Shijiazhuang, Headquarters of the North China Area Army.
"Beep beep beep beep..."
One urgent battle report after another arrived from the front lines.
"Reporting to the Commander! The 21st Division has been attacked by a Chinese tank formation northwest of Xing—suffering heavy losses, requesting reinforcements!"
"Reporting to the Commander! The 32nd Division has been attacked by a Chinese tank formation northwest of Xing—suffering heavy losses, requesting reinforcements!"
"Reporting to the Commander! The 108th Division has been attacked by a Chinese tank formation northwest of Xing—suffering heavy losses, requesting reinforcements!"
"Reporting to the Commander! The 1st Independent Mixed Brigade has been attacked by a Chinese tank formation northwest of Xing—suffering heavy losses and requesting reinforcements!"
"Reporting to the Commander! The 2nd Independent Mixed Brigade has been attacked by a Chinese tank formation northwest of Xing—suffering heavy losses and requesting reinforcements!"
"Reporting to the Commander! The 5th Flight Squadron has lost four Ki-45/Type 2 two-seat fighters and twelve Ki-43/Type 1 fighters. Squadron Leader Captain Shinichi Kimura has been killed in action!"
"Report......"
One piece of bad news after another arrived, and Terauchi Hisaichi's face grew increasingly grim.
How could the Chinese army have a tank formation?
Why? ? ?
Furthermore, according to the latest news, the tank models used by the Chinese tank formation are the Japanese Type 97 medium tank, the Japanese Type 95 light tank, and the Japanese Type 94 ultralight tank.
"Baka!!!"
"Why are tanks from our empire in the Chinese army?"
Terauchi Hisaichi was so angry that he trembled all over.
This was something the empire spent years developing and mass-producing, and now it has fallen into enemy hands!
"Baka yarou, find out exactly what happened!"
"Hi!"
The chief of staff nodded in agreement: "Your Excellency, rest assured, I have already sent people to investigate!"
"Reporting, Commander! The reconnaissance planes of the 5th Flying Squadron have brought crucial intelligence—Niangziguan Pass has fallen, and the 4th Brigade has been annihilated!!!"
Suddenly, another piece of bad news arrived.
Niangziguan Pass has fallen!
"What?! Niangziguan Pass has fallen?!"
"The 4th Brigade was killed in action???"
Upon hearing this, the entire room fell into a deathly silence.
No one could believe their ears.
The garrison at Niangziguan Pass was the Empire's most elite infantry brigade, well-equipped and highly trained. How could it have fallen?
"Baka!!!"
Terauchi Hisaichi was furious. He ripped the telegram he had just received off the table and threw it against the wall. With a muffled thud, the paper turned into snowflakes that scattered throughout the room.
"Order all troops to retreat!"
"Return to defend Shijiazhuang—!!!"
"Send another telegram to the First Army Headquarters: Niangziguan has fallen. If there are any Chinese troops inside the encirclement, give them a severe beating!! They must be annihilated!!!"
"Hai!!!"
Soon, urgent telegrams were quickly sent out in all directions.
As the radio waves were transmitted, the Second Army reinforcements withdrew across the board and rushed to Shijiazhuang at top speed.
On the Xingxi Plain, countless supplies, corpses, and severed limbs were left behind.
Escape routes were opened one after another, and defeated Japanese troops fled out.
The news of the fall of Niangziguan and the annihilation of the 4th Brigade was like a bombshell, shaking every nerve of the Imperial Army's high command.
Upon receiving the order, the First Army immediately launched a general attack on the Chinese troops in the encirclement.
"Order all artillery to fire—!!!"
"All grenade launchers, fire—!!!"
"All soldiers, charge!!"
"Blow the Chinese troops inside the encirclement to smithereens!"
"Turn the Chinese troops inside the encirclement into sieves!"
"You bastards! How dare you attack Niangziguan! I will make these Chinese soldiers pay the price!!!"
First Army Commander-in-Chief Yoshio Shinotsuka, with a sinister grin on his face, issued the order for a general attack.
The entire artillery unit of the First Army opened fire.
Countless shells fell from the sky, exploding with a deafening roar, sending up bursts of flame that shot into the sky.
"Boom boom boom..."
The explosion was deafening, and the ground trembled.
At 4:21 a.m. on August 11, a part of the 36th Division was the first to enter Niangziguan Pass.
The garrison inside Niangziguan Pass had already been completely annihilated, with corpses strewn across the fields and rivers of blood flowing.
Looking at the Jingguan piled high with the corpses of Japanese soldiers.
All the Japanese soldiers knelt on the ground, tears streaming down their faces.
They swore revenge, they absolutely had to take revenge!
At 4:37 a.m. on August 11, the 37th Division, the 16th Brigade, the 1st Division of the Puppet Army, the 2nd Division of the Puppet Army, the 3rd Division of the Puppet Army, and the 4th Division of the Puppet Army entered Niangziguan.
However, no Chinese soldiers were found nearby.
"Where has the main force of the Chinese army gone???"
Taiyuan, Independent Garrison Command (First Army Command).
When Yoshio Shinotsuka learned that his counter-encirclement had come up empty-handed, he was so angry that he stomped on the teacup and smashed it.
"Baka yarou!!!"
"The 4th Brigade has been lost! They didn't even wipe out a single Chinese soldier!!!"
"A bunch of useless trash!!!"
Yoshio Shinotsuka roared at the high-ranking officers of the First Army in front of him.
"General Shinotsuka, please calm down. What's done is done, and we should think of ways to make amends!" Chief of Staff Shunsuke Nishimura said cautiously.
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