Sword: Heart of Iron

Chapter 101 The action begins

July 1th night.

The sound of gunfire on both sides of the Chi River gradually died down, and the flames of war were swallowed up by the night.

Ten p.m.

Wang Feng tightened his fur-collared coat and walked slowly out of the command post.

The snow fell all day and only stopped at dusk.

The evening breeze blew gently across the river, blowing on Wang Feng's face, bringing with it a pungent smell of blood.

Those who have been through many battles have long been immune to this.

Zhang Hu strode over: "The first, second, and third squadrons are ready, waiting for the commander's orders!"

Wang Feng took off his coat and handed it to the guard beside him: "All troops are on alert."

Zhao Fangyuan nodded on the side.

He had seen the Japanese army's expertise in night attacks many times, and it was impossible for a mature commander to fail twice in the same place.

Wang Feng: "Once we discover Japanese military activity, we will immediately strike back and draw the main Japanese forces to the east bank of the Chi River."

Zhao Fangyuan: "I understand!"

Then he suddenly realized: "Sir, what are you going to do?"

Wang Feng nodded: "I will personally go to the front line to command this battle."

Zhang Hu was stunned: "Sir, this?"

Then he looked at Zhao Fangyuan, hoping to dissuade him.

A flanking operation is not a positional battle. It requires infiltrating the enemy's rear, which doubles the danger level.

No one can guarantee that there will be no accidents.
Wang Feng waved his hand, not giving the two a chance to speak, and said decisively: "This concerns the entire Jinpu South Line battle situation, I must be in charge in person!"

"Let's go!"

There was a roar of an engine, Wang Fengcheng got on the car, Zhang Hu followed closely behind, leaving Zhao Fangyuan alone at the command center.

On the rugged terrain and in the jeep that was swaying back and forth, Wang Feng put his consciousness into the system panel.

Not to mention the visual range of the three-dimensional combat map, just speaking from the combat effectiveness of both sides, the Japanese troops on the other side of the river are not easy to deal with.

In passive defense, we can still take advantage of the dangerous Chihe River to resist tenaciously.

Taking the initiative and attacking directly into the heart of the Japanese army, the difficulty of combat increased exponentially.

At dusk, Sergei brought news that the Japanese army had sent another infantry battalion to the front line.

According to conservative estimates, the number of enemy troops on the Chihe line was at least three to four thousand.

Three mountain tactical battalions, nearly half of the troops, were deployed in this battle and no failure was tolerated.

He must go there in person.

Click on the troop data on the system panel.

[The First 'Red Flag' Mountain Tactical Corps]

[Level: Well-trained (combat modifier +25%)]

【Compilation: 4129/5000】

[Infantry casualties: 109]

[Damage to Armor: 15]

[Air damage: 0]

[Organization: 177]

[Breakthrough: 25]

[Mountain Specialization: Travel Speed +10%, Attack +10%]

[More versatile mountain infantry: planning speed +10%; coordination +15%; breakthrough +10]

A brand new data panel appeared in front of Wang Feng.

After a day of fighting, the first "Red Flag" mountain tactical corps' level was finally upgraded to [Well-trained].

Gained a 25% tactical modifier.

Combat effectiveness has ushered in a qualitative leap.

Officially entering the ranks of elite troops, recognized as elite by the system panel.

With the military quality of the soldiers in this unit, they would be able to serve as the main force in the European battlefield.

Chuzhou is located in the eastern part of Anhui, different from the northeast and northwest regions.

The snow covering the ground gradually melted and the jeep slowly moved through the mud.

We drove about seven or eight kilometers.

After the vehicle stopped, Wang Feng jumped out.

The soldiers of the three mountain battalions were ready to go, standing in the open ground fully armed, with their formations neatly arranged in a square shape.

There is no need to worry about Japanese aerial bombing at night.

A red flag stands in front of everyone, which is the symbol of the army's honor number.

The evening breeze blew gently and the flags fluttered in the wind.

Wang Feng walked quickly to the soldier.

"Hello, sir!"

The soldiers' voices were low, like the vibrations of muffled bells.

Although this place is more than ten kilometers away from the Japanese positions, we must always be vigilant against the Japanese scouts scattered around.

Wang Feng nodded and walked quickly in front of the crowd.

"We will win!"

The soldiers murmured in unison:

"We will win!"

The voice was dull, but one could clearly feel a fearless aura coming towards him.

Elite.
[General Aura Effect: Organization +10]

A line of numbers appeared on the system panel.

Wang Feng was surprised.

Zhang Hu straightened his military appearance, walked over with a rifle on his back, stood at attention and saluted, his expression solemn: "The First 'Red Flag' Mountain Tactical Corps, the first, second, and third battalions have assembled, please give your instructions, sir!"

As he spoke, the red flag above his head fluttered.

The night was dark, but the bright red on the flag was particularly bright.

