Chapter 357

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Protagonist:

Lv Muzhi

Below Xiaojieling, the telephone was hung up.

Nakajima Konoasu Lieutenant General glanced at Shimomoto Kumaya Lieutenant General, clearly lacking confidence.

Difficult! Really too difficult!

Xiaojieling, as a strategic pass in the Dabie Mountains, was indeed difficult to break through.

Not only was the battlefield narrow, but the enemy army defended from higher ground.

Even more fatal was that Xiaojieling was guarded by Huang Wei's Eighteenth Army.

Sixteenth Division Commander Nakajima Konoasu Lieutenant General, who had come from the Songhu Battlefield, knew that Huang Wei was famous for being reckless in the great battle at Luodian in Shanghai City.

Unless the very last moment, they would absolutely not give up their positions.

"Huang Wei is best at defensive warfare, with tenacious fighting will; we must prepare for a protracted campaign."

Shimomoto Kumaya Lieutenant General nodded: "I estimate we need half a month to break through Xiaojieling, hoping the Imperial Guard Division and Fifth Division can hold out in Huangchuan City, contributing their final value to the victory of the Wuhan Campaign."

"General Hata Shunroku thought exactly this; for the victory of the Wuhan Campaign, he has already sidelined Prince Higashikuni and directly commanded our 16th Division and 108th Division;

We choose to obey General Hata Shunroku's orders, which will surely offend the Tōgū Palace Family, hoping to finally obtain his forgiveness."

"Hmph!" Shimomoto Kumaya snorted coldly: "Let's first take Xiaojieling before talking! Otherwise, we will all die in these Dabie Mountains, and whose forgiveness do we need?!"

Nakajima Konoasu Lieutenant General clenched his fist and said: "Use poison gas shells! Breaking through Xiaojieling means a chance to survive!"

At Fudong Town, Macheng, Eighteenth Army Commander Huang Wei was stationed here; the Third Army Group under Sun Lianzhong originally stationed here had already been transferred to defend the north bank of the Yangtze River.

It could be said that at this time, the Central China Theater was ablaze with war everywhere, and the Xiaojieling battlefield was one of its important key points.

Huang Wei said to the division and regiment commanders of the Eighteenth Army:

"I reiterate again: Xiaojieling is extremely critical. Lu Commander asked our Eighteenth Army to come defend, with a deadline of twenty days; I add another ten days here. If we cannot hold for thirty days, no one will be allowed to leave!"

Eleventh Division Commander Peng Shan said: "Recently, the Japanese Army's Sixteenth Division and 108th Division have attacked alternately, with particularly fierce offensives; the Japanese Army also shows an attitude of fighting to the death without rest."

Huang Wei smiled and said: "Of course they must fight to the death; if they don't move faster, once Huangchuan City is liberated, Lu Commander will send people to chase them from behind, and then they will all be trapped in the Dabie Mountains!"

Speaking of this, Huang Wei recalled the batch of important weapons Lu Commander had allocated to him, and said: "Use that batch of Louis Poison Gas sent by Lu Commander, and give the little devils a harsh welcome!"

Sixteenth Division Commander He Ping was very excited: "Yes, use poison gas immediately; this time we will also strike first in this aspect. Based on my understanding of the devils, when they are cornered, they will definitely use poison gas to open a gap!

We use it first, to give the devils a blow to their morale!"

That day, on the Xiaojieling battlefield, Huang Wei used Louis Poison Gas against the Japanese Army first.

Yellow-green smoke spread through the valley, enveloping the attacking soldiers of the Japanese 16th Division..

"Poison gas! It's Louisite! The Chinese army fired poison gas shells!"

"Put on masks quickly!"

"My eyes! Ah—!"

"Cough cough... throat... burning!"

The yellow-green smoke permeated everywhere; touching exposed skin immediately caused burning-like severe pain and ulceration; inhaling into the lungs caused severe respiratory tract damage, with unceasing coughing of blood.

Many Japanese soldiers, in panic, discarded their weapons, scratching their necks and cheeks that rapidly blistered and suppurated, bumping around blindly in the poison mist like headless flies, then fell down in agony.

