Chapter 115: Reinforcements

Yang Xiaolin led the Fourth Company to strike from behind the Russians, turning an already brutal battle into a desperate struggle for survival. By blocking the Russians' rear, he ensured that it would be a fight to the death.

As soon as the Russians discovered this force of bandits attacking from the rear, they immediately mobilized two hundred soldiers to intercept, followed by an overwhelming barrage of artillery fire. In the darkness, the Russian troops could not determine the size of the enemy force, but they knew that if they did not eliminate the threat at their backs, they would have no hope of escape.

The situation was clear: either Yang Xiaolin would tear the Russians apart, or the Russians would consume these bandits.

By four in the morning, more than half of the bandits accompanying Yang Xiaolin had been killed or wounded. It was likely that the other companies were faring no better. They had pushed the Russians back slightly, but it was to no avail; without breaking the Russian defensive perimeter, defeat was inevitable.

Although Yang Xiaolin’s attack had forced the Russians to disperse their firepower, the other units were making little progress.

Liu Xianhe was pinned down behind a large boulder by Russian machine gun fire. Every time he raised his head, a hail of bullets whistled past. Piao Weixiu crawled over and said, "Company Commander, the men can’t break through!"

Liu Xianhe asked anxiously, "The machine guns! Where are our machine guns?"

Piao Weixiu shook his head. "Our company only has five, while the Russians have over a dozen. We can’t suppress them!"

Liu Xianhe shoved him. "Go find Biaozi and ask him to lend me two machine guns! Tell him I’ll return them once we break through!"

Piao Weixiu nodded. "Understood! I’m going now!"

Just as he moved to leave, a flash of inspiration struck Liu Xianhe. "Wait!"

Piao Weixiu stopped. Liu Xianhe stood behind the rock, stunned for a moment. He had hit upon an idea, though it was still hazy. He needed time to think. After a moment, he said, "Don’t ask Biaozi for machine guns. Send all our machine guns, gunners, and grenades to Biaozi instead! Send men to Sui Bing and Gu Tianming and tell them to send their machine guns and grenades to Biaozi as well! Go, quickly!"

Liu Xianhe had made a correct decision. Facing the Russians' overwhelming firepower, the bandits could not break the line individually. They needed to concentrate all their firepower on a single point to secure absolute superiority in one sector.

Gu Tianming and Sui Bing clearly understood Liu Xianhe’s intent. Without seeking permission from Yang Xiaolin, they sent everything to Biaozi. The Third Company was in the center, closest to the Russians and to the others.

Biaozi had been furious, suppressed by Russian fire and unable to act. When the other companies sent their machine guns, gunners, and hundreds of grenades, he was overjoyed.

"Damn it, it’s finally our turn to hit them! Set up all the guns!"

Over twenty machine guns were lined up. Looking at them made Biaozi feel relieved. The Russians opposite had only eight machine guns, and because of Yang Xiaolin’s diversionary pressure in the rear, their artillery fire was not as intense as before. Biaozi did not hesitate. He ordered his men to ready their grenades, fix their bayonets, and shouted, "Fire!"

The twenty-plus machine guns roared in unison, instantly silencing the Russian guns. Biaozi charged forward with his rifle. "Brothers, kill them!"

The bandits of the Third Company surged toward the Russian positions like wolves. The Russians fired desperately, and dozens of bandits fell in pools of blood, but with their machine guns suppressed, the Russian rifle fire could not stop the momentum of the charge.

Before the Russians could redeploy their forces, a volley of grenades exploded in their ranks, throwing them into chaos. Biaozi led the charge, and the breach was forced open.

The brilliance of war lies in the uncertain factors beyond the commanders' pre-battle plans. This was especially true in this era; it was not like the warfare of later centuries, where outcomes could be calculated based on advanced weaponry. In an age where soldiers traded their blood for victory, results were often changed by unforeseen battlefield developments.

In this battle, Yang Xiaolin’s initial carelessness had put the entire force in danger, but Liu Xianhe’s impromptu idea had tipped the scales of victory in their favor.

