Bright Sword: The Flowers of War

Chapter 316 Shifting Responsibility
August 3rd, 5:30 AM.

The sky was still veiled in a thin, hazy gray, and the eastern horizon was just beginning to show a hint of dawn.

However, what shattered the pre-dawn tranquility was not the chirping of birds at dawn, but a sharp whistle that pierced the sky!

Then came the second sound, the third sound... hundreds and thousands of sounds!

It was as if a huge rift had been torn open in the sky in an instant, and countless orange-red projectiles converged into a torrent of steel, soaring into the air from the Allied artillery positions, laughing maniacally with death, and viciously crashing down on the sleeping city of Taiyuan.

The next second, a thunderous roar descended.

"Boom... Boom boom boom..."

The entire earth trembled and groaned violently under this apocalyptic judgment.

More than two hundred artillery pieces of various types... from the 155mm heavy artillery of the Shanxi militia to the 75mm mountain guns of the Jin-Sui Army, all unleashed their fury without reservation at this moment.

Countless shells landed precisely on the city walls of Taiyuan, the Japanese forward positions, and the numerous bunkers scattered throughout the city. The earth seemed to be being repeatedly and forcefully pounded by an angry giant with an invisible iron hammer.

The sturdy reinforced concrete bunker was easily torn into the air like a child's building blocks amidst the deafening explosion, disintegrating into countless fragments in mid-air.

The defensive fortifications that the Japanese army spent more than half a month building near the city wall could not withstand the saturation of steel rain for even half an hour before being completely engulfed by towering flames and black smoke.

In a temporary observation post on the Allied front, Commander Liu of the 771st Regiment, who had just taken over from the Independent Regiment and the New 1st Regiment, and Blind Cheng of the 772nd Regiment, were staring intently at the distant city of Taiyuan through binoculars, completely mesmerized.

Their mouths were open unconsciously, their Adam's apples bobbing up and down, but they couldn't make a sound.

The violent tremors of the ground beneath their feet made their teeth chatter. The scene seen through their binoculars was completely beyond their understanding of "war."

That was no longer shelling; it was a one-sided and unreasonable demolition!

"Fuck..."

Commander Liu put down his binoculars and cursed in a hoarse voice, "This...this is war? This is ripping down a city!"

Commander Cheng looked dazed and muttered to himself, "My goodness... is this all the Shanxi militia has to offer?"
"If our Eighth Route Army had this kind of firepower, let alone Taiyuan, we'd even dare to challenge Tokyo..."

Meanwhile, inside Taiyuan City, at the headquarters of the Japanese First Army.

As the first shells fell, Yoshio Shinotsuka was holding a cup of hot tea, preparing to study the latest battle report. The violent explosion shook the entire building violently, and dust fell from the ceiling, landing precisely in his teacup.

Before he could even get angry, a communications officer scrambled in, his face filled with terror: "General! The Chinese army... the Chinese army's general offensive has begun! The artillery fire... the artillery fire is too intense! The defenses in the north of the city... are already..."

Before he could finish speaking, another heavy shell exploded near the command post. The huge shockwave shattered all the glass, and a violent blast of air, carrying debris and documents, rushed towards them!

"General, it's too dangerous here! Please move to the underground command post immediately!" The adjutant rushed over and protected him tightly.

Yoshio Shinotsuka's face was ashen. He clenched his fists tightly, listening to the deafening roar outside, and finally managed to squeeze out a single word through gritted teeth: "Go!"

As he scrambled into his dark, damp underground command post, the proud Imperial lieutenant general could only helplessly listen to the seemingly endless explosions overhead, awaiting the Allied ground forces' attack.

He suddenly realized that his proud strategy of holding Taiyuan and waiting for reinforcements while attacking from the center seemed ridiculous in the face of the enemy's overwhelming firepower.

In the oppressive silence of the underground command post, the sounds of explosions overhead seemed like an endless drumbeat, pounding on the fragile nerves of every Japanese officer. Yoshio Shinotsuka stared intently at the map, watching as the staff officers helplessly crossed out the red dots representing the city's defenses, his heart sinking deeper and deeper into a cold abyss.

