Even if I'm a useless bum at Whampoa Military Academy, I'll be invincible in the War of Re

Under the cover of darkness, the Japanese soldiers, after paying a heavy price, finally reached the foot of the riverbank, where they were stopped by an anti-tank ditch.

The Japanese soldiers were not intimidated and jumped into the trenches, which were only a few dozen centimeters deep. Subsequently, many of them detonated the anti-personnel mines inside.

The Japanese soldiers screamed in terror as the landmines were blown up. These landmines would bounce up and explode at a height of two meters once triggered.

The explosion released hundreds of fragments, spraying out in all directions with a kill radius of over 10 meters, killing anyone who got close and leaving others severely injured.

The Japanese suffered heavy casualties, but they refused to give up and rushed into the trenches one after another. They were knocked down in large numbers, and corpses and severed limbs piled up in the trenches, layer upon layer.

The other Japanese soldiers stepped over the corpses of their comrades to rush across the trench and enter the minefield. The area from the anti-tank ditch to the riverbank, about twenty meters long, was filled with mines.

These landmines became the Japanese soldiers' nightmare. They had already come to this point, and retreating would mean all their previous efforts were in vain. They had no choice but to grit their teeth and charge forward.

The Japanese soldiers were blown up by the landmines, and the soldiers guarding the dike threw down grenades and captured grenades in such a dense manner that it terrified the Japanese.

Night combat aircraft and rifles had low hit rates, but the killing effect of grenades was unaffected. Landmines and trenches slowed down the Japanese soldiers' charge, exposing them all to the killing range of the defenders' grenades.

The soldiers of the 644th Regiment only needed to stretch out their hands and throw grenades down, without exposing their bodies or heads outside the trenches, greatly reducing the probability of being hit by Japanese machine guns.

The lemon grenades that the Tiger Army had previously captured finally came in handy; the flashes from the explosions exposed the Japanese soldiers' movements, turning them into lambs to the slaughter.

The soldiers of the 644th Regiment fought with great composure, and it was difficult for them to be hit unless they were extremely unlucky.

Although the Japanese artillery fire was highly lethal, the defending troops were all hidden in narrow trenches, wearing German-style steel helmets with extremely strong protective capabilities, which could eliminate more than 90% of the shrapnel damage.

More than 80% of the damage to infantry from artillery comes from shrapnel. The probability of a direct hit on a trench in open field is extremely low. As long as the defending troops have enough fighting spirit and ammunition, the Japanese would have to pay at least ten times the price to break through the defense line.

Sergeant Ma Biao fired seven grenades in succession with the grenade launcher, each one hitting its mark. There were too many Japanese soldiers below, so he didn't need to aim much.

The 107th Division captured a large number of grenade launchers. Although they were not as effective as the 60mm mortars, they were still very effective at throwing special grenades, at least they could throw farther than by hand.

Zhao Yunwen equipped these grenade launchers to his platoons, with two to three per platoon, to eliminate infantry or light machine gunners.

Ma Biao was a grenade launcher operator, with two other ammunition handlers, one of whom also served as the assistant gunner.

Next to him were two boxes of Type 94 grenades, which could be used as a light mortar.

The Japanese soldiers below the river embankment were densely packed. Light machine gunners lay prone on the mudflats to provide fire support, making them important targets for grenade launchers. In addition, there were clusters of infantry.

The 644th Regiment deployed two battalions along the riverbank defense line, each company equipped with 6 to 9 grenade launchers. The two battalions alone had dozens of grenade launchers. The grenades they launched were mainly used to kill Japanese soldiers a hundred meters away, complementing the hand grenades.

Japanese infantrymen poured across the river, filling the western mudflats. Dozens of grenade launchers proved their effectiveness, killing and wounding a large number of infantrymen.

Ma Biao was very excited to kill Japanese soldiers with their own weapons. He would lock onto his targets by the light of the explosions and then throw grenades. His efficiency was astonishing, and the number of Japanese soldiers who died at his hands had exceeded double digits.

At the field headquarters of the 11th Infantry Regiment, Colonel Nagano stared at the battlefield with a grim face. All three of his infantry battalions had been deployed, yet they still hadn't broken through the riverbank defenses.

The senior staff officer, steeling himself, advised:

"Commander, the Chinese were well-prepared and their firepower is fierce. Our warriors have suffered heavy casualties. It's time to retreat!"

"You idiots! You can't even handle this much casualty? A bunch of useless trash! You've completely disgraced the Itagaki Division!"

Colonel Nagano was seething with anger and needed to vent, but his senior staff officer just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time and got a severe scolding.

