The Takahashi Taiyu Artillery Battalion's position on Turtle Mountain was still being pounded by the Eighth Artillery Regiment of the Special Forces Brigade.

Mao Wenxing was piloting his plane, guiding the Eighth Regiment's bombing runs just above them.

He wasn't flying a helicopter, so he couldn't hover over the Japanese artillery positions on Turtle Mountain, of course.

At this moment, Mao Wenxing's plane was already flying towards Luwang Mountain.

He was going to check on Lin Fan and his retreating troops.

Mao Wenxing's departure perfectly avoided the Kimura Akihisa Flying Squadron.

The Kimura Akihisa Flying Squadron had discovered the Special Forces Brigade's artillery positions.

They were diving towards the heavy artillery positions.

They completely failed to notice the anti-aircraft guns and heavy machine gun companies behind the heavy artillery positions.

This couldn't be blamed on the pilot, Abusuniko Taro, who was flying in the lead.

When he discovered the heavy artillery positions, he was completely drawn in.

Therefore, he didn't pay attention to observing the surrounding situation.

In reality, even if he had paid attention,

it wouldn't have been easy to discover the Eighth Regiment's concealed anti-aircraft gun positions.

After all, these anti-aircraft guns were used to shoot down airplanes.

The better they were hidden, the better!

All the enemy planes in the air were diving.

They were already five thousand meters away from the heavy artillery positions,

then three thousand meters.

At this moment, the eighteen anti-aircraft guns lurking behind the heavy artillery positions

and two heavy machine gun companies opened fire together.

They fiercely fired at the diving Japanese planes.

Although Lin Fan, the divine gunner, wasn't there today,

the Eighth Regiment's artillerymen had all grown up long ago.

The first round of shells flew out,

and the fighter plane piloted by Abusuniko Taro truly became a turtle's egg.

Not only that one, but three other planes exploded in the air.

Three more bombers, trailing black smoke, fell directly to the ground,

obviously out of control.

"The enemy has anti-aircraft guns!"

"The enemy's anti-aircraft fire is fierce!"

The Japanese in the Kimura Akihisa Flying Squadron shouted in terror.

Their desperate voices came through the radio.

At this moment, no Japanese soldier could guarantee his own safety.

It was like throwing bricks over a wall.

No one knew which one would get hit.

Neither the person throwing the brick nor the person getting hit knew.

The only thing these pilots in the Kimura Akihisa Squadron could do at this time was to pull up their planes

and fly away to the side.

Squadron Commander Kimura Akihisa wasn't flying in the lead.

His reaction time was a little longer than that of Abusuniko Taro and the other Japanese soldiers rushing in the lead.

Although Squadron Commander Kimura Akihisa's plane was also diving,

he was already turning to the north.

At this time, he still remembered: he couldn't go towards the Shangxin River and Longgan Lake.

In the entire Kimura Akihisa Flying Squadron, the fighter planes and attack planes were in the lead.

These planes were small, light, and maneuverable.

Although they were rushing in the lead, they were also the most agile.

When they realized something was wrong, they could immediately operate the planes to change course, turn, or even make emergency climbs.

After seven of these planes were lost,

the bombers following behind them were in trouble.

Bombers were the complete opposite of fighter planes.

They had a large payload, were large in size, and clumsy in movement.

Even if they knew there was a trap ahead, these planes, due to inertia,

continued to fly towards the Eighth Regiment's trap.

It wasn't that the pilots didn't want to react,

it was just that after they reacted, the planes still had to digest it,

and were still moving slowly.

After those fighter planes and attack planes dodged,

the anti-aircraft guns and heavy machine guns on the ground all fired at the eighteen Japanese bombers.

These planes, which were huge targets, were hit one after another.

Planes exploded in the air constantly.

Planes trailing black smoke fell to the ground continuously.

There was more than one Japanese soldier on a bomber.

They were all a crew, with as few as five and as many as seven or even nine Japanese soldiers.

These Japanese soldiers already knew that they were under attack.

The bomb-dropping preparations they had just made while chatting and laughing were now all abandoned.

Their lives were about to be lost, so what bombs were they going to drop!

Every Japanese crew member on every bomber was now praying for the blessing of Amaterasu Omikami.

Regiment Commander Feng Junya couldn't close his mouth with joy

when he saw that six Japanese fighter planes had already been shot down.

Now, seeing that the bulk of the anti-aircraft battle was still behind him,

and one large plane after another was falling non-stop,

he was even happier and couldn't find north.

He loudly ordered the heavy artillery regiment:

"Learn from the anti-aircraft company!"

