November 25th, 1937, Afternoon:

After enduring the bombardment of Japanese planes, all the troops within the Jiangyin defense zone focused their attention on the southern part of the defense area.

In that direction, the 613th Regiment of the 103rd Division was engaged in combat with Japanese cavalry.

The distance between the two sides was less than two hundred meters.

All the artillery on the Jiangyin Fort, capable of firing beyond five thousand meters, bombarded that direction.

This included the German-imported 88mm anti-aircraft gun of the Special Company.

Lin Fan had already leveled the gun barrel.

Adjust the angle, aim, fire!

This gun had one advantage: a high rate of fire!

Lin Fan's continuous firing created a death zone for the two charging cavalry battalions.

The cavalry who had already crossed this zone continued to charge towards the 613th Regiment's fortifications.

These lucky few numbered less than a hundred.

The cavalry behind them were much more scattered, with only a dozen or so remaining.

The barrage of shells fired by Lin Fan disrupted the momentum of the two cavalry battalions' attack.

Like an experienced snake catcher, he had seized the viper by its seven inches (vital point).

Lin Fan now had the Japanese cavalry's weak spot firmly in his grasp.

The cavalry within the seventy-meter wide and five-hundred-meter long zone created by Lin Fan's shells were either sent back to the embrace of Amaterasu Ōmikami (Japanese sun goddess) or suffered immense psychological trauma.

Shells exploded all around them, shrapnel flying past them from all directions.

Few Japanese soldiers were fortunate enough to escape unscathed.

They could only continue to charge forward.

Those cavalrymen following behind, upon entering this death zone, would be subjected to the same artillery barrage.

After this filtering process, less than twenty percent of the charging cavalry were able to break through the death zone.

After all, not everyone possesses the luck to emerge unscathed from the thousands of fragments produced by exploding shells.

Battalion Commander Bangguang Youtai charged at the front of the formation, oblivious to what was happening behind him.

He was now only a hundred meters away from the forward defenders, and could not afford the slightest distraction.

At this distance, a warhorse could cover the ground in just three seconds.

Battalion Commander Bangguang Youtai could clearly see the panicked expressions on the faces of the young defending soldiers in front of him.

He was filled with excitement as he looked at the shock and disbelief in their eyes.

Battalion Commander Bangguang Youtai had seen such expressions countless times on the battlefield.

Every time he charged into close quarters and saw this look of fear on the faces of his opponents, he felt an indescribable thrill.

It was in pursuit of this ultimate sensation that he always led the charge, setting an example that greatly increased the combat effectiveness of his cavalry unit.

What reason would his soldiers have not to charge if their battalion commander was always at the forefront?

Luo Yibin was filled with despair. Seeing the Japanese cavalry charge in such perfect formation, such momentum, such a force of thousands, how could his regiment possibly withstand them?

Su Chongru was a company commander in the 613th Regiment, and a former bandit in the Northeast.

He had roamed the White Mountains and Black Waters of the Northeast for three years.

He felt that he had seen it all.

But now, watching the perfectly aligned cavalry charging towards him, Su Chonghu realized that his previous courage could easily vanish on the thundering battlefield, amidst the sound of pounding hooves.

He knew in his mind that he should be encouraging his men to continue firing, shooting, and intercepting the charging cavalry vanguard.

But his mouth would not obey him, only emitting meaningless "heh-heh" sounds.

At that moment, Su Chonghu's body moved slowly, but his mind suddenly became clear.

He could clearly sense that many in his company were in the same state as him.

Now Su Chonghu could only watch helplessly as the Japanese soldiers brandished their sabers and charged towards the section of the line defended by his company.

The gleaming sabers reflected a blinding white light, piercing into Su Chonghu's eyes.

"These blades must be very sharp, sharp enough to slice off my head in one stroke!" Su Chonghu was startled by the sudden thought.

He shook his head violently, as if to cast off this dangerous idea.

Finally, he managed to shout, "Brothers! Fire!"

His shout awakened many soldiers who had been paralyzed by the Japanese charge.

Gunshots rang out sparsely.

The earth trembled, and the air surged towards the 613th Regiment's position like a tidal wave.

On a high ground on the Jiangyin Fortress, the binoculars in Liu Xing's hands trembled slightly.

He saw the overwhelming charge of the Japanese cavalry on the front lines.

Although he was far away and could not see the response of the 613th Regiment.

Liu Xing could feel the pressure that the soldiers were under.

However, the cavalry were now too close to the 613th Regiment's position, and the artillery on the fort could not provide them with support.

At a distance of five thousand meters, long-range artillery could not guarantee that their error would be within one hundred meters.

It was not a matter of carelessness, but a matter of technology. Artillerymen who were not confident that they could only bomb the Japanese cavalry without hitting their own men could only direct their fire towards the Japanese tanks and infantry as much as possible.

As for the Japanese cavalry, the brothers of the National Revolutionary Army on the front lines could only endure and fight back themselves.

Commander Xu Kang had just directed the fort to repel the Japanese planes and was now watching the Japanese cavalry on the front lines about to charge into the front lines of the 613th Regiment.

