Changjin Lake: From Xinxingli to Seoul

Chapter 308: The Independent Division is Established! Wu Wanli's All-Out Offensive Pressure! Ridgway's Strategic Decision! Hirazawa's Slight Relaxation!
Outside Shuainan City, the temporary command post of the Seventh Steel Corps

"Wanli, in this battle we have completely captured all the positions outside Shuainan City, annihilated more than a thousand American infantrymen and the last armored force in Shuainan City!"

此战我们缴获105mm榴弹炮2门，M3半履带装甲运兵车3辆，军用卡车5辆。

More than 800 M1 Garand rifles, 120 Thompson submachine guns, 35 bazooka rocket launchers, and 28 M1919 heavy machine guns.

Six 60mm mortars, six 81mm mortars, 30 boxes of hand grenades and demolition charges, and more than 10 barrels of gasoline.

50 field first aid kits and 3 boxes of morphine injections.

In addition, there are a large number of bullets and shells, too many to handle in a timely manner!

Liu Hanqing handed the statistics list to Wu Wanli and said with a hint of excitement.

"Beautiful!"

"This equipment should be enough to raise another battalion equipped with American weapons, right?"

Upon hearing this, Yu Congrong immediately smiled and said...

"It's a pity that we only have five thousand soldiers left, so we don't need so much American-made equipment..."

Gao Daxing sighed and said.

After these words were spoken, everyone fell silent for a few seconds.

He crossed the Han River four times and captured several cities in succession, truly awe-inspiring throughout the world.

But the price was that the Seventh Steel Brigade was reduced to only five thousand soldiers...

"There's no war without bloodshed and sacrifice. We've been fighting for so long, haven't you come to terms with it yet?"
Moreover, although our Seventh Steel Brigade suffered heavy casualties, our Volunteer Army's overall strength and weaponry increased with each battle.

Hanqing, have the plans we submitted to the Volunteer Army Headquarters regarding the Hanjiang and Hengcheng detachments been approved?

Wu Wanli smiled and asked.

"It's approved. The headquarters has finally decided to establish an independent guerrilla division behind enemy lines, which will consist of the Han River 1st Regiment, the Hengcheng 2nd Regiment, and the Suwon 3rd Regiment!"

The Hanjiang First Regiment was reorganized from the Hanjiang Detachment, the Hengcheng Second Regiment was reorganized from the Hengcheng Detachment, and the Suwon Third Regiment was formed by sending our own core members.

Liu Hanqing took out a telegram and handed it to Wu Wanli, saying...

"Independent Division?"

"Our Seventh Steel Brigade can now command an entire division?"

Upon hearing this, Yu Congrong was overjoyed.

"How can it be!

If I could manage a division-level unit, wouldn't I become a 19-year-old full-rank corps commander?

Li Yunlong, the army commander, fought his way from the Huangma Uprising, through snow-capped mountains and grasslands, from northwestern Shanxi to Huaihai, and then to the Korean War, and yet he was only an army commander.

"I only fought in the Korean War for a year or two, does that mean I'm on par with Commander Li Yunlong?"

Wu Wanli shook his head, rejecting the idea.

"Wanli is right. The Seventh Steel Brigade is not at that level yet. The Independent Division is indeed not under the jurisdiction of our Seventh Steel Brigade."

According to the headquarters, the Independent Division was established under the New Eighth Army and was under the unified command of Commander Quan Douguang.

All the base areas and guerrilla forces previously left behind by the New Eighth Army behind enemy lines were also placed under the jurisdiction of the Independent Division.

Liu Hanqing nodded and said.

"All the spoils...that's fine, we can't let the fat meat go to outsiders!"

Upon hearing this, Yu Congrong smiled and said.

"Old Yu, don't act like a warlord. What's with all this talk about outsiders?"
We were all in the Korean War effort, no distinction between insiders and outsiders. If you say that again, I'll punish you.

Wu Wanli slapped Yu Congrong on the forehead and cursed.

"Yes!"

Upon hearing this, Yu Congrong immediately straightened up and replied.

"Wanli, what we gained from crossing the Han River four times is more than just fame and six divisions of Soviet weapons."

And the sparks you've ignited will spread like wildfire, playing a huge role in the enemy's rear battlefield!

Back then, everyone was only focused on dealing with the 100,000-strong UN army pursuing them, but you were the only one who could still spare the time to strategize under such extremely dangerous circumstances…

Liu Hanqing looked at Wu Wanli with even more admiration as he spoke.

"He who does not plan for the future will have trouble in the present."

I only hope that after we leave, this independent guerrilla division can provide support behind enemy lines and tie down UN forces for the Fifth Campaign.

By the way, don't we still have 10% of our ethnic Korean soldiers left?

With some core members and the newly captured American equipment, they could raise the Suwon Third Regiment.

They are all seeds of revolution that came from our Seventh Steel Brigade!

When gathered, they are a blazing fire; when scattered, they are countless stars across the sky…

Wu Wanli thought of the elite Seventh Company that was later dismantled and said with some emotion.

Unexpectedly, the Steel Seventh Unit had already started this old tradition on the Korean battlefield.

However, given the many merits Wu Wanli and the Steel Seventh Company achieved, the Steel Seventh Company in later generations should have had a different fate, right?
"Captain, what are you thinking about?"

Seeing Wu Wanli's dazed expression, Gao Daxing patted him on the shoulder and asked.

