Commander Pang and his soldiers successfully crossed the Beihan River through the underwater bridge. Then Commander Zheng and his troops also arrived. For a moment, the sound of water on the bridge was filled with splashes of water brought by the soldiers when they were running on the underwater bridge. Some carried the wounded, some carried the ammunition boxes, and even mules and horses dragging cannons. For a moment, the sound of water, shouts, and horses neighed.

Seeing this, I couldn't help but feel secretly shocked. Although thunder and gunfire sounds from far and near, it was easy for the enemy to detect such a loud noise.

"It's Commander Zheng!" Commander Pang, who was standing beside me, shouted and soon came to the bridge.

I looked at the bridge and then I realized the reason why Commander Pang was able to recognize Commander Zheng so quickly this night. Commander Zheng and Political Commissar Wu were leading a horse across the river! The feelings were their mounts.

"Teacher Commander, Political Commissar!" When Zheng Qigui and Wu Chengde came across the bridge, I and Captain Pang saluted them at the same time.

"Um!" Commander Zheng couldn't help but patted my shoulder happily when he saw it: "Deputy Battalion Commander Cui is here too! Thanks to you this time!"

"Yes! It's really a rush!" Wu Chengde also said with a smile: "Teacher Zheng and I were still worried just now. We didn't know where to cross the river. Unexpectedly, Deputy Battalion Commander Cui immediately sent someone to inform us that we had occupied an underwater bridge! I said Deputy Battalion Commander Cui, you are like insects in our stomachs, and you all know what we need!"

Everyone laughed happily when they listened to Political Commissar Wu's words, but I couldn't laugh. Although I let the soldiers of the 180th Division successfully cross the Beihan River and reduced their losses, if the 180th Division was still surrounded and wiped out like in history, then the people I saved this time would not be in vain.

Thinking of this, I decided to make another attempt, so I stood up and saluted and said, "Report to the division commander and political commissar. Our army is now facing the first and the seventh divisions of the US Army, the left wing is the sixth division and the pseudo-capital division, and the right wing is the second division and the 24th division of the US Army. Our army is now under attack from three sides and is likely to be surrounded by the enemy, so I hope Commander Zheng will consider retreating..."

"Comrade Xiao Cui!" Commander Zheng patted my shoulder and said, "We have considered these issues. The final decision is to put the overall situation first and resolutely implement the orders of superiors!"

"Team Commander Zheng!" I said unwillingly: "The general goal of the military headquarters is also to allow us to evacuate safely. However, when they are not anxious about the enemy's situation, the battle plan they formulate will inevitably be lagging behind. I hope that Commander Zheng can follow the actual situation of our army..."

"Deputy Battalion Commander Cui!" Before I could finish speaking, Commander Zheng interrupted me: "You have the final say on what kind of situation, and the orders of the military headquarters naturally have the truth of the military headquarters. You are from the Forty Army. If you want to retreat, I won't stop it!"

As he said that, he turned around and pulled the horse away.

I had nothing to say when Commander Zheng said this, but I knew that the order from the military headquarters was not justified.

In the information, I know that the Corps was blocked and bombed by enemy planes all night when they were transferred from Gutanling to Sha Jinhe today. Deputy Commander Wang Jinshan and others rushed through the enemy plane blockade by car, but two cars carrying radio stations were burned down, and radio personnel and confidential personnel ran away... Therefore, the Corps and the army interrupted their command for three days. The military headquarters just lost the contact with the Corps and could not get the latest orders from the Corps, so they had to insist on implementing the Corps' original orders.

So a helpless scene appeared. Everyone knows that if the 180th Division did not withdraw, it would soon fall into a siege. However, in order to resolutely implement the corps' order, the 180th Division ordered the 180th Division to set up defenses on site and continue to cover the retreat of the large army. In order to resolutely implement the 180th Division, it would not withdraw.

When Wu Chengde passed by me, he shook his head and whispered: "Don't blame the division commander, he is the one who is most worried about the safety of the 180th Division, but he cannot disobey the orders of his superiors. He is worried!"

At this time, only a "breathing..." sound was heard, and the enemy's scouts heard the movement and fired a flare here. In an instant, the sky became brighter, and the soldiers crossing the river on the bridge were immediately exposed to this light.

"Dadada..." The gunshots quickly rang out, and a bunch of water splashes emerged from the river surface. Immediately, more than a dozen soldiers fell into a pool of blood and were washed away by the river.

I ran to a tree by the river in three or two steps, rode my rifle up the tree, looked in the direction of the gunshot through the scope, and then pulled the trigger a few times, then suppressed the gunshot.

They were just some scouts not strong firepower, and the sparks on their muzzles were obvious in the dark background, so it was not difficult to do this. But when I put away my rifle, I found that all the volunteer soldiers beside me were looking at me incredibly, not including Captain Pang.

"You're so good!" Captain Pang walked up to me with an incredible expression, looked at the rifle in my hand and said, "It's really better to see it than to hear it. I've heard that you've hit the enemy's sharpshooter before, but now it seems that's true!"

