Chapter 1: First Fierce Battle Against the Japanese Invaders

Qigen Village.

"Boom! Boom! Boom! ... Rumble ... Boom! Boom! Boom!"

"Bang! Bang! Bang! ..."

"Da-da ... Da-da-da ... Da-da ..."

At this moment, Qigen Village was engulfed in the roaring flames of artillery and the deafening cries of battle.

To support the battlefield below, the 129th Division had set up an ambush against the Japanese logistics transport unit here in Qigen Village. Remarkably, this was their second ambush in the exact same location.

It had to be said that the Japanese soldiers of this period possessed formidable combat skills and an incredibly stubborn fighting spirit. Despite being ambushed, they managed to launch an organized counterattack. This stabilized their lines, pushing the battle into a fever pitch.

However, the 129th Division still held the geographical advantage, firing down from the heights and inflicting heavy casualties on the enemy. Still, relying on their fierce artillery fire, the Japanese continued to wound and kill the Chinese soldiers.

"Boom!"

A shell landed right on a forward position, sending dirt and debris flying high into the air. This explosion sent a cold shiver down the spines of the nearby soldiers.

Li Yunlong shook his head, which throbbed with a splitting headache. The scene before him left him completely dazed. Hadn't he just blacked out during a military exercise? Why was he here? Where was this?

Just then, Shen Quan ran over, braving the enemy fire. Supporting Li Yunlong, he checked him for injuries while asking anxiously, "Commander, are you alright? Commander..."

Hearing this, Li Yunlong was even more bewildered.

*Commander?*

He was only a battalion commander. How had he suddenly become a regimental commander?

Right then, a flood of memories rushed into his mind. He had traveled through time and space to become Li Yunlong. And this was the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression.

As a modern soldier who happened to share the same name as Li Yunlong, his greatest regret in his past life had been his inability to personally fight the invaders. Li Yunlong pinched himself hard. The sharp sting of pain brought him back to reality, confirming that he had indeed transmigrated.

Since he was here, he would make the most of it!

At that moment, Shen Quan’s voice pulled him back to the present. "Commander, how are you? Are you hurt?"

Actually, at this point in time, Li Yunlong was not a regimental commander. To present a united front against the Japanese, the Red Army had integrated into the National Revolutionary Army, and his rank had been lowered by one level to battalion commander. However, Shen Quan was still used to calling him "Commander."

Given Li Yunlong's command abilities and combat record, he was more than qualified to be a regimental commander. It was just that he made as many mistakes as he won victories, which kept him from holding the official title.

*Since I am now Li Yunlong, I will live this life to the fullest. I'll minimize my mistakes and build up my strength. Only by holding a high position will I have a voice, and only with real authority can I make the decisions to wipe out these invaders!*

*This time, I will never let the Japanese walk away just because they surrendered. Absolutely not!*

Li Yunlong patted the dirt off his military cap and said, "I'm fine! Those sons of bitches, their artillery is damn accurate! Everyone, keep your heads down!"

Hearing Li Yunlong’s shout, Shen Quan and the others let out a silent sigh of relief. They immediately fired back at the Japanese to avenge the close call.

"Bang! Bang! Bang! ..."

"Da-da-da ... Da-da-da ..."

Li Yunlong raised his binoculars to quickly assess the enemy's movements and the state of his own troops. This instant observation made him painfully aware of the massive disparity in firepower between his forces and the enemy.

During this phase of the united front, their forces received some weapons and ammunition support from the Nationalist Government, so their firepower wasn't entirely terrible. Still, a massive gap remained when compared to the Japanese. And this wasn't even the main force of the Japanese army. If they were facing the main force, the enemy's firepower would be far more devastating.

The soldiers were literally using their own flesh and blood to hold back the invaders. At this moment, Li Yunlong felt the profound weight of the saying, "every inch of land, a drop of blood." If their weapons and ammunition were equal, his forces could have minimized casualties and wiped out far more of the enemy.

Suddenly, a scene in his binoculars caught his attention. A soldier was darting down the hill, using rocks and other cover. His movements were incredibly agile. Li Yunlong instantly realized who it was.

The artilleryman, Wang Chengzhu!

