Not enough Japanese devils to kill? 1.4 billion people volunteer for the Battle of Shanghai.

At 2:17 AM, under a dark and windy sky, perfect for murder.

The anvil crouched behind a half-collapsed brick wall, its night vision goggles gleaming with a faint green light.

Through the lenses, the world appears as a monotonous mix of black, white, and green, yet the details are breathtakingly clear.

He raised his hand and gently tapped the microphone of the individual communicator three times.

One long, two short.

It means: in place.

Two soft taps responded in the earpiece.

The goalkeeper is in position.

The embroiderers took their positions.

Iron Anvil grinned, revealing a somewhat ferocious smile under the green light of the night vision goggles.

He gently pushed aside the broken bricks in front of him, his body sliding into the shadows behind the wall like a silent snake.

This is on the northwest side of Luodian, near the site of the former slaughterhouse.

The pre-war slaughterhouse had long been reduced to foundations and a few crumbling walls by artillery fire, but on the tablet terminal in Anvil's hand, a path marked with a dotted line was clearly displayed—

That was the entrance to a drainage channel that was calculated based on a pre-war municipal underground pipe network map and may not have completely collapsed.

Before him was a dark, half-hidden cave entrance covered by rubble.

The opening was small, less than seventy centimeters in diameter, with uneven brickwork around the edges, and it emitted a nauseating stench mixed with the smells of blood, decay, and gunpowder.

Without hesitation, the anvil ducked down and crawled inside.

The passage was narrower than he had imagined, almost requiring him to crawl. The ground was slippery, sticky mud, mixed with some kind of rotting matter he couldn't identify.

But he climbed very quickly.

Like a pangolin returning to its familiar cave.

The tablet terminal is fixed to the left forearm, and a blue navigation path flashes on the screen.

Every ten meters or so, he would stop, take out a button-sized device from his tactical waist pack, and gently press it against the side wall of the passage.

Miniature vibration sensor.

Once a large group of people passes through the nearby area, the sensors will transmit vibration data back, providing early warning for subsequent actions.

five minutes.

ten minutes.

Fifteen minutes later.

A faint light appeared ahead.

It wasn't natural light, but rather a very dim halo of moonlight shining through a crack.

The anvil stopped, the night vision goggles were turned off, and the head was cautiously poked out.

Outside, there was a relatively open area of ​​ruins.

This area, which used to be the backyard of a slaughterhouse, is now filled with collapsed bricks and charred timber.

But importantly, this location is situated to the flank and rear of the Japanese positions, less than fifty meters from the nearest Japanese sentry post.

He could clearly see that at that sentry post, two Japanese sentries were leaning against the broken wall. One of them was dozing off, his head nodding. The other was smoking, the red glow of his cigarette glowing in the night.

The anvil silently retracted into the passage.

He pressed the microphone again.

Two long ones, one short one.

It means: I have reached behind enemy lines and am safe.

Then he began to wait.

At the same time, about 300 meters away.

The mortar positions were redeployed by the Japanese 34th Regiment.

This is a relatively flat open space, which may have originally been a threshing ground.

At this moment, twelve Type 97 81mm mortars are neatly set up in three rows.

Open ammunition boxes were piled up next to the cannon, and the golden shells gleamed coldly in the moonlight.

About thirty artillerymen were resting around several small campfires.

Most of the soldiers were already asleep, curled up on the ground wrapped in military blankets. Only a few soldiers on guard duty paced back and forth along the edge of the position, their steps heavy, clearly exhausted.

They had just completed a full day of forced march and were urgently transferred from the rear to support Kato's battalion's attack on the north bank of Luodian.

I thought I could finally rest once I got to the front lines, but as soon as we set up camp, I heard the news of the crushing defeat that had happened during the day.

Morale is low.

Panic.

Nobody wants to face those three "monster vehicles".

"I heard we're going to be providing artillery support tomorrow..." a young artillery sergeant whispered to his comrade beside him, his voice tinged with fear, "But those tanks... will our artillery even be of any use to them?"

"Shut up," another Japanese veteran snapped. "Just follow orders."

"But--"

"No buts!"

The conversation came to an abrupt end.

On the battlefield, only the crackling of the campfire and the sounds of snoring could be heard.

they do not know.

A corner of ruins less than eighty meters from them.

The breacher was kneeling on one knee, his PF-97 man-portable rocket launcher already loaded on his shoulder.

Armor-piercing projectile.

He locked onto the target using the simple optical sight that came with the rocket launcher.

It's not a specific cannon.

It was the tallest pile of ammunition boxes placed between the two rows of mortars.

