Chapter 196

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Protagonist:

Lv Muzhi

"It's easy to shake a mountain, but hard to shake the Youth Army!!!" On the Natori light cruiser, Tenth Army Lieutenant General Commander Yanagawa Heisuke exclaimed with such emotion.

The first wave of battle on Jinshanwei Beach has already drawn to a close. Major General Gu Shoufu had just finished reporting the miserable state of the first wave of attacks: within two hours, the Guo Qi Detachment's First Battalion, serving as the vanguard, had lost over a thousand officers and soldiers on the Jinshanwei beachhead.

Major General Gu Shoufu, who had previously been clamoring, now reflected: "At the start of the war, there were still people in the country clamoring about destroying China in three months. Now, just a single Jinshanwei — my dignified Emperor Chuo elite — has paid such a heavy price in two hours! It truly is... truly a supreme irony!"

"Never mind your Jinshanwei; in this Hangzhou Bay region, other divisions at Caojing Town and Quan Gong Ting also gained absolutely no advantage. The enemy's fortifications are extremely solid."

The Sixth Division Commander, previously following behind the Guo Qi Detachment as reserve, upon seeing the fierce enemy firepower in the Jinshanwei area, Division Commander Gu Shoufu directly cancelled the support plan.

"The Chinese Army, especially this Lv Muzhi's Youth Army, has firepower deployment that's too perverted! Our soldiers report that the machine gun firepower density on the enemy positions is astonishing. It's indeed exactly as Commander Matsui Iwane said on the Shanghai battlefield — their firepower suppression makes it so our troops fundamentally cannot lift their heads! Add in those damn anti-landing obstacles and landmines... this is simply a steel fortress armed to the teeth!"

Eighteenth Division Commander Sadao Nakajima added with deep worry: "Not only machine guns; their fortification construction is extremely professional. Our naval gun bombardment has had minimal effect. The artillery fire clearly covered them, yet the enemy still firmly held the beachhead positions. Soldiers were suppressed on the beach, caught in a dilemma, completely becoming living targets.

Commander, I fear conventional tactics will be hard to make effective in this Hangzhou Bay region......"

Major General Gu Shoufu raised his head, gritted his teeth, and said: "Commander! Conventional attack costs too much. For Emperor Chuo's victory, to reduce more meaningless sacrifices of Imperial Army warriors, I request large-scale use of special shells! Combined with smoke grenades and naval gun cover, tear open the Chinese Army's defensive line!"

Division Commander Gu Shoufu also said: "Exactly. The previous smoke grenade deployment was still too little. We must increase the deployment intensity, completely block the enemy's sight, and coordinate with poison gas shell attacks!"

Yanagawa Heisuke looked at him with sharp eyes: "Guo Qi, are you sure you want to use special shells? I heard the Nine-Power Treaty Conference is about to convene. Wouldn't this be unfavorable to our army? At this critical juncture, using such inhumane weapons — I fear it will cause dissatisfaction from other countries......"

Gu Shoufu interrupted, "Commander, we are not people who are superstitious about international opinion. We must find a way to put the enemy in a death ground. For victory, all costs are worth it!

And I heard that Prince Asaka Yasuhiko in Shanghai already told Commander Matsui Iwane that regarding special shells, when necessary, they can completely let loose!"

Yanagawa Heisuke was silent for a moment, then heavily slapped the table: "Approved!"

Since the Heavenly Locusts don't even want face anymore, there's no need for oneself to be hesitant and fussy!

"Request Naval Air Force from the aircraft carrier and Army Air Force from Gongda Textile Mill Airport to support. Primary task is not bombing, but to mass-drop smoke grenades over the enemy positions at Jinshanwei, obscure enemy vision! Simultaneously, naval gun firepower conduct extended suppression;

Guo Qi Detachment dispatch one regiment carrying poison gas shell units to continue attack. Guo Qi Detachment deploy one regiment, and Sixth Division vanguard regiment, immediately prepare!

After the smoke rises, ride assault boats to approach the beachhead as close as possible, use all available grenade launchers, mortars, to fire special shells at the enemy frontline positions!

I want the sea breeze at Jinshanwei to all be filled with special shell toxins and the enemy's agonized wails!"

