Chapter 1 The Onset

The devils of the Kitou Takezo squadron were pushed back by the sudden appearance of the Special Operations Brigade's First Company.

The Special Operations Brigade's combat power greatly surprised Kobayashi Shigemitsu, the Second Battalion's commander.

What kind of team was this?

Their combat power was far stronger than the 59th Army's from a few days ago.

In the hearts of these devils of the Fifth Division, Zhang Zizhong's 59th Army was already the ceiling of the National Revolutionary Army's combat power.

They never expected to see a team in Xiangcheng today whose combat power broke through that ceiling.

Although Company Commander Gu Xiuming and his men wiped out a devil squadron in one wave.

Battalion Commander Kobayashi Shigemitsu was surprised, but his command of the team was not chaotic at all.

To deal with tanks, of course, you still need artillery.

These tanks were all made by the devils, and these infantry were very clear about their weaknesses.

Infantry guns could perfectly deal with these tanks.

"Infantry guns to the front!"

Battalion Commander Kobayashi Shigemitsu's order was immediately executed.

The infantry guns assigned to his battalion were also immediately pushed up.

Although there were only four Type 92 infantry guns in total.

But their first shot attracted the attention of Platoon Leader Feng Ruili.

When Lin Fan talked to them about tanks from various countries, he always scoffed at the devils' flimsy tanks.

He repeatedly warned them that they must never use the devils' tanks to compete with the artillery.

The devils' tanks could only show off in front of the infantry.

If they encountered infantry guns, they should immediately withdraw from the battle.

Now the devils had infantry guns.

Gu Xiuming immediately ordered: "Mortars, infantry guns, saturation bombing!"

He knew the weaknesses of these tanks clearly; one shot could scrap them.

These days, the Special Operations Brigade had fought more than just once.

Feng Ruili and the others quickly changed direction, trying to run back.

The First Company's five mortars and three infantry guns were all firing at the devils.

An Ping, the platoon leader of the Eighth Regiment's First Platoon, saw that the situation was critical: these tanks were the treasures of the Special Operations Brigade and could not be lost to these devils.

His artillery platoon also had mortars and infantry guns.

Not only did these guns join the battle.

The eighty-eight-millimeter anti-aircraft guns were leveled.

A five-shot barrage was aimed at the devils' artillery positions.

Battalion Commander Kobayashi Shigemitsu never expected that this hundred-man infantry team on the opposite side.

Would have such powerful artillery support.

The four Type 92 infantry guns it had just sent out to fight the tanks had only fired one round of shells.

Before they were suppressed by the opponent and unable to fire.

Enraged, Battalion Commander Kobayashi Shigemitsu immediately ordered: "All mortars also fire on the National Revolutionary Army."

At the same time, it also requested artillery support from Regiment Commander Katano Sadami.

The Twenty-First Regiment Commander was now in a bit of a bind: its artillery battalion had not yet arrived on the battlefield.

In fact, its artillery battalion encountered the National Revolutionary Army on the way.

Li Daxiong's Independent Cavalry Regiment had set off early to reinforce Xiangcheng.

Theoretically, he should have arrived in Xiangcheng before Lin Fan's Special Operations Brigade.

But the accidents on the battlefield were so coincidental that Li Daxiong's cavalry regiment encountered the devils' artillery regiment on the way.

The two sides began fighting more than twenty *li* (Chinese mile, approximately 0.5 kilometer) away from Xiangcheng.

In the battle, the devils' artillery battalion suffered heavy casualties, and Li Daxiong's Independent Cavalry Regiment was not doing well either.

Both sides stopped moving forward.

Faced with Battalion Commander Kobayashi Shigemitsu's request for artillery support.

Regiment Commander Katano Sadami had a flash of inspiration: he concentrated the infantry guns and mortars of several battalions.

This would perfectly solve the problem of insufficient artillery in Xiangcheng.

Mao Wenxing clearly saw all the devils' troop deployments on the ground from the air.

When the Twenty-First Regiment's temporary artillery position was still under construction, Mao Wenxing had already reported all the detailed locations.

