Blood-Red Front

"Baka!"

The newly promoted 101st Division Commander, Ishi, slammed the teacup in his hand to the ground, shattering the exquisite white porcelain bowl into pieces.

"That idiot Tanikawa, it's one thing to go to the front lines and die, but why did he have to bring the entire command post forward?!"

If it were just Tanikawa who was killed in the bombing, any one person from the 68th Regiment could take over and continue fighting. But now, the entire command system has been destroyed.

It will be difficult for the 68th Regiment to rebuild its command system in a short period of time.

Coordinating a regiment of several thousand people is not something that three or five people can handle.

In this situation, the 68th team could be described as a complete mess.

"Division Commander, I'm afraid we'll have to convert the 68th Regiment into a reserve force," the chief of staff said, adjusting his glasses.

The 68th Regiment lacked a command system and therefore could not coordinate operations. It would be better to have them reinforce other positions in battalion units.

Ishi Masaki paced back and forth in the command post twice. "Damn it... there's no other way. Let the 23rd Regiment of the General Reserve take over the 68th Regiment's position. The 68th Regiment shall retreat and await further orders."

"In addition, the entire squadron responsible for the escort mission will be incorporated into the Draw Sword Squad, so that they can avenge themselves."

"Hi!"

The "Sword-Drawing Squad" was the suicide squad of the newly promoted army.

There's an unwritten rule in the newly promoted army: if a commander dies in battle, the guards, regardless of the reason, must all atone for their sins.

The captain of the guard squadron has committed seppuku, but that is not enough to cover the consequences; the remaining soldiers must also die in battle.

……

The newly promoted army acted swiftly, taking over the position in less than two hours.

The newly arrived commander of the 23rd Regiment, Inoue, fully learned from the experience and lessons of the 68th Regiment, placing the command post far behind the lines and also making preparations for bomb protection.

"Regimental Commander, Military Police report." An operations staff officer brought over a document.

"Is there a spy?" Inoue asked without turning his head, holding up his binoculars.

"Uh... the military police haven't been identified yet."

Putting down his binoculars, Inoue Takumi scoffed, "Still haven't found out? What are the military police doing?"

The chief of staff standing nearby said, "Commander, I'm afraid it will be very difficult to find out."

"Um?"

"The military police killed all the Xia people along the way, including those who were close to Chusheng. The dead can't speak."

Because of Lin Zhiyuan's shot, the traitors were in deep trouble.

The local people along the way, unless they were stupid, all ran away at the beginning of the war. Now, the only ones still near Chusheng Army are the traitors who are responsible for doing the work.

Knowing that the 23rd Regiment would have no more traitors to use, Inoue wasn't too concerned and simply nodded.

"This method is clumsy, but it's the best option. Since we can't identify them in a short time, we should kill them all. There must be spies among them."

Moreover, as time went on, more and more artillery pieces joined in, and a dense barrage of shells rained down on the Independent Battalion's positions.

On the independent battalion's position, the soldiers silently endured the shelling.

Meanwhile, on the 23rd Regiment's position, the 68th Regiment's guard company, which had been incorporated into the "Sword-Drawing Squad," was ready.

The entire squad had taken off their upper military uniforms, wearing only white shirts and white cloths tied around their heads, with a chrysanthemum in the center.

"Gentlemen! We bear an immense shame! This shame will make our parents, our wives and children unable to hold their heads high in this country!"

"If we want our families to walk with their heads held high, this shame must be washed away!"

"Today, only one side—us or the enemy—will survive! Let us wash away our shame with the enemy's blood!"

"For Her Majesty the Empress!"

"Long live the Empress!"

The men in the sword-drawing squad turned eastward, raised their hands, and shouted several times in unison.

Looking up at the riverbank being shelled and glancing at his watch, the newly promoted lieutenant leading the charge drew his command sword.

"The engineers have delivered the landing craft; prepare in squads!"

"Follow the chariot and move forward!"

"assault!"

……

"The enemy has moved out!" Seeing the newly promoted troops' movements, Ma Daxi shouted with joy, "Attack!"

"Da da da..."

Machine guns on the Independent Battalion's position began firing at the newly promoted soldiers who had charged out of their positions.

Hearing the gunfire from the Independent Battalion's position, Lin Zhiyuan opened the minimap again.

At first, he only saw the rising sword-wielding team crossing the river, so he wasn't nervous at all.

The artillery fire of the newly promoted army was indeed fierce, but it was basically impossible for a single company to break through the three lines of defense of the Independent Battalion.

However, just as Lin Zhiyuan walked to the observation window and picked up the binoculars to prepare to disguise himself, a new icon suddenly appeared on the minimap.

A red diamond pattern is moving steadily towards the front line.

Lin Zhiyuan immediately focused his attention on the icon, and the information appeared.

[Newly promoted to Tank Company, 101st Division.]

[Type 97 Medium Tank *10.]

The Type 4 medium tank has a crew of four and a combat weight of 15 tons. It is equipped with one 57mm short-barreled tank gun and two 7.7mm machine guns…

"Damn it, Chu Shengjun is really going all out," Lin Zhiyuan muttered.

The tanks deployed by the newly promoted army were not amphibious tanks and could not cross the river directly. At this time, they could only be used as fixed artillery emplacements.

But it should be noted that Lin Zhiyuan had just destroyed the 68th Regiment's command post with anti-tank guns that morning.

Knowing that there were anti-tank guns on the position, moving the tanks forward can only mean that the newly promoted army is serious.

……