Anti-Japanese War: From Becoming Chu Yunfei to Rising

South entrance, 307 Highlands.

This place is no longer a hill, but a hell soaked in blood.

Major Nobuo Tanaka, commander of the 3rd Battalion of the 222nd Infantry Regiment of the 36th Division of the Japanese Army, was desperately binding his left arm, which had been cut by shrapnel, with a tattered cloth. The scarlet blood quickly soaked through the cloth.

He leaned against the back of a concrete fortification that had been partially destroyed by the bomb, breathing heavily, each breath carrying the heavy smell of gunpowder and blood.

Looking out from his perspective, the battlefield was littered with broken corpses.

There were soldiers from the 14th Army wearing Central Army uniforms, and Japanese soldiers wearing khaki uniforms.

Not far from him, there were Type 92 cannons that had been blown in half, their barrels pointing helplessly at the gray sky.

The remaining Japanese soldiers were putting up a last stand, relying on makeshift shelters made of corpses and rubble.

"Enemy attack! The enemy is attacking!" a sentry shouted hoarsely.

Tanaka Nobuo looked up sharply and saw that below the hillside, a tidal wave of Chinese soldiers, under the cover of heavy machine guns, were launching another charge with a fearless and reckless attitude.

They no longer employ the linear attack tactics that were previously commonly used.

Instead, they moved upwards little by little, using squads and platoons as units, taking turns providing cover and utilizing shell craters and posture, with fierce and precise firepower.

"Fire! Fire!"

Nobuo Tanaka drew his Nambu pistol (a Mauser C96 pistol) from his waist and fired wildly downwards: "Retaliate!"

"We absolutely cannot let them continue!"

However, his orders were pale and powerless amidst the deafening shouts and explosions.

The artillery support from the rear was almost non-stop. The shells from 75mm mountain guns and 120mm heavy guns seemed to have eyes, constantly knocking out their remaining firing points.

at the same time.

A small number of air force units also participated in the attack.

This was a "commendation" that Chu Yunfei specially applied for for them, an emergency reinforcement from the Soviet Volunteer Air Force aiding China.

Although the ground attack wasn't very effective, it greatly boosted morale.

This is not.

When our air force appeared on the battlefield, almost instantly, a roar like a mountain collapsing and a tsunami crashing through the entire valley.

Nobuo Tanaka, this top student who graduated from the Army University, didn't even have time to despair!

next second.

"boom!"

A shell hit the heavy machine gun position not far from him with precision, and the huge shockwave knocked Tanaka Nobuo and several soldiers to the ground.

When he struggled to get up from his coma, all he saw were severed limbs scattered all over the ground.

The Type 92 heavy machine gun, which was just roaring, has now become a pile of scrap metal.

"His Majesty the Emperor, Ibanzai"

Amidst desperate screams.

The last dozen or so Japanese soldiers, with their Type 38 rifles fixed with bayonets, leaped from their bunkers and chose the most frenzied "gyokusai" (suicide attack) charge.

However, they were met with a hail of bullets.

soon.

The flag of the Republic of China was raised at the highest point of Hill 307.

With his last ounce of strength, Tanaka Nobuo detonated the grenade in his arms.

Boom~!

……

The fall of Hill 307 was like a heavy hammer blow to the heart of Lieutenant General Maiden, commander of the Japanese 36th Division.

"Reporting to the division commander! Hill 307 has fallen!"

"The 970 officers, including Major Nobuo Tanaka, commander of the 3rd Battalion of the 222nd Regiment, have all perished."

Before Wu Chuannan could readjust his plans.

Within half a day, bad news followed one after another.

"Report! The main force of the 14th Army of China has broken through our outer defense line and is launching a fierce attack on the core position!"

"Our division's artillery positions were heavily suppressed by enemy artillery fire, resulting in enormous losses."

Of course, there was also good news.

In terms of air power, the Japanese army still held an absolute advantage.

Just then, Wu Chuannan was wondering why there wasn't even a sliver of good news.

An operations staff officer reported: "Our air force has driven the enemy air force out of the airspace and has now regained air superiority."

In fact.

After the 14th Army launched a full-scale and fierce offensive.

In just three short days.

The enemy has already captured one-third of the core position at Nankou!

The defensive lines of permanent fortifications occupied by the Japanese 36th Division in various locations in Nankou were breached by the Chinese 14th Army in a near-catastrophic and reckless manner.

