Chapter 3: Mutual Destruction

  Beiping City, Headquarters of the North China Area Army of the Imperial Japanese Army.

  The North China Commander of the Japanese Army, Terauchi Jiro, was listening to a telegram from a communications soldier who had just arrived from Mei County, Shanxi. "Major General Kawabata Shin'ichirō and the 20th Division Headquarters were ambushed by a mysterious unit in the east of Mei County, fifteen kilometers away. From Major General Kawabata Shin'ichirō down to the Imperial Guardsmen of the 20th Division Headquarters, all 113 brave warriors died."

  "Tell Hatakeyama that the Fifth Division is a bunch of rice buckets! Tell him to temporarily take command of the 20th and Fifth Divisions! In Shanxi, make every effort to annihilate the mysterious unit of the Chinese army!" Temple Saito shouted.

  The fifth division headquarters of Mei County, Ban Hengzheng Si Lang held the telegram he had just received in his hand and said to the chief of staff, Sakura Takeru, "Sakura-kun, what do you think about this incident?"

  "This humble officer believes that this incident and the annihilation of the entire Taiyuan Garrison are the work of the same group of Chinese troops, and the number of these Chinese troops should not exceed 200 people. If there were more than that, it would be impossible for them not to alert our military's defenses everywhere."

  "What good strategy does Sakura have to find and annihilate them?! It must be known that they've already killed one of our lieutenant generals, if the Nanjing government finds out, they'll surely make a big fuss about it to boost the morale of their soldiers and civilians! At that time, it will deal an unimaginable blow to the morale of the Imperial brave warriors!"

  "I can dispatch the elite of the 5th Division with Mei County as the center to search for the mysterious unit of the Chinese army! In addition, I will mobilize the 20th Division to move south and block their escape route from the southwest!" said Sakura Taishi. **Nanjing Leadership Office.

  "Darling", this is an intercepted telegram from the Japanese military that the Intelligence Bureau just got. Take a look! Madam Song held a telegram in her hand.

  "What's this telegram? You'd better bring it yourself, madam," he said, taking the telegram from Mrs. Song's hand and reading it.

  "Was it done by our troops? Too good, has anyone verified it, where did the intelligence come from?"

  "It was detected by the Intelligence Bureau that the Japanese army in Shanxi suddenly sent a large number of coded messages last night, as if something big and urgent had happened. The Japanese troops in Shanxi also began to move frequently! After deciphering the Japanese code overnight, the Intelligence Bureau learned that last night, near Mei County, Shanxi, Lieutenant General Kawabata Ichiro, commander of the 20th Division of the Japanese army, was ambushed by a mysterious unit of our army! A total of 113 Japanese officers and soldiers were killed, including Kawabata Ichiro. It is not yet known which unit did it, but it can be confirmed that it was done by our military. Because there are no Eighth Route Army activities in Mei County at all!"

  Chiang Kai-shek really needs such news now, first the Shanghai-Hangzhou war has already become a foregone conclusion for the National Army, Shanxi has already been lost! Wei Lihuang led the Central Army to retreat south of Jin!

  "Order the Bureau of Investigation to find out as soon as possible who is behind this," Chiang Kai-shek said.

  A forest over 100 miles south of Mei County.

  Zhang Mingyu's troops were resting, "Battalion Commander, I caught a traitor," said Zhang Haisheng, the reconnaissance company commander.

  "What the f**k is a traitor? Where, I'll kill him!" Zhang Biao roared. Zhang Mingyu kicked Zhang Biao's butt and kicked him out!

  "You only know how to kill, ask first before speaking!"

  Zhang Biao rubbed his own big belly and chuckled "Aren't I resentful of evil like an enemy!"

  "Bring that man up here!"

