Sword: Heart of Iron

Chapter 245 "As long as we can hold on until dawn"

The soldiers smiled at the thought.

Sending Japanese prisoners to mine and then using the weapons produced to kill Japanese soldiers is definitely the best solution.

Screw preferential policies!

"Reporting, sir!" A scout cavalryman galloped up, "Sir, situation detected ahead!"

Yuan Yelin perked up: "What happened?"

Scout cavalryman: "Sir, we have spotted what appears to be a Japanese marching column two kilometers ahead!"

Beside him, the operations staff officer jumped off his horse and called two soldiers to help him unfold the map: "Sir, if we haven't gone to the wrong place, the Japanese troops we've discovered are the command headquarters of the 6th Division!"

Yuan Yelin brandished his riding whip: "Good!"

"Brothers, charge forward and avenge the victims!"
"kill!"

Upon hearing that they were about to arrive at the battlefield, their previously somewhat dispirited morale immediately soared again, and the soldiers quickened their pace, with some even starting to jog.

Yuan Yelin spurred his horse forward and shouted, "Giddy up!"

"Cavalry company, follow me!"

After the Battle of Dangshan, the First Column's order of battle underwent a minor adjustment, with many new and strengthened company-level support units added to the original nine infantry and two artillery units.

The cavalry company was one of them.

"drive!"

The sound of hooves rang out as hundreds of cavalrymen charged out of the ranks, bursting into full speed, following behind Yuan Yelin.

The operations staff shouted, "Brothers, we can't fall behind! Hurry up! After the battle, I'll personally treat you all to meat!"

------

Inside the command post.

Wang Feng's consciousness was immersed in the overhead view, his perspective constantly shifting between the fleeing Sixth Division command post and the Second Battalion of the First Column.

We're almost there!

Wang Feng breathed a sigh of relief. As long as he could catch up, he would have already won half the battle.

Zhao Fangyuan: "Sir, urgent telegram from Wuhan!"

As the effects of the Zhanggufeng Incident gradually faded, the Japanese army began to stir again. In the past few days, the number of telegrams sent and received between the front lines in Wuhan and Anqing has been several times that of the previous days.

Wang Feng: "What is it?"

Zhao Fangyuan: "The Japanese army in North China is gathering in the Lu'an area. The Military Intelligence Bureau is investigating its specific movements. According to the preliminary estimate of the Wuhan Intelligence Office, it is very likely that they are heading towards the Dabie Mountains!"

Wang Feng frowned: "Dabie Mountains?"

"How could you move so fast?"

This is no longer just a matter of being restless;

In the original timeline, the Zhanggufeng Incident took the Japanese army at least half a month to resolve. Only a week has passed now. According to Wang Feng's plan, even if the Japanese army were to launch a general offensive, it would take another two or three days.

Zhao Fangyuan: "It is very likely a feint to relieve the pressure on Anqing."

Wang Feng frowned: "I hope so, but we must not let our guard down. Order all units of the Fifth War Zone to speed up the construction of fortifications and guard against the Japanese invasion!"

Zhao Fangyuan: "Yes!"

"Oh, sir, there's one more thing!"

Wang Feng lit a cigarette: "Go on."

Zhao Fangyuan: "It was still a message from the Military Intelligence Bureau. They said that they saw several Japanese warships on the Wuhu to Nanjing route. They were not inland river gunboats, and there were airplanes on the decks of the ships."

As he spoke, he pulled a stack of photos out of his pocket.

Wang Feng picked up a card at random.

"aircraft carrier?
"Can this thing see up to the river?"

Zhao Fangyuan: "Yes, it's an aircraft carrier! I heard from a friendly staff officer who participated in the Battle of Shanghai that Japanese warplanes could take off from it."

He was an army general who had been fighting in Shanxi and North China. He had never seen the sea in his life, and the largest ships he had ever seen were probably the gunboats of the Japanese Third Fleet.

Even if you've never eaten pork, you've still seen a pig run, right?
Wang Feng held up the photo, his brows furrowing even more deeply.

Judging from its size, this should not be considered a true aircraft carrier; more accurately, it should be described as a seaplane carrier.

Although they both have "aircraft carrier" in their names, they are completely different in reality.

Wang Feng: "Tell the Military Intelligence Bureau to keep a close eye on these ships!"

Zhao Fangyuan saluted: "Yes!"

