Chapter 22: The Great Victory at Crooked Valley! Li Yunlong Strikes Again with His Unconventional Tactics!
“Commander, that bastard Sato has been riddled with bullets.”
Saying this, Zhang Dabiao handed over a knife. “This is that old devil’s officer’s sword!”
My heavens!
Li Yunlong’s eyes instantly widened, his breathing growing heavier!
An officer’s sword!
Since the battle began across China, the number of captured Japanese officer swords could be counted on one hand!
“Hahaha, excellent, excellent!!”
Li Yunlong took the officer’s sword of Sato Ichiro. This treasure—next time the wealthy Lin comes around, no matter what, I must give it to him! This is my sincere gratitude.
Carefully securing the sword, Li Yunlong’s face grew serious. “Report the casualties!”
Zhang Dabiao’s excited expression faded a bit. “A little over a hundred lightly wounded, more than twenty severely wounded, and… eighteen dead.”
He paused, then his voice rose sharply, filled with unparalleled pride. “Commander! Five hundred to one! We achieved a five hundred to one casualty ratio! An unprecedented great victory!”
Such numbers were dazzlingly remarkable!
The new first regiment, plus the county battalion, district squads, and militia reserves, totaled just over two thousand men.
Yet they annihilated an entire Japanese brigade, as well as three puppet regiments!
Over ten thousand enemies wiped out!
And their own losses were just over twenty severely wounded and eighteen dead.
This wasn’t a battle—it was a massacre!
Indeed, this was an unprecedentedly magnificent victory!
But Li Yunlong knew clearly that the primary credit belonged to Lin Ran’s overwhelming heavy firepower, followed by the brigade commander’s precise and ruthless artillery command.
A dozen rounds of 105mm howitzers saturated the area, shattering the very bones of Sato’s brigade.
It was estimated that more than half were blown apart instantly, with the survivors utterly disoriented, barely able to handle their weapons.
Finally, combined with the revolutionary submachine guns, it was a one-sided slaughter.
At that moment, the communications squad leader came running over. “Commander, the brigade commander is calling!”
Li Yunlong rushed over in three strides, grabbed the receiver, and said, “Brigade commander, this is Li Yunlong.”
The voice on the other end came through. “Li Yunlong! How’s the battle? What are the results?”
Two thousand versus ten thousand—a fivefold difference. Even with superior weapons, the brigade commander was anxious.
Li Yunlong grinned broadly. “Hahaha! Brigade commander, I haven’t disgraced you! The entire 29th brigade is wiped out! Those three puppet regiments are also finished! Not a single one escaped!”
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“Phew,” the brigade commander finally exhaled, “Well done! What about casualties?”
“Just over a hundred lightly wounded, about twenty severely wounded, and eighteen comrades sacrificed.”
“……”
A brief silence followed.
The brigade commander was clearly stunned by the staggering casualty ratio.
Ten thousand enemies eliminated, with only eighteen losses!
This was not only an unprecedented victory but one with profound significance for the era!
The brigade commander thought more deeply and further than Li Yunlong.
The myth of the invincible Japanese army had recently been shattered by the 101st, but at a heavy cost.
Many Chinese still believed that defeating the little devils required piling up human lives.
Pessimism still lingered!
But now, the battle at Guizi Ditch was like a resounding slap, harshly striking the face of the “surrender faction”!
It declared with ironclad facts: as long as weapons were equal or superior, Chinese warriors could achieve world-shocking feats!
Once this news spread, what immense confidence it would inject into the entire nation’s military and civilians!
One regiment annihilating a brigade—who would dare call for surrender now?
“Good!”
After a long moment, the brigade commander only uttered a single word.
He had to immediately report back to headquarters!
With Sato’s brigade destroyed, the Japanese would surely launch a furious counterattack, and the skies over northwest Shanxi would change!
At this moment, Li Yunlong asked, “Brigade commander, the Japanese inside the county town have all come out, so it must be as empty as a sieve now. What do you think… should we take this chance to liberate Chang County?”
The brigade commander groaned in frustration.
This Li Yunlong always managed to cause trouble in the small things.
“Li Yunlong! Has your tail grown wings again? You want to liberate the county town with just one regiment?”
The brigade commander rubbed his brow. “The Japanese command is probably already mad! The next force coming at you will be at least a division! Over twenty thousand mad dogs! What will you use to defend? Your own head to block the city gate?”
Liberating the county town wasn’t simply about entering—it required holding it!
After all, Li Yunlong only had about a thousand men under his command.
One brigade destroyed, and the Japanese’s next move would surely be a division.
---
That meant over twenty thousand beasts, fully armed with heavy and light weaponry. Li Yunlong couldn’t possibly hold the city!
The brigade commander massaged his throbbing temples and grew increasingly convinced that this stubborn mule needed a political commissar immediately!
“Clear the battlefield properly! Immediately! Fall back to Chenjia Village! If you cause any more trouble, I’ll come there and personally kill you!”
“Yes, I guarantee to complete the mission!” Li Yunlong pouted and hung up in a huff.
But as soon as he hung up, he said to Zhang Dabiao beside him:
“Dabiao! Hurry and clear the battlefield! When you’re done, take the main force and escort the loot back to the regiment headquarters! Remember, not a single grain of food or bullet is to be left behind!
And leave me one company!”
“Yes!” Zhang Dabiao responded instinctively, then hesitated. “Commander, what about you…”
Li Yunlong chuckled and looked toward Chang County. “There are probably only a handful of garrison troops left inside the county town. I can’t resist such a juicy piece of meat.”
Zhang Dabiao’s scalp tingled. “Commander! The brigade commander just said not to liberate the county town!”
“Pfft!” Li Yunlong waved his hand dismissively. “The brigade commander said not to liberate it, but he never said we can’t go in!”
Zhang Dabiao was confused. “If we don’t liberate the county town, then what exactly are you going in for?”
Li Yunlong’s eyes narrowed slightly. “Don’t you remember? The wealthy Lin said he wants gold and antiques. We should go into the county town and have a look.”
Zhang Dabiao felt his soul nearly leave his body.
“Commander, you… that’s against orders, against discipline!”
Li Yunlong slapped Zhang Dabiao’s shoulder. “What are you thinking? Do you think I’m the kind of man to loot the city?”
Zhang Dabiao nodded. The commander wasn’t that kind of person but still didn’t understand. “Then what do you mean…”
Li Yunlong chuckled. “We won’t take a single thing from the people, but Sato’s old Japanese command post is a gold mine, and their warehouses are overflowing with riches!
Even if we don’t occupy the place, whatever we can carry, we’ll take. What we can’t carry, the food will be distributed to the villagers! And the rest… heh heh, we’ll burn it all to the ground! Not a single grain will be left for the little devils!”
Zhang Dabiao’s eyes lit up!
Right! No occupation, but we can strip it bare!
The commander’s move… brilliant! Absolutely brilliant!
“Understood, Commander! I’ll be very careful!” Zhang Dabiao had no objections and turned energetically to make arrangements.
Li Yunlong looked toward Chang County and rubbed his hands together.
The Japanese main force is all out; what’s left in the city are just some ragtag guards…