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

The field command post of the 9th Infantry Brigade of the Japanese Army on the outskirts of Maling Mountain.

All three pursuing forces were dispatched, leaving only one infantry battalion to guard the camp.

Major General Kunisaki, the brigade commander, stood before the map, his brows slightly furrowed, quietly contemplating the battle situation.

This man was forty-five years old, at the peak of his military career. He was 1.62 meters tall, with thick eyebrows and narrow eyes. His eyes were usually slightly narrowed, and when he looked at people, there was always a sinister scrutiny and calculation in them. He wore a crisp, khaki woolen military overcoat with the collar tightly buttoned, a command sword hanging at his waist, and spotless, gleaming leather boots. He stood upright, but exuded a stiff, rigid arrogance.

Beside him, Lieutenant Colonel Hideaki Kuroda, the Chief of Staff, looked hesitant, repeatedly trying to speak but then stopping himself.

Kunisaki Tomoya didn't even raise his head, and said coldly:

"Just say what you have to say!"

Lieutenant Colonel Kuroda bowed and spoke, his tone full of concern:

"General, the remnants of the Chinese forces have all fled into the Maling Mountains. This area is characterized by high mountains, dense forests, and crisscrossing ravines, making its terrain extremely complex. The Imperial Army has divided its forces into three routes to pursue and annihilate them, with the Yamada Regiment in the central route advancing deep into the mountains alone. Zhao Yunwen is most skilled at ambushes in the mountains, so such a reckless advance is probably too risky."

Kunisaki Noboru was always arrogant and conceited. Since the landing at Hangzhou Bay, he had won one battle after another and was invincible. A single brigade dared to chase and fight tens of thousands of Nationalist troops. In his eyes, the so-called 107th Division was nothing but a defeated army that was barely clinging to life and was not worth mentioning at all.

He waved his hand dismissively, his face full of disdain:

"Don't worry! The central flank consists of two main infantry battalions of the Yamada Regiment, with full strength and elite troops. In open battle, even a single Chinese army cannot withstand a frontal assault by the Imperial Army, let alone a mere remnant force."

"Moreover, the two armies are not far apart, forming a pincer movement. I'm afraid Zhao Yunwen is hiding in the mountains, too afraid to show his face!"

A sinister glint flashed in Kunisaki Noboru's eyes as he gave the order in a deep voice:

"Immediately telegraph Yamada Tetsujiro! If the main Chinese force encircles them at Maling Mountain, immediately hold your ground, feign weakness to lure the enemy, and relentlessly engage them. Once the main forces on both flanks have completed their encirclement, launch a pincer attack from both inside and outside, and strike from the center to annihilate Zhao Yunwen's forces in one fell swoop!"

Kuroda Hideaki suddenly realized what was happening and immediately began to flatter and fawn over him:

"Your subordinate is foolish! It turns out that the general deliberately feigned weakness to set a trap! The world calls Zhao Yunwen the Wolf of China, and he will surely suffer a great defeat today! The general's strategy is brilliant, truly a master tactician!"

Hearing the flattery, Kunisaki Noboru's lips curled into a smug smile.

The Lunan battlefield is vast, and the 107th Division, familiar with the terrain and elusive, is like a persistent leech, causing endless annoyance. Only by luring them out of the mountains and annihilating them in one fell swoop can the threat be completely eradicated.

Meanwhile, in the heart of Maling Mountain, in Pangjuan Gully.

This place was originally called Dulongjian, named after Sun Bin, who ambushed and killed Pang Juan here during the Warring States period. It is a dangerous, secluded, and dangerous place.

However, the commander of the 41st Regiment of the Japanese Army, Tetsuro Yamada, who led the charge, was completely unaware of this story.

He was a typical Japanese soldier, short, stout, with a short, thick neck, a round, dark face, and a pair of fierce, savage eyes. He was reckless and impatient, believed in absolute force, and always relied on brute force rather than thinking and planning tactics.

As they marched to the mouth of the valley, Senior Staff Officer Major Ono, looking at the deep and narrow valley, felt uneasy and quickly tried to dissuade them:

"Commander, a cardinal rule in warfare is to never enter a ravine! This place is treacherous and may be ambush-prone. Please proceed with extreme caution!"

Upon hearing this, Yamada Tetsujiro scoffed, his face full of arrogance.

"Ono, you're too cowardly! The Itagaki Division is invincible; the defeated Chinese army trembles at the mere mention of their name, barely able to escape, let alone dare to ambush the Imperial Army!"

"Full speed ahead! If these Chinese dare to block our path, slaughter them all! Before absolute power, all schemes and tricks are futile!"

Yamada Tetsuro's fighting style was extremely brutal; he only knew how to charge head-on and fight head-on, neglecting reconnaissance and flanking maneuvers, resulting in a disorganized march and broken formations. He was strict in disciplining his troops and had a fiery temper, frequently beating and scolding his subordinates. Although Major Ono was full of fear, he dared not persuade him any further and could only grit his teeth and follow the main force of the regiment into Pangjuangou.

The 322nd Brigade's temporary command post is located at the highest point of the mountain ridge on the left side of the valley.

Brigade Commander Zhang Yi held binoculars and quietly watched the Japanese troops slowly advancing at the bottom of the valley.

The prey was already trapped; he had long since laid a net in this ancient killing valley, just waiting for the entire Yamada team to fall into the trap.

Pangjuan Gully is four or five kilometers deep, narrow and enclosed, surrounded by mountains on all sides, perfectly accommodating more than two thousand Japanese troops.

