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

"Colonel, according to my plan, our Independent Tank Regiment will surely win this battle!"

Kiichi Yamanaka stood in the center of the carriage, his face filled with fervor.

That once sharp and capable face was now flushed red.

His eyes burned with an almost morbid excitement.

Like a gambler betting all their chips, that kind of desperate madness.

Meanwhile, Takezo Aizaki's eyes grew brighter and brighter.

He stood up.

Walk up to the map.

Look at those markings.

Looking at those little red dots representing the tanks of the Independent Tank Regiment.

Then he turned around.

Looking at the orderly arrangement in the mountains.

A slight smile finally appeared on that cold, hard face.

"Captain Yamanaka."

He paused.

Word by word:

"Your sir—"

"That's a great idea."

"The plan is good."

Stand at attention in the mountains, following the rules.

His heels snapped together.

"Hai!"

That sound was very loud.

It's very bright.

Full of—

The joy of an impending promotion.

Takezo Aizaki walked up to him.

Reach out.

He patted him on the shoulder.

The movement was very light.

It's very gentle.

Like an elder encouraging a younger generation.

Like a superior's affirmation of a subordinate.

"This plan," Takezo Aizaki said, "was proposed by you, so you should be the one to execute it."

Yamanaka Kiichi's body stiffened slightly.

The whole person,

It shuddered.

Should he be in charge of it?

He was stunned.

The fervor on his face faded at a visible speed.

It felt like someone had poured a bucket of ice water over my head.

He will carry it out.

this means.

He wanted to personally lead those six tanks.

He was at the very front.

Those six tanks were decoys.

They went there to their deaths.

It's meant to consume those massive, dark gray cannonballs.

Is to go—

To be cannon fodder.

And he.

It's also in the bait.

They were also among the cannon fodder.

"Bring it on...bring it on."

Yamanaka Kiichi's voice began to tremble.

stammer.

Incoherent.

"This...this isn't necessary, is it?"

He swallowed hard.

"The plan... I came up with the plan, but execution... execution can be outsourced to someone else..."

"For example... for example, the captain of the first squad, he's very brave..."

"Or...or the vice-captain of the second squad, he's very experienced..."

"I...I'm the commander, I should be giving orders from the rear..."

Takezo Aizaki looked at him.

The smile on his face gradually disappeared.

"Yours."

He spoke.

"The elite of the Imperial Army."

"We need you to come."

Yamanaka Kiichi's face turned deathly pale instantly.

Ashen white as a dead person.

His mouth was open.

What do you want to say?

But he couldn't say anything.

It just makes meaningless "ah ah" sounds.

His face was incredibly expressive.

despair.

fear.

regret.

upset.

and also--

A deep, ingrained regret, like the loss of one's mother.

He recalled the things he had just said.

"According to my plan, the Independent Tank Brigade will surely win!"

"Victory is certain!"

He recalled his own fanatical expression.

Thinking of my own—

He seemed eager to take credit.

just now.

He wanted to slap himself.

No.

He wanted to slap himself a hundred times.

But he can't.

Because Takezo Aizaki was looking at him.

With that calm, dead-looking gaze.

Look at him.

Yamanaka Kiichi hung his head:

"Ha... Hai."

Takezo Aizaki nodded in satisfaction.

He turned around and walked back to his seat.

sit down.

"Squad Leader Yamanaka Kiichi".

"Go."

Yamanaka Kiichi turned around, took a step, and left.

A short while later...

The Japanese 1st and 2nd tank squads began to assemble.

There were six tanks in total.

Type 97.

The most advanced tank in the Imperial Army.

Each vehicle costs the equivalent of a village's annual income.

Each one carries the pride of the empire.

Eighteen Japanese tank crewmen.

Eighteen elites who had been trained for three years.

They came out of their respective tents and stood there.

Yamanaka Kiichi stood in front of the eighteen Japanese soldiers.

Next to him was a Type 97 modified car.

It is larger, has thicker armor, and stronger firepower than the regular Type 97.

It is one of the best tanks in the corps.

But at this moment, looking at the tank, he felt no sense of security whatsoever.

Only fear.

He is afraid.

I'm terrified.

He doesn't want to die.

He's only in his early thirties.

He has a bright future ahead of him.

He hasn't become a colonel yet.

He hasn't become a general yet.

not yet--

Enjoy this vast land of China to the fullest.

He stared at the six tanks.

In his mind, he was quickly calculating.

You definitely can't ride in the first tank.

That was the lead vehicle, rushing to the very front, the first to be bombed.

The second one won't work either.

Thirdly, it's still dangerous.

The fourth one...

The fifth one...

His eyes fell on the last tank.

The sixth vehicle.

the last one.

It is furthest from those dark gray behemoths.

The safest.

He made up his mind.

In a little while, we'll get on the last bus.

The first five tanks charged forward and were bombed.

After the bombing, the shells should be almost used up.

If all five tanks are destroyed, he will go back.

Go back and report.

The task is complete.

They said the shells were used up.

Say--

I did my best.

He believed that Colonel Takeshi Aizaki could understand in this situation.

after all.

To desert from the start, versus to fight a battle and then flee—

There are still differences.

Thinking about this...

Yamanaka Kiichi felt confident.

The corners of his mouth even turned up slightly.

He walked up to the six tanks.

Stand still.

In front of them stood eighteen Japanese tank crewmen.

Everyone was watching him.

He spoke loudly:

"Yours—"

He paused:

"They are the empire's elite."

"It is the Emperor's pride."

Then, his voice rose as he issued the attack command:

"First and Second Tank Squads—"

"Forming a straight line."

"The spacing is fifty meters."

"Target--"

He raised his hand.

Pointing towards the north bank of Luodian.

It points to the positions held by the Chinese defenders.

Pointing to those massive, dark gray objects.

"China's position."

"Set off."

Soon, six Japanese tanks began to roar.

Before setting off, the eighteen tank crew members all poked their heads out of the hatches and shouted at the top of their lungs:

"Darkness breaks the card—Hooray—!!!"

"Long live--!!!"

"Long live--!!!"

Yamanaka Kiichi also had his mouth open.

They were also shouting.

Also in——

They acted like fervent fans.

But his eyes remained fixed on the sixth tank.

Stare at that—

The spot he was about to climb into.

Stare at that—

A location that would allow him to return alive.

After the frenzied shouts, the tracks of six Japanese tanks rolled across the ground and began their attack on the Chinese positions.

They are arranged in a straight line.

The spacing is fifty meters.

Kiichi Yamanaka sat in the sixth tank.

Looking through the observation window at the five tanks in front.

Watching them walk further and further away.

Look at them—

They were getting closer and closer to those dark gray shadows.

His hands gripped the control stick tightly.

My palms were sweaty.

His heart was pounding so hard it felt like it was going to jump out of his throat.

He silently recited in his heart:

"Blow up those five cars in front."

"I'll go back after I'm done blasting it."

"I'll go back after I'm done blowing it up..."

"After I'm done blowing it up, I'll go back..."

(Do you guys think this little Japanese devil will ever come back?)