Changjin Lake: From Xinxingli to Seoul

Chapter 220: If we annihilate the attacking American forces, we can hold the line! (10,000 votes a day!)
Seoul, Zhisi

"Play the piano randomly!"

"What I'm saying is, we must hold the southern front of the Han River at all costs!"

"What did Wu Wanli say... that if we annihilate all the attacking American troops, the defensive line will be absolutely held?!"

The boss slammed his hand on the table, threw the telegram on it, and cursed.

"That kid Wu Wanli is really arrogant..."

"The situation is very different now than before. The 27th Army and the 7th Steel Regiment were initially facing the US 5th Division."

"Behind us, we will have to defend against the US 5th Division and the 1st Cavalry Regiment."

"Right now, it's the 5th US Infantry Division and the 1st Cavalry Division!"

"Based on the battle scenario predicted by the General Staff, Ridgway could even send the British 27th Brigade as reinforcements."

"This shifted the focus of the UN forces' offensive from the 50th Army to the 27th Army!"

"I originally thought the 7th Steel Regiment would try to break out, but I didn't expect them to dare to go so far as to annihilate the main attacking force, the US 5th Division!"

Commander Chen looked at the battle report in his hand and couldn't help but say something.

"That's right!"

"Does that kid Wu Wanli really think he's some kind of divine soldier or heavenly general?"

"We can't let them run wild, Old Chen..."

The boss paced back and forth a few times, just about to speak.

"and many more!"

"Commander, Comrade Wu Wanli made a move that not only fooled the UN forces, but even we didn't notice it at first."

"Do you still remember Chun Doo-kwang and the First Division of the Capital Region who revolted in Seoul?"

"After the Battle of Seoul, a force of several thousand men has been honed."

"With the expansion and development of base areas behind enemy lines, there are now 30,000 troops gathered near the US 5th Division!"

"With the 80th Division and the elite 7th Steel Regiment that Li Yunlong planned to support, a total of 50,000 troops gathered, which indeed formed a local troop advantage."

Upon hearing this, Chief Chen immediately smiled and stopped the boss, saying...

"That being said, the 5th Division is, after all, an elite unit of the U.S. Army, a unit that once defeated the German army in the European theater."

"Do you remember back in Hagaru-ri, we concentrated the entire Ninth Army Corps, but we still couldn't annihilate the US 1st Marine Division?"

"In the end, it was in Zangmei that Wu Wanli and his men made their final push and completely took it down."

Upon hearing this, the boss's eyes flashed with a hint of surprise, but after a moment of deduction, he still hesitated with a slight frown.

"Boss, here's the latest battle report. You can take a look."

"Comrade Wu Wanli's 7th Steel Regiment won one victory after another, annihilating a large number of US 5th Division personnel."

"His intention to encircle and annihilate the US Fifth Division was not a spur-of-the-moment decision, but a well-thought-out move!"

Chief Chen handed several telegrams to the General and remarked with emotion.

"The great victory at White Plains Canyon annihilated more than 2,000 elite troops of the US 5th Armored Division."

"The great victory at Red Cloud Canyon destroyed the 32nd Regiment of the US Army and annihilated 3,000 elite US troops."

"The great victory at Lizhou annihilated over a thousand American raiding troops..."

"So, the US 5th Division has lost 7,000 men. Now they only have two main regiments and some artillery and armored units left."

"So, it's only a little over ten thousand?"

Upon hearing this, a hint of murderous intent flashed in the boss's eyes once again.

"Moreover, according to the coordination and reporting of the old political commissar, Ding Wei is now leading the 12th Army on its way to Korea urgently."

"In other words, even if we suffer some losses in this battle, we will be replenished with troops later."

"It must be said that Comrade Wu Wanli always managed to take full advantage of favorable timing, location, and people, and he also had exceptional strategic and tactical vision and luck."

“Every adventure he takes would be a suicidal trap for others, but he manages to turn the impossible into the possible!”

"I see the shadows of so many people in him, including you and me..."

Commander Chen looked at the standard markings of the 7th Steel Regiment on the battle map and couldn't help but sigh.