"Your Excellency Commander!"

A harsh voice shattered the deathly silence of the command post.

His trusted confidant, special operations expert Yamamoto Ichiki, strode in from the entrance. His uniform was relatively neat, but the solemn expression on his face was deeper than anyone else's.

He walked up to Yoshio Shinotsuka and said in a deep voice, "Sir... Taiyuan has now become a battlefield, and it is really not safe for you to be here."

You should leave the city quickly before the Chinese complete their final encirclement! Otherwise, once the Chinese have completely surrounded the area, you won't be able to leave even if you want to!

"Leave? Where can I go?"

Facing his trusted confidant, Yoshio Shinotsuka no longer put on the airs of a commander. He slowly raised his head, a bitter smile appearing on his face. His once spirited face was now filled with dejection and exhaustion.

"Yamamoto-kun, as the commander of the First Army, I am now about to lose Taiyuan. Do you think... Commander Tada of the North China Area Army will let me go, or Commander-in-Chief Nishio of the Expeditionary Army will let me go?"

He shook his head self-deprecatingly, his voice filled with despair.

"Rather than fleeing in a sorry state and being forced to commit seppuku by military police sent by headquarters, I'd rather die here. That way, at least I can preserve the last shred of dignity for my family."

"Commander, you're being foolish!"

Upon hearing this, Yamamoto Ichiki became agitated and stepped forward, almost shouting it out.

"If you really die in Taiyuan, that will truly embarrass Commander Tada and Commander-in-Chief Nishio! You're putting them in a very difficult position!"

He pointed to the top of his head, his face flushed with excitement.

"Since the start of the Sino-Japanese War, the Japanese Empire has never had a record of a corps-level commander being killed in battle."

Are you trying to set a precedent? What will the entire army think? What will the people at home think? If this really happens, how will your two commanders in Beiping and Nanjing bear it? How will they explain themselves to the General Headquarters and His Majesty the Emperor?

Yamamoto Ichiki's words struck Shinotsuka Yoshio like a heavy hammer, causing a flicker of wavering in his previously lifeless eyes.

Yamamoto Ichiki's words were like pouring oil on Shinotsuka Yoshio's dying embers.

Yes… he suddenly realized. Since the start of the war, there had indeed been no precedent of a corps-level commander dying on the battlefield.

If I were to die in Taiyuan and set a precedent, then my superiors, Toshizo Nishio and Shun Tada, would absolutely be held responsible for their poor command and inadequate rescue efforts.

When that time comes, in order to shirk responsibility, in their anger and embarrassment, who will they vent all their anger on?
Without a doubt, it will be Yoshio Shinotsuka's family, his wife and children! They will become scapegoats, suffering humiliation and retribution far worse than defeat.

By then, what meaning would his so-called death in battle "to preserve the family's honor" have? It would be nothing but a colossal joke!

The will to survive instantly overwhelmed that ridiculous samurai dignity.

But as the commander of the First Army, he couldn't just pack up and run away like a junior officer. He needed a way out, an order, a reason for him to "retreat under orders" rather than "flee in panic."

His brain, dulled by the bombardment, began to work at lightning speed, spurred by the will to survive. Moments later, a brilliant plan—a strategic retreat—formed in his mind.

He pondered for a moment, the ashen look on his face vanishing, replaced by a shrewd and calculating calm. He turned and called to the guard at the door, "Summon the communications officer!"

Soon, a communications officer jogged up to him.

Without even glancing at him, Yoshio Shinotsuka quickly ordered, "Send a telegram immediately to Commander Tada of the North China Area Army Headquarters, reporting our current situation to him."

He paused, composed himself, and continued:

"I, Yoshio Shinotsuka, am determined to follow the teachings of His Excellency Nogi Maresuke, who vowed to 'serve the country through seven lifetimes,' and am prepared to live and die with Taiyuan to repay His Majesty the Emperor's boundless grace! I hope that after my death, Commander Tada will take over my command and lead the Imperial Army forces in Shanxi to avenge me! Then, even if I die in battle, I can die with a smile on my face!"

