Chapter 83 of 100

Chapter 83

16 min read4,053 words

As the Red Army vanguard's main force was discovered, the 86th Division, which had just set out from Guanling, began to adjust its marching direction. The two Guangxi Army divisions cooperating with it also began to advance towards Longchang.

However, compared to the time it would take them to reach the Longchang area, whether the Zhou Hunyuan's column, stationed near Longchang, could withstand the Independent Division's attack was a question worth considering. Therefore, the Central Army near Longchang also began to prepare for battle.

While Zhou Hunyuan led his troops to urgently reinforce the defense of Longchang, He Zhengdao led the reconnaissance battalion to launch an attack on Zheka. To make Zhou Hunyuan believe there was a chance to block him, He Zhengdao deliberately slowed down the pace of the attack.

He ordered the artillery detachment accompanying the reconnaissance battalion to bombard the Central Army stationed in Zheka. Seeing that this Red Army unit was equipped with mortars, Zhou Hunyuan was even more convinced that this was the Red Army's elite vanguard.

Over the phone, he sternly ordered the regimental commander stationed in Zheka to hold on. The several battalions heading to Longyin were now on their way back to reinforce. However, everyone knew that those reinforcements would not reach Zheka by tonight.

During the artillery bombardment, the sharpshooters of the reconnaissance battalion, led by He Zhengdao, used precise shooting to continuously wear down the morale of the defenders. It wasn't until the regimental commander, who personally led the guard company into battle, was killed that the defenders finally surrendered!

With only one battalion left, they managed to hold out for over an hour, which, in He Zhengdao's view, made this unit quite tenacious. However, for the attacking reconnaissance battalion, relying on strong firepower and artillery support, the casualties were minimal.

When they entered Zheka, it was just getting dark. This meant that the reconnaissance battalion had at least one night to transfer. That night, many civilians in Zheka saw this Red Army unit leave and march towards Longchang.

When this news was reported to Zhou Hunyuan by spies overnight, and the Third Regiment of the Independent Division also arrived at a town only half a day's march from Zheka, this intelligence clearly told Zhou Hunyuan that the Independent Division had chosen to break through at Longchang.

That night, the reconnaissance battalion, which had left Zheka, chose to rest in a valley outside a town. The Third Regiment of the Independent Division also left the town they had captured and soon disappeared from the spies' surveillance.

For the Central Army's spies, tracking these Red Army units was a very dangerous task. If they got too close, they might be discovered and captured by the Red Army. If they got too far, the Red Army might suddenly disappear.

The Central Army intelligence officer in charge of this reconnaissance, facing the growing list of missing intelligence personnel, felt a bitter taste in his mouth. He thought that if this continued, the intelligence personnel he had dispatched would be completely wiped out by the Independent Division.

The reconnaissance battalion that left Zheka rested in the valley until midnight, when the logistics battalion was awakened. Under the protection of a company from the reconnaissance battalion, they began to bypass Zheka and head to the location of the Third Regiment to join up with them.

The remaining main force of the reconnaissance battalion also moved towards Longchang overnight. However, this time, the reconnaissance battalion was divided into companies to set up ambushes on the roads near Longchang.

As the companies of the reconnaissance battalion separated, He Zhengdao looked at the company and platoon leaders and said seriously, "Comrades, your next task is very important. You need to act as decoys for our main force.

Starting tomorrow, you will conduct guerrilla warfare and harassment on the mountain roads near Longchang. Remember, my only requirement for you is to bring all the soldiers you take out back safely.

I don't expect you to eliminate many enemies; just make the enemy feel that Longchang is in imminent danger. By evening, everyone should withdraw from the battle and head to the assembly point I mentioned. Tonight, our main force will take Shuicheng."

"Rest assured, Commander, we will resolutely complete the task!"

"Good, move out!"

Li Xiangdong and Zhu Dingyi each led a reconnaissance company. He Zhengdao personally led a company to Longchang to conduct a feint attack.

As for the other two reconnaissance companies, one was responsible for blocking the reinforcements coming from Shuicheng, and the other was responsible for blocking the reinforcements coming from Puan. According to the intelligence He Zhengdao had, Zhou Hunyuan's main force would not arrive so quickly.

Therefore, as soon as the attack on Longchang began, the other reinforcement units would rush to Longchang. This way, the main force of the Independent Division, which would launch a night attack on Shuicheng, could capture Shuicheng with minimal casualties.

Even if Zhou Hunyuan realized the situation and brought his troops back to reinforce Shuicheng, it would be too late. Moreover, the recent troop movements would undoubtedly exhaust Zhou Hunyuan's three divisions.

