Changjin Lake: From Xinxingli to Seoul

Chapter 301 prepares for the Fifth Campaign, aiming to gain a pre-battle advantage!
On the outer perimeter of Suwon City, inside the command post of the Seventh Steel Brigade.

"The time for the final assault has come; it's time to take Suwon in one fell swoop..."

Thunder God!

坐标范围：西墙E-7至E-9区段，东墙F-3至F-5炮垒群，北墙主城门两侧碉堡群及D-2洼地！

"Once the sights are adjusted, unleash three rapid-fire rounds! Smash the teeth out of this turtle's shell!"

Wu Wanli glanced at the Sky Eye map and, based on the coordinates of the US military's firepower points, gave the order.

"clear!
Command received!

Each artillery group is loading and adjusting... Ready—Fire!

Lei Gong's hoarse yet excited voice came through the communicator instantly.

In an instant, the Seventh Steel Brigade's all-out attack on Suwon City erupted!
In an instant, the color of the world changed!

More than forty large-caliber howitzers and field guns simultaneously spewed fire.

A thick plume of smoke rose from behind the position, and scorching shells tore through the air with sharp whistles, tracing deadly parabolas as they accurately struck various parts of the Suwon city wall.

“Rumble——!!!”

In an instant, the earth let out a muffled groan.

Section E on the west side of the Suwon city wall was a key support point for the deployment of heavy machine gun nests and mortar positions by the US military.

The first volley of shells rained down, exploding like hailstones. Brick and earthen fortifications were shattered in the orange-red fireballs, and broken limbs and weapon parts were thrown high into the air.

A U.S. 105mm howitzer that was being moved was hit directly, along with its crew, and turned into a burning mass of scrap metal.

The artillery battery complex in Sector F of the East Wall was a key asset for the U.S. military's long-range firepower.

With the coordinates provided by Wu Wanli, Lei Gong's artillery group achieved excellent results in the first round of test firings.

When the second volley of shells hit, the two semi-buried concrete fortifications were penetrated and detonated by heavy armor-piercing high-explosive shells.

Amidst the earth-shaking explosion, the roof of the artillery battery was ripped off by the massive shockwave.

The American artillery inside, along with their cannons, were instantly reduced to dust, and the exploding ammunition triggered a secondary explosion.

In an instant, flames shot into the sky, illuminating half of the city wall as if it were daytime.

The main urban area north of the city is the core of the US military's defense.

The brick and stone bunkers on both sides of the city gate tower were subjected to devastating barrage of fire.

The white light from the burning napalm pierced the smoke screen, and the viscous flames clung to all combustibles, spreading wildly and engulfing the defenders who were trying to fire from their bunkers, along with their firing positions.

Inside the D-2 depression, a company of U.S. reserve troops, which was hastily assembling to reinforce the north gate, was blasted into the central area by heavy artillery shells.

The shockwave, shrapnel, and flames instantly turned the depression into a living hell. Screams were drowned out by the explosions, and entire units were wiped out in the terrifying artillery fire.

Just three rapid shots!
The saturation bombardment, lasting less than ten minutes, produced a devastating and overwhelming effect.

The US military's painstakingly built-up firepower points were wiped out, resulting in heavy losses of forward troops and the disruption of communication lines in many places.

The defenders on the city wall were completely stunned by the sudden and despair-inducing barrage of firepower, plunging them into chaos and panic.

The echoes of the artillery barrage still reverberated, like the sound of a command gun!

The battle cries of the 7th Steel Brigade's infantrymen instantly resounded throughout the field!

"Comrades! For the new China! Charge!"

"Take Suwon, capture the enemy leader alive! Kill!"

"rush--!"

On the west side, the fire support detachment led by Yu Congrong took the lead in leaping out of the assault position.

Wu Wanli's mission for this detachment was essentially to act as a firepower tearer.

Use the strongest firepower to tear open the gap and firmly hold the breakthrough point.

Dozens of light and heavy machine guns and submachine guns unleashed a continuous barrage of explosions, weaving a dense, deadly net of fire that pinned down the remaining American troops in the western part of the city, preventing them from even raising their heads.

The demolition team soldiers moved with the agility of cheetahs, approaching and destroying the remaining barbed wire under the cover of fire.

Then came wave after wave of assault teams charging and attacking the city.

To the east, the Pinghe reconnaissance detachment displayed its unique style.

They moved with lightning speed and coordinated perfectly, bringing the essence of the "three-three system" tactic to its fullest potential.

Pinghe, leading a large group of sharpshooters, moved like ghost snipers, constantly changing positions.

Almost every crisp ringing of their Garand rifles was accompanied by the fall of an American machine gunner or officer, precisely suppressing the enemy's counterattack points.

The soldiers in the reconnaissance detachment are more adept at infiltration and surprise attacks.