  Two soldiers brought a man wearing a yellow military uniform, "Who are you? How did you end up here? Why are you wearing the National Army's uniform?" Zhang Mingyu asked. The man looked at Zhang Mingyu, who was wearing a Japanese military uniform, and proudly said, "I am Fang Jun, a communications soldier of the 78th Division of the Chinese National Revolutionary Army! You damn little devils don't think that just because you can speak Chinese I'll believe you! Do what you want, kill me or torture me, it's up to you! In twenty years, I'll be a good man again, and I'll come back to kill all you damned beasts!"

  "Who are you cursing? You think we're Japanese with that one eye of yours?" Zhang Biao roared.

  "Are you not devils? What kind of people are you?" Fang Jun asked.

  Zhang Mingyu took off his puppet army uniform, revealing the National Revolutionary Army uniform underneath and said: "I am Zhang Mingyu, lieutenant colonel and regiment commander of the 46th Regiment of the 21st Division of the National Revolutionary Army."

  Upon seeing the insignia on Zhang Mingyu's shoulder, Fang Jun hastily saluted and said, "Fang Jun, communications soldier of the 78th Division of the National Revolutionary Army, reporting for duty, sir!"

  Zhang Mingyu returned a salute and said "You just said you're a signal corps soldier, so can you use a radio?"

  "Reporting for duty, sir!"

  "Great, Zhao Si quickly brought over the captured radio!" Do you know our army's telegraph password? Zhang Mingyu asked.

  "Because our army often changes passwords, I don't know either!" Fang Jun replied. "What can we do?"

  "But we can use the Ming language to call Nanjing, if the other party responds! We can get in touch! However, sending a message with a secret code may be detected by the Japanese military's intelligence department!"

  "Can't take care of so many things, sent a telegram to Nanjing, just say that our unit ambushed the Japanese army convoy near Meixian last night at around 9 o'clock! The enemy was completely annihilated! Now please instruct our next action, Battalion Commander Zhang Mingyu of the 1st Battalion, 46th Regiment, 21st Division!"

  Nanjing Presidential Palace

  The guard commander, Wang Shihe, ran excitedly to the door of Chiang Kai-shek and said, "Director, it has been verified! The Military Intelligence Bureau of the Ministry of National Defense received a telegram from Shanxi earlier. The telegram stated that they ambushed the devils' convoy in Mei County, Shanxi last night and annihilated the enemy army! Based on the above intelligence and the Japanese military's telegram, the unit that killed the Japanese major general is this one!"

  "Oh! Which unit did it?"

  "The battalion commander of the 46th Regiment of the 21st Division is Zhang Mingyu!" Wang Shihe replied.

  "Good heavens! You go and investigate Zhang Mingyu's identity immediately, he was able to launch a surprise attack in the midst of defeat and kill high-ranking Japanese officers, this man is truly brave and clever!" Chiang Kai-shek laughed.

  "Yes! I'll go check right away!"

  The efficiency of the attendant's room is really high! In no time, Zhang Mingyu's identity was checked and organized into materials!

  "Director, the information is out. Zhang Mingyu is from Fenghua, Zhejiang! He graduated from the 11th class of Huangpu Infantry Academy! Born in 1914! He was previously the lieutenant colonel and commander of the 1st battalion of the 46th regiment of the 21st division!" Zhang Shihao finished reading and closed the file.

  "Oh! This person is also our old fellow countryman! Haha! Indeed, he is a man from Huangpu!" Chiang Kai-shek said excitedly to Wang Shih-wei. Principal Chiang attached the most importance to two kinds of people: one was those from Huangpu Military Academy and the other was those from Zhejiang Ningbo. Now this Zhang Mingyu was not only from Huangpu but also from Ningbo! In Principal Chiang's eyes, this man would definitely become a brilliant new star in the National Army after some cultivation. Moreover, as a Ningbo fellow countryman, he had no reason not to be absolutely loyal to him!

  "Immediately send a telegram to Zhang Mingyu! Order him to lead his troops to come to Nanjing quickly, I want to personally commend him! Also, widely report the news of Zhang Mingyu's killing of the Japanese general! To boost the morale of our national military and civilians!"

  "Yes!"

