Chapter 1, Battle of Shanghai (1)

Why? Zhao Yongde became furious

"Ugly, ugly," Zhao Yongde clapped his hands and laughed: "Those little devils are really ugly, huh, could it be that you are too, brother?"

"That is authentic," the clerk patted his chest.

Upon hearing the words of the document, Zhao Yongde was momentarily taken aback, then burst into hearty laughter: "Haha, well said, you really have a way with words, full of twists and turns, truly worthy of being my Zhao Laohu's pen. I won't be ashamed to admit, I know full well that a white knife goes in and a red knife comes out; killing one is breaking even, killing two is not a loss!"

"Good, good! Brothers, what a powerful name. Wang Laogen, right? I will remember your name. If we win this battle, I, Zhao, will treat you to a drink," Zhao Yongde shouted, seemingly trying to vent the frustrations and gloom of the past few days: "Brothers, turn around, face the women’s army, and urinate!"

What can you do

"Then we are fellow townsmen." Zhao Yongde chuckled and patted the clerk's shoulder vigorously

In fact, death can be considered a resolution. What is most difficult to accept is that occasionally one or two surviving wounded soldiers have either had their thighs severed by shrapnel or their abdomens torn open. Whenever Zhao Yongde sees the purplish intestines, the dismembered limbs scattered everywhere, and the heart-wrenching cries, he feels a surge of resentment building up inside him.

Zhao Yongde has always considered himself to be quite brave; this is not merely boastful talk, but rather earned through scars. He enlisted at the age of sixteen, fought against warlords, and battled Wu Peifu, starting as a low-ranking soldier. Now, at the age of thirty, he has finally been promoted to the rank of regiment commander. However, this is not something he takes pride in. What truly deserves his pride are the numerous bullet holes on his arms revealed when he unbuttons his jacket. Each bullet hole carries a story, and each one is a testament to his military achievements.

Of course, you and all the old and young members of the entire division are our dear brothers. Haha, go ahead and distribute that bucket of water among our brothers

What Zhao Yongde refers to is not the group of brothers who have fought alongside him through thick and thin, but rather another mysterious ally hidden behind the earthen mounds

I have a way to handle this. You go to the pile of corpses and dig out a few undamaged helmets. Instruct everyone to drink water, and those who need to urinate should do so; do not waste it, save it for me. When the little devils come and start shooting, use the urine to cool the gun barrel; it's almost the same as water.

"It is!" With a stomp of her right foot on the ground, she saluted and walked away with a cheerful demeanor

However, at this moment, Zhao Yongde felt utterly helpless, and indeed, completely so. After the failed amphibious landing at dawn, the Japanese ceased all attacks and instead deployed gunboats to blockade the river, bombarding his positions in succession. The Japanese shells were both fierce and accurate; although there were trench fortifications and makeshift mounds dug by the engineers, many parabolic shells still landed among the densely packed crowd, sending those once vibrant smiles into hell. The Japanese shells were both fierce and accurate; although there were trench fortifications and makeshift mounds dug by the engineers, many parabolic shells still landed among the densely packed crowd, sending those once vibrant smiles into hell

The surrounding airwaves are very hot, yet Zhao Yongde's heart remains unresponsive to the heat. He believes that he is the seventh, but certainly not the last.

Hmm, this method seems reliable, the clerk murmured to herself

Upon thinking of this, he shook his head helplessly, glanced at the several soldiers beside him holding guns, and shouted at the place where the training team was hiding: "Make sure to load your bullets properly, fix the bayonets on your rifles, in critical moments, we must rely on ourselves. If we depend on certain soldiers who only know how to play with women, the whole of China will be adorned with the Rising Sun Flag of the little devils."

At this point, he turned around and cast his gaze towards a mound of earth several hundred meters behind him. He took a few deep puffs of his cigarette, discarded the remaining half of it, and crushed it forcefully with his leather shoe

Although it is merely a lens, the equipment, quality, and discipline all indicate that this is by no means an ordinary army

The several soldiers had long been indignant about the inaction of their comrades behind them, and at that moment, as if in a fit of rebellion, they turned around and began to urinate after pulling down their pants

It is said that every soldier in this unit is equipped with the latest German gear, fully armed from head to toe. The targeted training provided by the German instructors has further enhanced their capabilities. The Training Corps, as the name suggests, was established by the authorities to ensure that after these soldiers have achieved success, they would branch out and be assigned as instructors to various direct-affiliated units, thereby elevating the entire Central Army to a higher level. Unfortunately, this ambitious plan had not yet been put into action when the July 7 Incident occurred, leading to chaos and warfare, and the brilliance of the Training Corps was subsequently extinguished, gradually fading from public view.

