Chapter 120: A Fight to the Death, Without Retreat

"Machine gun cover, grenade launchers, forward!" the Japanese officer commanded sharply. Following his orders, the soldiers operating the Type 92 heavy machine gun opened fire frantically, successfully suppressing the defenders on the front line for a brief moment.

During this fleeting window, under the cover of the heavy machine gun, a squad of Japanese troops surged forward, delivering six grenade launchers to their designated positions. They swiftly set them up and dropped the grenades into the tubes.

*Thump, thump, thump…*
*Thud, thud, thud…*

The moment the grenade launchers fired, several dull reports echoed. Among the Japanese soldiers operating the six launchers, three were struck by a burst of incoming gunfire and fell dead, but the other three gunners successfully launched their grenades.

On the defensive line, Battalion Commander Zheng was directing his men in a counterattack when he heard the heavy, muffled thuds. With his extensive experience, he immediately understood they were Japanese grenade launchers. His face changed instantly, and he shouted, "Quick, machine gunners, take cover!"

However, his warning came too late.

*Boom!*

The instant Battalion Commander Zheng shouted, three grenades landed accurately on the forward position. The rising fire and the shrapnel from the explosions flipped seven or eight soldiers onto the ground, leaving them motionless. Two soldiers who had been operating a heavy machine gun were killed, and the Maxim heavy machine gun was destroyed alongside them. After the blast, the mangled remains of the gun lay amidst black smoke, completely shattered.

With the machine gun destroyed, the intense fire slackened. Seizing the opportunity, the Japanese soldiers charged toward the position.

Yet, at that very moment, another Maxim heavy machine gun remained intact. A soldier quickly stepped forward, vaulted over the bodies of his fallen comrades, and with a cold, determined expression, pulled the trigger, sweeping fire toward the advancing enemy.

*Rat-tat-tat-tat…*

The briefly interrupted machine gun fire erupted once more. Bullets raked across the field, and the attacking Japanese soldiers fell continuously, like leaves swept away by an autumn wind. The sound of bullets piercing flesh filled the air, accompanied by a chorus of agonizing screams. In an instant, a dozen Japanese soldiers were cut down. They seemed to have hit an invisible wall, unable to advance even an inch further.

The momentum of the Japanese assault was checked once again.

"Baka!" Not far away, Suekichi Fujii, who was overseeing the attack, saw this and cursed in a rage. "Continue the bombardment! Use whatever means necessary to destroy all the Chinese machine guns! I refuse to believe the Chinese have an endless supply of them!"

"Quickly, reload!" Hearing his regimental commander, the Japanese artillery squad leader urged his gunners to keep loading.

*Thud, thud, thud…*

The grenade launchers fired another three rounds, which landed on the defensive position and inflicted heavy casualties. The Japanese troops took advantage of this, pouring heavy fire onto the line, causing significant damage to the defenders and further weakening their counterattack.

The Battalion Commander looked left and right, noticing that the number of his men had dwindled drastically compared to before the Japanese assault began. His heart ached with pain. His battalion, originally at full strength with seven hundred men, was now reduced to fewer than two hundred. With over two-thirds lost, the battalion was little more than an empty shell.

Watching the Japanese charge the position again while his men offered only scattered, ineffective resistance, the commander grew anxious. He couldn't help but shout, "Brothers, hold the line! We must hold! Do not let them break through!"

The soldiers didn't respond, but they continued to fight silently, pouring whatever firepower they had left onto the Japanese. They had brought out every machine gun they possessed, even their grenade launchers and mortars, but by now, almost all the machine guns had been destroyed by the Japanese. Only two light machine guns remained, and not a single mortar or grenade launcher was left. To hold back an entire Japanese battalion with such meager firepower was nothing short of a pipe dream.

Just as the commander was in the depths of his anxiety, a soldier arrived with a few dozen men.

"Battalion Commander Zheng, I’ve brought reinforcements!"

Hearing this, the commander was overjoyed and looked toward the voice. However, seeing that it was only a few dozen men, his brow furrowed. "Why are there so few of you? Didn't you tell the Regiment Commander about our desperate situation?"

"Commander, it’s not the Regiment Commander’s fault; he has no extra men either!" the soldier explained, lying against the trench wall while firing at the Japanese. "The Japanese have committed all their strength, attacking from three directions. Every man in the regiment has been deployed, even the Regiment Commander’s guard platoon has been sent to the front! There are no reserves left!"

"The few dozen men I brought are the last of the regiment’s pistol platoon!" The soldier looked at the commander and shouted, "Commander, the Regiment Commander said he has given you all he has, but this position must be held. Without his order, you are to die on this ground if necessary!"

"Damn it!" Zheng Laoshi slammed his fist against a sandbag. "If that’s what the Regiment Commander says, what else is there to say? We fight to the death!"

"Go back and tell him: our First Battalion will hold this line and fight to the end! We will never let the Japanese break through!" Zheng Laoshi bellowed. "As long as our First Battalion stands, the Japanese will never pass through here!"

"Understood!" The soldier nodded. "Then take care, Battalion Commander Zheng. I have delivered the men; I must return to report to the Regiment Commander."

Without waiting for a reply, he hunched over and sprinted back through the trench.

"Damn it! Brothers, hold on! Don't let them through!" Battalion Commander Zheng brandished his rifle and shouted, "There is no enemy while I live, and no me while the enemy stands! We shall live and die with this position!"

"Live and die with the position!" the remaining soldiers echoed, fighting back with renewed fervor.

Under their desperate resistance, the Japanese faced increasingly fierce opposition the closer they got. When they reached within fifty or sixty meters of the line, they found themselves completely unable to advance any further.

Watching the position so close yet impossible to take, the commander of the Japanese 35th Regiment, Suekichi Fujii, wore a look of growing anxiety. "Baka! Charge! Move forward!"

"Regimental Commander, the Chinese have gone completely insane! Their fire is too intense. The Empire’s warriors have already suffered too many casualties reaching this distance. If we continue the assault, the losses will only mount further!" a battalion commander hesitated, frowning.

"Baka! I told you to keep charging, are you deaf?" Fujii’s eyes widened, and he said in a low, dangerous voice, "Command the men to advance! Do not count the cost! You must break through!"