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

The 2nd Infantry Regiment headquarters collapsed much faster than Colonel Yokoyama had anticipated; the disparity in troop strength and firepower between the two sides was too great. The heavy machine guns barely fired a few bursts before several mortar shells rained down, knocking men and their weapons to the ground.

Three infantry battalions, totaling over two thousand men, launched an attack from multiple directions. The Japanese infantry company and machine gun company were no match for them, and the first wave of attacks broke through the defenses.

The artillery barrage destroyed a large number of fortifications, caused more than 30% of the personnel to be killed or wounded, paralyzed the command system, and resulted in a true combat strength difference of more than 20 to 1, a complete and utter defeat.

The artillery battalion was responsible for kicking open the gate, and the infantry then rushed into the enemy lines, overwhelming the Japanese soldiers.

The remaining Japanese soldiers fled north with Colonel Yokoyama, pursued relentlessly by the soldiers of the 645th Regiment, and the outcome of the battle quickly became a foregone conclusion.

With the army collapsing like a house of cards, Colonel Yokoyama couldn't care less about anything else; all he wanted was to escape.

When Yokoyama Shizuo and the others escaped to an open area, they suddenly felt the ground shaking, and Major Yasui screamed in terror:

"Cavalry, the cavalry of the Zhi Jian people!"

His voice was filled with endless despair. Major Yasui's worst fears had come true; the Chinese had indeed come up with a backup plan.

Yokoyama Shizuo's mind went blank. The appearance of the cavalry meant a death sentence for them. No one could escape the cavalry's pursuit. Fear had taken over everyone's soul.

The sound of horses' hooves grew louder as they approached, and the Japanese soldiers in the supply corps scattered like birds and beasts, their sabers flying, and the slaughter began.

Just as Major Yasui was about to destroy the military flag, the warhorse leaped over his head, and the gleaming saber flashed past his eyes like lightning. Yasui instinctively used both hands to protect his neck.

The exquisite wooden box fell to the ground, the red and white Rising Sun Flag was trampled by horses' hooves, and the glory of the 2nd Infantry Regiment was buried in the mud, no different from a foot binding.

Major Yasui's head rolled to the ground, and blood gushed out like a fountain.

What a quick knife!

Shizuo Yokoyama could no longer hold the military knife in his hand. His eyes were filled with fear and resentment. He tried to escape, but his legs felt as heavy as lead.

"Boom!"

The galloping warhorse violently rammed him, sending him flying and crashing to the ground, his body mangled and bloody. This was how the dignified regimental commander met his end. He didn't know whether he should thank the Chinese for their mercy, at least he had saved his head.

Under the repeated mopping-up operations of the cavalry regiment, all the Japanese soldiers who tried to break through were turned into corpses; not a single one escaped.

As the sun rose in the east, its fiery rays bathed the earth, and the battlefield fell silent. The Japanese soldiers lying on the ground could no longer see the morning sun.

The cavalrymen were busy cleaning up the battlefield, their haul plentiful. Suddenly, someone shouted with delight:

"A military flag! That's the Japanese military flag! My ancestors' graves are emitting a faint smoke!"

"Company commander, the radio! What's this little notebook?"

"Damn it, this officer's sword has gold! Jewels!"

One exclamation after another followed; indeed, the early bird catches the worm.

At 8:15 a.m., the battlefield was cleaned up. Regimental Commander Li Xikai excitedly reported the results to Qiu Fengzi, who could no longer sit still and was eager to report the victory to Division Commander Zhao.

"Hahaha, thank God! It's my turn, Old Qiu, to get his hands on a regimental flag!"

"Quickly, report the victory to the division commander!"

"The cavalry regiment will stay behind to guard the spoils, while the 645th Regiment will follow me into the city to attack the Japanese from both sides!"

Qiu the Madman issued several orders in succession, and the commander of the 645th Regiment hurriedly tried to dissuade him:

"Commander, fighting in the city is too dangerous. I'll lead the troops; you should stay at headquarters and command the cavalry regiment and mountain artillery battalion to guard the north!"

Qiu Fengzi had no choice but to give up. As a commander, he couldn't charge into battle like a common soldier, which was something Zhao Yunwen strongly opposed.

Regiment Commander Li Xikai then led the soldiers of the 645th Regiment into the city to attack the Japanese from behind.

The Japanese troops inside the city were already having a hard time fighting, and the sudden burst of gunfire from the direction of the regimental headquarters made their morale drop and many of them were already considering giving up.

The addition of the 645th Regiment completely tipped the balance of power between the two sides, becoming the final straw that broke the camel's back.