"Daxing, how about you have your grandson Gao Cheng recognize me as his godfather in the future?"

Wu Wanli smiled and asked.

"No problem!"
He is so lucky to have a godfather like you!
Hahahahaha..."

Gao Daxing was slightly taken aback upon hearing this, then burst into laughter.

"Captain, this isn't fair! I've known you longer than that kid Gao Daxing. My grandson wants to recognize you as his godfather!"

Upon seeing this, Yu Congrong said with a hint of jealousy.

“Fine, if you, Yu Congrong, want to recognize me as your godfather, I’m willing.”

Upon hearing this, Wu Wanli joked.

"Hahahahahahahaha..."

Upon hearing this, everyone couldn't help but burst into laughter.

"Alright, alright, let's get down to business."

Wanli, the current situation is that we have taken over all the outer positions of Shuainan.

In addition to the air force bombing that destroyed the airfield in Suynam, the recent battle also wiped out Suynam's last armored forces...

It can be said that our Seventh Steel Brigade has completely surrounded the UN headquarters in Shuainan City.

But now the main UN forces on the other side of the Han River are returning, while the main force of the 3rd Division in Pyeongtaek hasn't moved yet. What should we do next?

Liu Hanqing said.

"Ridgway is unwilling to risk the entire UN command headquarters in a fight to the death with our Seventh Steel Brigade; they would be the ones who suffer a huge loss."

They still have a sliver of hope that they can hold out for reinforcements, and we just need to put enough pressure on them.

"Hanjiang Detachment... no, it should be called Hanjiang First Regiment, have they arrived yet?"

Wu Wanli asked.

"The Hanjiang First Regiment learned that we were attacking Shuian and had already begun its mobilization. They should arrive in about ten minutes, bringing three thousand soldiers to assist us."

Upon hearing this, Liu Hanqing said...

"Three thousand, plus our five thousand, that makes eight thousand, that's enough..."

We re-equipped them with fully American weaponry, giving them the same firepower configuration as our Seventh Steel Brigade.

Then the remaining surplus American-made weapons, along with the remaining Korean soldiers and key personnel, were taken out to build the Suwon Third Regiment, so that neither task was delayed.

Once the Han River Regiment arrives, Lei Gong, you immediately lead the artillery detachment to bombard them fiercely. After that, launch a fierce attack with 8,000 American-equipped troops!
I personally led the armored guard battalion as the vanguard, with Yu Congrong's fire support brigade following closely behind, and we launched a fierce attack on the south gate!
Pinghe, your reconnaissance detachment launches a fierce attack on the North Gate; Gao Daxing, your assault detachment attacks the West Gate; and Hanjiang First Regiment attacks the East Gate!

Half an hour later, as soon as Lei Gong's artillery detachment finished bombing, the general offensive began immediately!
"Send reconnaissance troops to keep a close watch on the Pyeongtaek direction until the main force of the US 3rd Division, which has advanced to Pyeongtaek, is completely unable to sit still and comes to reinforce!"

Wu Wanli said.

"Commander-in-Chief, what if the Third Division in Pyeongtaek doesn't move?"

Upon hearing this, Pinghe asked in a low voice.

"Then let's perish together. The Chinese People's Volunteer Army is not afraid of sacrifice, especially since these people who are taken down are all high-ranking officials. It's worth it!"

"Go and prepare. Hanqing, send a telegram to the navy to speed up our journey to the waters near Pyeongtaek. This is the final moment."

Wu Wanli clenched his fists, a hint of murderous intent flashing in his eyes as he spoke.

"Yes!"

Upon hearing this, everyone readily agreed.

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

Soon, the Seventh Steel Brigade was fully prepared, and the general offensive on Shuainan began!
Artillery detachment positions

"Coordinates corrected! Orientation left 008! Distance increased by 50!"

"Take two layers of skin off the south gate tower! Then fire three more rounds of rapid-fire!"

Lei Gong raised his command flag, waved his hand, and roared.

"Loading complete!"

"Ready—Fire!!!"

In an instant, the earth trembled violently beneath our feet.

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

Dozens of dark red projectiles tore through the sky, slamming into the southern city wall of Shuainan City, which stood tall in the wind and snow, with bursts of sharp whistling!
The shells landed precisely on key support points such as battlements, watchtowers, and troop bunkers.

The flames from the explosion suddenly expanded, instantly turning the falling snow crimson.

Large chunks of solid brick and stone crumbled and flew into the air, and dust, carrying the shattered bodies of American defenders, shot into the sky.

From a distance, that section of the majestic city wall looked as if it had been gnawed open by an invisible giant mouth!

In the brief moment when the artillery fire subsided, the American soldiers guarding the south city wall, whose ears were ringing and eyes were dazzled by the blasts, witnessed a scene in horror.

In the wind and snow, a torrent of steel, camouflaged in white, is rolling in with snow waves, crushing everything in its path with overwhelming force!

Leading the charge was Wu Wanli's No. 1 tank!
His eyes seemed to pierce through the smoke of gunfire and the swirling snow, firmly locking onto the huge gap that had just been torn open in the south city wall.

"Turn right! Stick to the base of the remaining wall on the left! Target directly ahead! Heavy machine gun bunker on the city wall! High-explosive shells!"

Wu Wanli gave the order loudly.

"Yes!"

Upon hearing this, Liu Hanqing, who was also serving as the gunner, adjusted his arm and pulled the firing mechanism sharply.

