You were tasked with guarding the Sihang Warehouse, and you brought out a Tiger tank?

The top brass of the Shanghai Expeditionary Force is holding a strategic meeting.

The rain was still falling outside the window, but General Matsui Iwane, the commander presiding over the meeting, was in an unexpectedly good mood.

He stood before a huge battle map, holding an unlit wooden pipe in his hand.

At this time, he was unaware that the unfortunate 3rd Division had just been "stabbed in the back" and lost its entire field artillery regiment.

From his perspective, the battle was rapidly gaining momentum in favor of the Imperial Army.

"Please take a look, gentlemen."

Matsui Iwane drew a long arc on the map with the handle of his wooden pipe, his tone revealing a sense of commanding authority:

"West of Shanghai city, along a 30-kilometer-long coastline, the Imperial Army had completely gained control of the landing zone."

Our brave soldiers not only established a firm foothold, but also advanced more than 10 kilometers inland on average.

"That right hook was executed beautifully! The hundreds of thousands of main force of the Chinese army are now forced to compress themselves on the narrow transportation line from Shanghai to Nanjing, and have no choice but to form the most foolish long line formation for passive defense."

Matsui Iwane became increasingly excited as he spoke, slamming his baton heavily on several nodes on the map:

"If we break through one or two more key points, or cut off their supply lines, the psychological defenses of the Chinese defenders will be shaken across the board."

Then, we can surround and devour this elite portion of the Great Xia army in one fell swoop, like tying up a sack.

"Your Excellency is wise, Commander."

The staff officers around him stood at attention, and flattery murmurs rose and fell.

"Although the Chinese army was tenacious, it was ultimately like a mantis trying to stop a chariot under the combined offensive of the Imperial Army."

Matsui Iwane nodded in satisfaction. Just as he was about to turn around and have a sip of tea to moisten his throat, there was a sudden knocking sound at the door.

"Enter."

The door was pushed open, and Colonel Iimura, who was in charge of intelligence work, walked in.

His face looked unwell, he was clutching a newspaper tightly in his hand, and his steps seemed heavy.

"Commander-in-Chief." Colonel Iimura walked up to Matsui and bowed slightly. "Regarding the battle at Shichibao Town, we've found out the enemy unit number that fought against the 149th Regiment."

"Oh?" Matsui Iwane's interest was piqued. "Is it the Training Corps? Or the Tax Police Corps? Or those so-called German-equipped divisions?"

In his view, the one who could wipe out his entire depleted squad in one fell swoop must be the most elite ace of Great Xia.

Colonel Iimura shook his head, his tone bitter:

"Neither."

"Who is that?"

"It is... the 3rd Security Brigade of Zhejiang Province."

"What?!" Matsui Iwane was stunned, wondering if he had misheard. "Security Brigade? Isn't that the security force of the Great Xia region? The kind of beggar's unit that can't even be fully equipped with Hanyang rifles?"

"Yes, Your Excellency." Colonel Iimura took a deep breath and handed over the newspaper with both hands. "Not only that, but because of their outstanding performance in this battle, the Great Xia Military Commission has issued a commendation and given them a new designation—the 1st Honorary Brigade of the National X-Life Army."

"Please...read the newspaper."

Matsui Iwane grabbed the newspaper.

This is a copy of the "Shen Bao" newspaper published in Shanghai. Even as the Battle of Shanghai was raging, this newspaper continued to be published, attempting to boost morale.

The front page headline featured highly provocative headlines and subheadings:

"The Great Victory at Qibao Town: Zhejiang Soldiers Annihilate the Japanese Invaders"

"A Great Wall Built of Flesh and Blood: Brigade Commander Lin Feng Leads His Troops to Kill Enemy Leader Tsuda Tatsuhiko and Capture a Regimental Flag"

What stung Matsui Iwane the most was the photograph in the very center of the newspaper.

In the photo, a dirty flag with charred edges is laid flat on a table.

Although worn, the golden chrysanthemum emblem next to the flag, which is enlarged in close-up and symbolizes royal dignity, as well as the unique purple tassels along the edge of the flag, all testify to its identity.

That's the regimental flag of the 149th Regiment.

It was a military flag personally bestowed by the Emperor.

It is the face of the empire.

"Baka!!! Baka yarou!!!"

Matsui Iwane felt a rush of heat to his head, his vision went black, and he almost fainted.

He ripped the newspaper to shreds, threw it on the ground, and stomped on it a few times in anger.

