Under One Person: One Person Goes

Chapter 435 Please enter the urn
It was the afternoon of December 12, 1937.

Thirty kilometers downstream from Jinling City, the 11th Squadron, the main force of the Third Fleet of the Old Imperial Navy, which was responsible for inland river operations, stopped here.

The 11th Squadron was an inland gunboat unit, with the gunboat Ataka as its flagship and command ship. It had seven Toba-class gunboats, three Wakatake-class destroyers, and a seaplane carrier converted from a cruise ship. The rest were several auxiliary ships that were converted from temporarily requisitioned civilian ships.

This fleet cooperated with other teams in the previous Jiangyin naval battle to destroy the Kuomintang navy. After this battle, the Kuomintang navy existed in name only. As for them, they would no longer have any rivals in the maritime power and inland river basins of China, allowing them to ravage them and seize military merits at will.

But they didn't expect that in the Yangtze River waters, which they thought should have been unimpeded, someone had actually set up a natural barrier to block their invasion.

The seaplane reconnaissance took off and circled in the air to determine the coverage of the thick fog below.

The width of the Yangtze River in winter is about 1.5-2 kilometers, and this thick fog covers almost half of it. There are only a few narrow gaps that cannot accommodate the fleet to pass one by one, and the width of the fog reaches hundreds of meters.

When the air force of the seaplane reconnaissance plane relayed the situation to the commanders below via radio, they were also very angry.

The other party clearly didn't want them to pass smoothly and reach the Jiangbei waters according to the established plan and block the water surface.

The planes can get through, but the seaplane carrier can only carry eight planes at most. Even if all eight planes arrive, if your fleet doesn't arrive, then those high-ranking army officers who are at odds with their navy will take advantage of the situation to severely suppress their navy, right?
Moreover, the Third Fleet of the Imperial Japanese Navy, which had even destroyed the National Government Navy, was blocked by a maze set up by Chinese practitioners? They couldn't afford to lose face.

However, the corpses of the Marines who had just gone in to explore the way on the auxiliary ships and were wiped out were still floating on the water around them. A round of successive bombings had no effect. All they could see was their sight, but no sound.

This invisible and intangible trap was placed before them, and no one wanted to try it again.

I have finally reached the time to gain military merit and make further progress. If I lose my life here, it would be a real loss.

For a moment, the gunboat fleet hesitated as they looked at the thick fog in front of them. The machine guns on the ships were firing in vain at the poorly equipped Chinese troops in front of the fog who were riding on modified wooden-clad iron ships.

Because these are just projections, the real body is still hidden in the fog and no one knows where it is.

"Okay, Commander Hasegawa, there's no need to waste ammunition."

The commander of the Third Fleet, Kiyoshi Hasegawa, was standing on the deck of the Antaku. While he was still thinking about countermeasures, he heard a voice behind him.

Looking back, he saw a middle-aged man in a white silk hunting robe with gold trim walking towards him. Behind this middle-aged man were several priests in purple hunting robes and several Protestants.

"Great Priest of the Qian Family, have you figured out anything?"

Hasegawa Kiyoshi was extremely respectful to the high Shinto priest named Senke in front of him. As soon as the other party spoke, someone on his side tactfully ordered to stop firing.

Although this military action was promoted by the military, there were also local Shinto sects and clergy families who were secretly helping.

These Shinto families have complex roots and followers all over the place, and whether one can make further progress sometimes depends on whether these clerical families are willing to help.

The family of the great priest Senke in front of him is the leader of many Shinto sects and priest families in Japan. They claim to be the direct descendants of the Okuninomiya and have been passed down to this day.

To a certain extent, we cannot say that they are bragging. The group of aliens is active all over the world, and their prototypes can be found in the history or myths and legends of various countries.

In China, the battle between King Wu and King Zhou of Zhou, which was based on the ideas of the Chan and Jie factions, gave rise to the work "The Investiture of the Gods". In Japan's mythological era, things like Amaterasu and the Yamata no Orochi are nothing but fabricated stories.

As for the priests in purple hunting robes around the high priest of the Qian family, they also came from other clerical families. Tracing back their ancestors, they were either related to the emperor or were hereditary aristocrats. Otherwise, they would not be able to wear purple hunting robes, which were clothes that only high-ranking priests could wear.

