Chapter 221

The dawn’s first light was obscured by the smoke of war. The tranquility was shattered as a Japanese Army armored brigade and an infantry brigade, moving like a surging, malevolent wave, launched a direct assault on the Guo'an Army defense line after a day of forced marches. A brutal and bloody battle began. As the leading elements of the Japanese Army appeared, sharp alarms pierced the sky. Guo'an Army soldiers quickly took their positions, gripping their rifles with iron-willed resolve, their heartbeats quickening in sync with the enemy's approach. Trenches wound through the positions, reinforced by layers of sandbags that provided the soldiers with their first barrier of survival. Inside the pillboxes, machine guns were already loaded, their dark muzzles trained on the direction of the incoming Japanese Army, waiting only for the enemy to enter range. The Japanese Army initiated their attack with long-range artillery bombardment. Shells rained down on the Guo'an Army positions, tearing craters into the earth and sending soil and stone flying. Following the barrage, tanks and armored vehicles spearheaded the assault. These steel behemoths, protected by heavy armor and formidable firepower, pushed relentlessly toward the Guo'an Army lines. Their tracks kicked up massive clouds of dust, and their engines roared with a deafening cacophony, crushing obstacles and gouging deep ruts into the ground. Japanese infantry followed closely behind, utilizing the tanks and armored vehi…