Chapter 1

November 2nd, 1937, night. A small crescent moon hung in the night sky.

The tiny crescent moon struggled to display its fragile, bean-sprout-like form, painstakingly reflecting a bit of sunlight onto the earth below.

Its light fell upon Shanghai: specifically, the ruins approximately one thousand meters outside the Jiangwan Airport runway.

The Maruno Naoto Battalion was struggling to evade the bombs falling from the sky.

Having witnessed the power of the first exploding shell, Maruno Naoto clearly realized: they had been double-crossed by the Navy!

Even so, he could do nothing about it. The current Maruno Naoto Battalion had no radios, no telephones.

Their departure had been so sudden that they had no means of immediate contact.

There were ways to contact them: send out signalmen.

However, Maruno Naoto had already sent out four waves of signalmen, and they had all been blown into the air before his very eyes.

The Navy's bombing was skillful and experienced: their firepower was clearly blocking the battalion's escape towards Yunzao Creek.

Therefore, the bombardment in that direction was the most intense.

The shelling towards Jiangwan Airport was somewhat weaker.

Of course, Battalion Commander Maruno Naoto could only lead his troops forward towards Jiangwan Airport.

Hoping to escape the naval gunfire, he never expected that bomber squadrons would attack from the dark sky.

This time, he and his entire battalion would not be able to escape.

The first group of bombers dropped not only aerial bombs but also a large number of flares.

Exposing the entire Maruno Naoto Battalion.

Then, the bomber squadrons following behind had a target and adjusted the bombing area.

The accuracy of the bombing immediately became much more precise.

Artillery fire blocked all escape routes for the entire Maruno Naoto Battalion.

Planes dived and strafed incessantly overhead.

The officers and soldiers of the Maruno Naoto Battalion struggled desperately amidst the fierce bombing and strafing.

The soldiers could only hide in the nearby, relatively intact houses.

Hoping to avoid the attention of the planes overhead.

What infuriated the entire Maruno Naoto Battalion was that these bomber squadrons, taking advantage of their lack of air defenses,

were flying extremely low, yet they didn't recognize that they were all part of the Empire's forces.

Maruno Naoto strongly suspected that this was a blatant act of revenge by the Navy bomber squadrons.

In the white light of the flares in the night sky, the scattered figures on the ground could vaguely be seen.

But it was impossible to distinguish which unit it was.

The planes watched as many figures entered the buildings on the ground.

The ants beneath their feet had stopped running and were now lurking!

The bomber squadrons immediately reported the coordinates of this location to the gunners on the aircraft carrier fleet.

With the guidance of the aerial bombers, the accuracy of the naval guns fired by the four aircraft carrier fleets immediately improved.

The Maruno Naoto Battalion endured continuous attacks from the air and the river, maliciousness from friendly forces.

But they were completely unable to resist, silently enduring it all.

Maruno Naoto knew that even hiding in these buildings would be useless under such powerful bombing.

After all, these were just civilian buildings, not specially designed fortresses for combat.

Maruno Naoto shouted loudly, trying to get the soldiers hiding in the houses to come out.

To follow him and continue charging forward! Maruno Naoto had realized that his battalion could only avoid all the malicious guidance from the Navy by charging into the airport.

Just then, he heard a particularly sharp whistling sound in the night sky, approaching with incredible speed!

Battalion Commander Maruno Naoto, with his wealth of experience, executed a beautiful tactical maneuver, quickly leaping away from his current position.

While still in mid-air, he felt as if the surrounding air had suddenly solidified.

No longer like the wind-like freedom of before, tonight the air felt as soft and comforting as a mother's embrace.

Then he felt himself flying up, flying higher, flying faster.

Maruno Naoto was still in the air when he was further lifted by the blast.

His body was torn to pieces, but his head miraculously remained intact.

It flew through the air for a few seconds, landing far away on the road dozens of meters from the point of impact.

Those hundred or so men who had been following him towards the airport, when they heard the whistling of the shell,

those who reacted quickly made various tactical movements.

Evading the shells flying from the Huangpu River, while those who were slow to react just stood there blankly.

After a loud bang.

When the earth became quiet, none of the hundred or so men of Commander Maruno Naoto's battalion were able to stand up again.

Whether they were one meter or fifty meters away from the point of impact.

The result was the same: these hundred or so men escorted Commander Maruno Naoto back to the embrace of Amaterasu.

With the battalion commander's personal demonstration, no soldier was willing to move.

Even those soldiers who had originally intended to continue forward towards the airport.

Now all ran towards the surrounding buildings.

Everyone huddled in these buildings, shivering and waiting for the gunfire to cease.

The people on the ground scurried into the houses like ants returning to their nests.

The bomber squadrons in the air, seeing this situation, now bombed with even less restraint.

The large-caliber naval guns on the Huangpu River also learned of the situation here.

They increased and intensified the bombing of this area.

Flares continued to shine brightly and intersect over this area.

After completing a wave of bombing, the bomber squadrons in the night sky handed over the task of monitoring this area to specialized reconnaissance planes.

