Changjin Lake: From Xinxingli to Seoul

Chapter 236: The Great Battle Against the French Army!!!

Outside the south gate of Dipingli, Bloodstained Ridge, the temporary command post of the Seventh Steel Regiment.

"Wanli, the US military has begun an offensive on three fronts and has deployed a large amount of artillery fire."

"Gao Daxing's assault battalion is organized into companies, with each company guarding one side of the American attack, which puts a lot of pressure on them."

"Is this level of firepower really a feint?"

Looking at the towering flames in the distance, Liu Hanqing said with a hint of worry.

"What else could it be but a feint?"

"On three sides, only artillery fire was intense, a large number of tanks and armored vehicles were gone, and the French troops inside the Chipingli were also very quiet."

"How is the defensive position construction going over Pinghe?"

"I hope the reconnaissance battalion can hold off the American devils' attack, so that we'll have a chance to break in..."

Wu Wanli looked in the direction of Chipyong-ri, his eyes burning with the desire to attack.

"Kill them in?"

"Commander, are you planning to take this opportunity to wipe out those French soldiers and storm into Chipyong-ni?"

"The French army has more than a thousand men, a reinforced battalion."

"Gao Daxing is to contain the feint attacking force, Pinghe is to block the main attacking force of the US 1st Brigade, and the remaining force consists of more than a thousand soldiers from the artillery battalion."

"In other words, we're going to use a one-to-one force to capture the important town of Chipyong-ri in a very short time?!"

"Wanli, didn't we say before that we should take this opportunity to strike at the French army's defensive manpower?"

"It seems...they didn't say we were going to charge in, did they?"

Liu Hanqing was slightly taken aback and said with some surprise.

"The battlefield situation is constantly changing. We must adapt and seize opportunities."

"This battle may be very difficult."

"But as long as we win, the 40th Army won't have to send battalions up one by one to fight to the death."

"If we lose... let my brother carry my ashes back, just like he carried my older brother Wu Baili."

Wu Wanli wiped the cormorant whistle that Wu Qianli had given him and said earnestly.

"Commander, thousands of comrades in the Seventh Steel Regiment admire you; they all believe you are invincible!"

"Right now, it's just fighting a French army... how difficult could it be?"

Looking at Wu Wanli's serious expression, Yu Congrong couldn't help but speak.

He represents the thoughts of all the soldiers of the Seventh Steel Regiment.

With Wu Wanli around, they could defeat any army, no matter how powerful.

"Wanli, if it's too difficult, let's proceed with the ambush as planned."

"The lives of thousands of comrades in the Seventh Steel Regiment are in your hands. Think it over."

Liu Hanqing looked at Wu Wanli's serious expression and said.

"I'd be willing to risk my life, as long as I don't end up as roadside manure, that would be an easy thing."

"We have no choice; the American and French troops are also going to fight to the death."

"The initial ambush can only give us a temporary advantage and buy us valuable time."

“Once this time is over, we will have no choice but to break out; they will not allow us to continue to hold out.”

"And they are different from the enemy forces we have fought before."

"I have a feeling they will fight to the end, rather than surrendering halfway like the US 5th Division."

Wu Wanli looked at the changes in the Sky Eye map and said seriously.

In the Sky Eye map of Hearts of Steel:
The garrison in Chipyongri numbered around 1,500, but Ralph eventually drew 1,000 of them to form a suicide squad to prepare for a pincer attack.

Freeman's reinforced battalion numbered over two thousand, along with three hundred warplanes flying from Icheon towards Chipyong-ri.

Chinese air force fighter jets have gone to support the 38th and 50th Armies, as they are really on the verge of collapse.

"Can we win?"

Yu Congrong was silent for two seconds before asking.

"can!"

"If we break in now, the Volunteer Army can save thousands of comrades from dying!"

"If we don't win, our strategy of attacking from the west and counterattacking from the east will collapse, and we won't even be able to hold Seoul!"

As Wu Wanli spoke, a "click" sound rang out as he pulled the bolt of his rifle.

He wanted to lead a vanguard battalion to storm into places where several regiments of the Chinese People's Volunteer Army had failed to capture in history.

Although it's difficult, someone has to do it no matter how difficult it is.

"Wanli, you've also seen the battle report of the main force of the 27th Army."

“It wasn’t just Commander Li Yunlong who led the charge; Director Zhao Gang from the Political Department also did.”

"Since this offensive concerns the strategic fate of hundreds of thousands of Chinese People's Volunteer Army soldiers, I hope I can join them as well."

"Such a glorious moment..."

Liu Hanqing looked at Wu Wanli's face and said seriously.

"no!"

"We are just soldiers, we don't know anything else besides fighting, so our sacrifice won't have much of an impact."

"But you are different..."

