Guxi River, known as Gushu River in ancient times, is also known as Gupu. It is a tributary of the lower reaches of the Yangtze River. Now Guxi River starts from the east to the Xiaohuajin Hukou, Danyang, and connects with the Yunliang River. It reaches the west to the west of Dangtu City and is focused on entering the Yangtze River. It is an important river channel in Dangtu.

This river is also an important river channel for Dangtu to communicate with the outside world. In the past, this river was also smooth. However, as the Japanese army began to invade Jiangsu and Shanghai, these river channels were also controlled and taken over by the Japanese river defense forces.

As long as the river can be navigated, the Japanese army will send river defense troops to take over. Any merchant ship passing through the river needs to be inspected by the Japanese river defense troops. Inspections often mean that it costs a lot of money.

Even the fishermen who have been fishing in the river for many years are facing a situation where there is no fishing fishing with the arrival of the Japanese River Defense Force. Even if the Guxi River is just a tributary, it can still pass through shallow water inland gunboats with small tonnage.

After understanding this situation, in order to cooperate with the troops attacking by land, the Japanese river defense troops who also hope to make achievements will naturally not miss the opportunity to seize credit. For them, the land with river channels is their world.

This time the Japanese army attacked southern Anhui, there was no such thing as these river defense troops. But the Japanese army naturally would not refuse the river defense troops that took the initiative to fight. No matter what, it is impossible to attack the troops' enthusiasm for fighting!

What's more, if the river defense troops can capture Dangtu, they can also help support the Japanese troops entering Ma'anshan and other places. In the eyes of the Japanese troops of these river defense troops, as long as they can capture Dangtu first, it will be considered as robbing the first contribution!

Seeing the reconnaissance planes hovering over the sky and leaving, the Japanese river defense forces, who were also very cautious in marching, also knew that the reconnaissance planes were about to leave. But judging from the current situation, it seemed that the river channels entering Dangtu seemed to be safe.

‘Kun Sakai, since we entered China, is there any army that can withstand our attack? In this inland river, who can compete with us? Ask me to speed up the marching speed, maybe we can move into Dangtu City at night!’

The Japanese captain standing in a shallow water gunboat looked at a Japanese captain beside him and said this with a smile. The officers and soldiers of the Japanese river defense forces who accompanied him seemed extremely excited about the attack on the river defense force.

For them, they are often responsible for the vigilance and public security around the river and to crack down on the resistance forces in the inland river. But the problem is that as the Chinese Navy is in name only, the inland river troops are almost completely destroyed.

The Japanese river defense forces equipped with inland gunboats are also unscrupulous in the inland river and Yangtze River in China. At present, they are also carrying two squadrons with them, and many people think they will win this battle.

On the other hand, the Japanese captain Sakai Ichiki, who was commanding this battle, said cautiously: "Ishida, there is an old Chinese saying "Be careful of the ten thousand-year-old ship". This time we go to Dangtu, we still need to be more careful.

According to what we have learned, there is a section of Guxi River that we are about to enter. There is not a spacious waterway. When the gunboat passes, you need to be more careful. If there is any loss in this battle, it is difficult for us to explain to Lord Zhongzuo when we go back."

‘You are too cautious with these Chinese troops. Didn’t we receive information before that the regular Chinese troops in the Ma'anshan area have fled to Jiangbei in a hurry? This Ma'anshan is no longer on guard against us.

Even if someone ambushed us around the river, what weapons do they use? Just a few machine guns, I want to block our gunboat. Does Sakai Jun think it is possible? We are invincible in the inland river!’

Listening to the words of Captain Ishida next to him, Sakai Ichiki always believed that he could not underestimate any opponent. Thinking about the soldiers who were about to encircle and suppress the troops, there were soldiers who could break into Nanjing City to assassinate Japanese generals. This army must be quite powerful.

What's more, the gunboats they drove this time were far inferior in both firepower and speed compared to the large-tonnage gunboats cruising in the Yangtze River. If they really encountered artillery volleys, gunboats like theirs could not withstand a few guns.

Two gunboats took the lead, and there were many ferries behind them towed kayaks and followed. When they turned into the Guxi River channel, the Japanese machine gunners on the two gunboats were also prepared for defense and warn, alerting to the situation on both sides of the river channel.

When passing the first river in Sakai, looking at the dangerous river, suddenly a burst of gunfire came from around the river. Several Japanese soldiers standing outside the gunboat were killed by these bullets, and some even fell directly into the river.

‘Baga, fight back!’

Captain Ishida, who was startled by the sudden sound of gunfire, immediately ordered the machine gunners on the gunboat to fight back at the gunners on both sides of the river. The Japanese troops who followed the tugboat behind the gunboat also hid in the ship's warehouse.

Only the machine gunners piled on the deck of the tugboat were lying in the sandbag machine gun position and cooperated with the machine gunners of the gunboat to carry out strafing. A short-barrel cannon equipped on the gunboat also launched a shelling.

