Chapter 363

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Protagonist:

Lv Muzhi

On Du Yuming's 200th Division position, the whistling of shells and the sound of explosions merged into one.

The breakout offensive of the Japanese 16th and 108th Divisions was more ferocious than expected.

Prince Tōgū Toshihiko clearly understood that once this barrier of Huangchuan completely collapsed, what awaited him would be being surrounded on all sides.

He must take advantage of now, before Lv Muzhi's reinforcements arrive, to break out with all his strength.

However, Du Yuming's 200th Division was like an unbreakable, uncrushable copper pea, firmly embedded on the road he must take to retreat.

The Japanese army's first large-scale infantry charge, upon approaching the 200th Division's frontline position, encountered unprecedented dense firepower.

"Open fire!"

On the position, the crisscrossing curtain of fire swept toward the charging Japanese skirmishers like splashing water; the devils in front, as if hitting an invisible wall, fell in a row.

The 200th Division was an elite among the Soviet-equipped divisions, with powerful firepower.

What gave the Japanese army even more headache were those T-26 tanks deployed behind cover.

These tanks sat motionless at their preset positions like rocks; the tank cannons and coaxial machine guns on their turrets became deadly fixed firepower points, like steel bunkers, mercilessly harvesting the lives of Japanese soldiers attempting to approach.

"Damn it! Using tanks as gun turrets!" A Japanese battalion commander put down his binoculars, his face filled with anxiety and anger.

"Quickly bring up the anti-tank guns!"

"Their firepower deployment is extremely tricky; automatic weapons and tank firepower points cover each other, our infantry finds it hard to approach!" a staff officer said nervously on the side.

Prince Tōgū Toshihiko, listening to the unfavorable news from the frontline at the rear command headquarters, frowned tightly. "Du Yuming... a single division actually blocks the path of my two divisions?"

He found it unbelievable. According to past experience, facing such a disparity in strength and fierce attack, ordinary Xia Guo Central Army units, even if not routed, should have positions riddled with holes and on the verge of collapse.

But the 200th Division's position, although urgent everywhere and with gunfire extremely intense, had never truly been breached.

Every time the Japanese seemed to open a gap, they would soon suffer a fierce counterattack.

Du Yuming combined his limited manpower, firearms, tanks, and fortifications, stubbornly withstanding repeated enemy attacks several times their own strength.

"Their casualties must be enormous!" Prince Tōgū Toshihiko murmured, "Under such circumstances, it still hasn't collapsed... among the Xia army, this is truly rare; this Du Yuming is not simple!"

In the core area of the 200th Division's position, a rear depression used for tank concealment and ammunition replenishment.

The left track of a T-26 tank was damaged, jamming the drive sprocket, rendering it immobile.

The crew members were anxiously attempting repairs with tools carried on the vehicle.

"Move aside, let me take a look."

A steady voice sounded.

Everyone turned back, only to see Division Commander Du Yuming, accompanied by two guards, bending over as he walked over, with traces of gunpowder smoke on his face as well.

"Division Commander!" The tank commander hurriedly saluted.

Du Yuming waved his hand, walked straight to the damaged track, squatted down, and examined it carefully.

Then he rolled up his sleeves and directly took a crowbar and hammer from a soldier's hand. "Follow my command; first pry this open a bit, dig out the jammed gravel. You, go get the spare track pins and tool kit."

The division commander personally repairing a tank! The surrounding soldiers, whether tankers or officers and men from nearby infantry positions, seeing this scene, were all stunned, then strong excitement appeared in their eyes.

Du Yuming said no grandiloquent words, but simply focused on working with the tankers, using tools to pry, clean, reset, and tighten.

"Our division commander... even knows how to repair tanks?"

"Nonsense, our division commander was originally from the Armored Corps, specially studied vehicle repair, a true all-rounder!"

Low murmurs of discussion spread through the position; an invisible morale was rising.

A commander sharing hardships with soldiers, especially on this battlefield of life and death, was more powerful than any slogan.

With a clang, the last track pin was hammered tight.

Du Yuming stood up, patted the oil and dirt off his hands. "Try it."

