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

On the left flank, the positions of the 323rd Division of the Tiger Army were also subjected to heavy bombing by the Japanese, with the main targets being key points such as Yangjialing and Hill 203.

Zhao Yunwen did not use the system to rent planes to intercept the enemy this time, allowing the Japanese aircraft to wreak havoc. Fortunately, the number of Japanese planes was not large, and the 323rd Division had dug air-raid shelters on the reverse slope of the mountains, where the soldiers huddled, so the losses were not great.

After more than a dozen planes dropped their bombs, the 19th Mountain Artillery Regiment launched a fierce artillery barrage. This time, the mountain artillery battalion did not tolerate their behavior and retaliated in kind, engaging in a bombardment with the Japanese.

The Schneider M1923 mountain gun outperformed the Japanese mountain guns in performance. With its superior mobility, it destroyed seven or eight Japanese artillery pieces, scaring them into hastily relocating.

The 16 mountain guns of the mountain artillery battalion became the nightmare of the Japanese. Although the Japanese had a numerical advantage, their range was far inferior to that of Schneider, and only a dozen or so 105mm mountain guns could reach them.

Shortly after the artillery battle ended, a large number of Japanese troops launched an attack on the left flank. Just as Zhao Yunwen had predicted, after failing to make a breakthrough on the front, the Japanese chose to attack Shimenkou from a flanking position.

Inside the command center, Qiu Fengzi was reporting the latest battle situation to Zhao Yunwen using the sand table:

"The Japanese suddenly went berserk and launched a full-scale attack on Fujin Mountain, using airplanes, artillery, and tanks, with the attack focusing on the flanks."

The central force was still the 65th Infantry Regiment, equipped with a number of tanks, which continued to assault the 36th Division's positions.

On the right flank, the Japanese offensive intensified, and the defensive line of the 264th Brigade of the 88th Division began to falter. Zhong Bin dispatched reserves, which stabilized the line.

The Japanese troops, who had bypassed the Ye-Shang Highway, traveled lightly from the west bank of the Shi River, heading straight for the junction of Shimenkou.

The main force of the 71st Army has been tied down by the Japanese. I suspect that the Japanese's real target is Shimenkou.

Zhao Yunwen remained calm and said in a deep voice:

"There is no doubt that the Japanese are targeting Shimenkou. They still think the left-wing garrison is the 61st Division."

This division has a strength of about 11000 men. It was decimated in the Battle of Shanghai. After Zhong Song took over, it has been reorganized and trained for several months and has regained its combat effectiveness.

装备这一块甚至不比36师差，除了每个团6门迫击炮，另外师直属炮营还有6至8门75毫米老式山炮。

They had enough troops, but their left flank defense line was too long, stretching for tens of kilometers.

The 61st Division's deployment failed to focus on key areas, resulting in insufficient troop strength in some areas.

That was exactly what the Japanese were planning: to make a major breakthrough at Shimenkou. Unfortunately for them, this time they encountered the Tiger Army's Eastward Advance Detachment.

Our key defensive deployment, coupled with the cavalry regiment's support, perfectly plugged this gap.

Ignore the small groups of Japanese troops flanking us; they can't cause any trouble. Let the cavalry regiment handle them.

The infantry group only needs to hold a few key points; they can adapt to any situation by remaining steadfast.

Qiu the Madman nodded heavily and said:

"I understand. The Japanese troops that came from outflank us were only an infantry regiment. They sent a small number of troops to attack Yangjialing and the No. 3 unnamed hill to distract them, while their main force headed straight for Shimenkou."

The Shimenkou position is defended by the 646th Regiment, and there's also the 650th Regiment as a reserve force. The Japanese won't gain any advantage!

Zhao Yunwen instructed him again:

"The Japanese don't know our strength yet, so hold back and don't scare them away."

We must use the Shimenkou defense line to wear down the Japanese as much as possible. That beastly 13th Division must be made to bleed to the last drop at Fujin Mountain.

"Commander, don't worry, I know how to fight. I won't use the 650th Regiment as a reserve unless absolutely necessary."

After Qiu Fengzi finished speaking, he went to adjust the defenses, while Zhao Yunwen continued to stare at the sand table in a daze.

At the Shimenkou position, the main force of the Japanese army had already outflanked and arrived in position, and sent out more than 300 men to launch a probing attack, led by Battalion Commander Honda Hitomi.

The Shimenkou position is located several hundred meters north of the Yeshang Highway. The terrain, from south to north, consists of the spurs of Fujin Mountain, the valley mouth, low hills, and flat land.

The highway was firmly controlled by the 36th Division, and the Japanese could not bypass it, so they could only choose to pass through the valley entrance.

The 646th Regiment's position was set up on the rolling hills to the south, with each undulation forming a defensive line, for a total of three lines.

The machine guns on the hill could block the entrance to the valley, so if the Japanese wanted to get through, they had to capture this hill; there was no shortcut.

