Chinese martial arts! Grandmaster

The elite special forces of Ximentang quickly moved within 30 meters of the trench position.

Boom boom——!
Hand grenades were continuously thrown at the trenches of the Japanese Allied Forces.

It looked like a meteor shower was falling from the sky.

Immediately afterwards, the ground shook violently.

This is the shockwave caused by the violent explosion of a grenade after it landed in the trench.

A series of explosions rang out on the positions of the Allied Forces of the East.

For a while,
The soldiers of the Eastern Allied Forces let out pitiful howls, and many were killed or wounded.

Many Japanese soldiers, who were hit by the shockwaves of the grenades, could no longer bear it and rushed out of the trenches.

The bombardment with hand grenades is completely different from that with mortars.

Since the mortars fall in a parabolic trajectory, as long as the edge of the trench is lined with high sandbags.

Then the shells would have a hard time landing in the trench and would be easily blocked by sandbags.

However, hand grenades are hand-thrown, so the landing point can be controlled.

After getting within 30 meters, the soldiers of the Japanese Allied Forces, unable to withstand the grenades, jumped out of the trenches one after another.

Then,

They resorted to their old tricks and wanted to engage in close combat.

Once both sides engage in close combat, they can effectively counter Ximentang's cannons and automatic rifles.

but,

This time, Lin Song's elite special forces from Ximentang did not directly engage in hand-to-hand combat with the Japanese Allied Forces.

Everyone lay prone on the ground and opened fire with assault rifles directly towards the trench.

Since everyone was lying prone on the ground, anyone standing was an enemy soldier.

not to mention,
The soldiers of the Japanese Allied Forces were panicked after climbing out of the trenches, which was completely different from the strict discipline of Ximentang.

The two sides entered close combat, but it turned into a massacre with assault rifles.

The Japanese Allied soldiers who crawled out of the trenches were surrounded by two battalions on the flanks, who tried to encircle them, but they all became victims of gunfire.

Da da—da da—!
The moment the assault rifles fired, the heavy machine guns were already in place.

The defenses have been breached!
Unexpectedly, in just one exchange, the first trench of the Japanese Allied Forces was completely breached, creating a breach.

Lin Song led the elite 3,000-strong Ximentang Special Operations Regiment in a charge, but did not rush to launch an assault on the second trench.

Under his orders, reinforcements quickly followed, and mortars began to provide support.

Xu Xiaodao, in his command post a few kilometers away, watched Lin Song lead his troops in a charge through binoculars and inwardly admired the scene.

As expected of a fierce soldier in the Ximentang Special Forces Regiment!
With just one charge, they broke through the first line of defense in the moat outside Ezhou City.

It seems that

Lin Song had long planned to attack Ezhou City, and he was very well prepared for the timing of the attack, tactics, and so on.

then,

Xu Xiaodao immediately ordered the other troops to follow up quickly and, in one fell swoop, directly broke through the defenses of the Japanese Allied Forces.

On the city wall of Ezhou, Ozawa Kaiki, who was watching the battle, became so anxious that his eyes turned red when he saw this scene.

He quickly ordered the Sakata River Guard, stationed at the city gate, to reinforce the second trench defense line.

We must hold the second line of defense outside the city at all costs.

Boom! Boom! Boom!
The cannons on the city wall began to fire fiercely.

The two sides once again engaged in a fierce and brutal battle!
Although Sakata River was incredibly brave, he led his troops into battle to reinforce the second line of defense outside the south gate of Ezhou City.

but,

Under the firepower suppression of Ximentang, there was no way to change the course of the battle.

Because Lin Song's elite Ximentang Special Operations Regiment was not in a hurry.

After taking down the first trench defense line.

The artillery battalion of Ximentang quickly followed, and at the same time, the heavy machine gunners began to lie prone on the ground and join the battle.

The hand-to-hand combat that the Allied Forces had prepared never took place.

Lin Song knew that if the troops continued to charge forward after being dispersed, the firepower would not be concentrated, which would easily cause casualties.

Because the closer you are to the city wall, the more likely you are to be bombed, and you also have to be careful of the Japanese Maxim machine guns.

