Chapter 562: Tiger of Malaysia

What Jiang Anguo didn't expect was that, after the troops occupied the Andaman Islands.

The system once again rewarded a 1,000‑troop formation, and the weaponry was average: five Freedom Wheels and one Victory Wheel.

Jiang Anguo realized that the previous victory in the Myanmar Sea battle had not been rewarded by the system; it was merely the sinking of Japanese Army ships and the points earned by Japanese Army soldiers.

And this operation against the Andaman Islands was to occupy a new Territory.

In other words, only by continuously seizing new lands can one expand one's formation.

"System, you really have given me a dilemma!" Jiang Anguo whispered.

The Andaman Islands operation went smoothly.

The subsequent plan is to station an infantry battalion on the Andaman Islands, but there is currently no spare troops to place on the island.

Of course, Jiang Anguo's troops will not cease their advance; the Andaman Islands lie at the rear of the front, close to Indonesia, yet the st Division's next target is not Indonesia.

They will not dispatch ground forces to attack Indonesia.

His first target is Singapore.

The Japanese Army's Singapore area has lost Lieutenant General Ozawa Jisaburo's main fleet, leaving this sea region without Navy vessels.

Now is a good time to attack Singapore, and Jiang Anguo is also redeploying troops, preparing to capture Singapore in one stroke.

With the strength currently in Jiang Anguo's hands, he is very confident about a ground assault on Singapore.

But from the sea, one must note that the British Army's surrender in Singapore was so swift that the coastal defense guns were not dismantled.

Especially the three 15‑inch coastal guns; Jiang Anguo's heart is pounding.

In fact, Jiang Anguo's worry is somewhat unnecessary; although the British coastal artillery unit did not destroy most of Singapore's coastal guns, the crucial Johor battery was destroyed by some daring British before the Japanese Army entered Singapore.

That is a blessing in disguise!

Of course, most of Singapore's batteries are aimed toward the southeast.

After all, Myanmar and India are British colonies, so their gun barrels would not be aimed at their own doorstep.

However, now that he has this 1,000‑person formation, Jiang Anguo is clear about his next policy.

That is to exchange everything for a Marine Corps, letting professionals do professional work.

Island‑landing operations should still be handed over to the Marine Corps.

This unit is named the Nanhua Navy Marine Brigade, commanded by Zhou Haitong.

Although the number is only 1,000, the formation belongs to Nanko, so the currently weak Nanko needs a much larger formation.

Its main purpose is to intimidate the Allied Forces, and also to frighten the Japanese.

The news of the Myanmar Sea defeat and the Andaman Islands being seized by Chinese forces spread to Singapore like a thunderclap; the telegram in Xia Shan Feng Wen's hand almost slipped, and his complexion turned deathly pale.

This Japanese Army general, who had just earned the title 'Tiger of Malaysia' from the victory in the Malaysia campaign, now feels disbelief and resentment, his fingertips turning white as he murmurs, "Nani! Impossible… this must be a joke!"

Just a short while ago, he was full of vigor, sweeping Malaysia with a fierce offensive and at the height of his fame, yet within a few days the situation plummeted.

In the Myanmar Sea battle, the Japanese Army fleet suffered a crushing defeat, and the maritime supply line was cut off.

The Andaman Islands, as an important shield west of Singapore, were easily captured by Chinese forces, meaning the Chinese forces' spear now reaches directly near Singapore; he is certain the next offensive direction will inevitably be this strategic point.

Xia Shan Feng Wen hurried to the map, his gaze fixed on the positions of the Andaman Islands and Singapore, his heart burning with anxiety.

He immediately tallied Singapore's garrison forces, and after the count, a deep despair rose in his heart.

At this moment Singapore's troops consist of only part of the Guard Division, fewer than ten thousand, equipped mostly with light weapons, utterly unable to resist the Chinese forces' massive assault.

Meanwhile, the Guard Division's main units have long been deployed in various key cities of nearby Malaysia, guarding occupied zones, and cannot be drawn for reinforcement.

"No troops available… there really are no troops available!" Xia Shan Feng Wen slammed a fist onto the map, his tone full of fury and helplessness.

He was once one of the Japanese Army's most deterrent generals, yet now, with no troops and no aid, facing the Chinese forces' relentless pressure, he is at a loss. He knows that once the Chinese forces launch an attack, the once‑solid fortress of Singapore will not hold for long.

At the same time, Southern Army commander Terauchi Hisaichi, in his headquarters in Manggu, also received a series of defeat reports.

The Myanmar battlefield lost one hundred thousand troops, the Myanmar Sea battle was a disaster, the Andaman Islands fell, and the successive blows finally made this usually steady commander feel an unprecedented threat.

He sat in the command chair, brows knit, the atmosphere around him heavy enough to choke, his pipe long extinguished, yet he did not notice.

"Commander, General Xia Shan Feng Wen has sent a telegram requesting urgent reinforcement for Singapore, stating that the Chinese forces will inevitably attack Singapore next; his forces are empty and cannot defend," Lieutenant General Tsukada Gong, Chief of Staff, said with worry.

Terauchi Hisaichi slowly opened his eyes, his gaze weary and heavy, shaking his head: "Reinforcements? Where do I still have troops to send?"

He raised his hand to signal the staff to display the troop deployment map, saying in a low tone, "Since the loss of one hundred thousand units on the Myanmar battlefield, the Southern Army's total strength has fallen below three hundred thousand."

"And these three hundred thousand troops are almost entirely concentrated in the Southwest Pacific, deployed in Papua New Guinea and surrounding waters, with the purpose of launching an attack on Australia, striking the last Pacific American Army base in one blow, and fully seizing sea and air supremacy over the South Pacific."

The Japanese Navy's successive victories forced the Japanese Army to cooperate with naval operations.

This total assault on Australia has almost gathered all Japanese Army elite from the Philippines and Indonesia, all transferred to Papua New Guinea.

It appears Japanese forces in Southeast Asia are also extremely chaotic.

Just as Jiang Anguo's troops are in Myanmar, Thailand, and the Andaman Islands, equally chaotic.

At first Jiang Anguo thought he could not lead troops, but after Lin Yi arrived at the front and deciphered a large number of Japanese Army telegrams, he realized both sides were equally matched.

Chief of Staff Tsukada Gong said, "But Singapore is also crucial; it is the Japanese Army's key foothold in Southeast Asia and a maritime traffic hub. If it falls, it will not only affect the occupation situation in Southeast Asia but also cut off part of the Japanese Army's supply lines, which would be extremely detrimental to subsequent operations."

Terauchi Hisaichi nodded, his eyes full of conflict: "How could I not know Singapore's importance? Yet the current situation leaves us no room for a win‑win."

His gaze swept back and forth on the map between the Eastern Front's Australia direction and the Western Front's Singapore and Myanmar directions, caught in a difficult decision.

One side is the imminent Australian offensive, concerning the entire South Pacific; the other is the precarious Singapore, which would suffer heavy losses if it falls.