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

"Baka yarou, what kind of unit is this? So incredibly tough?"

The commander of the 22nd Infantry Regiment, Toshio Muraji, was about to explode. Before landing in Shanghai, his stereotype of the Chinese army was that they were a bunch of cowards.

Whether in Jinan or Fengtian, they wouldn't resist even with bayonets piercing their chests, and they would crumble at the first blow. Otherwise, their commander, General Matsui, wouldn't have uttered the boastful claim that China would be destroyed in three months.

Perhaps it was just bad luck, but after landing, he encountered tough opponents one after another. First, there was the 11th Division in Luodian, then the Jiangsu Provincial Security Regiment that crippled the 22nd Regiment, and now there was the little-known 174th Division.

When did the Chinese become so good at fighting?

Senior staff officer Major Hatano quickly replied:

"Commander, based on the information obtained from the bodies of the fallen Chinese, they belonged to the Guangxi clique within the local army and were quite well-known."

"Wow, another local force. Are all the local forces of the Chinese this strong? They're already on par with the Central Army in Luodian."

The former senior staff officer of the 22nd Infantry Regiment died in the chaos of the rout. Major Hatano, who had been demoted from the division headquarters, was knowledgeable and experienced, and couldn't help but show off:

"Commander, I once served as an instructor in the Chinese army and know a little about the weakness of their local forces."

The Chinese army was divided into numerous factions. The best-equipped and best-trained army was naturally the Central Army, which was formed from the Whampoa Military Academy. Next were the Guangxi Army and the Guangdong Army. During the Northern Expedition, there were the Iron Fourth Army and the Steel Seventh Army.

This Seventh Steel Army later developed into the Guangxi Clique, with its core territory in Guangxi Province. At its peak, its influence extended to North China, rivaling that of the Central Army.

Murachi Toshio's expression improved somewhat. Fortunately, they weren't nobodies like the Jiangsu Provincial Security Corps, otherwise he would have seriously questioned his existence.

"Wave-no-kun, in the East, the only truly world-class army is the Imperial Army. The Iron Fourth Army and the Steel Seventh Army are just self-proclaimed boasts by the Chinese. My Utsunomiya Division is the one that fights against this Steel Seventh Army."

Tell the warriors that the time has come to shed blood for the holy war! Charge into Liuxing Town and turn the Steel Seventh Army into a noodle army!

"Attack!"

Seeing that the regimental commander had made up his mind, Major Hatano said no more and went to relay the order.

Before long, Japanese artillery shells rained down on the 174th Division's positions, and the Guangxi soldiers huddled in makeshift trenches, silently enduring the onslaught. The cold wind made their bodies shiver, but they gripped their rifles tightly; they were the Steel Seventh Army, and they absolutely could not tarnish their reputation.

As soon as the artillery fire spread, thousands of Japanese soldiers surged forward from the artillery positions, leaving them no time to react.

Brigade Commander Xia Guozhang of the 522nd Brigade once again raised his arm and called out:

"Brothers, let's fight the Japanese devils!"

Since the Japanese devils have attacked, let's meet them head-on. Let's have steel guns against steel guns and bayonets against bayonets.

In just one encounter, hundreds fell, including Japanese soldiers and Guangxi troops.

The Japanese were skilled in assassination, and the Guangxi Army was no less adept. Moreover, they were trained by the same master, and the Guangxi Army's assassination techniques also originated from overseas, brought back by officers who had studied abroad. It was not shameful; they learned from the barbarians to control them.

The fight between the two sides was nothing fancy; it was a life-or-death struggle, with every strike drawing blood!

The brutal close-quarters combat and bayonet fighting continued until dusk, with the 522nd Brigade almost decimated and the 521st Brigade suffering more than half its casualties.

The 22nd Infantry Regiment didn't fare much better, with over a thousand men killed in action.

In the end, when their bayonets broke, the soldiers on both sides clung to each other, punching and biting each other until they died together.

Toshio Muraji was trying to remain calm, but his trembling lips betrayed him, and the white gloves he was holding with binoculars were soaked with cold sweat.

This time, it seems he kicked a hornet's nest again!

Inside the 21st Army Group Command, Zhao Yunwen was also trying to remain calm. He wasn't lying; he really had no idea whether the 174th Division could withstand the Japanese's full-force attack.

Liao Lei's heart calmed down, and he displayed the demeanor of a general from the Guangxi clique.

He had witnessed far more life and death than Zhao Yunwen; Zhao Yunwen was still too inexperienced. It was only natural, though; which of these military leaders hadn't crawled through mountains of corpses and seas of blood?

