Chapter 429: When More People Die, Supplies No Longer Short

The waters of the Mijie River are murky and swift, flowing from east to west across the northern Myanmar plateau, completely cutting off Mandalay's southern suburbs from the outer Defensive Line.

At this moment, dust billows along the riverbank, voices roar, and China Expeditionary Force st Division's ten‑thousand soldiers are using the river as a boundary to build an indestructible steel Defensive Line.

After the recent bombing, the 18th Division on the opposite bank has become much quieter, and the exposed fire points have been almost individually singled out by the Expeditionary Force's artillery and fighter aircraft.

Division Commander Jiang Anguo personally visited the front line, his gaze like a torch, scanning the bustling construction scenes on both banks.

Iron Shovels fly, pickheads hammer fiercely, sandbags pile up, timber beams are erected; trenches, shelters, Machine Gun Positions, artillery observation points stretch for miles along the riverbank like a winding giant dragon, tightly sealing the Japanese Army 18th Division's only southward passage.

He intends to trap and kill the 18th Division, then south of the Mijie River launch another lightning strike, directly on the plain, to defeat the rd Division and the Fifty‑five Division.

Infantry 1st 448th Regiment, Regiment Commander Iron Fist, a north‑western Chinese man eight feet tall with a tiger's back and bear's waist, his gaze as steel‑like as iron.

He is shirtless, his bronze‑colored skin smeared with mud and sweat, personally leading a main force to hold the north bank of the Mijie River, directly confronting the Japanese Army 18th Division's spearhead inside Mandalay.

"Everyone, give it your all!" Iron Fist kicked a slacking new recruit's rear, the sound booming like a bell, rattling the surrounding soldiers' ears, "The Mijie River is the Little Devil's gateway! Mukoda Koya also that old devil wants to slip south under our noses? Only by stepping over my corpse!"

The new recruit staggered, immediately gripping the Iron Shovel to dig furiously, daring not to lag even a moment.

Next to him, an old soldier, while neatly stacking sandbags, grinned and said, "Regiment Commander, rest assured, our 448th Regiment is elite against the Little Devil; the Little Devil's 18th Division, whatever, when they come we'll make them never return!"

"Well said!" Iron Fist slapped his hand down, sending dust flying from the sandbags, "Transmit my orders: dig three deep trenches along the river, connect all communication trenches, mount machine guns on the high ground, conceal mortar positions, dig anti‑tank trenches two meters deep! I'll make the Little Devil emerging from Mandalay unable to move a inch!"

"Yes!"

Messenger shouted the orders, which were quickly relayed across the north‑bank positions.

All soldiers of the 448th Regiment are elite of st Division, most having endured the Dian‑Mian Highway Defense Battle and Tonggu Counterattack, rich in combat experience, and highly efficient at constructing fortifications.

The "clang" of Iron Shovels digging, the "creak" of timber being dragged, and the chant of slogans intertwined, dust billowing everywhere, the once‑flat riverbank transformed at visible speed into a formidable wall of defenses.

At the high riverbank, Iron Fist lifted a binocular, staring fixedly at the smoke drifting toward the north‑ward Mandalay, his gaze icy.

He knows clearly that he faces not ordinary Japanese Army troops, but the Japanese Army 18th Division dubbed "Jungle Tiger," whose division commander is Mukoda Koya.

The Executioner who sparked the July‑7 Incident, his hands soaked with Chinese soldiers' and civilians' blood.

Now this old devil, trapped in Mandalay, is like a turtle in a jar; cornered, he will inevitably lead his main force in a frantic southward breakout, and my 448th Regiment is the first hard bone lodged in his throat.

"Regiment, the division headquarters is calling!" the communications soldier ran over, handing the telegram, "Division Commander orders: absolutely hold the north bank of the Mijie River, never allow a single soldier of the 18th Division to move south!"

Iron Fist took the telegram, glanced over it, clenched it hard in his palm, gritted his teeth and said, "Reply to the Division Commander! I, Iron Fist, am here, the position is here! If the man is in the river, the river dies, the man dies! If the 18th Division wants to cross, they must first ask whether the gun in my hand permits it!"

Regarding Iron Fist's 448th Regiment, Jiang Anguo has absolute confidence.

South bank of the Mijie River, Second Regiment position.

Infantry Second Regiment, Regiment Commander Yang Zhi, with a scholar‑general demeanor, meticulous mind, adept at defensive counter‑attacks, now leads his entire regiment, standing ready to defend against Japanese reinforcements advancing from the south‑line Corner Shi direction.

Unlike the north bank's rough assault, the south bank fortifications are crafted more delicately and intricately: scattered soldier pits are orderly, hidden bunkers concealed among trees and grass, flank fire points cover each other, mortar positions hidden on reverse slopes, forming a Crossfire network with no blind spots.

Yang Zhi, dressed in tidy uniform with a tightly buttoned collar, holding a command baton, crouched in a hastily built command shelter, carefully marking the map.

"All battalions, attention!" Yang Zhi commanded over the radio in a deep voice, his tone calm yet undeniably authoritative, "Japanese Army Corner Shi 124th Regiment, regiment commander Wakatsuki Jirou, is an old‑established unit of the 18th Division, well‑equipped and fiercely combat‑ready. They will surely push north at full force to support Mukoda Koya's breakout; you must hold your respective defensive lines, not a step back!"

"Second Battalion received! Mission will be completed!" "Third Battalion received! The troops are in position, the troops are in!"

On the radio, the voices of the battalion commanders rang strong and resonant.

A staff officer hurried forward, whispering a report, "Regiment Commander, forward reconnaissance reports that the Japanese Army 124th Regiment's vanguard is less than ten li from our position, advancing rapidly, expected to engage in half an hour!"

Yang Zhi nodded slightly, his gaze sharp as a blade, "Understood. Relay the order: all troops move into position, load bullets, open Hand Grenade caps! Let the brothers steady themselves, close in and fire, give Wakatsuki Jirou a proper 'welcome gift'!"

"Yes!"

Infantry Second Regiment position fell silent instantly, the previously noisy construction sounds abruptly halted, thousands of soldiers swiftly took their combat stations, crouching in trenches and hidden bunkers, muzzles aligned toward the south‑ward Corner Shi direction, eyes taut, awaiting the Japanese arrival.

For an hour, on both banks of the Mijie River, the north‑south double line, st Division acted like an opened iron vise, tightly choking the Japanese Army's very lifeline.

Inside Mandalay, Japanese Army 18th Division headquarters.

The air was thick with tobacco, sweat and gunpowder fumes, and the map's dense red arrows resembled death‑summoning talismans, encircling the entire Mandalay.

Division Commander Mukoda Koya, Lieutenant General, wore the standard Japanese officer uniform, chest laden with medals, but now he no longer possessed his former arrogant swagger.

He stood with hands behind his back, pacing back and forth in the command post, his sparse hair on top damp with sweat clinging to his forehead, his complexion so gloomy it seemed to drip water, his small eyes blood‑shot, revealing unmistakable panic and agitation.

"Baka! Baka!"

Mukoda Koya slammed a fist onto the table spread with the Mandalay map, shaking tea cups and pen holders to the floor, the shattering sound piercing.

Now Mukoda Koya feels only anger, lacking the youthful vigor he had when he occupied Nanjing, realizing he has fallen into the Expeditionary Force's encirclement.

The only point is that the Japanese Army 18th Division now lacks no supplies, because more people have died, so consumption of supplies has decreased.

All surrounding division staff officers and regiment commanders were as silent as cold cicadas, heads lowered, daring not even a breath, the entire command post dead silent, only Mukoda Koya's heavy breathing remained.