Chapter 437

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Protagonist:

Lv Muzhi

The banks of the Fen River were littered with the steel wreckage of the Japanese army, and the Youth Army accelerated forward among these wrecks.

Along the way, remnants of the Japanese Mobile Infantry 3rd Regiment could be seen: some ran desperately, some walked numbly, and some simply sat waiting to surrender......

Lieutenant General Xiyuan Yice stood in his command headquarters, and the battle report in his hand brought news of the annihilation of the Tank 5th Brigade.

This became the final straw that broke the camel's back.

The Tank 3rd Division that Xiyuan Yice had painstakingly built had once been the pride of the Garrison Mongolia Army and even the entire land army, but now only thirty-plus dilapidated tanks remained.

His Tank 5th Brigade, encountering a group of Type 3 Assault Guns head-on, suffered total losses!

The Tank 6th Brigade and the Mobile Infantry 3rd Regiment, carrying out a flank assault, lost both the chicken and the rice, and were directly annihilated!

"My tank brigades, mobile infantry regiment, artillery regiment...... all gone!"

Xiyuan Yice gave a wry laugh, his voice especially desolate.

He couldn't figure it out: he had clearly conducted a detailed study of Lv Muzhi's Type 3 tanks and had even specially inspected the Type 3 tank prototypes in the Hans State, so how did he end up like this?

The latest Type 97 Kai medium tanks, equipped with 47mm long-barreled tank guns, were originally meant to target Lv Muzhi's Type 3 medium tanks.

But Lv Muzhi had produced a batch of Type 3 assault guns with thicker armor and stronger firepower; his Type 97 Kai medium tanks were no match at all!

"Xiyuan-kun, haven't you been dazed enough?" 37th Division Commander Lieutenant General Hirata Kengo pushed the door open and entered, his tone very anxious.

"My vanguard has already begun withdrawing to Taiyuan, and I'm leaving too."

"If you plan to stay here and become Lv Muzhi's prisoner, then please do; the Locust Army's history book will record a mark for you."

The 41st Division Commander followed closely behind: "No time left; Lv Muzhi's vanguard is already less than eight kilometers from Pingyao City."

"We must immediately head to Taiyuan for transfer, enter Niangzi Pass via the Zhengtai Line."

After speaking, the two infantry division commanders left without looking back.

Lieutenant General Xiyuan Yice watched their departing figures, not knowing where things had gone wrong.

How come now, after losing a battle, they don't even commit seppuku? They just ran away so brazenly!

Xiyuan Yice came from the cavalry, was from a military family, and had some so-called samurai pride flowing in his bones.

The Tank 3rd Division he led was reorganized from the foundation of cavalry units; outwardly an armored force, but in its bones still cavalry.

He remembered the Imperial Guard Cavalry Brigade of years past, which Lv Muzhi's armored forces had completely crushed at Huangchuan.

Back then he told himself that since cavalry couldn't defeat tanks, he would use steel to defeat steel.

"I learned my lesson, reorganized cavalry units into tank units, and increased the firepower of the Type 97 medium tanks......" Xiyuan Yice muttered to himself.

"But that guy Lv Muzhi, he's like he can see the future, always one step faster than us."

"We just improved the 47mm cannon that could penetrate Type 3 tanks, and he brings out thicker, stronger Type 3 assault guns."

The more Xiyuan Yice thought about it, the more desperate he felt.

He took out a treasured tanker helmet from a wooden crate beside him.

It was specially made for him by Emperor Tenghuang when he first organized the Tank 3rd Division at Baotou; the tanker helmet had a golden Chrysanthemum Emblem on it, symbolizing imperial favor, and was the glory of the first tank division commander.

"Since the Tank 3rd Division no longer exists, this division commander of mine should also extinguish the engine along with the tanks!"

He put on the helmet and issued the combat order:

"Gather all tanks that can still start, and follow me out of the city!"

Xiyuan Yice planned to use the last remaining tanks of the Tank 3rd Division to launch a suicidal charge against the Youth Army.

Not for victory, but to find a grave for his outdated cavalry soul.

At this moment, outside Pingyao City, the Youth Army's steel flood unfolded in a fan shape, sweeping from south to north.

Lv Muzhi sat in a half-track armored command vehicle, traveling in the rear of the main force.

Two signal operators also sat in the vehicle, wearing headphones, their pencils constantly writing.

"Report! The flank Tank 6th Brigade is confirmed annihilated; enemy Major General Takagi killed in action!"

"The Japanese 37th and 41st Divisions have abandoned the defense of Pingyao City and are fleeing toward Taiyuan!"

