Chapter 517: Siege of Pingmana (3)

Song Jing Xiu Zhi looked out at the rain curtain again, and his eyes no longer held any contempt, replaced instead by extreme caution.

He knew clearly that the Expeditionary Force's main body had not yet arrived; once Du Yuming diverted troops to assist, Pingmana's defenses would face huge pressure, and only by preparing thoroughly in advance could the fortress be held firmly.

He lifted his hand to touch the military saber at his waist, a cold curve forming at the corner of his mouth, and murmured low, "Du Yuming, Jiang Anguo, you think that sheer manpower advantage will let you take Pingmana easily? How naive."

"I, Song Jing Xiu Zhi, am here, and I will never let you advance a step; let your Expeditionary Force be forever trapped in this mire and artillery!"

Song Jing Xiu Zhi thought of a more vicious scheme: using his 113th Regiment's existing two thousand troops to nail themselves firmly to Pingmana.

Then gradually wear down the Expeditionary Force's main units; once their morale is shattered, combine with Yangon's Fifty-five Division and the th Division from the Ren'ankiang direction.

Directly encircle the Expeditionary Force's main body and devour it in one bite.

The plan is nearly perfect; it now depends on whether Du Yuming falls for it.

Pingmana sits right on the southward route; the Expeditionary Force's manpower is limited and cannot spare troops to besiege Pingmana long‑term, which clearly does not fit the current situation.

Song Jing Xiu Zhi had clearly already seen this move.

"How can this be?" Li Deyi's face was full of disbelief, his tone drenched in despair, "Our shells—how do they have no effect on their positions?"

The Artillery Company commander beside him said gravely, "Company Commander, the Japanese Army's positions are too solid, built of reinforced concrete with thick sandbag reinforcement; our mortars and Grenade Launchers are too weak to pierce their fortifications."

"Moreover, the Japanese Army's shelter layout is very clever, mutually supporting, forming a Crossfire network; our artillery cannot accurately strike their fire points."

Japanese Army veterans, hearing the whistling of shells, immediately fled toward the deep tunnels to avoid the damage.

Thus the Japanese Army suffered very few losses at the Pingmana position.

At this moment, Regiment Commander Ling Zemin of the 286th Regiment also led his unit to the front, and upon seeing the scene, his face instantly darkened.

He looked at the dense shelters inside Pingmana city, at the intact fortifications, and finally understood that this was not a lack of Japanese Army manpower but a meticulously laid trap.

The Japanese Army's 113th Regiment had long built solid defensive works here, turning Pingmana into an iron‑bucket‑like fortress, waiting for the Expeditionary Force to walk into the net.

"Regiment Commander, the Japanese Army's positions are too solid; our artillery cannot destroy them. The First Battalion has suffered heavy casualties and can no longer launch an attack!" Li Deyi hurried to Ling Zemin's side, reporting gravely, his face full of self‑blame.

"It was my carelessness, failing to detect the Japanese Army's ambush, causing unnecessary casualties."

Ling Zemin waved his hand, his tone heavy: "It's not your fault; I was too eager and failed to conduct thorough reconnaissance, leading to this outcome. The Japanese Army's 113th Regiment truly lives up to its reputation; this Pingmana position is a copper‑wall iron‑door, breaking through it is as hard as climbing to heaven."

He looked up at Pingmana's positions, his gaze full of gravity.

Rain continued to fall incessantly, the Japanese Army's gunfire persisted, and those reinforced‑concrete shelters, like cold monsters, blocked the Expeditionary Force's southward road.

"Send someone to try," Ling Zemin said.

Soon, several squads of scouts, bent over, weapons in hand, rushed forward under the cover of the rain.

But soon, gunfire rang out on the Pingmana positions.

The scouts scrambled back; when pressed for details, they all said they hadn't seen the enemy positions clearly.

Even from behind, Ling Zemin saw the Japanese Army's fire shifting constantly, never staying fixed.

Ling Zemin knew clearly that with the 286th Regiment's manpower and equipment, breaking through this iron‑bucket‑like position was almost impossible; to take Pingmana they must wait for the main force to arrive and find a new breach.

"Send the order: troops must immediately set up defenses on site, closely monitor Japanese Army movements, do not attack rashly, and at once telegram the division commander reporting Pingmana's situation, requesting main force support!" Ling Zemin commanded gravely, a hint of helplessness in his voice.

The soldiers immediately sprang into action, constructing defensive works at the front, vigilantly watching the Japanese Army's positions, the air thick with tense, oppressive atmosphere.

Rain washed away the bloodstains on the ground and the fatigue and resentment on the soldiers' faces; they stared at the iron‑bucket‑like Pingmana, feeling helpless.

This seemingly unremarkable small town had become, at this moment, an insurmountable barrier on the Expeditionary Force's southward route.

Meanwhile, far at the Central Army headquarters, Du Yuming, after receiving Ling Zemin's telegram, fell into utter despair.

The tank regiment was stuck in the mud, Pingmana was firmly held by the Japanese Army's 113th Regiment, and the Expeditionary Force's southward plan was deadlocked.

Du Yuming felt powerless for the first time.

Just as in the Myanmar Campaign, when the Japanese Army's rapid troops approached the city, Du Yuming had to order his forces to withdraw from Mandalay.

At the moment Du Yuming was restless and at a loss, a bright idea struck him, recalling Dai Anlan's 200th Division.

This unit is the Expeditionary Force's elite, well‑equipped, especially with abundant, powerful artillery, and is currently the only hope to break through the Japanese Army's Pingmana positions.

When attacking Mandalay earlier, the 200th Division had earned great feats with its strong firepower; now, only its firepower can break the present deadlock.

Du Yuming still believes that the counter‑offensive on Mandalay relies mainly on the bravery of the 200th Division's soldiers, not on Jiang Anguo.

"Men!" Du Yuming sprang up, his tone urgent and forceful, shouting at the communications soldier outside the door.

"Immediately telegram Dai Anlan, order him to lead the 200th Division, rush to the Pingmana front, take over the 286th Regiment's attack mission, use the 200th Division's artillery advantage, blast Pingmana flat! Spare no cost, break through the Japanese Army's positions, and open a road for the main army's southward advance!"

"Yes! Commander!" the communications soldier replied instantly, turning to speedily deliver the order.

Du Yuming stood before the map, his finger pressing heavily on Pingmana's location, his heart full of anticipation.

He knew the 200th Division was his last hope; if it also failed to break Pingmana, the Expeditionary Force's southern campaign would be completely doomed.

He also understood that the 93rd Division's artillery, still only the limited reinforcements received after the Mandalay Campaign, was few in number and far weaker than the 200th Division, unable to pose a substantive threat to the Japanese Army's solid positions; only the 200th Division could shoulder this heavy responsibility.