Chapter 189: The upcoming sweep and artillery

Li Yunlong has prepared a surprise for Yamamoto's special ops team, and it's not just the minefield on the cliff. The minefield is just an appetizer, he has an even more damaging trick for Yamamoto.
An explosion sounded, and Yamamoto Kazuki's face changed drastically at the bottom of the cliff.
"Damn it!" Yamamoto Kazuki cursed through gritted teeth, and a signal came from the radio carried by communication soldier Corporal Shika beside him.
"Boss, General Xiaozhong wants to talk to you directly," Lieutenant Xiao Lu urgently said.
"Retreat! Everyone come down!" The explosion on the cliff top sent his subordinates flying. It was clear that the Eighth Route Army had been well prepared. Yamamoto Kazuki knew that it was impossible to continue, waved his hand to signal the second batch of special forces to quickly descend, and then picked up the microphone to report this bad news to General Xiaozhong. At the same time, he had already prepared himself for a scolding.
At the same time, in the independent stronghold on top of the cliff, Company Commander Guan Dashan, who received Li Yunlong's orders, smirked and pulled the detonation cord he had been holding.
Two seconds later, with a loud and muffled explosion, a violent air shockwave erupted from the top of the cliff. Dust filled the sky as the huge impact tore apart the cliff wall. The entire yellow soil structure of the cliff collapsed, and more than ten Japanese soldiers who had just received the order but hadn't had time to retreat fell from the sky along with the collapsing cliff, and were buried by tens of tons of yellow soil.
"Lao Li, you're really cunning." In the trench, Zhao Gang gave a thumbs up to Li Yunlong.
"Haha, that's right!" Li Yunlong laughed proudly. "This move from me, is called 'A One-Stop Funeral Service'. Look, this cliff collapsed, and even the tombstones for the little devils are taken care of!"
This is Li Yunlong's trick!
Due to geographical reasons, the cliffs behind Chenjiayu are not made of stone, but pure loess; when preparing the defensive position, Li Yunlong had a sudden inspiration and came up with a brilliant idea.
The little devils are good at climbing cliffs for sneak attacks, right? No problem! I'll wait for you to climb up, then blow up the cliff and bury the little devils while I'm at it!
Li Yunlong instructed the soldiers to dig deep holes on the top of the cliff, every two meters apart. Fill the holes with explosives, connect them with detonation cords, and cover them with yellow soil on top...
This project used a total of 200 kilograms of black gunpowder, and Li Yunlong was not the one who suffered. Naturally, he ground these explosives from Zhang Wanhe.
I am going to use explosives to defend the headquarters. Do you dare to disagree, Zhang Wanhe?
Just as Yamamoto Hitoki was about to utter the word "will...", he was abruptly interrupted by a violent explosion. Amidst the shaking ground, he instinctively looked up, only to see the entire cliff collapse like a crumbling wall, falling towards him.
Yamamoto Ichimon stared as his face turned pale in an instant. Without hesitation, he threw the microphone in his hand and quickly stepped forward, evading the moment a heavy block of over one ton of yellow clay landed on the spot where he had just been standing.
In a critical moment, Yamamoto Kazuki could not care less about his subordinates. He kept moving, reacting swiftly, rolling and crawling, and within seconds he managed to hide over ten meters away.
"Ah!" Xiaolu Caoyuan, however, did not possess Yamamoto's reflexes. He stood there instinctively, as the collapsing loess instantly buried him, with only a scream escaping from his mouth.
A huge cloud of dust rose into the air, causing Yamamoto to break out in a cold sweat and his heart to race. He glanced backwards in fear, only to find that the entire cliff had collapsed. The heavy yellow soil had buried countless of his men.
At this moment, Yamamoto Ichiki no longer had his usual arrogance and calmness. He never even considered rescuing his subordinates who might still be alive. All he had in his mind was one thought, run! Run as fast as possible!