At the same time, he also reported a message: twelve kilometers away from Xiangcheng, a devils' artillery battalion was resting in place after a conflict with the National Revolutionary Army's cavalry.

Twelve kilometers?

Lin Fan's eyes lit up when he received the report.

The First Company was outside the city, facing the devils, and the fighting was fierce.

Lin Fan said to the soldiers of the Second Company: "I know that everyone is very tired from walking all the way from Hanzhuang to Liujiahu today.

But there is a devils' artillery battalion twelve kilometers away from us.

They are lonely, helpless, and vulnerable.

Do we want to go and help them?"

The soldiers of the Second Company were amused by Lin Fan's description.

Second Company Commander Qian Tianyou immediately said: "Reporting, Brigade Commander! We are not tired.

When the devils are lonely, helpless, and vulnerable, it is a good opportunity for us to send them on their way.

Brigade Commander, don't miss this opportunity, we must take back this devil's artillery!"

The soldiers were even more anxious than Qian Tianyou.

Lin Fan said, "This time we go, if we seize the artillery, how will we transport it?

We will also need the support of friendly forces."

Lin Fan called Division Commander Li Hanzhang of the 74th Division and said bluntly:

"Division Commander Li! My scout found a devils' artillery battalion twelve kilometers away from Xiangcheng.

They have been crippled.

I am now preparing to take those artillery back, do I need Division Commander Li to send some soldiers to help?"

"How many people?" Division Commander Li Hanzhang now had 100% trust in Lin Fan.

"One thousand people, if there are laborers it would be best.

Mainly to transport the artillery back."

Division Commander Li Hanzhang immediately said: "I will send a battalion of soldiers and one thousand laborers.

The soldiers will help maintain order."

Lin Fan continued: "Please Division Commander Li prepare a batch of soldiers with artillery foundations.

After these artillery are taken back, we cannot let it be a decoration."

These words immediately caused Li Hanzhang to exclaim: "These artillery are for me?"

He directly used 'me.'

Lin Fan said with a smile: "In Xiangcheng, I only have four hundred people, and the weapons and equipment are fully staffed.

I really can't find anyone to use these artillery."

Division Commander Li Hanzhang immediately said: "Brother Lin, don't worry! My 74th Division doesn't have much else, but we have many soldiers who can fire artillery."

Lin Fan said with a smile: "I hope these artillery are only used to fight the devils.

Don't use them to fight our own people."

At this time, Division Commander Li Hanzhang only thought about the artillery of a devils' battalion.

He couldn't hear anything else.

Hanging up the phone, he immediately ordered: "Guard Battalion! Immediately take a thousand laborers to the North Gate to follow Brigade Commander Lin's command.

Remember to obey all commands,

Obey Brigade Commander Lin's command."

After this order was issued, he discussed it with his chief of staff and deputy division commander:

"Special Operations Brigade Commander Lin Fan just asked me for people,

They are going to go twelve kilometers away to take back the devils' artillery.

And give it to us!"

"Is there such a good thing?" Although everyone had heard Lin Fan speak just now.

But these people were still a little unbelievable.

A devils' battalion generally has thirty-six artillery pieces.

So many artillery, not to mention the credit, just selling them would be worth millions of silver dollars.

Li Hanzhang said with a smile: "There is no need for him to deceive us.

He is just borrowing people, and I have already agreed.

Later, he wants us to send people to receive these artillery.

So that they can be used immediately to bombard the devils.

And I have already seen it, the four hundred soldiers they sent over.

Have ten tanks, fifteen mortars, ten infantry guns, and fourteen heavy machine guns.

There are even more light machine guns.

These four hundred soldiers really cannot be armed with more weapons."

"We definitely don't have enough gunners in our division."

"This is easy to handle, take some young and smart soldiers from each company.

Immediately form an artillery regiment," the chief of staff said.

Li Hanzhang thought for a while: "We are currently engaged in a fierce battle with the devils, disrupting the organization and forming a regiment is really difficult.

Forget it, just change the Third Regiment into an artillery regiment.

If no artillery comes over, it will not affect the Third Regiment continuing to be an infantry regiment."

The Seventy-Fourth Division discussed it.

And waited for Lin Fan's good news.

