Spy Shadow: Command & Conquer

Chapter 1954, Conquered! Next Target...

July 8th.

Continue the attack.

Zhang Yong was oblivious to everything else, focusing solely on attacking Luzhou City.

Regardless of the Japanese invaders' reactions, they remained steadfast in their objective. The relentless barrage of artillery fire drew ever closer to Luzhou.

Starting in the morning, long-range 105mm heavy cannons began to cover Luzhou City.

He has already wiped out the Japanese heavy artillery regiment.

Without heavy artillery support, the Japanese invaders were like toothless tigers, only fit to be bullied.

All Japanese targets shown on the air force command map were included in the strike range. Then came the continuous bombing.

Lots of people.

capricious.

Artillerymen also work in three shifts.

When they get tired, bring in fresh blood.

As long as the cannon barrel doesn't turn red-hot, you can continue firing.

If the gun barrel is scrapped, a new one can be arranged.

The old will not go, and the new will not come.

"boom……"

"boom……"

The artillery fire continued to advance.

The Nationalist infantry followed and occupied the area.

By noon, the French-made 155mm howitzers were already able to reach Luzhou City.

This is great.

Large-caliber shells were immediately added to the deluxe lunch.

"Rumble..."

"Rumble..."

All of the Japanese invaders' targets were within range.

Compared to a 105mm heavy cannon, a 155mm shell is much more lethal.

Every shot fired caused immense damage to the Japanese positions.

The continuous bombing caused the positions to be completely destroyed.

"idiot!"

"idiot!"

The two Japanese division commanders were both anxious and furious, but there was nothing they could do.

The air force was reluctant to deploy. They said that if they did, the airfield might be lost. Previously, when they went to bomb Anqing, the Nationalist government's air force raided their base.

The air force is unwilling to suffer such a painful lesson a second time.

Anyway, the Nationalist government's air force didn't scramble. Your infantry didn't suffer any losses either. So don't count on the air force.

There was no other way but to tough it out.

The two men gathered together and summoned three independent mixed brigade commanders to discuss countermeasures.

Withdrawal is impossible.

There were no orders to retreat from above. Retreating would come with consequences.

Moreover, the other side has already made outrageous claims, vowing to engage the Japanese army in a decisive battle at Luzhou. If the Japanese army were to withdraw, wouldn't they appear too cowardly?

Headquarters would absolutely not agree.

Therefore, the only option is to keep fighting.

We had to grit our teeth and keep fighting.

They were completely indifferent to casualties.

"boom……"

"boom……"

The artillery fire continued to sweep in.

Continue to approach step by step.

"Report, Captain Aoki has been killed in action..."

"Report, Captain Nogawa has been killed in action..."

"Report! Colonel Yamada has died in battle..."

One piece of bad news after another came.

They were all killed by the overwhelming artillery fire.

The Japanese invaders had never encountered such intense artillery fire before. Never before.

"Damn it, the Nationalist army has gone mad..."

"Where did they get so many heavy artillery pieces...?"

Resentment is resentment.

It's completely useless.

By evening, Luzhou City was already visible to the naked eye.

Wherever the artillery fire was within range, all the Japanese positions were left in ruins.

Howitzer...

Heavy cannons...

rocket launcher...

Italian cannon...

Various types of artillery fire, tightly combined, were invincible.

"Beat them hard!"

"do not stop!"

Zhang Yong is now completely letting loose.

There was no more cover-up.

They almost brought out the 88mm gun.

In fact, it is not necessary.

Because the Japanese invaders did not have reinforced concrete fortifications.

Ordinary civil engineering works can be destroyed with a 155mm howitzer. At most, it would take a few more shots.

"on!"

"on!"

Nationalist infantrymen swarmed forward.

The Japanese positions were captured one by one.

Every occupied position was accompanied by the casualties of hundreds of Japanese soldiers.

Some positions even had hundreds of Japanese soldiers.

They were all destroyed by artillery fire.

"it is good."

"it is good."

Commander Li nodded repeatedly from behind.

Zhang Yong was truly formidable. He confronted the Japanese invaders head-on, and the Japanese were utterly defeated.

To ensure that Zhang Yong could focus on a direct attack on the front lines, others would naturally be responsible for the flanks and other areas.

"Da da da……"

"Clap clap clap..."

There are wars everywhere.

Gunfire erupted everywhere. Chaos reigned.

In an effort to draw Zhang Yong's attention, the Japanese invaders launched continuous attacks from both flanks.

They attempted to force Zhang Yong to retreat, but without success.

The Japanese invaders' attacks were repelled.

Commander Li personally oversaw operations from the army group headquarters, while Sun Zhen oversaw operations from the 45th Army headquarters. Army commanders oversaw operations from the division headquarters, and so on.

As night fell, we were very close to Luzhou City.

The exact distance is about five kilometers. It was the last defensive position of the Japanese invaders.

Two Japanese divisions and three independent mixed brigades, totaling approximately 60,000 men, were already suffering heavy losses and were crying out in agony.

More than half of the casualties were fatal.

The rest were like birds startled by the mere twang of a bow.