The attacking 14th Army suffered heavy casualties; the change of control of each hilltop meant the fall of hundreds of elite soldiers.

However, the defending Japanese 36th Division was also in dire straits.

Their fortifications were almost completely destroyed.

The well-trained Japanese soldiers were divided, surrounded, and annihilated under the relentless attacks.

Wu Chuannan stared blankly at the rapidly expanding occupied territory on the map, his body trembling involuntarily.

He believed that the seemingly impregnable steel defenses were crumbling and disintegrating in an incredible way.

The attacking 14th Army, though also suffering heavy losses, launched an offensive like an endless tide, wave after wave, giving the defenders no chance to catch their breath.

The sheer determination to break through the defenses at all costs sent a chill down Wu Chuannan's spine.

After a brief exchange with the intelligence staff and the operations staff, Chief of Staff Koichi Oda quickly stepped forward to report: "Your Excellency, this situation is quite strange. Given the combat strength of the 14th Army Group, it is absolutely impossible for them to launch such a rapid attack. Moreover, their 75mm artillery cannot possibly suppress my division's 105mm howitzers."

"You believe that truly elite Chinese troops were involved in the battle?"

"Hai!" Chief of Staff Koichi Oda nodded slowly: "Otherwise, we cannot explain why the enemy's offensive is becoming increasingly fierce."

"Request reinforcements from the North China Area Army Headquarters!" His voice was hoarse and weak.
-
Headquarters of the Japanese North China Area Army, Beiping.

There was a deathly silence in Okamura Neiji's office.

The only sounds were the monotonous ticking of the wall clock and the heavy, tense breathing of the high-ranking officers.

Before them hung a huge war map of North China.

Many places are already covered with small red flags that signify "urgent situation" and "loss of territory".

The Nankou defense line collapsed, the entire city of Handan fell, and the 20th Division suffered a devastating attack at Niangziguan, losing most of its supplies. At this moment, the Chinese army under Chu Yunfei's command at Pingxingguan, Nankou, Handan, and Shijiazhuang resembled a monstrous beast with its jaws wide open.

They launched an attack on the North China Area Army's defenses from the west, south, and north simultaneously.

Okamura Neiji stood with his hands behind his back in front of the map, motionless, like a petrified statue.

But his slightly trembling shoulders and his bloodshot, unusually ferocious face revealed the turmoil in his heart.

He was completely stunned by Chu Yunfei's combination of punches.

Okamura Neiji couldn't understand why Chu Yunfei had seized the opportunity so precisely.

a long time.

Okamura Yasuji finally spoke slowly, his voice hoarse as if it had been sanded: "This is not the political offensive we previously judged, nor is it a gesture of goodwill to seek material support from the Soviet Union and the United States."

He slowly turned around, his gaze sweeping over all the ashen-faced staff officers and generals on the field.

"The feint at Pingxingguan was to attract our attention;"
The current offensive on Nankou is intended to tie down our main force;
The plan to attack Handan from both the north and south was to mobilize our last mobile force, the 20th Division.

"All of this, all of this second arrangement, points to one ultimate goal." A glint of madness born of fear flashed in Okamura Neiji's eyes: "Chu Yunfei, this greatest enemy, he has mobilized elite troops from the Second War Zone, the Fifth War Zone, and possibly even parts of Hu Zongnan's forces in the Eighth War Zone. What he wants is not a victory in a single battle, but..."

Okamura Yasuji frowned, took a deep breath, and uttered a conclusion that sent chills down his spine: "It's the complete liberation of North China! He wants to use this unprecedented final battle to annihilate all 280,000 troops of our North China Area Army."

In fact.

Although this judgment deviated from Chu Yunfei's true intentions, from Okamura Neiji's perspective, it was the only reasonable explanation based on the current battle situation.

It was this grand and fatal judgment that led him to make a decision that would push the entire Far East war situation towards a more comprehensive and insane direction.

"Order!" He slammed his fist on the table and roared hoarsely, "Immediately issue an emergency situation report in the name of the North China Area Army Headquarters to the Nanjing Expeditionary Army Headquarters and the Central China Area Army Headquarters in Wuhan!"

"Tell General Hata Shunroku! Tell General Anami Korechika!"

"The Chinese army has launched a full-scale strategic decisive battle in North China! Our North China Area Army is facing a life-or-death crisis! In order to thwart the strategic intentions of the Chongqing government, and also to support our operations..."

In Okamura Neiji's eyes burned a gambler's flame.

