Comrade, your ingredients are too complicated.

Inside Shimen City, the headquarters of the 39th Independent Mixed Brigade.

Hearing the deafening roar of artillery fire from the direction of Neishigou, the Japanese officers in the operations room all turned ashen-faced, with beads of cold sweat forming on their foreheads.

Although the Japanese soldiers had long heard of the Eighth Route Army's artillery's formidable reputation, they were only truly alarmed when the devastating artillery fire actually struck their own positions:

The rumors were not exaggerated at all; in fact, they were rather conservative. The PLA's artillery was not only the best in all of Asia, but it was even comparable to that of the established European powers.

"Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!"

Another wave of heavy artillery fire, four in a row, sent the entire city wall trembling violently. The wooden beams of the war room groaned under the strain, and the falling dust shrouded the sand table in a layer of grime.

But Hideo Yano remained motionless, letting the dust mold him into a clay figurine.

Amidst the astonished and uncertain gazes of the officers, he silently picked up four small flags symbolizing the reinforced concrete fortress and casually moved them aside as if plucking a few withered leaves.

"Major General!" Almost the instant the old Japanese soldier stopped, a communications officer put down his receiver and rushed to the sand table. "The permanent fortifications on the east, south, and west sides have been confirmed to be out of contact. Currently, only the northern section of the city is still holding out."

"According to the predictions of the operations staff, if the Eighth Route Army's heavy artillery can maintain its current bombardment intensity, we will lose all the positions outside the city in an hour."

"Whether or not the samurai should prepare for street fighting and completely destroy the equipment and finished products of the major factories in the city, please make a decision quickly."

Upon hearing this, Hideo Yano could no longer maintain his composure and finally broke down.

In fact, the brigade headquarters losing contact with the front lines was something he had anticipated. After all, the Eighth Route Army's artillery fire was fierce, and even if the telephone lines were buried deep, they would still be blown up.

What truly enraged him was the underhanded tactics employed by his officers and staff.

If they hadn't taken it upon themselves to entrust an important task to the incompetent and disastrous puppet troops, the entire Shimen area would have been reduced to ashes by now in the raging flames, becoming an unhealable wound in the hearts of the people of the Republic of China.

Thinking of this, Hideo Yano glared fiercely at the head of the operations section and the artillery staff officer with a sinister look.

Adhering to the principle of "better late than never," he slammed his hand on the table and ordered in an unquestionable tone:
"Kanamori-kun, Ohara-kun, I can forgive your past mistakes. But you must guarantee the completion of my next order with the honor of a samurai. Otherwise, I will personally perform the second seppuku for you."

"Immediately organize engineers to blow up schools, hospitals, and granaries. Then concentrate explosives and fuel to destroy all factories and power plants in the city."

Seemingly imagining the scene of flames engulfing the entire city, a glint of madness flashed in Hideo Yano's eyes. After a moment, he lowered his voice and uttered his most insane thought.

"Since the group has no way out, why not make this fireworks display even more spectacular?"

"Kansen-kun, Ohara-kun, in a little while you will lead your troops to capture a group of Chinese civilians and drive them to the warehouse in the north of the city. Remember to add the unused red barrels to the fire and burn them together. I want to turn the victory of the Eighth Route Army into a grand funeral."

"This is my final gift to His Majesty the Heavenly Locust. If there is anything missing, you shall all jump into the sea of ​​fire to atone for it!"

"Hi!"

······
The forward command post of the 386th Brigade in the western suburbs of Shimen.

After more than four hours of relentless bombing, the Japanese defensive fortifications deployed in the outer and inner city ditches were completely reduced to scorched earth.

The shattered brick bunkers twisted and turned in the smoke, and the concrete bunkers were reduced to jagged wreckage. Armored units only needed to roll over these ruins, and the infantry could follow closely behind, tearing open an attack route into the city.

In fact, Hideo Yano had considered sending reinforcements to strengthen the position, but the Eighth Route Army's shells continued to rain down like a storm, and any Japanese soldiers who tried to repair the fortifications would be blown to pieces in an instant.

Under such intense artillery fire, any so-called defense would only result in infantry and engineers being sent to their deaths in droves.

"Reporting to the commander-in-chief, all bunkers, pillboxes, firing points, barbed wire, electric fences, balusters, and landmines around Shimen have been cleared."

"The 74th, 77th, 81st and 82nd Divisions have completed the next phase of combat preparations according to the original plan! All ten breakthrough points identified before the battle have been opened up by our army."

