Spy Shadow: Command & Conquer

Chapter 1998, Crossfire

The battlefield was filled with the smoke of gunpowder.

The air is suffocating.

Someone prepared a wet towel for Zhang Yong.

There was also plum juice served in Japanese military water bottles. It was thirst-quenching and soothing to the throat.

The Nationalist Army's German-equipped divisions had replicas of German-style canteens. However, they had a very small capacity, only 0.75 liters. A few large gulps were all it took to finish one.

On the contrary, the Japanese field canteens could hold more than 1.3 liters. They were also made entirely of aluminum and of very high quality, making them high-quality military products.

Pick up the microphone.

"Artillery regiment, 122mm howitzers, prepare to fire."

"Mi 30-15, range 8500!"

"Wait for my command!"

A 122mm howitzer is sufficient to deal with the Japanese infantry.

The artillery currently assigned to the 18th Army at the army level is the M1910 122mm howitzer, which was provided by the Soviet Union.

These were all outdated pieces of equipment from the later stages of World War I. They were cumbersome, had limited range, and limited firepower.

The Soviet Red Army itself had already eliminated them all.

However, it was sufficient to deal with the Japanese infantry.

Even 75mm Italian guns and howitzers can participate.

But we don't need it for now.

First, bring the Japanese invaders closer. Then, slap them hard across the head and face.

The Japanese invaders thought they were very well concealed and could catch the Nationalist army off guard, but they didn't know...

Their every move has long been under our control.

Now, the dark muzzles of cannons are aimed at them, ready for a pleasant harvest.

"report!"

"Commissioner, the two division commanders of the Fifth Army have arrived."

"please."

Zhang Yong nodded.

Progress was also not going well for the Fifth Army.

Upon learning that the 18th Army had breached the defenses, they immediately sent dozens of people to visit and learn from their experience.

Leading the way were Li Mi and Dai Anlan.

The former is the newly appointed commander of the 1st Honorary Division, and the latter is the commander of the 200th Division.

The First Honorary Division was the unit where Baldy (the bald man) rose to prominence. Baldy had once served as the commander of the First Division.

After the victory at the Battle of Kunlun Pass, Zheng Dongguo, the former commander of the Honorary 1st Division, was promoted and sent to form the newly formed 11th Army.

The division commander was replaced by Shu Shicun, the former deputy division commander and chief of staff.

However, Shu Shicun was good at strategizing but not at making decisions. He made a major mistake when the Japanese invaders attacked Xiangyang and Yichang, and was eventually dismissed from his post.

Fortunately, many people spoke on his behalf, and he redeemed himself by serving as deputy chief of staff in the Eighth Army.

Li Mi took over as commander of the First Honorary Division.

This Li Mi is also a student from the fourth class of the Whampoa Military Academy, class of 101.

Their performance on the battlefield was mediocre, but once they reached the Golden Triangle, they became formidable and rampaged through the enemy lines...

His greatest skill is turning misfortune into good fortune; he can run faster than Sun Yuanliang, the swift-footed madman...

On the Huaihai battlefield, it's a miracle that a bunch of incompetent teammates assembled...

"Commissioner".

"Commander Li."

"Commissioner".

"Commander Dai, we meet again."

"I'm ashamed..."

Zhang Yong and Dai Anlan shook hands.

Zhang Yong had some knowledge of the personnel situation of the Fifth Army.

Unfortunately, Dai Anlan's situation in the Fifth Army was not good. As a result, his position as division commander remained stagnant.

The station manager is right: personnel matters are politics.

Although the 200th Division performed admirably in the Battle of Kunlun Pass.

However, both the bald man and Du Yuming overlooked Dai Anlan. They didn't even appoint him as a deputy army commander.

Therefore, it can be inferred that an honest person like Dai Anlan probably doesn't have any special background.

"Commissioner, we are here to visit and learn."

Did you bring a radio?

"Bring it."

"Then use the radio to direct your 122mm artillery to fire!"

"what?"

Everyone looked at each other.

Commanding with a radio? How can you command like that?
The specialist is to...

"Order your 122mm heavy artillery groups to prepare for firing."

"Mi 07-20, range 9200!"

"Eight rapid shots."

