Chapter 148: Zhao Sanqiang

The regiment commander's personal leadership and Zhao Sanqiang's words made the blood of every soldier in the First Regiment surge with passion.

Just as Zhao Sanqiang said, if even a high-ranking officer like the regiment commander was fighting side by side with them and risking his life against the Japanese devils, what did these poor wretches have to fear?

"The worst that can happen is death, and eighteen years from now, I'll be a hero again! If I can drag a Japanese devil down with me before I die, I won't be lonely on the road to the netherworld!" shouted a soldier who was fiercely engaged in combat.

Hearing this, the soldiers in the thick of the melee burst into loud laughter.

Judging by their demeanor, even amidst the brutal and bloody combat, they still had the heart to joke. Coupled with the desperate, life-for-life style of their attacks, it was clear they had completely resolved to die!

With the battle having reached this point, what was left to fear?

The worst it could get was a scar the size of a bowl!

Dead is dead, and after death comes eternity!

Weren't those Japanese devils crazy? Then we will be even crazier than them! If we fight, we will fight until the Japanese devils are terrified of us! We will make them tremble with fear and their hearts turn cold at the mere thought of us!

The strong fear the fierce, and the fierce fear those who care nothing for their lives—this was the exact description of the First Regiment's soldiers!

Under the relentless and frenzied assault of the soldiers, even the already unhinged Japanese devils began to feel a chill in their hearts.

Had reinforcements not been arriving in a steady stream, these terror-stricken devils would likely have wanted to fall back and retreat long ago!

"Charge! Kill these Chinese, leave none alive!"

The battalion commander directed the endless stream of Japanese soldiers as they continually pressed their attack along the streets held by the First Regiment's soldiers.

At this moment, the battalion commander's face remained expressionless, but deep inside, his heart was gripped by a creeping dread.

From his vantage point, the battalion commander could clearly survey all the targets across the street.

Precisely because of this, he could clearly see what kind of enemy they were facing!

This was a group of utterly crazed, death-defying enemies!

The mere thought of these enemies' actions made the battalion commander's skin crawl!

Have you ever witnessed soldiers who, even with two bayonets simultaneously piercing their bodies, still desperately press forward—willing to have their flesh run through just to get close to a Japanese devil, if only to take one vicious bite out of him?

Have you ever witnessed a soldier whose intestines had already been spilled out by a bayonet, yet still cling to the thigh of an imperial soldier with a death grip, refusing to let go, allowing only another soldier the chance to finish him off?

Have you ever witnessed a soldier whose legs had been severed, yet still crawl forward to bite into the thigh of an imperial soldier without letting go, even after his own lower jaw had been hacked away?

……

These sights, the battalion commander had seen before!

Yet he had never seen so many men act this way within a single unit!

These were a bunch of madmen!

They were a group of crazed fanatics! Madmen who would rip a chunk of flesh from their enemy's body even in death!

Fighting against such opponents was simply too terrifying!

A cold sweat broke out across the battalion commander's back, and a chill surged from the soles of his feet, leaving his hands and feet somewhat numb. This horrifying spectacle made the battalion commander want to turn around and flee, never to face this horde of crazy Chinese soldiers again.

Yet, this was still an active battlefield!

He could not possibly leave without annihilating the enemy!

Therefore, the battalion commander could only endure the psychological torment while feigning absolute calm, continuing to direct his soldiers' assault!

Because Japanese reinforcements continued to arrive, the defending soldiers of the First Regiment, despite their desperate counterattacks, were ultimately outnumbered. Their casualties mounted, and they were gradually reaching their breaking point!

"Kill!"

Zhao Sanqiang lunged back and forth among the Japanese devils, relentlessly hacking and slashing at them. Close behind him was a young soldier who held his bayonet leveled, tightly guarding Zhao Sanqiang's flank.

When Zhao Sanqiang swiftly cut down two Japanese soldiers, an overwhelming aura of murderous intent radiated from his entire body, momentarily suppressing the surrounding devils. They shrank back, not daring to advance, and instead formed a ring with their rifles, gazing at Zhao Sanqiang with a trace of dread in their eyes.

