Late May 1938

　　As the Battle of Lanfeng raged in Henan, Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek (蒋介石) urgently returned from Zhengzhou to Wuhan. Intelligence confirmed Japanese troop movements encircling the city—a decisive battle gathered over the "Thoroughfare of Nine Provinces" (九省通衢).

　　Since the 1937 Marco Polo Bridge Incident, Japan had launched:

　　Shanghai Campaign (淞沪会战, Aug-Nov 1937)

　　Battle of Taiyuan (太原会战, Sep-Nov 1937)

　　Battle of Xuzhou (徐州会战, Dec 1937-May 1938)

　　Despite territorial gains, Japan failed to destroy the NRA's core forces. Over 300,000 NRA troops (per Republic of China Military Archives) escaped Xuzhou, regrouping in Anhui/North Hubei to defend Wuhan—China's provisional wartime capital.

　　Facing stalemate, resource-strained Japan enacted the National Mobilization Law (国家总动员令) on March 24, 1938 (Imperial Decree No. 55), committing total national resources to seize Wuhan.

　　Early June 1938

　　Tokyo established the 11th Army under General Yasuji Okamura (冈村宁次), comprising:

　　Unit Commander Strength

　　6th Division Lt. Gen. Taro Nagatsu 25,000

　　9th Division Lt. Gen. Yoshitsugu Saito 23,000

　　27th Division Lt. Gen. Masaharu Homma 18,000

　　101st Division Lt. Gen. Masatoshi Saito 20,000

　　106th Division Lt. Gen. Ryotaro Nakai 16,000

　　Hata Detachment (波田支队) Maj. Gen. Shigeharu Hata 12,000

　　Total: 114,000 (Senshi Sōsho Vol.86)

　　The 11th Army coordinated with the 2nd Army (Prince Naruhiko Higashikuni/东久迩宫稔彦王):

　　3rd, 10th, 13th, 16th Divisions (~136,000 men)

　　Combined strength: 250,000 under General Shunroku Hata (畑俊六), Commander-in-Chief, Central China Area Army.

　　The Japanese 11th Army (第十一軍)—designated an army group in Western military terminology—stood as Japan's most formidable theater-level command in China during WWII. At its zenith, it controlled 13 divisions (1942). Encircled on three fronts by Nationalist forces, it became the most frequently engaged Japanese field army against the NRA. Its successive commanders—Gen. Yasuji Okamura (岡村寧次), Gen. Kazuo Babe (園部和一郎), Gen. Korechika Anami (阿南惟幾), and Gen. Masataka Yamashita (横山勇)—clashed repeatedly with NRA generals Chen Cheng (陳誠), Xue Yue (薛岳), and Luo Zhuoying (羅卓英). From the 1938 stalemate onward, the 11th Army participated in over 90% of major campaigns.

　　As Japanese forces mobilized, the NRA deployed defensively. Chiang Kai-shek divided the Wuhan theater along the Yangtze:

　　North Bank: 23 corps (approx. 280,000 men) under Gen. Li Zongren (李宗仁), Fifth War Zone

　　South Bank: 27 corps (approx. 380,000 men) under Gen. Chen Cheng (陳誠), Ninth War Zone

　　Total strength: 1,100,000 personnel (Republic of China Military Records, Vol. XII)

　　Learning from the costly static defenses at Shanghai and Nanjing, Chiang implemented the strategy "Defend Wuhan Without Fighting in Wuhan" (守武漢而不戰於武漢). NRA forces would attrit Japanese troops through mobile warfare in peripheral regions before withdrawing.

　　June 12, 1938

　　The Japanese Hata Detachment (波田支队), composed of troops from Taiwan with naval support, captured Anqing—a strategic fortress east of Wuhan. The Battle of Wuhan had begun.

　　Driven by early success, General Yasuji Okamura seized Matang Fortress and Jiujiang in rapid succession, thrusting toward Nanchang, capital of Jiangxi. His strategy: a pincer movement through Jiangxi into northern Hunan to cut off the NRA's retreat routes.

　　This was the backdrop to Yaoting’s warning: "The Japanese have attacked Jiangxi."

　　Nationalist Defense Deployment

　　Major Zhou Zhidao (周至道) served in the 305th Regiment, 153rd Brigade, 51st Division of the 74th Army. His commander, Division Commander Wang Yaowu (王耀武), had just endured the grueling Battle of Lanfeng alongside the 58th Division under Feng Shengfa (冯圣法).

　　Note: The 57th Division (Shi Zhongcheng) was not yet part of the 74th Army in June 1938.

　　Post-Lanfeng, the 74th Army redeployed to De'an County, Jiangxi—Wuhan’s outer defense line. To halt Japanese advances from Henan, Chiang Kai-shek personally ordered the breaching of the Yellow River dikes (June 9, 1938), causing catastrophic flooding across Henan-Anhui-Hubei.

