The Heroic Age of the Late Qing Dynasty

Yu Dehai looked for a while, then immediately left and ran into the trench towards another artillery position.

Commander Du sat patiently at the headquarters, awaiting news. He frowned slightly as he listened to the deafening roar, yet a wave of relief welled up in his heart. Fortunately, no infantry had landed. If the Japanese had, and if their artillery wasn't up to par, then no matter how dangerous the front line became, even if they had to brave the bombardment of Japanese warships, they would have sent troops to prevent the landing.

Commander Du was also feeling a wave of unease. In this era, when artillery batteries and warships were engaged in a firefight, Yu Dehai believed the batteries couldn't withstand it. Why couldn't they? There were many reasons. The batteries couldn't move, while warships could. Even with thick reinforced concrete, a direct hit from a warship's shells would still inflict significant damage.

At this time, reports of casualties continued to arrive before Commander Du, but he ignored them. Since the decision to capture Lushun had been made, Commander Du had already considered these issues. Casualties were inevitable. Furthermore, the artillery was the most dangerous unit in this war, and the loss of batteries was inevitable. Artillery was a highly skilled branch, and the losses pierced Commander Du's heart, but he remained silent, like a statue.

Commander Liu Wenxiu had already sent him a telegram, asking him to tell his comrades that behind the fort lay the Northeast, and that everyone was fighting not just for themselves but also for the people of the newly liberated Northeast. Commander Du naturally understood what this meant, and unless it was absolutely necessary, he was unwilling to give up the big piece of fat meat of Lushun.

Outside, the roar of artillery continued. If one listened carefully, one could still distinguish the sounds of different cannons. The dullest and most vibrating ones were the main guns. They were the best weapon for suppressing Japanese warships. Even modern battleships could not withstand being hit by the main guns. Regardless of the type of gun, the area of ​​Port Arthur that was bombarded had been completely distorted.

"Commander, are we just going to let the Japanese keep bombarding us like this?" the staff officer said unhappily.

"There's nothing we can do. We don't have a navy, so naturally we feel frustrated. Now we can only let the Japanese warships show off their power. However, hehe, each warship has a limited number of shells. The Japanese army's small guns are almost useless to us. Moreover, the shells and barrels of the heavy artillery are extremely expensive. I feel sorry for them when I see the Japanese navy bombarding us with heavy artillery. That's all money. Hehe, don't worry, the Japanese devils dare not really use up all their shells. We can only hold on to this wave. Once we enter North Korea... Well, the Japanese troop transports didn't come and won't land behind us. This is our greatest luck. Just be content."

Just when Commander Du was still hiding in the fortress and chatting with the political commissar and staff, good news finally came.

"Haha, Commander, we finally hit a warship."

Upon hearing this news, Commander Du felt relieved. As long as the artillery on his side had enough deterrent power, the Japanese army would not be able to do anything to him.

"What warship?"

"It should be a cruiser, ah! Look, there is thick smoke coming out of the ship, it's on fire, on fire, wow wow wow wow wow, explosion, explosion."

Upon hearing this, everyone in the command center cheered. Commander Du quickly stood up and looked through his telescope. Sure enough, the warship exploded like a firework, then broke in two and sank to the bottom of the sea like a rock, with a raging fire burning on the surface.

"Well done."

“Fuck him, son of a bitch.”

Yu Dehai had just entered the fortress when he saw the artillery's success and was very happy. But he still said: "Okay, keep working. Keep up the good work and strive to sink two more ships."

Everyone shouted "I!" and quickly returned to their work. Everyone was smiling. Finally, they had hit the ship, and sinking it with a single shot was truly remarkable.

This was the first time the Fifth Field Army had sunk an enemy warship. It was truly a memorable day, a great victory. A moment later, news reached several observation points that the Japanese warship had been sunk. With the victory finally confirmed, all the soldiers felt their fears had been worth it, as if a heavy burden had been lifted from their shoulders.

When the Japanese saw that their warship had been hit and the ammunition had exploded, causing a valuable warship to sink, they were immediately furious and madly poured shells towards Port Arthur. However, the Japanese warships never came closer, and the field army could only shoot from a distance.

However, after such a long period of training, the field army's artillery commanders had already discovered many tricks. Many of the shells fired were near misses. The warships appeared unharmed to the field army, but two more withdrew from the battle zone.

"It hits again. It hits again."