I also came to say polite words to him and said hurriedly: "Captain Pang, please order the soldiers to cross the river quickly. The enemy scouts discovered us, and their artillery fire will come soon!"

"Yeah!" Captain Pang nodded and quickly ordered: "Send the order to speed up the river, and blow up the heavy equipment that you can't bring to the ground!"

"Yes!" The soldiers responded and passed the orders down one by one. The troops crossing the river on the bridge quickly accelerated.

But the orders were ordered, and the volunteer army had very few heavy equipment like cannons, and several cannons were reluctant to throw them away like treasures. So although Captain Pang gave the order, when the troops were almost gone, there were still several volunteers who drove a mule-pulled mountain cannon to the water bridge. If this mule could really go, it would be fine, but the mule was frightened by gunfire when he walked on the bridge. No matter how many people pulled or whipped, they just stood in the middle of the river and shouted and refused to leave. The soldiers behind could not cross the river.

Before we could catch up and go to rescue, we heard a strange roar, and shells exploded around the bridge. A series of water columns burst into the sky. After a while, the sound of cannons gradually stopped, but when the smoke dissipated, there was nothing on the bridge.

The gunshots rang out quickly, and it was hard to tell how many enemies were attacking us in the darkness, and they didn't know which unit they belonged to, but they were also the capital division of the puppet army.

The US military did not dare to attack the Volunteers at night. Even if they discovered the Volunteers, they would have fired a fire. It would be good if the other puppet troops found that the Volunteers did not run away at night, so the only one who would attack the Volunteers at night was the only one who fought with the Eighth Route Army during the Anti-Japanese War.

But the volunteer army has never been afraid of night battles, especially in the rainy night like now, when the enemy's artillery and tanks are difficult to play, so Commander Zheng just left a battalion to block the enemy approaching us, and other troops still entered the designated location to set up defenses along the river as planned.

During the march, I couldn't help but ask Commander Pang with a glimmer of hope: "Captain Pang, where are the 181st and 179th Divisions that came to pick up our army now?"

"The 181st Division is still far away!" Commander Pang frowned and said, "Da Qing is still two days away, but now it has been blocked by the Second American Division. The 179th Division is not far from us, just on the front line of Majishan, Water Conservancy Peak, and Shapingli. It is said that he has also worked with the 7th American Division!"

I reached out and touched the map in my arms, but when I thought it was impossible to see it in the dark night and it was not convenient for the large army to ignite the fire during the march, I had to continue asking: "How far are they from us?"

"Da Luan is only 30 miles away!"

"What?" I couldn't believe it after hearing this: "You mean, the 179th Division is only half a night away from us? If we rush there, can we meet with them before dawn?"

"Yes!" Captain Pang understood what I meant, nodded and replied: "The superior's order is to set up defense along the river. What can we do? Don't think about it anymore, prepare for a fierce battle!"

Upon hearing this, I couldn't help but smile bitterly: Another order... The 180th Division has too many opportunities to break through, but it is because of the execution of these dead orders that the heaviest losses since the founding of our army. If Zheng Qigui gives "the orders from abroad will not be accepted" then...

But there are not so many things in the world. Now it is indeed as Captain Pang said. It is useless to think about these things. It is better to prepare for the fierce battle that will come soon!

After half an hour of march, the troops arrived at the designated position of the division headquarters. As soon as they entered the position, the soldiers began to build fortifications without stopping, and I hid in a cave in a hurry and lit up a flashlight and looked at the map.

From the commander Pang, I knew that the 538th regiment we were in guarding Shangxiafang Cave, west of Xishangli, the 539th regiment was fortified in Mingyueli and Jiuqidaishan area, the 540th regiment continued to block the enemy's northern offensive in Jiguanshan, Beipeishan area, and the entire division formed a front line to defend. I found their location one by one on the map, and then when I found the location of the 179th Division, I couldn't help but frowned.

The 179th Division was only thirty miles away from the 180th Division. Originally, the 180th Division could have retreated to the left wing of the 179th Division to defend side by side, and the two armies could cover each other to retreat, but the current situation is: the 180th Division highlighted the entire front thirty miles, not only in the dilemma of no other army on both sides of the wing to be attacked on the enemy on three sides, but the back of the front line was also surrounded by retreating volunteer troops and wounded soldiers. Moreover, the 179th Division and the friendly neighboring unit did not form a unified defense line. The gap between the junction was too large. Once the US army took advantage of the opportunity to penetrate the rear of the 180th Division, it would be trapped in a heavy siege.

The US military in history also inserted from the junction of the 179th Division and the 180th Division, occupied Mapingli, and then completely cut off the 179th Division and the 180th Division after Wuyuenanli.

Yes! It’s Mapingli. On the map, I found the location of Mapingli. There is a highway from Chunchuan to Mapingli. The 2nd and 24th Divisions of the US, which were originally on the right wing of the 180th Division, gave up heavy equipment walking because I blew up the Hongtian Highway, but the 1st and 7th Divisions of the US, located in the front of the 180th Division, could go straight to Wuyu Nanli along the Chunchuan to Mapingli. This not only cuts off the connection between the 179th Division and the 180th Division, but also cuts off the 180th Division's rear route, completing the four-sided encirclement of the 180th Division.

