Changjin Lake: From Xinxingli to Seoul

Chapter 291 Wu Wanli seizes heavy armored vehicles behind enemy lines and launches a blitzkrieg against the American forces, mobilizing Hengcheng troops to leave the city!

The time for the final assault has arrived on the west bank of Chaoding Bridge.
Without any unnecessary movements, the fire support detachment led by Yu Congrong immediately began its operation.

Dozens of mortars were quickly set up behind the remaining shallow trenches and rocks along the riverbank, their muzzles menacing, pointing directly at the outline of the American positions on the opposite bank.

"Smash it! Throw all the shells at it! Smash a bloody path through it!"

Yu Congrong frowned, then suddenly swung his arm down and shouted.

This was a firepower clearance operation before the bridge was laid, blasting away every inch of space for the engineering soldiers crossing the river to survive.

"Tum! Tum! Tum!"

In an instant, the muffled sounds of launches merged into one, tearing apart the howling of the river wind.

The intense flames briefly illuminated the tense faces of the volunteer soldiers, all bearing a resolute determination to die.

The shells whistled across the cold river surface and slammed heavily onto the positions on the east bank that were just beginning to show signs of panic.

"Boom! Boom! Boom..."

The explosion rang out, as if the earth was groaning with a dull tremor.

The orange-red explosion burst forth, instantly engulfing the sandbag fortifications of the American positions.

Frozen soil, gravel, broken wooden stakes, and even fragments of human bodies spun wildly in the towering plumes of smoke.

The screams and desperate cries were torn apart and fragmented by the booming cannon fire.

This carefully constructed firing point by the US military was briefly but fatally paralyzed by the sudden barrage of steel.

While the aftershocks of artillery fire were still raging on the eastern bank positions and the thick smoke had not yet completely obscured visibility, the assault detachment soldiers, personally led by Gao Daxing, sprang into action.

These silent volunteer soldiers, carrying planks, ropes, nails, and hammers that the Korean guerrillas had painstakingly provided, suddenly burst out from between the low rocks and icicles.

There were no shouts, no hesitation.

The only sounds were heavy, suppressed breathing and the rapid thud of footsteps on ice and snow.

They are flesh and blood driven by an iron will, with a clear goal.

Beneath your feet lies the only passage to the other side of life, that awe-inspiring iron chain bridge!
Without the planks, only seven thick, black iron chains, covered with icicles, remain of the Chaoding Bridge.

These iron chains swayed slightly in the cold river wind, like the dying spine of a giant python.

The river water murmured and rushed beneath the bridge, dozens of meters deep, its sound unusually muffled and eerie in the empty valley.

The chill came not only from the river, but also from the enormous hole in the bridge and the endless, icy gaze of the abyss below.

"Quick! Move quickly!"

Gao Daxing's voice was mostly swallowed up by the sound of artillery fire, but the anxious sense of urgency reached the hearts of every volunteer soldier.

The first group of soldiers leaped onto the cold iron chains like monkeys, using both hands and feet to maintain their balance and laboriously dragging the heavy planks onto the bridge.

The soldiers behind followed closely, carrying the planks on their shoulders and in their hands, accurately passing them up.

The tense atmosphere was so solid it felt almost tangible, and every second felt like an eternity.

The planks were quickly spliced ​​between the two longitudinal main cables, the sound of hammers striking the fixing nails echoing through the room.

"Dang! Dang! Dang!"

The sound rang out clearly and monotonously, sounding particularly jarring amidst the lulls in the artillery fire on the west bank.

Sweat mixed with the frost from their breath, condensing into cold beads of sweat on the soldiers' faces.

Hope seemed to stretch out ahead, planks being laid little by little towards the dark opposite bank...

However, in an instant, the situation changed drastically!
"Fire!"

(Fire!)

"Fire at will!"

(Fire freely!)

At that moment, a hysterical roar exploded from somewhere in the thick smoke on the east bank!

It's the US military!
Although the artillery barrage from the artillery detachment destroyed the forward fortifications, it did not destroy all the firing positions.

The deeper bunkers and the reinforced flank positions survived!
“Da da da da da da da—!”

"Bang! Bang! Bang..."

"Boom! Boom..."

In an instant, blinding chains of fire shot out from the depths of the thick smoke on the east bank!
The tracer rounds of the US M1919 heavy machine gun roared wildly, weaving a huge net in the night sky, accurately sweeping towards the Chinese People's Volunteer Army engineers who were busy laying paving stones in the middle of the bridge.