He was very anxious. He looked at the Japanese cavalry charging on the front lines and then at the anti-aircraft gun of the Special Company that was still being quickly adjusted.

If it could be faster, he would be very willing to assist.

The situation on the battlefield changed rapidly. If the Japanese cavalry could not be intercepted in front of the position, the Japanese who broke through the first line of defense would be rooted in the Jiangyin defense zone.

Under Commander Xu Kang's anxious gaze, the Special Company's cannon finally fired.

The advantage of the anti-aircraft gun was that it could fire continuously, and five shells were fired from the muzzle in succession.

Commander Xu Kang quickly looked towards the charging Japanese cavalry battalion, he had a feeling that Lin Fan would definitely attack the Japanese cavalry first.

The Special Company did not disappoint him. Commander Xu Kang saw the shells exploding in the ranks of the leading cavalry.

Even from such a distance, he could clearly see many warhorses falling to the ground, and many heads that had just been charging suddenly disappearing.

The area in front of the 613th Regiment's defensive position was now the most fiercely fought area on the entire battlefield.

In fact, the two sides had not yet made contact, but everyone knew that contact was inevitable and would happen in the next moment.

All eyes that could see the 613th Regiment's position were focused there.

These eyes included those of Jiangfang Commander-in-Chief Liu Xing, Fortress Commander Xu Kang; Lieutenant General Miao Zhengliu, Commander of the 57th Army;

Lieutenant General Huo Shouyi, Commander of the 112th Division, Major General Wang Zhaozi, Deputy Division Commander, and Colonel Li Lanchi, Chief of Staff;

Of course, it also included their own people from the 103rd Division Headquarters: Major General He Zhizhong, Commander of the 103rd Division, Colonel Dai Zhiqi, Deputy Division Commander, and Colonel Wang Yugao, Chief of Staff.

They all saw the shells suddenly falling in front of the critically endangered 613th Regiment's position.

"Who is it!"

"Who is so bold?"

These generals, officers, and many ordinary soldiers were all clearly aware that such artillery fire could easily injure friendly forces.

The soldiers of the 613th Regiment were different: they were already mentally prepared to sacrifice themselves.

If they could die together with these Japanese cavalry battalions, these soldiers would not hesitate at all.

When these soldiers saw shells exploding in front of their position, they felt no fear or shock, only joy.

The morale of these soldiers, which had been shaken, suddenly returned.

Especially when they saw the mud churned up by the shells exploding in the middle of the Japanese cavalry ranks, mixed with the blood and flesh of either Japanese soldiers or warhorses, scattering in all directions.

The courage of these soldiers returned with the scattered blood and flesh!

Doubled!

Regimental Commander Luo discovered that the Japanese cavalry ranks had suddenly been forcibly divided by continuous artillery fire.

His heart suddenly rose from the bottom of the abyss to the surface of the sea, and his whole body felt warm.

Regimental Commander Luo Yibin's orders now had much more confidence in them, "Shoot!

Keep shooting!

Aim at the Japanese warhorses!

Machine guns! Machine guns aim at the warhorses!

Shoot at the warhorses!"

Regimental Commander Luo Yibin's words were much smoother.

Although his regiment was not at full strength, it still had nearly two thousand men.

Even if they used their lives to pile up, they could kill the two hundred or so Japanese cavalry who charged up.

In fact, he didn't need to give orders now.

The moment when the soldiers in the position were intimidated by the momentum of the Japanese cavalry charge had passed.

The courage and spirit they had lost had returned once again.

They were brought back by the wide no-man's land that was opened up by their own artillery fire.

The Japanese are coming, we have shotguns!

What's more, what they had in their hands was not a shotgun, but a real weapon for killing.

Thousands of rifles and nearly a hundred various machine guns were firing.

The dense rain of bullets, woven into a net, was endured by all the cavalry who were charging at the front of the Bangguang Youtai Cavalry Battalion and the Banji Yihui Cavalry Battalion who were making the final sprint.

The Japanese soldiers riding on the warhorses were hiding on the backs of the warhorses, showing off various fancy riding movements.

Some were hiding on the saddle, some were hanging diagonally on the side of the horse, and some were hiding in the belly of the horse. These Japanese soldiers were attached to the warhorses.

Their bodies were like toffee stuck to the warhorses, man and horse as one, which was the highest level of cavalry technology.

This made it impossible for the soldiers of the 613th Regiment to aim at them properly.

However, under the reminder of Regimental Commander Luo Yibin: hit the warhorses.

All the soldiers changed their targets:

The Japanese warhorses at close range were the best targets to hit.

Warhorses less than a hundred meters away were already within reach of the soldiers, even if they just aimed by feel.

Battalion Commander Banji Yihui's warhorse was one that he cherished very much.

He loved it like a lover. Except for combat, Battalion Commander Banji Yihui never wanted to ride it.

Usually, Battalion Commander Banji Yihui personally brushed, washed, and fed the warhorse named "Meixiang".

Just now, the machine gun bullets of the defending army hit "Meixiang"'s front leg.

The thick machine gun bullets broke "Meixiang"'s stout left front leg.

Losing a leg, Meixiang could no longer maintain her balance. The great pain made her fall to the ground.

