Changjin Lake: From Xinxingli to Seoul

Chapter 174 The Capture of the Blue House!!!
US Eastern Defense Line Positions in Seoul

"Sir, the Chinese army has launched a general offensive!!"

A U.S. Army lieutenant shouted in a panic.

“I know, but that’s not the most important thing…”

"Didn't you hear? The gunshots came from behind first."

The U.S. Army captain said with a hint of despair in his eyes.

"Gunfire from the rear! Have the South Korean troops mutinied?!"

The U.S. lieutenant reacted instantly, his eyes widening as he shouted.

"careful!"

The U.S. Army captain pulled him down, and a burst of bullets flew overhead.

"Sir, what should we do now? Hold out and wait for reinforcements?"

"The US Army lieutenant asked."

"Go, send a telegram immediately informing General Ridgway that the South Korean troops are all untrustworthy; they are Chinese soldiers!!"

"Break out immediately after sending the telegram!"

The U.S. Army captain thought for a moment and then spoke.

"Yes, sir!"

The U.S. lieutenant quickly agreed and ran towards the radio station.

However, at that moment, a grenade flew in a beautiful arc, spinning as it approached above him.

He reacted quickly and tried to lie down, but the grenade exploded in mid-air.

"boom!"

The dazzling red color instantly blinded him, and shrapnel carrying a violent shockwave instantly sliced ​​him into several pieces.

"Air blast?"

"Fuck!"

The U.S. Army captain suddenly recalled some unpleasant memories and quickly moved to the other side.

"kill!"

However, at this moment, Wu Wanli was the first to jump into the trench, and a gleaming bayonet was thrust at him.

"what!"

In a moment of desperation, he rolled over and narrowly avoided Wu Wanli's stabbing attack.

But as he tried to draw his gun to retaliate, a powerful foot landed on him, and a gleaming bayonet was pressed against his neck.

At this moment, an American soldier in the trench saw this and immediately tried to raise his gun to shoot Wu Wanli.

"boom!"

A gunshot rang out, and the American soldier was shot in the head and fell to the ground.

"Wanli, I'm here!"

Liu Hanqing, holding a gun, stood guard on Wu Wanli's right flank.

"Da da da da..."

"Company commander, how come you and the political instructor are running so fast!"

At this moment, Yu Congrong also jumped into the trench, fired a burst of shots at the American troops to Wu Wanli's left, and then spoke.

"I think you are well aware of your current situation. Order them to surrender immediately, or I will kill you right now!"

Wu Wanli did not reply, but stared at the American captain with cold eyes and said in a low voice.

At the same time, he applied slight force with his bayonet, directly piercing the capillaries in the neck of the US Army captain, and trickling blood flowed down.

"I...I promise you!"

The U.S. Army captain felt a pain in his neck and quickly spoke up.

"hurry up!"

Wu Wanli pulled him up and, holding him back, said...

"Surrender! Let's surrender!"

"Both sides are blocked, and Seoul is poorly defended. We have no chance!"

At this moment, the U.S. Army captain slowly walked into the depths of the trench, shouting as he went.

In the distance behind, the South Korean army led by Chun Doo-kwang was getting closer and closer, and it looked like they were about to completely encircle and annihilate the American forces.

Some American troops had barely retreated a short distance when they were mowed down by South Korean troops they had previously looked down upon.

Moreover, with the ammunition depot bombed, they are short of ammunition.

Seeing that there was no hope, the U.S. captain's offer of surrender was like the last straw that broke the camel's back, completely extinguishing the U.S. military's last will to resist.

Before long, all the remaining American troops on the position surrendered.

....................................

Soon, the Steel Seventh Company successfully joined forces with the First Regiment of Han, led by Quan Douguang.

"It's been so long since we parted ways at Shuimen Bridge, Wu Kaka!"

"Now the entire ROK 1st Division has revolted according to the Winter of Seoul plan, and we have divided and surrounded these American troops."