The short bursts of light machine gun fire, the rapid spray of water from automatic rifles, and the occasional piercing whistle of mortar shells.

All the firepower instantly found an outlet, pouring wildly onto the narrow wooden plank and the human body!
"Puff puff puff puff..."

The dull thud of bullets tearing through canvas, piercing cotton clothing, and burrowing into flesh was chilling!

"Ugh—!"

"Platoon leader! I've been shot!"

"Pfft!"

"Help! Jiang..."

A volunteer soldier who was tightening a bolt suddenly jolted, and several bright red flowers of blood burst open on his chest.

The hammer flew from his hand, and he and the half-laid plank plummeted into the dark, turbulent river.

It only let out a short, miserable scream in the air before being swallowed up by the river.

Just as another volunteer soldier lifted the plank to pass it forward, a bullet struck his arm precisely.

His severed arm flew through the air, spraying blood and foam. The heavy wooden plank, along with his body, lost its balance, and he screamed as he lost his footing and fell through the gap in the iron chains.

Many more soldiers were hit by the dense hail of bullets and fell directly onto the wet, cold wooden planks of the bridge, their blood quickly seeping out and staining the rough wood red.

A sense of tragedy instantly enveloped the entire suspension bridge!
That wasn't a battle; it was more like a futile struggle in front of a meat grinder!
On the exposed iron chain bridge, the volunteer army's engineering soldiers became the enemy's best live targets!

"They've all been exposed! All of the American devils' firing positions have been exposed!"

"Let's stop hiding and open fire!"

"Push them back! Push them back, you bastards!"

Behind the west bank, Gao Daxing's eyes instantly turned bloodshot, and he roared loudly.

The assault team soldiers, who had been waiting for a long time in makeshift machine gun positions, ruins collapsed by artillery fire, and even behind snow pits, pulled the triggers with bloodshot eyes!
“Da da da da—!”

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

The heavy machine guns of the Chinese People's Volunteer Army suddenly fired long, muffled bursts, fiercely striking the exposed sources of fire of the American forces on the east bank!

The crisp, rapid bursts of light machine gun fire from the Chinese People's Volunteer Army were interspersed throughout, increasing the firepower output.

The Chinese People's Volunteer Army's grenade launcher operators frantically loaded and fired!
Mortar shells whistled as they slammed into the spots where flames had just been spewing.

A dense barrage of bullets and shells, burning with the flames of revenge, crashed violently onto the east bank!

The firepower of the US military was suddenly halted by this unexpected, more concentrated, and more ferocious counter-suppression!
Several heavy machine gun positions that were just firing fiercely were immediately silenced by the crossfire of at least two Maxim guns!
The trajectory of the tracer rounds clearly showed that the counterattack firepower constructed by the Chinese People's Volunteer Army actually outperformed the panicked enemy in both intensity and accuracy!
"Quick! Grab the shops! Keep going! Don't stop!"

Gao Daxing's voice roared amidst the intense gunfire!
The surviving sappers on the bridge, with tears in their eyes, disregarded the wounds from stray bullets on their bodies and ignored the bloodied and mangled flesh of their comrades beside them, and displayed an even more astonishing courage!
They roared, using their bodies to shield the planks, and with all their might, smashed the planks one by one against the iron chain!
The sound of hammering was more intense than that of gunfire, and the movements were faster than before!
The hope of life was completely ignited amidst the tragic sacrifices!

The iron chains are swaying!
The river wind is howling!
Bullets whistled overhead and beside me!
Amidst blood and sweat, the wooden planks stretched forward, inch by inch, with difficulty and tenacity!

East Coast, U.S. Frontline Command
"Fuck!!!"

"The Seventh Steel Corps of China is indeed no ordinary Chinese army!"

"Their firepower and the elite status of their troops are even stronger than we imagined!"

"Immediately send a telegram to the regimental headquarters, telling the regimental commander that our firepower is insufficient to suppress these Chinese troops, and we need support!"

"Without reinforcements, we can only hold out for another twenty minutes at most!"

The U.S. Army major put down his observation binoculars and shouted.

"Yes, sir!"

"I'll go request backup right away!"

Upon hearing this, a U.S. Army lieutenant immediately responded.

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

Inside the temporary defense command post of Chaoding Bridge on the east bank

"Sir! Report from the bridgehead!"

"Firepower...firepower is being severely suppressed!"

"Chinese soldiers are laying bridges!"

"Their firepower is too strong!"

"The defending battalion has suffered heavy losses!"

"Requesting backup! We urgently need reinforcements!"

"Otherwise, the position will be breached! The bridge... the bridge will be built!"