"boom!"

In an instant, the flames spewed from the muzzle of Tank No. 1 briefly vaporized the flying snow, and the high-explosive shell hurtled straight toward the target.

"Boom!"

With a violent explosion, the wooden and stone watchtower, along with the heavy machine gun and gunner inside, was reduced to fragments and wreckage.

Inside Tank No. 1
"Attention all units! This is Wu Wanli!"
Suppressive fire from the guard battalion! Crossfire!

"Armored formation, follow me and charge in!"

Wu Wanli gave the order loudly over the radio.

The tracks rolled over the muddy ground, kicking up snow and mud that splattered onto the tank's cold armor with a thud.

"Da da da da da..."

The tank turret machine guns spewed out scorching flames, leaving trails of fire, pressing down on the remaining American firing positions on both sides of the breach.

"Chinese tanks! Stop them! Don't let them rush in through that opening!"

The remaining American troops on the city wall were finally jolted awake from their daze by the artillery fire and let out a desperate roar.

"Whoosh—Boom! Boom!"

American mortar shells began to rain down indiscriminately around Tank No. 1, kicking up large chunks of mud and snow, and the shockwaves from the explosions made the tank's interior rattle.

The heavy machine guns, which hadn't been torn apart by artillery fire, continued their shrill, ricocheting bullets onto the tank's frontal armor.

"Charge! Forget the craters! Run them over!"

Wu Wanli stared intently at the approaching breach in the city wall through the periscope and roared at the driver.

He didn't even glance at the explosions landing around the vehicle; instead, his eyes were fixed on the breach in the city wall at the edge of his field of vision.

Upon closer inspection, they spotted the anti-tank gun that the US military had brought to the breach.

"Two points on the turret! An anti-tank gun in the ruins!"

Armor-piercing rounds! Quick! Take it down!

Upon seeing this, Wu Wanli immediately gave a loud order.

"Load armor-piercing rounds!"

Liu Hanqing's voice was urgent, sweat beaded on his forehead and seeped into his eyebrows, but his hands moved with lightning speed.

The accident occurred just as the loader was forcefully cramming the heavy armor-piercing shell into the breech.

"Boom!"

“Click—!”

The tremendous impact, accompanied by the noise of metal scraping and jamming, almost hurt the eardrums of everyone inside the cabin!

It's a landmine!
An anti-tank mine, loosened by artillery fire and partially buried by snow, was crushed by the right track of a high-speed tank!
The enormous impact force suddenly lifted the right side of Tank No. 1 into the air for a second before slamming it back to the ground.

The entire vehicle swung violently to the right, like a giant beast with a broken leg.

"Damn it! The right track is broken! I can't move!" the driver roared in despair, frantically trying to turn the steering wheel with both hands.

"Anti-tank guns are aiming! They're aiming at us!"

The turret of the anti-tank gun needs to rotate at too large an angle; this delay means we won't have enough time!

The machine gunner, after spotting the vehicle through the observation port on the front armor, issued a heart-wrenching warning.

The muzzle of the American anti-tank gun, hidden less than two hundred meters inside the gap, was steadily rotating.

Its dark, menacing muzzle was fixed on the lead vehicle, which was paralyzed on the way to the charge!
The cramped tank compartment was instantly filled with an immense sense of crisis.

If the tracks break, the tank becomes a sitting duck!

Time seemed to freeze at this moment, each second as thick and sticky as congealed blood.

"Hanqing! Look at those houses that have been burned down to their skeletons, to the left and in front of the gap!"

Target! The sandbag fortifications next to it!
There's no need to rotate the gun much to aim; you can fire quickly!
High-explosive bombs! Bomb it down!
Use the collapsed bricks and stones to block that damned cannon's line of sight! Now!

In an emergency, Wu Wanli had a sudden inspiration.

Liu Hanqing didn't utter a single unnecessary word; his eyes were only on his goal.

The turret rotated rapidly, completing the fine-tuning within a second.

"boom!"

The muzzle of the No. 1 tank spewed fire, and the gun barrel trembled violently from the recoil.

The high-explosive shell struck the crumbling wall, ravaged by artillery fire, at an almost horizontal angle.

"Crash—Boom!"

The violent explosion was the last straw that broke the camel's back, and the already cracked walls and the adjacent piles of earth and coal collapsed instantly!
Large amounts of bricks, charred wooden beams, and frozen clods of earth mixed with snow dust rolled down like a mudslide.

Right between the anti-tank gun and the disabled No. 1 tank, a temporary barrier more than a meter high was erected!

The anti-tank gun had just completed its aiming and locking onto the Panzer I tank, and the gunner was almost about to press the firing handle.

In that instant, the view was suddenly completely blocked by the rolling and falling debris!
It was as if a dirty earthen wall had suddenly risen up, completely blocking the deadly artillery line!

The stunned curses of the American gunners were drowned out by the aftershocks of the explosion.

“Well done!
Vehicle number two! Vehicle number three! Deploy to the left front of my position! Concentrate fire!
Target! All visible firing positions within the breach! Saturation fire!

Wu Wanli immediately seized this fleeting opportunity and roared out a new order.

The two tanks following behind immediately roared and rushed to the depression to the left front of the first tank, tilting the vehicle slightly and raising the turret.

"Load high-explosive shells! Fire rapidly!"

"Prepare—release!"

"put!"

In an instant, the cannons of two Chinese tanks roared to life!