Quan Douguang looked at Wu Wanli who had come over, saluted with mixed feelings, and said.

"Well done!"

"How about it? After leading the South Korean army to defeat these arrogant American troops, do you feel like you now have a group of elite soldiers under your command?"

Wu Wanli smiled and returned the greeting, then asked.

"They may not be considered elite soldiers, but they have indeed transformed into daredevils who are willing to charge into battle."

Quan Douguang thought for a moment and then said.

“A true warrior will die for one who understands him.”

"If I were a soldier following you, I probably would have chosen you over those American soldiers who bullied me every day."

Wu Wanli glanced at the South Korean soldiers standing straight behind Quan Douguang. They were all well-nourished and had ruddy complexions, clearly living a good life.

"Wukaka, what will become of our First Division after this battle?"

Quan Douguang remained silent for a moment, then looked at Wu Wanli and asked.

"Instructor Liu, what do you think?"

This matter concerns the fate of tens of thousands of people, and Wu Wanli did not want to make any promises lightly. He turned to look at Liu Hanqing and said.

"The Party's mission is to unite all forces that can be united, win over the majority, and strike down a small minority."

"Don't worry, they won't be treated unfairly."

Liu Hanqing was somewhat surprised that Wu Wanli would suddenly ask him, but he still answered truthfully.

Will we be split up?

"Of course, at this point, there's no turning back; we're just asking in advance."

Quan Douguang sighed and asked.

"General Quan, are you familiar with the 50th Army in our ranks?"

Wu Wanli looked at the blue moon hanging high in the sky and said.

“I know they were originally your enemies, but after the uprising…”

"Can we expect this kind of treatment?"

Upon hearing this, Quan Douguang looked at Wu Wanli with burning eyes and asked.

"Your contributions are greater than theirs."

"I will definitely make the suggestion to the boss after I meet him."

"General Quan, is there anything else you're worried about?"

Wu Wanli said.

"Ah Xiba!"

"If it weren't for your leniency, I might just be a corpse lying on the Watergate Bridge now, or an ordinary South Korean prisoner."

"Being able to command tens of thousands of soldiers and become a division commander was something I never dared to dream of before."

"I might not trust anyone else, but I definitely believe in you!"

"Wukaka, if you don't mind, we might be able to become very good friends, or even brothers!"

Quan Douguang extended his hand to Wu Wanli and said with a smile.

"Just now, we were already comrades-in-arms fighting side by side, weren't we?"

"But I prefer the term 'comrade' to 'brother'!"

Wu Wanli gripped Quan Douguang's hand tightly and said.

"Hello, Comrade Wu..."

Quan Douguang said, somewhat unaccustomed to the situation.

"Company commander!"

"It's Zhiji calling!"

At this moment, Pinghe hurried over and said.

"General Quan is one of our own, just read it directly."

Wu Wanli said.

"Yes!"

"The US 25th Division has broken out from the direction of Goyang and is rushing towards Seoul to provide reinforcements."

"Take Seoul quickly and hold out for reinforcements!"

Pinghe recited.

"General Quan, you heard that too, we need to speed things up."

"Otherwise, once the reinforcements from the US 25th Division arrive, we'll have a tough time fighting them."

Wu Wanli said.

"Now, the only two major problems left in Seoul are Seoul Airport and the UN Command headquarters."

"Oh right, and the Blue House is guarded by Syngman Rhee's guards, but those troops are not a threat."

Quan Douguang said.

"No, the Blue House has extraordinary significance."

"If we can take over the Blue House, capture Syngman Rhee alive, and force him to issue a statement, the US military will become an unjust army without legitimacy."

"Adding to their current crushing defeat will bring them incalculable losses."

Wu Wanli said.

"The entire First Division of the Han Army will obey your orders. You decide how to fight."

Upon hearing this, Quan Douguang immediately said, "Take your men and head towards the battalion of American troops that went to besiege the UN command post."

"Although there is a gap in combat capabilities, I believe that two regiments of South Korean troops can take down a battalion of American troops."

