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

The 88mm main gun roared incessantly.

Finally, the fifth high-explosive shell fired achieved its goal.

Through the observation window, Xu Rui could clearly see that several anti-tank gun parts with shields had been blasted into the air on a distant mound.

The continuous barrage of armor-piercing shells stopped.

"Quickly switch to white phosphorus incendiary bombs! Japanese infantry group at 10 o'clock, fire!"

The shells exploded among the Japanese soldiers.

The pale flames instantly clung to the Japanese soldiers' bodies, and no amount of swatting could extinguish them. Their piercing screams echoed across the wilderness.

Two Sd.Kfz.222 light armored vehicles turned around and returned from the front.

They approached the Tiger tank from the left and right, and the 20mm autocannons on the roof began to roar.

"Thump thump thump—"

Large-caliber machine gun bullets swept through, and the Japanese soldiers who tried to approach the tank were cut in half.

Further afield in the rear.

The two 120mm heavy mortars of the main regiment were finally set up.

"put!"

The large shells ripped through the sky and crashed into the Japanese troops' assembly area behind their lines.

The power of a 120mm mortar shell is terrifying. The massive explosion sends up a mud column several meters high.

The shrapnel from the exploding shells flew within a radius of several dozen meters, knocking down the surrounding Japanese soldiers.

The terrifying shockwave swept violently across a radius of several meters from the blast point, tearing the Japanese soldiers to shreds and then scattering them evenly across the land.

The second wave of Japanese troops attempting to charge from the rear was instantly shattered, and the remaining Japanese soldiers fled in panic.

The Japanese commander clearly realized that the ambush had completely failed.

Several sharp whistles rang out.

The Japanese soldiers began to retreat under alternating cover, leaving some infantrymen behind to cover their retreat.

The gunfire gradually subsided. The skirmish ended abruptly.

After confirming that the surroundings were safe, the crew of vehicle number 232 opened the hatch and jumped out of the tank.

They pulled out tools and spare track pins from the rear of the vehicle and began repairing the broken track.

Xu Fei walked over carrying a submachine gun, looked at the Japanese corpses scattered on the ground, and spat out a mouthful of bloody saliva.

The journey that followed was not smooth.

The Japanese soldiers have learned their lesson and no longer carry out large-scale ambushes.

They started playing harassment warfare.

They constantly sent out small groups of troops to harass the army with sniper fire and artillery along the routes the troops would inevitably take.

Fire a few shots and run; never linger in battle.

Although the results were few, this tactic did slow down the advance of Lin Feng's troops.

Engineers need to constantly clear mines, and infantry need to repeatedly search for high ground on both sides.

After a long time, the main force finally crossed the Bailang River railway bridge and approached the outer perimeter of Weifang City.

The towering city walls appeared particularly somber under the setting sun.

Suddenly, a muffled whistling sound came from the sky.

"Take cover! Heavy artillery!"

Xu Fei roared and tackled the communications soldier next to him to the ground.

Large-caliber grenades exploded one after another around the troops, sending dirt and shrapnel flying everywhere.

The Japanese heavy artillery regiment deployed inside the city opened fire.

The troops quickly dispersed and sought cover.

"Signalman! Calling division headquarters, requesting heavy artillery support! Call the air force too!"

Xu Fei lay prone behind the cover and roared at the soldier carrying a walkie-talkie.

-----

When the Japanese heavy artillery fire stopped, the air was filled with the pungent smell of gunpowder and the acrid stench of scorched earth.

Xu Fei climbed out of a shell crater and vigorously brushed the mud off his military uniform.

He spat out a mouthful of saliva mixed with sand and pulled the bolt of the submachine gun in his hand.

"Company Commander!"

Xu Fei called out in a low voice.

"Here!" A man with a face covered in soot ran over, crouching low.

"Take a few scouts and go up there to take a look."

The Japanese artillery bombardment has just stopped; there must be infantry waiting for us ahead.

Keep your eyes peeled and watch out for tripwires.

"clear!"

