HLnovel Chapter 71 The Japanese Pursuers
Chapter 71 The Japanese Pursuers
"Baka yarou!" Fujino Kiichi cursed furiously as he saw the military train completely emptied.
"Report, Commander, based on my observation, the enemy troops who attacked the train have just left. They certainly can't move fast by carrying so many supplies by manpower," Chief of Staff Jersey analyzed.
"Yoshi, Chief of Staff Jersey, immediately check the enemy's retreat route."
"Hay."
As Chief of Staff Jersey stated, the supply trains carrying provisions from the militia and the Independent Regiment were moving slowly due to the mountainous terrain and the nighttime conditions. It would take the supply trains a considerable amount of time to reach Liushan Gully.
Tang Weiguo's main militia force and Li Yunfei's independent regiment were cautiously on guard against the Japanese troops pursuing them from behind. Before retreating, Tang Weiguo ordered Tang Xiaohu to lay mines along the retreat route to slow down the Japanese pursuit.
Fujino Kiichi's chief of staff, Jersey, immediately issued an order.
"Reconnaissance team, go and investigate."
Immediately afterwards, a Japanese squad of more than 10 men, accompanied by 3 military dogs, went to investigate the enemy's retreat route.
Not long after the Japanese reconnaissance team left, they heard an explosion in the direction they were heading.
A Japanese reconnaissance squad ran up from the front and reported to Chief of Staff Jersey:
"Report to the Chief of Staff: The military dog detonated a landmine planted by the enemy. One military dog was killed, but the reconnaissance unit suffered no casualties."
"Oh, that means your pursuit direction is correct." Chief of Staff Jersey looked pleased.
"Order the engineering detachment to immediately proceed with mine clearance operations."
"Hay."
"Report, Commander, the Japanese have discovered our retreat route, and their pursuing troops are clearing mines," a soldier from the reconnaissance platoon reported. Before Niu Dali left, Tang Weiguo had ordered the reconnaissance battalion to leave behind an elite reconnaissance platoon to scout out Japanese movements. The soldier reporting this was from that platoon.
"Okay, I understand. Continue to closely monitor the Japanese devils' movements."
"Yes."
Tang Weiguo was not surprised at all that the Japanese had discovered their retreat route. If the Japanese couldn't discover the movement of so many of them, then the Japanese commander must have been kicked in the head by a donkey and was incredibly stupid.
"Commander Tang, what's the situation right now?" Li Yunfei asked.
"The Japanese pursuit force has discovered our retreat route. They are dealing with the landmines I laid before retreating, but the landmines won't slow down the Japanese pursuit much, so we need to speed up and get to Liushan Gully," Tang Weiguo said.
"Damn it, those Japanese devils are really tough to deal with."
"Based on my estimate, it will take us another two hours to reach Liushangou," Li Yunfei estimated, as he was familiar with this mountain road.
"Two hours?" Tang Weiguo thought for a moment and said to Li Yunfei.
"We must speed up and get to Liujiagou in an hour and a half, so that we can have at least half an hour to set up our blocking positions."
Tang Weiguo said.
“Okay, I’ll urge the soldiers to get going as quickly as possible,” Li Yunfei said.
"Same here."
"Communicator."
"arrive."
"Notify all transport units to increase their speed; they must reach Liushangou within one and a half hours," Tang Weiguo and Li Yunfei jointly issued the order.
Meanwhile, seeing that the troops were advancing slowly, Fujino Kiichi called over Chief of Staff Jersey and asked:
"Chief of Staff Jersey, why is the pursuit so slow?" Fujino asked unhappily.
"Reporting to Commander Fujino, the enemy has laid landmines along their retreat route, and I am ordering the engineering corps to carry out mine-clearing operations."
"Oh, I understand." Fujino nodded.
"Notify Commander Gou of the puppet army to come over," Fujino Guiyi said to the white-clad translator beside him.
"Hay."
Before long, Gou Dongxi ran over and said, bowing and scraping.
