Chapter 79

As the mortar fire provided cover, the Independent Division's elite reconnaissance company charged up the small hill occupied by the enemy. He Zhengdao, who had been watching from below, also let out a long sigh of relief, knowing that the battle was almost over.

Sure enough, many of the Nationalist troops who had been trying to approach the hill realized their failure was inevitable when they saw the Red Army had already taken control of the small hill. Soon, some of the soldiers, under the Red Army's encirclement and attack, began to surrender.

After ordering the Independent Division's units to clean up the battlefield, He Zhengdao, under the protection of Li Xiangdong, quickly ascended the smoke-filled small hill. Seeing the blood-soaked body of a major general, He Zhengdao believed it must be the commander of the 99th Division.

"Xiangdong, have someone properly collect his body, don't just bury it here. If my guess is correct, the enemy's reinforcements will arrive soon. Let them take the body back for burial. As for the other soldiers' bodies, collect them and place them in a cool spot. This way, we won't have to spend time digging graves. As for our fallen soldiers, we'll carry them with us and find a place to bury them at the next stop."

"Yes, Commander!"

Li Xiangdong, standing beside He Zhengdao, found this arrangement somewhat puzzling. However, the respect for the dead, even if they were enemies, was deeply ingrained in military culture. After all, no one could guarantee they wouldn't die on the battlefield one day.

In the past, the Independent Division would usually dig a large pit to bury enemy bodies. This time, specially collecting the bodies and allowing the enemy reinforcements to take them back was a gesture of goodwill.

However, as the reconnaissance company commander, Li Xiangdong also understood that once the enemy reinforcements arrived and saw the unburied bodies, they would likely send troops to cremate or otherwise dispose of them on the spot.

This would undoubtedly delay their pursuit, giving the Independent Division more time to widen the gap. Even if they encountered difficulties ahead, they would have ample time to maneuver.

Upon learning that the 99th Division had been ambushed by the main force of the Independent Division near Guanling, Xue Yue was very concerned. Even though the 86th Division was speeding to reinforce, Xue Yue suspected that the 99th Division might not hold out until help arrived.

Sure enough, the radio operator, who had been in contact with the 99th Division, cautiously reported, "General, we have lost contact with the 99th Division."

Xue Yue took a deep breath and said, "Continue trying to contact them! Also, send a message to the 86th Division to reach the battle area as quickly as possible. Order Zhou Hengyuan in Puan to send a division to advance into Qianxi. Ensure they set up a defensive line along the Shuicheng line before the Independent Division arrives. Also, order the two Guangxi divisions to reach the Guanling area within three days to cooperate with the 66th Division and encircle the Red Army's Independent Division that has fled into Qianxi."

Xue Yue realized he had underestimated the boldness of the Independent Division. Despite the large number of encircling forces, the Independent Division not only didn't hurry to retreat but also dared to ambush a main division, which made him very angry.

Previously, after shooting down 21 planes, Xue Yue, as a hero, was reprimanded by Chiang Kai-shek. Although it was just a few words of reprimand, Xue Yue knew that Chiang Kai-shek was likely dissatisfied with him.

If he couldn't completely annihilate the Independent Division this time, it would be unlikely for him to continue as the commander of the anti-bandit campaign!

After cleaning up the battlefield, the Independent Division left some wounded Nationalist soldiers behind, providing them with weapons and food to wait for rescue. As for medical treatment, He Zhengdao felt no obligation to provide it.

Compared to the medical resources of the Nationalist Army, the Independent Division's current supply of medicine was also limited. The captured and purchased medicines were needed to treat their own wounded. He could only wish the Nationalist soldiers good luck.

As for the surviving prisoners, He Zhengdao also had them escorted away. When faced with the slow-moving prisoners, He Zhengdao, without hesitation, ordered the reconnaissance company to set an example by executing a few in front of the others.

Under the threat of death, the prisoners finally understood that the Independent Division's "lenient treatment of prisoners" policy only applied to those who cooperated. Those who disobeyed would likely face execution.

The Independent Division, moving out at night, had taken many detours for the ambush. However, many of the soldiers felt that completely annihilating the Nationalist 99th Division was very exciting, and their concerns about the encirclement seemed to diminish.

