six Japanese infantrymen were swallowed by the flames and scattered debris.

Of the six Japanese planes that jumped down from the sky to show off and leave, only two were able to escape successfully in the end.

As for the two planes with thick smoke, even though they are still desperately fleeing, in their current state, even Amaterasu herself would not dare to say that they can escape back to the airport two or three hundred kilometers away.

Moreover, the poison of Captain Sasaki, the star of the sky, is so strong, do you think it is for nothing?

Facts have proved that, let alone two or three hundred kilometers, the two Japanese planes only lasted less than 30 kilometers in total and were finished.

The two Japanese pilots had to choose to parachute to survive.

However, the location they chose for parachuting was really bad. Not only was it in the area controlled by the 921st Division, but it was also a mountain with an extremely harsh geographical environment.

The 108th Division, which received a request for rescue from the Army Aviation, did not dare to send people into the mountains for search and rescue. Originally, they did not dare to enter such a mountain without an infantry battalion. Now seeing the activeness of the Chinese, they dared to snatch food from the tiger's mouth with two infantry regiments guarding the Chinese army, so they had to organize an infantry regiment!

The key point is that the 108th Division lost more than 4,000 people, and now there is still an infantry regiment working hard to save the pig teammates. How many infantry regiments are there left?

"My division will do its best!" Xia Xiongyuan agreed very straightforwardly.

But in fact, they only sent an infantry squadron to wander around the edge of the mountain and then slipped away.

Everything depends on fate!

Xia Xiongyuan was really smart this time.

It's not that he didn't organize a large army to go into the mountains to reduce losses. In fact, the 921st Division was the best this time. Although there are more than 10,000 troops left, most of these troops are recruits, their equipment is also poor, and their combat effectiveness is insufficient. If Xia Xiongyuan really gritted his teeth and organized an infantry regiment to go into the mountains, the 921st Division would basically avoid it temporarily and wait for the main force to return to deal with them.

The reason why Xia Xiongyuan is smart is that he didn't do useless work, because it would be useless if he went there.

A pilot was poked in the buttocks by a branch when he was falling. He was poked like that and wailed for nearly a night before he died. The real cause of death should be pain and cold. When he was found by the Chinese army half a month later, the Japanese pilot had almost turned into a piece of bacon.

The fate of Santian Xiaomu, who did not believe in evil, was also not good. He landed safely, but unfortunately, he fell into the hunting ground of the wolf pack.

The wolves in Taihang Mountain are a kind of blue wolf. They are large and fierce. What's more deadly is that they rely on groups and are at the top of the food chain in the entire Taihang Mountain. Even tigers, bears, and wild boars have to retreat when they see them.

Santian Xiaomu, who was only equipped with a Nanbu 14 small pistol, emptied the magazine he carried and killed eight wild wolves. He did not repel the wolf pack, but instead aroused the wolf pack's ferocity. In the end, not even a few bones were left.

Captain Sasaki returned with 8 fighter planes "smoothly" this time, but the senior officials of the Japanese North China Front Army Aviation waiting at the airport felt relieved for some reason.

Although this feeling is very shameful, it is really so real.

After all, this is the largest number of fighter planes that Captain Sasaki has returned since he went on the expedition.

Sasaki: I could have brought back all of them.

But do you think that this is the climax of the Four-Line Regiment's participation in this feast that day?

Then you are narrow-minded.

Compared with a Japanese infantry regiment on the ground, the small planes in the sky without bombs are no more important than a few sparrows.

"Asshole! Order the artillery battalion to fire! Find their air defense positions, damn Chinese!" Gu Teng Changying was rarely furious. "Also, the artillery squadron of the regiment, fire together!"

"Your Excellency the Brigade Commander" The lieutenant colonel chief of staff and the colonel commander of the regiment standing at the command post looked at each other, but no one dared to stop the furious Gu Teng Changying.

This was a rare irrational move by Major General Guteng. Not to mention that the Chinese air defense positions were all set up behind the high ground, in the blind spot of the mountain artillery. If 10 or so shells could hit the edge of the 100 shells, it would be a blessing from Amaterasu.

In addition, the 4 field guns of the artillery squadron under the regiment headquarters were the trump cards that he had planned to hide from the beginning, and would never use them unless it was absolutely necessary. Even if he had to destroy the concealed fortifications where the Chinese hid two anti-tank guns, the major general did not order the use of these 4 field guns with strong ability to break through the stronghold.

According to him, the commander of the Four-Line Regiment was cunning and wise, and at least one major general and two colonels of the army had died under his hands. Their mistake was that they exposed their trump cards too early, and the Chinese army colonel seized the loophole and defeated them in one fell swoop.