"We're old now, we've seen a lot, and we have a lot to consider. We've lost that youthful bravery of generals, hahaha..."

“From a military perspective, I can approve of his actions, but I’m worried that younger officers might follow suit, which would be detrimental to military discipline.”

The boss rubbed his temples, saying with a slight headache.

He already highly approved of and even admired Wu Wanli's military operations, but as a commander, he still had to consider how to win over the troops.

"Comrade Wu Wanli did not make such a mistake!"

"As the deputy chief of staff of the 27th Army, he had already submitted this military plan to Li Yunlong, Zhao Gang, and Kong Jie for discussion, and it was unanimously approved."

"The battle hasn't officially started yet, but we already know the plan. According to the deployment, it's a case of acting first and reporting later, but in terms of the results, it can be considered as reporting."

Upon hearing this, Chief Chen smiled and said.

"Unanimously approved, unanimously approved..."

"Good good!"

"You guys are just going to spoil this kid!"

"You all share some of the responsibility for his increasingly daring behavior!"

The boss pointed at Chief Chen and said, both amused and annoyed.

"Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha……"

"Don't even mention me, anyone would be very fond of such a general."

"It's said to be a favor, but he was on the front line, even behind enemy lines, risking his life to fight miracles in desperate situations."

"To convince the masses, we need to help withdraw an American division, thus halving the offensive pressure on the 50th Army. The 50th Army will definitely submit!"

"By helping the 38th Army draw away the 1st Cavalry Division and slow down the pace of the American offensive, the 38th Army will definitely be convinced!"

"As for the 27th Army?"

"Tiande Peak has never encountered a single attack from a division level from beginning to end!"

"Nobody would believe it if we said it was the main direction of the US military's attack, it's all because of the 7th Steel Regiment!"

"One man can fight across three thousand miles; one regiment can hold off a million soldiers!"

"If we acknowledge that the legitimate merits of such meritorious officials can be considered as favors, then what's wrong with that?"

Chief Chen's smile faded, his eyes flashing with a deep and heart-wrenching look as he gazed in the direction of Lizhou and said with a touch of emotion.

"One man can fight across three thousand miles, one unit can hold off a million soldiers..."

"Well said!"

"He is indeed one of the three outstanding men, a cultured man, more cultured than me, a peasant."

"These deeds should be reported to the entire army, and a telegram should be sent back to the country. Heroes should be remembered by the people!"

"Also, tell the troops on the eastern front to press their attack."

"Don't place the entire burden of resisting the seventeen nations' armies on Wu Wanli and his men..."

The boss remained silent for a long time before finally nodding slightly and saying with a touch of emotion.

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

Red Cloud Canyon, 7th Steel Regiment Command Post

"Report to the leader!"

"From the 27th Army Command to the Volunteer Army Headquarters, everyone approved our plan to encircle and annihilate the US 5th Division and expressed their full cooperation."

"At present, Division Commander Zhang Dabiao and Deputy Division Commander Tan Ziwei are leading the 80th Division to rush to the aid!"

"The vanguard of the 80th Division, the assault regiment led by Regiment Commander Wu Qianli, and Comrade Zhang Taofang's sharpshooting battalion are also here!"

"In addition, Quan Douguang and Lu Taijian have led the New Eighth Army from the other side and are expected to arrive at the battlefield before the general offensive begins."

"By the way, according to the latest news, Commander Ding Wei is going to lead the 12th Army into Korea to support us in fighting against the 17-nation coalition."

Liu Hanqing handed the telegram to Wu Wanli and said.

"Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha……"

"Li Yunlong, Zhao Gang, Kong Jie, Ding Wei, Zhang Dabiao, Brigade Commander Chen, and the General..."

"Tan Ziwei, Wu Qianli, Yu Congrong, Pinghe, Lei Gong, Zhang Taofang, Zou Xixiang, who fought in the Battle of Chosin Reservoir..."

"Cheon Doo-gwang in the winter of Seoul, Roh Tae-geon..."

"Okay!"

"With an all-star lineup and a superior force surrounding us, I can't imagine how we could lose..."