"Oh, is it sunk or on fire?" the staff officer asked anxiously.

"No, it was just a mess, but the Japanese sailed away. Alas, it was a waste of time."

"Can't our artillery destroy the Japanese warship with one shot?" said the staff officer dejectedly.

Commander Du took over and said, "Don't be impatient, don't think that you can solve the problem once and for all. If the artillery could defeat the warships, the Eight-Nation Alliance would not be able to enter the capital. Don't expect such a good thing. The fact that we can now engage in a firefight with the Japanese warships is a huge improvement. Of course, as long as there are enough shells, there will always be luck. Being able to hit the Japanese warships now is a pleasant surprise. But I believe in our comrades, they will definitely get better and better."

"Yes, but it would be great if we could destroy the Japanese supply ship anchored in the open sea. That way we can end the battle in a very short time."

"Haha, if we have a strong enough navy, the Japanese army won't be able to land in Korea. Wouldn't it be better to trap Japan on the Japanese island? For now, don't even think about the Japanese supply ships. Even if the two gunboats we captured could leave the Port Arthur naval port at night, they certainly wouldn't be able to get close to the Japanese supply ships. There must be warships patrolling nearby to protect the supply ships."

Chapter 554:

When Zhang Yinghao received the telegram that at least one warship had been sunk and several damaged in Port Arthur, he couldn't help but smile, and he was indeed happy. Port Arthur had now proven that it had the power to threaten Japanese warships, and that was enough.

At this point, Japan was impoverished and its people were in dire straits. Even the fanaticism of its politicians and the public was useless. Another Jinzhou landing operation was unlikely. Japan also lacked the ability to repeat the six-month-long siege of Port Arthur, as it did during the Russo-Japanese War. If Japan could pull it off again, Zhang Yinghao would be filled with admiration.

"Now it all depends on how the troops entering Korea perform. As long as Korea, Japan's rear base, is destroyed, Japan will no longer have the ability to attack Northeast China from land in a short period of time! Half of Northeast China will be at peace."

In Zhang Yinghao's view, the Russian defeat in the Russo-Japanese War was certainly due to Kuropatkin, the commander-in-chief of the Russian Far Eastern Army, who argued that the single-track Siberian Railway lacked sufficient transport capacity, leading to a shortage of troops and ammunition. However, the primary cause was strategic errors. Alexeev, the Governor-General of the Far East, issued the order: "The Emperor has commanded no action against the Japanese in Korea... The Japanese are not permitted to advance into Manchuria!" He then ordered Zasulich to deploy his troops extensively along the Yalu River. With a front stretching over 200 kilometers and riddled with loopholes, how could he not fail?

However, if Russia had sent troops to invade Korea, the war might still have ended in Russia's defeat, but it would have prolonged the war, which would have naturally been more advantageous to Russia. Russia also knew that the weak Japan hoped for a quick victory, and if Russia had invaded Korea, it would have been able to trade space for time, buying enough time for Russia to accumulate sufficient strength in Northeast China before engaging the Japanese in a decisive battle, perhaps slightly changing the final outcome of the war.

However, history does not allow for assumptions. For Zhang Yinghao and China, the better it would have been if Tsarist Russia had been defeated. The weaker Tsarist Russia's influence in the Far East, the better for China. Zhang Yinghao glanced at the map of Northeast China and put the Northeast's affairs aside for the time being. However, there was still a direction in the Northeast where Zhang Yinghao had put aside his concerns, and fierce and stalemate fighting was still going on!

At this time, Goki Jiro did not know that their country's navy had suffered a defeat in Port Arthur. They had been fighting for several days since landing on Andong. His repeated requests to rest in the rear were never approved. However, the rear still sent him additional troops, forcing him to continue commanding the soldiers to attack and fight.

Before punching out, you must first retract your fist and accumulate enough strength to have power. Without sufficient preparation, enough rest, and sufficient material preparation, how can a weak punch have power?

Kawamura Kageaki's mood at this moment was completely different from when he first arrived in Andong. He even felt a bit frustrated. If he had previously completely looked down on the field army, thinking that he could sweep across half of Northeast China with the troops, weapons and ammunition at hand, then now he knew he was completely wrong, extremely wrong. Facing the ubiquitous attacks and battles, the troops and weapons at his disposal could only enter a situation where defense was temporarily sufficient but offense was seriously insufficient. However, for the Japanese army, defense meant failure. The more important issue was that the Japanese army might be able to replenish its troops easily, but it was unknown when the munitions and supplies would be replenished.

