Chapter Fifteen: Four-Line Warehouse (Below) (Tears Request Recommendation Tickets)

  "This place is really uninhabitable!" Chi Chengfeng cursed as he took off his boots and turned them upside down, pouring out the murky water inside. "Those officials are all hiding in their luxurious villas on the south bank of the Suzhou River, embracing their mistresses and enjoying good food and drink, while we're stuck here in this ditch, starving and freezing?"

  "Yes, yes, this weather is really weird, always raining."

  "This water is too cold, if we continue soaking like this, even Iron Man would not be able to withstand it."

  The Sichuan and Guangxi soldiers next to him also followed suit. Since the last time Yue Weihan was called to take charge, Chi Chengfeng had indeed "reformed his ways" and no longer bullied people with his fists. The Sichuan and Guangxi soldiers gradually began to integrate into the Baoshan camp as a whole, rather than stubbornly insisting that they were part of the Sichuan or Guangxi army.

  "What's all the commotion?! What's all the fuss?!" Yue Weihan's figure suddenly appeared at the front of the formation. "With this much energy to complain, you'd be better off picking up your gear and clearing out the accumulated water in the trenches! Those with helmets use their helmets, those without helmets go to the kitchen squad to find pots and pans, use every available tool, and scoop out all the water in the trenches!"

  "His grandma, what's he using to scoop up water?" Chi Chengfeng cried out in surprise, "Is this going to work?"

  "Can't you just try and see?!" Yue Weihan said irritably, "For crying out loud, it's better than standing here like a fool, waiting to freeze or drown to death!"

  After finishing, Yue Weihan shook his head with a somewhat sentimental expression. Although he had been reborn twice, he originally wasn't someone who often swore, but since being with this group of rough soldiers, he surprisingly quickly learned to curse and scold people. In reality, it was these rough soldiers who forced him into this situation. These uneducated men didn't recognize many characters, and when they tried to engage in elegant conversation, they ended up annoying people! Directly cursing and scolding a few times, they instead felt comfortable in their hearts, thinking that Yue Weihan truly treated them like brothers.

  "Commander Cheng has arrived..."

  As soon as he finished speaking, a thunder-like voice suddenly came from the communication trench behind him, Liu Tiezhu.

  Yue Weihan quickly turned his head and saw that the commander of the left wing of the Songhu Battle Zone, General Cheng Cheng, was walking towards him in a raincoat, trudging through knee-deep water. Behind him followed a large group of high-ranking National Army officers, including the 98th Division Commander Xia Zhongyu and Chief of Staff Huang Meiwu.

  Yue Weihan didn't dare to slack off, and hastily ran through the accumulated water to stand in front of Cheng Cheng, standing at attention and saluting. Chi Chengfeng and the officers and soldiers of the Baoshan camp also rushed to stand behind Yue Weihan, forming a line.

  Cheng Cheng waved his hand and said, "It's been hard on you all, brothers."

  "It's not hard work." Yue Weihan puffed out his chest and said loudly, "Protecting the family and defending the country is our duty as soldiers."

  "Good, good, good! General Yue is indeed a man of great justice and righteousness!" Cheng Cheng nodded, immediately straightened his face and solemnly said, "According to the order from the War Zone Command, each unit of our Group Army will take turns providing cover for each other today and withdraw to Shanghai's West Bank to set up defenses. After careful consideration by the Group Army Staff Department, it has been decided that Yue Weihan will lead the Baoshan Regiment to stay in the Suzhou River North Four Warehouse, holding out against the enemy and boosting the nation's military and civilians' determination to fight to the death!"

  Four Banks Warehouse!?! Damn it, actually letting Laozi lead Baobao Mountain Camp to defend Four Banks Warehouse?!

  In an instant, Yue Weihan's mind conjured up the image of Commander Xie Yuan and his 400 brave soldiers who defended the Sihang Warehouse in the official history. It is said that their defense against the enemy had greatly boosted the nation's determination to fight to the death and the morale of its soldiers, while also having a significant impact internationally, earning considerable political sympathy for the Nationalist government.

  But the final outcome of these 400 brave men cannot be described as heroic or glorious, but only as tragic.

  After winning international sympathy and inspiring national determination to resist the war, the National Government compromised under pressure from the Shanghai Concession authorities, ordering Commander Xie Yuan to lead 400 soldiers into the International Settlement, disarm, and then be isolated in the concession for four years.

  After the outbreak of the Pacific War, the Japanese army occupied the Public Concession, and 400 strong men were taken to the South Seas Islands to dig mines and repair roads. Most of them died abroad, and only a handful of survivors survived until the US military counterattacked. When the US military rescued them together with British prisoners of war from the concentration camp, the strong men were already emaciated and on their last breath.

  Just as Yue Weihan's emotions were surging, Cheng Cheng's voice sounded again: "Commander Yue, is there something difficult?"

