Chapter 134: Japanese Army Two‑Front Retreat

Just as Jin Gang Zong Si Lang was at his wits' end, an urgent telegram from Southern Army Commander-in-Chief Terauchi Hisaichi was placed before him.

The telegram's content was simple, yet every word cut to the heart:

"The damage to the 56th Division's command staff is known. In view of the current change in the battlefield, the Southern Army Headquarters and the 15th Army have decided that the Myanmar operation's set strategic objective has been achieved; since Lashu cannot be broken through, forcing it is futile. Order the 56th Division to withdraw all lines back to Dongzhi, to ensure subsequent stability."

When this huge event occurred, Jin Gang Zong Si Lang at once reported the command's situation upward.

Seeing the telegram, Jin Gang Zong Si Lang let out a sigh and even felt a hint of relief.

Finally, he could withdraw the troops with proper justification; he dared not continue the fight.

This meant he bore no responsibility for abandoning the assault on Lashu; the higher command ordered the retreat.

As for the other squad still operating on Lashu's flank, Terauchi Hisaichi also mentioned in the telegram that it was led by Lieutenant Colonel Gao Cun Jiannan, with over six hundred men who had already lost contact.

As for this isolated force, Terauchi Hisaichi had no recourse. He could only order: "Establish a defensive position on the spot and block the northward retreat of the Chongqing forces."

What Terauchi Hisaichi did not anticipate was that under Lieutenant Colonel Gao Cun Jiannan's command, this airborne unit withdrew from Myitkyina ahead of schedule.

"Turn off the radio and stay silent," Gao Cun Jiannan coldly issued the retreat order; he had not received Terauchi Hisaichi's telegram.

The Japanese Army's legendary airborne unit, with its commander Jiu Mi Jingyi captured, also became a legend.

"Commander, Myitkyina seems to be on fire," Guard Company Jiang Fei said, pointing at a plume of black smoke ahead.

Jiang Anguo nodded, "It looks like the Japanese aren't being friendly to Myitkyina; after entering the attack position, this time they went straight for a full assault."

It was also Bamo's first station that gave Jiang Anguo confidence; the Japanese are no different—under absolute firepower superiority, it's just a matter of combat achievement.

Myitkyina lies upstream of Bamo, and to cross Myitkyina one must cross the Yi Luo Wa Di Jiang, which has only a single bridge.

"Artillery fire covering."

All mortars adjusted their angles and unleashed a relentless barrage.

This bombardment avoided the Myitkyina airfield.

The T-34 tank led the way in a line, followed by Transport Vehicles; each Transport Vehicle had two MG42s mounted on its roof, with infantry behind them, and the soldiers at the rear gripping weapons, watching both sides for enemies.

After a round of artillery fire.

The machine guns on the Transport Vehicles' roofs also fired toward Myitkyina.

Clank clank clank!

"Something's not right," Jiang Anguo muttered to himself.

The silence was terrifying; Jiang Anguo was on the east side of the bridge, which was their direction of attack.

Myitkyina was too quiet, only the still‑burning houses crackled, because in the rainforest many structures were built of bamboo.

So a single fire could burn all those houses; the Japanese did it the same way.

Through his telescope Jiang Anguo could see many people still lying in Myitkyina city; initially thought to be Japanese, they now appeared to be slain Burmese.

It could not be Du Lvming's main force; their speed was too slow, taking at least a week to reach Myitkyina.

Jiang Anguo was almost laughing in anger; at that pace, no wonder they could traverse Wild Man Mountain.

After the artillery bombardment, the imagined Japanese screams, chaos, bodies flying as in Bamo never occurred, except for the bamboo houses that were smashed.

Quiet—truly quiet!

In imagination the Japanese would have counter‑attacked, yet no bullets came; could all the Japanese have hidden? Impossible.

Jiang Anguo felt uneasy; he notified Jiang Fei ahead, telling him to watch for safety and, when entering houses to search, be wary of Japanese popping out.

The Guard Company formed a search formation, with a Squad following a tank for assembly; the tank rolled over a bamboo house, but no Japanese emerged nor any hidden traps were placed.

After a thorough search, Jiang Fei returned to report that there were no Little Devil silhouettes in Myitkyina.

"Then where did the Japanese go?" Jiang Anguo's mind filled with doubt; the Japanese weren't in Myitkyina—perhaps Jiu Mi Jingyi had deceived them, which shouldn't happen, such boldness, and the lower ranks didn't want it.

In truth, is there any difference between cutting off someone's finger and shooting a Japanese dead?

Jiang Anguo felt there was no difference at all; at Bamo, fewer than ten Little Devils fell under his fire, but later both sides fought hand‑to‑hand, so Jiang Anguo gave up shooting—no matter how good his marksmanship, in close combat bullets easily hit his own men.

He felt that killing Japanese was as satisfying as slaughtering pigs.

"No one? Not even a ghost of a silhouette?" Jiang Anguo kicked aside an abandoned Japanese Ammo Box by the road, asking in disbelief.

Myitkyina contained only Burmese civilians and the bodies of defiled women; the Japanese seemed to have vanished from the world.

Just as Jiang Anguo's doubts swelled, a rapid set of footsteps came from behind.

Guard Company Commander Jiang Fei, wearing a raincoat still dripping, hurried to Jiang Anguo's side and reported, "Commander, according to the latest intelligence brought back by Jin Jian, the Japanese movements are odd. They have not gathered in Myitkyina nor shown any defensive signs; it appears… they are running south along the north bank of the Yi Luo Wa Di Jiang."

Seventh Company Commander Jin Jian, specialty: Jungle.

In jungle combat, no trace escapes his eyes. Since the intel came from him, its accuracy is unquestionable.

"Southward?" Jiang Anguo turned, pointing at the ground beneath his feet, his tone tinged with absurdity and irritation, "What's the deal! The Japanese aren't even holding Myitkyina? Not fighting anymore?"

Jiang Anguo pulled out a map, his finger tracing the blue line of the Yi Luo Wa Di Jiang, his brows furrowing tighter.

"Myitkyina is empty; where are they heading? Southward..." his finger slid down the river, "Isn't that heading to Bamo? That can't be—Bamo is already in my grasp; are they being overly daring, coming to the door to boost their scores?"

The more Jiang Anguo thought, the more something seemed off. Though the Japanese were fanatical, they were no fools. If it were to reach Bamo, they should head straight south, not follow the Yi Luo Wa Di Jiang southward.

Could these Japanese be trying to sneak‑attack Bamo from the south bank of the Yi Luo Wa Di Jiang? That's a rather bold move.

After a brief puzzlement, Jiang Anguo glanced back at the map, "These Japanese aren't planning to move south to flank the Expeditionary Force, are they? Yet they shouldn't be taking the Yi Luo Wa Di Jiang; if they intended to ambush the Expeditionary Force's main body, wouldn't they head straight south along the Myitkyina railway?"

Du Lvming's current route follows the railway from Mandalay to Myitkyina.

Jiang Anguo snapped his head up, a flash of understanding in his eyes: "No, this Japanese force near Myitkyina must have sensed danger or received a retreat order, aiming to move south to attach to the 18th Division."

In plain terms, they're fleeing.