The tank driver jumped into the cockpit and started the engine.

The tank roared, the tracks slowly turned, no longer stuck, and mobility was restored.

"Report to Division Commander, repairs complete!" The tank commander reported excitedly.

Du Yuming nodded. "Good, immediately return to the standby position and await orders at any time."

Just then, a familiar engine roar came from the sky.

Everyone looked up, only to see a squadron of BF109 fighters, with striking blue-and-white emblems under their wings, flying in low from the north, passing over their heads, and swooping toward the depth of the Japanese attack area.

"It's the Youth Corps' planes! Commander Lu's reinforcements have arrived!" Someone on the position shouted, immediately triggering a small cheer.

Du Yuming watched the departing aircraft formation, his heart certain.

Commander Lu's words were not just a simple sentence; reinforcements were on the way. He must, and definitely could, hold fast here!

At the same time, inside Huangchuan City, the situation had become increasingly clear.

The Xia Guo Army's controlled area was steadily expanding, and the Japanese remnants were divided and surrounded within several fortified strongholds.

In the city center area, inside a cellar storing sweet potatoes in a relatively intact wealthy family's courtyard.

Lieutenant General Iida Sadakazu, commander of the Imperial Guard Division, and Lieutenant General Itagaki Seishiro, commander of the Fifth Division, sat facing each other, with a clean white cloth spread between them. Both had removed their military coats, wearing only white shirts.

"Itagaki, unexpectedly, you and I will end here in this way." Iida Sadakazu's earlier arrogance was gone, only despair on his face.

Itagaki Seishiro was much calmer; he carefully wiped the short sword in his hand with the white cloth.

"From the moment we set foot on this land, we should have thought such a day might come.

It's just... I didn't expect it to be so fast, so complete." He paused, glanced at Iida Sadakazu, "Iida, still thinking about conquering Wuhan?"

Iida Sadakazu forced a bitter smile, then actually cried out loud: "I dare not think about it anymore!

The Imperial Guard Division... has been almost entirely destroyed under my command... I am Iida Sadakata, unworthy of His Majesty the Emperor's trust, unworthy of the glory of the Imperial Guard Division's predecessors...

His Majesty Tenghuang's sharpest sword has now been broken on the Zhi Na Zhan Chang... We are all guilty... 」

After speaking, Iida Sadakata first stabbed the short sword into his left abdomen and cut horizontally to the right; the intense pain twisted his face, but he gritted his teeth and made no loud sound, then he raised the knife upward and drew a cross on his belly.

The intense pain made Iida Sadakata's head hang to the ground, his entire back arched like a shrimp, and he kept muttering nonsense in his mouth,

the Captain of the Guard tasked with being the second, holding back tears, raised his military sword and cut off Iida Sadakata's head, ending the sinful life of this invader.

Itagaki Seishiro knelt on the ground, gazing toward the Dabie Mountains: "Your Highness the Prince, all the Imperial Guard Division and the Fifth Division can do is this; I hope you can preserve the last bloodline of the Second Army..."

After speaking, Itagaki Seishiro's sharp blade aimed at his own abdomen and stabbed in fiercely!

"Heaven does not bless my empire... perhaps we... are all guilty..."

The Captain of the Guard raised his sword and brought it down, likewise ending Itagaki Seishiro's life.

Not long after, the cellar fell silent; two Japanese lieutenant generals were dead, dead in a dark cellar piled with sweet potatoes.

Inside the Huangchuan Front Command, Lv Muzhi received news of the two Japanese lieutenant generals' deaths, feeling that the overall situation in Huangchuan City was now completely settled; the remaining Japanese remnants could no longer stir up any major storms.

"Hu Gongnan, this place is left to you to preside over; continue to encircle and annihilate the remaining Japanese troops in the city!"

Hu Gongnan nodded: "Yes!"

Seeing Lv Muzhi turn and walk toward the door, Hu Gongnan asked curiously: "Lu Commander, are you going to..."

Lv Muzhi looked back at Hu Gongnan and said: "I am going south to capture the king!"