The War of Resistance Against Japan: Special Operations Battalion Traverses Shanghai and Slaughters

Because the Japanese 66th Regiment was located east of Shipai Town on the map, Long Fei instructed Xu Peng to lead the soldiers of the 26th Division onto the trucks first, and then they would all retreat south together.

Seeing a soldier from the 26th Division carrying a tattered military flag as he passed by, Long Fei called out to him.

"Hey bro, wait a minute."

Standing next to Long Fei, Liu Yuqing asked in confusion.

"Battalion Commander Long, what's wrong?"

"Commander Liu, could you give me your military flag?"

You must understand that the military flag is the soul of an army; it is something that must be defended to the death.

Moreover, in many cases, if the battle went against them, they would either send someone to protect the military flag and break through the encirclement, or burn it, and would never let it fall into the hands of the enemy.

Now Long Fei is actually asking for the 26th Division's military flag, which Liu Yuqing has no way of agreeing to.

“Battalion Commander Long, this is the military flag of our 26th Division. When our entire division left Sichuan, there were more than 5,000 men. Now there are less than 600 men left. All the others have died heroically.”

Long Fei calmly replied, "I know."

Liu Yuqing said excitedly, "You know? No, you don't know."

"Our 26th Division was poorly equipped. A company of eighty or ninety soldiers only had one light machine gun and more than 50 rifles, all of which were old-fashioned rifles and Hanyang rifles."

"Our regiment only had four or five mortars, and the number of shells was pitifully small."

"Even so, after receiving orders, my 26th Division fearlessly entered the Yujiazhai, Zhujiazhai, and Lijiazhai line to fight the Japanese."

"Compared to the Central Army, where a division could only hold out for half a day, our 26th Division, without any logistical support, managed to hold off an entire Japanese Class A division for a full seven days."

"Two regimental commanders of my 26th Division were killed in action, thirteen battalion commanders were killed, twelve were seriously wounded, and hundreds of company and platoon leaders were killed in action. The troops were reduced to only about six hundred men."

"We killed and wounded more than 4000 Japanese soldiers. Our soldiers had not eaten or drunk for several days, but many of the wounded still picked up explosive packs and rushed towards the Japanese tanks without hesitation, dying together with the enemy."

"This military flag embodies the heroic souls of thousands of martyrs from the 26th Division. After you've heard all this, do you still want me to give you the flag?"

“That’s right, yes.” Long Fei answered without hesitation.

"What... you..."

Liu Yuqing pointed at Long Fei with a face full of anger, her body trembling with rage.

If it weren't for Long Fei leading his troops to rescue them, Liu Yuqing, suppressing her grief and indignation, would have already started cursing.

Long Fei straightened up and began to explain with a serious expression.

"Commander Liu, please don't be angry. I have no disrespect for the martyrs of the 26th Division whatsoever."

“You Sichuan soldiers are all tough and brave men, you are all great. So, I’m going to kill the entire 66th Regiment of the Japanese devils to consecrate our flag.”

"Let this patriotic and courageous military flag forever suppress the souls of these thousands of Japanese devils."

"Besides, you can get new military flags when you get back. Why don't you just give me this one and let me plant it at the highest point in Shipai Town?"

Long Fei's words came from the bottom of his heart, sincere and passionate. Not only was Liu Yuqing deeply moved, but the Sichuan Army brothers around him also held him in high esteem.

Liu Yuqing then stopped resisting and turned to give orders to the soldier carrying the military flag.

"Commander Long is right. Hand the military flag over to Commander Long immediately."

Long Fei solemnly extended both hands to receive the battle flag. After all the officers and soldiers of the 26th Division had boarded the vehicle, he quickly pulled out five napalm bombs and gave the order to Xie Qiang.

"Immediately set up these five napalm bombs in the town, and also plant the 26th Division's flag at the highest point of that church."

"Yes."

Xie Qiang accepted the military flag and solemnly saluted Long Fei.

In just over ten minutes, Xie Qiang led his team to complete the mission.

Long Fei then ordered all vehicles to start and head south. Once they reached a safe distance, he selected a spot and had everyone get out of the vehicles.

Then Long Fei ordered the special operations battalion to spread out and take charge of guarding the area.

Long Fei led Liu Yuqing to a small hill where there was a grove of trees.

Liu Yuqing took the binoculars from Long Fei and looked at the entire Shipai Town in one go.

"Battalion Commander Long, you've brought your troops here. How are you going to annihilate the Japanese 66th Regiment?"

Long Fei's lips curled slightly, and he replied mysteriously.

"Commander Liu, I have a secret weapon. My brothers don't need to engage the Japanese in close combat and fight to the death."

"Oh……"

Liu Yuqing turned to look at Long Fei, still feeling doubtful.

After waiting patiently for about an hour, the 66th Regiment of the Japanese army, led by Regiment Commander Tsuneta Yamada, appeared through the binoculars.

"The Japanese devils are coming..."

Liu Yuqing excitedly reminded him.

"Yes, Commander Liu, don't blink now, or you'll miss a very exciting scene."

Yamada Tsuneta rode a snow-white Japanese horse. After observing through his binoculars, he found no trace of Chinese troops in Shipai Town.

Just as he was about to order his troops to surround Shipai Town and launch an attack, he suddenly saw a Kuomintang flag flying on the top of the town's church.

Yamada Tsuneta then changed his mind and decided to conduct a reconnaissance mission first.

"Order the artillery to aim at the top of the church and fire, and shoot down the Chinese military flag."

"Whoosh... Boom..."

The Japanese first fired a Type 92 infantry gun shell as a test firing.

The shell landed and exploded on the left side of the church.

After calibration, the Japanese fired two shells this time.

"Whoosh... Boom..."

Both shells hit the roof of the church, blasting two large holes in it, but the military flag still flew there.

"Damn it! Three shells couldn't even take down the Chinese flag. This is a disgrace to the Imperial Army. Order the artillery to take it down this time."

After being reprimanded by the regimental commander, the Japanese artillery company commander, in a moment of desperation, lined up six Type 92 infantry guns.

If they still couldn't hit the target, the Japanese company commander prepared to bring up all four Type 41 mountain guns and four rapid-fire guns.

Fortunately, this time, two out of the six shells hit the target, the flagpole was blown off, and the flag slid off the roof to the ground.

Seeing that the town remained completely still after several rounds of shelling, and that the enemy showed no reaction even when their military flag was blown up.

Yamada Tsuneta's first thought was, "Has the Chinese army already fled?"

To test his idea, Yamada Taro drew his sword and gave a loud command.

"Charge! All forces attack! Capture Shipai Town and annihilate the Chinese army!"

More than three thousand Japanese soldiers, like a tidal wave, launched an attack on Shipai Town from all directions.

Xie Qiang kept a close eye on Long Fei's hand gestures. Once the order was given, he would have five detonators immediately detonate the five napalm bombs.

Seeing that all the Japanese soldiers had successfully entered Shipai Town, Long Fei raised his right hand and then quickly lowered it.

Upon seeing this, Xu Peng immediately shouted to the detonator beside him.

"Detonate."