Continuing their march toward Qianxi, He Zhengdao still had the radio operator send a victory report to headquarters. He hoped this good news would ease the worries of Mao Zedong and Zhu De about the Independent Division.

The main Red Army force advancing toward Kunming also made Long Yun very nervous. The Yunnan troops originally deployed near Pan County were urgently recalled to Kunming to strengthen the protection of his base.

In fact, the Red Army's plan to advance into southern Sichuan had never changed. This move into Yunnan was not only to escape the encircling forces but also to use Yunnan as a route to re-enter Sichuan.

At this time, the Fourth Red Army had already launched an offensive against the Sichuan troops, which greatly distracted their attention. This allowed the Red Army to maneuver more flexibly along the Sichuan-Yunnan border.

When Zhou Enlai received the Independent Division's report and saw the translated message, he smiled and said, "Good! I never expected the Independent Division to completely annihilate the 99th Division under such heavy encirclement. This is a great victory!"

Compared to the pressure faced by the main force, Zhou Enlai was well aware that the Independent Division, stranded in Guizhou, had tied up a large number of Nationalist troops. Without the Independent Division, the main force would not have been able to enter Yunnan so easily.

After a series of battles, the Red Army's strength had not only been preserved but had even increased. Their weapons, ammunition, and supplies were also abundant. Therefore, Zhou Enlai placed great importance on the Independent Division, a capable fighting force.

Seeing the victory report from the Independent Division, Zhu De, called to the temporary command post, also smiled and said, "Mao, you can now be a bit more at ease. I told you before, that young man is not easy to deal with. By wiping out the 99th Division, the Nationalist troops will likely not pursue as aggressively. This will give the Independent Division more time to maneuver. Their equipment and supplies are the best in our Red Army. This means that entering Qianxi, which seemed like a dead end, has actually given the Independent Division an opportunity. Solving the supply problem, I believe the Independent Division will give the encircling Nationalist troops a hard time in Qianxi!"

"Still, we can't be too complacent! According to our latest intelligence, Zhou Hengyuan's corps in Puan is moving toward Shuicheng and has deployed heavy forces along the Yunnan-Guizhou border. It seems Chiang Kai-shek is determined to eliminate the Independent Division, even sending all the troops originally pursuing us to intercept the Independent Division. With the addition of the two Guangxi divisions, the situation for the Independent Division remains grim."

Mao Zedong was naturally pleased with the Independent Division's great victory. However, as long as the Independent Division was not out of danger, he could not relax. After all, the Independent Division was crucial to the currently under-strength main Red Army force.

Compared to the over 80,000 Red Army troops who had left the Soviet area, the main Red Army force now entering Yunnan, including the captured and absorbed prisoners, numbered only about 20,000. The Independent Division, on the other hand, had over 10,000 soldiers.

The Independent Division's strength was now comparable to the main force. If the Independent Division could be brought back in full, it would significantly boost the main force's strength. Therefore, Mao Zedong was very concerned about the Independent Division suffering heavy losses during the breakout.

Even though many people saw the Independent Division's over 10,000 soldiers as needing further examination, Mao Zedong knew that after a series of battles, the Independent Division's soldiers were trustworthy.

Even if they wanted to fight the Japanese in the north, they would need a strong foundation. If the Red Army suffered heavy losses in the north, it would not only be difficult to fight the Japanese but also to ensure their own safety.

Meanwhile, in Qianxi, He Zhengdao also knew that the Independent Division was not out of the woods yet. However, the confidence of the soldiers had been boosted by this battle, which made He Zhengdao feel that the battle was timely.

In the future, the Independent Division would still have to face the encircling forces. But He Zhengdao believed that with proper command, he had the ability and confidence to lead the Independent Division out of Qianxi.

By the next afternoon, the 86th Division, which had been marching all night, finally arrived at the battlefield near Guanling. Seeing the collected bodies and the wounded soldiers waiting for treatment, the division commander also felt a headache.

However, he knew that his troops would no longer have to pursue alone. Facing the strong Independent Division, the 86th Division's commander felt that it would be more appropriate to coordinate with another division for the next pursuit.

If He Zhengdao knew that the Independent Division was now seen by the Nationalist Army as a formidable Red Army force, he might also feel pleased. After all, he and his Independent Division had become famous!