Despite being in a panic, the experienced theory expert Yamamoto Ichigi knew that after the Eighth Route Army collapsed the cliff and buried his subordinates, the next step was to go and check the results of the battle. At this moment, not running, does he expect to be surrounded by the majority of the Eighth Route Army?
In fact, Yamamoto Iki's thinking is correct. After the explosion, when the dust settles, Li Yunlong immediately orders the troops to charge out of the position and quickly move to the cliff to surround the little devils.
Li Yunlong was quite cautious, throwing several hand grenades down the cliff before allowing the soldiers to peek at the bottom after the explosion.
"Damn it, wasted a few hand grenades."
The situation at the bottom of the cliff is clearly visible, with collapsing yellow soil burying the majority of the enemy soldiers. A few of them, buried less deeply, have their limbs exposed and are trembling slightly, apparently severely injured and no longer able to resist, presumably due to the impact of the recent explosion.
"Lao Li, look over there!" At this moment, Zhao Gang keenly noticed a figure about four hundred meters away quickly rolling and crawling away.
"Damn it, this little Japanese bastard got lucky, managed to escape! Lao Zhao, should we take a shot at him?" Li Yunlong looked through the binoculars and muttered in frustration.
压根不用李云龙说，赵刚早就取下了背上的m82a1，这把枪最近归赵刚使用，赵刚也对这大口径的暴力武器爱不释手。
Zhao Gang quickly hit the ground, loaded a bullet, aimed, and fired!
Or one could say that Yamamoto Inoki's luck hadn't run out yet! Just as Zhao Gang pulled the trigger, Yamamoto, who was fleeing in panic, stumbled upon a pile of dirt, causing him to fall to the ground and have a nasty fall. However, he was extremely lucky to narrowly avoid the bullet.
With a swish over my head, dust splattered on the ground not far ahead. Obviously, someone was shooting at me! Feeling a rush of fear, I quickly got up from the ground and dodged the bullets by using irregular snake-like movements. Then, I swiftly fled towards the corner of the mountain ahead.
Zhao Gang fired several shots, but they were all cleverly avoided by Yamamoto. As Yamamoto had already turned the corner of the mountain and was hidden by the terrain, Zhao Gang had no choice but to begrudgingly stop shooting and get up.
"Damn it, this little Jap has some skill in dodging bullets, he's a pro!" Zhao Gang cursed, then he paused and said, "Ah! Lao Li, you know I've been around you for so long that I've learned all these foul words!"
"That means you, as a political commissar, have joined our independent group!" Li Yunlong laughed heartily, not caring about the fleeing Japanese soldiers. If they escaped this time, there would be another chance to kill them. Besides, the Japanese special forces suffered heavy losses this time. According to Japanese tradition, the fleeing soldiers might end up committing seppuku to thank their imperial dog of an emperor!"
"We have won here, but I don't know how our chief of staff is doing now, whether he has clashed with the Japanese soldiers, and his meager forces..." Zhao Gang sighed and lamented.
"Don't worry, Old Zhao, Xiao Li's brain is sharper than a monkey's, just a bit worse than Old Li's. Plus, he's skilled and won't suffer any losses!" Li Yunlong patted Zhao Gang's shoulder, comforting him, then turned and ordered, "Da Biao, Shen Quan, clean up the battlefield! Dig out the corpses of the little devils, their equipment is not bad. Hey! Pay attention to the ones who are not completely dead! Da Shan, take your men and proceed forward to scout along the route the devils infiltrated! Damn it, these devils are really damn cunning. They managed to bypass the two regiments led by Cheng Xiazi and Lao Ding up front! Old Zhao, this is your job. Go and report to the Chief. The headquarters' location has been exposed, I think we need to move."
Busy until evening, Li Yunlong stayed at the position to defend with all his efforts. Until a messenger sent by the headquarters came and reported that the enemy's fourth and ninth brigades had inexplicably withdrawn, Li Yunlong finally breathed a sigh of relief when the commander ordered him to report to the headquarters immediately.