Under the distraction of frontal fire and feints, several small detachments quietly climbed the city walls using the rubble piles and blind spots in the culverts created by the artillery fire, and penetrated the weak points of the American defenses.

Although their gunfire was not as intense as that from the west, every shot was fatal, creating a tremendous psychological deterrent.

The U.S. forces on the east wall were never able to organize an effective defensive depth, and the defensive line quickly collapsed under precision strikes.

To the north, Gao Daxing's assault detachment launched its fiercest offensive!
Gao Daxing took the lead, holding a Thompson submachine gun, carrying explosive packs and demolition charges on his back, roaring as he unleashed a hail of bullets forward.

He was like a giant siege hammer, piercing straight into the hardest part of the enemy formation!

The assault team followed closely behind, like a torrent of steel bursting its banks, surging in like a tidal wave along the main city gate, which was shattered by artillery fire, and through the gaps in the collapsed city wall!
The U.S. military deployed a large number of troops and a few armored vehicles at the north gate in an attempt to block it.

But facing Gao Daxing's fearless and desperate fighting style, coupled with an absolute disadvantage in numbers and morale, the last line of defense was as fragile as paper and was almost instantly breached.

The sounds of exploding grenades, firing submachine guns, the clash of metal on both sides' blades, and the screams of the dying mingled together, setting the stage for the fall of Suwon Castle.

The area south of the city wall was quiet, with only sparse gunfire.

This was precisely the "gate of life" that Wu Wanli had meticulously designed, or rather, the beginning of a dead end!
Just as the deafening sounds of battle from three sides assaulting the city drowned out everything else, another silent yet deadly massacre was unfolding within Suwon Castle.

The long-dormant "Hanjiang Detachment" has finally taken action!

Like a group of silent shadows, they had already penetrated deep into the streets and alleys, ruins and fortifications of Suwon, and even mingled among the defeated South Korean soldiers and fleeing civilians.

The massive U.S. forces were firmly drawn to the west, north, and east by the overwhelming offensive from three sides.

The southern district's defenses were constantly being redeployed to reinforce the front lines under pressure from officers, leaving the area extremely vulnerable.

Just as the U.S. military was fully focused on the main battlefield, the core action group of the "Han River Detachment" emerged from the shadows like a venomous snake.

Inside the telegraph office building in the city center, two U.S. Army communications platoons were frantically trying to restore communication that had been severed by artillery fire.

"Pfft pfft pfft!" The M3 submachine gun with a silencer emitted a faint flash of fire, and the American sentries guarding the door and windows fell to the ground silently.

These operatives stormed in like ghosts, and gunfire erupted instantly, wiping out the unsuspecting communications soldiers and destroying the radio equipment with explosives.

A patrol had just rounded the corner outside a key U.S. military ammunition depot.

Snipers, lying in ambush in the garbage dumps and dilapidated houses, calmly pulled the trigger, targeting officers and machine gunners.

The guards were stunned by the sudden, precise fire and scrambled to find cover.

The demolition team of the "Hanjiang Detachment" took the opportunity to infiltrate and plant a time bomb under the load-bearing column of the ammunition depot.

A large building in the city center has been requisitioned by the U.S. military as the headquarters of the Southern Reserve Command.

Several "civilians" who appeared to be taking shelter from gunfire on a street corner suddenly lifted their tattered robes, revealing grenades wrapped around their bodies and submachine guns tightly gripped in their hands!
They charged toward the gate with a desperate resolve, and amidst the screams of the American soldiers, they pulled the trigger...

Even more deadly, multiple concealed positions simultaneously unleashed intense firepower on several main streets leading to the south gate behind the US military lines!
Light and heavy machine guns spat fire, and mortar shells whistled down from unknown corners, accurately covering the reserve forces attempting to reinforce the north gate and the truck convoy transporting ammunition.

These firing positions are not intended to inflict casualties, but rather to create maximum chaos and panic, and to delay all mobilization.

Barricades, burning vehicle wreckage, and even disguised traps appeared out of nowhere at key intersections, blocking roads.

"The Chinese are behind us! We're surrounded!"

"Damn it! They're in the city! They're everywhere!"

"Fuck! When did the Chinese invade?"

In an instant, panicked cries spread wildly among the US rearguard and logistics personnel.

Gunfire erupted throughout the city, and explosions continued.

Flames were everywhere, as if the Chinese army was omnipresent!
Communications were paralyzed, the chain of command was broken, and the retreat route was disrupted. Despair gnawed at the nerves of the defenders like a plague.

With three iron hammers pounding down and countless daggers stabbing from behind, the American troops in Suwon City were in dire straits!
Deep within Suwon City, the headquarters of the U.S. Provisional Group.
Lieutenant Colonel George Wilson, commander of the U.S. Provisional Regiment, was pale, and large beads of sweat rolled down his forehead.