This detachment of the Japanese Sixteenth Division, which had sneaked to attack Xiaojieling, suffered heavy casualties under the poison gas strike before even engaging the enemy, and fled in disarray.

Huang Wei stood on the mountain ridge holding binoculars to observe, and saw a large number of Japanese soldiers falling directly under the power of the poison gas, unable to rise; he was greatly delighted.

"Good! Lu Commander's Louisite is indeed effective!

Show no mercy to the little devils; if the little devils dare come over, release poison gas; I will apply to Lu Commander for another batch!"

Almost at the same time, on the Yangtze River north bank, on the river surface about five kilometers upstream from Tianjiatun Fortress.

A light cruiser was quietly anchored in the middle of the river.

A blue-and-white flag flew on the bridge; it was the Ninghai Cruiser, the main force ship retained by the Xia State Navy.

On the bridge of the Ninghai, Fleet Commander Chen Jiliang held binoculars, observing the movements of the Japanese Army on the north bank.

Beside him stood the captain of the Ninghai and several artillery officers.

"Commander Chen, the observation post reports that the vanguard of the Japanese Army's 106th Division, about a regiment, is deploying in the area about five kilometers northeast of Tianjiatun Fortress, building forward positions," a staff officer reported.

Chen Jiliang nodded and decisively ordered: "Order all gun positions to bombard the Japanese forward positions; naval gunfire supports Tianjiatun Fortress!"

The three twin turrets, totaling six 140mm main guns of the Ninghai, slowly turned, their thick gun barrels pointing toward the north bank.

"Number One Turret ready!"

"Number Two Turret ready!"

"Number Three..."

"Open fire!"

Chen Jiliang's hand waved down fiercely.

Boom! Boom boom boom—!

The six main guns roared almost simultaneously; the tremendous recoil made the several-thousand-ton hull tremble slightly.

On the Tianjiatun battlefield, a strange sight occurred: Xia State troops could fight with naval gunfire support, while the Japanese troops had no naval support.

On the Japanese positions on the north bank, huge fireballs and skyrocketing smoke columns erupted one after another!

"Baka! What's going on? Where is the bombardment coming from?!" A major of the 106th Division, observing at the frontline command post, raised his binoculars in terror, looking toward the direction of the incoming artillery fire.

"Major! The enemy's naval gunfire is too fierce! Our just-deployed troops have suffered heavy losses!" A staff officer covered in blood stumbled in to report.

"The artillery squadron just set up two mountain guns and was blown up! The regimental commander orders immediate evacuation to the rear, avoiding the direct fire from the river surface!"

The major slammed his fist hard against the trench wall, gnashing his teeth, yet ultimately helpless.

Their own fleet was blocked downstream of Ma Dang Fortress, unable to advance and provide support for a long time.

"Withdraw! Order the troops to shift toward the hills in the southeast direction, staying out of the river's naval gunfire range!"

At the Central China Expeditionary Army Headquarters, General Hata Shunroku directed the overall war situation.

In his view, Gangcun Ningci's Eleventh Army being stalled at Tian Jia Zhen was acceptable to him, at least the Xia Guo forces defending Wuhan had been drawn in and restrained.

"Provided that the Sixteenth Division and the 108th Division cross the Dabie Mountains as soon as possible and appear behind the Tianjiatun Fortress, victory in the Wuhan war situation is already beckoning to us!"

Air Corps Lieutenant General Tokugawa Yoshitoshi said: "What about the Imperial Guard Division and the Fifth Division stubbornly defending Huangchuan City? Lv Muzhi is coming on strong!"

General Hata Shunroku said sternly: "This decisive battle is destined to require sacrifices. Since Iida Sadakata and Lieutenant General Itagaki Seishiro have unfortunately entered Huangchuan City, they have automatically become decoys to restrain Lv Muzhi!"

"Tell them I have already sent them sufficient reinforcements, and air support will be provided if possible!"

"As long as the Sixteenth Division and the 108th Division led by Prince Higashikuni do not cross the Dabie Mountains for a single day, Huangchuan City cannot fall for a single day!"