A U.S. military staff officer practically shoved aside the sacks blocking the doorway and rushed in shouting.

"damn it!"

"I had already estimated it to be three times the firepower of a regular Chinese army, but I still underestimated the Seventh Steel Brigade of China!"

Upon hearing this, Colonel Tom immediately frowned and spoke.

"Calm down, soldiers!"

"That concludes the situation report! Now get out!"

Chief of Staff Harrison abruptly raised his head, his eyes sharp as knives, and quickly interrupted the communications soldier's panic.

Upon hearing this, the American staff officer immediately gave a crooked salute and staggered out.

"Colonel Tom, the situation is bad, but not completely out of control."

"The garrison at the bridgehead numbered only one thousand, lacking heavy weapons and depth of defense. Under the enemy's well-prepared firepower assault, their ability to resist was seriously overestimated."

"However, their failure was predictable."

"We must immediately deploy the reserves! Our second reserve battalion has a thousand soldiers!"

"We can order them to advance at full speed! Push forward immediately!"

"At all costs, drive the Chinese down before the bridge is completely paved!"

"Reinforce the bridgehead! Without reinforcements, the fall of the east bank of Chaoding Bridge is only a matter of time, and a very short time at that!"

"In short, we cannot allow the main force of Chinese infantry to set foot on the east bank!"

Chief of Staff Harrison picked up a pencil and slammed it onto the rough map spread out on the ammunition box.

"Are you going to destabilize the reserves now?"

"Harrison, didn't the intelligence say that Wu Wanli had already crossed the river with a highly skilled elite force?"

"God, what if they suddenly appeared in the rear, or even stormed the command post..."

Commander Tom frowned, leaned forward slightly, and asked with a hint of worry.

"Sir!"

"As you said yourself, that was just a small Chinese force!"

"Our first line of defense in the rear is manned by more than 500 well-trained soldiers stationed on two high grounds along the only route from the riverbank to the command post!"

"They occupy the high ground and have machine gun positions and mortar support!"

"Unless the Chinese are a bunch of ghosts, they couldn't possibly have crept up here so silently!"

"Any approach will be detected by our sentries, triggering a firefight!"

"Our second line of defense is right behind the first line of defense!"

"here!"

"700 meters from the command post!"

"The terrain is narrow and complex, making it easy to defend and difficult to attack!"

"Four platoons of heavy troops have been deployed. They are equipped with sufficient anti-tank weapons and heavy machine guns!"

"Once fierce fighting breaks out at the first line of defense, the second line of defense will be an insurmountable iron gate!"

"Not only that, we also have a third contingency plan!"

"Our armored forces are ready to be deployed at any time behind the first line of defense!"

"This means that even if the first line of defense is breached very quickly, the enemy will inevitably pay a heavy price, and then our armored forces can immediately launch an attack!"

"Under normal circumstances, our armored forces would be able to crush those exhausted infantry!"

"If... if even an armored force attack cannot be stopped, then the armored force will immediately retreat to the command post and rely on the second line of defense for a final defense!"

"At the same time, we immediately called Hengcheng, where the Han army division has a large number of troops stationed and radio communication is uninterrupted!"

"From the moment the enemy is detected to the moment we call for reinforcements from Hengcheng, it only takes five minutes at the fastest!"

"Furthermore, the vanguard of the South Korean army can arrive in a relatively short time!"

"If the second line of defense is also in dire straits, and the South Korean army cannot provide timely support, then our armored vehicles will be our last trump card for breaking through!"

"You, me, and everyone in the regiment, immediately board the armored vehicles. Utilize their heavy armor and powerful firepower to tear open a gap and retreat at full speed towards Hengcheng!"

"With so many layers of insurance, why worry about a surprise attack by the Chinese army?!"

"They can't cause any trouble!"

"The biggest, and only, fatal threat right now is that the Chaoding Bridge is being paved. Our main force must immediately go and plug this breach!"

Harrison straightened up, his voice regaining its usual calm and steady tone as he offered his advice.

"Okay, you have a point."

"Time is of the essence, we must immediately provide support to the front lines!"

"Otherwise, before even a small Chinese force can get here, the collapse of the entire East Coast will send us all to hell!"

"At that time, there were no defensive lines, no armored vehicles, and no chance to hold out for reinforcements..."

"Someone, relay my orders!"

"Order the reserve's Second Battalion to reinforce the main position on the east bank of Chaoding Bridge at full speed!"

"Tell them! Hold the line! You must drive the Chinese back no matter what!"

"God help us, hurry!!"

