Changjin Lake: From Xinxingli to Seoul

Chapter 206 Blitzkrieg at Lizhou!

Xiaoxueling

"Deputy Division Commander, I heard that the Chinese Iron Army broke through the Polar Bear Regiment, swept through the US 1st Marine Division, and took down the US 25th Division."

"Our two regiments will ambush them..."

The South Korean colonel swallowed hard and asked, his heart pounding with fear.

"Ah Xiba!"

"Our ambush is just to repel them and buy time for the American troops to encircle them; we're not required to annihilate them!"

"As long as we win this battle, the myth of the invincibility of China's iron-willed troops will be shattered, and the soldiers of the Republic of Korea will no longer have to fear them!"

Brigadier General Park Jung-ryu said.

"General, they are coming!"

The South Korean colonel watched the troops pouring into the canyon, and with trembling hands, picked up his gun, ready to fire.

"asshole!"

"Those are American soldiers being chased and fleeing. Do you want to die?"

"Have the soldiers take up positions. Once the Chinese troops reach the optimal position, the signal flare will be launched. We'll fire then!"

Park Jung-ryu quickly pressed down on his gun and cursed.

"Sorry, I'll personally deliver the message to South Korea!"

Seeing that he had almost killed the American soldiers, the South Korean colonel hurriedly threw his gun aside and replied.

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

Outside Xiaoxueling
"Wanli, we'll be reaching Xiaoxueling soon."

"This is indeed a good place to ambush. Now that you've made your assessment, should we slow down our march?"

Liu Hanqing asked.

"No need, this speed is just right. Slowing down suddenly might alert the American devils."

"Order Lei Gong to set up artillery positions and launch a full-scale bombardment of both flanks of Xiaoxue Ridge!"

"Order Yu Congrong: The entire artillery battalion is ready to charge. As soon as the artillery fire starts, charge up Xiaoxue Ridge!"

"The reconnaissance battalion in Pinghe should be ready by now, and the South Korean army won't be able to put up any resistance."

Wu Wanli smiled confidently and said.

"Yes!"

Liu Hanqing was also moved by Wu Wanli's emotions and immediately agreed.

…………

Soon, the fire support battalion soldiers entered the Xiaoxueling Valley, released their safety pins, and vigilantly watched the two mountain peaks on either side, ready to open fire at any moment.

The artillery positions were also set up, with howitzers pointing directly at the top of Xiaoxueling Mountain.

"Hey kids, dinner's ready!"

"Give it a good blast!"

Lei Gong looked at the distant mountain peaks, roared, and swung his command flag downwards fiercely.

In an instant, flashes of light appeared at the muzzle, and twenty 105mm howitzers roared deafeningly!

"call out----"

Large-caliber shells, accompanied by the whooshing sound of air being cut through, hurtled towards the top of Xiaoxueling Mountain with overwhelming force.

ambush position at Xiaoxueling
"Artillery fire? How could the Chinese army possibly know we're here!"

A South Korean captain stared in shock at the approaching shell, frozen in place as if in a dream.

The other South Korean soldiers were also completely bewildered as countless small black dots approached, having no idea what was going on.

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

The next second, countless shells crashed down on the hilltop, bursting into intense flames.

Earth and rocks flew everywhere, and blood mist splattered!
Hundreds of South Korean soldiers were engulfed in flames by the explosion and died instantly before they could even fire their guns!
"Damn it! They spotted us a long time ago!"

Park Jung-ryu shoved aside the body of the guard beside him and cursed loudly.

"Drip drip drip drip drip drip drip————"

In an instant, the unique bugle call of the Chinese People's Volunteer Army sounded.

"Comrades, even those damned South Korean cannon fodder dare to ambush us!?"

"Follow me and charge in! Kill them!"

Yu Congrong, carrying a light machine gun, roared and personally led his team to charge up the mountain.

"Rush!!!"

The soldiers of the Seventh Steel Regiment were filled with excitement and charged forward with roars.

Since the liberation of Seoul, the morale of the 7th Steel Regiment has long been at its peak.

