Spy Wars: I am the Captain of the Military Police

On the Luodian front, the Japanese Second Division was also actively preparing.

"When the general offensive begins, the 2nd Division must be the first to break through the Chinese Army's defense line!" Okamura Neiji emphasized at the officers' meeting: "This is a battle that concerns the reputation of the Imperial 2nd Division!"

The weather in Songhu in mid-September is still hot and humid.

There were occasional sporadic gunshots on the battlefield, but overall it was relatively calm.

This kind of calmness makes people even more uneasy, like a bowstring ready to be released, stretched to the extreme.

Everyone knew that a storm was coming.

During these relatively peaceful days, a special psychological battle was also secretly taking place.

The Japanese army dropped leaflets on the Chinese army positions, which read in Chinese:

"Chinese soldiers! You have been abandoned! Your officers are living a life of luxury, yet they are sending you to your deaths! The Japanese Imperial Army treats prisoners well. Lay down your weapons and ensure your safety!"

The Chinese army responded with broadcasts and leaflets: "Japanese soldiers! Your superiors have deceived you! This war will only bring death and suffering! Resist your officers and return home to your families!"

Sometimes at night, the two sides would even shout at each other across the air.

A Chinese officer who could speak Japanese shouted, "Japanese soldiers! Why did you come to China? Your families are waiting for you to return home safely!"

The Japanese positions responded with insults and gunfire.

But the effect of this psychological warfare is limited. The Chinese army is defending the country and has no intention of retreating.

Similarly, the brainwashed soldiers of the Japanese army did not think there was anything wrong with their invasion. They were all fighting for the emperor, which was glorious and sacred!

The soldiers on both sides only knew that they had to fight until victory or death.

. . . . . .

On September 18, Japanese reinforcements began to arrive in Shanghai.

The first troops to arrive were the 101st Division and the 5th Field Heavy Artillery Brigade.

Then the large-scale landing began.

The Yangtze River estuary was densely packed with transport ships, and small boats shuttled back and forth, carrying soldiers and equipment ashore.

At the dock, the newly arrived Japanese troops lined up neatly to receive inspection.

Heavy artillery, ammunition boxes, vehicles and supplies were piled up like mountains. Compared with the exhausted Japanese soldiers of the 2nd and 12th Divisions, these new soldiers were well-equipped and in high spirits.

The Chinese army reconnaissance plane discovered a large-scale assembly of Japanese troops and immediately reported it to the headquarters.

Chen Cheng looked at the reconnaissance report with a serious expression: "The total Japanese troop strength is estimated to reach over 200,000, with over 300 heavy artillery pieces. This is the largest enemy troop concentration since the Battle of Shanghai."

He immediately ordered: "The entire line enters the highest state of combat readiness. The logistics department begins to transfer non-combat personnel and important supplies to the rear. All units are prepared for protracted combat. At the same time, retreat routes and alternating cover plans are designated."

On the front line, Chinese soldiers quietly checked their weapons and stockpiled ammunition.

Many people wrote their last letter home and gave it to the logistics staff for safekeeping.

They knew that the coming battle would be extremely brutal.

In the distance, the Japanese army began test firing heavy artillery. The rumbling sound of the artillery was like thunder, foreshadowing the coming of a bloody storm.

The sky grew gloomy, as if mourning the disaster that was about to befall this land.

Just as the two sides were about to start a new round of bloody fighting.

The first battle to break out was indeed over the Battle of Shanghai!!

When the Chinese Air Force discovered that Japanese reinforcements were beginning to land and large quantities of weapons and ammunition were stockpiled on the beach or at the docks, it took action again.

As early as the war broke out, the Chinese Air Force successfully bombed the Japanese Marines in Hongkou and caused damage to several Japanese warships, which can be said to be a remarkable achievement.

But eventually, due to the disparity in the number of their own fighter planes, they chose to avoid the edge of the Japanese fighter planes, lost air superiority, and only carried out small-scale attacks and sneak attacks.

But this time, the battlefield was in danger, and the Chinese Air Force chose to take the initiative again.

At 9:18 am on September 8, the mouth of the Yangtze River was shrouded in mist.

Gao Zhihang stood beside the runway of the airport, looking at the sky gradually getting whiter in the east.

He took a deep breath, the cold air stinging his lungs.

Six years ago today, Northeast China fell, and he and many Northeast pilots lost their hometown.

Now, the war has spread to Shanghai, and behind them is Nanjing.

"Captain, all aircraft have been inspected, fully fueled, and loaded with ammunition."

Gao Zhihang turned around and saw the chief mechanic standing behind him, his face stained with oil and his eyes bloodshot.

These ground crews have been working for thirty-six hours straight just to get those old fighter jets back in the air.

"Are you ready, brothers?" Gao Zhihang asked.

"Everyone is waiting for your order."

Gao Zhihang nodded and walked towards the briefing room in a corner of the airport.

Dozens of pilots had gathered there, wearing slightly worn flight suits, their faces a mixture of tension and determination.

Most of them have less than 100 hours of flight time, and some have just graduated from aviation school less than three months ago.

"Everyone," Gao Zhihang said, standing in front of a simple table covered with a map of the Shanghai area. "Intelligence indicates that a large number of Japanese transport ships arrived at Wusongkou last night, unloading a large amount of ammunition and equipment. Our mission is to destroy these supplies."

He drew a line on the map with his hand: “We will set out in two groups.

I led the first squadron of Hawk III fighters to escort, and five minutes later, the second squadron of Northrop bombers followed.

The route went east along the Yangtze River, turned north at Chongming Island, and entered the Wusongkou from the sea.

A young pilot raised his hand and asked, "Captain, the Japanese have carrier-based aircraft on the Ryujo and Kaga. Will we..."

"Yes, they will definitely take off to intercept." Gao Zhihang interrupted him: "So we need to fight quickly and decisively.

The bombers will immediately drop their bombs upon finding their targets and not engage in prolonged fighting. The fighters will provide cover. Do you understand?

"Understood!" All the pilots answered in unison.

Gao Zhihang looked around at these young faces, many of whom may never come back.

"Remember," Gao Zhihang's voice deepened, "we have fewer planes than the enemy, fewer planes than the enemy, and we have less training time than the enemy.

But we have something that the enemy doesn't have. We are fighting to defend our homeland. Today, we will wash away the shame of six years ago with the blood of the enemy! "

The pilots stood solemnly, their eyes determined.

"set off!"

At 9:05, nineteen Hawk III fighters roared into the sky.

Gao Zhihang led his squadron in a circle over the airport, waiting for the bomber formation.

Five minutes later, eight Northrop G-2E light bombers also took off.

Gao Zhihang shook his wings, signaled to the bomber captain, then pushed the joystick and flew east.

The morning light shone on the wings, and Gao Zhihang glanced at the Yangtze River below.

A thin mist shrouded the surface of the river, and several fishing boats were casting nets, as if the war had nothing to do with them.

How much he wished that peace would still exist, but the Japanese army had already invaded Shanghai for more than a month, and the national army had suffered heavy casualties, but was still resisting stubbornly.

The flight formation maintained an altitude of 1,500 meters to save fuel and avoid being discovered too early by Japanese observation stations.

Gao Zhihang looked back from time to time to check the formation and used gestures to instruct the team members to maintain formation.

An hour later, Chongming Island appeared ahead.