[Disclaimer: This novel is a work of fiction set in a parallel world; please do not take it too seriously!]
On July 7, 1937, Japan launched a full-scale invasion of China, bringing the Chinese people to a desperate crisis of survival.
On August 9 of the same year, two Japanese soldiers stationed in Shanghai ignored warnings and trespassed into Hongqiao Airport, where they were shot dead on the spot by Chinese troops.
Immediately thereafter, the Battle of Shanghai erupted.
***
*Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh…*
*Bang!*
The sound of explosions rocked the sky.
Lin Feng jolted upright from the ground, gasping for air. He sat in a daze for nearly half a minute before he managed to catch his breath.
"Did I... transmigrate?"
He looked at his surroundings. He was lying on the bare earth, face toward the sky.
*Hiss!* It stung!
He pinched his thigh, and the sensation of pain was all too real—he wasn't dreaming. Lin Feng clearly remembered that his last memory before losing consciousness was a massive cargo truck.
*Whoosh—Bang!!*
A deafening roar echoed in his ears as a projectile tore through the air, followed by a blast. The explosion kicked up a cloud of dust, shaking the loose soil of the hillside and causing a corpse to slide out from within.
He fixed his eyes on it—damn, I died?!
He saw the corpse was wearing a military uniform, which looked somewhat archaic, with embroidered characters on a white patch on the chest.
*Lin Feng, Major and Battalion Commander, 264th Brigade, 88th Division!!*
Just by checking the rank and style of the uniform, Lin Feng guessed where he had landed.
Good heavens! Everyone else gets a soul-transmigration, why did I get a physical one? The most absurd thing—absurd enough to open the door to absurdity itself—was that this man not only shared his name but even looked exactly like him.
*Bang! Bang! Bang!*
Meanwhile, the sound of gunfire drifted from the distance.
In an instant, he went deathly silent. Lin Feng snatched up the Chiang Kai-shek rifle lying next to the corpse, ran to the ridge above, and poked his head out to scan the terrain.
Below the small hill lay a flat, muddy road. Many disheveled National Government soldiers were sprinting headlong through the mud, their spirits crushed and dejected. Close behind them were a dozen Japanese soldiers—a squad, by the looks of it. They were holding their Type 38 rifles and taking potshots at the retreating Gan Country soldiers.
"Damn it, it really is the Great Retreat of the Battle of Shanghai!"
Seeing a dozen Japanese soldiers chasing down such a large group, his scalp went numb. He retreated back to the hillside and searched the corpse again.
"Buddy, go in peace. I’ll keep fighting the devils for you!"
After saying this, he had an extra jacket on his back, along with three grenades and a handful of loose bullets he had scavenged.
*Click!*
Lin Feng successfully pulled the bolt, chambering a round!
Defending the country is everyone's duty! His blood boiled with excitement; as a man of Da Qian, there was no room for hesitation when it came to killing the invaders!
Lin Feng was about to charge toward the enemy when his vision suddenly blurred. A sound chimed in his ears: *Ding!*
【Ding! Congratulations to the host for acquiring the Simulator!】
【Current simulation count: 1】
Whoa! There’s a cheat?
It took him two and a half seconds to understand what this thing was for. He thought he was in a gritty war story, but it turned out he had a system!
There was no time to waste; he activated it immediately!
【Ding! Simulation starting!】
【You are filled with righteous fury and head out to intercept the Japanese pursuers!】
【You successfully kill two Japanese soldiers!】
【Your position is exposed! You are riddled with bullets by a Japanese machine gun!】
【You are dead!】
The light screen displayed a few lines of text. The word "dead" was stark and eye-catching, sending a chill down Lin Feng's spine. The hot blood rushing through his veins suddenly cooled.
【This simulation has ended. The host may choose from the following options:】
【1: Sharpshooter Mastery】
【2: Simulation Memory】
【3: Physical Enhancement】
Three options appeared on the screen. Lin Feng didn't even think about it and chose the first.
A tingling sensation followed, as if something strange had been stuffed into his brain. It took half a minute for him to fully acclimate. He weighed the rifle in his hands again, and a sense of familiarity surged within him.
He picked up the Chiang Kai-shek rifle, crouched, and returned to the ridge to find a suitable firing position.
He crawled into the weeds and estimated the distance to the Japanese soldiers on the hillside—roughly two to three hundred paces.
Rear sight, front sight, enemy head.
*Bang!*
A full-bodied gunshot rang out, and the pungent smell of gunpowder hit him. A Japanese soldier’s head bloomed, and he collapsed to the ground.
With his Sharpshooter Mastery, Lin Feng remained completely unaffected. He quickly worked the bolt, the spent shell casing clicked as it dropped, and he chambered the next round. He locked onto the Japanese soldiers again and squeezed the trigger.
Another gunshot!
Down the hillside, a second Japanese soldier’s head exploded.
With two men taken out by headshots in succession, the Japanese commander immediately ordered his troops to hit the dirt. They listened, trying to pinpoint Lin Feng's location.
There were thirteen Japanese soldiers in total—a full squad, complete with a Type 11 Light Machine Gun.
Lin Feng saw them all lying on the ground, but he didn't hesitate. He fired, the firing pin struck the primer, and the bullet tore through the rifling. The Japanese soldier holding the machine gun, looking wary, suddenly had his head blown open and went to meet his ancestors.
"Baka yaro! A sniper! It's a sniper!"
Seeing his machine gunner taken out, the Japanese commander trembled with rage and could only scream in frustration, yet he dared not move, fearing he would be the next to die.
*Whoosh—Bang!*
With the sound of a bullet cutting through the air, another Japanese head was blown apart.
"Baka! Inoshita-kun, five o'clock on the hillside!"
The Japanese had caught their breath and reacted quickly, identifying Lin Feng's general direction. With the original gunner dead, the commander urged the assistant to take over.
Lin Feng had already chambered his next round. Thanks to the simulator's warning, his primary target was naturally the machine gun. As soon as the Japanese soldier touched the weapon and prepared to pull the bolt, a lethal bullet pierced his forehead.
Having lost four men in a row, the Japanese commander flew into a rage.
"Baka! Charge!"
He stood up, and the Japanese soldiers crouching beside him crawled up and charged toward Lin Feng's position.
This suicidal tactic was truly fierce, but Lin Feng wasn't about to be intimidated. After this series of maneuvers, he spotted the commander. He fired directly, hitting the furious commander in the forehead.
Across the entire Songhu Battlefield, such fearless devils were everywhere. To capture Da Qian, Japan had dispatched several of its most elite Grade-A divisions to the Battle of Shanghai.
They were indeed the elite of their country and performed with terrifying effectiveness during the battle. With the coordination of naval artillery and the Air Corps, they had driven the Gan Country soldiers into a complete rout.
Were it not for this retreat, how could it be that a mere dozen Japanese soldiers would dare to chase down a large group of retreating Gan Country troops?
"Ah! *Yattsukeru!* (Charge!)"
Seeing their commander fall, the soldiers' eyes turned red, and murderous intent twisted their faces. Lin Feng remained calm, pulling the bolt and firing continuously. Although the distance was only three or four hundred meters, the terrain was mountainous; it wouldn't be easy for the Japanese to rush up the hill.