Therefore, this time he must not repeat the mistakes of many colleagues who have already reported to Amaterasu. He must hold the four 75mm field guns with powerful destructive power in his hands until the Chinese reveal their trump card.

But now, isn't this contrary to his previous decision?

"It will take at least two and a half hours for the Army Aviation to fly to the battlefield again. By that time, do you think the 14th Division's baggage regiment will still exist?" Gu Teng Changying's face was cold.

"I just figured out one thing. Why did the Chinese not completely wipe out the hundreds of people in the 14th Division's baggage regiment for so long? They must have used their remnants as a shield, so that the Army Aviation fleet did not dare to drop heavy bombs along the highway.

And those idiots may have suffered from the Chinese anti-aircraft weapons in the previous battle in Jindong, and they kept dropping bombs at an altitude of more than 1,000 meters. It was simply a waste of the empire's wealth.

What's even more ridiculous is that they didn't encounter anti-aircraft artillery attacks there, which caused them to lose their vigilance, but they took the initiative to descend here, and ended up sending themselves to death.

And if all this was calculated by the Chinese commander, it would be terrible. I think there is almost no need to fight this battle anymore." A trace of fear flashed in Gu Teng's eyes.

The Army Lieutenant Colonel and the Army Colonel looked at each other and finally understood the thoughts of their immediate superior. He was not losing his mind, but too rational.

The 14th Division's Supply Corps was originally the bait he threw out, but he didn't expect that it would attract not a fat fish, but a man-eating crocodile.

So, he wanted to retreat.

This round of fierce bombardment, which did not hesitate to expose all the artillery strength, was just a preparation for the infantry to gradually withdraw.

Perhaps, the Imperial Army Air Force fleet that was defeated in front of him completely confirmed his judgment.

Moreover, the Chinese army coming from the mountains behind him also made him feel a great threat!

"Hi!" The two lieutenants nodded heavily.

"Boom boom boom!" As the military order was issued, 12 mountain guns, 4 field guns and 6 infantry guns of the Japanese army opened fire again.

The three high grounds No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3 were all shrouded in gunpowder smoke. The fierce artillery fire made the officers and soldiers of the Four Lines Regiment who had already hidden in the trenches behind the mountains curl up their bodies and protect their chests and abdomens with their arms to avoid being hit by gravel.

Cheng Tieshou, the commander of the 2nd artillery company who ran to the artillery position in person, was called away by Tang Dao with a phone call. Tang Dao didn't want to lose the most important deputy battalion commander of his future artillery battalion.

"The Japanese want to run away!" Tang Dao, holding a telescope, saw a "red lantern" rising 800 meters away, and a sneer appeared at the corner of his mouth. "But, they bombarded our positions right away, and now they want to run away, how can that be so beautiful?"

Because of the shortage of field radios, not every group of special forces is equipped with field radios. For the special forces responsible for observing the movements of the Japanese infantry positions nearby, Tang Dao equipped them with red, black and white Kongming lanterns.

The rise of a certain color of Kongming lanterns represents a certain movement of the Japanese army. Red means that the Japanese army has signs of retreat.

"That means this Japanese commander is not ordinary! Stop fighting so soon? We are still waiting for the 769th Regiment to build a good defense line and compete with him!" Gong Shaoxun showed unwillingness on his face.

"It's still difficult for us to defeat a complete infantry regiment, tanks, and artillery. There's no need to fight them to death!" Tang Dao shook his head. "It won't be too late to beat them after all of us have replaced our German weapons. Now, just collect some interest in advance."

"Call Pang Dahai and ask him if his 10 guns have aimed at the artillery positions of the Japanese, as the Japanese are about to run away. If they haven't done it yet, tell him that I'm just worried about who will be the deputy commander of the artillery battalion! That's fine, let him continue to be the artillery company commander!"

After the call was connected, Gong Shaoxun conveyed the original words, and Pang Dahai's loud voice came clearly from the microphone: "Please rest assured, both commanders, 6 150 heavy mortars and 4 75 mountain guns have all arrived at the gun positions, and the angles and gun ranges have been calibrated. Please comfort Cheng Tietou more when you have time!"

"Oh, you Pang Dahai are quite confident. Since everything is ready, what are you waiting for!" Tang Dao took the phone and scolded. "Fire for me, smash the Japanese mountain guns to pieces!"

"Yes!" Pang Dahai hung up the phone heroically.

"Fire!" With Pang Dahai's order

The messenger standing on the high ground waved a small red flag, and the small flags in the hands of the artillery squad leaders of each artillery position fell, and the roar of "fire" rang out one after another in the mountains.

"Swish!" The sound of sharp mortar shells piercing the sky rang out.