Anti-aircraft guns shooting down airplanes had an immediate effect. You could see right away whether you hit it or not.

The heavy artillery regiment bombing the Japanese artillery positions on Turtle Mountain, more than ten kilometers away,

was like hitting a cow across a mountain. The results could only be guessed.

Now that they had Mao Wenxing, the artillery regiment could learn the results from Mao Wenxing.

The entire Kimura Akihisa Flying Squadron only flew over the Eighth Regiment's artillery positions,

and lost half of its planes: twelve bombers, six fighter planes, and attack planes.

Squadron Commander Kimura Akihisa couldn't accept such a result.

Division Commander Inaba Shiro was stunned when he received the news.

He simply couldn't believe the fact.

Was this morning the day the Imperial Air Force crashed?

But he still strictly ordered the Kimura Akihisa Flying Squadron to continue bombing the Special Forces Brigade's artillery positions.

This order made Squadron Commander Kimura Akihisa feel embarrassed.

Just now, they had passed over the Special Forces Brigade's artillery positions.

The fighter planes had fired some bullets, although they had no effect.

At least they had opened fire.

Those bombers hadn't dropped a single bomb.

Now they were being asked to continue bombing!

What to do?

Division Commander Inaba Shiro's orders had to be obeyed.

No matter how unreasonable the orders were, they had to be carried out.

This time, the fighter planes and attack planes didn't go to the Eighth Regiment's artillery positions.

Only four bombers had to work hard to move forward,

circled around, and went to bomb again.

However, the pilots of these four bombers weren't fools either.

They were flying at an altitude of four thousand meters,

estimating the distance and calculating the trajectory of the bombs.

Their plan was to drop the bombs from an altitude of four thousand meters!

Whether or not the bombs hit the target after they were dropped was none of the bomber group's business.

After all, safety came first when bombing!

This was also what Squadron Commander Kimura Akihisa was thinking.

But he definitely didn't reveal half of this terrible thought,

nor did he give the crews of the four surviving bombers a single glance.

A glance in the air couldn't be transmitted.

It was entirely based on cooperation. The four bombers were high above,

flying at an altitude of four thousand meters.

The seven members of the Nii Izumi Juro crew were now ready.

Although they were still several miles away from the target they were going to bomb,

they had forgotten one thing.

Just now, when they were here for a visit,

they had the entire flying squadron as cover.

The Special Forces Brigade's anti-aircraft battalion had only started firing during their dive.

Now it was different. The four bombers were flying over again,

still flying high,

as if they wanted to take another tour.

Feng Jun didn't intend to let them go.

He ordered the anti-aircraft guns: "Fire!

Shoot down these Japanese soldiers!"

At an altitude of over four thousand meters, the heavy machine guns couldn't reach them.

The two heavy machine gun companies could only watch the show.

The eighteen anti-aircraft guns didn't stop at all.

They fired at the four enemy planes flying over.

Cannons that could hit an altitude of eight thousand meters

had no problem with height or range at all.

The only thing that limited these soldiers was: they weren't accurate enough.

Even so, with continuous firing,

the unlucky Nii Izumi Juro crew was the first to be hit.

Captain Nii Izumi Juro shouted and called for help in terror in the air.

The plane crashed. Who could save them?

Although no one could save Nii Izumi Juro's plane,

its dying screams successfully scared the Japanese soldiers in the other three bombers.

At this time, they were hurriedly throwing bombs down,

and were also turning,

preparing to escape from this place.

In a panic, two bombers actually collided in the air.

In this way, the entire Kimura Flying Squadron was left with only one bomber.

In any case, this single plane finally safely escaped the dense anti-aircraft fire from the ground.

Together with the remaining eight fighter planes,

they returned the way they came.

When they took off from Jiujiang Airport, there were thirty-six planes.

Four planes were lost over Wuhan.

When they reached the sky above Susong, there were thirty-two planes.

These planes were flying over Susong,

and it wasn't just the Special Forces Brigade and the Japanese that saw them.

The Eightieth Army under Li Pinxian, commander of the Fourth Army Group of the Fifth War Zone, saw all of this in the Dabie Mountains north of Susong.

When they saw the large Japanese fleet, they were so scared that they quickly hid.

Some of the bolder ones counted thirty-two planes.

When these planes went back, they only saw nine.

Everyone knew what this meant!

The Special Forces Brigade didn't report this result.

Instead, the Fifth War Zone took the initiative to send a telegram to inquire.

