Chapter 23: Assassinating the Old Dog Lei-Eu me tornei poeta através de cem batalhas: do sangrento combate no Rio Xiang à batalha de Shang Gan Ling(A pistola de caixa do velho Li)

Hardly had the words left his lips when an explosion erupted fifty meters behind him. A mortar was blown into the sky, whistling as it crashed down less than ten meters away, striking the ground with a sharp, metallic clang.

There was no need for his adjutant, Hu Biao, to answer; the reality was plain before Lei Laogou. All three of their mortars had been wiped out by the enemy’s artillery.

"You bastards! A bunch of useless trash!" Lei Laogou roared in a frenzy, yet the offensive had to continue.

The Fifth Battalion had suffered heavy losses during the previous charge and the man-made bombardment zone created by hand grenades, leaving them nearly incapable of further combat. Now, everything depended on the soldiers of the First Battalion to push forward.

In truth, the First Battalion was not at full strength either, as the firepower from the other four peaks had never ceased, causing significant casualties among the Guangxi Army below. Nevertheless, this unit of over two hundred men spread out rapidly, launching another assault on the highlands defended by the Red 34th Company.

Seeing the enemy closing in again, Peng Hongsen checked his supply of grenades, only to realize he had been so enthusiastic moments ago that he had accidentally thrown them all. He quickly devised a new plan and shouted:

"Comrades, retreat to the second line of defense! Machine gunners, hold the flanks!"

The highland he occupied was well-fortified, boasting two heavy machine guns and four Czech-made light machine guns—a luxurious configuration of firepower. He ordered the soldiers at the center to fall back while instructing the heavy machine gun crews on the flanks to remain concealed. A few soldiers were left behind as bait to lure the Guangxi troops closer.

Relying on covering fire from their rear, the Guangxi troops charged onto the forward positions once more. Unlike before, they faced no barrage of grenades and reached the trench with unexpected ease. The soldiers who climbed up could hardly believe their luck. But before they could celebrate, the two Maxim guns hidden on the flanks roared to life.

"Tat-tat-tat!"

The interlocking fire from the heavy machine guns formed a deadly web, cutting down more than a dozen soldiers in an instant.

"Attack the flanks! Take out those machine gun nests!" the First Battalion commander screamed.

But as his men split up to assault the flanks, the four Czech light machine guns on the second line of defense opened fire, joined by the infantry’s Hanyang rifles. Caught in a three-sided crossfire, the hundred or so First Battalion soldiers who had crested the hill were either killed or wounded, forced to scramble back down the slope. During their retreat, they left behind numerous bodies, covering the hillside like fallen leaves in winter.

Seeing that even the First Battalion had been repelled, Lei Laogou realized the situation was dire. Looking at his other units, he saw they were also suffering heavy casualties; corpses of the Guangxi Army littered the base of Wuzhi Ridge. Some units had already begun to rout.

This was something Lei Laogou had never anticipated. He never imagined that a mere few hundred Red Army soldiers would dare to wipe out his force of a thousand. He also hadn't expected that his subordinates would deceive him, returning to report no ambush without ever actually scouting the summit. Now, it was too late for regrets; he had to survive.

"Concentrate our forces! Break out to the east!" Lei Laogou commanded. He had no choice but to flee; if he lost his life here, everything else would be meaningless.

Following the order, the four or five hundred remnants of the 189th Regiment scrambled to retreat eastward. Though they were numerous, their formation was shattered, and they crowded the road and the surrounding terrain in a desperate bid to escape.

However, Long Wencheng had long since anticipated an eastern retreat, and the assault team was already positioned there. Yang Gang, who had not yet engaged in battle, stood ready with his dozens of men, waiting for the enemy to run straight into them.

Every soldier in the assault team was equipped with a "Flower Machine Gun" (MP18 submachine gun). These weapons possessed ferocious firepower and a high rate of fire, providing overwhelming suppression in close-to-medium range combat.

Just as the Guangxi soldiers thought they were about to break through, rows of cooling-jacketed barrels emerged from the front, unleashing a hail of lead.

"Tat-tat-tat!"

As the submachine guns roared, bullets tore through the ranks of the 189th Regiment like a gale. Blood sprayed as the soldiers in the lead were turned into sieves by the dense barrage, collapsing into unrecognizable heaps of flesh. The soldiers behind them instinctively hit the dirt, too terrified to press forward. The sheer intensity of forty-plus submachine guns firing in unison created a wall of fire that no one could pass.

Seeing his path blocked, Lei Laogou realized they were in a death trap. He bellowed, "For everyone who breaks out, I’ll give you a gold bar! Charge, you bastards!"

Greed fueled courage; despite their fear, the Guangxi soldiers, enticed by the promise of gold, steeled themselves and launched another charge. But just as they rose, shells began to rain down. It was the 18th Regiment’s artillery from the rear—an 81mm mortar and a 37mm infantry gun—tearing through the crowded ranks in a bloody mist. This dealt a crushing blow to their wavering morale.

Simultaneously, the light and heavy machine guns on the surrounding peaks poured ammunition into the area as if it cost nothing. Large numbers of infantry charged down the slopes, catching the enemy in a pincer movement.

A sense of unprecedented despair washed over Lei Laogou. At that moment, Long Wencheng’s Lee-Enfield rifle was trained on the crowd, searching for his target. He was certain that the man protected by seven or eight soldiers with submachine guns was Lei Laogou; no one else would warrant such a guard.

Lei Laogou was still screaming at his adjutant. "Didn't you say there was no ambush? You piece of trash!" He swung his hand, slapping Hu Biao so hard the man spun in place before stumbling to stay upright.

Just as Lei Laogou raised his hand to strike him again, Long Wencheng held his breath and squeezed the trigger.

"Bang!"

The rifle kicked, and the bullet soared, striking Lei Laogou’s head from his elevated position. The high-velocity round entered the back of his skull, creating a cavitation effect that pulverized his brain before exiting through the front, spraying Hu Biao’s face with gore.