CHAPTER 15: FIRESTORM AT PENGZE (Part Four)
Word Number:1027 Author:丹枫书生 Translator:丹枫书生 Release Time:2025-07-02

  Precision Combat Training Translation

  That afternoon, Zhang Jinzhi drilled them with the dadao blade Hanzhi used in her act. "Three moves. Master these—you'll be choppin' Jap skulls like melons."

  Dong Yaoting, Dong San-shao, and Zhang Facai locked eyes on him. Zhang Jinzhi turned the blade inward, spine facing out. "Boy—stab me with that spear!"

  Dong Yaoting snatched the spear from Hanzhi and lunged wildly. Zhang Jinzhi barked: "Watch how I break it!"

  Legs sank into a horse stance

  Blade spine jolted upward—knocking the spear clear

  His body spun like lightning

  Razor edge froze against Dong Yaoting’s right neck

  One flick of his wrist—the head would’ve tumbled.

  Dong Yaoting broke into cold sweat. The moves were lethal. His spear’s reach meant nothing—Zhang Jinzhi had disarmed him in three strokes. Against Jap bayonets? These’d carve ‘em open.

  "Master—pure fire!" Zhang Facai gasped.

  Zhang Jinzhi tapped his pipe. "Three moves. Simple. Drill ‘em day and night. Two days—you’ll own ‘em."

  Dong Yaoting paired with Dong San-shao. When the latter picked up a spear, he snapped off its steel point.

  "What’s the play, San-shao?"

  "You ain’t mastered shit yet, Young Master." Dong San-shao grinned, hefting the blunt pole. "Wood only."

  They drilled move by move. Zhang Hanzhi watched, smiling. Zhang Jinzhi paced, correcting stances between pipe puffs.

  Dong San-shao caught her gaze lingering. His chest swelled—distracted, his form turned sloppy. When roles reversed, Dong Yaoting’s pole thwacked his ribs like a drum. Agony shot through him.

  Zhang Jinzhi kept silent, eyes hooded. Hanzhi’s sweet on this brute.

  "Why so damned soft?" Dong Yaoting barked. Hanzhi stifled a giggle. Dong San-shao stared, slack-jawed.

  Rage flared. Dong Yaoting dropped the pole, kicked Dong San-shao’s ass hard. "Worthless coward! Can’t even learn three moves?"

  Dong San-shao flung the dadao down. "Tapped out, Young Master. Zhang Facai—your turn."

  Relieved, Dong San-shao slumped beside Zhang Hanzhi. She nudged him: "You’ll never match your master with a blade. But your rifle? He’ll never touch that. Call it evened out."

  Dong San-shao chuckled. "Young Master's always outshone me. So long as he thrives? I'm set. Anything else is negotiable!"

  Zhang Hanzhi snapped. "Negotiable? These moves split Jap skulls! Slack off now—get yourself gutted later!"

  He rubbed his neck. "Truth is... I’d rather spar with you. With him?" He lowered his voice. "I lose—he saves face. I win? He’s shamed."

  Her eyes softened. "Your master’s blessed to have you. Fine. I’ll drill with you." She hefted a spear. "Flinch—and I’ll stab you clean through."

  

  June 24th, 10:00 AM. The 16th Army Commander Li Yuning convened the Resistance Military Academy graduation. Meanwhile, at Madang Fortress—Wuhan’s vital outer defense—hell broke loose.

  June 22nd. Hota Detachment (Jap Army) + 11th Squadron (Jap Navy) had advanced upriver from Anqing toward Madang. Chinese aerial bombs rained. Shore batteries thundered. Mines choked the Yangtze. Progress stalled.

  That same day:

  Gunboat Rikuwa (Special Forces transport) struck a mine ↓ sank near Maolinzhou

  3 patrol boats ↓ shattered by artillery

  Auxiliary ship Kasasagi ↓ hull breached → blazing

  After 48 hours of carnage, the Japs abandoned the river route. Hota Detachment splintered—landing forces scrambled ashore near Maolinzhou. Their new plan: flank Madang via southern riverbanks.

