Bright Sword: The Flowers of War

Chapter 57 The Final Showdown (Part 7)

Inside the Japanese command post, the atmosphere was oppressive, like dark clouds looming over the city. The staff officers even had to walk on tiptoe, as everyone knew that Kunisaki was like a powder keg next to a fire, ready to explode at any moment.

A staff officer strode in and bowed to report: "General, Regimental Commander Yamada just reported."

The attack stalled, and the Chinese resistance was extremely fierce. The 41st Regiment suffered exceptionally heavy casualties as they fought house-to-house and floor-to-floor.

"Resistance house by house, floor by floor?" Kunisaki was taken aback. This was the first time he had heard this term in his military career. His eyes rolled stiffly for a moment, and he asked, seemingly puzzled, "How does one resist house by house, floor by floor?"

"That's literally what it means."

The staff officer paused for a moment, seemingly considering how best to report, before saying after a few seconds: "Commander Yamada said on the phone that when the 41st Regiment was attacking, they found that all the Chinese soldiers were hiding in houses."

The Imperial Army had to occupy all the houses to eliminate their resistance. Sometimes, in order to seize a living room or even a wall, the Imperial Army had to pay the price of several soldiers.

Regimental Commander Yamada also stated that, to date, the 41st Regiment's casualties have reached over 1,200.

"Squeak!"

A screeching sound rang out; it turned out that Kunisaki had lost his balance and knocked over the chair next to him.

"More than 1,200 people?" he exclaimed.

The 41st Regiment was a full-strength infantry regiment with a strength of 3747 men.

However, it is impossible for all of these people to be front-line combat personnel. Apart from engineers, supply troops, artillerymen, and medical personnel, there are only about 2800 front-line combat personnel.

They have lost more than 1,200 people in one fell swoop, which means they have lost about 40% of their combat personnel. And this is after less than a day of fighting!
At this rate, the Kunisaki team will be wiped out by tomorrow at the latest.

Seeing Kunisaki's ashen face, the staff officer could no longer hold back and cried out, "Brigade Commander, shall we ask the Commander for help immediately?"

If this continues, the Ninth Brigade will be wiped out.

If that were the case, how could we face Commander Itagaki (Seishiro Itagaki)?

Kunisaki's official position should be the commander of the 9th Brigade of the 5th Division. The commander of the Kunisaki Detachment was only a temporary position. After the Nanjing Campaign ended, they were to return to their original units.

That's why the staff officer just said those words.

"Cease the fighting?" Kunisaki hesitated for a moment, but then shook his head resolutely: "No... The Imperial Army must never bow down to the lowly Chinese, never!"

Looking at Kunisaki Sono, who was becoming increasingly deranged, the staff officer felt a chill run down his spine.

The church and the army opposite have become Kunisaki's inner demons. He will not give up until he takes down the church.

"The commander has arrived!"

Just as the staff officer was feeling anxious, a voice suddenly rang out at the door.

Along with the sound, several figures strode in, and then another voice rang out.

Everyone turned around and saw a lieutenant general striding in, surrounded by a major general and several staff officers.

Upon seeing the newcomer, Kunisaki, who had been furious, turned pale, then red, and finally white, like a duck with its neck caught in its throat.

Upon seeing the newcomer, the man exclaimed, "Commander, what brings you here?"

The visitors were none other than the newly appointed commander of the Shanghai Expeditionary Army, Prince Asaka Yasuhiko, and his chief of staff, Major General Iinuma Mori.

He strode up to Guo Qideng and slapped him across the face.

With a sharp "smack," a handprint instantly appeared on Kunisaki's gaunt cheek.

"Why am I here?" Prince Asaka Yasuhiko stared intently at Kunisaki Sono with eyes as sharp as a venomous snake.

"If I hadn't come soon, were you going to wait until you'd completely wrecked the Kunisaki Detachment before reporting to headquarters?"

"I……"

Before Kunisaki could finish speaking, he received another slap on the other cheek.

After slapping Prince Asaka Yasuhiko, he roared, "I don't care what you want to do, but such behavior that disregards the interests of the Empire is absolutely intolerable."

From this moment forward, your duties will be temporarily assumed by Chief of Staff Iinuma Mori! Until a new commander is dispatched from General Headquarters, you remain in your post!

Kunisaki looked at Prince Asaka Yasuhiko in disbelief. "Commander...you...you're going to remove me from my post?"

"Yes!"

Prince Asaka Yasuhiko said in a cold voice, "I have already sent a telegram to the General Headquarters requesting that they send someone else to replace you, and the General Headquarters has agreed to my request."

"me……"

Kunisaki Tadashi never dreamed that the first thing the new commander did upon arriving in Nanjing was to dismiss him from his post; it was utterly ridiculous.

Prince Asaka Yasuhiko glanced at the pale-faced Kunisaki Sono with disgust, waved his hand, and immediately two military policemen strode in and dragged him out.

After Kunisaki was taken away by the military police, he summoned the staff officer beside him and said, "Report the situation at the front to me immediately."

"Hai."

The staff officer dared not be negligent and reported the situation at the front in detail.

Prince Asaka Yasuhiko was also taken aback when he heard this. Although he had heard that the situation at St. Paul's Church was not ideal, which was why he rushed here to replace Kunisaki, he never expected that the situation would be so bad.

"Damn Kunisaki!"

The thought that Kunisaki had ruined most of the entire detachment made him want to order Kunisaki to commit seppuku.

But this thought only passed by for a moment.

Despite the Japanese government's propaganda that defeat and seppuku were a glorious act, that propaganda was only directed at lower-ranking officers and civilians.

Once an official reaches the rank of major general or above, the practice of seppuku (ritual suicide) becomes extremely rare.

Kunisaki Sono was, after all, a major general and a detachment commander. Even if he made a mistake, it could only be dealt with by the military court and the General Headquarters.

If he were to forcefully intervene, he would inevitably offend the entire group of officers, and even if he were a member of the royal family, he would not dare to do so.

"Withdraw the 41st Regiment immediately. We can't continue fighting like this." Prince Asaka Yasuhiko made the decision quickly after only a brief moment of contemplation.

He turned to Iinuma Mamoru beside him and said, "Have Yoshizumi Ryosuke come to see me within two hours."

"Hai!"

Iinuma Mori responded, then said in a low voice, "Commander, this place is too close to the front line. You should return to headquarters first."

"Hmm... alright." Prince Asaka Yasuhiko agreed to Iinuma no Kami's suggestion after only a slight hesitation.

There's an old Chinese saying: "A wise man does not stand under a crumbling wall." He's a member of the noble royal family; his life is precious.

(End of this chapter)