Chapter 1 The Battle

The excited Company Commanders Chu Xiuxian and Fan Xian watched as the Japanese soldiers charged. Without hesitation, they shouted loudly, "Charge! Kill them!"

"Fight the Japanese to the death!"

According to the Special Operations Brigade's doctrine, when charging, the company commander leads the way, the platoon leader follows, and the squad leader can't lag behind.

With the entire company's officers charging ahead, no soldier dared to retreat.

Company Commanders Chu Xiuxian and Fan Xian led the charge, with the company's soldiers closely following.

They were only thirty meters away from the Japanese soldiers. Both sides focused their minds and efforts on charging towards the same point.

This thirty-meter distance was quickly closed, and the two charging torrents collided on the battlefield.

Company Commander Chu, at the very front, thrust his rifle at a charging Japanese soldier. Sergeant Hideki Ishida was charging quickly.

He was at the forefront of the entire company. Seeing the soldier charging towards him thrust a rifle at his chest, he quickly stopped and parried.

The two rifles collided with a loud "clang!" The first exchange ended in a draw.

Company Commander Chu quickly retracted his rifle, took a step forward, and shouted, "Kill!"

He thrust his rifle out again. As he shouted, the battlefield was filled with shouts of killing.

Sergeant Hideki Ishida felt the ground trembling slightly, unsure if it was from the approaching Guominjun (National Revolutionary Army) soldiers or the shouts of battle.

Regardless, the soldier's thrust was fast and heavy. Ishida was forced to parry with all his might once more.

This time, the force seemed even greater. Sergeant Hideki Ishida took another step back.

As the Japanese soldier retreated, Company Commander Chu advanced, driving his rifle forward with increasing momentum, thrusting at the Japanese soldier again.

Sergeant Hideki Ishida had parried three times in a row without landing a single blow. Each parry was more difficult than the last.

He already saw his end. Ishida thought sadly, "I'm afraid I'm going to die here today."

With this thought, Ishida's spirit faltered, and his strength seemed to wane.

He was unable to block Company Commander Chu's fourth thrust. The bayonet cut a large gash across his chest.

Blood spurted out. Wounded, Ishida panicked even more.

Seeing the Japanese soldier wounded, Company Commander Chu seized the opportunity! He thrust his rifle out again, faster, more accurate, and more powerful.

At this moment, Ishida wanted to parry the rifle, bandage his chest wound, and turn to run away.

With too many thoughts, his hands and feet didn't know which to follow.

Just as he was flustered, the incoming thrust left him unable to parry. This time, his chest wasn't just cut;

Instead, the bayonet pierced a deep hole. The thrust entered his chest and exited his back, the gleaming bayonet tip emitting a chilling light.

Company Commander Chu Xiuxian gently rotated the butt of his rifle half a circle—a small trick taught by the Special Operations Brigade.

As he twisted the butt, Ishida's heart was shattered, and all his strength seemed to vanish.

Completely drained, Ishida dropped his rifle. He stopped struggling; he had resigned himself to his fate.

As Company Commander Chu retracted his rifle, Sergeant Hideki Ishida collapsed to his knees, then fell face down, motionless.

His spirit was dead. Without a hint of struggle, he quietly returned to the embrace of Amaterasu Omikami (the Japanese sun goddess).

Sergeant Taro Nagai, a machine gunner, was at the rear of the charging troops. Ishida had already died before he even came into contact with the Guominjun soldiers.

Captain Kamanosuke Ueno, though charging slower, had already engaged Jiang Liang.

Jiang Liang was an ordinary soldier under Chu Xiuxian. His home had been bombed to ruins when the Japanese attacked Guangzhou. The fate of his family of five was unknown.

Whether they had fled or been reduced to ashes by the Japanese bombs, no one knew.

When Jiang Liang followed the Special Operations Brigade in assisting with operations some time ago, he was one of the most diligent in training.

His bayonet skills were among the best in Wu Xing's brigade. Now, facing the Japanese captain, Jiang Liang shouted, "Kill!"