"Hai!"

Inside the Machine Gun Bunker at Jinshanwei Position Number One, Zhang Lanbo's Machine Gun Team is busy maintaining machine guns and pressing bullets. Beside them, Lao Wang's M2 Heavy Machine Gun Team is also actively preparing for the next wave of battle.

On the coast not far away, the nearby seawater has completely become a sea of blood. Most of this is the machine guns' handiwork.

In front of Position Number One, over a hundred devils lay fallen. Most of these are the handiwork of MG34 Machine Gunner Zhang Lanbo.

"Brigade Commander arrives!"

A shout rang out at Jinshanwei Position Number One. Brigade Commander Zhang Fei, surrounded by a group of officers, shortly after the battle ended, strode along the communication trench in big steps to the front line.

After using binoculars to closely view the mountains of corpses and seas of blood on the beach, Zhang Fei's face was very excited. His gaze swept over the soldiers on the position who were resting and replenishing ammunition.

"Brothers, you've worked hard! Fought well! Didn't lose face for our Youth Army! Little devils want to punch a gap from here — dream on!"

Zhang Fei walked straight toward the Machine Gun Bunker he had inspected earlier. Zhang Lanbo and the ammunition handlers saw this and immediately stood at attention.

Looking out through the embrasure, over a hundred devils lay on the coast outside. The Machine Gun Bunker has such a good field of fire. This hundred-plus kill record Zhang Fei naturally attributed to this Machine Gun Bunker.

"Good lad! This battle, your Machine Gun Bunker really stole the limelight! One MG34, one M2 Heavy Machine Gun. Just the devils fallen on your front alone are no less than a hundred! You two Machine Gun Teams have achieved a hundred-man kill!"

Zhang Lanbo scratched his head somewhat embarrassedly: "Brigade Commander, it's all according to your required daily training. Devils charge up, we pull the trigger......"

M2 Heavy Machine Gunner Lao Wang also laughed: "Right, right. But it's still that the fortification is built well. Devils fundamentally can't blast it!"

Brigade Commander Zhang Fei was very happy: "Haha! This fortification was presided over by our Lu Commander back then. How could it not be solid?

Speaking of Lu Commander, do you know? Back when our Lu Commander was still fighting the Merchant Corps, the first time using a Maxim Machine Gun, one battle only knocked down twenty-odd! You guys killed even more here!

But you have so many people in this Machine Gun Bunker. Averaged out, each person still killed less than Lu Commander. Keep working hard!"

The position instantly rang with a burst of good-natured roaring laughter and cheers. Morale soared.

Zhang Fei encouraged the other officers and soldiers on the position, checked weapons and fortification damage.

Just as he was preparing to go to the next position, the observation post suddenly issued an urgent alarm:

"Enemy planes! Large numbers of enemy planes approaching! Attention, concealment!"

In the sky, Japanese plane formations taking off from the aircraft carrier and Gongda Textile Mill Airport appeared dark and dense on the horizon.

"Brigade Commander, it's too far forward here, dangerous! Please return to the Command Post immediately!" The Adjutant hurried forward to urge.

Zhang Fei glanced at the sky, then surveyed the position standing ready. Understanding the devils were about to make a big move, he himself must return to the position he ought to be at: "Good! Request Air Force to come support;

Brothers, steady your nerves! Fight according to the predetermined plan! Make the little devils have come but no return!"

Finished speaking, Zhang Fei rapidly withdrew along the communication trench under the guards' protection.

Almost simultaneously with Zhang Fei's departure, the Japanese offensive unfolded once more!

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

Japanese warships anchored in the outer sea fired again. Shells one after another smashed toward the Jinshanwei position deep area, only hoping to get lucky and shatter a few Machine Gun Bunkers.

Simultaneously, the Japanese plane formations flying over the position did not drop conventional bombs, but poured down large quantities of smoke grenades.

Previously fired smoke grenades were too few, effect completely insufficient. This time the devils directly sent planes over to drop smoke grenades.

Thick white and gray smoke screens rapidly spread over the beachhead and frontline positions. Very quickly they formed a heavy smoke wall, greatly obstructing the defending troops' vision.

"Little devils released smoke!" Officers on the position shouted with tearing voices in reminder.