Chapter 20

ps: The internet has been very unstable these days. I want to update three or four chapters every day, but I can't. So please don't blame me. I have already submitted the issue. In the future, I will update at least two or even three chapters every day. Also, the novel has been signed, and I hope everyone continues to support Chou Niu! "Hehe, you Japs, why can't you hold back!" Hu Hao laughed as he saw a group of Japs advancing into the minefield.

"Boom" The mines hadn't even been entered for 20 meters when they exploded in the middle of the Jap formation, wiping out dozens of Japs.

"Baka, didn't you say there were no mines? What was that, a shell?" Hei Yu grabbed the mine-clearing squad leader by the collar and said fiercely.

"Captain, Captain, we went there and didn't find any mines. The Eighth Route Army is too cunning," the squad leader hurriedly said.

Hei Yu let him go. "Baka, I don't care how you do it, but you must clear the mines on this road. We must reach the Eighth Route Army's base by nightfall today. We are going to attack their base, understand? If the higher-ups blame us, I will be the first to shoot you."

"But, my sappers can't find the mines!" the squad leader said.

"That's your problem. Even if you send your men to step on the mines, it's none of my business. I want you to clear this road," Hei Yu said.

"Get going!"

"Hai" The Jap squad leader, with a bitter face, ran to the front of the minefield.

"Hehe, you're suffering, aren't you?" Hu Hao laughed maliciously from behind.

Slowly, the Japs began to search again, but they still didn't find any reaction from their mine detectors. After probing about 100 meters with no reaction, the Jap squad leader was about to collapse. "Baka, start over from the beginning!"

So the Japs began to recheck the road.

"Boom" A Jap accidentally stepped on a mine, and it exploded. Several sappers nearby were directly killed, and a few others were seriously injured.

The squad leader's luck wasn't good either. A grenade fragment flew directly into his thigh, and he fell down. The sappers behind him quickly carried him away to the rear.

As they passed by Captain Hei Yu, he glared at him with a dark face.

Now that he was injured, the entire sapper team was leaderless, and Hei Yu didn't know who to assign to clear the mines.

"Better to be injured. If I wasn't injured, I might really be shot by Hei Yu. I'm a mechanical engineering student from Tokyo University, and I'm clearing mines," the injured squad leader thought.

Captain Hei Yu didn't know what to do for a moment. They couldn't get through here, and the higher-ups were pressing. With no other choice, he called the telegraph operator to send a message to the brigade commander, requesting support.

Hu Hao was lying in the trench. The weather in November was very cold, but the sun was strong today, warming Hu Hao's whole body. If it weren't for the war, Hu Hao would definitely find a quiet place to take a good nap.

"Er Langzi, Er Langzi" Xiao Li's voice came from behind.

Hu Hao immediately raised his head and saw Xiao Li coming with a cloth bag.

"Er Langzi, this is what the regiment commander prepared for you. He said that when you return, he will flay your skin," Xiao Li said.

"Sure, we'll talk about that when it happens. Let's eat first," Hu Hao said, picking up the bag and opening it. Inside were steamed buns, but no vegetables.

"Where are the vegetables? Did you eat them?" Hu Hao asked Xiao Li.

"No, how could we? The regiment commander said that if you like to fight, you can fight, and he will make sure you have enough to eat, but there are no vegetables. If you want to eat, you have to go back and get them yourself," Xiao Li said.

"Ah!" Hu Hao was surprised. He looked at the steamed buns in his hand and asked, "Do you have any food?"

"Yes," Xiao Li said.

"Then bring your food over," Hu Hao said.

"What for? Everyone only has one portion," Xiao Li said, a bit puzzled.

"To share the vegetables. I can't just eat steamed buns. Since you brought food, share some vegetables with me," Hu Hao said.

"Ah, no, if you do this, the regiment commander will—"

"What will he do? Just hit me with a belt, it's not like he'll hit you. Hurry up, the Japs will be coming soon," Hu Hao urged.

"Oh" Xiao Li took out the other food boxes, and Hu Hao snatched them, opened them, and said, "This is quite a feast. Why wasn't it like this before?"

"This is war. Of course, you have to eat well during war," Xiao Li said softly. Hu Hao nodded and scooped out some vegetables from each box. "I'll remember this. Next time, I'll treat you to some wild game, but don't tell my brother."

"Sure, as long as you fight more Japs, we won't eat even if we have to. Don't worry, we won't tell the regiment commander," Xiao Li said.

Now, the more than ten people he brought all admired Hu Hao. After all, he had wiped out hundreds of Japs in the morning and killed a battalion commander.

"Alright, I'll eat first. The Japs might come at any time. Now that the Japs have set up camp, it will be more fun!" Hu Hao said.

"Be careful. I'll go down first. Take care of yourself," Xiao Li said.

Hu Hao nodded while eating, signaling him to go down.

After finishing his meal, Hu Hao packed the food box and waited to take it down. Then he crouched there and watched the Japs. The Japs were also having their meal, so it would be a while before they started fighting.

At this moment, Regiment Commander Zhang and the other officers were in a meeting.

"According to the intelligence Xiao Li just brought back, our minefield and road digging are effective. The Japs are still in the same place, but don't relax. The Japs are only 10 miles away. They can come at any time. You need to strengthen your defenses," Regiment Commander Zhang said.

"Commander, we have to admit that Er Langzi is smart. He came up with this idea," the chief of staff said.

"Yes, if we can hold out for 10 days, it would be great. Now, another division of Japs has entered our encirclement. Our main force has already started the encirclement. If we can hold the Japs here and in other places, it's very possible to annihilate an entire division of Japs," Regiment Commander Zhang said.

"I think we should support Er Langzi. According to Xiao Li, Er Langzi has already wiped out at least 700 to 800 Japs and effectively stopped their advance. If we give Er Langzi enough support, I believe he can achieve even greater results," a middle-aged man said.

"Second Battalion Commander, even with enough support, he is still one person, not a god. This issue is not useful to discuss. The reason Er Langzi can stop the enemy is that the Japs haven't figured out a countermeasure yet. Once they do, it won't work anymore," the chief of staff said.

"Yes, our main goal is not to kill as many Japs as possible. With our regiment of about 2,000 people, fighting against an entire division, we would be lucky to survive. Our goal is to delay the Japs as long as possible, keeping them from moving. The longer we delay, the better. Once that division of Japs is annihilated, the Japs here will naturally retreat," Regiment Commander Zhang said.