Quartermasters can also fight the devils

Commander Xue gathered all his troops together and decided to launch a continuous attack on this route of the Japanese army. He required the attacking troops in front not to give the Japanese army any time to breathe once the attack began, but to continue to put pressure on them, especially to make use of the advantages of night attacks.

Commander Xue's adjustment of tactics dealt a heavy blow to the Japanese troops led by Lieutenant General Junrokuro Matsuura. Seeing that the Chinese army had used most of its forces there, Lieutenant General Junrokuro Matsuura quickly called for air support from the 11th Army Headquarters.

At the same time, he issued orders to the Japanese troops on another route, asking them to find the right time and, if possible, launch a breakout attack while the Chinese army's attention was on their side to see if it was possible to catch the defending Chinese army off guard.

Lieutenant General Junrokuro Matsuura, with the assistance of Japanese aircraft, barely held the last line of defense. It was not until dark that the attack force of the First Corps briefly stopped the attack. Lieutenant General Junrokuro Matsuura knew that the Chinese troops were preparing for a night attack.

The Japanese army had already guarded the gate of the best hospital in De'an City very tightly. The team escorting Lieutenant General Yoshizumi Yoshisuke, the commander of the 9th Division, rushed all the way to De'an by train. After getting off the train, the garrison in De'an immediately put Lieutenant General Yoshizumi Yoshisuke on the ambulance that had been prepared long ago on the platform, and then drove to the hospital at lightning speed.

All the way from the train station to the hospital, the roads on both sides had been tightly blocked by the Japanese army. The ambulance quickly drove to the hospital, and a group of doctors and nurses quickly pushed the cart to send Lieutenant General Yoshizumi Ryosuke to the operating room that had been prepared for rescue.

"Your Excellency the Commander, the garrison in De'an sent a telegram saying that the commander of the 9th Division, Lieutenant General Yoshizumi Ryosuke, has been safely sent to the hospital and is now undergoing emergency treatment. We have sent out three of the best surgeons to perform the operation." Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Yoshimoto Sadaichi reported to Lieutenant General Okamura Yasuji what he thought was the best news in the past few days.

Lieutenant General Okamura Neiji nodded, then looked at the position of the 106th Division on the sand table and said, "Mr. Yoshimoto, we have done everything we can now. The rest depends on the will of Amaterasu. We can no longer control the life and death of Lieutenant General Yoshizumi Ryosuke. We should now focus on the 106th Division. The Chinese army has besieged Lieutenant General Junrokuro Matsuura's troops for a day. Tonight, the Chinese army is likely to continue to attack them using a night raid. We can only pray."

Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Sadaichi Yoshimoto was also looking at the two small flags representing the Japanese army in Wanjialing on the sand table. He knew that the life and death of the two division commanders of the 11th Army might be decided tonight.

Commander Xue of the First Corps also concentrated his forces this time and organized a large-scale attack at night. He planned to eliminate the Japanese troops along this route according to the previous routine.

However, when the night attack troops of the First Corps exchanged fire with these Japanese troops, they were surprised to find that the fighting will of these Japanese troops was very strong. These Japanese troops were not frightened by the night attack of a large number of Chinese troops. Some Japanese soldiers even rushed towards the assault troops of the First Corps holding explosive packs.

However, the number of people in the First Corps' night attack was too large, and part of the Japanese defensive positions were still broken into by the First Corps' night attack troops.

"Your Excellency the division commander, China's night attack forces have broken through some of our outer defensive positions and are rushing towards the center of the division headquarters." Colonel Yoshio Sonoda, commander of the 147th Regiment, rushed into the tent of Lieutenant General Junrokuro Matsuura and reported anxiously.

Lieutenant General Junrokuro Matsuura calmly put his command knife in the tent, stood up and took a rifle with a bayonet that he had prepared long ago. He ordered Colonel Yoshio Sonoda: "Captain Sonoda, let everyone take up their weapons. Tell everyone that we must repel this night attack by the Chinese army, otherwise everyone will die. Let everyone show the bravery of the Imperial Japanese Army, and I will lead everyone to charge together."

After hearing the words of the division commander, Lieutenant General Junrokuro Matsuura, Colonel Yoshio Sonoda calmed down. He knew that now they had no way of retreat except fighting to the death. So Colonel Yoshio Sonoda bowed to the division commander and turned out of the tent. Then he gathered everyone in the camp, and everyone gathered beside the division commander, Lieutenant General Junrokuro Matsuura, holding their weapons and standing beside him, waiting for orders.

"Captain Sonoda, if the situation becomes critical later, I authorize you to burn the code book, destroy the radio and the team flag." Lieutenant General Junrokuro Matsuura looked ahead and whispered to Colonel Yoshio Sonoda who came to his side.

Colonel Yoshio Sonoda also nodded. He had arranged two staff officers to be on standby in the communications tent. If things became critical, they would do the final work.

