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

West of the Zhugan River, at the 324th Division Field Command Post, staff officers hurried about.

Telegrams reporting on the battle from the front lines came one after another, and Wang Guohua's expression became solemn.

Chief of Staff Guo Zhenxing reported in a deep voice:

"The Japanese attacked our outer positions like madmen, using divisional artillery. The surface fortifications at Yangang were almost completely destroyed. They launched several attacks at the battalion level or above, but all of them were repelled by the 648th Regiment, resulting in heavy casualties."

In addition, the military headquarters relayed an enemy situation report: the vanguard of the 13th Division has also arrived. The 648th Regiment is about to be attacked from multiple sides and is under great pressure. Should we send them across the river?

Wang Guohua stared intently at the map, not rushing to express his opinion, but instead asking:

"Where is the whereabouts of the Lai Gu Brigade?"

Guo Zhenxing circled a location on the map with a red pencil and then said:

"After suffering heavy losses at the gorge, the Laigu Brigade has been resting and replenishing here. The two sides are just warming up for now, and neither the 13th Division nor the other will join the battle."

The real battle will begin after the Japanese invaders cross the river; the Zhugan River will be the main battlefield for both sides.

Wang Guohua seemed to have made a decision, and said with piercing eyes:

"Since the 13th Division has not yet entered the field, the 648th Regiment should not rush to abandon the position, but let the Japanese bleed a little more."

To minimize casualties, it might be advisable to abandon the forward positions and allow the Japanese troops to retreat halfway up the mountain before engaging them.

Guo Zhenxing agreed, saying:

"I think it's a good idea. The foundation of Yangang is in the core position. After the troops retreat to the main peak, they will be in a commanding position, and the terrain will be more favorable to our side. The Japanese will also be hesitant to fire their artillery."

I'll go and inform the 648th Regiment right away; they can decide for themselves when to withdraw.

Wang Guohua simply nodded, his gaze returning to the map. The previous plan was to hold Yangang for two days, then retreat across the Zhugan River and blow up the bridge.

Xinyang City is the last strategic point on the northern front. Once it is lost, Jiangcheng will be exposed to the enemy's attack. It is a matter of the outcome of the battle. We must hold on for as long as possible.

Wang Guohua still wanted the 648th Regiment to hold out for one more day, provided that it was not seriously damaged. As the former regimental commander, he had a special affection for the 648th Regiment.

At the headquarters of the 16th Division, Division Commander Fujie Eipu's gaze was also focused on Yangang. The small hill blocked the advance of the 16th Division, which made him feel very embarrassed.

Chief of Staff Saburo Nakazawa said cautiously:

"The Chinese seem to be very concerned about the outer positions. The number of the defending troops has been identified. They are another elite force of the Tiger Army, the 324th Division."

Lieutenant General Wang Guohua, commander of the division, was a graduate of the fifth class of the Whampoa Military Academy and a staunch supporter of Zhao Yunwen. Previously unknown, he rose to prominence with the rise of the Tiger Army, and was known as one of the "Two Great Generals" alongside Zhang Yi, commander of the 323rd Division.

"Oh my, it's only the fifth class of Whampoa Military Academy. It's said that the famous generals of Whampoa are all from the first three classes. Many of the fourth class are still colonels, and major generals are extremely rare."

Wang Guohua was able to be promoted to lieutenant general and division commander, a higher rank than many first and second-term graduates, yet he wasn't very famous. This was probably due to his relationship with Zhao Yunwen.

"A young man who has achieved early success, no wonder he's willing to fight the Imperial Army to the death at the small Yangang; he clearly doesn't take the Imperial Army seriously."

Fujie Eipu's tone was disdainful. How many years had it taken him to rise to the rank of lieutenant general? According to the records, Wang Guohua was only a major battalion commander a little over a year ago, and Zhao Yunwen was a colonel regimental commander.

This speed of promotion is outrageous!

Saburo Nakazawa, also envious, echoed Emi Fujie's words:

"Your Excellency the Division Commander is wise. Wang Guohua's abilities are absolutely unworthy of his current high position, which is definitely a boon for the Imperial Army."

"A weak foundation leads to instability; Wang Guohua will inevitably suffer a major setback sooner or later. This presents a rare opportunity for you, Commander-in-Chief. If you defeat him, you will surely achieve great renown throughout the Empire!"

Feeling confident that he could succeed again, Fujie Hewlett-Packard said with great pride:

"Alright, let the warriors think twice about their strength. Intensify the offensive, and have the 133rd Regiment flank from the south. Drive the Chinese into the Zhugan River to feed the fish before nightfall!"

Fujie Heipu didn't dare to say he would annihilate the enemy completely; his goal was to push the front line east of the Zhugan River, and crossing the river would be another bitter battle.

His contest with Wang Guohua had only just begun. Nakazawa Saburo gave the order and left. Not long after, the thunderous sound of artillery roared, and the 16th Division had invested heavily.

At the summit, seeing the overwhelming force of the Japanese troops, Yao Zhiqing, the commander of the 648th Regiment, ordered the isolated battalion and the second battalion to abandon their forward positions and retreat to the core positions of the summit and the second peak, thus avoiding the predicament of being attacked from both sides.

Even with the 133rd Regiment attacking from both sides, the front that the defenders need to defend is greatly reduced, the firepower density is greatly increased, and they can receive top-level fire support.

