Chapter 329: So You Are Xiang Chu
"Gan Rong! Kong Kong! Get out of the car quickly."
Xiang Chu shouted and jumped off the chariot.
He led the supervision team and the remnants of the 264th Brigade and rushed towards Baji Bridge.
Bao Ge rushed forward and said anxiously, "Director! Chief Zhang wants to talk to you."
"At this critical moment!"
Xiang Chu smiled bitterly, took the microphone and shouted,
"Minister! I have penetrated deep into the enemy's Marine Corps headquarters alone. Because of the bombing by naval guns and airplanes, I will lead my troops back to Baji Bridge immediately."
But Zhang Zhong said, "Don't! It's too good to go deep into the enemy's territory alone. Don't turn back. Build a bridgehead immediately. The elite troops of the 88th Division will arrive soon."
"Yes!"
Xiang Chu accepted the order reluctantly.
He shouted loudly: "You are not allowed to retreat across the bridge, into the enemy's bunker! Into the enemy's house."
Liu Zhengxiong said anxiously: "Boy! Didn't Commander Zhang ask us to build a bridgehead?"
Xiang Chu shouted, "What are you talking about? Save your life first, and follow me!"
Everyone knew that it was too late to run back, so they rushed into the Japanese bunkers along the way.
The Japanese shops and houses were all designed for war, with all of them having large iron doors and not even a window.
However, the supervising team members' engineering shovels could not be stopped, and they forced the door open with a fierce chop, turning it into a temporary shelter.
Xiang Chu took Liu Zhengxiong and others to a store called "Spring under the Mountain".
The shop also had a large iron door. Li Tong was about to break it open when Xiang Chu stopped him.
Xiang Chu took out a key, opened the big iron gate, and walked in with a swagger.
Everyone looked confused. Li Tong asked in confusion, "Master Junior still has the key?"
"Hurry up!"
Liu Zhengxiong pushed him in and everyone rushed in.
"Boom! Boom!"
The earth-shaking sound of naval gun bombardment rang out, venting the anger of the Japs.
Soon, the roar of bombers was heard and they began to drop bombs frantically.
Perhaps because they were afraid of the huge amount of compensation after the war, they all bombarded the streets around Baji Bridge and avoided the Japanese houses in Hongkou District.
Ning Qiang praised: "Wow! It feels so safe in here."
Xiang Chu took out a lot of biscuits, canned food and water, and said with a smile:
"Come on! Eat well so you can fight a big battle."
Sun Ji said with a grin, "Well! Be a full ghost."
No one says he has a bad mouth, this is the cruelty of war.
Liu Zhengxiong followed Xiang Chu into an office and said with a smile:
"Boy! Why do you feel so familiar with this store?"
Xiang Chu smiled and said, "I just came here with Yu Xiaowan a few days ago."
Liu Zhengxiong shouted, "You haven't asked Xiaowan to leave Shanghai yet?"
"In the concession! It's safe."
Xiang Chu smiled and handed him an opened can of meat.
Liu Zhengxiong took the can of meat and said as he ate:
"Kid! We are not the main force, why are you risking your life like this?"
"Once you are at the front line, if you don't move forward, you will die."
Xiang Chu smiled bitterly, pushed open the small window, pointed at the Bazi Bridge and said,
"Look! If we stay on the west side of the Eight-Character Bridge, will we still be alive?"
Indeed, the west end of Baji Bridge was razed to the ground after repeated bombings by the Japanese navy, guns and planes.
Liu Zhengxiong took a closer look and nodded.
"Waiting there will surely lead to death. It is safer here."
The sound of naval guns and aircraft bombing stopped. Xiang Chu put on his backpack, picked up his submachine gun, and said with a wry smile: "Lao Liu! Safety is only temporary. Let's go! Build a bridgehead and support the elite troops to attack the Japanese Marine Corps Headquarters."
Liu Zhengxiong was surprised and asked, "We still need to build a bridgehead?"
"If you don't build a bridgehead you'll be shot!"
Xiang Chu said helplessly, and paused.
"On the battlefield, even if you know that the commander's orders are wrong, you must resolutely carry them out. Do you understand?"
"Indeed!"
Liu Zhengxiong deeply agrees with this.
Xiang Chu led the supervision team and the remnants of the 264th Brigade out of the bunkers and houses and rushed towards the Japanese Marine Corps headquarters.
Unexpectedly, they ran head-on into a large number of Japanese reserve soldiers rushing out of the Japanese Marine Corps headquarters.
When two armies meet, the brave one wins!
The Japanese reserve soldiers were no match for the regular troops and were suppressed and taken into the Japanese Marine Corps headquarters.
"Stop the attack, build fortifications, and dig trenches!"
