34: Chapter 34 Li Yunlong was stunned!!

"Do... do a big job?"

Li Yunlong swallowed hard.

Truth be told, this blockhead really wanted to know just how big of a job Shen Wang intended to do.

"Mr. Shen, do you mean... hitting two more strongholds?"

"That's not impossible... We're strong and well-equipped now; taking down two strongholds shouldn't be a problem."

Unexpectedly, Shen Wang smiled again.

"It's not just hitting two more."

"Then what is it?" Li Yunlong's face was full of confusion.

Shen Wang spoke slowly: "I want to... pull out all of these strongholds!"

"What?"

As soon as Shen Wang finished speaking, Li Yunlong was shocked.

He thought he was bold enough, but he never expected that Mr. Shen opposite him was even bolder!

He actually wanted to wipe out all the strongholds!

"Mr... Mr. Shen, it's not that I, Li, am cowardly, but there are simply too many strongholds around here—dozens of them, big and small. The number of Japanese soldiers is almost enough to equal a regiment."

A single stronghold has at least a few dozen Japanese soldiers, and up to a hundred, plus Puppet Army.

With dozens of strongholds added together, the number is only more than a Japanese regiment, not less!

Don't look at the fact that Li Yunlong took out Regiment Commander Sakata; it is precisely because of that, he knows how hard it is to fight a Japanese regiment.

Last time, it was the entire New First Regiment, and it just so happened that they encountered the command post of the Sakata Regiment, which is how they blew Sakata to death.

But now, he only has a Cavalry Company in his hand.

To go head-to-head with a Japanese regiment, isn't that just seeking death?

Li Yunlong looked serious: "Mr. Shen, I have to be responsible for the brothers under my command!"

If it were attacking one or two strongholds, Li Yunlong would dare to give it a try.

But pulling out dozens of strongholds is a completely different matter!

Not to mention anything else, just consider the casualties.

Even if taking out one stronghold costs ten casualties, he can only afford that three times at most!

Any more, and the Cavalry Company would be gone!

Besides, would the casualties really only be ten?

Wiping out a stronghold with over a hundred beasts, and only suffering ten casualties—what does that mean?

It means that he, Li, would have achieved a casualty ratio of one to ten!

This is only because he holds the new weapons given by Shen Wang; otherwise, Li Yunlong wouldn't even dare to dream of such a thing.

Opposite him, Shen Wang nodded, indicating his understanding.

This is what a qualified commander should be like.

He thought for a moment and said: "How about this, Regiment Commander Li, let's hit one stronghold first, and then decide on the next steps based on the casualties, how about that?"

Li Yunlong thought for a moment and then nodded heavily: "Alright, let's do as Mr. Shen says!"

Fight and see.

If the casualties are low, we'll hit a few more; if the casualties are high, we'll retreat immediately.

This also aligns with the consistent guerrilla philosophy of the Eighth Route Army.

Actually, when it comes down to it, Li Yunlong still felt obligated since he had accepted the gifts.

This is the hinterland of North China, surrounded by Japanese soldiers!

Even attacking one stronghold could potentially attract a whole swarm!

But Shen Wang gave way too much!

80 submachine guns, 10 light machine guns, 10 40mm rocket launchers, and tens of thousands of rounds of ammunition...

If he didn't even dare to attack a single stronghold, Li Yunlong would have no face to see anyone in the future!

An agreement was reached, and the operation began immediately.

Although the Cavalry Company had traveled a long distance, after this period of rest, they had recovered quite well.

They had also become familiar with the weapons they had just received.

"Attention everyone! Check your equipment, prepare to depart!" Li Yunlong swung onto his horse.

"Target, Xiao Wang Zhuang Stronghold! Everyone, perk up for me, and let Mr. Shen see that the soldiers of our Independent Regiment are not cowards!"

"Yes!"

The soldiers shouted excitedly.

To be honest, without fighting a beautiful battle, they would be embarrassed to take these new weapons.

The unit was quickly assembled.

The 99A paved the way, and the Cavalry Company followed closely behind.