"China's future needs you; you cannot sacrifice yourself!"

Wu Wanli glanced at Liu Hanqing and said decisively.

"Wanli, every soldier has parents, and they are the future and hope of their families."

"If they can sacrifice themselves, why can't I!"

"I do not care!"

"As the political commissar, I must take the lead in charging forward!"

"Just like what I saw in the Soviet Union!"

Upon hearing Wu Wanli's words, Liu Hanqing was slightly taken aback, a look of surprise flashing in his eyes, before speaking with even greater determination.

"Oh!"

The next second, Wu Wanli changed his fist into a palm and knocked Liu Hanqing unconscious.

"Commander, what's going on...?"

Yu Congrong did not expect Wu Wanli to be so decisive and take action immediately.

"Prehistoric, Wu Siyi!"

Wu Wanli shouted.

"To!"

Prehistoric and Wu Siyi quickly approached.

"If the battle goes well, you will escort Hanqing into Dipingli."

"If we fail to win, you do not need to provide assistance. Take the guard company and escort the political commissar to safety."

Wu Wanli said.

"withdraw?"

"Remove to where? Tiande Peak?"

Prehistoric paused for a moment, then asked.

"Withdraw across the Han River, withdraw Yangping, then move to Seoul, and hand him over to the generals and their clerical staff."

"Or if the boss approves... going back to Beijing to recuperate is also an option."

"If we all die in battle, you will be the last seeds of the Seventh Steel Regiment, and it will be you who rebuild the army!"

Wu Wanli handed several notebooks to Shiqian and said.

"Captain, this..."

Shiqian looked at several thick notebooks, which contained the names of a large number of soldiers from the Seventh Steel Regiment.

Some are still there, while others have been crossed out.

"I am issuing an order!"

Wu Wanli said.

"Yes!"

Upon hearing this, Shi Qian and Wu Siyi immediately agreed.

"Commander, all the cannons in the artillery battalion have been calibrated."

"I checked it myself, and it's already at its most accurate state."

"As soon as the French troops come out, our howitzers can bombard them fiercely!"

Lei Gong said.

"No!" "Don't bomb them as soon as they come out. We must wait until their assault team is fully out before we bomb them!"

"Yu Congrong, you lead the artillery battalion and follow me to charge in one fell swoop."

"Lei Gong, I need Xu Jin's barrage support later. Make sure the artillery fire lands within fifty meters of me!"

"I'm going to lead my comrades through the scorching hot earth and stab them to death the moment they get up from their positions after the explosion!"

A hint of madness flashed in Wu Wanli's eyes as he spoke.

"Fifty meters?!!"

"You idiot, how could a normal Xu Jin barrage coordination be fifty meters long!"

"It has to be at least one hundred meters, or even two hundred meters!"

"Fifty meters means the flash of the explosion is so bright that people can't open their eyes, shrapnel hits your feet, and you charge forward against the spreading shockwave!"

"If the artillery makes a mistake, the explosion could kill our own men!"

Lei Gong was so anxious that he stopped calling himself the commander and hurriedly explained to Wu Wanli how dangerous it was.

From the 7th Infiltration Company to the 7th Steel Regiment, he has always been one of the most senior soldiers.

He witnessed too many soldiers' sacrifices and joining, and even Wu Wanli's growth from a recruit to a regimental commander.

Wu Wanli and these soldiers were like his children. How could he not feel heartache when he heard Xu Jin's barrage of words from fifty meters away?

“Lei Gong, the comrades of the Seventh Steel Regiment are not just the soldiers of the attacking firepower battalion.”

"There are also assault battalions to contain the US feint attack forces, and reconnaissance battalions to hold off the main attack force of the US 1st Brigade."

"The faster we capture Chipyong-ri, the fewer of these comrades will have to sacrifice themselves."

"I'm not an executioner, I just want to bring as many comrades home as possible."

Wu Wanli looked into Lei Gong's eyes and said sincerely.

The Seventh Steel Regiment's risky and fierce attack was so that the soldiers of several other regiments in history would not have to sacrifice themselves.

This round of Xu Jin's barrage was to reduce the number of deaths among the comrades of the Steel Seventh Regiment who were providing cover.

Specifically, Wu Wanli himself always led the charge, always at the forefront, in order to reduce casualties among the advancing troops and leave the most dangerous places to himself.

All of this is for the purpose of winning this war with minimal casualties, so that fewer of these martyrs could die.

After all, talking about foreign wars like those between the Han and the Xiongnu is too far removed from the future.

But the peaceful and prosperous era fought by these volunteer army heroes is different; it is the one that Wu Wanli, a time traveler from the 21st century, truly enjoys.

Even before he traveled through time, he had actually seen those surviving veterans of the Chinese People's Volunteer Army in reality.