Wang Feng nodded slightly: "Let's go and cross the Chi River at night!"

"The first brigade will be the vanguard. After crossing the river, quickly establish a bridgehead. The second and third brigades will advance in brigades!"

"set off!"

26th Brigade.

A dim electric light was turned on in the command center.

Numata Tokushige bent over the table, carefully studying the terrain on both sides of the pond and river.

The staff officer strode forward and said, "General, the troops are ready. Shall we launch the attack immediately?"

Numata Tokushige frowned, straightened his back, and paced back and forth: "How many troops will participate in the night attack?"

Staff officer: "Two infantry battalions in total."

Numata Tokushige was a little displeased: "Two battalions?"

"The Chinese troops on the other side are very alert, and the two battalions may not be able to break through them in one fell swoop."

The staff officer looked embarrassed.

The casualties from the day's battle had just been counted, and on the east bank of Chihe Town alone, nearly a thousand soldiers were lost, with countless wounded.

It is equivalent to directly destroying an infantry battalion.

The casualties of troops in Sanheji and Magang areas have not been counted.
The two battalions responsible for the night attack were barely put together after reducing their organization and filling in the reserve forces.

Staff Officer: "The last group of reconnaissance planes before sunset did not find any signs of the Chinese army replenishing its troops or supplies. I guess they have run out of ammunition and food by now!"

Numata Tokushige was also weighing the issues in his mind.

As the brigade commander, he could not jump to conclusions as easily as a staff officer.

The daytime fighting dragged on until dusk, but the expected weakness of the Chinese army was still not seen.

So unexpected!

Numata Norishige was indecisive and had some confusion about the enemy's strengths.

"Feint!"

"One unit launched a feint attack, firing flares over the river to draw out the main Chinese force."

"Another brigade, launch an attack from the south! Go around to the rear!"

Numata Tokushige pointed at the map and made a big circle on it.

"Also, take orders for the Mingguang troops to launch a night attack on Magang and Sanheji to support the battlefield in Chihe Town!"

The staff officer bowed: "Hai!"

The west bank of Chihe River.

Wang Feng always paid attention to the three-dimensional combat map in his mind.

As soon as it got dark, the soldiers began to build a pontoon bridge. The shape of the Chi River is very unique, thick in the middle and narrow at both ends.

The crossing point chosen tonight is a river that is only forty meters wide.

There are lush reed marshes on both sides, and the evening breeze blows gently, making rustling sounds.

In a roundabout way, the key is to take the enemy by surprise.

The soldier, with his rifle on his shoulder, walked briskly, his body bent, and trotted quickly to the other side of the river.

A large brigade that had just crossed the river immediately set up a bridgehead to cover the subsequent troops crossing the river.

Wang Feng and Sergei were at the back.

"Sir, there's a call from Chihe Town saying that the 31st Army suffered a night attack and suffered heavy losses." Just after crossing the river, Sergei came over with a telegram.

Wang Feng suddenly felt something was wrong.

There was no movement on the three-dimensional combat map. With him as the center, there was no sign of any Japanese night attack within a radius of ten miles.

"Keep going northeast!"

"Notify Zhao Fangyuan to strengthen the position security!"

Sergey nodded: "Yes!"

Looking at the reeds swaying in the wind, Wang Feng had a bad feeling.

Since the Japanese army failed in their attack during the day, they will most likely make trouble at night.

It seems that everyone has the same idea.

The Japanese army wanted to win quickly and open up the Jinpu Railway in the shortest possible time.

He also had to inflict heavy damage on the Japanese army as soon as possible, otherwise the number of devils rushing from Beijing and Shanghai would increase and he would have no chance later.

The team crossing the river quickly dispersed and moved quickly towards the target location.

Chihe Town.

The war was intense, and the soldiers ate and slept in the trenches, holding their guns and relying on each other.

In Wang Feng's absence, Zhao Fangyuan did not dare to slack off at all and paced back and forth in the front line.

"Chief of Staff, the guards are all alert. It's too dangerous here. Why don't you go back first?" Wu Guangsheng followed and suggested with a frown.

Zhao Fangyuan waved his hand: "The commander has sent a telegram. The Japanese army is likely to launch a night attack tonight. We cannot relax for a moment."

"Come with me to the right side of the position."

Wu Guangsheng remembered something: "Chief of Staff, when we came out of Xuzhou, the Fifth War Zone gave us a batch of artillery shells, including a few flares. How about firing one and trying it out?"

Zhao Fangyuan hesitated: "Flare?"

Then I thought back on it and it seemed to be true.

Flares were rare in the Chinese army. The Fifth War Zone only had a few of them, and they were all sent out before departure.

Zhao Fangyuan: "Let's try it. Notify the mortar unit to test fire a round of flares!"

