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

"Impossible! This is absolutely impossible!"

"Baka yarou! How come the security forces have anti-tank guns?!"

Murachi Toshio watched as the Bean Tank was overturned in a single shot, and his defenses crumbled on the spot.

That was the Type 94 light tank, which the Empire was proud of. It had always been rampaging across the Chinese battlefield, but now it had been taken down by a single shot.

Horror!

The entire division only had two tank squadrons, a total of eight "little bean" tanks, and the 22nd Regiment was only allocated four tanks, which simply could not withstand such attrition.

No one gave him an answer, and that no longer mattered.

To make matters worse, several more rockets flew toward the bean-shaped tank.

Toshio Muraji was so shocked that he screamed in terror:

"No! Retreat immediately! Evacuate right now!"

The Japanese infantry accompanying the advancing tanks were utterly terrified. One lieutenant, his eyes red, even tried to lunge forward to block the high-speed rocket with his body.

The remaining Japanese soldiers were in complete chaos, yelling and firing blindly.

"boom--!"

The rocket grazed past the lieutenant and struck the side of the tank precisely.

The armor, a mere three millimeters thick, was as thin as paper and was easily torn apart. The bullet exploded inside the vehicle, flipping the vehicle and its occupants to the ground.

The speed was so fast that the Japanese soldiers didn't even have a chance to react.

In a matter of moments, all four tanks were destroyed, and thick smoke rose from the position.

The Second Battalion deployed six rocket launcher teams in one go, firing from multiple angles, which was far too much for several armored vehicles.

The Japanese company commander accompanying the attack became completely desperate.

In the eyes of the Japanese officers, the entire squadron of soldiers combined was no match for four Imperial tanks.

If the regimental commander holds them accountable, they will all have to commit seppuku to atone for their sins.

"Warriors! The Chinese have launched a despicable sneak attack! Charge in and slaughter them all!"

"Thrust, thud!"

The company commander, brandishing his military knife, led the charge, the blade gleaming blindingly in the sunlight, his posture extremely arrogant.

Shi Laishun's gun was already locked on his head.

This was his first time using a 4x scope to kill an enemy in actual combat, and he was full of confidence, determined to get a headshot in front of everyone.

The Japanese company commander remained oblivious, his head held high, arrogant and overbearing.

"Hurry up—"

The voice suddenly stopped.

His head felt like it had been hit hard by a heavy hammer, and red and white fragments mixed with bone fragments exploded instantly.

In this round, Shi Laishun put on a show to the fullest.

He was a natural-born sniper, and in the Battle of Luodian, he set a record of killing thirteen Japanese soldiers with seventeen bullets.

Now, with the addition of a scope, it's even more powerful, making the sniping of officers a foregone conclusion.

The next second, he turned his gun and aimed it at a Japanese soldier whose rifle tip was adorned with the Japanese flag.

Another shot, and the head exploded.

Zhao Mancang, acting as an observer, not only didn't praise him, but instead nitpicked him with a stern face:

"Stone, prioritize sniping the chest and abdomen. If the raid leader sees you playing like this, he'll yell at you!"

"Two shots fired from the same spot! Quickly change positions!"

Shi Laishun was engrossed in the game when Zhao Mancang launched into a long tirade, which made him somewhat impatient.

If it weren't for the sake of the regimental commander, he wouldn't have bothered at all, but he still nimbly shrank into the trench and quickly moved to a firing position.

At the same time, the Second Battalion opened fire at full capacity, unleashing a hail of bullets.

The Japanese soldiers' charge was completely suppressed, corpses littered the ground, and they could hardly move an inch.

"Baka! Bastard! Sound the retreat!"

Major Miyamoto gritted his teeth in anger.

With the destruction of all the tanks already a fait accompli, he was unwilling to give up the remaining infantry for nothing.

The Miyamoto Battalion only had four infantry companies. If they continued to charge, they would be completely wiped out, which would only benefit the defending troops.

The bugle call to retreat rang out sharply.

The remaining Japanese soldiers, as if granted a pardon, turned tail and ran wildly, wishing they had two more legs.

How could the soldiers of the Second Battalion let this opportunity pass? They pointed their guns at the backs of the Japanese soldiers and chased them down, reaping their lives.