"Well, it can be seen that the Chinese practitioners are indeed capable of setting up such a maze array. We can only see the fire but can't hear the explosion. It does have some shadows of the Sound Killing Flow. What do you think?"

"We can indeed see some of the methods of the Sound Killing School, but even if all the disciples of the Sound Killing School were here, they would not be able to withstand the sound of this round of bombing. This formation cannot be set up by a Chinese practitioner. Ha, their national army has lost, but they are delusional enough to rely on their practitioners to stop our fleet?"

"Everyone, they have indeed become a problem for the fleet to advance. If we don't figure out where the enemy is hiding and the fleet rushes in rashly, it will only suffer unnecessary losses. I ask all the priests to consider the empire's fleet."

"Then, Commander Hasegawa, please order another salvo."

"Huh? Where to fire?"

"Anywhere is fine, as long as the bombardment range is within this area. I want to see how much these Chinese practitioners can eat."

"Hi!"

Following the order of the old devil Hasegawa Kiyoshi, the main and secondary guns of the eleven gunboats of the eleventh squadron parked on the river began to adjust their gun muzzles and aimed at the fog that was blocking their way of aggression.

Such a big movement was naturally known to Zhang Zhiwei, who was in charge of the formation in the fog.

"Wow, the other party is quite cautious. He can still keep his composure at this time. Seniors, this is going to be uncomfortable. You must hold on."

"There's no need to ask for our opinions at a time like this!"

"Respect the old and love the young~Reply!"

Following Zhang Zhiwei's movement, Captain Jiang and his fleet, who had previously cooperated with Zhang Zhiwei in bluffing, were also pushed back towards the sandbar by the current.

At the same time, the muzzles of the gunboats outside the fog had been adjusted, and the accompanying great priest of the Qian family and several high-ranking priests behind him raised their sleeves, and a dozen three-legged fire crows flew out from their sleeves and circled over the fleet.

Then the chief priest of the Sen family signaled to Hasegawa Kiyoshi that he could open fire.

Following an order from Hasegawa Kiyoshi, artillery fire roared, and shells were fired from the guns, making a sharp hissing sound in the air and falling towards the waters in the fog.

The three-legged fire crows released by these priests followed soon after.

At the same time, Zhang Zhiwei also released the explosive potential energy that he had absorbed through the Eight Diagrams during the 11th Squadron's bombardment.

For a moment, the sound of artillery fire was like thunder in the plain, endless.

The calm river surface was also stirred up by huge waves in this burst of artillery fire, and the impact of the explosion turned into a strong wind, raging on the river surface.

The fog that originally stretched across the river, hundreds of meters wide in total, has now become fragmented under the ravages of artillery fire. The visibility that was previously pitch black is now improving, and only a few places are still shrouded in fog, making it unclear what is real or fake.

Just when Hasegawa Kiyoshi thought that the attack was effective, the fog that was blown away by the artillery bombardment was coming back and slowly gathering, causing the old Japanese to change his face.

Just as he was about to give the order to continue the bombardment, the chief priest of the Qian family who was watching nearby laughed out loud.

"Oh, we found you." As he spoke, in the re-gathering fog, the dozen or so three-legged fire crows that they had released into it before rose into the air, turning into fireballs that floated in the air, shining brightly.

Even from the outside world, one can clearly see the little flames in the fog, like a guiding light.

"Then I continue to order the bombardment?"

"No, Your Excellency the Commander, order the fleet to advance."

"why?"

"The formation set up by these Chinese practitioners is very similar to our native sound killing style. The common point is that they can absorb the potential energy generated by the opponent's attack and use it to counterattack the opponent. I asked you to order the bombardment before to force these Chinese practitioners to use the potential energy they absorbed in the first round to deal with the previous round of bombardment.

If you order the bombardment now, we will fall into a vicious circle. They will keep taking and counterattacking. Although we know that there is a limit to how much they can take, according to the arrangement of this formation, their original intention is not to kill the enemy, but to delay time. If you do this, they will be happier. The fire crows we released just now were searching for the position of these Chinese practitioners while they were dealing with the bombardment. Now that we have found them, the next step is to behead them directly."