They're not even afraid of launching a counter-attack up the mountain; they'd fight all the way to Busan!

On the Xiaoxueling position
"Fire! Fire to suppress the fire!"

"You take command, I'll lead a company to flank them from behind!"

Brigadier General Park Jung-ryu panicked completely and hurriedly gave instructions to the South Korean colonel before trying to slip away.

The recent shelling and the current counterattack both told him that the Chinese 7th Steel Regiment was well-prepared!
Just kidding, this is the fierce and powerful army that wiped out the 25th Division.

Having planned this all along, he had no hope of winning.

"Drip drip drip drip drip drip drip————"

However, at this moment, the resounding bugle call of the Chinese People's Volunteer Army rang out behind the South Korean army's position!

Before Park Jung-ryoo could recover from his shock, a bazooka rocket slammed into the ground next to him.

At the same time, a barrage of grenades rained down on the South Korean ambush positions.

"Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!"

A dazzling burst of firelight erupted in the sky, and Park Jung-ryu, who was caught in the blast, had one of his legs severed by shrapnel carrying immense kinetic energy!

"what--"

Park Jung-ryu looked at the dead and wounded South Korean soldiers, clutched the bright red bone in his thigh, and screamed in pain.

"Comrades, today is the day to kill the enemy and serve our country!"

"Come at me!"

Pinghe, holding a gleaming bayonet, charged towards the South Korean army with all his might.

He had already led the reconnaissance battalion to circle around to the rear of the South Korean army.

With the recent artillery barrage and Yu Congrong's counterattack, the South Korean troops focused their attention downwards and paid no attention to their rear.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, Pinghe led his soldiers to within a few dozen meters of the South Korean army.

After unleashing a barrage of rockets and grenades, he immediately launched his attack.

"Rush!!!"

The soldiers of the reconnaissance battalion followed Pinghe like wolves and tigers, brandishing their gleaming bayonets and charging towards the South Korean army.

From the perspective of the South Korean military

As soon as the flames dimmed, a group of killers emerged from the thick smoke.

"no!"

"It seems like we should be the ones ambushing the Chinese army!"

"It looks like we've been ambushed?!"

Upon seeing this, a South Korean major reluctantly raised his gun and stood up.

"puff--"

With the sound of a bayonet piercing flesh, Pinghe's bayonet had pierced his heart.

At the same time, the soldiers of the reconnaissance battalion rushed into the densely packed South Korean troops and launched a massacre-like hand-to-hand combat!
…………

Twenty minutes later, on the distant hillside of Little Snow Ridge

"Strange, we've been waiting for ages, why haven't the remnants of the South Korean army arrived yet?"

"Could something have happened to the main force of the Seventh Steel Regiment...?"

Gao Daxing looked at the empty canyon and murmured in confusion.

"Reporting to the battalion commander, the regimental commander called and said that the South Korean troops have been completely annihilated, and even the cooks were killed by Battalion Commander Yu."

Hong Jianguo, the instructor of the assault battalion, looked at the telegram and said with a wry smile.

"They killed all the cooks?"

"Damn it, they didn't even leave me a drop of soup!"

Upon hearing this, Gao Daxing immediately launched into a tirade of curses.

"Reporting, Battalion Commander, a group of rout American soldiers is entering our ambush zone!"

At that moment, a communications officer rushed over and said.

"Yes, several thousand South Korean soldiers are gone, but there are still several hundred American soldiers who have fled!"

"Once all the American devils come in, immediately sound the charge! One company after another, charge with me!"

"Have the company commander of the Third Company take his company to seal the breach right now. If anyone dares to escape, I'll smash their sand can!"

A hint of excitement flashed in Gao Daxing's eyes as he gave the order.

"Yes!"

Upon hearing this, Hong Jianguo immediately agreed.

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

ambush on the high ground

"Sir, after the Chinese 7th Steel Regiment wipes out the South Korean army, they will definitely continue to pursue us."

"Isn't it inappropriate to rest here now?"

"That's what the U.S. Army lieutenant said."

"Who said I only came here to rest and recuperate?"