Lin Fan led the Second Company to advance rapidly, heading straight for the target under the guidance of Mao Wenxing.

The sun in the west was about to set.

The sky was darkening, and Mao Wenxing once again carefully inspected the battlefield.

The devils' artillery battalion was stable and showed no signs of running around.

There were also no devils' infantry trying to meet them.

This was a good sign.

When Lin Fan led the Second Company, riding their warhorses, to approach the target, the devils had not reacted at all.

Uehara Jiro, the artillery battalion commander of the Twenty-First Regiment, was very angry today,

Very angry.

He led the artillery battalion from Linyi to Xiangcheng, and everything was fine along the way.

The road ahead had been cleared by the Twenty-First Infantry Regiment, which had left earlier.

It was all smooth sailing, very pleasant.

What Battalion Commander Uehara Jiro did not expect was that they had been doing well all the way.

But when they arrived at Zhaozhuang, their luck ran out!

A National Revolutionary Army cavalry suddenly chased up from behind and fiercely attacked them artillerymen.

This completely unexpected situation caused heavy casualties to the devils of the Uehara Jiro Battalion.

Fortunately, through the efforts of all the devils in the battalion to resist, they finally managed to block this National Revolutionary Army cavalry team.

Although the entire artillery battalion of more than nine hundred devils had suffered nearly half casualties.

Battalion Commander Uehara Jiro ordered the entire team to stop advancing and rest in place.

To treat the wounded devils and collect the bodies of the dead devils.

Time flew by, and before they knew it, it was getting dark.

At this time, Battalion Commander Uehara Jiro ordered again: "Camp on the spot tonight, and go to Xiangcheng tomorrow."

The devils of the entire artillery battalion had no choice but to put aside their sad feelings and begin preparing for the night.

The National Revolutionary Army cavalry had charged and killed, instantly causing three hundred warriors to die and more than one hundred devils to be injured.

Such heavy casualties had seriously affected the artillery battalion's advance.

Because of this, Battalion Commander Uehara Jiro had sent an emergency request for help: he needed the protection of an infantry regiment.

Before the devil infantry arrived, everything still needed to be borne by the artillery alone.

Lin Fan slowly stopped the Second Company a thousand meters away from the devils' artillery battalion.

The sky was already dim, and it was impossible to see clearly at a slightly greater distance.

Qian Tianyou and the others slightly adjusted their equipment.

And immediately launched an attack on the devils.

Six local tanks in the front, more than a hundred soldiers in the back.

This team had advanced to three hundred meters in front of the Uehara Jiro Battalion's camp without being discovered by the devils.

The sky was now even darker, and the Second Company had advanced to a position of one hundred and fifty meters before encountering the devils' sentry.

As soon as the gunshot rang, Battalion Commander Uehara Jiro heard it.

He immediately had an ominous premonition in his heart.

The night was not the devils' home turf.

The devils' artillery battalion was completely like lambs to the slaughter when the infantry rushed close.

The defense organized by Battalion Commander Uehara Jiro was like paper in front of Second Company Commander Qian Tianyou.

The Uehara Jiro artillery battalion only had one heavy machine gun in total.

In the newly darkened night, the devils' heavy machine gun had just fired, like a lighthouse in the sea.

It was very obvious and immediately attracted all the artillery fire of the Second Company.

For such an obvious threat, Lin Fan felt he would be making a mistake to leave it for even a second longer.

Bombard!

Not only Lin Fan was bombarding, but the other artillery of the Second Company also fired at that heavy machine gun.

Battalion Commander Uehara Jiro was now depressed and angry!

His artillery had not been useful in two consecutive battles today.

After noon, in the battle with the cavalry, the artillery was still in transit.

Before they could change their state, Li Daxiong's cavalry had already charged up.

Now that it was dark, he didn't know which team was attacking.

They had already rushed close before his sentries discovered them.

Battalion Commander Uehara Jiro looked at the mountain guns and field guns he was dragging and was speechless once again.

At a distance of three hundred meters, these artillery in his hands were not as good as firewood.

Even so, he had to struggle a bit:

Trying to protect these artillery.

The attacking team clearly had no such concerns, and the mortars in their hands kept firing.

