Chapter 209

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Protagonist:

Lv Muzhi

Everyone agreed in unison, Qiu Qingquan said: "Lu Commander, the rear hasn't been peaceful lately. Some disreputable tabloids are spreading rumors, saying our army has collapsed over a thousand li, Japanese army atrocities are like wolves and tigers, and many civilians in Jinling City are fleeing north across the river by boat, or heading upstream along the Yangtze River by boat......

This rumor has made the Vice Commander very dissatisfied. As Commander of the Yangtze River Defense Command, do you want to take care of this?"

Lv Muzhi shook his head: "I don't meddle in this kind of thing. We won't bother with what's happening in Jinling. People have legs of their own; if they want to leave, let them leave. As long as we don't add fuel to the fire, we just need to focus on the war right in front of us."

Everyone nodded, not taking this matter to heart.

Lv Muzhi looked at the somewhat worried Zhou Weiguo: "Weiguo, your father and family living in Su Zhou Cheng have already been sent away by my men. You don't need to worry."

Zhou Weiguo's brows finally relaxed. Now he truly had no worries about the rear.

At dawn, a piercing air raid alarm sounded over the Wufu Defensive Line in the eastern suburbs of Su Zhou Cheng.

On the horizon, the aircraft group of the Imperial Japanese Army Third Flight Group approached darkly and densely.

"Everyone enter the air raid shelters! Anti-aircraft guns in position!" Shouts from officers of all levels rose from the position.

At the rear airfield, BF109 Fighters and Hawk III Fighter groups roared into the sky, flying toward the rising sun to intercept the Japanese aircraft group.

A fierce air battle immediately broke out in the sky, the hissing of machine guns and cannons echoing through the clouds.

On the ground, the attack formation of the Imperial Japanese Army Third Division had already deployed.

Lieutenant General Fujita Susumu observed the front line through binoculars and issued the attack order:

"Artillery Group, concentrate fire to bombard the enemy defense line! Japanese 5th Tank Battalion, cover the infantry advance!"

On the Japanese position, 150mm Howitzers and 105mm Jiahou Pao let out deafening roars, shells like hailstones smashing toward the Guard Position.

At the same time, more than twenty Type 97 Medium Tanks and Type 89 Medium Tanks slowly emerged from cover, engines roaring as they advanced.

"All vehicles, note, maintain spacing! Infantry follow!" The battalion commander of the Japanese 5th Tank Battalion shouted loudly.

Behind the tanks, a large number of Japanese infantry deployed in skirmish lines, crouching behind the steel beasts.

"First Squadron, note the machine gun bunker on the left wing!"

"Mortars, suppress the enemy firepower points!"

On the Guard Position, the officers and soldiers of the Youth Army 1st Division had long been ready. Observation posts watched the gradually approaching Japanese through the gaps of the anti-artillery cave.

"Enemy tanks are coming! Ten Type 97 Medium Tanks, twelve Type 89 Medium Tanks, followed by at least two battalions of infantry!"

The Anti-tank Company Commander immediately issued the order: "All guns, note, wait until the enemy tanks enter 800 meters before opening fire!"

On the position, 37mm Anti-tank Guns and 20mm Autocannons slowly adjusted their fields of fire, the gunners holding their breath and concentrating.

Behind the Rangefinder, Youth Army soldiers were measuring the distance to the enemy vanguard: "900 meters... 850 meters... 800 meters!"

"Open fire!"

In an instant, dense anti-tank fire erupted on the Guard Position.

A large number of 37mm AP Shells whistled out, precisely hitting the lead Type 97 Medium Tank.

"Hit the enemy tank!"

"Second round, load! Aim at the next one!"

The Japanese tanks also immediately counterattacked, 57mm Tank Cannons bombarding the Youth Army within the position, shells exploding inside and outside the Guard Position, raising clouds of dust.

"Infantry disperse! Use shell craters for cover!"

"Machine Gun Team, suppress the enemy anti-tank fire!"

Japanese grassroots officers shouted hoarsely, leading soldiers forward in the rain of bullets.

"Second Squad, flank from the right side!"

