Chapter 5: The Innocent (Nine Seconds)

After all, it was the first-class army in Asia. After the Japanese made tactical adjustments, the action was very straightforward. The convoy and the horse team quickly changed their heads on the grassland and rushed directly to the guerrilla camp and Lamagou area.

Of course, it was impossible for a team of nearly two thousand people to go silently. Soon, the guerrillas arranged nearby mobile posts to discover this change and conveyed the news to the ears of Zhao Tianlong and Zhang Songling as quickly as possible.

Zhao Tianlong and Zhang Songling did not actually run much. With their familiarity with the terrain, they circled outside the Japanese telescope and led all the brothers who could still fight on horseback to sneak near the battlefield. The time was not long enough that they could not be sure that the person they wanted to protect had evacuated safely, so they had to stay and find new fighter jets.

"The Japanese are really beaten by us this time." After listening to the report from the mobile whistle, Zhao Tianlong couldn't help but smile and shook his head.

Kawada Kunihara's tactics are very shameless, but the guerrillas have to force this person's tricks. Otherwise, once the Japanese are pounced near the old camp, not only will the soldiers and wounded staying in the camp be killed by the Japanese, but the people around the camp who have close ties with the guerrillas will also suffer a catastrophe.

In the mind of the Japanese, there is no concept of a benevolent and righteous army. Killing, snatching and burning them all are their consistent policies to treat the people in the guerrilla areas. In the reports conveyed by the Chabei Military Sub-district, such infuriating news can often be seen, especially in Wutai Mountain and Beiyue in North China. Because of repeated heavy damage, the Japanese's revenge became increasingly fierce. During the storm last winter, more than 40,000 innocent people died tragically under the Japanese butcher's knife, and the entire county town was empty.

There are few Han villages in the grassland area, and there are few Han villages that can support the guerrillas wholeheartedly and provide food and soldiers to the guerrillas. Therefore, compared with the market on the bank of Crescent Lake, the Han villages near Lamagou are more important for the survival and development of the Black Stone guerrillas. If the people in these villages are killed by the Japanese, the guerrillas will completely become water without a source and tree without roots. Even if there are many soldiers left behind, they will lose space for continued survival and development.

"First send someone to send the news to the Red Team, and then we two will find a way to hold the Japanese." Zhang Songling shook his head a few times and smiled bitterly.

"Let Lao Xu ride my horse. He is familiar with the nearby terrain and my horse runs faster than others." Zhao Tianlong always obeys his good brother's opinions, ponders for a little, and then quickly makes arrangements.

"Let's ride my white horse. The white horse is more gentle and will not lift Lao Xu off his back." Zhang Songling shook his head again and whispered to suggest that Zhao Tianlong's yellow-fat horse is indeed a good horse, but his temper is as rebellious as his master. If he uses his temperament to throw Lao Xu off his back halfway, it will be delayed. So it's better to be a little more steadily and choose Zhang Songling's Eastern White Horse.

"Lend him the White Dragon Horse, then what do you ride in a while?" Zhao Tianlong was slightly stunned and asked with concern that Zhang Songling's riding skills can only be considered second-rate in the guerrillas. If he changes mounts in the battle, it will definitely affect his combat level. However, he is not the case. He grew up on the grassland and has a natural affinity for horses. No matter which horse he changes to ride, he can use his ability to do his best.

"We don't have the chance to use the previous move again. The brothers are not strong enough to repeatedly entangle with the Japanese like before." Zhang Songling thought for a while and responded helplessly. If possible, he was unwilling to pester the Japanese. This kind of battle could not bring out the strengths of the guerrillas, nor could he see the hope of a miracle.

"Then how do you plan to hold the Japanese?" Zhao Tianlong was stunned again, frowned and asked. According to his thoughts, he suddenly approached the Japanese brigade on a war horse like before, took a bite and quickly evacuated the team, enough to continue to use it repeatedly. Anyway, everyone did not plan to go back alive. When was the last few people left, they rushed into the Japanese group with grenades and pulled the strings. As long as they could pull a few cushions when they left, they would have no regrets in their life.

"I haven't thought about it yet, but our previous tactics are definitely not suitable. The brothers can't keep up with their physical strength, and the war horses can't keep up with their physical strength." Zhang Songling frowned, and the expression on his face became more and more serious.

Seeing that his good friend was thinking hard, Zhao Tianlong stopped disturbing him. He walked aside and called Lao Xu over, ordered him to ride Zhang Songling's big white horse to deliver a letter to Red Beard. Then he gathered fifty-six other guerrillas together and whispered the order, "Everyone hurry up and eat some dry food, and feed the animals water. The Japanese want to copy our nest, so we can't let him fulfill his wishes."