High-explosive shells relentlessly pounded every corner inside the breach, plowing away any rubble and fortifications that might be hiding enemies.

Taking advantage of this brief respite, the engineers from the guard battalion behind them rushed over to repair the tracks of the No. 1 tank.

American bullets immediately rained down like a storm, striking the tank armor with a clanging sound.

The engineers from the guard battalion did not flinch and immediately rushed to the broken track.

They removed the road wheels, inserted heavy crowbars into the gaps in the broken track plates, and chants rang out along with the ear-piercing sound of metal scraping together.

The other soldiers used the tank wreckage and shell craters as cover, and engaged in fierce firefights with the remaining enemy troops in the battlements above the breach. Bullets wove a deadly net of fire amidst the swirling snow.

Just then, a dull and loud cannon shot suddenly rang out from inside the city!
The American artillery in Shuainan City, which had just been briefly silenced by the thunderous bombardment, finally organized an effective response amidst the chaos!

The American howitzers deployed behind the south city wall began to roar, and the shells flew over the gap in the city wall and slammed into the path of the Seventh Steel Brigade's charge!

"Rumble...!"

In an instant, a huge fireball suddenly rose up dozens of meters behind Tank No. 1!
The blast wave, carrying chunks of frozen soil and snow, slammed into the soldiers crawling to repair their tracks.

Two volunteer soldiers were thrown into the air and fell into a pool of blood.

Immediately afterwards, the second round of artillery fire suddenly extended forward by a large margin!

The shells swept across the area like a comb, instantly engulfing the two half-track armored vehicles and trucks that were charging closely behind Tank No. 1!
The towering flames instantly engulfed the vehicle, and the detonating ammunition emitted a series of huge explosions, completely drowning out the screams.

This was not a single-gun sniper attack; it was a barrage of fire launched by a US artillery battalion under unified command within the city, targeting the area behind the breach in the south city wall!

A firebreak, accompanied by continuous explosions of shells, began to suddenly form in an area more than 100 meters wide outside the breach!
Smoke filled the air, and flames soared into the sky.

The artillery fire effectively blocked the more than 1,000 elite main force troops of the artillery detachment, personally led by Yu Congrong, from advancing behind the guard battalion!

At this moment, the subsequent support channels were completely cut off!
Ahead was the lead vehicle, which was partially disabled, carrying the guard battalion troops vying for control of the breach.

Behind them was a barrage of artillery fire from the US military, pinning the main force to the spot.

Beside him, the remaining enemy soldiers on the battlements on both sides of the breach continued their stubborn resistance with fire.

Inside the breach, the newly erected temporary barrier had been blasted open by grenades from the American defenders inside.

The barrel of the anti-tank gun, which had been nearly blocked, was now struggling to emerge again from the gap in the rubble, slowly re-aligning itself with the opening!
The situation took a sharp turn for the worse, plunging into an extremely dangerous predicament!

"Commander-in-Chief! Commander Yu says they're being held back by artillery fire! They can't get through anytime soon!"

The defending troops inside the breach are launching a counterattack!
The former battalion commander was locked in a fierce battle with a company of American soldiers on the left side of the breach!

We don't have enough men on this side, and the breach is going to fall!
Should we evacuate first?

At that moment, a battle report came from the radio of Tank Number One.

Bullets clanged outside the car window, and artillery shells roared in the distance.

"Immediately connect to Leigong! Target! US Army artillery position south of Shuinan City!"
坐标：中心点，东经127度45分21秒，北纬37度12分05秒！
Extend two degrees southwest of the center point, covering a distance of 200 meters!
High priority! Five rounds of rapid fire!

Unleash a barrage of armor-piercing and incendiary shells!
I want it to turn into a sea of ​​fire within ten minutes!

Wu Wanli glanced at the map from the Sky Eye and immediately gave the order to the radio station.

The US military had just opened fire, and judging the location of the US artillery by the trajectory of the shells and the sound of the artillery fire was reasonable, so Wu Wanli directly reported the coordinates.

"Hanqing! Load high-explosive shells! Target inside the breach! Fifty meters to the right of the anti-tank gun!"

That pile of sandbags that's just started smoking! It might be the enemy command post! Blow them up!

Wu Wanli glanced at the Tianyan map and gave another stern order.

"Load high-explosive shells! Ready—BOOM!"

Liu Hanqing pulled the firing rope sharply, causing the cannon to shake violently.

"call out------"

"boom!!!"

The shell pierced precisely through the breach, leaving a plume of crimson blood mixed with smoke and dust at the point of impact.

Several newly assembled figures resembling officers were torn to pieces in the explosion, and half of the sandbag fortification was completely ripped apart.

But this fatal blow did not immediately eliminate the immediate danger.

Inside the breach, the anti-tank gun finally managed to clear some of the obstacles, and its dark muzzle, under the cover of the frontline defenders' frantic machine gun fire, once again pointed steadily forward!
The muzzle of the gun was less than 100 meters away from Tank No. 1!

That's almost a game-winning shot!
It's too late!
Wanli, why are you opening the hatch, grabbing a gun, and sticking your head out now? It's more dangerous!

Liu Hanqing's pupils contracted sharply, and he shouted nervously.

Reloading a single shell takes at least ten seconds! That ten seconds is enough for the enemy to fire a fatal shell!

Their tank's tracks were broken, making it impossible for them to maneuver and evade; they were simply sitting ducks!

