Chapter 446: Mandalay in the Rain

The rain over Mandalay still hasn't stopped; on the muddy battlefield, cleanup work continues in an orderly manner, and the mingled scent of blood and charred matter in the air refuses to dissipate.

Jiang Anguo was standing beside a broken wall, staring at the ruins before him, contemplating the subsequent strategic deployment, when a steady set of footsteps from behind interrupted his thoughts.

"Commander, Mukoda Koya's corpse has been found and has already been brought over," Guard Company Commander Jiang Xingxue said.

Jiang Xingxue and Li Yi lifted a simple stretcher; a tattered military cloth covering it was soaked by rain and stained with plenty of mud and blood, and a faint raised human silhouette could be seen beneath.

Jiang Anguo turned, signaling the two to place the stretcher on a flat stone slab, and in a calm tone said, "Lift it up."

Jiang Xingxue stepped forward, gently lifted the cloth, and Mukoda Koya's corpse was suddenly revealed, his complexion as pale as paper, eyes wide open, still bearing the terror and resentment of his final moments; his Japanese Army Lieutenant General uniform had long been soaked in blood, now ragged and ruined.

What caught the eye most was his abdomen: three gruesome wounds were clearly visible, their edges blackened by gunpowder, evidently caused by 7.92 mm bullets that pierced straight through, leaving three perforating blood holes; the blood had already coagulated and blackened, staining the stretcher beneath, a sight that was chilling.

"Three shots hit the abdomen, all 7.92 mm bullets; he died on the spot, dead beyond death," Li Yi reported in a low voice, his tone carrying a hint of vindication.

Jiang Anguo crouched, his gaze fixed on Mukoda Koya's corpse, eyes cold and unmoving, and he slowly said, "This is the commander of the Japanese Army's 18th Division, Mukoda Koya; his hands are stained with the blood of Huaxia civilians, and he is one of the chief perpetrators of the Nanjing Massacre."

Dai Anlan, who had arrived upon hearing the news, also stepped forward to examine; he carefully inspected Mukoda Koya's corpse, then gently shook his head and, in a solemn tone, corrected, "Anguo, your statement is inaccurate. The 18th Division was indeed one of the chief perpetrators of the Nanjing Massacre, its hands stained with the blood of Nanjing compatriots, but the commander who led the division in the massacre was Lieutenant General Niu Dao Zhenxiong, not Mukoda Koya."

Jiang Anguo heard this, his body tensing slightly, a flash of astonishment appearing on his face, and for a moment he didn't know how to respond.

He had always believed that Mukoda Koya was the central figure in the Nanjing Massacre, so learning the truth now was inevitably surprising.

Dai Anlan saw his embarrassment, gently patted his shoulder, his tone softening a bit, and said slowly, "But you needn't take it to heart. Although Mukoda Koya did not directly partake in the Nanjing Massacre, as the current commander of the 18th Division he inherited the unit's sins, his hands also stained with much Huaxia military and civilian blood. Now that we have annihilated the 18th Division and slain Mukoda Koya, it counts as an arrow of vengeance for the Huaxia civilians who died in Nanjing and for all compatriots harmed by the Japanese Army."

What the two did not know was that Mukoda Koya served as commander of Huaxia's stationed army infantry First Regiment, the very unit that led the Japanese provocation at Lugou Bridge, i. e., the July 7 Incident.

Jiang Anguo nodded slowly, the astonishment in his heart gradually fading, his gaze becoming resolute again: "You're right; the 18th Division is a deeply sinful unit, and no matter who serves as its commander, none can escape responsibility. Annihilating them is the best consolation for all fallen compatriots."

Following protocol, Jiang Anguo immediately ordered someone to notify the attached photographer: "Fetch the photographer and take several pictures of Mukoda Koya's corpse, making sure to capture his face and wounds clearly. Even though he's dead, we must preserve the evidence of his crimes; this is not only our battle merit but also an answer to the Huaxia people, so that everyone knows the aggressor will ultimately pay the price."

Jiang Xingxue promptly responded and left, while Li Yi stood by the stretcher, preventing the corpse from being further washed by rain.

Myanmar's rain struck Mukoda Koya's pallid face, sealing his fate to remain on the Myanmar battlefield and pay the due price for all he had done.

Jiang Anguo and Dai Anlan stood aside, their gazes steadfast, with only one thought in their hearts: to utterly purge the Japanese Army from Myanmar, avenge all fallen compatriots, and restore peace to Huaxia.

The recapture of Mandalay is merely the first step; to fully control the Myanmar war situation, we must hold the city and also discern the movements of nearby Japanese forces.

"Jiang Xingxue, go issue the order immediately, gather all members of the Engineer Battalion, and head to Mandalay Airport to commence repair work,"

Jiang Anguo's tone was firm, without any hesitation, "Tell the brothers of the Engineer Battalion that Mandalay Airport was completely destroyed by my bombers before our counterattack; the runway and hangars were severely damaged, yet its strategic importance is paramount, and it must be repaired in the shortest possible time to restore takeoff and landing capability."

Jiang Xingxue immediately straightened his back and replied in a deep voice, "Yes, Commander! I will arrange it at once and ensure the Engineer Battalion speeds up, never delaying the crucial task!"

After speaking, Jiang Xingxue turned and hurried away, his figure quickly vanishing among the ruins.

Dai Anlan stood nearby, gave a slight nod, and concurred, "Anguo, your considerations are thorough. Once Mandalay Airport is repaired, we can station our combat aircraft there, both to cover ground troops and to support surrounding battlefields at any time, firmly seizing air superiority. Moreover, the airport's restoration will facilitate subsequent material transport and troop deployment, truly the top priority right now."

Dai Anlan knew well that in the pre-war study of blitzkrieg, the most crucial element was fighter aircraft and bombers.

Jiang Anguo possessed both of those.

"Not only that," Jiang Anguo shook his head, his gaze turning distant, his tone steady, "I have decided to have William lead his First Squadron and Second Squadron, and once the ground at Mandalay Airport is Hardening, they will be transferred from Lashu to Mandalay first."

William's current duty is to serve as the squadron commander of the fighter formation under Jiang Anguo; his unit is well‑equipped and battle‑hardened, having previously taken part in bombing the Japanese Army in Central China and conducting anti‑Japanese raids.

The two squadrons, totaling 24 P‑38 Lightning fighters, will firmly guard Mandalay's skies, preventing Japanese aircraft from launching surprise attacks, and provide secure cover for the Engineer Battalion's airport repairs and the ground forces' rest.

"William's unit?" a hint of admiration flashed in Dai Anlan's eyes, "Their contribution to Mandalay's success was huge; they were the first to destroy the Japanese heavy fire there. Anguo, when you fought Yichang, the Chongqing newspapers reported extensively on their deployment of the United States' most advanced aircraft, whose combat power was formidable; with them holding air superiority, we could be far more at ease."

In fact, the air route from Lashu to Mandalay is now very safe; before the war, Jiang Anguo had completely destroyed both Mandalay and Yangon airports.

The small airfield near Ren'ankiang can be disregarded; the key point is that the Japanese Army in Myanmar has no aircraft worth deploying.