Wu Wanli stood with his hands behind his back, laughing heartily with high spirits.

"Commander, not only that, the final statistics for the great victory at Lizhou have also come out."

"A total of 1176 American soldiers were killed, and 1003 Garand rifles, 121 submachine guns, and 36 machine guns were captured."

"In addition, there are 12 mortars, with plenty of shells and bullets!"

"but……"

"Taking advantage of the chaos of war, Park Jung-hee, who was under house arrest, and the prisoners launched a rebellion."

"Lei Zhen and his men were in the heat of battle and didn't have time to think about anything else, so they let these people escape."

Liu Hanqing paused for a moment, then hesitated before speaking.

"What!?"

"Damn it, the regimental commander ordered him to fight and he fought like this, ignoring the prisoners in the rear!"

"Even if it's because of the war with the US military and a lack of manpower, we can still kill Park Jung-hee and his men first!"

"Commander, forget about the achievements of the Lizhou victory. Lei Zhen must be locked up for a few days and criticized throughout the entire regiment!"

Upon hearing this, Yu Congrong immediately feigned anger and launched into a tirade, but in reality, he was protecting Lei Zhendao.

Criticism and a few days of confinement are punishments that are taken seriously but then leniently imposed.

"You, Yu Congrong, are trying to play dumb with me!"

“It’s normal to be protective of one’s own. Saying these things is just an attempt to plead for them, but it’s completely unnecessary.”

"How can those who made great contributions to the victory at Lizhou suffer such injustice?!"

"No punishment is needed. I did indeed send an order regarding this matter!"

"Although Park Jung-hee rebelled, he was stopped halfway through and did not actually cause any harm. On the contrary, he helped send fake telegrams and made a contribution."

"Given their previous merit in conquering Lizhou, the best course of action is to place them under house arrest."

"Otherwise, if this matter reaches the ears of Quan Douguang and the others, they will inevitably feel a sense of shared fate and become disloyal."

"This time, the New Eighth Army is going all out to help us. We can't be so heartless towards their old troops, especially those who have made contributions."

Wu Wanli waved his hand and said.

"Yes!"

"All things considered, their merits outweigh their demerits, and their treatment wouldn't be particularly bad if they stayed. Why would they risk their lives to break through?"

Gao Daxing frowned slightly, and said with some confusion.

"Commander, I have a feeling that Park Jung-hee is up to no small thing."

"The reason he left was probably because he felt that he had rebelled and could no longer be trusted to serve in a disciplined army like ours."

"But once he returns to the UN forces, especially to the South Korean army which has no capable generals available, he will definitely be able to rise to prominence again."

"Putting everything else aside, his performance in the Battle of Lizhou was entirely a battle to raise his own value."

"With this record, it is not surprising that he could quickly rise through the ranks of the South Korean army to become a main force regimental commander or even a division commander."

"He risked being killed during the breakout at Lizhou, and being shot by the US military upon his return, all for this future."

"If this person develops his skills, he might become a powerful figure in the South Korean army."

Liu Hanqing thought for a moment and then made a bold guess.

"A powerful and ruthless figure, perhaps..."

"But so what?"

"Even someone of MacArthur's caliber was forced to resign by our Volunteer Army, wasn't he?"

"I am not afraid of any powerful figures. Let him go if he wants."

"If we ever meet on the battlefield, I am confident that I can completely shatter the pride of all the tyrants."

Upon hearing this, Wu Wanli toyed with the two pistols, a domineering glint flashing in his eyes.

The pistol he was playing with in his hand was the same pistol that two generals had once commanded 20,000 to 30,000 elite American troops.

One belonged to Major General Smith, commander of the 1st Marine Division.

One belonged to Major General William, commander of the 25th Infantry Division.

"well said!"

"The Americans, the British, the current and former world leaders in capital—we've defeated their armies before!"

"What kind of heroes could emerge from such a small peninsula?"

"Commander, the artillery battalion is willing to be the vanguard!"

"When the time comes, storm into the US 5th Division's command post and seize the 5th Division commander's pistol for you. That way, you'll have three general-level sidearms!"

