Chapter 64

At the departure position of the 1st Battalion, 2nd Regiment, 6th Army Division, Zhang Xinghai was huddled in a trench, smoking and chatting idly with Battalion Commander Hu Bo. When Zhang Xinghai was the battalion commander, Hu Bo was one of his deputy commanders. This time, Zhang Xinghai was assigned to the 1st Battalion for training.

As the whistling shells overhead crashed heavily onto the Zhe Army's position not far ahead, the continuous explosions echoed. With a indifferent look, Zhang Xinghai smoked and said to Hu Bo beside him, "Old Hu, why are there so many cowards in our 1st Battalion now? Look at them..." Zhang Xinghai pointed to the new recruits crouching in the trench with their hands on their heads and continued, "We're the ones attacking them. If we were the ones being shelled, these cowards would wet their pants, wouldn't they?"

Hu Bo took a deep puff of his cigarette and laughed, "Old Zhang, don't you know what's going on in our battalion? New regiments are being formed one after another, and most of our veterans have been reassigned! The reinforcements are all these guys who just completed 90 days of new recruit training. I can't do anything about it. Also, most of our squad and platoon leaders have been sent to the Anqing Military Academy. With the order coming so urgently, by the time they get here from Anqing by boat, the battle will be over!"

After complaining for a while, Hu Bo continued, "But it's still good. The core of our 1st Battalion is still here. You know, new recruits fear artillery, and veterans fear machine guns. As long as they survive this battle, the new recruits will all become veterans." He took a deep puff of his cigarette and smiled, "By the way, how was your time at the Military Academy? You were the oldest, right?"

Zhang Xinghai stubbed out his cigarette and laughed, "What's wrong with being the oldest? Let me tell you, in the academy, I was..." Zhang Xinghai's words were interrupted by a hurried shout, "Battalion Commander! Battalion Commander!" Zhang Zhonglin ran along the trench, shouting.

Zhang Zhonglin ran to Hu Bo, panting heavily, and said, "Battalion Commander..." "Calm down, take a deep breath, and speak slowly." Hu Bo took out a water bottle and handed it to Zhang Zhonglin. After drinking, Zhang Zhonglin wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and shouted, "Report to the Battalion Commander, I saw the enemy running away from the observation post!" "What? Really?" Hu Bo and Zhang Xinghai stood up quickly and asked loudly. "Really!"

Zhang Xinghai and others hurried to the observation post and used binoculars to observe the enemy. Indeed, as Zhang Zhonglin said, the Zhe Army soldiers were fleeing in panic. "Old Zhang, what do we do now?" Hu Bo asked urgently.

Zhang Xinghai looked at his Casio watch and said, "The artillery bombardment just started ten minutes ago, and the Zhe Army is already running. This is a good opportunity." He looked at Hu Bo and said seriously, "We must report to the regiment headquarters immediately and suggest an early attack. What do you think?" Hu Bo nodded.

The news quickly reached the regiment headquarters. After verifying with the front-line units, it was reported to the division headquarters and then relayed to the Hai Rong. "Really?" Gao Yang, holding the telegram, asked in surprise. "The front-line units have verified it, and the information is true. My plan was flawed; I didn't expect the enemy to collapse so quickly. Now, please order the attack to begin!" Wei Ke stood beside him and said seriously.

"Alright, let's start. The sooner it's over, the better. I have a lot of things to do." "Yes, sir."

A few minutes later, several signal flares rose from the 6th Division's departure position, and dense artillery fire began to extend to the rear of the Zhe Army's line. On the departure positions of the 2nd and 3rd Regiments, the loud bugle calls sounded, and thousands of soldiers shouted as they leaped out of the trenches and charged towards the enemy positions. At the same time, the other regiments also began to move forward to their respective positions.

Hu Bo and Zhang Xinghai were in the trench, kicking and pulling the new recruits who were crouching on the ground, afraid to move. "Charge, charge, charge, damn it, staying here is just waiting to die! You'll be treated as deserters! Are you all stupid? Get up!" After a series of kicks and pulls, most of the terrified new recruits charged out, but a few still clung to the ground, refusing to move no matter how much they were beaten and scolded. Some were even crying and shouting to go home. A few months ago, these new recruits were just farmers who had just put down their hoes, and most of them had never left their villages!

No matter how well-trained you are, the immense psychological pressure on the battlefield can easily make people break down! That's why veterans are so valued in the military; they have experienced combat and can suppress their fear, performing at least half of their training level! For new recruits, even performing at a quarter of their training level is considered good.

As Hu Bo was about to go up and pull them, he was stopped by Zhang Xinghai. "Forget it." Zhang Xinghai gestured for Hu Bo to look behind them; the military police were already there. "People have to walk their own path. Leave them alone." He then picked up his MP18 and charged out of the trench. Hu Bo looked at the cowering deserters on the ground, then at the expressionless military police approaching, and cursed. He picked up his MP18 and charged out; if he didn't, he would be arrested by the military police for desertion. The military police didn't care who you were!

The 6th Division's departure position was less than a kilometer from the Zhe Army's position. Before the artillery bombardment, they had taken out several reconnaissance teams under the cover of morning mist, and the mist gradually dissipated after the bombardment began. Zhang Xinghai, running forward, thought, "Even the heavens are helping the military governor."

