Chapter 175: Republic of China: Starting from Whampoa Class One Chapter 175 Special Shells

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Protagonist:

Lv Muzhi

"Order the Seventh Regiment to advance from the left wing along Zhifu Road, thrusting directly into the Warehouse District; the Eighth Regiment to attack from the right wing along Broadway Road, seizing the Office Building Group;

one tank company of the Armored Tank Regiment to coordinate in combat;

the Brigade Headquarters Direct Unit to serve as reserve, ready to be committed to the breach at any moment! Attack!"

Chu Yunfei stood in the Temporary Command Post, issuing the combat order clearly over the telephone.

In an instant, Youth Army soldiers surged forth like a tide from the street barricades and cover in the Hongkou direction, in squad and platoon units, covering each other, rushing fiercely at the Tianya Brigade remnants who had already become birds startled by the mere twang of a bow.

Tat-tat-tat-tat!

Bang! Bang!

In the Zhifu Road direction, the firing of submachine guns and rifles instantly grew dense; the Youth Army soldiers utilized the ruined walls on both sides of the street to advance by bounds, the MP28 submachine guns in their hands pouring out dense curtains of fire, pinning down the Japanese attempting to establish firepower points at the warehouse windows so they could not lift their heads.

"Hand grenades!"

Following a shout, several hand grenades arced through the windows; after a brief silence came violent explosions and the Japanese's miserable screams.

The Youth Army warriors on the right wing Broadway Road direction likewise advanced swiftly; the warriors attacked toward Huishan Wharf using the T Tanks as cover.

Many devils had just recovered their senses from the shock of the bombardment when they were subjected to the Chu Yunfei Brigade's combined infantry-tank assault.

"Machine gun team! Seize that street corner! Suppress that building ahead!"

"Mortars! Intersection ahead, fire coverage!"

"Anti-tank gun forward! There's a machine gun firepower point on the second floor ahead!"

The Youth Army's grassroots officers and NCOs performed outstandingly; tactical movements were crisp and decisive, precisely countering and assaulting the Japanese firepower.

Faced with the Chu Yunfei Brigade's fierce assault, the devils, in their desperation, also reacted.

However you put it, the Tianya Brigade has two infantry regiments; although many were lost in the bombardment, the main force is absolutely still there.

Moreover, landing at Huishan Wharf together with the Tianya Brigade Commander were not a few artillery pieces; because the wharf berths were clogged, limited by shipping capacity, the calibers of the guns brought ashore were not too large, the largest being 75mm mountain guns; after a round of bombing by Qiu Qingquan and Zhang Fakui, the artillery lost a portion, and there were still some usable guns.

Although the Tianya Brigade Commander was already killed in action, the two Colonel regiment commanders were still alive; the devils began to concentrate forces to resist, simultaneously gathering all usable anti-tank weapons to counter the Youth Army's offensive strength, while infantry strapped with bombs launched death charges against the Youth Army's tanks.

Heavy machine guns, grenade launchers, and several Type 92 infantry guns and 37mm direct-fire guns that had not been blown up were also concentrated; with their backs to Huishan Wharf and the Huangpu River, they presented a veritable fight-to-the-death posture.

"Enemy tanks spotted!" the little devils shouted, using the concentrated Type 92 infantry guns and 37mm guns to blockade every street and alley leading into Huishan Wharf.

The heavier 75 mountain guns, the little devils established artillery positions in the cargo yard inside Huishan Wharf, bombarding the Youth Army's attack routes.

The concentrated firepower of the little devils roared, temporarily halting the T Tanks and accompanying Youth Army soldiers on the Broadway Road direction.

Chu Yunfei, in the command post, noticed the offensive on the Broadway Road direction had been checked, and inquired the reason.

"Reporting to Commander Chu, the little devils are putting up a desperate resistance, concentrating quite a few artillery pieces to blockade the streets; at the same time the little devils have prepared many human bombs, launching counter-assaults against our infantry-tank coordinated offensive!

The Eighth Regiment Commander says give him another half hour and he can break through the little devils' defensive line, enter the interior of Huishan Wharf!"

