Chapter 50: Feint to the East, Attack to the West

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Li Yunlong already had a rough plan. He pointed to the northwest corner of Wuyin County on the map.

“Look here.

“Yong’an Stronghold, thirty li northwest of Wuyin County. Brother Xu told me that when he passed through this area, he happened to discover a Japanese military supply depot there. It serves as a transfer station for the nearby Fourth Mixed Brigade.

“The Japanese have been especially active lately, so there should be a considerable stockpile of weapons, equipment, and other supplies inside. Yet the place isn’t heavily guarded—there are fewer than a company of Japanese soldiers.

“If anything happens there, the Japanese in Wuyin County will certainly mobilize in force.”

The other three immediately understood Li Yunlong’s intention. He planned to create a diversion: one point in the northwest corner of the map, another in the southeast. Once the two sides were drawn apart, the distance between them would be considerable.

“Heh heh. And anyone heading for Yong’an Stronghold will have to cross the Tongji Canal. That bridge is the only route they can take.”

Li Yunlong’s expression hardened as he began issuing orders.

“First Company Commander! Take a platoon of men. I’ll give you the artillery platoon as well, along with ten machine guns.

“Send people to contact every local county militia brigade, district squad, and other militia organization. The more men, the better. Put on a proper show of force and surround Yong’an Stronghold. Don’t conserve ammunition. Make it look as though we intend to wipe them out!

“Once the Japanese reinforcements from Wuyin County have crossed the Tongji Canal, blow up the bridge!”

“Yes, sir! The mission will be completed!”

Liu Bo straightened and saluted solemnly.

Li Yunlong then turned to Zhang Dabiao.

“Second Company Commander, take Second Company and ambush the road from Wuyin County to Liu Wang Temple. Wipe out the Japanese reinforcements!”

Zhang Dabiao shouted with full confidence, “Yes, sir! The mission will be completed!”

Finally, Li Yunlong looked at Huang Tianning.

“Platoon Leader Huang, I have a mission for you. Take a few men and disguise yourselves as prisoners of war.”

“I’ll take some men disguised as puppet troops and escort you close to the prisoner camp!”

The moment they heard this, all three men became anxious. Zhang Dabiao spoke first.

“Battalion Commander, that’s too dangerous. Let me lead the men disguised as puppet troops!”

“I…”

Before any of them could say more, Li Yunlong glared at them and waved his hand impatiently.

“All right, enough fussing! Who’s the battalion commander here?”

With Li Yunlong invoking his authority as battalion commander, the three men could only swallow their objections.

“Then it’s settled. We’ll move the afternoon after tomorrow. Half an hour after the Japanese leave Wuyin County, I’ll lead the assault on the prisoner camp!

“Once each unit has completed its assigned mission, everyone will assemble at Yao Family Ravine. Now carry out your orders!”

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There was nothing Zhang Dabiao and the other two could do but obey.

“Yes, sir!”

After leaving the courtyard, Zhang Dabiao and Liu Bo anxiously reminded Huang Tianning, “Platoon Leader Huang, you must protect the battalion commander!”

Huang Tianning patted his chest with a grave expression.

“Rest assured, Commanders. Unless every one of us is dead, we won’t let a single hair on the battalion commander’s head be harmed!”

After resting for one night in Guowang Village, the various units of the Provisional Seventh Battalion began moving separately early the next morning.

Liu Bo led the soldiers of First Company’s Second Platoon, together with Wang Chengzhu’s artillery platoon, on a forced march toward Yong’an Stronghold.

His timetable was the tightest. He also had to send men to notify the various district squads, county militia brigades, and other militia organizations, leaving them enough time to assemble.

Li Yunlong and Zhang Dabiao, meanwhile, led the remaining troops toward Liu Wang Temple. Although they had already learned the layout of the prisoner camp and its general defensive arrangements from the puppet troops, they still needed to scout the area in person, familiarize themselves with the surrounding terrain, and allow Zhang Dabiao to choose a favorable place for the ambush.

