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

Zhang Chi's pupils contracted. He quickly retracted the turret, slammed the hatch shut, and issued an order via radio: "Everyone, attention, there are organized Japanese troops in the rainforest 500 meters ahead at 10 o'clock. Open fire!"

For a moment, time seemed to stand still. The Japanese soldiers in the rainforest and the independent battalion soldiers on the river were stunned, their facial expressions frozen.

The next second, gunshots suddenly exploded, deafening.

Time passed quickly again, and the battle broke out like a storm.

The PT-6 torpedo boat responded first. The two 12.7mm heavy machine guns on the upper cabin roared first, flames spurted out from the muzzles, and bullets swept towards the Japanese like a ruthless iron rain. The fierce firepower tore the surrounding rainforest into pieces.

Then, the 37mm main gun of the LVT-A1 amphibious tank roared, and the high-explosive shells rushed straight into the jungle ahead, making a deafening explosion.

Zhang Chi could clearly hear the gunfire outside from inside the turret. When he pressed the trigger handle, the dull sound of the main gun firing made his eardrums hurt. (The LVT-A1 tank commander also served as the gunner)

The Japanese soldiers in the rainforest were not idle either. They reacted quickly. When they were attacked by the first wave, they immediately lay on the ground and used the cover of the rainforest to fight back against the fleet on the river.

Zhang Chi could only hear the 7.7x58mm Arisaka rounds fired from the Type 99 rifle and Type 99 light machine gun hitting the tank hulls with a piercing sound that distracted him. (The Southeast Asian enemy troops were mainly equipped with 7.7 caliber light weapons.)

In the river, the soldiers also did not retreat.

Zhang Chi saw through the narrow observation port of the turret that the three company commanders, Hao Yi, Qi Quan and Bai Minghui, had begun to command the soldiers in the cement boat to open fire.

The soldiers of the independent battalion in the river shouted loudly, placed their rifles, machine guns and submachine guns on the side of the boat, and concentrated their firepower towards the Japanese on the shore.

Their eyes were full of anger and hatred. The corpses floating on the river, those dead comrades, were silently inspiring them, making these soldiers try their best to avenge their dead comrades.

The bullet pierced through the air and hit the tree trunk, making a crisp "pop" sound and sending wood chips flying.

The shockwaves from the high-explosive shells blew branches and leaves everywhere, and some of the broken twigs became sharp spears, flying out at high speed and piercing the Japanese along with the shrapnel.

The Japanese soldiers in the jungle fell one after another, and part of Zhang Chi's promise had been fulfilled. At least the blood of the Japanese was splattered on the muddy land in the rain.

Despite this, the Japanese did not flinch at all. Under the command of the sergeant, several Japanese soldiers set up the Type 99 light machine gun and pointed the muzzle at the river with the sergeant's sword pointing.

Immediately afterwards, bullets spurted out, hitting the boats on the river. Big holes were immediately punched in the concrete side of the boats. A soldier was hit in the forehead by a bullet and fell into the boat without a sound.

As the fleet continued to sail, the distance between the two sides became closer and closer, and the firepower of the exchange became more and more accurate.

Zhang Chi turned the handwheel quickly, and his fingers holding the trigger handle trembled slightly. When the loader beside him loaded the 37mm high-explosive shell into the barrel and closed the breech, he immediately pulled the trigger handle.

His right eye was glued to the gunner's sight, and in the 3x magnified field of view, the light machine gun spewing flames immediately flew into the sky along with the gun and the man.

"Kill 2 [Soldiers], increase R&D points by 80, and Silver Lions by 180. Kill 1 [Lieutenant], increase global experience by 200, and Silver Lions by 300."

The system's prompt was so quiet that all Zhang Chi could hear were the increasingly dense sounds of gunfire and explosions. He didn't even notice that the system was reminding him that the last shot had also killed a lieutenant.

