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

Upon hearing this tactical arrangement, a young lieutenant colonel staff officer in the command post couldn't help but step forward.

"Your Excellency, Division Commander!"

The relatively young lieutenant colonel staff officer blushed and protested loudly:

"Abandon the position and hide in the houses of ordinary people to snipe them."

They even had to dress in civilian clothes to cause destruction.

This is absolutely cowardly!

This is completely contrary to the Bushido spirit of our Imperial Army.

This is a despicable tactic used by the Red guerrillas in the mountain valleys of northwestern Shanxi.

We should fight the enemy squarely on the battlefield!

"Snapped!"

"Snapped!"

The loud voice echoed throughout the command center.

Suematsu Shigeharu lashed out with both hands, his riding whips mercilessly striking the lieutenant colonel's face, causing blood to stream down his cheeks.

He stared coldly at the lieutenant colonel:

"The spirit of Bushido?"

Shigeharu Suematsu's voice carried a chilling undertone:

"Lieutenant General Itagaki of the Fifth Division is quite particular about Bushido."

The results of it?

His 20,000 elite troops were wiped out, and he himself became a prisoner.

Is this what you call being upright and honorable?

Suematsu Shigeharu took a step closer, staring into the lieutenant colonel's eyes:

"War is only about victory and defeat."

Any tactic is a good tactic as long as it can eliminate the enemy.

Only those who survive have the right to talk about honor.

Execute the command!

Anyone who dares to disobey will be executed on the spot!

"Hi!"

The young lieutenant colonel covered his face and lowered his head in humiliation.

-----

Weifang City East District.

Xu Fei's troops have entered the streets.

Two Tiger tanks led the way, their tracks making a dull thud as they rolled over the cobblestones.

The shops and houses on both sides of the street were closed, and there wasn't a single person in sight.

Apart from the occasional sounds of gunfire and explosions coming from afar, the air here was eerily quiet.

Previously, the newly formed 16th Division and the 1st Honorary Brigade were in charge of the street fighting in Qingcheng Port, and they were facing a Japanese marine corps with insufficient troops, so the battle went very smoothly.

With the 107th Division leading the attack, the entire division was eager to prove itself and demonstrate its ability to recapture Weifangcheng, a crucial hub city on the Jiaoji Railway.

"Commander, this place is too eerie."

The second company commander held his gun, watching the second-floor windows on both sides warily.

"Let the brothers walk close to the wall."

Xu Fei made a hand gesture.

Just then.

"Bang!"

A sharp gunshot shattered the silence.

The soldier at the very front fell to the ground with a thud, a burst of blood erupting from his chest.

"There's a sniper. Stay hidden."

Xu Fei roared and quickly pounced behind a stone lion that had been blown to pieces.

It was as if it were a signal.

The once deserted street instantly came alive.

"Da da da da—"

From the houses on both sides, countless concealed firing ports simultaneously spewed out tongues of fire.

The crossfire network instantly covered the entire street.

The bullets struck the bluestone slabs, sending up large amounts of gravel and sparks.

Several infantrymen who couldn't dodge in time were hit instantly, screaming as they fell into pools of blood.

"Fight back! Suppress them!"

Xu Fei leaned half his body out and fired his MP-40 submachine gun fiercely at a second-floor window.

The wooden window frame was smashed, sending sawdust flying everywhere.

However, the Japanese machine gun positions were arranged in an extremely cunning manner.

They hid behind a thick brick wall, leaving only a small firing hole.

Submachine gun bullets are unlikely to cause them any real harm.

"Tanks, fire!"

Xu Fei picked up the walkie-talkie carried by the communications soldier next to him and shouted.

The turret of Tiger tank No. 231 began to rotate.

But the streets were too narrow.

As the long 88mm main gun spun, it crashed directly into a nearby utility pole.

The turret is stuck, making it impossible to aim at the firing positions on the second floor.

"Damn it, the street is too narrow, we can't use the main gun properly."

Train conductor Xu Rui shouted anxiously over the radio.

Just as the tank was adjusting its position.