Facing the attack of the Japanese army, the field army, under the command of Li Hu, continued to build lines of defense on each "front line", delaying the attack of the Japanese army through layers of defense and short offensive counterattacks, and constantly luring the Japanese army to attack in a fan-shaped manner, thereby diluting the Japanese army's strength.

At this time, Goki Jiro, who was on the front line, was even more troubled than Kawamura Kageaki. The opposing field army was completely different from the Russian army at the beginning. They did not retreat all the way to Liaoyang and other places. Instead, they took advantage of the serious lack of heavy firepower of the Empire of Japan and never left the front line. It can even be said that the opposing field army never left the front line of the battle and was always fighting with the Imperial Army on the front line.

In reality, the Field Army was truly bullying the Japanese, who had few artillery and heavy machine guns. After several Japanese attacks, the Field Army realized this and became even more daring. This wasn't surprising, considering that all the weapons and ammunition Japan had previously used in the Russo-Japanese War had been left behind in Manchuria. Now, Japan was essentially opening up a completely new battlefield and waging a brand new war. With the exception of some supplies previously stored in Korea, all other supplies would need to be transported from Japan to replenish them.

If the Field Army had, like Tsarist Russia, made every effort to prevent the Japanese landing in Andong, the Japanese, under the cover of naval guns, could easily have wiped out the main force of the Field Army and swept across most of Northeast China. However, the current situation was that the Field Army did not engage in large-scale battles with the Imperial Army. Instead, it dispersed its forces, launched evasive attacks, and even launched localized counterattacks. This was completely unconventional and a real embarrassment for the Japanese.

Itsuki Jiro and his men had just reached the top of a hill and were considering their next move when the opposing field artillery launched a short, intense barrage. Mortar shells pierced the Japanese troops, exploding directly into their ranks, sending them flying and causing numerous casualties.

By now, the Japanese were no strangers to this type of cannon. After numerous encounters, they knew it was a small cannon with a range of only a thousand meters, but an extremely fast rate of fire and exceptionally flexible and convenient maneuverability. It could even be said that after the Japanese captured several of these small cannons at a cost, they immediately became obsessed with them. For a small, resource-scarce nation, this small cannon could be an excellent source of supporting firepower for the Japanese army, allowing for large-scale deployment without consuming excessive amounts of steel. However, that was a matter for the future; for now, they could only endure the bombing.

Itsuki Jiro, seemingly protected by Amaterasu, lay trembling on the ground, but not a single shrapnel struck him. Unfortunately, Amaterasu's powerful protection only protected him, while the other Japanese soldiers were not so lucky. Shrapnel pierced their flesh, sending screams of agony through them. Faced with such a barrage, Itsuki Jiro wondered which side was the backward Chinese army and which was the powerful Imperial army.

When facing the artillery bombardment of the field army, Goki Jiro was already a little broken at this time. He no longer wanted to attack and die. He knew that after the artillery bombardment of the opposing field army, there would be a high probability of an infantry attack. Even if the opposing field army did not attack, their squadron would have to rest.

"We need to find a safe place quickly."

Goki Jiro secretly glanced ahead, then at the setting sun, and then at the road he had come from, and finally made up his mind. When the field army stopped bombarding, he immediately led his soldiers to retreat.

"Retreat, retreat, retreat to the high ground behind."

As Goki Jiro had predicted, not long after he and his troops retreated, the field army's charge horn sounded again. This time, it was a full-scale counterattack by the field army. Li Hu had received orders to increase the intensity of the offensive against the Japanese army, do his best to attract the Japanese army's attention, and even attract more Japanese troops from North Korea to enter the Northeast to provide cover for the comrades entering North Korea. Li Hu naturally accepted this, after all, it would help end the battle of his unit as soon as possible.

After the fierce artillery fire, the field army immediately charged forward, and soon the whole area was filled with the sound of killing.

Goki Jiro retreated to a higher point and took up his binoculars for a closer look. This counterattack allowed Goki Jiro to truly witness the full range of their tactics. He watched as the opposing army charged in a formation he had never seen before. It was difficult to describe. Some soldiers wore grass-green uniforms, while others wore colorful, tattered uniforms. These soldiers wore hats made of branches and took turns attacking in a disorganized formation. From a distance, the enemy looked truly scattered everywhere.