Zhang Yong directly issued the firing parameters.

The battlefields of the 18th Army and the 5th Army were actually right next to each other.

The two attacks were less than ten kilometers apart.

To a large extent, the Japanese positions facing both sides overlapped.

The positions that the 18th Army's heavy artillery could reach, the 5th Army's heavy artillery could also reach.

Just then, the Japanese invaders, who had been quietly advancing, arrived at the junction of the two armies.

Clearly, the Japanese invaders had a keen sense of the battlefield.

They precisely riveted the junction of the Nationalist army and the enemy.

Generally speaking, the defenses at the junction of two armies are relatively weak.

Because once attacked, both sides will instinctively withdraw their forces. Then a passage will appear.

Then the Japanese invaders could swarm up through this passage and seize the opportunity to break out.

This tactic has proven effective time and again.

However, it did not anticipate that the junction could actually be covered by crossfire.

This is not your average crossfire.

It was crossfire. They were all Soviet-made 122mm howitzers.

The 18th Army had 36 guns. The 5th Army also had 36 guns. All together, that's 72 guns.

Concentrated fire is quite powerful.

Zhang Yong's only regret now is that the Japanese infantry is too few.

There were only two large teams. Two thousand people.

If it were two infantry regiments, or an independent mixed brigade, that would be fantastic.

"Yoshi..."

Behind him, Hyakutake Haruyoshi's brows relaxed.

The troops' infiltration and approach went smoothly. The Nationalist army did not detect them. The distance was getting closer and closer.

Just two more kilometers forward and you'll be in position to charge. Then swiftly tear apart the enemy's joints, and the blade curls inward.

Once the passage is opened, an infantry regiment will immediately be deployed to reinforce it.

Together with the two large teams in front, they will tear apart the breakthrough point.

In the darkness, the Nationalist army's artillery fire would certainly be unable to accurately cover the area. Close-quarters combat would be possible.

The Japanese army, from top to bottom, was full of confidence in close combat.

They all thought they could take on three opponents at once.

Quiet.

The Nationalist army's positions remained completely still.

There was no gunfire. No artillery fire. Not even the chirping of insects.

All the non-human creatures on the battlefield had been ravaged by the intense artillery fire. Only the paramecia remained alive.

The Japanese invaders continued their silent advance.

On a hot summer night, the air is thick with the smell of gunpowder, making the sweat flow even faster.

Everyone was soaking wet. Their crotches were drenched in sweat.

Zhang Yong silently drank his plum juice.

It really quenches thirst.

It tastes somewhat like iced tea from later generations.

In later generations, a large can of iced tea costing four yuan was also a lifesaver in the summer.

Everyone else was quiet.

Actually, none of them understood it.

I don't know how Zhang Yong judged the target.

It was pitch black ahead. I couldn't see anything.

There are no more explosions now. The entire battlefield is dark, quiet, and eerily terrifying.

ten minutes……

half an hour……

The Japanese invaders approached very slowly.

Judging from the movement, they were crawling. They concealed their bodies very well.

At this point, even with flares, they might not be able to spot you...

Huh?
Flare?
It seems to be standard equipment...

"Somebody come!"

"To!"

"Fire flares!"

"Yes."

Soon, the flares were launched into the sky.

Suddenly, the pitch-black night sky turned deathly white.

The group raised their binoculars and observed carefully, but saw nothing. Not a soul in sight.

Zhang Yong also held up his binoculars, carefully searching for the Japanese invaders.

Radar maps clearly showed that the Japanese invaders were in that area, and there were many of them. But they just couldn't see them.

The Japanese 18th Division was indeed an elite force! The soldiers had extremely high overall quality.

Not only is his marksmanship accurate, but he also has auxiliary skills.

For example, crawling or lurking.

The Nationalist army could never have done it without leaving a trace with two thousand men.

However, the Japanese were able to hide extremely well, rendering the flares ineffective.

Under normal circumstances, if a flare cannot find a person, it will no longer attract attention.

Meanwhile, the Japanese invaders could continue to crawl forward and get closer.

"What is the commissioner looking for?"

"do not know."

"Could it be that they suspect there's something wrong with that area?"

"maybe."

The officers around them were exchanging glances discreetly.