He feinted with his rifle, then thrust it forward. Captain Kamanosuke Ueno, seeing the thrust, quickly slashed with his katana.

He didn't expect the thrust to be a feint, never actually landing. Instead, the rifle was retracted halfway, and Jiang Liang took another step forward, shouting, "Kill!" again.

The rifle stabbed towards his chest with lightning speed. Captain Kamanosuke Ueno, having slashed at empty air, hurriedly tried to retract his sword. Before he could, another thrust came.

He could only hurriedly retract his sword and retreat. As he retreated, the other advanced.

Captain Kamanosuke Ueno retreated one step, and Jiang Liang advanced one step. The Japanese soldier retreated step by step, and Jiang Liang pressed forward relentlessly.

As a result, Captain Kamanosuke Ueno, constantly retreating, was unable to mount an effective counterattack. He was losing ground, and his parries grew increasingly weak.

At this moment, Jiang Liang was unforgiving. His rifle thrust one after another, and his steps followed closely. Finally, the Japanese soldier began to bleed.

Captain Kamanosuke Ueno's arm was slashed open, the blood making him feel not only pain but also fear.

The more afraid he became, the slower his movements became, and his parries became more difficult.

By the time he was wounded a second time, he no longer had the strength to parry. After the third and fourth wounds, he could no longer stand. He fell to the ground, where Jiang Liang pinned him down with a foot and stabbed him through. This time, Captain Kamanosuke Ueno was beyond saving.

The rest of his squad of Japanese soldiers met a similar fate.

Captain Fujito Kamiyi watched as his entire company of Japanese soldiers engaged in bayonet combat with the Guominjun soldiers. They were actually losing!

This made him furious. Earlier, during the long-range exchange, his company's firepower had no clear advantage and was constantly suppressed.

Only after paying a heavy price had they managed to execute the close-quarters combat plan. But even in close combat, they were still losing.

How was he, the commander, supposed to command in this situation? With no other options, Captain Fujito Kamiyi could only personally charge to the front lines to fight.

Soon, reports of the front-line situation reached Captain Kazuki Kita. He heard that the two companies sent to seize the defensive line were now engaged in bayonet combat with the Guominjun soldiers.

This was good news. The next thing he expected was to receive a victory report, that the defense line had been seized!

But what Captain Kazuki Kita didn't expect was that the victory report he hoped for never arrived. Instead, he received tragic news.

Captain Fujito Kamiyi's company had been wiped out. Captain Fujito Kamiyi himself had died on the front lines.

Captain Shunta Tanaka's company was currently engaged in fierce bayonet combat, and the situation was grim. Captain Shunta Tanaka was hoarsely shouting and waving his katana, "Charge!"

At this point, fewer than a hundred Japanese soldiers could still be heard following his orders to charge. Sergeant Kaito Nakai, Sergeant Akiyoshi Uehara, and Captain Naoki Kawauchi listened to their captain's orders.

They desperately charged towards the Guominjun soldiers ahead, facing the First and Seventh Companies.

Company Commander Wang Hua of the First Company and Company Commander Chen Zhiping of the Seventh Company led their respective units in a final charge against the approaching Japanese soldiers.

Most of the charging Japanese soldiers had already covered much of the distance, and now the two sides were locked in close combat.

For the Japanese soldiers, perhaps they believed this was a chance, a chance for them to win.

For the First and Seventh Companies, this was a trap they had set for the Japanese soldiers. The First and Seventh Companies were no longer the same as the soldiers of the 186th Division from over a month ago.

Whether in physical strength or fighting spirit, they were vastly different from a month ago. At this point, the First Company had suffered a number of casualties in the two previous attacks.

But the soldiers' morale had not diminished in the slightest. On the contrary, the soldiers of the First Company were now full of fighting spirit and energy.

They all had a fire in their hearts. Today, they had continuously annihilated two companies of Japanese soldiers, which had given them tremendous confidence.

In their eyes, no matter what kind of Japanese soldiers they faced, they would no longer be afraid.