Although the devils of the Uehara Jiro Battalion still firmly held the advantage in numbers.

But they were already at a disadvantage on the battlefield.

Qian Tianyou led the Second Company into the first line of defense of the Uehara Jiro Battalion.

The devils who were still in this line of defense had no choice but to fight the Second Company with bayonets.

The Special Operations Brigade was very professional at bayonet fighting.

The devils of the Uehara Jiro artillery battalion had always bombarded from afar.

And had only fought in two gun battles today.

Now they even had to let them fight with bayonets, which was completely forcing these devils to take a stand.

The first line of defense of the Uehara Jiro Battalion was engaged in hand-to-hand combat, and its second line of defense was being bombarded.

They had no third line of defense.

Those wounded devils were forced to the front line at this time.

Battalion Commander Uehara Jiro ordered them: hold the position!

He had no choice but to lead the remaining three hundred devils and quietly retreat.

It wasn't that he didn't want to fight!

It was just that the attacking National Revolutionary Army was too fierce, and the Uehara Jiro artillery battalion could not resist at all.

Moreover, they were artillerymen, and this kind of face-to-face firefight was a matter for the infantry.

It was really difficult for these artillerymen to fight this kind of battle.

It was getting dark, the devils retreated into the darkness, and the Special Operations Brigade could not find them.

Battalion Commander Uehara Jiro quietly retreated into the darkness, and now he could only lead the team and hide.

On this kind of plain, he wanted to lead the team to continue advancing.

Lin Fan led the Second Company to quickly clean up the battlefield.

All thirty-six artillery pieces were intact.

Now the soldiers could rest for a while.

When Mao Wenxing returned to Xuzhou Airport, it was already dark.

When he got off the plane, the airport immediately had a ground crew of more than twenty people who began to inspect his plane.

In addition to a squad sent by Shan Huacan to protect him.

There were also more than fifty soldiers protecting him on the periphery.

What was going on? Mao Wenxing never expected that he would be able to enjoy such exaggerated protection.

Squad Leader Liu, who was left at the airport, said in a low voice:

"After the Fifth War Area Command knew about the brigade commander and their achievements today,

Chief Bai ordered the airport to treat you with division-level standards.

Your plane is the highest priority guarantee for the entire airport.

Even we are enjoying the benefits."

Mao Wenxing looked at the table full of good food, with red wine and white wine on the table.

This kind of treatment had never been seen in the Special Operations Brigade.

Even during celebrations, there was only a jar of white wine at most.

How could there be red and white wine to drink at will like now?

But Mao Wenxing understood: there was still a mission tomorrow.

Wine! He didn't dare to drink it.

He had to eat more vegetables!

There were so many big fish and big meat, and every dish felt extremely good.

Mao Wenxing ate to his heart's content, and the officers at the airport were relieved.

Among these people, there were also well-informed people who had successively inquired about news from the Fifth War Area Command.

Which made the National Revolutionary Army pilots at the airport feel a little ashamed.

Everyone was a pilot, why was Mao Wenxing so outstanding?

For a whole day, Mao Wenxing did not fire a shot or a bullet.

But he guided the Special Operations Brigade to successively seize more than one hundred and ten artillery pieces from the devils.

Guided the Special Operations Brigade to interrupt the devils' attack on the periphery of Taierzhuang and the internal struggle.

And also timely guided the Special Operations Brigade to travel long distances to reinforce Xiangcheng.

All these things were much better than personally killing a few devils.

These pilots also knew about Mao Wenxing's experiences in the past few days.

Before today, the officers and soldiers at Xuzhou Airport still had some opinions on Mao Wenxing.

After all, who wouldn't be biased towards their own people?

The news from the Fifth War Area Command today suddenly changed the views of these officers and soldiers.

They realized at this time that one person could really change the battlefield situation.

Regardless of what the officers, soldiers, and pilots at Xuzhou Airport thought.

Lin Fan led the Second Company and waited patiently in Lizhuang.

Waiting for the team to come up from behind to support them.

They now only had the Second Company and the artillery platoon.

There was no way that these people could move the thirty-six artillery pieces.