An eerie silence permeated the command center, making it feel suffocating.

After an unknown amount of time, Chief of Staff Wang Zanbing rushed in, his face beaming with excitement, and shouted loudly:

"Commander, the Japanese are retreating! The 174th Division is holding them off!"

Zhao Yunwen excitedly pumped his fist, only then realizing that his vest was completely soaked.

Liao Lei let out a long sigh of relief, his facial muscles almost stiff; forcing himself to remain calm was no pleasant experience.

He raised his hands, rubbed his unresponsive face, and then forced a smile before asking:

"General Zhao, it's getting dark soon. The Japanese shouldn't launch another attack. Can we withdraw now?"

Zhao Yunwen knew he couldn't keep showing off, or he would really anger the military commander in front of him. This was a second-level general who commanded 5 troops and was decisive in killing.

"Commander Liao, withdrawing troops is inevitable, but we must do so in a way that allows us to advance."

Zhao Yunwen regretted his words as soon as they left his mouth; his habit of showing off had kicked in again, which, as expected, drew Liao Lei's displeasure.

"Zhao Yunwen, can't you just finish what you were saying? Are you asking for a beating?"

Zhao Yunwen grinned, revealing a mouthful of white teeth:

"Commander, you've misunderstood. I just blurted it out!"

"If we retreat directly, the Japanese will definitely pursue us, so we have to play some feints."

Now we can send the 176th Division across the river in a grand manner; one regiment will suffice.

The artillery battalion set up the Schneider mountain guns and fired a few shots, with a range sufficient to hit the Japanese camp, making it appear as if they were going to launch a counterattack under cover of night, forcing the Japanese to retreat several miles.

After crossing the river, the 176th Division immediately switched to defense to cover the withdrawal of the 174th Division.

The 176th Division troops that crossed the river will calmly withdraw after dawn tomorrow. Even if we leave, we must do so with dignity and respect; we can't let the Japanese look down on us.

Liao Lei's smile finally returned to normal, and he even offered a few rare compliments to Zhao Yunwen:

"General Zhao is more cunning than a lotus root. If anyone dares to call you a piece of trash from Huangpu again, I'll slap them across the face."

Zhao Yunwen wasn't sure if Commander Liao was praising or insulting him, but habitually replied modestly:

"You flatter me. It is the commander's skillful command and the soldiers' valiant efforts that have made the Seventh Steel Army as glorious as ever."

"Alright, stop flattering me. I've seen what you, Zhao Yunwen, are capable of."

"Just be my strategist during this time, and I'll reward you."

After Liao Lei finished speaking, he turned to Wang Zanbing, his face regaining its ruthless and authoritative expression:

"Chief of Staff Wang, do as General Zhao said and bring back the 174th Division. Not a single one should be missing, including the brothers who died in battle."

Wang Zanbing excitedly accepted the order and left. Not long after, a unit of about two thousand men from the 176th Division crossed the river across the bridge in a grand manner. This scene could not be hidden from the Japanese reconnaissance planes.

Then the artillery battalion's 12 Schneider mountain guns were set to maximum range, their barrels raised high, and they opened fire fiercely on the Japanese positions, creating a great spectacle.

Murachi Toshio, who was licking his wounds, was quite frightened. He had just received the intelligence from the division headquarters, and at first he did not believe it, but he was proven wrong so quickly.

The 22nd Infantry Regiment had already suffered more than half its casualties and could not withstand any more damage. Toshio Muraji immediately ordered a retreat, and they withdrew five or six miles in one go, bringing their lines level with those of the 12th Infantry Regiment.

After dark, the 174th Division withdrew from the position with its head held high, taking all its comrades with it. Under the protection of the 176th Division, it calmly withdrew back to the south bank without suffering any further casualties.

At dawn, the last soldier of the 176th Division left the north bank, marking the end of the counterattack against the north bank.

The battle was extremely dangerous, and we almost lost a main division, but fortunately the outcome was good.

Zhao Yunwen made a name for himself in the 21st Group Army, and the Guangxi Army gave up its unrealistic fantasies and honestly defended the area south of Yunzaobang.

The Japanese didn't let them have their fun for long. The 11th Infantry Division advanced to the north bank of Yunzaobang, aiming at Chenxing, a key point on the south bank.

The Ninth Division and part of the Third Division came aggressively from the northeast, once again setting their sights on Dachang.

With over 50,000 troops from three divisions pressing in, the real bloody battle has only just begun.