Changjin Lake: From Xinxingli to Seoul

Chapter 200 Wu Wanli's Promotion!
Shiji Gate
An American-style jeep slowly came to a stop, and Wu Wanli and Liu Hanqing got out of the car.

"Two leaders, the General and Chief Chen have been waiting for a long time, please come with me."

A volunteer soldier guard quickly stepped forward, extended his hand to point the way, and led the way.

Wu Wanli nodded slightly and followed the volunteer soldier guard.

Liu Hanqing smiled slightly and deliberately lagged behind by half a step, following behind Wu Wanli.

"salute!!!"

The squad leader of the guards at the gate shouted loudly when he saw Wu Wanli and Liu Hanqing arrive.

In an instant, the volunteer guards at the door saluted the two men in unison, their eyes filled with fervent admiration.

Wu Wanli did not stop walking, but his right arm suddenly rose as he moved.

With his five fingers pressed together like a knife, his forearm stretched like a steel wire, and his fingertips touching his temples, his wrist bones were level with his brows, as if bringing up a sharp wind.

Behind him, Liu Hanqing's lips curled up almost imperceptibly, and he couldn't help but praise in his heart that he truly had the bearing of a great general.

The guards' hands were still raised to the brim of their hats, but their eyes shone even brighter as they watched Wu Wanli walk into the headquarters.

Inside the headquarters, outside the operations command room
"Battalion Commander Wu Wanli of the Seventh Steel Battalion is here to report!"

Wu Wanli straightened his back and shouted loudly.

"Political Instructor Liu Hanqing of the Seventh Steel Battalion is here to report!"

Liu Hanqing then shouted.

"Our hero has arrived! Come in quickly!"

The boss immediately said.

"Yes!"

After Wu Wanli and Liu Hanqing responded in unison, they went inside.

In the command room
"Sit down, don't be shy, you are all heroes of the new China!"

“Especially you, Wanli, now the media around the world may not know me and the boss, but most of them know your name.”

"Liberated Seoul, annihilated the 25th Division, and was the first to enter Incheon, driving the main force of the UN forces into the sea!"

"Truly a people's hero and a military genius!"

Chief Chen said with a smile.

"You flatter me, sir. I am just a fisherman's son and do not deserve such a weighty title as a people's hero."

"Moreover, compared to you and the boss, my contribution is insignificant."

Wu Wanli sat on only half of the chair, his hands supporting his knees, and straightened his back as he spoke.

"Humble yet confident, he's a promising talent!"

"If that kid Li Yunlong liberates Seoul, he'll boast about it to the heavens!"

Seeing Wu Wanli's humility, Chief Chen nodded in satisfaction and smiled.

“Bragging and arrogance are fine, but I’m afraid Li Yunlong will cause me some trouble again.”

"This guy always gets all cocky as soon as he does something good. He's such a worry."

Upon hearing this name, the boss couldn't help but sigh.

"Commander Li Yunlong is brave in battle and deeply understands the spirit of 'Bright Sword.' No matter how powerful the enemy is, he dares to draw his sword and charge forward."

"Initially, he led a basic regiment that was short of food and ammunition to develop it into an elite main force regiment, and even liberated Ping'an County, which was occupied by the Japanese devils."

"To be honest, I admire him very much."

"If we're really talking about people's heroes, then Commander Li Yunlong is one of them."

Wu Wanli showed no sign of disappointment; instead, he praised her earnestly.

Upon hearing this, the two bosses and Chief Chen exchanged a smile, their opinion of Wu Wanli rising even higher.

Regardless of Li Yunlong's character, he is now Wu Wanli's superior.

Chief Chen and the General Manager can joke around, but if Wu Wanli joins in or laughs, that would be arrogant and disrespectful to the leaders.

Seeing Wu Wanli's strong support for Li Yunlong, Liu Hanqing breathed a sigh of relief, and his worries were finally put to rest.

"hahahahahahahahahaha……"

"Li Yunlong is really lucky to have a brave and capable general like you who always protects him."

"However, your title of People's Hero was not awarded by us; it was an evaluation given to you by the leaders."

The boss smiled and handed a copy of the People's Daily to Wu Wanli.

"It's...an evaluation!?"

Wu Wanli looked at the headline on the front page of the newspaper, his heart skipped a beat, and he said with a hint of surprise.

……

The boss looked in the direction of Beijing and sighed.

To be honest, it's quite rare to see all three sons of the Wu family enlist in the army.

In general, one son would be left to take care of the family, in case he died in battle and the family line ended.

"To be honest, to be honest, I did join the army to serve my country with the idea of ​​becoming a hero at first."