These bomber squadrons flew back to the aircraft carrier, this time loaded with large-caliber bombs, one of which was enough to turn all buildings within a radius of dozens of meters into ashes.

When the bomber squadrons on the aircraft carrier took off again to carry out the second wave of bombing.

Buildings collapsed one after another, and as for whether there were any survivors in those rooms, they didn't need to investigate further.

Such bombing was the only way to vent the anger in the hearts of these pilots tonight.

Only when this area was completely reduced to ruins would the bombing truly end.

Lieutenant Colonel Takahashi Kazuo watched the raging fire engulf the entire airport. Not only were all the planes destroyed, and none of the oil tankers remained, but even the Marine Corps sent by the four aircraft carrier fleets to the airport was only survived by the Katayama Sato Haruto Marine Corps of the Akagi aircraft carrier fleet.

Lieutenant Colonel Takahashi Kazuo looked at the airport and saw that there was really nothing worth salvaging.

He ordered Captain Katayama Sato Haruto to lead the last Marine Corps unit out to search for the enemies who attacked Jiangwan Airport.

As soon as the order was issued, he heard fierce explosions again, and the roar of countless planes flying overhead.

He quickly withdrew his order.

Tonight was not a good night to move out. The aircraft carrier fleet had already begun bombing the area around the airport, and the planes from the aircraft carrier had also arrived on the battlefield.

Lieutenant Colonel Takahashi Kazuo was worried that Captain Katayama Sato Haruto would lead his troops out of the airport and be accidentally injured by their own people.

It must be said that the lieutenant colonel was wise, and he considered the possibility of friendly fire.

Lin Fan led his direct subordinate team of a dozen people to quickly withdraw from their position.

Less than three minutes after they left their position, they saw countless streaks of light flying across the previously red sky.

Followed by huge explosions, resounding continuously.

From the direction the shells were flying, Lin Fan knew: these were fired from Japanese warships.

The naval guns had huge calibers, and even the earth trembled under their impact, let alone ordinary positions.

One such naval shell hitting a position could cause the deaths of everyone within a radius of a hundred meters.

Tonight, they had poked the Japanese in a sore spot.

Next, it was estimated that all the places where they had fought would be turned into ruins.

Thinking of the Western-style small building built of reinforced concrete, Lin Fan suddenly felt somewhat sorry for the owner.

If it weren't for this wave tonight, that villa might still be intact after the war.

After all the soldiers of the Special Company had gathered, Lin Fan noticed that one soldier was walking somewhat unnaturally.

Upon inquiry, he learned that he had twisted his ankle because he had been running too fast.

Lin Fan directed the soldiers to evenly distribute the spoils they had just collected onto the backs of the mules and horses.

He personally rubbed alcohol on the soldier's ankle.

He also freed up a mule for the injured soldier to ride on.

Only then was he ready to set off to break through the checkpoint.

They were a transport team carrying equipment and supplies to the airport.

After being suddenly attacked, they had to flee in a panic, and one soldier had even twisted his ankle in the chaos.

This plan was good, very good!

Lin Fan looked at the expressions on the faces of his subordinates: their faces were full of high spirits and excitement.

He couldn't help but shake his head. How could this look like a fleeing transport team?

They looked completely like victorious and arrogant soldiers!

Lin Fan had to make everyone stop temporarily.

It was time to give these soldiers a lesson in wartime acting.

Lin Fan, keeping his voice low but audible to everyone, said, "What we are playing now is a transport team that has been frightened.

Just escaped from the airport attack.

Look at each other, do the expressions on your faces look like you are panicking and out of your minds?

You've just escaped from the battlefield with your lives, there should be some panic on your faces.

There should be an expression of having just escaped death.

Don't laugh: Liu Laopao!

I'm talking about you."

Liu Laopao said aggrievedly, "Report, Company Commander! I'm happy from the bottom of my heart, I can't pretend to have a dead face like someone who has died!"

Lin Fan said exasperatedly, "Didn't people just die?

So many devils died! Think about how miserable they died!

When you were cleaning the battlefield, the devils' bodies were all blown to pieces.

Those devils on the runway were running around like torches.

How tragic was that!

They were really tragic!"

After Lin Fan said this, Liu Laopao indeed stopped laughing, and his face really looked like a dead person, heartbroken.

Xiao Dongbei's face, however, lit up with a smile.

Seeing Lin Fan's serious expression, Xiao Dongbei quickly explained, "Company Commander, I wouldn't be happy if you didn't say it.

The more miserable you say the devils died, the happier I am in my heart!

Don't worry, Company Commander, let me be happy for a little while, just for a little while."

At this time, it wasn't just Xiao Dongbei who was smiling.

Ji Wudi was right next to Lin Fan, she didn't dare to laugh out loud, but her body was shaking.

Listening to Lin Fan talk about how miserable the devils were, for the first time she wasn't angry and scared.

But genuinely wanted to laugh from the bottom of her heart.

Especially when she personally saw hundreds of devils turning into torch people on the airport runway, running around in all directions.

