Chapter 9: Donglin Academy

If nothing unexpected occurs, the main force of the enemy has surely been drawn to the city center, and the sweeping forces in various districts have become extremely weak. Otherwise, the number of enemies encountered along this route would not be so few, and at this intersection, there would not be just a mere squad of enemies stationed here. This is sufficient to indicate that the enemy's troops have been redeployed.

Tachibana Koji paused for a moment in contemplation, then walked over to the sword rack and picked up the imperial army sword.

The worst-case scenario is that, in the event the troops are defeated, it will be necessary to establish temporary reception points to gather the remaining soldiers, while simultaneously stockpiling essential military supplies to rearm the gathered troops. However, given the conditions of the 99th Independent Division, it is unrealistic to think about stockpiling military supplies at the temporary reception points.

"Have you never studied martial arts?" Xu Rui asked

No," Yang Dahu continued to shake his head in confusion

Seeing Xu Rui leading the charge, about twenty remaining soldiers suddenly leaped up from their hiding places in the ruins, each brandishing a bayoneted Type 38 rifle, following closely behind Xu Rui, shouting as they charged forward

A large cloud of blood mist erupted from behind the enemy machine gunner's steel helmet, and he immediately fell to one side

Eliminate the Japanese!

Tachibana Koji said in a menacing voice: "No matter how difficult it is, we must carry out the extermination!"

... ...

General Tachibana Koji strapped his sword to his waist and said fiercely: "That fool Akita can't even handle such a trivial matter. I must personally go to the city center. Before sunset, I must eliminate the Chinese army hidden in the center of Wuxi. Kobayashi-san, I leave the command post to you."

"Hello." Kobayashi Jiro bowed deeply, his expression filled with bitterness as he said, "Captain, it is indeed hard to believe, but this Chinese army has truly vanished without a trace."

"Heaven and Earth?" Upon hearing this, Kobayashi Jiro suddenly felt a stir in his heart

The one who fired the gun was an old soldier left behind by Xu Rui to monitor the enemy. The old soldier rose from his crouched position on the roof of a hidden house and shot, instantly blowing off the head of the enemy second lieutenant. He then skillfully pulled the bolt to eject the shell and chambered another round, accurately hitting the forehead of another enemy machine gunner with a second shot. In an instant, both of the enemy's machine guns were rendered inoperable.

Another 6.5mm caliber pointed copper-core bullet spun rapidly and whistled out

Lin Feng summoned the highest-ranking second lieutenant among another group of remnants and asked, "Which regiment are you from?"

After asking again without yielding any results, Lin Feng said to Xu Rui: "Brother Xu, what shall we do now? Should we return to assist the remnants of the various main forces, or should we go to Donglin Academy to wait for them?"

Upon seeing the National Army launch a desperate charge, the Japanese second lieutenant, who was huddled behind the barricade, immediately raised his sword and fiercely waved it towards Xu Rui and the others, then shouted hoarsely in rage: "Kill, kill, uh..."

Yang Dahu brandished his bayonet, roaring as he lunged at a Japanese sergeant

"Hello." Kobayashi Jiro bowed deeply and continued, "I suspect that there are tunnels connecting the center of Wuxi City with the national defense works outside the city. Furthermore, it is possible that the Chinese have directly constructed fortifications into the center of Wuxi City. The Chinese troops that previously ambushed the imperial army in the city center may have already retreated into the tunnels."

Donglin Academy is a temporary shelter for the 79th Division.

Having finished speaking, Tachibana Koji then slung his sword and strode away.

As Yang Dahu looked around again, he saw that the seven or eight Japanese soldiers from earlier had all fallen into pools of blood. Two groups of Nationalist soldiers had already gathered in one place, frantically stabbing the Japanese soldiers on the ground with their bayonets, regardless of whether they were dead or alive, leaving dozens of transparent holes in each Japanese soldier's body

In the next two hours, the Akita Brigade turned Wuxi city center upside down, yet found no organized Chinese military units; not to mention a regiment-level unit, even a squad-level unit of the Chinese military was not found. In confusion, Major Akita quickly reported this situation to the command post

In the next moment, the crooked gun that had just been fiercely spewing fire immediately fell silent

"Impossible, this is absolutely impossible!" Tachibana Koji growled, "Kobayashi-san, this is not just a handful of remnants, nor is it a small unit of only a dozen or twenty people, but at least two battalions, nearly a thousand men. How could they just disappear? Are the Chinese all immortals, able to ascend to heaven and traverse the earth?"

The enemy's assistant shooter had just pushed aside the sharpshooter who had been shot in the head when Xu Rui shot him in the head as well. A soldier king is indeed a soldier king; this marksmanship and accuracy are truly not to be underestimated

"Fool." Xu Rui kicked Yang Dahu in the rear and scolded, "Remember, do not compete in brute strength with opponents who are stronger than you; learn to use cunning and skill."

Yang Dahu reached out and grabbed the hands of the enemy sergeant, straining to pull them aside, but he could not break free at all. In just a moment, Yang Dahu felt a wave of darkness before his eyes, and his hands began to lose strength.

However, just after a half-hearted roar, a cloud of blood mist suddenly erupted from the back of the Japanese lieutenant's head, and his angry shout came to an abrupt halt

"What?" Tachibana Koji looked at Kobayashi Jiro in disbelief and said in a low voice, "Gone?"

