Chapter 60: The Fall of the City

Jiang Bai’s gaze was deep, as if it could pierce through every inch of the battlefield. “The engineers are advancing faster than expected. If all goes well, we’ll reach the city walls by dawn tomorrow.” His words instilled unwavering conviction in everyone present. With utmost seriousness, he announced, “If there are no objections, we’ll proceed according to this plan!”

Upon receiving the order to withdraw, the defenders atop the city walls could scarcely believe their ears. “We actually held them off!” Disbelief gave way to exuberant joy on their faces. “So the Chengyun Army isn’t so fearsome after all!” As the Chengyun forces retreated, a brief silence fell over the battlefield, each defender’s heart surging with different emotions—a collective sigh of relief.

As the dust of battle began to settle, the jubilant cheers and shouts of victory from the rank-and-file soldiers painted a vivid tableau of the aftermath. They brandished their weapons and cried out, “Come back if you dare! I haven’t had enough yet!” Yet this sense of triumph failed to reach the higher command. The mid- and high-ranking officers, who had a clearer grasp of the situation, wore solemn expressions. They knew that, though the enemy had been repelled for now, victory had come at a bitter price.

At the Xuzhou frontline command, Old Deng had been overjoyed at first, having repelled the Chengyun Army’s assault. But when news arrived of their own staggering losses, his smile froze, replaced by deep anxiety. In a fit of anger, he pounded his fist on the table and cursed, “What on earth is this Seventh Reinforced Division? Their combat strength is terrifying!”

Frustrated and helpless, he even wished the enemy commander would be struck by lightning tomorrow, though he couldn’t help but envy them. If only he commanded such a force, neither Shui Fang nor even the Japanese devils would be a match. Weariness and irritation etched his face, his eyes pensive as he pondered the next move.

A military officer nearby, sensing his mood, stepped forward to offer comfort. “General, there’s no need to worry,” he said with quiet firmness, attempting to lend Old Deng some strength.

Old Deng replied in a grave voice, his brow furrowed and words heavy with unspoken burden. “The Xuanhua troops move fastest. They should arrive before noon tomorrow.” There was a glimmer of hope in his eyes, but even more caution. “If the Japanese manage a surprise attack and cut off our retreat, then no matter how capable Jiang Bai is, defeat would be inevitable.” A complex emotion flickered across his face.

His subordinates brimmed with confidence, but Old Deng felt uneasy. He knew that if Jiang Bai were so easily dealt with, he would not still be their adversary. After a moment’s thought, he murmured, “Heaven grant us our wish.”

On the chessboard of war, every decision is a matter of life and death. Old Deng weighed whether it was worth inviting a wolf into the fold just to destroy the Chengyun Army’s Seventh Reinforced Division.

In the shadow of the Wangkou battlefield, though Jiang Bai had ordered the infantry to halt their assault, the artillery and machine-gunners unleashed undiminished fire. After a day of fierce fighting, as night fell, Jiang Bai once again seized the initiative, sending several infantry battalions to launch successive feints against the city walls.

That night, until five in the morning, the defenders of Wangkou were pushed to the brink of exhaustion, body and mind. So weary were they, they failed to notice the faint tremors at the base of the walls beneath their feet.

After the endless night, the engineers finally accomplished their arduous task, burying several tons of explosives at the foundation of the city walls. They hoped to blast open a breach in one strike, knowing that if they failed, the enemy would be doubly vigilant—making a second attempt nearly impossible.

Chief of Staff Wang Xiao, tense yet excited, reported to Jiang Bai, “Commander, the explosives are in place and ready at your command.”

Jiang Bai, expressionless, gave the order without hesitation. “Detonate immediately.” His voice was cool and resolute, betraying a deep hunger for victory.

On the morning of October 2nd, the sky was overcast and the air thick with tension. The city’s defenders, resting against the walls, were abruptly jolted from their sleep by a thunderous explosion. The blast was deafening, shaking the very ground and nearly toppling the soldiers where they stood. Terror and panic swept through every heart.

They exchanged bewildered, fearful glances. “What’s happening? An earthquake?” “Impossible—what earthquake could be this loud?” As confusion reigned, a soldier pointed eastward, his voice trembling. “Look! There’s a huge breach in the eastern wall!”

All eyes turned as one. There, yawning in the eastern wall, was an enormous gaping hole, black as a void—the mouth of war itself, ready to swallow everything. A chill of utter despair gripped every soul.

The collapse of the wall was more than just physical destruction—it shattered the defenders’ spirits as well. At the moment of detonation, Jiang Bai’s tightly knit brow finally relaxed, knowing this marked the beginning of a new battle. He gave his orders calmly: “Inform the frontline troops to charge!” With the command, a surge of renewed strength coursed through the soldiers—they knew this was the decisive moment to storm Wangkou and determine the fate of the war.

Fueled by the fury built up through previous battles, the 211th and 212th Regiments of the 64th Infantry Brigade surged forward, wild and unstoppable, pouring through the massive breach and plunging into the depths of Wangkou.

Inside the city, the defenders—already spent from days of fighting—could not withstand the sudden onslaught of the 211th Regiment. They fell back in disarray, leaving behind fleeing soldiers, discarded weapons, and those who surrendered, begging for mercy.

Meanwhile, at the Xuzhou frontline command, Old Deng had just drifted off to sleep after a long, exhausting day when he was roused by frantic knocking. Irritated and disgruntled, he grumbled, “Who is it at this hour? Didn’t I order that unless the sky itself was falling, no one disturb my rest?”

But hearing the anxious voice of his trusted aide, his expression turned grave. He dressed quickly and opened the door, tension flickering in his eyes. “What’s happened?”

“General, the Chengyun Army blasted a huge breach in the eastern wall. The enemy is pouring into Wangkou, and our defenders urgently need reinforcements!”

The aide’s words struck Old Deng with the force of a shell. He reeled, his face turning ashen. “Reinforcements? What reinforcements can we talk about now!”

Anxiety and helplessness warred on his face as he paced the room. At last, he made his decision: “Notify Zuo Nan of Chuan Island at once—have him contact the Japanese for reinforcements! We cannot let Jiang Bai escape so easily!”

With the order given, Old Deng hurled his teacup to the ground in frustration, his voice thick with impotence and fury. “Yan Chun, you’ve truly ruined me this time!”