The bandits flooded into the breach like a tide. The Russians attempted to repel them with bayonets, but the bandits, seeing victory within their grasp, were emboldened, forgetting their exhaustion as they engaged in hand-to-hand combat.

Conversely, the Russian side was gripped by terror as their lines broke. "Defeat is like a collapsing mountain"—a Chinese saying that held true for all armies. Once a soldier’s fighting spirit is shattered, the war is effectively over.

The Russians resisted stubbornly for a while, but their lines grew increasingly porous. As the bandits closed in, the Russian advantage in firepower was neutralized, while their numbers became a liability, causing confusion during their attempts to regroup.

Whenever a bandit threw a grenade into a cluster of Russians, several were sure to fall.

After another half hour of fighting, the Russians finally collapsed. Some fled in all directions, while those who could not escape fought to the death. They had seen Yang Xiaolin’s photo in the newspapers; they knew that surrender meant execution by these bandits.

By 5:20 AM, the battle was over.

Those who could flee had fled; those who could not were killed. The bandits moved through the carnage with bayonets, finishing off the wounded Russians who lay wailing in the blood.

Asao Naifu stood nearby, sighing. He was not lamenting the brutality; he was no journalist. In his eyes, the victor had the right to dispose of the vanquished.

"Xiaolin-kun, you have won again! Congratulations!"

As Yang Xiaolin had his arm bandaged by Nier, he offered a bitter smile to Asao. "A hard-won victory, isn't it? Look at my men—I’ve lost so many. If my boys weren't sharp, I might have been back to where I was last year in Gulou Mountain."

Asao replied, "Regardless, you defeated four thousand Russian reinforcements with just over a thousand men. That is a remarkable achievement. From my perspective, this surprise attack was masterfully executed—a classic."

Once his wound was bandaged, Yang Xiaolin stood up. "I think if I had listened to you from the start, the results might have been even better. With a few hours for the men to rest and a proper ambush set, I could have done better."

Asao did not agree, but in the Japanese view, victory justified any cost. He did not argue, but asked, "Xiaolin-kun, what is your next move?"

Yang Xiaolin looked at the six or seven hundred men remaining and pondered. "Kaiyuan."

Kaiyuan was a major coal mining base with many Russian mines. After defeating this force of four thousand, the defenses there would be weak. Yang Xiaolin intended to strike those mines.

He needed to replenish his ranks.

In Yang Xiaolin’s philosophy, the best soldiers were local recruits with a strong sense of home, followed by these miners, who were hardworking and resilient. Since he had no base, he had to replenish his forces immediately. That was why he was going to Kaiyuan.

After a short rest that morning, they began their march again at noon.

Marching was exhausting, a fact Generals Zeng Qi and Lopatkin had learned well. They were drained; they knew that pursuing an enemy was far more taxing than being pursued, as they had to follow the enemy’s every step.

Moreover, Yang Xiaolin’s men were primarily miners, naturally accustomed to hardship, and his recent efforts to temper their will made them even harder to track.

The continuous forced marches had left the untrained Qing soldiers exhausted, and the Russians were equally spent. They had been chasing toward Liaoyang when they suddenly received news that Yang Xiaolin had reached Fengtian, which terrified General Zeng Qi.

Tens of thousands of troops turned around and rushed toward Fengtian.

When the Qing soldiers finally dragged their heavy feet to the gates of Fengtian, hoping for a moment’s rest, news arrived that "Yang the Devil" had struck Liaozhong and was advancing on Liaoyang.

The pursuit resumed without rest. Less than half a day later, news came that Yang Xiaolin had defeated the Russian reinforcements and was bearing down on Kaiyuan. General Akberil and Commander Lopatkin were stunned.

Kaiyuan was a vital Russian base. Putting aside the loss of the coal mines, the railway station there was a lifeline. If Yang Xiaolin blew up the station, it would not only jeopardize the current campaign but also threaten Russia's control over the entire Northeast region. Lopatkin panicked and hurried his troops toward Kaiyuan once more.

This left his troops at their breaking point, and Liaoyang itself was in utter chaos as conflicting reports flooded in.