"But when I actually stepped onto the battlefield, I found that everything was not quite what I had imagined."

"Watching people freeze to death in the freezing cold, starve to death due to lack of food, fall on the way to the front lines, and even their bodies disappear without a trace..."

"But I will still keep going, even if it means being shattered to pieces, even if we are facing the United States, which claims to be the world's number one."

"I am not afraid of it, and the Chinese people are not afraid of it either!"

Thinking of the scenes of gunfire and carnage that had followed, Wu Wanli spoke with a resolute gaze.

In this era, the power disparity between China and the United States is truly hopeless, even more so than the gap during the War of Resistance against Japan.

But the volunteer soldiers never thought of giving up. They resolutely chose to use their flesh and blood to defeat steel and fought a battle that shocked the world.

"Well said! The Chinese people are not afraid of any imperialist threat!"

"Don't even mention the current 17 countries! Even if one day we face encirclement and suppression by the whole world, we will fight our way through the entire world!"

Liu Hanqing's blood boiled with excitement, and he immediately echoed the call.

"Hanqing, we were thinking that it might not be a good idea for you to give up your civilian post and be assigned to the most dangerous front-line elite troops."

"After all, every soldier has a family behind them. Although your father didn't give any specific instructions, he must be very worried about you."

"Looking back now, you've grown a lot and experienced a lot of trials and tribulations. It was all worth it!"

The boss looked at Liu Hanqing and nodded slightly in praise.

"Father, you must be proud of me..."

Upon hearing this, Liu Hanqing's heart softened, and he murmured.

"Boss, the conversation is almost over. I think we can ask Comrade Wu Wanli for his opinion now."

Chief Chen said with a smile.

"Wanli, to be honest, you deserve a lot of credit this time. I was worried that if the arrangements weren't made well, you would be wronged."

"But in this battle, every unit has made contributions. For example, your Commander Li Yunlong has made contributions. How should he be promoted?"

"And then there's Zhang Dabiao from the 80th Division. He's made significant contributions, but if he's to be promoted, should he replace Kong Jie or Li Yunlong?"

The boss said.

This was actually a situation in the Korean War: if you made a contribution, others would too.

You can't just dismiss someone who did less work just because they made a big contribution, can you?

"Boss, I will obey all arrangements made by the Party organization."

Wu Wanli understood what the boss meant and immediately expressed his opinion.

"However, as the most meritorious contributor, it is impossible not to promote you."

"We told you those things just so you wouldn't feel wronged, and to give you a heads-up."

"If you're willing to step outside the Seventh Steel Battalion's system, the 80th Division does have a deputy division commander who's sick and returned to China; the position is perfect..."

Chief Chen thought for a moment and then said.

"Commander, I don't want to leave the center of the battlefield. I am willing to continue fighting for the motherland and the people in dangerous positions."

Wu Wanli understood the implied meaning and immediately replied.

Placing him in the deputy division for training is indeed the safest option for Wu Wanli. With his previous military achievements, he could easily have a bright future even if he just coasted along in the second line.

But he wasn't living a second life for fame or fortune.

There is still so much he wants to do for his country and his military, and the threat and challenges posed by the US military remain enormous.

"Hahahaha... Boss, I told you, Wanli and Hanqing are not the kind of people who can sit still for even a moment."

Upon hearing this, Chief Chen smiled and looked at the general.

"Expand the Seventh Steel Battalion into the Seventh Steel Regiment, which will consist of three infantry battalions and one howitzer battalion, giving you a force of about four thousand men."

“I will allocate you with the full set of weapons, equipment and personnel according to the standards of the US military. This is the largest scale we can afford to support.”

"What do you think of appointing you as the commander of the 7th Steel Regiment and Hanqing as the political commissar?"

The boss showed no surprise and slowly made his point.

Upon hearing this, Liu Hanqing's eyes widened, and he was shocked.

A 4,000-strong American-equipped regiment?
A regiment that also includes a howitzer battalion?

It should be noted that in the Chinese People's Volunteer Army, only divisions could afford to deploy mountain artillery battalions, while howitzer battalions were only available to corps-level units.

Even so, many troops still don't have that, since they're constantly being bombed by the US military.

"Boss, I need another anti-aircraft gun company and an engineer company."

Wu Wanli thought for a moment and shook his head.

"not enough?"

"You've got really high standards, kid."

Chief Chen looked at Wu Wanli with some surprise and said with a smile.

"Sir, we have a howitzer battalion but no anti-aircraft gun company. Aren't we just waiting to be bombed by the US military?"

"As for specialized engineering companies, they can greatly enhance the trenching capabilities of the troops."

Wu Wanli insisted.

