Ironblood Black Soil

Unwilling to engage the Japanese Kwantung Army in a direct confrontation, and for other reasons as well, the Huaxia Army decides to withdraw from the Northeast, handing the vast, fertile black earth over to the Japanese invaders. But they underestimate the Japanese army's ravenous ambition. The Japanese have long coveted Huaxia's territory, and their ambitions reach far beyond a single corner: they want the entire Northeast, and all of Huaxia... As soon as the Huaxia Army begins its retreat, the Kwantung Army launches a surprise attack, inflicting enormous losses. Nearly all of the rear guard units are wiped out. The rear-guard mission is now even more difficult and crucial, especially in protecting the retreat of the Huaxia Army's command staff. The Japanese are watching the command headquarters closely, making its rear guard assignment a near-impossible task. Choosing the right rear-guard unit, and especially the right commander, is vital. Liang Jihua, a combat staff officer who has just graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point, is vehemently opposed to surrendering the Northeast. He declares, “For every inch of black earth, a drop of blood. We swear to stand with this land!” He now volunteers for the dangerous task and is appointed to lead the rear guard protecting the Huaxia Army's command staff during its retreat. With just one reinforced battalion, he holds off a Japanese regiment's several-thousand-man assault at Xiaoqing Mountain. Not only does he complete the blocking mission, he also deals a crushing blow to the Japanese Tianlong First Regiment, shattering the myth that the Japanese are invincible. Though the blocking mission is complete, the unit has suffered heavy casualties and now faces two choices: either find the main force, or stay