Chapter 223: Republic of China: Starting from the First Class of Whampoa Chapter 223: Crushing the Third Division

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Protagonist:

Lv Muzhi

Hawksen Xia Unit Commander roared hoarsely, the scene was extremely chaotic.

Gunfire, the shouts of Japanese officers, and the background music "Lanling Wang Battle Array Tune."

In the darkness, countless figures of the Youth Army approached like ghosts, muzzle flashes merging into one in the night.

This was no longer the petty harassment of before, but a long-planned concentrated assault.

The position of Hawksen Xia Unit now faced a battalion of Youth Army infantry and four T Tanks.

The positions of other Japanese units also suffered attacks of varying degrees, with positions everywhere unable to support each other.

"Da-da-da-da-da—!"

"Dong! Dong! Dong!"

"Boom!"

The high-speed tearing sound unique to MG34 Machine Guns, the short bursts of MP28 Submachine Guns, the explosions of grenade launchers and mortar shells, and the low roar of the 37mm cannon of T Tanks instantly merged into a powerful offensive against the Japanese.

Bullets, shells, and shrapnel rained down on the Japanese positions like splashing water.

Hawksen Xia Unit had already suffered heavy losses in previous battles; the soldiers now were awakened from extreme fatigue and slackness, many with minds still in chaos and physical reactions slow by more than a beat.

The Japanese were pinned down by this sudden fierce firepower, unable to raise their heads.

"Hold the defensive line!" Hawksen Xia shouted hoarsely from behind cover, but his voice sounded so weak in the deafening exchange of fire.

A T Tank rolled over the broken barbed wire like a steel monster; its turret turned, and one shot sent a Japanese Type 92 Heavy Machine Gun position just beginning to spit fire within Hawksen Xia's view flying into the air. The coaxial machine gun swept any figure daring to show itself with a tat-tat-tat.

Even more soul-shaking to the Japanese was that several Youth Army engineers carrying flamethrowers, under the cover of tanks and infantry fire, had already approached the frontline trenches and earthen bunkers.

"Whoosh—!"

A scorching fire dragon suddenly surged out, flames over ten meters long instantly devouring a machine gun position held by a Japanese squad.

Shrill screams immediately rang out; several human torches rolled out of the bunker covered in fire, then were quickly knocked down by follow-up bullets.

"Devils! The Chinese have flamethrowers!"

Hawksen Xia Unit's morale was already low and its strength depleted from previous night raids and constant harassment; under Lv Muzhi's carefully chosen time, place, and combination of blows, the collapse of the Japanese of the Third Division could not be stopped.

"Regimental Commander! The right wing has been breached!"

"The left wing requests reinforcements! We can't hold on!"

Bad news came one after another; Hawksen Xia's face turned pale, his unit was likely to suffer another rout, the only difference being this time it might be total annihilation, including himself, this Army Colonel.

"Destroy the regimental flag! Quick!!!"

Hawksen Xia watched helplessly as a T Tank even arrogantly charged across a trench, crushing soldiers who couldn't dodge with its tracks, then turned its cannon muzzle and blew up the exit of a semi-underground bunker.

At the same time, similar concentrated assaults were unfolding in other directions of the Third Division's front.

The Youth Army had clearly committed considerable forces, attacking at multiple points to pin down, tear apart, and disrupt the entire Third Division's defensive system, leaving them unable to support each other.

Gunfire and shouts of killing came from multiple directions; in the Japanese eyes, it seemed enemies were attacking everywhere.

Division Commander Fujita had no thought of resting in the command post, requesting support from the nearby 13th and 16th Divisions.

Unexpectedly, the 13th and 16th Divisions were also being harassed by other forces of Lv Muzhi's Ninth Group Army, real and illusory, no one daring to guarantee Lv Muzhi wouldn't commit heavy troops to attack them, so for a time they couldn't spare too many forces to support the Third Division.

The only one able to fully support the Third Division was the Ninth Division, serving as a mobile force at Matsui Iwane's Central China Expeditionary Army Headquarters.

However, Matsui Iwane stayed in the rear; the Ninth Division supporting the Third Division would take considerable time.

Lieutenant General Fujita, seeing the Youth Army's great momentum, immediately decided to move his command post; he did not want to become the first Army Lieutenant General to die in battle!

"Leave here quickly! Destroy all classified documents together!"

Division Commander Fujita shouted, put on his greatcoat, and walked out.

But a true sharp blade had already silently and swiftly thrust toward the Third Division's division command post.

This assault force had four T Tanks and four twin-mounted 20mm self-propelled anti-aircraft vehicles personally commanded by Zhou Weiguo as its core, supplemented by a reconnaissance company.

Using the night and the chaos of frontline firefights as cover, they quickly broke through and penetrated a relatively weak gap that had been reconnoitered, with a clear target, rushing straight for the small village where Fujita's command post was located.

When the roar of tank and anti-aircraft vehicle engines alarmed the guards outside the command post, it was already too late.

"Enemy tanks spotted!"

"Fire! Fire quickly!"

Several loyal Japanese guards picked up a Type 92 Heavy Machine Gun, attempting to intercept.

However, bullets striking the sloped front armor of the T Tank only kicked up a few trivial sparks.

The muzzle of the lead T Tank flashed; that heavy machine gun, along with the sandbag fortifications behind it and several guards, was instantly blown apart.

Immediately after, those four modified anti-aircraft vehicles displayed their terrifying power in direct fire. The twin-mounted 20mm machine cannons leveled, their muzzles spitting dense tongues of fire.

"Tut-tut-tut-tut-tut-tut—!!!"

The 20mm cannon storm swept any defensive point and moving figure outside the command post; any light weapon before this brutal firepower seemed ridiculous and powerless.

Reconnaissance Battalion Commander Lv Ziqing personally led a reconnaissance company, cooperating with Zhou Weiguo's armored forces, and charged into the Third Division's command post.

"One platoon block the road out of the village; the rest search the village, see where antennas are erected—that must be the Japanese command post without doubt; find the Third Division's command post for me!"

Inside Fujita's command post, it was already in utter chaos.

"Ba-ga! It's the Chinese army's tanks! How did they get here so fast?!" Fujita was shocked and angry, holding a pistol, leaning behind the command post's door, shouting: "Turn off the lights! Extinguish all lights!"

"Division Commander! Please transfer from the back door immediately!" the Chief of Staff shouted anxiously, simultaneously opening the back door of this residential house.

Fujita summoned his staff officers to quietly leave through the back door together; the people had just left when a T Tank barbarically crashed through the command post courtyard's not sturdy gate.

The turret turned, the 37mm cannon muzzle pointing directly at the main house.

Boom!

The shell punched straight through the wall and exploded inside the Third Division Command Post.

Air waves, fragments, and flying wood chips and paper instantly filled the room.

Lv Ziqing led a group of Youth Army soldiers into the house, only to find it empty, the brazier full of burning paper ash.

Rat-tat-tat-tat-tat!

Gunfire came from outside the house, and at the same time a Youth Army soldier shouted:

"There's a Ghost!"

"The one in the yellow woolen greatcoat is Fujita Susumu, don't let Fujita Susumu get away!!!"