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

At the Chizhi University position, smoke and shouts of battle surged. The 264th Brigade of the 88th Division launched repeated offensives against the Japanese fortifications, but were firmly held back by a web of light and heavy fire. Relying on reinforced concrete fortifications, the Japanese stubbornly resisted, with mortars and naval guns bombarding them in turn, and the battle became completely intense.

Soldiers of the 527th Regiment charged forward, stepping over the bloodstains of their comrades. Their yellow-green uniforms fell one after another amidst the hail of bullets. Several large-caliber naval gun shells pierced the air, and with the sound of explosions, the charging formation was instantly torn apart. Many soldiers turned into blood mist, and several blood-stained German-made M35 steel helmets rolled in the smoke, a heartbreaking sight.

Liu Juzheng, the company commander of the Third Company, squatted behind the broken wall, his eyes burning with anger. Since the start of the battle at dawn, the Third Company had launched seven fierce attacks, all of which had failed. Of the hundred or so men in the company, only thirty or so remained. A shell exploded beside him, severing both his legs. Shards of bone pierced his flesh, but he gritted his teeth and crawled forward inch by inch, supporting himself with his hands.

One step, two steps, three steps… Blood left red streaks behind him, and his vision gradually blurred. In a daze, the school song of the Central Military Academy echoed in his ears, and the image of him being inspected in his new military uniform seemed within reach. With his last bit of strength, he crawled out seven steps, his palms barely touching the Japanese barbed wire. He then collapsed, still in a forward-arching posture, a few feet from the edge of the battlefield.

"Battalion Commander! Have the Third Company withdraw to preserve their bloodline! Let our Second Company take over!" Second Company Commander Tang Haisheng roared, his eyes bloodshot, volunteering for battle. First Battalion Commander Deng Zuxiu's knuckles turned white; his heart ached, but he hardened his resolve: "The Third Company is still at the front! The Second Company is on standby. Anyone who retreats will be punished according to military law!"

Inside the brigade headquarters' makeshift bunker, Major General Huang Meixin paced back and forth, his hands behind his back, a mountain of casualty reports piled on the table. This veteran of the fourth class of the Whampoa Military Academy could name most of his men, and each report was like a knife piercing his heart.

"Commander, the 527th Regiment is almost wiped out. Requesting support from the division headquarters?" Chief of Staff Deng Guang asked in a low voice.

Huang Meixin quickly fastened his helmet and drew his pistol:

"We can't wait any longer! Communications platoon, come with me to the front lines, set up radios and transmit orders!"

Deng Guang held him tightly: "The front line is the core area of ​​artillery fire. You are the brigade commander; you cannot risk your life!"

"My brothers are risking their lives, how can I hide in the bunker!" Huang Meixin shook off him and strode out of the bunker. Japanese shells exploded all around, splattering him with dirt and shrapnel. A shell grazed his head, making him stumble.

Deng Guang tried to dissuade them again, but Huang Meixin had already ordered the radio to be set up. But just as the radio was set up, three howitzer shells fell precisely. The Japanese artillery observers had already locked onto the spot, and the flames instantly engulfed the group.

When the devastating news reached the 88th Division headquarters, Sun Yuanlang stared at the battle map, his fingertips suddenly pausing. "Commander, Brigade Commander Huang, Lieutenant Colonel Deng Guang, and more than thirty men from the communications platoon have all perished." Zhang Boting's voice was hoarse and incoherent.

Sun Yuanlang's face turned icy. After three minutes of silence, he slammed his fist on the table: "Report to the army group! Issue a telegram to the entire division! Officers of regimental rank and above are strictly prohibited from entering the front-line artillery fire zone. Officers of battalion rank and above are not allowed to personally charge into battle. Anyone who disobeys will be executed!" His eyes were bloodshot as he gritted his teeth and ordered, "Transfer the 528th Regiment to replace the 527th Regiment, with the division's artillery attached. Capture Chizhi University before dusk and avenge Brigade Commander Huang!"

Stopping Zhang Boting as he was leaving, Sun Yuanlang pointed towards Hongkou Park: "The heavy artillery position that bombed Brigade Commander Huang is here. If we don't eliminate it, any subsequent attacks will be in vain. Order Zhao Yunwen's 2nd Security Regiment to launch a night raid and destroy the artillery group before dawn!"