As soon as the crooked gun was set down, Xu Rui immediately jumped up from the concealed pit, charging forward with large strides while skillfully pulling back the gun bolt. With a clang, a spent shell was ejected from the chamber. Xu Rui quickly closed the bolt again, chambering another round, and without aiming, raised his hand and pulled the trigger once more

"What? His Highness the Prince has already set off?" Upon hearing this, Tachibana Koji's expression immediately changed.

Our regiment commander was killed in the bombing, and the battalion commander also sacrificed himself for the country

According to wartime regulations, every unit must prepare for the worst-case scenario

Damn it, let's fight the little devils!

The second lieutenant replied, "Report to the commander, we are from the Third Regiment."

Upon hearing this, Kobayashi Jiro could only smile wryly. Does His Highness the Prince not realize that his arrival will cause significant disruption to the frontline combat troops? The combat forces must divert sufficient manpower to ensure his safety, which will inevitably have a serious impact on military operations. These royal offspring truly do not make things easy for others

"Baka!" Tachibana Koji, infuriated, took off his military cap and threw it heavily onto the ground

Kobayashi Jiro then said: "Captain, if our suspicions are correct and the Chinese have constructed tunnels to the center of Wuxi, then it will be difficult to carry out the extermination."

Xu Rui pondered for a moment and then said: "Go to Donglin Academy"

Kill kill kill

Damn little devils, go die!

Xu Rui allowed the remnants of the troops to vent their frustrations for two minutes, before loudly admonishing them: "Enough! What kind of hero boasts in front of a few corpses? Hurry up, clean the battlefield and prepare to relocate!"

Kobayashi Jiro hurriedly said: "Captain of the regiment, shall I go instead?"

Now that the opportunity has arisen, how can the remnants of the Nationalist army not vent their emotions wildly?

I do not know, everything has been scattered, but there are still many brothers trapped in the city, unable to break out

Tachibana Koji suddenly turned around and said in a low voice, "Kobayashi-san, are you implying that..."

What about the remaining brothers in your group?" Lin Feng asked again

In the blink of an eye, the two men collided like two enraged bulls, their bayonets clashing without any finesse. In just one round, Yang Dahu realized he had encountered a formidable opponent. The Japanese sergeant before him appeared to be of short stature, with slightly bow-legged legs, yet possessed immense strength and exceptional bayonet skills.

The strengthened Akita Brigade quickly advanced into the center of Wuxi City

At that moment, a communications officer suddenly entered with a telegram, reporting: "Colonel, we have just received a telegram from the military command, stating that His Highness the Prince has decided to set off for Wuxi ahead of schedule, and the telegram also mentions that His Highness has already departed from Shanghai. The special train he is on is expected to arrive at Wuxi Railway Station before dawn tomorrow"

The enemy sergeant threw away his rifle, spread his ten fingers, and grasped Yang Dahu's throat.

Just as Yang Dahu was convinced he was destined to die, a blood-dripping knife tip suddenly pierced through the neck of the Japanese sergeant.

The neck was pierced, the trachea severed, and in an instant, the consciousness of the enemy sergeant fell into a state of stagnation. The hands that had been gripping Yang Dahu's throat suddenly became powerless. Yang Dahu finally pried open the enemy sergeant's large hand, then greedily took a deep breath. When he looked up again, he was surprised to find that it was Xu Rui who had saved his life.

Seeing Xu Rui leading a charge with about twenty remaining soldiers, the ten or so soldiers hiding in the ruins on the right also charged forward without hesitation. In less than seven or eight seconds, the two groups of remaining soldiers had already approached the two circular barricades. The remaining seven or eight Japanese soldiers were equally fierce, charging back with their bayonets without any hesitation

This is how people are; once they fall into a certain cognitive trap, it becomes very difficult to escape.

Hello! Xiaolin Jiro was left speechless and could only bow his head in agreement

The enemy sergeant also realized his advantage in strength from the earlier collision. Following that, he charged forward and knocked Yang Dahu to the ground. Then, he leaped onto Yang Dahu, pressing his entire body down on him. Due to the close proximity of both sides, the rifle with bayonet seemed somewhat long, making it more effective to use his hands instead.

Kobayashi Jiro's expression turned serious as he urgently asked, "Captain, what are you planning to do?"

Xu Rui has reason to believe that the more than ten remaining soldiers before him can break through, and he is confident that the other remaining soldiers can also break through. Therefore, there is no need to return for support; it is sufficient to wait for them at Donglin Academy.

The enemy sergeant approached silently, head lowered, holding a bayonet.

"Commander, you must have heard of the Xicheng Line, having previously worked in the Army Department," Kobayashi Jiro began to elaborate on his inference, and then continued, "The Xicheng Line and the Wufu Line are two national defense works that the National Government invested heavily in, and Wuxi is the starting point of the Xicheng Line"

"Wait until I teach you a lesson, little devil," Xu Rui said, and with a swift motion, he plunged his bloodied dagger into another enemy soldier's throat. The soldier's gaze froze in shock, and with a sharp sound, Xu Rui withdrew the blade, causing a stream of blood to shoot out like an arrow from the soldier's throat, before the entire body slowly collapsed to the ground

"Skills?" Yang Dahu was left in confusion upon hearing this

No," Tachibana Koji declared firmly, "I will go myself.

It was truly frustrating, the previous battle was indeed very suffocating

The two groups of remnants finally ceased their frenzied actions and began to clear the battlefield

Where is your team leader, San Tuan?

Kobayashi Jiro hurriedly reported the situation feedback from the Akita team to Tachibana Koji