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

The Shirai Squad's raid provoked the other Japanese soldiers, who had been poisoned by Bushido since childhood and did not have as many tricks up their sleeves as the mid- to high-ranking officers.

Once someone takes the lead, the other Japanese soldiers will follow suit, and extreme repression will inevitably trigger madness.

The Japanese soldiers' intentions were clear: they wanted to make one last desperate attempt before nightfall and swarm towards the defending troops' positions.

Company Commander Yu Jingxing hadn't expected a surprise before the work was over, and excitedly shouted:

"Brothers, the Japanese devils are coming! Fight them to death!"

The previously dazed battlefield was instantly ignited, with countless bullets spraying towards the Japanese soldiers, instantly taking down a large number of them.

Sergeant Yoshihara felt a pang of bitterness, thinking to himself how many more people would have to pay the price for his squad leader's recklessness.

Where the machine gun fire swept, corpses littered the ground. Lieutenant Shirai had only charged a dozen meters when he was hit by several machine gun bullets, his body riddled with bullets.

Several Japanese soldiers around him were also killed or wounded; their bodies were piled up together, just minutes before they were vibrant lives.

Sergeant Yoshihara rolled to the ground, a stray bullet grazing his scalp, saving his life once again.

The Japanese attack ended in failure once again, with nothing gained except for a few dozen more corpses.

Sergeant Yoshiwara finally heard the bugle call to retreat. The Japanese soldiers, as if granted a pardon, fled back in droves. Sergeant Yoshiwara took the opportunity to blend into the crowd and retreat down the mountain with the main force.

The defending troops did not pursue them, but simply kept firing in the direction the Japanese soldiers were fleeing, leaving only a few alive.

Sergeant Yoshihara's good luck came to an end. He was hit in the back by a stray bullet while fleeing, but fortunately it was not fatal.

He endured the pain and fled back to the starting position. The army was defeated and collapsed. No one went to rescue the wounded soldiers who had fallen.

Sergeant Yoshihara, a veteran of countless battles, knew that he could not rely on anyone at this time, and survived thanks to his strong willpower.

The wounded soldiers who escaped back like him were gathered together, and the medics roughly bandaged their wounds. Those with serious injuries were sent to a field hospital for treatment.

Yoshihara had already faked a serious injury, but the lieutenant in charge of assessing the extent of the injury still coldly said:

"Minor injury, no need for excessive treatment, stay with the team."

Sergeant Yoshihara said anxiously:

"Please take another look at me. I feel weak all over and have lost too much blood. I'm going to die if I don't get treatment soon."

The lieutenant was furious at the wounded soldier's questioning and angrily shouted:

"You bastard, how dare you question my medical skills! You have a terrible conscience, are you trying to avoid going to the battlefield?"

Others turned their benevolent gazes toward them; shirking duty to the battlefield was a serious crime, despised by everyone.

Yoshihara broke out in a cold sweat and quickly explained:

"It's a misunderstanding, I'm seriously injured!"

"You bastard, it's not up to me, the wounded, to decide. Shut up, or you'll be considered a deserter."

A lieutenant's rank is a huge advantage, and Yoshihara dared not argue any further, so he could only obediently stay on the battlefield.

The Yamada Regiment suffered too many casualties and had no energy to care for the wounded. They did their best to bandage and stop the bleeding, and as long as they could still walk, they had to continue fighting.

After the officers at all levels counted the number of people, they reported the number of casualties level by level, underreporting as much as possible. People like Yoshihara who were able to run back on their own could not be counted among the casualties.

When the numbers reached Colonel Yamada, he naturally launched into a tirade of abuse, saying that the more than 700 casualties were almost like cutting off a piece of his own flesh.

"You bunch of useless trash! Cease your attack tonight and let the warriors recover their strength."

Colonel Yamada reluctantly admitted his mistake and stopped acting recklessly.

Shortly after the frontal assault ceased, the 38th Infantry Regiment in the northeast also withdrew, and the gunfire gradually subsided as everyone licked their wounds in their respective camps.

The casualties of the Third Battalion have also been tallied, and the deputy battalion commander reported in a deep voice:

"The entire battalion suffered 45 dead, 37 seriously wounded, and lost 2 heavy machine guns, 1 mortar, and 13 rifles and pistols."

The minor wounded were not mentioned, but 82 people were killed in one battle. This casualty ratio is already very high. It is indeed a positional war.

Luo Yufeng didn't dwell on the sadness; the brutal battle had only just begun. He instructed the deputy battalion commander:

"Send the seriously wounded brothers to the field hospital for treatment; the conditions there are better. Quickly restore the position and prepare for the new battle."

At the 323rd Division headquarters, Zhao Yunwen was holding a lantern in one hand, peering closely at a map. He did this most of the time; he had practically memorized the entire military map of the Battle of Jiangcheng.

Whenever there is a new battle situation report, the staff officer must re-mark it. Although he does not participate in the decision-making of the entire campaign, he still unconsciously puts himself in the position of the commander-in-chief and repeatedly simulates the situation in his mind.

