Rise from eight hundred.

Chapter 1526 Victory, silent!

Although the Military Commission's general order stated that the main forces of the Japanese army had all begun to retreat, the commanders in Hengyang City did not dare to believe it.

After all, they are all adults who have been fooled by that person for over a hundred days. If they don’t learn a lesson, they would be stupid.

Tang Dao, the reconnaissance company commander Lu Sanjiang and the mountain infantry company commander Gu Xishui each led a reconnaissance team to conduct reconnaissance 10 kilometers outward in the south, west and north of the city. The three parties verified that the main force of the Japanese army was indeed retreating in large strides.

In order to increase the marching speed, many heavy equipment damaged during the war were directly abandoned, including trucks, heavy machine guns, and even mountain cannons and 105 howitzers, which would have been impossible before.

It can be seen how much pressure the main Chinese force advancing towards Hengyang put on the Japanese 11th Army.

In fact, compared with the 8 Chinese troops marching towards Hengyang, what Yokoyama Isamu was most concerned about was the remaining troops in Hengyang city.

During these three days, China deployed nearly 2 troops to counterattack. Whether it was the intensity of firepower, the number of troops or the fighting will, the Japanese army was still terrified. Once they were stuck by this remnant army, the more than 3 Japanese troops still around Hengyang City would be surrounded.

Although Yokoyama Isamu judged that this was the last stand of the Hengyang defenders, he did not dare to gamble. What if this bunch of crazy Chinese still had some strength left? Even if they could only hold on for 24 hours, the 40 Chinese troops, which were only 8 kilometers away from Hengyang, would be able to completely surround them, and not even a dog could escape.

In fact, Yokoyama Isamu's judgment was correct. The Hengyang defenders were already exhausted, let alone fighting with more than 3 Japanese troops for 24 hours. At this time, the Japanese army only needed two more rounds, and the Chinese troops in most positions would have been out of ammunition and food.

And this is not the most important thing. After 58 days of street fighting and these three days of counterattack, the Japanese army relied on the fact that their troops were four to five times that of the Chinese side and could carry out rotations, while the Chinese defenders were purely relying on their own strength. Both physically and mentally, they had reached the limit of their limits.

It's like a taut steel wire rope, you never know when it will break.

"The Japanese are really retreating, and their main force is already 10 kilometers away from Hengyang. You can inform the entire Hengyang army that the Battle of Hengyang is over!" After Tang Dao sent a message to the headquarters of the Sihang Regiment via walkie-talkie, he leaned against the charred mountain and rummaged in his pocket.

  At this time, he didn't want to do anything else, he just wanted to light a cigarette and calm down!

However, there was no stock left, and in the early hours of the morning, he had already smoked the last cigarette he had.

"Sir, here!"

Cao Yingchong, who came with Tang Dao, took out a crumpled cigarette from somewhere and handed it to Tang Dao. The cigarette was soaked in sweat and dried by body temperature, and it was light yellow. It should be the cigarette that the second lieutenant of the reconnaissance company had treasured for several days and was reluctant to smoke.

"Haha! Yingchong, you are helping me in my time of need. This is the time to celebrate our victory. If it's missing, I really won't be able to laugh." Tang Dao laughed.

He broke the cigarette into three pieces, handed one piece to Cao Yingchong and one piece to another scout. Tang Dao himself put the short cigarette under his nose and smelled it for a long time before he lit it with the match that Cao Yingchong had struck and took a deep puff.

After a long time, light blue smoke spewed out of his nostrils, and Tang Dao looked up at the sky.

It is the Mid-Autumn Festival now. It rained a little the night before. The heat has gradually faded away since two days ago, and the sky is blue.

If it weren't for the war, which turned this mountain into a scorch, sitting in the green mountains, looking at the blue sky, and feeling the fresh breeze, one would definitely feel extremely happy.

"How many are left in your line?" Tang Dao asked casually.

"There are still 17 of them now, and 21 are lying in the hospital! I haven't visited them for a while, and I wonder if 10 of them will be able to return to the team in the end." Cao Yingchong lowered his head and calculated for a while, then replied.

The fine lines at the corners of Tang Dao's eyes became finer again.

The reconnaissance company is the most elite infantry company in the entire regiment. Each platoon has a full strength of 64 people, and even with the wounded, there are less than 40 people, which means that the casualties are as high as one-third of the personnel. What's more, the four infantry battalions that have been on the front line have suffered even more tragic casualties.

"Ying Chong, do you think my brothers will blame me for bringing them to this desperate place? If I hadn't insisted on coming to Hengyang, no one in the 9th War Zone would have been able to mobilize my Four-Line Regiment." Tang Dao's low voice suddenly sounded.

