Bright Sword: From Border Region Manufacturing to Major National Heavy Industry

Chapter 287 Fatal Mistake

boom!
boom!
boom!
……

Japanese planes circled overhead, and bombs rained down like dumplings.

The earth was blasted into countless holes, and there were corpses, fragments, and flying sand everywhere.

That’s not all!

The Japanese artillery unleashed its destructive power, bombarding the sky relentlessly, sending sand and soil flying into the air and blotting out the sun.

Feng Zhihui, the commander of the 217th Regiment, was dug out of the pit by his soldiers, just like digging up a potato.

"Commander, this battle is hopeless. The Japanese planes and artillery are too powerful." Several officers from the 217th Regiment, a direct subordinate unit, gathered around Feng Zhihui and said, "Let's find a chance to escape."

Anyway, the war has dragged on for so long, and we've already run away more than once or twice.

Looking at the horrific battlefield before him, Feng Zhihui couldn't tell for a moment which side were his own and which were the Japanese.

The troops of more than a dozen divisions and the Japanese soldiers and traitors of the Kumamoto army were locked in a chaotic melee.

Even if you try to run, you won't be able to tell which way to go.

They might just end up in the enemy's heavily armed zone.

"Is it still possible to contact the brigade commander?" Feng Zhihui asked.

When it comes to escaping for one's life, these people are the experts.

Feng Zhihui wouldn't be foolish enough to wander off on his own.

"The telephone line has been blown up. We sent three groups of people to repair it, but it's all gone to waste," the officers replied.

"Brothers, in this situation, even if we wanted to run, there's no way to escape. Let's roll up our sleeves and fight the Japanese to the end." Feng Zhihui looked at the officers in front of him. "Although the Japanese have strong firepower and combat power right now, their logistics and supplies have been cut off. They want to take us down in one fell swoop. As long as we hold on to this wave, we will still have a chance to make a name for ourselves."

"Commander, look! Those are Japanese planes, airdropping supplies!" someone pointed to Feng Zhihui at that moment.

Feng Zhihui looked over and saw that it was indeed a Japanese transport plane airdropping supplies.

The supplies fell like dandelions, pulled down by parachutes.

"The Japanese are airdropping supplies over there; that must be their core area," Feng Zhihui said decisively. "Let's try to avoid that area. Let's go and rush out from the opposite direction." Feng Zhihui made a quick decision.

"Yes, Commander."

The elite 217th Regiment immediately charged in the opposite direction.

Many of our elite units operate in the same way.

However, they still failed to escape.

Because they were about to face even more intense artillery fire.

Bombs fell from the sky like hail, and cannonballs rained down.

Not only the 217th Regiment, but also many other elite units suffered heavy casualties.

Even more terrifying, a large number of Japanese soldiers appeared around them and were rapidly surrounding them.

"Commander, what exactly is going on? It seems like we ran in the opposite direction and fell into the Japanese trap instead." The officers gathered around Feng Zhihui, looking suspicious.

"How would I know?" Feng Zhihui brushed the dirt off his body and shouted, "Looking at this, there's no way to run away. Let's fight the Japanese devils."

However, while the words are powerful, the actions are quite the opposite.

The Japanese planes and artillery firepower was too intense; the elite troops were bombed so badly they couldn't even lift their heads.

Forget about fighting, they can't even organize a decent attack.

……

Kumamoto Division Headquarters

"Division Commander, under your command, these key elite units of our elite forces are now completely surrounded by us and are being bombarded relentlessly." A staff officer excitedly approached Division Commander Kumamoto and said, "After the bombing, our soldiers will rush in, and these dozen or so divisions of our elite forces will eventually be routed."

It turns out that the location of the airdropped supplies was specially set up by the Kumamoto Division Commander.

He knew very well what kind of men his elite officers were like in battle; they would try to escape if things went wrong.

Therefore, the location of the airdropped supplies was not the core of the Kumamoto Division's army, but rather the opposite of the location of the trap.

When these loyal officers saw the airdrop, they thought they could escape by running in the opposite direction, but in reality, the opposite was true.

They once again led a large number of elite troops into the bombardment zone.

"Pass down the order: when the soldiers rush in, prioritize seizing the supplies of the elite troops first, and then capture prisoners." The Kumamoto Division Commander remained calm, showing no smugness despite having the upper hand.

He knew that the enemy had more than just a dozen divisions of elite troops; there were also Eighth Route Army troops behind them.

It's a bit strange that the Eighth Route Army hasn't moved yet.

However, regardless of why the Eighth Route Army troops did not move.

But we still need to hurry up and collect these supplies from the elite troops.

"Yes." The staff officer nodded and left.

"Someone come here!" Chief of Staff Kumamoto summoned someone. "Division Commander, what are your orders?" A Japanese officer ran up to Division Commander Kumamoto.

"The Eighth Route Army hasn't made a move yet..." Kumamoto Division's words were cut short.

The sound of hellfire cannons booming from behind them made the Kumamoto Division Commander turn his head to look in that direction.

