176: put all one's eggs in one basket

Time flew by, and it was soon ten o'clock in the morning.

The troops had undergone several waves of charges; despite the soldiers' bloody and valiant efforts, they were unable to achieve a significant breakthrough.

Zhang Zhizhong watched the enemy through his binoculars—so close, yet impossible to finish off. He slammed his fist heavily against the wall, filled with resentment.

Final victory seemed within reach, yet remained tantalizingly distant.

However, faced with the terrifying naval gunfire of the Japs, his troops were truly helpless.

Faced with the heavy casualties his units were sustaining, Zhang Zhizhong hesitated.

Seeing the Commander's expression, the staff officers around him also became wavering and uncertain.

Just then, Lin Shiming stepped forward quickly and handed over a telegram: "Your Excellency, an urgent telegram from Jinling!"

Hearing this, Zhang Zhizhong abruptly lowered his binoculars and took the telegram.

After reading the contents of the telegram, he visibly began to hesitate.

Half an hour later, Lin Shiming brought another telegram: "Your Excellency, an urgent telegram from Jinling!"

At one o'clock in the afternoon, Lin Shiming brought yet another telegram: "Your Excellency, an urgent telegram from Jinling!"

Looking at the three telegrams, a flash of determination crossed Zhang Zhizhong's face.

He took a deep breath and ordered, "Order all artillery units, including the newly arrived heavy artillery regiment."

"Concentrate all fire and conduct indiscriminate saturation shelling on the riverbank area occupied by the enemy."

"Even if all our artillery positions are exposed, we must completely wipe out the Japs!"

The order was quickly dispatched.

In an instant, all the artillery positions deployed around the Shanghai were activated.

From mortars to Germany-made 150mm howitzers, they all raised their muzzles and let out a roar of vengeance.

Rumble—!

Shells rained down like hail onto the Jap beachhead positions, kicking up clouds of dust and flames with terrifying power.

The Japs were suppressed by this sudden, intense bombardment and couldn't even lift their heads; the beachhead fell into total chaos.

The warships anchored on the Huangpu River also fell into a frantic scramble.

After all, even a good dog is no match for a pack of curs.

However, the success was short-lived.

After only a few volleys, a dull and deadly engine roar echoed from the horizon.

"Enemy planes! A large number of enemy planes!" The shrill alarm from the observation post reached headquarters via telephone.

The Jap Air Force bomber groups swooped in like vultures scenting blood.

They were clearly well-prepared, heading straight for the Chinese artillery positions that had been exposed by their firing.

Dive! Bomb! Strafe!

A series of violent explosions erupted across the artillery positions.

Artillery pieces that couldn't be moved in time were blown to bits, and stockpiled ammunition detonated, with soaring fireballs consuming everything.

The artillerymen suffered heavy casualties, and the heavy firepower they had painstakingly gathered was completely lost within a mere ten minutes.

When the news reached headquarters, Zhang Zhizhong was struck as if by lightning, his face instantly turning pale.

His previous heroic resolve was shattered by this sudden aerial strike, replaced by a cold sense of powerlessness.

"It's over... the artillery... our artillery..." he muttered to himself, his fists clenched so tightly his nails almost dug into his flesh.

Having lost the artillery and facing an enemy with absolute naval gunfire superiority, he was momentarily at a loss.

Just then, his trusted staff officer, Major Lin Shiming, stepped forward, a light of desperate resolve shining in his eyes. "Your Excellency!"

"Things have come to this, but we cannot give up. We still have the large batch of submachine guns and mortars gifted by Boss Lu."

"How about... organizing a suicide squad?"

Zhang Zhizhong suddenly looked up at him.

Lin Shiming spoke rapidly, "Select fifteen hundred suicide squad members!"

"Five hundred of them will carry all the 120mm heavy mortars and shells."

"They will advance to within two kilometers of the enemy positions, set up temporary artillery sites, and conduct rapid fire to shell the beachhead."

"The other thousand will be equipped with Thompson submachine guns and plenty of ammunition."

"Initially, they will escort the mortar unit. Once the mortar fire starts, they will immediately launch a death-defying charge."

"They will break into the enemy lines, engage in close-quarters combat with the Japs, and meet them face-to-face."

"As long as we are close enough, the enemy's naval guns will be wary of hitting their own and won't dare fire easily."

"I request to lead the assault."

Zhang Zhizhong's eyes lit up.

This was undoubtedly the only possible way to break the deadlock in the current situation.

Though extremely risky and cruel, it was worth a try.

"Fine! We'll go with that plan! Immediately select brave men from all units to organize a suicide squad. You will lead them personally."

The order was quickly relayed.

Movingingly, despite knowing it was a near-certain death sentence, officers and soldiers from all units signed up enthusiastically.

Soon, a suicide squad of fifteen hundred elites was assembled.

Many of them had already written their final letters, possessing a resolve to die.

At exactly two o'clock in the afternoon, the battle began again!

Five hundred mortar men, carrying barrels and shells, braved sporadic artillery fire and pushed forward desperately under the cover of the suicide squad.

Half an hour later, they had advanced to within two kilometers of the Japs.

They quickly set up the mortars behind a relatively concealed set of ruins.

"Fire!"

With the command, nearly a hundred 120mm mortars let out a dull roar.

The shells traced short arcs and landed accurately on the crowded Japanese beachhead positions.

Once again, they caused chaos and casualties among the Japanese Army.

Almost simultaneously,

"Kill—!"

Nearly a thousand suicide squad members armed with Thompson submachine guns roared like a bursting flood.

They launched desperate charges from multiple directions, with Lin Shiming leading the way, putting his own plan into action.

Using craters and ruins for cover, they closed the distance with the enemy at an incredible speed.

"Da da da—"

The dense fire of the Thompson submachine guns instantly drowned out the sporadic shots from the Japs' Type 38 rifles.

Faced with a group that feared neither life nor death, the Japs began to lose heart, and their tactical coordination faltered.

Lin Shiming was the first to leap into the Jap positions, his finger practically welded to the trigger as he sprayed the enemy with bullets.

As expected, because the opposing forces were now intermingled, the Jap warships on the river fell silent, fearing they would hit their own men.

Initially, the suicide squad achieved significant results, tearing several holes in the enemy lines.

However, the success was short-lived.

Seeing this, the Jap beachhead Commander gave an order with a cruel grin.

Suddenly, from behind several cleverly camouflaged bunkers at the rear of the beachhead, the roar of tank tracks sounded!

The Jap tank unit, which had been hidden as a final reserve, finally appeared.

The remaining dozen or so type 89 medium tanks and Type 95 light tanks of the 5th Tank Battalion surged forward!

Their machine guns and 47mm/37mm cannons were aimed at the crowd in the middle of the melee.

They began an indiscriminate and frantic strafing and bombardment.

This was a fatal blow that the suicide squad members had completely failed to anticipate.

Faced with tanks, the suicide squad members were powerless against these steel monsters.

Submachine gun bullets clattered against the tank armor but were utterly useless.

The tanks crushed, strafed, and shelled without restraint; wherever they passed, flesh and blood flew.

The five hundred mortar men also had their positions completely exposed due to their continuous firing.

This drew retaliatory saturation fire from the Jap warships.

In an instant, that temporary artillery site was completely swallowed by a sea of dense heavy artillery fire.

All five hundred warriors, along with their cannons, met a heroic end!

As for the thousand assault team members trapped in the enemy lines...

Deprived of artillery support and facing enemy tanks, they too fell into a desperate situation.