The walls crumbled and dusted from the shock of the heavy artillery fire, and the overhead lights swayed wildly, flickering on and off.

The piercing alarm never stopped, and the series of bad news almost broke him.

The west is in dire straits!
The gunfire was deafening; the enemy had stormed into the city!

The eastern defense line has collapsed!

The officers suffered heavy casualties and were unable to organize any resistance!
The north gate has fallen!

Gao Daxing's troops are surging into the street fighting like a tidal wave!

Even worse, a large number of armed men suddenly appeared in the city, launching attacks everywhere and destroying key nodes one after another! Reinforcements simply couldn't get through!
"Sir...Sir!"
The latest analysis of intercepted radio clutter within the city, along with eyewitness reports from frontline officers, confirms the findings!
An unspecified number of elite Chinese troops are inside the city!
They are well-equipped and are systematically disrupting communications, attacking logistics, and blocking transportation!
The objective is clear: to pin us down inside the city and coordinate a strong attack from the outside!

A U.S. military intelligence officer practically tumbled into the command post, shouting in a trembling, distorted voice.

"Commander, we have no hope."

Suwon is now part of China.

The main force of the Seventh Steel Brigade broke through on three sides, and each of them was a tough nut to crack.

There was also a large and well-organized guerrilla force wreaking havoc inside the city.

The rest of us were scattered throughout the complex streets and alleys, without unified command, our morale collapsed, and we were simply no match for this iron-hammer offensive from both inside and outside.

The Chinese deliberately left a huge 'opening' on the south side during their assault.

This is clearly a trap! They must have laid a deadly ambush outside the city!

But... if we stay in the city, we will be torn apart bit by bit in the street fighting until we are completely wiped out, with no way out!

Breaking out to the south and entering that "pocket" would be a matter of life and death!
But that 'life' requires us to use the fastest speed and the strongest force to tear open the most likely weak point in the pocket.

Perhaps, they might still be able to break through the ambush before the enemy forces encircle them.

This... is our only choice!

With despair in his eyes, U.S. Army Chief of Staff Calvin pointed to the three directions marked in red on the sand table and spoke in a heavy voice, as if reading an obituary.

"Fuck!"

We can't die in our burrows like rats!

Relay my order: the entire regiment must abandon all heavy equipment and forfeit its position!
Everyone who is still able to move, immediately assemble in the south of the city!

With the guard battalion at the core leading the way, armored vehicles, all wheeled vehicles, jeeps, and trucks were mobilized!

The goal is to break through the southern pocket of the city!

Run! Run for your lives! God bless America!
(Run! Run to your life! God bless America!)

"U.S. Army Commander Wilson said angrily."

As soon as he finished speaking, the command center descended into even more complete chaos.

The officers scrambled to the communications station to issue their final, chaotic orders.

Upon hearing the order, the remaining will to resist among the American soldiers on the periphery instantly crumbled. They dropped their weapons and turned to flee south for their lives.

Wilson and Calvin, surrounded by the guard battalion, rushed out of the command post in a disheveled state.

They jumped onto several M8 light armored reconnaissance vehicles, jeeps, and military trucks that had been prepared beforehand, forming a hastily assembled breakout convoy.

The engine roared hoarsely, smashing through obstacles and fleeing soldiers, charging desperately toward the south gate like a herd of mad bulls!
To the south of the city, the seemingly peaceful suburban fields and sparse woods are actually fraught with danger.

Wu Wanli's No. 1 Sherman tank was lying quietly behind an abandoned irrigation ditch, its gun barrel lowered and its hull covered with carefully camouflaged turf and branches.

The remaining seven Shermans and eight M8 armored vehicles of the armored assault team, like lurking steel behemoths, were scattered in the pre-arranged ambush areas on both sides of the road. Their engines were off, and only the commanders and gunners had their vigilant eyes fixed on the main road leading to the south gate through the observation windows.

The elite soldiers of the guard battalion, clad in camouflage nets, relied on ditches, field ridges, burial mounds, and makeshift individual bunkers.

The submachine guns, light machine guns, rocket launchers, and anti-tank weapons in their hands were already eager to be used.

Finally, the convoy of fleeing American troops came into view and quickly approached their simulated ambush zone.

"Hanqing! Aim at the lead American armored vehicle and fire armor-piercing rounds!"

After observing for a moment, Wu Wanli gave the order.

"Roger! Armor-piercing rounds! Load!"

Inside the turret, Liu Hanqing quickly repeated the instructions while vigorously cranking the elevation and descent control handle.

Sweat trickled down his young forehead, seeping into the corners of his eyes and causing a slight sting, but he didn't blink, his face pressed tightly against the gun scope's eyepiece.

