Chapter 0004: Temple Procession, Temple Procession

Liu Lang's brows and eyes relaxed and unfolded

The most elite special forces of the Republic have never relied on brute force to kill; the refined killing techniques honed through countless trials are far beyond what the soldiers of this era can aspire to

The Japanese soldiers were evidently quite pleased with the victories they had achieved during the daytime attack, laughing maniacally as they indiscriminately beat the silently advancing captives with their rifle butts. The captives, clearly resigned to their fate, allowed the Japanese soldiers to beat them without any intention of resistance, merely collapsing to the ground, writhing in pain and crying out in agony.

It is evident that the current attire of female soldiers in the Nationalist Army differs significantly from the elegant and graceful military flowers depicted in various films and television series of later generations, who are often portrayed wearing long leather boots.

Liu Lang squinted slightly; logically speaking, the place he chose was indeed well thought out. The terrain is relatively open, yet there is a crumbling wall nearby still sparking with embers, which not only allows him to use this terrain to evade bullets and shrapnel when he needs to escape, but also serves as a warning to passersby that this area has already been ravaged by shells several times, devoid of any living beings

Soon, Liu Lang realized that he had overthought the matter

As night fell, the once fiercely contested battlefield, filled with gunfire and chaos, was now enveloped in tranquility. Liu Lang lay quietly in the shell hole, gently moving his somewhat stiff limbs, pondering with a headache how to make a discreet escape

The battlefield terrain, battlefield survival, including psychology, have all been utilized, and I have been hiding for quite a while now, which is perfectly fine

Liu Lang silently gazed at the ruins before him, feeling an overwhelming sense of emotion within.

But this person is really unpredictable! Liu Lang suddenly felt a deep admiration; how could a mere Japanese sergeant be so impressive? How did our founding father lead the predecessors armed with just rifles and millet to resist these formidable figures equipped with planes and artillery for eight long years?

In this battle, the Chinese soldiers fought fiercely against the enemy for three days and nights, annihilating over 3,000 Japanese troops, resulting in the most severe defeat the Japanese army has faced since the First Sino-Japanese War. This battle also forced the arrogant Japanese high command to come to the negotiating table.

Being surrounded by tens of thousands of Japanese troops is certainly not a pleasant experience

The leading sergeant was even more pleased; after heavily stomping on the prisoner rolling at his feet, he looked around and his gaze settled on the position where Liu Lang was currently hiding

What, a dream? Going up against nearly 20,000 Japanese troops all alone, that is not realizing a dream, that is definitely sleepwalking. Liu Lang is not that reckless yet

However, after today, it will be remembered in history

Rather than saying that the National Revolutionary Army fought to a standstill against the arrogant and overbearing Japanese army throughout the Shanghai-Suzhou area, it is more accurate to say that here, they demonstrated the dignity and determination of the Chinese people

The large contingent of Japanese troops passed by Liu Lang not far away, moving in formation until they became completely silent. Liu Lang calculated in his mind that their forward position was at least three to four kilometers away from here

Liu Lang stole a glance, and not far away, five or six soldiers dressed in khaki uniforms and wearing steel helmets, led by an officer in a cloth military cap, were escorting a group of about thirty people coming in Liu Lang's direction

Is this Miaohang

At this moment, the sky had already dimmed slightly. It was not until Liu Lang, who was straining to catch a glimpse with the corner of his eye at the dead fish eyes thirty meters away, finally realized that it was a female prisoner.

Hanging on a broken wall is a piece of cloth approximately one to two meters long, resembling a signboard from later times, which has been largely damaged. The text written on the upper part of the remaining cloth is also blurred, but Liu Lang can still vaguely make out the two characters "Miao Xing"

This is a unit of the Japanese army. The other unit, in tattered clothing, stained with blood, and looking dejected, naturally consists of the captured soldiers of the National Revolutionary Army.

Peace and tranquility have never been achieved through the soaring white dove in the sky, but rather through flesh and blood, through sacrifice.