"Gentlemen, now is the time for us to carry forward the Bushido spirit of the Empire of Japan. We must let the Chinese soldiers see the bravery of our Yamato nation. I will fight bravely with you all. Long live the Emperor!" Lieutenant General Junrokuro Matsuura turned around and loudly encouraged the more than 200 officers and soldiers gathered behind him.

When the two hundred or so Japanese officers and soldiers saw the division commander leading the fight with guns in hand, their morale was immediately boosted. They followed the call of Lieutenant General Junrokuro Matsuura and shouted slogans such as "Long live the Emperor".

Seeing that everyone's morale was boosted, Lieutenant General Junrokuro Matsuura took off the rank badge on his shoulder and put it in his military uniform pocket. This was to prevent his rank badge from exposing his identity, and secondly to make his attitude clear to everyone, that is, everyone is now a soldier of the Imperial Japanese Army, and there is no rank restriction.

Colonel Yoshio Sonoda and all the officers followed the action of the division commander, Lieutenant General Junrokuro Matsuura, and took off their military rank badges. This made some soldiers very excited, and each of them was determined to fight to the death in order to repel the attack of the Chinese army.

The night attack troops of the First Corps soon rushed to the center of the Japanese camp. Lieutenant General Junrokuro Matsuura and the more than 200 Japanese officers and soldiers around him also rushed to meet the night attack troops of the First Corps. The two armies instantly fought in the center of the camp. When the Japanese reinforcements came from all around, they saw that the division commander was holding a rifle and fighting the enemy with a bayonet, they also rushed over like crazy, howling.

In the headquarters of the new 100th Division in Hongcheng, Staff Officer Hao was reporting to Zhang Wenwu and Ouyang Heng with excitement: "Division Commander, Chief of Staff, the Japanese major general we captured is called Jing Shuxuan. He is the commander of the th Brigade of the th Division of the Japanese Army."

Zhang Wenwu looked at Staff Officer Hao who had a silly smile on his face, and he was shocked in his heart. This suicide squad could really bring him surprises. The great feat of capturing a Japanese brigade commander alive was actually accomplished by his own troops. This luck was really unparalleled.

"Very good, haha, Staff Officer Hao, you have made a huge contribution this time, very good." Zhang Wenwu also smiled from ear to ear.

After Staff Officer Hao left, Ouyang Heng said to Zhang Wenwu with a happy face: "Division Commander, let's quickly tell the Army Commander and the Chief of Staff about this happy event, so that they can also be happy."

"Yes, send a telegram to the army commander and the chief of staff immediately, and tell the officers and soldiers on the front line the news. Let's all have fun together, haha." Zhang Wenwu also understood that this was an extremely morale-boosting thing, and it must be publicized well.

In the headquarters of the new 100nd Army on the west bank of the Gan River, Chief of Staff Zhao Dong looked at the telegram Zhang Wenwu had just sent and said to Army Commander Huang Jinxian with excitement, "Army Commander, great news, great news! Zhang Wenwu and his men attacked the headquarters of the Japanese th Division again last night and captured the commander of the th Brigade of the th Division, Major General Jing Shuxuan, alive. He has now been detained in the headquarters of the new th Division. In addition, Zhang Wenwu also said in the telegram that the Japanese army had not launched an attack all day today. He suspected that the commander of the th Division, Yoshizumi Ryosuke, might have had an accident. He has sent people to investigate, and he also asked the theater to investigate the matter."

After hearing the report from Chief of Staff Zhao Dong, Commander Huang quickly walked to Chief of Staff Zhao Dong, snatched the telegram and started reading it. He had to admire Zhang Wenwu's luck. He had just killed a Japanese division commander and immediately captured a Japanese brigade commander. This was a huge military achievement.

"Brother Zhao, do you think that the commander of the 9th Division, Yoshizumi Ryosuke, really had an accident as Zhang Wenwu said? If so, our army's combat merit in this battle on the Nanxun Line must be the best." Commander Huang was extremely excited when he read the telegram. When the merits of his new 22nd Army were evaluated after the war, who could compare with his own troops? His own troops would immediately become one of the most powerful main forces in China.

Chief of Staff Zhao Dong thought for a moment before saying, "Commander, Zhang Wenwu has already sent people to investigate. Judging from the abnormal behavior of the Japanese troops in the city, Yoshizumi Ryosuke is probably in trouble. I think we can send a telegram to Commander Chen and Commander Xue, asking them to order the intelligence department to investigate and see if they can get any useful information."

After listening to Chief of Staff Zhao Dong's proposal, Commander Huang also felt that it made sense, so he asked Chief of Staff Zhao Dong to report the news to his superiors as soon as possible. Such a great military achievement must be reported quickly, so that his new 22nd Army would be quickly and preferentially replenished after the war.