The 3rd Battalion’s surprise attack left the Japanese soldiers with no time to react. Chen Qingquan had made thorough preparations to ensure this group of Japanese was completely surrounded.
As mortar fire bombarded the Japanese camp, his force of over five thousand men rapidly fanned out. According to the *Art of War*, one should surround the enemy with ten times their number, attack them with five, and divide them if they are equal. The 3rd Battalion now boasted over five thousand battle-hardened troops; they were facing a command post defended by only a single Japanese company, outnumbering them by well over ten to one.
By the time the shelling ceased, the few Japanese soldiers still alive were merely the lucky ones. However, even the lucky ones were soon gathered up by the old devil Yamamoto Ichiki, who hoped to stage a desperate last stand and fight his way out.
Chapter 89