Outside the city walls, numerous Japanese brigade command posts were virtually wiped out in a single stroke. This immediate blow threw the Japanese forces into a panic, forcing their otherwise formidable offensive to grind to a halt.
Sun Yuanliang, guarding the front line, was stunned by the sudden turn of events. "Whose artillery is that? What the hell is going on here?"
As the garrison commander, Sun knew full well that artillery positions inside the city had opened fire moments ago. The barrage had been as brief as it was thunderous—they were 160mm cannons, after all, and their roar was unmistakable.
Chapter 523