In that critical moment of life and death, Wu Wanli had already opened the hatch, raised his rifle, and pulled the trigger!

"boom!"

A gunshot rang out suddenly, piercing through the wind and snow, extremely abrupt yet extremely clear, like the sigh of death!
Just as the American anti-tank gunner was about to pull the trigger all the way down with his right index finger, a rifle bullet flew more than a hundred meters away and entered the narrow gap of the gun shield observation hole with perfect accuracy!
"Pfft!"

The dull thud of the gun entering flesh was almost drowned out by the terrified screams of the other American soldiers at their positions.

The gunner shuddered violently, his head slamming heavily against the cold cannon, and then fell silent.

The small observation hole on the gun shield was now just a round, blood-stained black hole.

"The captain is a true marksman!"

Upon seeing this, the guards shouted excitedly.

"The tracks are connected! It can move now! Commander!"

A guard's loud, shrill shout came from outside the car, accompanied by the crisp "click" of metal buckles fastening.

"Start! Turn right! Charge through the weakest point of the breach!"

"Han Qing, turret point 1! Tear a bloody path through me!"

Wu Wanli shrank back into the tank and shouted loudly.

Tank No. 1 suddenly turned around, bracing against the barrage of bullets from the remaining enemy forces through the side opening, and drove towards the low-lying area of ​​the opening!
"boom!"

Wow——!
The low cross-section of the city wall could not withstand the frontal impact of the tank and was crushed and collapsed by nearly two meters!

"Charge! Charge in! Don't stop!"

Wu Wanli's voice pierced the radio amidst the roar of tanks and deafening gunfire.

Tank No. 1 smashed through the scattered bricks and rubble, its tracks kicking up scorched mud and unmelted snow, and rolled into the city of Shuainan.

The guard battalion soldiers followed closely behind, rushing into the breach and engaging in fierce firefights with the American infantry who were organizing resistance on the inside of the gap.

Bayonets clashed, submachine guns roared, and grenades exploded continuously in the confined space.

The view of the city changed abruptly; it was no longer a snowy wilderness, but streets and alleys ravaged by artillery fire, collapsed houses, and burning buildings.

"Direction point! Weapon position!"

Wu Wanli precisely spotted a heavy machine gun nest built against the ruins ahead, spitting out scorching flames that pinned down the newly arrived soldiers.

"High-explosive bomb!"

"Load!"

Liu Hanqing's voice rang out, accompanied by the heavy, gurgling sound of artillery shells.

The turret spun rapidly, and with a deafening roar, the machine gun nest, along with half a wall, instantly turned to dust, with blood, flesh, and bricks flying everywhere.

"Maintain assault formation! Clear both flanks!"

Wu Wanli commanded the second and third vehicles, as well as the armored vehicles that followed, to advance deeper into the gap and clear out the few remaining enemies who were putting up a stubborn resistance.

Almost simultaneously with the 50,000-mile tank tracks crushing the broken stones in the breach of the city wall.

Deep within the city of Shuainan, inside the UN forces headquarters, the atmosphere had plummeted to freezing point.

The piercing ringing of telephones, the urgent radio calls, and the staff's hoarse reports mingled together.

"Report! The south city wall has been breached! At least one Chinese armored battalion has broken through!"

A staff officer burst in, his face ashen, shouting.

"What?! That damn tank! Which one led the charge?"

Upon hearing this, Li Qiwei's eyes widened in shock, and he asked.

"General! The Chinese reinforcements have been held back by our artillery fire; what's rushing in now is just the vanguard!"

They must be eliminated immediately, or they will pierce our entire defenses like awls!

Chief of Staff Van Fleet snatched the battle report from the staff officer's hand, read it, and said with beads of sweat on his forehead.

"Artillery! Immediately order the artillery battalion south of the city!"

Forget about what's outside the city! Give full force to the breached area!
Blow up all the Chinese who stormed in and their tanks inside the city! Quickly!

Ridgway slammed his hand on the table and almost roared as he gave the order.

The U.S. Army communications officer immediately grabbed the microphone and transmitted the order for a desperate counterattack to the artillery positions south of the city.

In the south of the city, in a semi-hidden open area, was the position of the US artillery battalion.

A large number of howitzers had just completed their barrage firing, and the muzzles were still radiating residual heat. The gunners were busy reloading ammunition, preparing for the next round of coverage of the designated area.

Suddenly, the phone rang at the battalion command post.

"What? Turning into the city?! Targeting the breach area?"

Battalion Commander Major Howard paused for a moment when he received the order.

Such close-range artillery fire towards friendly positions is extremely risky and could easily cause friendly fire incidents.

"Damn it... the order!"
The entire battalion immediately changed firing direction!
Target: the breached area in the south city wall!
Coordinates: XXX, YYY!

Three loads of high-explosive rounds! Rapid fire within ten minutes! Hurry! Hurry!

Howard gritted his teeth, not daring to hesitate, and quickly gave the order.

U.S. artillery officers shouted out orders, running back and forth across the position to urge them on.

In an instant, the entire artillery position was thrown into chaos.

The heavy gun barrel turned with difficulty, the firing angle was adjusted, the sights were recalibrated, and the ammunition handlers frantically piled up the shell boxes.

Such a hasty shift in objectives inevitably leads to chaos.

However, in Wu Wanli's "vision," their every move was as clear as a stage play under a spotlight!
However, at this moment, on the position of the Chinese artillery detachment

"Commander Lei, all the artillery muzzles have been adjusted according to the commander-in-chief's coordinates!"