"Commander, please reconsider!" Zhang Boting urged urgently. "Hongkou Park is only 300 meters from the Japanese naval headquarters, where a full-strength infantry battalion is stationed. Their fortifications are even stronger than those at Chishi University. The security regiment has no heavy artillery and its forces are too weak!"

"They were able to win the battle of Jiangwan with fewer troops, how they fought is their business!" Sun Yuanlang said firmly. "I only care about the result. Destroy the artillery group before dawn!" Zhang Boting reluctantly accepted the order, knowing in his heart that this order meant a slim chance of survival for the security regiment.

The news of Huang Meixin's martyrdom quickly shocked the nation. This general had just received news of his mother's death before the battle and should have been attending the funeral, but instead, he donned his armor and went to the front lines because of the national crisis, ultimately sacrificing his life in Shanghai. The Nationalist government posthumously awarded him the rank of Lieutenant General overnight and ordered that his body be transported back to Nanjing for a state funeral once the fighting subsided.

Dusk fell over the assembly point of the Second Security Regiment. Zhao Yunwen stood on the high platform, received the urgent military order, turned to face thousands of soldiers, and spoke in a voice that pierced their hearts: "Brothers, Brigade Commander Huang Meixin heroically sacrificed his life at Chizhi University! His mother's funeral was not yet over, yet he put his country first and died on the battlefield!"

The soldiers below gripped their rifles tightly, their eyes blazing with fury. Zhao Yunwen pointed towards Hongkou Park: "It was the Japanese heavy artillery position there that killed Brigade Commander Huang! A gentleman takes revenge even after ten years; my Second Security Regiment will not let it linger overnight!"

He drew his pistol, pointed it at the sky, and roared, "Tonight we'll launch a night raid on Hongkou Park! Before dawn, we'll annihilate the Japanese invaders, destroy their artillery, and avenge Commander Huang! Avenge our fallen brothers!"

"Revenge! Revenge! Revenge!" A thunderous roar pierced the twilight, fueling the boiling battle spirit. Zhao Yunwen waved his hand: "Move out! Kill the Japanese devils!" The bugle sounded, and the soldiers marched forward into the twilight, the scouts already disappearing into the darkness.

Hongkou Park was the core of the Japanese army's defense of Hongkou. Four 150mm heavy howitzers were mounted on the high ground, forming a crossfire with Chishi University. The park was garrisoned by a full-strength infantry battalion, with heavy mortars, tanks, underground bunkers, and multiple layers of barbed wire. The Huangpu River Fleet could also provide support at any time. This was an impregnable fortress that even the main force of the 88th Division dared not attack rashly.

As night deepened, the vanguard of the 2nd Security Regiment arrived at the park's outskirts. Zhao Yunwen, along with the battalion and company commanders, lay prone on the rooftops of civilian houses. Through their binoculars, they could see the Japanese sentry posts brightly lit, searchlights sweeping back and forth, and the faint roar of armored vehicles.

"The outposts are densely packed, there are three layers of barbed wire, and the artillery is heavily guarded on the northwest highlands," the battalion commander reported in a low voice. Chief of Staff Lu Ping's face was ashen: "Regimental Commander, Sun Yuanlang is clearly using us as cannon fodder! Without heavy artillery, we can't fight this battle at all!" The battalion and company commanders echoed him, their anger barely concealed.

Zhao Yunwen raised his hand to stop the murmurs, his eyes burning with fighting spirit: "I know it will be tough, but this is a military order, an order for revenge! We are the Security Regiment, and more importantly, we are Chinese soldiers!" He swept his gaze over the crowd, speaking each word clearly, "Others say we are cannon fodder, but we will prove with our strength that the Second Security Regiment is a formidable force capable of fighting tough battles!"

Unfolding the battle map, he pointed to Shajing Port to the east under the flashlight: "The Japanese defenses have weaknesses. The barbed wire here has been washed away by the flood, and they are only temporarily covered with wooden planks, making it the weakest point in their defenses."

"Divide the troops into three groups: one will feign an attack on the main gate to draw the main force away, another will flank the west side to engage and then retreat, and the main force will break through from the east side, heading straight for the northwest highlands to destroy the artillery battery!" He looked up and shouted, "Do you have confidence?"

"Yes!" the crowd responded in unison, their voices ringing out powerfully in the night.

As the shadows disappeared into the night, a deadly battle was about to unfold outside Hongkou Park.