Unwilling to become slaves to a conquered nation, there is no other way out than to risk our lives in a desperate fight!

Lacking sufficient weapons and ammunition, the Japanese invaders naturally could not manage to toss grenades before entering every house. After receiving the corresponding battlefield reports, Kamimura Nan immediately ordered the soldiers under his command to make use of local materials. They were to forge torches and gather flammable items. Since the situation inside could not be probed, they would simply set fire to everything.

It was not that these devils were unwilling to launch their attacks through the corridors and alleys; rather, the 3rd Battalion needed merely two heavy machine guns to completely control the village's sole main thoroughfare. Controlling such narrow alleys and corridors usually required only the tacit coordination of three to five soldiers. If the Japanese invaders wished to successfully breach the defense line, they would have to pay a very heavy price.

As the battle progressed, the sergeants and squad leaders fighting on the front lines began to sense that something was amiss, and an increasing number of officers requested permission to retreat. Under these circumstances, Kamimura Nan could no longer ignore the feedback from his junior officers.

As his various squads and detachments entered the village to fight, a multitude of unforeseen crises left them overwhelmed. Although they had seemingly succeeded in occupying one-third of the village, both sides had now fallen into a state of intense deadlock. For every ten meters advanced, they had to pay a grievous price.

Kamimura Nan had to admit that he was now caught in a dilemma. To continue the attack meant sustaining massive casualties with no guarantee of ultimate victory; yet to retreat...

"Reporting, sir! A massive force of enemy troops has appeared on our flanks. Judging by their uniforms, they should be the Eighth Route Army units that harassed us earlier... Their numbers are enormous..."

The company commander swallowed hard and added, "They even outnumber our bullets!"

"Nani?" Kamimura Nan was greatly shocked and asked for confirmation again, "How many of them are there?"

"Major Kamimura... the hills and fields are completely covered with the enemy!"

"Baka!"

Naturally, Kamimura Nan did not believe such abstract phrasing. He strode swiftly to the optimal observation point and gazed out at the skirmishing outpost squad and the soldiers of the 771st Regiment.

While "covering the hills and fields" was somewhat exaggerated, a single glance revealed at least a thousand men...

"Tu-tu-tu-tu-tu~!"

The resonant sound of the charge bugle echoed across heaven and earth, carrying a deeply stirring impact.

At the very front, the soldiers of the Eighth Route Army shouldered blood-red military flags, charging at the vanguard. Behind the flags were vast numbers of soldiers. Forming a wedge-shaped attack formation, they pressed forward with unstoppable momentum, charging directly toward the outpost squad on the flank of the Japanese devils.

Accompanying their assault were mortar teams that had already been deployed in advance. These were mortars specially detached by Regiment Commander Cheng to support the 771st Regiment and his own 1st Battalion! However, their assaulting formation was relatively sparse. Regiment Commander Xu was no fool. The backward tactic of human-wave charges, long obsolete since the First World War, was unsuited for any battlefield.

"It merely looks like the enemy covers the hills and fields from a visual standpoint... In reality, their strength is no more than two battalions."

Kamimura Nan sneered, "A boring trick. Order the artillery to open fire!"

"Haik!"

"Boom~! Boom!"

Ninety-millimeter mortar shells exploded amidst the advancing formations of the soldiers. The primary focus of these devils' concentrated fire was the standard-bearer charging at the very front.

"Da-da-da-da~!"

"Bang!"

As soon as a standard-bearer fell, the soldiers closely following behind would immediately pick up the military flag and lead their comrades forward with unwavering valor.

"Baka! These damned Zhina soldiers know only how to rely on a momentary burst of reckless courage!"

"Order the armored vehicle unit to launch an immediate counter-charge!"

"Haik!"

Aside from one armored vehicle that had been crippled within the village and could no longer move, the remaining three armored cars advanced along the road, launching a charge against the soldiers of the 771st Regiment.

"Da-da-da-da~!"

Machine gun fire swept across the field, and soldiers fell one after another.