Moreover, the First and Seventh Companies were now acting together, their numbers twice that of the Japanese soldiers.

Platoon Leader Feng Zhiyong of the First Company had personally killed five Japanese soldiers today. He was telling the soldiers around him, "I'm going to get ten today, ten dead Japanese soldiers."

His words were heard by the soldiers of the Seventh Company, who were all envious and jealous! They also wanted to earn merits, but they had been dispatched later and missed the opportunity to fight the Japanese soldiers on the first two defensive lines.

Company Commander Chen Zhiping of the Seventh Company said with a smile, "Platoon Leader Feng! Leave a few Japanese soldiers for the soldiers of the brotherly company! We can't let the brothers come up here to fight the Japanese soldiers without seeing any blood!"

Feng Zhiyong said with a smile, "On the battlefield, it's every man for himself! If you have the ability, then snatch them!"

Platoon Leader He Gang of the Seventh Company was burning with anger. They were both platoon leaders, but the other platoon leader had already stabbed five Japanese soldiers to death, while he was still empty-handed. How could he tolerate this?

Who should he vent this anger on? Of course, it was on the charging Japanese soldiers.

He Gang quickened his pace and shouted at Sergeant Kaito Nakai, who was charging at the front, "Kill!"

He put all his anger into the thrust of his rifle.

Sergeant Kaito Nakai thrust and deflected his rifle, originally thinking that he was using a trick to deflect a heavy blow with minimal effort. But he didn't expect that the force of the man in front of him was so great.

His trick had become like an ant trying to shake a tree. The target of the thrust didn't change in the slightest, still heading straight for his chest.

At this point, Sergeant Kaito Nakai couldn't react at all. However, he could still scream in terror before the bayonet entered his body: "Ah!"

This scream was too noticeable on the battlefield filled with shouts of killing.

Many eyes on the entire battlefield turned towards this direction, but most people couldn't see what was happening there.

Feng Zhiyong was among the few who could see. He saw that He Gang had killed an enemy with one move, the Japanese soldier not even managing to parry before being stabbed.

Sergeant Kaito Nakai, who had already been stabbed once, was stabbed a second and third time in quick succession.

Then, he could no longer stand and fell to the ground, where Platoon Leader He stepped on him and delivered another stab.

Platoon Leader He, with eyes bloodshot from killing, stood on the Japanese soldier's corpse, his gaze fixed on the Japanese soldiers charging up ahead.

Sergeant Akiyoshi Uehara looked at the Guominjun soldier standing on Kaito Nakai's corpse and desperately didn't want to go up and fight him.

But the other side's gaze had already locked onto him. If he didn't accept the challenge at this time, he would likely be stabbed a few times.

Sergeant Akiyoshi Uehara had no choice but to force himself to face this Guominjun soldier who was clearly radiating a strong sense of aggression.

He also tentatively shouted, "Kill!" and thrust his bayonet at He Gang.

He Gang, hearing the Japanese soldier's shout, didn't feel any sense of threat. He looked at him with a look of pity and shouted loudly, "Kill!"

As if demonstrating to the Japanese soldier, his shout was loud and full of momentum.

The thrust that followed was even more decisive, strong, and powerful. The two rifles clashed in the air, producing a dull sound: "Clang!"

Then the two rifles separated. Sergeant Akiyoshi Uehara only felt his arm shake violently, and the rifle in his hand seemed to come to life, struggling to fly away.

Of course, he didn't dare to let go and could only forcibly tighten his grip. At this time, the other side's rifle thrust again.

With stiff movements, Sergeant Akiyoshi Uehara could only parry clumsily. This time, he couldn't directly attack.

Platoon Leader He, who had already gained the initiative, thrust his rifle out and was blocked by the Japanese soldier. He immediately shouted again, "Kill!"

Another thrust accompanied by the shout stabbed out, and this time Sergeant Akiyoshi Uehara could no longer resist. However, he was already prepared.