Yu Congrong looked at the pistol that Wu Wanli was playing with and immediately said.

"Commander, Lizhou in the rear is now safe, and reinforcements are arriving soon. We should indeed prepare for a general offensive against the US 5th Division."

"Since all the battalion commanders are here, let's decide on a specific attack plan first."

Pinghe said upon hearing this.

"Exactly, my bunch of idiots are itching to get their hands dirty."

"They're all just waiting for the final assault, ready to unleash their full firepower!"

"Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha……"

Upon hearing this, Lei Gong laughed heartily.

"No rush, let's send a power to Lizhou first."

"Recruit four thousand soldiers in the city. These four thousand soldiers will be incorporated into the new Eighth Army and become the newly formed independent regiment."

"They don't need to be good at fighting. As long as they are young and strong men, they just need to know how to aim a gun at a general location and pull the trigger."

"Give them live ammunition, make sure they have enough rations, and take care of their families as well."

"In addition, we will use those who committed serious crimes during the chaos in the city as targets for practice, so that they can see blood."

"We just happened to have seized so many guns and ammunition, as well as the city's stock."

"It shouldn't be a problem to temporarily train a line-filling unit that only needs to know how to pull the trigger."

"Then mix this line-filling regiment into the garrison battalion. Each soldier from the 7th Steel Regiment will take a few with them and they can guard the city from behind the bunkers."

Wu Wanli glanced at the Sky Eye map of Heart of Steel and said seriously.

"This……"

"Commander, it's not difficult to do it this way."

"But what do we need so many cannon fodder units... filler troops for?"

"Lizhou City has just defeated the American raiding force, and the casualties of the troops were not great."

"Logically speaking, there should be no danger for the time being."

Liu Hanqing frowned slightly, looking somewhat puzzled.

"Don't underestimate the US military just because we've won a series of victories; they're not that stupid."

"Accepting Quan Douguang's surrender and allowing them to approach the US 5th Division is probably an attempt to divert them away from Baiyuan Canyon."

"We didn't send fighter planes to bomb them because we were afraid they would retreat and hold their positions again, and then the US Army's cavalry regiment wouldn't be able to get through."

Wu Wanli said, referring to the cavalry regiment charging towards Baiyuan Canyon in the Tianyan Map.

"The First Cavalry Regiment...that's right!"

"The 1st Cavalry Regiment suddenly withdrew from Tiande Peak, no longer holding off the reinforcements, but suddenly disappeared!"

"Wanli, your assessment is that this cavalry regiment is actually heading towards Baiyuan Canyon, preparing to directly retake Lizhou, is that right?"

Liu Hanqing's eyes widened, and he asked in slight surprise.

He hadn't considered this flank maneuver beforehand, and the victory was far too great. He had indeed underestimated the US military.

"Perhaps the US military did not expect the raiding force to be annihilated; they were just afraid that even if they took Lizhou, they wouldn't be able to hold it."

"Therefore, we dispatched a regiment to raid there and strengthen the defenses of Lizhou."

"In this way, even if we retreat in defeat, we will not be able to take Lizhou and will be completely trapped in a dead end."

Wu Wanli thought for a moment and then said.

"hiss----"

"Commander, I never thought that after so many victories, we could still suffer a defeat and be wiped out so easily."

"If someone else had been leading the Seventh Steel Regiment, it probably would have been wiped out long ago."

Upon hearing this, Gao Daxing said with some lingering fear.

"This is the price of taking risks to turn the tide."

"Dancing on a tightrope, as if walking on thin ice..."

"Don't worry, I will lead my comrades to the other side."

Wu Wanli put down his pistol and said.

"If this is the case, then a problem will arise."

"Now that we're prepared, a single cavalry regiment attacking Lizhou might not yield as much benefit."

"What if they...come and attack us?"

"Once the US 5th Division and the 1st Cavalry Regiment attack from both sides, the main force of the 7th Steel Regiment will face a fierce attack from more than 20,000 elite US troops."

"After they annihilate us, they can easily regroup and launch a surprise attack on Lizhou."