They had observed very carefully, but found nothing. It was certain that there were no Japanese troops in that area.

In other words, the Commissioner's suspicions may be wrong.

"laugh……"

"laugh……"

Flares continued to be launched.

The numbers gradually decreased. Finally, the battlefield returned to complete darkness.

There were no incendiary materials. The bombardment was too intense. Everything that could burn had been blown to pieces.

Keep waiting.

Another half hour passed.

On this hot summer night, there were surprisingly no mosquitoes.

There should have been some. But they were probably all killed by the intense artillery fire.

Or perhaps they were suffocated by the thick smoke of gunpowder.

"Gurgle..." "Gurgle..."

I don't know whose stomach made the noise.

It wasn't a big deal at first. Going hungry is normal. But it seems to have triggered a chain reaction.

"Gululu..."

"Gululu..."

More people's stomachs started growling.

It was mainly the 18th Army. The fighting was fierce. Everyone forgot to eat.

Zhang Yong's own stomach also began to rumble.

"Get me something to eat."

"it is good."

Peng Shan hurriedly went to make arrangements.

Soon, the warm flatbread was served.

They were all pan-fried flatbreads, without any toppings. But they tasted delicious.

The key is that it's soft and fluffy, and you can eat it without making a sound.

Everyone was worried that they would alert the Japanese invaders.

I'm full...

The Japanese invaders are almost there.

They have all entered the pre-positioned artillery fire zone.

"Li Mi!"

"To!"

"Order your artillery to fire!"

"Yes!"

Zhang Yong gave instructions while picking up the microphone.

At the same time, the heavy artillery group of the 18th Army was ordered to open fire.

Everyone quickly raised their binoculars, waiting for the violent explosion to tear through the darkness.

"boom……"

"boom……"

Sure enough, a moment later, flames erupted.

Numerous shells exploded ahead. Fireballs shot into the sky.

Too many shells rained down in a short time. Fireballs overlapped and devoured each other. The entire battlefield resembled a boiling volcano.

Two corps-level heavy artillery groups, totaling seventy-two 122mm howitzers.

All fired rapidly. One shot after another, relentlessly.

"Japanese invaders!"

"Japanese invaders!"

At this point, the telescope finally came in handy.

Amidst the clusters of firelight, the figures of the Japanese invaders could be clearly seen.

The Japanese invaders, caught in a fierce artillery barrage, had no way to hide. Their bodies were torn apart by the violent explosions.

Some Japanese soldiers also fled around in panic to avoid artillery fire.

"a lot of!"

"a lot of!"

As the shelling continued, more details emerged.

In the area covered by artillery fire, the Japanese invaders could be seen in every corner.

In other words, there were many Japanese soldiers hiding in that area before. Otherwise, they wouldn't have been in such a sorry state when they were shelled.

As expected, the commissioner's judgment was correct. Japanese troops were indeed attempting to approach.

The Japanese invaders were very well hidden. But it was useless.

The commissioner's sharp eyes still accurately spotted them.

Then they concentrated the artillery fire of the two armies, creating a massive mixed attack. In one fell swoop, they completely wiped out the Japanese invaders.

"Look!"

"Look!"

Someone gasped in surprise.

Amidst the flames of the explosion, some Japanese soldiers stood up.

He was probably a Japanese officer, or a sergeant, trying to order his soldiers to charge.

They were indeed very brave. They even had the courage to charge forward in the face of such dense artillery fire.

It has to be said, it is indeed formidable.

No wonder the Nationalist army repeatedly broke through, only to be repeatedly counterattacked.

This is the 18th Division of the Japanese invaders! It was one of the most elite divisions of the Japanese invaders! They were extremely fanatical.

But it didn't work.

"Boom boom boom..."

"Boom boom boom..."

The artillery shells taught the Japanese invaders a lesson. They were torn to shreds.

Those Japanese invaders who stood up fearlessly were quickly swallowed up by artillery fire.

They either fall down silently.

Either there was no trace left after the explosion.

No matter how many Japanese invaders tried to stand up, the final result was death.

Many Japanese flags were blown up and flew into the air.

They are soft and fluffy. Therefore, they are not so easily blown apart.

Numerous Japanese flags fluttered in the air, reflecting the firelight, resembling banners of ten thousand souls.

