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

At the Fujinshan defense line, the soldiers were repairing fortifications as usual. The clanging of shovels digging in the soil and the shouts of engineers carrying stones rose and fell. Many soldiers were covered in mud, with sweat and dust smeared on their faces.

The rumble of engines rolled in from the sky, the sound deep and suppressed, growing louder and louder until it could be heard everywhere.

The officer supervising the construction work on site suddenly looked up, his face turning deathly pale, his pupils shrinking, and he screamed at the top of his lungs:

"Enemy attack! Enemy aircraft! Get to cover!"

The piercing sound of anti-aircraft whistles suddenly shattered the mountains and fields. Before the soldiers could react, twenty or thirty bombers with plastered patches on them, in a loose formation, had already emerged from the distant clouds, forming a dark mass that covered the sky above Fujin Mountain.

The wings gleamed with a cold, metallic sheen in the sunlight, the engines roared, and shadows loomed heavily over the entire position.

"Get down! Get into the trench!"

Officers at all levels shouted at the top of their lungs, and the soldiers dropped their shovels and picks. Despite the panic, they managed to scatter and rush toward the nearest trenches and shell craters.

In an instant, a string of aerial bombs detached from the fuselage and fell, whistling down with sharp, piercing screams.

Boom!!

The first bomb slammed into the forward positions, sending mud, rocks, and flames shooting into the sky. A series of explosions followed, scattering across the hillsides, with clusters of brownish-black fireballs bursting open and powerful shockwaves sweeping across the area.

The earthen breastwork collapsed in sections, and the newly built trenches were flattened by bombs. Stones, broken wood, and shrapnel mixed with blasted soil flew everywhere.

Flames roared, and smoke instantly enveloped half of the Fujin Mountain.

Deafening explosions followed one after another, causing the earth to tremble uncontrollably. Trees on the mountain were snapped in half, their branches flying everywhere. Many soldiers who couldn't get into cover in time were thrown to the ground by the blast waves, the dust blinding them and leaving only a buzzing in their ears.

After dropping their first volley of bombs, the Japanese planes did not leave, but instead flew back and forth at low altitudes to raid the positions. Machine gun bullets rained down on the ground, sweeping across the edges of the trenches and kicking up clouds of dust.

The battlefield was filled with screams and shouts, the groans of the wounded mingling with the roar of explosions. The field fortifications that had just been painstakingly repaired were damaged in many places under this round of fierce air raids.

Smoke billowed from the mountaintop, with thick black smoke rising straight into the sky.

Inside the 71st Army headquarters, the staff was in complete chaos. The chief of staff tried to pull Song Yingguo away, but was coldly stopped by him:

"What's the panic? It's just a few beat-up planes, don't lose your composure!"

Song Yingguo grabbed the binoculars from the table, calmly walked out of the command post, and looked around. The position was already a mess.

The chief of staff said with concern:

"Commander, it's dangerous here. The Japanese planes could return and bomb us again at any time."

Song Yingguo waved his hand and asked about the northern front:

"Has the vanguard of the Tiger Army arrived? Has the handover of the positions been completed?"

"Commander, the handover has been completed. The 61st Division is withdrawing, and the main force of the Tiger Army will arrive no later than tomorrow morning."

Song Yingguo finally felt relieved, and a long-lost smile appeared on his face. He said in a relaxed tone:

"Very good. The Tiger Army arrived before the Japanese launched their ground offensive, so the northern front is now secure."

Next, all we need to do is hold the Fujinshan position. With the 61st Division as our reserve force, the battle on the southern front will be much easier.

Seeing that Song Yingguo's mood had improved, the chief of staff seized the opportunity and suggested:

"Commander, should we establish a communication channel with the Tiger Legion to facilitate coordinated operations?"

"Of course. I will personally visit my old classmate after the Tiger Army arrives to thank him for his reinforcements."

Song Yingguo's emotional intelligence was among the best of the graduates. He and Zhao Yunwen were both lieutenant generals, holding similar positions.

This time, Zhao Yunwen personally led troops to reinforce Fujinshan, dispatching a main force division, as well as a cavalry regiment and a mountain artillery battalion. It was quite interesting, and we should thank him for it both morally and logically.

Another issue is the command authority, which needs to be negotiated and at least the primary and secondary responsibilities need to be clearly defined.

"Commander, look! The Japanese are starting to cross the Shi River!"

The chief of staff had sharp eyes and noticed the unusual movements of the Japanese soldiers from a distance. Song Yingguo looked in the direction he was pointing and saw a large number of Japanese infantrymen crossing the river with impunity.

"Damn it, they're too arrogant. Can our artillery even reach the Shihe ferry crossing?"

If the 13th Division wanted to attack the Fujinshan position, it had to cross the Shi River. It was currently the flood season, so a pontoon bridge was needed to cross the river.

Song Yingguo wanted to use artillery to blow up the Japanese pontoon bridge, and the chief of staff gave him the most affirmative answer:

"Commander, it's out of reach. Even if we advance to the front lines, we're still just a little short."