"The 1,000 soldiers of the garrison battalion plus several thousand line-filling troops might be able to hold off a regiment."

"But if the US Fifth Division is added, we definitely won't be able to hold out."

"If Lizhou is captured, the US 5th Division will be connected with the Eastern Front."

"At that time, the US 2nd Division and the South Korean army on the eastern front will be linked with the US 5th Division!"

"Lizhou, Dipingli, and Hengcheng form an iron triangle."

"This would mean that our Volunteer Army's eastern and western fronts would be cut off by the US military, and the entire war situation would collapse!"

"Wanli, I think we should start thinking about this sooner rather than later."

"Perhaps retreating to Lizhou now is a prudent choice."

"Of course, we can attack if we want." "But we need to hurry. It would be best to bring forward the general offensive and attack before the cavalry turns their spears."

Liu Hanqing took a deep breath, and after mentally calculating for a moment, looked at Wu Wanli and warned him.

During these days, he followed Wu Wanli in battle for a long time and gained rich combat experience.

Moreover, his thinking was honed because of Wu Wanli.

Coupled with the theoretical knowledge he gained from studying in the Soviet Union, it seemed that now was the time for him to shine.

【bite---------】

[The system has detected that the host is facing a battlefield decision and has selected to activate!]

Option 1: The most cautious approach – retreat to Lizhou City and withstand the attacks of the 5th American Division and the 1st Cavalry Regiment until the tide of battle turns.

[Reward 1: Gain General Trait Bonus - Conservatives: Steel Seventh Regiment gains a 15% defense bonus.]

[Reward 2: Temporary buff - Forced Defense: Lock down organization and prevent collapse during defensive battles. (Only effective in this campaign)]

[Option Two: The most aggressive tactic – accelerate the offensive, with the 7th Steel Regiment, the 80th Division, and the New 8th Army launching a general offensive ahead of schedule to annihilate the US 5th Division!]

[Reward 1: Gain the General Trait Bonus - Aggressive Attacker: Troops gain a 15% attack bonus]

[Reward 2: Temporary buff - Forced Attack: Locks up organization and prevents rout during attacks. (Only effective in this campaign)]

In an instant, the system's cold notification sounded again.

"In the early stages, the system strengthened me into Captain China, but later it wanted to strengthen all the soldiers of the Seventh Steel Regiment into Superman China..."

"However, the current offensive and defensive buffs aren't enough; we'll need to play more matches in the future..."

"and many more!"

"Judging from this notification, the temporary buffs for strong offense and strong defense apply to more than just the Steel Seventh Regiment, right?"

Wu Wanli was halfway through his internal monologue when he suddenly realized something and his heart skipped a beat.

[Applicable to: 7th Steel Regiment, 8th New Army, 80th Division]

[Applicable Time Period: Within this campaign]

Soon, the system's cold notification sound rang out.

"A full-scale assault! I choose to launch the general offensive ahead of schedule!"

Upon hearing this, Wu Wanli immediately made a decision in his heart.

The biggest difference between cannon fodder and elite troops isn't combat skills like marksmanship, but their fighting spirit!

If the casualty rate of the cannon fodder exceeds 10%, a rout is likely; if it exceeds 30%, a rout is almost certain.

Elite troops could withstand more than half their casualties without retreating, and the pinnacle of infantry in the Chinese People's Volunteer Army could hold out until only one man remained.

With this boost, the entire army of 50,000 has become an elite force that will fight to the death, a truly terrifying force!
As for whether there is a time limit?

Those who survive this battle are all elites!

Even if the organization level isn't locked down, a normal elite force with a casualty rate of 50% or less is still fine.

【bite----------】

[Congratulations, host! Your selection is complete. Rewards have been issued!]

[Note: Failure to complete the selection will result in the system entering a permanent sleep state.]

Soon, a strange feeling swept through the hearts of the 50,000-strong army.

For the volunteer soldiers, it didn't really feel like much, because they already had this will.

But for the new Eighth Army, the changes were quite significant.

