Chapter 5: Golden Spears and Silver Wheels (Part 2)

  2.

  Fierce street fighting is still continuing in the northern coastal city of Surabaya, East Java, where the Japanese "Southern Cross Expeditionary Army" has launched a three-day assault on the city since its surprise attack.

  The news of the destruction of the combined fleet at Nanshan Islands did not shake the determination of the Japanese army to capture this city. Because only by taking Sanpaling, the "Nanyang Expeditionary Army" could completely eliminate the resistance of Chinese armed forces and redeploy to await the arrival of a powerful Chinese expeditionary force.

  A torrent of Type 90 main battle tanks and Type 89 infantry fighting vehicles sped past in front of the commander-in-chief of the Japanese Self-Defense Forces' "Nanyo Deployment Force", General Uesugi Atsushi, belonging to the tardy "Tosa Tōken" led by Colonel Naito Saburō.

  The Special Task Force Brigade was almost missed in this war under the tenacious resistance of the Chinese armed "Nanyang Liberation Army".

  More Japanese Self Defense Force's 4th Composite Brigade "Long Bow Apache" and OH-1 armed helicopters with flashing navigation lights formed a chilling attack formation, swooping down on the burning city of Sanba Garu.

  "Get me Lieutenant General Shinoda Munemitsu. I want you to take down Sanbao Ridge before dawn."

  To be honest, Uesugi Katsuyori had already lost his patience at this moment. The number of casualties and ammunition consumption were no longer a problem for him. He just wanted to take the three treasures.

  On the high ground of Dongying Forest Park, a vantage point in the center of Sanbao Village, the night vision goggles worn by the paratroopers of the 4th Mixed Brigade of the Japanese Self-Defense Forces emitted an eerie red glow in the darkness. Throughout the day, the infantrymen of the 4th Mixed Brigade of the Japanese Self-Defense Forces had been bleeding to take this 250-meter hill. On the side of the mountain slope that was hit by rocket projectiles fired from armed helicopters, resembling a lunar surface, Commander Shinobu Shigenaga of the 4th Mixed Brigade of the Japanese Self-Defense Forces got out of his 01-style light 4x4 wheeled armored vehicle under the protection of several Type 87 armored reconnaissance vehicles. Exhaustion was written on his face, but in his bloodshot eyes, the fighting spirit of the Yamato people and this city were burning fiercely like a wildfire.

  In order to defend this Chinese fortress, the Chinese armed forces used their last trump card - the "Nanyang Liberation Army" 5th column. This force was different from the nine columns that had been defeated on the outskirts of Sanbao Ridge. They were almost all composed of Chinese mercenaries and retired soldiers from various countries who came from all over the world, and their agile figures seemed to be everywhere in the streets and alleys of Sanbao Ridge.

  Right across from the East India Forest Park, the Sanbao Building, which is still under Chinese armed control, has become a symbol of the unyielding will of the Chinese armed forces. On the square in front of it, the wreckage of various Japanese Self-Defense Forces combat vehicles and armed helicopters that were destroyed have formed an iron wall. Under their cover, the elite 4th Mixed Brigade's "scout" team stealthily approached to within hundreds of meters of the building. Behind them, more Japanese soldiers are crawling forward, holding their Type 89 5.56mm automatic rifles.

  "Fire Preparation"

  As the CH-47J "Chinook" transport helicopter lifted four FH-70 155mm lightweight towed howitzers to the mountaintop, Shigenobu Shinoda confidently gave his troops the order to attack. Dense 155mm shells whizzed through the night sky over Sanbao Ridge, which was dyed red by the flames of war, and accurately landed on each floor of the Trade Building, the position of the "Nanyang Liberation Army".

  In the midst of deafening explosions, the Japanese soldiers' cries were completely drowned out, but even in the face of such an offensive, the "Nanyang Liberation Army" continued to resist stubbornly. Chinese snipers hiding in buildings took revenge with their bullets, occasionally knocking down Japanese soldiers approaching the building. The flames from various light firearms shooting were even more eye-catching in the darkness. Japanese Self-Defense Forces officers secretly approaching the front lines began using L16-type mortars to suppress the firing points within the Trade Building.

  The latest 20mm caliber "smart grenade" launcher was put into battle, this new weapon is the darling of Western countries' "urban warfare killer", under the day and night aiming device, it can effectively destroy various enemy fortifications within 1000 meters. Seeing his soldiers finally charging into the main entrance of the trade building after suffering heavy casualties, Shinobu Arata couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief. The next battle will be even more arduous, the stubborn Chinese armed forces will engage in a floor-by-floor struggle with the Japanese soldiers who broke into the building - intense gunfire and explosions keep coming from inside the building, but anyway this building is about to fall.