Only then did Lin Fan report the Special Forces Brigade's ambush of the Japanese supply convoy on the Shangxin River,

the annihilation of eighteen Japanese gunboats and thirty-six planes on Longgan Lake and Shangxin River, and one thousand infantrymen,

the capture of twenty-four ironclad ships loaded with grain;

the Third Regiment's successful capture of the Japanese-held Tiger Head Mountain position,

and the artillery regiment's successful shooting down of twenty-three Japanese planes

and destruction of one Japanese artillery position.

Bai Chongxi looked at the telegram sent back by Lin Fan,

somewhat in disbelief.

After Lin Fan proposed that the Fifth War Zone cooperate to attack the Japanese in Huangmei and Susong from both sides and was rejected last time,

the Special Forces Brigade hadn't had any major moves for several days.

Bai Chongxi had thought that the Special Forces Brigade had been confronting the Japanese during this period,

unable to attack and unwilling to make progress.

He didn't expect Lin Fan to be holding back a big move,

and at once robbed the Japanese supply convoy departing from Xiaochikou,

and also eliminated fifty-nine planes and eighteen gunboats.

Each of these achievements would be specially commended by the General Headquarters if placed in any team.

However, Bai Chongxi knew that if their miscellaneous troops weren't liked by Chiang Kai-shek,

then the Special Forces Brigade was obviously being squeezed and suppressed by Chiang Kai-shek.

No matter how great their military achievements were, Lin Fan would not be promoted.

The Special Forces Brigade couldn't be expanded either.

However, thinking that Lin Fan already had fifteen regiments plus one detachment,

the actual regular army had 40,000 people,

which was completely the scale of a reinforced army.

Chiang Kai-shek's establishment or something didn't have any impact on the Special Forces Brigade.

Anyway, the Special Forces Brigade hadn't received much supplies or military pay from the National Army.

Even so, Bai Chongxi still sent the Special Forces Brigade's battle report from this morning to the Wuhan General Headquarters.

Everyone who saw such a battle report would be happy.

Chiang Kai-shek was the same. Although he wanted to suppress the development of the Special Forces Brigade,

he was very happy that they could fight the Japanese like this.

This was completely like a horse that didn't eat grass but could still run fast.

It was just that he couldn't bring this Lin Fan into his own use.

He always felt regret.

At this time, Dai Li came to report.

Seeing that the president, who had often been frowning these days, was actually smiling,

he immediately knew that the front line had won a great victory.

He immediately congratulated him first, and then casually asked, "Who fought a good battle today?"

Chiang Kai-shek pushed the telegram over: "You've met this person!"

Dai Li looked at the contents of the telegram and asked with some doubt:

"Could there be any false reports?"

Chiang Kai-shek smiled bitterly: "I'd like to see him falsely report one to me.

No matter how great his military achievements are, he won't get any supplies or rewards from me.

And Lin Fan is a bit arrogant.

His team never falsely reports their battle results."

Hearing Chiang Kai-shek's evaluation of Lin Fan, Dai Li became a little vigilant:

"Should we?"

Chiang Kai-shek waved his hand: "With a formidable enemy in front of us, it's better not to touch him.

If I had such a talent under my command,

I wouldn't be so anxious."

Dai Li smiled: "You are the president, the supreme leader of the entire National Army's resistance against Japan.

This Special Forces Brigade is so capable of fighting,

and Lin Fan's personal ability is also strong.

You can completely transfer him to the most difficult places."

His words awakened the dreamer.

Chiang Kai-shek suddenly felt a door opening in front of him.

He could use this Special Forces Brigade not just in the Fifth War Zone.

Thinking of this, he immediately ordered: "Order, the Special Forces Brigade's establishment in the Fifth War Zone is adjusted to be directly under the General Headquarters."

After issuing this order, Chiang Kai-shek laughed loudly:

"The Special Forces Brigade is directly under the General Headquarters. They can go to battlefields all over the country."

From this day on, Lin Fan's Special Forces Brigade became a direct unit under the National Army's Combat General Headquarters led by Chiang Kai-shek.

It had the same treatment as the Training Corps in Nanjing back then.

The only difference was that Lin Fan, the brigade commander, was not as trusted by Chiang Kai-shek as Gui Yongqing, the commander of the Training Corps back then.

The Special Forces Brigade's supplies were not as good as those of the Training Corps!

For Lin Fan, no matter which level of leader or commander he was under,

his main leaders were still in northern Shaanxi!

It was those people in the cave dwellings who were directing the national resistance against Japan.

At this time, Lin Fan was still leading his team on the road back to Taihu Lake.