"Alright, alright, I'll allocate it to you."

"It's just an anti-aircraft gun company and an engineer company. I thought you were going to ask me for a tank company."

The boss hesitated for a few seconds, then waved his hand in agreement with a hint of heartache.

"A tank company, if we had one, that would be good too..."

Upon hearing this, Wu Wanli coughed twice and said.

Silence fell over the command room.

Commander Chen looked at Wu Wanli, seemingly wanting to say something but holding back, and suddenly realized why he was a soldier brought out by Li Yunlong.

"I won't lie to you, the tanks are fine, but the fuel is insufficient."

"In addition, the Soviet Union did not know how many new MiG fighters it could provide support, so the air superiority problem was also very serious."

"Let's leave it at that for now. If these problems are resolved in the future, I won't need you."

“Old Chen, look at you, you even considered this kid’s rank and made other compensations for him. He’s just going to give me a hard time.”

The boss said, feeling both annoyed and amused.

"Rank compensation? What does that mean?"

Upon hearing this, Wu Wanli was slightly taken aback.

"You don't actually think that the hero who liberated Seoul should only be given the rank of regimental commander, do you?"

"Have you forgotten that you still hold the title of staff officer?"

Chief Chen said with a smile.

"Sir, none of the chiefs of staff need to go to the front lines. They're all alive and well, so there shouldn't be any vacancies..."

Wu Wanli suddenly realized what was happening and asked with wide eyes.

"What are you thinking, kid?"

"Li Yunlong's army will appoint a deputy chief of staff, and you will concurrently serve in that position!"

"In addition, the full name of the Seventh Steel Regiment is the Seventh Steel Training Regiment. Many platoon and squad-level soldiers will be demoted and transferred there for training when they are recruited."

Chief Chen smiled.

"I'll serve as the deputy chief of staff to Commanders Li Yunlong and Kong Jie?"

"Hahaha...that works."

"But wouldn't it be a bit inappropriate to demote some platoon-level comrades to join?"

Wu Wanli said with a slight sense of surprise.

It should be noted that the Chief of Staff of the Army is at the deputy corps level, and although the specific rank of the newly established Deputy Chief of Staff was not specified, it is presumably not low.

"This will be done on a voluntary basis. We have already arranged for people to count the number of applicants, and it has already exceeded the planned number."

"After the liberation of Seoul, your prestige in the army has increased quite a bit."

"I heard that someone who was originally going to be promoted to battalion commander said he would rather be a platoon leader under you!"

"I think her name is... Zhang Taofang?"

The boss looked at Wu Wanli and sighed.

"Zhang Taofang?"

"There's no need for him to be a platoon leader under me; let him shine in a higher position." "But sir, what does the Seventh Steel Training Regiment mean?"

Wu Wanli said with a slight doubt.

"We are preparing to establish an army sergeant school to aid North Korea, and recruit comrades at the platoon and squad level as students."

"Comrade Wu Wanli will serve as the principal, and Comrade Liu Hanqing will serve as the director of the student affairs office."

"You can call them together for meetings and classes during peacetime, and they can directly train and command under your command during wartime!"

Chief Chen said with a smile.

"Me? The principal?"

Wu Wanli pointed to himself, slightly stunned, and said.

At that moment, he instantly conjured up an image in his mind of President Chiang Kai-shek shouting, "I don't understand!"

"You're just a platoon or squad-level officer, you're not qualified to teach."

"That's why I said earlier that the registration slots for the Seventh Steel Training Corps would be full."

The boss added.

"Thank you for the trust of the two leaders, Wanli will do his utmost to serve the motherland!"

Upon hearing this, Wu Wanli stood up, somewhat moved, and saluted the two leaders.

He was given a regiment of American-made weapons, consisting of three steps, one cannon, one shovel, and one anti-aircraft unit.

He was also appointed as the principal of the Army Sergeant School.

He even served as the deputy chief of staff in Li Yunlong's army.

These three major rewards and promotions effectively propelled Wu Wanli into the ranks of important military officers.

Just a few months ago, he was a fisherman's son who had never even touched a gun!

"Wanli, Hanqing, you two are comrades-in-arms who have gone through life and death battles together, and you are also a well-tested and mature team."

"I have a feeling that you two will become two shining new stars in the future!"

"Work hard and don't let me down."

The boss gave Wu Wanli and Liu Hanqing a meaningful look and praised them.

"Yes!"

Upon hearing this, Wu Wanli and Liu Hanqing shouted in unison.

"Alright, now that the promotion issue is resolved, let's talk about the battle situation we've taken over."

"Although the US military has suffered a severe blow for the time being, its combat power is still formidable and should not be underestimated."

