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

"Just because I'm not showing my teeth doesn't mean I'm some kind of Hello Kitty!"

Lin Feng roared out this popular meme from later years. Although no one understood what Hello Kitty meant, it didn't stop everyone from feeling the murderous intent in his tone.

"Armored company! Tank company! All units, please!"

Lin Feng suddenly waved his hand:

"Get them in the way! Run over anyone who dares to block their path!"

"yes!"

Rumbling--

The gate was wide open.

A dozen or so Sd.Kfz.222/234 armored vehicles led the way, followed by eight 38(t) light tanks, and even three Japanese tanks that had been repaired and painted with the Great Xia insignia.

They came out one after another like a pack of mad dogs released from their cages.

The tracks relentlessly crushed the gravel and rubble on the ground, and the engine roared, shaking the bridge railings.

They showed no sign of slowing down and rushed straight onto the new garbage bridge.

The barricades and barbed wire that the concession authorities set up at the bridgehead were like children's toys in front of the armored vehicles and tanks weighing over ten tons; they were instantly knocked away and crushed.

The torrent of steel surged all the way to the south side of the bridgehead, until the cold armor plates were almost touching the noses of the concession guards, before it suddenly came to a halt.

"Click click click—"

A burst of intense mechanical noise erupted.

All the turrets rotated simultaneously.

20mm autocannon, 37mm tank gun, 50mm long-barreled gun...

Dozens of dark cannon muzzles, less than ten meters apart, were all pointed at the John and Gallic soldiers behind the sandbag fortifications on the opposite side.

The long-barreled cannon of an Sd.Kfz.234 "Cougar" armored vehicle was even pressed directly against the forehead of a John machine gunner.

The young soldier John was so frightened that his hand trembled, and he subconsciously released the Lewis light machine gun he was holding. His face was as white as a sheet, his lips trembled, and he couldn't even utter a complete "God".

Lin Feng leaned half his body out of a command armored vehicle.

He held a megaphone in his hand, his voice icy:

"General Smollett, I will only count to three."

"I am a soldier of the Great Xia Dynasty, Open the door!!!"

This John's words were completely inadequate, but Lin Feng's resolute attitude was indeed conveyed.

"three!"

On the other side of the bridge, Major General Smollett and several high-ranking officials of the Municipal Council had ashen faces, cold sweat streaming down their temples.

"A madman, an absolute madman!" The Gaul consul's voice trembled. "He really will open fire! Look at those cannons!"

At this moment, the military strength of the concession was a joke in the face of Lin Feng's heavily armed troops.

John's garrison in Shanghai consisted mainly of a battalion of the Royal Wells Fusiliers, plus some volunteers from the International Merchant Corps.

What were they holding? Lee-Enfield rifles and several Lewis machine guns.

Heavy weapons? Almost none.

Armored forces? A few outdated Lanchester armored vehicles, their armor so thin they couldn't even withstand a heavy machine gun.

This kind of security force is like an egg hitting a rock when facing Lin Feng's regular field army, which has armored superiority.

If a war really breaks out, these armored units alone would be enough to plow through the Bund Avenue in the concession area within half an hour.

Smollett stared intently at Lin Feng in the command vehicle opposite them.

If they refuse, Lin Feng and his bloodthirsty "desperate soldiers" will go back to continue defending Zhabei.

With stray bullets flying everywhere and poison gas spreading, this war could drag on forever.

How could the gentlemen in the concessions feel at ease throwing parties?

How can stock exchanges continue to operate? How can land speculation continue?

Rather than letting this time bomb explode at our doorstep, we'd better get rid of it as soon as possible.

"Damn it..."

Smollett gritted her teeth and forced out a sentence:

"Let them pass..."

The order has been issued.

The barbed wire fence blocking the bridgehead was quickly pulled away, and the previously tightly closed iron gate slowly rose with the creaking of the winch.

"Make way! Foreigners, make way!"

"General Lin is mighty!"

In the distance, the crowd gathered on the south bank of the Suzhou Creek erupted in deafening cheers.