Li Dazhu was the *lizheng* (village head) of Lizhuang in Xiangcheng.

In Xiangcheng, when he heard that the National Revolutionary Army was going to do something in Lizhuang.

Whether he was willing or not, the county magistrate had already arranged for him to do it.

Li Dazhu was responsible for more than a thousand laborers.

For him, the road from Xiangcheng to Lizhuang was the road home.

Li Dazhu had never felt that the road home was so difficult to walk.

In the past, he always felt that sitting on the boat was easy and he would be home soon.

Today, leading more than a thousand people to walk, it felt like this road would never end.

In fact, it wasn't the road that had changed.

It was his mood that had changed. These laborers had seen the Seventy-Fourth Division's appearance when the devils attacked today.

They were afraid that when they arrived in Lizhuang, they would become cannon fodder.

If Division Commander Li Hanzhang hadn't known in advance that these labor teams were difficult to lead.

And had specially sent a battalion of soldiers to walk with them.

It was estimated that when they arrived in Lizhuang, only three hundred of the one thousand laborers would be left.

More than four hundred National Revolutionary Army soldiers walked on the side, constantly urging these laborers to walk faster.

And not to get lost.

This made those laborers who kept thinking about how to slip away miserable.

They were being watched like prisoners, how could they run?

When the thousands of laborers and a battalion of soldiers who followed the Seventy-Fourth Division arrived in Lizhuang.

It was already past eight o'clock in the evening.

More than a thousand people arrived on the battlefield.

The Special Operations Brigade had been preparing for a long time.

Waiting for them to arrive so they could set off immediately.

But Lin Fan did not let these soldiers and laborers set off immediately.

Instead, he took the supplies left behind by the devils and distributed a canned meat and two military biscuits to each laborer.

The soldiers also received the same amount, but with an extra half pack of cigarettes.

After distributing these supplies, everyone rested for a quarter of an hour.

They set off after a quarter of an hour.

These laborers had never expected that there would be such a good thing.

Lin Fan had distributed these things to them as their dinner.

Obviously, these laborers didn't mind being hungry this once.

They would rather keep the canned food and biscuits and take them home.

To share with their wives, children, and parents.

In their opinion, anything that they couldn't make themselves was a good thing.

Lin Fan did not interfere with the behavior of these laborers.

Distributing supplies to them was to motivate the morale of these laborers.

So that they would work harder when they did things later.

Lin Fan's goal was achieved, ordinary people could feel who was good to them.

When the entire team set off, no one was trying to slip away anymore.

They worked hard to lead the mules and horses and pull the carts.

Towards Xiangcheng.

This team walked until two o'clock in the morning.

Before the Special Operations Brigade and the teams dragging the artillery returned to Xiangcheng.

Division Commander Li Hanzhang and the entire Seventy-Fourth Division Command were waiting at the East Gate of Xiangcheng.

They had received the news in advance: thirty-six artillery pieces, three thousand six hundred shells.

This was a great victory.

When Division Commander Li Hanzhang saw these artillery pieces, he enthusiastically said to Lin Fan:

"Brigade Commander Lin! I have had a banquet prepared in the city, please come in and enjoy it with all the brothers of the Special Operations Brigade."

Lin Fan didn't refuse and led the Second Company into Xiangcheng.

This was their second entry into Xiangcheng.

The Seventy-Fourth Division naturally had people arranging for the thirty-six artillery pieces to enter the position.

Xuzhou and the Fifth War Area Command received the battle report from Li Hanzhang:

"My division cooperated with the Special Operations Brigade at 7:15 PM today, twelve kilometers northeast of Xiangcheng.

To launch a strong attack on the Uehara Jiro artillery battalion of the devils, killing 737 devils.

Seizing eighteen field guns, eighteen mountain guns, and three thousand six hundred shells.

And a number of rifles."

Seeing these battle reports, Li Zhongren smiled: "This is another masterpiece of the Special Operations Brigade."

He pointed to the 737 devils killed in the battle report and said:

"Only the Special Operations Brigade is like this, only killing, no wounded soldiers."

The Special Operations Brigade had always been like this: death without injury.

