On the eve of the fall of Liaodong, he led his troops in a remonstrance against the young marshal.

The smoke from the battle at Luofengpo obscured the sky.

The shells from both sides blasted countless scorched craters in this hilly area of ​​less than ten square kilometers. Corpses stretched from both sides of the road all the way into the depths of the cornfield, like a death carpet made of gray-yellow military uniforms.

But the battle is far from over.

Kawagishi Bunzaburo gritted his teeth and held on to the bitter end. Li Wenzhong's vanguard was temporarily blocked at the foot of Luofeng Slope by the Japanese's desperate charge.

Just then, a deep rumble came from the horizon.

Eighty-two P-51 Mustang fighter planes, arranged in three wedge formations, were the first to break through the clouds.

Sitting in the cockpit of the lead Mustang fighter jet, Zhu Wudi looked down from three thousand meters above and saw Luofengpo as a map soaked in blood.

The gray Japanese column was shrouded in smoke, and black shell craters dotted the yellow farmland.

His gaze quickly locked onto several key targets:

On the main battlefield, the Japanese artillery positions are confronting Li Wenzhong; on the left flank, Japanese infantry are gathering in preparation for a new offensive; and behind the right flank, there is a Japanese supply convoy.

He pressed the communication button, and his voice came through the radio channel.

"Attention all personnel! Split into three groups! First squad, you're responsible for the left flank. See that shallow trench?"

"Break the Japanese soldiers' charging formation."

"Second detachment, responsible for the right flank position, with a focus on attacking the enemy's rear supply lines and reserves."

"Main force, follow me. Target: the main battlefield. Coordinate with ground troops to break through enemy defenses."

A series of responses came through the headphones.

"First squad received."

"Second squad received."

Zhu Wudi switched channels and connected to Li Wenzhong's shortwave radio frequency.

He had already established communication with Li Wenzhong, so he got straight to the point without any unnecessary words.

"Li Wenzhong, the air force is in position. Report your location and attack direction to me, and I'll clear the way for you."

Li Wenzhong's voice came through the shortwave radio, mixed with the roar of tank engines in the background:

"I am on the front line, located 500 meters south of the main peak of Luofengpo, along the highway."

"My tank group is regrouping and plans to rush across the road from the left and strike the enemy command post directly."

"Could you help me clear out the artillery positions and machine gun emplacements on the right side of the road?"

"receive."

"Make sure your tanks wait for my signal!"

Zhu Wudi pushed the control stick, and the nose of the aircraft suddenly sank.

The P-51 Mustang's Merlin engine emitted a sharp screech as the aircraft dove towards the ground at an angle of nearly sixty degrees.

The outlines on the ground rapidly magnified in his field of vision. He saw the Japanese artillery position on the right side of the road, spitting fire. Type 92 infantry guns were lined up in two rows, and the artillerymen were busy loading shells.

Forty Mustang fighter jets followed closely behind, like a flock of eagles that had spotted their prey, spreading out in a fan formation and swooping down towards the ground.

On the Japanese artillery position, a sergeant with a face covered in soot was holding up a command flag and shouting commands to his artillery crew at the top of his lungs.

The breechblock of the Type 92 infantry gun had just closed, and the loader was about to push the next shell into the breech.

Then he heard a shriek coming from the sky.

More than thirty fighter jets were swooping down from less than two hundred meters above his head, with the machine gun muzzles under their wings pointing directly in his direction.

He opened his mouth wide, and the command flag slipped from his hand, but before the flag could even hit the ground, the first barrage of bullets swept across the position.

"Da da da da da!"

"Da da da da!"

Bullets rained down from the sky like a storm, sweeping from the left to the right of the artillery position, tearing everything in their path to shreds.

The artilleryman who was loading shells was hit by the barrage of bullets and his body was shattered into pieces within a fraction of a second.

The Type 92 infantry gun had a row of fist-sized holes punched into its barrel. The breechblock was blown open by the bullet, and fragments flew everywhere.

The ammunition pile was hit, causing a chain reaction of explosions. Dozens of shells exploded simultaneously, sending orange-red fireballs soaring into the sky.

The shockwave simultaneously blew dozens of artillerymen into the air, their bodies tumbling through the air like leaves scattered by the wind.

A second round of firing followed immediately.

Another twenty Mustangs cut in from another angle, raining down bullets on the remaining firing positions on the ground.

The entire artillery position was erased from the map in less than a minute.

Zhu Wudi pulled up the nose of the plane, drew a semi-circle in the air, and climbed back to an altitude of 300 meters.

He glanced back at the artillery position beneath his feet; all the cannons had turned into twisted scrap metal, and all the artillerymen had become a pile of minced meat.

He pressed the communication button.

"Li Wenzhong, clear the artillery positions. Now begin clearing the infantry firing points. Prepare for the charge."

"receive!"

Zhu Wudi led the swarm in another dive.

This time, his target was the Japanese machine gun emplacements on both sides of the road that were firing at the Northeast Army.