Cooperating with this formation was the artillery that opened the way. After the fierce artillery bombardment, the bullets fired from multiple directions by these soldiers completely suppressed the remaining Japanese troops so that they could hardly raise their heads. And these field armies covered each other and rushed up to the high ground.

Goki Jiro knew he had to attack, otherwise he would be court-martialed. Moreover, they had already exposed the flanks of the friendly forces next to them. If they did not make up for it, the friendly forces next to them would be finished. So Goki Jiro immediately shouted to his men: "Counterattack, attack, shoot."

When the Japanese soldiers received the order, they immediately rushed forward roaring.

Mystery is what makes people most worried and afraid. At this time, the field army was finally exposed, which made many Japanese officers breathe a sigh of relief. Even if their side suffered heavy losses, it didn't matter. At last, they could fight a good battle.

It wasn't just Goki Jiro and his men who were fighting back. Other Japanese troops were also constantly fighting back. However, facing the field army's infantry squad tactics, the Japanese were very uncomfortable and felt very uncomfortable.

The enemy's army was not attacking in waves, as was the case during the Russo-Japanese War, where the army charged forward all at once. If it were a wave attack, the Japanese army could effectively block the enemy's approach and effectively kill them with accurate shooting. At least when facing the Russian army, the Japanese army used this kind of well-organized wave attack.

But now the enemy army seemed to be everywhere, but when you counted them carefully, it seemed that there were not many. The entire attack was like a group of scattered soldiers with no clue, but the rifles and machine guns were coordinated perfectly, and the infantry and artillery were coordinated tacitly, which made the Japanese army flustered and caught off guard.

Chapter 555:

Every soldier knows that if they can kill an enemy with every bullet, they will be invincible. However, on the real battlefield, this ability is precisely lacking. The story of killing an enemy with a single bullet can only appear in novels.

In this era where bolt-action rifles dominate, scattered shooting and running shooting will rapidly reduce the hit rate of bullets. Concentrated shooting can certainly improve the efficiency of hitting, but when the enemies on the opposite side are very scattered, the efficiency of concentrated shooting will become even lower.

The field army continued to attack. If one of them was shot and fell to the ground, the soldiers next to him and behind him would immediately fill in. What surprised the Japanese even more was that even those soldiers who fell to the ground, as long as they were still able to fight, they continued to shoot at the Japanese. Although the number of people and firepower of the enemy was not particularly fierce, the number of shots was very large. When the small amount of shots accumulated, the Japanese felt that they were under attack from multiple directions, which was very uncomfortable.

The troops attacked quickly, but the field army also suffered losses. The remaining Japanese troops also inflicted considerable casualties on the field army. When they were within 30 or 40 meters of the Japanese, the field army soldiers in front suddenly paused, pulled out a grenade, pulled the string, and threw it forcefully into the Japanese defensive position.

There were loud explosions and the Japanese army suffered heavy casualties. Several shooting points were silent. The field army soldiers took the opportunity to attack the positions and fought with the Japanese army.

Goki Jiro was about to rush to the front of the field army with his men. He couldn't help but shout in excitement: "Board, put on bayonets, charge."

The rest of the soldiers immediately shouted "Board", and launched the Japanese army's most desperate "Board" charge.

Facing the attack of the opposing field army, and now that guns and artillery are not dominant, according to the experience of the old Japanese military professors, the Qing army will definitely collapse as soon as the bayonets draw blood.

The field army had already rushed forward with bayonets in hand. The remaining Japanese soldiers also put on their bayonets and, led by sergeants and officers, rushed out of their positions and rushed towards the field army.

The charging field army fired a volley of gunfire at close range, killing a wave of Japanese soldiers before their bayonets clashed. At this point, something astonished Goki Jiro. Some officers in the field army actually pulled pistols from their waistbands and opened fire on the Japanese soldiers at close range, killing them faster than a chicken. There was no trace of samurai or chivalry in their ranks, and they were completely devoid of any sense of justice.

Seeing the field army officers take out their pistols and fire, the battlefield suddenly rang out with angry shouts of "Baga!", but these shouts were useless. The field army continued to fire at the Japanese without mercy. In a moment, a large number of Japanese soldiers fell down under the sudden attack.

The cruelty of close combat cannot be described in words. The sounds of bayonets clashing, screams, and pistol shots are intertwined.

