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

66. This time, it's not defense, it's offense, it's annihilation.

At 11 a.m. on the southern battlefield of Luodian, the smoke of battle was gradually dissipating, but the stench of blood was still so strong that it was impossible to shake off.

Queen Bee, a young female PhD from the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Research Institute of the National University of Defense Technology, quickly walked to Bian Yun's side.

On the tablet screen she was holding, thermal imaging was updating in real time.

"Frontline," her voice was calmer than one would expect after a crushing victory, "new cluster of heat sources discovered."

Her finger swiped and zoomed in on the screen:

"According to the continuous monitoring of the fourteen 'Hummingbird' aircraft, Japanese troops are unusually assembling within a three-kilometer radius of our current location."

A slender finger traces a fan-shaped area on the screen:

"1.5 kilometers to the northeast, a densely populated area of heat sources. Judging from the movement trajectory and scale, it should be a complete infantry brigade command and its subordinate units, about 800 people."

"Two kilometers to the east, there are two distinct infantry battalions marching in columns, each with about five hundred men, accompanied by pack animals and what appears to be artillery units."

"One and eight kilometers to the southeast, there is a logistics and reserve team of about six hundred people."

She looked up at Bian Yun through her goggles:

"The total strength is about 2,400 men. Based on the organization of the Japanese Third Division, this should be all the remaining troops that the Third Brigade could mobilize after the Sixth Regiment was destroyed."

Bian Yun took the tablet and fixed his gaze on the blue triangle on the screen that represented his team—it was positioned right at the bottleneck of the highway connecting Luodian and Baoshan.

"They want to take this place back," Bian Yun said calmly. "To regain control of the southern part of Luodian and reopen the road to Baoshan."

"Correct." The Queen Bee nodded. "This is the vital point of Luodian. Whoever controls this place controls the initiative on the Luodian battlefield."

"This place controls the only paved road leading to downtown Shanghai and also guards the flank of the Japanese Third Division."

"A strategically vital location that military strategists must contend for."

She paused, then added:

"If we lose this place, the Japanese 3rd Division's troops in northern Luodian will become isolated and could be outflanked by us from the south at any time."

"From a tactical perspective, the decision made by the commander of the Japanese Third Brigade, though foolish, was reasonable."

"Tell me more about it?" Bian Yun raised an eyebrow.

"Use 2,400 light infantrymen to attack five main battle tanks that are almost invincible on land without effective anti-tank weapons."

The Queen Bee adjusted her glasses. "This would be classified as a 'suicide attack' in any modern warfare textbook, but they had no choice but to either gamble here or watch the Luodian battle collapse."

"In retrospect, the Japanese army's choice was a gamble."

"They're desperate."

Bian Yun stared at the red torrents moving towards their side on the screen, a cold smile slowly curving his lips:

"Then let them gamble."

"I lost the bet—"

"I'll pay with my life."

Bian Yun looked at Zhao Tieshan, who was organizing soldiers to reinforce the fortifications.

Hearing the shouts, the battered captain limped over, blood seeping from the bandage on his left arm, but his back remained ramrod straight: "Brother Bian!"

"How many people are still fighting?"

Zhao Tieshan quickly scanned the battlefield and gritted his teeth, saying, "Including the lightly wounded... four hundred and thirty-seven people."

"Where's the ammunition?"

"We captured an ammunition depot from the Japanese. Each soldier received fifty rifle rounds, two hand grenades, and only one heavy machine gun that could still fire. We had less than five hundred bullets."

Bian Yun nodded and pointed southeast:

"Three and a half kilometers away, the Japanese Third Brigade, two thousand men, is rushing towards us."

"They want to take this place back."

Zhao Tieshan's pupils contracted, but the next second, a fierce smile spread across his lips:

"Well done!"

"Perfect."

Hearing the shouts, the battered captain limped over, his uninjured eye burning with a fierce light.

"Great...good timing..."

"Those six hundred weren't enough! This is much more exciting!"

He turned abruptly and roared at the busy soldiers:

"Brothers—! Stop what you're doing—!"

Nearly a hundred soldiers who were still able to stand all raised their heads in unison.

"Those little devils aren't having it—!" Zhao Tieshan waved his only remaining functional right arm, "They think they didn't die a quick and painless death—!"

"They sent us over two thousand more!"

"What do you say—! What should we do—?!"

A brief silence.

Then, an explosive response:

"kill--!!!"

"Kill them all—!!!"

"Kill all those sons of bitches."

"Let them never return—!!!"

These soldiers, who had just crawled out of hell, these men who had been weeping bitterly just moments before, now had the same flame burning in their eyes—

The flames of revenge.

The flame of certain victory.

Armed with steel, it is a flame that dares to unsheathe its sword against any enemy.

Old Hei carried a box of ammunition on his one arm, his voice hoarse like a broken gong:

"My arm was blown off by the Japanese devils... Today, I'll make them pay with two thousand lives!"

Sanzhuzi, the fifteen-year-old soldier, clutched the automatic rifle he had just been assigned to, his hands still trembling, but his eyes were resolute.

"I...I'm not afraid anymore...We have tanks...We have Brother Bian and the others...I'm not afraid anymore..."

Zhao Tieshan's eyes reddened again as he looked at his brothers.

But this time it's not sadness.

It is pride.

It is a thrilling sense of pride.

He turned around, faced Bian Yun, and punched his chest hard.

"Brother Bian! Give the order!"

"Our group of about a hundred people, plus your five iron turtles—"

He grinned, revealing teeth blackened by gunpowder:

"Is there enough dumpling filling for two thousand people for one meal?"

Bian Yun looked at him, and at the scarred but spirited faces around him.

Then, he smiled too.