He assigned specific tasks to the fighter squadrons via radio: the third squadron was responsible for the left side of the road, the fourth squadron for the right side of the road, and the fifth squadron for targets in the depths.

Forty Mustang fighter planes swooped down in three groups.

Japanese infantrymen on both sides of the road lay prone behind foxholes and field ridges, firing light machine guns and rifles at the Northeast Army positions.

They heard the roar of planes, but they had no experience with air defense.

Some attempted to fire light machine guns into the air, but the bullets traced futile trajectories in the sky, and the Mustang fighters were too fast.

Most people simply buried their heads in foxholes, praying that the bombs wouldn't fall on their heads.

But this time it wasn't bombs, it was machine guns.

"Da da da da!"

The barrage of bullets swept across the ground on both sides of the highway, like an invisible comb, sifting through every inch of life on the ground.

The Japanese machine gunner, who was lying on the edge of the field, was hit by a barrage of bullets. His body was riddled with bullets, and he collapsed next to the empty ammunition box.

Five minutes later, the firing positions on both sides of the road were eliminated.

Zhu Wudi pressed the communication button.

"Li Wenzhong, now!"

On the ground, forty T-34 tanks were simultaneously engaged in gear.

The tracks began to turn, and the diesel engine roared deafeningly.

Li Wenzhong stood in the turret of the command tank, one hand on the hatch and the other pointing forward.

"Charge! Tanks in front, infantry follow! Crush them!"

One hundred and forty T-34 tanks, arranged in a wedge formation, rushed down the road towards the south side of Luofengpo.

The 76mm main gun on the turret continuously spewed orange-red flames, and shells crashed into the enemy's deep positions, the explosions bursting through the gray crowd.

The remaining Japanese soldiers attempted to organize a resistance.

Scattered along the roadside, infantrymen unleashed grenade launchers and grenades at the tanks, but the T-34's sloped armor easily deflected these attacks.

Several desperate men carrying explosives jumped out of the foxholes and rushed toward the tank, but before they could run more than a few steps, they were mowed down by the Northeast Army infantry following behind the tank with submachine guns.

Immediately afterwards, the bomber group arrived.

Sixty bombers flew in a three-column box formation over the southern side of Luofengpo.

They opened the ammunition compartment doors over the heads of the sergeant and the main force of the 20th Division, and 500-pound high-explosive bombs rained down from the sky like hail.

Explosions continued, and flames burst forth amidst the gray crowd.

Every burst of light signifies the end of dozens of lives.

Those Korean soldiers who were forcibly conscripted by the Japanese completely collapsed during the bombing.

They never had the conviction to fight for the Japanese, and under the roar of aerial bombs, they dropped their weapons and scattered in all directions.

The officers brandished their sabers in an attempt to stop the rout, but the fleeing crowd overwhelmed their lines like a flood.

The situation of the main force of the 20th Division was not much better.

These professional soldiers can be very tenacious when facing ground fire, but when faced with high-explosive bombs raining down from the sky, tenacity is meaningless.

Bombs don't distinguish between bravery and cowardice; they just blast everything to pieces.

A regimental assembly area was bombed, and the entire regiment lost more than three-quarters of its men in less than five minutes.

The regimental commander was thrown away by the shockwave and crashed on the edge of a crater. His uniform was torn to shreds, and his saber was nowhere to be found.

Zhu Wudi watched all of this from the air.

He saw that Li Wenzhong's tank formation had already crossed Luofengpo, with the muzzle flashes constantly flickering in the smoke.

Chang Yuchun's main tank group finally arrived at the battlefield. Three hundred T-34s came from the direction of Fengcheng, their tracks crushing the gravel on the road, and joined the charge.

The Japanese troops on the left flank had begun to retreat, and a squadron of fighter planes was pursuing the fleeing Japanese infantry. The barrage of machine gun fire carved bloody trails behind the fleeing soldiers.

The bombers of the second squadron on the right flank had already severed the Japanese supply line. The supply convoy was burning in flames, and the ammunition trucks were exploding one after another.

The time has come.

He pressed the communication button and connected to Li Wenzhong's channel.

"Li Wenzhong, the front has been breached. I'll cover you as you charge straight into the enemy command post and take it down."

"That's exactly what I was thinking!"

On the ground, Li Wenzhong's tank formation had broken through the last line of defense at Luofengpo.

All the Japanese firing positions on both sides of the road were silenced. The infantry were either blown up or killed by strafing. The few remaining soldiers were fleeing south.

Ahead lies an open area on the south side of Luofengpo, and behind the open area, one can vaguely see a cluster of tents and communication antennas.

That was Bunzaburo Kawagishi's command post.

"Charge! Don't stop!"

Li Wenzhong roared into the radio, "Whoever is the first to storm into the Japanese command post, I'll personally recommend him for a commendation!"

The T-34 tanks accelerated simultaneously, passing between foxholes and shell craters, and rolled towards the tent area.

More than a thousand Northeast Army infantrymen followed behind the tank, their submachine guns and rifles spitting fire and sweeping away anything that was still moving.

