Republic of China: Ace Pilot

After Fang Wen filled the gaps in the minefield with incendiary bombs and a hail of bullets from gunboats, the Japanese forces on the front line in Datong halted their advance.

Under the triple pressure of minefields, ground fire, and air strikes, the main Japanese forces and reserves were unable to make any progress.

The initial group of Japanese soldiers and those who had crossed the burning zone became sitting ducks with nowhere to escape.

The Japanese commander was so angry at this situation that he trembled with rage, but he was at a loss for what to do.

He originally thought that with twice the number of troops as the Eighth Route Army, even without air support, he could forcefully break through the defenses and storm into the black lead factory to reclaim the graphite.

But he never expected that the Eighth Route Army's defenses were so tight, with layers upon layers of minefields, and the gunboats and aircraft in the air were even more powerful, using incendiary bombs and air strikes to block the passage.

In just one hour, the Japanese army suffered hundreds of casualties, and the morale of the remaining soldiers plummeted.

"Baka yarou! Trash! All trash!" The Japanese commander roared weakly, brandishing his sword.

At the same time, the 1500-strong puppet army unit sent to attack the flank and rear of the Eighth Route Army also suffered a devastating defeat.

This puppet army unit was far less effective than the Japanese army. They were good at bullying the people and fighting when things were going well, but when it came to fighting alone, they were no match for the Japanese army.

As soon as they circled around to the flank and rear of the Eighth Route Army, they were intercepted by a company dispatched by ground troops.

The Eighth Route Army soldiers built temporary defensive fortifications on the earthen slopes, firing machine guns and rifles in turn, while grenades exploded continuously among the puppet troops. The puppet soldiers were terrified and unable to organize an effective attack.

"Charge! Take them down!" At the command of the company commander, less than 200 Eighth Route Army soldiers launched an attack.

The puppet troops had no will to fight, and seeing how brave the Eighth Route Army soldiers were, they all threw away their weapons, turned and fled, some even kneeling down to surrender.

In just half an hour, this 1500-strong puppet army was completely defeated and scattered, with 300 of them captured by Eighth Route Army soldiers.

After the battle, the company commander immediately conducted an emergency interrogation of the captured puppet army officers.

Under the influence of the Eighth Route Army's policies and their rigorous questioning, the puppet army officer finally relented and truthfully revealed the intelligence: "The Imperial Army, oh no, the Japanese devils, have come out in full force this time. Only a small number of troops remain in Datong City. Most of their forces have been transferred to attack the Black Lead Factory."

This news was extremely important. The company commander quickly picked up the walkie-talkie to report to the front-line command. The front-line commander then urgently sent a telegram back to the Fifth Military Region Command in Dongye Town.

Upon receiving the intelligence, the military region's top brass immediately held a discussion.

"Gentlemen, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!" The commander pointed to the battle map and said excitedly, "The Japanese army has come out in full force, and Datong is now an empty city. If we can take Datong, then the Japanese army attacking the black lead factory will have no way to retreat and can only retreat towards Chahar. We can then successfully stop their attack and complete the graphite transportation mission ahead of schedule."

A staff officer added, "The commander is right. Datong is a key military and resource town for the Japanese army in northern Shanxi. By capturing Datong, we can not only expand our gains but also seize a large amount of supplies from the Japanese army in the city, providing strong support for subsequent operations. Moreover, the loss of Datong as a stronghold will greatly weaken the Japanese army's control over northern Shanxi, which will be very beneficial to the development of our base area."

Another staff officer said, "Datong is of great strategic significance. The Japanese army will definitely not give it up and will definitely take it back with heavy troops. I think we should add another point after taking Datong: destroy the important Japanese military material factories so that they can't refine military materials to manufacture weapons and ammunition for use on the battlefield. I think the lead factory should also be destroyed."

Everyone nodded in agreement.

"The authenticity of the intelligence is of paramount importance. We cannot act rashly based solely on the testimony of a puppet army officer. If this turns out to be a trap set by the Japanese army, we will be put on the defensive," another high-ranking official said.

“We have airplanes! Why can’t we use them for reconnaissance?” the political commissar said.

Nighttime aerial reconnaissance—I wonder if Fang Wen can do that?

After some discussion, everyone unanimously decided to send a telegram to Fang Wen immediately.

Fang Wen, who was directing the air raid over southern Datong, received a telegram from the military region command.

After hearing the telegram read aloud by the crew's communications officer, a glint of light flashed in Fang Wen's eyes. He also believed that this was a rare opportunity; taking Datong would completely turn the tide of the war.

But he also understood that the authenticity of the intelligence was crucial and could not be taken lightly.

So he told the communications officer, "Return the call and say that we can conduct nighttime aerial reconnaissance."