The soldiers on the field army had all been there during the previous attack on Shenyang and were familiar with the nature of large-scale bayonet fighting. Working in groups of three, they shielded each other and killed each other. Goki Jiro saw the opposing force steadily increasing in numbers, while his own soldiers continued to die. The pistols, in particular, were a nightmare in close combat. He could no longer hold out. If they continued fighting this way, it wouldn't be long before their entire squadron was completely wiped out.

He acted decisively, showing great courage and utterly severing his limbs. He ignored the Japanese troops in front of him and immediately retreated with the remaining troops that had not yet been deployed to the battlefield.

The sun finally set completely. Although there was still some light in the sky, the ground was no longer clearly visible. Goki Jiro led his troops in a continuous retreat, almost reaching their starting position for the day before stopping. Looking back, he felt that the blackness had become even more intense, like a giant beast waiting to be eaten by the Japanese army.

He shuddered suddenly, extinguishing the thought of defeat. He quickly consoled himself with this: "The Russians are no match for the Empire, so what is the Chinese Field Army?"

However, it was obvious that the Japanese troops retreating from the battlefield were all dejected. The current battle was completely different from what the Japanese had imagined, but they did not understand why it had turned out this way. The Japanese soldiers within the army strictly blocked information from each other and did not allow communication between units. The Japanese did not know why, but the field army did.

The field troops led by Li Hu were all rigorously trained, dedicated to science and cultural knowledge, and battle-hardened. Practice makes perfect, and the field troops were undoubtedly growing stronger with each battle. Perhaps they were slightly outmatched by the Japanese, but the Japanese were also short of ammunition and artillery, so a back-and-forth battle with the field troops was normal. Even a defeat in the face of a surprise attack from the field troops was also normal.

The darkness prevented the field army from advancing, and the artillery ceased firing. In the darkness, there was a chance they could fire at the enemy, but there was also a chance they could hit the pursuing troops, which was entirely based on luck. Furthermore, the Japanese troops on the other side wouldn't necessarily be foolish enough to wait for their artillery fire.

The night deepened, and the entire battlefield gradually quieted down. However, Goki Jiro had made meritorious service and was to be promoted before the battle. Despite losing nearly two-fifths of his troops, it was already rare that Goki Jiro was able to withdraw his troops this time. At least it was much better than those officers who were wiped out. Originally, Goki Jiro had prepared himself for a severe reprimand. After all, the guilt of deserting the battle was almost a foregone conclusion. However, he did not expect that his captain was hit by a shell and died on the spot. It was quite rare that Goki Jiro was able to lead the troops to withdraw. It was already a great achievement, so why would he be reprimanded? The Japanese army was now in urgent need of officers who were familiar with field army tactics, so Goki Jiro was promoted.

They say a new official is always impatient, but Goki Jiro wasn't impatient at all. He'd received word from a commander he knew that one battalion of the attacking force in their direction had been completely wiped out, and two battalions had been reduced to less than three squadrons. The same was true in other directions. Facing the field army's all-out and frenzied counterattack, all the attacking forces that failed to retreat in time were met with fierce attacks, with over 40% of the soldiers lying dead on the battlefield. The losses were truly devastating.

When he got the news, it was already dark. At this time, Goki Jiro looked at the endless land, and his heart was even more chilled. But he was also confused. What kind of army was he facing? Why was it nothing like what his predecessors had said?

The field army was unaware that a Japanese officer had deserted the battlefield and yet had been promoted. At that moment, the temporary headquarters where Li Hu was stationed was filled with laughter and joy. Listening to the casualties on both sides, everyone was even more delighted. When the Japanese warships first arrived, the comrades here had almost given up hope of defeating them. The artillery was so terrifying, and they simply thought that delaying the battle would be enough. Especially the demonic heavy artillery, the thought of which made people shudder.

However, after several days of fighting, the Japanese army showed signs of decline, while the soldiers made rapid progress and soon found the rhythm of fighting the Japanese army. The field army slowly regained the initiative and can now advance and retreat freely.

Li Hu said to the cadres: "I used to listen to the Chairman talk about mobile warfare, but I didn't understand a lot of it. This time, after practicing it, I finally understand the meaning of movement. We and the Japanese army have always been in a state of movement. In this movement, the strong enemy also has weak times and weak areas, and the weak also has strong areas. So since everything is in movement, strength and weakness will change in the movement, and there will be no fixed routines and methods to attack the enemy. We should annihilate the enemy in the movement, when the enemy is weak and in weak areas."

