A Journey Through the Flames of War in the Republican Era

After receiving the signal that the 3rd Company was ready for battle and to carry out a flanking maneuver, Song Hongfei issued several orders in quick succession, his killing intent palpable:

"The artillery fire of the 1st Mountain Artillery Company extends deeper into the enemy's territory! Suppress the enemy's defensive positions to the northwest and due west of Yantou Village!"

"The 1st Mortar Platoon and the Anti-tank Artillery Platoon of the Battalion Artillery Company, provide cover for the 3rd Company's assault!"

"Mountain artillery companies 2 and 3, and field gun company, extend your bombardment of the enemy positions around Yantou Village! Blockade them with artillery fire and prevent the enemy in open areas from retreating back into the village!"

"1st Infantry Company, advance towards the north and northeast of Yantou Village, pushing the defeated enemy troops in the open area southward! 2nd Mortar Platoon, provide artillery cover for 1st Company!"

"2nd Infantry Company, send one platoon to the northwest to support 1st Company and push the enemy in the open area south! The rest of you retreat 200 meters to the road south of Sanzhang Village and maintain vigilance and surveillance."

The messenger reported to him: "Reporting to the battalion commander, the 2nd and 3rd mountain artillery companies are requesting permission to bombard the retreating enemy troops in the open area."

Song Hongfei grabbed the phone and reiterated the order: "Do not cover them! Bombard the positions near Yantou Village with artillery fire, blockade them with firepower! Do not let the enemy retreat into the village, drive them south!"

"Our goal is to take Yantou Village, the outpost on the west bank! We are all Chinese compatriots, there is no need to exterminate them." Song Hongfei said solemnly, "I have ordered the 2nd Company to retreat and leave them a way out. If they resist and refuse to leave, or try to run back to the Yantou Village position, we will wipe them out on the spot!"

"Yes! Understood!"

Northwest of Yantou Village, near the bank of the Wei River.

There was a platoon of Southeast Army soldiers guarding the front line of the main trench here. Li, the platoon leader, who was lying in the fortification, felt something was wrong. There was a lot of gunfire and artillery noise in the northeast and east of Yantou Village. I heard that the 2nd and 3rd companies that had withdrawn from Sanzhang Village were suppressed in that open area. Why is it so quiet here?

The silence was unnatural, so quiet that the platoon leader and soldiers felt a chill run down their spines. Soldiers dislike silence on the battlefield the most, because silence often contains greater danger and foreshadows more intense and brutal fighting.

"No, I have to report to the company commander," Platoon Leader Li thought to himself.

Suddenly, with two green signal flares flying over Sanzhang Village, the area north and northwest of Yantou Village, as well as their position, were bombarded by mountain guns, mortars, and artillery!

"Take cover from artillery fire! Take cover from artillery fire! Find cover!" Platoon Leader Li shouted desperately.

Soldiers on the position frantically searched for cover from the artillery fire, with fortifications and bodies being hit by blasts every now and then. Those less fortunate were blown to pieces, their bodies flying through the air along with fragments of their clothing. Some were wounded and lay on the ground groaning in pain, but many were clearly not going to survive, forced to wait in agony for their blood to drain away. Platoon Leader Li suddenly realized he couldn't distinguish between those who were truly lucky and those who were truly unlucky.

The Central Army's artillery fire was too fierce; a full eight artillery pieces of various types were bombarding their position! Especially the close-range mortars and direct-fire guns, they were hitting their targets with every shot, and one fortification after another was blown away, like the King of Hell calling out names one by one!

Platoon Leader Li noticed cold sweat streaming down his forehead. Glancing around, he saw that the soldiers were all trembling, barely able to hold their guns, and many were already secretly thinking of deserting.

"Are you looking to die?! Take cover! Don't run! Running around will only make you die faster!" Platoon Leader Li shouted.

But what could he do besides shout? Who wouldn't panic in the face of death? He could only watch helplessly as his fortifications were blown up one by one.

