Chapter 8: A Fortunate Stroke of Luck

With Deputy Regiment Commander Zhong Zhicheng "escorted" away, the scene immediately quieted down.

Li Yunlong turned to Xiaowuzi and said, "Xiaowuzi, you write the message. Make sure the letters are large enough for the puppet troops in Xiaowangzhuang to see clearly."

"Understood, Regiment Commander. What should I write?" Xiaowuzi, brush in hand, had already climbed a ladder to write directly onto the cliff face.

"Write: 'Surrender immediately, or we will blow up one pillbox every minute,'" Li Yunlong commanded.

"Yes, sir!" Xiaowuzi replied and began to write.

Once he finished, Li Yunlong looked at Wang Chengzhu. "Zhuzi, do you see that highest pillbox? Blow it to hell for me."

That tallest pillbox was the most heavily fortified point in Xiaowangzhuang. If it were destroyed, the psychological impact on the three hundred puppet soldiers would be immense.

"You got it!" Wang Chengzhu had been eager for this moment. As soon as the order was given, he adjusted the range on the mountain gun. Once set, he loaded a shell himself and gave the lanyard a firm pull.

Boom!

The Italian cannon roared, and the shell whistled toward Xiaowangzhuang.

Boom!

The shell struck a pillbox with precision, turning it into a pile of rubble instantly. Bricks flew in every direction as smoke and dust filled the air. The puppet soldiers inside were wiped out in one stroke. The power of the Italian cannon was truly well-deserved.

Seeing the pillbox demolished, the soldiers of the New First Regiment were thrilled.

"That was an incredible shot!"

"Indeed! We used to doubt this Wang Chengzhu was just here to mooch off us, thinking he wasn't a real artilleryman. It turns out we were wrong."

"Exactly, we misjudged him. With accuracy like that, he’s a master gunner!"

Li Yunlong, however, was annoyed. He kicked Wang Chengzhu in the backside. "Zhuzi, you idiot, you missed! I told you to hit the highest one, not the one next to it!"

"Regiment Commander, I'm a bit rusty, just a bit rusty. My apologies. I guarantee the next shell will hit the target." Wang Chengzhu, feeling embarrassed, quickly adjusted the range again. Just as he prepared to fire, Li Yunlong stopped him: "Don't rush. Wait a minute before firing again."

Although Wang Chengzhu had missed the main target, it wasn't a waste; the adjacent pillbox was also a key defensive point. More importantly, it confirmed that Wang Chengzhu could indeed handle the Italian cannon, which put Li Yunlong’s mind at ease.

In Xiaowangzhuang, the puppet soldiers were busy sleeping, gambling, or patrolling. The sudden explosion that shattered the pillbox left all three hundred of them stunned. Looking at the smoke and dust rising from the ruins, they were bewildered.

"What is happening?"

"That was a heavy weapon to blast a pillbox like that."

"Could it be Chiang’s elite troops?"

"Quick! Get ready to engage the enemy! Immediately!"

The highest-ranking officer in Xiaowangzhuang, a puppet battalion commander, had been sleeping when the shelling began. Startled, he rushed out, saw the ruined pillbox, and roared, "Find the enemy's position! Everyone to battle stations! Fire at will if you spot them!"

"Battalion Commander, look at the cliff," his adjutant said, pointing with a solemn expression.

The battalion commander looked toward the cliff and saw the message: "Surrender immediately, or we will blow up one pillbox every minute." He also spotted the Italian cannon and the Eighth Route Army soldiers standing beside it.

The commander was baffled. "What is this? They look like the 'Dirt Eighth Route.' How could they have heavy artillery like a mountain gun?"

"Commander, these Eighth Route soldiers are too cunning. Their mountain gun is out of our mortar range; they are clearly trying to bully us with their superior reach," the adjutant noted.

"Hmph," the battalion commander sneered. "Don't worry. Never mind how these peasants got their hands on a mountain gun. The fact that they are playing these psychological tricks proves one thing."

The adjutant immediately understood. "You're right, Commander. They probably only have one shell left."

"Pass the word down: don't be afraid. It's just a psychological tactic," the commander sneered again. "And tell them, no one is to sortie without my orders. Watch out for an ambush."

As long as they stayed inside the remaining pillboxes, the Eighth Route Army—lacking sufficient ammunition—could do nothing.

"Yes, sir!" The adjutant went to relay the orders. Hearing this, the morale of the puppet soldiers stabilized, and some began to jeer.

"I thought it was Chiang's elite, but it's just the Eighth Route."

"They probably stole that mountain gun from somewhere. They're quite greedy to think they can take Xiaowangzhuang with that."

"The Commander is right. If they had plenty of shells, they would have attacked directly instead of playing these games."

"Exactly. Maybe they only had one shell. Let's just watch; in a minute, they'll slink away in shame."

A minute passed quickly, but there was no sign of surrender. Li Yunlong could easily guess what the puppet troops were thinking: they were gambling that he had run out of ammunition.

"Zhuzi, fire another shell," Li Yunlong ordered.

"Yes, sir!" Wang Chengzhu replied. The range was already set, and the shell was loaded. He pulled the lanyard again.

Boom!

The second shell struck another pillbox with precision. The soldiers of the New First Regiment were once again in awe.

"Another hit! This Wang Chengzhu is incredible!"

"Not a single shell wasted. The Regiment Commander feeds him well, so he's a bit chubby, but he's certainly not a waste of rations!"

"We'd better be polite to him from now on."

"Indeed, we must. He’s our regiment’s artillery support!"

Li Yunlong, however, was annoyed again. He glared at Wang Chengzhu. "Zhuzi, you idiot, you missed again!"

The highest pillbox was still standing, completely unharmed. Wang Chengzhu had hit the wrong target once more.

"Regiment Commander, there seems to be a problem with the sight. The Japanese must have tampered with it. Let me recalibrate it. If I miss the third one, I’ll give up my share of sweet potato liquor!" Wang Chengzhu realized the issue and began to recalibrate.

"Hurry up and fix it!" Li Yunlong cursed. "You can't keep hitting the wrong targets by accident. If we need fire support on the battlefield later and you end up dropping a shell on my head, I'll have been sent to the afterlife by you for nothing!"

"Regiment Commander, I promise the third shot won't miss!" Wang Chengzhu vowed.