Therefore,
The most brilliant tactic of the Ximentang Special Operations Regiment is to proceed steadily and gradually, avoid close combat, and fully utilize the advantages of Ximentang.

in addition,

All of Ximen Tang's elite troops were seething with anger. Yesterday's close-quarters battle had resulted in too many casualties, and they had to take revenge.

If they don't regain their dignity, everyone will feel too ashamed to return to the military academy at the headquarters in Qingzhou, Shandong for further studies.

Therefore, Lin Song's elite troops displayed extreme bravery, slaughtering the Japanese Allied Forces in droves.

The entire defense line in the Orient suffered repeated defeats.

Soon, the first trench defense line was completely cleared, and a gap was torn in the second trench defense line as well.

Boom! Boom! Boom!
Incendiary bombs and smoke bombs were fired fiercely at the area between the city walls and the moat.

For a while,
The defensive lines of city walls and moats completely blocked the line of sight.

The Japanese Allied Forces dared not easily fire their cannons, heavy machine guns, and other weapons on the city walls.

The cannons at Ximentang were also silenced.

At this time, the elite of the Ximentang Special Operations Regiment had already broken into the second trench defense line.

The two sides clashed at close range.

If artillery shells are fired from the position, friendly fire is inevitable.

this moment,
With neither side possessing artillery, the replica AK assault rifles in the hands of the Ximentang Special Forces Regiment became a deadly weapon.

Seeing that they were outmatched, the Japanese Allied Forces soldiers who were lying in ambush in the second trench had no choice but to retreat toward the city wall.

but,

There were incendiary bombs igniting the ground in the direction of the city wall, blocking the retreat route, and the garrison commander had set up heavy machine guns to prevent anyone from evacuating or escaping.

Therefore,
With no way out, the soldiers stationed at the second trench defense line began to unleash terrifying fighting power.

Next,
The elite special operations regiment under Lin Song's command did not continue to advance and launch an attack, but instead engaged in positional warfare at a distance of thirty meters.

The fierce battle between the two sides has once again entered its most brutal phase!
-

The siege of Hanzhong and Ezhou was extremely fierce.

but,

In Songjiang Prefecture of the Great Qian Dynasty, all was peaceful at this moment.

Since the 'Bear Division' of Ximentang was stationed in Songjiang Prefecture, the situation here has become very stable.

The Green Gang, Taiping Company, and various other forces were all wiped out by Ximen Tang.

After Chen Jie became the "Prince Qian" and the Grand Secretary of the Eastern Pavilion.

Ximentang's position in the Great Qian Dynasty became increasingly secure.

Mitsuko Nanzo, the number one female ninja of the Orient, walks on the streets of Matsue Prefecture.

suddenly,
She sensed that the atmosphere on the whole street seemed somewhat different.

A faint sense of crisis rose in her heart.

"What's going on? Why do I feel a sense of crisis?"

"Although I don't feel a strong sense of crisis, it's making me uneasy. Could a crisis be brewing?"

Nanzo Mitsuko frowned slightly and looked around.

Then,

She took out a mirror and glanced at her outfit.

There's no reason for that. I've already made up like this, how could anyone recognize me?
She looked up at the elite troops stationed at Ximentang ahead and couldn't help but tremble.

Did the Ximentang garrison take action against the 'Southern Merchant Guild' in Songjiang Prefecture?
but,

She observed them carefully for a moment and found that the elite troops of Ximentang did not appear tense, but rather very relaxed.

It looks like,
It doesn't seem like they're going to take action against the 'Southern Trading Company'.

Why has the entire Songjiang Prefecture suddenly become more vigilant?
For some reason, Nanzo Mitsuko suddenly had a bad feeling.

at this time,

A soldier from the Ximen Hall saw Nanzo Mitsuko and stepped forward to stop her, asking:

"Madam, where are you going?"

This street leads to the 'Southern Trading Company'.

You should know that 'Southern Trading Company' is the largest trading company on this street.

It is also a new stronghold that the Black Dragon Society has rebuilt in Songjiang Prefecture.

Nanzo Mitsuko smiled calmly and said:
"I'm from the 'Southern Trading Company,' sir. What happened in Songjiang Prefecture?" "Why is there a curfew all of a sudden? Everything was fine just a few days ago. Is war about to break out?"

