August 15, 1937
I'm back in the streets of Shanghai. The Japanese Devils have sparked an all-out war through the Ōyama Incident. They have landed in Shanghai fighting their way to Nanjing. Sounds of gunfire and artillery surround us while planes filled the skies engaging in dogfights and bombing raids. All while Sergeant Cai gives everyone a pep talk raising his C96 Mauser.
Cai: The Devils that have wretched Dongbei from us are now here to take Shanghai! After Shanghai, they will continue to subjugate our country and enslave our people! We won't let them take our country and families without a fight! They expect to take Shanghai in 3 days and Zhongguo in 3 months, but they will not succeed!
Peeking over the sandbags the Japanese began to advance down the street. Taking out my rifle I aimed down the sights and waited to fire on Cai's command.
Cai: Here they come, my brothers! Here they come! DEATH TO THE DEVILS!
Without thinking I fired my rifle into the crowd of Japanese troops advancing down the street, hitting one and causing his friends to scatter for cover. The rest of the squad followed, taking potshots at any Devils unfortunate enough to run out of cover. We held them off until a Type 95 Ha-Go tank drove down the street. Unfortunately, none of us ever saw a tank or possessed any anti-tank weaponry. We wasted countless bullets shooting the tank until it fired a shot into the nest. Sergeant Cai was injured, the machine gun crew was dead and unusable and the Devils hiding behind cover ran out to support the tank. Everyone else including I survived unscathed.
Cai: Retreat to the main defense line! They have anti-tank equipment there, get moving!
I grabbed Sergeant Cai's MP18 and ran while laying down suppressive fire.
Y/N: Keep moving! Careful with the Sergeant, he's still alive!
I ran into the main defense line where a PaK 36 anti-tank was stationed. The anti-tank crew immediately rammed a round inside and fired directly at the tank, punching through its armor and exploding. Everyone cheered at the destruction of the tank.
We held back the Japanese, but Sergeant Cai was injured and everyone was exhausted. We burned through half our ammunition reserves shooting at the tank and the main defense line had little reserves. Sergeant Cai is too injured to keep fighting and was replaced with an incompetent, corrupted buffoon who most likely bribed his way through promotion. Sergeant Lee, I hated him, constantly lazed around and stole ammunition. We told him we needed it to shoot the Devils but continued to steal equipment. A week had passed and I decided to give him a piece of my mind.
Y/N: I had enough of Sergeant Lee's shit! If he continues stealing our ammunition and shells, we might as well be using swords, spears, and fists against the Devil's!
NRA Private 1: Y/N, don't, it's not worth it!
NRA Private 2: He can execute you without any notice!
Y/N: I'd rather shoot him myself! He did nothing to deserve this position and sabotaged our defenses against the Devil's! He's weakening us and while we're bleeding and dying from the Devil's, that coward is running away.
NRA Private 1: But Y/N, that's a capital crime! Get back here!
I ignored those pleas and walked to Sergeant Lee. As always, the bastard is not trying to hide the fact he's stealing more ammunition.
Lee: What are you doing here Y/N? Get back to your position.
Y/N: I could ask you the same. Stop stealing our ammunition!
Lee sneered and began to laugh.
Lee: Stop stealing ammunition? Or what will happen?
Y/N: Everyone is bleeding and dying. You have done nothing and you're weakening everyone. Every bullet you steal is one more Devil alive on our land!
Lee: That's not my problem.
Y/N: It is already your problem! It's everyone's problem the second they stole Dongbei from us! It's our problem since we're fighting them here in Shanghai! My family is in Nanjing, which is why I am fighting here!
Lee: Oh well, hope your family dies.
Y/N: YOU SPINELESS BASTARD!
Without thinking I swung my fist, at Lee, knocking his field cap off his head and we both began fighting. Due to German training, I easily had the upper hand until Lee pushed me to the ground and drew his pistol.
Lee: I'll have you shot, this is a capital crime you know?
Y/N: Shoot me, I dare you!
Before Lee cocked his pistol a political commissioner called out.
Commissioner: THE DEVILS HAVE ARRIVED! TO ARMS!
I quickly got up and ran to my position. The Devils are here with... MORE TANKS?!
Y/N: Take those armored beasts out!
Unfortunately, Lee's corrupt ways sabotaged us greatly as he stole and sold all anti-tank rounds, leaving us all defenseless. Only one option left, the last resort used by troops in the north.
NRA Private 3: FOR THE MOTHERLAND!
That private strapped himself with grenades and ran out the trench, jumping under a tank before exploding. Several other soldiers followed the same serving as suicide bombers and human shields. Each uttering their last words:
"TELL MY MA, I'M SORRY!"
"DEATH TO THE DEVILS!"
"SEND MY GOODBYES TO MY WIFE AND FAMILY!"
"HEAVEN OR HELL, WE WILL ALL REUNITE!"
Tears streamed down my face, seeing my comrades in one last display of bravery, sacrificing their lives for the country and the people. However, more Devils ran out behind the tanks and with no more grenades and nearly depleted ammunition, the Political Commissioner orders a retreat.
Commissioner: Retreat!
As I got up the trench to retreat, Sergeant Lee, humiliated by me, grabbed and threw me back into the trench. I quickly got up and grabbed his ankle, dragging him down into the trench, punching his face.
Y/N: This is your fault! You have stolen all the anti-tank shells and this happened!
He pushed me away and attempted to stab me with a bayonet but I dodged at the last second.
Y/N: You got all these good men killed, and you killed them, with your own greed!
Lee didn't respond, in fact, it seemed to infuriate him more. He picked up a Dadao and began swinging blindly screaming all the way. I grabbed both of his arms to notice a Type 10 grenade landed next to us. He noticed this too and threw me to the ground again and ran up to escape. I quickly got up and ran but not before the grenade blast threw me off my feet and I landed on a pile of bricks, cutting my left cheek. My right leg was in pain and I looked to see several shards of shrapnel lodged in my calf. I screamed in pain. Blood is leaking through my puttees and covered in dirt intensifying the pain.
Y/N: Arrgghhh, fuck MY LEG!
I crawled into the next street with the help of a bayonet. Luckily, a political commissioner noticed me and sent two privates over to drag me into the truck.
Commissioner: You are lucky comrade, we were going to leave. What happened?
Y/N: Sergeant Lee, that bastard!
Commissioner: Sergeant Cai's replacement? What about him?
With clenched teeth in pain, I slowly uttered out my story.
Y/N: Sergeant Lee... That bastard stole ammunition... and sold it, he caused good men to die... and a defensive line to be lost. He left me for dead when I got caught in a grenade blast... He should be executed. ARGH!
Commissioner: Save your strength. We're heading to Suzhou. There will be medics and doctors waiting for you. Sergeant Lee will be executed for desertion.
Y/N: Please... if we're going to Nanjing... tell my family that they need to leave... Tell them, Y/N sent you.
Commissioner: I will, and the masses of Nanjing should leave. Rest, for now, you fought well.
I closed my eyes and somehow slept through the pain...
Present-day
I woke up in a cold sweat. My eyes focused on my right leg and sighed in relief. I have never had any flashbacks about Shanghai. I walked out of my room to see the whole family listening to the radio.
Y/N: What's going on?
Father: Nothing other than the usual news, weather broadcast, advertisements, and daily propaganda.
Y/N: Ok I'm just going to take a walk in the market.
Father: Try not to stay out too long.
I took my field cap and walked out the door with the crisp spring air filling my chest. Time to visit a place I have never been to for years.
Chapter 8 END