Meanwhile, reinforcements arriving from Bengbu and Chuzhou were also harassed on their way.

Although there were no actual losses, all the roads were destroyed. Infantry could pass, but vehicles and heavy weapons could not.

"idiot……"

"How could this be?"

Anami Korechika, still on his way, frowned.

Unexpectedly, the Ninth Army's start was so chaotic.

Before I even reached the military command post in Bengbu, two divisions were already rendered helpless by the fighting.

The three independent mixed brigades were in dire straits due to the lack of heavy weapons, suffering heavy casualties.

but!

This is not critical.

The crucial point is that Luzhou is clearly indefensible.

Given the current fierce offensive of the National Revolutionary Army, Luzhou will be captured by tomorrow at the latest.

idiot……

Extremely annoyed.

But they don't know who to vent to.

It can only be said that the situation is much more serious than he judged.

Neither the General Headquarters nor the Expeditionary Army Headquarters informed the Ninth Army of the accurate situation.

He arrived completely bewildered. And then he got beaten up without even realizing it.

Now, the only way to save themselves is to withdraw from Luzhou. However, that would mean the Japanese army admitting defeat.

Will headquarters agree?
Definitely not.

Therefore, we have no choice but to keep fighting.

Then urge the surrounding reinforcements to arrive as quickly as possible.

However, all the reinforcements were reporting that they were being harassed very frequently.

I don't know where all those anti-Japanese armed forces came from, and they started firing at them.

I'm very annoyed. But I can't completely get rid of it.

The enemy seemed to be like flies, sticking to the Japanese invaders and never allowing them to advance at full speed.

A minefield of real and fake mines...

A half-real, half-fake howitzer...

When you think the other party is bluffing, they often come out for real.

"Rumble..."

"Rumble..."

Suddenly, a series of explosions occurred.

They were Japanese mine-clearing engineers who were blown up by booby traps and their bodies were never recovered.

"Snapped!"

"Snapped!"

Then, Nationalist cavalrymen appeared out of nowhere and opened fire on the Japanese invaders.

The Japanese cavalry wanted to pursue, but dared not give chase. They were afraid that if they did, they would fall into the enemy's trap.

It feels like there are enemies everywhere.

Every step forward comes at a heavy price.

As a result, the reinforcements that set out from Bengbu were unable to reach Luzhou for a long time.

Later in the night.

The frontal assault continues.

Artillery and infantry were rotated in shifts.

Exhausted troops can withdraw to rest and recuperate.

Only the Commissioner is irreplaceable.

But Zhang Yong was very energetic.

Luzhou City is in sight.

There is hope that we can take it before dawn.

and so……

Work harder!
Take Luzhou City!

It was 3 a.m., two kilometers from Luzhou City.

By this time, the Japanese invaders' defensive positions had basically collapsed.

At a distance of two kilometers, even an 81mm mortar could hit directly into the city. Let alone other artillery pieces?

And so... thousands upon thousands of cannons were fired simultaneously.

Artillery of all calibers was pouring down its fire.

"Boom boom boom..."

"Boom boom boom..."

Shells were exploding everywhere.

The Japanese division and brigade headquarters could no longer be centralized.

They could only scatter and hide in various trenches, barely surviving.

All the regimental commanders have been killed in action.

The vast majority of officers also perished.

The remaining Japanese soldiers were basically living corpses.

Finally, the Japanese invaders, who had been stubbornly resisting, could no longer hold out and began to launch suicidal charges.

"Onboard!"

"Onboard!"

Groups of Japanese invaders let out hysterical roars.

Then, like a group of demons, they staggered out of the position and charged forward, shouting.

They have completely lost their minds and are no longer normal people.

No, they are not human at all.

"Da da da……"

"Tattoo..."

The result was, of course, predictable.

They were immediately hit by a hail of bullets and fell down in droves.

Zhang Yong ignored it.

He didn't care about these Japanese infantrymen.

In his eyes, there was only Luzhou City.

Continue the attack.

The artillery fire intensified.

The entire city of Luzhou seemed to be boiling with excitement.

"on!"

"on!"

All the Nationalist infantrymen were also in high spirits.

After being bombarded by overwhelming artillery fire, it is estimated that very few Japanese soldiers survived.

Sure enough, they easily rushed into the ruins of Luzhou City.

At four o'clock in the morning, Anami Korechika was forced to issue a retreat order. He ordered the remaining Japanese troops to immediately withdraw from Luzhou City.

We have no choice but to evacuate.

Otherwise, both divisions would be wiped out.

Seeing that the Nationalist army had begun to encircle them from behind, and that they were likely to be completely surrounded, the Nationalist army was now on the verge of encirclement.

At that time, these two divisions will be like the Fifth and Tenth Divisions before them, with only a few hundred men escaping after being defeated.

"withdraw!"

"withdraw!"

Kuwabara Shiro and Seki Kameji each issued their orders.

The remaining Japanese troops, like stray dogs, hastily retreated from their positions, fleeing towards Bengbu for their lives.

Zhang Yong: ...

Haha, so they finally ran away?
OK!

Well done!
Run faster!
I'm not going to pursue you anymore.