While parrying, he took a step back, cooperating with his efforts to avoid being pierced through the chest. However, Platoon Leader He took a step forward, his rifle thrusting out again, coordinated with his full-throated: "Kill!"

His momentum was even stronger, his arrogance soaring. Sergeant Akiyoshi Uehara was now completely suppressed. Unable to block with his hands, he could only use his chest to resist.

Platoon Leader He's thrust pierced the Japanese soldier's chest, and he exerted force, the bayonet slicing into the front of the Japanese soldier's chest and exiting through his back.

Then, he twisted the bayonet, shattering his heart and liver and dissolving his fighting spirit and physical strength.

After being stabbed, Sergeant Akiyoshi Uehara could no longer hold onto his rifle.

His body followed the bayonet as Platoon Leader He pulled it out, falling limply to the ground.

Platoon Leader He stepped on the Japanese soldier's head and stabbed his bayonet into the back of his neck, and after he pulled it out, the Japanese soldier was beyond saving.

"Two!" he roared loudly, and Feng Zhiyong shouted provocatively from not far away: "Six!"

Platoon Leader He charged forward. There were not many Japanese soldiers left ahead. With the number of Japanese soldiers left, each soldier in the company could only be assigned half a soldier on average.

He had already killed two Japanese soldiers by himself, exceeding the quota by four times. He Gang looked around, and every Japanese soldier had one, two, or even three soldiers stabbing him.

He wanted to pick a Japanese soldier to fight, but it was really difficult.

Soon, Platoon Leader He found a Japanese officer. From his appearance, it was clear that he was the highest commander of this force.

Captain Toshiyoshi Tanaka was constantly waving his katana, ordering his Japanese soldiers to charge forward for bayonet combat.

Suddenly, he felt something prick his face and turned his gaze towards the direction of the attack.

He immediately saw a Guominjun soldier not far away holding a rifle and charging towards him quickly.

If gazes could kill Japanese soldiers, He Gang's gaze would have already killed Captain Toshiyoshi Tanaka.

Captain Toshiyoshi Tanaka saw the soldier charging over, and the ferocity in his eyes was about to solidify into substance.

He dared not be careless, waving his katana a few times, performing a beautiful flourish, and then pointing at the charging Platoon Leader He.

He gripped the katana with both hands, slowly raised it above his head, maintaining a posture ready to strike down at any moment, and waited.

Platoon Leader He looked at the Japanese officer, who had stopped moving and prepared for battle. He began to adjust his pace to ensure that he could thrust his rifle at the most suitable distance when he reached the Japanese soldier.

When he was a little more than a meter away, Platoon Leader He shouted, "Kill!"

He coordinated the speed of his charge with the rifle in his hands, thrusting it forward quickly. Captain Toshiyoshi Tanaka also exhaled and shouted, "Ha!"

He swung the katana in his hands down at the thrusting rifle.

His slash was extremely powerful, accurately striking the rifle that Platoon Leader He had thrust out, producing a "clang!"

Several sparks flew out. The rifle in He Gang's hand was struck by a great force from above, and the front of the rifle could no longer be stabilized. The bayonet at the front plunged violently towards the ground.

Captain Toshiyoshi Tanaka stabilized the katana in his hand in mid-air and thrust it forward.

According to his plan, the Guominjun soldier in front of him would be unable to stop his momentum, his center of gravity would be forward, his rifle would also be pointing towards the ground, and his body would automatically lunge towards his katana.

His gaze was fixed on the Guominjun soldier in front of him. Captain Toshiyoshi Tanaka wanted to admire the look of despair on the soldier's face.

A victorious smile even appeared on his face!

Just as the rifle was about to plunge into the ground, He Gang used his left foot to stop his forward momentum. He jumped back forcefully with both feet, his entire body retreating instead of advancing, suddenly retreating more than a meter.

His movement caused Captain Toshiyoshi Tanaka's subsequent thrust to completely miss.

After the thrust failed, Captain Toshiyoshi Tanaka quickly retracted his katana, performed another beautiful flourish, and raised the katana above his head again, preparing to strike again.