Bright Sword: Leading the Special Operations Squadron to Fight the Japs

Chapter 673: No Killing of Enemies

This time, the emperor's sword was almost broken.

Okamura Yasuji originally thought that the Kwantung Army was just talking nonsense. After all, they have always had a tradition of rebelling against their superiors, and the February 26 Incident was an example.

However, he never dared to think that the First Division would retreat without any orders? It couldn't even be called a retreat, but a rout!

After recovering from his shock, Okamura Neiji smashed all the porcelain he saw in front of him to pieces, otherwise he was really afraid that he would get sick.

"Baka! Baka! The First Division is too arrogant. I want to protest to the Kwantung Army! In addition, Nakaike Sanfu actually wants to retreat. Did he forget the armored forces of the independent column? They can run faster on two legs than on tracks and four wheels!"

Okamura Neiji is in a complicated situation now. He wants the 1st Division to be crushed by the tracks of the Independent Column to teach them a lesson, but he also wants them to withdraw safely and join the combat sequence of the direct attack on Zheng County.

"Send a telegram to the First Division immediately. Since we have decided to retreat, we must be on guard against the armored forces of the independent column and quickly move towards the north bank of Zheng County!"

"Commander, we have just started trying to contact the First Division, but all their radio stations, including the emergency backup radio, are shut down and we are unable to get in touch!"

"Baga! Nakaike Sanfu really did a thorough job! So let's pray for their good luck?"

"Do we need to send the 110th Division and the rd Tank Division to provide support?"

"No, since we have completely controlled the Yellow River Bridge and the bridgehead on the south bank, we should attack Zheng County with all our strength! Order the 110th Division and the rd Tank Division to move closer to the Yellow River Bridge. In addition, all units' anti-aircraft firepower should be strengthened to the Yellow River Bridge. No chance of loss is allowed!"

"Hayi!"

Okamura Neiji now placed all his bets on the battlefield on the south bank of the Yellow River Bridge. As long as he could capture Zheng County, he could go west to Luoyang and south to Xuchang, and still achieve his established combat objectives.

Li Jiayu in Jiyuan had already noticed signs of retreat of the Kwantung Army's 1st Division, but he repeatedly told all the troops of the 1st Army not to pursue them and to let them all go back.

"Commander Li, I don't understand. Now is our chance to seize the opportunity and pursue our victory. How can we give up?"

"Chen Tie, you are still too young! Our goal is not just to annihilate the enemy's First Division. The most important strategic goal is to cut off the Japanese's north-south transportation line!"

"Commander, I still don't understand. Cutting off the Japanese's north-south transportation line doesn't conflict with annihilating the Japanese's First Division?"

"Haha, if the First Division can't run back to the Yellow River Iron Bridge north of Zheng County, what reason do we have to chase them? And then cross the Yellow River Iron Bridge and fight directly from west to east?"

Chen Tie clicked his tongue a few times. He didn't expect that Li Jiayu had "evolved" into such an excellent commander. Not only was he excellent in tactics, but he was also far beyond his reach in strategy.

"Commander, I, Chen Tie, admire you! You are so smart, so smart!"

Li Jiayu smiled and waved his hand, then put his arm around Chen Tie's shoulders.

"Haha, although I studied in Principal Lin Shubing's senior officer training class for three months, this adult strategy was really not something I came up with. I had the same doubts at first, but after listening to Chief of Staff Wang's explanation, I suddenly realized it!"

"It turns out to be Chief of Staff Wang. I admire you so much!"

"Okay, no more words, now let's just follow the First Division slowly and rush them across the river!"

The distance from Jiyuan to Zhengzhou is nearly 200 kilometers, but the Japanese First Division took five days to walk there, which made the soldiers of the Fourth Army who were driving armored vehicles, tanks and cars very anxious.

In the past, when they were chased by the Japanese, they always felt that the Japanese were too fast and they couldn't breathe. But now they found that the Japanese were as slow as turtles!

Li Jiayu received letters of request from his soldiers almost every hour, asking to grab the Japanese devils' butts and kick them hard.

"Tell all the soldiers of the Fourth Army that following the First Division of the Kwantung Army is a death order, and not annihilating its manpower is an even greater death order!"

Li Jiayu's strange behavior was not only incomprehensible to the soldiers of the group army, but even to Nakaike Sanfu.

During the retreat, Nakaike Mitsuo kept leaving behind one or two squadrons to form suicide squads, trying to stop the attack of the Fourth Army by "dying with honor".

When the Japanese soldiers with bombs tied to their bodies were ready to "die for their country and be loyal to the Emperor", they found that the steel torrent seemed to be frozen. They neither retreated nor attacked, just watched from a distance of one or two kilometers between them and the suicide squad.

The Japanese suicide squad were frightened by the sight, and their hands holding the fuse were sweating. Finally, they waited until the main force of the First Division gradually left the danger zone and continued to retreat.

Zhongchi Sanfu was puzzled. Could it be that the combat effectiveness and deterrence of their death squads were so strong now? They successfully blocked the Fourth Army with only two or three hundred Japanese soldiers.

However, Nakaike Sanfu, who still had a glimmer of rationality, quickly rejected his fantasy.

"No, we are like chess pieces being manipulated by the independent columns. They are like shepherds, and we are all flocks of sheep!"

"Your Excellency, what countermeasures do we have?"

Nakaike Sanfu thought about it again and again, and now even if he knew that the independent column was going to push them forward, it would be of no use.

After all, you can’t beat them in a fight, so you can only run!

"Keep marching towards the Yellow River Bridge. Make sure we cross the river smoothly!"

"Hayi!"

After giving the order, Zhongchi Sanfu felt his heart pounding and uneasy.

He slapped himself and forced himself to calm down. After all, he was now the supreme commander of the "lonely army" of the First Division!

Okamura Neiji had already issued an order through a messenger to the 1st Division to cross the Yellow River Bridge. Although this made him feel a little comforted, he was spared the crime of disobeying military orders.

However, given Okamura Neiji's sinister and cunning character, he would never let it go just like that.

If the Battle of Central Henan had succeeded in capturing Zhengxian, Luoyang and Xuchang and completely annihilating the 1st Division of the Central Army, then Okamura Yasuji might not have pursued the matter further.

But if the Battle of Central Henan failed, then he, Nakaike Sanfu, would certainly be sent to the military court for trial. After all, this Battle of Central Henan was not just about the North China Front Army, but also related to the Southeast Asian battlefield, the Pacific battlefield, and even the so-called "national destiny" of the empire.

Therefore, Nakaike Sanfu made up his mind that if the Battle of Central Henan failed, the First Division would no longer exist!

"Rest tonight, and we will be able to reach the Yellow River Bridge tomorrow morning. Regain your strength and attack Zheng County!"