Suddenly, half of a Japanese soldier's body appeared on the roof of a two-story teahouse next door.

He was holding a glass bottle filled with gasoline, with a burning rag stuffed into the opening.

"Go to hell!"

The Japanese soldier yelled and hurled the Molotov cocktail in his hand at the Tiger tank below.

"Crack!"

The glass bottle smashed on the ground behind the Tiger tank.

The bottle shattered, and gasoline splattered everywhere.

With a loud "boom".

A fierce flame shot up into the air near the rear of the tank.

"The tank is on fire!"

The infantrymen gasped in surprise.

This Molotov cocktail tactic was originally used by Lin Feng in the street fighting in Zhabei, Shanghai, as a trump card against the Japanese's lightly armored tanks.

Unexpectedly, the Japanese have now learned this trick and used it on their Tiger tanks.

Although the Tiger tank had extremely thick armor, Molotov cocktails could not burn through it.

However, if burning gasoline flows into the engine compartment and ignites the fuel line or intake system, this steel behemoth will also be paralyzed.

"Smash the one who threw the bottle."

Xu Fei's eyes were bloodshot, and he raised his submachine gun and fired a burst at the roof.

"Da da da—"

Before the Japanese soldier could even pull himself back, he was riddled with bullets and fell from the rooftop, crashing heavily onto the street.

"Fire! Fire! Put out the fire!"

The second company commander threw down his gun, grabbed a sandbag filled with sand, and charged toward the burning tank, braving machine gun fire from both sides.

"Cover him!"

Xu Fei roared.

All the light and heavy machine guns opened fire simultaneously, desperately suppressing the Japanese firing positions on both sides.

The second company commander rushed to the rear of the tank, forcefully tore open the sandbags, and dumped the yellow sand inside onto the burning vehicle.

Several infantrymen rushed up and desperately beat out the flames with their uniforms and mud.

"laugh--"

The flames were finally smothered under the cover of sand.

A plume of pungent black smoke rose up.

The second company commander let out a long breath, leaned against the tank tracks, and gasped for air.

His hands were scalded with several large blisters.

"That was close."

Xu Fei wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.

He looked at the intricate streets around him and listened to the constant sniping sounds coming from all directions.

He realized that the troops had become bogged down in a huge quagmire.

The Japanese soldiers didn't engage them in direct combat at all.

Instead, they used their familiarity with the terrain to wage a war of attrition against them in every house and every alley.

The advantage of tanks has been greatly reduced.

The artillery behind them dared not fire indiscriminately, for fear of accidentally injuring their own men.

"Retreat! Get out of this street first!"

Xu Fei decisively issued the order.

Fortunately, neither of the Tiger tanks broke down this time, and they were able to reverse smoothly.

The infantrymen took turns providing cover, carrying the wounded as they slowly withdrew from the area.

A few hours later.

Newly formed Eighth Army Command.

Army Commander Zhang Wenzhong looked at the stack of battle reports in his hand, his brows furrowed.

"Commander, the attacks from all units have been thwarted."

The chief of staff reported in a somber tone:

"The 107th Division encountered extremely fierce street fighting resistance in the Dongcheng District."

The Japanese soldiers had broken through the houses, and there were bunkers and snipers everywhere.

Armored forces were unable to operate effectively, and infantry casualties rose sharply.

The newly formed 15th Division also encountered trouble in its flanking maneuver to the south.

The Japanese laid out numerous minefields and anti-tank ditches in the field, and also sent small groups of troops to constantly harass our logistics supply lines.

This afternoon, two trucks carrying artillery shells were destroyed by Japanese suicide squads.

Zhang Wenzhong walked to the map, looked at the concentric circles representing Weifang City, and took a deep breath.

Then, he picked up the phone on the table.

"Get me to Qingcheng Port and find Commander Lin."

When the call connected, Zhang Wenzhong's voice carried a hint of helplessness:

"Your Excellency, the advance at the front has been stalled."

Casualties began to rise, and the advance slowed significantly.

We...have encountered an extremely formidable opponent.