Other troops will naturally pursue them.

The various local armed groups along the way also provided a perfect opportunity to strike a vicious blow against a defeated enemy.

He, Zhang Yong, only focused on the main contradictions.

They are only responsible for the most crucial, arduous, and critical battles.

They smashed the Japanese invaders to pieces with one blow, and then ignored the rest.

The commissioner has always been one to tackle tough challenges.

I'm addicted to gnawing on bones!

"Commissioner, the Japanese invaders have retreated."

"I see."

"Can we pursue them?"

"of course can."

"Great!"

All units immediately organized a pursuit.

Only Zhang Yong had someone bring him a basin of cold water, and then he washed his face vigorously.

sleepy.

so tired.

He hasn't slept for fifty hours.

They have always been fighting on the front lines.

The smell of gunpowder on his body probably seeped into his blood.

Within ten days or so, anyone who got close could smell the aroma of smoked cured meat emanating from him.

But it doesn't matter.

Anyway, there are no women around me.

No one disliked it.

"Shaolong, Shaolong!" Commander Li rushed over in a hurry.

"Commander Li." Zhang Yong nodded. He didn't speak, because his throat was hoarse and he couldn't say much.

They were all affected by the smoke and the loud commands.

My throat feels like it's on fire.

"Commissioner, water, water, water."

Cao Yiqi brought over some clean water.

Zhang Yong took a big gulp, swirled it around in his mouth, and then spat it out.

Good heavens, a sip of clear water has almost turned into a dark black color.

One can imagine the concentration of gunpowder smoke.

I rinsed my mouth repeatedly. Finally, it was somewhat clean.

Then I drank several more sips. My throat felt a little better, and I could speak again.

"Shaolong, what's your next plan..."

Bengbu.

"You're going to fight your way through?"

"Correct!"

Zhang Yong's gaze was firm.

I don't understand strategy or tactics. But I know how to conquer cities.

Right now, I feel terrifyingly powerful. I can conquer any town with a single strike.

If the 155mm howitzer isn't powerful enough, then there's the heartless 800mm howitzer!
No problem, let's keep going!
They blew up all the towns along the Jinpu Railway.

Unless the Japanese invaders voluntarily give up, making it impossible for them to find their target, they will pay a price as long as there is a defender.

They killed 20,000 to 30,000 Japanese soldiers in Luzhou City. They also killed another 10,000 to 20,000 in other places.

They killed another ten or twenty thousand in the next place.

I don't need a lot. Killing 10,000 each time is enough.

When accumulated in groups of ten thousand, the number becomes quite substantial.

"Bengbu..."

“Suxian County…”

"Xuzhou..."

Commander Li seemed to be deep in thought. Finally, he nodded slowly.

Let's do it! Go for it!

"Shaolong, how do you need my cooperation?"

"I continued to lead the 22nd Army Group into battle. After the 46th Army arrived, it also joined us."

"Shaolong, the other brother units are also looking forward to it!"

"Change the personnel after capturing Bengbu."

"it is good!"

Commander Li was relieved.

It's not that he has any objections. It's that other units have objections.

Who wouldn't want to fight the Commissioner?

I'm going crazy thinking about it.

We will fight and win battles alongside the Commissioner.

Then you can eat meat.

The 7th Army and the 31st Army have already gotten their share of the spoils thanks to the Commissioner.

Now, the 22nd Army Group is also getting a piece of the action thanks to the Commissioner.

Shouldn't it be the other units' turn by now?

You can't eat alone!

The Fifth War Zone still has many troops...

"Regarding the General Staff..."

"Don't mention my name."

"it is good!"

Commander Li took his leave.

Go and arrange the follow-up matters.

Zhang Yong doesn't need military achievements. But the Fifth War Zone does.

"Communications officer!"

"To!"

"A telegram with coded message was invented at 95.27 MHz. The message read: 'I have taken Luzhou. The next target is Bengbu. Welcome to the battle!' Signed Zhang Yong."

"Yes."

The communications officer recorded it.

He was experienced now and quickly drafted the telegram.

Zhang Yong didn't check. There was no need. It would only provoke the Japanese anyway. He waved his hand and issued the order.

Suddenly, Zhang Yong let out a long yawn.

sleepy……

so tired...

You don't realize it during a fierce battle.

Now that the battle is over and the objective has been achieved, I'm feeling sleepy.

Cao Yiqi hurriedly came up.

"Commissioner..."

"Find me a place to sleep."

"Inside the city..."

Do you think there's anywhere left to stay in the city?

"Uh……"

Cao Yiqi looked back at the city.

It seems so real!
Everything was blown to smithereens. Completely pulverized.

Once the commissioner goes inside, there might not even be a place to put his feet.

The Nationalist infantrymen who are going in now are all responsible for clearing the battlefield. It's all rubble and ruins now. There isn't even a single intact wall left.

"Let's find a place outside the city..."

Zhang Yong fainted before he could finish speaking.

I'm so tired...

I'm so sleepy...

He needs a good rest.

Then the second phase of the battle begins—

Attack Bengbu!

[To be continued]

(End of this chapter)