Chapter 9: A Surprising Encounter in the Town’s Offensive, Part 2

Near noon, Zhang Yun and his party arrived in the vicinity of Yujiakou Town. The group of over 50 men concealed themselves in a forest less than 2 kilometers from the town.

They had spent the entire morning trekking over 30 kilometers of mountain roads. While the veterans remained composed, the new recruits appeared visibly exhausted. Recognizing that the new soldiers were in poor condition and not yet ready for combat, Zhang Yun ordered the three squad leaders to organize a rest and lunch break. Building a fire was out of the question so close to the town, but fortunately, everyone had brought plenty of water and rations, so it did not pose a significant issue.

After a quick meal, Zhang Yun, guided by the scout Old Zhang, took Deputy Platoon Leader Liu Changqing and several veterans forward to conduct a close-range reconnaissance of the town.

Lacking binoculars, they had to get quite close. The town was eerily quiet. A defensive outpost made of sandbags had been set up at the entrance of the main street, where three or four bandits were smoking and playing cards, paying no attention to their surroundings.

A few locals who appeared to be farmers passed by and were actually forced to pay a "gate fee" into the bandits' collection basket right at the town entrance.

What surprised Zhang Yun most was that a ZB vz. 26 light machine gun was ostentatiously displayed at the outpost. Among the gambling bandits, one was wearing a Northeast Army uniform, while the others were in civilian clothes, their rifles slung haphazardly—the quintessential look of bandits.

"Looks like there are remnants of the Northeast Army in town," Liu Changqing remarked, recognizing the uniform. The veteran Red Army soldiers had clashed with the Northeast Army during the Long March and had always envied their equipment, though their combat effectiveness was another matter entirely.

"Mhm," Zhang Yun nodded slightly without responding, his eyes scanning deeper into the town. Bandits and the occasional figure in a Northeast Army uniform moved about, but none showed any sign of alertness. It was nearly noon, a time when the streets should have been bustling, yet there were hardly any civilians to be seen; they had likely either fled or were hiding in their homes, terrified to venture out—a testament to the severity of the bandits' tyranny.

The town was small. Near the main street, in front of the most opulent courtyard, several guards were stationed. This was clearly the bandits' headquarters, where their leader, Liu Sandao, was likely holed up. A nearby courtyard, where bandits were seen coming and going, was presumably the barracks.

Having assessed the situation, Zhang Yun formulated a plan. He patted his deputy and Old Zhang on the shoulder, and they carefully withdrew, taking a detour to regroup with the main force.

***

Back at the resting point, Zhang Yun found several soldiers keeping watch, while the others had finished eating and were maintaining their rifles, all appearing ready for action. Zhang Yun nodded and convened a meeting with the deputy platoon leader, the squad leaders, and the scouts.

Using his bayonet to sketch a map on the ground, Zhang Yun marked the positions of the outpost, the barracks, and the headquarters. Liu Changqing briefed the squad leaders on the situation. Upon hearing how lax the enemy's security was, they were all pleasantly surprised.

"Changqing, take two marksmen and set up a sniper position where we were earlier. Focus on picking off the bandit leaders to prevent them from organizing a defense," Zhang Yun ordered. "Old Zhang, take three veterans with pistols and bayonets. Pose as villagers and infiltrate the outpost. Try not to use your guns."

"The rest of you, advance under cover. Once Old Zhang and his team succeed, the first squad will charge the headquarters, while the second and third squads move directly to the barracks to seal off the exits."

"The machine gun team will accompany the first squad to support the assault on the headquarters. Second squad leader, I recall you know how to operate the ZB vz. 26. Once the outpost is down, take that machine gun and use it to pin down the barracks. Be careful; if they have a machine gun at the gate, they likely have them at the barracks and headquarters too. Don't get caught in crossfire. We have plenty of grenades—don't be stingy. Use them on the headquarters and barracks first, then charge in to disarm them. Kill anyone who refuses to surrender."

"The core of this operation depends on two things: Old Zhang taking the outpost, and our speed. If we are fast enough to prevent them from organizing, we can keep our casualties low. Deputy, do you have anything to add?"

"The plan is sound," Liu Changqing replied. "But I suggest two men are enough for the sniper post. I’ll go with Old Zhang; after clearing the outpost, I’ll lead the assault on the headquarters. The new recruits might not be used to room-to-room fighting, so I’ll take the lead."

"Understood. Move out!" Zhang Yun commanded.

Within moments, the soldiers understood their roles. The three squads moved along three different paths, creeping toward the town entrance. Liu Changqing and the four scouts donned civilian clothes, clutching a few banknotes as if to pay the gate fee, and shuffled slowly toward the outpost. The gambling bandits glanced at them briefly before returning to their game, never suspecting that death stood before them.

Watching from behind, Zhang Yun's heart pounded. The success of the entire operation hinged on the scouts. If a shot rang out at the outpost, they would be forced into a frontal assault. He was confident in his men, but excessive casualties were a risk he couldn't afford.

***

Fortunately, the expertise of the veteran Red Army soldiers was reliable. Having employed similar tactics many times during the Long March, they were highly skilled. In a flash of movement, the gambling bandits were grabbed by the scouts and dispatched with bayonets to the chest or throat. They fell before they could even react. Old Zhang gave the signal: success.

Zhang Yun felt a surge of relief. Seeing the signal, the three squads of over 50 men rose and charged into the town, the machine gun team following closely with their "Type 11" light machine gun.

The streets were nearly empty. By the time the soldiers neared the headquarters, the local bandits finally realized something was wrong. "Who goes there? What are you doing?" they shouted, reaching for their rifles, but it was too late. "Pop-pop!" shots from the sniper position took down two, and the soldiers' rifles followed with a steady "thud-thud." The remaining bandits on the street and at the headquarters entrance were riddled with holes and collapsed instantly.

The soldiers did not hesitate. Liu Changqing led the charge, reaching the headquarters entrance and tossing in a grenade, followed by a second and a third. Old Zhang threw in two more. The machine gun team set up at the doorway and opened fire.

Inside, Liu Sandao and his men had heard the gunfire and were rushing to reinforce the entrance, only to be met by the rain of grenades and the sudden roar of the machine gun.

The bandits at the headquarters were decimated. The blast of domestic wooden-handled grenades and Japanese Type 97s turned the room into a slaughterhouse. Liu Sandao and several others were struck by dozens of shrapnel fragments and died instantly. The machine gun then delivered a rhythmic burst, silencing the few survivors who were crawling on the floor.

Only then did Liu Changqing and a dozen soldiers swarm in to clear the remaining pockets of resistance.

The situation at the barracks was even more straightforward. The bandits, having left their weapons piled together while they slept, were hit by a barrage of grenades followed by two volleys from the ZB vz. 26 and thirty rifles. Aside from the few who managed to surrender, the majority were killed or wounded by the initial explosions.