Song Yingguo could only shake his head regretfully and say:

"What a pity, otherwise it would have been a huge blow to the morale of the Japanese soldiers."

The 72nd Army's artillery regiment only had 12 old-fashioned mountain guns with a range of just over six kilometers, which was not enough to reach the target. Moreover, the number of shells was limited, so they could only fire a few shots to boost morale.

Just as the two were feeling regretful, a thunderous roar of artillery came from the northwest flank, and a volley of shells whistled through the sky and slammed into the Shihe Ferry.

The chief of staff exclaimed in delight:

"That's the Tiger Legion's position! The Tiger Legion's mountain artillery battalion can reach it!"

At this moment, Song Yingguo's telescope was fixed on the ferry crossing, where the Japanese soldiers crossing the river were being blown up, which made him feel excited.

Shells rained down, turning the ferry crossing into a sea of ​​fire. The Japanese soldiers scattered like frightened ants. Each barrage of fire devoured large numbers of men and supplies. The flames roared to the sky, and the cries of agony could be heard from a great distance.

"That was awesome! So damn awesome!"

"Yes, that's how it explodes!"

"Those shells are incredibly accurate, like they have eyes!"

"Blow these sons of bitches to death!"

Song Yingguo was so excited that he danced around, completely losing the composure of a senior general. Even after the shelling stopped, he was still watching with great interest and was still not satisfied.

The ferry crossing was in complete disarray; the pontoon bridge that the Japanese had painstakingly built had been destroyed, and the river was filled with the corpses of men and horses.

The supplies piled up on the eastern shore of the mudflats were burning fiercely, and severed limbs and blood were scattered everywhere on the ground.

The 13th Division's attack failed in its infancy, suffering heavy losses. The division commander, Hoju Ribing, roared so loudly that the entire command post trembled.

"Baka yarou! Didn't the intelligence say the river crossing was safe? Where did this shell come from?!"

"You idiots! This is a crime!"

An unfavorable start is no longer just a matter of how many soldiers and supplies were lost; it's a disaster!

Chief of Staff Colonel Isaburo Tsukuda reluctantly explained:

"Your Excellency, the Chinese artillery shells came from the highlands north of the Liushang Highway. Intelligence indicates that it was the 61st Division of the 71st Army. It was not a German-equipped division and its equipment was outdated. It was impossible for it to have an advanced artillery group with a range that could reach the crossing."

"Baka yarou, where did all these cannons come from?"

With bloodshot eyes, Huo Zhouli asked a soul-searching question: the facts were right in front of him, and it was clear that the intelligence was wrong.

Colonel Tsukuda Isamu was speechless and stammered:

"Not to mention the 61st Division, even the 71st Army doesn't have M1923 Schneider mountain guns. Is it possible that they were secretly reinforced from the Shangcheng direction, and the intelligence department didn't detect it in advance?"

"You idiot! That's definitely it, a bunch of useless trash!"

"I'm going to complain to His Highness the Prince; it's all the intelligence department's fault!"

The troops of the 13th Division have finally found a scapegoat, but this does not solve the problem. The 13th Division will not be deterred by the artillery fire of the defending army. Prince Higashikuni Naruhiko is still watching over Hefei!

Colonel Gyosaku Ryokaku, commander of the 65th Infantry Regiment, stepped forward and volunteered for battle:

"Your Excellency, the Imperial Army can afford to suffer some losses. This time it was a sneak attack by the despicable Chinese that caught the artillery regiment off guard."

"As long as we prepare in advance, we can destroy the Chinese artillery barrage. I am willing to lead the 65th Infantry Regiment as the vanguard to capture Fujin Mountain in one fell swoop!"

Huo Zhouli's expression softened, and he said approvingly:

"Yoshi, I know of Ryogoku-kun's martial prowess, especially his brilliant achievements in Jinling City."

"Follow your plan. The 105mm heavy artillery group of the 19th Mountain Artillery Regiment will provide you with fire support. Make sure you successfully cross the river. Thank you!"

"Hey?"

The two men bowed deeply, slung their swords over their shoulders, and strode away. Huo Zhouli immediately ordered the engineering regiment and heavy artillery battalion to cooperate in the operation.

At the Shihe ferry crossing, the river was surging. After receiving orders, the Japanese soldiers of the 13th Engineer Regiment methodically built a pontoon bridge. Lieutenant Colonel Iwabuchi Tsuneo, the regimental commander, personally directed the operation on site, making quite a commotion.

The news of the Japanese troops' movements quickly reached Li Xikai, the commander of the 645th Regiment, and his chief of staff asked for instructions:

"Commander, the Japanese have started crossing the river again. Should we open fire?"

Li Xikai shook his head and said:

"No need. We can't stop the Japanese from crossing the river. After they've suffered a loss, they'll definitely be more cautious. The artillery battalion has a limited number of shells, so we should use them wisely."

The chief of staff said no more, and the 645th Regiment allowed the Japanese infantry to cross the river.