On the front, the "rout" of the defending troops greatly excited the Japanese. Colonel Nambu, the regimental commander, seemed to see the dawn of victory and sent the entire regiment's forces forward.

"The time has come for our warriors to take the summit in one fell swoop and bring glory to the empire! Thrust, charge!"

Colonel Nambu issued the order for a general attack. Two thousand Japanese soldiers, shouting "Banzai!", surged across the front lines and entered the depression between the third and second peaks.

Meanwhile, the 133rd team launched an attack from the flank, but because the terrain was all paddy fields, their speed of attack was limited, and they could not fully utilize their strengths.

The artillery and heavy machine guns at the summit swept down on the skirmishers of the 133rd Regiment, killing the Japanese soldiers and leaving a large number of corpses soaking in the mud, which looked very relaxing.

The good days for the 20th Infantry Regiment were over. When they entered the depression, their situation became even more difficult than before, and they had to continue their uphill assault on the second peak.

At this time, the heavy firepower support from the rear was greatly reduced in effectiveness due to the terrain.

The fortifications on the second peak were readily available. After the isolated battalion and the second battalion retreated, they quickly found their battle positions, set up their light and heavy weapons, and opened fire on the Japanese. With a wide field of vision, they swept away a large area.

Machine gunner Bao Dazhuang's firing position was directly facing the Japanese soldiers, less than 300 meters away. The hillside was packed with people; he could sweep them even with his eyes closed.

Bao Dazhuang shouted excitedly:

"You little devils, Grandpa Bao will send you to the Western Paradise!"

A long burst of bullets shot out, and where the flames swept, at least three Japanese soldiers were knocked down, either dead or maimed.

The M1919 bullet is incredibly powerful; those hit rarely suffer minor injuries, and some are even severed in half, resulting in extreme gore.

What Bao Dazhuang liked most was the 250-round ammunition belt, which allowed him to fire indiscriminately, the more people the better.

In a short time, he had used up most of the ammunition belt. Due to the high rate of fire, the barrel turned red-hot and the gun jammed.

Bao Dazhuang had no choice but to stop, staring wide-eyed in frustration.

Like the Type 92 heavy machine gun, the M1919 is also air-cooled, relying on a round hole on the barrel for heat dissipation, and changing the barrel takes more than a minute.

Bao Dazhuang did not choose to replace the barrel, but instead let it cool down naturally.

"Boom boom boom!"

A volley of shells flew down from the foot of the mountain, landing on the positions and among the Japanese troops. Because the defenders had cover, their casualties were far lower than those of the Japanese.

The Japanese soldiers were furious when their own shells hit them; it was like being double-teamed, and they had no way to complain.

Major Sasaki, the battalion commander, realized their predicament. They were like rats in a bellows, caught between a rock and a hard place. Only by charging up the second peak could they break the deadlock.

Thinking of this, he hardened his heart, brandished his saber, and drove the soldiers to charge. Retreating would only mean losing all his previous efforts.

The Japanese troops charged forward in disarray, braving a hail of bullets. Every step forward came at a bloody price, as evidenced by the corpses and wounded scattered all over the ground.

Bao Dazhuang's gun barrel was finally back to normal, and he was able to enjoy his meal again.

Bullets were sprayed at the Japanese soldiers as if they were free, sweeping away large groups of them.

Bao Dazhuang exclaimed that it was so much fun!

A 90mm mortar shell fell from the sky and landed on Bao Dazhuang's head, making his head buzz.

The mountain above him, more than two meters thick, blocked most of the shockwave, and shrapnel could not harm him. This is the advantage of tunnel fortification.

Bao Dazhuang didn't need to worry about his own safety; he only needed to fire at the Japanese soldiers.

The tunnel he was in extended 1.5 meters into the mountain, with an internal width of 2 meters and three firing ports, making it no different from a bunker.

This machine gun can easily suppress the frontal area within 50 meters to the left and right, making it an impregnable fortress.

Bao Dazhuang fired two ammunition belts in succession, and more than 20 Japanese soldiers fell to his gun. He also withstood no less than three artillery shells without any casualties, becoming a legendary machine gun team.

Major Sasaki's triangular eyes were practically spitting fire. His once-infallible brute force tactic had become a death trap. The corpses and wounded scattered on the ground made his eyes bloodshot. He was now in a bind.

"You bastards! A bunch of cowards, charge... die!"

Sasaki swung his sword and slashed down two fleeing soldiers, his blood soaking him. He exuded a murderous aura, and no one dared to approach him.

"Those who retreat—die!"

"Thrust, thud!"

Under his oppressive presence, officers at all levels went mad, relentlessly driving their soldiers to charge, regardless of the cost.

The defenders unleashed their full firepower—machine guns, submachine guns, and semi-automatic rifles—the density of bullets far exceeding the capacity of human wave tactics. No matter how many charged, they were all killed, and the corpses piled up into small mountains.

Major Sasaki was still going berserk when a sniper bullet blew half of his head off, becoming the final straw that broke the camel's back.

"Baka yarou, I'm not hitting you anymore, I want my mommy!"

A teenage recruit dropped his gun and ran, and the other Japanese soldiers followed suit, scrambling and crawling down the hillside to escape for their lives, and the situation quickly spiraled out of control.