In Xiangcheng, Li Hanzhang tried his best to prepare good wine and good dishes for the Special Operations Brigade.

Lin Fan said with a smile: "Division Commander Li! The reinforcements to Xiangcheng have not yet arrived.

Those artillery pieces seized today will be used tomorrow morning.

During the day, our army has a reconnaissance plane in the air, which can easily know the movements of the devils.

If necessary, our army will still use those artillery."

Division Commander Li Hanzhang's heart skipped a beat: "What does Brigade Commander Lin mean?"

But the smile on his face remained unchanged: "As long as we can hit the devils, we can use them however we want."

Lin Fan said: "These artillery pieces are now the property of the Seventy-Fourth Division, we are just borrowing them.

This is what I think, for the thirty-six artillery pieces, I will send a platoon to guide and adjust the parameters.

Responsible for contacting the plane, your soldiers are responsible for the actual operation.

We will work together to give the devils a good fight."

The officers of the Seventy-Fourth Division present were relieved: This was a euphemistic way of cultivating artillery for us.

Li Hanzhang was of course happy: "Good! With the addition of the Special Operations Brigade, we will definitely be able to drive the devils away."

This banquet did not last long.

The soldiers of the Second Company had been fighting since morning until now.

After eating, they immediately began to rest.

There would be even fiercer battles tomorrow.

On the 30th at dawn, Battalion Commander Uehara Jiro finally found Regiment Commander Katano Sadami with the remaining three hundred devils.

Knowing that his regiment's artillery regiment had actually lost its artillery.

Regiment Commander Katano Sadami slapped Battalion Commander Uehara Jiro a dozen times back and forth.

Striking Battalion Commander Uehara Jiro's face until it was red, purple, and then blue.

And finally turned black.

Each time he was slapped, Battalion Commander Uehara Jiro responded loudly: "Hai!" (Yes, Sir!)

No matter how many times he was slapped, he couldn't get the artillery back.

He didn't know who had those artillery pieces.

If the National Revolutionary Army used them to bombard the Twenty-First Regiment.

Thinking of this, Regiment Commander Katano Sadami gave Uehara Jiro several more slaps.

On the morning of the 30th, the officers and soldiers of the Thirty-First Division, who had been holding on to Taierzhuang for seven days.

Always felt that something was missing this morning.

After a long time, they remembered: there was no artillery bombardment from the devils this morning.

Since the Battle of Taierzhuang began, the devils' shells had been as punctual as a rooster's crow every morning.

And had never stopped.

This morning, the devils had changed their usual behavior.

The officers and soldiers of the Thirty-First Division had heard yesterday afternoon that the devils' artillery position had been wiped out by the Special Operations Brigade.

Now it seemed that this must be true.

Otherwise, the devils had no reason not to carry out the routine bombing every morning.

Many different things happened in Taierzhuang on the 30th.

The devils' attack also stopped this morning.

In fact, yesterday, Regiment Commander Seya Keishi had already overdrawn all the morale and combat power of the entire regiment.

He originally wanted to cooperate with the Sakamoto Jun Brigade of the Fifth Division to take Taierzhuang in one fell swoop.

The plan was perfect, but accidents happened frequently when it was implemented.

First, the defenders inside Taierzhuang were as tenacious as before.

Then Hanzhuang was lost and the Liujiahu artillery position was lost.

Especially the loss of the Liujiahu artillery position was like a stick hitting the seven-inch spot of the Seya Keishi Regiment. (hitting the vital point)

So that even Regiment Commander Seya Keishi felt powerless today.

At this time, he already had the idea of retreating.

Regiment Commander Seya Keishi's idea was quickly sent to Division Commander Isogu Rensuke.

Division Commander Isogu Rensuke was furious when he saw this report:

"Since the beginning of the war, the empire has been invincible and has conquered everything.

Could it be that the Tenth Division is going to start with failing to conquer and retreating from the battle?"

He personally ordered Regiment Commander Seya Keishi: "No retreat! No talk of retreat!"

Even if they didn't retreat, the Seya Keishi Regiment was now unable to attack.

On the 30th, the devils completely ceased fighting.

For seven days, the devils had been fighting continuously, and their soldiers were also extremely exhausted.

