Chapter 9: The Loss of Treasure Mountain (Part 1)

  Time went back to the day of the surprise attack.

  Just as Principal Chiang received Vice-Chancellor Gu's telegram, Yue Weihan's small team also circled back to Baoshan.

  Yue Weihan did not know that he had already killed the Lieutenant General and commander of the 3rd Division of the Japanese army, Teng Tianjin. However, with the large amount of fuel and military supplies stored in the base, the little devils would not let go this time either. As soon as dawn broke, Baoshan City would likely be subjected to devastating bombardment by the Japanese naval guns and air force!

  Yu Weihan had reason to believe that this bombing was definitely different from before.

  In the past, the Japanese army would not have wasted too many heavy artillery shells and heavy bombs on a tactical target like Bao Shan County, but now it's hard to say. If that big guy who didn't make it out of the armored vehicle was really incinerated, then the little devil's crazy revenge is even more nailed down!

  So Yue Weihan immediately ordered a retreat after returning to Baoshan!

  Of course, Yue Weihan was not a fool and would not have led his troops to retreat to the south bank of the Wusongkou River. In fact, at this time, the outer suburbs of Baoshan were all Japanese troops, and small teams of less than ten people might still be able to infiltrate at night, but with more people it was simply looking for death! Yue Weihan led his troops into the tunnels, blew up the tunnel entrance and cellar, and then began a long wait.

  Yue Weihan firmly believed that he and the dozens of soldiers around him would definitely be able to return alive, because this was a premeditated withdrawal and not an impromptu decision or a desperate move. Unless the little devils brought in tunnel warfare experts from their home country, it would be impossible for them to find the tunnels where Yue Weihan and his men were hiding.

  …………

  The 98th Division Command is located on the south bank of the Wanwei River.

  The sky was completely bright, but the Japanese military position on the other side of the river was eerily quiet.

  Unlike in the past, the Japanese army would have started shelling early and after the shelling, the Japanese infantry would have launched a fierce attack. However, today the Japanese seemed very unusual, as if they had no intention of launching an attack at all.

  Just as Xia Zhongyu was perplexed and unable to understand, Chief of Staff Huang Mei Wu walked in with a thick stack of telegrams in his hand.

  "Good news, sir!" Huang Mei Wu exclaimed with excitement all over his face. "The Intelligence Bureau has cracked the little devil's code. The great show last night was indeed done by that kid Yao Changqing. He sent people to raid the little devil's forward base, destroying a large amount of military supplies and killing Lieutenant General Teng Tianjin, commander of the 3rd Division of the Japanese Army!"

  "Oh? Such a thing has happened!?" Xia Zhongyu dared not believe, "Killed the Japanese army division commander!?"

  "Can this be fake? The Premier has already sent a telegram to the whole nation to commend us!" Huang Mei waved the telegram in his hand and said, "Look at these telegrams, they are all congratulatory messages from famous people in various fields, headquarters of various troops, group armies, and military units, as well as many comfort items donated by people from all walks of life to the logistics department!"

  "Rumble, rumble, rumble..."

  The sound of Huangmei Wuhua's voice fell, and a faint explosion sounded from the northeast direction.

  Xia Zhongyu and Huang Meiwu's faces changed suddenly, the two looked at each other, then simultaneously turned their heads towards the northeast direction. The explosion sound clearly came from the northeast direction. The two had been in the army for many years, and immediately thought of the cause of the matter. This must be the Japanese army launching a retaliatory bombing against Baoshan County after suffering heavy losses.

  Huang Mei Wulang said, "This place is over a hundred miles away from Baoshan County, yet we can still hear such intense explosion sounds. It seems that the Japanese combined fleet has also joined in the bombardment. If it weren't for the main cannon with a caliber of over 300 millimeters firing howitzer shells, it would be impossible to produce such a huge explosion sound."

  "Hey." Xia Zhongyu punched the wall heavily, his eyes almost spewing fire, "Watching one's own troops being annihilated by those little devils right before one's eyes, this feeling is really unbearable."

  …………

  Songhu Battle Zone Headquarters.

  Deputy Commander Gu is being interviewed by several Western mainstream media, Shanghai's major newspapers and the Central News Agency in the press conference room. Although Deputy Commander Gu is only the deputy commander-in-chief of the Songhu Battle Zone, everyone knows that National Government leader Chiang is just a nominal title, and this deputy commander-in-chief is the actual highest commander of the battle zone.