The sound was like a tsunami, one wave higher than the next.

It was as if today was not the day when the Honorary Brigade was retreating from Zhabei, but rather when they had won an unprecedented great victory and were returning in triumph.

At the bridgehead, John, a white soldier responsible for setting up roadblocks, was completely stunned as he watched the 38(t) tank slowly drive by, its turret almost brushing against his nose.

Out of instinctive fear of the strong, or perhaps intimidated by the murderous aura, he subconsciously stood at attention, made a standard guiding gesture, and shouted in a trembling voice:

"Sir, this way!"

This scene was captured by Hans journalist Wolfgang, who happened to be nearby, and became the highly ironic front-page photo in the next day's newspaper.

-----

The army began to cross the new garbage bridge one by one.

Armored vehicles led the way, trucks and horse-drawn carriages followed in the middle, and infantry brought up the rear.

Although it was a retreat, the morale of this unit did not collapse.

The M35 helmets gleamed, the bayonets were like a forest, and everyone's face carried an air of arrogance.

Lin Feng sat in the command vehicle and did not rush to cross the bridge.

He picked up the walkie-talkie and connected with Zhang Wenzhong, who was the last one standing:

"Wenzhong, have you saved all the gifts?"

"Reporting to the brigadier general, everything has been prepared."

"The mortar shells and explosive charges that couldn't be taken were placed on the load-bearing columns of several buildings, as well as in the basements that the Japanese would definitely search."

The timing device has been activated, and the booby traps are all cocked.

"If the Japanese dare to go in and rummage through anything, I guarantee I'll send them to their deaths."

"good!"

Lin Feng looked back one last time.

He didn't say anything more.

"withdraw!"

The group entered the concession.

The roadsides were now packed with people.

This is the will of the people.

Although it was late at night, all the windows of the buildings on both sides of the street were open, and the streetlights and the roadside were crowded with citizens who had come after hearing the news.

There were elderly people wearing long gowns, women holding children, and young people wearing school uniforms.

"They're here, General Lin's troops are here."

Someone shouted something, and the crowd instantly erupted in cheers.

"Splash—"

This isn't the sound of rain; this is the sound of money.

Countless silver dollars, legal tender, copper coins, and even gold rings and silver bracelets were thrown like rain from the buildings and crowds on both sides of the street onto the marching procession.

"Brothers, take this, buy some water on the way."

"Heroes who fought the Japanese devils, this is a small token of our appreciation."

"Big brother, you can do it!"

Others were carrying baskets and frantically throwing hot steamed buns and eggs into the truck bed.

A young soldier was hit in the helmet by an egg. Just as he was about to turn around, an old woman stuffed a pair of cloth shoes into his arms. The old woman wiped away her tears and cried out, "Child, come back alive."

The soldier paused for a moment, his eyes instantly reddening, then straightened his back and saluted.

Among the crowd, there are people from all walks of life.

Several burly men from the Green Gang, dressed in black silk short shirts and revealing blue dragon tattoos, had abandoned their usual thuggish manner. They respectfully placed boxes of cigarettes and liquor by the roadside and bowed to the convoy.

"Take care, officers. If you ever need our Green Gang brothers' help in the future, just let us know."

And further away, at the entrance of the Paramount Ballroom.

Several dancers dressed in cheongsams and heavily made up, disregarding the cold wind, squeezed to the front of the crowd. They had no money or eggs, so they could only wave handkerchiefs and stare eagerly at every passing car.

"Which one is General Lin? Which one is General Lin?"

"I heard he's very handsome and a top student from Whampoa Military Academy."

"If I could just catch a glimpse of it, my whole life would be worth it."

On this night, there were no warlords, no dancers, and no hooligans.

Only a group of Great Xia people refused to be slaves of a conquered nation.

Lin Feng sat in the car, looking out the window at the eager, tearful faces, and listening to the hoarse cries, his heart pounding.

"It was worth it."

"This battle was not fought in vain."

He knew that from this moment on, he, Lin Feng, was no longer just a simple time traveler.

He carried the hopes of these people on his shoulders.