At this moment, a volunteer army artillery officer shouted loudly.

"Finally finished adjusting!"
"Full artillery! Maximum rate of fire! Fire—!"

Upon hearing this, Lei Gong raised his command flag, waved his hand, and roared loudly.

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

In an instant, rows of cannons of all kinds roared at the same time!

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

Countless scorching bullet marks tore through the snow-covered sky, hurtling towards the American artillery battalion south of the city with a piercing shriek!

Through the Sky Eye Map, Wu Wanli also "saw" that the thunderous retaliatory firepower precisely covered the target area.

But he did not stop. The enemy's artillery battalion was severely damaged, and their hasty retreat was the best opportunity to annihilate them!
His senses were locked onto the red unit that was trying to drag its heavy cannon in the 3D image.

The US artillery battalion is about to relocate, and artillery fire may not be able to destroy all of the US artillery!
"Attention all units of the guard battalion! Target directly ahead, slightly to the right! Full speed ahead!"
Based on the recent artillery fire and the trajectory of the shells, that area is very likely the enemy's artillery position!
They're finished! Come with me to see them off on their final journey!
Tank gunners, watch out for wounded enemies! Infantry, fix bayonets!

Wu Wanli gave the order loudly over the radio.

The armored group and guard battalion soldiers, who had just experienced a bloody battle on the city wall, did not hesitate at all and immediately rushed towards the American artillery positions!

The American artillery positions had become a living hell.

Thunder God's artillery fire came too fiercely, too quickly, and too accurately!
The dense barrage of shells covered almost every inch of the position.

The moment the piercing shriek that tore through the air reached their ears, the flames of an explosion followed immediately.

The high-explosive bomb blasted a huge crater in the ground, and shattered steel components and frozen soil mixed with blood and flesh were scattered everywhere.

When the incendiary bomb landed, it burst into flames, igniting the piled-up ammunition boxes and the gunpowder bags that had not been cleared from the gun barrel, triggering a series of terrifying secondary explosions!

"Boom! Boom—!"

Flames engulfed the human body, and severed limbs were thrown high into the air by the shockwave.

The surviving American gunners were completely disorganized, screaming in terror as they fled in all directions, torn apart by artillery fire or engulfed in flames.

The entire US artillery battalion was completely destroyed in an instant.

Major Howard was bleeding from his ears and nose from the nearby explosion. He crawled out from behind the wrecked bunker, covered in dust and dirt, his vocal cords hoarse from shouting.

"Move away! Move all the movable artillery pieces! Quick! Get out of this hellhole!"

He waved his arms, trying to gather his remaining strength.

A dozen or so artillery pieces that were not completely destroyed began to move laboriously toward their designated backup positions inside the city, being dragged by surviving soldiers and vehicles.

But they had barely dragged a few surviving heavy cannons less than 500 meters from the center of the fire when the sound of tracks crushing and engines roaring came from around the corner of the street ahead!

Tank Number One crashed through the smoke barrier, its cannon pointed directly at them!
Armored vehicles and Chinese soldiers covered in dust and with gleaming bayonets followed like a tide, instantly blocking all escape routes!
"You've come to the right place! Fire!!!"

Upon seeing this, Wu Wanli's eyes flashed with joy, and he roared loudly.

"Da da da da da da da—!"

"boom!"

The machine guns on the leading Chinese tanks and armored vehicles opened fire wildly, mowing down the chaotic American artillery in droves.

The No. 1 tank, where Wu Wanli was located, lowered its gun barrel slightly and fired a shot that directly hit a 105mm gun that was being towed.

With a loud "bang!", the cannon barrel was blown to pieces, and the vehicle towing the cannon was also destroyed.

This was a complete massacre and destruction.

The hastily relocated American remnants had neither the will nor the ability to resist the onslaught of armored assaults and elite infantry.

The remaining American gunners either abandoned their equipment and fled in all directions, or were shot to death or stabbed by bayonets at close range.

All the relatively intact artillery pieces that could be found were completely destroyed by the guard battalion soldiers using grenades, explosive charges, or simply by being run over by tanks.

Wu Wanli coldly oversaw the battlefield while simultaneously "watching" another direction through the Sky Eye Map.

A force of over a thousand elite U.S. infantrymen is rapidly flanking the burning streets from the side!
Their intention was clear: to cooperate with the remaining troops on the city wall to completely encircle and annihilate Wu Wanli's isolated army that had penetrated deep into the city!
"Commander! The guard battalion, excluding vehicle crews, has a total of 135 men capable of fighting!"
Five armored vehicles remain! Nine tanks are still operational!
"We're running low on shells, especially armor-piercing ones!"

The situation of the infiltrated troops was reported over the communications radio of Tank No. 1.

Although they successfully destroyed the enemy artillery battalion, they also paid a heavy price.

At this moment, the men and horses are exhausted, and ammunition is severely depleted.

Nine tanks were all they had. Facing the impending counterattack by elite enemy forces and potential urban warfare anti-tank teams, the risks increased dramatically.

Carry it hard?

A dead end!
Breakout!

We must break through immediately!

Inside Tank No. 1
"Get the artillery! Thunder God! Immediately!"

Using my previous attack route as the center, bombard the breach in the south city wall again!

100 meters deep! Wash out all the firing points and personnel on and around the city wall!
Covert artillery barrage! Three rapid-fire rounds! A bloody path blasted through!
Everyone! Retreat towards the gap!