He then picked up the onboard communicator microphone, switched to the air frequency, and said to Pan Jiafeng, "Jiafeng, I received a telegram from the military region. The Japanese army may be coming out in full force, and Datong City is undefended. I am now heading to Datong for reconnaissance. I will temporarily hand over the command of air operations to you. Make sure to maintain air strikes against the ground, suppress the Japanese forces on the front, and support the ground troops."

"Understood, go ahead without worry, I'll take care of things here!" Pan Jiafeng's voice came through the radio.

Subsequently, Fang Wen piloted his gunboat, broke away from the formation, and flew towards Datong city.

From the perspective of the superpower, the scene inside Datong City is clearly visible:
The city was silent, the streets were deserted, and only a small number of guards patrolled the city walls, and these guards were almost all concentrated in the south of the city.
Apart from the armed forces, the puppet government and police in the city, although possessing a small number of weapons, were few in number and weak in combat capability, and were not a threat at all.

To make this intelligence more credible and to avoid revealing his supernatural abilities, Fang Wen immediately said to Gong Xiuneng, "Xiuneng, activate the aerial reconnaissance and photography equipment on the plane and take aerial photos of the Datong city wall and the city center."

"Yes!" Gong Xiuneng immediately sprang into action, activating the reconnaissance and photography equipment and taking pictures of the Datong city area below.

Fairchild's aerial reconnaissance and photography equipment was very useful, and when combined with Kodak's rapid printing technology, the photos could be printed immediately in the dark box inside the aircraft after shooting.

The aerial reconnaissance lasted for half an hour, and Fang Wen confirmed that the puppet army officer's testimony was true. Datong City was indeed undefended, and the main defensive force was concentrated in the south of the city.

He then piloted the gunship aircraft back, leading the gunship squadron to conclude this air support mission and return home.

Ten minutes later, Fang Wen's gunboat landed at the temporary seaplane base.

As soon as the plane landed, Fang Wen immediately disembarked and walked quickly toward the Fifth Military Region Command in Dongye Town.

Inside the command post, the military region's high-ranking officials were anxiously awaiting the reconnaissance results. When they saw Fang Wen enter, all their eyes turned to him, and they all stood up.

"Mr. Fang, what's the situation with the reconnaissance?" the commander asked anxiously.

Fang Wen nodded, took out a stack of freshly printed photos from his backpack, handed them over, and said, "After receiving the telegram, I flew over Datong to conduct reconnaissance. These are photos taken during the aerial reconnaissance. You can take a look."

The military's top officials gathered around and examined the photos carefully.

Fang Wen added, “Look, everyone, this is a photo of a Japanese military camp. The lighting in the camp is strange—too dense and too bright, which doesn't match reality. I believe this was done intentionally by the Japanese to mislead us and make us think there are a large number of defenders inside the city. Now look at these photos of the city walls. There are three searchlights on the south wall, while the east, west, and north walls each only have one searchlight. This is enough to show that the main force of the Japanese defenses is concentrated at the south gate, and the defenses of the other three walls are very weak.”

Looking at the photos and listening to Fang Wen's detailed explanation, the military region's high-ranking officials held another discussion.

After some discussion, everyone unanimously decided to seize this rare opportunity and launch a surprise attack on Datong overnight.

"Since the main Japanese defensive force is at the south gate, we will not attack from the south gate. Instead, we will circle around to the east gate, catch them off guard, and break through the city gate in one fell swoop to take Datong!" the commander ordered in a deep voice, his tone firm. To ensure the operation was swift and covert, the commander decided to send a raiding force composed of veterans who had served in the Red Army, in conjunction with the Yanbei cavalry, to launch a surprise attack on Datong overnight.

But problems also arise:

Rapid marches cannot carry heavy siege firepower; soldiers can only rely on explosive packs carried on their backs to break through the city gates, which would be very dangerous during a siege.
Moreover, the road conditions are complex when raiding Datong at night, so it is necessary to find a local guide to accurately reach the location of the East Gate and avoid taking the wrong route.

Just when everyone was at a loss, Fang Wen offered his suggestion: "Gentlemen, don't worry about the guide problem. I can pilot a gunboat as an aerial guide, turning on the tail lights when flying at low altitude to guide the troops toward the east gate of Datong. In addition, regarding the issue of siege firepower, we can airdrop a group of combat personnel who can operate the airburst bomb launchers on the aircraft to launch airburst bombs. This type of ammunition is very powerful and can help the troops break through the city gate. This way, we can ensure the speed of marching and solve the problem of insufficient siege firepower."

Fang Wen's suggestion instantly solved the two problems at hand, and the military region's top officials all expressed their approval.

"Good! Do as Mr. Fang says!" The commander immediately made the decision. "Immediately mobilize the raiding force and the Yanbei cavalry and prepare for departure; Mr. Fang, I'll trouble you to be in charge of air guidance and the airborne mission, and make sure the operation goes smoothly."

“Okay,” Fang Wen replied.

After the meeting, Fang Wen immediately returned to the temporary seaplane airport and began intensive preparations.

