Chapter 55: Seizing the Opportunity to Capture the Stronghold, Divine Warriors Descend with Mighty Weapons

Chapter 55: Seizing the Stronghold by Taking Advantage of the Enemy’s Weakness—Divine Reinforcements Descend with Heavy Artillery

The smoke of battle on the San Dao Yaoxian battlefield had not yet fully cleared. The soldiers of the Independent Regiment felt a mingling of joy over their victory and sorrow for fallen comrades. A massive group of prisoners was guarded on a relatively flat riverbank, their heads bowed and faces ashen. Officers from the enemy’s engineering department and political commissars busied themselves conducting initial screenings and ideological reeducation amid a cacophony of shouts, interrogations, and patient explanations from Red Army cadres.

Wang Lin and Wang Guangdao stood atop a nearby earthen mound, surveying this chaotic yet glorious battlefield as they deliberated their next move. Although the complete annihilation of Ma Hongbin’s two main brigade forces was a significant triumph, their own losses of over fifteen hundred men were severe, leaving the troops desperate for rest and reinforcement. Should they consider this a good point to halt and retreat to Wuqi to consolidate their base? Or should they press their advantage, expand their victory, and further intimidate surrounding enemy forces?

At that moment, the enemy engineering minister hurried over with an aide, leading two dejected Kuomintang officers. The aide’s face could barely contain his excitement.

“Report to the regiment commander and political commissar!” the engineering minister saluted. “During prisoner screening, we identified two staff officers from the former enemy’s 105th Cavalry Brigade headquarters and a confidential clerk. After separate interrogations and ideological persuasion, they revealed extremely important intelligence!”

“Oh? What intelligence?” Wang Lin’s gaze sharpened instantly.

Stepping forward, the aide reported excitedly, “Commander, according to their confession, to support Ma Hongbin’s encirclement of our Soviet base, Chiang Kai-shek dispatched a fully equipped German-style heavy artillery regiment from the Xi’an headquarters just days ago to Qingyang. This included at least twelve brand-new 75mm Krupp field guns, along with traction vehicles, observation equipment, and a large stockpile of ammunition.”

“A heavy artillery regiment?” Wang Guangdao gasped, “Is this information reliable?”

“Basically solid!” the aide affirmed. “The three sources’ accounts are consistent and detailed. The equipment is currently stored in the logistics warehouse of the former 35th Division within Qingyang city, guarded by a security company directly under division command. The plan was to formally establish the artillery regiment once this ‘encirclement’ achieved some progress, but unexpectedly—”

Wang Lin’s heart leapt wildly. German-made 75mm field guns! This was genuine heavy firepower! For the Red Army, which severely lacked siege and long-range strike capabilities, this was a dream weapon. With these heavy guns, the combat effectiveness of the Independent Regiment—and indeed the entire Red Army—would leap to a new level. Assaulting strong fortresses, suppressing enemy firepower, and exerting strategic deterrence would all become possible.

His mind raced. Qingyang! The city must be nearly deserted now. Ma Hongbin’s elite forces had been almost wiped out; Ye Chengzhang and Ma Yulin were either dead or fled. The city garrison likely consisted only of some logistics personnel, administrative staff, and a small guard unit with weak combat power. Moreover, news of Ma Hongbin’s crushing defeat probably hadn’t reached Qingyang yet.

This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! They must seize Qingyang before the enemy reacts; before any Northeast Army reinforcements could arrive and be ordered to defend. They had to capture Qingyang and secure this critically important heavy equipment.

Decision made in an instant, Wang Lin’s eyes flashed with sharp resolve. He quickly told Wang Guangdao and Zhong Guangbang, “Commissar, Old Zhong, this is a golden opportunity! Qingyang is now essentially an empty city! We must act immediately and march south at top speed, taking them by surprise. Capture Qingyang and accept Chiang Kai-shek’s ‘gift’ in full!”

Wang Guangdao instantly grasped the gravity of the situation and supported without hesitation, “Agreed! This is a heaven-sent chance we cannot miss! We must move fast!”

“Signalman!” Wang Lin barked.

“Here!” came the prompt reply.

“Immediately relay the orders: Second and Third Battalions, the regiment’s artillery company, and cavalry company—assemble at once! Discard all unnecessary baggage; carry only weapons, ammunition, and three days’ rations! Depart with me in ten minutes for a forced march south to Qingyang!”

“Order for Fourth Battalion Commander Li Yunlong!”

“Here!” Li Yunlong, just recently descended from the blocking position, dusty and stained with gunpowder, came running briskly.

“Old Li, your battalion suffered heavy casualties and needs rest, but Huan County lies just ahead, and its garrison is also weak! I’ll supplement you with some newly captured Liberation soldiers and light machine guns. You must push hard, take your battalion west immediately, and seize Huan County town! Fight if you can; if not, besiege it and prevent the enemy from causing trouble or becoming a rallying point for Qingyang’s fleeing forces. Understood?”

Hearing there was a fight, Li Yunlong’s eyes lit up. Despite fatigue, he was confident against the frightened enemy in Huan County. He pounded his chest with vigor. “Rest assured! No problem! Old Li will make sure Huan County is settled and secure! Not a single fly will be allowed to disrupt our main force!”