"Wounded comrades, advance first! Tanks cover the rear! Hurry!"

With a clear mind and lightning-fast decision, Wu Wanli gave the order over the radio.

At this moment, he had to clear a path for this exhausted army to retreat.

Without the slightest delay, Lei Gong's side quickly unleashed another barrage of artillery fire upon the area near the breach.

This time, the shells plowed through the broken walls, crenellations, and streets adjacent to the breach on both sides of the gap, like plowing through a field.

The garrison troops who had just tried to surround the breach and the American troops who were attempting to reinforce from both sides of the city wall were blown to pieces and fled in panic.

Before long, the entire breach area was completely covered by smoke and explosions.

"rush out!"

Upon seeing this, Wu Wanli roared into the radio.

Nine tanks lined up in a wedge formation, charging at full speed at the front, with armored vehicles following closely behind to protect the wounded.

More than a hundred guards ran and provided cover on both sides with their last bit of strength, charging towards the smoke screen woven by the artillery fire!

Not far from the breach, Yu Congrong kept a close eye on the breakthrough point.

When he saw the familiar outlines of tanks blurring into view in the dust, followed by the figures of other armored vehicles and soldiers, he was overjoyed.

"They're out! Full firepower! Suppress both sides of the breach! Provide support for the commander! Get him there!"

Yu Congrong roared loudly.

In an instant, the fire support unit opened fire on the American troops on both sides of the breach and above the city wall with its light and heavy machine guns, mortars, and bazookas.

A fierce barrage of firepower quickly formed, relentlessly pushing back the scattered American troops and the remaining enemy forces attempting to seal the breach.

Tank No. 1, covered in smoke and wounds, charged through the breach and broken wall repeatedly ravaged by artillery fire.

The tank jolted violently, its tracks crushing the charred corpses and broken bricks on the ground.

Subsequent Chinese tanks, armored vehicles, and remnants poured out like a floodgate opening.

After the last two tanks covering the rear withdrew from the gap, they fired a final burst of rapid fire at the American pursuers inside the gap, then accelerated and merged into the retreating traffic.

"Go! Everyone retreat! Back to the temporary command post!"

Yu Congrong jumped off the vehicle and stood guard beside Wu Wanli's tank, giving urgent orders while using his body to shield himself from any possible sniper fire.

The wind and snow intensified, whipping against the soldiers' tired yet resolute faces.

All that remained on the battlefield were the roar of engines, the creaking of tracks, the suppressed groans of the wounded, and the footsteps of retreat.

The steel spearhead, which had created a miracle and nearly broken its wings, finally broke free from the iron clamp that was gripping their throats and retreated to the safety of the snowfield.

This time, the attack on Shuainan City nearly captured the city, and the general offensive that stormed into the UN command headquarters almost scared the UN officers half to death.

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

At this moment, inside the UN Command Headquarters in Shuinan City

"Report to the General!
The assessment of losses in the siege battle is complete! The number of personnel killed or seriously wounded and rendered incapacitated has increased by 876!

The number of combat-ready troops in the city has been reduced to 3,700 elite soldiers!

The city's artillery battalion positions have been confirmed to be completely destroyed!

All 36 howitzers, 72 mortars, and their accompanying ammunition were destroyed!

Based on feedback from observation posts and multiple encounters, the Chinese army's offensive force at this time was estimated to be at least 8,000 men!
Furthermore, they had successfully breached the southern city wall with armored forces, and it was only with the aid of reserves that they were finally driven back with great difficulty…

A U.S. military staff officer bowed his head and reported.

Eight thousand people?!
The intelligence department repeatedly cross-verified that the Seventh Steel Brigade had crossed the Han River four times, and fought fierce battles along the way, resulting in extremely severe losses of manpower, with at most only 5,000 combat personnel remaining!

Did these extra three thousand people just fall from the sky?

Could it be that the main force of the Zhili Army has silently infiltrated to the outskirts of Shuainan City?!

Our garrison, relying on permanent fortifications and the city's defense system, is scheduled to hold out for at least 72 hours!

What now?
Let alone waiting for the main force from the Han River to return to reinforce us, it's highly uncertain whether the command post can even get through tonight safely!

Upon hearing this, Van Fleet replied with a hint of panic.

"General Ridgway, the serious misjudgment at the intelligence level is an undeniable fact."

Debating the source of troops at this moment will not help.

The crux of the matter lies in whether Wu Wanli is determined to fight to the death and launch a full-scale attack on the command center regardless of troop casualties.

With the existing city defense system breached and morale severely damaged, we cannot afford to gamble on how long the defenders can hold out.

Although the Seventh Steel Brigade is a formidable force, its importance is absolutely not equal to that of the entire UN forces' command center on the front lines, nor to the value of you, General, as their commander.

Would you and the entire command system be used to 'exchange' for Wu Wanli?

Forgive my bluntness, but this will be the most foolish and costly 'victory' in this war.

Consultant Chu Yunfei shook his head and said in a low voice.

This cold analysis was like pouring cold water into boiling oil, and the command center instantly erupted into chaos.

"The defending troops' ammunition reserves are critically low! Less than six basic units have been used up!"

"The airport is completely destroyed, and air support can only rely on long-range bombers, but accuracy and response speed cannot be guaranteed!"

