205: Quartet

As dawn broke, the 122nd Division's positions at Shakou were shrouded in silence.

A low, familiar drone of engines drifted from the horizon, growing louder as it approached.

"Enemy planes! Reconnaissance aircraft! Everyone, take cover!" the observation post shrieked out a sharp warning.

On the positions, general-purpose machine gun teams opened fire fiercely at the Japanese Army's Type 94 reconnaissance planes sweeping in at low altitude.

"Da da da da~~~"

A dense rain of bullets tore through the dawn; although they failed to hit the nimble reconnaissance planes...

...the powerful show of force deterred them from getting too close.

After circling a few times, the reconnaissance planes turned back, seemingly dejected.

Chief of Staff Luo Jialie immediately ordered, "Quickly—everyone move! Get the scarecrows up!"

"Place them in the front-line trenches and foxholes! Move fast!"

Before long, thousands of scarecrows dressed in old uniforms and tattered caps densely packed the first line of defense.

From a distance, it looked as if the positions were already fully manned and ready for battle.

Once the setup was complete, except for a few observation posts...

...the main forces quickly withdrew through communication trenches to the second-line hidden areas and deep artillery shelters.

Sure enough, in less than half an hour, an even more muffled and terrifying roar echoed from the horizon.

A dark mass of japanese bombers swarmed in like a plague of locusts.

"Bombers! Take cover!"

The shrill alarm rang out again, but the positions were now almost entirely deserted.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom—!

Heavy bombs fell like rain, and the entire front-line position was instantly swallowed by flames and thick smoke!

The violent explosions were deafening, and the earth trembled madly.

Dirt, rubble, and those scarecrows were blown into the air, flying everywhere.

Blood bags hanging on the scarecrows burst, staining large swathes of the positions red.

The japanese pilots looked down with satisfaction at the "completely destroyed" positions; after dropping all their ordnance, they headed back triumphantly.

Normally, the next step would be an extension of naval gunfire coverage.

But unexpectedly, there was no immediate whistle of naval guns from the sea; instead, the faint sound of propellers could be heard once more.

Feng Hanqing, who had once served as the Deputy Commander of the Northeast Army Air Force, listened intently, and his expression suddenly changed.

"No, the japanese reconnaissance planes are back to confirm the results of the bombing."

A sharp glint flashed in his eyes as he immediately said to Chief of Staff Luo, "Chief of Staff Luo, get some men to spread out and let out screams of pain and cries of agony! Move fast!"

The order was executed swiftly.

Soldiers soaked in animal blood began their performance on the positions, creating a scene of horrific carnage.

Just a few minutes after everything had been set up...

...two japanese reconnaissance planes indeed flew in at an ultra-low altitude, circling almost at treetop level as the pilots carefully observed the ground below.

Feng Hanqing personally grabbed a general-purpose machine gun and fired a "random" burst into the sky.

The bullets seemed dense but lacked any accuracy, looking more like a desperate act of resistance.

What the japanese pilots saw were positions in shambles, "bloodstains" everywhere, and the desperate wails and resistance of a few scattered "survivors."

Satisfied, they rocked their wings and signaled to the rear: "The Chinese Army's positions have been completely destroyed; landing can proceed."

Soon, the deafening roar of japanese naval guns echoed from the sea.

Most of these shells were directed further inland for a so-called "safety sweep."

In contrast, the strikes on the actual front-line beachhead and second-line areas where the main forces were hidden were limited.

Because the japanese were already certain that the air force had "cleared" those areas.

After the shelling, countless landing craft and small barges began to rush toward the beach.

Large numbers of japanese jumped off the boats, waded ashore, and quickly deployed into formation.

Seeing the silent, unrecognizable positions before them, they wore smiles of contempt and excitement.

"Susume~~~"

Officers began urging their troops forward to expand the landing zone and establish temporary command posts.

Just at the moment when the japanese vanguard had fully landed, their formation was relatively dense, and their vigilance was at its lowest...

...Feng Tiankui coldly gave the command: "Fire!"

Five hundred Rocket Artillerys were the first to show their power, letting out a collective roar!

"Swoosh swoosh swoosh swoosh—!"

The dense rockets, like a rain of vengeful fire, tore through the sky and slammed precisely into the newly established japanese beachhead.

Rumble rumble rumble—!

A series of incredibly violent explosions instantly engulfed the japanese positions; flames soared into the sky, and shrapnel flew everywhere.

The japanese soldiers were blown off their feet, suffering heavy casualties, and their newly established order instantly collapsed into utter chaos!

"Snipers! Free hunt!" Lu Fan's second command followed immediately.

Hidden in ruins, bushes, and craters, the JS Snipers calmly pulled their triggers.

The bullets, like invitations from the Grim Reaper, accurately found the officers, Sergeants, Flag-bearers, machine gunners, and artillerymen in the japanese ranks.

"Bang!" "Bang!"

Every crisp crack of a rifle meant the fall of another key japanese target.

The japanese command system was being paralyzed at a visible rate.

"baka! Enemy attack! Where are they?!"

"Machine gun! Our machine gunner is dead!"

"The Company Commander has fallen!"

Soon, the japanese were plunged into total chaos and panic.

They scurried around the beach like headless flies, unable to tell where the attacks were coming from.

Just then, an even more despair-inducing sound echoed from the flanks.

From both the left and right flanks, countless off-road motorcycles charged out from their hiding places like wild horses breaking free.

The soldiers on the bikes held type 85 submachine guns, while the frames were mounted with qjy-201 general purpose machine guns.

They sliced into the japanese flanks and rear at high speeds.

As the fire net unfolded, a dense rain of bullets poured in from the side and rear, mowing down the exposed japanese on the beach in swathes.

The mobility of the motorcycles allowed them to come and go as they pleased, constantly seeking new angles of attack.

This completely disrupted the japanese formation and shattered their attempts to organize a counterattack.

"All units, charge—wipe them out!"

Seeing the moment for the decisive battle, Feng Tiankui issued the order for the general offensive, and the loud blast of the bugle rang out across the positions.

The long-hidden main forces of the 122nd Division leaped from the second-line positions, brandishing submachine guns and letting out earth-shaking battle cries.

To the sound of the bugle, they were like tigers descending from the mountain, launching a massive frontal assault.

For a moment, the Quartet of Death played out on the positions at Chuansha Estuary.

Rocket Artillery coverage, precise sniper picking, high-speed motorcycle cutting, and the frontal assault of the main forces.

Under this combination of blows, the landing japanese were completely unable to resist, and their defense quickly crumbled.

The battle turned into a one-sided slaughter.

Although the japanese soldiers, who had lost their command and were surrounded, fought desperately...

...it was all in vain against absolute firepower and tactical superiority.

In just over an hour...

...the japanese troops attempting to land at Chuansha Estuary were completely annihilated on the beach, with almost no survivors.

The seawater was stained red, and the japanese dream of landing was once again ruthlessly shattered.

The 122nd Division and the Security Team had once again won a brilliant victory at the lowest cost.