"Yes." The brothers agreed in unison, spreading to supplement nutrition for themselves and their mounts. Everyone's eyes showed some determination. When everyone set out from the bank of Crescent Lake, the total number of people was 137, and now it was 59. After deducting the thirty-two people who had to withdraw from the battle due to serious injuries, the actual number of casualties was 46, which exceeded one-third of the total force at the departure, and far exceeded the number of losses of the guerrillas in previous battles.

The victims had turned into breezes and white clouds on the grassland, watching them in the sky, so they could not disappoint the brothers who took the lead. They were all cavalrymen, the most powerful cavalrymen on the entire Dongmeng grassland, and they did not want to and dared not to let down the glory of the cavalry.

He tried to use a team of more than fifty people to block the footsteps of more than two thousand enemy troops, which looked a bit like a fool. Zhang Songling stood alone on the grass and thought about it. After delaying for a long time, he made a difficult decision and called everyone to his side. He whispered: "The Japanese went to our old camp to kill them. Even if the Red Team got the news, they might not be able to return to the camp in time to notify the remaining brothers. In order to create an opportunity for evacuation for the brothers on the mountain and the people at the foot of the mountain, no matter what, we have to fight another battle with the Japanese. Even if we can't hold them back, we can't let them go too easily."

"Captain Zhang, just say what to do, let's do it." Has, Batu and other young players had long regarded Zhang Songling as their idol. Before he could finish his words, he made a loud statement that he was following his horse's head.

"Fatty, you have many ideas here. What do you say, let's do what you want, don't talk about anything useless. We're so tired." Xiao Zou, Su Rile and other guerrilla backbones also responded. After more than a year of fighting side by side, everyone had already learned about Zhang Songling's command ability and would never pull him back at critical moments.

"I'm going to fight a blocking battle with the Japanese." Zhang Songling nodded slightly, and a feeling of emotion quietly arose in his heart. In terms of qualifications and popularity, he definitely cannot rank among the guerrillas, but whether it is normal or now, the backbone of the guerrillas gave him unreserved trust. Even when Red Beard intentionally or unintentionally revealed the idea of ​​cultivating him as a successor, these backbones did not express any dissatisfaction, as if all this was taken for granted. Fatty Zhang was very capable of fighting the Japanese and should take over the Red Beard's team in the future. As for everyone, since he was not as good as Fatty Zhang, he would have no complaints to attack him, a person who came from behind.

"The blocking war, are our people enough?" The only place where there is doubt is the comparison of troops between the enemy and us. Everyone looked at Zhang Songling and whispered, "There is more than one way to Lamagou, and there are no big mountain valleys around. For us, a blocking line on the flat ground is definitely more than fifty meters wide. The Japanese can take a detour behind us as long as they slightly beat the front of the car."

"Yes, we are all cavalrymen, fighting positions with the Japanese, no." Zhao Tianlong also felt that Zhang Songling's thoughts were a bit unexpected, so he glanced at him and asked hesitantly.

"It's true during the day." Zhang Songling nodded and explained to everyone patiently, "But it is completely different from the evening and at night. If the Japanese don't march overnight, the Red Team will be able to send people back to the camp to organize the retreat in time. One night will be enough to remove everyone clean and not even leave a wool for the Japanese. If the Japanese go to the night, the 50 or more people on our side will not have much difference in their roles."

"That's right." Everyone thought about Zhang Songling's intention, and smiled a little on their faces. The grassland in late summer was soft, and the Japanese car was definitely not as fast as the horse. The only advantage was that it was good sustainability and didn't need to run for more than an hour like a war horse to stop and rest. Even so, from here to the old camp of the guerrillas, the Japanese car would need to drive for at least three to four hours. At this moment, there was only more than two hours left before the sun set. When night fell, everyone had room to use a plan to doubt the enemy.

After everyone had almost accepted their ideas, Zhang Songling squatted down and explained in detail on the ground with a wooden stick. "The Japanese are not familiar with the terrain in this area. Even if there are traitors who can help lead the way, there are only two or three options. Considering that the puppet army's mounts need to be replenished in drinking water at any time, among these two or three roads, the one that is most suitable for the Japanese to choose is the one along the Liuhua River."

"You are saying that you are using the river to make a fuss," immediately, someone's eyes lit up, he slapped the ground with his hands and asked loudly.

"Yes." Zhang Songling quickly drew several curves on the ground. "The Liuhua River flows from east to west. Such a river may not be found in China. The Japanese must not realize the difference, nor would they expect that when a river reaches the lower reaches, no tributaries gather in the main trunk, but new tributaries will be separated from the main trunk."

Fearing that everyone's thinking could not keep up, he continued to add, "Let's ride a horse and go to the fork of the river to wait for the Japanese. After dark, he caught him off guard."
Chapter completed!