Chapter Thirty-Eight: Exercise (Four)

  May 20th, 1935, 7:00 AM sharp, Central Military Academy Training Ground.

  General Zhang Zhizhong said with full energy: "In an hour, the two-day military confrontation exercise will begin. This exercise is the most important test in your military school career. I hope you can perform well and after I finish speaking, your task is to follow your company commander and conduct the exercise. I hope you can carry forward the revolutionary spirit of not being afraid of sacrifice, be loyal and sincere, work together, complete this exercise well, and strive for final victory. Tell me loudly, what is the spirit of Huangpu?"

  "Love is precious, unity and cooperation, defend the country and love the people, fear no sacrifice!"

  Zhang Zhizhong nodded in satisfaction and said solemnly, "Very good, I hope you will carry forward the Whampoa spirit and make the most thorough preparations for this exercise. Let's set off!"

  General Zhang Zhizhong was the commander-in-chief of the Blue Army, naturally sitting in command of the central headquarters. In fact, this point is also what both sides hope to see, with Chiang Kai-shek hoping to see the outstanding performance of the Central Military Academy students, while Zhang Zhizhong also hopes to temper these students.

  "Everyone, let's go!" Wang Mingyu shouted loudly. The other companies also started running and setting off in unison, their neat and uniform pace was very inspiring to watch. The commanders of the Central Military Academy were also very satisfied with this batch of students, nodding their heads repeatedly as they watched.

  A suburb of Nanjing, a battlefield for military exercises.

  General Gui Yongqing pointed to the map and said, "This time's military exercise, Commander Wei is expected to arrive tonight. Today's garrison mission, you must be well-prepared. Once it's past 8 o'clock, our garrison mission will begin. All military actions will follow the previously arranged plan."

  A colonel staff officer smiled and said: "Don't worry, Commander. These monkey kids have never been on a real battlefield. Our Central Instruction Corps this time has all the old soldiers who participated in the Battle of Shanghai, and we can definitely deal with them!"

  Others also echoed: "Yes, yes, these students think that fighting is a game, this time there are no live ammunition, whether they can kill or not depends on the referee, otherwise, with their current level of several hundred people, it's really not enough."

  It's no wonder that these people look down on these doll soldiers. In fact, it is true that whether defending or attacking a city, those veteran soldiers who have experienced real battles are absolutely stronger than these trainees who have not been to the battlefield despite their perfect training system. The most important difference lies in the killing intent. Most of the old soldiers have killed people before, and this difference between them is an unbridgeable chasm.

  "Never underestimate these rookie soldiers," said Gui Yongqing, his face stern. "Although our overall strength is greater than theirs, the battlefield can change in an instant. We must strictly adhere to our previous defensive strategy and guard against their sneak attacks."

  The colonel's staff officer said disapprovingly, "We have patrols on every small path outside the city, and our city defense works are also well constructed. Unless they have large-scale siege equipment, it is impossible to break into the city!"

  Gu Yongqing nodded in satisfaction and said, "A steady ship sails for a thousand years. Everyone go prepare, we'll stay here to welcome the arrival of the commander-in-chief. You two go to the front line to direct the battle. Report back immediately if there's any situation!"

  At 8:00 am sharp, all troops had entered their designated positions. With the launch of a signal flare, the entire exercise began.

  Five companies gathered at a place about five miles away from the city. After a while, several scouts came back and said: "Report to the company commander, there are four heavy machine guns and twelve light machine guns on the enemy's city wall, two bunker works under the city gate, accompanied by a large number of infantrymen. The whole city is almost airtight!"

  Wang Mingyu frowned and said, "Looking at their firepower configuration, this exercise, if we launch a normal attack, without artillery support, it's impossible for us to take down the city. If we defend the city, I think we still have a glimmer of hope!"

  Li Shichao also said with a gloomy face: "Yes, you see, we seem to have many people, but under the firepower of heavy machine guns and light machine guns, it can almost be confirmed that the whole army will be wiped out!"

  Liu Xiao also said: "Still talking about being received by the emperor, and exchanging offense and defense with us. I think these people are all just trying to prove their own abilities."