"I request the Central China Area Army to immediately launch an unprecedented retaliatory containment offensive against the core area of ​​the Fifth War Zone in China!"

"We must ignite another war in the heart of China! Disrupt the troop movements of those in the mountain city!"

"Let them be caught between a rock and a hard place! Let them pay the most terrible price for their delusions!"
-
Nankou, "Frontline Command Post of the 14th Army".

Chu Yunfei is conducting an inspection accompanied by Zhao Pengcheng.

"Sir, this seems to be the original command post that was converted. It's highly likely that Commander Chen did it intentionally."

Chu Yunfei nodded slowly.

As the troops advanced, this small courtyard was transformed from a command post into a field hospital.

The air was still filled with the strong smell of blood and disinfectant.

Chen Tie did not tell him the exact location of the command post, so the driver could only move according to the map provided by Zhao Pengcheng.

The wounded soldiers carried down from the front lines were placed in rows of simple rooms, with medics moving back and forth, their feet barely touching the ground. The groans of the soldiers rose and fell, never ceasing.

Army Commander Chen Tie, a fierce general who had crawled out of mountains of corpses and seas of blood, was standing on the earthen slope at the entrance of the village, silently watching the remains of another batch of fallen soldiers, wrapped in blood-stained white cloths and loaded onto trucks.

His eyelids were red and his lips were chapped.

The officer's uniform, which should have been crisp and straight, was now stained beyond recognition by mud and gunpowder.

Since the start of the general offensive, in just three days, efforts have been made to take down these tough targets on the outskirts of Nankou.

His 14th Army has suffered over 5,000 casualties and over 3,600 deaths.

The price of this "victory" was so heavy that he could hardly breathe.

These are all excellent soldiers.

The roar of a car engine could be heard coming from the main road to the southwest.

Several trucks and American-style jeeps bearing the flags of the North China Joint Command sped along, churning up a muddy trail, escorted by guards.

Chen Tie felt a chill run down his spine. The moment he saw the flag, he knew who had arrived.

The convoy came to a stop.

Dressed in a clean military uniform, Chu Yunfei, with his tall and imposing figure, stepped out of the car, surrounded by guards.

He looked around at the soldiers, whose faces were haggard and whose expressions were numb.

A sense of dissatisfaction and deep sorrow welled up in my heart.

"Commander Chu."

"Chen Tie".

Chu Yunfei walked up to him, did not return the greeting, but patted him heavily on the shoulder: "You and your brothers have worked hard."

A simple "Thank you for your hard work" carries an immense weight.

Even Chen Tie, a tough man who had never flinched even amidst a hail of bullets, had his eyes instantly moist.

"Your Excellency," his voice was hoarse, "I have failed Your Excellency's trust! Our casualties are too severe."

"I saw it." Chu Yunfei's voice was deep and powerful. "I saw your sacrifices, I saw your bloody battle at Nankou."

"The achievements of the 14th Army are evident to all the gentlemen of Chongqing and the people of the whole country. The Chairman cares about you very much."

"Yes, Your Excellency."

Chu Yunfei didn't discuss tactics or strategy, nor did he even inquire about the battle situation. Instead, he said, "Take me to see the brothers who have just been rotated off the front lines."

Inside a giant makeshift shack.

Hundreds of soldiers who survived the war are huddled on slightly damp straw mats.

Some were wiping the corpses beside them with trembling hands, while others were silently bandaging their companions' wounds.

Many more people just sat there blankly, their eyes vacant.

Their spirit, even their soul, seems to remain on that bloody battlefield.

When Chu Yunfei, accompanied by Chen Tie, bent over and walked toward the low shack, all the soldiers were stunned.

The scene suddenly fell into a deathly silence.

The soldiers gazed at the legendary "war commander" with an almost reverent look.

Immediately, one of the soldiers was the first to react and struggled to get up and salute.

"Commander Chu!"

Inside the shack, the crowd instantly stirred.

"It's Commander Chu and Commander Chen!"

Chu Yunfei waved his hand, his voice gentle yet carrying an undeniable authority: "Sit down! Those who are injured, don't move!"

He didn't stand at the door, but instead bent over and walked into the shack, which smelled of sweat, blood, and mold.

Chu Yunfei took a pack of cigarettes and matches from Zhao Pengcheng, lit them first for the soldiers closest to him, and then stuffed the remaining cigarettes into the arms of an old soldier with a missing arm. (End of this chapter)