  But the message from the command center plunged him into despair again: The transport fleet carrying China's rapid reaction force was flying towards Sanbao Ridge under the escort of their fighter jets, and the F-2 modified fighter jets of the Air Self-Defense Force had taken off to intercept them, but there was no doubt that they would not be able to stop all the Chinese.

  "Airport. Now only by taking the three treasures of Garuda Airport with all one's might can we stop the Chinese from landing." New Tanaka spoke hoarsely into the satellite phone, suggesting to Uesugi Rikuo. If they were to parachute in, the first wave of the Chinese army would turn Garuda into a graveyard for Chinese soldiers, but if they could smoothly take over Garuda International Airport, which was still under the control of the "South Seas Liberation Army", then everything the Japanese Self-Defense Forces had on Java would be lost.

  "Immediately raid the Kemayoran International Airport, I want you to shoot and kill all of them before they set foot on Java Island." Putting down the phone, Uesugi Rikuo glared at all the Japanese soldiers around him.

  "Report! Our military airport on Weli Island was raided by Chinese special forces 15 minutes ago. Our troops are currently resisting, but..." A staff officer appeared in front of General Uesugi, panting heavily, his message undoubtedly announcing the death sentence for the entire Japanese "Nanyang Dispatched Army". Although two main force regiments of the 12th Ground Mobile Brigade were deployed on Weli Island, it was clear that they had become the target of Chinese air force bombers. The unfinished airport only had 1,000 Self-Defense Force engineers, who could not hold out for long against the elite Chinese special forces.

  "I have no troops to reinforce them. Let them make preparations to 'die' together with the airport!" Once the military airport on Mili Atoll falls into Chinese hands, China will gain an additional 6 aircraft carrier battle groups in the Java Sea, which is not an exaggeration, as a research report from Japan's Ministry of Defense had said.

  "Now the only way is to dispatch our fighter planes carrying bunker-busting bombs to attack the four underground oil tanks at the already completed airport, and completely destroy the airport in order to prevent it from being used by the enemy." said Lieutenant Colonel Kousaka Suketaka, commander of the Air Self-Defense Force.

  "What's holding you back? Let's go!"

  Uesugi Rokuya firmly replied that this is the only chance, once China's transport planes carry anti-aircraft weapons to Merville Island, the airport will definitely become an unsinkable aircraft carrier for the Chinese in the Java Sea.

  On the island of Wuri, Chinese special forces are in control of the airport. "Team A controls the tower, Team B seizes the air defense system, and Team C raids the Japanese engineer battalion..." Eight Mi-17H transport helicopters have landed on the runway of the Japan Self-Defense Forces military airport, with each combat team entering their positions at top speed. The Japanese engineer troops responsible for defending the airport also quickly launched a counterattack, but despite having superior numbers, they were unable to withstand the elite Chinese special forces' sudden attack.

  The two "MINIMI" light machine guns of the Japanese Self-Defense Forces on the tower were still spitting out flames, but such blind blocking soon became the prey of Chinese special forces snipers. The 2 Z-11H light armed helicopters hovering above the airport runway, Colonel Leng Ziyun calmly watched her troops' agile figures charging bravely in the dark, the familiar shooting sound of the 95-style automatic rifle on the airport accompanied by the occasional shouting and killing sounds, made Leng Ziyun feel a kind of inexplicable emotion, perhaps this was her innate talent as a soldier.

  Several precision-guided munitions hit the building occupied by Japanese engineers, and in an instant, a strange cloud of smoke rose slowly, leaving only death inside. The entire airport was about to change hands, and Leng Ziyu's Z-11H light armed helicopter flew low over the airfield at high speed before stopping in front of the control tower.

  "It's a nice shot." Coming down from the helicopter, Leng Ziyun patted the shoulder of Lieutenant Commander Kang Wei of Team A and said. Kang Wei is only 25 years old this year, but he is already a famous god shooter in the Chinese National Defense Army Marine Corps. Holding the 95-style 5.8mm sniper rifle, his face turned red when he saw Leng Ziyun.

  In Kangwei's heart, he could never forget the night 2 years ago in Vietnam's Haiphong. As a member of the Chinese Navy's Marine Corps vanguard, he was frightened by the deafening artillery fire outside the window and hid in a room in a building. Downstairs, the Vietnamese Army's T-72 main battle tanks were putting their comrades into an unprecedented bitter fight. At this moment, a bright female voice came from the air: "Advance for the motherland!" 4 Z-11H light armed helicopters flew low over the buildings, and the rocket launchers under their wings flickered with hope...

