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

"Commander, the Japanese are coming in strong, launching attacks from multiple points, and they number over a thousand."

Battalion Commander Yao Zhiqing temporarily took over as Chief of Staff. Zhao Yunwen remained calm and sneered, "Just a cornered dog resorting to desperate measures. Trying to break through the defenses with three simple tricks? Dream on!"

"No need for a full-scale attack; the First and Third Battalions plus the artillery battalion are sufficient. Have the Second Battalion remain in the streets, on high alert, and prepared for urban warfare!"

Yao Zhiqing readily accepted the order. This was not Zhao Yunwen being arrogant, but rather a matter of great confidence—after wiping out the Japanese air regiment, the thousand-odd Japanese soldiers were utterly insignificant. The Security Corps' opponent was the Japanese 6th Brigade, which comprised two infantry regiments plus subordinate units, totaling nearly ten thousand men at full strength. Of these, over two thousand had already been annihilated, leaving only eight thousand. The Security Corps, along with the 109th Regiment, still had over six thousand men, giving them a numerical advantage and a sure chance of victory!

Colonel Fujii was determined to win, so he sent two battalions at once. In his view, even if the opponent was a division of the National Revolutionary Army, he could defeat them in one fell swoop.

At the junction of Heidahuangzhai and Hulizhai, Koizumi's squadron was launching a fierce attack. The First Company of the Third Battalion calmly responded. The two sides fought to the death across an unnamed stream. The Japanese attacked the wooden bridge several times, but were forced back by machine gun fire. The river on both sides of the bridge was filled with corpses. In late October, the river water was icy cold, making wading through it extremely difficult.

Koizumi remained determined to seize the bridge, sending another assault team to charge. Light and heavy firepower swept across the bamboo forest, grave mounds, and earthen houses on the opposite bank of the river. The Type 9 heavy machine guns were deployed to the company level, and nine grenade launchers fired simultaneously, bringing the firepower to its maximum.

But what they encountered was a salvo of three 60mm mortars and four M1919 Browning medium machine guns—the 60mm mortars were far superior to the Japanese heavy machine guns and grenade launchers, and the heavy machine guns provided impenetrable firepower, keeping the Japanese troops firmly on the other side of the river, unable to advance an inch.

"Company commander! The bridge is too narrow. A single machine gun can block it. Request permission to lead the warriors across the river! A little cold is nothing to fear!" Squad leader Tsuchiya volunteered.

"Yoshi! Loyal and valiant Imperial warriors!" Ono exclaimed. "Heavy machine guns, full cover! We must break through their lines!"

Tsuchiya led dozens of Japanese soldiers to the riverbank. Just as they were about to enter the river, Qi Hua, the machine gun squad leader, spotted them: "Two o'clock on the right, the Japanese are wading through the water, fire on them!"

The main gunner, Yu Xiaowei, quickly adjusted his gun, and a burst of bullets erupted, instantly killing two Japanese soldiers. The remaining Japanese soldiers reluctantly went into the river, but the water was waist-deep and the mud was deep, making them slow and easy targets. Yu Xiaowei's machine gun was hidden in the bamboo thicket, its dense branches forming a natural barrier that deflected the grenades from the grenade launchers. Taking advantage of the terrain, he fired in bursts, instantly adding more than a dozen corpses to the river, staining the water red with blood.

Enraged, Tsuchiya grabbed the Type 96 machine gun and opened fire wildly, but the gun suddenly jammed! Just as he bent down to fix the gun, Yu Xiaowei's machine gun roared again, and several Japanese soldiers fell to the ground. A sniper bullet even hit Tsuchiya in the head with precision. After sniper Chen Pi got the shot, he quickly moved to another position and continued to hunt down the Japanese.

The Security Corps' tactics of "machine gun suppression + sniper finishing blows" made the Japanese suffer greatly: the M1919 had a long range and strong firepower, and one gun could suppress half a squad. The snipers focused on grenade launcher operators and machine gunners, and the Japanese could not get close at all.