After a moment of contemplation, Commander Tom immediately gave the order.

"Yes, sir!"

The American communications soldier outside the door ran over immediately, and the radio crackled with urgent calls.

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

Meanwhile, outside the first line of defense behind the US replenishment regiment.

"Overall objective: First, eliminate the US sentries on the perimeter, then infiltrate the first line of defense of the US replenishment regiment."

"Strive to reach the position of the US armored forces and seize those tanks and armored vehicles."

"The specific current objective is to silently eliminate the outer sentry posts and observation points."

"The infiltration route is to choose the shadowed area under the erosion gully at the two o'clock position, taking advantage of the gaps in shell craters and artillery fire."

"Prioritize ensuring the passage is silent; the action must be swift, accurate, and decisive."

"Group one is responsible for clearing and covering the left flank, and group two will follow me and advance along the right flank."

Wu Wanli rapidly changed his tactical hand gestures, precisely assigning tasks and advancing routes while speaking in a low voice.

After giving his instructions, he crawled out like a cheetah, his khaki cotton coat blending almost seamlessly with the broken snow. With each movement, he precisely utilized every depression and protrusion of the terrain.

The most elite soldiers of the guard battalion followed closely behind, spreading out silently like a meticulously woven net, quietly casting their way behind the American defense line.

The cold wind howled in their ears, and the continuous explosions and dense gunfire coming from the direction of Dingqiao in the distance became their natural cover music.

By switching perspectives on the Sky Eye Map, Wu Wanli can clearly see the details of each position.

This includes scenes of heavy machine guns being reloaded on US positions, soldiers stomping their feet in the cold in trenches, and even the reprimanding expressions of US commanders.

These switching scenes and observations, like coordinates in the darkness, precisely outlined for him all the nodes of activity on the defense line, especially those key sentry posts.

Before long, his figure suddenly stopped at the edge of a shell crater half-covered by snow.

Three meters ahead, beside a weathered boulder, a U.S. military sentry, wrapped in a thick coat, dozed off, his breath condensing in the biting air.

The sentry's position blocked the entrance to the eroded gully.

Wu Wanli immediately made a very subtle gesture to the left.

Almost simultaneously, a scout slipped out silently from the right rear, using a raised mound of earth to conceal his figure, and moved perfectly to the sentry's blind spot to the side and rear.

Wu Wanli himself was like a spring that had been gathering momentum, suddenly pushing off the ground and exerting force with lightning speed!
Just as the American sentry instinctively shrank his neck from the cold, Wu Wanli's iron arm shot out like lightning, instantly wrapping around the sentry's jaw and firmly clamping his mouth and nose shut!

The immense power prevented the opponent from even uttering a cry of surprise.

At the same time, the sentry pounced from the side and rear, pressing a makeshift silencer made of oilcloth rolls and canned food shells against the sentry's back, and the cold dagger pierced his heart with unparalleled precision through the gap between his ribs.

The American sentry's body twitched only once before the two men dragged him into the deep shell crater. The whole process was lost in the piercing wind and the distant sounds of gunfire.

This is just the beginning.

These elite troops operated with precision and efficiency under Wu Wanli's command.

On the left, two Chinese People's Volunteer Army scouts used a blind spot of a US machine gun emplacement on a snow slope to simultaneously pounce on an observation post that was stamping its feet in a foxhole to try to ward off the cold.

One person subdued the victim by locking their throat, while the other slit their throat with a dagger; the actions were executed in one fluid motion.

On the right, Wu Wanli personally led the two men along an abandoned trench that had been partially destroyed, moving stealthily like ghosts.

As an American soldier smoking a cigarette poked his head out of the trench to check the direction of the bridge, a flash of cold light appeared, and a bayonet was thrown out and precisely pierced his throat.

The next second, the American soldier's body was caught by a prepared scout before it collapsed.

Every approach and every kill relied on Wu Wanli's extraordinary ability to perceive battlefield threats and his observation using the Sky Eye Map.

Blood silently stained the cold snow, only to be quickly covered again.

The bodies of American soldiers were dragged into bomb craters or the shadows of crumbling fortifications like discarded sacks.

The defenses behind the lines were silenced layer by layer, piece by piece.

Driven by Wu Wanli, the infiltration vanguard force managed to tear open a path paved entirely with death through the seemingly tight security network of the US military.

The suffocating tension in the air eased slightly after the last lone American soldier who had been urinating behind the barbed wire was gagged and taken down.

The discovery of dozens of American soldiers' bodies has completely breached the first line of defense behind the US replenishment regiment.