Thinking of this, I turned around and ran down the high ground without saying a word. After asking several soldiers, I finally found Commander Pang in a simple tent made of black cloth. I thought it was because the air raid shelter had not yet come and was eager to dig it, so I could only use such a tent as a temporary command post.

After shouting for permission, I lifted up the black cloth and rushed in. The temporary command center was very simple, with nothing but a kerosene lamp and a map. Commander Pang was discussing something with Political Commissar Pan on the map. When he saw me walking in, he nodded to me unexpectedly: "Deputy Battalion Commander Cui, due to insufficient troops, he was not allowed to arrange you to the front line..."

"Captain Pang!" I interrupted Captain Pang in a hurry and said, "I am not here to complain to you. Your 180th Division has been killed. If I still have complaints on the front line, is it still human words? I am here..."

"Good statement!" Political Commissar Pan also stood up straight and nodded at me and said, "It's rare that Deputy Battalion Commander Cui stayed and fought side by side with us..."

"Oh!" I didn't care about so much military emergency, so I walked straight to the map and said to Commander Pang and Political Commissar Pan: "Captain, Political Commissar, look. My division was retreated from Chunchuan. At that time, the enemy we faced was the First American Division and the 7th American Division, which means that the 1st American Division and the 7th American Division were in Chunchuan at that time. Now we retreated to the Beihan River to set up defenses along the river. We were walking on mountain roads, while the US military was fully mechanized. They were walking on highways. There were two highways north of Chunchuan, one that went straight to the 179th Division. I think no commander would do this, so the other one..."

"Mapingli!" Before I could finish speaking, Captain Pang and Political Commissar Pan couldn't help but exclaim.

"It's Mapingli!" I nodded and continued, "If I were the US military and knew that the enemy was deploying defenses along the river, I would never put the forces of the two divisions on the front of the enemy. Instead, I would use the forces of one division to tempt the enemy, so that the enemy would think we had no troops to mobilize them, and use the forces of another division to attack along the road, boldly intersperse and divide, and cut off the connection between the enemy troops."

"Old Pang, our division is in danger this time!" Political Commissar Pan couldn't help but look up and said, "Mapingli is the logistics supply station of the 60th Army. If Mapingli falls, not only will the danger mentioned by Deputy Battalion Commander Cui appear, but our entire army will soon fall into a state of bullet-free and food-free."

"What?" I was shocked when I heard this: "Mapingli is the supply station for the 60th Army?"

"Yeah!" Commander Pang nodded: "Team Commander Zheng sent two companies to Mapingli to receive supplies. If Mapingli fell, the consequences would be unimaginable! Deputy Battalion Commander Cui..."

Speaking of this, Captain Pang didn't say anything, but just raised his head and looked at me with some apology.

Seeing this, I was stunned. I quickly understood what Commander Pang thought and hurriedly replied: "Captain Pang, my army has only more than 100 people. Even if I am willing to go, I will not be able to stop an enemy division!"

"Deputy Battalion Commander Cui!" Commander Pang sighed helplessly: "We can no longer draw out the extra troops, and only you have experience in dealing with the Americans. All of you more than a hundred people can stand up to one of our battalions! Besides, weren't you very successful on the Hongtian Highway? At that time, you still blocked the two US divisions, right?"

"But Captain Pang..."

"Let's do it! The two companies sent by my division to collect the grain are under your command." Captain Pang continued without any objection: "I don't ask you to be able to defend Mapingli, as long as you can block the enemy...

Speaking of this, Captain Pang couldn't help but pause, and after a while he gritted his teeth and said, "Just one day! We will retreat to Mapingli in one day and meet you."

"Captain Pang!" I shook my head, knowing that this day was far from enough for the 180th Division, because they had been stationed in the Beihan River for three days in history, so I continued to persuade: "The best way now is to move the entire defense line north to the Mapingli line. This will not only strengthen the connection with the 179th Division, but also allow the troops to obtain sufficient supplies..."

"We know these too!" Political Commissar Pan smiled bitterly: "But it is hard to violate military orders!"

"It's too deadly to execute the order!" Captain Pang couldn't help complaining: "It doesn't depend on the changes in the situation, nor on the actual situation on the battlefield and the actual needs of the combat. It's going to be a big problem if it's just mechanically executed the order!"

I know that Captain Pang is talking about Commander Zheng, but what can I do if it is like this?

Think about it again, instead of staying here and being surrounded and annihilated with the 180th Division, it would be better to go to Maping and make a big fuss. Anyway, it's all dead, no matter whether his opponent is one or several divisions.

So I stood up and saluted and said, "Captain Pang, military situation is urgent, I will set off soon!"

"Yeah!" Captain Pang nodded, looked at me for a while before saying, "If we haven't retreated to Maping in a day, you can retreat north! Don't come back."
Chapter completed!