  He first gave a passionate speech and then answered several questions. Deputy Director Gu's mood was always good, with a smile on his face until the deputy officer walked in with a serious expression and whispered two sentences to him. Only then did Deputy Director Gu slightly change his expression before hastily leaving after announcing an end to the press conference.

  Hurriedly arriving at the side hall, Deputy Director Gu's face had already completely darkened.

  "Commander, the Eighth Bureau has intercepted more communications between the Japanese Shanghai Expeditionary Army Headquarters and the 3rd Division's brigades. It's been confirmed that the Japanese will assemble over thirty warships, twenty bombers, and hundreds of heavy artillery to launch a devastating attack on Baoshan! They also plan to fire phosphorus shells!"

  The deputy officer looked at his watch again and said with a heavy expression: "From the time, the bombing should have started by now."

  The deputy director closed his eyes in pain, the Japanese army assembled such a large-scale sea, land and air force to carry out indiscriminate bombing at all costs. The small Bao Shan County town was likely to be completely reduced to ashes. Under such intense artillery fire, let alone people, even a mouse would be annihilated!

  What a pity! What a real pity!

  If Yao Changqing and his regiment could withdraw, it would be a great inspiration for the entire nation's desperate resistance! The little devils seem to have seen this point too, so they are willing to pay any price to bombard Baoshan wildly. That old devil, Matsui Iwane, is really not easy to deal with!

  General Gu remained silent for a long time, and his deputy quietly reminded him: "Commander, are you going to let the 98th Division attack?"

  The deputy commander sighed and shook his head repeatedly: "No, no, the little devils have already started shelling, if we send troops up now, won't they all become cannon fodder?"

  The deputy said: "Chief, Vice-Chairman is over there..."

  The deputy director sighed again and said: "Report it truthfully. It's not that we don't want to save them, but there's really no way to rescue them."

  …………

  Baoshan County Town

  Four hours later, the Japanese army's bombardment finally ended. At this time, Baoshan was no longer able to find a single intact tile, the ancient and solid city wall had completely collapsed, thousands of civilian houses were almost flattened by artillery fire, and then thoroughly turned into rubble in the large fire caused by incendiary bombs.

  Ruins, Bao Shan has completely become a ruin at this time!

  The smoke has dispersed, and at least four companies of Japanese infantry have poured into Baoshan County from all sides. However, what awaits them is a scorched earth. On this still smoldering expanse of scorched earth, they can't even find one living rat, let alone any living Chinese soldiers.

  The commander of the 68th Brigade, Colonel Takashi Takaeda, climbed up to the ruins of the castle wall accompanied by Vice-Commander Jiro Nishio.

  Standing on the city wall and looking down, only to see that the Baoshan City was in a state of utter devastation, with no building over four meters high left standing. The still raging fire had turned the entire city into scorched earth. Amidst the collapsed houses and broken walls, one could faintly see the charred limbs of Japanese soldiers. Seeing this scene, the face of General Takaishi finally regained a hint of color.

  Takaoki Kagetora thought his military career was over, the defeat at Tengen's hands had been a huge blow to the Imperial Japanese Army's prestige, and he had even prepared for seppuku. However, General Matsui unexpectedly gave him a chance to redeem himself: if he could capture Mount Bao before nightfall today and slaughter all living things within the city walls.

  Now, Baoshan has been trampled under his feet. As for the creatures inside Baoshan City... are there still any living things left?

  Unlike Takaashi Kagetora, who felt a weight lifted off his shoulders, Nishio Jiro was filled with regret. He had missed this opportunity and didn't know when he would be able to become the commander of the combined fleet again. However, soon after, Nishio adjusted his mindset and proposed to Takaashi: "Commander, shouldn't we conduct a thorough search of Hōzan to ensure that no Chinese remnants escape?"

  "Hmm." Takashi Takaoka nodded heavily, gritting his teeth and saying, "Mr. Nishio's proposal is very reasonable. The Chinese army within the walls of Hōzan Castle has greatly damaged the prestige of the Imperial Army. We absolutely cannot let them off easily. Pass down the order to thoroughly search every nook and cranny, every inch of land, and not a single Chinese soldier can be allowed to escape!"

  "Ah." Nishio Jiro bowed his head in response and then turned around to pass on the order.

  ……