Spy Wars: I am the Captain of the Military Police

"A long-term siege? It seems safe, but in reality, it leaves room for the opponent to maneuver." Zhou Zhengqing sneered inwardly: "Matsui Iwane is like a cornered beast fighting. The longer it drags on, the more likely he is to resort to desperate measures, or face unpredictable changes."

We must deliver the fatal blow when he is at his weakest and most panicked!

Moreover, his own mission did not allow him to delay! He had to drive the several Japanese divisions, which were already bloodthirsty, out of Nanjing!

Otherwise, even if our military police forcefully enter Nanjing to enforce military discipline, they will not be able to control those soldiers!

Since we can't control them, let's just kick them all out!

"If they're not leaving... then they don't need to leave at all!"

More importantly, he needed a clean, decisive, and awe-inspiring victory to consolidate his authority and demonstrate his strength and determination to Kyoto and all onlookers!

Only by decisively defeating and dismantling the Central China Expeditionary Army can we instill fear in potential opponents and pave the way for our subsequent political maneuvering.

Casualties? In the face of absolute political gains, they are an acceptable price to pay.

Moreover, it was the blood of the Central China Expeditionary Army that was shed, and it was Matsui Iwane's strength that was depleted, but for Zhou Zhengqing, there was no loss.

Thinking of this, a cold, resolute glint flashed in his eyes.

He turned and walked to his desk, spread out the telegram paper, and wrote a line of Chinese characters that were powerful enough to penetrate the paper.

There was no lengthy analysis, no insincere pleasantries, only a single, decisive, and menacing line:

"Launch immediately! Dismember the Central China Front Army!"

This extremely brief reply was delivered to the division and regimental commanders of the Xiaolingwei Command within minutes.

The contents of the telegram circulated among the attendees, and the air inside the bunker instantly froze.

"Launch immediately! Dismember the North China Area Army!"

These six short words, however, are like a boulder thrown into water, creating ripples that spread far and wide.

The aggressive Sakamoto Seiemon and Tsukada Osamu wore excited expressions of "I knew it" on their faces, as if they had found the most powerful sword of Damocles.

Ito Masaki and Okamura Yasuji frowned, clearly still worried about the consequences of a full-scale attack. Their two divisions had already suffered the heaviest casualties, and now they were going to launch a full-scale attack on Nanjing, which was also defended by Class A divisions. It was inevitable that they would be worried.

But faced with Zhou Zhengqing's clear instructions, they could no longer openly oppose them.

Matsui let out a soft sigh, seemingly relieved of the burden of weighing the options. Now that the top decision had been made, it was time to execute it.

However, once again, everyone's eyes were focused on Yamada Otozo's face.

How will this division commander, who has a history of "humiliation" with Zhou Zhengqing by having to drop out of school, react? Will he openly disobey orders?

Yamada Otozo held the telegram, the veins on the back of his hand slightly bulging.

He stared at those six words for a full minute, his expression shifting constantly.

Finally, a smile appeared on his face.

He slowly put down the telegram, raised his eyes, and his gaze swept over everyone present, finally landing on Yusuke Ichijo, where he clearly uttered three words:

"I...agree."

There was no explanation, no complaint, just a simple "agreement".

But these three words carry more weight than any impassioned statement.

Everyone looked at Yamada Otozo with suspicion...

"Why are you looking at me like that? This kid really hasn't forgotten Lu Shi's teachings. When you strike, you must eliminate the enemy without holding back! I'm very pleased..."

The crowd...

Yamada Otozo's unexpected obedience instantly mended the last possible rift within the "rebel" camp.

Even this most unstable factor chose to comply, so no one else objected.

“In that case,” Matsui Mikoto, being the more senior member, stepped forward to summarize, “Commander Takasaki has made his decision, and we have no choice but to obey!”

Please return to your respective units immediately for final mobilization and deployment!

The final assault is scheduled for tomorrow, at 5:00 AM!

Each division will launch a simultaneous attack within its designated area! We must break through the city's defenses in one fell swoop, divide and encircle the enemy forces within, and force them to surrender or annihilate them!

"Yes, sir!" the officers responded in unison, their feelings differing but their goals aligned.

After the meeting, the division and regimental commanders hurriedly left and returned to their respective command positions.

Outside the bunker, the cold night air was filled with a suffocating, bloody aura, as if a great battle was about to begin.

Once the order was given, the massive war machine began to operate at maximum efficiency.

On the eastern front, at the artillery positions of the 2nd Division, soldiers worked through the night to set the parameters for field guns and howitzers, with the muzzles all pointing towards the planned breakthrough points such as Zhonghua Gate and Guanghua Gate. The cold steel gleamed eerily in the moonlight.

The tank unit is undergoing final maintenance and ammunition loading.

On the southern front, infantrymen of the 7th and 8th Divisions inspected their rifles and bayonets, machine gunners wiped their barrels, and engineers moved forward under the cover of night, preparing to blow up obstacles.

Yusuke Ichijo's military police battalion was also issued weapons and prepared to enter the city with the main force to carry out "screening" and "purging" missions, with their target being the senior officers of the Central China Expeditionary Army.

On the northern front, Yamada Otozo of the 12th Division meticulously planned the offensive sequence.

Even the usually "active" Fourth Division's defense zone became unusually serious.

The trading market disappeared, and the soldiers put away their playful banter, checking their equipment and distributing ammunition under the supervision of their officers.

Some "shrewd" officers even began to plan how to "legally" take over the supplies and "spoils" left behind by the Central China Expeditionary Army after entering the city.

At the same time, the Central China Expeditionary Army in the city also felt the terrifying atmosphere of impending doom.

The sudden increase in lights on the enemy's positions outside the city, the frequent sounds of troop movements, and the deathly silence that seemed to foreshadow an impending final judgment.

Matsui Iwane sent a series of desperate SOS telegrams to Tokyo, but all he received in response was cold silence.

The defending soldiers huddled in the ruins of their fortifications, their faces ashen, many on the verge of mental collapse.

Escapes and self-harm incidents occurred frequently, and officers' suppression was ineffective, rendering the entire defense system virtually non-existent.

This cold winter night was destined to be a sleepless one for hundreds of thousands of people in and around Nanjing.

Outside the city, the "rebels" were sharpening their knives, while inside, the defenders awaited their doom in despair.

An unprecedented tragedy of infighting within the Japanese army is about to unfold in this ancient capital, scarred by countless wounds, accompanied by Zhou Zhengqing's chilling order to "charge forward."

As dawn breaks, the ancient city of Nanjing will once again be stained with blood.

1938年1月18日凌晨4时30分，华夏南京东郊。

The leaden-gray winter clouds hung low, like a giant blanket soaked in blood, completely shrouding this land that had just experienced a catastrophe.

The air was icy cold, filled with the lingering smell of gunpowder, a faint stench of blood, and a deathly stillness before a storm.