Bright Sword: Iron Will 9

Chapter 9: Sixteen Hundred to Four Hundred, the Advantage is Ours

January 21, 2025

Chapter 9: Sixteen Hundred to Four Hundred, the Advantage is Ours

On the ridge, Wang Feng lay prone on the yellow earth, using binoculars to observe the situation below.

Zhao Fangyuan stood beside him, pointing towards the Japanese supply unit in the valley below, whispering, “Commander, the Japanese are right ahead.”

The 414th Regiment had conducted a forced march overnight, fearing the Japanese might move faster and reach Yangyuan County ahead of them.

But the outcome was favorable.

Several days earlier, heavy rain had caused widespread landslides, blocking the roads.

This Japanese supply unit was forced to rest on the spot, waiting for the road ahead to be cleared.

At dawn on September 10th, they finally caught up with this Japanese unit.

Wang Feng lowered his binoculars, his brows furrowed.

The Japanese army’s combat effectiveness seemed to have exceeded his expectations.

“Although they are a rear logistics unit, and are currently resting, their defensive formation is quite organized.”

“Remember, we must not be careless in this battle.”

“Understood!”

Zhao Fangyuan nodded. Although he hadn’t attended military academy, Wang Feng had given him considerable private tutoring. While his tactical insight wasn’t perfect, he could still discern certain clues.

“Are the 2nd and 3rd Battalions ready?”

“Ready!”

“Good, send orders to all units to launch the attack at exactly 7:00.”

“No mistakes!”

Wang Feng pulled up the sleeve of his left wrist and glanced at the time.

Ten minutes left.

The plan for this battle wasn’t complex.

The 2nd Battalion was on the right flank, responsible for blocking the Japanese road clearance units.

The 1st Battalion, the spearhead battalion, would naturally undertake the main frontal assault.

The 3rd Battalion was on the left flank, blocking the Japanese rearguard.

Wang Feng, with the regimental headquarters troops, would remain in the rear as a reserve force.

The units were only about a kilometer apart, mutually supporting each other. The battlefield situation was ever-changing, requiring constant vigilance against unexpected events.

Zhao Fangyuan leaned in, somewhat worried, “Commander, if this battle drags on too long, and the Japanese troops in Yangyuan County react and send reinforcements, what shall we do?”

Wang Feng smiled calmly and began to analyze the situation:

“Brother Fangyuan, if you were the Japanese commander, would you expect, at this juncture, when the Shanxi Defense Army is in complete rout, that a unit would appear in their rear?”

Zhao Fangyuan shook his head: “If it were me, I wouldn’t.”

Wang Feng nodded, looking at the staff officer he had personally trained, feeling very satisfied. He continued,

“Moreover, the Japanese only have two companies of troops, and they are extremely dispersed. The 1st Battalion will only face a little over two hundred Japanese soldiers on the front lines.”

“Overall, we have the advantage of surprise, sixteen hundred against four hundred.”

“The advantage is ours!”

Zhao Fangyuan suddenly realized: “Commander, brilliant!”

Wang Feng smiled faintly, then his expression turned serious. He pointed to a high slope diagonally opposite.

“But we can’t drag it out too long. Do you see that high ground?”

“Yes.”

“Once the fighting begins, have Zhang Hu hold off the main Japanese force.”

“You lead the 1st and 2nd Reserve Companies to quickly seize it. We absolutely cannot allow the Japanese to occupy it.”

“Once the Japanese establish a defensive position there, we will be forced to launch an uphill assault; the situation will become completely passive.”

Zhao Fangyuan stared at the distant high ground, his gaze firm: “Guaranteed mission completion!”

Then, he led two companies of soldiers to prepare below.

Time flew, and the various units entered their designated combat zones on time.

Seven o’clock.

As soon as the time came, the 1st Battalion at the main position launched the attack.

*Da da da!*

In the originally quiet valley, the sound of dense gunfire suddenly erupted like rain.

Grenades were thrown down like they were free, explosions kicking up clouds of dust, temporarily obscuring the Japanese vision.

The Japanese troops below were caught off guard, suffering more than twenty casualties in an instant.

“Baka!” (Fool!)

“Ambush! It’s an ambush!”

“Kill! Kill! Prepare to counterattack!”

The unit commander reacted quickly, drawing his command knife, and began to organize a counterattack in an orderly manner.

In the early stages of the war, even Japanese logistics soldiers surpassed Shanxi Defense Army and even Central Army soldiers in terms of military discipline.

After a couple of shouts from the commander, the Japanese troops in the valley began to counterattack the 1st Battalion on the hillside, advancing in small units, providing mutual cover.

Zhang Hu acted like a war fanatic; the fiercer the battle, the more excited he became. Facing the slowly advancing Japanese soldiers, he sprinted a few steps and directly dashed into the established light machine gun emplacement.

He shoved aside the machine gunner who was firing and thrust his own rifle into the other man’s arms.

“Damn it, give me some heavy firepower!”

“You kid over there, don’t just stand there! Throw the grenades, are you gonna let them hatch in your arms?”

Zhang Hu operated the light machine gun while simultaneously directing the battle. He did both without hesitation.

“Charge that high ground over there!”

The Japanese commander also immediately spotted that high ground and quickly ordered soldiers to seize it. However, due to limited manpower, he only sent about fifty soldiers.

At this time, seeing that the main Japanese force was engaged by the 1st Battalion, Zhao Fangyuan made a decisive decision.

He immediately launched an attack, seizing the key high ground.

“Brothers, follow me! Success or death!”

“No victory, no return!”

“Kill!”

Zhao Fangyuan’s troops were farther from the high ground than the Japanese troops. Therefore, from the beginning, they used maximum speed, running as if their lives depended on it.

The Japanese commander, listening to the earth-shattering shouts from his flank, gritted his teeth in anger. He was about to contact the flanking support troops when the messenger informed him: “Sir, our flanks have both been attacked by the Shanxi Defense Army and are currently surrounded. We request support!”

“Baka!” (Fool!)

“Banzai!” (Ten Thousand Years!)

The Japanese officer in the valley was furious.

In the temporary command post on the hillside, the corner of Wang Feng’s mouth curled upward.

The 2nd and 3rd Battalions were closing in on the Japanese. After eliminating the Japanese flanking forces, they would immediately advance towards the main battle position. They would assist the 1st Battalion in a pincer attack on the Japanese troops.

The situation on the diagonally opposite high ground was also under control.

Zhao Fangyuan’s two companies met the fifty or so Japanese soldiers at the foot of the slope.

Enemies met, their hatred intensified.

A fierce melee battle quickly unfolded. With the advantage in numbers, though they had not yet completely annihilated the Japanese, they had firmly seized the advantage.

This battle was basically over.

Half an hour later, the 2nd and 3rd Battalions attacked from both flanks.

They delivered a fatal blow to the remaining Japanese troops on the main battle position.

Wang Feng had originally intended to capture a Japanese prisoner to extract some information. But in this battle, no Japanese soldiers surrendered; both sides were filled with anger and fought to the death.

As the battle drew to a close, the system panel in his mind underwent a dramatic change.

The light blue progress bar in the upper left corner, which had been more than halfway full, was now reset to zero.

And his level, had changed from Lv1 to Lv2.

(End of Chapter)

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