Because the flying speed of mortar shells is much lower than that of mountain artillery, it usually takes nearly 15 seconds to fly at a distance of nearly 3,000 meters, and the flying time in the air is naturally longer.

Therefore, almost all the Japanese soldiers in the distant mountains and forests heard the sound of mortar shells flying over their heads, but at the moment when they couldn't help but lie down to avoid it, the shells did not fall on their heads as they imagined, but continued to move forward.

Several senior Japanese officers who were ready to retreat in the field command looked at each other, and their faces suddenly became extremely ugly.

If the Chinese mortars don't come to bomb the infantry, who are they going to bomb? The answer is almost obvious.

But isn't the range of the Chinese small-caliber mortars only more than 2,000 meters?

"Boom boom boom!" A dull explosion sounded from afar.

Gu Teng Changying's face was gloomy. Just by listening to the explosion, he knew that it could not be caused by an 82-caliber mortar.

"Quickly call the artillery battalion to ask if they were attacked!" Sasaki Xiaoyong also reacted.

But this time, several senior Japanese officers did not receive a reply.

Because the call was not dialed at all.

It's not that a round of shelling overturned the Japanese artillery positions distributed in nearly 10,000 square meters, but the air waves caused by the 150 mortar's 18-kilogram projectiles had cut off the telephone line long ago.

For the Japanese army's 12 mountain cannons, the Four-Line Regiment spent a lot of effort. There were 60 pack horses for transporting mortar shells alone, and 18 small carts for transporting 18-kilogram shells.

For 6 guns, a total of 180 shells were prepared, an average of 30 shells per gun.

Pang Dahai was even more decisive than Tang Dao thought. He directly ordered that all the shells carried by the six guns be fired without leaving a single one.

In the words of Captain Pang Dahai, as long as these 12 mountain guns were destroyed, if the Japanese continued to fight against the Four-Line Regiment, he would really respect these devils as men.

Don't underestimate these 180 shells. The charge of the 18-kilogram projectile is even more than that of the 105-meter howitzer that the Japanese Army is proud of. One shell will destroy everything within a radius of 12 meters from the impact point.

180 rounds are enough to plow the 10,000 square meters of Japanese artillery positions back and forth three times and still have room for more, not to mention that there are 4 75-meter mountain guns "helping the evil".

The 75-meter mountain gun weighing 700 kilograms was like a piece of paper in front of the violent air wave. Some were blown away seven or eight meters away. Unfortunately, those within the impact point had their steel twisted like ravaged plasticine.

Even more unfortunate, of course, was the shells that fell right on the shell storage point. The power of dozens of shells exploding together was so powerful that even the Chinese soldiers who were feinting 400 meters away had the urge to run away.

In such a fierce artillery fire, steel became so fragile, let alone the human body.

An artillery battalion, with hundreds of artillerymen, plus two infantry squadrons of guards, with nearly a thousand people, had no choice but to lie on the ground and tremble, and then be swallowed by the artillery fire.

"Damn it, the Chinese actually have such a large-caliber heavy artillery!" Gu Teng Changying's face turned pale. "Order three infantry squadrons to block the enemy, and the rest of the troops to retreat in batches under the cover of the tank squadron. If the Chinese block them, use all the heavy weapons they can to defeat them."

The heavy blow of 6 150 mortars made this "wise" Japanese Army Major General no longer care about the loss of the artillery battalion, but began to consider whether he would be surrounded by the Chinese. Without the 12 mountain guns, his confidence was originally insufficient, and what was more terrible was that the Chinese heavy artillery was still hanging over his head.

However, this time he obviously miscalculated again.

Until his brigade and regiment headquarters retreated 4 kilometers away, no Chinese soldiers appeared.

It seemed that the group of Chinese soldiers who came from the mountains came just to scare him.

Thinking about it carefully afterwards, wasn't it just to scare them?

However, it was not just to scare them away, but to scare them into shrinking their artillery positions so that the opponent's heavy artillery could concentrate their fire.

In the bombardment that lasted more than 20 minutes, more than 9 of the 12 mountain cannons were destroyed, and the artillery and infantry suffered losses of nearly 70%. An artillery battalion was basically destroyed.

Gu Teng Changying, who had figured it out after the fact, almost bit his two rows of back teeth.

There is nothing more frustrating than this.

In comparison, he might prefer his wife to give him a hat, even if he had to help raise a child for 18 years.

He remembered the Tang Dao and the Four Lines Group.

. . . . . . . . .

PS: Brothers, I'm back. Today is the third day. I finally feel better, but I still feel a little dizzy. I insisted on writing 5,000 words. Fengyue tells you from personal experience that this thing is really poisonous and painful. I hope everyone can protect themselves more.