"May we launch a general offensive? Please advise!"

On the wooden observation platform, the brigade commander slowly put down the binoculars in his hand.

The biggest obstacle for our troops in attacking the city has been cleared by the artillery, but the real test has just begun.

Inside the city, the remnants of the Independent Mixed 39th Brigade used the Dashiqiao Bridge, Zhengtai Hotel, and the train station as hubs, converting sturdy buildings into strongholds, and deploying machine guns and snipers on the high-rise buildings.

In this city, a gun barrel may be hidden behind every window, and a murderous intent may be buried under every broken wall.

Faced with Japanese soldiers who were determined to fight to the death, troops lacking professional urban warfare training could easily suffer losses. A reckless charge or a rash breakthrough could stain the entire street with blood.

However, it's not a big problem. The commander of this offensive within the city is a fortress nemesis and an expert in street fighting. Those Japanese soldiers hiding in the houses probably have no idea what kind of fierce general they are about to face.

With this thought in mind, the brigade commander turned to look towards the city and decisively gave the order:
"Pass on my order! The 74th, 81st, and 82nd Divisions, with the 77th Division as the main force, will launch a simultaneous attack on Shimen!"

"Today I will show the entire North China Area Army and Okamura Yasuji what it means for times to have changed, and what it means to be able to build a fortified city in 29 hours!"

"Notify the artillery to bring out all their assault guns. Don't worry about equipment losses; the Japanese's current weapons can't penetrate the PTZ-42 at all."

With a command from the brigade commander, the resounding bugle call suddenly tore through the battlefield, echoing and reverberating among the broken walls and ruins of Shimen.

Dozens of BT-7 tanks led the charge, their machine guns and cannons spitting fire as they tore the enemy troops hiding in the ruins to shreds. The Christie suspension system allowed them to move with ease even in the complex environment.

On the flanks, the T-3485s advanced steadily in platoon formations. Each 85mm shell that landed precisely crushed the hastily organized Japanese counterattack.

With the cover of armored units, the engineers carried their tools and quickly began their work, soon erecting makeshift bridges in the chaotic battlefield.

The remaining Japanese soldiers, still reeling from the relentless offensive, were horrified to discover that a steel torrent composed of half-track armored vehicles, wheeled tanks, and assault guns had swept over Neishigou.

They are now divided into four groups, launching a deadly attack on key strongholds such as Dashiqiao, Zhengtai Hotel, and the train station.

······
Two and a half hours later, west of Shimen City.

A cold wind, carrying smoke, swept past the dilapidated houses. Cheng Shifa, using a wheeled armored vehicle resembling an SDKFZ234 as cover, squinted as he watched the attack directions of the other three divisions. The gunfire in the distance remained intense, and the flashes of explosions flickered frequently in the darkening sky, each flash briefly overshadowing the last rays of the setting sun.

Just as Blind Cheng was squatting beside the wheels, silently calculating the advance speed of his comrades' troops, a series of hurried footsteps suddenly came from behind.

He turned around and saw his messenger, panting, pulling on the arm of a middle-aged worker as they rushed up from behind.

"Report! The 74th, 81st, and 82nd Divisions have called! The three friendly forces have been strictly executing your tactics and have successfully advanced to the target area!"

"However, the enemy in the city is still putting up a stubborn resistance, especially in the area near the headquarters of the Independent Mixed Brigade No. 39, where the Japanese resistance has increased significantly."

"The three division commanders request instructions: When can our troops launch a general offensive?"

In traditional street fighting, the attacking and defending sides often fight repeatedly around key buildings, eventually turning into a war of attrition to see who bleeds out first.

This tug-of-war is extremely disadvantageous to the attacking side.

After all, the defending side has the advantage of terrain and has a good chance of pulling off a miraculous victory with fewer troops. They can even organize local counterattacks while consolidating their lines.

As a seasoned expert in urban warfare, Cheng Shifa naturally wouldn't allow his side to fall into a passive situation of rapid troop depletion.

Faced with the Japanese soldiers' defensive tactics of holding onto buildings, he ordered all three division-level units, except for the 77th Division, to adopt targeted tactics of breaching walls and scaling rooftops.

The essence of this tactic lies in avoiding the enemy's strength and attacking their weaknesses, quickly penetrating and dividing them into encirclements, rendering the Japanese troops powerless and ultimately leaving them helpless as they turned into dumpling filling.