Although the Kumamoto Division Commander could not see the specific scene due to the distance and obstacles, his expression quickly turned cold: "These Eighth Route Army troops have finally made their move. Just as I expected, they chose to ambush me from behind."

"Division Commander, we have deployed enough troops in the rear; the Eighth Route Army can't get through," the Japanese officer said.

"We still shouldn't be careless," Division Commander Kumamoto said solemnly. "Now is the crucial moment to attack our elite troops. As long as our planes and artillery bombard and severely damage them, and then our ground troops rush in, the outcome of this battle will be basically secured. We need to deal with our elite troops first, and then we'll have the resources to deal with the Eighth Route Army. Before that, we absolutely cannot let the Eighth Route Army troops get through."

"They can't get through," the Japanese officer said confidently.

In fact, it has indeed been proven that the arrangements for the Kumamoto Division were correct.

The Eighth Route Army that had attacked from behind was indeed blocked by a large force.

but!

In addition, two other groups of Eighth Route Army soldiers took the opportunity to attack from the left and right sides.

With the aid of hell cannons and rocket launchers, they quickly captured the high ground on both sides.

Then, a scene unfolded that left Commander Kumamoto bewildered.

After these two groups of Eighth Route Army soldiers occupied the high ground on the left and right sides, they actually adopted a defensive posture and did not continue to attack.

"Division Commander, what are these two groups of Eighth Route Army soldiers up to?" a staff officer asked suspiciously.

Under normal circumstances, if these two groups of Eighth Route Army soldiers occupy the high ground on the left and right sides, then they should continue to fight and attack our core area.

This way, they would have a chance to rescue their besieged elite troops.

Having occupied the high ground on both sides, are they just going to stay put?

When did the Eighth Route Army learn to stand idly by?
"Oh no, the Eighth Route Army is definitely planning to launch a surprise attack on our heavy artillery positions." The Kumamoto Division Commander suddenly remembered that Kitano Chuji had said that the Eighth Route Army had already produced shells that could be fired from pits, with a power comparable to that of a medium-sized howitzer.

Now that the Eighth Route Army has occupied the high ground on both sides and is holding their ground without attacking, they are definitely not standing idly by; they must be making the most of the time to dig trenches.

Even now, the commander of the Kumamoto Division still doesn't believe that the Eighth Route Army could build shells that could be fired simply by placing them in a pit, because it's just too absurd.

But at this moment, his battlefield instincts compelled him to believe.

"Division Commander, how can the Eighth Route Army launch a surprise attack? Their Hell Cannons are powerful, but their range is insufficient..." The staff officer didn't finish his sentence.

"Quickly, quickly, immediately order the artillery positions to cease bombarding the elite troops, immediately turn the cannons to the left and right, and fire rapidly, fire immediately!" Commander Kumamoto shouted like a dog whose tail had been stepped on.

Although the staff officer still didn't understand, he immediately ordered the execution.

The order was quickly relayed to the artillery positions, and the shelling soon ceased, with the cannons slowly turning around.

The staff officer asked, "Division Commander, if we stop shelling our elite troops, aren't we giving them a chance to catch their breath?"

The planes had run out of bombs and the aircraft had left.

The only way to further damage and suppress the elite troops is to continue shelling.

Now that the shelling has stopped, the elite troops will definitely take the opportunity to attack.

With our elite troops out here, let alone dealing with them, they might even launch a counterattack, putting our position in danger.

"If our artillery positions are gone, we might not even have a chance to catch our breath." The division commander, Kumamoto, spoke with a trembling voice that was hard to control.

Looking at the slowly turning cannon muzzle, he had never been so anxious.

slow!
It's so slow!

The muzzle is turning too slowly!
I hope that the Eighth Route Army's damned pit hasn't been dug yet, and I hope Amaterasu will protect the Imperial Army!
"Our artillery positions are gone? How could they be gone?" The staff officer still didn't understand.

"Kitano-kun's logistical supplies are gone! Tell me why!" Division Commander Kumamoto roared at his staff officer.

Upon hearing this, the staff officer immediately recalled that Kitano Chuji had mentioned in a telegram that the Eighth Route Army had developed a new type of artillery shell that did not require a cannon barrel and could be fired simply by digging a pit.

This new type of shell has the destructive power of a medium-sized howitzer.

At the time, no one believed it; they all thought that Kitano Chuji had made up a stupid excuse.

And now!
After seeing that the Eighth Route Army had occupied the high ground on both sides, they did not continue their attack, but instead stayed there and did not move.

This bizarre behavior is incomprehensible.

If we add the Eighth Route Army's new type of artillery shells that can be fired from a pit, then it makes sense.

The Eighth Route Army soldiers on the high ground on both sides must be desperately digging pits.

The pits are dug, and the new type of artillery shells will be fired from above. If the range is sufficient, they will be able to hit our artillery positions.

"Damn it, if that's really the case, we've made a fatal mistake." The staff officer's face turned deathly pale instantly. Looking at the slowly turning muzzles of the artillery, his emotions immediately mirrored those of the Kumamoto Division Commander.

For the first time, I felt that the speed at which the cannon muzzle turned was far too slow; even a tortoise or snail could move faster.

(End of this chapter)