There were no battles in the direction of Taierzhuang on this day.

On this day, the battles in the direction of Linyi were not fierce.

All eyes were on this small place called Xiangcheng.

On the 30th at dawn, the commander of the Sakamoto Jun Brigade, who was responsible for reinforcing Taierzhuang, had only one idea after learning that his artillery battalion was finished: "Take Xiangcheng as soon as possible at all costs."

His idea was immediately implemented.

The entire Twenty-First Regiment, all troops, began to launch a frantic attack on Xiangcheng.

Its four battalions, the First and Second Battalions attacked the North Gate.

The Third Battalion attacked the East Gate, and the Fourth Battalion attacked the West Gate.

This time, he used all the strength he had been saving.

Mao Wenxing took off from Xuzhou at dawn.

Today, he would first take a look around Taierzhuang, this was Lin Fan's order.

In Lin Fan's view, the situation in Taierzhuang was very dangerous.

Looking down from the sky, Taierzhuang was extremely peaceful today.

The canal flowed quietly, and neither the National Revolutionary Army nor the devils fired inside and outside Taierzhuang.

The two sides didn't even make contact.

The Thirty-First Division, which had been fighting all night yesterday, seemed to have pressed the stop button after dawn.

The entire division also stopped attacking the devils.

An eerie calm.

In any case, Taierzhuang was safe!

This was a good thing.

In fact, both Taierzhuang and Linyi, the two places that had been fighting the most fiercely these days.

Had stopped fighting today.

The attacking and defending sides had been exhausted by the fighting these days.

The devils on the attacking side were exhausted and needed to rest.

The Second Army Group, Pang Bingxun's Army, and the Fifty-Ninth Army on the defending side had not been easier than the devils these days.

They knew that the devils were at the end of their strength at this time, but these National Revolutionary Army teams did not have the strength to launch a counterattack.

They were also silently resting and accumulating strength.

The Fifth War Area Command was most happy that the front-line attack had been suspended.

Li Zhongren and Bai Chongxi were both excited.

What they needed most now was time.

The National Revolutionary Army still had troops, but it took time for these troops to reach the front line.

The devils were able to stop attacking suddenly after attacking for so many days.

Even if it was just stopping for a day, it gave the National Revolutionary Army time to adjust its forces.

But the devils did not stop attacking across the board.

They only stopped attacking at both ends, but invested a regiment in this place called Xiangcheng.

The First Battalion of the Twenty-First Regiment, the Katou Chie Battalion, was driven out of Xiangcheng by the Second Company and the Seventy-Fourth Division yesterday.

Last night, Battalion Commander Katou Chie was personally instructed by Regiment Commander Katari Sadami.

This morning, Battalion Commander Katou Chie's face was still red and a little swollen.

He believed that yesterday's retreat from Xiangcheng was his shame.

Today, Battalion Commander Katou Chie was going to wash away his shame.

The Third Regiment of the Seventy-Fourth Division was originally an infantry regiment.

But last night, they were suddenly reorganized into an artillery regiment.

Regiment Commander Li Yuanzhen was completely confused.

He asked: "Division Commander! My regiment can't even fire mortars well.

Firing artillery, isn't this asking too much?"

Li Hanzhang quickly said: "Yuanzhen! The Special Operations Brigade seized all the artillery of a devils' battalion.

Now they have few people and can't use it.

Tell me, do we want it?"

"Yes! We must!" Li Yuanzhen said immediately.

He certainly knew how many artillery pieces a devils' battalion had.

He knew even better that even the artillery of the entire Third Army Group was not as good as the artillery of a devils' battalion.

"Yes! That's what I thought too.

If we don't want it, and report it, the army commander will definitely find someone to receive these artillery.

Therefore, we have no choice but to let the Third Regiment be changed to an artillery regiment.

If we don't know how to use it, we'll learn it."

In the morning, he learned that the Special Operations Brigade would send a platoon to guide them in firing artillery.

Which made Regiment Commander Li Yuanzhen very happy.

He gave a speech to his regiment in advance: "All the brothers sent by the Special Operations Brigade must be treated as instructors.

Be respectful in attitude and respectful in demeanor to them.