With a wave of his hand, the company commander led several agile veterans, guns in hand, taking cover from shell craters and ruins, as they made their way towards the outer defenses of Weifang City.

Xu Fei hid behind the broken wall, raised his binoculars, and his palms were slightly sweaty.

Based on past experience, after the Japanese bombarded the area with heavy artillery, they would definitely set up a dense network of machine gun fire in the outer trenches.

There might even be large numbers of Japanese soldiers with bayonets launching a counter-attack.

However, nothing was happening ahead.

Only a few wisps of smoke rose from the tattered sandbags.

"Bang! Bang!"

Two crisp shots rang out from ahead.

Immediately following was a short burst of submachine gun fire.

"Da da da—"

The gunfire quickly subsided.

A few minutes later, the company commander ran back, a look of confusion on his face.

"Commander, something's not right."

The company commander, panting, reported to his superior:

"The outer trenches are basically empty."

They left only a dozen or so Japanese soldiers to snipe.

As soon as we opened fire, those Japanese soldiers didn't even put up much resistance; they just ran straight into the city through the trenches.

Xu Fei frowned.

He strode to the edge of the Japanese trench and jumped down.

The trenches were dug very deep, and the anti-artillery bunkers were also built very solidly.

Empty shell casings and discarded, tattered military blankets were scattered on the ground.

This is definitely a well-prepared defensive position.

"Are you just giving up like that?"

Xu Fei looked at the street leading to Weifang city and felt a strong sense of unease.

This is completely inconsistent with the rigid and fanatical fighting style of the Japanese.

"Commander, are the Japanese scared out of their wits by our planes and tanks?" the second company commander asked, leaning over.

"fart."

Xu Fei cursed:

"The Fifth Division was surrounded for half a month but did not surrender."

Will these Japanese devils retreat without a fight?

Send the order to enter the city.

Each company and platoon should provide alternating cover, and infantry should not leave the protection range of the tanks.

Everyone, pay close attention!

At this time, inside Weifang City.

The underground command post of the Japanese 114th Division was brightly lit.

Division Commander Lieutenant General Shigeharu Suematsu stood before a huge map of Weifang city. He held a riding whip in his hand, his expression unusually calm.

Unlike the arrogant and conceited Japanese general Seishiro Itagaki, Shigeharu Suematsu was an extremely pragmatic general.

He had carefully studied every battle Lin Feng had fought.

From the street fighting in Zhabei, Shanghai, to the desperate defense of Jiangyin Fortress, to the siege and reinforcement attack, the surprise attack on Qingcheng Port, and the recently concluded annihilation battle of the Fifth Division.

He came to a conclusion.

"To fight a positional war against Lin Feng's already large-scale mechanized main force on the plains, especially while enduring bombing by enemy aircraft, would be tantamount to suicide."

Suematsu Shigeharu turned to look at his staff behind him:

"The outer perimeter positions are just bait."

Let them into the city.

Weifang City has tens of thousands of residential buildings and a complex network of streets.

This is our best weapon.

Shigeharu Suematsu held up his riding whip and drew several circles around the city areas on the map.

"Order each regiment to breach the walls of all residential buildings."

The entire city of Weifang was transformed into a giant maze.

Do not place machine guns on the barricades; hide them all in the basement and behind the windows on the second floor.

All firepower must form a crossfire network, opening fire from all directions as soon as the Chinese infantry show themselves.

Then, Suematsu Shigeharu raised his hand and ran his fingers across Jintan's beard:

"Furthermore, Lin Feng's troops have such fierce firepower."

Those heavy tanks and artillery consumed an astronomical amount of fuel and shells every day.

This tactic inevitably relies heavily on logistical supply lines.

Shigeharu Suematsu looked at one of the officers beside him:

"Immediately dispatch all special assault teams."

Groups of three to five, carrying explosives and landmines, disguised themselves as ordinary Chinese people and infiltrated the Chinese rear under cover of darkness.

Do not engage their main force.

They specifically targeted and destroyed their grain and ammunition trucks, as well as bridges and roads.

I will turn their war chariots into scrap metal without fuel.