Lin Fan, seeing how hard she was trying to hold it back, couldn't help but gently pat her on the shoulder, "Cry it out loud if you want to cry!

Anyway, the devils' gunfire is loud right now, they won't hear you if you cry."

As soon as he finished speaking, Ji Wudi's silver bell-like laughter rang out.

Lin Fan's words seemed to have opened the floodgates of her laughter, Ji Wudi finally opened her heart and laughed.

The soldiers of the entire Special Company, originally hearing Lin Fan tell Ji Wudi to cry.

All thought of the fate of these two sisters!

Although no one had said anything, no one had asked what kind of insults they had suffered.

But these soldiers of the Special Company only needed to look at the way these two sisters were, and they knew: the devils would definitely not let go of girls like them.

Now, hearing the company commander tell her to cry it out, all the soldiers felt somewhat sad!

They didn't expect that she was just holding back from laughing.

Ji Wudi's laughter instantly ignited the laughter of everyone in the entire Special Company.

The entire company laughed together in an uproar.

Lin Fan's patience was worn out, and there wasn't enough time to continue doing ideological work.

He had no choice but to say, "Everyone control your emotions, and learn from Liu Laopao."

Liu Laopao tried hard to put on a serious look, but his body was also shaking.

Lin Fan knew he was trying hard to hold it back, and hoped he could persevere for a while longer, and not be like Ji Wudi again.

Liu Laopao: "Company Commander, when you talk about the devils' misery, I think of those wonderful moments tonight, and I didn't participate in any of them.

I'm sad!

I'm really sad!"

The laughter that had just been somewhat restrained suddenly erupted again.

The entire Special Company laughed.

Even Lin Fan himself couldn't hold back.

After thinking about it, he said, "Everyone load your guns, and listen to my orders, be ready to fire at any time.

But! No one is allowed to fire without orders.

Now! Move out!"

He could no longer continue with the wartime actor's self-cultivation lesson.

Lin Fan felt that the more he said, the opposite effect it had.

After Lin Fan's ideological work, the soldiers of the entire Special Company, were in a good mood and walked lightly on the road.

Lin Fan shook his head secretly, none of these soldiers were actors:

They couldn't even pretend to be miserable.

Thinking of those various competitions in later generations, although there wasn't a special misery competition, but no matter what kind of talent show it was, the first thing they competed in was: comparing misery!

After all, having watched countless "misery comparison" competitions, Lin Fan quickly controlled his emotions.

He walked at the front of the team, and the Ji family's three siblings walked in the middle and rear of the team.

They knew Japanese and were prepared to deal with sudden situations.

Li Xian led two squads to this location early, only four or five hundred meters away from the nearest checkpoint.

As the team turned the corner, they saw that all the devils in the checkpoint ahead were standing outside.

They cheered when they saw a team of devils walking out.

The second lieutenant who had personally accompanied Lin Fan for a while that afternoon also recognized this team at this time.

He quickly greeted them and asked nervously, "Did something happen at the airport?"

This second lieutenant, seeing these soldiers walking over, no longer had the arrogance he had in the afternoon.

Everyone's guns were in a state where they could be fired at any time.

Like frightened hedgehogs, they would fire the thorns on their bodies at the slightest sign of trouble.

Even the officer leading the team looked a little dejected.

Lin Fan pretended not to be frightened and shouted loudly, "What could happen at the airport?

What could happen?

It's just that a team that doesn't know what's good for them, attacked the airport by night, and ignited the oil drums piled up at the airport.

Now the Empire's fleet has launched a bombing raid on the positions of those attackers,

And the Empire's planes have already taken off.

None of those attackers will escape.

Not one will escape!"

The second lieutenant smelled the gunpowder on these people, and saw the sweat on their faces had not yet dried.

He didn't dare to ask any more questions, these people had been frightened tonight, and it wouldn't be good if he let them vent their anger on himself.

The second lieutenant quickly ordered, "Open the barriers and let these people leave."

Seeing that these people were walking with their hands tightly gripping their guns, it seemed that they were frightened at the airport.

Thinking of this, the second lieutenant snorted, "Cowards!"

He said it in a very low voice, so low that only he could hear it himself.

Knowing that he had boldly made such a disparaging remark about this team.

The second lieutenant didn't dare to say the three words "cowards" any louder.

In the afternoon, after this team passed by, those who followed them said a lot about the prestige of this transport team at the previous checkpoint.

Thinking of how arrogant these cowards were when they came, compared to the current situation of his once heroic Shanghai Marine Corps.

The second lieutenant suddenly became dejected as well.

The soldiers of the Special Company nervously passed in front of hundreds of devils.

The way their hands were nervously gripping their guns, ready to fire at any time.

Caused laughter from the devils watching.

These devils all knew: this was a reaction of extreme fright and extreme fear.

This supply team must have been terrified at the airport.

There was also a wounded man!

These people were really scared: they didn't dare to resist even when they heard the ridicule from these people.

The laughter became louder.

The second lieutenant quickly spoke to stop them: if they made trouble, he would be the one to get slapped.

He had already seen the officer walking at the front of the team was shaking.