"Yes! Yes! The Chairman mentioned positional warfare within mobile warfare, counterattack within positional warfare, and counter-offensive within retreat. I didn't understand what he meant before, but now that I've used it this way, I understand everything."

"Haha, as long as the hoe is well dug, there is no corner that cannot be dug down. We must carefully summarize the experience and lessons learned from this battle and distribute them for study."

"Yes, but truly achieving the goal of making the troops work as if they were your own arms is not easy. It involves troop training, the adaptability of grassroots commanders, and whether the soldiers can master these tactics. To achieve this, the soldiers must have a strong offensive spirit, a tenacious will, and the courage to not fear sacrifice..."

"Yes, this reminds me of Yue Fei's Scattering Stars Formation during the Song Dynasty. Facing the Jin army's Crooked Horse Charge Formation, all the soldiers were spread out like stars in a crisscross pattern to mitigate the impact of the Jin cavalry. Then, in the field, the soldiers could gather and disperse as they pleased to kill the enemy. At this time, the soldiers and grassroots commanders must have a spirit of fearless devotion, a strong offensive spirit, and a strong desire to kill the enemy, otherwise there is a risk of collapse."

"That's right. Which of our soldiers now has no hatred for Japan and Russia? However, hatred can only be aroused temporarily and cannot last long. The most important thing is to make the soldiers understand the truth. The key is to learn culture. An army without culture is a stupid army and a feudal army. If we want soldiers to fight actively, we must let them understand these things. Only when soldiers know that they are fighting for the people and for the country, when our soldiers love the country and the people more than their own lives, and are willing to sacrifice their lives for the country and the people, can our soldiers burst out with unprecedented strength, truly be invincible, and become an army that cannot be defeated or dismantled."

"To have a strong offensive awareness, we must let our soldiers know what they are protecting. However, if we want to truly excel in mobile warfare, we must increase our regular training, at least more than the enemy. Otherwise, if we run for too long, we will be exhausted, and the exercise will not be effective."

"Don't worry, once these comrades understand how to conduct mobile warfare, they will train themselves. However, we must ask the comrades in the Training Department to come up with a plan, and the training volume cannot be reduced."

"Many of our soldiers on the front lines are miners. These comrades are hardworking and are indeed an excellent source of soldiers."

"Haha, I think you're targeting North Manchuria, but they don't have as many people there as South Manchuria, and those who can be rescued have basically been rescued by our comrades in North Manchuria, so there's no room for us in those recruits."

"We can see it but we won't say it out loud. We are still good friends, hehe..."

-...

Chapter 556: First update!

During the Russo-Japanese War, the Japanese army invaded Northeast China from Korea by sending warships and troops to feint at Andong. After being fooled, Tsarist Russia mobilized troops for support. The Japanese army took the opportunity to cross the Yalu River from Yizhou and captured Jiuliancheng on the opposite side. Tsarist Russia was afraid of being surrounded and withdrew directly towards Liaoyang and Fengtian, attempting to block the Japanese attack in the Liaoyang and Fengtian line like cutting melons and vegetables and win the final victory.

However, this time the Japanese army chose to force a landing in Andong. The reason was simple: the railway from Sinuiju to Seoul had been under construction for over a year and a large section had been completed. Moreover, the Japanese army looked down on the field army, and landing in Andong would provide support from naval artillery. Therefore, the Japanese army chose to force a landing in Andong.

At this time, the entire city of Yizhou in North Korea was plunged into a bloody storm, and the smell of gunpowder was everywhere. The bloody smell stimulated the nerves of all the soldiers. The victory of this battle also made the troops entering North Korea certain that there would be no problem in smashing North Korea.

The troops entering North Korea initially took a motorcycle and joined the comrades sent by Li Hu. Without stopping, they got off the motorcycle and marched north.

Not far from the city, we chose a place called Zifaleh to cross the Yalu River. The six special forces team, familiar with water, came to the river bank under the cover of night like a civet cat.

The soldiers remained silent and immediately began to swim across the water. Two of them carried a small wooden plank tied with a long, thin rope. The remaining soldiers trained their guns on the other side, ready to shoot any Japanese soldiers who might appear and discover the swimmers.

