Bright Sword: Iron Will 3

Chapter 3: Isn’t a Breakthrough from Anywhere Still a Breakthrough?

Wang Feng turned his head, immediately running to the operational map, studying it carefully.

Zhao Fangyuan leaned closer, pointing at the map: “The commander wants us and the 425th and 400th Regiments to provide alternate cover, withdrawing to the rear positions for defense.”

Wang Feng frowned, shaking his head:

“Too early to retreat, too late to retreat. Now that we want to retreat, I’m afraid it won’t be that simple…”

Zhao Fangyuan was puzzled, questioning: “Regimental…Regimental Commander, what do you mean?”

Wang Feng took out a pencil and sketched a retreat route on the map.

“Our regiment’s casualties are still within acceptable limits, but it’s a different story for the remaining two brother units.”

“To my knowledge, this morning, the 400th Regiment to our right experienced soldiers spontaneously retreating.”

“In the end, it was only after military police from the army rushed to the front lines and shot a few of the ringleaders that the situation was barely stabilized.”

“To retreat now, the Japanese will definitely be biting at our heels.”

“It’s already a retreat, and with this happening, the remaining two brother units are very likely to experience a major rout.”

“The morale of the retreating soldiers has already been broken; there’s no point in pursuing them. We may end up with one regiment facing a three-pronged encirclement by three large Japanese battalions.”

After Wang Feng’s analysis, Zhao Fangyuan’s brows relaxed, suddenly understanding.

“Regimental Commander, what should we do now?”

Wang Feng stroked his chin, contemplating countermeasures.

The situation was indeed difficult; the 414th Regiment’s position was very special.

It was a salient point, and the three Japanese battalions responsible for the main attack were employing a pincer movement.

If friendly forces retreated, his troops wouldn’t have enough time to withdraw and could easily be trapped in the Japanese encirclement.

“You take the Third Battalion and within half an hour, detour to the flank of the Japanese battalions. As soon as my signal flare goes off, immediately launch an attack.”

“No mistakes!”

Zhao Fangyuan stood straight, saluting in response: “Understood!”

While determined to carry out the commander’s orders, he remained somewhat puzzled: “Regimental Commander, aren’t we supposed to be breaking through and retreating?”

Wang Feng rested his hands on the table, turning his head to give a faint smile:

“We are breaking through; it doesn’t matter where we break through from.”

“I will tear open a hole in the front lines of the main Japanese forces, and that’s where we’ll break through!”

“Go.”

“Yes!”

The reason for choosing to clash head-on with the main Japanese force was complex.

Wang Feng was a military enthusiast and had some knowledge of this battle.

The Sixty-first Army in this battle did not disobey orders and flee; they were completely routed.

This kind of thing had been happening frequently since the beginning of the full-scale war; there wasn’t much to blame them for.

But the Second War Zone Commander, Yan Laosi, was playing his cards close to his chest. To make an example of them, he had the army commander, Li Fuying, executed by firing squad.

The subordinate officers also met with poor fates.

Retreating from the rear now meant that even if they survived the battlefield, they would still fall victim to Yan Laosi.

It was better to gamble. If they could achieve military merit, they might have a better outcome.

“Comms!”

“Send a message to Commander Li: the 414th Regiment’s main force is engaged in close combat with the Japanese army and cannot break through according to the designated order.”

“Our unit will act according to the situation and seek its own breakthrough direction!”

“Yes!”

“Second Battalion Commander!”

“Yes!”

“Move your battalion up to coordinate with the First Battalion, attack in waves, and push the front line into the Japanese faces!”

“Understood!”

The fighting on the front lines intensified, and the headquarters of the Independent Mixed Fifteenth Brigade issued a general attack order.

The order demanded that all subordinate units seize the Tianzhen Panshan positions within two hours.

Both sides were straining every nerve, engaging in brutal hand-to-hand combat at the front lines.

Zhang Hu and his First Battalion soldiers were now completely bloodthirsty.

When bayonets were blunted, they just picked up another one from the ground. If there were none available, they picked up stones and sticks. In short, they would use any means necessary to kill the enemy.

Zhang Hu had become a blood-soaked figure. The blood on him was a mixture of his own and the Japanese soldiers’.

“Battalion Commander Zhang, the Regimental Commander wants me to relieve your battalion’s attack.”

“Battalion Commander Zhang?”

The Second Battalion charged forward, taking over the First Battalion’s offensive task. Pushing the front line forward gradually.

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In the command post:

Wang Feng lifted the cuff of his sleeve, glanced at his watch.

It was time; Zhao Fangyuan and the Third Battalion should have reached their designated positions.

On the front lines, under the alternating attacks of the First and Second Battalions,

they were now only twenty meters away from the Japanese front line.

Success or failure rested on this one push!

Wang Feng took a deep breath: “Order the artillery unit: fire all the shells at the Japanese positions.”

“Give me the signal pistol!”

On the Japanese flank, Zhao Fangyuan led the Third Battalion, over four hundred soldiers, in ambush behind the slope.

Whoosh!

A piercing sound tore through the air. Zhao Fangyuan looked up; it was the signal flare from the regimental headquarters.

“Brothers, fix bayonets, charge with me!”

The soil of the Loess Plateau was very loose. The artillery shells exploded on impact, raising large clouds of yellow dust.

This, coupled with the rolling black smoke from the explosions,

significantly hampered the Japanese vision.

Captain Matsushita drew his command sword and shouted:

“Attack!”

“Attack!”

“Kill! Kill! Kill!”

On the main battlefield, Zhang Hu, under cover of the artillery barrage, led the First Battalion to charge onto the Japanese positions. The Second Battalion followed closely behind.

Matsushita immediately mobilized flank forces to encircle the 414th Regiment, which had charged onto their positions.

But just as the troops began to move, a force appeared on the flank as if from nowhere.

Zhao Fangyuan led the Third Battalion and charged directly into the enemy, striking at the Japanese command post. Because the flank forces had been withdrawn, the path was almost unobstructed.

“Little devils, prepare to die!”

Upon entering the command post, Zhao Fangyuan immediately locked onto Captain Matsushita.

“Baka!”

“Cunning Chinese soldiers!”

“Let’s have a proper samurai duel!”

Matsushita’s eyes blazed with fury, and he lunged forward with his command sword.

Bang!

Zhao Fangyuan discarded his bayonet, drew his pistol, and fired a shot.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Fearing Matsushita might not be dead, he quickly fired a few more shots, riddling his chest with bullets.

“Quickly, eliminate the remaining enemy, and support our brother troops!”

(End of Chapter)

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