Arriving at headquarters, Li Yunlong found that nearly everyone there was wearing a happy expression. The two regimental commanders, Ding Wei and Cheng Xiazi, who were previously stationed in defense, were also here.
"Li Yunlong!"
Just as Li Yunlong was about to speak, he suddenly heard a familiar voice from behind. Li Yunlong startled and instinctively stood up straight, quickly putting on a silly smile on his face.
"Attention! Good day, Commander!" Li Yunlong turned around and, as expected, it was the long-lost commander calling for him. However, he saw that the commander had a serious expression, glaring at him with an air of hostility, which made Li Yunlong feel extremely nervous, constantly drumming his fingers.
I haven't made any mistakes recently, have I? Not only have I not made any mistakes, but I also obediently gave a portion of the handguns and submachine guns I swindled from Li Yu to the battalion commander. Why does the battalion commander look at me like that?
"Li Yunlong, be honest, what kind of trouble have you caused in the past two days?" The battalion commander asked sternly.
"Me? Well, maybe, I haven't done anything wrong. I didn't even have a chance to do anything in Baicun before the division commander stopped me."
"Didn't cause any trouble?" The captain sneered, "Then let me ask you, why did the headquarters order the entire independent regiment to enter Chenjiayu, but the reinforced company was the only unit missing? Where did your chief of staff go?"
The captain's eyes flashed a barely noticeable smile when he spoke, but sharp-eyed Li Yunlong quickly caught it.
Hehe, the captain is not angry! Li Yunlong's mind immediately became active, his eyes spinning as he looked at the captain, feeling something was amiss.
In the hands of the platoon commander was a small devil's command knife, and damn, it had a silver handle with jade inlays! This thing is rare! Li Yunlong had heard from Zhao Gang that the devils who use this kind of knife, although they are low-ranking officers, have some connection with the dog emperor of the little devils and can be considered as distant members of the imperial family.
During these past few days, we've only had a little confrontation with the enemy, but we haven't really engaged in battle. There haven't been any combat missions in the regiment recently, so where did this knife come from? Just as Li Yunlong was turning his mind, the division commander also walked out of the cave with a Japanese command knife in his hand, smiling.
Good man, Jinba's general sword! Li Yunlong's eyes straightened up at once, and he blurted out, "Major, did you make a big harvest? Could it be... done by that brat Li Yu?"
Li Yunlong is almost certain now, because he is already accustomed to this kind of scene. Whenever he makes a contribution, the first thing the battalion commander does is not to commend him, but to reprimand him, with the excuse of "don't stick your braid up."
"Li Yunlong, you are smart indeed. It was Li Yu who stopped the Japanese devils from observing and learning our new warfare tactics. These new tactics caught the attention of both the devils and my superiors. But it was your special forces team that pushed the devils back. Well done! What's even more interesting is that Li Yu managed to defeat an entire group of Japanese officers!". The commanding officer approached, adjusted his glasses, and displayed the general's sword in his hand. "Li Yunlong, take a look, one major general, six colonels, at least twenty to thirty lieutenant colonels and majors. The general gave me this sword. Li Yunlong, the Independent Battalion did a fantastic job this time! Hurry in, the general is waiting to commend you!"
"Sir, where is Li Yu? How are the casualties in our troops?" Li Yunlong asked immediately without time to rejoice.
"He is inside, and the casualties in our troops are not significant, about one-third reduced."
"It's alright."
"In times of war, the sacrifice of comrades is a common occurrence, and Li Yunlong has long been accustomed to it."
"The commander was very happy and publicly announced the commendation for the Independent Battalion. The Independent Battalion was awarded a collective second-class merit once, and the battalion commander Li Yunlong was awarded a commendation. The Assault Platoon and the Ninth Company of the Independent Battalion were awarded a collective first-class merit once, and Li Yu was awarded a personal first-class merit once, with his rank promoted from Deputy Battalion Commander to Battalion Commander."
