Chapter 120: Republic of China: Starting from the First Class of Whampoa Chapter 119: You Are the Civil Engineering Clique

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Protagonist:

Lv Muzhi

On the ground, Lv Muzhi's directly subordinate anti-aircraft battalion quickly entered combat status. The battalion had three anti-aircraft companies: Company One was equipped with six German 88mm anti-aircraft guns, while Companies Two and Three each had eight Bofors 40mm anti-aircraft guns.

These were the directly subordinate anti-aircraft battalion, all medium-to-large caliber anti-aircraft guns; the small-caliber 20mm anti-aircraft guns were deployed to grassroots units and not included in the statistics.

"Look at your damn balloon!!" Qiu Qingquan pointed at the Japanese balloon in the sky and cursed.

"All units, attention! Target: air balloon, distance 1500, altitude 1100!" The anti-aircraft battalion commander personally directed the anti-aircraft operation.

As Lv Muzhi's precious asset, the Heavy Artillery Regiment naturally had to act together with the directly subordinate anti-aircraft battalion. Although far from Japanese naval guns in this Nanxiang area, the aerial threat still had to be guarded against.

The 88mm anti-aircraft guns opened fire first; the enormous gunfire was deafening, shells bursting into clusters of black smoke in the air, but the initial shots failed to hit.

The Japanese scout on the balloon panicked: "Baka! The enemy has anti-aircraft guns! Quickly ascend!"

"Companies Two and Three, volley fire! Block the balloon's maneuvering airspace!"

Sixteen 40mm anti-aircraft guns opened fire simultaneously, forming a dense fire net, and the air was instantly filled with countless explosions.

An 88mm shell exploded near the balloon, shrapnel tearing its envelope; hydrogen leaked rapidly, and the balloon began to tilt and fall.

"Target hit! Keep firing!" Qiu Qingquan observed the results through binoculars.

Several 40mm shells directly hit the basket, smashing the entire observation apparatus to pieces, and two Japanese scouts fell from the sky along with their equipment.

The tattered balloon trailed thick smoke as it crashed to the ground, turning into a ball of flame; the entire anti-aircraft operation took only five minutes.

"Report, enemy observation balloon has been shot down." The anti-aircraft battalion commander reported to Lv Muzhi.

Lv Muzhi nodded: "Well done. Notify all units to accelerate position camouflage. The Heavy Artillery Regiment will continue to hide in underground bunkers. There should be no combat missions for the next day or two. If the enemy's main force doesn't come out, neither will we!"

Qiu Qingquan was very pleased; the Japanese reconnaissance balloon was practically a sitting duck, completely destroyed in less than five minutes.

"Report! Fierce air battles have broken out over Suzhou City and Hangzhou. The Japanese have gathered over a hundred aircraft and attacked both cities' airfields at the same time!" The signalman reported the reason the planes had not arrived in time for combat.

Holding a telegram, Lv Muzhi said: "See? The little Japanese have discovered our strength is not bad, so they sent fighters to attack airfields; they also sent high-altitude balloons to reconnoiter artillery positions. Next, I think it's related to torpedo boats?"

"Lv!" A familiar voice came from behind.

Turning around, it was Sam, the US Advisor of the Pacific Foundation.

"I have to convey some bad news to you. Mr. Luo demands that your troops not use US warships as cover to attack Japan. The United States does not want another enemy in the East." Sam shrugged, expressing his helplessness to Lv Muzhi.

"To prevent you from using US warships as cover again, Britain and Gaul Rooster Nation have blockaded the Huangpu River around the Bund. Your torpedo boats cannot pass through the Bund, and likewise, Japanese warships cannot pass through either."

Lv Muzhi had long been prepared for this. This was precisely why he had urgently ordered the torpedo boats to attack the Izumo—once this village was passed, there would be no such shop again.

Lv Muzhi did not insist, but instead asked about the progress of penicillin mass production.

"Sam, the Pacific Pharmaceutical Company's penicillin mass production plan should be going smoothly, right? I haven't inquired about it for a while."

"Of course, there is no need to hide this from you. You and Mr. Luo are major shareholders of the Pacific Pharmaceutical Company. This era-changing medicine has already entered mass production. Mr. Luo and I agree that this medicine is worth its weight in gold!"

"Whether it's worth gold or not, I don't care. Just remember to give me dividends according to shares. Also, I demand that a batch of the latest penicillin preparations be rushed to my battlefield. My soldiers are bleeding. This is my demand as a major shareholder of the Pacific Company."

Sam thought for a moment: "That's a given. As long as we are not drawn into this war, commercial trade and such can all be satisfied!"

After Sam left, Qiu Qingquan finally understood.

The little Japanese had launched a combination punch against his Youth Army: sending the Air Force to attack the airfields of Suzhou and Hangzhou to weaken the Southwest Air Force; using diplomacy to blockade the Huangpu River and prevent the Torpedo Battalion from sneaking up the Huangpu River; and using high-altitude balloons to reconnoiter artillery positions, hampering Lv Muzhi's heavy artillery force.

It was hard to say how effective these three moves were, but blockading just the Huangpu River alone could indeed guarantee the return of the Japanese Third Fleet to the Huangpu River.

Lv Muzhi's Youth Army had been targeted!

Along the Liuhe to Wusongkou Line, Chen Cheng's Fifteenth Group Army was deploying defenses, aiming to block the landing forces of two Japanese divisions.

Chen Cheng arrived and saw that temporary fortifications had already been built locally. The beachhead was covered with steel frames, also called anti-tank obstacles, plus many stone piles made of concrete, reinforced with barbed wire.

These fortifications had been arranged by Lv Muzhi's subordinate Liao Yaoxiang to be built in advance temporarily. Although not for his own use, as long as the Japanese wanted to land here, Lv Muzhi didn't mind helping friendly troops prepare defenses in advance despite being busy.

Liao Yaoxiang saw Chen Cheng: "Greetings, Commander Chen! The Youth Army Second Brigade has been ordered to build fortifications in advance. The Fifteenth Group Army can use them directly!"

Chen Cheng held binoculars and nodded: "Not bad. Thank you for the trouble. This way, my troops can save a great deal of energy to use against the Japanese."

Eighteenth Army Commander Luo Zhuoying inspected the trenches and shook his head: "The soil here is too soft, and there is too much groundwater. It hasn't rained recently either, but some trenches already have standing water."

Liao Yaoxiang said helplessly: "There's no way, Commanders. The situation is like this from Liuhe to Wusongkou. It's an alluvial plain region with too much groundwater. There's really nothing to be done."

"It's not your fault. Having fortifications is better than none. I've already communicated with Lv Wei Yue. This area is not suitable for prolonged defense. We'll just inflict as many casualties on the Japanese as possible here, then withdraw at the right time to Luodian and Dachang to garrison."

Liao Yaoxiang smiled: "The Luodian and Dachang area—my Second Brigade has already finished building fortifications there. The fortifications there are sturdier, and they can also receive artillery support from Commander Lu."

Chen Cheng smiled: "They all say I have a Civil Engineering Clique under me. I don't think so. Lv Wei Yue's subordinates are the true Civil Engineering Clique!"