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

In the east of the city, thousands of Japanese soldiers were advancing along both sides of the railway line, divided into three echelons: left, center, and right. Major General Kunisaki had lost patience; he did not believe that three infantry regiments could not capture the small city of Lanfeng.

Before launching their troop charge, the Kunisaki Brigade concentrated all its artillery and bombarded Lanfon City from every angle, destroying many houses and setting them ablaze.

Thick smoke billowed from the city, and flames roared overhead. The sounds of screams and desperate attempts to extinguish the fire could be faintly heard, and the air was thick with the acrid smell of burning.

Kunisaki Noboru smiled smugly and said:

"Such a fierce fire is absolutely impossible for humans to survive. From this day forward, Lanfeng City will be wiped off the map."

The brigade chief of staff then spoke:

"The Imperial Army has given the Chinese time to escape, but they insist on fighting a losing battle. Then let's burn the whole city to ashes."

A sickly flush appeared on Kunisaki Noboru's face. The Lanfeng City garrison had humiliated him, and he could finally hold his head high.

The skirmish line of the 11th Infantry Regiment was slowly advancing. The battalion commander stared coldly at the Japanese soldiers, his eyes flashing with hatred.

He didn't know how many of his brothers would never get up again during this barrage of artillery fire, but as long as one person was alive, he would fight the Japanese to the very end.

Life goes on, the fight continues!

The position of the First Battalion was like the sea before a storm; it looked calm on the surface, but undercurrents were surging.

Battalion Commander Bai Qingsong fired three signal flares into the sky in succession, and the position was instantly ignited. Hundreds of machine guns opened fire on the Japanese soldiers, with the machine guns spitting out tongues of fire that were half a meter long.

Where bullets swept past, Japanese soldiers fell to the ground one after another. They stared blankly until their deaths, wondering how they had ended up as cold corpses instead of collecting the bodies of the Chinese.

The defenders' firepower remained fierce, as if they were impervious to swords and spears and could not be killed.

The Japanese soldiers were swept down in rows. The arrival of the 10th Division could not change the battlefield situation on the eastern front. Collecting the corpses of the defending troops was just wishful thinking on their part.

The main force of the 644th Regiment was on the outer perimeter, and the soldiers were hiding in various sizes of anti-artillery bunkers, so fire attacks were not very effective.

There were only the artillery company and the regimental headquarters in the city, totaling only a few hundred people. They were also hiding in bunkers, so the overall casualties were not great. Only a large number of houses and shops were burned down.

After the Japanese launched their attack, the soldiers, seething with rage, opened fire, using both light and heavy weapons. The Japanese were paying the price for their arrogance and overconfidence.

The other two directions were similar; although the artillery preparations caused significant damage, they were not crippling.

To capture Lanfeng City, the Japanese infantry would have to pay with their lives.

Gunfire erupted, and the battle quickly escalated to a fever pitch, with people falling one after another into pools of blood.

Zhang Yi was worried that the 644th Regiment would not be able to hold out, so after the shelling ended, he sent an infantry battalion to reinforce the city, one company in each direction.

The regimental artillery company also joined the battle, sometimes attacking Japanese artillery positions and sometimes providing fire support to the infantry.

The battle quickly reached a stalemate, with neither side gaining the upper hand, and the front line only advancing by a little over thirty meters.

On the southern line of Luowang Station, fierce fighting was raging. The 38th Infantry Regiment had suffered heavy losses at the hands of the 107th Division and was eager to get revenge and cut off the retreat route of the Lanfeng City defenders.

After learning that the 10th Division had also arrived, Colonel Sukegawa went all out, committing two infantry battalions, a mountain artillery company, and a rapid-fire artillery company to the attack, leaving only one infantry battalion to guard the perimeter.

There are units in the east, south, and west directions, with approximately one company in each direction. The western front is the key area, with two infantry companies, a machine gun company, and an infantry artillery platoon stationed there.

At the outer perimeter of the western front, Sergeant Naoki Nomura was boasting about the atrocities committed in Nanjing, while Private First Class was so envious his eyes almost popped out.

"Senior, you are truly someone I admire!"

Sergeant Nomura said smugly:

"There will be other opportunities, as long as the regimental commander's main force captures the station—"

Sergeant Nomura suddenly seemed to be frozen in place, his smile completely frozen on his face, looking even uglier than crying.

"Cavalry—the cavalry of men—fire your warning shots immediately!"

The private hurriedly pulled the bolt, so careless that he didn't even chamber a bullet.

The two Japanese soldiers only had time to fire a warning shot before the cavalry charged in, their sabers slashing down, and Sergeant Nomura's head fell to the ground.

The cavalry tide quickly overwhelmed the outer sentry posts and appeared on the flank and rear of the 38th Regiment, at which time the main Japanese force was attacking.

Colonel Sukekawa broke out in a cold sweat and ordered the machine gun squadron to intercept them with firepower; this was their last chance.

Eight Type 92 heavy machine guns were lined up in a fan shape, their dark muzzles aimed at the cavalry group. The infantry guns were also turning their muzzles, waiting for the cavalry to charge in.