Cao Yingchong was stunned. He looked at his young regiment commander and his heart suddenly skipped a beat.

In his eyes, his young commander was always decisive and resolute. No matter what terrible situation he encountered, he would remain calm and seem to have everything under control. This also created a mental inertia among the people in the Four-Line Regiment, as if as long as this young commander was there, the Four-Line Regiment would only be greeted with victory.

But when Cao Yingchong stared at his young commander at such a close distance for the first time, he suddenly discovered that his commander seemed to have aged a lot, and it was not because of the hideous scar on his cheek.

To be honest, from a man's perspective, the scar is more like a soldier's medal, adding a bit of fierceness and increasing a bit of mature masculinity to the already handsome young captain.

It's not that Tang Dao's face is dark and rough. The beard around his lips and chin should have not been shaved for almost a month, making it look very rough.

  But, his eyes!

However, a few fine wrinkles had quietly crept up on the corners of the eyes of the 30-year-old Tang Dao, and his eyes looked even deeper as he looked up at the sky.

  Perhaps only those who understand him can see that there is so much sadness in it!

The Four-Line Regiment fought bloody battles in Hengyang for 111 days, and its strength has been reduced from 5499 before entering Hengyang City to more than 900 now, a reduction of nearly %.

  I heard that many veterans who had followed the regiment commander since the Battle of Sihang were killed in battle. They did not die on the battlefield that lasted for seven years, but died in Hengyang City!

There are also veterans who joined after the Battle of Licheng, veterans who joined after the Battle of Jindong, and veterans who joined after the Battle of Zishan. Many familiar faces will become eternal memories in this battle. They will never be able to salute and shake hands when they meet, and they will never be able to hold up their guns together and cheer for victory in the distance.

As the leader of the group, how could Tang Dao not be sad?

"Sir, I really can't answer your question because I am still alive." Cao Yingchong thought for a long time and finally answered.

“However, when I was trapped in that small village with my old rival Lu Daqiu during the Battle of Zishan, the dying Lu Daqiu asked me if the regiment commander would come to rescue us. I did not lie to him. I said it was not that the regiment commander and his men did not want to rescue us, but that they could not.

Sir, at that time I thought I was dead, and Lao Lu thought so too, but you know what? I really wasn't afraid at all at that time. I even hoped that the Japanese would come faster so that I could reunite with my brothers in the class. As for whether I had any complaints or not, it didn't even occur to me.

I joined the army after the Battle of Licheng, that is, after our regiment broke through Licheng, I helped our regiment transport supplies, and then stayed in our regiment. Not for anything else, but because a brother invited me to have a meal, calling me "little brother" to have a meal.

Sir, do you know? Since the Japanese entered Licheng, we Chinese have been treated like pigs, dogs, cattle and sheep. They can slaughter us at any time. My childhood friend Zhang Xiaosan was stabbed to death by a Japanese with a bayonet because he did not bow immediately when he met a Japanese devil on the street. Although we are alive, we live in fear and are worse than pigs, dogs, cattle and sheep.

But I joined the Four-Line Regiment, and my parents used my military pay to build houses in the town, so my younger brothers and sisters could have enough to eat. I saluted the company commander, and he saluted me back. When I walked home on holidays, the people I met greeted me in a friendly manner.

I also met the girl I liked in the army. Although I hadn't told her yet, I could see her blushing face when she looked at me. Every time at that moment, my heart blossomed like a flower. I had never lived like this before.

I know in my heart that this is all given to me by the Four-Line Regiment and the identity of a Chinese soldier. If for nothing else, just for this, I am willing to give my life to our regiment. Death has never been so scary to me.

Of course, if I can still live, I want to continue living.

My brothers are dead, but their parents are still alive, and someone needs to take care of them in their old age. I made a promise to my brothers that if they die, they die, but if they survive, they must be the sons of dozens of parents. If anyone fails to do so, his dead brothers will sit by his bedside every day and curse him as a son of a bitch.

I have also made plans. If China wins the war that day, I will not be a soldier anymore. I will take the military pay I have saved and go find those parents, bring them to Taihang Mountain, and I will farm, chop trees, build houses, and support them in their old age."

"Platoon leader, there's me too! My family lives in southern Hebei, where we can grow wheat and there are no Japanese. As long as I work hard, I can definitely provide bread for my parents." Another soldier quickly added. "The regiment will take into consideration the parents of the sacrificed brothers into consideration, and will do its best to help them. We will never let our brothers shed tears and blood." The comforted Tang Dao patted the shoulders of his two subordinates.