Guowang Village was not far from Liu Wang Temple. By noon, Li Yunlong had already led his men to a mountain hollow nearby.

After arranging for the troops to conceal themselves and establish defensive positions, Li Yunlong and Zhang Dabiao went their separate ways.

Li Yunlong took Huzi, Huang Tianning, and several others over the mountains and through the forest until they reached the vicinity of the Liu Wang Temple prisoner camp, situated at the foot of Cloudgreen Mountain.

At the edge of a wooded area halfway up Cloudgreen Mountain, Li Yunlong lay behind a large slab of blue stone, watching the prisoner camp below through binoculars.

Built upon the foundations of the original temple, the compound had been enclosed by higher walls, and the rear yard had been expanded. In the center of the rear yard, surrounded by a layer of iron fencing, stood two rows containing eight barracks in all, packed tightly together.

Barbed wire covered the tall walls surrounding the compound. A guard tower stood at each corner, equipped with searchlights and machine guns. Four Japanese soldiers guarded each tower.

Outside the wire fence, two five-man patrols continually paced the passageways.

The area within a hundred meters of Liu Wang Temple had been cleared completely. An assault from the rear yard might allow them to blast open the walls with rocket launchers, but the soldiers would then have to cross a hundred meters of open ground without cover. That would be a losing bargain.

It would be safer to use disguises to approach the front gate, exploit the superior firepower of their own troops, catch the enemy off guard, and advance step by step.

Just as Li Yunlong made up his mind to leave, something new appeared in the field of his binoculars.

A group of Japanese soldiers arrived in front of the barracks. Shouting and shoving, they drove the prisoners out into the open yard.

A Japanese officer pointed casually at the crowd, and more than a dozen prisoners were dragged out by the soldiers.

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With bayonets threatening them, the dozen or so soldiers were taken toward the front yard. Unfortunately, the buildings blocked Li Yunlong’s view, and they vanished from his sight.

Beside him, Huang Tianning’s eyes turned red. He pounded his fist against the blue stone.

“Those damned Japanese!”

In the prisoner camp, torture and abuse at the hands of the Japanese were everyday occurrences. Every one of them had experienced it. Those who were taken away by the Japanese never returned.

It was not difficult to imagine what awaited them.

Li Yunlong ground his teeth in fury.

“Hmph. Those damned Japanese. Tomorrow, I’ll skin every last one of them!”

“Let’s go. We’ll return and make our preparations. Tomorrow, send someone to keep watch over Wuyin County!”

Back in the mountain hollow, Li Yunlong began arranging the details of the following day’s operation.

Of the two platoons left behind by First Company, one would change into puppet-troop uniforms and launch the frontal assault.

Li Yunlong assigned the other platoon to attack the rear yard, waiting until the fighting began at the front to draw the guards’ attention away.

They would then break through the wall at once and rescue the prisoners in the rear yard, preventing the Japanese from panicking and harming the prisoners in a desperate final act.

Once the prisoners were safe, the two forces would attack from both sides and wipe out the Japanese.

Dusk began to fall. Zhang Dabiao, who had gone to inspect the terrain, finally returned with his men.

Li Yunlong had a flatbread clenched between his teeth. He casually handed another to Zhang Dabiao as the latter approached.

“Dabiao, how did it go?”

Zhang Dabiao took the flatbread and bit into it hard.

“There’s a good position on a hillside. The road makes a sharp bend right at the foot of the slope. If the Japanese don’t take a detour, then with the strength of our firepower, even an entire company of them won’t get past us!”

Li Yunlong nodded, his gaze growing deep.

“Good. Now we just have to wait for Liu Bo’s progress.”

“Send men to watch outside Wuyin County first thing tomorrow morning. The moment the Japanese reinforcements leave the city, they are to report back immediately.

“We’ll launch the assault half an hour after the Japanese leave the city.”

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