"A train has departed from within Taiyuan City, traveling east along the Zhengding Line!"

Lv Muzhi took the telegram, turned to look at the staff officer, and asked: "Has the Zhengding Line railway been cut? The enemy is starting to flee east toward Niangzi Pass."

The staff officer replied: "Report, ten minutes ago, Fan Hanjie's 27th Army called; that unit can cut into the Zhengding Line in two more hours."

Lv Muzhi nodded, then asked: "What about Qiu Qingquan? Has Qiu Qingquan come out? I want him to directly insert into Taigu and cut off the retreat route of the 37th and 41st Divisions back to Taiyuan."

If Qiu Qingquan cannot cut into Taigu County in time, the two ten thousand Japanese remnants of the 37th and 41st Divisions will shrink into Taiyuan.

Taiyuan is a strong city; once the Japanese have the resolve to fight to the death, it will consume a large amount of military force and time.

The staff officer said: "Colonel Qiu is currently in the mountains; we contacted him two hours ago, when he reported he expected to exit the mountains within three hours...... but we haven't been able to contact him since."

"Continue calling Qiu Qingquan, ordering him to speed up."

"Also have the Special Airborne Regiment prepare for combat; if Qiu Qingquan cannot reach Taigu County in time, the Special Airborne Regiment will become the alternative plan."

Lv Muzhi was pondering when another battle report was placed before him.

"Armored Cluster vanguard report: Japanese remaining tanks, thirty-plus vehicles, have formed a battle line three li south of Pingyao City."

"According to intercepted Japanese tank radio communications, it can be confirmed that Tank Division Commander Lieutenant General Xiyuan Yice is on one of the tanks."

Lv Muzhi looked at this intelligence; although puzzled, he was greatly surprised.

Sure enough, a general from the cavalry; before dying, he actually still harbored the fantasy of a cavalry duel.

He casually stuffed that intelligence into the very bottom of a stack of telegram papers in his hand, not caring at all.

「This kind of thing, Sun Liren will bring the Armored Cluster to handle it... 」

And on the plains outside Pingyao City, Lieutenant General Xiyuan Yice sat inside his Type 97 Kai tank.

He saw through the periscope a row upon row of dark masses of Type 3 Assault Guns on the horizon.

At that moment, he suddenly realized that his forty-plus tanks were probably just targets in the enemy's eyes.

Boom boom boom!

The Youth Army's Type 3 Assault Guns opened fire directly from a thousand meters away, leaving Xiyuan Yice terrified.

At this distance, the tank cannon of the Type 97 Kai Medium Tank had no fighting power at all!

「Charge forward, close the distance! Fire at will! 」Lieutenant General Xiyuan Yice issued his final order.

Over thirty Japanese Army tanks charged toward the Youth Army's Armored Cluster, firing at the armor of the Type 3 Assault Guns as they charged.

Every ten or so seconds, a Japanese Army tank was destroyed by the Youth Army's Type 3 Assault Gun.

Lieutenant General Xiyuan Yice sat inside the vehicle, ordering fire at the Youth Army's Type 3 Assault Guns.

He fired several shots in succession, most missing.

The only one that hit made Xiyuan Yice feel utterly powerless: his Type 97 Kai striking the frontal armor of a Type 3 Assault Gun was like tickling, causing no actual damage.

As the charging distance grew closer, Lieutenant General Xiyuan shouted: 「One more shot! 」

「Armor-piercing shell ready! 」

Boom!

Xiyuan Yice's Type 97 Kai fired an armor-piercing shell, very luckily, hitting the frontal armor of a Type 3 Assault Gun.

But Xiyuan Yice's face turned red with rage, and still he could not penetrate the frontal armor of the Type 3 Assault Gun!

Looking around, Xiyuan Yice discovered that the tanks charging with him had gradually dwindled to only four or five.

The Iron Man tank crew of the Youth Army discovered the constantly approaching Type 97 Kai tank, and the Type 3 Assault Gun aimed at Xiyuan Yice's Type 97 Kai tank.

「Lao Li! Ten o'clock direction, just now that vehicle dinged us, destroy him for me! 」Tank Commander Wang Tie shouted.

Gunner Li San aimed at Xiyuan Yice's Type 97 Kai Medium Tank, fired a shot with a boom, directly separating the hull and turret of the opposing Type 97 Kai Medium Tank.

Lieutenant General Xiyuan Yice thus died ignominiously inside the Empire Chuo's most advanced Type 97 Kai tank.

The Tank Division was thus completely annihilated!

Inside the Youth Army's Armored Cluster there was not a ripple, driving past the tank wreckage, continuing toward Taiyuan.

「Continue advancing! 」