Wu Wanli led his elite assault troops through the first line of defense and continued to infiltrate deeper into the area.

After walking for an unknown amount of time, Wu Wanli raised his head, his gaze piercing through the sparse bushes and the last stretch of rocky beach, locking onto a low earthen slope not far away.

The target was within reach! The noisy idling of the engines, the unrestrained laughter of the American soldiers, and the crisp sound of playing cards hitting the wooden crates were like an enticing dinner whistle, piercing through the wind and hitting our ears.

"arrive!"

"Target: Armored forces assembly point. Proceed swiftly according to plan!"

Wu Wanli made several hand gestures, his eyes sharp as an eagle, pointing towards the earthen slope.

Less than 300 meters from their hiding place, eight heavy Sherman tanks and eight light M8 armored vehicles were parked there!

That is the key to victory!
Wu Wanli and his group held their breath and moved like cats through the last stretch of rocky beach and sparse bushes.

The noise and the sound of engines idling could be clearly heard through a low earthen slope.

Behind the earthen slope was a cleared area, which turned out to be the temporary camp of the armored company of the US Army's supplementary regiment!

Eight imposing M4 Sherman medium tanks and eight M8 armored reconnaissance vehicles were parked haphazardly.

The hatches of the tank turrets were mostly open, and under the hull, several maintenance soldiers were lazily leaning against the tracks smoking.

More American armored soldiers gathered in small groups around a few armored vehicles, playing cards around a small wooden box without any precautions!
The sounds of bidding, laughter, and arguments filled the air, creating a veritable "safe haven" far removed from the front lines.

A steaming aluminum kettle was also placed on the campfire, brewing coffee.

They were completely unaware that their flanks and rear lines had been infiltrated, and even less aware that the main positions on the west bank were being subjected to heavy bombing.

"Chance!"

A cold glint flashed in Wu Wanli's eyes, and he felt a surge of excitement.

This is a golden opportunity!
With the system's incredible luck boost, it seemed to be guiding the enemy to a fatal moment of carelessness.

"One group, take care of the repairman and the sentry."

"Second group, follow me!"

"Pay close attention to the target vehicle!"

Wu Wanli made several hand gestures and gave the order in a low voice.

Soon, these volunteer soldiers, like a pack of leopards pouncing on their prey, leaped over the earthen slope in an instant.

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

A group of Chinese People's Volunteer Army soldiers fired short bursts of submachine gun fire, and the mechanics by the campfire and the American sentries guarding the perimeter of the vehicle were swept down before they could react.

"Enemy attack!"

The American soldiers playing cards were terrified when they heard the gunshots and instinctively reached for their carbines or submachine guns hanging on their armored vehicles.

But it's too late to realize it now!
Wu Wanli charged forward at the first opportunity, his agility boost making his movements so fast that they were just afterimages.

In a single stride, he rushed to the tank closest to him, grabbed the edge of the turret with one hand, and, like the most agile gymnast, flipped and leaped into the open turret compartment!

Almost simultaneously, a U.S. armored soldier who had just thrown away his playing cards and was trying to climb into the cockpit was grabbed by the throat by Wu Wanli's lightning-fast hand and dragged out of the hatch.

His right arm slammed into the other man's neck with a sharp "crack," and he was thrown away like trash.

At this moment, Wu Wanli had already taken the gunner's position!
Other volunteer soldiers also moved with lightning speed, with two volunteer soldiers climbing into two other Sherman tanks.

The prehistoric leader in charge of the assault personally led several strong soldiers and quickly rushed towards the armored vehicle area.

The machine gun turret on top of the US armored vehicle is in an open operating position, and a US machine gunner has just grabbed the handle to fire.

"Come down you!"

Prehistoric beings pounced on them like gods descending to earth, their immense strength grabbing their ankles and pulling them down violently!

The American soldier screamed and fell headfirst, his head hitting the track guard plate hard, and he instantly lost consciousness.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, the prehistoric creature nimbly slipped into the machine gun position and began operating the incredibly powerful heavy machine gun!
The battle broke out in a small area occupied by armored vehicles; it was brief and bloody.

The American armored troops, caught off guard, were mostly unprepared. Many didn't even have time to draw their guns. Faced with this group of elite soldiers who seemed to have descended from the heavens and were incredibly skilled in close combat, they were powerless to resist.

Bayonets, daggers, rifle butts, and even fists... all became dominant in that instant.

The screams of American armored soldiers, the sound of bones breaking, and sporadic gunshots rang out continuously.