The inertia brought by the warhorse's charging speed made it impossible for Battalion Commander Banji Yihui to sit firmly in the saddle.

The sudden fall of the warhorse gave Battalion Commander Banji Yihui a huge amount of kinetic energy, causing his body to rush towards the defenders' position like an arrow.

Battalion Commander Banji Yihui was not an arrow after all, and he could not directly insert himself into the middle of the defenders' position.

He just plunged into the mud in front of the position, and then never moved again.

"Meixiang", who fell behind him, opened her beautiful big eyes and looked at her master lying motionless on the ground.

Tears slowly welled up in her beautiful big eyes.

The constant neighing did not know whether it was calling for its master or calling for people to pay attention to her existence.

Battalion Commander Banji Yihui was not the only one who had such an experience.

The entire Japanese cavalry battalion that charged at the front, after the soldiers of the 613th Regiment reacted and specifically hit the warhorses.

Immediately, many cavalrymen were thrown out by inertia when the warhorses fell.

There were not many of those who were thrown out at such a speed who could still survive.

Battalion Commander Bangguang Youtai was obviously luckier.

He led the way into the defenders' fortifications, and slashed at the National Revolutionary Army soldier in the fortifications with his saber.

His light slash carried the inertia of the warhorse's charging speed.

This slash not only split open the rifle that the soldier raised to parry, but also harvested the soldier's life.

Taking advantage of this little bit of time, Battalion Commander Bangguang Youtai glanced back in the midst of his busy schedule.

Then he felt a pain in his chest, and all the strength in his body seemed to be drained away in an instant.

What did he see:

Battalion Commander Bangguang Youtai saw that less than ten people followed him to charge up the defenders' position.

On a long road behind him, only twenty or so cavalrymen were charging.

Further away, his cavalry was trying to turn their horses around, which was obviously to break out from the side of the defenders' position.

This was not a strategy, this was running away!

Battalion Commander Bangguang Youtai could clearly recognize everyone in his team, from his adjutant to the most ordinary groom.

Battalion Commander Bangguang Youtai knew them all. Just now, he saw that the squadron leader of the third squadron, Huangchuan Liansheng, had already turned his horse's head and was driving his warhorse away from the battlefield.

More soldiers followed behind squadron leader Huangchuan Liansheng's warhorse.

Like they used to follow behind his warhorse.

Coward!

Battalion Commander Bangguang Youtai spat out these two words with the last of his strength.

Then he could no longer hold the reins of the warhorse, could no longer sit on the saddle, and fell into the fortifications of the 613th Regiment.

"I have finally charged into this position!" This was the last thought of Battalion Commander Bangguang Youtai.

The battle would not stop because of one person or one event, nor would it end because of the deaths of the two cavalry battalion commanders.

Regimental Commander Luo Yibin saw that there were no Japanese cavalry within the range of two hundred meters in front of the position, and the artillery fire that had just been bombarding the front of the position had also changed direction at this time.

In the short period of ten minutes, everyone who was concerned about the 613th Regiment's defense line breathed a sigh of relief and relaxed.

Now they just needed to watch.

He Bizhong, the commander of the 103rd Division, asked his chief of staff in surprise, "Which artillery unit provided support just now?

I want to thank them in person."

He Bizhong's chief of staff, Wang Yugao, received the order and immediately called to verify.

Soon Chief of Staff Wang Yugao called Xu Kang's fortress headquarters.

He received a very clear reply: "Lin Fan, the commander of the Special Company of the 542nd Regiment of the Eighty-eighth Division, was the one who fired!"

Commander He had heard of this company: a team of one thousand four hundred people was actually organized as a company.

Moreover, this company drove twelve empty trucks every day, dragging a cannon and running around the defense area.

They even called it: training!

Commander He also knew that the reason why this company had this privilege was because they shot down many Japanese planes on the Jiangyin Fortress.

He also saw the battle in the sky above the Jiangyin Fortress just now.

Dozens of Japanese planes were shot down at one time, which was indeed a great victory.

However, Commander He did not know how many of them were shot down by the Special Company.

Now he knew: this special company was so terrifying!

"They are so terrifying!" Commander Liu Xing excitedly said to Miao Zhengliu, the commander of the 57th Army, beside him.

Commander Miao had been accompanying Commander Liu Xing, and he also saw the terrifying performance of the Special Company: from a distance of five kilometers, they dared to fire cannons continuously.

And they accurately hit the position seventy meters in front of their own team's defense line.

You must know that the effective killing range of the shells he fired was seventy meters.

With just a little bit of error, the shells would fall on their own people.

Bold, ruthless, and steady.

But Commander Miao wanted to say, "I like it! I like soldiers like this."

Therefore, he said to Commander Liu Xing with a big laugh, "Congratulations, Commander, for having such a fierce general under your command.

This Company Commander Lin's cannon fire is absolutely amazing.

After fighting for so many years, this is the first time I have seen such good shooting."

Commander Liu Xing said with a smile, "This is also the first time I have seen such accurate cannon fire.

With such a cannon set up, it is at least worth a regiment.

It's a pity he's not my man."

While speaking, he also showed a look of pity on his face.