He had only been the gunner of the No. 1 tank for a short time, but after several battles, his movements were already quite professional.

"Armor-piercing rounds are loaded!"

A volunteer soldier loader calmly but extremely quickly shoved an armor-piercing shell into the breech of the main gun with a clang, then slapped the safety device and shouted.

"Aim... stay steady!"

Liu Hanqing pressed the crosshairs firmly against the engine compartment of the American armored reconnaissance vehicle, trying his best to suppress the inertial sway caused by the tank's sudden stop and turn, his finger hovering above the electric firing button.

"beat!"

Seeing that the time was ripe, Wu Wanli immediately roared.

Almost the instant the command was uttered, Liu Hanqing pressed down sharply with his index finger.

The cannon recoiled sharply, and a blast of hot air, carrying propellant gases, poured into the turret through the gaps in the gun shield.

Through the dissipation of the smoke from the gun muzzle, he could clearly see that the high-speed armor-piercing projectile had precisely penetrated the rear armor of the American armored vehicle.

A ball of orange-red flame instantly erupted from the engine compartment of the US military armored vehicle, followed by a violent internal explosion.

The entire vehicle was as if it had been struck at the rear by an invisible giant hammer, lurching forward and then coming to a standstill in the middle of the dirt road, bursting into flames and blocking the way for vehicles behind it.

"Well done, Hanqing!"

Attention all vehicles!

Target the front half of the US column; destroy the lead and rear vehicles first! Free attack!

With coordinated infantry and mechanized fire, the guard battalion deployed in a fan shape, providing full fire coverage! Leave no one alive!

Wu Wanli witnessed the results of the battle through the commander's scope, gave a word of praise, but continued to issue orders without pause.

"Number One received!"

"Second vehicle, lock onto the tail jeep!"

"Number three..."

The radio channel immediately picked up brief responses from the commanders of the other seven Sherman tanks.

Almost simultaneously, soldiers from the guard battalion jumped off the following half-tracks or from the rear hatches of armored personnel carriers accompanying the tank charge.

With practiced ease, they quickly deployed into battle formations across the cratered fields, ditches, and ridges.

The machine gun team quickly set up the machine guns, while the riflemen used the terrain to create crossfire points.

Gunfire erupted instantly, like popping beans, and a dense barrage of bullets swept across the American soldiers who were trying to scatter from the road or fight back against the wreckage.

In an instant, the US military was in dire straits.

The lead US armored vehicle was turned into a burning coffin, blocking the road ahead. Several vehicles following behind were also hit by a single shot from the Panzer II tank, which accurately overturned a jeep.

The remaining vehicles frantically tried to turn into the fields, but the soil was soft and they were subjected to crossfire from all directions. Many vehicles plunged into the rice paddies that had been softened by the rain and were unable to move.

"My God! They're here!"

"Find cover! Establish a circular defense!"

"I need artillery support! Where are our artillery pieces?!"

Chaotic shouts, desperate cries, and the commander's furious orders echoed across the American positions, accompanied by the relentless suppression of the Seventh Steel Brigade's fierce firepower.

Wu Wanli maneuvered the commander's periscope to the right rear and saw a group of American soldiers trying to organize resistance by relying on the destroyed half-track and shell craters.

Their Browning machine guns were firing wildly, suppressing an attacking squad from the guard battalion.

"Hanqing! US machine gun team at the 11 o'clock position, bomb crater area! Fire three high-explosive rounds in rapid succession!"

Wu Wanli clenched his fist and immediately gave the order.

"11 o'clock! High-explosive shells are being loaded and ready for rapid fire!"

Liu Hanqing immediately confirmed the situation and quickly pulled the breechblock to eject the spent casing. The loader almost simultaneously fed the next high-explosive shell.

"call out--------"

"boom!"

In an instant, the first high-explosive shell, with a sharp whistling sound, struck less than two meters away from the half-track vehicle that it was using as a support.

The violent explosion instantly overturned a nearby ammunition box and a U.S. soldier operating a Browning heavy machine gun.

Liu Hanqing quickly made a slight adjustment to the cannon muzzle and then fired the second shell.

"boom!"

The second shell almost hit the edge of the crater, and dirt and debris gushed out like a fountain.

Before the smoke from the explosion had even cleared, a third shell had already been fired, this time hitting the center of the crater.

A huge flame and thick smoke shot into the sky, accompanied by a muffled explosion, and the machine gun fire there instantly fell silent.

"The target has been successfully suppressed!"

Looking at the smoke and silence emanating from the bomb crater area, Liu Hanqing gave a brief report.

Wu Wanli nodded and quickly scanned the chaotic battlefield through the perspective of the Sky Eye Map.

Just then, a U.S. Army half-track vehicle full of soldiers was speeding through a harvested wheat stubble field, attempting to break through to a small hill to the south.