In less than three minutes, all thirty-odd American armored soldiers who were able to resist in the parking lot were dealt with.

Wu Wanli's elite squad sacrificed one person and injured three others, but managed to control the steel behemoth they had dreamed of at a near-perfect cost!
"Quick! Start the engines! Take control of the tanks and armored vehicles!"

"Don't worry about the details, as long as it can start and fire!"

Wu Wanli poked his head out of the turret and growled at the soldiers who were still getting used to the tank's complex control panel.

The soldiers selected to learn how to drive tanks were already clever and experienced drivers, having driven captured Nationalist tanks during the Liberation War.

Although he was extremely unfamiliar with operating American tanks, his potential was unleashed under extreme pressure and the thrill of death.

Stimulated by the blood of their fallen comrades that had not yet fully seeped into the soil, their eyes were red as they began to grope their way forward, relying on their intuition and memories of what they had just observed.

"Crack... Rumble... Splat..."

The engines of several Sherman tanks and US armored vehicles roared violently one after another, black smoke billowing from their exhaust pipes, and their massive steel bodies trembled violently.

A soldier mishandled the turret and nearly hit his own men, so he quickly stopped.

"It doesn't matter!"

"Get moving and charge out!"

Wu Wanli steadied himself and gave a loud command.

He looked around and confirmed that the situation was basically under control.

"Prepare the signal flare!"

"Target: directly ahead, behind the first main defensive line of the US replenishment regiment! Break through their defenses!"

Wu Wanli then added.

A volunteer soldier immediately climbed to the top of the turret of the tank where Wu Wanli was, picked up a signal gun, and pulled the trigger in the direction where the main force of the guard battalion commanded by Liu Hanqing was lying in ambush.

"Boom-boom!"

In an instant, a blinding red signal flare, like a shooting star tearing through the gloomy sky, shot straight into the heavens with a sharp whistling sound!
Against the backdrop of smoke-filled, low-hanging, leaden-gray clouds, that single, dazzling point of crimson stood out!
....................................

On the west bank, Liu Hanqing, who was leading the main force of the guard battalion to ambush in a depression only 500 meters away from the first main defense line, kept a close watch on the east bank.

When the sudden red signal flare exploded in the chaotic battlefield, his blood boiled instantly!
"Political Commissar Liu! Signal flare! Red!"

The voice of the volunteer soldier next to him trembled with excitement.

Liu Hanqing suddenly saw that exciting red dot of light through the binoculars!
He knew what this meant—Wu Wanli had succeeded!
He actually succeeded!

Deep behind enemy lines, they seized armored forces, like inserting a cold, sharp knife into the heart of this American defense line!

"The entire battalion has them!"

Liu Hanqing drew his pistol with a "whoosh," no longer trying to suppress his voice; his immense excitement and unwavering confidence made his roar sound like a tiger's howl in the mountains.

"Target—the US military defensive line directly ahead!"

"The final assault begins! All-out charge! For the motherland! For victory! Charge—!!!"

Liu Hanqing jumped up and shouted loudly.

"Come on!"

"Kill them all!!!"

Suddenly, a deafening roar erupted.

The main force of the guard battalion, consisting of several hundred soldiers, leaped out of the depression like tigers released from their cages, forming a three-by-three formation, and charged unstoppably toward the first main defensive line of the US forces!

They had waited too long for this moment. The blood shed by their comrades on the west bank to build the bridge had transformed into the wildest force on their charge!
At this moment, the US troops defending the first main defensive line were suddenly alarmed.

The sight of red signal flares rising behind them already made them extremely uneasy, and now, with such a fierce wave of attack suddenly erupting in front of them, the American commanders on the position felt a chill run from the soles of their feet to the top of their heads.

"Behind us! There's something going on behind us!"

"They're Chinese! They have armored vehicles behind us!"

At that moment, a U.S. military sentry screamed in terror, pointing in the direction of the armored forces stationed.

"Damn it, our armored forces must have been infiltrated and ambushed by the elite Chinese troops!"

"Call for artillery support immediately! Only artillery can save us now!"

The U.S. frontline commander immediately said.

"Yes, sir!"

Upon hearing this, the American soldier immediately agreed.

………………

Meanwhile, the artillery detachment positions

Lei Gong clearly saw the rising red signal flare through his binoculars, as well as the overwhelming offensive of Liu Hanqing's troops, and a surge of joy welled up in his heart.

"Good! The captain has succeeded!"

"Give me a full-scale bombardment based on the coordinates of the US artillery positions analyzed by the commander!"

