Chapter 54 The Airport is Lost!

"Sergeant, don't you think that if we blow up this tunnel, the Japanese will be unable to get around?" A soldier from the 3rd Engineer Company, who was in charge of dismantling the tracks in a railway tunnel outside Tonggu Airport, suggested in a low voice.

"You little bastard, this was built by the British. They only asked us to destroy the railway, but they didn't let us blow up the tunnel." The squad leader knocked his head and then shook his head.

"If we blow up the British tunnel without their consent, and then they blame us, do you think I, the squad leader, can bear the consequences?"

"I'm afraid our battalion commander can't afford it."

Hearing this, the soldiers felt that there was some truth to it. After all, building tunnels was not easy these days.

It took hundreds of thousands of people to build the Yunnan-Burma Highway, and they also had to cut through mountains and build bridges in the middle, which was extremely difficult.

It exploded like this, what a pity.

"Don't think too much. We are in the north. It is impossible for the Japanese to appear here."

"With these high mountains and dense forests, there's no way the Japanese can get around." The squad leader said confidently.

It's no wonder he's so confident. The mountain is really high and the forest is dense. Most people would be scared when they see it. Who would dare to go in there for no reason?

The French army in World War II thought the same, and the German army actually got through.

"Okay, get to work. There's still a large section that hasn't been removed. The British guys built it so well that it's really hard to remove." The squad leader complained, then signaled his subordinates to continue working.

Little did they know that not far away, a team of seven or eight hundred Japanese soldiers were moving through the dense jungle in the mountains.

The person leading the way was a local aboriginal, who moved nimbly back and forth in the mountains and forests, reminding the Japanese soldiers to watch their step from time to time.

The slogans used by the Japanese army in Burma were so attractive to the indigenous people.

Therefore, many indigenous people acted as guides, leading the Japanese army and providing intelligence.

I hope they can drive away the hateful British troops as soon as possible.

So when the Japanese army asked for a guide to take a small path and go around to Tonggu Airport, the indigenous people were very enthusiastic.

"Sir, we still have ten minutes to pass through the dense forest and reach the railway tunnel outside Tonggu Airport." After estimating the distance, the guide turned around and said respectfully.

"Yes, this is a reward for you. Thank you for your contribution to the Imperial Army." Major Tanaka, who led the team, looked at the guide in front of him with great satisfaction and said, at the same time signaling his subordinates to take out a gold watch.

These are all spoils captured from the British Army, and normally they would be kept privately.

But in order to allow these indigenous people to better help the imperial army defeat the British army, they still had to pretend to be very generous at this time.

When the guide saw the gold watch, a hint of greed appeared in his eyes.

He didn't expect the reward to be so generous. He took the gold watch respectfully and then worked even harder as a guide.

"Orders, prepare for battle, get out of the jungle, and take the airport as quickly as possible." Major Tanaka turned around and gave combat orders to his subordinates.

"Hay."

Upon receiving the order, the Japanese troops perked up and formed battle formations.

The search team followed the guide closely and issued an immediate warning if they found anything wrong.

The Japanese army was extremely excited when they broke out of the dense jungle.

They didn't expect that they could actually use the small path to get to the back of Tonggu Airport.

"Report, the Chinese Expeditionary Force has been spotted ahead, and they are destroying the railway." The soldiers of the search team immediately reported.

"Baga, order the troops to speed up and take over the airport as quickly as possible."

"Hay."

The soldiers of the engineering battalion who were working hard had no idea that the Japanese army was approaching them.

"Hey, where do the footsteps come from?" A soldier was dismantling the railroad tracks when he suddenly felt the ground shaking and subconsciously raised his head.

He saw a scene that made his pupils shrink sharply.

Countless Japanese troops appeared in front of them.

At the same time, bullets were already coming towards them.

"The Japs are coming, the Japs are coming." In an instant, the soldiers of the engineering battalion were in chaos.

Some people subconsciously want to escape, while others want to fight back.

But with a burst of intensive gunfire, the resistance was gone in an instant, and everyone ran deep into the tunnel.

"Sergeant, do you hear? Are they shouting that the Japanese are coming?" The soldier raised his head, listened to the noise in the distance, and asked in confusion.

"Are you hallucinating again?" The squad leader was angrily and was about to hit him on the head, but then he saw a dozen soldiers running towards him, shouting in fear.

"The devils are coming, the devils are coming."

"What? How is this possible?" Many soldiers were confused. Isn't this the north?
How could there be Japanese devils?

Before they could think about it, they heard intensive gunfire from behind, which frightened them and they ran away.

The soldiers of the engineering battalion in front ran very fast, and the Japanese soldiers behind them chased them fiercely, and bullets were fired at them.

"What did you say? The Japanese are coming?" Battalion Commander Li Shuzheng was stunned when he heard the news. How did the Japanese get here?

Wasn’t it agreed that it would be on the north side of the ancient city?
Isn't it very safe?

Why did you come to the airport?
What do the defenders of Tonggu City eat?
Or is the ancient city lost?
For a moment, Battalion Commander Li Shuzheng lost the ability to think.

"Battalion commander, stop being dazed and run quickly. There are so many Japanese soldiers, at least a thousand of them, and we can't stop them at all." The lieutenant looked at the dazed battalion commander and shouted hurriedly.

Before he could finish his words, a sharp whistling sound was heard from the sky.

A large number of mortar shells hit the airport positions.

"We can't run away. We must defend the airport. We must not lose it." Battalion Commander Li Shuzheng knew that if the airport was lost, he would be finished.

He knew his own master, and that was cruel and ruthless.

Moreover, if the airport is lost, the British army’s air support will also be lost, and the ancient city will also be lost.

That responsibility is even greater.

Battalion Commander Li Shuzheng's blood turned cold at the thought of his head being in danger.

The lieutenant looked at his battalion commander in disbelief. Counterattack?

We are the engineering battalion, right?

It’s okay to do hard labor, but defense?
How to defend?

Didn’t you see the Japanese mortars?

There was no way, he also knew that the responsibility of losing the airport was heavy.

He simply began to call on his subordinates to organize a counterattack.

The machine guns that had been deployed earlier did work and temporarily curbed the Japanese offensive momentum, but they were soon targeted by Japanese mortars and grenade launchers.

Before long, all the machine gun positions were destroyed.

Suddenly, the situation became very critical.

"Battalion commander, we can't hold on. The Japanese attack is too fierce and our brothers have suffered heavy losses." The lieutenant pleaded again.

"Let's retreat." Looking at the Japanese troops pouring in from all directions, Li Shuzheng was somewhat desperate. His engineering battalion itself was not suitable for fighting.

It is not easy to persist until now, and I have done my best to live up to my master's promise.

Thinking of this, he gritted his teeth and gave the order to retreat.

Upon receiving the order, the soldiers of the engineering battalion immediately ran wildly towards Tonggu City.

The Japanese army took the opportunity to occupy the airport and did not send troops to pursue.

　Oh my god, I have practiced the Nine Yang Divine Art to the third level. It is really amazing. My throat is like a razor blade and I am hoarse and unable to speak. I woke up before 3 o'clock in the middle of the night and coughed for an hour. I almost coughed to death.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)