  From that moment on, Kang Wei remembered this beautiful voice, and also remembered the owner of this equally beautiful voice - Leng Ziyin. "Nothing." Seeing Leng Ziyin extend her right hand to him, Kang Wei almost shyly extended his own left hand.

  "Men to the left, women to the right?!" Seeing this scene, Leng Ziyun smiled lightly, but Lieutenant Colonel Kang Wei suddenly pulled her into his arms and fell to the ground. Another Z-11H light armed helicopter was hit by a sudden burst of anti-aircraft fire in the oil tank and exploded at low altitude, scattering debris everywhere. In the darkness, the rough outline of a Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force's Type 87 self-propelled anti-aircraft gun appeared, its twin L90 35mm autocannons slowly leveling their firing angle, taking aim at the Z-11H light armed helicopter parked in front of the tower where Leng Ziyun was.

  "Damn it! When did this happen." The various light weapons of the Chinese special forces on the tower building were densely fired at the side armor of that Type 87 self-propelled anti-aircraft gun, but it seemed to cause no significant damage. Seeing the Type 87 self-propelled anti-aircraft gun fire again, Kang Wei used all his strength and hugged Leng Ziyun as they jumped out.

  Just as the 87 self-propelled anti-aircraft gun destroyed that Z-11H light armed helicopter, 5 FP-89 anti-tank rockets also lifted its turret into the air. "Beautiful!" Looking at the burning wreckage of the 87 self-propelled anti-aircraft gun on the runway, Kang Wei's fist punched the ground excitedly, but he also discovered the awkward "physical contact" between himself and Lieutenant Colonel Leng Ziyun.

  "Right, sorry!"

  Kang Wei hastily let go of his hand and jumped up to apologize. "Nothing! Thank you for saving me." Although he also felt embarrassed about the scene just now, Leng Ziyun still smiled magnanimously and shook hands with Kang Wei again before running towards the other side of the airport. Standing in place, Kang Wei was stunned for a long time until a soldier kindly reminded him "Captain, your leg is bleeding." Only then did he feel the faint pain coming from the back of his thigh.

  "90 minutes to resolve the battle. 2 helicopters lost, 45 casualties. Our special forces have completely controlled the Japanese airport on Weli Island." The latest war report came, and General Ren Lingyu, commander of the Southeast Asian Theater of the Chinese People's National Defense Army, finally put down his heart that had been hanging for a night.

  "As expected, she is indeed the heroine of our army's Marine Corps! I suggest awarding Lieutenant Colonel Leng Ziyu and her special forces unit with a commendation. She can be said to have made the greatest contribution in this operation to land on Java Island!"

  Qian Xiao Shang Jiang chuckled and said, "Heh! Let's see if our air defense weapons can be transported to the island!"

  Renming Yu deeply understood that the Japanese Self-Defense Forces would never give up such a crucial island, and destroying the airport would be an inevitable choice.

  "General Leng Zhiying didn't require the air transport of anti-aircraft systems. Her plan was to utilize the existing Japanese anti-aircraft system to counter enemy air strikes. Moreover, with so many troops to be transported at the same time now, our air force's transport capacity is almost saturated..." General Ma Yiling, the Air Force Commander, interjected.

  "What?!"

  Ren Lingyu was slightly stunned. The large screen in the command center showed that various combat aircraft signals of the Chinese and Japanese armies had already filled the airspace over eastern Java at this moment. Ren Lingyu's eyes were fixed on the largest air force base of the Japanese "Nanyang Expeditionary Force" on the island of Java - Jakarta Military Airport.

  Outside the Sanbao Airport, the Japanese "Nanyang Dispatched Army"'s Type 90 main battle tanks were gathering to strike the last and most critical defense line of the "Nanyang Liberation Army". In the departure hall that was constantly being hit by artillery shells, Captain Yang Quan, the highest commander of the "Nanyang Liberation Army", and his soldiers were all fully armed, waiting for the final battle to come. All modern command systems had been destroyed by the Japanese Self-Defense Forces, and Yang Quan knew nothing about the outside situation, but he was convinced that the Chinese Expeditionary Force would arrive soon to rescue their suffering compatriots.

  And he also deeply knows the role that an airport will play in modern warfare, a sense of mission makes him and his warriors bear huge casualties still guarding here. A high-explosive shell exploded outside the window, and the originally scarce glass of the waiting hall was almost shattered. "Departure!"

  Yang Quan waved his hand at the soldiers behind him and rushed out under the enemy's artillery fire.