Xiang Chu shouted, pointing at the tank that had run out of oil,
"Li Tong! Push the tank over here to use as a command post."
"Yes!"
Li Tong hurriedly accepted the order.
Liu Zhengxiong looked at the Japanese Marine Corps Headquarters and suggested:
"Boy! Why don't we rush over and take it down."
Xiang Chu smiled bitterly and said, "Old Liu! I went in to scout. The surrounding wall is one meter thick and full of machine gun and artillery firing holes. The Japs are waiting for you to go in and die."
Liu Zhengxiong said in surprise: "Ah! Then let's just build the bridgehead obediently."
Xiang Chu picked up the megaphone and reported loudly: "Minister! I have arrived outside the gate of the Japanese Marine Corps Headquarters. The bridgehead has been built. Please ask the elite troops of the 88th Division to arrive quickly."
"Good! Great!"
Zhang Zhong was overjoyed.
Needless to say, he thought that Xiang Chu's troops had been blown to pieces by the Japanese naval guns and planes.
While Xiang Chu and others were anxiously waiting, the German-equipped 88th Division finally rolled over.
They were very surprised when they saw the supervision team leading the remnants of the 264th Brigade to build fortifications.
Commander Sun said with a smile: "Xiang Chu! No need to build it, you guys should retreat quickly and leave it to us."
"Row!"
Xiang Chu readily agreed, waved his hand and shouted,
"Supervisory team retreat!"
After saying this, he turned and ran towards the Bazi Bridge.
Kong Kong and Gan Rong caught up like the wind, protecting him closely on the left and right.
Liu Zhengxiong ran and shouted: "Boy! Don't we want to see how the 88th Division fights?"
Xiang Chu shouted, "Old Liu! Do you want to die or watch the fun?"
Liu Zhengxiong muttered, "Is it that serious?"
From the air to the ground, the war was extremely fierce.
There were corpses of people and animals everywhere, it was like hell on earth.
Countless houses were destroyed and the people cried bitterly as they looked at their destroyed houses.
Xiang Chu shouted, "Let's leave Shanghai! There are bigger battles to fight."
Many people were reluctant to leave because their homes were still there. Now that their homes are lost, faced with the cruel reality, they have chosen to flee.
In order to capture the Japanese Marine Corps headquarters, Zhang Zhong specially sent China's largest and most elite artillery - 24 150mm German field howitzers to the front line.
He also called Xiang Chu to the combat command center to listen to the good news together.
Xiang Chu smiled bitterly and said, "Minister! There is no need to waste shells. They can't penetrate the wall of the Japanese Marine Corps headquarters."
Zhang Zhong said angrily: "How do you know if you don't try?"
The rumbling sound of cannons shook the land of Shanghai.
However, the front line reported: "Commander! We can't penetrate."
Zhang Zhong said helplessly: "Retreat!"
The war lasted for 4 days, with tens of thousands of elite soldiers killed or wounded, and all battle objectives were not achieved. Zhang Zhong fell into deep self-blame.
At this time, a general rushed into the command post, exhausted.
He reported loudly: "Minister! The 36th Division has arrived. Please issue the combat order."
Zhang Zhong was overjoyed and ordered loudly: "Song Lian! The 36th Division will immediately seize Huishan Wharf."
Xiang Chu said anxiously: "Minister! The Japanese reinforcements are about to land in Xiaochuansha. It is better to let the 36th Division build fortifications along the coast to block the enemy landing. The Japanese have already gathered heavy troops at Huishan Wharf, and it is impossible to take it down."
Song Lian shouted angrily: "How dare you, a mere lieutenant colonel, disobey the commander's decision?"
Zhang Zhong said anxiously: "Song Lian! Don't be angry, he is Xiang Chu."
Song Lian said in astonishment: "Ah? So you are Xiang Chu."
Xiang Chu smiled and said, "It turns out to be Commander Song. I have heard of your great name for a long time!"
Zhang Zhong scolded, "You two! Stop being so sympathetic and think about how to fight our battle."
Xiang Chu said anxiously: "We can fight at Huishan Wharf, but we have to fight quickly and decisively. We have to withdraw as soon as the enemy reinforcements arrive."
Song Lian said anxiously: "The 36th Division has just arrived in Shanghai, the officers and soldiers are full of fighting spirit, and we have tanks, so we will definitely be able to quickly capture Huishan Wharf."
Zhang Zhong waved his hand and said, "Alright! The 36th Division will move immediately. Xiang Chu! You can also lead the supervision team over."
"Xiang Chu, hurry up!"
Song Lian took Xiang Chu and left.
Xiang Chu shouted: "Minister! Quickly withdraw the 88th Division and stop attacking the enemy headquarters..."
"You little brat! You care about a lot of things!"
Song Lian shouted at him loudly and dragged him out of the command post.