Chapter 518: Siege of Pingmana (4)

After receiving Du Yuming's order, Dai Anlan dared not delay a moment and immediately led the main force of the th Division, racing to the Pingmana front.

The military vehicle sped along the muddy road, its wheels crushing the soft ground and spraying mud everywhere; Dai Anlan sat in the command car, his expression solemn, brows knit, his heart full of complex emotions.

Soon, the th Division reached the Pingmana front; Dai Anlan drove straight to the front of the 286th Regiment's line, flung open the door, leapt out, and the cold rain instantly soaked his uniform.

Regiment Commander Ling Zemin of the 286th Regiment did not retreat, but instead reported the intelligence he knew.

"Commander Dai, the Japanese forces opposite may be hiding underground at Pingmana!" Ling Zemin guessed.

"Underground?" Dai Anlan asked, puzzled.

Ling Zemin nodded, "When our soldiers attacked, they only saw a few Japanese positions; most were hidden forts, so I suspect they are all concealed underground."

Dai Anlan was not surprised; rather, he had received a call from Jiang Anguo at the rear, warning: beware of the Japanese 113th Regiment at Pingmana, commanded by Matsui Hideharu, who excels at defense and may have built their positions underground.

Dai Anlan didn't understand; Jiang Anguo seemed always to be so prescient.

Could it really be guessed like this?

In fact, Jiang Anguo was truly speculating; even the Reconnaissance Plane, after multiple passes over Pingmana, could only see the outer positions, the interior remained unknown.

He walked to a hilltop, gazing at distant Pingmana, his eyes filled with solemnity and emotion.

It was not Dai Anlan's first time at Pingmana; the Expeditionary Force Headquarters had once planned a decisive battle there against the main Japanese force, but the plan failed due to the British Army's withdrawal.

Moreover, when Jiang Anguo was in Tengchong, he gave Liao Yaoxiang three Brocade Bags, instructing him to pass them to Dai Anlan.

Among the three Brocade Bags, one bore the character "Ping," indicating Pingmana; its instruction was clear: abandon the Pingmana battle and hold Taunggyi.

If at that time they had relied on Taunggyi's terrain advantage to check the Japanese, they could have bought the Expeditionary Force a breathing space.

At that moment, Taunggyi had just been captured, and Du Yuming immediately gave up.

Disobeying Jiang Anguo's instruction, he instead ordered the th Division northward to retreat to Lashu, plunging the Expeditionary Force into such a passive situation.

Had the th Division been able to defend Taunggyi then, Jiang Anguo could have blocked the 56th Division at Lashu and also assigned the two crippled regiments that fled.

Dai Anlan sighed inwardly; every instruction from Jiang Anguo was for the safety of the Expeditionary Force.

But Du Yuming was eager for quick success, yearning for glory, yet he ignored the risks; had he heeded even one instruction, the Expeditionary Force would not have found itself beset on all sides as now.

In any case, Jiang Anguo's beneficial advice for the Expeditionary Force seemed something Officer Du never acted upon.

"Commander, you have arrived!" just as Dai Anlan was deep in thought.

Regiment Commander Liu Shaofeng of the 600th Regiment, 200th Division, briskly stepped forward, stood beside him, bowed, and respectfully reported, "The Artillery units are fully deployed; twelve 75 mm infantry guns and six 105 mm howitzers are in position, ammunition has been fully replenished, and we can fire at any moment!"

The th Division's newly added artillery is mainly equipped in the 200th Regiment.

Dai Anlan slowly came to his senses, nodded, took the binoculars Liu Shaofeng handed him, and looked toward distant Pingmana.

His position was only eight hundred meters from Pingmana; through the binoculars he could clearly see the outline of the Japanese positions, the reinforced concrete shelters arranged irregularly.

Occasionally Japanese soldiers moved between the shelters, vigilantly watching the Expeditionary Force's movements, the cold glint of their muzzles faintly visible in the rain.

"The Japanese positions are indeed solid; Matsui Hideharu has certainly put in a lot of effort," Dai Anlan set down the binoculars, speaking gravely.

"However, no matter how solid the positions, they cannot stop the fire of our th Division. Liu Shaofeng, issue the order: Artillery units, fire coverage! Target the Japanese positions at Pingmana, focus on the forward shelters and fire points, suppress the Japanese fire, and create conditions for the subsequent ground assault!"

Since the counterattack on Mandalay, Dai Anlan could also boldly utter the words 'fire coverage'.

"Yes, Commander!" Liu Shaofeng immediately bowed, took the order, turned and sprinted to the artillery position, loudly relaying the command.

At Liu Shaofeng's single command, the artillerymen, already ready, sprang into action, swiftly adjusting gun angles, loading shells, their eyes steady and focused.

"Fire!" With the Artillery Company commander's roar, twelve 75 mm infantry guns and six 105 mm howitzers roared together, the deafening blasts tearing the battlefield's silence and echoing to the heavens.

Shells whistled toward Pingmana, their sharp whooshing tearing the air, striking the Japanese positions with heavy thuds, instantly raising clouds of smoke and dust, the explosions rising and falling incessantly.

Dai Anlan stood on the high ground, watching the dramatic scene before him, his gaze full of resolve.

The shells struck the Japanese reinforced‑concrete shelters, producing earth‑shaking thunderous blasts.

Although the shelters could not be completely destroyed, cracks were blown open, the Japanese fire behind them weakened sharply, many Japanese soldiers shrieked and fell under the barrage, and the previously tight Crossfire network showed a brief gap.

"Good! Well done!" Liu Shaofeng, standing beside Dai Anlan, said excitedly, "Commander, the Japanese fire has been suppressed; can we now immediately dispatch ground troops for a charge?"

Dai Anlan shook his head, speaking calmly, "No. The Japanese positions remain solid; artillery can only temporarily suppress their fire. If we charge rashly, our soldiers will still suffer heavy casualties. Matsui Hideharu is cunning and suspicious; we must not repeat the 286th Regiment's mistake."

He paused, looked again toward Pingmana, and said firmly, "Issue the order: command the 1st and 2nd Battalions of the 600th Regiment, as ground assault units, to deploy immediately, and at a point one hundred meters from the Japanese positions, commence engineering work on site, dig tunnels, and advance covertly."

"The tunnels must be dug beneath the Japanese positions, bypassing their fire network; once the tunnels are ready, launch a surprise assault to break through the Japanese lines in one stroke!"

"Yes, Commander!" Liu Shaofeng answered immediately, his heart full of admiration for Dai Anlan's deployment.

This method of tunneling and covert advance can evade Japanese fire and launch a surprise attack, far safer than a rash charge.

After the order was relayed, the soldiers of the 1st and 2nd Battalions of the 600th Regiment sprang into action, braving the drizzling rain, carrying Iron Shovels and pickheads, and hurried toward the Japanese positions.

They crouched low, using artillery cover, advancing cautiously to avoid Japanese sight, soon reaching a point one hundred meters from the Japanese positions, where they concealed themselves and began engineering work.