Through the night vision goggles, the ammunition boxes appeared as cold, green outlines.

The person who broke down the door took a deep breath and held it.

Then, pull the trigger.

"Swoosh—Boom!!!"

The sound of the rocket being launched was not loud.

The launch tube was designed to be silent. But the piercing scream of the rocket as it ignited and accelerated after leaving the barrel tore through the night sky!

A white trail of flame left a striking trace in the darkness!

Time seemed to slow down.

On the position, the dozing sentry was startled awake by the shrill whistle and raised his head in a daze.

The veteran by the campfire jumped up and looked toward the source of the sound.

Everyone saw the white light rapidly approaching.

But the brain doesn't have time to react.

The rocket hit the very center of the pile of ammunition boxes with pinpoint accuracy!

boom--!!!!!!!!!

The explosion was deafening!

Not just one sound!

It's a chain reaction!

The first rocket detonated several mortar shells on the top layer, and those shells exploded in turn, detonating even more ammunition below!

Boom boom boom boom boom boom—!!!

A series of overlapping, deafening explosions!

Flames shot skyward, instantly illuminating half the night sky!

Shrapnel, twisted cannon barrels, torn limbs, burning wood... were hurled wildly in all directions from the point of explosion!

The six closest mortars, along with their crew, were blown away by the shockwave of the explosion!

The barrels of the two cannons twisted into pretzels, spinning in the air as they crashed into the distant ruins.

The four artillerymen were still asleep when the explosion tore them to pieces, without even letting out a scream.

Artillerymen a little further away were hit by flying shrapnel and fell to the ground screaming in agony.

The young artillery sergeant had just stood up to run when a palm-sized piece of shrapnel spun through the air and precisely sliced ​​off half of his head. Red and white splattered all over the face of his comrade next to him.

The veteran who had reprimanded him was a little "lucky"—he was only thrown back by the shockwave and crashed heavily into a broken wall, his spine broken. He lay paralyzed on the ground, staring at the hellish scene before him, his mouth agape, but unable to utter a sound.

Within five seconds, the entire mortar position was transformed into a burning inferno littered with severed limbs and twisted metal.

The person who broke down the door didn't look a second time.

After the launch, it turned around, crouched down, and disappeared into the ruins like a ghostly figure blending into the night.

The sound of an anvil reached his ears, transmitted through the soldier's communicator with a hint of approval:

"The fireworks are nice."

The person who broke down the door twitched the corner of his mouth but didn't respond.

It simply accelerated the pace of the evacuation.

At the same moment the mortar position exploded—

About 400 meters to the southeast.

A temporary ammunition depot for the Japanese army.

This is the former playground of Luodian Primary School. It is relatively open, far from residential areas, and considered a "safe" rear area.

At this moment, dozens of wooden crates of varying sizes and stacks covered with canvas were piled up on the playground.

Inside were bullets, grenades, grenade launcher ammunition, and a small number of infantry artillery shells.

A dozen or so Japanese logistics soldiers were on duty here, responsible for guarding and distributing supplies.

They were far from the front lines, and although news of the crushing defeat during the day arrived, they didn't feel it deeply.

At this moment, most people are gathered around a small stove cooking something, and the aroma of miso soup wafts from the pot.

"I heard the losses at the front are huge..." a young logistics soldier wearing glasses and looking like a student said in a low voice.

"What does it have to do with us?" another burly old soldier sneered. "We just issue ammunition; we don't have to go up there and fight."

"But--"

"Shut up and drink your soup."

Suddenly, a muffled explosion was heard in the distance.

Everyone was stunned, and looked up towards the northwest—where flames were rising.

"What happened?"

"The mortar position has been blown up?!"

"Enemy attack?!"

Panic.

But before they could react—

Behind a half-collapsed wall at the edge of the playground.

The embroiderer squatted on the ground, her PF-97 rifle loaded onto her shoulder.

High explosive bomb.

She wasn't aiming at a particular pile of ammunition.

It was in the center of the playground, those largest stacks, completely covered with canvas.

According to thermal imaging, the temperature of those stacks was significantly higher than that of the surrounding environment.

Inside, there were either newly arrived ammunition or the excessively dense stacking caused heat buildup.

The perfect goal.

The embroiderer pulled the trigger.

A second white trail of flame tore through the night sky!

"What is that?!" On the parade ground, a sharp-eyed Japanese soldier pointed at the incoming white light and screamed.

Everyone looked up.

The pupils suddenly contracted.

"Rocket launcher—!!!"

Someone screamed the word, their voice distorted with extreme fear.