"Areas one, two, and three! Maintain the baseline firing direction! Full charge! Rapid fire!"

"Let go! Let go! Let go—!!!"

Lei Gong abruptly stood up from his observation post and roared into the walkie-talkie in a hoarse voice.

"Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump..."

On the artillery detachment's position, rows of American-made 105mm howitzers and 75mm mountain guns roared deafeningly!

The cannon recoiled rapidly, spewing out a blazing fireball from the muzzle, engulfing the entire position in thick white smoke.

The shells, like the Grim Reaper's scythe with eyes, whistled through the air and accurately struck the artillery positions of the US reinforcement regiment that Wu Wanli had "analyzed".

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

On the first line of defense of the US military
"Tanks are here! Are they ours?"

An American soldier, who was nervously operating a heavy machine gun, was overjoyed when he saw several American tanks and armored vehicles roaring and kicking up clouds of dust rushing out of the woods to his side and rear.

"boom!"

A tank shell came flying in, and he was blown away by the explosion while he was still joyful, and died on the spot!

The soldier leaning out of the hatch was wearing a khaki uniform and a Chinese People's Volunteer Army cap!

"God! It's a Chinese tank!"

Upon seeing this, an American sentry immediately shouted.

In an instant, chaos erupted inside the defense line, and panic spread like a plague.

The firepower that was originally focused on suppressing the Chinese infantry charging in the front began to subconsciously shift.

"Comrades! Charge! Crush them!"

Wu Wanli's voice was transmitted throughout his hastily assembled "armored assault team" via a captured walkie-talkie.

He kicked open the hatch, his upper body completely protruding from the turret. With one hand firmly gripping it, he grabbed a spare light machine gun he had captured next to him and unleashed a barrage of fire at the American infantry positions on both sides, who were frantically adjusting their firing angles!
"Da da da da..."

"Da da da da..."

The tank commander, where Wu Wanli was located, and the machine gun turrets on the roofs of the several armored vehicles following behind opened fire simultaneously!
The fierce firepower was like a red-hot iron brush, sweeping fiercely across the rear of the defensive line!

In an instant, the unsuspecting American soldiers were all knocked down.

At the same time, the towering Sherman tanks roared like steel mammoths, ignoring the trenches beneath their feet and braving the flying bullets, charging straight toward the American defense line's trenches and firing positions!

"Boom!"

A Sherman tank crushed a section of reinforced sandbag bunker, turning a heavy machine gun and its operator into a bloody pulp!

The other tank fired a shot at the side of a machine gun bunker that was spitting fire!
"boom!"

Amidst the flames and smoke, the bunker fell silent instantly, with rubble and human remains flying everywhere.

Deprived of fire support and attacked from both sides, the US infantry defenses were as fragile as paper.

The main force of the guard battalion led by Liu Hanqing has rushed into the defense line like a flood!
"kill!"

"Surf the gun and don't kill!"

Bayonets gleamed coldly in the dim light, and grenades exploded at close range.

The remaining American soldiers were thrown into extreme chaos, cut off and surrounded.

Most people threw down their weapons in despair and raised their hands.

Those few who tried to resist were immediately pierced by several bayonets at the same time.

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

U.S. Army Supplemental Regiment Command
"Report! Colonel Tom! Chief of Staff Harrison! Urgent report from the front! My... my artillery position is under unprecedented heavy bombardment!"

"The observation post reports that all artillery has been...destroyed!"

A U.S. military staff officer rushed in, his face pale, and shouted in a panic.

"Report! The armored company has lost contact!"

Colonel Tom had just picked up the phone to check on the armored forces when another staff officer stumbled in, his voice trembling with tears.

"Report! The first main defensive line has been completely breached!"

"Enemy infantry have already stormed the trenches!"

"A large number of enemy armored units have appeared behind the lines and are launching a frenzied assault and strafing!"

"Requesting backup! Requesting emergency reinforcements! We can't hold on any longer!"

A desperate cry rang out on the phone at the front amidst the fierce fighting and explosions, before the line went dead.

Colonel Tom swayed violently, and the phone in his hand fell to the ground with a clatter.

His face was ashen, and the corners of his mouth twitched slightly involuntarily.

He thought of the vulnerability of the rear and the complacency of the armored forces.

But he never expected that the enemy could penetrate this most vital position so precisely and fatally in such a short time!
This Chinese army—no, this demon named Wu Wanli—wasn't fighting a war at all; he was performing a precise, cruel, surgical-style art of killing!
"God, can't a bolt of lightning strike this Chinese devil dead?!"

