The sound of exploding mortar shells gradually faded away.
Lin Feng, having exhausted the last two rounds of ammunition he had on hand, hurriedly led his mortar team to retreat. They were facing two full platoons; staying too close was far too dangerous. The sustained barrage had caught the Japanese off guard, leaving more than a third of them incapacitated.
"The Chinaman's shelling has stopped! Prepare to counterattack!"
Platoon Leader Inoue, hiding behind a bunker, only dared to stand up and shout once the shelling had ceased. The Japanese Type A divisions were elite for a reason; even after being bombarded by Lin Feng like this, they still managed to organize an effective fighting force with surprising speed.
Lin Feng, however, would never miss the chance to beat a drowning dog. The Japanese had barely had time to react to the mortar fire and were unable to quickly mount an organized defense before the First Platoon surged forward.
The machine gun squad led by Zhang Xingguo poured out a hail of fire. Many of the dazed Japanese soldiers were riddled with bullets the moment they stepped out of their rooms. Lin Feng gripped his Type 38 rifle tightly, scanning the chaos for the Japanese commanders and machine gunners.
*Bang!*
As his bullet left the chamber, a Japanese soldier carrying an ammunition crate collapsed to the ground.
"Baka!"
A Japanese soldier who had just set up a grenade discharger turned pale with terror as he watched his assistant get gunned down. Trembling, he reached for the shell that had fallen to the ground. In an instant, another bullet pierced through, blowing the top of his skull off.
"Charge! Block these Chinamen!"
Japanese Company Commander Haruno Tianshang grew frantic as he witnessed the chaos and the falling bodies of his men. Their mission—infiltrating deep behind enemy lines to destroy crucial Nationalist Army facilities and field hospitals—meant they were traveling light; they hadn't even brought basic infantry guns. They were an isolated force with no hope of reinforcement.
The fact that they were attacked in the middle of the night suggested this encounter was no coincidence. Based on the intensity of the incoming fire, Haruno Tianshang guessed that his infiltration mission had been compromised and they had run head-on into the main force of the Nationalist Army.
Outside Xiaowang Village, Japanese corpses were strewn everywhere. Lin Feng’s gaze swept the battlefield, searching for the remaining machine gunners and commanders. His First Platoon had effectively cleared the perimeter and was now launching a fierce assault on the final Japanese command post.
Glancing around, Lin Feng counted the machine guns: four Type 11 Light Machine Guns. This meant the Japanese had lost their effective fire support.
"Reserve squad, fix bayonets! Follow behind the First Platoon and mop these Japanese up!"
The Japanese command post was located in a courtyard surrounded by a few mud-brick houses. The remaining forty or fifty Japanese soldiers were huddled inside these buildings.
"Zhang Xingguo! Get those light machine guns set up! Provide cover for the First Platoon's final push!" Lin Feng roared over the deafening cacophony of the battlefield.
"Yes, sir!"
Zhang Xingguo, who was still coordinating fire support for the machine gun squad, heard Lin Feng and spotted the Type 11s. His eyes lit up. Though short in stature, Zhang was remarkably efficient. Within moments, the sound of the four captured machine guns filled the air.
The bayonet platoon waiting at the perimeter was ready. Some even clutched their traditional broadswords. With the addition of the four captured light machine guns, the other gunfire on the field was all but drowned out. The Japanese hiding in the mud-brick houses were no match for such concentrated firepower.
"Baka! Damn Chinamen, they’re using the Imperial Army’s own weapons! No sense of honor! Inoue-kun, retreat! Retreat!"
The old Japanese devil Haruno was truly terrified. Seeing that few of his men remained, he crouched in the corner and screamed.
"Haruno-kakka, please lead the men out! I will stay behind to cover the retreat!" Platoon Leader Inoue lunged to the ground, shouting toward Haruno.
"Inoue-kun, the Empire will not forget your contribution!"
With the situation critical, Haruno didn't hesitate to accept the offer of a rearguard. He immediately signaled his bodyguards and fled toward the rear wall of the command post.
"For the glory of the Empire!"
Watching them flee, Inoue did not hesitate; he led his remaining soldiers to the front. The First Platoon surged into the courtyard, and hand-to-hand fighting began immediately. The bayonet platoon followed close behind, engaging the last few Japanese soldiers. Since there were so few of them left, they were dispatched in short order.
"Battalion Commander, we’ve captured a Japanese platoon leader!"
Lin Feng arrived at the command post just as Hu Youming walked up, dragging the bound Inoue behind him.
"Old Hu, forget about the platoon leader for a moment. The Second Platoon should be wrapping things up on their end as well."
As Lin Feng spoke, intense gunfire erupted from the back of Xiaowang Village. Hu Youming immediately ordered the First Platoon to surround the area to ensure the Japanese company commander didn't escape.
"Baka! Foolish Chinamen! If you have the guts, face me in a Bushido duel!"
Inoue must have heard the gunfire and realized things were going south. If Company Commander Haruno failed to escape, his family back at the Imperial General Headquarters would likely be denied any compensation or honors.
"Damn it, what is he blathering about in that bird language?" Hu Youming kicked Inoue behind the knee, forcing the Japanese soldier to drop to one knee in pain.
"You want a Bushido duel?" Lin Feng responded in Japanese, looking at the prisoner with interest.
"Whoa, Battalion Commander, you even know their bird language?!" Hu Youming was stunned; his commander’s capabilities never ceased to amaze him.
"This old devil wants a duel. I think he’s delusional. We can skip the duel, but killing him is fine. Old Hu, untie him. I'll show you all how to handle this."
Lin Feng cracked his neck and rubbed his wrists, his eyes locked onto the Japanese soldier.
"Battalion Commander, is that wise? If we're going to fight, I should be the one to do it!" Hu Youming said, worried. Duels were dangerous, and an enemy prisoner wasn't even worth the effort.
"Less talking, more untying. He doesn't understand us anyway. I'm going to teach you a lesson on how to handle a duel with these Japanese devils!"
Lin Feng’s tone was firm and brooked no argument. After some hesitation, Hu Youming untied Inoue.
"Chinamen, you are too arrogant!" Inoue was stunned that Lin Feng had actually agreed; he was overjoyed.
"Come on! Let's begin!" Hu Youming sliced the ropes with his knife and shoved Inoue forward.
"Baka-yarō! Foolish Chinamen, die!"
As soon as his hands were free, Inoue roared, eager to find a weapon.
However, his enthusiasm for the duel lasted exactly 0.001 seconds.
Stance, draw, aim, trigger pull—Lin Feng’s movements were fluid and instantaneous. A single *bang* echoed through the courtyard. It was impossible to tell if it was the sound of the gunshot or the body of the Japanese soldier hitting the ground.
Hu Youming stood there, completely dumbfounded, unable to snap out of his daze for a long time.