"The 80th Division and the New Eighth Army, launch the general offensive three hours ahead of schedule, and be sure to reach your prepared attack positions as soon as possible!"

Wu Wanli waved his hand and gave the order while looking into the distance.

"Yes!"

Seeing that Wu Wanli was determined and had no doubts, Liu Hanqing immediately agreed.

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

The New Eighth Army, in its temporary command post
"Quan Kaka, I've done as you said, and I've taken advantage of this temporary break to recruit a suicide squad."

"But it's always the same group of veterans who came and went from Seoul."

"They had fought alongside Commander Wu in the Kaka battle, annihilating the US 25th Division, so they had little fear of the US military and were very determined."

"But almost no one in the newly recruited 20,000-plus troops was willing to sign up; some even knelt down and begged not to be sent..."

Lu Taijian sighed and said.

"Ah—Shiba!"

"Many of them are refugees who are about to starve to death. If it weren't for our New Eighth Army recruiting them, they would have died long ago!"

"Now that we need their cooperation with Commander Wu Kaka, they are ungrateful!"

"The encirclement and annihilation of the US Fifth Division will definitely be done quickly, so it will be very fierce."

"We can't have all of them be veterans of the uprising. Otherwise, once all the veterans are dead, our New Eighth Army will basically have no offensive capability."

Quan Douguang shook his head and said.

"that is!"

"Quan Kaka, I'll go and arrest them right now. We saved their lives, they have no choice but to obey!"

Upon hearing this, Lu Taijian immediately spoke with righteous indignation.

"No, I can't do that."

"Fine, I'll agree to their request. Ninety percent of the reward and money I receive will go to the families of the suicide squad members back home. Hopefully, this will recruit several thousand suicide squad members."

Quan Douguang thought for a moment, then sighed.

He has always been good to his soldiers; how could he bear to do this?

"But……"

Upon hearing this, Lu Taijian's eyes widened immediately, never expecting Quan Douguang to be so generous.

"Nothing to worry about."

"They are fighting desperately on the battlefield, so we must provide them with the corresponding support. We should inform the entire army of the conditions and let them choose."

"Remember, you can't force them!"

Quan Douguang repeatedly gave instructions.

"Don't worry, Quan Kaka! I can't guarantee tens of thousands of recruits, but with these conditions, we'll definitely be able to recruit several thousand fearless new soldiers!"

After making his estimate, Lu Taijian saluted with a touch of emotion and stepped back.

………………

At this moment, the soldiers of the New Eighth Army affected by the system felt a pang of guilt.

Thinking of Quan Douguang's past kindness, they were already somewhat regretful that they hadn't joined the suicide squad.

"If it weren't for Quan Kaka, I would have frozen and starved to death like a dog on the street long ago!"

"But when it came time to serve all of Kaka, I backed down!?"

"If you could recruit again, I would definitely sign up!"

A soldier from the New Eighth Army stood up, clenched his fist, and said excitedly.

This is just a microcosm.

Almost every soldier in the New Eighth Army had a fighting spirit shining in their eyes at that moment.

No one felt it was a system bonus, after all, the saying "a scholar will die for one who understands him" has been true from ancient times to the present.

They already felt guilty, but were initially suppressed by their survival instinct.

Now, with the catalytic effect of the system, that determination to die for one's confidant has regained its advantage; it's not that he suddenly became invincible out of thin air.

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

As Quan Douguang walked down, he came across a group of soldiers huddled around a campfire eating rice balls.

In the freezing wind of minus twenty degrees Celsius, their cotton-padded clothes, which had been scorched during the battle of Baiyuan Canyon, were now being tied up with straw ropes to seal the leaky holes.

"All of them!"

Someone shouted first, and the soldiers in the entire camp stood up in a rush, their fingers, which were purple from the cold, pressed against their temples.

Lu Taijian was about to reprimand them for their poor military bearing when Quan Douguang raised his hand to stop him.

"Gentlemen!"

Quan Douguang took off his scarf and wrapped it around the neck of a thin young soldier with prominent cheekbones.

"I will give 40% of my family fortune as a resettlement allowance to each member of the suicide squad."

