The expeditionary force began to dominate Southeast Asia by recruiting defeated soldiers

"Kato-san, please bear with it."

After saying this, Major Daishi raised his sword and cut off the other person's right hand at the wrist, which was bitten by a poisonous snake.

"Ahhhhhh, my hand, my hand!" Kato howled in agony while holding his severed hand.

Major Dazhi shouted, "Shut up! Do you want to attract all the enemies here?"

Waving his hand to signal the people around him to take care of Kato, Major Daishi looked at the watch worn upside down on his wrist. The time was now a little after 7:30 in the morning.

Looking around, a group of dusty paratroopers surrounded Major Daishi.

曾经编制上600多人（3个150多人的步兵中队，1个100多人的武器中队）的第3挺进联队如今只剩下了不到200人，外加几个找不到部队的第4挺进联队的伞兵。

The rest of the paratroopers were either dead or scattered.

Because there was no radio, Major Dashi could neither contact the rear nor the 4th Advance Wing that was supposed to be airdropped near them.

Now he could only hide in the rainforest with a group of people, playing hide-and-seek with the Marines who were searching for them.

Because the strong wind blew the weapon boxes and supply boxes with parachutes everywhere, now these more than 200 people have less than 100 machine guns in addition to a dagger in each hand.

Weapons were in short supply, and many Japanese paratroopers only had one grenade.

"Major, we should take the initiative to attack the enemy forces, seize their weapons, gather our scattered paratroopers, and look for an opportunity to seize the bridge!" A staff officer, possessed by the soul of Showa, gave direct advice.

Major Daishi looked at the other person as if he were a fool.

"Taking the initiative to attack? With only two or three of us, big cats and small cats?"

"And you're still trying to strengthen yourself by seizing the enemy's weapons. Don't make it sound as easy as taking a knife and a pistol against an enemy armed to the teeth as if you were taking a blade with your bare hands, bastard!"

Major Dashi took out a compass and looked to the northwest. Although his view was blocked by the dense rainforest, he knew that was the direction of the Mogang Bridge.

Unfortunately, even though we are only a few kilometers away from the bridge, this short distance now seems so far away.

"What a long bridge..." Major Daishi sighed, waved his hand and led the paratroopers deeper into the rainforest.

He had no intention of engaging in any conflict with the Marines before dark.

-----

Zhang Guangjun stood outside the command center, looking at the blue sky and breathing in the fresh air.

"How many Japanese paratroopers were killed?"

The staff officer who had opened the can of stench and forced the headquarters to ventilate the area lowered his head and said shamefully, "After the various departments counted the bodies of the Japanese, they found over 300 bodies. I estimate that many more fell into the river and swamps."

Zhang Guangjun raised his head and finally found the black dot circling in the sky. "Tell the boat teams 1 and 2 on the river to pay attention to air alert. The Japanese are likely to drop weapons or bomb again."

"We now have a firm grasp on air supremacy. Will the Japs really come again?" The staff officer looked at the black spots in the sky and knew that they were a dozen P-40 fighter planes that had come to provide cover as planned.

"We are now fighting against Cao Cao's army that has cut off the food supply to Wuchao. If the Japanese want to open up the railway line, they must seize this bridge." Zhang Guangjun knew very well that his current position was hitting the weak spot of the Japanese army in Myitkyina.

"Where is the support from the fast column?"

"According to the telegram sent by headquarters not long ago, the fast column is only two days away from us." The staff officer replied quickly.

"Very good, just hold on for two more days."

Zhang Guangjun said this, but he was mentally prepared to defend against the Japanese reinforcements coming north alone for many days.

After all, on the battlefield, "punctuality" has always been a luxury word, and frequent accidents are the norm.

He now has a 3000-man Marine Corps, dozens of torpedo boats and patrol boats equipped with various rapid-fire guns, and hundreds of LVT-A1 tanks. Even if the Japanese send out a regiment, as long as the number of heavy artillery is not large, he has the confidence to defend the bridge forever.