"Demolition Team, bring the explosive packs, take out that machine gun bunker!"

In the sky, the air battle continued.

A Japanese Type 96 G3M Bomber, seeing both sides' fighters entangled, tried to break through the line to bomb the Xia State Army positions on the ground, but was tightly locked onto by a Youth Army BF109.

Just as that Type 96 G3M Bomber attempting a sneak attack lowered its altitude, Youth Army pilot Zhao Zhangkong's BF109 dove down from the clouds.

The tail machine gunner of the Type 96 G3M also discovered the threat, desperately sweeping backward, tracer rounds drawing dangerous trajectories in the blue sky.

Zhao Zhangkong calmly performed a barrel roll maneuver, avoiding the fire net, then stabilized the nose, the crosshairs in the sights firmly locking onto the enemy aircraft's huge fuselage.

Pilot Zhao Zhangkong pressed the fire button, the 20mm Autocannon under the BF109's wing and the 7.92mm machine gun on the fuselage simultaneously spat tongues of fire.

The shells accurately hit the right wing of the Type 96 G3M, the bomber immediately belched thick smoke, twisting and turning as it crashed toward the ground.

On the ground, Japanese artillery hid behind the Artillery Observation Mirror, observing the fire situation on the Youth Army position, unable to help but feel surprised.

The first round of strikes earlier had not achieved much effect; the Youth Army's firepower remained very tenacious.

The Japanese ground forces discovered the opposing Youth Army's firepower was too fierce, immediately knew when to retreat, preserved their strength, and called for artillery support again.

Soon, rumbling cannon fire came from the Japanese artillery position, shells once again smashing into the Yongbei National Defense Works garrisoned by the Youth Army.

"Anti-artillery! Quickly enter cover!"

On the Guard Position, Youth Army officers and soldiers quickly hid in the sturdy concrete fortifications. Although the fortifications shook violently under the bombardment, the main structure remained intact.

After the bombardment, the Japanese launched another charge. This time the enemy advanced farther than before. A Type 89 Medium Tank tried to break through the barbed wire but triggered an anti-tank mine; its tracks were blown off, and it stuck in place, unable to move.

"Engineers forward, open a passage!"

"Smoke grenades for cover!"

Japanese grenadiers fired smoke grenades, and white smoke immediately filled the position. Under the cover of smoke, Japanese engineers rushed forward and used explosive tubes to blow open the barbed wire.

"The breach is open! Third Squadron, charge!"

Japanese soldiers howled as they launched a charge, but fell in droves under the Guard Position's dense machine gun fire.

"Machine Gunner, three o'clock direction!"

"Fire smoke grenades!"

Combat lasted from dawn until noon, with the Japanese Army launching multiple charges, all repelled; the position was littered with burning tank wreckage and corpses of little devils.

"Report to the Division Commander, sir: Second Battalion casualties have reached eighty percent; requesting reinforcements!"

"Japanese 5th Tank Battalion has lost six tanks; requesting withdrawal for refit!"

Reports from the frontline left Fujita Susumu utterly helpless; ever since arriving in Shanghai, he had not won a single battle.

Unexpectedly, the Third Division had just run into the hard nut of Sihang Warehouse, then slammed headlong into the iron wall of the Wufu Defensive Line.

As a result, many regiments of Fujita Susumu's Third Division had nearly cycled through all their manpower.

To preserve his forces, Fujita Susumu hatched a plan:

"The Wufu Defensive Line is actually this formidable?! Order the troops to suspend the offensive; artillery continues bombarding enemy positions, and aviation intensifies bombing!"

Ground forces advance and construct field fortifications on the spot, using trench warfare methods to push the position right under the Youth Army's nose!"

In the afternoon, Chu Yunfei noticed that although Japanese artillery bombardment continued, the ground forces' offensive had weakened considerably.

"Report to the Brigade Commander, the enemy is advancing under fire support, seemingly employing trench warfare methods ahead of us!"

Upon hearing this, Chu Yunfei laughed: "Trench warfare?! The little devils are using a novel trick; have the frontline mortars and grenade launchers stop dallying—once the little devils' line enters range, rain shells into their trenches with deadly fire!"