Chapter 256: Yichang

Jiang Anguo's Independent Regiment 1—don't ask why it's called a regiment—at Lashu, Jiang Anguo has two regiments.

Independent Regiment 1, Regiment Commander Yao Quanyi.

Yao Quanyi is Jiang Anguo's camp commander on the Defensive Line at Zai An, and also the force first mobilized when Jiang Anguo launched the Tonggu counter‑offensive.

After Jiang Anguo's system rose to Tier 3, he spent a certain amount of points to grant Yao Quanyi a promotion.

It cost only 1,000 points.

Yao Quanyi, trait: urban warfare.

Perhaps by sheer luck, Jiang Anguo himself did not expect that Yao Quanyi's trait would be needed now.

Because until then, Jiang Anguo believed urban warfare would never be needed in the northern Burma region.

Northern Burma is mountainous; mountain warfare is the most suitable trait.

Realizing his mistake, Jiang Anguo immediately corrected himself: "The Independent Regiment must reach Changde within three days."

One of Jiang Anguo's Infantry Regiments numbers nearly 3,600 men; at the C‑47's standard of 28 per aircraft, at least 130 sorties are required to accomplish the mission.

This still excludes weapons.

Jiang Anguo has far fewer transport planes at Changde Airport, but that's no problem—he can Exchange them from the system.

Just imagine a 1,500‑meter runway packed with 130 C‑47s—utterly unimaginable.

If time allowed, he would mobilize ten thousand troops to Changde, but both time and space are now insufficient.

Jiang Anguo knows that to gnaw through Yichang's hard bone, tactics and firepower alone won't suffice; he must field the sharpest spear to pierce the Japanese Army's thickest shield at the crucial moment.

"At minimum, I must mobilize an elite Infantry Regiment as the spearhead for this assault," Jiang Anguo said, staring at the map as if talking to himself and announcing to the room full of commanders.

As soon as he finished, Xu Guozhang's face darkened, his thick brows knotting. He tapped his dry‑smoking pipe on the table and said in a gruff tone, "Brother, what's the meaning of this? Do you not trust the brothers of the 150th Division? Looking down on your elder?"

The atmosphere in the command post tightened instantly. The Sichuan Army fights fiercely and speaks bluntly; they loathe being treated as outsiders.

Jiang Anguo gave no explanation; he walked straight to Xu Guozhang, said nothing, and extended both hands to clasp Xu's calloused, vein‑thickened palms tightly.

"Brother," Jiang Anguo's voice was low and sincere, "the main assault remains your 150th Division. Yichang, this hardest bone, must still be gnawed by you and your brothers. I guarantee that the first flag raised on Yichang's heights will be hoisted by the 150th Division's men! This Independent Regiment is the reserve force I'm giving you to break the opening and expand the gains!"

"Alright then!" he thumped his thigh, and all doubts evaporated. "Brother, hearing you say that makes me feel solid as a rock! Tell us how to fight, and we'll fight exactly that way!"

The Sichuan soldiers never fear death, yet they dread a meaningless death, fearing their blood will be shed in vain. Jiang Anguo offers not just troops, but a heavy weight of respect and trust.

Xu Guozhang moved quickly, fetching a map of the area around Yichang from within the city; Jiang Anguo then realized he was insane!

Yichang is like Chongqing; to attack Yichang one must first seize Xiaoting, then advance on General Mountain. The Little Devils could not ignore such a treacherous terrain at General Mountain.

Xiaoting to Yichang could indeed follow the riverbank, but if positioned there, with camps along the road, machine guns, bunkers, and artillery on the hills, the terrain mirrors Jiang Anguo's force deployment at Lashu.

Even more perilous!

"Old Xu, why did the Zao‑Yi battle turn out like this? How treacherous is Yichang? Without a hundred‑thousand‑strong army, the Little Devils could never break in!" Jiang Anguo sighed to the heavens.

No wonder after the Zao‑Yi battle they remained trapped in Sichuan, and the multiple engagements at Changsha were so crucial.

The importance of Changsha is now evident; if Changsha falls, the Japanese Army could concentrate superior forces and advance westward along Yichang.

Xu Guozhang stammered, "At the time the commander misjudged; three Japanese divisions forced a crossing of the Han River and rushed straight at Yichang."

"The commander—was it Li Zongren?" Jiang Anguo recalled the battle's commander from memory.

Xu Guozhang nodded.

"This…." Jiang Anguo thought, the state of affairs being difficult.

It wasn't Li Zongren's command that was poor; when the troops were redeployed eastward, three Japanese divisions surged forward, cutting off Yichang's link to Hunan.

Of course, the intelligence error was also critical: General Zhang Zizhong's five divisions, twenty‑thousand men, held back the Japanese 13th and 39th Divisions, ultimately being defeated and perishing.

"Brother Xu, Officer Xue will attack Yueyang in the next two days; I've procured a few Japanese 94‑type mountain guns—have someone bring them back soon and get familiar with them quickly," Jiang Anguo said calmly.

Xu Guozhang's eyes widened; the rifles and ammunition he had previously received had already left him in disbelief, and now his younger brother brought mountain guns.

"Brother, you're my comrade; I'm certain of it—brotherhood, spit and nail together. My 150th Division must be the first to storm Yichang," Xu Guozhang said, now more convinced that they could capture Yichang.

And Jiang Anguo is now pondering how to take Xiaoting.

Just a few mortars, Jiang Anguo can't even imagine how many soldiers the 150th Division will have left after the first wave of the assault.

Therefore, Jiang Anguo decided to reinforce Xu Guozhang's infantry division.

As the war draws near, he realizes the problems keep mounting.

"William, dispatch several of our Reconnaissance Planes to the Xiaoting‑Yichang area immediately. No matter what method you use, you must photograph the Japanese positions there down to the last inch! I need the most detailed defensive map of Yichang's surroundings," Jiang Anguo said, his tone leaving no room for doubt.

Spies are now useless; sending them out would be a needless sacrifice given the tight schedule and heavy mission.

The Japanese Army's air power is now weak, making it the perfect moment to exploit our own air superiority.

"Yes, Commander!"

Jiang Anguo felt relieved inwardly; he had transferred the Independent Regiment 1, and Yao Quanyi's trait is mountain warfare, which can be hugely effective in such terrain.

He stared at the interlocking contour lines and dense defensive markers on the map, murmuring, "This damned place is literally a second Songshan!"

"What Songshan?" a rugged voice interjected. Division Commander Xu Guozhang, the 150th Division's leader, leaned over the map, his Sichuan accent thick, "Brother, what were you muttering just now?"

Jiang Anguo snapped out of his reverie, looked at the loyal, brave brother‑in‑arms, shook his head and smiled calmly, "Nothing, Brother Xu. Let's continue—where did we leave off?"