But it's too late.

The rocket accurately struck the largest stack of canvas!

*Whoosh—Boom!*

First came the muffled thud that pierced the canvas, then...

A brief silence, lasting less than half a second.

It was as if time had stood still on the entire playground.

Immediately afterwards—

Rumble rumble rumble rumble—!!!

An explosion more terrifying, larger, and longer-lasting than a mortar emplacement!

That stack contained a full three tons of infantry shells and explosives!

Explosion!

The towering pillar of fire instantly illuminated the entire playground as bright as day!

The shockwave, like an invisible giant hammer, swept everything away!

The nearest logistics soldiers, along with their small stoves for cooking soup, were instantly vaporized.

It wasn't shattered, it vaporized, leaving not a trace behind.

Those further away were thrown dozens of meters by the shockwave, their bodies scorched by the high temperature and torn apart by shrapnel while still in mid-air.

The ground of the entire playground was blasted into a crater more than 15 meters in diameter and 3 meters deep!

The surrounding walls, the remaining school buildings, and even the ruins of several residential buildings further away were all flattened by the shockwave.

Burning wooden crates, scorching hot shell casings, twisted metal fragments, and other indistinguishable debris were hurled high into the air like a volcanic eruption, then rained down like a storm.

Fire Rain!

Real fire rain!

After launching the attack, the embroiderer didn't even turn around to check the results.

She had already calculated the blast radius and her own safe distance.

He turned around, performed a few nimble rolls and leaps, and hid behind a sturdy brick bunker.

Almost the instant she took cover, a shockwave, carrying scorching air and debris, swept over her head.

She leaned against the cover, listening to the deafening explosions and screams outside, her face expressionless.

He simply spoke into the microphone, calmly reporting:

"Target number two, eliminate."

The sound of anvil's laughter came through the headset:

"The embroiderer's fireworks are more beautiful than the door-breaking man's."

The embroiderer didn't reply; she simply began checking her equipment, preparing to head to the next rendezvous point.

On the clock tower.

Colonel Kato stood by the window, still holding the military sword in his hand.

The explosion at the distant mortar position sent a jolt through him.

"What's going on?!" he roared hoarsely.

The adjutant rushed to the window in a panic, looked northwest, and said, his face ashen, "Colonel...it looks like a mortar position..."

"Enemy attack?!" Kato's heart pounded wildly.

Before he could even give the order—

From the southeast, even more violent and terrifying explosions followed one after another!

The towering pillar of fire dyed half the night sky orange-red!

Even from nearly a kilometer away, Kato could feel the clear vibrations coming from the clock tower beneath his feet!

The windowpane rattled loudly!

"Ammunition depot...it's an ammunition depot..." Staff Officer Watanabe collapsed to the ground, muttering to himself, his eyes completely glazed over. "It's over...it's all over..."

Kato's face, illuminated by the firelight, was twisted like that of a demon.

His body began to tremble uncontrollably.

There is anger.

But more than anything, it was fear.

A deep-seated fear that almost consumed him.

The three tanks during the day could be explained as "unknown new weapons".

But this midnight raid... this precise strike... this completely unconventional fighting style...

Who exactly is the other party?!

How many of them are there?!

"Down...downstairs..." Kato forced out the words through gritted teeth, "Organize defenses...quickly...!"

He turned around and stumbled towards the stairwell.

The adjutant and the other two company commanders also realized what was happening and scrambled to catch up.

Staff Officer Watanabe was still sprawled on the ground, muttering repeatedly, "It's over...it's all over..."

Kato ignored him.

He has only one thought in mind right now.

Get out of this damn clock tower!

Get away from this conspicuous target!

He rushed to the stairwell, about to go down—

Out of the corner of my eye, I suddenly caught a glimpse of a light.

In the ruins opposite the clock tower.

A tiny... faint, fleeting light, like a firefly.

Then, that familiar white tail flame that had terrified him reappeared!

This time, we're heading towards the clock tower!

Straight, swift, and with the sinister grin of death, it hurtled toward the floor where he was!

Time seemed to be stretched out infinitely.

Kato stood there, watching helplessly as the white light rapidly enlarged in his field of vision.

He could see the spinning rocket body clearly.

You can clearly see the distorted trajectory of the exhaust flame in the air.

I can see clearly... death is rushing towards me.

His mind went blank.

All ambition, all madness, all the Bushido spirit, vanished into nothingness at this moment.

Only the most primal, most instinctive—remains.

despair.

"No--!!!"

He let out one last, incoherent roar.

Then--

boom--!!!!!!!