Bright Sword: The Flowers of War

Chapter 237 Whacking a Mole

The sky was overcast and the visibility was still low, even though it was only a little past three in the afternoon.

The cold railway tracks, like two endless, shimmering snakes, meander through the dark, towering mountains of Shanxi.

"Clang, clang... clang, clang..."

A heavy military train, dragging its long body composed of boxcars and several passenger cars, uttered a monotonous yet rhythmic rumble, like a steel behemoth, laboriously crawling across the dim earth, heading towards the flesh-and-blood mill called Xinxian.

In the middle of the train, a brightly lit and warmly decorated luxury compartment stood out from the dirty and crowded freight cars in front and behind.

The heavy, deep red velvet curtains kept out the biting wind and endless darkness outside the window.

The carriage walls were inlaid with polished mahogany, and a small crystal chandelier emitted a soft yet bright electric light. On a dining table covered with a clean white tablecloth, there were exquisite Western-style tableware, and two stemmed glasses were filled with blood-red wine.

The newly appointed commander of the 20th Division, Lieutenant General Shichida Ichiro, was elegantly slicing a sizzling, fragrant steak on his plate with a knife.

His crisp, wrinkle-free officer's uniform was completely free of any creases.

Sitting opposite him was his chief of staff, Colonel Hisazo Kinemura.

His eating habits were much more uncouth; he chewed his food in large mouthfuls and occasionally picked up his wine glass to drink the wine in one gulp.

"Commander, Commander Shinotsuka is getting stranger and stranger."

Kichimura Hisazo put down his wine glass, oil stains still on his lips, his face showing undisguised dissatisfaction. "Kuroiwa Yoshikatsu's 24th Division, which is known as an expert in mountain warfare, was almost defeated in just two days by a bunch of peasant Chinese."

Instead of reflecting on his own actions, he urged us to hurry up and get to Xinxian to clean up his mess! It's utterly outrageous!

Shichida Ichiro slowly swallowed the beef in his mouth, wiped his mouth with a napkin, and said leisurely, "Kimura-kun, watch your words. Shinotsuka-kun is, after all, the commander of the First Army."

However... you're right, it's indeed unpleasant to have the Imperial Army's elite divisions pay the price for the incompetence of another division.

But there's no way around it; not just any division qualifies to be called a Class A division.

Just then, there was a gentle knock on the door of the private room. A young staff officer entered respectfully, presenting a newly translated telegram with both hands.

"Your Excellency Division Commander, Your Excellency Chief of Staff, this is an urgent telegram just sent from the Army Headquarters."

Ichiro Shichida didn't take it, but merely raised his chin. Hisazo Kimura snatched the telegram, glanced at it quickly, and a look of anger appeared on his face.

"Hmph! Another urging! They're ordering us to speed up and make sure we reach the outskirts of Xinxian before dawn tomorrow to coordinate with the 24th Division in launching a general offensive."

He threw the telegram on the table, poured himself another glass of red wine, and said, “Does Your Excellency think this is like riding a tram in Ginza, Tokyo? The railway has been completely destroyed by the guerrillas. The fact that we can maintain this speed is already a result of the engineering regiment’s desperate efforts.”

He touched his upper lip to his lower lip, and the moment he opened his mouth, he urged us to speed up.

How can we speed things up so we can fly over?

The two exchanged a glance, both seeing the same dissatisfaction in each other's eyes. They shook their heads helplessly and continued to enjoy their fine wine and food.

Of course, their food was a world apart from that of ordinary soldiers crammed into cramped freight cars, eating cold rice balls and drinking cold water.

What they didn't know was that danger was quietly descending two thousand meters above their heads.

…………

Meanwhile, in the sky above the train, three P-47 Thunderbolt fighter jets painted with shark mouth designs were moving through the thin clouds in a loose triangular formation, displaying an agility that belied their robust appearance.

"Buzz...buzz..."

The three Pratt & Whitney R-2800 "Twin Wasps" engines roared simultaneously, producing a deep, powerful sound like the howl of a wild beast.

Li Xiuming, who had just returned to the team a few days ago, was sitting in the cockpit of the "Thunder" aircraft on the far right of the formation.

Through the cold cockpit canopy, he could see the vast, dark land of North China below, and the Japanese military train that crawled slowly in the darkness like a glowing centipede.

Just last month, he was ambushed by Japanese Zero fighters during a routine patrol. His vehicle was shot down and he was forced to parachute to safety, but was fortunately rescued by a hunter's daughter.

For the next two weeks, he lived a difficult life in the deep mountains and forests, relying on Aguo, a Yi girl.

After finally getting A-Guo out of the mountains and back to the army, and after more than half a month of recovery, the team doctor finally approved his return to the skies.

Now he pilots this brand-new fighter jet, soaring through the skies of his homeland once again, ready to strike the Japanese invaders at any time.

His fingers were lightly resting on the weapon fire button on the joystick. His eyes, like a hawk in the night, were fixed on the moving "fire centipede" below.

The team leader's calm and collected voice came through the radio headset:

"Pirate Sixteen calling all units, 'Big Fish' spotted. Target: Japanese military train below. Repeat, target: Japanese military train. Prepare to execute 'Night Hunt' plan."