They are all cultured people, you must all learn well.

Learn all their skills.

Do you understand?"

"Understood!" The soldiers of a regiment shouted loudly.

Regiment Commander Li Yuanzhen thought that the Special Operations Brigade would send an ordinary platoon leader.

But it turned out to be An Ping, the artillery platoon leader.

And Lin Fan came with him.

The soldiers of the artillery platoon immediately spread out in front of the thirty artillery pieces.

First, inspect these artillery pieces.

According to Lin Fan's orders, every step of these artillerymen was explained in detail to the officers and soldiers of the Third Regiment.

So that they not only knew how to do it, but also understood why they had to do it.

Now that there was Mao Wenxing in the air, the battles of the Special Operations Brigade were much easier.

Lin Fan was in the newly built artillery position of the Seventy-Fourth Division in Xiangcheng.

Listening to Mao Wenxing's report.

Learning that the devils were launching an attack on Xiangcheng from three directions today.

There were the most devils coming from the North Gate.

Then the first shot of the Seventy-Fourth Artillery Regiment was fired outside the North Gate.

The first shell was a trial shot.

The shrapnel filled with sand was fired without targeting anything.

Mao Wenxing reported the point where the shell landed.

Lin Fan made some adjustments based on the situation.

Thirty-six artillery pieces fired at the same time.

Disrupting the formation of the Katou Chie Battalion.

The dense shells landed in the middle of their battalion.

Making it difficult for the advancing Katou Battalion to bear.

Fortunately, the artillery regiment was very busy today and did not fight the Katou Chie Battalion for a long time.

Each artillery piece only fired five shells before starting to shift targets.

This time they were still going to hit the devils' battalion attacking the North Gate.

Second Infantry Battalion Commander Kobayashi Shigemitsu of the Twenty-First Regiment was secretly glad when he saw the First Battalion being shelled.

That his battalion was in a good position and had not been targeted by the National Revolutionary Army's artillery.

In less than three minutes, the Kobayashi Shigemitsu Battalion also began to be bombed.

Now, Battalion Commander Kobayashi Shigemitsu could no longer be secretly glad.

Brigade Commander Sakamoto Jun and Regiment Commander Katano Sadami felt a bitter taste in their mouths when they received the news that the First and Second Battalions were being bombarded by the National Revolutionary Army's shells.

When they attacked yesterday.

They had not been bombarded by the artillery of the Seventy-Fourth Division.

Only one night had passed, and the other side had artillery.

How did this artillery come about?

Of course, their own artillery battalion had sent it over.

The National Revolutionary Army on the opposite side used the empire's artillery and the empire's shells to bombard the empire's warriors.

Just thinking about it made Brigade Commander Sakamoto Jun feel heartache.

His heart ached so much!

Even so, he still thought about things in a good way:

As long as they took Xiangcheng today and seized those artillery again.

They must give the National Revolutionary Army's Seventy-Fourth Division a good look with these artillery.

They must return the shells that the First and Second Battalions had been bombed with, doubled.

Brigade Commander Sakamoto Jun secretly made a decision.

The Katou Chie Battalion and Kobayashi Shigemitsu Battalion, which were attacking on the front line, had suffered some losses.

But they still firmly carried out the regiment commander's orders: to take Xiangcheng.

As for the devils who had just been injured and killed by the shells, the regiment's medical soldiers would come to clean them up.

What happened to the Katou Battalion was now happening to the Third Battalion attacking the East Gate of Xiangcheng.

Infantry Third Battalion Commander Tanaka Shiro shouted loudly as he looked at the shells falling like rain: "Hide! Hide!"

His battalion had not been on the battlefield yesterday.

Which was considered relatively lucky compared to the Katou and Kobayashi battalions.

It was just that now the Tanaka Shiro Battalion was enduring the baptism of shells, and the casualties of the soldiers were not small.

This was really dying before leaving the camp.

These devils had only seen Xiangcheng in front of them so far.

A thousand meters away from the National Revolutionary Army's first line of defense in Xiangcheng.

Then they were bombed.

The command posts on the north and east sides of the Seventy-Fourth Division called the Third Regiment.

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