"I strongly recommend that the main force of the Third Division stationed in Pyeongtaek be ordered to immediately cease its current mission and return to Suyun City at full speed!"

"The Chief of Staff is right! If Shuainan City falls, the entire central front will collapse instantly, and the consequences will be unimaginable!"

"The security of the command system must be placed as an absolute priority! All other objectives should be temporarily set aside!"

For a time, the personnel in the UN command headquarters were discussing the matter extensively, and in the end, they all felt that it was time to move the 3rd Division in Pyeongtaek.

"Ridiculous! This is practically strategic suicide!"

Van Fleet slammed his fist on the location of Pyeongtaek Port on the map, interrupting him with a hoarse voice from excitement.

"General! Please think this through calmly!"

This might be a classic Chinese tactic of besieging a point to attack reinforcements or luring the tiger away from the mountain!

The reason why Wu Wanli launched a fierce attack on Shuainan City regardless of casualties, and even went so far as to break into the city and fight us in the streets, was not simply to destroy us!

He was using the life and death of the command headquarters as bait to force us to order the mobilization of the Third Division in Pyeongtaek!

What kind of place is Pyeongtaek?!

It is the last land barrier to prevent that damned naval support fleet of the Seventh Steel Brigade from landing!
If the main force of the Third Division moves even for just half a day, this carefully constructed chain of defenses will be completely breached!
At that time, the Chinese navy might be waiting in the open sea!

As long as the Third Division leaves the defense zone, even if it only leaves a brief gap.

With Wu Wanli's decisiveness and keen insight, he could immediately command the exhausted remnants of the Seventh Steel Brigade to quickly penetrate through this fatal gap and head straight for the port!

At that point, we'll be letting the tiger return to the mountain, allowing them to slip away right under our noses by boat!
This is a complete strategic failure!

Van Fleet clenched his fist and quickly reminded him.

Li Qiwei took a deep breath, raised his hand and waved it sharply, forcibly suppressing all the noise.

His gaze slowly swept over the crowd with their varied expressions, finally settling on Chu Yunfei, who remained calm and composed throughout.

"Advisor Chu, you know the Chinese army best. Please state your judgment."

We're out of time.

Li Qiwei thought for a moment and asked softly.

Chu Yunfei nodded slightly, picked up a red and blue pencil from the drawing board, and walked towards the large battle map.

His pen tip landed steadily on the Pyeongtaek Port area on the map, quickly sketching along the pre-planned defense deployments and transportation lines.

"General Van Fleet's strategic concerns are well-founded."

However, the general's analysis overlooked a crucial variable on the battlefield: time difference and the limits of logistical execution.

First, the objective reality is that the Chinese Navy is still some distance from Pyeongtaek, and they need extremely precise and complex coordination to complete the landing support, which is by no means easy to achieve.

Secondly, since the breakout from the Han River, the Seventh Steel Corps of China has been engaged in continuous high-intensity combat, especially today's siege and street fighting, which must have resulted in extremely heavy combat casualties and enormous logistical pressure.

Even if they instantly realized the Third Division's intention to move, with their remaining troops and equipment, could they quickly complete a forced incursion across tens of kilometers of complex terrain under the constant reconnaissance and harassment of the UN Air Force?

Can we break through my pre-set positions and possibly even the temporary blocking forces, and finally reach the port successfully?
I think the possibility is extremely slim.

Even if we take a step back and conduct the worst-case strategic simulation,

Pingze Port was temporarily lost due to the temporary redeployment of troops. The remnants of the Seventh Steel Corps of China managed to reach the beachhead and some even boarded ships.

But General, this is not an irreversible outcome.

As long as General MacArthur's main naval fleet arrives in time to provide support!
With our powerful naval and air forces, we are fully capable of quickly regaining control of the port and ultimately annihilating or severely damaging its evacuation fleet at sea.

However, General, if you hesitate and are conservative at this moment and refuse to immediately return with all your might to provide reinforcements, resulting in the loss of the Shuainan Command Post...

General, you may be captured by the enemy or killed in action. The entire UN command, core communication codes, frontline combat plans, and even the critical deployment of the entire 'magnetic tactics' could be paralyzed in one fell swoop...

Which is less important, which is more important? We urge the General to make a wise judgment!

Chu Yunfei tapped the battle map and spoke slowly.

Upon hearing this, Ridgewell's gaze was fixed on the invisible lifeline from Pingze Port to Shuainan City, his fingers unconsciously stroking the general's star on the collar of his casual uniform.

Time seemed to freeze, each second feeling incredibly heavy, squeezing everyone's nerves.

"Connect with the Third Division of Pyeongtaek!"

The order was given to have the division's armored battalion lead the way, and for all infantry and artillery units to immediately break away from their current defenses and rush to the aid of Shuainan City at full speed!
Not a moment can be wasted!

At the same time, the division headquarters must immediately allocate resources to form an elite task force of no less than 1,200 people!

Its core mission is singular: to defend Pyeongtaek Port and all the surrounding road junctions leading to the beachhead!
Repel any enemy forces attempting to approach or break through the area!

The mission will continue until the main force of the Han River corps arrives to take over the defense!
Tell them that any unit or individual who delays a battle or abandons their post, regardless of rank, will be court-martialed and executed on the spot!

After struggling internally for a long time, Ridgway finally slammed his fist on the table and loudly gave the order.

"Yes, sir!!!"

Upon hearing this, everyone in the UN command headquarters responded in unison.

(End of this chapter)