Actually there is not much difference. The army implements a supply system, and military salaries are not non-existent. The Fruit Office owes 400,000 francs per month! The money the army usually receives is just pocket money, and the officers and soldiers are basically the same. Li Yu has been promoted half a level, the only change is that in the future, he can point his finger and curse Li Yunlong during normal times!
Having taken such a huge advantage over the enemy, of course, there is unease in their hearts. The location of the headquarters has been exposed and immediate relocation is necessary. Naturally, the Independent Regiment will also depart from Yang Village as a garrison force, following the headquarters during the relocation.
The delegation of the Jin Sui Army has also returned home, and as a guest of the Independent Group, Chu Yunfei has received another sword as a gift from a captain.
In the blink of an eye, spring has gone and summer has arrived, and the weather has become increasingly hot.
In mid-July, at Sandaowan village, the temporary headquarters of the Independent Regiment.
Li Yunlong sat on the stove, bare-armed, holding a paper fan and waving it back and forth, but still sweating profusely from the heat.
"Why aren't you feeling hot at all!" Li Yunlong shouted irritably at Zhao Gang, who was writing next to him.
"A calm mind feels cool naturally, Old Li. You're just idle." Zhao Gang responded impolitely, without even lifting his head, and continued writing.
"Why do I have to be idle!" Li Yunlong threw away his fan, picked up a bowl of cold water for the night and drank it all, then slammed the bowl down: "It's been months and I haven't even fought a single battle! Why is Li Yu's little brat allowed to lead the assault platoon around causing trouble, while I have to sit here and count mosquitoes? And you, Lao Zhao, can't you turn a blind eye? I blame you for this, it was you who wrote the report to the brigade commander and division commander!"
"Tsk, Comrade Li Yunlong," Zhao Gang snapped his pen and looked up, staring at Li Yunlong seriously. "Are you done yet? You've been nagging me for half a month. I don't want to deal with you, and you still dare to talk back? If you have the guts, go shout at the higher-ups! Let me emphasize once again, we are the headquarters' garrison forces and we must strictly carry out the task of defending the headquarters. The enemy has been gathering supplies recently, and it seems like another round of sweeping is coming soon. The regimental commander said that without the approval of superiors, a unit of more than a platoon is not allowed to act without authorization. And, you can't lead a team!"
"Damn it!" Li Yunlong sighed and turned his body, just as Li Yu walked into the room.
"Xiao Li is back, did you bring back anything good again?" Zhao Gang joked.
"Lao Li, Lao Zhao, I just got two pieces of news." Li Yu's face was solemn as he raised two fingers. "I took a few people and infiltrated the county town of Wuxiang, kidnapped a translator, and used some methods to extract information about the Japanese plan from him."
Firstly, recently the devil is collecting food, mobilizing troops, and transporting weapons and ammunition, indicating the preparation for a new round of sweeping. According to the orders of Devil's commander-in-chief in North China, Okamura Ningji, the devil has assembled 6 divisions, each with one part, and 6 independent mixed brigades, as well as puppet troops, with a conservative estimate of over 70,000 people. There is also an aviation group for coordination, preparing to carry out the sweeping of the base next month.
“7万余人，好大的阵仗！”李云龙感叹了一句：“你接着说，第二条消息是什么？”
“嘿嘿，还有一个消息，这个月底，小鬼子驻蒙军有一个炮兵联队的装备要通过同蒲铁路运到太原，用以加强在这次的扫荡中，不过，这趟军列只有两辆铁路装甲车和一个中队的鬼子护送，这件事非常机密，那个翻译官也是在无意中偷听到的，我感觉咱们完全可以干一票！”李煜兴致勃勃的提议道。
This kind of confidential information is not something that a mere county translator can know! In fact, this artillery battalion's weapons and equipment are rewards given to Li Yu by the system for killing Hata's retainer! The military has listed clear information on the departure time, route, and other intelligence! Whether or not we can get our hands on it will depend on Li Yu's methods!