Zhang Yi's plan was meticulous, deploying a main infantry regiment on each of the left and right mountain ridges, supported by the division's anti-aircraft artillery company and infantry artillery battalion. He even deliberately reserved the main mountain artillery battalion as a backup.

Chief of Staff Lin Zheng, unable to contain his excitement, whispered:

"Commander, the Japanese have all entered the valley!"

Zhang Yi remained calm and did not rush to give orders.

He waited patiently, waiting for the Japanese troops to completely penetrate deep into the pocket.

More than two thousand Japanese soldiers were divided into two columns, carrying mules, horses, supplies, and wagons. The column stretched for nearly three kilometers, filling the narrow valley from beginning to end.

As soon as the last Japanese soldier stepped into the valley, the heavy machine gun positions of the 1st Battalion of the 643rd Regiment opened fire instantly, sealing off the valley entrance and completely blocking the exit!

"Let's do it!"

With Zhang Yi's order, the general offensive officially began.

At this moment, the Japanese regimental headquarters had already entered the deepest part of the valley, the dead end of the gourd-shaped pass.

The surrounding mountains and forests were deathly silent, with only startled birds circling in the sky; the atmosphere of deathly stillness was suffocating.

Major Ono, a graduate of the Army University, was well-versed in ancient Chinese military anecdotes and deeply familiar with the story of Pang Juan's death in this place. His ominous premonition grew stronger, and he urgently advised again:

"Commander! This place is extremely dangerous! March at full speed and break out of the valley!"

His warning alerted even the battle-hardened Tetsuro Yamada, who suddenly sensed a deadly danger. A veteran's instinct for danger is never wrong!

His expression changed drastically, and he abruptly drew his command sword, pointing it directly at the high ground:

"Immediately dispatch two squadrons to seize the high ground on both ridges! The main force will follow closely behind, breaking through from the ridges!"

Before the words were even finished!

Three red signal flares suddenly pierced the sky and exploded above the valley!

Yamada Tetsujiro's pupils constricted sharply, and he roared:

"Baka! There's an ambush!"

His heart sank instantly. He was trapped in a narrow, enclosed valley with no way out in front or behind and restricted on both sides. It was a death trap for any military strategist!

next second!

Boom! Boom! Boom!

A deafening roar of cannon fire suddenly erupted!

Dozens of artillery pieces of various types opened fire simultaneously, a dense rain of bullets poured down into the valley, and the explosions instantly engulfed the long, serpentine Japanese formation.

Judging from the sheer force of the artillery fire alone, Yamada immediately deduced that the ambush force was definitely no less than a whole division!

"Baka! The entire main force of the 107th Division is here! What a grand gesture!"

The relentless artillery barrage shattered the previously loose Japanese marching formation, breaking it into several pieces. Debris and dirt flew everywhere, and the cries of wounded and killed Japanese soldiers echoed across the ground, plunging the entire army into immense panic.

The Japanese soldiers who were lucky enough to survive the bombings frantically tried to break through to the mountains on both sides, but what awaited them was an impenetrable inferno of firepower.

On the mountain ridge, three or four hundred light and heavy machine guns and thousands of rifles roared simultaneously, their crossfire locking down all the uphill passages.

The Japanese soldiers who charged rashly were swept away in droves, their corpses piled up on the hillside, and blood flowed everywhere.

In his desperate situation, Yamada Tetsujiro went completely mad. He knew better than anyone that with the valley entrance blocked and their escape route cut off, only by seizing the high ground could they have a chance of survival!

Japanese officers at all levels frantically berated and killed deserters, forcibly trying to regroup the scattered soldiers. But the relentless artillery fire never ceased, and all efforts to reorganize were in vain.

Having finally managed to gather over three hundred remaining soldiers, the Japanese army made a desperate gamble, frantically charging towards the high ground.

The Japanese field artillery battalion hastily set up their guns on the spot to counterattack. Before the gun barrels were even fully assembled, a new round of shells had already hit the position!

The entire artillery unit was blown to bits, with cannons overturned and shattered, parts scattered everywhere, leaving them utterly powerless to fight back.

The 107th Division's artillery group gave the enemy no chance to breathe, with several anti-aircraft guns lowering to -15 degrees for direct fire!

High-explosive shells swept across the valley floor like machine guns, exploding in a chain reaction upon landing. Each volley of fire claimed the lives of dozens of Japanese soldiers, leaving countless corpses behind.

The Japanese soldiers, who had previously slaughtered Chinese soldiers and civilians with brutality and arrogance, finally experienced the cruelty and bloodshed of the battlefield firsthand, and fear seeped into their very bones.

The Japanese army launched several assaults on the high ground, but all of them ended in disastrous defeats.

Machine guns and rifles provided layered interception on the mountainside, while anti-aircraft guns at the summit cleared the area with pinpoint accuracy and lethality.

Hearing the familiar roar of Japanese cannons overhead, Yamada Tetsujiro completely lost his composure, becoming furious and shouting incessantly:

"Baka! You despicable Chinese! You actually used anti-aircraft guns to kill people with direct fire!"

"How come they have Imperial-standard anti-aircraft guns!"

Major Ono was deathly pale, having no time to concern himself with the source of the weapons.

The entire army is trapped in a deadly situation and on the verge of annihilation. Their only option now is to survive and break through the encirclement!

Watching the approaching artillery fire and gunfire, and seeing the impending destruction of the regimental headquarters, Major Ono gritted his teeth, bowed, and gave a final warning:

"Commander! The situation is hopeless! Destroy the regimental flag immediately, leave nothing for the Chinese!"