"Listen up, kid, take a good look! This is what the Japanese devils are like! They bully the weak and fear the strong! Powerful as they are, the moment you show the courage to risk your life, the Japanese devils will turn coward! But if you show fear, the Japanese devils will ride roughshod over you without restraint. Kid, do you understand?"

Having fought his way through the ranks and slain over a dozen Japanese devils, Zhao Sanqiang radiated an indominable, towering heroism that cowed the enemy. Surveying the circle around him, he could not help but laugh heartily as he spoke in a booming voice to the young soldier beside him.

Though surrounded by the Japanese devils, Zhao Sanqiang showed not a shred of fear, his heroic spirit soaring as he cast his gaze about.

The young soldier beside him looked at Zhao Sanqiang with an expression filled with envy and awe.

In his eyes, Zhao Sanqiang at this moment resembled an unrivaled god of slaughter. If he had to compare him to someone, it would be none other than Zhang Fei, roaring in defiance at the Dangyang Bridge, whom he had heard about from the storytelling artists before he joined the army!

"Uncle Zhao, I understand! Look, these Japanese devils are terrified just because you're so fierce, they don't even dare to come forward!" the young soldier said.

"Haha, exactly!" Zhao Sanqiang laughed heartily, completely devoid of any sign of fear!

Glancing at the surrounding Japanese devils, Zhao Sanqiang patted the young soldier's shoulder and said in a deep voice, "Kid, your Uncle Zhao is going to teach you one final lesson! Even though we are surrounded by the Japanese devils, and even though there is no hope of survival, right up until the moment of death, we must display the backbone and courage of Chinese soldiers!"

"United in resolve, we march together against the national crisis. Until our blood runs dry, we will never cease the fight! Do you understand?" Zhao Sanqiang said solemnly.

"Don't worry, Uncle Zhao, I'm no coward!" The young soldier's name was Chu Wen. He had a fair and clean-cut appearance, looked to be only sixteen or seventeen years old, and seemed rather frail. Yet as he spoke those words, his expression was filled with unwavering resolve!

"Good! Your Uncle Zhao didn't misjudge you. I knew you weren't a spineless dog!" With that, Zhao Sanqiang cast a contemptuous glance at the surrounding Japanese devils and sneered, "Kid, how about walking through the gates of the netherworld with your Uncle Zhao today?"

Chu Wen did not speak; he merely nodded with solemn gravity.

Perhaps provoked by Zhao Sanqiang's disdainful gaze, the Japanese soldiers flared with rage. Under the command of a sergeant, more than a dozen devils charged forward all at once.

Formidable as Zhao Sanqiang was, he had expended a vast amount of energy cutting down numerous enemies during the fierce melee. By this point, he was already at the end of his tether and could not hold out much longer. After trading blows to take down four or five more devils by trading injury for injury, his strength finally failed him, and the Japanese soldiers seized their opening.

"Charge!"

Five Japanese soldiers simultaneously shouted as they drove their bayonets deep into Zhao Sanqiang's abdomen. Zhao Sanqiang spat out a massive mouthful of fresh blood, gripped the blades embedded in his stomach with both hands, and pulled his blood-stained mouth—clotted with fragments of his own vitals—into a wide, fierce grin. He swept his gaze across the ring of surrounding Japanese devils and chuckled with supreme contempt: "Damn it all, I've taken plenty with me before the end! Japanese devils, come accompany your grandfather to the grave!"

With that, he defiantly reached out with his free hand, pulled a grenade from his belt, and savagely ripped the pin out with his teeth.

Hiss... hiss...

The grenade fuse began to burn. At this sight, terror flashed in the eyes of the surrounding Japanese devils, and instinctively they tried to wrench their bayonets free and scatter. But the bayonets were locked in Zhao Sanqiang's iron grip; escape was impossible!

"Kid, let me teach you one last lesson. Remember this: we sons of China die standing on our feet! Hahaha..."

Amidst wild, unbridled laughter, a deafening explosion rent the air. A blinding sheet of flame instantly engulfed Zhao Sanqiang and the surrounding Japanese soldiers who had failed to escape in time!