Another red signal flare shot into the sky, and the Central Army's artillery fire extended to the rear. The situation on the positions behind them was probably no better, but he couldn't worry about that now; after the artillery fire extended, they would face a fierce enemy charge. Platoon Leader Li had just breathed a sigh of relief, his heart still pounding, when the sound of heavy machine guns suddenly exploded out!

Platoon Leader Li was shocked; the enemy had already made their way up and launched a fierce attack!

In the dim light, five enemy heavy machine guns were spitting fire wildly, pinning their own side down so they couldn't even lift their heads. Everywhere they looked, they saw the agile figures of Central Army soldiers leaping forward, their murderous expressions faintly discernible.

We're so close already? How did it happen so fast?!

"The enemy is coming up! Get into position! Counterattack! Counterattack!" Platoon Leader Li shouted, grabbing his pistol and firing desperately.

After Zhang Yi's 3rd Company made its infiltration and prepared for the assault by firing a red signal flare, the rear artillery fire, personally commanded by Song Hongfei, immediately extended into the deep positions. The 3rd Company assault formation, which had already infiltrated the northwest position of the defenders of Yantou Village and the front of the junction of the main trench, launched a fierce attack almost stepping on the extended barrage.

Under the fierce firepower of the company's heavy machine gun squad and the reinforced battalion's heavy machine gun company, a total of 5 guns (2 Type 24) of heavy machine guns, the assault detachment deployed into combat formation and launched an attack. They quickly approached the grenade throwing range and threw the grenades into the positions that had already been bombarded and destroyed by artillery fire.

Thirty or forty meters from the front line of the defending troops' position, a dense barrage of grenades suddenly roared into the air, like a flock of black sparrows flying across the sky. In an instant, the grenades exploded in mid-air above the fortifications, the short, continuous explosions deafening. Shrapnel flew in all directions, carrying the scent of death as it whistled down. The panicked soldiers couldn't find a safe spot, and many were hit directly by several grenades at the same time, their heads blown off.

"We're doomed!" This was the last thought in Platoon Leader Li's mind as his eyes widened in despair.

Even before the Battle of Chishui River began, through several days of meticulous reconnaissance by the Special Service Battalion of the General Corps, Song Hongfei discovered some irrationalities in the deployment of the Southeast Army's defensive lines. Each unit of the defending forces was digging its own defensive lines, which, although somewhat layered, were still relatively shallow. They were still using the outdated and backward one-line defensive deployment, and did not pay attention to the protection of the flanks. This kind of one-line defensive line, once breached in one place, could easily lead to the collapse of the entire line.

As the battle to capture Sanzhang Village drew to a close, Song Hongfei ordered Zhang Yi's 3rd Company to cross the Chishui River from the northwest of the village after capturing it, and then maneuver along the Wei River to reach the northwest of Yantou Village with light equipment, cut off the main trench, and penetrate deeper into the enemy's territory!

The 3rd Company assault formation advanced lightly equipped as ordered, carrying sufficient weapons and ammunition. Company Commander Zhang Yi ordered each person to carry three extra grenades. The weight of three extra grenades should not be underestimated, as they would be a considerable burden on the arduous journey of flanking maneuvers.

After the battle began, the assault squad of the 3rd Company was happy to lighten their load, and everyone rushed to throw out half of their grenades. In less than half a minute, nearly 500 grenades fell on the Southeast Army's position. On this narrow position, the killing power on unprotected flesh and blood was terrifying.

The 3rd Company quickly broke through the main defensive trench, and then did not linger, nor did they attack the village. Instead, they continued to penetrate, penetrating southwestward, penetrating relentlessly! They penetrated from the side, penetrated from behind, forcefully, fiercely, resolutely, and continuously penetrating deep into enemy territory!

Song Hongfei's order to the 3rd Company was: to advance all the way to the west of Yantou Village and the northwest of Qinglong Village, occupy the riverbed highlands, fields, and village roads along the south bank of the Wei River, and coordinate with the entire battalion to launch an attack!