Although the swim wasn't long, it felt incredibly long for the soldiers left on shore. They all wished they had superpowers, the ability to fly across the Yalu River. Fortunately, the swim went smoothly, the surging water drowning out all the noise the six soldiers made, and they reached the other side without incident. Upon reaching shore, four soldiers pulled their pistols from their waterproof backpacks, attached silencers, and then pulled out their daggers, beginning their search. The other two soldiers immediately began pulling on the rope, quickly yanking a massive rope tied to the other side.

After ensuring it was safe, two soldiers immediately began driving piles and tying ropes. These field army soldiers, all farmers and miners, were quick and efficient at their work. Before long, two thick ropes were hanging over the river.

Then, a large group of soldiers rushed out from behind, each holding a thin wooden board in their hands. They ran to the riverside and started placing the boards one by one. Soon, a simple floating bridge was built.

This pontoon bridge was still too crude, making it difficult for horses and baggage to pass. Therefore, the field army's engineering corps used small boats to build a second pontoon bridge, relying on the existing one. With the foundation laid by the previous one, the second pontoon bridge was built quickly and efficiently.

The Japanese army never thought that the field army would dare to split up and attack Korea while their own troops were advancing into Andong. In the eyes of the Japanese army, Korea was the rear area. If the Tsarist Russia did not enter, would the Chinese dare to enter Korea? Therefore, they had completely relaxed their thinking.

After the main force of the field army crossed the Yalu River, the task of dismantling the pontoon bridge was handed over to Li Hu and other leading troops. They led the army quickly deep into North Korea, then suddenly turned right and rushed into Yizhou like a surprise attack.

The idea behind the troops entering Korea was simple: since they were going to destroy the Japanese military's infrastructure in Korea, they would use horseback maneuvering to quickly move south from Yizhou, destroying all the Japanese-built railways, mines, and government structures. Once they could no longer attack, they would head north, returning to the Northeast via Changbai Mountain. This plan of action would also give the troops entering Korea more room to maneuver and buy them more time. Furthermore, capturing Yizhou, a resource reserve base, would not only provide them with a large amount of supplies, but would also relieve pressure on our troops in the Northeast and weaken the Japanese. So why not?

The troops' movement into North Korea was very smooth. Perhaps, even if they killed the Japanese soldiers, they would never have thought that the enemy would attack them from behind!

When the field army suddenly appeared at the gates of Yizhou, the Japanese soldiers defending the city realized that something was wrong, but it was too late. The field army defeated the few Japanese soldiers defending Yizhou with just one charge and entered the city.

The Japanese army was indeed well-trained. Soon, machine guns blared everywhere. Although the Japanese troops were completely unprepared, they immediately engaged in battle. Machine gun bullets flew towards the galloping horses, and many field army soldiers fell down, blood gushing from their bodies. However, it was too late. After all, the Japanese army discovered the field army too late, and it was too late to stop it. The field army had not only cavalry, but also infantry. The soldiers at the back jumped over the fallen soldiers and continued to move forward! They used mortars to knock out all the Japanese street firepower points. The field army captured Yizhou in one battle, winning a great victory, an unprecedented victory.

Although the field army soldiers showed signs of fatigue on their faces, they also had smiles on their faces. With the supplies from Yizhou falling into the hands of the field army, the Japanese army became more difficult, and the field army had become stronger after the baptism of war.

If the invading troops captured Uiju, the strategic situation in Northeast China would be fundamentally reversed. Kawamura Kageaki, commander of the Yalu River Army, would have to turn back to retake Uiju, otherwise their retreat would be cut off at any time. The Japanese army would also have to find a way to send heavy troops to destroy this field army entering Korea, otherwise they would have to live in constant fear.

The troops entering Korea knew that they would soon have to face the pursuit and blockade of the Japanese army, and the largest amount of supplies they carried into Korea was gunpowder, bullets, artillery shells and other supplies, so they had to "rely on the enemy for food." Since the field army soldiers knew that they were coming to Korea to cause destruction, it was naturally the best option for them to choose to resupply on the spot, which would also damage Korea and even affect Japan's economic foundation.

Upon entering Korea, the field army implemented the "Three Alls" policy against the Japanese: "Kill all, Burn all, and Destroy all." After replenishing supplies and sending whatever was convenient for the infantry to take back home, the remaining supplies were burned. This fire burned for three days and three nights in Uiju, not only reducing half of the city to ashes but also extinguishing the Japanese's will.