As Yamamoto Ichiki listened to these words, his eyes widened, finally revealing undisguised admiration.

Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant! This telegram isn't a plea for death at all; it's clearly a masterful cry for help!

……

Meanwhile, hundreds of kilometers away in Beiping, the headquarters of the North China Area Army.

When the encrypted telegram was deciphered and delivered to Commander-in-Chief Tada Shun, the commander-in-chief of the army group was staring intently at a map of Shanxi.

However, after reading the contents of the telegram, the solemnity on his face vanished instantly. His face first turned ashen, then flushed a deep liver color, and the veins on his hand holding the teacup bulged!

"Bagaya Deer!"

A furious roar echoed throughout the headquarters. Tada Shun slammed the teacup in his hand to the ground, scalding tea and porcelain shards flying everywhere.

He was trembling with rage. In Tada Shun's eyes, Shinotsuka Yoshio's actions were not a matter of resolute suicide, but rather a clear challenge to him! He was using Shinotsuka's life to force him to issue the order to retreat and take full responsibility for the loss of Taiyuan!
That bastard... he's really too mean!

Tada Shun paced back and forth in his office, muttering curses in a voice only he could hear.

Yoshio Shinotsuka's "Great Shift of the Universe" was so outrageous that it made him feel like a piece of fatty meat being roasted over a fire, sizzling and dripping with oil, yet unable to move.

For a moment, Tada Shun really wished he could immediately board a plane, fly straight from Beiping to Shanxi, rush to the cave where Shinotsuka Yoshio was, and give him a good beating from both sides, so that he would know why the flowers are so red and understand that playing tricks on superiors comes at a price!
However, an impulse is ultimately just an impulse.

He gasped for breath, his chest heaving violently, but he managed to suppress his temper. He plopped back into his chair, picked up the now-cold tea, and gulped it down. The icy tea calmed his feverish mind somewhat.

He knew that getting angry wouldn't solve anything.

Yoshio Shinotsuka's telegram has arrived, and now the ball is in his court.

If he agrees to the retreat, he will have to take the blame for losing Taiyuan; if he disagrees, and Yoshio Shinotsuka really does act rashly and commits suicide, he will be in even more trouble.

After thinking for a while, Tada Shun's eyes darted around, and the idea of ​​"passing the buck" popped into his head.

You, Yoshio Shinotsuka, know how to have fun, so why can't I, Shun Tada, do the same?

He immediately summoned his staff officer, dictated a telegram, and sent it to Toshizo Nishio, the commander-in-chief of the China Expeditionary Army, who was far away in Nanjing.

The content of the telegram was nothing short of "art".

He first attached the "suicide" telegram sent by Yoshio Shinotsuka verbatim, so that the Commander-in-Chief could also appreciate the "loyalty and bravery" of his subordinate.

Then, in an extremely sorrowful and self-reproachful tone, he hypocritically apologized to Nishio Toshizo, saying that he had mismanaged the battle and caused the Taiyuan campaign to deteriorate to this point, and that he deserved to die.

Finally, he changed his tone, adopting a "considering the bigger picture" approach, earnestly hoping that Commander-in-Chief Nishio, for the sake of the fact that "no army commander of the Empire has yet been killed in battle," would agree to Lieutenant General Yoshio Shinotsuka's withdrawal from Taiyuan City, thus preserving a sliver of strength for the Empire. After sending this telegram, Tada Shun felt a great sense of relief. He had successfully passed this hot potato, along with the blame, to his superior. Now, it was Nishio Toshizo's turn to have a headache.

An hour later, a reply arrived from Nanjing from Toshizo Nishio.

The telegram was extremely brief, containing only two words, yet it weighed a ton.

"agree!"

…………

Three thousand meters above the ground, Cheng Rufeng's P-47 fighter jet, like a soaring steel eagle, hovered steadily over Taiyuan City.