"I will lead the Seventh Steel Company to raid the Blue House, seize it swiftly, and capture all its personnel."

Wu Wanli thought for a moment and then said.

"Company commander, this isn't right, is it?"

"Didn't they say that Ridgway, that American devil, was at Seoul Airport?"

"To catch the thief, you must first catch the king; if we're going to fight, we should attack his territory first!"

Upon hearing this, Yu Congrong quickly offered some advice.

"If we take over the airport now, US warplanes will no longer be stationed in Seoul."

"Our new China's air force is still too weak. We can't expect our Soviet big brother to continue sending air support, can we?"

Wu Wanli smiled, a flash of ambition crossing his eyes.

"Company commander, you're already eyeing American warplanes?"

Gao Daxing was slightly taken aback, and then said.

"Of course, taking Seoul is just the beginning."

"I don't believe the US military would just obediently run away, after all, their main force is stationed on the front lines."

"They will not be content with Seoul, which is defended by only a small number of Chinese People's Volunteers and a large number of South Korean troops."

Wu Wanli thought for a moment and then said.

"Company commander, do you mean... the US military might launch a counterattack?"

Lei Gong took a puff of his pipe and asked.

"Absolutely!"

"But we cannot lose. More than 200,000 main force volunteers cooperated with us to keep the US troops on the front line."

"If we lose Seoul, how can I face my compatriots back home?"

"But we'll talk about that later. Seventh Steel Company, assemble and depart!"

"Target: the Blue House!"

Wu Wanli picked up his submachine gun and shouted loudly.

"Yes!"

The soldiers of the Seventh Steel Company quickly agreed and assembled into ranks.

"Wukaka, leave the UN command to me."

"Our First Division in the capital should also prove itself with an independent battle."

Quan Douguang saluted Wu Wanli and said.

"I believe you, General Quan!"

Wu Wanli returned the salute and then led his troops on a rapid march toward the Blue House.

....................................

Qingwatai

"What did you say?"

"Has the Chinese army already breached the eastern defense line of Seoul?"

"impossible!"

"With a battalion of over a thousand elite US troops, plus reinforcements from all over the country, how could the Chinese army possibly breach the defenses so quickly?!"

Syngman Rhee stared wide-eyed and asked incredulously.

"Mr. President, it was precisely because of Chun Doo-kwang's support that the eastern defense line of Seoul was taken down so quickly."

"According to our reports, intense gunfire first broke out behind the eastern defense line of Seoul, and then the Chinese army launched a general offensive and succeeded."

Army Chief of the General Staff Jeong Sang-ho said.

"You mean, Chun Doo-kwang led the South Korean Capital First Division in a defection?"

A thunderclap seemed to explode in Rhee Syngman's mind, and he asked in a mixture of fear and trepidation.

"Mr. President, the elite 1st and 2nd Regiments of the Capital Division have moved toward the UN Command and Seoul Airport."

"There is no doubt that Chun Doo-kwang has betrayed us."

"Let's...make preparations as soon as possible."

"That's what Zheng Xianghao said."

"It's alright, there's a secret passage in the Blue House that leads directly to the vicinity of Seoul Airport!"

"Let's leave now!"

Upon hearing this, Syngman Rhee immediately headed towards the secret passage.

"Mr. President, wait a minute!"

"I just said that the troops of the First Division of the Capital Region have moved to the outskirts of Seoul Airport."

“If we go through the secret passage exit, we will be easily discovered.”

"That's what Zheng Xianghao said."

"What should I do?"

"We can't just sit here and wait for the Chinese army to come and kill us, can we?"

Syngman Rhee said anxiously.

"Mr. President, you take a platoon through the secret passage, and I will now lead the main force to break through to Seoul Airport."

"The troops of the First Division in the capital will definitely be drawn to me. You can then take the opportunity to sneak to Seoul Airport and meet up with General Ridgway!"

“I have already sent a telegram to General Ridgway. Even if things don’t go well here, he will send American troops to pick you up.”