They don't even know how to use QR codes anymore, laughing and saying they're useless to China, outdated relics.

But when they mention that turbulent period of the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea, they can't help but stand up excitedly and shout that they want to go to the 38th parallel and have another adventure!
Especially when the United States imposed tariffs and pursued hegemony against China, some veterans of the Chinese People's Volunteer Army were so angry that they wanted to pick up their old bayonets and fight the US military again!
"Wanli, I rarely call you Wanli anymore after you became the regimental commander."

"I really hope you can bring them back as many as possible, bring them back..."

"I can aim the shells accurately. Fifty meters is fifty meters. I may be a bit old, but I've been firing artillery for half my life."

Lei Gong leaned close to Wu Wanli's ear and whispered something.

"it is good!"

Wu Wanli nodded emphatically and said.

Upon hearing this, Lei Gong glanced one last time at the soldiers preparing to charge before turning back to the artillery position.

…………

South Gate of Dipingli

"General, we brought too many men."

"If the attack fails..."

Major Theo said.

"Shut up!"

"This time we must be determined to win, break their blockade, and let the American troops in!"

"If this doesn't work, the Chinese army will definitely become more cautious, and by then it will be too late!"

"It's almost time..."

"French lads, get on the bus, prepare for the attack!"

Ralph tossed aside his sunglasses, picked up his gun, and said...

"Kill! Kill! Kill! Kill..."

Soon, countless black French soldiers raised their guns, their eyes burning with belligerent rage.

They are the elite of the French Foreign Legion and among the most daring soldiers in France.

Soon, the French elite convoy left Chipyong-ni and headed towards the position of the 7th Steel Regiment.

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

"Commander, the French convoy has emerged from Chipyong-ri!"

After observing through the binoculars for a moment, Yu Congrong quickly offered a reminder.

"No rush, wait until they're all out before the artillery fire can completely cover them."

Wu Wanli glanced at the Tianyan map, pressed his hand down, and said.

The volunteer soldiers behind him remained silent, gripping their guns tightly, letting the snow fall on them, like tigers enduring their final moments of stagnation.

Time passed second by second, and the heavy snow had covered Wu Wanli and the others' military uniforms with a layer of pure white.

Wu Wanli raised the signal flare, aimed it at the sky, and slammed the trigger.

"Chirp——————"

Accompanied by a sharp whistle like a dragon's roar that pierced the sky, red light instantly illuminated half the sky.

artillery positions in the distance

"The signal has arrived..."

"Dinner's ready!!!"

Upon seeing this, Lei Gong swung his command flag downwards with a fierce motion.

"Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang..."

A series of muffled thuds rang out as shells were fired, and plumes of white smoke billowed out.

The shells, arcing gracefully through the sky, crashed heavily into the French army ranks.

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

Semi-solid gasoline fuel exploded into a blue-white cloud of fire in air at minus twenty degrees Celsius.

Three French trucks were instantly reduced to charred skeletons, their melted rubber tires carrying the remains as they rolled off the roadbed and were blown away by the blast wave of subsequent artillery shells.

"call out------"

Before the French could react, a second salvo of shells, carrying ice shards, pierced through the thick smoke.

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

The high-explosive shell accurately overturned the French tank that was turning, and the gun barrel twisted and stuck into the snowdrift.

Countless French soldiers had their heads shattered or were blown to pieces by shrapnel from the explosions.

The remaining French soldiers, without needing orders, quickly jumped off the vehicles and scattered in all directions.

"Drip drip drip drip drip drip—"

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

"Comrades, charge with me!!!"

Wu Wanli picked up his Thompson submachine gun, roared, and leaped up, charging ahead at the forefront.

"Kill!"

Yu Congrong and the soldiers of the artillery battalion followed closely behind, their eyes filled with murderous intent.

In the distance, behind a bunker next to the French army convoy
"General, this is bad!"

"The Chinese army seems to have planned this attack in advance. We should retreat to Chipyong-ni immediately!!!"

Theo, carrying the bugle that sounded like the music of death, said with trepidation.

"Withdraw? Why should we withdraw!"

"We promised the Americans that we would join them in attacking the Chinese army from both sides!"

"It's still uncertain who will annihilate whom!"

"Guys, let's start by restoring the glory of the French army during the Napoleonic era!"

"Follow me!!!"

Ralph showed no fear; instead, a madness flashed in his eyes as he roared and charged toward the Chinese People's Volunteer Army.

"kill!!!"

The remaining French soldiers were not to be outdone, and they all picked up their guns and launched a charge at top speed.

Since the Sino-French War of 1884 and the invasion of China by the Eight-Nation Alliance in 1900, a new round of fighting between Chinese and French troops has begun again outside Chipyong-ni!

(End of this chapter)