Chapter 313

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Protagonist:

Lv Muzhi

"Hai!" The Chief of Staff was about to relay the order when a communications staff officer rushed in, his expression off.

The Chief of Staff quickly stopped to listen; based on his rich experience, once that expression appeared, it was likely cold water being splashed on Division Commander Tsuchiya Yuan's face.

"Division Commander! Emergency intelligence! An aerial reconnaissance report states they have discovered a Xia Guo Army moving east along the Longhai Line, confirmed by ground reconnaissance—this is the original Third Group Army that had withdrawn west!"

"East?" Tsuchiya Kenji frowned tightly. "Returning toward Xuzhou? What do they intend to do?"

An ominous premonition quietly arose.

The Third Group Army did not go to the safe western region but instead turned back—this was absolutely abnormal. Could they be going to rescue the Youth Second Army left inside the encirclement?

Before he could figure it out, another officer rushed in: "Report! South of our front, the Youth Army First Army is advancing, with vanguard units deploying! Strength is at least one division!"

"Youth Army First Army? Weren't they already withdrawn? Why are they coming toward us instead?" the Chief of Staff said in surprise.

Tsuchiya Kenji's heart sank.

The Youth Army wasn't hurrying to flee but instead drew up formations to meet us? This defied common sense!

Considering his own situation, Tsuchiya Yuan reached a conclusion: Not good! This is absolutely aimed at me!

Bad news came in quick succession.

Almost immediately, another signal soldier ran in with a telegram: "Your Excellency Division Commander! Large numbers of enemy troops are advancing north from the Dangshan direction with fierce momentum, threatening our rear flank! After reconnaissance, this unit is the Youth Army Second Army's armored force!"

Tsuchiya Yuan did not expect the battlefield situation to change so suddenly; now it was his turn to be in a very passive position.

The Xia Guo Army dealt a return blow, turning passivity into initiative, preparing to swallow his entire heavy division—this completely exceeded the expectations of the North China Area Army Headquarters.

"Your Excellency Division Commander! An urgent telegram from the Area Army Headquarters!" An officer rushed in, making Tsuchiya Yuan feel his head would split.

"What nonsense is the Area Army spouting again? My head is splitting!" Tsuchiya Yuan grabbed the telegram, wanting to see what tricks Terauchi Hisaichi was up to.

"Order the Fourteenth Division under Tsuchiya Kenji to immediately concentrate all forces, capture Shangqiu, completely sever the Longhai Railway, and block the Youth Second Army's western retreat route.

Headquarters has ordered the Fifth, Sixteenth, and Twentieth Divisions to accelerate their westward advance and pressure the enemy from the east.

Hope your division advances bravely and will surely make Lv Muzhi lose an arm, to avenge the disgrace of the Tenth and Thirteenth Divisions!"

After reading the telegram, Tsuchiya Kenji not only showed no elation but instead felt an uncontrollable anger rising.

This telegram completely ignored the current actual situation; the intelligence it was based on was entirely outdated. Now the Fourteenth Division was surrounded by the Youth Army, and Tsuchiya Yuan would absolutely not carry out the order on the telegram.

"Damn it! General Terauchi Hisaichi has truly become muddle-headed! He has no idea what is happening on the frontline!"

Tsuchiya Kenji panted heavily, walked to the map, and pointed hard at the red and blue arrows on it: "Look! All of you open your eyes and look! The enemy's First Army is deployed in the Shangqiu direction waiting for us!

The Second Army is moving north, attacking our flank, and may even strike our rear at Heze!

And we are isolated here, far from our main force!

General Terauchi says three divisions are pressing from the east—he says it lightly, but it is my Fourteenth Division that is surrounded! I won't fall for his trap!"

"Division Commander, please calm your anger!" the Chief of Staff urged cautiously. "Perhaps the Area Army has its overall considerations. Then what should we do now?"

"Tsuchiya Yuan took a deep breath, striving to calm himself: 'Immediately send a reply telegram to the North China Area Army Headquarters! Explain the current situation clearly.

As for my plan, it is to immediately withdraw our forces, turn north, retreat to Heze, and stabilize our rear.'"

Tsuchiya Yuan's order and the Area Army's order were diametrically opposed—one demanded attack, the other retreat.

Tsuchiya Yuan continued ordering: "My orders are to be executed immediately. Relay to the entire army!

Stop all attack preparations. All units immediately regroup! The division's main force, led by tank units and the cavalry regiment, with infantry regiments alternating to cover, will immediately turn north, with the goal of returning to Heze!"

"Move fast! We must return to Heze before Qiu Qingquan blocks us!"

"Hai!" Though shaken inside, the staff officers and regimental commanders still executed the orders immediately, after all this concerned the life and death of the Fourteenth Division.

"Hai!" Though his inner heart was shocked, the Staff Officer and the regimental commanders still immediately executed orders, after all this concerned the life and death of the Fourteenth Division.

General Terauchi Hisaichi stood with his hands behind his back, pacing back and forth before the huge sand table, imagining the Fourteenth Division capturing Shangqiu, completely locking down the Longhai Line, while three divisions from the east crushed forward, grinding half of Lv Muzhi's Youth Army to dust west of Xuzhou.

If this succeeded, the destruction of the Tenth and Thirteenth Divisions would also have an explanation.

"Your Excellency General! An urgent telegram from the Fourteenth Division!" The communications staff officer handed over Tsuchiya Yuan's telegram.

However, after reading only the first few lines, the smile on his face froze.

"Division Commander Tsuchiya Kenji is truly timid as a mouse!"

Chief of Staff Major General Okabe Naosaburo stepped forward with a stiff expression to remind him: "The operational plan we sent out can no longer keep up with the latest war situation. According to the latest intelligence, the Fourteenth Division is indeed in an unfavorable position!"

Chief of Staff Okabe Naosaburo handed over the latest intelligence just updated. According to the intelligence, the Xia Guo Army was launching a full-scale return blow.

Many units that had previously withdrawn from the battlefield were now returning to the battlefield in an unceasing stream.

This news shocked Terauchi Hisaichi even more than Tsuchiya Yuan defying the Area Army Headquarters' order.

General Terauchi Hisaichi sighed and sat back down in his chair, looking very despondent, thinking how much he had wanted to win back a round.

But given the current situation, being able to preserve the Fourteenth Division would already be not bad!

"Order the Fourteenth Division to retreat immediately. This is a heavy armored division I painstakingly built; it absolutely cannot be fed to Lv Muzhi!"

Major General Okabe Naosaburo nodded: "Division Commander Tsuchiya Yuan is doing exactly that. He is retreating toward Heze."

Terauchi Hisaichi nodded: "Send a telegram to Tsuchiya Yuan. As long as he brings the Fourteenth Division back safely, it is a great achievement. I will award him a medal!"

At this moment, in the middle ground between Heze City and Shangqiu City—Cao County, Shandong.

The vanguard of Tsuchiya Yuan's Fourteenth Division retreating suffered a fierce strike. Tsuchiya Yuan once thought he was being bombed by ten heavy artillery brigades of the Xia Guo Central Army.

Qiu Qingquan excitedly held up the telephone: "Notify the Rocket Artillery Battalion and all army artillery to conduct interdiction fire. Not a single ghost is allowed to enter Cao County!"

In the sky, the entire Southwest Air Force Air Force sortied, protecting the artillery units and covering the infantry's combat.

In the Sky, the Southwest Air Force's Air Force all sortied, providing Protection for the Artillery Unit and covering Xian Bing Operations.