"Killing one is breaking even, killing two is not a loss! Actually, I mean the same thing, haha." The clerk also laughed, and after a moment, he turned his eyes: "By the way, Chief, you seem to be from Northeast China, right?"

However, regardless of the circumstances, in everyone's eyes, this army is a divine presence that no one dares to trample upon. Zhao Yongde, back in the day, was also a believer in this deity, but now, he is disappointed, thoroughly disappointed.

"Hello, Xiao Chen, inform the logistics to distribute the last barrel of water among everyone. I estimate the brothers will be cursing from thirst by the afternoon." Putting on his steel helmet, Zhao Yongde's eyes gradually turned resolute

At the end, Zhao Yongde could no longer contain himself. In the name of the commander, he wrote a note and instructed the messenger to deliver it for negotiation. However, the other party sent the soldier back, citing 'military secrecy' as the reason.

Yes, the Teaching Brigade, this incredibly legendary name, this name that makes all soldiers extremely envious

With a loud bang, a shell shattered the billowing smoke hovering over the riverbank, accompanied by a piercing sound that hurt the eardrums, reducing the earthen mound that the engineers had barely constructed half an hour ago to rubble

Pah! A group of soldiers!

"Laozi lived a lowly life, but died in a worthy manner." This is the original quote from Hu Yanwang. What else Hu Yanwang said, Zhao Yongde has completely forgotten. He only remembers that on that night, he struck the mouth that had once insulted the women of the Hu family for eight generations until it bled, then bowed three times to the north and poured out a jar of wine

Behind him, there is a row of soldiers sitting side by side, their faces expressionless, unmoved by external stimuli, their upright postures resembling rooted wooden stakes. The attire of these individuals is as peculiar as their expressions, uniformly clad in German M35 steel helmets, gray overcoats, and small gaiters. A closer inspection reveals that they are equipped with a sidearm and gas masks, items typically reserved for high-ranking officers. The standard-issue rifles resting on their shoulders are as new as can be, emitting faint dark glimmers under the refraction of sunlight. A closer inspection reveals that they are equipped with a sidearm and gas masks, items typically reserved for high-ranking officers. The standard-issue rifles resting on their shoulders are as new as can be, emitting faint dark glimmers under the refraction of sunlight

The two Maxim heavy machine guns on the front line are water-cooled; without water, the barrels will overheat and cannot fire bullets. Without heavy weapons, if the enemy attacks later, what do we have to fight back?" The clerk sighed: "Commander, I know you are tough on the brothers. Although no one says it out loud, everyone understands in their hearts. Even if there is only one soldier left, the brothers will charge forward without hesitation to fight the little devils, let alone this small matter. Rest assured, everyone can endure it." As he said this, he unbuttoned his pocket and took out a crumpled piece of paper: "Look, I, Chen, have even written my will. Since I came here, I never intended to go back. The Japanese bastards have killed so many of our fellow villagers in the Northeast. I am not Yue Fei, nor am I Han Shizhong, but as long as I have breath left, I will make these cannibals pay for their blood debts!"

"Sir, that bucket of water... that bucket of water cannot be used!" As the clerk spoke, he licked his cracked lower lip with the tip of his tongue. It seemed that, like the other soldiers, he was already on the brink of hunger and thirst. However, the remnants of his rationality still led him to reject his superior's absurd order.

After the sixth stretcher passed by, the man squatting and eating sorghum noodles finally stopped the movement of his cheeks, his eyes fixating on the bloodstains on the ground, as if he were reminiscing about something. After a while, he let out a sigh from his nostrils, slowly picked up the large teacup beside him, disregarding how much dirt had fallen inside, tilted his neck back, and drank it all in one go.

"Sir, you have wronged me!" The soldier's expression was as aggrieved as it could be: "Look, isn't the wind blowing in the right direction now? We just want some of those women to catch a whiff of the urine of Wang Laogen, a real man!"