"However, we have just experienced a great victory, and there are voices in the army advocating for a quick victory."

"They said they would continue to take Suwon, south of Seoul, cross the 37th parallel, and then take Daejeon and Busan."

"Like squeezing toothpaste, we will drive the American devils all the way into the sea."

"Undersecretary of the General Staff, what's your opinion on this?"

Chief Chen looked at Wu Wanli and smiled.

Upon hearing this, the boss felt a surge of worry, but at the same time looked at Wu Wanli with a hint of expectation.

While such high morale is a good thing, such underestimation and arrogance will come at a price.

The commander-in-chief knew all too well that the Volunteer Army needed to stop and rest, otherwise a crushing defeat was only a matter of time.

Chief Chen was aware of the situation, but deliberately didn't say it. Instead, he looked at Wu Wanli with a questioning gaze.

"I suspect it's not just in our military; North Korea and the Soviet Union probably think the same way."

"But I heard Comrade Liu Hanqing tell me a famous foreign saying."

"Most strategic offensives can only be carried out until the point where the forces available for defense are still available."

"Once this limit is exceeded, the situation will reverse instantly!"

Upon hearing this, Wu Wanli shook his head and said...

Upon hearing this, the boss and Chief Chen's eyes instantly lit up with surprise, and they looked at Wu Wanli with great admiration.

They had assumed that Wu Wanli, who had made a name for himself by raiding Seoul, would also be a staunch advocate of quick victory and attack, but they did not expect that Wu Wanli would have such calmness and insight.

Only Liu Hanqing, standing to the side, scratched his head in confusion, unable to recall when he had said those words to Wu Wanli.

"But now that the US 25th Division has been completely wiped out and the UN forces have suffered losses, we do have a good chance of advancing south."

"Wouldn't it be bad if we backed down now?"

The boss suppressed his admiration and continued to ask questions.

This is also a problem he faces: fighting a war is not just about military objectives, but also about how to explain things to the military, the country, and the allies.

"It would be easy to push through. I dare say that with the Seventh Steel Regiment as the spearhead, we could capture Suwon in a few days and head south to Daejeon."

"But it's easy to fight your way in, but difficult to come back..."

"The United States has a powerful navy and air force. If we go too deep, our supply lines will continue to be stretched..."

"The US Navy could easily launch another Inchon Landing to cut off our main force's retreat!"

"Even if we take a step back, we can use our superior air force to bombard our logistics supply lines relentlessly!"

"In this case, I'm afraid not only Seoul will be lost, and the 38th parallel will be impossible to defend, but even the main force of the Chinese People's Volunteer Army will be in danger!"

Wu Wanli, who was well-versed in military history, sighed and analyzed.

"Excellent! As expected of a world-renowned military genius, your vision is so far-reaching!"

"Wanli, I used to think of you as a tactical genius, but now it seems that your strategic vision is also beyond the reach of ordinary people!"

Upon hearing this, the boss couldn't help but applaud.

"Ah... I was born at the wrong time."

"If you had been a soldier in northwestern Shanxi, the War of Resistance against Japan would not have been so difficult."

Chief Chen was also slightly shaken and couldn't help but sigh.

"that is!"

"If we let him lead a regiment in northwestern Shanxi, he certainly won't end up like Kong Jie's dough, where the Japanese devils took advantage of him!"

The boss couldn't help but feel regretful when he thought back to the war.

A single Yamamoto Special Forces unit could wipe out the Independent Regiment.

If it were a ruthless man like Wu Wanli, who could take over Hancheng, not to mention Ping'an County, he could probably liberate Shanxi!
"The commander is joking. I have the resources of the entire Volunteer Army, and I lack nothing in terms of elite troops, heavy firepower, and authority."

"If I were to return to Northwest Shanxi, I'm afraid I might not be able to surpass the achievements of so many of my predecessors."

"However, I am absolutely certain of my judgment this time. Please trust me and do not act rashly!"

Upon hearing this, Wu Wanli, after expressing his modesty, immediately issued a warning.

In his previous life, he was running a veterans' barbecue business while also reviewing old military history, so he had some understanding of the Korean War.

The original boss also realized this, so he managed to bring the situation to a stop with difficulty.

But if his butterfly effect in this life causes the Volunteer Army to advance recklessly, then he will become a sinner for all time!

Therefore, Wu Wanli's tone was particularly firm, and he absolutely could not allow so many soldiers to jump into the fire pit.

"I've remembered everything you said, and I'll bring it up at the military conference."

"Many of those who advocate war, especially the younger ones, admire your blitzkrieg of Seoul."

"Now that you've given them your endorsement, they should be able to calm down."

