In the snow-covered woods, the vigorous trees were blown off at the waist, and the ground was littered with craters. Frozen corpses could be seen everywhere in the snow, both from the National Army and the New Fourth Army. The bloodstains had long since been frozen into ice slag, and they were tightly integrated with the white earth, and they could no longer be separated.

For three days, the New Fourth Army retreated into the mountains and forests, and engaged in fierce battles with the Nationalist army, which was more than five times their strength. The New Fourth Army suffered heavy casualties, but with the advantage of the terrain, it still firmly held its position and retreated to the highest point of the mountain forest.

Two regiment commanders were killed in battle, more than a dozen company commanders and battalion commanders died, and more than 4,000 soldiers of the New Fourth Army fell forever on this land and fell under the guns of their own compatriots. Similarly, the national army besieging them suffered many casualties, more than 3,000 people were buried under the snow, and their lives were permanently lost just to fulfill one man's ambition.

The reason why the new Fourth Military Region, with a strength of less than 10,000 troops, was able to sustain three days without being completely annihilated despite its backward equipment and being surrounded by regiments. Not only is the New Fourth Army united, but its combat effectiveness is very fierce. It was also because the national army besieging them did not have the right to attack, and many troops were passive and sluggish, which made the New Fourth Army hold out until now.

After all, this was a war launched by Chiang Kai-shek in order to realize his ambitions, and most of the Nationalist troops who came to besiege the New Fourth Army this time belonged to the often said miscellaneous units within the Kuomintang, or troops of local armed factions, and were not Chiang Kai-shek's descendants.

Dawn came quietly, and the blood in the mountains and forests was swept away by the wind and snow. The howling north wind gradually weakened, and looking at the sky that was gradually brightening, it seemed that the heavy snow had come to an end.

The top of the mountain forest, in this unknown place. General Ye Ting, the commander of the New Fourth Army, and his subordinate officers gathered in the only dilapidated house on the top of the mountain, where there were originally people's homes, perhaps because of the war, they had already been relocated, leaving only such a dilapidated house that could slightly block the wind and snow. But being able to withstand the wind and snow does not necessarily stop people's ambitions.

Ye Ting stood in the center of everyone, as if he was being held by the stars. But his face was sallow, and his eyes were filled with fine bloodshots. He hadn't slept for three days and three nights since he was surrounded. At one point, he also wanted to personally direct the battle and stay with the soldiers. But every time, he was stopped by the soldiers who cared about and revered him.

"What about the casualties of the troops?" Breathing in the comfortable air of the forest in the morning, General Ye Ting was not half happy. His eyes stared at the mountains and forests at his feet, where too many anti-Japanese heroes were buried!

"The casualties are very large!" Behind him, a regimental commander sighed: "Last night the enemy attacked again, and we had a company of fighters holding the position. The news just came that all the soldiers, from the company commander to the cooking soldiers, were killed, and no one left the position for half a step. ”

Everyone bowed their heads and mourned for the tenacious soldiers. They mourn not only the death of these soldiers, but also their senseless death. did not die in the battle with the little devils, but died at the guns of his own compatriots.

"How many troops do we have?" Ye Ting turned to look at his subordinates, his eyes showed deep sadness, but he was by no means timid.

"There are less than 5,000 left!" One of the regimental commanders replied.

"Is it enough to break out?" Ye Ting asked.

Everyone looked at Ye Ting in surprise, at this moment they were surrounded by 50,000 national-army troops, not to mention breaking through, it was already very good to be able to hold here.

"No way, the low hill we occupy is surrounded on all sides by Kuomintang-Party troops. They have set up heavy firepower at various traffic points, and with our current strength and firepower configuration, they will not be able to rush out at all! One of the regiment commanders immediately replied.

"What if I come and use it as bait for them to attack the mountain?" Ye Ting's eyes were shining, and he had already made the final decision.

"What?" Everyone was stunned and stared at General Ye Ting: "Commander, what are you going to do?" ”

Ye Ting smiled heartily, at this moment when life and death were about to be decided, he seemed calm and calm, and he didn't care: "Chiang Kai-shek not only wants to annihilate our New Fourth Army, but the most important thing is to capture me." I am the symbol of the entire New Fourth Army, and it has captured me, and it means even more. Therefore, as long as they use me as bait, they will definitely concentrate their superior forces to attack. When the time comes, there will inevitably be a gap in their line of defense, and our main forces will take advantage of the situation to break through and will inevitably survive many comrades. ”

"No, Commander, this is absolutely not going to work!" The regimental leader who had previously answered Ye Ting's question took a step forward and shouted excitedly: "It's okay to sacrifice all of us, but you must live." We will protect you from here, and even if we shed all our blood, we will never let you fall into the hands of the Kuomintang! ”

"Yes, yes! Commander, we cover your retreat, and we are desperate to break through a road to escort you out. All the officers were yelling, and some were even shedding tears of emotion.

