When withdrawing from the Liujiatang battlefield, the third battalion had less than 200 people left, and during the rest and recuperation period in the past few days, thanks to the bias of the regiment commander Sun Liren, the third battalion was successively supplemented by more than 100 new troops.

Therefore, the soldiers of the three battalions who followed Lin Rui's actions at this time totaled nearly three hundred.

When Lin Rui led the third battalion to the vicinity of the Lion Forest Fort, he encountered a group of troops of the Tax Police Corps who had withdrawn from the front, numbering about 50 people.

Lin Rui saw that they were all disgraced and depressed, and immediately ordered the troops to stop them, Lin Rui walked to the front and asked loudly: "Stop, which part of you are?" ”

A deputy company commander at the head saw that Lin Rui was a major, so he hurriedly stepped forward and saluted: "Sir, we are from the Ninth Company of the Third Regiment of the Tax Police." ”

"The 3rd Regiment of the Tax Police? Aren't you supposed to be at the Lion Forest Fort? How did you retreat? Lin Rui asked.

"Sir, when we arrived at the Lion Forest Fort, a brigade of the 98th Division had already been routed by the Japanese army, and as soon as we and the independent brigade of the Guangdong Army went up, they were bombed indiscriminately by Japanese naval guns and aircraft.

As soon as the shelling stopped, a large number of devils rushed out, as well as tanks, and the entire third regiment was almost instantly defeated, and now there are only people left in the independent brigade of the Guangdong army, still in front!

Our third regiment of tax police has been dispersed! The deputy company commander reported with a sad face.

Lin Rui's heart froze, the situation he was most worried about still appeared, the area of Lion Forest and Yuepu was already close to the mouth of the Yangtze River, and the Japanese army's naval guns and carrier-based aircraft could be reckless, and the national army was in such an unfavorable terrain, let alone counterattack, and it was difficult to even defend.

Lin Rui remembered that in history, almost all of the troops of the Gui system were killed in one day, and although there were tactical and command factors, the root cause was that the Japanese army's firepower was too strong.

After the deputy company commander finished speaking, he waved his hand to his companions behind him, signaling them to follow him and continue to retreat.

Seeing this, Lin Rui shouted: "Stop!" Who let you go? ”

"Sir, our regiment has been dispersed, what else can we do if we don't withdraw?" The deputy company commander looked at Lin Rui puzzled.

"Of course you can!" Lin Rui's voice sank, his eyes swept over the deputy company commander and the dozens of soldiers behind him like a knife, and said in a dignified voice: "Your regiment has been dispersed, our second regiment is still there, and thousands of brother troops of the national army are still there." ”

As he spoke, Lin Rui Huoran pointed to the military flag held by a standard-bearer behind him and said, "Have you seen this military flag?" It hasn't fallen yet, who allowed you to escape? Military law decrees that those who escape from the battle will be shot on the spot.

If you don't want to die, you will turn around with me and kill back, and there is no shame in dying on the way to attack, if you are shot for escaping from the battle, then the shame will be thrown to grandma's house!

If you're still a man, take up arms with me and kill them all together!" If you don't take the Lion Forest, you will not retreat! ”

Under Lin Rui's coercion, the deputy company commander had no choice but to pick up the pistol, turned around and roared angrily: "Brothers, listen to the commander, kill me and avenge the sacrificed brothers!" ”

Dozens of soldiers of the Third Regiment of the Tax Police also turned around and rushed forward again under the leadership of the deputy company commander.

Lin Rui also pulled out his Mauser pistol and shouted to the soldiers of the three battalions behind him: "All of them, follow me!" ”

Nearly 300 officers and soldiers of the third battalion have guns in their hands, echoing in unison, and following Lin Rui in unison, they rushed towards the lion forest in front, and it is worth mentioning that the military dog Bei Bei that Sun Liren gave to Lin Rui also followed Lin Rui step by step, running forward, not at all frightened by the continuous explosions and dense gunfire in front.

At this time, the fierce battle in the Lion Forest continued. When the Independent Brigade of the Guangdong Army and the 3rd Regiment of the Tax Police arrived one after another, a regiment of Xia Chuzhong of the 98th Division of the Central Army and part of the Shanghai Security Regiment were routed by the attacking troops of the 11th Division of the Japanese Army.

The Independent Brigade of the Cantonese Army and the 3rd Regiment of the Tax Police immediately joined the battle, although in time to avoid the Lion Forest from falling completely into the hands of the Japanese.

However, because the Japanese army had already captured part of the Lion Forest, and the defending troops of the 98th Division and the Shanghai Security Corps were too heavy to fight again.

The Independent Brigade of the Cantonese Army and the 3rd Regiment of the Tax Police could only attack the Japanese alone, trying to drive the enemy out of the Lion Forest, but in the process, they were attacked by the combined fire of the Japanese naval guns and the carrier-based aircraft group.

In particular, it was used as the main elite and served as the main attack of the 3rd Tax Police Regiment, which suffered heavy casualties under the powerful combined fire of the Japanese army by sea and air, and the regiment commander, deputy regiment commander, and chief of staff were all wounded and died, and the entire unit was defeated and defeated by the Japanese army.

That's why there was the scene that Lin Rui encountered on the way when they came.

When Lin Rui took the third battalion and some officers and soldiers of the third regiment of the tax police and rushed to the Lion Forest Fort, the independent brigade of the Guangdong Army was also beaten by the Japanese army and was about to be unable to support it.

More than half of the brigade was killed and wounded, and two-thirds of the entire Lion Forest Fort position was lost.

If it weren't for Lin Rui arriving with the three battalions, the Independent Brigade of the Guangdong Army might have been forced to abandon its position and evacuate.

Seeing that the situation was critical, Lin Rui did not hesitate and immediately rushed forward with his troops.

At that time, the 10th Brigade of the 11th Division and the 12th Infantry Wing attacked the Lion Forest Fort position, and the wing commander was the 23rd Adachi Zuo, who graduated from the Japanese Army University.

This Anda 23 is a famous general in the Japanese Army in history, and the Battle of Baoshan in the Battle of Songhu was launched by the 12th Infantry Wing under his command.

It was also during this battle that Anda Twenty-three, a fanatical ******, ordered the use of poison gas bombs against the defenders of Baoshan County.

As a result, the third battalion of the 283rd Regiment of the 292nd Brigade of the 98th Division of the National Army, which was defending Baoshan at that time, that is, the famous Yao Ziqing's department, was wiped out and martyred.

Later, when the Pacific War broke out, Anda 23 was transferred to New Guinea as the commander of the 18th Army of the Japanese Army.

This shows how stubborn and ferocious this person is.

Therefore, the 12th Infantry Wing of the Japanese Army under his command, under the cover of the powerful firepower of his own navy and air force, attacked the position of the Lion Forest Fort of the National Army one after another regardless of the cost of casualties.

Relying on an infantry wing, it successively defeated the 98th Division, the Shanghai Security Corps, the Third Tax Police Regiment and many other elite national troops.

Coupled with the independent brigade of the Guangdong Army that is now about to be defeated, it can be seen that this person is ruthless in his use of troops and the combat effectiveness of the troops under his command.

When Lin Rui, Zhou Weihan and others rushed into the last position of the Independent Brigade of the Guangdong Army with the officers and men of the third battalion, the 12th Infantry Wing's thousands of Japanese troops, under the cover of several Type 95 light tanks and light armored vehicles, were already about to attack in front of them.