Wang Feng: "Have the 27th and 31st Armies withdrawn?"

Zhao Fangyuan: "We are gradually retreating, but the Botian Detachment is pursuing us quite closely, which may cause some delays."

Wang Feng: "It's alright, they're just clowns, they won't be able to keep jumping around for long!" As long as the Second Battalion of the First Column can successfully annihilate the Sixth Division's command post, once the news gets out, the Hata Detachment will definitely be hesitant to act.

He refused to believe that Shigeichi Hata, who had already experienced a sneak attack, would not feel fear upon learning of Shiro Inaba's fate.

After saying that, he immediately switched the view to the overhead view.

--------

"drive!"

The cavalry company advanced at an exceptionally fast pace. Yuan Yelin spurred his horse forward, leaping over a small hill before abruptly reining in his horse.

"Sir, look! The target is right down here!"

Nearby, the scout who had just come to report the news pointed to a spot not far away.

Yuan Yelin looked over.

On the grass below the hill, a Japanese army unit was setting up camp. Judging from its size, it numbered at most a few hundred men, but it carried a considerable amount of supplies.

"Sir, what should we do now?" The soldier drew his saber from his waist. "Should we just charge in and catch them off guard?"

Yuan Yelin pressed down on his hand: "Dismount first, first platoon, second platoon, dismount and fire to harass them, force out the high-ranking Japanese officers!"

There were quite a few soldiers on the other side, at least one or two hundred by sight. In the era of cold weapons, a single charge by a hundred cavalrymen would have been enough to rout the enemy in front of them.

Unfortunately, times have changed.
"dismount!
"quick!"

Upon receiving the order, the two platoon leaders urged each other in hushed tones.

--------

Inaba Shiro held a telegram from the front lines in his hand.

Kamei Tatsusuke stood beside him: "General, after receiving the news, the naval air force changed its bombing direction. This afternoon, the last batch of fighter jets dropped all their bombs on the gaps in our lines. If the battle goes smoothly, we can re-fill the lines by tomorrow morning!"

Inaba Shiro nodded.

This speed is already very fast. To launch such an offensive, the frontline troops must have made huge sacrifices.

This can be seen from the casualty figures reported by the brigade.

With relentless, relentless charges, they were able to capture even the most elite enemy troops.

Inaba Shiro glanced at the time: "It's getting late. Let's set off immediately and continue heading northwest. If we can make it through tonight..."

No sooner had he finished speaking than a gunshot rang out beside him.

Kamei Tatsusuke instinctively shielded Inaba Shiro: "General, the Chinese are catching up!"
"Enemy attack!"

"Enemy attack!"

The guards in the camp were thrown into chaos, frantically raising their guns to resist.

Kamei Tatsusuke: "Sir, retreat immediately!"

Inaba Shiro: "Get the horses ready! Get the horses ready!"

Now is not the time for sentimentality. If I were captured by the Chinese, the entire course of the Anqing campaign would likely be drastically altered.

As the saying goes, "Only by being able to bend and stretch can one be a true man!"
Kamei Tatsusuke moved swiftly, quickly leading over a horse, whether it was a lead horse or a warhorse carrying people, and helped Inaba Shiro onto it.

"Da da da--!"

Urged on by the gunfire, Inaba Shiro ignored those around him and spurred his horse to gallop away.

Kamei Tatsusuke called over a few guards, who followed on horseback.

A group of guards and operations staff were left behind to continue the resistance.

------

On the hill.

The sky was dark, and Yuan Yelin couldn't see the specific situation below.

"Sir, the Japanese seem to be charging up!" a sharp-eyed soldier shouted.

Yuan Yelin: "Quickly, keep firing, don't stop!"

The mound under their feet was small, with a height difference of no more than five meters. The Japanese soldiers could rush up it in two quick steps.

"It looks like some Japanese soldiers have escaped!"

Looking over, Yuan Yelin saw that several cavalrymen seemed to be rushing out from behind the Japanese camp, moving away from the battlefield at an extremely fast speed.

"Quickly, the rest of you, come with me right now!"

Seeing that he had achieved his goal, he stopped talking and called to the remaining cavalrymen still on horseback, intending to turn around the camp and pursue the fleeing enemy.

If I'm not mistaken, there must be a Japanese division commander among those blurry figures.

"drive!"

(End of this chapter)