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

The armored cruiser "Izumo" was the lead ship of the Izumo-class armored cruisers in the Japanese Navy. It had a displacement of 9,750 tons, a length of 121.92 meters, a beam of 20.94 meters, and a draft of 7.37 meters.

配备4门203mm阿姆斯特朗主炮，14门152mm阿姆斯特朗速射炮，12门12磅速射炮，8门2.5磅速射炮，4具457mm鱼雷发射管。

It has a power output of 14,500 horsepower and a top speed of 20.75 knots.

During this era, the Japanese navy ranked among the top three in the world. They favored ships with massive cannons, so not only were the cannon calibers enormous, but their armor was also extremely thick.

The thickest part of the side armor belt is 175mm, the deck armor is 63mm, the turret armor is 150mm, and the conning tower armor is 356mm.

In the previous Battle of Luodian, it was this terrifying steel behemoth that unleashed tons of firepower at Luodian, causing heavy losses to the 15th Army Group and forcing it to withdraw from Luodian.

Now, this warship lies prostrate at Zhu Yong's feet.

In Zhu Yong's plan, this surprise attack was intended to allow him to control at least the Izumo, Tenryu, and Yubari ships, thus giving him a powerful navy.

"Immediately inspect the equipment, inventory the ammunition, and take control of all critical positions! We must use the Japanese weapons to turn them into blades piercing their own hearts!"

Just as Zhu Yongzhi was smugly inspecting his spoils, a terrible piece of news reached his mind.

"Commander, Matsui Iwane has seized the ammunition depot. They might detonate the entire depot, thus destroying the Izumo!"

"What??"

Zhu Yong was shocked.

If Matsui Iwane really manages to blow up the Izumo, then all his efforts tonight will have been in vain.

Without saying a word, he rushed straight to the ammunition depot at the stern of the ship.

......

The Izumo, in its ammunition depot.

The heavy steel doors of the ammunition depot were tightly shut.

Matsui Iwane, the chief of staff, and the last few dozen officers and guards were all pale-faced and trapped here.

Inside the ammunition depot, the air was cold and oppressive, and the mountains of shells and propellant charges exuded a dangerous aura.

The emergency lights cast a pale glow, illuminating the desperate and distorted faces.

The gunfire outside had stopped, and it was clear that the Izumo had changed hands.

Matsui Iwane slumped onto an ammunition box, his once meticulously combed hair now disheveled, his eyes bloodshot.

He could not accept that the pride of the Imperial Navy and the command center of the Central China Army could be destroyed by the Chinese in such an absurd way.

"Commander, the farewell telegram has been sent to headquarters. What we need to do next..." The chief of staff said in a hoarse voice, handing over a draft of the telegram.

Matsui Ishogen didn't even look at him, then suddenly raised his head, a hint of madness flashing in his eyes.

"The Izumo is the glory of the Empire and must not fall into the hands of the Chinese."

"Prepare for a suicide bombing! We're going to perish on the Izumo with these damned Chinese!"

He personally stacked several explosive charges together, connected the fuses, and other officers followed suit.

The chief of staff looked at one of the staff officers behind him and instructed him:

"Kobayashi-kun, after we commit seppuku, this mission of mutual destruction is yours. Under no circumstances can these Chinese be let go!"

"Amaterasu Omikami will protect you."

The Japanese always treated seppuku with solemnity.

This was a way for the Japanese to atone for their sins, as if only by committing seppuku could they be forgiven by His Majesty the Emperor and have their souls returned to the Yasukuni Shrine.

Kobayashi, entrusted with this important task, nodded emphatically.

Meanwhile, other Japanese soldiers, including Matsui Iwane, had already begun to take off their clothes. They were going to remove their upper bodies and then commit seppuku as an apology.

Just then, a cold voice suddenly rang out from outside.

"Matsui Iwane, I know you're in there. I'm Zhu Yong. Dare to let me in so we can talk?"

The sound was clearly transmitted into the ammunition depot through the loudspeaker.

Matsui Iwane, who had originally planned to commit seppuku, shuddered upon hearing this name.

"Baka! How is this possible? Zhu Yong is long dead!! You're not Zhu Yong at all!"

Matsui Iwane's outburst wasn't due to a lack of mental fortitude, but rather because the name Zhu Yong was simply too shocking for him.

Back in the Navy Headquarters, it was Zhu Yong who led the Chinese army, fighting their way through the defenses of Jiangwan Road.

Now, at the mouth of the Chuanjiang River, another person named Zhu Yong has appeared.

The chief of staff advised, "Sir, the Chinese are definitely plotting something; we don't need to pay them any mind!"

But Zhu Yong continued:

"Let's talk. Don't you want to know how we boarded the warship?"

"Don't you want to know where those elusive soldiers came from?"

This statement precisely struck at Matsui Iwane's weak spot.

Yes, this is all too illogical! How could the Chinese army appear out of thin air inside the ship?

Why is Zhu Yong able to create miracles time and time again?

Matsui Iwane lost his composure due to his intense thirst for knowledge.

"Open a crack in the door! I want to see this Zhu Yong!" he roared.

He had to meet the man who had repeatedly thwarted his plans before he died, and unravel the mystery in his heart.

"Commander! Danger!"

"Open it!" Matsui Iwane insisted.

The heavy steel door was slowly pulled open, leaving only a gap for one person to pass through.

Matsui Iwane and several high-ranking officers stood inside the door, with Kobayashi behind him strapped with explosives and holding a hand grenade.

Outside the door, Zhu Yong stood alone, with his clones standing guard behind him.

Matsui Iwane stared intently at Zhu Yong, wondering why this seemingly ordinary man could repeatedly create miracles.

"Zhu Yong...who exactly are you? And how did you get up here?"

Zhu Yong looked around and, after seeing the situation in the ammunition depot, suddenly smiled.

"You recite scriptures because you believe in Bushido and that the power of the spirit can transcend the material."

"If I told you that I am like your Amaterasu, immortal and capable of infinite rebirth, would you believe me?"

"Every time I fall, more of us will rise. What you've killed are merely illusions of the past. The true spirit of vengeance will never die!"

"Reborn?! Immortality?! Baka! This is impossible!!"

Matsui Iwane shouted, his pupils suddenly contracting.

Not only him, but also his chief of staff and a group of officers behind him were shocked beyond words by this news.

Just as their minds were reeling, in that brief moment—

Zhu Yong made his move!

As if he had rehearsed this a thousand times, almost the instant he finished speaking, his right hand drew the Mauser pistol from his waist with lightning speed.

At the same time, his clones behind him seemed to be in sync with him, raising their guns, aiming, and firing at the same instant!

"Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!"

"Baka!!"

Gunshots and shouts of shock and anger rang out together. Matsui Iwane realized he had been tricked, but it was too late.

Zhu Yong and his accomplices were incredibly skilled marksmen; he and his staff behind him were all shot in the head.

Before the shock on Matsui Iwane's face had faded, a bloody hole appeared on his forehead. He looked at Zhu Yong in disbelief, opened his mouth, but couldn't say a word. He just fell down with his eyes wide open in death.

Just as Zhu Yong breathed a sigh of relief, Kobayashi, who was standing at the back, used his last bit of strength to pull the pin on a Type 97 grenade hanging on his chest the instant the grenade struck between his eyebrows.

"Sizzle—" The sound of the fuse burning was faint but clear.

Zhu Yong's pupils contracted, and he shouted sharply.

"not good!!"