Until the last moment, Zhang Guangjun did not consider blowing up the bridge. After all, his nominal cousin Zhang Chi was still counting on using this railway bridge to carry the Sherman tanks south.

"Are there still enough ammunition and supplies?"

"The Japanese have no inland fleet. The entire Irrawaddy River is under our control. As long as water transportation continues, we will not lack supplies."

"Alright then, let's use the Japanese cans we seized today as a snack for the troops below. Remind them to check if any of the Japanese cans are bulging. If they are, throw them away."

"Yes!" The staff officer blushed, saluted and left.

-----

"The enemy's search team didn't return to the bridge headquarters, but instead set up camp at the edge of the rainforest?"

After receiving the report from the scouts, Major Dashi, who was hiding in the rainforest, immediately realized the opportunity.

The enemy only had a company of more than 100 people and three amphibious vehicles. When night fell, they could close the distance and launch a human bomb charge under the cover of the rainforest.

If we can seize the enemy's weapons and capture a few tanks, maybe we can really capture the bridge?

Major Daishi, who had no idea that the entire amphibious marine regiment had more than 200 LVT-A1 tanks, quickly arranged a battle plan.

At 1 a.m. on July 15, Major Dashi looked at the quiet campsite outside the rainforest where there were only sporadic lights and made up his mind to attack.

More than 200 paratroopers tiptoed out of the rain forest with branches and cloth strips in their mouths and headed towards the camp of the Marine Corps search force.

Closer, closer.

Major Daishi could even clearly see the figure of the sentry holding a shotgun outside in the moonlight.

Suddenly he stumbled.

The "clang, clang" sound of metal collision was extremely harsh in the silent night.

"The Japs are coming to the west! Turn on the searchlight!"

The Marines in the camp had been waiting for a long time. All of a sudden, the LVT tanks equipped with searchlights and the mortars fired flares that illuminated the open space at the edge of the rainforest into daylight, exposing the figures of the Japanese paratroopers who had left the cover of the rainforest.

"You've fallen for it. It's a trap."

There was no time for Major Dazhi to hesitate, as heavy firepower came immediately. Dazhi could only bite the bullet and rush forward with a group of paratroopers, trying to close the distance.

Of course, this is just a last-ditch effort.

"Is the bridge really that far away?"

Major Dashi's 90mm steel helmet was pierced by a bullet, and this was the only thought left in his mind.

-----

Including Major Daishi, nearly 200 paratroopers were eventually wiped out.

"You, just work hard." A bespectacled Marine Corporal smiled and took out a few cans and handed them to a dozen captured Japanese paratroopers.

The Japanese paratrooper stretched out his bound hands in surprise and took the opened can.

After being airdropped, they hid in the rainforest for a day and were already tired and hungry. They didn't care that their lips were cut by the can mouth and directly ate the luncheon meat in the can.

"Don't be in a hurry, don't be in a hurry, eat slowly. You can set off on your journey after you are full. I have some water and cigarettes here." The corporal spoke in Jinling dialect, which the Japanese could not understand, and handed them cigarettes with a smile.

Kato, who had lost one hand, took the cigarette and put it in his mouth. Just the smell of tobacco made him look satisfied.

There is meat to eat and cigarettes to smoke.

The sudden change from hell to heaven made Kato suddenly feel that being captured was not a bad thing.

"Amin still likes to tease the Japanese?" The company commander in the distance silently lit a Marlboro and turned to ask the platoon leader.

The platoon leader said gravely, "His entire family was killed in Nanjing... He was the only one who survived after being stabbed in the ribs and pretending to be dead. Just let him vent his anger."

"Oh, how am I supposed to write this report?"

The company commander turned around and heard the sound of intense submachine gun fire from behind him.

Kato fell from heaven to hell again, with only a look of astonishment on his face.