At this moment, Zhang Chi suddenly had an absurd illusion that the string of cement ships tied together were like an armored train, and the torpedo boats and amphibious tanks were the front and rear of the armored train. At this time, the train broke out with powerful broadside fire in the encounter.

Suddenly, he felt the tank vibrate; a grenade had landed at the rear of the column. The shockwave from the explosion rocked the last cement boat and the amphibious tank, and several soldiers leaning over the side of the boat were struck by shrapnel, bleeding profusely.

"Be careful! The Japanese grenade launcher." Hao Yi, holding a carbine, shouted while replacing the empty magazine.

Next to him, an old soldier placed the bipod of a cloth machine gun on the side of the ship and fired two short bursts at a bush where a grenade launcher might be hidden. Then, without checking the results, he immediately lowered his head to avoid the attack.

Sure enough, the next second, the bullets from the Japanese light machine gun's counterattack swept across the side of the ship, blasting away countless pieces of concrete.

Zhang Chi in the turret took a deep breath and once again adjusted the direction of the 37mm main gun, aiming it at the firing machine gun position. The artillery fire boomed, and the Japanese light machine gun hidden behind the huge tree roots and the trees in the jungle were instantly engulfed in the flames of the exploding shells.

Another grenade came flying, and the light projectile drew a high arc and landed on the river behind the amphibious tank. This deflected grenade exploded, but did not cause any damage except for throwing a few fresh fish onto the shore.

Zhang Chi, through the gunner's scope, keenly noticed something unusual. He estimated the enemy's grenade launcher group's hiding place was in the bushes. So, gripping the radio microphone tightly, he decisively issued the order: "This is the nest. Torpedo boat No. 1, you will use your machine guns to strafe the area near my shelling position."

After that, a 37mm high-explosive bomb hit near the bushes. The explosion splashed countless dirt and dead branches, and also indicated the direction of the two 12.7mm heavy machine guns on the PT-6 torpedo boat.

The gunshots roared like thunder, causing echoes throughout the river.

Zhang Chi could clearly see the rain of bullets mixed with tracer bullets whipping past like a fire snake, penetrating the nearby trees as thick as bowls, and the low bushes could not stop the 12.7mm bullets. Leaves and wood chips flew all over the sky, like a small typhoon, destroying that small piece of rainforest.

The flesh and blood of the Japanese veterans hiding there were powerless against the powerful bullets. They were instantly ripped apart by the fiery snakes and fell to the ground. Zhang Chi even saw clouds of blood mist appear there, then dissipate in the rain.

It is always the case that the brave prevails when two meet in a narrow road. Amid the roar of guns and cannons, the loud noise of falling trees, and the whistling of bullets tearing through the air, the Japanese in the jungle were finally unable to withstand the powerful firepower of Zhang Chi's team. Having lost a large number of light machine guns and grenade launchers, they had to retreat in a panic, leaving behind more than 70 corpses and fleeing deeper into the rainforest.

The battle came quickly and ended just as quickly.

"They have escaped. Everyone cease fire and prepare to dock. Gather all the wounded on Dr. Hao's boat and let him treat them." Zhang Chi saw the enemy going away through the gunner's sight, and the tension in his heart eased a little.

Then under his order, the fleet docked and the soldiers quickly went ashore and took action.

Zhang Chi also commanded the LVT-A1 amphibious tank to drive to the shore. He jumped off the tank and began to personally command the troops to carry out the cleanup work.

The muddy ground beneath his boots had long been stained red with the blood of the Japanese soldiers. In the jungle by the river, Japanese soldiers wearing shit-yellow uniforms were lying in all directions.

The soldiers first stabbed the Japanese with their bayonets to make sure they were dead, and then quietly searched through their belongings to collect valuable intelligence.

Zhang Chi walked across the slippery mud and came to the body of a Japanese second lieutenant. Qi Quan was squatting there, rummaging through the Japanese soldier's satchel. Suddenly, he pulled out a yellowed map from the bag and excitedly looked up at Zhang Chi and said, "Look, Captain, this is their battle map."