Chapter 516: Siege of Pingmana (2)

"Not good! There's an ambush!" Li Deyi was startled, and without time to think further, immediately shouted at the soldiers, "Prone! Quickly get down!"

But it was already too late.

Tap tap tap—

Bang bang bang—

Dense bullets poured down like a downpour, raking wildly toward the Expeditionary Force soldiers.

The bullets whistled through the rain, striking soldiers' bodies with a muffled thud; many soldiers fell before they could react, their blood instantly washed by the rain, staining the mud beneath their feet red.

"Quick! Take cover! Counterattack!" Li Deyi lay in the mud, dodging bullets while shouting orders.

The soldiers dropped to the ground, using nearby earthen slopes and stones for cover.

They raised their rifles to fire back at the Japanese Army positions, but the Japanese fire was too ferocious; the machine‑gun sweep was like an airtight fire net, pinning the First Battalion soldiers in place, unable to lift their heads, forced into passive defense.

"Battalion Commander! Our casualties are too heavy; if this continues, the First Battalion will be wiped out!" a soldier shouted, crawling to Li Deyi amid a hail of fire, reporting urgently.

His arm had been hit by a bullet, blood streaming, his face full of pain and anxiety.

Li Deyi looked at the scene, his heart filled with guilt and anger.

He had been careless, ignoring the Regiment Commander's warning and readily believing the Japanese Army's illusion of weak forces, causing heavy casualties among his men.

He clenched his teeth and said in a low voice, "Send the orders: the troops must withdraw immediately, keep a safe distance, and stop lingering in battle! Also, contact the rear artillery at once, have them employ Grenade Launchers and mortars to launch a fierce attack on the Japanese position at Pingmana, suppressing their fire!"

After capturing Mandalay, all seized weapons and equipment were stored by the 200th Division; this time, in the southern advance on Yangon, Dai Anlan took out all those Grenade Launchers.

It must be said, this weapon was the most popular among the Expeditionary Force's artillery.

Compact, easy to operate, a single person can use it.

Of course, its aim certainly isn't as good as that of the Japanese Army's grenade troops.

"Yes, Battalion Commander!" the soldiers answered immediately.

Taking advantage of a brief lull in Japanese fire, they dragged wounded comrades, trudging back from the front line and retreating quickly to a safe area.

Meanwhile, the rear artillery unit received the order, promptly set up Grenade Launchers and mortars, aimed at the Japanese position at Pingmana, and launched a fierce bombardment.

Boom—

Shells whistled toward Pingmana, landing on the Japanese position with earth‑shaking explosions, smoke billowing, earth splattering.

Li Deyi stood in the safe zone, watching the explosions ahead, his heart full of hope, wishing the artillery fire would destroy the Japanese fortifications and create conditions for the next assault.

What he never imagined was that after the fire ceased and the smoke gradually cleared, the Japanese position at Pingmana remained intact.

Those seemingly ordinary shelters were actually poured with thick reinforced concrete.

The shells struck them, leaving only shallow dents, unable to destroy the fortifications, and even the Japanese fire was barely affected.

The Japanese behind the shelters continued frantic sweeping fire, the muzzle flashes dazzling in the rain.

At this moment, inside Pingmana's city, the Japanese 113th Regiment headquarters, its commander Song Jing Xiu Zhi stood at a hastily built observation window, looking coldly through the rain curtain at the Expeditionary Force soldiers retreating in disarray, a contemptuous smile curling his lips.

"Yo—!"

The victor's expression.

He wore a crisp Japanese Lieutenant Colonel uniform, his face austere, eyes sharp as an eagle's, clutching a military saber tightly, exuding a blood‑thirsty chill.

As commander of the elite Japanese 113th Regiment, Song Jing Xiu Zhi was cunning and meticulous; long before the Expeditionary Force moved south, he had received orders to withdraw and defend Yangon.

Yet Song Jing Xiu Zhi once again refused to obey Fan Tian Xiang Er Lang's order, believing that now they must hold Pingmana firmly and block the Expeditionary Force's southern route to Yangon.

"Regiment Commander, the Chinese attack is laughable; with their meager artillery they think they can destroy our positions? It's sheer delusion!" a staff officer said, standing behind Song Jing Xiu Zhi, his tone full of contempt, a smug grin on his face.

"Our fortifications are poured with reinforced concrete and reinforced outside with thick sandbags; not to mention their mortars and Grenade Launchers, even ordinary howitzers struggle to cause real damage. That last barrage was merely a tickle to us."

"Do not be complacent. Though the Chinese are poorly equipped and their tactics somewhat clumsy, their soldiers are brave and willing to risk everything. Their Vanguard Unit just now dared to approach our positions without artillery cover, showing their morale is still decent," Song Jing Xiu Zhi said, turning slowly, his gaze icy, his tone calm yet authoritative.

He paused, then looked again out the window, his eyes falling on the Expeditionary Force soldiers stuck in the mud, unable to move.

"However, their greatest weakness is their excessive impatience and lack of patience,"

"Du Yuming rushed to capture Yangon, disregarding the treacherous rainy season roads and rushed south. This Vanguard Unit was further deceived by our illusion, launching an easy attack and falling straight into our trap," Song Jing Xiu Zhi said.

Song Jing Xiu Zhi's decision to set up such a steel‑bucket formation at Pingmana proved highly successful, thwarting the Expeditionary Force's southern advance.

The staff officer quickly echoed, "The Regiment Commander is wise!"

"We deliberately reduced the outer sentries, creating an illusion of weak forces to lure the Chinese into a rash attack. Now their Vanguard Unit has suffered heavy casualties, morale plummeted, and they dare not launch another easy assault—exactly the result we wanted,"

To build this fortification, Song Jing Xiu Zhi employed five thousand Myanmar workers, and after completion he summoned them in batches and killed them all, preventing any leakage of the position's secrets.

"Listen to my orders: First, each squad must hold the position, not sortie without permission, continue maintaining the Crossfire network, tightly monitor the Chinese movements, and if they launch another attack, annihilate them instantly, leaving no survivors," Song Jing Xiu Zhi ordered the staff officer.

"Second, dispatch the engineering squad immediately to reinforce forward shelters and communication trenches, focus on repairing the shallow craters left by the recent bombardment, and add a Landmine field around the perimeter to prevent Chinese night raids or flanking maneuvers,"

"Third, order the communications squad to closely monitor the Chinese radio traffic, ascertain their force deployment and rescue plans, especially the movements of their trapped tank regiment, and report to me promptly,"

"Fourth, resupply each platoon with ammunition and food, prepare for a prolonged defense; I will make Pingmana an insurmountable barrier for the Chinese, completely cutting off their road to Yangon!"

Clearly, Song Jing Xiu Zhi was very rational, not underestimating the Chinese forces despite a small victory.

The real battle is only just beginning.

"Yes!" the staff officer immediately bowed, accepting the order, his tone respectful and firm, turning and briskly marching away to deliver the command.