Chapter 126: The Japanese Devils' Nighttime General Offensive!

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Jiang Bai carefully arranged for the reconnaissance battalion’s elite vanguard to conduct patrols around the perimeter. Their task was to remain alert to any movement by the enemy. Any soldier who detected the enemy’s intentions and successfully captured an opposing scout would receive a personal commendation from Jiang Bai.

Despite the biting cold, the soldiers of the reconnaissance battalion remained full of fighting spirit as they carried out their mission beneath the night sky.

At regular intervals, sentries concealed themselves in the darkness. Though their eyes could scarcely penetrate the night, their ears were keen. The moment they sensed the enemy’s stealthy approach, they would immediately warn their comrades, rouse their sleeping fellows, and prepare to meet the attack.

Near the artillery positions, meanwhile, a large supply of flares stood ready. Once enemy movement was detected, the flares would be ignited at once, turning the battlefield as bright as day. Any enemy hiding in the darkness would be exposed, only to be cut down by the fierce fire of the machine guns.

Amid all these preparations, Jiang Bai appeared exceptionally calm and resolute. His expression was composed and focused, his heart fully prepared for the battle that was about to begin.

Though the night was deep, his thoughts were as clear as daylight. He had a precise plan and an unwavering determination to defend the position and repel the enemy.

Along the forward edge of the battlefield, gasoline and land mines had already been laid, forming an invisible line of defense.

The formidable barricades and coils of barbed wire, though inconspicuous, created a barrier that was nearly impossible to cross.

At that moment, Lieutenant General Kamio stood on a hill overlooking the position shrouded in darkness. His gaze was deep and solemn as he asked his subordinates without expression, “How much longer before the Twenty-Ninth Brigade reaches the flank of the Sixty-Fourth Division?”

His voice was low. Though he tried to remain calm, he could not conceal the tension and anticipation in his heart.

He had specifically ordered the Twenty-Ninth Brigade to take a circuitous route and attack from the side, hoping to break through the defensive line Jiang Bai had so carefully arranged.

When he learned that the troops would arrive in an hour, he nodded. A flicker of hope crossed his face, but it was quickly replaced by solemnity.

“Then launch the attack in one hour.”

His voice was firm. Though anxiety filled his heart, he still displayed the decisiveness expected of a soldier.

Lieutenant General Kamio yearned to glimpse the light of victory through this offensive. He gazed into the distance as though his eyes could pierce the darkness and mist in search of that narrow thread of hope.

“If we cannot win, I may soon have to bid farewell to the military uniform I love so dearly,” he murmured. His voice was heavy with reluctance, grief, and profound anxiety over an uncertain future.

“Please rest assured, General! We will break through the Sixty-Fourth Division’s defenses and crush them completely.”

The staff officers spoke with firmness and conviction. Their eyes met Lieutenant General Kamio’s, and their expressions revealed their resolve and their refusal to yield before the battle to come.

They could feel the tragic determination in his words, yet within that same emotion they found the strength to press forward.

As the night grew deeper, the soldiers at the Japanese positions waited in a heavy silence for the final order.

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Many of them had already quietly prepared farewell letters. The words were their final messages to their families, witnesses to their courage and sacrifice.

If they survived, the letters would become stories to be told in years to come. If they gave their lives, those words would become their eternal memories, carried back to their native villages by their comrades and delivered to their families.

When two o’clock in the morning arrived, Lieutenant General Kamio issued the grave and decisive order to attack.

At that moment, the soldiers’ hearts filled with tension and anticipation. They knew this would be a battle concerning both honor and life itself.

The main assault force, numbering roughly ten thousand soldiers, advanced silently beneath the cover of darkness. Every step was taken with extreme caution, as though they feared disturbing the stillness of the night.

Lieutenant General Kamio’s order required absolute silence as they marched. Every face was taut with strain, and the soldiers’ eyes glimmered with the light of a decisive battle.

They knew that the outcome of this night assault would be crucial to the course of the war.

Under such oppressive tension, Lieutenant General Kamio and his troops bore an immense psychological burden. Each person prepared in his own way, whether by moving forward in silence or offering a silent prayer.

At this critical moment, it seemed even Heaven had taken their side. The moon vanished behind thick clouds, and the battlefield was swallowed by an unfathomable darkness.

Rare delight appeared on Lieutenant General Kamio’s face. An unprecedented excitement shone in his eyes, and he praised the heavens almost in a whisper.

“May the Great Goddess Amaterasu protect us! Even Heaven itself is lending us a hand!”

His voice was filled with excitement and a longing for victory.

Confidence radiated from Lieutenant General Kamio’s face, as though victory already lay before him.

The staff officers were infected by the hopeful atmosphere. They declared that this was unquestionably a golden opportunity to turn the tide of battle. Their confidence soared, and they firmly believed they could easily break through the Chengyun Army’s defenses and wash away the humiliation of their previous defeat.

Yet while they thrilled at the victory they believed was near, they failed to notice that their good fortune was being exhausted little by little.

In a pitch-black corner, a soldier cautiously felt his way forward.

Suddenly, his body stiffened as though frozen solid. He could not move. An ominous premonition descended upon him.

Another soldier, visibly annoyed and worried, demanded, “Taro, what are you doing? Why did you suddenly stop? I nearly ran into you!”

Taro’s face was filled with anguish and helplessness, and deep fear showed in his eyes.

“Mu, I think I’ve stepped on something dangerous.”

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“Something dangerous?”

The next instant, a muffled explosion tore through the night. The land mine detonated, ripping him apart in an instant. Anyone who had witnessed the scene would have been shaken by the sudden tragedy.

Even more shocking was the way the explosion echoed through the silent night, like the tolling of a morning bell and an evening drum, rousing the Chengyun Army soldiers from the trenches.

The Japanese soldiers’ stealthy night raid had, in that moment, completely lost its concealment.

“That was a land mine exploding!”

“The Japanese must have crept up on us!”

“Take up your rifles! Fire the flares, quickly! We need to see what’s happening outside!”

Amid the shouting and shouted orders, the soldiers awoke from their sleep in an instant. Tension and confusion filled their eyes, but as they faced the battle approaching, determination and courage spread across their faces.

Everyone dressed in haste and rushed to his assigned combat position, his heart filled with a longing for victory and fury toward the enemy.

One flare after another rose into the sky. The night was suddenly illuminated, and the battlefield became as bright as day.

Specially designed flares were fitted with parachutes at their tails, allowing them to burn in the air for an extended period and provide the soldiers with sustained illumination.

Under that intense light, the enemy troops who had intended to launch a surprise attack had nowhere to hide. One by one, they were exposed in the open.

Seeing the enemy shrinking back beneath the glare, the soldiers of the Sixty-Fourth Division showed a trace of coldness and determination on their faces.

The machine gunners pulled their triggers without hesitation, unleashing deadly volleys. Their expressions were resolute, and their eyes revealed an unshakable faith in victory.

The assistant gunners worked tensely to cool the machine guns, every movement precise and swift.

The light-machine-gun crews joined the assault as well. Their faces were filled with the same determination and courage as they helped forge an iron defensive line, swearing to drive back every single invader.

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