Devil's Army

The Fifth Brigade Commander and his men continued to march towards Sanhe County, but it was already dark before they reached Sanhe County.

The commander of the Fifth Brigade ordered his troops to camp in a secluded place a little way from the road to prevent a meeting between the two sides when the Japanese patrol passed by.

The next morning, the large army continued to march towards Sanhe County. After walking more than ten miles, the vanguard troops in front suddenly engaged in a firefight with the Japanese.

The commander of the Fifth Brigade ordered the main force to wait in secret, and the scouts went to investigate the situation.

Soon, the scouts reported that the Second Company of the Second Battalion encountered a small group of Japanese troops who were sent to the countryside to clear out the enemy while heading to Sanhe County, and a fierce battle ensued between the two sides.

It was just a small group of devils, and the Fifth Brigade Commander did not take him seriously. He asked the scout:

"Have you spotted a large group of Japanese troops around here?"

"Report to the brigade commander, we have not found any large Japanese forces around here."

The squad leader of the small group of Japanese soldiers who were fighting with the Second Company thought that the Chinese troops on the opposite side would immediately flee in all directions as long as they were swept by machine guns and bombarded with mortars.

Who knew that the enemy's firepower was even stronger than his. When the squad leader wanted to retreat, it was too late. The second company had arranged the second and third platoons to surround him from both sides.

The battle was over half an hour later, and all the Japanese soldiers in this team became wandering ghosts.

When the Fifth Brigade Commander's troops arrived here, only the Second Regiment of the Eleventh Brigade and a Second Company of the Second Battalion of the First Regiment of his Fifth Brigade were left. The rest of the troops were scattered and stationed in various county towns.

The commander of the Fifth Brigade had to mobilize the Second Regiment of the Eleventh Brigade, which had not yet participated in the battle, and arrange a battalion to attack Sanhe County.

Commander Cao of the Second Regiment of the Eleventh Brigade planned to arrange the First Battalion to attack Sanhe County from the east and west and break into the county.

The commander of the Fifth Brigade believed that although they now had an absolute advantage in terms of manpower and firepower, it would be better to outsmart the enemy if possible to reduce casualties.

Captain Cao asked the Fifth Brigade Commander if he had any good ideas to defeat the enemy strategically.

The commander of the Fifth Brigade told him: "Didn't the Second Company of the First Brigade just wipe out a small group of Japanese soldiers? Find someone to change into their clothes and disguise them as Japanese soldiers to sneak into the city. The other troops should create chaos at the city gate to cover this small group of troops to sneak into the city."

"We don't speak Japanese, so we'll be exposed if we open our mouths, right?"

"I would say, you find some capable people to pretend to be a Japanese squad with me, and the others kill the Japanese outside the city gate, create chaos, and look for opportunities to rush into the city."

"That won't work, Fifth Brigade Commander. You are the highest commander of our troops. How can you take the risk yourself?"

"Then what should I do? Travel? You guys find the right time to create chaos, and I'll be fine."

The second battalion commander of the first regiment of the fifth brigade also disagreed with the fifth brigade commander to take the risk himself. As a last resort, Meilang told them directly, I am not discussing with you now, but giving orders, you just need to follow my orders and execute them.

"Commander of the Fifth Brigade, if you insist on doing this, I have the right to report to Commander Leng," Commander Cao insisted.

"Okay, if you want to report to Commander Leng, wait until I finish this battle. Don't follow me into battle in the future. Go back to Tangxia Village and guard the base. I can't order you around."

This hit Captain Cao's sore spot. He and the commander of the Fifth Brigade came out to fight the Japanese. What's the difference between asking him to go back to guard the base and asking him to go back to the base?

Captain Cao stopped talking, and the Fifth Brigade Commander continued:

"Captain Cao, you arrange a company on each side of the city gate. When I lead this squad of soldiers to make contact with the Japanese at the city gate, the companies on both sides of the city gate will shoot at the Japanese on the city wall to create chaos and charge towards the city gate. We will take advantage of the chaos to sneak into the city, wait for an opportunity to open the city gate, and take you into the city."

"When will we take action?" asked Captain Cao.

"Action at 5pm!"

"Yes, I'll make arrangements right away."

At around four o'clock in the afternoon, the commander of the Fifth Brigade led 62 soldiers wearing Japanese military uniforms and walked towards the gate of Sanhe County.

The Japanese sentries stopped the Fifth Brigade Commander for questioning, and he told them:

"We are a reconnaissance team from the First Brigade of the Japanese Garrison in China. We just came from Tongzhou to learn about the deployment of Chinese troops in this area."

"Oh, there is a situation. One of our patrol teams went out for patrol this morning and has not returned yet."

Before the Fifth Brigade Commander could answer the Japanese sentry, the Second Regiment Commander of the Eleventh Brigade arranged soldiers on both sides of the city gate to start shooting at the Japanese on the Sanhe County wall.

When the people at the gate of Sanhe County heard the gunshots, they immediately became confused and started to crowd into Sanhe County.

The Japanese soldiers on the Sanhe County city wall were knocked down one after another, and the remaining Japanese soldiers quickly shot at the soldiers of the Second Regiment outside the city wall.

The commander of the Fifth Brigade and his soldiers took advantage of the chaos to rush into Sanhe County.

The Fifth Brigade commander and his men rushed into Sanhe County and immediately took a defensive stance at the city gate, asking the common people to stay away from the city gate.

In sharp contrast to the fierce gunfire on the city wall, the small group of Japanese troops led by the Fifth Brigade Commander had been in a defensive posture without firing a single shot.

The Japanese squadron leader led a group of Japanese soldiers to the city gate, glanced at the fifth brigade commander and asked:

"Where are you from? Why aren't you fighting back?"

"Hey!" The commander of the fifth brigade responded and immediately ordered the soldiers to fight back.