Industry began in 1937

The bloodshed and brutality of the Nanshan blocking battle far exceeded the expectations of Colonel Ebina Eiichi, commander of the 132nd Regiment of the Japanese Army.

The piles of Imperial Army corpses on the hillside, the large amount of ammunition consumed, and the undisguised fatigue and low morale of the troops were like buckets of ice water poured over his forehead, which was burning with anger and frustration.

The preliminary casualty statistics were delivered to him, and the cold numbers made his eyes twitch: 127 dead, 89 seriously wounded and incapacitated, and more than 200 with minor injuries requiring simple treatment.

This is only the cost of one day's frontal assault on the main Nanshan position, not including the losses from ambushes, harassment, and small-scale flanking maneuvers encountered along the way.

For a fully equipped regiment of about 3800 men, such a casualty rate is alarming, especially considering that a considerable number of the dead and seriously wounded were sergeants, corporals, and even a company commander. This has a profound impact on the morale and combat effectiveness of the troops.

His original plan for a "thunderous sweep" backfired spectacularly in the face of this seemingly barren mountainous terrain.

Especially that group of Eighth Route Army soldiers who were poorly equipped but exceptionally tenacious.

The grenades they used were far more powerful than usual, with an unusually dense density of shrapnel that caused horrific casualties to the charging formation.

Their bayonets were also unusually long and sturdy, causing considerable losses to the well-trained Imperial Army soldiers in close combat.

Not to mention the guerrilla raids that appeared out of nowhere and targeted transport teams, keeping his logistics line constantly under strain and suffering losses.

Just as Eiichi Ebina was suppressing his anger and ordering his troops to rest briefly, gather the wounded, replenish ammunition, and prepare to adjust tactics for a more ferocious attack after dawn, even at the cost of deploying more reserves and poison gas, several urgent telegrams that arrived almost simultaneously plunged him into despair.

The first report came from the Southern Route: "Our unit suffered heavy casualties and was fiercely resisted and ambushed by the main force of the Eighth Route Army in places such as Yuanzhuang River and Tiger Ridge. The terrain was extremely unfavorable, making progress difficult. In accordance with the previous instructions of the brigade headquarters, we have now temporarily retreated and constructed positions along the Songjiazhuang line to serve as a diversionary force, while waiting for an opportunity to make contact with your unit."

"Baka!" Eiichi Ebina nearly tore the telegram to shreds.

"Temporarily retreat"? This is clearly a setback in the attack, forcing a shift to defense! What "waiting for an opportunity to contact"? The southern troops are actually no longer able to provide effective support and coordination, and the plan to attack from both sides has completely failed.

He is now a lone force, increasingly bogged down in the mountains where the enemy situation is unclear.

The second telegram, which sent even greater alarm to him, came from the rear guard and flank reconnaissance units: "Since evening, my rear guard and flank reconnaissance teams have been frequently harassed by small groups of Eighth Route Army soldiers and local armed forces."

The attacks mostly occurred after dusk, taking advantage of the darkness and complex terrain to target our patrols, sentries, and rear supply points with sniper rifles, grenades, and landmines.

The enemy's numbers are unknown, but they are actively engaged in combat, familiar with the terrain, and have inflicted continuous sporadic casualties and material losses on our side, severely disrupting our troop rest and vigilance.

"Another harassment! It's never going to end!" Ebina felt a surge of irritation and a vague unease.

This is no longer just the previous delaying tactic. It is a weakened moment when his main force has suffered setbacks and the attack has been suspended. The opponent is actively expanding contact, testing the strength of the enemy, and may even be preparing for a bigger move.

How many of these "small enemy forces" are there?

Were they troops dispatched by the main force of the Eighth Route Army? Or were they local armed forces that had been scattered and then regrouped?

What are they trying to do? Cut off their own escape route?

The most crucial piece of intelligence was the third report, a vague summary from the regimental intelligence department and radio surveillance: "Based on the analysis of the density of sporadic gunfire, the location of brief breaks in radio silence, and corroboration of the confessions of captured civilians, it cannot be ruled out that other units of the Eighth Route Army are maneuvering towards Mazhaihe and Jiangshui. Their scale and intentions cannot yet be accurately determined."

"Other units of the Eighth Route Army?" Eiichi Ebina frowned deeply.

Are they other main regiments of the 129th Division?

Or were the troops drawn from other base areas?

If the main force of the Eighth Route Army is indeed gathering in this area, intending to encircle or annihilate his isolated army, which has already fought a bitter day, suffered heavy casualties, and is in dire need of supplies... the consequences would be unimaginable!

Given the current state of his troops and the unfavorable terrain they are in, if they are caught by the superior main force of the Eighth Route Army, even if they manage to break through, they will inevitably suffer heavy losses, and may even...

He dared not think any further.

As a mid-level commander, he knew that the "Imperial Army" was not truly invincible on the Chinese battlefield, having previously suffered losses from the Eighth Route Army's encirclement and annihilation campaigns on other battlefields.

The desire to win and the pride of "Imperial Army prestige" began to waver in the face of the risk of total annihilation.

"Commander-in-Chief," the staff officer said cautiously, looking at Ebina, whose expression was constantly changing.

"Should we proceed with the planned dawn attack? The artillery has already recalibrated its firing data..."