The Sixth Division Commander of the Japanese Army, Inaba Shiro, was now a little flustered.

He had received some supplies air-dropped by Japanese planes,

so the team could continue to breathe.

But he wanted to retake Tiger Head Mountain, and now there wasn't even a shadow of it.

The Turtle Mountain artillery position was completely destroyed. Of the 999 Japanese soldiers in the Third Artillery Battalion,

casualties reached more than 700.

All 36 cannons in the entire battalion were destroyed.

The Third Artillery Battalion completely lost its combat effectiveness.

The aviation squadron that was invited over didn't even get a single bullet to Tiger Head Mountain.

Most of them had already been lost, and only nine planes successfully returned to Jiujiang Airport.

Even Division Commander Inaba Shiro couldn't help but shed tears at such a result.

But Tiger Head Mountain still had to be seized!

The Okazaki Oya Brigade, which was attacking Tiger Head Mountain, was still ten kilometers away from Tiger Head Mountain.

These Japanese soldiers in the Okazaki Oya Brigade had already seen the planes flying back in the air.

From the dense mass when they came to the nine planes when they returned,

what had happened on the front line?

These Japanese soldiers could guess with their feet.

Unfortunately, they were all the lowest-level infantry.

With the division commander's order, these Japanese soldiers had to continue moving forward.

Mao Wenxing, who had just circled around, was now coming back.

He learned that during the time he was away,

the Eighth Regiment had actually shot down more than 20 Japanese planes.

This was great news.

Since the Japanese planes had been driven away,

of course, he still had to continue to scout the depths of the Japanese position.

First, he looked at the Japanese artillery position on Turtle Mountain.

It had been completely destroyed.

Then, he looked at the Japanese movements in Susong City.

He could only see that there were many Japanese soldiers.

Then, he went to Huangmei to take a look. There was no difference from the past few days.

Division Commander Inaba Shiro saw the plane in the air.

He already knew that it was the Special Forces Brigade's reconnaissance plane,

but he couldn't shoot it down.

These past few days, he had specially sent planes to patrol in the air.

This plane seemed to know the news

and hadn't come out all along.

Now, he was here again!

Too hateful! Division Commander Inaba Shiro was very resentful.

When Mao Wenxing was flying the plane back,

he suddenly discovered a Japanese team below heading towards Tiger Head Mountain.

This was a good target.

Unfortunately, these Japanese soldiers hadn't entered the artillery regiment's range yet.

Mao Wenxing recorded this Japanese team.

Lin Fan had been leading his team lurking in Zhao Jiaju these past few days,

waiting for the opportunity.

Chen Sichuan was also leading the First and Sixth Regiments to rest in Tongcheng.

It was just that their rest was to familiarize themselves with the terrain within a 20-kilometer radius around Tongcheng.

During these days, the First and Sixth Regiments and those puppet troops who had surrendered in Tongcheng

were also active around Tongcheng.

They left early and returned late every day.

It was very hard!

But those surrendered puppet troops had already become familiar with the Special Forces Brigade's style.

They ate well and slept well every day.

Only the training was indispensable!

For these people, as long as they had meat to eat every day,

they weren't afraid of any hardship or fatigue.

A full 4,000-strong main force regiment,

training with 600 puppet troops,

would definitely bring them along.

These puppet troops hadn't been issued rifles yet,

but they had also started to participate in the morning bayonet training.

Although they were only using wooden sticks,

this had already made the puppet troops feel flattered.

Since Chen Sichuan had accepted Lin Fan's order:

to establish a base area in this place,

he had started to develop steadily.

Tongcheng could be used as a support point.

Outside Tongcheng, in the Dabie Mountains,

he also needed to develop a secret stronghold.

One place in the open and one place in the dark,

this would best guarantee the safety of the base area.

At the same time, he also wanted everyone to be familiar with the terrain here.

In marching and fighting, the right time, the right place, and the right people were indispensable.

The right time couldn't be controlled and could only be chosen. There was no way to change this.

The right place could be used well after becoming familiar with it.

Chen Sichuan had been working hard on the right people!

Of course, he didn't just familiarize himself with the terrain.

He had sent reconnaissance teams to Lujiang, Shucheng, Anqing, Zongyang, and Tongling.

Only the reconnaissance team in Anqing was sent by the Tenth Regiment stationed in Qianshan.

Regiment Commander Li Zhize of the Tenth Regiment had been doing almost the same thing as Chen Sichuan these days.

He rotated the various companies out of Qianshan City,

so that everyone would be familiar with the surrounding mountains and rivers.