"Boom boom boom..."

"Boom boom boom..."

It's easy to imagine how dense the explosion was.

Two heavy artillery groups! A total of seventy-two 122mm howitzers.

Using it to deal with unprotected targets is like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut.

No matter how formidable the individual combat capabilities of the Japanese soldiers, under such intense artillery fire, there was only one outcome—

Shattered!

Not even a scum is left!

Indeed, radar maps show a rapid decrease in the number of red dots.

In just thirty seconds, the shelling reduced the number of Japanese troops by half, meaning that thousands of Japanese soldiers lost their lives.

Artillery fire is certainly effective.

But it's still not quite there.

If it were seventy-two 107mm rocket launchers...

There were over eight hundred launch tubes. More than eight hundred rockets were launched in one go…

Hoohoo!

I must find an opportunity to try it next time.

When the Japanese invaders launch their charge, unleash a category 18 hurricane with as many rockets as possible...

"Damn it!"

"They've been discovered!"

"Quickly! Quickly! Order them to retreat! Quickly! Retreat!"

"quick!"

Hyakutake Haruyoshi shouted until he was hoarse.

The Japanese soldiers around it seemed stunned. They didn't react for a moment.

None of them expected that the assault troops would be subjected to artillery fire at this moment. And the artillery fire was just as fierce and deadly.

The assault troops were well hidden and were not detected by the enemy at all!

The location of the artillery fire was not the choke point.

In fact, it was an open area, which was advantageous for the deployment of Japanese troops.

Just when the Japanese invaders thought this place was the safest, a devastating disaster suddenly struck without warning.

"Boom boom..."

"Boom boom..."

Shells kept falling.

However, it's not as fierce as before. After all, the numbers are insufficient.

The firing rate of this Soviet-made 122mm howitzer was approximately five or six rounds per minute.

To increase firepower density, the number of gun barrels must be increased.

Obviously, that's not possible at the moment.

it's fine.

Zhang Yong has a solution.

Pick up the microphone.

"Relocate the 76mm field artillery position."

Soon, the call was connected.

Zhang Yong ordered the 76mm field guns to fire.

This type of field gun was assigned to the division and brigade levels of the 18th and 5th Armies.

The prototype was the Soviet-era M1902 76.2mm cannon. Its main feature was its long range, exceeding thirteen kilometers.

The drawbacks are that it's quite bulky and has a slow rate of fire, only able to fire 10 shells per minute.

The Italian cannon can fire up to 20 rounds per minute.

"boom……"

"boom……"

Soon, all 76mm field guns joined the bombardment.

Their rate of fire is much faster than that of 122mm howitzers, greatly increasing the density of artillery fire on the battlefield.

Thus, the remaining Japanese invaders had no chance of escaping.

No matter how you run, you'll get blown up.

The number of red dots is decreasing...

In the firelight, a Japanese officer stood up, raising his command sword high.

Then, its body seemed to be miraculously kept still by the artillery fire. In reality, the person was already dead, but not yet pulverized.

It wasn't until a 122mm shell landed that it was completely taken away.

"idiot……"

"Damn..."

Hyakutake Haruyoshi's heart was breaking.

Unexpectedly, his carefully planned counterattack ended in failure.

Not only did they achieve nothing, but they also lost two infantry battalions. Those were two infantry battalions! Nearly two thousand men.

They were all reduced to dust under enemy fire. It's unknown if even ten people managed to escape. It's probably unlikely.

"Nani?"

"Failed?"

"All the jade pieces shattered?"

Yamashita Tomoyuki was also taken aback.

He immediately realized he was in danger. Very dangerous.

It must have been someone who personally got involved.

It is very likely that the artillery fire was personally directed by Zhang Yong.

Otherwise, it wouldn't be so strange.

So, here comes the problem——

How to do?
The enemy's artillery fire was so accurate, hitting the Japanese army's weak points with every shot, resulting in heavy losses for the Japanese.

If this continues, even if the Japanese army has a large number of troops, it will not be able to withstand such attrition.

In just one night, the Japanese army lost several thousand men!

They were all elite troops from the 18th Division.

Headache……

How to do?
[To be continued]

(End of this chapter)