Hearing the loud commotion behind the Japanese troops, the soldiers of the 647th Regiment were greatly encouraged and roared:

"Reinforcements are here! Kill the Japanese devils!"

An adult's breakdown can happen in an instant. The last bit of strength the Japanese soldiers were holding onto burst forth like a river bursting its banks. The fleeing soldiers scattered like headless flies until they were killed.

The 645th and 647th Regiments, with thousands of soldiers, fiercely attacked the Japanese invaders, leaving their corpses strewn across the battlefield, and the outcome of the battle was no longer in doubt.

The one-sided massacre lasted for several hours. By noon, except for a small number of Japanese soldiers who escaped from the east and west flanks, the main force was almost completely annihilated.

After confirming that there were no more Japanese soldiers left, the soldiers cheered in unison, celebrating their hard-won victory.

The 2nd Infantry Regiment, consisting of more than 3,000 men from the regimental commander down, was almost completely annihilated. Equipment and supplies were scattered everywhere, and most of the city of Lanfeng was reduced to ruins.

At the division headquarters, Zhao Yunwen's face revealed a smile that was difficult to detect. Xie Polu walked in with cheerful steps and reported loudly:

"Commander, news of victory in Lanfeng City!"

"read!"

"In your humble opinion, after several hours of fierce fighting, my 107th Division annihilated the Yokoyama Regiment in and around Lanfeng City, killing more than 3200 men, including Colonel Yokoyama. We also captured 4 75mm mountain guns, 3 rapid-fire guns, 5 Type 92 infantry guns, more than 2700 rifles and pistols, 2 radios, and a certain amount of ammunition and supplies. The exact number will need to be counted in a few days."

"How many brothers were killed or wounded?"

Zhao Yunwen habitually inquired about the losses, and Xie Polu replied in a deep voice:

"A considerable number of casualties came from the 647th Regiment defending the city, with a total of over 1,000 casualties, including 519 killed, 302 seriously injured, and over 600 slightly injured."

Zhao Yunwen said in a deep voice:

"Take good care of the wounded, handle the funeral arrangements for our fallen brothers properly, and ensure that the compensation is paid in full without any discount—not a single penny less!"

"Report the results of the battle to Commander Xue immediately to boost the morale of the troops. Next, it will be the turn of the counterattack in the direction of Yangguji and Shuangtaji."

"Launching a full-scale attack, we must drive the Japanese out and avoid fighting on two fronts."

At the headquarters of the Yudong Corps, Xue Boling remained silent for a long time upon hearing the victory report from the 107th Division. Chief of Staff Wu Yizhi stood by, somewhat puzzled.

"Chief of Staff Wu, I am ashamed!"

"Our Yudong Corps, with 17 troops, fought fiercely for ten days, but failed to annihilate the Doihara Division."

Look at Commander Zhao again. They only had over 20,000 men, yet how many Japanese soldiers did they annihilate? Adding to the 59th Infantry Regiment that had been severely damaged earlier, Doihara's left column was almost crippled by the 107th Division alone.

The 3rd Mixed Brigade and the 2nd Heavy Artillery Brigade were also holding off the Sakai Detachment at Yangguji and Shuangtaji. More than 60% of the troops were wiped out by the 107th Division. Over 100,000 men were no match for 20,000. Brothers, I am ashamed!

Wu Yizhi had never seen Xue Boling praise someone so highly, but he himself admitted that Zhao Yunwen and the 107th nun were quite formidable fighters.

"Commander-in-Chief, this is not your fault. The difficulty of coordinating tens of thousands of people is not comparable to that of 20,000. Commander Zhao fought well, which was also achieved under your command."

The battle on the eastern Henan front was a unified effort; victory belongs to all participating troops.

Wu Yizhi's words were very eloquent. Xue Boling may show off, but he still needs to maintain his image as a commander.

"Brother Xuexing, people still have some pride. Instead of urging him, why not use reverse psychology? Report the 107th Division's battle record since it entered the war to all the armies and divisions, so that Zhao Yunwen's self-important old classmate can find the gap between them."

They still have excuses! We'll launch a general offensive at dawn tomorrow and annihilate the remnants of the Doihara Division!

Xue Boling's words were not only for his subordinates and division commanders, but also for himself; he too needed to feel ashamed and then strive to improve.

At Yangguji, the 107th Division launched its counterattack, revealing all its previously hidden resources, especially its heavy artillery battalion.

A dozen or so 105mm mountain guns were lined up in rows, their thick barrels pointing straight to the sky, revealing their sharp fangs.

Regiment Commander Liu Meisheng glanced at the time and coldly shouted:

"fire!"