"Look at this high ground; it's easy to defend and difficult to attack, with a strategically important location!"

"We still have several hundred men, plus a mortar platoon, seven or eight bazookas, and a dozen light machine guns!"

"As long as we set up defenses on this high ground, we will definitely be able to catch the Chinese army off guard!"

The U.S. Army captain surveyed the two hills, a fierce glint immediately flashing in his eyes.

"This……"

"The Seventh Steel Regiment of China has thousands of elite troops, while we only have a few hundred..."

The U.S. Army lieutenant was startled by this idea and quickly warned him.

"Shit!"

"Then let me ask you this!" "The Chinese army has just won a great victory, would they have thought we would set up an ambush here?"

"Send a telegram to Lizhou, ordering them to send another thousand men to provide support!"

"We only need to win one battle to slow down their offensive momentum; we don't need to engage in a head-on confrontation."

"After the initial resistance, retreat immediately with the support of the South Korean army!"

"Let's go, to the higher ground!"

After the U.S. Army captain finished speaking, he waved his hand firmly.

"Yes, sir!"

The U.S. lieutenant thought about it and figured that there might be a chance of ambushing and running away, so he agreed.

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

high ground

"Battalion Commander, the American troops have actually come up here on their own!"

Instructor Hong Jianguo looked through the binoculars several times before confirming it.

"Hey!"

"I was thinking of waiting a while so that Sanlian could tie up the bag properly."

"They've come to us of their own accord!"

Gao Daxing couldn't help but burst out laughing when he saw it.

"It's still a bit far, but the battalion's mortars can reach it, and the machine guns are more than enough to cover it. Should we fire?"

Hong Jianguo said.

"Telegram three times in a row: change direction, and go straight back to smother the American devils' ass."

"Let's wait and let it get closer before we fight."

Gao Daxing said.

"Yes!"

Hong Jianguo quickly agreed.

………………

Soon, the unsuspecting US troops entered within 100 meters of the assault battalion, and the Third Company also completed the infiltration after exhausting themselves.

"beat!"

Gao Daxing personally picked up a bazooka and fired a rocket at the American troops.

"boom!"

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

In an instant, countless gunfire erupted, and a dense hail of bullets wiped out large swathes of American troops.

"Fuck!"

"There's still an ambush..."

The U.S. Army captain clutched the bullet wound in his chest, glanced resentfully at the high ground, and collapsed heavily to the ground.

The remaining American troops were already a defeated army that had been fleeing all the way, and they were powerless to resist, so they all fled back.

When they ran headlong into the Third Company, which was packing dumplings, they finally gave up their will to resist, laid down their weapons, and surrendered to the assault battalion.

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

Xiaoxueling, the temporary command post of the 7th Steel Regiment
"Commander, that's how I annihilated hundreds of American troops in just ten minutes!"

"Luckily I was lucky, otherwise I wouldn't have been able to get a single sip of soup!"

After Gao Daxing finished recounting the battle with great enthusiasm, he finally sighed.

"I was fighting the South Koreans with bayonets, and you were lounging around while the American devils came knocking on our door. You were the one who got the meat!"

Upon hearing this, Yu Congrong immediately curled his lip and said...

"That's right!"

"Yu Congrong is so stingy. He even tries to steal the credit for killing the Han army cook from me, while you go and enjoy it all by yourself!"

Pinghe, upon hearing this, chimed in.

"Alright, stop arguing."

"All the battalions fought a brilliant battle!"

"Gao Daxing, did you capture any American soldiers? Did you extract any useful information from them?"

Wu Wanli looked at the Sky Eye map of Heart of Steel and said with a hint of doubt.

He clearly saw that Lizhou had dispatched another thousand soldiers, who were heading in their direction, but he didn't know why.

"It really does!"

"I handed him over to Lao Hong for interrogation, it should be over soon!"

Upon hearing this, Gao Daxing immediately spoke up.

"Commander, Political Instructor Hong Jianguo of the assault battalion has come to report!"

At that moment, Hong Jianguo's voice came from not far away.

"come on."

"Tell me, what useful information do you have?"

Wu Wanli waved his hand and asked.