The boss said with a smile.

"Boss, you've actually realized this, you just want me to influence others, right?"

Upon hearing this, Wu Wanli finally breathed a sigh of relief and said with relief.

"You're really smart, kid."

"That's right, especially Li Yunlong, who has asked me to fight several times, and every time he mentions your blitzkrieg of Seoul."

"They can't wait to annihilate the UN forces tomorrow and then go home for dinner."

Chief Chen rubbed his temples, saying with a headache.

"Hahahahahahahahaha..."

Upon hearing this, everyone couldn't help but laugh.

"My lords, I have another assessment that concerns the next battle, and perhaps you have considered it as well..."

Wu Wanli said.

"The next battle?"

The boss was slightly taken aback and looked at Chief Chen.

Chief Chen also shook his head, clearly indicating that he had not yet finished planning the next battle.

After all, the third campaign has just ended, and the victory celebrations of each army have not yet been held. There is no time to move so quickly.

"Comrade Wu Wanli, please speak your mind. The headquarters will take your opinion very seriously."

Chief Chen looked at Wu Wanli and said.

"I estimate that the next battle will break out within this month."

"If I'm not mistaken, the US military will gather its elite forces and launch a full-scale offensive against us from both the east and west!"

Wu Wanli pondered the memories in his mind and then uttered a startling statement.

"What? Within this month?"

Upon hearing this, the boss was slightly taken aback and asked in disbelief.

"Wanli, the US military has just suffered a major setback. Even if they were to launch a counterattack, it shouldn't be so quick, right?"

"Moreover... it's a full-scale offensive on both the eastern and western fronts?"

Upon hearing this, Chief Chen asked with some confusion.

"Given America's industrial strength, those lost fighter jets and weapons can be replenished in a short period of time."

"As for elite troops, there are many troops that have been trained in the bloody battles of the Pacific, the North African theater, and the European theater."

"With their powerful navy, they are fully capable of rapidly transporting supplies to the Korean Peninsula."

"We can't fight a battle unprepared..."

Wu Wanli sighed and warned.

"Boss, although this kid often says surprising things, his judgments seem to be mostly correct..."

"I think we still need to take this seriously."

Chief Chen thought for a moment and then said to the boss.

"Wanli, based on your previous record and performance, I can trust your judgment for now."

"But what kind of preparation do you mean by 'preparation'?"

The boss thought for a moment and then asked.

"On the western front, with Seoul as the core, we should build an absolute defensive perimeter around Seoul in advance, focusing on constructing defensive fortifications south of the Han River, preferably according to the standards of permanent fortifications!"

"To exaggerate a bit, it wouldn't be excessive to hollow out half of the mountains south of the Han River for construction!"

Wu Wanli thought of the historical Battle of Hanjiang South and felt a pang of pain in his heart.

The Battle of Hanjiang South demonstrated the strength of the 50th Army as a shield of the Republic.

The 50th and 38th Armies withstood heavy bombardment south of the Han River and faced an attack by 25 UN troops, holding out for dozens of days!
In the end, the 50th Army, which consisted of three divisions, was reduced to only four battalions and four companies!
Every inch of our land was bought with blood; countless heroes of the Chinese People's Volunteer Army fell forever south of the Han River, never to return home.

Since Wu Wanli didn't have a powerful system for manually crafting mushroom bombs, he could only make use of the existing advantages to reduce the number of volunteer army heroes who sacrificed their lives.

Let more heroes be able to go home...

"Boss, what do you think?"

Upon hearing this, Chief Chen looked at the general and asked.

"It is indeed true that we should be mindful of potential dangers even in times of peace!"

"Pass down the order: let the comrades work hard and build the fortifications as Wanli said."

"Permanent fortifications may be too demanding; we should strive to achieve semi-permanent fortifications to meet the challenges ahead."

The boss thought for a moment and then gave the order.

"Boss, for the eastern front, we should focus on building fortifications around Hengcheng. Let the comrades rest and recuperate, and don't go too deep."

Wu Wanli thought for a moment and added.

"Hahaha...Good!"

"I think Wu Wanli is not only Li Yunlong's chief of staff, but now he seems to be my chief of staff!"

Upon hearing this, the boss smiled and agreed.

"Let's leave military matters here for now. Wanli, you can take your men to the cultural troupe now."

"Wei Wei, the acting head of the delegation there, is very interested in you. He's a great poet!"

"Oh, by the way, their leader also said that a girl named Anjing wants to meet you."

"go quickly!"

Chief Chen smiled and waved.

"Quiet?!"

"Yes!"

Wu Wanli touched the red scarf around his neck and quickly agreed.

(End of this chapter)