  Wang Mingyu said: "Actually our tactics have been set long ago, haven't they? Since they don't want us to win, we'll just make them lose even more miserably."

  Yang Kai worried: "Wang Lianchang, although your plan is risky, I think there's still a 50% chance of success. But what I'm afraid of is that after we succeed, General Gui Yongqing will hold a grudge against us."

  Huang Jianqun also said, "Yes, the day before yesterday we saw the Minister of Education, and we couldn't say anything. Your thoughts at that time were indeed our only way out. But later on, it's very likely that we'll go to the Central Guidance Group to take office, General Gui Yongqing is the group leader, we're afraid..."

  Wang Mingyu said with a helpless expression: "If we don't gain anything this time and are completely defeated, it's not that General Gui Yongqing gave us small shoes to wear. We would have lost the principal's face, and that would be the principal giving us small shoes to wear!"

  A few people looked at me, I looked at them, Li Shichao gritted his teeth and said: "Either way, we're all going to die, so let's do it!" The others also nodded in agreement. After making up their minds, they began to attack according to the plan they had set before the exercise.

  "Second company, all present! Prepare to attack the city!" Li Shichao shouted loudly. "Third company, all present! Prepare to attack the city!" Liu Xiao also followed with a shout. The two companies, over 200 people, began to advance towards the city, and when they arrived, they started using some terrain features to build fortifications.

  With Li Shichao's first shot, the siege battle began. First, Li Shichao's second company started the attack, with a clear target, at all costs, and arrived at two fortified positions under the city wall, but under the dense heavy machine gun and light machine gun firepower suppression, nearly half of its strength had been lost.

  "Damn it, this battle doesn't even have cannons, how are we supposed to fight? Defending the city is too easy like this." Li Shichao cursed.

  Liu Xiao, who was standing beside him, also sighed and said, "Forget it, Commander Li. This time they've gone too far. Fortunately, we have Commander Wang's strategy, otherwise I'm afraid our entire army would be wiped out and we wouldn't even be able to take down the few heavy machine guns on the city wall!"

  Li Shichao's eyes rolled around and said, "Alright, Liu Lianchang, you go get the sharpshooters from our two companies! The more the better, as long as they can hit at least 40 rings out of 50 in target practice."

  Liu Xiao was taken aback for a moment, then smiled and said: "Do you plan to take out their machine gunner?"

  Li Shichao smiled and said: "Actually, this is also a way. We consume their living strength, but we don't know if we hit them, will they get up and continue fighting?"

  Liu Xiao also smiled and said: "Isn't there a referee with the team?"

  Then two teams made up of ten people, shooting targets above 40 rings, actually the lowest one in this group was at least 43 rings.

  Li Shichao said to the few people: "Now I'm telling you, find cover and start firing at those machine gunners, ammunition carriers, and those with light machine guns on the city wall. I don't believe a whole battalion can have that many machine gunners!"

  The ten men who were ordered to do so did not disappoint, and almost all the machine gunners of the Red Army opposite them were killed.

  Li Shichao said to Liu Xiao: "It seems they still follow the exercise rules!"

  Liu Xiaodao said: "We are all at such a disadvantage, can they not follow the rules of the exercise?"

  Li Shichao said: "Actually, we also have an advantage. Their task is to defend the city, our task is to attack the city. I think since we have a new plan, let's harass them as the main goal. I think attacking the city has no hope, but if we keep harassing them at various positions, it may be possible to lower their morale!"

  Liu Xiao said: "Let's do it as you said, but I don't know how Wang Lianchang and the others are preparing?"

  Li Shichao said: "You say if we can sneak into Chengdu?"

  Liu Xiaodao said: "I don't know, anyway the 20-meter-high cliff, I couldn't climb up. I don't know what method Wang Lianzhang has to climb up. If he can climb up, I will succeed!"

  Li Shichao said irritably: "Isn't this a waste of words?"

  On the city wall, every time the two squads below opened fire, their bullets were like they didn't cost money, popping out one after another, probably due to the empty shells. Li Shichao and Liu Xiao probably thought so too.

  What is Wang Mingyu doing on his side? Hehe, just wait and see.