The Japanese offensive started strong but ended weakly and hastily.

All four armored vehicles were destroyed, and the infantry squadron accompanying the attack suffered more than half its casualties.

The Second Battalion fought almost without bloodshed, expending only a batch of ammunition and suffering three minor injuries.

It was just a squadron-level probing attack, yet the losses were so devastating.

When Toshio Murakami received the casualty report, he was so angry that his vision blurred and he almost coughed up blood on the spot.

Losing half a squadron was still somewhat forgivable, but losing an entire tank squad was something he really didn't know how to explain to Division Commander Yamamuro Munetake.

Senior staff officer Major Yoshida leaned over and said:

"Commander, things have come to this point, and now we can only hope that a surprise attack will achieve a breakthrough."

"As long as we can capture the Lu family mansion and severely damage the security force, everything else is negotiable."

Toshio Murakami's expression finally improved; at this crucial moment, he still had to rely on his strategist to save the day.

Major Yoshida grasped the crux of the matter: as long as the results were significant enough, some losses were understandable.

"Yoshida-kun, order Miyamoto-kun to continue the attack! The warriors of the Empire can utterly crush the Chinese even without tanks!"

After finishing his speech, Toshio Murachi turned his gaze to the southern front.

Success or failure hinges on this moment.

Looking across the distance, Zhao Yunwen, Toshio Muraji's arch-rival, also focused his gaze on Captain Miura.

The Japanese devils trying to pull some tricks on him are like an old man hanging himself – they're asking for trouble.

Unlike other Nationalist Army units, Zhao Yunwen placed the greatest emphasis on the security of his flanks. He took this into account when arranging his troops, and the three battalions were on high alert on the right flank.

With the First Battalion and the Supplementary Battalion under his control, a few hundred Japanese soldiers really couldn't cause any trouble.

Zhao Yunwen was not in a hurry to play all his cards.

"Commander, the Third Battalion has reported that they have spotted approximately 600 Japanese soldiers maneuvering around the right flank."

Battalion Commander Zhou asked which plan to use.

Chief of Staff Lu Ping rushed in with urgent military intelligence, and Yao Zhiqing also came over after hearing it, his eyes full of anticipation.

Now it's the replenishment battalion's turn to shine!

Lu Ping casually picked up a small white flag and marked the location of the Japanese soldiers on the sand table, which coincided with the defense line of the Third Battalion.

"Battalion Commander Yao, what's your opinion?"

Zhao Yunwen's question was clearly meant to test Yao Zhiqing. If Yao Zhiqing wanted to gain the approval of the core members of the security team, he would have to show some real skills.

The enemy and friendly forces situation on the sand table is very clear, almost like the cards are out in the air, leaving Yao Zhiqing with few options.

"Commander, the Third Battalion can hold off the Japanese flanking force without any problem, but there will be a lot of casualties."

"It would be better to clear the main road and let the Japanese in, while the First Battalion and the Supplementary Battalion lay in ambush deep behind enemy lines to annihilate the advancing enemy in one fell swoop."

Battalion Commander Yao's plan, which referenced the security regiment's previous tactics, was the safest option.

Three battalions besieged half an infantry battalion; even if they didn't die, the Japanese would at least be skinned alive.

Zhao Yunwen glanced at Yao Zhiqing with admiration. He had come up with this plan, and tactically, he was already on the same page as the security regiment.

Yao Zhiqing was also greatly encouraged, but Zhao Yunwen shook his head. Not only was Yao Zhiqing full of frustration, but Lu Ping also couldn't understand it.

Zhao Yunwen was full of arrogance, while Lu Ping and Yao Zhiqing looked puzzled, unable to understand Commander Zhao's intentions.

Seeing that the time was almost right, Zhao Yunwen then said:

"Commander Yao's plan is tactically flawless and is the optimal plan, but it is not the most suitable one."

Lu Ping, his heart itching with curiosity from Zhao Yunwen's teasing, asked eagerly;

"Commander, the military situation is urgent. Stop keeping us in suspense. Neither Battalion Commander Yao nor I understand it. We'd like to hear the details."