The vehicle appeared to have been fitted with steel plates, and the soldiers on board were firing with unusually fierce firepower.

"Han Qing! Directly ahead! Half-track vehicle! Hood! Armor-piercing rounds! Quickly!"

Upon seeing this, Wu Wanli hurriedly gave the order.

"Lock on! Armor-piercing round!"

Liu Hanqing quickly cranked the handwheel, sweat pouring down his face even faster.

"Armor-piercing rounds are loaded!"

The loader completed the loading action in one smooth motion and then responded loudly.

"boom--"

A muffled thud sounded, and the shell was fired!

However, just as the shell was about to hit, the half-track vehicle suddenly swerved to the left to avoid a crater ahead.

The high-speed armor-piercing projectile almost grazed the rear of the vehicle, hitting an open area behind it and kicking up a cloud of dirt.

"So close, what a pity!"

Seeing this, Liu Hanqing muttered something in a frustrated tone.

"Driver! Second gear! Run them over!"

Wu Wanli's eyes sharpened, and he spoke without the slightest hesitation.

Soon, Tank Number One roared, its heavy body suddenly starting up, clumsily but resolutely smashing through a pile of burning debris in front of it. Its steel tracks whipped up burning, charred straw and wet mud, chasing after the half-track vehicle that had just narrowly escaped destruction.

The American driver saw the steel behemoth approaching at high speed in his rearview mirror, and his eyes were filled with despair.

The soldiers on the vehicle fired at the tank in terror, but the bullets bounced off the armor plates in vain.

"Turn right! Turn right!"

A U.S. Army lieutenant in the vehicle roared.

The driver jerked the steering wheel, and the half-track made a sharp turn, attempting to avoid the tank's front.

But this also gave the guard battalion soldiers who were closely following the tank's flank an opportunity.

"Inflate the tires!"

Upon seeing this, the prehistoric creature immediately roared.

Two light machine guns and a dozen rifles immediately concentrated fire on the left rear wheel of the vehicle.

The tires were instantly riddled with holes and burst open. The half-track, having lost its balance, lurched violently, its rear wheels sinking into the soft mud, spinning wildly in place, kicking up mud that covered the entire vehicle.

The opportunity is coming!

"Hit it! Left track!"

Wu Wanli gave the order again without the slightest hesitation.

Upon hearing this, the tank driver immediately slammed on the gas pedal.

With unstoppable momentum, the No. 1 tank precisely swung its head, and the wide left track plate crushed the most vulnerable part of the left rear of the half-track vehicle!
“Crack—boom!”

A sickeningly loud sound of metal deforming and shattering rang out, mixed with several shrill, inhuman screams.

The tilted half-track was pushed, squeezed, twisted and deformed from the side.

A section beneath the track was completely collapsed, and the fate of the soldier inside was predictable.

The tank didn't stop for a moment, rolling over the pile of scrap metal and continuing forward, leaving behind a mess and burning corpses and fragments.

Wu Wanli's gaze swept over the twisted steel before immediately turning to the next key area.

His objective remained clear: to sever the command center and capture the top U.S. military commander alive.

Just then, a fierce close-quarters battle broke out near a shallow ditch close to the edge of the battlefield.

About a platoon of American soldiers put up a stubborn resistance using the trenches, trying to protect a few figures as they retreated deeper into the trenches amidst the chaos.

One of them was wearing an officer's overcoat and colonel's insignia. Although he was in a disheveled state, the fact that several soldiers risked their lives to cover him showed the importance of his identity.

Several waves of attacks by the guard battalion were thwarted by precise fire, resulting in several casualties.

"Suspected command post target detected!"

Han Qing! At three o'clock, behind the bushes in the ditch, the one in the overcoat!

See that? Don't hit him!
Use high-explosive shells to bombard the skirmish line in front of him! Blow them out!

"Third Company, Guard Battalion! Suppressive fire! First-rate marksmen, prepare! Don't hurt that officer!"

Wu Wanli immediately gave the order over the radio.

"Yes!"

There was an immediate response on the radio.

Liu Hanqing quickly rotated the turret and swiftly locked onto the target area.

"High-explosive shells! Cover the skirmish line! Load!"

The veins on his forehead throbbed slightly, and his palms were sweaty with excitement and nervousness.

"Boom! Boom!"

Two consecutive high-explosive shells landed precisely in front of the area where the American soldiers who were desperately providing cover were hiding.

The violent explosion hurled soil, bushes, and human remains from the edge of the ditch into the air, instantly clearing away the nearest barrier in front of the colonel.

The blast wave and flying dirt and debris instantly knocked the U.S. colonel and his only remaining guard to the ground, and smoke and dust filled the air.

