Chapter 118: The firepower of this single company from the Fengtian Army rivals that of an entire division!

However, compared to the speed of the shells, their escape seemed agonizingly slow. The soldiers who failed to flee were instantly torn to pieces.

Lieutenant General Koyono watched as his artillery pieces were destroyed one by one. His brow furrowed, and a flicker of disbelief and terror crossed his eyes. A surge of intense resentment and anger rose within him. "Damn it, how could the artillery of the Chengyun Army be so formidable?"

At that moment, his command post was less than four hundred meters from the artillery positions. This proximity allowed him to feel every tremor of the earth, and a trace of panic appeared on his face. Facing the artillery positions engulfed in flames, Lieutenant General Koyono’s expression turned incomparably grave. He watched helplessly, his sense of powerlessness growing ever stronger.

"Division Commander, the situation is dire. Our artillery positions have been more than half destroyed by the enemy!"

Upon hearing the operations officer's report, his face turned even paler. His lips twitched slightly, and a sense of foreboding, unlike anything he had felt before, emerged in his heart. The heavy losses sustained in just a single round of shelling left his eyes filled with deep frustration, and he fell into a silent contemplation of how to handle the ensuing battle.

Meanwhile, at the position of the 5th Artillery Regiment, a regiment commander covered in smoke drew his command sword, his face smeared with coal dust and etched with grim resolve. He fiercely ordered a counterattack, his eyes burning with combat determination and rage. "Counterattack immediately! Suppress the Chengyun Army’s charge!"

Amidst the commander's roar, the muscles on his face could be seen twisting with tension; the extreme pressure made his command all the more urgent. They quickly pinpointed the 19th Division's artillery positions and adjusted their guns to fire. Soon, the two sides were locked in an intense artillery duel.

However, the 19th Division was not only equipped with a large number of new-model artillery pieces, but its rate of fire was also double that of the Japanese. This reality caused Lieutenant General Koyono’s brow to knit even tighter, as his anxiety and fear continued to mount. Furthermore, most of the 19th Division’s artillerymen were graduates of the Military Academy and, under the guidance of foreign experts, possessed theoretical knowledge far superior to the Japanese. This caused Lieutenant General Koyono's spirits to plummet to rock bottom.

The initial barrage had secured the initiative for the 19th Division, leaving him feeling a touch of despair. The 5th Regiment remained pinned down. As losses mounted, his face revealed his helplessness and frustration; their situation was becoming increasingly critical.

"Division Commander, the enemy's artillery is too strong—it is almost twice as powerful as ours!" The commander of the 5th Regiment, wounded, came before Lieutenant General Koyono to request a withdrawal from the battlefield.

His face was covered in dust and blood, his eyes filled with a desperate craving for survival and concern for his comrades. Facing this dutiful commander, a flash of sympathy crossed Lieutenant General Koyono’s face, for he understood that the commander had already given his all. If the battle continued, the artillery could indeed be wiped out entirely.

Lieutenant General Koyono seethed with rage, fire flashing in his eyes. "Damn it, what is the Army High Command doing? Why is the Chengyun Army’s artillery so powerful?"

Since the previous war, the Japanese had repeatedly overwhelmed the former dynasty with advanced military equipment. Yet today, the situation had completely reversed. The Chengyun Army was now suppressing the Japanese. This shift was difficult for Lieutenant General Koyono to accept; his expression underwent complex changes, from shock to anger, finally settling into a look of firm resolve.

He knew that dwelling on the past was useless. Even if the Japanese military high command were to immediately reinforce their artillery equipment, it would be far too late, considering the time required. From the design and finalization of weapons to production and deployment to the troops, it would take years!

Facing the cruel reality, a flash of pain crossed Lieutenant General Koyono’s face, but it was quickly replaced by determination. He made up his mind and ordered the artillery unit to hold their ground, supporting the advance of the 12th and 42nd Infantry Regiments in hopes of breaking through the Chengyun Army’s encirclement in one fell swoop. He understood that the price of this order would be heavy; the 5th Artillery Regiment might suffer massive losses or even be completely annihilated. In his eyes shone an unquestionable resolve; even in the face of a potential crushing defeat, he had to secure the final hope for the infantry’s breakthrough.

Just then, the commander of the 5th Artillery Regiment learned of Lieutenant General Koyono’s decision. His eyes filled with tears, and he gave a heartfelt salute to the Lieutenant General. His voice was faint, yet incredibly firm: "May the Sun Goddess bless the infantry units with victory and crush the Chengyun Army in one stroke."

As the battle continued, the commander of the 5th Artillery Regiment foresaw his unit's tragic end. Under the fierce fire suppression of the Chengyun Army, they would face endless casualties. Despite knowing that death was likely the outcome, these Japanese soldiers displayed incredible courage. They continued to operate the overheating gun barrels amidst the shelling, ignoring the incoming fire from the Chengyun Army, all to provide support to the infantry. Under their fierce fire, the Chengyun Army’s artillery also began to suffer casualties.

However, due to the sturdiness of the Chengyun Army’s artillery positions and their use of the terrain, the losses were not significant. This was primarily because the effective range of the Japanese guns was only six kilometers; beyond this distance, their firing accuracy dropped sharply.

The Japanese 12th and 42nd Infantry Regiments braved great risks to cross the turbulent Biliu River, shouting with determination and courage: "For His Imperial Majesty!" "Long live the Empire!" "We will never let these people of the new dynasty off; we will make them pay in blood and taste the bitterness of conquest!"

As the soldiers of the Japanese 9th Brigade launched a fierce attack on the Chengyun Army positions at the Biliu River without hesitation, the atmosphere on the battlefield turned almost frantic. For this attack, they mobilized all their elite forces, pouring almost all their hope and determination into this offensive.

On a battlefront about four kilometers wide, five thousand Japanese soldiers launched a fierce assault on the 19th Division's infantry positions. However, as they approached the riverbank, the 19th Division used the terrain to its advantage and launched a violent counterattack. The dense firepower of the MG 08/15 heavy machine guns and Type 14 light machine guns, combined with the support of 30mm and 65mm mortars and grenade launchers from the rear, created an unprecedented storm of steel.

Many Japanese soldiers were struck down by bullets before they could even wade across; some survivors who had just stumbled into the river were hit by shells before they could react, turning into mists of blood.

"Damn it! These people are insane!"
"How much heavy firepower have they deployed?"
"The firepower of this one company is comparable to an entire division!"

The soldiers of the Japanese 9th Brigade shouted to one another during the battle, their faces showing both shock and terror, their eyes reflecting an inability to believe in the firepower of the Chengyun Army and deep concern for the state of the battle.

Colonel Yamada witnessed the overwhelming power of the Chengyun Army’s firepower; his face looked ghastly, his brow furrowed, and his eyes blazed with fury. With a roar that was almost unbearable, he issued the order for a counterattack, his tone firm, as if he were pouring all his resolve and strength into that single command.