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

There was no room for Isogai Rensuke to be careless.

After several encounters in Shanghai, Jiangyin, Jiangbei, and recently, the Japanese intelligence department believed that it had completely figured out the details of the 33rd Army Corps.

That unit not only had dozens of high-performance armored vehicles, but also a large number of large-caliber long-range artillery pieces with astonishing range.

Even more terrifying is that they also possess an elite air force capable of sinking the Navy's Ryujo aircraft carrier.

Therefore, during this southward march, Isogai Rensuke paid almost neurotic attention to the selection and concealment of the command post.

He no longer dared to be as arrogant as he had been when fighting other troops of the Great Xia, setting up his command post in a grand manner only a few kilometers away from the front line.

This time, he specifically chose this remote town, more than 15 kilometers from the front line, as the division headquarters.

Moreover, it requires concealment, concealment, and more concealment!

Disguise, disguise, and more disguise!

He was terrified that while he was sound asleep at night, several 150mm heavy artillery shells would suddenly rain down on him, or several aerial bombs would fall from the sky, delivering a physical decapitation strike.

Before long, major generals such as Major General Kengo Noda, commander of the 15th Independent Mixed Brigade, and Major General Kei Seya, commander of the 8th Brigade under the 10th Division, arrived at the command post one after another.

The group entered the main hall, which had been converted into a war room.

In the center of the main hall was a huge long table, on which was a detailed military map of the southern Shandong region.

Several gas lamps hissed, illuminating the room as if it were daytime.

The doors and windows were tightly shut, and the thick black curtains were drawn so tightly that not a single ray of light could get through.

"Gentlemen, please be seated."

Rensuke Isogai walked to the head seat and sat down, and the others followed suit.

The staff officers immediately marked the latest enemy situation on the map.

Rensuke Isogai stared at the map and asked in a deep voice:

"Have you figured out the unit designation of the Chinese troops garrisoning us?"

An aide immediately stood up and reported loudly:

"Reporting to the division commander."

Reporting to the division commander, it has been confirmed.

The 22nd Army Group of China is stationed along the Tengxian and Zouxian line.

According to reliable intelligence, its main source of troops came from Sichuan Province in the interior, which is known as the "Sichuan Army".

This unit was extremely poorly equipped, lacked heavy weapons, and had a total strength of approximately forty to fifty thousand men.

"The Sichuan Army?"

Upon hearing this, Major General Kei Seya, commander of the 8th Brigade, curled up a contemptuous sneer.

He arrogantly raised his chin, his eyes full of disdain:

"I thought they were some kind of elite force, but they turned out to be just a bunch of beggars wearing straw sandals and carrying big knives."

Your Excellency Division Commander, there is absolutely no need to make a big fuss about dealing with this kind of trash unit.

"I only need to deploy an infantry battalion, supported by a small number of tanks and field artillery, and I can completely tear apart their defenses within half a day."

Kengo Noda, who was standing next to him, nodded in agreement.

"What Seya-kun said makes sense."

"Commander, look, this area in southern Shandong is flat as far as the eye can see, with the highest point only 105 meters above sea level."

The Chinese have virtually no natural defenses here.

In my opinion, all they can do is rely on a few dilapidated towns along the railway line to carry out meaningless resistance.

The tracks of the Imperial Army's tanks would easily crush them.

"Baka! Don't be reckless!"

Isogai Rensuke suddenly turned his head, glared fiercely at Seya Kei, and shouted sternly:

There's an old saying in the Great Xia Dynasty that goes, "Haste makes waste!"

Have you forgotten who our real enemy is this time?

Isogai Rensuke picked up his baton and struck it heavily on the map at the location of Pengcheng, his expression becoming extremely serious:

"According to intelligence from the Special Higher Police, Lin Feng and his 33rd Army Corps are currently under the command of the Fifth War Zone in China."

Has his main force been moved yet?

Is it on the northern front directly in front of us? Or is it on the southern front, around the Huai River, in preparation for the Central China Front?

We know absolutely nothing.

The name "Lin Feng" was mentioned.

The entire command center fell into a deathly silence.

Just moments ago, the arrogant look on Seya Kei's face froze instantly, and his Adam's apple bobbed with difficulty.

Noda Kengo also lowered his head silently, a hint of undisguised apprehension flashing in his eyes.

This name seems to carry some kind of terrifying magic.

There's nothing we can do; the results speak for themselves.

He single-handedly annihilated Kunisaki Noboru's 9th Brigade in a very short time.

Even if it was an infantry brigade that was cut off from supplies and exhausted, it was still a regular Imperial Army force of nearly 10,000 men!

Not to mention the devastating air raid that later took place in Qingcheng Port.

This achievement was terrifying to any Japanese commander present.

Nobody wants to become the next Kunisaki Noboru, offering their head to Lin Feng as a medal of honor.

Seeing the trembling silence on his officers' faces, Isogai Rensuke took a deep breath and issued the battle order in a low voice:

"The 8th Brigade, the 33rd Brigade, and the Independent Mixed Brigade 15."

The three brigades must not advance recklessly on their own.

We must maintain a tight formation, with forwards and backwards seamlessly connected, providing mutual cover.

Rensuke Isogai's gaze swept over the crowd, his tone chilling:

"Remember, we have two missions for this trip south."

First, we must clear the defenses of the Chinese army in front of us and open up the Jinpu Railway line to prepare for the general offensive against Pengcheng.

Second, and most importantly.

The purpose was to probe the exact location of the main force of the 33rd Army Corps.

Once Lin Feng's troops are discovered, a decisive battle must not be initiated without authorization.

"Immediately pin them down, then call for air support and await the encirclement by the 5th Division on the left flank and the 106th Special Task Force Division in the rear."

Rensuke Isogai slammed his fist on the map, his eyes flashing with a bloodthirsty light:

"At that time, we will concentrate our overwhelming forces to surround and completely annihilate the 33rd Army Corps in one fell swoop."

To avenge the humiliation of the 9th Brigade, which suffered a crushing defeat.

"Hi!"

All the generals bowed their heads in unison to accept the order.

As for the grudge over the sinking of the Ryujo?

What a joke! Can the army avenge the navy?

There's no time to even applaud...

-----

Night fell, and a cold wind howled.

Outside Nanyi Town, in a desolate wilderness, the Japanese soldiers' encampments stretched for miles.

Considering that the Great Xia had amassed nearly 500,000 troops in the Pengcheng area, in order to ensure that nothing went wrong, the General Headquarters added a large supplementary regiment to the 10th Division.

This brought the total strength of the entire 10th Division to an astonishing 30,000 men.

They followed a brutal approach: "If the main force suffers casualties, we will immediately draw people from the supplementary force to fill the gaps."

At this moment, we are at the foot of a sheltered earthen slope.

A group of Japanese soldiers, dressed in bulky winter clothes, were gathered around a dim campfire, rubbing their frozen hands and gnawing on cold, hard rice balls.

Most of them were "Showa men" who were urgently conscripted from rural areas, fishing villages, and small towns after the Japanese army started fighting against Otsuka.

These rural youths, who had never seen a real meat grinder, had no idea what cruel fate awaited them, and instead chatted enthusiastically.

"Hey, have you guys heard?"

A Japanese recruit with buck teeth swallowed a mouthful of rice and lowered his voice mysteriously:

"This time when we head south, we might very well run into the legendary 'Black Tengu'."

"Red bean paste (really)?"

Several new recruits nearby immediately gathered around, their eyes wide with surprise.