In that split second, a platoon of guards from the flanks pounced like cheetahs!

Bayonets gleamed, rifle butts flew.

Several American guards who tried to get up and resist were instantly knocked down and subdued.

A veteran scout, swift as the wind, darted forward and stood before the U.S. colonel who was struggling to reach his pistol.

He grabbed the man's wrist and twisted it hard, while simultaneously pressing his knee firmly against the man's lower back. Another soldier rushed up and swiftly searched the man's sidearm and identification.

"Got him!"

With one hand gripping the prisoner's arm and the other grabbing the gleaming eagle-emblazoned regimental commander's badge, Prehistoric shouted excitedly and held it high towards the distant location of Tank No. 1.

Several guards nearby saw this and immediately shouted their victory.

"Commander, the guard battalion reports! We've captured an American colonel! He must be their leader!"

A voice came through the communicator of Tank Number One, excited yet heavy-hearted.

Just when everyone's attention was focused on the results of the battle here.

On the southern side of the battlefield, the last group of about thirty American soldiers, led by a second lieutenant, launched a fierce counterattack.

They recklessly charged toward a Panzer 6 tank located on the edge of the battlefield, attempting to blast off its tracks with grenades in hopes of securing a last chance to break through.

This thrilling scene was captured by Wu Wanli, who was observing the flanks from outside the turret, through the commander's scope.

"Hanqing! At 7 o'clock! The American skirmishers charging towards our vehicle number six! High-explosive rounds!"

Thanks to the Sky Eye Map, Wu Wanli's reaction speed was extremely fast.

"Load high-explosive shells!"

Liu Hanqing shoved the turret steering gear and roared almost reflexively.

As soon as the cannon muzzle was turned into position, Liu Hanqing didn't even have time to accurately aim at the center. He just estimated the concentration of the enemy group based on his sense of feeling and suddenly pressed the fire button!
"boom!"

The first high-explosive shell landed a few steps behind the charging American troops, killing several American soldiers and causing the American troops at the front to stagger due to the shockwave.

"Close range! Move forward twenty meters! Quickly!"

Upon seeing this, Liu Hanqing immediately made corrections.

The loader had opened the breech, and the scalding hot shell casings, still smoking, were ejected.

New shells were loaded instantly!

The cannon muzzle has stabilized again!

"boom!"

This time, the shell landed perfectly, hitting the center of the charging American troops!

"Boom!"

The explosion instantly engulfed the bodies of more than a dozen American soldiers.

Shrapnel and shockwaves swept across like the Grim Reaper's scythe, instantly breaking the backbone of this desperate counterattack.

The remaining American soldiers could no longer withstand such a horrific attack. They screamed and scattered in all directions, only to be knocked down or captured one by one by the guard battalion soldiers who had been watching the area.

The sounds of gunfire gradually subsided across the entire southern battlefield.

The air was filled with black smoke from burning corpses and the stench of burning flesh.

Armored assault troops and guard battalion soldiers are conducting final mopping-up operations and taking prisoners throughout the battlefield.

Thick smoke billowed from the burning wreckage, painting a brutal picture of victory.

The sky above the south gate of Suwon Castle was tinged with a dark red, like dusk, by the even larger black clouds and flames rising from the fierce battle within the castle.

On the command vehicle of the armored forces, Colonel Wilson, commander of the U.S. Provisional Regiment, had his hands bound tightly with ropes.

His uniform was covered in mud and stains, his hat was nowhere to be found, his eagle insignia had been removed, and his face was bruised in several places, leaving behind a look of shock and frustration.

He was escorted by two burly guards to a spot not far behind the No. 1 tank.

Wu Wanli pushed open the turret top cover, leaned out halfway, and swept his cold eyes over the opponent who had been trying to defend the city to the death in the command post just a few minutes ago.

"Reporting to the Commander!"
A preliminary count of the battlefield indicates that the breakout force numbered approximately 500 American soldiers. Initial estimates suggest approximately 350 were killed and over 150 captured, including Colonel Wilson, the regimental commander.

The prehistoric creature came to report.

Wu Wanli nodded, not surprised by the result.

He was about to give the order to regroup the troops and prepare to withdraw and reorganize, taking the prisoners and captured equipment with him, in order to coordinate with the next step of the battle inside the city.

suddenly!

"Boom—crash—!!!"

Three almost consecutive, earth-shattering roars, far exceeding the force of field artillery fire, suddenly erupted from the direction of Suwon Castle!
The enormous sound wave struck people's chests as if it were a physical impact, and Wu Wanli and everyone else turned their heads sharply to look.

At that moment, three enormous orange-red fiery clouds rose simultaneously from the east, north, and west sides of Suwon Castle.

Enveloped in towering flames and thick smoke, it looked as if three volcanoes were erupting simultaneously!