"Okay, I know you're all well-intentioned!" Ye Ting interrupted the protests and statements of his subordinates with a smile: "Without me Ye Ting, there will be many excellent commanders." But without our fighters, the New Fourth Army would really be finished. With my Ye Ting's life, I think it's worth it to leave a little more fresh force for our New Fourth Army and China's anti-Japanese forces. ”

Ye Ting raised his hand to stop the protest of his subordinates: "I, Ye Ting, have been fighting horses all my life, and I have always loved my soldiers. A commander who cannot make sacrifices at the most critical moment is not a good commander. If I don't make this decision, then I won't be Ye Ting. ”

"I've made up my mind, you don't have to say it anymore. Immediately gather the troops and leave a battalion for me. This battalion will fight with me until the last moment, covering for the successful evacuation of the large force. Ye Ting's words were extremely tragic, which instantly added a lot of chill to this dilapidated house.

Everyone looked at the commander with respect, looking at his calm smile, and they knew that no matter what, they couldn't stop his decision.

At this moment, the fierce gunfire at the bottom of the mountain rang out again, and the earth-shattering shouts of killing resounded through the surrounding mountains. The snow on the treetops continued to fall under the explosion, and the charging Nationalist soldiers rushed towards the hill from all directions like ants.

Ye Ting's face instantly became serious, and he looked at a group of hesitant subordinates and shouted: "This is the last order I gave as the commander of the New Fourth Army, you are all soldiers, you should know that the military order is greater than the mountain." Please obey the order immediately and organize your subordinates to break out. If it's too late, it'll be too late. ”

A group of officers also knew that the critical moment had come, that there was no strong defensive position on this mountain, and that if the Kuomintang-Party troops attacked two or three more times, they would definitely annihilate all the New Fourth Army, and no one would be able to leave at that time.

"Commander, I'll stay with you. To die, I will also die by your side. The regiment commander, who had been blocking Ye Ting before, cried and walked to Ye Ting's side, looked at his colleagues and said loudly: "Comrades, I won't accompany you to kill devils and fight on the battlefield in the future." But don't forget to kill more devils for us and overthrow the rule of Chiang Kai-shek, a bastard. Also, don't forget to go see my wife for me. ”

Everyone around is crying, and it's time to separate, and everyone is in love. In the end, under Ye Ting's sharp urging, they went to gather their respective troops. The regimental commander left behind one of his closest cronies and entered the final battle position in grief. Their position is the top of the mountain, guarding this forgotten and dilapidated house.

"All retreat, break through to the north!" There was an extremely suppressed roar from the main force, and the trembling voice seemed to contain everyone's tears. The retreating soldiers did not dare to look back at the top of the mountain, for they feared that if they did, they would never move again. Because the person who stayed behind so that they could retreat smoothly and was ready to fight the Kuomintang-Party army to the end was their commander.

The gunfire was fierce, and the soldiers of the national army had already killed halfway up the mountain. The main force of the retreating New Fourth Army rushed down the mountain with a shout, and they were charging with tears in their eyes, and their hearts were broken little by little.

In the shaky and broken house, Ye Ting tidied up his clothes and sat on the only broken chair, his face extremely peaceful and quiet. It was as if death was nothing more than a banquet for him, and everything was so bland.

"The door for people to enter and exit is locked, and the hole where the dog crawls out is open. A voice shouted. Climb out and give you freedom! I longed for freedom, but I knew it deeply. How can a human body crawl out of a dog's hole! I hope that one day the fire in the ground will burn me and this coffin, and I should have eternal life in fire and blood! ”

Ye Ting finished reading impassionedly, and laughed wildly at the blizzard outside the house that had stopped. In his eyes, the soldiers of the Nationalist Army who rushed up the mountain were nothing more than a group of poor ants, and even if he died today, tomorrow there would be thousands of people who flattered his will to stand up again. His spirit and unquenchable fire will live forever in blood and battle.

The wind howled, carrying enemy bullets through the last line of defense. The countless shouting soldiers of the New Fourth Army stood up firmly, unwilling to fall even if they were beaten into a sieve. Their bodies are the last Great Wall, and as long as they don't fall, the spirit of the New Fourth Army will never perish.

Boom Boom Boom ...... Suddenly, there was a burst of artillery fire from the bottom of the mountain, and a dense volley of artillery was fired like locusts at the Nationalist troops at the foot of the mountain. In just an instant, a huge opening was torn open, and the seemingly impregnable defense line of the Kuomintang-Party army was destroyed in an instant.

Ye Ting stood up abruptly and strode out of the house, standing with the troops who were less than a hundred people left. Everyone stared at the artillery fire from the bottom of the hill, and the Nationalist troops began to retreat in disarray.

"Commander, our rescuers have arrived!" The regimental commander who stayed behind was inexplicably excited, and tears flowed from the corners of his eyes for the rest of his life.

"Who the hell is it!" Ye Ting stood up straight, as if he wanted to penetrate the raging artillery fire and see through everything in the distance.