Looking at the sound of shell explosions coming from the shore, the Japanese troops hiding in the ship warehouse seemed very excited. In their opinion, these attackers were really overestimating their ability to rely on rifles to defend their gunboats.

Not long after, the Japanese army on the ship saw the attacker hiding on the river bank and quickly left the hillside on the shore in a hurry. This scene made the Japanese officers and soldiers on the ship seem to be very excited.

‘Sauga! Sakai Jun, when I saw this scene, I also remembered a Chinese saying that I had heard of the mantis arm blocking a car. It should be like this now, right? Is it so ridiculous to attack our gunboats with a rifle?’

As for Captain Ishida's words, Captain Sakai always felt something was wrong. But he couldn't say what was wrong. When he found that the attacker had left, he quickly ordered the gunboat to continue moving forward.

Looking at the three corpses fished out of the river, Sakai Ichiki looked at the corpse and said, "Ishida-kun, it seems that these sneak attackers have good marksmanship. But since they know we are coming, why don't they send more troops?"

‘Kun Sakai, people will die in wars. These three warriors can only say that they are not very lucky. When they conquer Dangtu City, I will kill 300 Chinese people to avenge them. It’s almost dark, so let’s speed up!’

In Ishida's view, the small army that sneaked into them should be a platoon-level army. Although there are a few, in Ishida's view, it is worthy of praise for these people who dare to ambush them.

As the gunboat continued to move forward, the speed was faster than before. Such attacks still encountered two attacks next. Three seemingly useless attacks seemed to make Sakai Ichiki realize that this was blocking.

Want to use such an action to block the river defense forces they were sailing in the river? The command of this army is too stupid, right? But these three attacks made Sakai feel that the troops should be rushed to Dangtu quickly.

Just when this river defense force was about five miles away from Dangtu, Song Yuping, who was standing at a river entrance, smiled and said, "Okay! Our guests are coming to the door! Put down the bamboo raft we tied!"

Under Song Yuping's order, the reconnaissance battalion, which cooperated with the cooperation, quickly put all the large amount of bamboo trays into the Guxi River. When the Japanese gunboat turned a bend, they saw a large amount of bamboo trays flowing down the river.

‘Baga, how come there are so many bamboo rafts? It’s ridiculous to use this to stop us?’

Faced with these large number of bamboo rafts floating over, the two gunboats didn't seem to be very worried. But for the tugboats following behind, these bamboo rafts that blocked the river were somewhat dangerous.

Most importantly, the Japanese army on the ship discovered that both ends of these bamboo rafts were sharpened. It may not pose any threat to iron-shelled gunboats. However, for the tugboats and kayaks behind, it is still very dangerous to impact several more times.

‘Let the No. 2 gunboat lead the way in parallel with us, slow down and wait for the tugboat to come together. It seems that the opponent still wants to delay our attack on Dangtu using this tactic. However, this is useless!’

Is it really useless?

Seeing the two gunboats slow down slowly, the tugboat that followed also followed. Song Yuping, who was staying on the shore, looked at the four special forces members around him and said, "How is it? Are you sure to hit the starter?"

‘Captain, if we still fail to hit such a live target, we will feel ashamed! Don’t worry, we will guarantee that the starting player will hit! This kind of iron turtle can’t withstand a few shots!’

‘Okay! Look at the sky, it’s dark soon. After packing up them, let’s leave quickly! Start attacking!’

'yes!'

When the two gunboats hit the bamboo raft on both sides of the gunboat, the special forces on the shore had adjusted the angle of the mortar. When Song Yuping's order was issued, the four mortars quickly roared.

Standing at the bow of the gunboat, Kazuki Sakai looked at the broken bamboo rafts, although he felt a little headache. But he still felt that as long as they were given some time, he believed that he could still open a passage smoothly.

As a result, at this moment, the sound of shelling from both sides of the river bank made Sakai Kazuki's expression change: "Lying down! Balling!"

Accompanied by Sakai Ichiki's roar, Captain Ishida, who was standing beside him, also quickly bent down to hide in the ship warehouse. But at this time, four mortar shells had fallen from the sky and accurately hit two gunboats.

The explosion of "bang bang" made the Japanese army of gunboats also frightened. For gunboats with small tonnage like them, their protection is not strong, and many places are only covered with layers of iron.

The officers and soldiers of the reconnaissance battalion lying on the shore looked at the special forces’ four mortar shells and hit two gunboats, and each officer and soldier admired them. Even if they could use mortars, they would be ashamed of their own!

After three rapid fires, one of the gunboats fell directly into the river. The gunboats that had lost their power to advance also began to hit the tugboats behind them. Looking at this scene, the Japanese army immediately seemed a little panicked.

‘Change, turn around quickly and leave here! Leave here!’

It is just that the water speed is a bit fast and the turning point is a bit difficult. The difficulty can be imagined. Before these tugboats can turn around smoothly, the mortar shells on the shore have fallen from the sky.
Chapter completed!