"Commander Fujino, what brings you here?"
“Gou Sang, it’s time for your puppet army to show your loyalty to the empire.” Fujino Guiyi patted Gou Dongxi on the shoulder.
"Yes, Commander Fujino, I will obey your orders even at the cost of my life," Gou Dongxi quickly expressed his loyalty.
Last time, Gou Dongxi escaped alone, which displeased Commander Fujino. Seeing that Jia Chusheng of the damn detective team was practically shitting on his head, he secretly made up his mind this time to make a good impression on the Imperial Army and change the impression he had on Commander Fujino.
"Yoshi, very good. The minefield ahead is seriously hindering the Imperial Army's pursuit speed. I order your puppet troops to send people to clear a safe route through the minefield."
"what?"
"Hmm? Gou-san is unwilling?" Fujino Kiichi asked coldly, a hint of dissatisfaction in his eyes.
"This is asking me to put myself in the line of fire!" Gou Dongxi instinctively intended to refuse, but when he saw Fujino Guiyi's murderous gaze, he decisively swallowed his words, afraid that if he spoke out, Fujino Guiyi would kill him with a single blow.
"No, no, the puppet army will resolutely obey Commander Fujino's orders," Gou Dongxi hurriedly replied, afraid that he would be killed if he hesitated even a second longer. There were quite a few people eyeing his position now.
"Yoshi, Gou Sang, please act immediately."
"Hay."
Gou Dongxi had no choice but to return to the puppet army. He promised a large sum of money and finally selected more than thirty fearless soldiers from the puppet army.
"Damn it, when I get back, I'll have to figure out how to get this money back from those Japanese devils." Gou Dongxi winced in pain at the thought of the money he had promised to give away.
The puppet troops, numbering around thirty, pushed the mine-clearing vehicle prepared for them by the Japanese towards the minefield. The sound of landmines exploding echoed everywhere, quickly clearing a passage. Meanwhile, the puppet troops who went to clear the mines were either dead or wounded, groaning in pain by the roadside.
"Go and treat them quickly." Gou Dongxi urged the medic to go and treat them, so that he would pay less money if they died.
"Gou Sang, you are extremely loyal." Fujino Guiyi nodded in satisfaction at Gou Dongxi after seeing the road in the minefield being cleared quickly.
"Thank you for the compliment, Commander Fujino," Gou Dongxi said with a fawning expression.
"Chief of Staff Jersey, order the troops to launch a swift attack."
"Hay."
"Gou Sang, you puppet troops clear the way."
"Hai," Gou Dongxi said reluctantly.
"It's so bitter, so incredibly bitter," Gou Dongxi muttered to himself.
Not far from the main force of the Japanese troops, the soldiers of the reconnaissance platoon were keeping a close eye on the movements of the Japanese soldiers.
"Damn, those Japanese devils are ruthless, making their collaborators walk through minefields with their bodies. Are those Japanese devils their fathers or mothers? These collaborators are so loyal," the observing soldier cursed.
"Good riddance to those traitorous dogs." The soldier then saw another collaborator of the puppet army being killed by a landmine.
"Oh no, the minefield is useless now that they've done this."
"Quickly report to the regimental commander, the Japanese are about to break through the minefield!" The reconnaissance platoon leader reacted immediately and hurriedly gave the order.
"Yes, Captain."
A reconnaissance platoon's communications soldier marched quickly toward the militia unit.
"Report, Commander, the situation has changed. The Japanese have broken through the minefield and are accelerating their pursuit of our position."
"What? How could it be so fast?" Tang Weiguo exclaimed in surprise.
According to his estimate, it would take the Japanese at least an hour to cross the minefield, but they crossed it in less than half an hour.
"Reporting to the commander, they had the puppet troops clear the minefields."
"Hehehe, as expected of the Japanese devils, they really don't treat traitors like human beings. I had completely forgotten about this." Tang Weiguo's lips curled into a mocking tone.
"Hehehe, this is what happens when you're a Japanese soldier or a dog!!!"