"But! You elite soldiers and generals may not be able to go farming. The Japanese have been driven away, but China, the big piece of fat meat, is still there. There are many jackals, tigers and leopards in this world."

"I don't care where these jackals, tigers or leopards come from. If they dare to raise their claws towards me, I will chop the hell out of them." The young scout's face was full of murderous intent.

He has been through the hellish Hengyang, and this young scout is really not afraid of any opponent.

"Well said! Whoever raises his claws will be chopped off." Tang Dao smiled slightly.

He lay on his back, muttering to himself, "Fuck you, you know what I want to do most right now?"

The two scouts were stunned.

"I want to have a good sleep the most!" Tang Dao closed his eyes, and when his voice was barely audible, a slight cry was heard.

After sleeping no more than 3 hours a day for several months in a row, even a tough guy like Tang Dao could not hold on. He fell asleep on the charred land where the smoke had not yet completely dissipated and the residual heat of the artillery fire was still on the ground.

Several scouts more than thirty meters away looked at their sleeping commander with a little surprise, but more of respect.

He was a tough guy who could lead his troops to rush 100 miles at night to launch a surprise attack on the Japanese army, and entered Jiangxia City alone to kill two senior Japanese generals. But he fell asleep like a baby. You can see how much energy and effort he had spent in the past few months.

. . . . . . . . . .

Perhaps, Tang Dao was not the only one who fell into a deep sleep on the battlefield.

"We won, we won!"

"Damn it! The damn devils are actually scared!"

"Damn it, stop yelling, let me get some sleep, I'm so tired!"

After receiving the news from the scouts, the Hengyang Command finally determined that the Japanese army had really retreated and informed the entire army of the good news of victory.

Many officers and soldiers came out of the bunkers and celebrated the victory with cheers.

But surprisingly, the cheers were not as earth-shaking as imagined, but rather calm.

It was not that the military and civilians did not react for a while, but that many officers and soldiers finally reacted after receiving the news of victory and fell asleep.

  Earth-shaking shouts rang out from countless battlefields!

They are so tired!

I was so tired that I didn’t even have the energy to cheer for victory!

I don’t know how many positions have the highest commanders among those patrolling with guns!

This is a battlefield of victory, but also a battlefield of silence and stillness!

"Except for necessary sentinels, the entire army will rest!" After inspecting some positions, Fang Xianjue issued the first military order after the victory in Hengyang.

To put it bluntly, everyone is sleeping.

As for the celebration banquet or something, there really isn't one. Hengyang is lucky enough to be able to fill the stomachs of the wounded soldiers, as the combat troops have not had any supplies for a week.

Originally, Fang Xianjue wanted to send the cooks, communications soldiers, logistics soldiers and other second-line troops to catch some fish in the ponds and rivers, but when he was about to give the order, he remembered that these second-line troops had all been deployed to the front line.

The first commander of Hengyang was both sad and helpless. He took the reservists in Hengyang City who did not participate in the war to the pond to start the operation of catching fish and shrimps.

The soldiers under his command fell asleep, and when they woke up, they should at least have some fish soup to drink!

However, Fang Xianjue ordered that grenades and other explosives must be used strictly to blow up fish, and that fishing could only be done manually to avoid disturbing the officers and soldiers who were already fast asleep.

Morning of June 9th!

On the second day after the Japanese army's complete withdrawal, the vanguard of the 74th Army, an infantry battalion, was the first to arrive at the outskirts of Hengyang.

After careful observation, they finally found a position with garrisons. When they got closer for observation, they were surprised to find that there was only one lieutenant sentry wearing a Chinese Army uniform on the position.

After the two sides came into contact and confirmed that they were friendly forces, the Army Major led his troops into the position.

There were Chinese people everywhere, all fast asleep.

Some of them were wearing military uniforms, some were wearing ragged civilian clothes. It was obvious that they were not regular soldiers. The only thing in common was that although they were all asleep, they were still holding their rifles tightly.

When the gunshots rang out, the army major had every reason to believe that this group of guys who did not look like regular soldiers would definitely pick up their guns and return to combat.

Because they blocked the attack of more than 110 Japanese troops for more than days, which created a miracle in military history.

Facing the haggard but still straight-backed lieutenant in front of him, and those soldiers who were still sleeping soundly in the mud with tattered uniforms like beggars, the army major battalion commander of China's most elite infantry army was the first to raise his right arm.

"Salute to the Hengyang defenders!"

"salute!"

The most elite Chinese Army salutes the more elite Chinese Army.

Each of them deserves this gift!