"Old Hu, I estimate there are two squads of Japanese soldiers in Xiaowang Village. We need to stay sharp!"
After receiving the intelligence, Lin Feng consulted with Hu Youming. The enemy was numerous while they were few; the enemy was strong while they were weak. To win in such a situation, a surprise attack was absolutely essential.
"What? Two squads! Battalion Commander, can we really handle that?"
Hu Youming was startled. After all, they were not actually far from the field hospital in the rear. If there really were two squads of Japanese as Lin Feng claimed, then this infiltration force had clearly come with lethal intent.
"Old Hu, have everyone rest where they are and prepare for battle. We’ll go scout the path first."
As he spoke, Lin Feng took the Type 38 rifle he was carrying, shifted it from his back to a firm grip in his hands, and nodded at the returning scouts.
"All right! I’m with you!"
Seeing Lin Feng so confident, Hu Youming nodded and beckoned to the platoon leaders.
"Tell everyone: stay put, check your weapons, and prepare for combat!"
They spoke in hushed tones, fearing that in the dead of night, they might alert the Japanese in the distance. The men halted their advance. Hearing the order to prepare for battle, each of them meticulously checked their gear.
"Old Hu, let's go!"
Lin Feng, accompanied by Old Hu and several platoon leaders, moved toward Xiaowang Village. The full moon hung in the sky, and with its light, they could still make out the muddy path ahead. Xiaowang Village was not far, and within half an hour, they reached the outskirts.
"Good heavens, Battalion Commander, it’s just as you said—there are nearly a hundred Japanese!"
Hu Youming poked his head out cautiously, carefully observing the situation in Xiaowang Village. The village layout was fairly square, but now, except for the entrance, no other houses showed any light.
"Battalion Commander, these Japanese... they aren't going to massacre the village, are they?!"
The three platoon leaders followed closely behind. Seeing that the only light in the sprawling village was at the entrance, their hearts sank. The Songhu Battlefield was still in its middle stages, and many of the Japanese atrocities had yet to be exposed. The platoon leaders subconsciously felt that soldiers should face soldiers, not slaughter defenseless civilians.
"Yes! These Japanese infiltration units are very likely to slaughter the village to keep their movements from being exposed!"
Lin Feng’s words made everyone present tighten with tension.
"Damn those Japanese bastards! Animalistic killers! I’ll make sure to kill them all!"
Hu Youming was the most agitated, his teeth nearly grinding to dust. He simply could not swallow this. The Japanese were ravaging the land of Da Qian, and to be so insane as to massacre a village—it was utterly inhumane!
"Battalion Commander, give the order! Today, either those Japanese meet their makers, or we brothers go down fighting!"
The men were filled with righteous indignation. If not for the large number of Japanese below, they would have charged down to fight them in a bayonet duel right then and there.
"Good! Wait until midnight. My grenade discharger will be the signal! Once the shelling stops, the First Platoon will take the lead, the Second Platoon will flank behind the Japanese, the machine gun squad will provide covering fire, and the Third Platoon will be the reserve!"
After reconnoitering the village, Lin Feng had a general strategy. The terrain was not hilly but relatively flat, and the Japanese were concentrated at the village entrance. To annihilate them quickly, they had to be fast and leave the enemy no time to react.
The men received their orders and immediately returned to their positions. In an instant, the force of over 150 men began their first orderly mobilization. Lin Feng took his grenade discharger team to find the best firing position.
Time ticked by. Lin Feng reached the designated spot with his men, and fortunately, everything went smoothly without them being detected. Placing the grenade discharger on the ground, Lin Feng calculated the timing.
Inside Xiaowang Village, the Japanese company commander, Haruno Tianshang, had not slept even deep into the night.
"Haruno-kaku, still worried about Matsushita’s squad?"
In a house at the front of the village, an oil lamp burned slowly, barely illuminating the room.
"Inoue-kun, Matsushita’s squad has been out of contact for nearly two days! How could I not be worried? For this infiltration mission, we must find the Da Qian hospital!"
As the commander of this company, Haruno Tianshang had clearly undergone professional training to be tasked with such an infiltration mission. The entire Haruno Company consisted of three squads, and now one was nowhere to be found. Being behind enemy lines, it was truly enough to make one toss and turn, unable to sleep.
"Ha! That fool Matsushita, greedy for glory and advancing recklessly—him losing contact is a disgrace to our Great Japan!"
The squad leader named Inoue gritted his teeth viciously, as if he hated the man to his core.
"Inoue-kun, this mission is of the utmost importance. Once successful, upon our return, I will petition Imperial General Headquarters to appoint you as company commander!"
It seemed that listening to his subordinate’s foul-mouthed complaints had allowed Haruno Tianshang to smooth his furrowed brow.
"Ha! I swear to serve His Majesty the Emperor of Great Japan to the death!"
Upon receiving his superior’s promise, the old Japanese soldier named Inoue looked extremely solemn, though his heart was already churning with ambition.
As time passed, midnight arrived. This was the time when people were most prone to drowsiness—the perfect moment for a surprise attack.
"Grenade! Ready!"
Having performed a test shot earlier, Lin Feng’s feel for the grenade discharger was excellent. A soldier beside him pulled a shell from the ammunition box, and Lin Feng held the discharger in one hand and the shell in the other.
Thump!
The shell slid down the barrel, the primer struck the firing pin, and with it came the sound of the shell exiting the tube.
Whoosh—boom!
The shell landed directly in front of a squad of patrolling soldiers, and the flying shrapnel caused massive damage instantly.
"Keep going!"
Lin Feng urged, and another shell was handed to him.
Continuous mortar explosions plunged the entire Xiaowang Village into flames. Haruno Tianshang, who had been unable to sleep and had just laid down to rest, was startled awake by the explosions.
"Baka! The Da Qian soldiers are launching a night raid!"
Following his roar, the surrounding guard units converged.
"Why is it the Imperial army’s own shells?!"
With the continuous explosions, many Japanese soldiers were killed in their sleep before they could even stand up. Hearing the barrage, Haruno Tianshang was even more infuriated. For the Empire’s shells to be used against the Empire’s own soldiers was a supreme humiliation!
"Inoue, organize an effective counterattack immediately!"
Inside the room, Squad Leader Inoue had already brought men to protect the company commander upon hearing the blasts.
"Haruno-kaku, the weapons this force is using are mostly from our Empire. Could it be that idiot Matsushita?!"
Even at this critical moment, Inoue did not forget to disparage the man, but he knew the situation was urgent and hurried to lead his team out to counterattack.
"Baka yaro! That fool Matsushita!"
An extremely angry roar echoed throughout the house.