  The next day, Shanghai Shun Pao and Nanjing Central Daily published the heroic deeds of Zhang Mingyu in Shanxi who killed high-ranking Japanese military officers! Guangzhou, Wuhan, Hangzhou and other major cities' students spontaneously organized parades, demanding to join the army, shouting slogans "To be a soldier, we must learn from Zhang Mingyu"!

  "General! Nanjing has sent a telegram saying that you are to lead your troops to Nanjing immediately! The Chairman of the Committee wants to personally reward you!" said Fang Jun.

  "Then let's hurry up and get ready to set off"

  "The battalion commander is down, and a large number of devils are coming from behind!" The soldier in charge of the lookout reported back.

  "It must be the devils who are monitoring our radio, hurry up and shut down the radio! Hurry up and evacuate! Quick!"

  Deputy Battalion Commander Zhao Si said, "Battalion Commander, you lead everyone to retreat first, I'll bring the brothers of the 2nd Company to hold off the enemy!"

  "Fall back first! I'll personally lead a team to cover you!" Zhang Mingyu roared.

  "Commander, only you can lead the brothers out! Now the devils must have mobilized a large troop and if you don't leave, you'll be surrounded by the devils! If we drive the little devils out of China in the future, don't forget to tell me!" Zhao Si shouted loudly. "Hurry up and go! Commander, don't hesitate!"

  "Take care of yourself, brother," Zhang Mingyu said with tears in his eyes as he led the way out.

  "Captain, I'll be your soldier again in my next life!" Zhao Si said to Zhang Mingyu's back. As he watched Zhang Mingyu and the brothers gradually disappear from view, Zhao Si turned to the more than 80 remaining brothers and asked, "Brothers, are you afraid of death?"

  "Fearless" warriors shouted in unison!

  "Good! Now it's time for us brothers to let those little devils taste our strength!"

  Seize the time to build fortifications, ……

  The Japanese army's Fifth Division, Seventh Brigade, Tani Go Regiment is coming to attack! The Tani Go Regiment is a field regiment with over 3,000 people and an artillery battalion. Zhao Si and the others are on a small high ground. The devils are advancing rapidly in dense formation. Seeing the devils getting closer and closer, 100 meters, 80 meters, 50 meters, 30 meters.

  Bang! Zhao Si stood up from the trench, his pistol firing continuously and knocking down several devils! The four light machine guns and one heavy machine gun left by Zhang Mingyu also opened fire at the same time, forming a five-way crossfire network!

  The devils fell down in a row without being able to defend themselves! The warriors pulled the bolt and fired a bullet of revenge at the sinful devils! The devils retreated hastily! At least over a hundred devil corpses were left on the ground in front of the position!

  The retaliatory artillery fire of the Kōgunji Unit began soon! For a time, the cannon shook the sky, boom! Bang! The trees on the second company's position were all burning with big fires caused by explosions. Due to terrain restrictions, the enemy could not deploy its entire force at once, and each attack could only use one or two small teams of soldiers. This tactic of adding oil to the fire made Captain Kōgunji curse the cleverness of the Chinese army, but Captain Kōgunji was no fool! He dispatched troops to seal off all exits on the mountain slope! In this way, the second company's retreat route was also cut off!

  "The devils are coming again!" A row of long shouts.

  "Everyone hide, wait for the devils to get close before attacking!"

  The warriors all lay in the fortifications, a row of long ones at a distance from the enemy "150 meters. 130 meters. 80 meters. 50 meters. 30 meters!"

  Bang! Thud thud! Crack crack crack! … Boom! The devils in front fell down instantly. The devils who were subjected to intense gunfire did not retreat immediately, but instead formed a triangular formation and charged towards the Second Company's position! However, under the Second Company's fierce counterattack, they suffered heavy casualties!

  "A kill order!" a Japanese military officer shouted, waving his command sword.

  A bullet hit the head of that devil officer. The bullet went through his face and blew half of his head off! The devil officer's body crashed to the ground!