Colonel Tom felt a suffocating pain in his chest. He used all his strength to support his collapsing body and shouted angrily.

Chief of Staff Harrison was relatively calm, but he could not hide the shock and panic in his eyes.

"Quickly! Send a telegram to Hengcheng immediately!"

"Give this to Commander Park Jung-hee! Order him to immediately lead the 9th Division of South Korea to reinforce Jeong-kyo Bridge, no matter the cost!"

"Tell them that if we lose this place, Hengcheng will be next!"

"Send it now! Top priority urgent telegram!"

He grabbed the distraught colonel and practically yelled orders at the communications officer.

"Damn it, we must immediately organize some forces to reinforce the second line of defense!"

"We must delay these Chinese troops! To buy time for...for reinforcements!"

"Also, contact the UN Command in Seongnam City and request tactical guidance from General Ridgway!"

"This means that we are under heavy attack from the main force of Wu Wanli's Seventh Steel Brigade, and the details of the battle have also been conveyed to the Seventh Steel Brigade!"

Harrison turned around, looked at Colonel Tom who was slumped in his chair, and said in a low, rapid voice.

"Yes, sir!"

Upon hearing this, the U.S. military communications officer immediately agreed and then stumbled toward the transmitter.

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

Hengcheng, inside the headquarters of the 9th Division of the Korean Army
"Commander! Urgent report from Chaoding River!"

"U.S. Army Colonel Harrison urgently telegraphed for help: Wu Wanli's vanguard has breached the first line of defense on the east bank and is advancing directly towards its command post!"

A pale-faced South Korean staff officer burst through the operations room door, his collar soaked with sweat, and shouted as if he were about to crush the telegram in his hand.

"Commander, the US military has taken the initiative to request an emergency; this is no small matter!"

"If we don't rescue them, they might use this as a pretext to criticize us, and we won't be able to explain it to our superiors and the Americans in the future!"

Han Jiu's chief of staff felt a sudden chill and rushed forward before Park Jung-hee could speak.

Park Jung-hee's eyes were sharp as knives, fixed on the table covered with maps.

Wu Wanli's Steel Seventh Brigade, the ghost army that caused him to suffer three defeats!

From the defeat at Suwan to the trap at Suwon, and now being assigned to blockade Hengcheng, every step has been a perilous one.

"Ah Xiba!"

"Go to rescue them?"

"Hmph, Wu Wanli's military tactics are like ghosts. His trip to Chaoding River is most likely a ploy to lure us away from our base, or perhaps he's already laying down his trap, waiting for us to walk right into it!"

He slowly raised his head, each word squeezed out between his teeth carrying a chilling intent.

"But……"

Upon hearing this, the chief of staff of the Ninth Division of Han broke out in a cold sweat, his lips trembling as if he wanted to offer further advice.

"No help?"

"The Americans came to us for help, and we just watched helplessly as the elite American troops were surrounded and wiped out by the Chinese People's Volunteer Army?"

"What will that old fox Van Fleet think? Ridgway's orders, my family's lives... are still in the hands of the American army!"

Park Jung-hee abruptly interrupted him, his eyes suddenly turning fierce like a hungry wolf, his voice rising sharply, filled with a deep-seated mockery and a hint of barely perceptible despair.

In an instant, the indoor air froze.

The chief of staff of the Ninth Division of the Han Army's Adam's apple bobbed violently, and his face turned from white to green.

Without another glance at him, Park Jung-hee abruptly drew his cold sidearm from his waist. With a "click," the heavy, blued barrel of the gun slammed down onto the map on the table, making the surface vibrate.

"You, take the Third Regiment and immediately head lightly to the Chaoding River! We don't need to annihilate the enemy, just hold them off and help them get back to Harrison's remnants, that would be the greatest achievement!"

After thinking for a long time, Park Jung-hee finally smiled and said.

"Commander! This..."

The chief of staff of the Ninth Division of the Han Army's pupils suddenly contracted as he stared at the pistol on the table, a symbol of supreme authority and death, and the color drained from his face instantly.

The words "It's okay if you don't save them" almost slipped out.

However, Park Jung-hee's hand was already on the cold gun handle, his eyes revealing murderous intent.

All his excuses and fear were crushed by this naked killing intent.

The chief of staff of the Ninth Division trembled, all the words he tried to say in his defense stuck in his throat, leaving only endless fear.

"Yes……"

He slumped his shoulders, his throat bobbed with difficulty, and squeezed out a single word.

As he turned to leave, his back was hunched, his posture heavy as if he were heading to the execution ground.

(End of this chapter)