Amidst the deafening explosion, the sturdy city walls visibly collapsed on a large scale, causing a devastating collapse!

This was no ordinary artillery barrage!
This is a landmark scene where the entire structure of the city wall was destroyed by internal blasting!
Almost at the same instant that the earth-shattering explosion occurred, the bugle calls for the charge rose into the sky almost simultaneously from three directions of Suwon Castle!

That familiar, exhilarating melody, as if igniting the blood, marked the complete collapse of Suwon Castle's defenses!

"kill!!!"

"Rush!!!"

"For the new China! Forward!!!"

Shouts followed the last notes of the bugle call, surging into Suwon Castle like a flood bursting its banks from the breaches in the collapsed walls on three sides.

The remaining American defenders on the city walls had already been utterly terrified by the devastating explosions and the roar of the charge.

The sporadic gunfire of resistance was instantly drowned out by the fiercer firepower of our infantry and machine guns.

"Reporting to the Commander!"
The Hanjiang Detachment in the city sent a final urgent telegram!

They detonated the pre-set point on time!
The core sections of the city walls on the west, north, and east sides were successfully breached by explosives!

The various detachments of the Seventh Steel Corps are breaking into the city through the various breaches according to the original plan!
Urban warfare has begun!
The remaining enemy forces on the city walls have collapsed!
Our main force is launching a high-speed assault on the core area!
The main force has breached the city walls! They've broken in!

The communications soldier's voice trembled with extreme excitement, and he almost shouted it out.

Attention all units!
The prisoners were handed over to the logistics company on the spot!
The rest of the troops charged in and wiped out all the remaining enemy forces in Suwon within half an hour!

Wu Wanli glanced at his watch and immediately gave the order in a loud voice.

"Yes!"

Upon hearing this, everyone immediately agreed.

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

As the three city walls collapsed in a series of explosions, the engine of the No. 1 Sherman tank that Wu Wanli was riding in suddenly roared to life.

The armored assault team's steel torrent swept over the wreckage of American troops at the ambush site in the south of the city, their guns pointing directly at the exposed core area of ​​the city.

"Attention all vehicles! My vehicle is the spearhead, advancing along the main street toward the city center!"
Hanqing, mark the barricade firing points along the route and clear the way with high-explosive shells!

Wu Wanli shouted loudly into the communications radio station.

"Yes!"

Liu Hanqing's roar overlapped with the metallic clang of shells being loaded.

The turret spun rapidly, and the crosshairs of the sight locked onto the American machine gun nest, which was supported by sandbag fortifications, a hundred meters away.

"boom--!"

Bricks, stones, and sandbags scattered in the explosion, and the heavy machine gun fell silent instantly.

Three more Shermans followed in a wedge formation, their tracks crushing the rubble, while their machine guns rained down bullets to suppress the windows on either side.

Under the powerful tank firepower, the barricades of the US military collapsed instantly.

The armored assault team did not stop, roaring as it rolled over the wreckage and continued its advance.

The vehicle-mounted heavy machine gun sprayed bullets, suppressing the blind spots on both sides.

The scene on the street ahead became even more horrific.

The once sturdy houses were repeatedly ravaged by powerful explosions and heavy artillery, forming undulating piles of rubble, with broken beams and pillars sticking out of the smoke like grotesque ribs.

The signs of the American retreat were clearly visible: discarded helmets, smashed radio parts, scattered ammunition boxes, and even the still-burning, twisted wreckage of jeeps.

Just then, a burst of even more intense gunfire erupted from the intersection ahead, accompanied by several muffled explosions!
"Blocked ahead! US forces have established a stronghold in the ruins of a building! Anti-tank weapons available!"

"The battalion commander of the guard battalion, Shi Qian, reported urgently over the radio."

"Mother, halt! All vehicles, disperse! Find cover! Infantry, draw fire and report your exact location!"

Upon hearing this, Wu Wanli immediately gave the order.

Suddenly, the roar of the tank formation subsided.

The steel behemoths either sought out sloping walls or smashed through a low wall to serve as a temporary barrier.

Behind the ruins of a Gothic building, now just a skeleton, at least three heavy machine guns were firing furiously at this direction, bullets clanging against the frontal armor of the tank.

Even more deadly, in the shadow of the bank's only remaining underground entrance, Wu Wanli's "sky eye" captured two bazooka rocket launchers!

"Rocket launcher! Building entrance!"
Three o'clock position! Machine gun cover!

Hanqing! High Explosion!
Blow up the entrance! Don't let them stick their heads out!

Wu Wanli continued issuing orders over the radio.

"boom!"

"boom!"

In an instant, two distinct explosions almost overlapped!
The first explosion occurred near the building entrance, triggered by a grenade thrown by the guard battalion while they were providing concentrated fire support, filling the area with smoke.

