Chapter 12: A Bountiful Return

Chapter 12: A Triumphant Return

After some time following his call with the brigade commander, Zhong Zhicheng saw that the 3rd Battalion of the New First Regiment had returned, escorting over three hundred prisoners of war.

A quick glance told Zhong Zhicheng that Li Yunlong seemed to have captured nearly all the puppet soldiers from Xiao Wang Village.

He was greatly astonished and even puzzled.

How could Li Yunlong accomplish capturing over three hundred puppet troops with just a single Italian cannon?

Zhong Zhicheng asked a company commander from the 3rd Battalion, “What... what exactly happened here?”

“Reporting to the deputy regimental commander, the regimental commander led us to take Xiao Wang Village,” the company commander replied.

“I know you took Xiao Wang Village, but why so many prisoners? And it seems like there were no casualties on our side?” Zhong Zhicheng blinked in surprise.

“Deputy commander, we didn’t suffer any casualties at all,” said the company commander.

“What? You said no casualties?” Zhong Zhicheng’s voice nearly shattered the sky upon hearing this.

Attacking a stronghold held by over three hundred enemies, with more than a dozen fortified towers, and suffering zero casualties—it sounded like a fairy tale.

“Yes, deputy commander. Not a single casualty. The commander only used three shells from the cannon to make all the puppet troops in Xiao Wang Village surrender,” another person informed Zhong Zhicheng.

“Three shells... and you took Xiao Wang Village?” Zhong Zhicheng was so shocked he could barely speak.

Taking a stronghold defended by over three hundred puppet soldiers with just three shells and zero casualties was unheard of.

“Well then, why didn’t the regimental commander come back with you? What about the 1st and 2nd Battalions?” Zhong Zhicheng finally managed to ask after recovering from his shock.

He already had an inkling of the answer.

Li Yunlong was always the type to either do nothing or go all out.

Since he had cleaned up Xiao Wang Village and seized weapons from over three hundred puppet troops there, the New First Regiment’s combat strength was bolstered. Li Yunlong surely wouldn’t sit still; he most likely went off on his own again.

As expected, the company commander replied, “The regimental commander took the 1st and 2nd Battalions to Xiao Li Village, aiming to capture it.”

“1st Company of the 3rd Battalion stayed behind to guard the prisoners and supplies. The 2nd and 3rd Companies immediately moved to the south of Xiao Li Village to help the commander hold off enemy reinforcements from the south,” Zhong Zhicheng said. Though annoyed by Li Yunlong’s unauthorized actions, he had learned much about command from following him.

South of Xiao Li Village was a large fortified settlement with eight hundred enemy soldiers stationed.

Reinforcements would inevitably arrive when Li Yunlong attacked Xiao Li Village.

“Yes, sir.” The 2nd and 3rd Companies quickly moved to their defensive positions.

Zhong Zhicheng returned to regimental headquarters and called the brigade to report.

Despite Li Yunlong’s serious breach of protocol, the feat of capturing Xiao Wang Village with just three shells and over three hundred prisoners had to be reported immediately.

By the time Zhong Zhicheng reported, Li Yunlong and his troops had already arrived at Xiao Li Village.

Scouts sent from Xiao Li Village were swiftly eliminated by Sun Desheng.

Enemy reinforcements were blocked from entering.

Employing the same tactics used at Xiao Wang Village, they first surrounded Xiao Li Village and then launched psychological warfare.

The puppet force at Xiao Li Village was smaller, with only two hundred eighty men, but tougher than those at Xiao Wang Village.

In truth, it was mainly because Xiao Wang Village lacked Japanese troops. Once the puppet troops’ morale broke, they surrendered easily.

Xiao Li Village, however, was garrisoned by a platoon of Japanese soldiers who fought stubbornly and refused to surrender.

Li Yunlong had to use a few more shells, sending that platoon of Japanese soldiers to meet their Amaterasu.

Once that platoon was wiped out, Li Yunlong showed the remaining shells to the puppet troops of Xiao Li Village.

Seeing Li Yunlong still had enough ammunition to demolish all their watchtowers, the puppet soldiers, intimidated by the psychological threat of the Italian cannon, chose to surrender.

The New First Regiment took Xiao Li Village, capturing over two hundred prisoners and seizing a batch of weapons, ammunition, and supplies.

“Commander, a reinforcement force from the southern fort settlement is coming,” someone reported to Li Yunlong. “The two companies from the 3rd Battalion are preparing to intercept them.”

“How many enemies?” Li Yunlong asked, already guessing the two companies had been deployed by Zhong Zhicheng.

“Three hundred, equipped with mortars,” came the reply.

“Order the two companies of the 3rd Battalion to retreat immediately. Don’t try to hold them off,” Li Yunlong said. “I’m getting out of here.”

Reinforcements were sure to arrive from all directions. If they didn’t withdraw quickly, they would be surrounded.

“Yes, sir.”

Li Yunlong’s New First Regiment moved swiftly and retreated quickly.

They entered the mountains before the enemy could encircle them, escaping danger.

“Wang Chengzhu, how many Italian shells are left?” Li Yunlong asked.

“Commander, twenty-seven remain,” Wang Chengzhu replied.

“How come only twenty-seven left? Damn it, you prodigal!” Li Yunlong began to scold.

“Commander, you have to be fair. Every shell fired was with your approval. We used three shells at Xiao Wang Village, and at Xiao Li Village, the stubborn Japanese platoon resisted fiercely. You were the one yelling, ‘Chengzhu, blow up that mortar! Blow up that watchtower!’ Now you’re blaming me for wasting shells...” Wang Chengzhu defended himself gruffly.

“Chengzhu, how dare you complain!” Li Yunlong cut him off, realizing he might have been a bit wasteful. “Be more careful next time.”

“Commander, using nine shells to take two strongholds is a great deal. We captured three mortars, five grenade launchers, six heavy machine guns, over thirty light machine guns, and more than five hundred rifles. It was very worthwhile,” Wu Ze said to Li Yunlong. “You really wronged Brother Chengzhu.”

“Commander, look, even Wu Ze says you’re wrong,” Wang Chengzhu quickly pointed out.

“Go away,” Li Yunlong said, unable to keep a straight face. Smiling, he turned away from Wang Chengzhu. “Thanks to Wu Ze, our New First Regiment’s firepower now surpasses the 772nd Regiment led by Blind Commander Cheng.”

“That’s right. The 772nd Regiment’s commander got all excited over a single mortar, but our New First Regiment has three mortars and over two hundred shells. We’re leagues ahead of Cheng’s 772nd,” Huzi chimed in.

“Exactly. Our New First Regiment used to be the weakest in the 386th Brigade, but now we have the best weapons and equipment,” Sun Desheng said with a smile, though with some regret. “But even with guns and artillery, we’re still missing something.”

“What else do we need?” Li Yunlong glared at Sun Desheng. “Sun Desheng, your appetite is huge. You don’t mean we want planes and tanks, do you?”

Sun Desheng laughed. “Commander, even if we had planes and tanks, we wouldn’t know how to use them. What the New First Regiment really needs is a cavalry unit.”

Wu Ze recalled from the TV dramas that Sun Desheng’s cavalry came from the Imperial Collaboration Army in Wanjia Town.

Judging by the timeline, that cavalry unit hadn’t been established yet.

Li Yunlong said to Sun Desheng, “Don’t worry, Sun Desheng. I’ll get you cavalry horses sooner or later. When that happens, you’ll be in charge.”

“Yes, sir,” Sun Desheng nodded confidently, looking forward to the future.

(End of Chapter)