　　With the 51st Division depleted, Wang Yaowu requested reinforcements from Corps Commander Yu Jishi (俞济时). As Yu departed for a military conference in Wuchang, he authorized new recruitment in Hubei.

　　Wang Yaowu acted immediately upon his commander’s approval. Recruitment proceeded battalion by battalion, with Major Zhou Zhidao establishing Fourth Company’s camp in Wuchang’s western outskirts before conducting city enlistments.

　　At school, Yaoting had heard classmates speak of the 74th Army—heroes who defended Nanjing. Zhou’s recruitment banners now carried that storied insignia.

　　Captain Zhang Degang’s rugged face bore a scar earned at Lanfeng. Facing three Japanese soldiers in close combat, his evasive maneuver left a bayonet’s cruel mark across his cheek when he fell.

　　Now, Zhang’s steady gaze fixed on San-Shao, who shifted under scrutiny. "Captain... why do you study me so? It makes my skin crawl."

　　Zhang’s graveled voice remained low. "Stop trembling like a rabbit. I don’t bite."

　　Yaoting stepped forward, maintaining composure. "Our enlistment papers are complete, sir. Where should we proceed?"

　　Zhang gave a low snort. "Here. With this company. Change into uniforms. Boot camp drills begin at noon."

　　San-Shao’s jaw tightened at the captain’s cold dismissal, but he followed Yaoting out. "Third Platoon! Third Squad!" Captain Zhang’s bark chased them. "Empty cots—over there!"

　　They cut across the training ground—drilling soldiers never broke formation as they passed. Inside the packed barracks, two vacant cots stood separated by an occupied bed. San-Shao immediately shoved aside the bedding from the middle cot.

　　Yaoting clamped down on his wrist. "What madness is this?"

　　"Preparing your cot, Young Master." San-Shao kept his eyes lowered, forcefully smoothing the straw mat. "We take adjacent beds tonight."

　　A sudden warmth flared beneath Yaoting’s breastbone. "Absurd! I need no sentry!"

　　"Your father’s final command before we left." San-Shao pressed his palm flat against the mat, nailing it into place. "Since I couldn’t serve in your stead... I stand watch over your sleep."

　　Yaoting’s anger erupted in a harsh laugh. "Am I your swaddled infant? Some brocade-draped lady? Restore that bedding!"

　　San-Shao sat down drawing up his legs—unyielding, silent, and still.

　　Dong Yaoting had no way to handle him, so he whipped his head away in fury and sat without a word. Minutes later, soldiers returned during a training break. Dong San-Shao watched sweat-drenched backs glistening on every man as they crowded into the barracks thick with muggy heat. None even glanced their way.

　　San-Shao scanned the room blankly. Realizing he and his Young Master were being treated as air, he bolted upright from the cot. "Listen up! Fresh recruits here—me and my Young Master!" His shout drew no reaction except from one soldier marching in from outside—a man long in the tooth who came tramping straight toward them, his eyebrows skyrocketing.

　　"Hey! Sons of bitches took my bed!" the grizzled soldier spat. "Get it the fuck back how it was!"

　　San-Shao eyed him coolly. "Name?"

　　The soldier’s eyes widened before he bit out, "Zhang Facai. What’s it to you?"

　　San-Shao cracked a smile. "Good enough. Show me this bed’s got your name on it..." He swept a hand over the bare cot frame, "...and it’s yours. Deal?"

　　He dared this because he’d checked—no name carved anywhere.

　　Zhang Facai froze, unprepared for the whelp’s demand to prove ownership. Fury ignited. "You motherless dog—playing brain games? I’ll pound you to pulp!" He lunged, fists flying.

　　San-Shao, physically smaller and weaker, got pinned flat on the cot. Soldiers nearby whooped. Seeing his brother immobilized, Dong Yaoting bellowed: "Think I’m fucking invisible? Hands off my brother!" The trio became a tangle of limbs, rolling from cots to floorboards.

　　At the brawl’s peak, a voice cracked like gunshot: "CEASE GODDAMN FIRE!" Spectators hauled them apart. Blood threaded San-Shao’s lip. Yaoting glared through grime. Zhang Facai just smirked coldly.

　　Platoon Leader Zhong Fang scanned the wreckage. Zhang stabbed a finger at San-Shao: "Sir! This rat stole my rack and threw the first punch!"

　　Zhong Fang halted before the Dongs. His eyes iced over San-Shao. "You started this?"

　　San-Shao jerked his chin up, defiance intact. "You’re the leader. Explain—no name carved here. Why’s it his?"

　　Without preamble, Zhong Fang’s boot piston-kicked San-Shao’s chest. No warning. No chance to tense. San-Shao hit the planks gasping.