Bright Sword: Construction starts from southeastern Shanxi

Pinglu Front.

When Ushijima Mitsuki and Homma Masaharu received the report from the 39th Brigade.

The two looked at each other, their hearts beating fast.

The arrival of the 389th Division troops was within their expectations.

But what Takagi Yoshito said in the telegram was beyond their expectations.

Whether it is the weapons and equipment of the 389th Division or the express delivery arriving in Yuncheng.

Both exceeded their expectations.

Now, they are still fiercely attacking the Third Army in Pinglu County.

However, according to their estimates, it would probably take several days to capture Pinglu.

However, no one can guarantee what changes will occur in the next few days.

The two men thought about it and decided to increase the intensity of the front-line attack.

Try to capture the Pinglu and Sanmenxia areas before the 389th Division captures Yuncheng.

In this way, as long as their two divisions hold this place firmly, they can wait for the two divisions in Zhongtiao Mountain to arrive.

Then the four divisions can join forces and march towards Luoyang.

As the two issued their orders, the Japanese army on the front line began to intensify its offensive against Pinglu.

The two divisions of the Third Army had suffered two-thirds casualties at this time.

In the city.

"Commander, the Japanese attack has intensified!"

Deputy Army Commander and Commander of the 12th Division Cun Xingqi said to Tang Huaiyuan.

At the same time, his face looked a little ugly.

"Let the military's guard battalion reinforce the front line immediately."

Tang Huaiyuan didn't say much.

The two people beside him looked at Tang Huaiyuan with a determined look on his face.

He also nodded.

They had just received news from Luoyang.

The 20,000-strong westward column of the 389th Division of the Eighth Route Army had arrived in Yuncheng at this time.

They were preparing to launch an attack on the 39th Brigade of the Japanese Army stationed in Yuncheng.

The Japanese army obviously accelerated the pace of attack.

Obviously, the Japanese divisions attacking on the front line were already panicking at this time.

At this time, they could not let the Japanese army really capture Pinglu.

Moreover, the 80th Army supporting them will arrive in Pinglu in one day.

The more this happens, the more their army cannot afford to let down.

Thus, the Third Army and two Japanese divisions began the final life-and-death battle in Pinglu.

Outside Yuncheng City.

Xun Bai at the front line saw that the troops had already established an offensive position.

nodded.

He looked at Chief of Staff Zhang Fusheng and said.

"Ask the troops below how they are preparing."

Zhang Fusheng nodded after hearing Xun Bai's words.

Pick up the phone on the command desk.

"Hello~ I'm Zhang Fusheng.

How is the artillery regiment prepared?

Let Yuan Fusheng answer the phone."

Less than half a minute later, Yuan Fusheng's voice came from the other end of the phone.

"Chief of Staff, the air defense position has been deployed~

The artillery is in place~"

"Okay, get ready and wait for orders."

After Zhang Fusheng finished speaking, he called the various regiments on the front line one after another.

After Zhang Fusheng finished the call, he put down the phone and said to Xun Bai.

"Commander, the troops below are ready."

Xun Bai stood in the command center. After listening to Zhang Fusheng's words, he put down the telescope in his hand.

"Let the first and second artillery battalions begin shelling the Japanese on the city wall.

The 81st and 82nd Regiments first sent out small units to conduct an exploratory attack."

After hearing this, Zhang Fusheng immediately picked up the phone again and passed on Xun Bai's order.

Soon, the front-line units and artillery regiments in the rear began to prepare for the attack.

On the city wall.

At this time, behind a bunker.

The two Japanese soldiers were whispering to each other at this time.

"Ueno-kun, when do you think the Chinese army outside the city will attack?"

Another Japanese soldier, Taro Ueno, who heard this, shook his head.

"Asai-kun, no matter how the Chinese army attacks, you must protect yourself."

The Japanese soldier named Ueno Taro said to Asai Hayabusa.

"But, I heard that our division is about to be surrounded by the Chinese army this time?

Is this true, Ueno-kun?"

Upon hearing this, Ueno Taro's face suddenly changed.

He quickly covered Asai Hayabusa's mouth.

"You're crazy, Asai-kun. If your superiors knew you said that, you'd probably end up like those locust soldiers in the south who were clamoring to return home."

After saying this, Ueno Taro's face changed drastically, and he looked around quietly.

Ueno Taro breathed a sigh of relief after realizing that no one was paying attention to them.

Then, he quietly spoke seriously to Asai Hayabusa.

"Asai-kun, remember not to say these words in front of other people, unless we are from the same village. If others hear what you just said, you're done."

Asai Hayabusa saw that Ueno Taro had a serious face.

Suddenly I understood something.

His face suddenly turned ugly.

A few months ago, he was a reserve soldier of the 20th Division from a village in Nagano Prefecture. He responded to the call of the army and enlisted in the army.

But before that, he had seen many naval newspapers that publicized the army's failure in China.

When Asai Hayabusa saw this scene, he didn't take it to heart at all.

They felt that the navy was deliberately discrediting their brave and fearless locust army.

However, he didn't expect that after he was assigned to the 20th Division, he found that there were many new recruits with him.

In the following months, he gradually discovered the defeat of the locust army in North China.

Asai Hayabusa, who knew the truth of all this, suddenly became a little anxious.

You know, he had listened to the government's propaganda, saying that their locust army on the other side was invincible and could conquer every battle.

He decided to enlist in the army because there was an urgent need to expand the empire's influence in China.

But now what I thought and what I discovered are completely different.

Especially when I think about what my family would do if I died in China.

So Asai Hayabusa began to get scared.

Especially now, when seeing the Chinese army opposite, they are preparing to take the initiative to attack the city guarded by the locust army.

And it was the famous 389th Division of the Eighth Route Army.

Asai Hayabusa's worries suddenly rose to his throat.

Since arriving in North China, he has learned about the glorious achievements of this unit from many predecessors.

This reputation was built entirely on the corpses of the locust army.

Taro Ueno, who was standing by, sighed in his heart after seeing Asai Hayabusa's expression.

As a veteran who joined the 20th Division at the end of last year, he knew exactly what Asai Hayabusa was thinking.

After all, my original idea was the same as his.

But there was no other way, the two could only pray.

Pray that their division can survive this disaster.

Suddenly, there were bursts of whistling sounds coming from the sky.

Taro Ueno's face suddenly changed.

"Enemy attack~Eighth Route Army artillery bombardment~"

After saying that, he pulled Asai Hayabusa and quickly hid in the temporary fortifications built beside him.

Afterwards, the entire city wall began to be continuously bombarded by the troops of the 389th Division Artillery Regiment.

The shells landed on the city wall, and the sandbags and various shelters on the ground were instantly blown to pieces.

Then it was thrown high up and fell to the ground.