Inside the cockpit, there was only the steady roar of the engine and the occasional buzzing of electrical current from the radio.

He had just led the first wave of attacks, accurately dropping a series of 250-kilogram aerial bombs into several key Japanese strongholds and artillery positions outside the northern city.

Now that he has completed his bombing mission, his role has shifted from "butcher" to "hunter".

He pushed up his sunglasses and looked down through the cockpit window at the city that had been turned into a hellish landscape.

From his perspective, Taiyuan City looked like a giant anthill that had been kicked over.

Thick black smoke and orange-red flames formed the city's main colors, and the dense streets were divided into separate battlefields.

He could see the small gray dots (tanks) representing the militia, advancing slowly and steadily through the streets like bulldozers, while the small gray dots representing the Japanese army were being constantly compressed and swallowed up.

He thought listlessly, "Are there any big fish left on the surface? Just catching these small fry isn't enough."

Meanwhile, the world on the ground presents a completely different picture.

Yoshio Shinotsuka felt that every second of his life had never felt so long.

He sat in the chair, but felt like he was sitting on pins and needles. The explosions and vibrations coming from above seemed like the death knell tolling for his life.

He dared not think about the outcome of the telegram, because either way, it would mean the end for him.

Just as he was about to be driven mad by the suffocating wait, a communications officer rushed in, stumbling and nearly falling at the doorway because he was running so fast.

"Telegram, Your Excellency Commander!" The staff officer, disregarding his disheveled appearance, held up a thin telegram sheet, his voice sharp and hoarse from excitement and lack of oxygen, "Beiping... a reply from Beiping!"

The eyes of everyone in the command center instantly focused on that piece of paper.

Yamamoto Kazuki strode forward, took the telegram from the staff officer, and turned to hand it to Shinotsuka Yoshio.

Yoshio Shinotsuka's hands were trembling. He took a deep breath to steady himself and accepted the note that could determine his life or death. His gaze fell on the paper, which contained only two simple, cold-blooded Chinese characters.

"agree!"

In an instant, Yoshio Shinotsuka felt all the strength drain from his body.

He leaned back heavily against the chair, letting out a long sigh that was a mixture of relief and humiliation. He had survived, but at the cost of his honor as commander of the First Army.

He didn't dwell on these complex emotions for long. He immediately raised his head and looked at Yamamoto Ichiki with a completely new and dependent gaze.

Yamamoto Ichiki understood immediately, bowed slightly to him, and his face showed confidence that he was well prepared.

"Your Excellency Commander, please rest assured."

His voice wasn't loud, but it was unusually firm: "I have prepared a secret evacuation route. From here to the temporary helipad in the west of the city, we have tanks providing cover."

Please give me ten minutes; the special forces will clear the final obstacle for you!

Having said that, he said no more, turned to the several special agent officers who had been waiting behind him, and said in a deep voice, "Prepare to activate Operation Three."

"Hai!"

Just after Yamamoto Ichiki's order was given, and several tanks disguised as ordinary troop carriers began to assemble in a secluded courtyard in the west of the city, Cheng Rufeng, high in the sky, heard his wingman's exclamation over the radio.

"Boss, look! At nine o'clock, in that industrial area west of the city! There are several trucks and... looks like armored vehicles gathering! They're acting suspiciously, not like they're in battle!"

Cheng Rufeng's spirits lifted instantly. He immediately pushed the control stick, and the fuselage turned to the side, flying in the direction the wingman had pointed.

"Oh?"

A hunter's smile instantly appeared on his lips as he spotted his prey, and he ordered into the microphone: "Pirate Squadron Two, keep a close watch on the west side of the city!"
"We've discovered something! A big rat is trying to sneak out of its hole!"

…………

In a low passage leading out of the city, a series of hurried footsteps could be heard.

This secret passage was a narrow and oppressive concrete tunnel, with cold water droplets condensing on the walls. Every ten meters, there was a dim explosion-proof light that cast long, thin shadows that danced wildly on the mottled walls like ghosts.

