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

Just as the Japanese artillery was firing away, a scorching shell suddenly flew down from the sky, landing several hundred meters away and creating a huge crater.

The artillery battalion commander, who was directing operations at the front, turned pale and screamed in terror:

"Baka yarou, that's a calibration round! The Chinese have heavy artillery, cease fire, switch to standard!"

"Hurry up!"

The captain's voice had changed; he was an expert and had already recognized it as an Imperial 150mm howitzer.

This thing has a range of over 10 kilometers, and one shot can wipe out half a squad. Who can withstand that?

The Japanese artillerymen were frantically moving their guns, but it was too late. They had just harnessed the mules and horses when four shells whistled down, this time with much greater accuracy after being recalibrated.

Two shells landed in the artillery position, instantly destroying three 75mm mountain guns. The artillerymen suffered heavy casualties, some even losing their bodies.

Shells rained down, bombarding the artillery and then the infantry. The Japanese soldiers were powerless to fight back and could only flee in disarray.

Although 12 rounds of shells were not many, the shock they caused to the 13th Division was unparalleled. The Japanese no longer dared to fire indiscriminately.

Ogishu Rippei was so angry that he cursed the 9th Division:

"Baka yarou, the shame of the empire, you can even give 150 heavy artillery to the Chinese, and you still dare to call yourselves a martial arts corps."

"More like a ramen chef team!"

Chief of Staff Colonel Moritake Tanabe, unsure how to respond, could only offer the following suggestion:

"Your Excellency, the Chinese have captured a large number of artillery pieces from the Wu Division, posing a significant threat to the infantry regiment. We can request air support from the commander to bomb the field flat."

"Good idea, Tanabe-gun's suggestion is excellent. The most urgent task is to find the Chinese artillery positions so as not to alert them."

Lieutenant General Ogisu Ritsuhei was very cautious, and Tanabe Moritake followed up on his words:

"The division commander's plan was indeed very thorough. He first had the two wing regiments launch a probing attack to lure out the Chinese artillery, and then annihilate them in one fell swoop. Brilliant!"

This is a classic case of luring the snake out of its hole; even the most renowned generals of old couldn't have done it better.

Flattery will get you everywhere, and even Ogizu Ritsubei, who thought his plan was brilliant, still humbly said:

"Tanabe-kun, you flatter me. I still wouldn't dare compare myself to the great generals of old. I'm only slightly better than that good-for-nothing Yoshika Ryosuke."

After being defeated by the 21st Army Group, the 9th Division has become a laughing stock in the Shanghai Expeditionary Army, and now even the 13th Division dares to look down on them.

General Matsui was furious and changed commanders on the eve of battle, assigning the main attack on Dachang to the 13th Division, while the 9th Division was responsible for attacking the Xiang Army on the flank.

After losing its artillery group, the Ninth Division's strength was greatly reduced, and it could not even defeat three divisions of the Hunan Army.

After taking over, the 13th Division launched a three-pronged attack, but it did not gain any advantage, and the two sides were locked in a fierce battle.

Three days passed in the blink of an eye. Under the fierce attack of the 13th Division, the 511th Brigade abandoned its forward positions. The 1021st and 1022nd Regiments suffered more than half of their casualties, and Brigade Commander Qin Lin also died in a Japanese artillery barrage.

This is the second major general brigade commander of the 21st Group Army to die in battle. Just one day earlier, Xia Guozhang, brigade commander of the 522nd Brigade of the 174th Division, died in battle at Yunzaobang.

Under the combined attack of the 11th and 13th Divisions, the 21st Army suffered heavy casualties. The 174th Division lost more than half of its men, leaving it with less than 3,000 men. The 171st Division also had less than 4,000 men.

The 173rd Division was decimated before, and now only the 176th Division remains relatively intact, but it has also suffered over a thousand casualties.

Zhao Yunwen volunteered for the battle, saying:

"Commander Liao, the 176th Division's reserve force cannot be moved easily. Let the Security Corps reinforce the 174th Division instead. Leave the Yunzaobang Bridge, which faces the greatest defensive pressure, to us. The 174th Division will defend the eastern front, while we will defend the western front."