He Zhengdao, who arrived in Longchang early in the morning, soon encountered the Central Army's defensive forces deployed around Longcheng. Seeing the well-prepared Central Army, He Zhengdao immediately ordered a strong attack.

To reduce the burden of the subsequent retreat, He Zhengdao ordered the artillery detachment to begin shelling. Hearing the sound of artillery fire outside the city, the Central Army commander stationed in Longchang immediately sent a telegram to Zhou Hunyuan.

Zhou Hunyuan, who was on his way to Longchang, received the call and immediately said, "Order the garrisons in Sige and Pingdi to rush to Longchang as quickly as possible. All other units, accelerate your march to Longchang.

You must join up with the garrison in Longchang by this afternoon. Order the garrison in Longchang to do everything possible to prevent the Red Army from breaking through. It's impossible for a division to break through Longchang in one day.

In this situation, we must race against the Red Army. Whichever reinforcements arrive at Longchang first will win the final victory. Tell the commander in Longchang that if he loses Longchang, I will take his life!"

"Yes!"

As Zhou Hunyuan's telegram was sent, the Central Army garrisons near Longchang also immediately rushed to reinforce. The nearly two regiments of the Longchang garrison also fought desperately against He Zhengdao's reconnaissance company.

Seeing the reinforcements constantly arriving from the city, He Zhengdao smiled and said, "It seems Zhou Hunyuan has given a death order! These Central Army troops are fighting very bravely, aren't they? Tell the men not to be stingy with ammunition and to intensify the attack."

"Yes, Commander!"

Without launching a charge, the reconnaissance battalion adopted a counter-attack strategy against the Central Army's defenders. For the reconnaissance battalion's soldiers, this was not a stressful task. Under the premise of preserving their own safety, they continuously shot down the reinforcements coming from the city.

When the garrison from Pingdi, the closest to Longchang, entered the Longchang area, the vanguard unit was ambushed by the reconnaissance company hiding in the mountains. Each soldier in the ambush fired two shots at the vanguard platoon.

Seeing that there were no survivors in the vanguard platoon, the platoon leader smiled and said, "Done! Men, withdraw!"

As the most elite unit of the Independent Division, these reconnaissance soldiers undoubtedly had the highest shooting skills in the division. A reconnaissance platoon against a Nationalist Army platoon, especially in an ambush, left the enemy with no chance to resist.

When the advancing Central Army heard the gunfire from the front, they immediately entered a combat state. However, after waiting for a long time, they found no Red Army ambush on either side of the road.

It wasn't until they sent a battalion to investigate the area of the previous engagement and learned that the vanguard platoon had been completely wiped out that the regimental commander, with a serious expression, said, "It seems the Red Army anticipated our reinforcement of Longchang and has sent troops to block us!"

"Commander, what should we do?"

"What can we do? If we don't reach Longchang tonight, we will all face military law! Order the first battalion to serve as the vanguard and continue advancing to Longchang. Even if it's a dragon's den or a tiger's lair, we must push through!"

Knowing how strict Zhou Hunyuan was, the regimental commander did not want to face military law. Now, his only hope was that the Red Army's blocking force was not large. Otherwise, their main regiment would suffer heavy losses!

When the regimental commander reported the encounter with the Red Army's blocking force to Zhou Hunyuan, the reply was as expected. Zhou Hunyuan also ordered them to do everything possible to reach Longchang for reinforcement.

Thus, the two Central Army main regiments heading to Longchang began the most painful march of their campaign in Guizhou. Every time the troops passed through mountainous areas, they were extremely nervous.

Because in these mountainous areas, there were countless threats. Often, the ambushers would fire two to three rounds of bullets and then quickly escape into the mountains, leaving the Central Army unsure whether to pursue or not.

Even in places that seemed far from the mountain road, they would suddenly be hit by mortar shells falling from the sky. After a rapid three-round barrage, the artillerymen would vanish without a trace.

If it weren't for Zhou Hunyuan's strict orders, the two Central Army regiments responsible for reinforcement would not want to advance another step towards Longchang. Because every step towards Longchang cost them some casualties.

Seeing the growing number of wounded, each regimental commander bitterly thought, "At this rate, how many soldiers will be left to fight when they reach Longchang?"

Such attacks made the soldiers of the two reconnaissance companies responsible for blocking feel very satisfied. Although they were constantly running in the mountains, each time they saw the Central Army's helplessness, they loved this kind of battle!

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