Currently, all special forces members have been airdropped to the Black Lead Factory and cannot be transferred out. Personnel can only be selected from the aircrew members and pilots to carry out this airborne mission, since they have also undergone airborne training.

As soon as the news came out, pilots and crew members enthusiastically signed up, all wanting to contribute their share to winning Datong.

Fang Wen selected 15 crew members with good physical fitness and quick reflexes to form a temporary airborne team.

When Pan Jiafeng volunteered to participate in the airborne mission, Fang Wen refused.

“Jiafeng, you can’t go.” Fang Wen patted Pan Jiafeng on the shoulder. “Your wife, Shen Shuyun, is pregnant. You’re about to become a father. You can’t take this risk. Besides, parachuting in isn’t your forte. You should stay here and oversee things.”

Pan Jiafeng felt somewhat unwilling, but he understood Fang Wen's good intentions and could only nod in agreement.

Subsequently, Fang Wen handed over command of the airborne operation to Gong Xiuneng.

"Xiu Neng, this airborne mission is entrusted to you."

"Rest assured, Commander! We guarantee to complete the mission!" Gong Xiuneng solemnly saluted.

He immediately convened a brief mobilization meeting with 15 paratroopers, clarifying their respective tasks and precautions. He then began inspecting the paratrooper equipment and siege weapons, making full preparations.

Three o'clock in the morning
The troops that launched the night raid on Datong were ready to depart.

The cavalry went first, followed by the infantry.

Half an hour after the troops set off, Fang Wen led the airborne squad and siege supplies onto the gunboat for takeoff.

Ten minutes after the plane flew, it arrived in the southern airspace of Datong. Fang Wen activated his supernatural ability and located the night raiding force that was on its way.

He then lowered the aircraft's altitude and turned on the tail lights, which illuminated two brighter points of light than stars in the night sky, twinkling.

Upon seeing the navigation lights in the sky, the night raiding troops on the ground were immediately invigorated and quickened their pace, heading in the direction indicated by the lights.

The Yanbei cavalry was the fastest, taking the lead on the road to the east gate of Datong. Following the gunboats flying in the distance, they sped along, approaching their destination.

Ten minutes later, Fang Wen piloted the gunboat and was the first to arrive over the east gate of Datong.

To avoid being spotted by the Japanese troops on the city wall, he turned off the navigation lights in advance, climbed the plane to a high altitude, circled in the clouds, and closely monitored the defenses of the East Gate.

From the perspective of the supernatural ability, the puppet troops on the East Gate city wall were patrolling lazily, with extremely low vigilance, clearly unaware that a deadly surprise attack was about to occur.

An hour later, the Yanbei cavalry was the first to arrive outside the east gate of Datong.

They dismounted in the darkness.

The cavalry captain immediately picked up the walkie-talkie and called out, "Calling the air force, we have arrived outside the east gate of Datong. Please arrange airborne support for the siege immediately!"

"Roger! Arrange the airdrop immediately!" Fang Wen responded, then gave the order to Gong Xiuneng through the communicator, "Xiuneng, immediately lead the airdrop team to conduct the airdrop and assist in the siege!"

"Understood!" Gong Xiuneng led 15 paratroopers, who were already prepared for the parachute landing.

Fang Wen piloted the gunboat, slowly descending in altitude, and hovered over the open space outside the East Gate.

At his command, 15 paratroopers jumped out of the plane one by one, parachuted, and slowly descended into the night, landing in the area outside the East Gate.

Subsequently, the aircraft's bottom hatch opened, and a batch of siege weapon components were dropped, including airburst bomb launchers, airburst bombs, and fuses.

After landing, the paratroopers quickly assembled, picked up the dropped siege weapons, and swiftly began assembling them.

In just ten minutes, several airburst grenade launchers were assembled and aimed at the east gate of Datong.

But the siege did not begin there. The attack had to be carried out in one go, and the infantry had to come over to join the attack.

Half an hour later, the assault force composed of Red Army veterans also successfully arrived outside the East Gate and joined up with the Yanbei Cavalry and the airborne squad.

They rested for ten minutes before picking up their weapons and entering combat readiness.

The siege began. With a command from the cavalry captain, Gong Xiuneng and his men immediately operated the airburst grenade launcher and fired it at the east gate of Datong.

One after another, airburst bombs carrying high explosives flew towards the east gate of Datong.

"Boom—Boom—Boom—" A series of violent explosions instantly rang out at the East Gate. The huge shockwave slammed into the city gate, causing it to shake violently and splinters of wood and stones to fall from it.

The puppet troops on the city wall were terrified by the sudden explosion and fled in all directions. Some even jumped off the city wall and fled in a sorry state.

After a series of explosions, the already dilapidated city gate collapsed with a roar.

"Charge!" At the cavalry captain's command, the soldiers of the Yanbei cavalry immediately mounted their horses and charged towards the east gate; the raiding force followed closely behind, rifles in hand, launching their assault on the city gate. (End of Chapter)