Liao Lei said emotionally:

"Brother Yunwen, a nation in crisis produces great generals! I won't stand on ceremony with you."

"Commander, you flatter me. This is simply our duty as soldiers!"

After Zhao Yunwen finished speaking, he sent someone to inform Lu Ping that he should lead the Security Corps to take over the position and join forces with the 174th Division to resist the strong enemy and block the 11th Division north of Yunzaobang.

The 171st Division has retreated to its main position, and the remnants of the 173rd Division are cooperating with it. The 173rd Division is guarding the town's streets, while the 171st Division is guarding the line from Gejia Archway to Heidahuangzhai, Hulizhai, and Shengzhai. This is the last line of defense for Dachang.

With the 176th Division serving as the general reserve force, and the Security Corps also being dispatched, Liao Lei had few options left.

The 13th Division launched wave after wave of attacks. Both sides had practically revealed their hand, and Zhao Yunwen had no better options than to fight a war of attrition.

The atmosphere inside the command post was oppressive. The battle had progressed to this point and defeat was already evident. Under the siege of more than 200,000 Japanese soldiers, the Nationalist army had almost exhausted its forces, and even the 8th Army Group, which was defending the southern front, had been completely withdrawn.

Everything was just as Zhao Yunwen had predicted a few days ago; losing the venue was only a matter of time.

Chief of Staff Wang Zanbing said with great dissatisfaction:

"The 15th and 19th Army Groups on the left flank, with 20 Central Army soldiers, are practically just watching. My 21st Army Group is almost wiped out. Even sending a single army group as reinforcements would be helpful!"

Wang Zanbing's tone was filled with resentment. After the defeat in the Luodian Campaign, the 15th Army Group obviously became less aggressive in its fighting, only holding its own position and not counterattacking.

Xue Boling's 19th Army Group was more like a reserve force. Although they blocked the Japanese from advancing north, they were only facing an independent brigade, so the pressure was not great.

Liao Lei fell silent, and Zhao Yunwen continued, saying:

"The commander-in-chief is in a dilemma. He does not want to expand the war with the Japanese. He has concentrated his troops on the northern front to prevent the Japanese from opening up another battlefield and attacking Jiangsu Province."

They still harbored the illusion of peace, hoping to force a peace through conflict.

In the Battle of Dachang, we suffered heavy casualties, and the Japanese also suffered many casualties, mostly veterans.

We are not afraid of the Japanese in a war of attrition! We are not fighting for any one person, but for the country and the nation.

Commander Liao, the battle has come to this point; even if we abandon Dachang, no one will say a word. But the Hunan Army is still holding on; we can't let them fall behind."

Liao Lei seemed to have made up his mind and said loudly:

"That's right, the right-wing Hunan Army is still holding out. We have more soldiers and artillery; even without reinforcements from the Central Government, we have to keep fighting!"

Everyone expressed their opinions, saying that they also had to save face and could not lose to the Hunan Army, which was worse equipped.

South of Yunzaobang, the Second Regiment of the Security Corps took over the bridge defense positions from the 174th Division, with the artillery battalion cooperating in the operation, and the First Regiment serving as a reserve force.

The current artillery battalion is incredibly powerful, so Zhao Yunwen simply delegated the infantry guns and rocket launchers to the two regiments.

After being streamlined, the artillery battalion had two mountain gun companies, one anti-aircraft gun company, and one mortar company, equipped with five Schneider 75mm mountain guns, seven Type 41 mountain guns, twelve Type 20 mortars, and eight captured anti-aircraft guns.

This was the heavy firepower unit of the Security Corps, and it gave the Japanese a taste of their power as soon as it took over the position.

Twelve mountain guns opened fire on the Japanese positions on the opposite bank of the river, while eight anti-aircraft guns lay flat, clearing out the Japanese firing points on the north bank of the bridge.

Lupin then gave the order:

"Sound the bugle call—cross the river!"

The commotion caused by the Security Corps on the western front shocked the 174th Division. Wei Yunsong, completely bewildered, asked:

"What kind of scheme is Zhao Yunwen up to? Is he retaliating?"