Once a team's inheritance was established,

there would be an inertia that would force the people in the team to do it.

Before Chen Sichuan had decided whether to attack Shucheng or Lujiang first,

the Tenth Regiment's reconnaissance team in Anqing made a major discovery:

The Japanese had concentrated tens of thousands of laborers in Tianzhu Mountain, Anqing,

to build an airport!

The airport had now been completed, and planes had already entered the field.

Anqing was only more than 50 kilometers away from Qianshan,

and it was also more than 50 kilometers away from Tongcheng.

Anqing, Tongcheng, and Qianshan

were an isosceles triangle.

If the Japanese planes wanted to bomb Tongcheng and Qianshan,

it would only take ten minutes to fly there.

Such an airport shouldn't exist!

Chen Sichuan immediately reported the situation to Lin Fan.

Lin Fan's response was very clear:

"Then wipe it out.

If you need main force support,

just say it!

You are the main military officer in the Jiangbei base area.

You can decide how to fight the battle to wipe out Tianzhu Mountain Airport!

Just speak up if you need help."

Chen Sichuan quickly responded:

"Guarantee to complete the mission!"

He now had three regiments under his command,

and a baggage transport team converted from 600 puppet troops.

Attacking a Japanese airport was completely no problem,

especially since this airport was only 30 kilometers away from Qianshan.

Since they were going to fight, of course they had to find the road first.

This time, to attack Tianzhu Mountain Airport,

the team would definitely send troops from Tongcheng and Qianshan.

Qianshan's current position determined that its safety was still very secure.

Chen Sichuan planned to have Li Zhize's Tenth Regiment leave two infantry companies to guard the city,

and all the remaining ten companies would be dispatched.

Tongcheng's position, with Japanese on three sides,

decided to leave Ye Dadan's Sixth Regiment behind,

and have the First Regiment cooperate with the Tenth Regiment to attack Tianzhu Mountain Airport together.

The plan was set!

From Tongcheng to Tianzhu Mountain was 40 kilometers.

The First Regiment was very familiar with the first 20 kilometers.

They had trained in this 20-kilometer range twice.

Now they needed to familiarize themselves with the last 20 kilometers of the road.

In the other direction, Li Zhize's Tenth Regiment was also stepping up familiarization with the last 10 kilometers of the road.

From Qianshan to Tianzhu Mountain was only 30 kilometers.

They only needed to familiarize themselves with the last 10 kilometers of the road.

Regiment Commander Li Zhize was originally a company commander in the Central Training Corps.

This qualification was one of the best in the entire Special Forces Brigade of tens of thousands of people.

In terms of his previous position in the National Army, only Ninth Regiment Commander Hui Jianming was higher than him.

But the Central Training Corps was the emperor's guard.

Chiang Kai-shek's most proud and valued team

was much more elite than Jiangyin Fortress, where Hui Jianming was located.

Regiment Commander Li Zhize was able to lead his company of more than 100 people to break through the encirclement when Nanjing City fell.

Such combat command ability was very outstanding even in the Central Training Corps.

Preparations were proceeding in an orderly manner.

Regiment Commander Li Zhize specially went to Tongcheng to discuss the plan to attack Tianzhu Mountain with Chen Sichuan.

Both sides would set off from their respective places,

prepare, and rush to Tianzhu Mountain overnight from Qianshan and Tongcheng.

They would launch an attack after dawn.

They would try to preserve the planes on the airport.

If they could seize the planes,

the Jiangbei base area could also use the planes.

This was a good thing.

The First Regiment had not done this kind of thing to seize planes before!

Chen Sichuan strongly agreed with this plan.

There were now two difficulties: one was the airport,

and the second difficulty was the pilot!

They could build the airport themselves.

If it was for safety, of course it would be good to build it in Qianshan.

If it was for convenient supply, then Tongcheng would be good.

Chen Sichuan couldn't make up his mind on such a choice for a while.

Anyway, the matter of the pilot also had to be reported to Lin Fan for instructions.

Lin Fan received Chen Sichuan's request for instructions and pondered for a while and said:

"Let's build a temporary airport in Qianshan for the time being!

Tongcheng is surrounded by enemies on all sides.

After occupying Shucheng and Luxian,

we will build a real airport in Tongcheng.

As for the matter of the pilot,

build the Qianshan Airport first,

and the pilot will take off from Jurong at night,

land at the Qianshan Temporary Airport,

and send some rockets over by the way,

and also take the wounded from these days back to Jurong for treatment."