Chapter 114: The Sacrificial Pawn!

"Run, run for your lives! It is a 75mm mountain gun; if we are hit, we are all dead!" They shouted to one another, scrambling desperately toward safety.

Yet, the artillery fire was as dense as a torrential downpour, leaving them nowhere to hide. Some soldiers were struck by shells mid-flight, collapsing instantly as blood stained the earth.

Lieutenant Colonel Henggu stood in the distance, witnessing the carnage with an expression of disbelief. He had never seen such ferocious bombardment, and a profound sense of dread surged within him.

Major General Hashimoto’s face was deathly grim. His brows were tightly knit, and his eyes flickered with a mix of fury and unease. He understood that against such firepower, their troops stood no chance of holding their ground.

However, just as they fell into despair, a complex emotion flashed across Hashimoto’s eyes. He drew a deep breath, as if steeling himself for the conflict to come.

"That the enemy would deploy such an extensive number of light artillery pieces is something I never anticipated," he muttered to himself, his voice laced with a mixture of helplessness and begrudging admiration.

Hashimoto’s tone carried a bitter shock, but soon, the fire in his eyes was rekindled.

"This only proves that the physical prowess and combat capability of our Imperial soldiers are extraordinary. They must resort to such overwhelming firepower just to contend with us." His words revealed a hint of pride, as if he had found a new sense of confidence amidst the crisis.

He gave a firm command: "Pass the order down. All units must prepare for battle. When the enemy launches their offensive, ensure they learn exactly how heavy a price must be paid for challenging the dignity of the Empire."

Lieutenant Colonel Henggu looked somber, yet his eyes shone with resolve. He bowed stiffly and said, "As you command, General! I shall lead my troops and fight to the very last; we will never retreat."

In this tense and solemn atmosphere, the artillery barrage from the 1st Mixed Brigade of the 7th Field Army grew increasingly intense, mercilessly pounding enemy positions to clear the path for the infantry's charge.

As the soldiers of the 1st and 2nd Battalions surged forward like tigers descending a mountain, the enemy troops—panicked and furious—felt a pressure they had never encountered before.

Yet, just as they prepared for a desperate last stand, the soldiers of the Chengyun Army's mixed brigade suddenly halted and pulled out large, black, cylindrical objects. The enemy soldiers stared in terror as those mortars, acting like harbingers of death, rained shells with surgical precision onto their positions, dealing a devastating blow.

"My god, they have so many mortars! Even we are not yet fully equipped with them!" The enemy commander’s face turned paper-white, his eyes filled with despair and resentment.

"We must organize a counterattack immediately, or we will be picked off one by one!" The enemy soldiers shouted in frantic desperation, a palpable sense of life-or-death urgency weighing on every heart.

Thus, the enemy began to fight back wildly, attempting to suppress the mortar batteries of the Chengyun Army. However, under the numerical superiority and suppressive fire of the Chengyun Army, the enemy suffered heavy losses.

As the 1st Mixed Brigade closed in on the enemy lines, the fighting intensified. This newly formed unit, however, paid a heavy price. Many of the soldiers were recent recruits; despite having undergone rigorous training that pushed their physical strength and combat skills far beyond the norm, this was their first time facing real steel and live fire on the battlefield. The tension and fear were difficult to overcome entirely, inevitably leading to mistakes. In such a theater, a single error often cost a life.

"Fire with everything you’ve got! Machine gunners, do not hoard your ammunition; support the infantry at all costs!" Even with bullets whizzing past him, he remained calm and decisive. He shouted his orders, his voice carrying across the entire battlefield: "Mortar teams and grenadiers, do not stand idle! Prioritize destroying enemy fire points! Only by clearing these obstacles can our infantry charge successfully!"

With the order given, the fire of battle reignited in the soldiers' eyes. They knew that only by standing united could they defeat the enemy before them.

"Once the fire points are silenced, shift your fire immediately to the enemy lines and bombard them with everything you have!"

The Chengyun officer’s voice was filled with encouragement; he gripped his rifle tightly, a scorching fire in his eyes that seemed capable of igniting the entire battlefield.

"Remember, as long as there is gunfire on this field, our artillery will never cease!" His words were resounding and powerful, like the beating of war drums, spurring the soldiers onward.

The Chengyun officer led by example, charging at the front. His figure streaked through the darkness like lightning, illuminating the path forward for his men.

At this moment, the lieutenant commanding the 2nd Company of the 1st Mixed Brigade raised his rifle, never forgetting to boost morale between shots: "Keep moving forward! Show the enemy our power!" His voice, filled with grit and courage, echoed across the battlefield, inspiring every soldier around him.

Due to the unfavorable terrain, the company had been suppressed by the enemy for a long time. However, the military-academy-trained captain knew that lingering would only increase casualties; they had to force a breakthrough! He ordered an increase in fire, and the bullets from his MG08-15 heavy machine gun swept across the enemy lines like a storm, instantly riddling the exterior of the enemy’s machine-gun bunkers with holes.

Seizing the opportunity, the infantry charged into the enemy lines. The position was instantly engulfed in flames, and the fighting turned exceptionally brutal.

When all six mixed brigades launched their fierce assault simultaneously, the enemy’s strength was rapidly depleted, and the tides of battle tilted toward the Chengyun Army. Despite their desperate resistance and tenacious will, the enemy’s defensive line crumbled under the overwhelming firepower and artillery bombardment of the mixed brigades; a breakthrough was only a matter of time.

To the enemy high command, these defensive troops had been viewed as expendable from the very beginning, so their losses brought little psychological burden.