Since his talent value was upgraded to the general level, his ability to read battles has improved dramatically. He can now see the Japanese troops' formations and battle intentions very clearly.

If he were in command of this battle, victory would be a certainty. Unfortunately, he could only command the Tiger Legion.

The higher-ups were making all sorts of self-destructive moves, and the Japanese were doing the same, making one blunder after another. In his eyes, it was just a bunch of chickens fighting each other.

Of course, even if the Battle of Jiangcheng were won, it would not change the fact that a strategic stalemate had arrived, and it was not subject to individual will.

Division Commander Qiu the Madman walked in, bringing the latest battle report:

"The Japanese troops in several directions have stopped their attacks. The 31st Division reported that it had killed or wounded about 500 Japanese soldiers, while our side suffered 419 casualties, resulting in a roughly equal exchange ratio."

The cavalry regiment annihilated 861 enemy soldiers, suffered 33 casualties, and won a decisive battle, capturing a large amount of equipment and supplies.

The 645th and 646th Regiments killed or wounded over a thousand Japanese soldiers, suffering over 300 casualties, and captured nothing so far.

Zhao Yunwen nodded and said:

"In the two directions of Yingzui Mountain and Yanjia Mountain, more than 1500 Japanese soldiers were killed or wounded, while more than 700 of our own soldiers were killed or wounded, with an exchange ratio of 2 to 1."

The cavalry regiment's record is unrepeatable; it only happens occasionally.

There are still four days left to complete the mission. If we continue fighting like this, it's acceptable.

The real fear is that the Japanese will reinforce their troops. The 13th Division will arrive by tomorrow afternoon at the latest, at which point the intensity of the battle will increase exponentially, and casualties will rise significantly. This will be the real test.

The telegram instructed Division Commander Chi that if the Yanjiashan position could not be held, it could be abandoned, provided that the troops did not fall into disarray and suffered too many losses, and that they retreated to the mountains to continue engaging the Japanese.

After hearing this, Qiu Fengzi's expression changed drastically, and he asked in a deep voice:

"Is the commander worried that Yanjiashan cannot be defended?"

Zhao Yunwen shook his head and said:

"Just in case, you see, the 91st Brigade is deployed in the southeast of the city. If the 93rd Brigade can't hold out, they can retreat to the eastern mountains to protect the front of the city."

As long as the Ye-Shang Highway remains impassable, the small number of Japanese troops crossing the mountains, lacking logistical support, will pose little threat to the 31st Division, ultimately requiring a direct assault on the gorge.

Now that Qiu Fengzi was no longer anxious, he continued, "..."

"I understand. Without supplies as support, even if two or three thousand Japanese soldiers enter the mountains and the town, they will not gain any advantage. They might even be annihilated by the 31st Division in coordination with the town's defenders."

There's another division of the 30th Army in the direction of the city. With both divisions relying on the city's defenses, defeating a half-regiment lacking supplies would be no problem.

"That's exactly what I mean. The mall is the rear area, not a place where two or three thousand Japanese soldiers can run rampant. Our Commander Bai is no pushover either."

Therefore, in the end, the battle must be fought at the gorge. If they can't take Eagle's Beak Mountain, the Japanese won't be able to pose a real threat to Shangcheng.

Now Qiu Fengzi felt more confident. In his eyes, the 31st Division was still too weak; only the 323rd Division was the linchpin. Thinking of this, he suddenly realized:

"No wonder the commander ordered the 323rd Division to defend Eagle's Beak Mountain, while the 31st Division only needed to coordinate well. My 323rd Division still has more than 10,000 elite troops in combat. Even if we face the siege of two divisions alone, we can hold out for four days."

Zhao Yunwen waved his hand and said:

"This is just the worst-case scenario. The 31st Division won't give up its position easily. They were able to hold off the Isogai Division at Taierzhuang. The terrain at Yanjia Mountain is much better, and with our supplies and equipment, the Japanese won't be able to cross Yanjia Mountain without losing several thousand lives!"

After reading the telegram, the commander of the 93rd Brigade at the 31st Division headquarters turned red in the face and shouted:

"What does Commander Zhao mean by this? Are you looking down on my 31st Division? When has my 31st Division ever voluntarily given up a position!"

The deputy division commander also said indignantly:

"Our Northwest Army cannot be underestimated by the Central Army. If they can hold Eagle Beak Mountain, we can hold Yanjia Mountain, even if a Japanese division comes."

Chi Fengcheng was a seasoned veteran, and he saw through Zhao Yunwen's provocation clearly, but he didn't point it out.

Instead of fighting fiercely, the more the troops below howl, the more their potential will be unleashed. He coldly shouted from here:

"Alright, it doesn't matter what others think. We have to admit that the 323rd Division fought well, and their cavalry regiment helped us a lot."

If you want others to respect you, you can't just shout slogans; you have to show your actions.

Fight hard, hold the line to the death! We're not fighting the Japanese for anyone else's sake, but for our country and our nation, for the dignity of soldiers!

Everyone shut their mouths and secretly resolved in their hearts that they must not be outdone by the Central Army.