A kilometer is just a few minutes' run for soldiers. After charging onto the Zhe Army's position, they saw a scene of devastation. Corpses and body parts were scattered everywhere, and various weapons and supplies were strewn about. Wounded soldiers who had survived were moaning in pain, and countless large craters dotted the entire position. Under the officers' orders, the new recruits, who were stunned and about to vomit, ran and vomited through the position, continuing their attack on Xiagang Town. This was their first lesson in combat.

On the way to Xiagang Town, the 6th Division's troops were hit by intense artillery fire from the 10th Division. The 10th Division's artillery, deployed in a small forest behind the town, had completed their setup and began providing fire support.

The shells falling into the advancing troops brought up large amounts of earth and many lives. Officers shouted, "Faster, don't stop! Keep moving forward!" The 10th Division's artillery regiment didn't have heavy artillery, only 75mm field guns. However, their power was enough to cause significant casualties among the advancing troops.

The 6th Division's artillery quickly calculated the exact range of the 10th Division's artillery based on reports from the observation balloons and the rising smoke. Counter-battery fire soon followed.

The incoming heavy artillery shells instantly covered the 10th Division's artillery position. In the massive explosions, soldiers and artillery parts were thrown into the air, and the secondary explosions turned the artillery position into a hell on earth. The 10th Division's artillery regiment was quickly decimated and withdrew from the battle. Without artillery support, the 10th Division's fate was sealed.

Xiagang Town was not far from the front lines, and the 6th Division's troops quickly charged into the town, engaging in intense fighting with the defenders. Xiagang Town was not large, separated from the Jiangyin Fort's west gate by a canal. Taking this place would isolate the 10th Division and surround them on the Yangtze River!

The 10th Division was also a elite unit, with many veterans who had followed General Lu from the north to Zhejiang. They had fought many battles, and today was the most critical moment in the 10th Division's history!

After the 6th Division's supporting artillery eliminated the Zhe Army's artillery, they began to block the Zhe Army's reinforcement routes to Xiagang Town. The task of occupying Xiagang Town fell entirely on the infantry. Thousands of soldiers from both sides engaged in bloody combat in the town!

On the main road in the center of the town, the Zhe Army had set up several Maxim machine guns in a courtyard, sealing off the forward path with intense fire. When Zhang Xinghai arrived, he saw a classmate from the academy leading a platoon of soldiers trying to flank the house but being mowed down by a Maxim machine gun positioned on a high point. Blood pooled around the fallen soldiers. He knew that classmate, a gentle and scholarly type who wore glasses and had played ball with him. He never expected him to die here today.

Zhang Xinghai gritted his teeth, hiding at the corner of the street and carefully observing the position of the Maxim machine guns, thinking about how to take them out. Zhang Zhonglin came to his side and said solemnly, "Brother Xinghai, I've seen it. Those machine guns are well-placed with no blind spots. The only way to take them out is to charge. You cover me, and I'll lead the charge!" Zhang Xinghai didn't hesitate, looking at him seriously and saying, "Alright, be careful." At this moment, the support platoon brought up two Maxim machine guns, and Zhang Xinghai stepped forward to command the fire support, drawing the attention of the enemy machine guns.

Zhang Zhonglin led more than 30 soldiers out of the street corner, throwing grenades as they charged. The dust from the grenade explosions obscured their figures, but the Maxim machine gun on the high point still discovered them and began to fire wildly. Nearly half of Zhang Zhonglin's soldiers were mowed down instantly!

Zhang Xinghai pushed aside the machine gunner next to him and personally provided covering fire. The Maxim machine gun on the high point was suppressed, and Zhang Zhonglin seized the opportunity to quickly lead his men through the fire zone and throw grenades at the Zhe Army's machine gun position. After the explosions, the Maxim machine guns fell silent!

"Charge!" Without the suppression of the Maxim machine guns, the 6th Division's soldiers surged forward like a flood, and at the end of the road was the 10th Division's headquarters!

Inside the 10th Division's headquarters, Chief of Staff Liu Xiangnan was quietly sitting in front of the map, his head slightly lowered, deep in thought.

The door was pushed open with a "bang." The company commander of the headquarters guard ran in and shouted, "Chief of Staff! The brothers can't hold on any longer! You must leave!" As the door opened, the loud shouts, fighting, and explosions echoed inside.

Liu Xiangnan lifted his eyes and looked at the company commander, saying softly, "Leave? Where to? The entire town is surrounded, and the Jiangyin Fort is also under attack! There are no reinforcements!" He sighed lightly, stood up slowly, and said, "Tell the brothers to stop fighting. Don't throw away their lives in vain. We've lost."

On the Hai Rong, Gao Yang was observing the situation at the Jiangyin Fort with binoculars. The Jiangyin Fort's counterattack had been crushed, and it was now being bombarded one-sidedly.

Wei Ke, holding a telegram, walked to Gao Yang's side and said, "Military Governor, we just received a telegram. The enemy in Xiagang Town has surrendered! Our plan is proceeding smoothly." He paused and smiled, "The enemy's fighting spirit is very weak."

Gao Yang turned to look at Wei Ke seriously and said, "This is not a national war! Soldiers don't need to die in vain for the struggles between warlords! When they are in a desperate situation and choose to surrender, they should be understood. Do you understand?" "Yes, sir!"

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