But despite the criticism, the problem still needs to be solved:

"Get all this trash out of here, it's an eyesore!"

The senior staff officer stumbled and turned away. Since the westward advance from Pengcheng, the 11th Infantry Regiment had been replenished many times, almost a complete replacement, the only one who hadn't been replaced was Colonel Nagano.

On the west bank of the river, the two sides were locked in a fierce and evenly matched battle when suddenly a long bugle call sounded behind the Japanese soldiers. The Japanese soldiers, who were struggling on the verge of death, heard heavenly music and almost cheered as they retreated, finally free from their hellish ordeal.

The 644th Regiment did not pursue. Under the shouts of officers and veterans, the soldiers dispersed and took cover. Although the trenches could not stop the shells, they could stop most of the shrapnel; the rest was up to luck.

Sure enough, the Japanese launched a retaliatory artillery barrage not long after. Shells rained down, trenches were destroyed, and many soldiers were buried in the sand.

At that time, no one had time to save them, so they had to save themselves with entrenching tools, and some of them never got up again.

The Japanese artillery bombardment was just a way to vent their anger; the shells didn't come from the wind. Japan is resource-poor and can't afford a war of attrition.

Kunisaki Noboru finally backed down and did not launch any new attacks before dawn.

The Chief of Staff reported in a deep voice:

"The 11th Infantry Regiment suffered over 500 dead and 300 wounded!"

"You idiots, a bunch of useless trash!"

Previously, the 41st Infantry Regiment lost more than 700 men, and now the 11th Regiment has suffered another 800 casualties. Not counting the lightly wounded, the total loss is now half a regiment.

I can't afford this!

"General, it will be difficult for the Fifth Division to break through the Chinese defenses. The Sixteenth Division is about to arrive, and a simultaneous attack by both divisions would be more effective."

The chief of staff's words really hit the nail on the head for Kunisaki Noboru. He had no interest in taking all the credit for himself; the most important thing was not to let the Kunisaki Brigade be credited for the victory.

Thinking of this, he said seriously:

"Suspend the offensive and send a telegram to the division commander requesting tactical guidance!"

The military headquarters and the Tiger Army have taken full control of the defense of Zheng County. Cheng Songyun led the First War Zone Command to retreat to Luoyang, and the main force of the First Army Corps retreated to the west of the Pinghan Railway to assist the Tiger Army in holding the Pinghan Railway.

Battle reports from the front lines came in like snowflakes. Staff members rushed to and fro in the command post. Zhao Yunwen's thick eyebrows were furrowed. He hadn't slept for two days and two nights.

After his talent value increased by 400, Zhao Yunwen felt that his understanding of war had reached a new level, and various tactical ideas flooded into his mind like a tide, as if his Ren and Du meridians had been opened.

There was no reference data for the Battle of Zheng County. Facing the attack of four divisions, he had to deal with it independently. The lives of more than 30,000 soldiers were at stake, and he was walking on thin ice.

"Deputy Commander Lu, how long will it take for the city's defensive fortifications to be completed?"

Zhao Yunwen was mentally prepared for street fighting, and Lu Ping quickly replied:

"Within seven days at the latest, the underground tunnel network in the city will be completed, with firing points on every street and tunnels connecting the streets. Important buildings and stations will be transformed into fortress complexes, with a plan to build 300 bunkers of various sizes."

Field casualties were too high; Zhao Yunwen still preferred urban warfare. After considering it in his mind, he said:

"It shouldn't be a problem to hold the Jialu River and Jinshui River defense lines for seven or eight days; the rest can be left to street fighting."

Defending Zheng County not only meant holding off the Japanese for half a month, but also significantly depleting several top-tier divisions, rendering them unable to advance south.

"Telegram to the 322nd Division: The Jialu River must be held for five days. Artillery support can be called upon at any time. I don't want to hear casualty figures; replenish as many as we are wiped out!"

Xie Polu continued, saying:

"If new recruits have barely had any training and are rushed into battle, won't that lower their combat effectiveness?"

The thousands of new recruits allocated by Cheng Songyun gave Zhao Yunwen a great deal of confidence; he didn't have time for these recruits to develop normally. After a few days of intensive training at the training camp, these recruits would be ready to be put to use.

"We can't worry about that. Let real combat temper us. Those who survive are the veterans."

A merciful general cannot command an army. Zhao Yunwen has now become decisive and ruthless, and is no longer the kind of person who would feel pain if a few hundred casualties were suffered on the Battle of Shanghai.

Xie Polu said no more. Although he felt a little reluctant, this was a battlefield where life and death were at stake, and he had to be ruthless.