Even if I'm a useless bum at Whampoa Military Academy, I'll be invincible in the War of Re

Shells rained down on the Japanese troops, each round of shelling sending up a shower of blood. It was less like collecting corpses and more like sending people to their deaths.

This wasn't enough to break through the Japanese defenses, since the defending troops' artillery was well hidden and difficult to catch.

The artillery of the 101st Regiment was no pushover either. The moment the isolated battalion's shelling ceased, Japanese shells came flying in. Whether they hit or not is unknown, but they certainly misfired, which greatly excited the charging infantry.

The company commander brandished his saber and roared:

"Warriors, charge!"

With the defending troops' positions right in front of them, the Japanese infantry launched a final charge, attempting to take the position in one fell swoop.

A crisp gunshot rang out, instantly igniting the position. Dozens of tongues of fire shot towards the Japanese soldiers, sweeping across the ranks like autumn leaves in the wind, causing the Japanese troops to collapse like dominoes.

Iizuka Kunigoro's face was so gloomy it could squeeze water out of it, his hands holding the binoculars were trembling slightly, his lips were blue, and his eyes were full of terror.

What kind of unit is this? They seem to be indestructible, always managing to pop up from the ground.

The intensity of the firepower was beyond his comprehension. If the Chinese army was like this, the future of the holy war was worrying!

Initially, the Japanese soldiers even fantasized about overwhelming the isolated battalion's position with sheer numbers, but they were thoroughly humiliated.

No matter how many Japanese soldiers there were, they couldn't outnumber the thousands of bullets the defending troops had. They even had dozens of machine guns. Using human wave tactics would just be suicide.

The Japanese army's formation was thrown into disarray, and the remaining troops could only lie obediently on the ground and be trampled upon.

The 101st Regiment suffered another major loss, with nearly half of the two companies deployed to the battlefield killed or wounded. The only result was the consumption of a huge amount of ammunition by the isolated battalion.

The company commander leading the charge was so frustrated that he yelled and screamed, his saber gleaming in the sunlight, as if he wanted to tell the defending sniper directly, "I am the commander."

In the exchange of fire within a 100-meter radius, the isolated battalion completely dominated, and with equal numbers of troops, the two Japanese companies were being relentlessly attacked.

Shangguan Zhibiao's expression was relaxed. He had been holding out for a day and a half, and the two companies at the front had not suffered heavy casualties. He also had a reserve company under his command.

Shooting skills were his preferred fighting style. Since the two sides were close together, the Japanese dared not use heavy artillery, and the brothers huddled in the trenches to fire, gaining a significant advantage.

At the 101st Brigade headquarters, Major General Kenzo Sato took over command and convened the first battle planning meeting. Kunigoro Iizuka, who had suffered two consecutive defeats, was severely reprimanded.

"You idiot! A main force regiment that can't even wipe out a few thousand ragtag squads? You might as well stop calling yourself Iizuka and start calling yourself Rice Bucket."

This is no longer just an insult; it's an insult to the Iizuka family, and it could provoke a duel.

In the Japanese army, the brigade commander was in a very awkward position. He did not have any directly subordinate troops. Many regimental commanders only listened to the division commanders, let alone insulting a colonel regimental commander like this.

If it were anyone else, Iizuka would definitely have started a fight with him on the spot, but Major General Sato wouldn't.

Sato is one of the top ten surnames in Japan, and even one of the top five. The Iizuka family is nothing compared to Sato.

Iizuka Kunigoro said with a face full of grief and indignation:

"General, please allow me to apologize to His Majesty the Heavenly Locust!"

Colonel Iizuka could only express his dissatisfaction in this way. Kenzo Sato seemed to realize that his insults had gone a bit too far, and then snorted coldly:

"Baka! This is the most cowardly thing a samurai can do! A true samurai washes away his shame with the blood of his enemies."

Major General Sato's tone softened considerably. Tsuda Tatsuhiko, the commander of the 149th Infantry Regiment, tugged at Colonel Iizuka's sleeve, and the latter readily sat down.

Major General Sato swept his cold gaze around and said:

"Gentlemen, the battle at Kunshan has already affected the Nanjing campaign. The Chinese along the Xicheng line are fighting very hard, and the Imperial Army is consuming huge amounts of supplies. The Shanghai-Nanjing Railway must be opened up as soon as possible."

"Three days! Only three days left until the deadline given by the Commander! We must intensify our offensive. From now on, I don't want to see any more casualties. I only want Kunshan!"

"Hey!"

All the Japanese soldiers stood up in unison, each one exuding murderous intent. This was a fight to the death. After all, it was only soldiers who would die, and Kyoto had no shortage of reservists willing to sacrifice themselves for the holy war.

At noon, the private first class by the river finally received his meal. After a morning of fierce fighting, he was starving, and being able to eat salted fish rice balls was such a blessing.

Of the 13 men in his squad, only 8 returned, and 3 of them were wounded.

He was among the first batch of reservists to sign up for the 101st Division. Before that, thanks to his family's resources, his career was thriving, and he had already married and had children.

He wouldn't even glance at the salted fish rice ball when he was at home, but now he licks every grain of rice off his hands.

When he put on his uniform again, he wanted to build an everlasting legacy for the empire and the Heavenly Locusts; now, he only wanted to live.

He wiped the oil off his hands on his body by the river, then took out a photograph from his inner pocket. It showed a woman with a round face and a little girl in a sailor uniform.

Warm moments always pass quickly. The assembly whistle sounded like a death knell, and the private first class by the river could only tuck the photo back into his pocket.

The attack was about to begin, and he didn't know how many more people would not survive.

The thunderous sound of cannons rang out, and the Japanese began their artillery preparations, deploying a large heavy artillery unit, creating a huge commotion.

The Japanese soldiers waved their guns and cheered. The sound of artillery gave them great confidence; this was something no human could withstand.

After an unknown amount of time, the artillery barrage ended, and thousands of Japanese soldiers launched a massive charge, so densely packed that the line seemed endless. Privates from the riverbank were among them.

Stimulated by the artillery fire, every Japanese soldier was fanatical and full of confidence in victory.

"Boom boom boom..."

"Boom boom boom!"

Rows of shells rained down from the sky, and it was the Japanese soldiers' turn to be bombed. Each round of shelling meant that many Japanese soldiers would miss their next meal. The privates on the riverbank felt as if they were dancing on the Bridge of Helplessness, and could fall into the abyss at any moment.

This was just an appetizer. As the skirmish line advanced, the isolated battalion's machine guns and rifles opened fire, and the intensity skyrocketed.

The Japanese heavy firepower from the rear also joined the battle, each displaying its unique abilities. Shangguan Zhibiao also joined the reserve force, and the battle entered a fierce stage.

The Japanese advance was halted, their initial three-pronged attack failed to achieve a breakthrough, and they had no choice but to lie down obediently.

Subsequently, the 149th Regiment sent a battalion to flank the city and launch an attack from the south, but they were blocked by the 2nd Battalion between the moat and the city wall.

Despite heavy casualties, they could not advance an inch, and the corpses of the Japanese soldiers filled the trenches.

Zhao Yunwen's expression remained calm and composed. Now that the battle was in full swing, he had to stay calm and not be merciful in command.

The Japanese have deployed two complete infantry battalions, determined to win. Zhao Yunwen, with two battalions, relies on fortifications to hold out. He even uses bookshelves to avoid getting lost. Let's see how Zhao Yunwen breaks the deadlock.