"Double insurance will definitely ensure your safety!"

"That's what Zheng Xianghao said."

"Mr. Zheng, I'm begging you!"

Upon hearing this, Syngman Rhee bowed deeply to Jung Sang-ho, deeply moved, and said...

"loyalty!"

Upon hearing this, Zheng Xianghao immediately returned the salute.

"Oh no!"

"Mr. President, Chief of the General Staff!"

"Chinese troops are advancing towards the Blue House and will likely arrive soon!"

"And our scouts saw their flag clearly; it was China's elite Seventh Steel Company!"

At that moment, a South Korean military officer rushed in and said.

"Mr. President, please take a platoon and leave quickly!"

"The rest of you, assemble! Prepare to break out with me towards Seoul Airport!"

Zheng Xianghao drew his pistol and shouted loudly.

....................................

Outside the Blue House
"Company commander, it seems the South Korean troops inside the Blue House have no intention of holding out!"

"Damn it, he ran out like a madman!"

Yu Congrong put down his binoculars and said.

"Hey, where are our American mortars?"

"Aim at the exit of the Blue House and bombard it hard!"

"All other soldiers of the Seventh Steel Company, load your guns and charge over to the artillery position with me!"

Upon seeing this, Wu Wanli immediately shouted loudly.

"You idiots, set up your cannons, aim them at the exit of the Blue House, adjust the firing parameters, and bombard them fiercely!"

Upon hearing this, Lei Gong immediately gave the order.

Soon, the artillery platoon lined up the mortars, aimed them at the direction of the Blue House, and quickly loaded the shells into the mortar chambers.

"Bang! Bang! Bang..."

With a series of muffled thuds as shells were fired, one after another, trailing white smoke, they hurtled toward the South Korean troops stationed at the Blue House.

"Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom..."

In an instant, a series of fiery clouds rose up in front of the Blue House.

More than a dozen South Korean soldiers were unable to dodge in time and were thrown into the air, their bodies blown into several pieces before falling to the ground covered in blood.

"Cough cough cough..."

"We are no match for the Chinese army, retreat immediately!"

Zheng Xianghao, who was lying on the ground, coughed repeatedly from the choking, and quickly got up and shouted.

However, the smoke from the explosion had barely dissipated when Wu Wanli led the soldiers of the Steel Seventh Company, charging across the scorching ground.

"kill!"

Wu Wanli, holding a Thomson rifle, unleashed a barrage of fire at the South Korean troops in front of him.

"Da da da da da da da..."

A rapid barrage of bullets struck the bodies of South Korean soldiers, splattering blood everywhere.

Even Zheng Xianghao clutched his chest, glanced at Wu Wanli with resentment, and then collapsed heavily into a pool of blood.

Before the remaining South Korean soldiers could react, Wu Wanli abandoned his submachine gun, switched to a rifle with a bayonet, and quickly charged into their densely packed area.

"Kill!"

Yu Congrong and the others quickly followed, charging towards the Han army like tigers descending a mountain.

These South Korean presidential guards, abandoned by Syngman Rhee, lost all will to resist after Jeong Sang-ho's death and were quickly defeated in hand-to-hand combat, surrendering one after another.

…………

"Company commander, these South Korean troops are really tough. They collapsed after only a few minutes of fighting!"

Yu Congrong, carrying a bloodstained bayonet, laughed heartily as he spoke.

"Wanli, now that the Blue House has also been captured by our Steel Seventh Company, where should we go to provide support next?"

Looking at the historically significant Blue House not far away, where a red flag representing the Chinese People's Volunteer Army was planted, Liu Hanqing asked with slight excitement.

"Judging by the time, the US warplanes should be landing soon..."

"Let's go, we need to time our capture perfectly so we can seize the opportunity without getting bombed!"

"Seventh Steel Company, assemble! Heading for Seoul Airport!"

Looking at the Iron Heart Sky Eye map in his mind, Wu Wanli gave a loud order.

(End of this chapter)