The Tsuchiya squad suffered nearly half its casualties before stumbling across the river. Their lips were blue from the cold, and their steps were stiff. As soon as they reached the shore, they were met with concentrated fire from a company of rifles, submachine guns, and light machine guns. Under the hail of bullets, only a dozen or so survivors lay on the ground, barely clinging to life, completely incapable of fighting.

Koizumi's company, frustrated by their prolonged attack, requested artillery support. The Japanese infantry guns immediately opened fire, the first shot hitting a thicket of bamboo. Yu Xiaowei was struck by shrapnel and seriously wounded. Qi Hua immediately provided first aid, and the assistant gunner quickly took over, maintaining constant machine gun fire. The machine gun platoon of the 3st Company directly targeted the Japanese artillery position, and three M2 mortars fired in three salvos, instantly obliterating the Japanese infantry guns!

Without artillery support, Koizumi's company could only fill the battle line with lives, and casualties skyrocketed, but the defensive line remained unmoved.

At the Ge Family Archway headquarters, Zhao Yunwen remained calm and composed throughout, completely controlling the battlefield's rhythm. Qin Qingwu nodded repeatedly, thinking to himself: "If anyone dares to call Commander Zhao a piece of trash again, I'll slap them across the face!"

"General Zhao! The Japanese are constantly reinforcing their troops. The brothers have finished their rest and reorganization. Let our 109th Regiment go up and have some practice!" Qin Qingwu couldn't contain his fighting spirit and volunteered for battle again.

Zhao Yunwen waved his hand, wanting to preserve some talent for the 109th Regiment. This protracted battle was a severe test of the troops' abilities; the Japanese invaders were far more formidable than they appeared, and the 109th Regiment was struggling to cope. "No rush!"

"Reinforcements are said to arrive before nightfall tomorrow; any hope that doesn't come through is meaningless. The later the battle goes, the more anxious the Japanese will become, so I must maintain a sufficient reserve force. At the current intensity, one or three battalions are enough. If all else fails, we can let the Japanese in and fight!"

"Wouldn't it be too risky to let the Japanese into the streets to fight?" Qin Qingwu's heart tightened.

Zhao Yunwen's lips curled into a cold smile, his tone brimming with confidence: "I'm afraid they won't dare to come in!"

"The Security Corps excels at melee combat; a direct confrontation would result in too many casualties. It's better to let them in and use the terrain to our advantage, playing hide-and-seek with the Japanese. The 2nd and 3rd Battalions will hold off the main force from the inside, while the 1st Battalion and the artillery battalion will flank them and strike directly at their brigade headquarters! Your 109th Regiment will serve as the reserve; wherever there's a gap, go and plug it!"

Qin Qingwu instantly realized what was happening and exclaimed in shock, "You're going to counterattack? Launch a preemptive attack on the Japanese brigade headquarters?"

Zhao Yunwen's eyes blazed, his body radiating murderous intent, and he declared with overwhelming arrogance, "Why not? I, Zhao Yunwen, have never been one to passively take a beating!"

Before the words were even finished, the communications soldier stumbled and crawled into the regimental headquarters, his face deathly pale: "Commander! Something terrible has happened! The main force of the Japanese 6th Brigade has come out in full force, flanking us from three directions. The vanguard is already a hundred meters outside the street, directly approaching the urban warfare defense line!"

Zhao Yunwen abruptly stood up, slamming his fingertip hard on the location of the brigade headquarters on the map, his eyes flashing with a chilling light: "Perfect timing! Order all units to proceed according to plan, initiate street fighting, and wipe out the brigade headquarters!"

The battle horn of street fighting suddenly sounded, the ambush to lure the enemy deep into the trap had been set, and a counterattack battle with the main force engaged in close combat and a surprise attack on the flanks was about to begin at Gejia Archway!

[Add to bookshelf for follow-up updates] Luring the enemy deep into a deadly trap, Zhao Yunwen strikes directly at the Japanese brigade headquarters! Watch as Zhao Yunwen breaks through the encirclement in a chaotic battle and turns the tables to wipe out the main force of the Sixth Brigade!