Warlords: Rising from the Northwest Border and Sweeping Across the Powers

"Pass on my military order. The entire army will rest for one night and begin advancing into the inner area of ​​Shanghai at 7 a.m. tomorrow. I have already made a promise to the president! If we cannot take Shanghai within seven days, how can we face the president and our colleagues in the Southern Government in the future?"

In Bichun City, the capital of Junzhou, Huang Guangtai's eyes flashed with a thoughtful look when he received Bai Qigang's telegram.

"Mr. President, what does the telegram from Deputy Commander Bai say?"

"The Ninth Army has already captured two enemy defensive positions in the outskirts of Shanghai, in Jinshan District and Qingpu District, which can be regarded as a certain achievement."

"This is really an exciting and great thing! According to the analysis of our intelligence department, the Skeleton Division under Su Zhengyang has reached the current world-class military level. It is really a tough nut to crack. Deputy Commander Bai was able to win the front battlefield and forced them to abandon the outer defense position. His contribution is invaluable!"

Huang Guangtai put down the telegram in his hand, nodded and said, "They were able to hold the outer positions for more than 20 days in the face of an enemy force several times larger than ours, making it difficult for our Northern Expedition Ninth Army to move forward. This shows how powerful the Skeleton Division is. It is true that their reputation is justified. Su Zhengyang is the biggest variable for our Southern Government to launch the Northern Expedition and unify the North and the South."

"This Bai Qigang, just after achieving some success, he boasted about it in the telegram. It seems that the Skeleton Division has made them suffer a lot."

"Call me back immediately! Tell Bai Qigang to be modest and cautious, and lead the Ninth Army to advance steadily. We don't need to completely annihilate the SS Division, but only to successfully seize control of Shanghai. We must stay rational and careful on the battlefield, and never rush ahead and fall into the enemy's trap."

"In addition, the entire Ninth Army is commended in the name of the central government!"

In Northwest Linzhou, Yong'an City, Zhang Luanyu pushed open the door of Su Zhengyang's office with a serious expression, holding an encrypted telegram.

"Governor, this is an encrypted telegram sent back by Commander Ike of the SKULL Division. He specifically asked you to check the contents of the telegram yourself."

Su Zhengyang took the envelope, took out the telegram from it, held it in his hand, and spent twenty minutes carefully reading it from beginning to end.

Su Zhengyang put down the telegram and a smile appeared on his lips.

"This Ike is really ambitious. He is playing hard to get and luring the enemy deeper. If his plan succeeds, it will bring an unbearable heavy blow to the Southern Government and the entire Northern Expedition Army."

Zhang Luanyu showed a thoughtful look on his face. He picked up the telegram from Su Zhengyang's desk. After a moment, he slowly said, "Governor, Commander Ike is a man of great military skill, rich experience, and a calm personality. He rarely does things that he is not sure of. Since he has thought it through, I think we can act according to his plan. Once successful, it will directly change the situation of the entire Civil War."

Su Zhengyang nodded and said, "Report to Ike immediately and approve his military action plan this time! A general is not subject to orders from the emperor when he is away from home. Since I have given him full responsibility for controlling the battlefield in Shanghai, he should not be doubted if he is not employed, and he should be trusted if he is employed. The subsequent series of battlefield dispatches will be adjusted and controlled by him himself, and there is no need to report to the General Staff Headquarters."

"Yes, Governor!"

At seven o'clock the next morning, the Ninth Army, with the 53,54rd and th Divisions as the vanguard, divided into two groups and began to gradually advance into the inner areas of Shanghai. Although Jinshan District and Qingpu District are considered to be the outer suburbs of Shanghai, they are also prosperous and bustling on weekdays.

Today, the streets of the two major urban areas are dead silent, and even the houses and buildings around the streets are lifeless. As early as a month ago, when the war was about to break out, the SKELETON DIVISION had already transferred the local people in these two areas to the central area and made proper arrangements for their resettlement.

The troops of the Ninth Army advanced cautiously along the main roads, treading on thin ice, fearing that the sudden appearance of the SS Division troops would launch a new round of head-on attacks on them.

But to their surprise, inside these two urban areas, it seemed that the Skeleton Division had not set up any defense lines, and did not even have any intention of stopping them from continuing to advance. In the entire urban area, there was not even a ghost to be seen.

It was not until the two armies advanced to the outer areas of Songjiang District and Minxing District that they saw the second line of defense set up by the Skeleton Army.

In the Siyang Road area at the junction of Qingpu District and Songjiang District, a large area of ​​residential houses had been razed to the ground by the Skeleton Division, creating a flat area that spanned six or seven kilometers and was two hundred meters wide. On this open space, a large number of low walls made of poured concrete and machine gun bunkers were stacked layer by layer, with no end in sight. A large number of Skeleton Division soldiers squatted behind the fortifications, looking coldly at the Southern Government troops that appeared at the edge of their sight.

At this time, concrete structures have just been introduced to China from the West, and a large number of cement plants and newly built concrete buildings have sprung up in the country. However, in general, the output is small and the cost of concrete is extremely high. At present, no force in the country has invested it in the construction of military fortifications.

The concrete fortifications built by the SS Division on the outskirts of Minxing and Songjiang districts had concrete bunkers with concrete walls more than two meters thick, which could even withstand direct bombardment from 150mm heavy howitzers. A large number of concrete low walls were 1.2 meters high and half a meter thick. Ordinary machine guns and even artillery could not penetrate such thick walls, causing serious damage to the SS Division soldiers hiding behind the bunkers.

Such a huge and long concrete defense line is simply a textbook military fortress, which allows the Skeleton Division to use the advantages of the defender to withstand any fierce attack from the enemy.

Of course, all this is thanks to the Giant Shield Coastal Defense Force summoned by Su Zhengyang. After building a series of coastal defense fortresses, the Giant Shield Corps still had more than half of the concrete, supporting structures, etc. used to cast the defense line left. With Ike's friendly communication, the remaining materials were invested in Songjiang District and Minxing District, creating the solid defense line that now appears in front of the Ninth Army Group, like a natural moat.

In the headquarters of the Skeleton Army, Ike said to Li Kaier: "From now on, the army of the Southern Government cannot advance any further into Shanghai! We have spent a lot of effort to build a defense line, and we must firmly intercept the enemy outside. After the main force of the Ninth Army is deployed in Songjiang and Minxing battlefields, let the armored regiment, the rocket artillery regiment, and the joint force composed of the Skeleton Division Guard Regiment bypass Jiading District, cut off the enemy's Ninth Army's retreat, and divide the battlefield."

"The Armored Reconnaissance Battalion will launch an all-out attack and form a decapitation commando team. Together with our troops that are circumventing the enemy, we will launch a surprise decapitation operation against the enemy's combat unit headquarters at all levels. At the same time, have the Communications Battalion jam their radio signals and cut off all communications between them! I want to achieve my goal in one fell swoop! Bury the entire Ninth Army of the Northern Expedition in Shanghai! This is the best gift for our great leader!"