He was a naturally gifted gunner. He dodged and leaped, charging toward the enemy's artillery position. Thanks to the suppressing fire provided by Shen Quan's troops, the Japanese had been hit so hard they hadn't even had time to withdraw their mortars. This was the opportunity Wang Chengzhu had been waiting for.

Within moments, he reached the enemy's artillery position. He quickly turned the mortar around and aimed it at the advancing Japanese. Holding up his thumb to gauge the distance, he made a swift adjustment and dropped a shell down the barrel. It was a seamless sequence of actions.

"Thump!"

"Boom!!!"

Several advancing Japanese soldiers were blown off their feet, wailing in agony. Wang Chengzhu worked with incredible speed. Shell after shell flew from his hands, hitting exactly where he aimed. This instantly halted the Japanese advance.

"Good shot!" Li Yunlong couldn't help but cheer excitedly as he watched the enemy get blown away. "That kid is a genius! Provide cover fire!"

"Bang! Bang! Bang! ..."

Li Yunlong was a crack shot. Within moments, he had adapted to the handling of the Mauser pistol in his hand. With a single shot, he picked off a Japanese soldier trying to creep forward. Even though this was his first time taking a life in this world, Li Yunlong felt no discomfort whatsoever. Instead, a surge of adrenaline rushed through him.

"Kill them! Give these bastards everything we've got!"

Li Yunlong then rushed over to the defensive line where Shen Quan was stationed.

By now, Wang Chengzhu was retreating toward the Chinese lines, clutching a mortar and several shells. The Japanese commander's face contorted with rage at the sight. Never had they suffered such a humiliation—to have the enemy charge right up to their lines and steal their mortar!

"Charge! Kill them! Don't let him escape!"

"Bang! Bang! Bang! ..."

"Da-da-da ..."

"Boom! Boom! Boom! ... Rumble!"

A hail of bullets and shells rained down on the retreating Wang Chengzhu. Though furious at the soldier's recklessness, Shen Quan could only order his men to return fire to cover the rescue.

Rolling and scrambling, Wang Chengzhu miraculously dodged the shrapnel and bullets. Under Shen Quan's cover, he finally made it back to the trench.

Seeing Wang Chengzhu grinning foolishly while clutching the mortar, Shen Quan lost his temper. "You bloody idiot, did you lose your mind? You've got some nerve! If I don't teach you a lesson today, I'll..."

"Hold it!" Li Yunlong called out, stopping Shen Quan just as he was about to strike the young soldier.

"Commander, he broke military discipline!" Shen Quan stopped and turned to the approaching Li Yunlong. "This kid ran all the way to the enemy's front lines without orders..."

Li Yunlong waved his hand, cutting Shen Quan off. "I saw it. We'll deal with it after the battle is over!"

"Yes, sir!" Shen Quan was still disgruntled, but he had no choice but to obey.

Li Yunlong turned a stern gaze on Wang Chengzhu and barked, "Zhuzi, you've got a lot of nerve, acting on your own like that. I'll deal with you when we get back!"

"Yes, sir!" Wang Chengzhu grinned, gave a quick acknowledgment, and immediately began inspecting the mortar.

It was a 60mm mortar. It had a maximum range of 1,444 meters, a rate of fire of 18 rounds per minute, a shell weight of 1.5 kilograms, an effective casualty radius of about 20 meters, and a total weight of 18 kilograms. It required one operator and two carriers. It was lightweight, easy to carry, and excellent for providing immediate fire support.

Li Yunlong knew very well how much of a threat enemy fire posed to his men. That was why he had turned a blind eye to Wang Chengzhu's reckless stunt.

"Zhuzi, knock out the enemy machine gun nest!"

Wang Chengzhu looked at the mortar reluctantly. "Commander, I only have two shells left..."

"What are you saving them for, to hatch chicks?" Li Yunlong roared, glaring at the enemy machine gun that was pinning them down. "If you miss, I'm confiscating this mortar!"

"Commander, if I hit it, does this mortar get to stay with me?"

"Let's see what you've got first," Li Yunlong urged. "Stop wasting time and blow that machine gun nest to hell!"

"Yes, sir!"

Wang Chengzhu replied. He aimed quickly and dropped a shell into the tube.

"Thump!"