"If I die in battle, I will give 50% of my assets to the families of these heroes!"

"I hope you will all fight alongside me. I need the help of warriors. Thank you."

He looked at everyone and bowed sincerely.

The campfire crackled and popped, sparks illuminating the eyes of the New Eighth Army soldiers.

Park Dae-yong touched the scarf around his neck, which was still warm from his body.

He remembered when he was almost frozen to death, it was Quan Kaka who personally dragged him into the mess hall and fed him.

"Although we are short-staffed, I will never force anyone!"

"You are all."

Quan Douguang looked at the soldiers and said sincerely.

"All of them!"

"Count me in!"

Park Dae-yong suddenly opened his hoarse voice, clutching the Seoul Uprising armband he had been keeping hidden in his cotton-padded jacket until it was burning hot.

"And I!"

"I'll sign up too!"

"Ah, damn it! I'm going to charge into battle for all of Kaka!"

"..."

The recruits who had been dodging were now deeply moved and surged forward like a tide.

As Quan Douguang bowed again to the soldiers with slightly reddened eyes, a voice rang out.

"I'd die for Kaka!"

"I'd die for Kaka!"

"I'd die for Kaka!"

"........."

It started with just a few people, but then more and more joined in, until the roar of 30,000 people was unleashed at once, the sound shaking the snow off the pine branches.

Lu Taijian stared in shock at the soldiers still tearing at the roster and scrambling for a spot.

Even some farmers who couldn't even cock a gun half a month ago are now pressing layers of bloody fingerprints onto their petitions to fight.

All 30,000 men of the New Eighth Army signed up for the suicide squad without exception!
"Excellent! The soldiers of the three armies are brave and capable!"

"The Chinese 80th Division is probably about to engage in its first battle, and we can't afford to fall too far behind!"

"The New Eighth Army breaks camp and sets off! Towards the US Fifth Infantry Division!"

Quan Douguang roared.

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

South of Red Cloud Canyon, in the twilight, the headquarters of the 5th Division of the United States Army.

"Sir, the raiding force in Lizhou has also been wiped out, and Lizhou is still under Chinese control."

"In other words, the Seventh Steel Regiment has a way out, and we can't trap them anymore!"

The commander of the 5th Division rushed over, holding a telegram, and said...

"What?!"

"What exactly is going on!"

"Wasn't it said that Park Jung-hee was an inside man, working with us from the inside out?!"

Major General Edward's mind went blank for a few seconds before he reacted and roared.

"Park Jung-hee wanted to kill the Chinese army commander, but his plan was discovered in advance, and he was instead controlled to send a false telegram, which misled our raiding force."

"It was only after Park Jung-hee broke free from the Chinese and found the radio station hidden outside the city that we learned about these things."

"Because not a single soldier from the raiding force escaped; they were all wiped out..."

“Sir, you don’t need to worry. According to Park Jung-hee’s intelligence, there should only be about 800 Chinese soldiers left in the city who are ready to fight.”

"In other words, it should be no problem for a cavalry regiment to go and take Lizhou."

The chief of staff of the 5th Division sighed and said.

"Luckily I made this move in advance, otherwise all my painstaking planning would have been in vain."

Upon hearing this, Major General Edward took a deep breath and finally calmed down.

"Sir, there's more bad news."

"Quan Douguang's new Eighth Army of 30,000 men is moving toward us; the previous few thousand were just their disguise."

"Forget about accepting surrender; they're definitely targeting us."

The chief of staff of the US Fifth Division said with a wry smile.

"Fuck!"

"What did you say?!"

"An army of 30,000?!"

"Why are you only saying this now? They're almost here!!!"

Edward, who had just arrived, immediately stood up, his eyes wide with shock.

“Sir, you were the one who said not to send the air force to provoke them.”

"To prevent them from distrusting us and retreating to Baiyuan Canyon, which would make our cavalry's flanking maneuver impossible."

The chief of staff of the 5th Division sighed and said.

"Shit!"

"How can there be so many of them!"

"No! They are locals, they speak the same language, and they can recruit people on the spot, just like those North Korean guerrillas."

