Chapter 324: Luring the Tiger from the Mountain – Independent Mixed 17th Brigade

Xiaoting, Japanese Army 13th Division headquarters.

The air seemed to have solidified; Division Commander Eitaro Uchiyama's hand was gripping the telegram just received from Xiaoting, and his face was now filled with shock and disbelief.

What!

A sudden roar exploded inside the tent; Uchiyama Eitaro slammed the telegram onto the table, shaking the teacup on it. He widened his eyes as if to stare a hole through the telegram, muttering, "How can this be? Has my regiment's combat power degraded to this level? They're nothing but a bunch of useless trash!"

The telegram came from Colonel Shu Oono, commander of the 3rd Battalion of the 104th Regiment on the Xiaoting front. Its brief content was cutting: Lieutenant Colonel Sen Xie Kangyan and his 2nd Battalion were hit by a devastating Chinese Air Force bombing on the treacherous stretch from Baiyang Town to Xiaoting; Sen Xie Kangyan himself and the battalion's main force have been "shattered like jade." The Xiaoting defensive line now hangs by a thread, and they earnestly request the Division Commander's tactical guidance.

"Sen Xie Kangyan… that guy, he vanished with an entire battalion?" Uchiyama Eitaro felt a wave of dizziness.

This was not the first heavy blow the 13th Division had suffered today. It was like a line of dominoes—once the first falls, they keep tumbling. Not long ago, Colonel Haifu Sanqianxiong, commander of the 104th Regiment, was sunk by those damned Chinese planes while aboard a transport heading to reinforce Yueyang.

Over a thousand elite troops, along with the ship and most of the 1st Battalion's forces, were all fed to the turtles in the Yangtze River.

Before he could recover from the news of Haifu Sanqianxiong's death, worse news arrived: they had completely lost contact with the 116th Regiment. The radio operator frantically turned the knob, calling the 116th Regiment and its commander Erjilong, but only endless static filled the headphones, with no response.

Uchiyama Eitaro walked to the tent entrance, lifted the curtain, and looked north.

That was the direction of Dangyang, where a distant rumble of explosions could be heard, a dull thunder rolling underground. Even the Japanese soldiers stationed on the high ground south of Yichang city could clearly see the fire shooting up there, the flames leaping skyward.

According to the last report from the 116th Regiment, the Chinese Air Force was flying north, heading straight for them.

Clearly, the 116th Regiment sent to reinforce Dangyang now faced grim odds. The suddenly appearing Chinese Air Force was like a Damocles sword hanging over the head of the Imperial Japanese Army, ready to fall and reap lives.

"Damn Americans," Uchiyama Eitaro cursed.

Everyone doubted that China possessed an air force; it was actually fighter planes supplied by the Americans.

"Division Commander!" an urgent voice interrupted Uchiyama Eitaro's thoughts.

Chief of Staff Xiaolin Xinnan of the 13th Division walked over, nudged his glasses on his nose, pointed to Xiaoting on the map, and said gravely, "The situation in the Dangyang direction is unclear, but our current position is even more dangerous. The Chinese army's main offensive intent is obvious—they aim to attack Yichang! And Xiaoting is Yichang's throat."

Xiaolin Xinnan hammered his finger on the "Huyashan" label on the map: "Especially toward Huyashan—if Xiaoting falls, the Huyashan gateway under Chinese control would let artillery directly cover Yichang city. Then Yichang would be in grave danger! So, regardless, Xiaoting cannot be abandoned; we must hold the Chinese army at Xiaoting!"

Uchiyama Eitaro stared at the map; the red marker was like a thorn stuck in his eye. He took a deep breath, forced his panic down, scanned the faces in the headquarters, and finally settled on a towering officer.

"Xiaolin, you're right; Xiaoting must be defended to the death."

Uchiyama Eitaro nodded and barked, "Nanshan! I need you to lead troops to reinforce Xiaoting now! Especially, seal the gap toward Huyashan for me!"

"Hey!"

The officer named Nanshan Xiuji immediately stood at attention and saluted, his voice booming. He was the brigade commander of the Independent Mixed 17th Brigade, famed for his ferocious tactics, and one of the few reserve forces remaining under Uchiyama Eitaro's command.

The Independent Mixed 17th Brigade was originally a mobile strike force. At present, part of it remained in the uncertain Dangyang direction, but the troops stationed in Yichang were still strong. Nanshan Xiuji commanded three elite battalions, a fresh force for the front.

Besides infantry, this mixed brigade also fielded heavy fire support: twelve 75‑mm mountain guns, plus fully organized engineer, logistics, and signal units. If deployed, this force could quickly erect a solid defensive line or launch a counter‑attack against the already exhausted Chinese troops.

"Take all the mountain guns, have the engineers repair roads en route, and reach the Xiaoting front as fast as possible!" Uchiyama Eitaro stared at Nanshan Xiuji, bloodshot eyes, "This is the last line of defense, Nanshan, I don't want to hear of you being 'shattered like jade.' I need you to hold it!"

"Hai! I shall be loyal to the Emperor and die defending Xiaoting!" Nanshan Xiuji bowed heavily, then turned and strode out of the headquarters.

Soon, the sounds of engine revs and soldiers' commands came from outside the tent. Nanshan Xiuji led his battalion toward the burning Xiaoting.

Across the Yangtze from Yichang, Moji Shan.

Jiang Anguo stood at a concealed observation point, clad in a Japanese uniform. He held a binocular with both hands, adjusting the focus, his gaze fixed on the Yichang dock across the river.

In fact, the clear view through the binoculars was already astonishing, but even without them, his naked eye could still see the movements of the Little Devils in the distance.

Beside him, Xiao Si also lifted his chest‑mounted binoculars toward the opposite bank, pointing at rows of Japanese soldiers boarding vehicles, and whispered, "Young Master, look at that— they seem to be emerging!"

Jiang Anguo did not answer immediately; he slowly lowered the binoculars, raised his wrist, and glanced at his watch.

The hand on the dial read exactly 10:23.

"Yes, finally they're out," Jiang Anguo's mouth twitched upward, revealing a long‑anticipated cold smile as he lightly nodded.

At this moment, he had waited a long time.

To mobilize this Japanese force, all the fierce battles fought earlier, all the prior scheming, were for this moment. The Dangyang direction, the Xiaoting direction, the Yangtze transport ships, even the repeated bombing raids, were all bait in this grand chess game.

Watching the Japanese troops on the opposite bank moving toward Xiaoting, Jiang Anguo knew this was the main force of the Japanese Yichang garrison.

Thus, the Japanese forces defending Yichang would be greatly reduced, and the pressure on the Yichang assault would be lessened considerably.

This is a typical variant of the "surround and relieve" tactic, but an even more ruthless move: "Luring the Tiger from the Mountain."

The Japanese were originally holed up within Yichang city, relying on its solid defenses and the Yangtze's natural barrier, making any attack impossible. But now, the "tragic situation" at Xiaoting and the seemingly about‑to‑be‑breached defensive line are like a piece of fat hanging at a tiger's mouth, forcing the tiger to open its jaws and leave its den to snatch the meat.

As long as this Japanese force leaves Yichang city and enters the narrow mountainous battlefield of Xiaoting, the empty city of Yichang and their retreat route behind it will be fully exposed to Jiang Anguo and the iron fist of the 150th Division.

The river wind howled.

"Go, all of you. Xiaoting already has a grave prepared for you."