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

As soon as the artillery fire extended to the front line of Xiaomaofeng, hundreds of Japanese soldiers charged forward aggressively. The Second Battalion of the Third Regiment opened fire with full force, suppressing the Japanese soldiers' momentum.

The forward positions of Xiaomaofeng were cleverly set up. Between Tiger Cave and Xiaomaofeng, there is a saddle-shaped depression that is about 500 meters long and 300 meters wide.

If the Japanese wanted to attack Xiaomaofeng from the front, they had to pass through this depression and reach the foot of the second peak.

If the forward positions were set up on the high ground along the edge, they could be used to fire at the Japanese from above. However, Zhao Yunwen deliberately did not deploy heavy troops on that ground. Instead, he set them up on a hillside more than 80 meters behind, allowing the Japanese to pass through the saddle-shaped area.

When the Japanese soldiers rushed onto the platform, they realized it was a pit. They couldn't deploy their forces, the heavy machine guns couldn't provide support, and there were blind spots. The bullets were either blocked by the protrusions on the saddle or went into the air.

The defending troops only needed to stay in the trenches and fire at the Japanese from their high ground. Mortar shells could also easily hit the saddle depression, maximizing the effectiveness of their firepower.

Hundreds of Japanese soldiers were pinned to the ground and rubbed against each other by the Second Battalion, unable to exert their strength and feeling extremely frustrated.

The Japanese troops on both flanks were held back by two battalions of the Second Regiment, suffering heavy casualties as well, while the Third Regiment had two infantry battalions in reserve, making the fight much easier.

The Japanese attack was a probing one, and they retreated by noon, leaving behind more than two hundred corpses.

After ascertaining the troop strength and firepower configuration of the Second Peak, the Japanese launched a fierce artillery bombardment. The remaining artillery of the 9th Mountain Artillery Regiment was also put into the battle, along with the artillery of several other regiments, making them a formidable force.

The guerrillas retreated into the tunnels to take cover. The Nationalist government built a large number of field fortifications on Zijin Mountain. The guerrillas also dug a large number of hidden tunnels and individual foxholes during the three days of fierce fighting at Tiger Cave. The Japanese artillery bombardment was not very effective.

At the front line, shells whizzed past, and the soldiers of the 2nd Battalion of the 3rd Regiment huddled in the tunnels, silently enduring the blasts. Everyone wore a gas mask to avoid falling into the enemy's trap.

The guerrilla artillery did not retaliate in kind, but chose to endure and prepare for a major attack. Zhao Yunwen was very confident in the tunnel fortifications on the second peak.

At the Second Battalion Field Command Post, Li Musheng was observing the enemy situation under artillery fire. The command post was located in a bunker with a top that could withstand 150mm heavy artillery and an underground shelter below, but he did not stay underground.

Deputy Battalion Commander Chen Yuanxiao leaned over and said:

"These bastards are never going to stop! Should we get the artillery company to give the Japanese a good thrashing?"

Li Musheng shook his head and said:

"No need. We only have a few cannons. Let's save them for when it matters most. The brothers can handle it."

The Japanese are behaving strangely this time; I expect they'll make some big moves later. Once the shelling stops, you'll go to the artillery company. I grant you the right to fire freely. Bomb wherever the Japanese are clustered together, fire two or three rounds, then move on. Understand?

Chen Yuanxiao nodded and accepted the order, then patiently waited for the shelling to end.

After an unknown amount of time, the Japanese artillery fire finally stopped, and short, piercing whistles sounded from the position.

The soldiers of the Second Battalion rushed out of their hiding tunnels, returned to their battle positions, and opened fire on the Japanese.

The 19th Infantry Regiment and the 3rd Regiment were old rivals; they had clashed as early as Dachang on the right flank of the Guangxi Army.

At that time, the 19th Regiment was at the peak of its combat power, capable of taking on an entire Hunan Army corps without being at a disadvantage, and Qin Qingwu's regiment was far from being their match.

Times have changed. Now, with just the Second Battalion and the Artillery Battalion, they dare to take on the 19th Regiment head-on.

The Japanese army deployed over a thousand troops in this attack, launching a fierce assault on a 300-meter front.

Because the front was too narrow, the Japanese troops adopted a multi-wave advance. Looking around, the whole mountain was covered with "locusts".

The soldiers of the Second Battalion opened fire on the Japanese soldiers, and their combined light and heavy firepower formed an impenetrable net of fire, holding the Japanese soldiers firmly at bay.

The saddle-shaped waist area was not suitable for deploying troops. Too dense a formation would result in heavy casualties, while too spread out a skirmish line would leave insufficient firepower. The 19th Regiment was unable to exert its full strength and soon found itself in a stalemate.