The air was thick with dust, gunpowder smoke, and a nauseating, damp, musty smell.

The continuous explosions overhead were muffled by the thick layer of soil, sounding like a heartbeat from the depths of hell, each tremor causing one's heart to clench.

Yoshio Shinotsuka was quite old, and after the ordeal of escaping, he was so exhausted that his face turned pale.

He was practically being carried along by two special agents as he walked quickly. This once imposing Imperial Lieutenant General was now deathly pale, his forehead covered in cold sweat.

His feet became unsteady, and he almost tripped over his military boots several times. His once crisp general's uniform was stained and filthy in the narrow passage, making him look quite disheveled.

In contrast, Yamamoto Ichiki was much calmer.

He walked at the front, holding an MP38 submachine gun, his hawk-like eyes scanning every shadow ahead warily.

He moved forward quickly, issuing commands in a low voice from time to time.

"Faster...faster!"

Yamamoto Ichiki turned around and shouted in a low voice, urging the almost exhausted Shinotsuka Yoshio, "Commander, I'm sorry to have troubled you, but the plane can't wait!"

Finally, a faint ray of light appeared at the end of the passage.

At the same time, high in the sky.

Cheng Rufeng's F4U Corsair fighter jet tore through the clouds like an arrow, swooping down from an altitude of three thousand meters with a piercing whistle.

The land rapidly expanded in his field of vision, and the outline of the industrial area in the west of the city became increasingly clear.

"I see!"

He shouted excitedly, "Three armored vehicles, two trucks, and two cars! They're moving, getting ready to board!"

Through the magnified scope, he could clearly see that in the yard of an abandoned factory, a dozen Japanese soldiers were nervously building a temporary defensive line.

Next to one of the clearly reinforced Type 97 tanks, the turret cover was wide open, and several officers were frantically shoving a somewhat obese man into the vehicle.

"Hahaha... It really is a big fish!"

Cheng Rufeng's mouth stretched to his ears, "With that physique and that demeanor, I wouldn't believe it if you beat me to death if you said he wasn't a general-level officer."

"Pirate One has spotted a big fish, time to eat!"

He crackled through the radio, “All units, free fire! Smash those iron turtles to pieces!”

Just as Yamamoto Ichiki had shoved Shinotsuka Yoshio into the armored vehicle and was about to jump in himself, a chilling shriek descended from the sky, growing louder as it approached!

He looked up abruptly, his pupils contracting sharply!

A menacing fighter jet painted with a shark mouth was hurtling straight toward them at a terrifying angle, accompanied by a deathly roar!

"Enemy planes are diving! Take cover!"

Yamamoto Ichiki let out a hoarse roar and slammed the car door shut with all his might.

The next second, Cheng Rufeng pressed the button on the machine gun.

The six Browning M2 heavy machine guns at the wing roots of the F4U fighter jet simultaneously spewed out destructive flames!

"Dong dong dong dong..."

Like a giant chainsaw wielded by the Grim Reaper, hundreds of 12.7mm armor-piercing incendiary rounds were fired in a single second, forming a visible steel barrage outlined by tracer rounds, which slammed into the ground!
The cement ground was easily plowed into deep furrows, and the flying gravel scattered like shrapnel.

A Japanese soldier who was about to climb onto a truck was instantly riddled with bullets, his upper body turning into a bloody mist! The fuel tank of another truck was detonated, exploding into a huge fireball with a deafening roar!

The tank that Yoshio Shinotsuka was in was given special attention.

Bullets rained down on the armor, producing a terrifying, teeth-grinding clang. Inside the vehicle, Yoshio Shinotsuka huddled in a corner, clutching his head tightly with both hands, his body trembling violently, emitting inhuman howls.

"Drive! Break through at full speed!"

Yamamoto Ichiki pinned Shinotsuka Yoshio down and roared at the driver, his face contorted with rage and madness.

However, after Cheng Rufeng's first round of strafing, his wingman, who was right behind them, had already aimed at them and began a second round of deadly dives.

(End of this chapter)