Chapter 7: Encounter! Rescue the Prisoners! Just Get It Done!

The sudden sound of gunfire immediately put Li Yunlong on edge. However, the shots were as fleeting as they were sudden. Silence quickly reclaimed the surroundings. Li Yunlong furrowed his brow, staring in the direction of the noise, lost in thought.

"Commander, shall we move on, or should we go check out what's happening?" Zhang Dabiao, having heard the shots as well, couldn't help but ask.

After a brief moment of hesitation, Li Yunlong replied, "Let's go take a look." He turned to his officers. "Take the soldiers of the First Battalion and follow me. The Second and Third Battalions will remain here and maintain a perimeter."

"Yes, sir!" Shen Quan and Wang Huaibao immediately acknowledged the order.

Li Yunlong and Zhang Dabiao led the men of the First Battalion, moving swiftly toward the source of the gunfire. They soon reached a hillside, where their elevated position offered a clear view of the entire mountain pass below.

A detachment of over a hundred Japanese soldiers was marching, escorting five or six hundred prisoners of war. The captives’ hands were bound and chained together, severely limiting any chance of resistance. Nearby lay the bodies of two prisoners; it seemed the gunfire had been the result of the Japanese executing captives who attempted to escape. Judging by the uniforms, these prisoners were from the Central Army and the Shanxi-Suiyuan Army.

Seeing this, Zhang Dabiao became eager. "Commander, should we take a crack at them?" he asked. "There aren't many Japs—only a hundred or so. We could finish this quickly."

Li Yunlong’s eyebrows arched, and he made a swift decision. "If we’ve run into these bastards, then it’s their bad luck. Prepare for battle. Wipe out these damn Japanese."

At his command, the soldiers of the First Battalion surged with fighting spirit, raising their rifles to take aim at the Japanese in the valley.

"Hold your fire," Li Yunlong said, raising his own 98K sniper rifle and attaching the scope. "Wait until they get a little closer. When you hear my shot, that is the signal. Make sure every last one of these Japs is killed!"

The Japanese detachment’s route led them directly toward the hillside, granting Li Yunlong and his men a perfect ambush point. The soldiers held their fire, waiting for the final signal. Soon, the enemy reached the foot of the hill. Li Yunlong locked his sights on a Japanese major.

As the distance closed to the optimal point, Li Yunlong pulled the trigger.

*Bang.*

The crisp crack of the rifle echoed as the bullet tore through the air. In the blink of an eye, it traveled a hundred meters and struck the Japanese major squarely in the head. The officer collapsed, dead before he hit the ground.

At that exact moment, the soldiers of the First Battalion opened fire.

*Bang, bang, bang... Rat-tat-tat...*

The gunfire merged into a deafening roar. Caught completely off guard, the Japanese soldiers were mowed down, falling one after another into pools of blood. The survivors panicked, scrambling for cover. Some, in their desperation, simply threw themselves flat on the ground, only to be picked off easily from above.

The prisoner escort had descended into complete chaos. The Japanese ran in every direction, trying to return fire, no longer caring about the captives. The New First Regiment soldiers were careful to avoid hitting the prisoners, focusing their fire exclusively on the enemy.

The battle was in full swing. To their credit, the Japanese were not cowards; despite the dire situation, several dozen soldiers managed to organize a counterattack, using the terrain to fire back at the hillside. However, the New First Regiment held the high ground, a decisive advantage. Even with the Japanese soldiers' superior equipment, they were overwhelmed. As more Japanese soldiers fell, the battle turned into a rout.

The prisoners, initially stunned, finally regained their senses. Seeing the Japanese distracted by the attackers on the hill, they acted quickly. Using a bayonet found on a fallen Japanese soldier, they cut through their bindings. A few prisoners broke free first, then began to help the others. Not every prisoner, however, had the courage to stay; while some remained to help their comrades, others immediately bolted and fled into the distance.

In a short time, the group of 400 prisoners had dwindled to about 300. These remaining men were the brave ones; once free, they began picking up discarded weapons or using the terrain to harass the Japanese, who were now completely overwhelmed.

Li Yunlong, while continuing to snipe enemy soldiers, kept a close watch on the situation below. Seeing the prisoners mounting their own counter-resistance, he took down one final Japanese soldier and gave the order: "First Battalion, charge! Wipe them all out—not a single one left alive!"

Following his command, the soldiers of the First Battalion charged down the hillside. With the prisoners distracting the enemy, the Japanese were unable to mount an effective defense. The outcome of the battle was sealed.

Ten minutes later, as Li Yunlong took down the last Japanese soldier, the skirmish came to an end. The prisoners finally realized that their rescuers were none other than the Eighth Route Army.

A Central Army officer stepped forward from the group, expressing his gratitude with sincerity. "Commander of the Eighth Route Army, thank you for coming to our aid and saving us from the clutches of these devils. If not for you, we would not know what horrific fate awaited us."

A Shanxi-Suiyuan Army officer also stepped forward. "Thank you for your assistance. We never expected to run into friendly forces here. Without your help, we would surely have been dragged off to a living hell of a prison camp. Once inside, we likely would never have made it out alive."

The prisoners showered Li Yunlong with thanks for saving their lives. However, Li Yunlong’s attention was suddenly drawn to a familiar figure amidst the ranks of the prisoners...