Chapter 58: I Saw More Shells Today Than in My Entire Life!

"Commander, what are our next steps?" Li Jian asked, his voice tinged with urgency and anticipation.

Jiang Bai slowly lowered his binoculars, took a deep breath, and replied with unwavering confidence, "It's simple. We will exploit their internal panic by launching feints from two directions. The main assault will proceed under the cover of artillery and infantry, using explosives to breach the city wall directly!"

"As long as we pinpoint the right spot for the blast, we can achieve twice the result with half the effort."

Li Jian and Chen Shan immediately responded in unison, "Yes, Commander!" Their voices brimmed with determination and trust.

The two swiftly left the command tent, organizing their troops to carry out Jiang Bai's orders, filled with confidence for the coming assault.

Upon Jiang Bai's command, Chen Shan, as the main force for this attack, took charge of amassing all available explosives in the brigade. Understanding the gravity of his task, he chose to personally lead the charge at the front lines.

Chu Yunfei's artillery regiment, upon receiving the order, would unleash its full firepower to minimize casualties for the 64th Brigade during the breach.

Amid the thunder of artillery, every soldier burned with fighting spirit and courage, keenly aware that this battle was crucial for capturing Wangkou.

According to Jiang Bai's plan, the main defense of the garrison relied on the seemingly impenetrable city wall. Once breached, the already panicked defenders would be rendered even more helpless.

"Li Jian, your 63rd Infantry Brigade will not participate in the frontal assault during this siege."

"Your mission is simple: hold Wangkou and secure our victory."

"Once we take Wangkou, we essentially control a vast swath of southern Chaha."

"The enemy will not sit idly by. They will not let us succeed so easily."

"Therefore, you can expect fierce fighting with them."

"Your orders are clear: until we capture Wangkou, you must hold it at all costs. Do not let a single enemy through."

"If they launch a full-scale assault on Wangkou, I will send reinforcements to support you."

"This time, you may face attacks and encirclement by enemy forces several times your own. Do you have confidence?"

Standing in the command tent, Li Jian met Jiang Bai’s gaze with unwavering resolve in his eyes. His reply rang out firmly, echoing in every ear, "Commander, rest assured. Unless they step over my dead body, I will let no enemy through!"

His posture was upright and unyielding, embodying the courage of a soldier unafraid of death before the looming trial.

Reflecting on the battles he had experienced since joining the 7th Reinforced Division, Li Jian's eyes showed a complex emotion. Those experiences had made him question his earlier belief in the enemy's invincibility, and he now firmly believed that his men could stand against any foe.

Although he had not personally faced the smoke and fire at Chengyun Mountain, a burning desire to prove himself in this coming battle surged ever stronger within him.

Li Jian returned to brigade headquarters and gathered his young officers for a pre-battle meeting. Surveying the room, he saw in each of their eyes a different light—some glimmered with fear of the unknown, others with a fierce longing for victory.

He drew a deep breath and spoke in a grave tone, "Brothers, barring any surprises, this will be our last major battle beyond the border!" His voice rose with passion, seeking to ignite the fighting spirit in every heart.

"So I ask you all, in this seemingly hopeless fight, do you have the confidence to defeat the enemy?"

As he said this, Li Jian’s gaze pierced each officer, searching for the answer deep within their souls.

"Rest assured, Commander. We will sweep all before us, whether it's the old adversaries or the enemy—they will all lie dead on the battlefield!"

The deputy commander replied first, and then the young officers thundered in response.

"Victory to the Chengyun Army! Victory to the Chengyun Army!"

At that moment, Li Jian was filled with pride and confidence. He knew that, though they faced a desperate battle, his soldiers were ready for the coming carnage.

On the eastern front of Wangkou, amid the thick scent of gunpowder and the roar of explosions, the scene was a grim tableau of war.

As Chu Yunfei’s orders rang out, the tension on the battlefield soared to its peak.

At the moment of artillery preparation, even the very air seemed to grow hotter.

The guns slowly raised their barrels, a heavy sense of impending doom settling over every soldier.

The signalman waved his flags, relaying the final command to the gunners: "Direct fire, no need for aim adjustment, five rapid salvos!"

The deafening roar was like the most thunderous symphony between heaven and earth.

Thirty 120mm howitzers, fifteen 105mm howitzers, fifteen 75mm field guns, and six 35mm rapid-fire cannons unleashed their fury on the eastern city wall of Wangkou. Shells ripped through the sky, explosions rang out in rapid succession—like winter thunder awakening the slumbering earth.

Under this barrage, even the city wall—fortified with lime mortar and sticky rice paste—began to show weakness. While the main structure held, the parapets and brick-paved ground were shattered, dust and debris billowing.

The collapse of the watchtower struck the defenders like a heavy blow, burying gunners and weapons, and marking a significant loss in their defensive strength.

This fierce bombardment not only destroyed the city wall but also dealt a crushing blow to the defenders’ morale.

Amid the chaos and destruction, the front line’s military arrangements were laid bare—the choice of artillery positions, the coordination of signals, and the organization of ammunition supply lines all reflected the meticulous planning and strict attention to detail demanded by modern warfare.

In the distance, the outlines of supply convoys and medical teams flickered in and out of view under the glow of artillery fire, ensuring the frontline soldiers could continue the fight.

Even under such a devastating barrage, the defenders atop Wangkou’s walls fought back as best they could.

Yet, as the shelling and machine-gun fire persisted, their once orderly defense began to unravel.

Within the city, the garrison, hastily organized under the command of the 2nd Mixed Brigade, struggled valiantly but could no longer mount an effective defense.

Continuous shelling shrouded the battlefield in smoke and dust, reducing visibility to a blur.

The advance of the 7th Reinforced Division surged like a tide, each assault seeming enough to topple the city walls. Under such pressure, the defenders’ morale crumbled, and their will to fight evaporated.

As the bombardment intensified, cries of panic echoed along the ramparts: "Retreat! Their fire is too fierce—we can’t hold them back!"

"Get down, there’s no cover on the wall—stay here and you’re dead!"

"I’ve seen more shells today than in my whole life! If we don’t run now, we’re done for!"

In their despair, many garrison soldiers cast aside their weapons and fled down from the wall.

Amidst the chaos, an officer tried to restore order with ruthless resolve. Drawing his pistol, he shot several would-be deserters, hoping to cow the rest.

"Get back! All of you, back to your posts! If you don’t, I’ll shoot every last one of you!" His escort squad raised their machine guns, ready to carry out the threat.

But facing a collapsing line, one old soldier pleaded in desperation, "Sir, it’s not that we won’t fight—the enemy’s fire is just too much!"

The officer replied coldly, "So what if we’re from the same hometown? Plenty of our own have died today! If I let you run, I’ll lose my own head!"

Under the threat of death, the soldiers reluctantly picked up their outdated rifles and returned to the wall, facing death once more.

Just then, a shell exploded, changing the course of the battle.

The officer and his military police were blown away in an instant—this was the final straw that broke the defenders’ spirit.

Seeing this, an old soldier shouted, "Brothers, no one’s stopping us now—run for your lives!"

In a heartbeat, order on the ramparts collapsed completely, and the soldiers abandoned their positions, desperate to escape the killing ground.

Throughout, every corner of the battlefield was engulfed in fire and smoke. The distant artillery emplacements adjusted their fire, raining down a furious storm of steel upon the city walls.

In the sky, thick clouds of smoke and dust nearly blotted out the sun, while on the ground, countless soldiers pressed forward through the explosions, or searched desperately for a way to survive.