"What if they still have reservations? Just waiting for us to go in?"

"Is your fleet so vulnerable? Can't it even withstand the power of the few remaining shells? Or are all the soldiers of the empire as afraid of death as you are? If you miss the opportunity to fight, no one can save you."

Being asked this question in return, Hasegawa Kiyoshi was also held back, but he also knew that the other party was right, so he did not continue to discuss with the great priest of the Qian family.

"Hey! Then I would like to wish you all good luck in fighting!"

"Thank you. Now, Commander, please give the order to move forward. The Empire's plan cannot fail!"

"Hi!"

The anchors began to be collected, the engines restarted, the fleet of gunboats roared, and began to slowly move towards the fog that blocked their invasion.

In the mist, Zhang Zhiwei, who was maintaining the Eight Diagrams Formation, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, and then contacted Captain Jiang who was hiding in another place.

"Captain Jiang, how is the situation over there?"

"About a hundred people died, and many were injured, but they can still fight."

"Hundreds of people have died in this way? Sigh, this era of hot weapons is different. If it were the era of cold weapons, they wouldn't be able to touch you."

"It's already very good. With the firepower of the Japanese, if it weren't for your methods, even if we were wiped out, we might not be able to exchange a single ship for the enemy."

"Not necessarily. It is definitely impossible to replace them. However, their sacrifice is meaningful. The other side has been fooled and is heading towards us."

"What's next?"

"The rest is up to you. I have already absorbed half of their artillery fire with the help of the Eight Diagrams. I have turned all of them into mines and hidden them in this area. Your only task now is to lead the Japanese fleet to the area where these mines are located and let them have a taste of being bombarded by their own artillery.

I will send you the mine distribution map now, and the seniors in the formation will assist you."

Captain Jiang was counting the casualties on the sandbar after a round of indiscriminate bombardment from the gunboats. This was the horror of the era of hot weapons. Even if you, Zhang Zhiwei, were blessed with Zhuge Liang's Eight Diagrams, what good would it do? With one round of firepower covering them, you would be bombed wherever you hide. It was just a matter of how many bombs you would get.

While talking with Zhang Zhiwei, Commander Jiang also found that there was an extra map in his mind.

"How about it, remember it?"

"I've got it. What are you going to do?"

"Soldiers against soldiers, generals against generals, you are responsible for leading the Japanese gunboats to the mines, and I will also take good care of the masters on their ships. This is how formations are. You can either use force to defeat cleverness, or go deep into the game and find the eye of the formation. Once the eye is broken, the formation will be dispersed.

If we don’t leave these experts on their ship here and let them find the center of the formation where the seniors are in charge, the Eight Formations will be broken.”

"How many people are there on the other side?"

"Twelve, all masters."

"If someone like you, Zhang Zhiwei, can be called a master, he must be very powerful. Can you win by yourself?"

"It will win."

"Okay, I also believe you will win."

After explaining the situation to Captain Jiang, Zhang Zhiwei also contacted the Zhuge family elders who were in charge of the Eight Diagrams Formation and the couple of Qimen Dunjia.

"Seniors, please focus on maintaining the formation from now on. You don't need to worry about the rest."

"Zhang Zhiwei, you don't have to worry about us. We only have one request, to make them feel the pain!"

"Junior, I obey your orders."

After both sides finished explaining, Zhang Zhiwei looked up at the three-legged fire crow above his head that lit up the positions of himself and fourteen senior sorcerers.

He raised his right hand and twisted it casually towards the fire crows that turned into guiding lights in the mist.

Eight Diagrams Formation: Change of Position!
The location is still the same, but the originally located area has all become the sandbar where Zhang Zhiwei is now.

Such changes naturally attracted the attention of the great priest of the Qian family and others who were casting spells on the flagship.

"Ok?"

"What's wrong, High Priest?"

"Nothing, the other party is inviting us. Commander, you just move forward slowly. We will deal with the Chinese practitioners hiding in the formation."

"Hi."

After that, the twelve clergymen headed by the great priest of the Qian family took the lead and jumped out of the deck. After the fleet entered the fog, they followed the guidance of the three-legged fire crows released earlier, performed light skills, and flew towards the sandbar where Zhang Zhiwei was.

(End of this chapter)