  The Japanese Hota Detachment – spearheaded by Major General Hota Shigeichi – initiated a pincer assault on Huangshan, Xiangshan, and Xiangkou at precisely 10:00 on June 24th. Their objective: breach these outer defenses to seize Madang Fortress, the vital shield protecting Wuhan.

  Critical context from June 22nd:

  Hota Detachment + IJN 11th Sentai advanced from Anqing up the Yangtze

  Blocked by Chinese bombers, shore artillery, and dense minefields

  Key losses:

  Gunboat Rikuwa → sunk by mines at Maolinzhou

  3 torpedo boats → shattered by coastal guns

  Auxiliary ship Kasasagi → crippled by direct hits

  By 11:00 June 24th, Zhou Qiduo's 53rd Division trenches buckled under artillery. Crucially, Zhou and his officers were 37km away at Pengtse, attending Commander Li Yunheng's Resistance Academy graduation.

  Zhou sprinted to the dais, urgency hissing through his teeth:

  "Sir! Hota's butchering our lines! My command must return NOW!"

  Li Yunheng paled but refused to halt ceremonies. He summoned Xue Weiying (167th Division CO):

  "Reinforce Zhou's positions. Double time!"

  Xue's fist clenched. Madang Fortress troops were 8km from the front. His division? 32km via risky roads.

  Studying maps, he chose deliberately:

  ❌ Taibai Lake Highway (24hrs) : Fast but ambush-vulnerable

  ✅ Mountain goat trails (72hrs+) : Slow but defensible – and excusable

  At 15:00, Xue's 167th Division "advanced" from Pengtse at tortoise pace. As they drifted past Zhang Jinzhi's street performance, rhythms diverged:

  Soldiers: Listless footsteps

  Performers: Dadao blades slicing air

  Dong Yaoting frowned at the lethargic column.

  "Zhang Facai – where’s this funeral march headed?"

  "Satan's guess."

  Dong San-shao approached a private: "The front, comrade?"

  Stone silence.

  He slunk back, defeated: "Vice-grip on their tongues. Got nada."

  Zhang Hanzhi's eyes narrowed. She darted to the column, voice honey-bright:

  "Little Brother Soldier! Where’s your courage taking you?"

  Soldiers burst like floodgates:

  "Huangshan! To gut the Jap bastards!"

  She flew to Dong Yaoting, breathless: "They reinforce Huangshan!"

  Dong Yaoting gave a soft laugh. Still eighteen and inexperienced in romantic matters, he spoke with youthful awkwardness: "San-shao, can you get a map?"

  Dong San-shao answered: "Your schoolbag had one." Then recalled its loss: "Gone now."

  Dong Yaoting murmured: "Need a map."

  Zhang Facai retorted: "You're no officer! Just sit easy! Stop causing trouble for us all!"

  Zhang Jinzhi tapped his pipe: "Steady yourself, boy. Kill Japanese devils comes after mastering the blade. This rushing helps nothing."

  While looking at Zhang Hanzhi, Dong San-shao said: "Master's right, Young Master. Practice martial arts first."

  Zhang Hanzhi secretly agreed. Since the Japanese devils slaughtered her village, living with only her grandfather felt bleak. Having young companions finally brought warmth to her days.

  

  Morning, June 28. A notice was pasted on a wall. Dong Yaoting squeezed through the crowd to read it:

  MADANG FORTRESS FALLEN.

  JAPANESE FORCES ATTACKING PENGZE.

  CIVILIANS MUST EVACUATE URGENTLY.

  Dong San-shao asked: "Young Master, what's written?"

  Dong Yaoting repeated: "Fortress fallen. Japanese devils attack Pengze. Tells people to flee the city."

  Dong San-shao panicked: "Then let's go! Why stay?!"

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