"Company commander... why are they trying to charge head-on against armored vehicles?"

At this moment, Company Commander Guo Yanzheng, defending the left-wing heights, wore a look of profound shock. The Eighth Route Army's fighting style... He lowered his binoculars and remained silent for a long time.

"Boom!"

Lacking anti-tank weapons—or rather, completely devoid of anti-tank weapons—the soldiers of the 771st Regiment were employing a rather primitive method to deal with the devils' armored vehicles. Using the bodies of their comrades as cover, they enabled the demolition specialists to get as close as possible to the Japanese armored cars.

The explosion just now was the result of a soldier sacrificing his own life to destroy a wheeled armored car that even they had found troublesome! Just prior to this, to provide cover for that soldier, eight other fighters had already given their lives!

"Company commander, they are putting their lives on the line!"

"They aren't even Shanxi men like us, Company commander! We can't disgrace the people of Shanxi!"

"Let's counterattack, Company commander!"

Guo Yanzheng gritted his teeth and struck the sandbags before him heavily in a release of pent-up fury, shouting aloud, "Hasn't the runner returned yet?"

"Company commander, let's charge!"

"That's right, don't wait for the battalion commander's order!"

Suppressing his surging anger, Guo Yanzheng roared, "Damn it, all of you keep your traps shut! Disobeying orders on the battlefield and defying command means I'll shoot you myself first!"

Meanwhile, at the 3rd Battalion headquarters, Luo Weiguo was equally shaken upon hearing that the main force of the Eighth Route Army was launching an attack.

"How many men did they bring?"

"It should be an entire battalion's strength, currently launching an assault on the Japanese left flank."

Luo Weiguo nodded. "The Japanese have deployed an outpost squad there. Given their combat effectiveness, even a battalion won't be able to punch through their defense line. Furthermore, the Japanese forces possess heavy weapons like armored cars and mortars, and they are well-trained. Relying on the meager manpower and equipment of the Eighth Route Army, there is absolutely no possibility of victory."

Just as Luo Weiguo was making his analysis, Guo Yanzheng, seeing that the runner had still not returned, turned his gaze to the brothers in the trench and shouted, "Brothers, do we charge or not?"

"Kill! Kill! Kill!"

Infected by the tragic heroism of the Eighth Route Army soldiers, all the men roared in unison.

Guo Yanzheng immediately bellowed again, "Squad Leader of the 1st Squad, go to the battalion headquarters and tell them our 2nd Company requests permission to sally forth!"

"Yes!"

Moving with agile grace, the 1st Squad leader tumbled and scrambled down the back mountain, reaching the gates of the battalion headquarters in two minutes. The guards on duty immediately intercepted him.

"Brother, what's got you in such a rush!"

The 1st Squad leader was quite frantic. Although he knew the battalion headquarters was located here, he did not know the exact direction, and he asked at a breakneck pace, "Where is the battalion commander?"

The guard responsible for security looked bewildered. "What did you say?"

"I am Wu Dadan, squad leader of the 1st Squad of the 2nd Company. I have urgent military intelligence."

Seemingly sensing the 1st Squad leader's anxiety, the guard understood after a moment and pointed in a certain direction. "In the operations room, right this way!"

Taking swift strides, the 1st Squad leader rushed into the battalion headquarters and, guided by the guard, sprinted toward the operations room.

At this moment, Luo Weiguo was still plotting how to engage the Japanese invaders in a protracted battle within the village under the cover of the Eighth Route Army forces, thereby consuming their active strength.

The two guards standing guard at the entrance of the operations room quickly stepped forward. The runners from each company were generally close associates of the company commanders. Although they were not officially designated as bodyguards, runners functioned as half-bodyguards and were familiar faces to the sentries. However, they had never laid eyes on this 1st Squad leader before.

As the final line of defense for the battalion headquarters, and for the sake of security, they immediately stepped forward to block the two men. "Halt! Who goes there?"

"I am Wu Dadan, squad leader of the 1st Squad of the 2nd Company. I have urgent business with the battalion commander!"