Kawagishi Bunzaburo stood outside the command tent, holding up binoculars.

He saw through his binoculars that his 78th Regiment was no more, the 77th Regiment was collapsing, the 19th Division was being cut off and surrounded on the left flank, and a huge gap had been torn open on the main battlefield.

What made him even more desperate was that the death-like planes in the sky had not left and were flying towards his command post.

"Commander!"

The staff officer behind him was deathly pale, his voice trembling. "The Northeast Army's tanks have broken through the frontal defenses and are less than two kilometers from the command post! Order a retreat immediately!"

"Transfer?"

Kawagishi Bunzaburo put down his binoculars, turned around, and his expression was surprisingly calm. "Where to move to?"

The staff officer opened his mouth, but couldn't say a word.

"An army of 80,000."

Kawagishi Bunzaburo's voice sounded like he was talking to himself, "Two divisions, beaten to this state by ten or twenty thousand men in a single day."

He slowly drew his military knife. "I no longer deserve to go back alive."

He turned to face north, towards the steel torrent that was rolling towards him.

"Command the entire army! Long live the enemy, charge!"

The communications soldier paused for a second, then suddenly stood at attention, shouted "Hai!" with all his might, and rushed into the tent to send the message.

But before the order could be issued, the deafening explosion engulfed the entire command post.

Li Wenzhong's tank formation stormed into the tent area.

The 76mm main gun spewed orange-red flames, high-explosive shells exploded between the tents, communication antennas were blown off, and staff officers were thrown out of the tents by the shockwave.

Infantry surged in from both sides of the tanks, their submachine guns sweeping down everyone who ran out of the tents.

A Hinomaru flag was torn from its pole by the blast wave of a shell, burning as it fell to the ground and was crushed into the mud by the tank tracks.

Kawagishi Bunzaburo did not wait for the tank to run over him.

He brandished his saber and charged toward the foremost T-34 tank.

"Give me a duck!!"

"Heavy Black Card Server!!"

Zhu Wudi saw this scene from the sky.

He jerked the control stick, the nose of the plane dipped, and it swooped down in that direction.

"Da da da da!"

Six machine guns fired simultaneously.

The barrage of comments swept across the location of Kawagishi Bunzaburo, kicking up a two-meter-high cloud of dust.

When the dust settled, Kawagishi Bunzaburo had been reduced to pieces, scattered here and there.

The 20th Division's command post was completely destroyed.

Meanwhile, on other battlefields at Luofengpo, a complete rout was unfolding.

On the left flank, after a squadron of fighter planes shattered the Japanese army's last charge, the Northeast Army's infantry leaped out of the shallow trenches and launched a counter-offensive.

The left flank of the 19th Division, which had already suffered more than half casualties, completely collapsed under the attack from both sides. The soldiers dropped their weapons and fled south, only to be chased down and stabbed to death one by one by the Northeast Army infantry.

On the right flank, after the second detachment's bombers cut off the Japanese retreat, Chang Yuchun's tank group cut in from the flank, cutting the 36th Brigade into several isolated islands.

Without unified command, the Japanese soldiers fought individually and were picked off piece by piece by tanks and infantry.

The moment Lieutenant General Mori saw the air force appear, he made the judgment that the battle was already lost.

He recognized reality earlier than Kawagishi Bunzaburo, so before Kawagishi ordered the charge, he had already quietly led his guard squadron away from the left flank of the battlefield and retreated towards Andong.

But he didn't get far.

Zhu Wudi's reconnaissance plane spotted a convoy rapidly fleeing south on the highway. Judging that it might be an enemy command post, he immediately notified Chang Yuchun.

Chang Yuchun dispatched a tank company to take a shortcut and block their path.

Twenty T-34s crossed the cornfield and intercepted Mori Hisashi's convoy about ten kilometers north of Andong.

After a brief battle, Mori Hisashi's guard squadron was annihilated, and Mori Hisashi himself was hit by an armor-piercing shell in his armored vehicle, turning into a fireball along with his vehicle.

As evening fell, the gunfire at Luofengpo finally ceased.

The battlefield fell into a deathly silence.

An army of 80,000 men, organized into two divisions, was annihilated in less than a day.

The Northeast Army suffered fewer than a thousand casualties.

Chang Yuchun stood on a rock at the highest point of Luofeng Slope, looking down at the battlefield strewn with corpses.

"Send a telegram to the Commander-in-Chief."

Without turning his head, he said to the communications soldier behind him, "In the Battle of Fengcheng, our army won a great victory, annihilating more than 80,000 enemy soldiers with no prisoners."

When the news reached Lushun, the Northeast Army was instantly in an uproar.

Every Northeast Army soldier who received the news was overjoyed. They had won great victories on both the eastern and western fronts, and this battle completely shattered the myth of the invincibility of the Japanese.

From then on, the Northeast Army would have a psychological advantage over the Japanese.

Zhang Xueming held the telegram. The last line of the telegram mentioned a very thorny problem that put him in a dilemma.