Bright Sword: Iron Will 1

Chapter 1: Three Days and Three More Days

January 21, 2025

Chapter 1: Three Days and Three More Days

September 6, 1937.

Northeast of Datong, Tianzhen mountain pass defenses.

The sky was dark, yellow sand swirled, and a pungent smell of gunpowder filled the air. Soldiers in the trenches held their rifles, seizing the brief respite between Japanese attacks to rest.

The Japanese army had been attacking for eight hours straight. Even an iron man couldn’t withstand this.

Shanxi Defense Army 414th Regiment command post.

“Commander, Commander, the Japanese are attacking again!”

In his sleep, Wang Feng felt a jolt, groggily opening his eyes to see Chief of Staff Zhao Fangyuan shaking his arm.

“Quickly, everyone wake up, prepare for battle!”

Understanding the urgency, Wang Feng snapped awake, waving to the soldiers beside him.

A rustling sound!

The soldiers who had been resting with their eyes closed quickly scrambled to their fighting positions at Wang Feng’s command.

Zhao Fangyuan stood beside him, his face anxious: “Commander, the Japanese planes are coming again!”

Wang Feng slammed his fist on the table, muttering curses: “Those damn little devils, pushing us too far!”

“Damn Yan Laosi (a derogatory term for Yan, implying incompetence), if you can’t command, don’t interfere!”

He was originally an ordinary college student in the 21st century, who tragically died while bravely saving a child from drowning. Upon awakening, he found himself transported to this world.

At an all-army meeting, he happened to meet Chu Yunfei, commander of the 358th Regiment, and realized he had time-traveled into the world of *Bright Sword* (a popular Chinese war drama).

His ancestors were quite wealthy. His parents, merchants operating in the border region between Shanxi and Hebei, were murdered by bandits, leaving Wang Feng a substantial fortune.

After learning of his parents’ deaths, grief-stricken and distraught, Wang Feng arrived in this world.

Later, using his family’s connections and funds, he entered the ninth term of the Whampoa Military Academy’s infantry program at nineteen and graduated at twenty-one.

Upon graduation, he secured a regimental commander position under Yan Laosi in the 61st Army.

He became the youngest colonel regimental commander in the entire Shanxi Defense Army system.

However, being a Whampoa graduate (Whampoa Military Academy was prestigious), his career advancement was likely to stop here.

“Check the fortifications. Until we receive orders to retreat, we must hold the line!”

Wang Feng stood with his hands behind his back, turning his head and saying in a low voice.

Zhao Fangyuan stood at attention, giving a crisp salute: “Yes, sir!”

The current battle was the Datong Campaign.

Yan Laosi ordered the 61st Army to hold Tianzhen, buying time for the construction of rear defenses.

The plan was to lure the Japanese army to Juleyubao, where strong defensive fortifications had been pre-prepared as an encirclement.

Finally, with overwhelming force, they would advance from the north and south, annihilating the Japanese army.

Currently engaging the 61st Army was Tojo Hideki’s Chahar Corps, including the 15th Independent Mixed Brigade and two puppet Mongolian cavalry divisions.

The deployment was luxurious, the firepower exceptionally fierce. In just three days of fighting, the 61st Army was struggling to hold on.

Wang Feng’s 414th Regiment was doing relatively well. Thanks to his arrival and his emphasis on strict military discipline and formalized training,

although their weaponry and equipment were outdated, he had transformed the 414th Regiment—a fully equipped force of two thousand men—

into a relatively strong main force.

Since the start of the battle, Wang Feng had positioned his troops at the most prominent forward salient, holding a key highland to withstand Japanese attacks.

In three days, they had suffered only about three hundred casualties, barely holding their ground.

Compared to the friendly units providing flanking support, which had suffered half their strength, his performance was outstanding.

Bang!

The Japanese artillery barrage preceding their charge began.

The command post ceiling trembled, countless small pebbles falling and coating Wang Feng in dust.

But he didn’t care about these minor inconveniences.

The front-line battle situation was the key.

“Zhang Hu!”

“Sir!”

As soon as the words left his mouth, a burly man with a rugged appearance strode in, responding loudly.

“Take your first battalion and relieve the second battalion. You must hold out for three hours, understand?”

“Yes, sir!”

Zhang Hu, the commander of the first battalion, was a skilled wielder of the dao (a Chinese saber), a trusted subordinate trained by Wang Feng.

The opposing force consisted of about one Japanese battalion, extremely strong, with air and artillery support.

If it weren’t for Wang Feng’s consistent emphasis on organizational discipline since taking command, the front-line troops would have already collapsed.

He walked out of the command post, head bowed.

“Commander!”

“Commander!”

“Commander!”

The soldiers around him stood at attention and saluted as their commander emerged.

Wang Feng raised his hand, returning the salute slightly.

Three years, he had purged the entire regiment’s personnel from top to bottom.

The previous veterans were typical ‘double-gunners’ (a derogatory term for soldiers who prioritize personal gain and shirk duty).

Their discipline, awareness, and combat effectiveness were all poor.

Paying these men with military funds was a waste of resources, occupying valuable positions.

A standard Shanxi Defense Army infantry regiment wouldn’t have so many men.

Wang Feng had been privately supporting the extra few hundred men with his personal funds.

He frequently used his ancestral wealth to secretly reward soldiers and cultivate morale.

As for the methods of purging.

It was simple.

First, execute a batch with strict military discipline, then find fault with various excuses—some would succumb to pressure and become deserters.

Finally, use the pretext of bandit suppression to eliminate another batch of cannon fodder.

After several rounds, the purity of the troops visibly improved.

Without exaggeration, the entire 414th Regiment, from top to bottom, had become almost entirely Wang Feng’s personal army.

Chief of Staff Zhao Fangyuan ran over, holding a telegram:

“Commander, the higher-ups ordered us to hold for three more days.”

Wang Feng suddenly turned around, his eyes wide.

What a joke, three more days?

Yan Laosi, you really know how to command a battle!

The concept is good, but you don’t even use your brain.

A local army cannot withstand a Japanese independent mixed brigade plus two cavalry divisions.

Being able to hold out for three days was already the result of the entire army’s utmost efforts.

To hold out for three more days.

Even if Wang Feng’s 414th Regiment could hold,

the friendly forces might not.

Throughout the 61st Army’s defense line, except for Wang Feng’s unit, all positions were teetering on the brink of collapse.

Forget three days, even thirty minutes would be difficult.

If the friendly troops supporting the flanking positions saw the situation turn bad, they would disobey orders and withdraw hastily.

Wang Feng’s troops, positioned at the forward salient, would be surrounded.

“It’s not scary that the enemy is strong, it’s scary that your teammates are weak!”

Wang Feng folded the telegram, gazing at the gray sky and sighing helplessly.

Suddenly, his mind went blank.

A virtual panel appeared in Wang Feng’s mind.

(To be continued)

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