Chu Yunfei thought for a moment: "Heh, the little devils want a fight to the death? Tianya Direct Next wants to be Han Xin, but I am no Chen Yu; report the little devils' positions, I'll ask Commander Qiu to deliver another wave of artillery support!"

Hongkou Command, Qiu Qingquan received the news of the little devils' desperate resistance, and sneered: "Hmph, Bushido? Mere vulgar courage; my off-duty assignments at Berlin Army University were far harder than this!

Order the artillery positions, based on the coordinates reported by the Chu Yunfei Brigade, each gun to fire another half basic load!"

The Japanese defensive line once again fell into a sea of fire; originally hoping to inflict a wave of damage on the Youth Army's tanks and infantry with their concentrated artillery, they did not expect Chu Yunfei to directly summon another long-range artillery strike, blasting the devils' street defenses into a ruin.

Chu Yunfei ordered his warriors to press the advantage forward; the Japanese defensive line began to retreat in defeat.

A Japanese Major waved his military sword, trying to rally the routed soldiers: "Hold! For Emperor Tenghuang! Establish a defensive line..."

"Brigade Commander! Where is the Brigade Commander? The front line is collapsing!" Some officers with poor information rushed to the original Brigade Command Post position, only to see a huge shell crater and charred debris scattered everywhere.

"The Brigade Commander... the Brigade Commander... he... shattered like jade long ago!" Major Dabao said with both grief and anger.

"What?!" The devils retreating from the front line were struck as if by thunder.

"Sir! The Chinese army's offensive is too fierce! Both wings are retreating! We're about to be encircled!" A Squadron Leader came scrambling to report, his voice full of fear.

Major Dabao looked at the soldiers around him like headless flies, and the gunfire drawing ever closer, and finally made up his mind.

He grabbed the arm of a Regimental Staff Officer beside him who was equally panic-stricken, and roared: "Officer Kurojima! No more hesitation! For Emperor Chuo! To recover the defeat! Quickly use the special shells! This is the only way to stop the Chinese army now!"

The officer called Kurojima turned deathly pale, his body trembling slightly; looking at the Youth Army pressing closer step by step, then at the terrified eyes of the surrounding soldiers, he finally nodded heavily: "Quick! Fire the special shells! Stop the enemy from continuing to advance!"

A squad of Japanese chemical troops hurriedly took out special poison gas shells from the ammunition boxes; the poison gas shells had red marker bands; the gunners observed the Youth Army's attack direction, hastily set up several mortars and grenade launchers, and immediately fired the specially marked ammunition toward the Youth Army's attack direction.

Thud! Thud!

Several dull launch sounds rang out; the poison gas shells, with a slight whistling, flew toward the streets where the Youth Army warriors were charging.

These shells exploded on the ground, releasing colored poison smoke.

The special shells released by the devils were actually poison gas shells; poison gas shells are opposed internationally, regarded as inhumane weapons; to maintain their image, the Japanese military internally referred to poison gas shells as special shells.

The poison gas shells the little devils used this time had red markers on the shells, representing Benzene Cyanide Arsenic Poison Gas; those poisoned would suffer severe vomiting symptoms, unable to continue combat.

The night was dim; the color of the poison smoke was not obvious in the night; the little devils tensely observed the attack effectiveness of the poison gas shells.

"Brothers! Follow me! Wipe out this bunch of little Easterners!" The officers waved their pistols, leading from the front.

The Youth Army soldiers held submachine guns and rifles, equipped with large numbers of light machine guns and mortars, advancing rapidly in skirmish lines, mopping up the Japanese remnants stunned by the artillery fire.

The warriors soon charged into the poison smoke in the darkness; the warriors who charged in began to feel breathing difficulty, then only felt a wave of nausea.

Several warriors vomited against the wall with a retching sound, then sat on the ground, extremely weak.

The platoon leaders below saw quite a few soldiers vomiting for no apparent reason; at first they thought it was food poisoning, but when they themselves smelled a strange odor, they immediately felt a wave of nausea and instantly understood.

"It's poison gas shells!"

"Gas defense readiness!"

"Get the wounded out, put on gas masks!"