  Zhao Si blew a breath. "I've been staring at you for half a day! Are you still calling me?" The devils who lost their commander finally retreated.

  "The Japanese devils have been beaten off again by us!" said a row of soldiers!

  "Devils are also born of parents, bullets shot over will still pierce a hole!"

  "Report that our attack has failed again and Lieutenant Colonel Kobayashi has also died for His Majesty the Emperor!" The deputy reported to Tani Go.

  "Bah! Can't even take down a small hill, and yet we've lost so many brave Imperial warriors for nothing! You're going to die!" With that, he slapped the subordinate's face left and right. "Slap slap" He slapped the subordinate more than ten times before finally venting his anger! The subordinate covered his swollen pig-like face and hastily said "Yes sir! Yes sir!"

  "Give me a barrage and blow all the shells! If we can't take down the high ground before dawn, you and I will both disembowel ourselves to apologize to His Majesty!" Gu Wu roared.

  The devils concentrated all the artillery of the Fifth Corps and bombarded the Second Company's position fiercely! The Second Company's position instantly became a sea of fire! The artillery lasted for about half an hour, finally stopped. A large group of devils with white cloth strips tied around their heads began to launch a general attack on the Second Company's position!

  "The Imperial Highness Banzai!" "Long live the Holy War!"

  On the battlefield, Zhao Si crawled out of the soil heap, spat out the dirty phlegm in his mouth and shouted loudly "Brothers get up quickly, the little devils are coming again!"

  The warriors who were not killed by the devils' cannon fire crawled out of the mud.

  "What's the situation with the casualties?" Zhao Si roared.

  "Company Commander, a whole row of our comrades were blown up by the enemy's artillery fire!" a soldier replied.

  "Report,"

  “1”2“3”……“37”

  "There are still 37 brothers left!" Zhao Si muttered to himself.

  "The devils are coming, shoot them for me, brothers!"

  Zhang Mingyu led the team to walk out of about twenty miles, heard the intense cannon sound coming from behind, looked back with tears in his eyes, and the soldiers all knew that the second company was using their deaths to buy time for them! So they all rushed on desperately! Due to the blocking of the second company, it attracted the enemy's search troops! And also won eight precious hours for Zhang Mingyu and his men!

  Zhao Si's left eye was pierced by a bullet on the second line of defense! Fresh blood had flowed from his face to his neck! This is already the eighth time they repelled the devils' attack!

  "Is anyone else still alive?" Zhao shouted hoarsely.

  "I'm still alive!" "I'm still alive"

  Including Zhao Si, there are eight wounded soldiers in total! Looking at the young faces one by one, Zhao Si said "Brothers, are you afraid?"

  "Don't worry, it's already enough"

  "Yes! I've already taken down no less than twenty devils, what a profit!"

  "My brothers are delighted to fight alongside you, and after twenty years, I'm still a good man! Aren't I?" Zhao Si said with sorrow and indignation.

  "Right!"

  "Gather up all the remaining hand grenades and explosives! Set off a few more booby traps on our way out!"

  A few people gathered the remaining two boxes of hand grenades together! Then they formed a circle and sang a military song that Zhang Mingyu taught them!

  "We who are soldiers, what's different about us? Only because we all wear simple military uniforms."

  We who are soldiers, what's different about us? Since leaving our hometowns, it's hard to see our parents.

  Although it's said differently, it's actually the same, all are the prime of youth, all are passionate young men.

  Saying it's different but actually it's the same, the same footprints left for the high mountains and long waters.

  We who serve as soldiers are different, with the cold moon of the border as our pillow and snow, rain, wind, and frost on our bodies. We who serve as soldiers are different, for the peace of the nation, we firmly grasp the guns in our hands.

  Although saying differently is actually the same, they are all yearning for brilliance and winning glory.

  Though saying differently is actually the same, the same spirit soars on the flag of the Republic.

  We who serve as soldiers are just like this.

  "Boom!" A loud explosion, Zhao Si and others, along with a dozen or so Japanese devils who were charging up, all perished together!