Chapter 123: The Japanese Artillery Has Been Completely Decimated!

His voice was thick with shock and disbelief. He had once confidently believed that, from economic capacity to military strength, they should have completely surpassed the Seventh Army; yet, reality had dealt him a heavy blow.

Facing the devastating losses of the artillery units, the commander of the Second Artillery Regiment approached with a hint of urgency, his face etched with gravity and concern: "Tell the commander that if this continues, our artillery will be completely wiped out before our infantry even enters the battle."

His eyes betrayed a deep anxiety regarding the future of the engagement, as he waited impatiently for the commander’s decision.

Upon hearing these words, the commander’s expression darkened further. His brow furrowed, his jaw tightened, and his heart was filled with conflict and hesitation. Faced with the urgency of the situation, a flash of tension and resolve crossed his face as he declared firmly and powerfully: "We must not retreat; we must hold until the end!"

"Order the artillery units to continue firing! We must do everything in our power to suppress the enemy's firepower!"

"I will seize this opportunity to report our situation to our superiors."

Seeing Major General Jiro Yamaki’s firm gaze and unshakeable resolve, the two artillery regiment commanders felt an indescribable pressure, yet could only bow and respond: "Hai, Major General!"

Without a moment’s hesitation, Major General Yamaki reported the dire situation on the front lines directly to Lieutenant General Kamio. They candidly admitted their inability to effectively contain the enemy’s fire superiority or provide adequate support for their own infantry.

Upon hearing this, Lieutenant General Kamio’s face changed, expressing disbelief, his voice filled with anger and confusion: "Yamaki, what do you mean by this?"

"Are you telling me that the unit possessing our army’s finest weapons and the most artillery is telling me that we cannot withstand the enemy?"

"What is going on? Are you content to simply watch our soldiers perish under enemy fire?"

His rage was laced with profound disappointment: "This is a betrayal of your soldiers, the act of a coward!"

Facing such accusations, Jiro Yamaki was filled with inner struggle and shame. He lowered his head and responded in a low voice: "Hai, I must admit that the enemy we face is far stronger than we anticipated."

"Although we have given our all, our losses remain heavy."

"If we cannot effectively contain the enemy’s artillery, our army will face an even greater catastrophe."

Lieutenant General Kamio’s expression grew even grimmer. Although he had not heard every detail, he could already sense the severity of the situation. He knew well that if his artillery lost its advantage, the enemy’s firepower would be unstoppable.

A flicker of resolve and urgency flashed in Lieutenant General Kamio’s eyes; his voice urged them on like a war drum: "Order the 114th and 120th Regiments to stop resting and launch an attack immediately!"

"Break through the enemy’s lines at any cost!" his voice was filled with unquestionable severity. "Otherwise, we will face consequences beyond imagination!"

At that moment, a look of tension and determination appeared on the faces of the two infantry regiment commanders. They immediately saluted, their voices firm: "Hai, we will carry this out immediately!"

They were burdened with a heavy responsibility, knowing that while the Chengyun Army’s artillery was still pinning down the Japanese forces, breaking through the enemy line was their primary mission. If they missed this opportunity and the Chengyun Army’s artillery gained the upper hand, the Japanese forces would be forced into a passive position, making it difficult even to hold their current ground.

Upon receiving the orders from Lieutenant General Kamio, the Japanese infantry units moved quickly, reorganizing into a fierce attack formation. They faced the defensive lines of the 63rd Division and launched a desperate, swarming charge.

Across the front, thousands of soldiers surged forward like a torrent, shouting battle cries as they charged bravely toward the enemy.

"Charge forward, for victory!"

"For the Dynasty, for glory, advance!"

Their shouts echoed across the battlefield. Even though they knew the support of heavy artillery could no longer reach them, they remained steadfast in their charge toward the 63rd Division’s lines.

In the harsh reality of combat, high-ranking Japanese officers often disregarded the lives of their rank-and-file soldiers. As for the soldiers, deeply imbued with the spirit of Bushido, they did not merely face death with courage; they viewed sacrifice on the battlefield as the highest form of honor.

Thousands of soldiers, tightly packed in rows, launched a magnificent charge, demonstrating astonishing courage and resolve. After enduring wave after wave of machine-gun fire, they learned to adopt more flexible tactics, shifting from dense formations to dispersed skirmish lines to widen the breadth of their attack while reducing the likelihood of being decimated by gunfire.

At the 211th Brigade’s defensive position, a second lieutenant platoon leader looked at the dense ranks of the Japanese, a look of disdain crossing his face, as if he had already judged the enemy’s foolishness in his heart: "These people truly never learn. Even knowing our firepower is overwhelming, they still dare to launch a massive, dense assault."

"Clearly, they haven't learned a lesson from their last defeat."

"If they had even a shred of sense, they would choose to avoid a head-on collision."

"Instead of doing as they are now, sending themselves straight to their graves."

"We won't even need to leave our positions; a few bursts from our machine guns, and they’ll be blown to pieces."

The squad leader laughed along, joining the conversation: "This has to be the easiest battle since I enlisted."

His face was relaxed, as if combat were nothing more than a daily routine to him. He then stood up, his voice carrying an unquestionable seriousness: "Check your weapons."

"Clear any jams immediately and reload!"

His gaze swept over the soldiers one by one, ensuring everyone heard his command.

"Do not make any mistakes at the critical moment. Do not let me down!"

"Yes!" With a unified response, the soldiers performed their final weapon checks, their faces filled with focus and determination.

On this forty-meter defensive line, though the available manpower was only enough to form a single platoon, the firepower was exceptionally formidable:

Five heavy machine guns and three light machine guns were deployed on the flanks, forming an interlocking web of fire that could easily lock onto any target within eight hundred meters.

Behind the defensive line, four grenade launchers stood ready, prepared to provide fire support.

Further back, two 60mm mortars stood silently. These mortars, cast from advanced alloys, were sturdy and reliable. With an adequate supply of ammunition, they could achieve a terrifying rate of fire of 150 rounds per minute, displaying a formidable and intimidating firepower.