The Japanese soldiers were crammed into the depression, and Chen Yuanxiao finally seized the opportunity to take revenge. He ordered the artillery company to continuously pour shells into the depression, and each round yielded a great harvest.

The bunkers at Tiger Cave all faced east, so even if the Japanese occupied them, they couldn't use them. The infantry were still exposed in the open and were suppressed by the Browning medium machine guns of the defending troops.

The Japanese heavy machine gun positions were located at the foot of Tiger Cave Mountain, about 1,000 meters away. Most of the bullets fired went into the air, and only infantry guns and rapid-fire guns were useful.

The two sides fought fiercely, with the Japanese troops unable to advance an inch and their casualties rising sharply.

Meanwhile, the battle on both flanks also devolved into a war of attrition. The Second Regiment, relying on its terrain and firepower advantages, coupled with its solid field fortifications, gained a huge advantage and easily achieved an exchange ratio of one to four or one to five. Zhao Yunwen showed a satisfied smile on his face. The guerrilla detachment could afford to fight such a war of attrition.

At the First Peak Training Corps Command Post, Gui Yongqing was filled with excitement and couldn't help but exclaim in admiration:

"Brother Yunwen deserves the title of the fourth outstanding talent of Whampoa Military Academy; I am inferior to him!"

Qiu the Madman chimed in, saying:

"With just one brigade, they held their own against the 9th Division. Even my German-equipped division couldn't do that."

Previously, when the guerrilla detachment was reported to have crippled the 16th Division, I didn't believe it at all, but now I'm completely convinced. Let alone the 16th Division, even the 9th Division was nearly wiped out.

After Qiu the Madman finished speaking, he added:

"Senior Zhao just sent a telegram. He is worried that the Japanese will bypass the main force and attack our deep positions such as the First Peak, Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum, and Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum. He suggested that our troops make preparations in advance."

They also promised that if the Japanese launched a full-scale attack on the Training Corps, they would send troops to flank the 9th Division at a crucial moment to cut off its supply lines, and if given the opportunity, they would attack its division headquarters!

Seemingly spurred on by Zhao Yunwen, Gui Yongqing declared with boundless pride:

"If the guerrilla detachment dares to stand up to the Ninth Division, then our Training Corps isn't made of clay either. If the Japanese dare to take a detour to attack, we'll make sure they don't return!"

The gunfire on the second peak continued until nightfall. The main force of the Ninth Division had almost exhausted all its strength, but still could not break through the guerrilla detachment's defenses and had to retreat in disgrace.

Inside the 9th Division headquarters, the faces of the Japanese soldiers were grim. Hitoshi Kaneshiro suddenly stood up and said:

"Division Commander, please give me one more day. The 19th Regiment will launch an attack tonight. I refuse to believe we can't take this small hill!"

The other Japanese soldiers also volunteered for battle, resembling a group of gamblers who had lost everything. Yoshizumi Ryosuke coldly shouted:

"Enough! General, you mustn't raise an army in anger. I must take responsibility for the more than 20,000 warriors of the Jinze Division!"

The Japanese soldiers quickly shut their mouths. They sensed a strong killing intent emanating from Yoshizumi Ryosuke, which was extremely angry and they absolutely could not afford to provoke him.

After Yoshizumi Ryosuke concealed his aura, he said:

"Gentlemen, the terrain of Xiaomaofeng makes it impossible to deploy troops. The defending forces are well-equipped and have a strong fighting spirit, so it cannot be taken down in a short time."

The Jinze Division had no more time to waste on Xiaomaofeng. I decided to leave the 19th Infantry Regiment to continue holding off the guerrilla detachment, while the main force would bypass the second peak and attack the first peak, the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum, the Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum, and other key positions to annihilate the First Elite Training Corps of China!

Yoshizumi Ryosuke made up his mind, and no one dared to mention the risks again. Subsequently, Yoshizumi Ryosuke transferred 3,000 men from the supply and replenishment units to supplement the various units, restoring some of their combat strength.

In order to catch them off guard, after midnight, the 35th Infantry Regiment, as the vanguard, bypassed Xiaomaofeng and headed straight for the Training Corps' defense zone, followed by the 7th Infantry Regiment, the 30th Regiment, and the 9th Mountain Artillery Regiment.

The division headquarters, the 9th Supply Regiment, the 9th Engineer Regiment, and the 1st to 4th Field Hospitals set up camp 6 kilometers northeast of Xiaomaofeng, with the 9th Cavalry Regiment guarding the flanks.

The 19th Infantry Regiment was left behind to contain the guerrilla detachment and protect the division headquarters. The Japanese's subtle maneuvers did not escape Zhao Yunwen's notice, and he immediately gave the following order:

"Old Xie, immediately send a telegram to Commander Gui, telling him that the Japanese have already detoured and are heading towards them!"