"Reporting to the commander, the US troops called for South Korean support in Yeoju before being ambushed."

"In other words, Lizhou is probably only garrisoned by one battalion now, it's practically empty!"

Hong Jianguo didn't waste any words and spoke succinctly.

"Okay!"

"Commander, I haven't had enough yet!"

"I'll lead the attack in the next ambush!"

Upon hearing this, Yu Congrong immediately patted his chest and volunteered for battle.

"Commander, we can't let our assault battalion hold off the fleeing troops again, can we?"

"If it weren't for good luck this time, we wouldn't have achieved anything at all!"

Upon hearing this, Gao Daxing immediately stepped forward to compete for it.

"Commander, our reconnaissance battalion has the fewest combat merits this time. It's our turn."

Pinghe couldn't help but say something too.

"Look at you all, so impatient!"

Seeing the group fighting over the food, Wu Wanli couldn't help but reprimand them.

"Commander, I really want to improve!"

“We’re all battalion commanders, but Lao Yu can also serve as deputy regimental commander. It’s just that he has more military merits.”

Gao Daxing quickly replied.

"Wanli, Comrade Quan Douguang has sent a secret telegram!"

"The elite troops of the New Eighth Army have been concentrated near Lizhou and are ready to cooperate with our operations at any time."

At this moment, Liu Hanqing came over with the telegram and said.

"Since Quan Xiaojiang is here, let's leave this soup for him as a reward for his efforts."

"I'll take you all to eat lots of meat!"

Wu Wanli smiled slightly and said.

"A big piece of meat?"

"Commander, do you mean we should launch a direct blitzkrieg against Lizhou?"

Upon hearing this, Lei Gong immediately realized what was happening and said...

"That's right!"

"Lizhou is probably only left with one battalion, but if we get there late, the American reinforcements might arrive sooner!"

"We must seize this opportunity to launch a blitzkrieg and destroy one of the three major supply depots and airfields of the US forces south of the Han River!"

"Order the entire regiment to march at full speed towards Lizhou!"

Wu Wanli looked in the direction of Lizhou, determined to succeed.

"Yes!"

Upon hearing this, a fighting spirit flashed in everyone's eyes, and they quickly agreed.

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

Daejeon, UN Command
"What?!"

"I told them to ambush us, and several thousand South Korean troops, plus several hundred American troops, were wiped out by this Chinese Iron Seventh Regiment?"

Ridgway slammed his fist on the table in anger and roared.

“Sir, judging from the telegrams sent by the South Korean army before they were completely annihilated, this Chinese army is very strange.”

"They seemed to have known about the ambush plan all along, and were able to fire the artillery in advance, in addition to attacking from both sides."

"There must be a traitor in our army!"

Chief of Staff Van Fleet sighed and said.

"Now is not the time to assign blame. Immediately send a telegram to the South Korean troops providing support to return to Yeoju and hold it to the death!"

"However... even if they go back, they definitely won't be able to withstand the fierce attack of the Chinese Seventh Steel Regiment. We need to think of a way."

Li Qiwei sighed and frowned.

"Sir, weren't you from the airborne troops?"

"It will take the army at least a day and a night to reach Lizhou now, so they definitely won't make it in time."

"If we get support from the air force, we still have a chance."

Van Fleet thought for a moment and then said.

"The closest airport to Lizhou is Lichuan Airport..."

"However, the 1st Cavalry Division, which is closest to Lichuan, is too far away. It would take at least a dozen hours to get back and complete the airdrop to Lizhou."

"Chief of Staff Van Fleet said."

"Ten hours, that's only half a day, isn't it?"

"Is the 7th Steel Regiment of China still more than 70 kilometers away from Lizhou?"

"I refuse to believe that the Chinese army can march more than 70 kilometers in half a day with heavy loads and capture Lizhou with exhausted troops!"

"Proceed with this airborne plan. Also, urge the US 5th Division to speed things up. We must annihilate this audacious Chinese 7th Steel Regiment!"

Ridgway slammed his fist on the table in anger and gave the order.

(End of this chapter)