A female prisoner, her face covered in black and gray, dressed in a filthy deep blue military uniform as if she had rolled around in a garbage dump for several rounds, would have been indistinguishable as a woman to Liu Lang if it were not for her desperate, high-pitched sobs.

However, Liu Lang did not mind taking the opportunity to eliminate a few small enemies and collect some interest before leaving, even if he was just a chubby man at the moment

Without allowing Liu Lang to be troubled for too long, a burst of unrestrained laughter shattered the last remnants of the evening's tranquility

If he remembers correctly, the National Army will launch a large-scale counterattack in the early hours of tonight, catching the Japanese army off guard and causing them to suffer significant losses. Liu Lang can take this opportunity to withdraw from the battlefield

The Battle of Miaohang, a campaign that many Chinese have never heard of. However, this war, which involved over 40,000 participants from both sides and resulted in thousands of casualties, is the most significant battle in the entire "January 28th Shanghai Incident," without exception

Liu Lang was very excited to witness this moment in history with his own eyes and to participate in it personally, as it was a glory that belonged to soldiers

Even if this pawn comes from seventy years in the future, it cannot change any outcome in the face of the relentless wheels of history

Although the distance was less than 100 meters, the overweight man, despite being physically weak due to his excess flesh, had quite good eyesight in this era devoid of electronic devices. He certainly would not be the type to study hard under an oil lamp. Even if his vision was not 2.0, it was still 1.5. Liu Lang clearly saw the yellow five-pointed star on the soldier's helmet, who was holding a gun and laughing heartily.

Especially this one still harbors the intention to ambush those who are isolated

The two traditional characters in "Temple Walk" were not difficult for Liu Lang, who had been learning simplified characters since kindergarten. Having long distanced himself from exams, Liu Lang naturally would not be overjoyed merely for recognizing two traditional characters. However, these two characters struck Liu Lang's heart like a thunderclap.

Two Japanese soldiers were quite responsible, carefully patrolling the smoking ruins, yet they turned a blind eye to the "fat corpse" in the shell hole just under a meter away, signaling safely towards that direction.

As for this war, Liu Lang knew that after the conclusion of the Miao Xing battle, the highest levels on both sides no longer wished to continue fighting. In ten days, they would sit at the negotiation table under the mediation of Western countries. The soldiers' mission had been accomplished, and what remained was merely the performance of the politicians

With a fleeting glance, he waved to the two soldiers responsible for guarding nearby and quietly instructed them with a few words

The sergeant shouted loudly and rudely pulled a prisoner from the group of captives towards this side. The prisoners suddenly became very agitated, but soon, with the sound of gun bolts being pulled back, they returned to calmness

Miaohang Town, for Shanghai, the largest city in Eastern China, is merely an obscure speck, and it is likely that many locals in Shanghai are unaware of this place

"Hi, sir" two soldiers bowed their heads and loudly acknowledged the order, then turned and walked towards Liu Lang.

Miaohang in Shanghai

Liu Lang's thoughts were quite simple. After leaving the battlefield, he planned to find his grandfather, who had just turned eighteen, and perhaps he might even meet his grandmother, who had died at the hands of the Japanese soldiers and whom he had never met. After all, according to the course of history, he would still have to wait five more years to fight the Japanese.

The Japanese army, too busy to clean up the battlefield, inadvertently provided an opportunity for Liu Lang, who was attempting to take advantage of the situation. He now had to do nothing but roll his eyes and lie there, waiting for nightfall to fully descend, at which point he could stretch out his long legs—no, it should be his thick, stout legs—and make a hasty escape.

The artillery bombardment between the Japanese army and the Nationalist army did not last long. As the sound of the cannons ceased, the Japanese army reoccupied the position, but did not linger for long and continued to advance. It seems they intended to establish positions further ahead before nightfall in preparation for tomorrow's attack

Here, it unexpectedly became the rear of the Japanese army