In the past three months, the Japanese invaders have ravaged half of China like a wildfire spreading across the land, and the Chinese, who have been embroiled in internal strife, are gradually coming to understand what it means to face a national crisis. Just a week ago, Zhao Yongde witnessed with his own eyes the notorious warlord Hu Yanwang, known for his cowardice within a hundred miles, leading his puppet troops into the enemy's ranks, fighting fiercely and repeatedly until he was finally pierced by dozens of bayonets, dying on the spot.

Hmm, yes! Zhao Yongde from my hometown Harbin responded, "But how did you know?"

The reason for being the acting commander is that the original has been blown to pieces. Why is it the seventh? The reason is even simpler: because the remaining five regimental commanders who subsequently took over have all been killed in action by now

"Go to hell, you bastards." Upon witnessing this scene, Zhao Yongde found it amusing and kicked the nearest guy to him, sending him sprawling on the ground: "Did I not give the order? If you need to urinate, do it in your helmet and save it for watering the machine gun."

However, they did not notice that, two hundred meters away, a pair of infinitely elongated eyes was quietly observing this place, precisely measuring every torque and even the perpendicular bisector

"Teacher, I can ... ..."

If this continues, the morale of the army will completely dissipate. This was Zhao Yongde's only thought

He is a reckless man with a scruffy beard, hot-tempered and single-minded. Although he does not speak in an overly refined manner, he understands why his parents gave him this name at birth. To live in this world, one must not only be brave but also possess virtue; only by embodying both can one truly honor the country above and the ancestors below

"A group of interesting little fellows." Putting down the telescope, Yang Kai revealed a barely noticeable cold smile at the corner of his mouth, but this ripple of emotion had not lasted a second before it was quickly retracted. He returned to his original expressionless face.

At this moment, Zhao Yongde finally understood the identity of the other party: the Teaching General Corps

Hehe, don't you think our accents are quite similar?" The clerk raised his eyebrows proudly and said: "For example: the little devils of Japan, short and ugly, extremely unsightly

May I call you "big brother"? The clerk's face turned a bit red as he spoke hesitantly

He is neither a coward nor a timid turtle. However, speaking frankly, although the people under his command are nominally a full regiment, as of now, even if you gather the non-regular personnel, they do not amount to a full battalion. Even the cook, Fat Zhou, has abandoned his ladle and resolutely gone to the front lines. Meanwhile, the Japanese officers seem to have noticed this as well, as they are merely shelling, causing their own side to be unable to lift their heads.

The collision, the cries, the pleas for help—everything seems like a silent film, pushing the city of Shanghai into a tragic climax

In the next moment, the sporadic chewing in the trench came to an abrupt halt, replaced by a hysterical panic and dread

The cry of "urinate!" echoed like a mountain, as the north wind was strong at that moment, carrying a foul odor that quickly spread far and wide, extremely unpleasant

The heavy machine gun ... ...

He is Zhao Yongde, a native of Northeast China, and he is the seventh commander of this Nationalist Army's mechanized division

"Get lost, my methods are reliable!" Zhao Yongde kicked the clerk, then pulled out a pack of American Camel cigarettes from the ammunition box, opened it, casually put one in his mouth, and tossed the rest to the clerk: "Distribute the rest to everyone, one for each person, let them all try the high-end goods from the Americans!"

At this moment, he, who feared neither heaven nor earth, finally understood what it meant to be in a dilemma. Yet he could not retreat, for behind him lay the entirety of Shanghai, and behind him were over two hundred thousand powerless citizens.

As he watched the figure of the document fade away, Zhao Yongde's smile gradually stiffened at the corners of his mouth, and an indescribable sorrow emerged in his eyes: "I hope this is not the last cigarette we all smoke in our lives"

I did not expect that the so-called strongest troops were merely a group of timid showpieces. When it comes to actual combat, they do not even dare to fire their guns. Truly, they are like a beautiful exterior concealing a rotten interior.

This unit was urgently dispatched to the Wenzhao River front last night. Upon first seeing them, Zhao Yongde's initial reaction was one of excitement, as it meant he would no longer have to fight alone. However, it wasn't long before the initial excitement was plunged into a low by the harsh reality. This unit did not choose to integrate with his forces but instead set up camp several hundred meters away from the front line. What infuriated him the most was that from last night until now, they had not fired a single shot, and even in the critical moments when the enemy was on the verge of breaching his defenses, they failed to respond in any way.