It was this smooth and efficient tactic that enabled the 74th, 81st, and 82nd Divisions to advance rapidly and decisively, like a sharp knife piercing the heart of the Japanese army, in just two and a half hours.

At this moment, they were less than two kilometers away from the headquarters of the Independent Mixed Brigade No. 39, and the dawn of victory was just around the corner.

Upon hearing the messenger's report, a sharp glint flashed in Cheng Shifa's eyes. His 77th Division was the best-equipped of the four divisions, having been allocated a large number of urban warfare weapons, and should therefore shoulder greater responsibilities.

If his division launches a general offensive from the west of the city first, the Japanese soldiers in the city will surely be like sharks smelling blood, frantically mobilizing their forces to intercept them.

In this way, the pressure on the brother units will be greatly reduced.

Thinking of this, Cheng Shifa first took out a hand-drawn diagram from SDKFZ234, then looked at the comrades in the workers' picket team and asked:

"Captain Liu, please help me verify this city defense map. The disciplinary squad is familiar with every street and alley in Shimen, and they are also most aware of the latest adjustments to the Japanese army's firing positions."

"If this is confirmed, our division will immediately launch a decisive offensive!"

Not everyone is willing to be a submissive citizen; there is no shortage of ambitious and courageous people in all walks of life.

After learning of the Eighth Route Army's great victory in eastern Shandong, the people of Shimen foresaw the upcoming Hebei campaign and organized a 900-strong workers' picket team throughout the city.

This team was divided into groups based on industry. While secretly collecting intelligence on the Japanese army, they also spontaneously protected important facilities such as factories and schools.

Every ordinary person who had been oppressed by the Japanese invaders has now coalesced into an undeniable force. Though their strength may be meager, they are contributing their share to national liberation with unwavering conviction.

This power, like a spark, will eventually ignite a prairie fire.

Upon hearing Cheng Shifa's question, Captain Liu adjusted his glasses. After carefully examining the map, he pointed directly to the back alley and the third floor of the bank.

"The Japanese secretly brought in two heavy machine guns here last night. And there's an anti-tank gun behind this window upstairs."

Before he finished speaking, a burst of intense machine gun fire suddenly came from afar, as if confirming Captain Liu's intelligence.

Cheng Shifa rolled up the map with a serious expression, turned around and roared at the communications soldier:
"Pass on my order: according to the firing positions marked by the workers, have the artillerymen prepare for battle with their PTZ-42s."

"Oh, right, and our Land Storm. The war has reached this critical juncture, there's no need to hide it anymore, let's bring it over and show the Japanese devils what it's like."

Traditionally, urban warfare emphasizes fairness. The defending side can use buildings to level the playing field in terms of firepower between the two sides.

but!

The battlefield isn't a medieval knightly duel; who's going to fight you fairly on the battlefield?

Since you Japanese devils want to stay in your buildings like couch potatoes, then I'll just use a cannon to blow up your building and send you flying, along with your bunker!

Upon hearing this, two 105mm assault guns, modified from T-34 chassis, rushed to the battlefield from the rear. Their short, stubby barrels and fixed box-shaped armor structures made them instantly recognizable as close companions to the SU-122.

Just a second before the assault gun commanders were about to fire, a suggestion came through the radio inside the vehicle.

"Old Zhao! Old Sun! Don't rush to attack."

"The bank's compressive strength is much stronger than that of ordinary brick and stone buildings. Moreover, the Yokohama Specie Bank in Japan uses a reinforced concrete frame and marble facade design. Let us handle it."

"Don't forget, excessive shelling will create piles of rubble, which might actually provide the Japanese with new cover."

Upon hearing this, the two PTZ-42 tank commanders felt that their comrade's words made sense and tapped their headsets in unison to express their agreement.

With a deep roar of engines, the two assault guns reversed in perfect unison, their steel tracks leaving neat ruts on the dirt road, creating the best firing field for the half-track armored vehicle behind them.

Soon, an armored vehicle that closely resembled the SDKFZ251 slowly drove into the launch site. Most notably, it had six-cell 280mm rocket launchers mounted on both sides of its vehicle body.

The rough steel rails gleamed with a dull metallic sheen in the setting sun.

The enormous warhead caused even the bravest veterans on the position to involuntarily take a half step back.

"emission!"

"Boom! Boom!" (End of Chapter)