Eiichi Ebina did not answer immediately.

He walked to the unfolded map, his gaze sweeping darkly over the receding arrow representing the southern route, then over his own troops, isolated beside the glaring marker "Nanshan," and behind them the "harassment zone" marked with dotted lines, representing an unknown threat.

The mountain wind was exceptionally cold at night, seeping in through the gaps in the command post, making him shiver.

This chill seems to come from more than just the weather.

"No," he said slowly, his voice carrying a stiffness born of deliberate suppression.

"The original plan is cancelled. All units are ordered to strengthen vigilance, especially the rearguard and flanks, to guard against enemy night attacks or larger-scale infiltrations. All wounded soldiers are to be taken in, and ammunition reserves, especially infantry artillery shells and machine gun bullets, are to be tallied."

The brigade and regimental headquarters and the Xingtai garrison were informed in detail of the current situation of our army, the unusual activities of the enemy, and the risk of being encircled by the main force of the Eighth Route Army. Tactical guidance was requested, and... it was suggested that, in order to preserve the manpower of the Imperial Army and avoid unnecessary losses, we should temporarily disengage and move to a more favorable terrain to devise a further strategy.

His wording was cautious, using terms like "disengagement," "retreat," and "planning for the future," but the core meaning was clear: the battle could not continue like this, and preparations had to be made to withdraw.

Many old Japanese soldiers may appear extremely fierce on the outside, but when faced with difficulties, they often shrink back faster than anyone else.

Eiichi Ebina is an example of this.

He emphasized the risk of "possible encirclement," which was both a reason for retreat and perhaps a reflection of his true inner fear.

After the telegram was sent, there was a long wait.

Eiichi Ebina paced anxiously in the command post. The sound of the wind outside, the occasional sniper shots, and the groans of wounded soldiers made his heart pound.

He could almost feel countless eyes watching his troops in the darkness, those "peasants" he had looked down upon sharpening their knives.

Several hours later, a reply finally came from Xingtai.

The brigade headquarters spoke with obvious dissatisfaction and reprimand, criticizing him for his slow progress and failure to destroy the "puppet regime" in one fell swoop. However, in the end, "based on the current complex enemy situation and to avoid the troops from advancing too far and falling into an unfavorable situation," they "agreed" that his troops "should retreat as appropriate, make contact with the southern troops, and reorganize the battle line."

The Xingtai garrison also sent a telegram, claiming that "the Eighth Route Army's activities in the surrounding areas have intensified, and they may have bigger schemes," implying that he should not stay any longer.

Having received this "imperial sword," Ebina Eiichi felt somewhat relieved, but his face was burning with embarrassment.

This was tantamount to admitting the failure of his sweep. However, there was no time to worry about that now.

As dawn broke, the Japanese troops began their operation. Instead of fleeing in panic, they maintained a disciplined formation, with artillery advancing first, infantry providing alternating cover, and the wounded and vital supplies placed in the middle of the ranks.

In order to cover up their humiliating defeat and to make the pursuit as difficult as possible, the Japanese army systematically burned down several abandoned villages that they had occupied but were deserted along the way, and blew up several small bridges and dangerous sections of the road.

The movements were large, raising clouds of dust and appearing menacing, but in reality, they were accelerating their escape.

"Look! The Japanese are burning down houses! Run!" The Eighth Route Army observation post on the Nanshan position noticed the anomaly immediately.

"Damn it, you think you can just run away when you can't win? And you even set fires!" Battalion Commander Pan was furious about the atrocities committed by the Japanese invaders.

Now that the Japanese are gone, where will the people live?

However, he knew that after a day of bloody fighting, the troops had suffered heavy casualties, their ammunition was almost exhausted, and their combat effectiveness had reached its limit, making it impossible for them to launch a large-scale pursuit.

But he couldn't just let the Japanese soldiers leave so easily.

We'll send a company of troops to harass the Japanese from behind; we'll at least manage to take another bite out of them.

When the news reached Jiangshui, Zhang Xianyue, Zhou Huan, Gao Yang, and others felt both relieved and deeply saddened.

Thankfully, under extremely difficult circumstances, they withstood the first large-scale attack by the Japanese invaders and preserved the newly established anti-Japanese regime.

Tragically, this came at a great cost.

Further back in Gouzi Village, when the news came that "the Japanese devils have been driven back and are retreating towards Xingtai," Chen Yuan and Wen Shizhou, who were guarding the village entrance, gripping their Gouzi-made bayonets and broadswords, ready to live and die with the village, were stunned for a moment, and then burst into a long-suppressed sound mixed with tears and cheers.

"We held on! We held on!"

"Commander Pan and his men...are truly admirable!"

Chen Yuan let out a long sigh of relief, feeling his tense nerves suddenly relax, and he almost lost his balance.

He looked towards the direction of Nanshan Mountain. Although he could not see the smoke of battle, he could almost feel the bloodshed and heroic spirits that had once been there.

The Japanese troops retreated, but the war was far from over.

He knew that after this battle, the reputation of "Gouzizao" and the importance of "Gongyi Blacksmith Shop" would be further enhanced.

He turned and looked at the disguised entrance to the mine.

It's time to rekindle the fire.

This time, it will burn even more fiercely and with even greater determination.