What infantry-tank coordination? This was direct cavalry-tank coordination!

Under Wang Fugui's guidance, the unit moved quickly along the small road, silently approaching the Xiao Wang Zhuang Stronghold.

Before long, the Xiao Wang Zhuang Stronghold appeared in their field of vision.

Looking from afar, the entire stronghold looked like a steel hedgehog crouching on the ground.

Four artillery towers stood tall, forming a crossfire field of vision between them.

Between the towers and on the perimeter were dense sandbag fortifications, bunkers, and trenches.

Li Yunlong raised his binoculars to carefully observe the stronghold's defensive layout, and his expression couldn't help but become serious.

"Damn it, the little Japanese have built this place like an iron bucket!" He cursed in a low voice.

"Although the cavalry is fast, they'll be blind once they charge to these trenches and barbed wire!"

"Once the speed slows down, those Type 11 light machine guns in the towers aren't for show! Even with the new gear Mr. Shen gave us, a frontal assault would likely result in heavy casualties..."

This battle would not be easy to fight!

To be honest, if the strongholds were easy to take, they would have already been taken out by the Eighth Route Army.

There are only about a hundred Japanese soldiers in a stronghold; can't a whole regiment take it down?

But the reality is that without heavy firepower support, a regiment really can't take down a small stronghold.

Unless they spare nothing and pay a heavy price in casualties!

But the problem is, in all of North China, there are probably hundreds or thousands of strongholds, big and small; how can they afford to pay such a price?

Inside the 99A tank, Shen Wang had already seen the situation of the stronghold clearly through the observation and aiming system.

These strongholds were indeed armed to the teeth, but in front of the 99A, they were nothing.

He picked up the walkie-talkie and asked: "Regiment Commander Li, target confirmed! Is your unit ready? Over."

Previously, Shen Wang had drawn communication equipment for a reconnaissance company, including 20 old-fashioned SCR-536 walkie-talkies; he had given one to Li Yunlong for communication at any time.

Li Yunlong's voice immediately came from the walkie-talkie: "Mr. Shen, the Cavalry Company is ready! We are just waiting for your order! Over!"

The arrow is on the string, it must be fired!

"Received. I will clear the perimeter, you prepare to assault. Over."

Shen Wang put down the walkie-talkie, his eyes sharpened, and he instantly entered combat mode.

The next second, under the stunned gaze of Li Yunlong and all the Cavalry Company soldiers, the 99A opened fire!

Why were they stunned?

Because it fired too fast!

In just the blink of an eye, the 99A fired 4 shots in succession!

It was faster than the firing rate of the damn type 38 arisaka rifle!

"Boom!!!" A deafening explosion suddenly erupted!

Immediately after, an artillery tower was blown to pieces!

Then— "Boom!!!" "Boom!!!" "Boom!!!"

The second! The third! The fourth!

In less than a minute, those four artillery towers, which Li Yunlong regarded as the biggest threat and which would require a huge price to remove, collapsed one by one right before their eyes!

Faintly, one could still hear the screams of the Japanese soldiers inside.

This wasn't over yet!

The 99A's gun barrel turned slightly again.

This time, it was aimed at the defensive fortifications in front of the stronghold gate.

"Boom!!!"

Any barbed wire or sandbags were directly blown to pieces!

The stronghold gate was blown open with a huge gap.

...Silence! Deathly silence!

Everyone in the Cavalry Company, including Li Yunlong, was petrified.

The biggest problem plaguing Li Yunlong, that sturdy defensive line that would require a huge price to break through, was... solved in just this one minute?

Li Yunlong's mouth hung open, feeling that his worldview had been overturned.

He had fought many battles and seen the Japanese mountain guns and field guns, but where was there anything like this?

This power, this rate of fire, this accuracy... damn it, it's ten times more terrifying than those precious 105mm Howitzers in the division!

Just at this moment, Shen Wang's voice came from the walkie-talkie again.

"Regiment Commander Li, the perimeter obstacles have been cleared! Now, it's up to you..."