As it was a probing attack, the more than 300 Japanese soldiers were arranged in two echelons, with the soldiers spread out widely, covering the entire mountainside.

Inside the first line of defense, Battalion Commander Lü Zengzheng coldly watched the Japanese soldiers perform. His soldiers were all hidden in the trenches, their dark gun barrels aimed at the Japanese soldiers, ready to fire at the command.

The Japanese skirmishers were getting closer and closer. They seemed to have sensed the danger and were moving very cautiously, their waists and legs bent, ready to roll into the natural pit at any moment.

Lu Zeng estimated the distance, raised the signal gun in his hand, and fired three shots into the sky.

The moment the gunfire was heard, the previously silent position came alive. The Third Battalion opened fire, and Japanese soldiers fell one after another after being hit.

Honda Hitomi was very agile. Upon hearing the gunshot, she immediately lay down on the ground and rolled into a pit that she had already aimed at.

Several bullets struck the spot where he had just stood; had he not reacted quickly, he would be a corpse by now.

"Damn it! The intelligence was wrong; it's another German-equipped division!"

The intelligence he received indicated that the defending troops used Hanyang rifles, a small number of machine guns, and few artillery pieces, in addition to captured Type 38 rifles.

The machine guns that could fire at them were M1919 and 1918, as well as German submachine guns and rifles that were not Hanyang-made; the firepower was extremely dense.

In just one encounter, they suffered dozens of casualties. Keep in mind that they only had a little over three hundred men in total, and their skirmish lines were spread out, making it difficult to hit even one of them.

After dodging the first round of heavy fire, the Japanese soldiers lay on the ground and fought back. The terrain at Shimenkou was not dangerous; it was just an ordinary people's earthen fortification.

With the terrain in which they were exchanging fire, Honda Hitomi was very confident that he could defeat the defenders.

As time went on, Major Honda's confidence vanished without a trace, replaced by a gloomy expression that seemed to drip with menace.

To his horror, he discovered that in the exchange of fire, they not only failed to gain the upper hand, but were also pinned to the ground and unable to lift their heads.

"Impossible, absolutely impossible!"

"When did the Chinese become so powerful?"

Major Honda witnessed a light machine gun firing only three shots before a mortar shell flew from the defending position and landed two meters to its side and rear.

The explosion ejected hundreds of shrapnel fragments, covering an area of ​​several meters in radius. A Japanese machine gunner was hit by a shrapnel fragment in the back of his neck and died instantly.

Two people nearby were also killed or wounded. One shell killed three of his warriors, leaving two dead and one wounded.

Not only the light machine guns, but also the heavy machine guns providing fire support from the rear were not spared; the defenders' Type 20 mortars were too accurate.

Honda's battalion also deployed the newly equipped Type 94 mortars, which have a range exceeding that of the Min 20 mortar, reaching up to 3800 meters, but also weigh 159 kilograms, resulting in poor mobility.

The Type 94 90mm mortar was only issued to the regimental level, but this time the Japanese brought several, which could fire poison gas shells.

Major Honda, having ascertained the strength and firepower of the defending forces and realizing that he could not gain the upper hand in the exchange of fire, simply ordered a retreat.

He had already made an agreement with the regimental commander that as long as Honda's battalion distanced itself from the defenders, the mortar company would have the defenders fire poison gas shells from their positions. The Japanese did not believe that the Chinese troops all had gas masks.

"Quickly, turn around!"

After giving the order, Major Honda scrambled out of the danger zone, and the other Japanese soldiers followed suit, leaving behind nearly a hundred corpses.

Before the soldiers of the Third Battalion could hide, the Japanese artillery began firing, with volleys of special projectiles hitting the defending troops' positions.

The Tiger Legion had undergone special training in protection against gas grenades. As soon as Lü Zeng heard the muffled sound, he guessed the Japanese intention and blew the gas whistle loudly.

Other officers also noticed the anomaly and began blowing their whistles, some even shouting at the top of their lungs:

"Poison gas! Wear gas masks!"

Veteran Nie Xiaowei first turned around, with his back to the direction of the poison gas, and casually took out a gas mask from his waist bag;

Close your eyes, exhale, use your thumbs to open the mask, lower your head and extend your chin, skillfully slip it over your head, and exhale gently; the mask is well-sealed.

By immediately turning their backs to the poison gas, they could avoid eye damage. They had practiced this action hundreds of times, and it had become muscle memory, so most people avoided being harmed by the poison gas.

After putting on his gas mask, Nie Xiaowei turned around, gripped his gun, and waited for the Japanese soldiers to come up.

At this time, the Third Battalion's position was already shrouded in poison gas, looking extremely sinister and terrifying;

The Japanese regimental commander revealed a cruel smile and coldly gave the order:

"Signal for Honda-kun, they can go up and collect the bodies of the Chinese!"