"So their weapons and personnel quality were extremely low; at best, they were just a group of farmers who had only recently been trained with guns?"

Edward thought for a moment, then calmed down and said.

"Based on our investigation, that is indeed the case!"

"If we hadn't defeated the armored battalion in Baiyuan Canyon and captured a batch of weapons and ammunition, these troops probably wouldn't even have been equipped with guns."

"That's what the US Fifth Division Chief of Staff said."

"Okay, having a large number of troops like this is useless."

"Leaving aside marksmanship and assassination skills, if they suffer several thousand casualties in a real fight, they would probably be routed."

Upon hearing this, Edward felt a huge weight lifted from his heart.

“Sir, but the Chinese 80th Division is an elite main force division of the 27th Army.”

"In the previous battles of Shinshin-ri, Hagaru-ri, and Incheon, they were the main attackers, and their strength should not be underestimated."

"That's what the US Fifth Division Chief of Staff said."

"We'll draw in the main force and elite troops of Tiande Peak, annihilate them, then wipe out the Seventh Steel Regiment, and then march straight into Tiande Peak. Isn't that our plan?"

"To annihilate them in open field by attacking them from both sides with the 1st Cavalry Division is much easier than attacking a natural fortress like Tiande Peak from above."

"Although Major General Tornberg and I are not on good terms, he is so fond of gaining military merits, how could he miss such an opportunity?"

Edward showed no panic whatsoever; instead, he spoke with smug satisfaction.

"This……"

“Sir, that is true, but your series of orders seem to be all about defense rather than preparing for an attack.”

The commander of the 5th Division reminded him.

"Hahahaha...This is also part of my plan!"

"Is the defense deployment in Muyun almost complete?"

"At that time, we just need to hold our ground and let the 1st Cavalry Division outflank us for a general attack. We can then come out of our defensive perimeter to reap the rewards."

"The 1st Cavalry Division will suffer heavy casualties, and the credit for attacking Tiande Peak will go to us. Isn't that great?"

Edward gave a sinister smile and said.

Little did he know that while he was feeling smug, Major General Toynbee was no fool either.

The 1st Cavalry Division is marching at a snail's pace, waiting to reap the rewards.

"Sir, Muyunli is located directly opposite the Red Cloud Canyon where the 7th Steel Regiment is to the north. It is indeed a good place to block the reinforcements of the Chinese 27th Army."

"But if the battle goes against us, we will be surrounded on two sides..."

"I suggest changing the cavalry regiment's route of attack, abandoning the journey to Lizhou, and instead making a detour to Hongyun Valley ahead of time!"

"In this way, we at least have one last desperate path to break through the Red Cloud Canyon and advance towards Lizhou."

The US 5th Division pointed to the battle map and offered suggestions.

"I've had several battalions from the 33rd Regiment continue to take turns feigning attacks on Hongyun Canyon, while the remaining 34th Regiment and I are stationed in Muyun. There shouldn't be any problems."

"I also placed a reinforced company and a mortar company in Yangcun to the south as an outpost and bridgehead."

"With these troops and superior firepower, so what if we're attacked from both sides?"

"Major General Toynbee's 1st Cavalry Division is the most mechanized and armored unit. Their speed of reinforcement is far faster than the Chinese imagined!"

"Have the 1st Cavalry Regiment speed up and reach Baiyuan Canyon as soon as possible, then head towards Lizhou. Make sure to cut off the retreat route of the Chinese 7th Steel Regiment!"

Edward shook his head and gave the order without a care in the world.

“Sir, taking such risks may maximize the results, but it also maximizes the risks…”

The ominous premonition in the heart of the Fifth Division of the United States grew stronger and stronger, and he hurriedly advised.

"Damn it, do you really think two main divisions can't beat this mixed Chinese and North Korean force?!"

"No need for further explanation, just carry out the order!"

Edward waved his hand and gave the order decisively.

"Yes, sir!"

Upon hearing this, the chief of staff of the 5th Division of the United States sighed deeply and had no choice but to agree.

(End of this chapter)