One man's resistance against Japan, I mobilized a million people to aid Shanghai.

The top-floor command room of the Japanese Marine Corps headquarters.

Matsui Iwane stood frozen in front of the huge observation window, like a cold stone sculpture.

The deafening shouts of battle and explosions, like relentless, raging waves, relentlessly assaulted Matsui Iwane's increasingly uneasy nerves.

"kill!!!"

"Onboard!!!"

The screams, filled with madness and despair, penetrated through the layers of barriers and clearly reached his ears, making him restless and uneasy.

His hands, clasped behind his back, had knuckles white from clenching so tightly, and his palms were covered in cold sweat.

"Tanida...Tanida-kun will definitely be able to stabilize the situation..."

Matsui Iwane muttered to himself, as if comforting himself or praying for the protection of Amaterasu.

"He's my most capable adjutant, commanding two thousand elite Imperial troops and fortified barricades... He'll definitely be able to hold off those Chinese lunatics who seem to appear out of nowhere!"

"Just hold on a little longer, until dawn, until air support arrives!!"

"Just two hours left!! Hang in there!"

Matsui Iwane forcibly suppressed the ominous premonition growing in his heart and tried to focus his attention on the map in front of him.

On the map, the Japanese soldiers, represented by red arrows, and the Nationalist army, represented by blue arrows, are intertwined in the Hongkou district of Shanghai, where the battle has reached a fever pitch.

Whoever makes a mistake first dies first.

Matsui Iwane was originally confident of victory, as he had a large reserve force and could easily deal with the Nationalist army's attack.

Moreover, the task force is already on its way and will arrive the day after tomorrow.

The problem was that group of Nationalist soldiers on Baoshan Road. If they hadn't launched their crazy attack, we wouldn't have ended up in such a desperate situation.

Fortunately, the Nationalist army is not attacking anywhere else, so he can hold on.

Once Tanida eliminates this force, everything will return to normal.

However, it seemed as if fate was deliberately mocking his expectations—

Just as he was feeling incredibly fortunate, something unexpected happened.

"Boom!!"

A violent explosion suddenly rang out.

They didn't come from Jiangwan Road, but from all directions.

First, a dense barrage of artillery fire, like rolling thunder, came from the direction of Hongkou Park and Gongda Cotton Mill in the west.

That was by no means sporadic firefights, but rather a concentrated artillery barrage carried out by organized artillery groups.

Immediately afterwards, from the south, east... the entire Hongkou area, as if by prior arrangement, gunfire, artillery fire, and bugle calls erupted like firecrackers on New Year's Eve, instantly creating a deafening cacophony.

"Boom!"

"Da da da da!"

"Charge!!"

In an instant, the whole of Shanghai seemed to boil over.

"Report!! The area around the Kungda Cotton Mill is under attack by the Nationalist Army!"

"Report!! Emergency situation at the dock!"

All the phones in the command center rang.

Matsui Iwane rushed to the radio and telephone, his face drained of color.

"What's going on?! Where's the attack?! Is it the Chinese army's general offensive?!"

He roared at the communications soldier, his voice shrill with terror.

The communications soldiers frantically answered urgent communications from all directions, their faces growing paler with each one.

"Commander-in-Chief! The main force of the 88th Division of the Chinese Army has suddenly launched a full-scale attack! Our forward positions have been breached in several places. Requesting tactical guidance!"

"The Gongda Cotton Mill is in dire need of attention! The 87th Division of the Chinese Army has committed a large number of troops, coupled with heavy artillery fire. Our casualties are severe, and our defenses are on the verge of collapse!"

"Report! An unidentified Chinese military unit has been spotted launching a fierce attack towards Huishan Wharf!"

"Report! Intense fighting is also coming from the 36th Division's positions on the flank!"

"Report! Communication lines have been severed in multiple locations by artillery fire, and contact with several forward battalions has been lost!"

Bad news came like an avalanche, each more urgent and more devastating than the last!

The command room erupted into chaos. Staff officers, clutching telegrams and telephone records, ran around like headless flies, their faces filled with panic and disbelief.

Matsui Iwane felt a sudden dizziness and managed to steady himself by holding onto the table.

It's over! Zhang Zhizhong!

He actually chose this moment to launch a full-scale offensive.

"Baka! Baka yarou!!"

Matsui Iwane could no longer maintain his composure. In a fit of rage, he kicked over the chair next to him and roared in despair like a wild beast trapped in a cage.

"Zhang Zhizhong! You cunning Chinese fox! I will tear you to pieces!!"

Matsui Iwane roared angrily.

He felt he had seen through Zhang Zhizhong's conspiracy; the Chinese troops fighting to the death on Jiangwan Road were simply bait to attract all his attention.

A bait that dragged his last reserves into the mire.

Now, taking advantage of the fact that his troops were firmly tied down on Jiangwan Road and relatively undefended in other directions, Zhang Zhizhong launched a powerful attack with his main force.

This is a conspiracy!!

But now, what can Matsui Iwane still do?

He now has exhausted his forces, with only the last guard squadron and some civilian personnel left in the headquarters, making it impossible for him to support any direction.

His only hope was Gu Tian, ​​who was engaged in a bloody battle with that fierce Nationalist army on Jiangwan Road!

"Taniguchi!! Tanita!! Quickly take care of the enemies on Jiangwan Road! Then immediately return to reinforce! Return to reinforce!"

Matsui Iwane's eyes were bloodshot as he stared intently in the direction of Jiangwan Road.

All his hopes now rest on Tanida.

He paced anxiously in the command room, his heart pounding with fear every time an explosion came from the direction of Jiangwan Road.

He both hoped that it was Tanida annihilating the enemy and feared that it was a signal of the enemy's breakthrough.

"Any news from Jiangwan Road? Has Lord Gutian sent any new battle reports?"

He asked almost every few minutes.