She adopted a pitiful and helpless demeanor, and her entire aura changed drastically.

Judging solely from her current demeanor, who would guess that she is the number one female ninja in the Japanese Black Dragon Society?

She wore a blue dress, her figure was alluring, and she was incredibly charming.

At first glance, it exudes elegance and sophistication.

The sergeant stood at attention and saluted, saying:
"So, Madam is from the 'Southern Trading Company.' I'm sorry, this road has been blocked!"

“Our legion needs to conduct drills on this road. Madam, please take another street to the ‘Southern Trading Company’!”

Upon hearing this, Nanzo Mitsuko was slightly taken aback.

drill!?
She smiled, then asked with a look of surprise, "Sir, why are you conducting drills on the street instead of the training ground?"

"Could there be a problem in front of the street?"

The sergeant said righteously, "I'm sorry, madam, this is a secret of our Ximentang garrison, and I cannot disclose it."

snort!
confidential!?
Upon hearing this, Nanzo Mitsuko's gaze turned cold, and she turned to leave.

She has an extremely keen sixth sense for danger and possesses extraordinary spiritual perception abilities.

Do not know why,

When she saw the Ximentang army appear on the street, her sense of crisis grew stronger and stronger.

but,

Just as she was about to leave, a voice came from ahead: "Madam Nan!"

Upon hearing the sound, Nanzo Mitsuko turned around to look.

Then, a manager from the 'Southern Trading Company' rushed over.

"Madam Nan, you're finally back! I've been waiting here for so long, I thought you'd left!"

"Let's go back to the trading company and talk about it. This street is blocked off, let's take a detour."

This manager is someone planted in the 'Southern Trading Company' by the Japanese Black Dragon Society.

Nanzo Mitsuko originally wanted to leave, but after hearing what the manager said, she nodded slightly and followed behind him.

After a while,
The two entered an alley.

Nanzo Mitsuko asked in a deep voice, "What happened? Why is the Ximen Hall's army suddenly imposing a curfew in the Songjiang Prefecture area?"

There must be a demon in the abnormal situation!
This is, after all, Ximentang's territory, so Nanzo Guangzi must be even more careful.

The steward reported in a low voice:

"Reporting to Your Excellency, according to the latest news from the Black Dragon Society, Chen Jie, the 'Prince Qian' of the Great Qian Dynasty, will be arriving in Songjiang Prefecture today to inspect the work."

"The Ximentang garrison imposed a curfew in this area to ensure the safety of the 'Prince Qian'."

“This street is not only the main road leading to the ‘Southern Trading Company’, but also the only way to the ‘Overseas Trade Department’.”

“King Li Gang of Min has submitted to the Great Qian Dynasty and follows the lead of the ‘King Qian’.”

“The ‘Prince Qian’ is coming here in person to inspect the work, so these troops stationed in Ximen Hall naturally attach great importance to it.”

"Miss Nakajima Shinobu was worried that you might be disturbed and leave Matsue Prefecture, so she ordered me to come and welcome you."

When Nanzo Mitsuko heard that the curfew was not imposed because of the suppression of the 'Southern Trading Company', she was relieved.

Simultaneously,

She sincerely admired Shinobu Nakajima's meticulousness in handling matters.

If it weren't for the manager's appearance, she would have indeed wanted to turn around and leave 'Southern Trading Company', far away from Songjiang Prefecture.

They walked through the alleyways towards the 'Southern Trading Company'. After walking for a long time, Nanzo Mitsuko suddenly felt something was strange.

She suddenly stopped and asked, "Mizuno-kun, have we taken the wrong road? Why haven't we arrived yet?"

She wasn't familiar with this road.

As a top-tier ninja, she is particularly sensitive to unknown dangers.

For some reason, she felt a sense of crisis that had been building up to be much stronger than before.

The manager stopped and explained:
"Your Excellency, once you go around that stone bridge, you'll reach the backyard of the 'Southern Trading Company'."

"The elite troops of Ximen Hall have blocked all the roads on the main street. If we want to get back to the 'Southern Trading Company,' we can only go around to the back door."

Upon hearing this, Nanzo Mitsuko frowned slightly.