Using flares would simply expose their own targets, but the position was on the west bank of the Chi River, and they were still fighting a bloody battle with the Japanese invaders during the day, so there was no question of leaking the coordinates.

The signalman responded.

"Yes!"

ten minutes later.

"Whoosh-"

Several flares were launched rapidly from the rear positions, and the tail fins like meteors streaked across the night sky, and the dazzling white light dispersed the dark shore.

It was as bright in front of the position as day.

Zhao Fangyuan subconsciously squinted his eyes and placed his hand on his brow to block the sunlight.

Suddenly, he noticed a row of figures appearing on the other side of the river. Their shit-yellow military uniforms were particularly conspicuous, and they were moving towards their position in a skirmish formation.

Zhao Fangyuan shouted: "Prepare for battle!"

"Enemy attack!!! Prepare to fight!!"

In the dazzling light, he was not the only one who noticed the Japanese troops on the other side of the river.

The devils are very close!
The soldiers in the trenches woke up one after another, straightened their positions and immediately pulled the trigger.

Fierce fire was fired from the positions, and the Japanese soldiers on the east bank were stunned by the sudden flares.

"Nani?"

"Fire flares so soon?"

"Baga! Wake up! These are flares from the Chinese army. We've been discovered!"

"shooting!"

In panic, the Japanese soldiers launched a hasty counterattack.

Zhao Fangyuan bent over to avoid the bullets and called to the signalman beside him: "Quick! Send a message to the commander, the Chihe position was attacked at night!"

The signalman was extremely calm. He put the radio he was carrying on the ground and sent a telegram in the trench.

"Didi dididi——"

Zhao Fangyuan let out a long sigh, cold sweat pouring down his forehead.

Fortunately, it was discovered early. If the Japanese army had built a pontoon bridge under the cover of night or reached the west bank by boat, the situation would have been disastrous.

"Damn it, the name of the Japs is not in vain!"

Zhao Fangyuan walked quickly back to the command post.

A commander is not a soldier. When the gun is fired, he should return to his position.

Southeast of Chihe River.

"Sir, the vanguard troops marched four miles, and the scouts found traces of Japanese troops in the northeast direction!" Sergei walked over and said with a frown.

Two soldiers pulled up the map, and Wang Feng arranged the troops: "First Battalion, continue to move forward from here and block the invading Japanese army!"

"Second Battalion, Third Battalion, march in secret and head straight into the eastern hills!"

What the scouts could see, Wang Feng could also see from his bird's-eye view.

Even more detailed.

About a large group of Japanese soldiers were approaching our troops.

The operation was flawless. There was no possibility of a traitor in the army, and they had not encountered any Japanese troops along the way.

Based on the existing intelligence, there is only one possibility.

——That is, just as previously speculated, the Japanese army also plans to launch a surprise attack tonight.

The flanking maneuver turned into an encounter battle.

But it also created opportunities.

Wang Feng: "Our army has seized the initiative on the battlefield before the Japanese army. After the first battalion stops the Japanese army, the second and third battalions must move faster!"

"Give the little devils a chance to be in the dark!"

From a bird's-eye view, Wang Feng had already figured out the situation of this Japanese army.

All personnel traveled lightly and carried no heavy weapons.

Relying on the strength of the first brigade, it would be no problem to drag the battle until dawn, just like covering the eyes of the Japanese with a piece of cloth. In this way, the follow-up troops could sneak into the rear of the Japanese army without anyone noticing.

Sergei understood what Wang Feng meant: "Yes!"

The order was passed down step by step, and the troops were quickly divided into two routes.

Rustling!

The soldiers moved quickly through the grass. No one was talking to each other. Everyone was staring at the front - a small hill that was faintly visible in the moonlight.

Zhang Hu issued a death order.

"Seven kilometers in one hour!"

Military orders are as heavy as mountains and must be executed!
After half an hour.

Northeast side.

A large group of soldiers have already engaged the Japanese army.

"Night attacks are the Japanese army's strong point" is not just talk.

During infantry training, the Japanese army directly used night attacks as a separate training subject and organized soldiers to practice them uniformly.

There are even clear regulations in the Infantry Drill Manual.

When they were three or four kilometers away from the first group, they were already ready for battle.

The Japanese battalion commander quickly reported the news.

26th Brigade.

Numata Noriyuki sat on a chair with a sword in his hand, swinging the scabbard in his hand.

The staff officer came running over and said, "Sir, the night attack has failed."

Numata Tokushige raised an eyebrow, surprised by the result: "Huh?"

"what's the situation!"

The staff officer lowered his head and said: "The infantry battalion responsible for the flanking operation ran into the Chinese army that was also carrying out a night attack mission, and they are currently engaged in a battle!"

Numata Tokushige stood up and walked to the map.

"What is the approximate size of the Chinese army that crossed the river?"

PS: I have a fever, damn! I owe you one more chapter, I will make it up tomorrow

(End of this chapter)