“Good! The rest of the troops, led by the commissar and Chief of Staff Zhong, will remain here to guard prisoners, treat the wounded, clear the battlefield, and report our achievements and next moves in detail to central command!”

Orders passed like a gale. The exhausted soldiers of the Second and Third Battalions, artillery and cavalry companies, hearing they were to seize enemy heavy artillery, immediately shed fatigue and rallied with renewed morale.

Ten minutes later, an elite force of nearly three thousand, personally led by Wang Lin, departed the San Dao Yaoxian battlefield like an arrow loosed, heading south toward Qingyang. Knowing the mission was urgent, the men pushed their legs and spurred their mounts relentlessly, surging forward.

Simultaneously, Li Yunlong regrouped his surviving Fourth Battalion soldiers, supplemented their numbers and weapons, and charged westward toward Huan County with fierce determination.

Wang Lin sat astride his galloping horse, calculating time and distance. Qingyang was nearly one hundred li away; the troops had to arrive and attack before dawn to maximize surprise. He urged the column to speed up again and again.

Along the way, they encountered no significant resistance. Occasionally small groups of fleeing enemy soldiers or local militias, confronted by the overwhelming and ferocious Red Army force, fled in terror or surrendered on the spot.

After an almost uninterrupted forced march through the night, just as dawn began to pale the sky, the Independent Regiment’s southern force finally reached Qingyang’s northern outskirts. The troops concealed themselves behind a cluster of trees and an earthen ridge.

Wang Lin raised his binoculars to survey. The ancient city walls of Qingyang appeared faintly in the morning light. Flags were sparse atop the ramparts, and the sentries looked listless, showing no sign of alertness. Clearly, the garrison within was still unaware of the main enemy force’s destruction to the north.

“Good! The opportunity remains!” Wang Lin affirmed, immediately issuing battle orders.

“Huang Musheng!”

“Here!”

“You lead the Second Battalion in a feint attack from the East Gate—make plenty of noise to draw the defenders’ attention!”

“Yes!”

“Zhou Zhiming!”

“Here!”

“You bring the main force of the Third Battalion to the West Gate quietly. Our scouts have confirmed the West Gate is the weakest point; the guard company watching the warehouse is mostly stationed north and east of the city. Your assault team will use explosives to blow open the West Gate! Once the breach is made, the main force will pour in rapidly, storm the enemy’s divisional headquarters and prison, and seize control of the entire city!”

“Understood!”

“Shamarg!”

“Here!”

“Your cavalry company will charge in immediately after the West Gate is breached. Do not linger in battle—move swiftly to the city center’s logistics warehouse! You must secure the heavy artillery and ammunition before the enemy can destroy them! Those are our lifeline!”

“Yes! Task will be accomplished!” Shamarg’s face flushed with excitement.

“Liu Gensheng!”

“Here!”

“Your artillery company will set up mortars to bombard the North and East Gate towers, suppressing enemy fire to cover the Second Battalion’s feint and the Third Battalion’s main assault!”

“Yes!”

With deployment complete, the units moved silently into position.

Soon, gunfire erupted outside Qingyang’s East Gate, the clash deafening. The Second Battalion’s feint assault had begun! The small number of defending enemy troops were indeed drawn toward the East Gate.

Meanwhile, the Third Battalion’s main force slipped like ghosts near the West Gate. Under the last darkness before dawn, a compact assault team silently approached the city gate.

“Boom!!!” A tremendous explosion shattered the West Gate’s iron-bound wooden doors.

“Charge!” Zhou Zhiming roared, leading the assault. The Third Battalion soldiers surged through the breach like a tide into Qingyang!

Chaos erupted within the city. The defenders never expected a Red Army assault so sudden and from the relatively weakly defended West Gate. Their hastily organized resistance was swiftly crushed by the brave Red soldiers.

Shamarg’s cavalry company swept through the streets like a whirlwind, their horses’ hooves ringing crisply in the empty morning avenues. Ignoring scattered rifle fire, they pressed toward the city center’s logistics warehouse.

The enemy guard company assigned to the warehouse, startled by the explosions and gunfire, barely had time to react before the charging cavalry struck with sabers and lances, quickly annihilating or forcing their surrender.

Shamarg leapt from his horse and kicked open the warehouse door. Instantly, he and his men were stunned by what they saw.

Inside the spacious warehouse, rows of brand-new field guns painted dark green, adorned with the blue sky and white sun insignia, stood neatly arranged. The thick barrels gleamed with cold metallic light. Nearby lay stacks of wooden ammunition crates. These were the coveted German-made 75mm Krupp field guns—twelve in total—along with several trucks for towing.

“Quick! Secure all exits! Inventory all supplies! No one is to damage anything! This is all ours now!” Shamarg’s voice trembled with excitement.

At the same time, news arrived from the west: Li Yunlong, leading the Fourth Battalion, seized Huan County’s town in a fierce assault while the enemy was still panicked, capturing over two hundred enemy personnel and a large quantity of food and forage.

The Independent Regiment erupted with joy upon hearing the news. Wang Lin stood atop Qingyang’s city wall, watching the rising sun and swelling with pride. This battle not only utterly shattered the enemy’s encirclement and annihilated their main force but also captured two strategic towns and, most importantly, secured heavy artillery capable of altering the strategic landscape.