  "No, we, Baoshan Camp, will resolutely complete the task!" Yue Weihan immediately puffed out his chest and answered without hesitation.

  If he had a choice, Yue Weihan would not have gone to guard the Fourth Warehouse, but circumstances were stronger than people. Commander-in-Chief Cheng of the Left Wing Army Corps had given direct orders, and could he disobey? If Yue Weihan dared to disobey orders, it was likely that Commander Cheng could order him to be executed. For a commander-in-chief like Cheng to execute a small regimental commander like Yue would be as easy as killing a chicken.

  Of course, Yue Weihan dared to take on this task also because he had made some judgments.

  He Yue Wenhuan is not Xie Yuan, and the Baoshan Garrison is not the 1st Battalion of the 524th Regiment of the National Army. Yue Wenhuan has written a magnificent chapter in the true history of four hundred brave warriors who defended the Four Banks with their lives, and he firmly believes that the tragedy of the four hundred brave warriors will never be repeated on the Baoshan Garrison, no matter what happens, Yue Wenhuan will not retreat to the International Settlement to surrender to the British.

  Moreover, the Sihang Warehouse was a six-story reinforced concrete building, and the small-caliber curved trajectory guns and grenade launchers of the Little Devils were not enough to pose a threat. Although the naval guns and heavy artillery were sufficient to destroy the Sihang Warehouse, the Little Devils had not yet declared war on the US and UK at that time, and under the principle of "not using powerful weapons to catch mice", they did not dare to use them, otherwise they would inevitably mistakenly bomb the public concession area south of Suzhou River.

  So, defending the warehouse is absolutely no problem, and the troops of Bao Shan Camp are more than enough. The only thing that Yue Weihan needs to consider is how to safely withdraw after completing the task. However, this won't be a challenge for Yue Weihan. If he can bring Bao Shan Camp back from Bao Shan City, then he can definitely lead them out of the warehouse as well!

  "Good, good, good! General Yue is indeed impressive." Although Chai Qian had some unpleasant feelings towards Yue Weihan in his heart, he couldn't help but be infected by the other's heroic spirit at this moment. He immediately turned to Xia Zhongyu and said, "General Xia, we must try our best to satisfy the military supplies of Baoshan Camp, absolutely no discounts."

  "Don't worry." Xia Zhongyu said solemnly, "I will never treat my own brother unfairly."

  "Good." Cheng Cheng nodded and then said to Yue Weihan, "Commander Yue, I hereby wish you a victorious start."

  After that, Cheng Cheng immediately turned around and left with the high-ranking generals of the group army who came together. Xia Zhongyu didn't say anything, but walked up to pat Yue Weihan's shoulder, then left with a guilty face. Huang Mei Wu couldn't help but smile bitterly and said: "Zhongshu old brother, Master Shi has already done his best in this matter, but this is the intention of the Group Army Headquarters, Master Shi is also helpless..."

  "There's no need for explanation." Yue Weihan said calmly. "I'll say it again, as a soldier of the party and state, this is our duty."

  "Little brother, little brother, you're really something. Huang Mei Wu's eyes couldn't help but get a little moist, and he immediately turned around and was silent for a few seconds, waiting for his emotions to calm down again before turning back and saying, "The commander has already given the order, all of our reserve ammunition is left for you, that's all we can do."

  It's no wonder Huang Mei felt emotional. In his view, the Baoshan camp was a lone army trapped in the four warehouses, and that was absolutely a dead end!

  It is inevitable that everyone will die, but how many people can face death with equanimity like Yue Weihan, and undertake the task of certain death with equanimity? Huang Mei Wu claims he is not afraid of death, but he absolutely cannot be as calm and composed as Yue Weihan. What great courage this requires!

  "Enough of that," said Yue Weihan with a smile. "You and the Master will just have to wait and see, this time we won't rest until we've killed all the little devils and they're strewn all over the fields. In short, one sentence: our Baoshan camp will never tarnish the reputation of the 98th Division, nor will it tarnish the reputation of Chinese soldiers!"

  Having said that, Yue Weihan suddenly turned his head and roared at Chi Chengfeng and other Baoshan camp officers: "Brothers, do you say it is or not?"

  "Yes! Yes! Yes!" The Baoshan camp soldiers lined up and roared hysterically, a huge wave of sound burst out, instantly startling the Japanese army across from them. The little devils thought the National Army was going to launch a counterattack in the rain, so they immediately fired a barrage of artillery shells over, but it was naturally impossible to hit the National Army soldiers hiding in the fortifications.

  Under the rumbling artillery fire of the Japanese army, various units of the National Army began to withdraw one after another.

  By the evening of that day, the left-wing group armies and divisions of the National Army retreated to the south bank of the Suzhou River one after another, and then withdrew to the west of Shanghai. The Baoshan Camp, which was responsible for cutting off the enemy's retreat, abandoned its front-line positions and retreated to defend the Sihang Warehouse.

  ……

  P.S: Brothers,