"A security brigade?! It's just a local security brigade?!"

"They wiped out one of our regiments? And killed the regimental commander? Most importantly... they even captured the regimental flag?!"

This humiliation was far greater than discovering that he had been cheated on.

"Tatsuhiko Tsuda, that bastard, utter idiot, good-for-nothing, traitor!"

Matsui Iwane roared, spitting all over Colonel Iimura's face:

"He died in battle, fine, but why didn't he destroy the regimental flag before he died?! How can he face Amaterasu?!"

"Relay my orders."

Matsui Iwane's face was contorted, his eyes gleaming with a murderous intent.

"Send a telegram to the Ministry of the Army to revoke Tsuda Tatsuhiko's shrine enshrinement and to reclaim all pensions and rewards given to his family."

"Also, he's from Tokyo, right? Arrest his sister... no, all the female relatives in his family and force them to join the 'Women's Volunteer Corps,' so that even in hell he'll have to atone for his stupidity."

This is the cruelty of the Japanese army; for such a "serious crime" as losing their military flag, they would not even spare the dead.

After venting his anger, Matsui Iwane, panting heavily, calmed down a little.

He frowned, looked at Colonel Iimura who had been keeping his head down, and asked, "The commander of this security brigade... is named Lin Feng? Just who is he?"

In his mind, the commander who could lead a security regiment to such combat effectiveness must be an outstanding graduate of the early classes of the Whampoa Military Academy, or perhaps an excellent military talent who studied at Hans, Gaul, or even the Japanese military academies.

Such people are probably frustrated by factional struggles within the Kuomintang and are thus demoted to local positions as commanders of security forces.

"This..." Colonel Iimura wiped his sweat and opened another document. "According to the intelligence department's urgent investigation, this person's resume is very ordinary."

"ordinary?"

"Yes, Your Excellency. Lin Feng is from Fenghua, Zhejiang Province, and is the son of a wealthy local businessman. Although he graduated from the seventh class of the Whampoa Military Academy, it is said that his family paid money to get him in, and his actual academic performance was at the bottom of the class."

Colonel Iimura said cautiously:

"After graduation, he did not join the Central Army. Instead, his family spent money to buy him the position of commander of the Qingxian Security Regiment. Before July of this year, he was always regarded as a typical playboy who indulged in drinking, gambling, and whoring, and even received a salary without working."

Because the Japanese had infiltrated the White Army quite deeply, they could obtain most kinds of files with a little effort.

Even classified battle plans only require a little more effort.

However, the more detailed the information, the more dumbfounded Matsui Iwane became, his mouth agape as if he could fit an egg in it.

"What?!"

A spoiled brat? A纨绔 (a spoiled, dissolute young man)?

Leading a group of security forces, they annihilated an entire Imperial Army regiment?

"How is this possible?!" Matsui Iwane snatched the document and quickly flipped through it.

Sure enough, his resume was unremarkable, and could even be described as riddled with misdeeds.

"The only variable started in July of this year."

Colonel Iimura pointed to the end of the document and added:

"Ever since we started the war in Yanjing, this man has suddenly become a different person."

Not only did they achieve outstanding results in the battle to eliminate local bandits, but they also acted without authorization to wipe out the Wang family, a wealthy household in Qing County that had connections with the Imperial Army, and even killed several of our army's intelligence agents. They were praised by the locals as a model of resistance against Japan...

"It's still not right..."

Matsui Iwane slammed the documents on the table and paced back and forth.

"Even if Lin Feng suddenly becomes enlightened and his command and training abilities improve by leaps and bounds, he only has a group of security guards under his command."

At most, they could only lead them to fight bandits; how could they possibly annihilate the entire Imperial Army regiment?

Even if it's a remnant regiment, it still consists of over a thousand rigorously trained Imperial Army warriors.

"Where are the weapons? Where is the ammunition? Where is the heavy firepower? Do you think a security regiment could have these things?"

Matsui Iwane was completely baffled, and in the end, he could only vent all his anger on the dead.

"It's all that idiot Tsuda Tatsuhiko's fault. He underestimated the enemy and acted rashly. He was a commander who was as stupid as a pig."

He whirled around and pointed his finger sharply at the direction of Zhabei on the map:

"Investigate! Keep investigating! Where is that damned '1st Honor Brigade' currently stationed? I'm going to concentrate our main force and eliminate them at all costs. I want to tear that Chinese commander named Lin Feng to pieces!"