Spy Wars: I am the Captain of the Military Police

Nakamura Shunsuke took a step forward, his tone becoming sharper: "Not to mention, if such a powerful tank unit really existed, why wasn't it used during the general attack on Shanghai?

Why did it appear at the moment when they were about to be surrounded?

This is simply the Tenth Army's excuse for their lack of progress!

I even doubt whether they really encountered a strong enemy, or were simply afraid to fight!"

There was an uproar in the conference room. This accusation was extremely serious, almost accusing the top leaders of the 10th Army of collaborating with the enemy.

"Chief of Staff Nakamura, it's not time to draw conclusions yet," Mamoru Iinuma reminded.

Nakamura Shunsuke bowed slightly, but his eyes remained stubborn: “I’m sorry, everyone, Commander, I’m rude.

But I insist that the report of the Tenth Army is not credible.

We should immediately send out reconnaissance planes to verify the situation, and at the same time strictly order the 10th Army to break through the Songjiang defense line at all costs and cut off the Chinese Army's retreat!

Otherwise, the victory of the entire Battle of Shanghai will be greatly reduced!"

Matsui Iwane was silent for a moment, then finally made up his mind: "Call the 10th Army back and tell them that they are verifying the positions of all units.

But no matter what the situation is, we must attack with all our strength as planned and cut off the Chinese army's retreat.

Anyone who delays further will be punished by military law!"

He paused and added, "At the same time, dispatch all available reconnaissance aircraft to focus on the Songjiang area, especially... the situation of the so-called 'Imperial Tank Force'."

When this reply full of distrust reached the 10th Army Headquarters, Heisuke Yanagawa was almost mad with anger.

"Baga Yalu! That old fool Matsui Iwane!" Yanagawa Heisuke roared in the headquarters, tearing the telegram in his hands into pieces: "They have no idea what we are facing!"

Chief of Staff Major General Moritake Tanabe cautiously suggested: "Commander, perhaps we should organize a powerful counterattack and capture one or two of those tanks as evidence..."

"Counterattack?" Yanagawa Heisuke laughed miserably. "How can we counterattack? We've lost more than half our artillery, all our tanks are destroyed, and the soldiers tremble at the sound of engines!"

Yanagawa Heisuke said, standing up suddenly, his eyes filled with a mixture of despair and stubbornness: "But you are right, we need to do something! Pass the order!

At dawn tomorrow, the 6th Division will be the main attack, the 18th Division will be the right wing, and the 114th Division will be the left wing! All-out assault! Break through the Songjiang defense line at all costs!

When the order reached the front-line troops, it caused a suppressed commotion.

The veterans who had experienced today's nightmare battle looked pale, while the young soldiers nervously checked the weapons in their hands, as if that could bring them a sense of security.

"Gentlemen!" a captain said, his voice less confident than usual as he gave a pre-battle mobilization. "We must avenge our previous humiliation! We have seen through the Chinese army's tricks and disguises! Before the courage of the Imperial soldiers, no enemy can withstand a blow!"

The soldiers mechanically shouted "Long live the Emperor", but their eyes had lost the enthusiasm and confidence of the past, replaced by a deep fear and anxiety.

The morning mist gradually dissipated, and the scene outside Songjiang City gradually became clear.

A carefully arranged armored defense position appeared at the key commanding heights and traffic arteries outside Songjiang City.

About fifty "tanks" painted with the Hinomaru insignia were cleverly deployed behind bunkers and makeshift fortifications, forming a crossfire. They no longer had the violent charging posture of yesterday, but now resembled lurking steel behemoths, calm and deadly.

The deployment of these tanks demonstrates a high level of tactical proficiency:

The Panzer III (disguised as the Type 97) occupied the most advantageous firing position, and its 50mm long-barreled gun could cover any target within the maximum range.

The Panzer IV (disguised as an experimental heavy tank) was positioned in the center of the position, ready to bombard the Japanese assembly area with its 75mm howitzer.

The Type 95 and Panzer II tanks were responsible for protecting the flanks, using their high-speed cannons and machine guns to form a close-range defensive fire network.

What is even more terrifying is that among these tanks, one can vaguely see some carefully camouflaged anti-tank artillery positions and machine gun nests, forming a multi-level firepower system.

The entire defensive position was eerily quiet. There was no noise, no movement, only a suffocating deathly silence.

At 8:00 a.m. sharp, the Japanese artillery preparation began.

However, compared with the devastating artillery bombardment by the German army yesterday, the Japanese artillery fire seemed sparse and scattered. Their artillery units suffered heavy losses in yesterday's attack.

After the artillery fire was extended, the Japanese attack began.

The first batch of infantry, about two battalions, launched a charge towards the German positions in a skirmish line.

They crouched down and advanced cautiously, their eyes constantly scanning the silent position ahead with vigilance.

For the first three hundred meters, there was no response.

Two hundred meters, still silent.

One hundred and fifty meters...

Suddenly, the opposite position seemed like a giant steel beast that had awakened, instantly spewing out deadly flames!

The first to open fire was the 75mm howitzer of the Panzer IV tank.

The rumbling sound of explosions rang out in the Japanese attack formation. Each shell could take the lives of an entire group of soldiers. Shrapnel and shock waves raged everywhere, and broken limbs and arms flew everywhere.

Immediately afterwards, the 50mm tank gun of the Type 3 tank began to fire accurately.

The Japanese army's light and heavy machine gun positions, officers, flag bearers, and any targets that looked like command nodes or heavy firepower would immediately be hit by one or even several accurate artillery shells.

The most terrifying thing was the fire network formed by the 20mm machine guns and MG34 machine guns on the Type 2 tanks and half-track vehicles.

They rained down a barrage of death at an alarming rate, their bullets so dense they almost formed a solid wall. Any Japanese soldier who tried to charge or move would be instantly torn to pieces by this storm of metal.

"Forward! Charge!" The Japanese officer urged at the top of his lungs, even drawing his saber and leading the charge himself.

But it was in vain.

A Japanese lieutenant raised his sword high and rushed forward shouting "Long live the Emperor". In less than three seconds, his body was hit by at least twenty MG34 machine gun bullets and was almost broken into two.

Another team tried to use the craters to advance alternately, but as soon as they jumped out of the craters, they were covered by accurate 20mm machine gun fire and were blown to pieces.

The Japanese army's Type 92 heavy machine gun was finally set up, but in less than five seconds it was directly hit by the 50mm gun of the Type 3 tank, turning both the man and the gun into a pile of twisted scrap metal.

Less than half an hour after the attack began, the Japanese army had lost an entire battalion of troops, but failed to even reach the front line of the enemy position.

Faced with this completely unequal massacre, the will of the Japanese soldiers began to collapse.

"No... no... I won't go. That's courting death..." A young Japanese soldier huddled in a bomb crater, trembling all over, staring with empty eyes at the corpses of his comrades who were constantly being blown into the sky in front of him.

His rifle fell to the side and he held his head tightly with both hands, as if this could help him avoid the death that was everywhere.

His squad leader crawled over and shouted, "Baga! Get up! Keep moving!"

But the young soldier just shook his head frantically, saliva flowing uncontrollably from the corners of his mouth: "It can't be penetrated... Nothing can be penetrated... Demons... They are steel demons..." He had completely collapsed mentally.