Immediately afterwards, the main gun of Tank No. 1 roared!

A high-explosive shell, accompanied by the shriek of death, precisely penetrated the underground entrance that the US military was using as a launch site!
The violent explosion directly overturned the concrete structure of the entrance, and debris, smoke, and fire from the internally detonated munitions shot into the sky!

The two bazookas that had just been extended were instantly engulfed by flames and turned into twisted scrap metal!

"It's been aborted!"

Liu Hanqing shouted excitedly.

"It's not over yet!"

Pinghe! Is Pinghe there?
"With snipers, they're clearing out the remaining enemies on the upper floors of the bank! Their machine guns are still firing!"

Wu Wanli then spoke into the radio.

"Roger that, Captain!"

On the other end of the radio, Pinghe responded calmly and steadily.

The steady, precise firing of the Garand rifle rang out, "Bang, bang, bang."

Every time a shot was fired, a spray of blood would inevitably appear next to the American heavy machine gun on the other side, or someone would fall down with a scream.

The reconnaissance detachment's infiltration snipers had already quietly seized the high ground amidst the chaos!

"it is good!

Combined infantry and tank assault! Crush them!

Upon seeing this, Wu Wanli gave the order for the final attack.

Soon, the tank group of the Seventh Steel Brigade rolled over the rubble and rushed into the square outside the building, which was filled with dust and smoke.

The guardsmen, like tigers descending from the mountain, leaped out from behind the tanks and charged towards the scattered remnants of the enemy who were stubbornly resisting against the broken walls and ruins.

Hand-to-hand combat with bayonets drawn, short bursts of submachine gun fire, and muffled thuds of pistols once again became the main theme of the battlefield.

The neighborhood fell completely silent when the last U.S. officer who had been hiding in the basement trying to detonate the ammunition depot was dragged out and killed by the guard battalion.

The ensuing street fighting was swift and devastating, with the remaining enemy fighting independently.

Under the combined attack of several detachments of the Seventh Steel Corps and the unstoppable penetration of Wu Wanli's armored forces, the sporadic resistance was extinguished in an instant.

At this moment, the gunfire from Suwon Castle finally ceased completely.

Inside the former command building of Suwon Castle
"Wanli, after fighting for so long, Suwon has finally been liberated by us again!"

This also marks the official success of our second crossing of the Han River!
Although I knew before that my father... that generation of predecessors had gone through the hardships of crossing the Chishui River four times.

I knew their tactics were a stroke of genius, but I never truly experienced the difficulties firsthand.

We've only crossed the Han River twice now, and we already have to use so many elaborate schemes and fierce, rapid attacks. It's really not easy..."

Liu Hanqing remarked with emotion.

"It's not easy, but it's far from time to relax."

The UN forces, realizing they'd been tricked, would definitely retaliate. They should convene a meeting of all the key officers of the 7th Steel Brigade.

We must immediately discuss the next phase of mobile warfare and complete the remaining two crossings before we can extricate ourselves.

But on second thought, although we're in great danger here, we're actually preparing for the Fifth Campaign.

Wu Wanli smiled and said.

"Preparing for the Fifth Campaign?"

Are you referring to the guns, artillery, and ammunition production lines and transport vehicles of the six Soviet-equipped divisions that we captured after crossing the Han River four times?

Upon hearing this, Liu Hanqing immediately spoke up.

"That's not all..."

The 100,000 UN troops were exhausted from running around, being outmaneuvered in their encirclement and suppression, and losing so many soldiers. Their morale must be low and they must be completely worn out.

I estimate that after we have just completed the Fourth Crossing of the Han River, we will have at most one day of rest before the Fifth Campaign will begin!
By then, we will have replenished our strength and troops, and the main force of the Volunteer Army will have been replenished with new troops from China, Soviet weapons from the Soviet Union, and MiG fighter jets from the Seventh Military Factory!

Fight against this heavily damaged and demoralized American force!

Of course, they might send new troops to reinforce their forces in Korea, but most of their veteran elite troops are already here.

Wu Wanli took a deep breath and said.

"So, we really are preparing for the Fifth Campaign, and we're building up our pre-battle advantage for it!"

After thinking for a moment, Liu Hanqing immediately nodded.

"This is only because we are fighting against the world's number one capitalist power. If it were another country, they would have been defeated long ago."

Let's not talk about that anymore. We're not afraid of any enemy, no matter how strong!
"Go quickly and convene a meeting of all the officers. I have a feeling that our fourth crossing of the Han River is about to reach its most dangerous stage."

Wu Wanli waved his hand and immediately gave the order.

The US military may have a lot of resources, but China's military strength is not to be underestimated.

"Yes!!!"

Upon hearing this, Liu Hanqing immediately agreed.

(End of this chapter)