Unit 3, you're in charge of taking out the locomotive with rockets. Unit 2, attack freely, focusing on the passenger carriages in the middle and rear. I'll handle any potential anti-aircraft fire.

"On my command, begin the dive!"

Li Xiuming took a deep breath, his gaze instantly shifting from profound to serious.

He stretched out his gloved right hand and slammed it down on the dashboard!
"Click!"

The safety devices on the eight 127mm high-speed air-to-ground rockets mounted under the wings were disengaged.

"Start attacking!"

The team leader's order was like pressing the doorbell of hell.

The three "Thunderbolt" fighter jets, these three steel eagles perched above the clouds, instantly folded their wings.

Their massive and heavy fuselages plunged headlong into the deep darkness below with a speed and ferocity completely disproportionate to their size!
"Whoosh... Buzz..."

The roar of the engine instantly transformed from a deep growl into a terrifying, piercing shriek that tore through the air! Like three arrows from the gods, trailing trails of death, they shot towards the slow-moving iron dragon on the ground, completely unaware of what was happening.

In Li Xiuming's eyes, there was only the locomotive that kept growing larger in the darkness, emitting white smoke.

He seemed to become one with the plane, all distracting thoughts were left behind, leaving only the most primal and cold killing intent of a hunter locking onto his prey!
……

Inside the luxurious carriage, Kinemura Hisazo had just raised his wine glass, preparing to mock Shinotsuka Yoshio's foolishness once again.

"Boom...long..."

A deafening explosion, seemingly capable of turning the world upside down, suddenly came from the front of the train!

Immediately afterwards, an irresistible and devastating force was transmitted violently along the tracks and through the carriages!

“Bang!!”

Kishinura Hisazo and Shichita Ichiro were as if they had been shoved hard by an invisible giant hand, instantly being thrown off their soft chairs! Exquisite plates, wine glasses, steaks, and bottles flew into the air like a shower of petals, then danced wildly in mid-air before crashing to the ground with a "crash," shattering into pieces.

"Baka yarou... what happened?" Shichida Ichiro scrambled to his feet from the carpet, his military cap askew and his face smeared with red wine. He was a far cry from the dignified officer he once was.

"Squeak, squeak—Bang! Clang!!"

The train emitted a piercing, tooth-grinding screech of twisting and breaking metal! The entire carriage tilted and collided violently, as if it were about to fall apart at any moment.

The immense inertia caused the rear carriages to crash violently into the front carriages, one after another, crushing countless soldiers crammed into the boxcars into a bloody pulp in their sleep!
"Enemy attack! It's an enemy attack!"

Compared to Division Commander Shichida Ichiro, Chief of Staff Kinemura Kyuzo was younger and reacted more quickly. He scrambled to the window and recklessly ripped open the heavy velvet curtains. The sight outside made him feel as if he had fallen into an ice cave!

Ahead of the train, a raging inferno had erupted! The massive locomotive had been blasted into a twisted, black-smoking pile of scrap metal, detached from the tracks, half-buried in the mountainside. The towering flames turned the surrounding night sky a blood-red hue!
And right there in that blood-red sky, three huge and ferocious black shadows, trailing long howls like demons, swooped down from the sky like lightning!
"It's an airplane... a Chinese airplane... take off!" he roared in despair.

Before the words were even finished, the team leader and another pilot's "Thunder" had already entered the optimal attack range!
"Dong dong dong dong..."

Sixteen Browning heavy machine guns, each with a 12.7mm caliber, roared simultaneously! The sound was like death tearing apart a huge canvas, dense and terrifying!
Thick, red barrages of blazing tracer bullets, exuding an aura of destruction, descended from the sky like sixteen angry fire whips, lashing fiercely at the train's fragile body!
"Duh! Duh! Duh! Duh! Duh!"

The bullets sliced ​​through the thin sheet metal and wooden planks of the sealed freight cars as easily as a hot knife through butter!
The scene inside the carriage instantly transformed into a living hell! The Japanese soldiers, crammed together, were torn to shreds by the barrage of large-caliber bullets!
Blood plasma, bits of flesh, internal organs, and bone fragments exploded into thick clouds of blood mist in the confined space.

After the bullet pierced the human body, it struck the other side of the carriage, sending up a trail of sparks and wood chips. A piercing, inhuman scream even drowned out the roar of the machine gun, only to be overwhelmed by a new roar the next second!

"Return fire! Anti-aircraft guns! Return fire now!"

As a train specifically designed to transport troops, it naturally had anti-aircraft firepower. The anti-aircraft gunners located on the platforms in the middle and rear of the train finally recovered from their shock.

They frantically spun the gun mounts, desperately pointing the muzzle of the Type 96 25mm anti-aircraft gun towards the sky.

"Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!"

The green tracer bullets, like wildly growing ghostly claws, futilely reached out towards the night sky, trying to grab those incredibly agile black Grim Reapers.

However, a "Raiden" was already aimed at the luxury carriage where Ichiro Shichida was, and it swooped down!