She continued to follow the steward until they reached a stone bridge.

at this time,

On the stone bridge stood two old men.

One of the old men was fishing on the stone bridge with a fishing rod in his hand.

Another old man, holding a folding fan, sat on the railing of the stone bridge.

The stone bridge's passageway could only accommodate two people at a time, and now the two people were standing on either side of it, effectively blocking the entire stone bridge.

The key is,
They seemed to have been waiting on the stone bridge for a long time, with no intention of letting anyone pass.

The steward, whom Nanzo Mitsuko referred to as "Mizuno-kun," glared menacingly and whispered:
"Baka! These two old geezers are actually blocking the road on the stone bridge, they're practically asking for death!"

"The water in this stream is less than half a foot deep, where would there be any fish?"

Muttering to himself, he stepped onto the stone bridge and roared at the two old men:

"You two bastards, get out of my way—!"

The words are not finished yet.

The old man holding the folding fan tapped it lightly.

Whoosh—whoosh—whoosh!

The folding fan, like a dragonfly skimming the water, swiftly touched the manager's chest, shoulders, neck, abdomen, and other vital areas.

That folding fan was made of fine steel, with an extremely tough texture.

At this moment, a light touch on the body of Manager Mizuno-kun targets his five vital acupoints: Baihui, Tiantu, Tanzhong, Jiuwei, and Qihai.

Puff-!
Before the manager could react, he groaned and collapsed to the ground.

When Nanzo Mitsuko saw this scene, she was suddenly startled.

The old man with the folding fan attacked Mizuno-kun with lightning speed, proving himself to be a top-tier expert.

Although she could do it too, judging from the old man's skills, his strength was no weaker than hers.

Who is he?

In the Great Qian Dynasty, there is only one place where such a person could possess such skills, and that is—the Imperial Palace!
The old man holding the folding fan put it away and walked down from the stone bridge.

He smiled and cupped his hands in greeting to Nanzo Mitsuko, saying, "I am Kou Yin from the Great Qian Dynasty, greetings to Nanzo Mitsuko!"

The old man holding a fishing rod on the stone bridge turned to look at Nanzo Mitsuko and greeted her:

"Nanzo Mitsuko, it's been a long time! I always thought you had returned to Japan, but I never expected you to stay in Daqian."

"It's truly fate that we met in Songjiang Prefecture today!"

Nanzo Mitsuko then clearly saw that the old man holding the fishing rod in front of him was his old rival, Cao Shaoqing, the Grand Steward of the Imperial Household Department of the Great Qian Dynasty!

Kou Yin, Cao Shaoqing!

Two of the most skilled martial artists in the imperial palace have gathered here; it seems a life-or-death battle is brewing today.

call--!
Nanzo Mitsuko took a deep breath and snorted coldly:

"Kou Yin, Cao Shaoqing, how did you know I was here?"

"Who betrayed me? Could there be a traitor within our Black Dragon Clan?"

Cao Shaoqing kicked the corpse of 'Mizuno-kun's' steward off the stone bridge, and said with a calm smile:

"You seem to have forgotten one thing: this is the Great Qian Dynasty, not your Eastern Ocean!"

"Does the Black Dragon Society really think we don't know about the 'Southern Trading Company,' a stronghold they've built in Songjiang Prefecture at great expense?"

"Nanzo Mitsuko, you're seriously underestimating the intelligence department of our Great Qian Dynasty, aren't you?"

Nanzo Mitsuko's gaze turned icy, and suddenly, remembering something, she said in a deep voice:
"Since you've appeared here, 'Prince Qian' Chen Jie must be nearby, right?"

At this time,

A soft laugh came from not far away:
"Haha—I never expected that Lord Nanzo Mitsuko would remember me so fondly. It is an honor for me."

Next,
Three figures appeared from the other end of the stone bridge.

The young man at the head of the group had a smile on his face; it was Chen Jie.

Following behind were Yan San, nicknamed "Tianyi," and Miao Feng, nicknamed "Tianjiu," from the Ximen Hall's Tianzi Division.

The three walked casually, appearing to be moving at a slow pace.

but,

In the blink of an eye, Chen Jie was already standing in front of Nanzo Mitsuko. (End of Chapter)