Chapter 137: The Teflon Anton Ze!

These Japanese troops viewed combat as a matter of honor, facing life and death with an almost stoic detachment. It was precisely this fearless spirit that had allowed them to achieve repeated victories in previous engagements, routing the formidable Bear Dynasty. Even when confronted by the well-equipped 19th Division, they remained brimming with confidence, firmly believing they could extend their past glory and add another illustrious triumph to the 2nd Division’s record.

Under the impassioned cries of their officers, the soldiers felt their blood boil, refusing to retreat even in the face of death. Their eyes burned with the fervor of battle and unyielding conviction, even as artillery fire rained down like a deluge, claiming the lives of countless comrades. The survivors pressed on, indomitable, stepping over the corpses of their brothers-in-arms. Amidst the roaring battle cries, every shout of "Charge forward, at any cost!" echoed across the field.

On the front line, a soldier struck in the lower limbs by light machine-gun fire collapsed to the ground. His face twisted in agony, his eyes filled with shock and disbelief. "Amaterasu, where are you?! How is the firepower of these Chengyun-affiliated forces so savage? Their output is nowhere near the standard of two brigades!" His voice trembled with pain, and a flicker of fear and bewilderment crossed his features. Beside him, another Japanese combatant, deathly pale, urged the others on with a voice laced with despair: "Leave him! Help me instead; I’m not dead yet!" His eyes were desperate, as if pleading for the last shred of hope for survival. "Charge! This is no time for hesitation; if we stay here, we’ll only die faster!"

Elsewhere, a Japanese major had his legs shattered by heavy machine-gun fire, his major arteries severed and blood spraying everywhere. In this critical moment, his expression contorted with pain and bitterness. Under normal circumstances, his rank would have made him the center of attention, but here, in the crucible of blood and fire, no one spared him a glance. He faced the terror of death alone, his eyes reflecting despair and rage. "Damn the New Dynasty people! Even if I return as a ghost, I will not let you go!" As the major felt his life rapidly ebbing away, his face etched with extreme fury and hopelessness, his eyes burning with the fire of vengeance, he drew his pistol, aimed it at his own head, and pulled the trigger without hesitation.

"Report, General! The front line indicates that the Chengyun military’s fire suppression is extremely powerful!" This urgent report weighed heavily upon the division commander. "Under the enemy’s dense fire, our front-line troops have suffered severe losses, and the casualty count continues to climb. If the battle continues in this manner, our forces may be completely annihilated." The blood-stained commander of the 14th Infantry Brigade hurriedly reported to Lieutenant General Nanlou: "I request that you issue an order to retreat!"

Seeing his subordinate covered in wounds, his arm wrapped in bandages, Lieutenant General Nanlou knew his men had done all they could. If he forced them to continue, it would not only result in catastrophic losses but also provide an opening for the Chengyun forces. He had long been dissatisfied with the orders from Ando Ze. Seizing this opportunity, Nanlou made a decisive choice: "Order all units to cease movement immediately and prepare for withdrawal!" Upon hearing the order, the brigade commander’s face relaxed, a sense of relief washing over him as he immediately carried out the command.

Meanwhile, Lieutenant General Ando Ze noticed the 14th Infantry Brigade gradually pulling back amidst the intense exchange. Tactically, this was tantamount to failure. Ando was deeply displeased; as the overall commander of the army, decisions regarding attack and retreat were supposed to be his alone. Now, with Nanlou making an unauthorized decision to withdraw, he felt his authority was being challenged.

"Nanlou!" a furious Ando demanded. "How dare you order a retreat only moments after the battle has begun? Do you not realize this is equivalent to surrendering directly to the enemy?" His face was dark, his eyes flashing with rage.

Faced with the general's interrogation, Lieutenant General Nanlou maintained an ethereal calm, his eyes holding the stillness before a storm. "General, the enemy’s artillery is simply too powerful; its might is enough to strike dread into any heart." Though his tone was level, he could not hide the anxiety in his eyes.

"We have already committed four battalions to the assault, yet in less than fifteen minutes, we have lost over fifteen hundred men," Nanlou said, his gaze heavy and his brow furrowed, revealing his deep concern over these severe losses. "If this continues, these infantry battalions face the danger of total annihilation." His voice was filled with helplessness and grief.

A single infantry division, with only four infantry regiments and twelve infantry battalions, comprised the elite of the force. The rest were secondary support units—artillery, engineers, supply, and communications—which essentially lacked direct combat capability. Once the main force was crippled, the entire division would suffer. Nanlou’s concern was evident.

Ando Ze, already enraged by the progress of the battle, was incensed by Nanlou’s explanation. "Damnable! As warriors of the Empire, do you not understand that war is inherently accompanied by sacrifice?!" he demanded, his eyes shooting sparks that seemed to ignite the air. "If you are so afraid of death, you might as well go home and farm!" Ando’s face was twisted with fury, his voice shrill and piercing.

"Why do we fight here? We fight to forge a brighter future!" Ando’s voice rose with passion, his eyes shining with firm conviction. "This path forward is inevitably paved with sacrifice and blood." He continued, his tone softening slightly, though his resolve remained unshaken. "How can we stop now because of a momentary setback?" Ando’s voice rose again, his eyes challenging, as if testing the courage and resolve of everyone listening.

Confronted with such a rebuke, Nanlou’s expression turned cold and rigid, his fists clenched like iron. His gaze locked onto Ando’s with a sharpness that seemed ready to clash with the other's anger. For a moment, the air seemed to freeze, heavy with the tension of an impending explosion.

Sensing the blade-like intensity in Lieutenant General Nanlou’s eyes, Ando lowered his voice slightly, attempting to quell the conflict. "I fully understand your concern for the lives of your soldiers. But we are pressed for time; if we cannot pierce the enemy’s defenses quickly, we risk being encircled once their reinforcements arrive." Ando’s voice turned heavy, a flash of concern crossing his eyes. "At that point, defeating them will be out of the question, to say nothing of winning this war." Ando spoke with conviction, his tone firm and his eyes sharp, as if he were already pinning any potential failure solely on Nanlou.

The rage within Lieutenant General Nanlou burned like a sea of fire, nearly consuming his reason. He felt deeply that at this critical juncture of the battle, Ando had chosen to shift all responsibility onto him. In that moment, his eyes were filled with disbelief and fury; had it not been for the fact that the man was his superior, he might have long since lost control of his impulses.