Hisashi Kinemura's pupils contracted to the size of pinpoints in an instant! He could clearly see the eight dark, devilish machine gun muzzles beneath the plane's wings!

He instinctively tackled Shichida Ichiro to the ground!
"Boom boom boom boom boom boom boom boom—!!!"

A storm of bullets swept through the carriage in an instant, tearing jagged gashes through the sturdy mahogany walls! The magnificent crystal chandelier was shattered by a single bullet, turning into countless glittering fragments.

Countless wood chips and metal fragments flew around the carriage like shotgun pellets! A bullet grazed Kyuzo Kichimura's scalp and punched a huge hole in the back of the sofa behind him!

The officers' shouts, the soldiers' screams, the roar of machine guns, the anti-aircraft guns' retaliatory fire, and the ear-piercing sound of metal scraping against metal after the train derailed were all mixed together.

The effect of the first wave of attacks was devastating.

Li Xiuming's eight 127mm rockets, like eight Thor's hammers, precisely smashed the "spine" of the locomotive.

The steel behemoth let out a final, mournful cry amidst the violent explosion, and its massive body was uncontrollably thrown off the tracks.

"Boom... Clang..."

The immense inertia resulted in a devastating chain-reaction collision.

Dozens of heavy carriages behind crashed into the twisted carriage in front of them one after another, like dominoes.

The fragile connector was torn apart instantly by the enormous force, and the carriages were thrown off the tracks. Some overturned on their sides, while others were twisted and piled up like crumpled tin cans.

In just a few seconds, the entire train was reduced to a massive pile of wrecked iron, belching smoke and flames, lying paralyzed beside the tracks. Nearly half of the carriages lay sprawled on the ground in various bizarre positions, completely blocking the original tracks.

But this was merely the prelude to the massacre.

The real hell is in those stuffy freight cars that are locked from the outside.

"Open the door! Open the door now!"

"Help! Help! My leg is stuck!"

"Fire! The train car is on fire!!"

"His Majesty the Emperor... Ahhhhh!"

The interior of the carriage had become the most desperate, living metal coffin.

The violent impact caused countless soldiers to be crushed and killed.

The machine gun fire that followed closely behind from Cheng Rufeng and his men turned these sealed cans into a slaughterhouse. 12.7mm bullets easily tore through the metal, carving bloody trails through the crowded throng.

Some carriages quickly burst into flames after oil lamps were knocked over or ignited by tracer rounds. The flames spread wildly in the confined space, licking at the living, breathing bodies that could not escape. Soldiers inside frantically pounded on the locked doors, emitting shrill, inhuman screams.

Their bodies were set ablaze, turning into twisting, struggling torches until they were finally burned to charcoal. Their screams and cries, mixed with the crackling of burning wood and the sizzling of charred flesh, echoed throughout the valley.

The three Grim Reapers in the sky showed no mercy whatsoever.

"Pirate Sixteen calling all units, 'whack-a-mole' game begins. Free attack, prioritize clearing the anti-aircraft gun positions, then smash those tin cans open one by one!"

The team leader's voice, transmitted clearly via radio to every pilot, was as calm as if he were conducting shooting training at a firing range.

"understand!"

Li Xiuming and another pilot responded in unison.

They skillfully pulled up the nose of their aircraft, drawing a graceful arc in the night sky, and once again aimed at the chaotic, dying prey below, beginning their second dive.

“Woo-hum-hum!!!”

The shrill scream of death descended once more.

This time, their goal was much clearer.

Li Xiuming's plane, like a precise falcon, locked onto an anti-aircraft gun position in the middle of the train that was still firing in vain.

“Day after day, day after day…”

He pressed the fire button. A dense hail of bullets from eight heavy machine guns instantly covered the gun emplacement.

The Japanese gunners, who were frantically shaking the gun mount, didn't even have time to scream before their bodies were instantly reduced to a blur of bloody mist. The Type 96 anti-aircraft gun was also shattered, its parts scattered everywhere, reduced to a pile of scrap metal.

After eliminating the threat, Li Xiuming did not pause at all. He lowered the engine and aimed it at a boxcar that had overturned on its side.

He could clearly see countless desperate hands reaching out from the gaps in the carriage, waving in vain.

His eyes remained completely still.

“Day after day…”

Another round of short but deadly shots!

A storm of bullets, like the iron plow of death, ruthlessly ripped through the roof of the carriage. The thin sheet metal was torn open in an instant, revealing a huge, gruesome gash.

Through the opening, one could see that it was crowded with Japanese soldiers, their faces contorted with fear. They looked up, staring blankly at the black demon in the sky, their eyes filled with endless despair.

Dive, fire, pull up...

Dive again, fire again, pull up again...

Three "Thunderbolt" fighter jets, like three vultures circling and pecking at the corpses, patiently and systematically, one by one, used machine guns and the remaining rockets to target the "tin cans" scattered along the railway tracks.

The explosion illuminated the valley as if it were daytime.

Limbs, severed organs, and twisted corpses were scattered everywhere by the blast wave, hanging from tree branches and lying beside the railway tracks, turning the area into a bloody, infernal, and hellish scene...

(End of this chapter)