Heavy machine guns are the bane of cavalry. Since the advent of the Maxim gun, peoples on horseback have become known for their singing and dancing.

Of course, this is on the premise that the formation must be properly set up, just like a machine gun squadron today.

The Japanese machine gunners all looked calm, even expectant; this was their moment to make a name for themselves.

The cavalry group stopped, just outside the effective range of the heavy machine guns, and then set up a dozen or so civilian 20mm mortars.

"Boom boom boom..."

A barrage of shells rained down from the sky, landing on the machine gun emplacement and initiating a devastating attack.

Heavy machine guns counter cavalry, and artillery counters heavy machine guns. Cavalry counters infantry; everything has its counter, like tofu being set in brine.

The benefits of equipping the cavalry regiment with heavy firepower became apparent; although it consisted of only 12 mortars, they were sufficient to clear obstacles.

Shells rained down, and Colonel Sukekawa could only watch helplessly as the machine guns were destroyed. The machine gunners suffered heavy casualties and were on the verge of collapse.

Seeing that the Japanese troops were in disarray, the cavalry commander ordered a general offensive.

The cavalry charged swiftly, their numbers overwhelming, the thunderous sound of their hooves changing the very color of the sky and earth.

The bombardment continued, with the cavalry and artillery working in perfect coordination. As soon as the artillery fire extended, the cavalry's hooves trampled over the target.

Leading the charge were the submachine gunners, each equipped with four grenades, who charged and fired as they went, clearing the last obstacles.

The outer positions of the 38th Regiment were scattered. The two companies of infantry were no match for the cavalry regiment. Once the troops and firepower were clustered together, artillery shells would rain down from the sky and wipe them out.

The 38th Regiment's main offensive could no longer be sustained, and it retreated like a tide to deal with the threat from the flank.

For infantry, the threat of a cavalry regiment is deadly; if not dealt with properly, they may be routed or even wiped out.

Despite the 38th Regiment's quick reaction, the cavalry regiment still broke into their ranks and unleashed a barrage of machine guns and grenades, causing the Japanese to suffer a complete rout.

The cavalry regiment charged like wolves and sheep, rampaging and intensifying the panic among the Japanese soldiers. Pushing and trampling each other made the situation even more difficult to control.

Colonel Sukegawa abandoned his idea of ​​rallying the fleeing soldiers and led the way in escaping for his life. Other Japanese soldiers followed suit, and the army was routed.

The 38th Infantry Regiment was routed, and the outcome of the battle was no longer in doubt. The cavalry regiment slaughtered in all directions, and the ground along the way was littered with the corpses of Japanese soldiers.

With the siege of Luowang Station lifted, the 322nd Brigade's rear road was as solid as a rock, and morale was greatly boosted.

The routed soldiers of the 38th Regiment fled southeast, in a state of panic and paranoia, until they were driven more than ten miles away before stopping.

News of the 38th Infantry Regiment's crushing defeat quickly reached the Lanfeng battlefield, triggering a chain reaction.

First, there was the 41st Regiment in the south of the city. Their flanks were also exposed to the cavalry's advance, so as a precaution, they stopped their attack and switched to defense.

Without the support of the southern front, there was no need to continue fighting on the eastern and northern fronts. Morale had been lost, and further fighting would only increase casualties.

With the cavalry regiment as a mobile force, it was difficult for the Japanese to launch a full-scale attack on the southern front, and the retreat route to Lanfeng City was secure.

Both sides suffered heavy casualties in this battle. Zhang Yi still had a reserve battalion at his disposal, and the Japanese also had spare strength, but due to terrain limitations, they could only deploy so many troops.

Kunisaki Deng finally came to terms with reality: Lanfeng City could not be taken down in a short time; it would take time and effort.

At the headquarters of the 322nd Brigade, Zhang Yi breathed a sigh of relief and said to Lin Zheng:

"We were fortunate to have the cavalry regiment's assistance this time, otherwise the casualties would have been much greater."

Have the battle results been tallied? What are the casualties?

Lin Zheng had just received the data, and before he could report it, Zhang Yi asked questions first.

"Reporting back to the brigade commander, including the cavalry regiment's achievements, a total of more than 2,000 Japanese soldiers were eliminated, while our side suffered more than 800 casualties, including 486 killed or seriously wounded."

The cavalry regiment captured 11 artillery pieces, over 1300 rifles and pistols, and a considerable amount of ammunition and supplies. This time, their victory was brilliant. Their counterattack on the outer lines alone eliminated over a thousand Japanese soldiers, and most of the spoils were captured.

That's easy to understand. The 322nd Brigade was fighting a war of attrition, and they didn't capture much. Zhang Yi looked up at the sky and said:

"Most of the fortifications in Lanfeng have been destroyed, so there is no need to hold out any longer. The Japanese are also temporarily unable to attack. Let's organize the troops to withdraw after dark!"

Telegraph the cavalry regiment, requesting them to cover the flanks.