Changjin Lake: From Xinxingli to Seoul

Chapter 355 Capture of the Fort Hill Coastal Artillery Group! The Demise of the US Seventh Fleet!
Outside the fortified hill, inside the No. 1 tank
"Commander-in-Chief, Navy Chief Xiao has urgently contacted us, saying we must quickly capture Paotaishan and seize control of the coastal artillery for bombardment!!!"

Otherwise, our Chinese naval fleet would at best achieve a pyrrhic victory, suffering heavy losses, and might even be defeated and annihilated!

At that moment, the radio crackled with the anxious report from the communications officer.

"Pass on my order: Lei Gong's artillery detachment, gather all your firepower and bombard the outer defense line of Paotai Mountain."

Maintaining a distance of only fifty meters from the vanguard, the barrage slowly advances!
The remaining twenty-one tanks and two hundred elite guards of the armored guard battalion charged forward at full speed under Xu Jin's artillery fire, forming the spearhead!
The main force of the Seventh Steel Brigade quickly followed up and launched a general offensive!

Wu Wanli, the train commander, frowned and immediately spoke.

There's no time for fancy schemes now; we must take the fortress mountain in one fell swoop!
"Wanli, we are now a tank group, not just light infantry!"

"With a 50-meter advance barrage, if we're not careful and rush too fast or the artillery fire is too slow, the shells can blow our tanks to smithereens!"

Upon hearing this, Liu Hanqing, who was in the gunner's position, widened his eyes and gave a reminder.

"There's no time left, Hanqing, we have to give it our all."

It's not just the Chinese navy and air force that are in crisis; I reckon the new 8th Army and the North Korean 9th Army won't be able to hold off the main force of the US 2nd Division for too long either.

By the time the main reinforcements of the US 2nd Division arrive, it will be too late.

The bugle call to charge immediately sounded, the artillery detachment opened fire, and all units, infantry, tanks, and artillery coordinated a desperate charge!

Wu Wanli steeled his resolve and gave the final order over the radio.

"yes!!!

You silly kids!

Orientation—Left 030! Marker—310! Rapid fire, release!

Upon hearing this, Lei Gong on the other end of the radio immediately waved his command flag and roared loudly.

The next second, his voice was completely swallowed up by the sudden burst of artillery fire.

"Boom—! Boom—! Boom—!"

The earth convulsed violently beneath his feet, and through the thick armor of the No. 1 tank, each dull tremor felt like a heavy hammer slamming into Wu Wanli's spine.

The mud waves stirred up by the muzzle storm, mixed with ice shards and gravel, lashed against the front armor of the vehicle like a torrential rain, instantly obscuring the periscope's view.

A wave of scorching heat, thick with smoke, poured in through the gaps in the commander's hatch, pungent and acrid.

"Follow Xu Jin's barrage! Charge at full speed!"

Upon seeing this, Wu Wanli immediately roared into the radio.

Soon, the tracks of the tank group of the 7th Steel Brigade crushed the twisted and broken barbed wire, and also crushed the remaining anti-personnel mines buried in the ground.

A dull explosion erupted under the car, causing it to lurch upwards and then crash back down. Liu Hanqing, inside the driver's cab, was jolted awake by the shockwave.

Fifty meters!
The craters created by Xu Jin's barrage of bullets were still churning with scalding soil, and the thick smoke had not yet dissipated.

Wu Wanli's eyes were fixed on the crosshairs of the periscope; the smoke wall at the edge of the explosion was their lifeline, but also their deathline.

If you rush too slowly, the shells will land right on your head.

They rushed too fast and crashed headlong into their own side's artillery fire.

The piercing shrieks of the shells tearing through the air constantly swept overhead, with the nearest explosion point just twenty meters in front of the vehicle.

The scorching shockwave pounded against the armor, and pebbles rained down like hailstones.

"Click!"

A ricocheting shell grazed the turret and flew away, leaving a glaring white mark on the side armor.

Liu Hanqing's fingers were gripping the elevation and slack knob tightly, and sweat mixed with the dust that had seeped in streamed down his face.

Not long after, the smoke screen ahead was suddenly torn apart.

A deep trench, dug into the steep mountainside, stretched out before us, its edges covered with serrated barbed wire.

Behind rows of sandbag fortifications, the tracer belts of American-made Browning heavy machine guns swept across like red-hot scythes.

"Da da da da da..."

A barrage of machine gun bullets lashed out at the tank's front armor in an instant, clanging and scattering sparks.

"Eleven o'clock position! Heavy machine gun pod! Armor-piercing rounds! High-explosive rounds mixed loading! Quickly!"

Wu Wanli's pupils contracted as his vision was filled with the flames spewing from the heavy machine gun, and he immediately gave the order.

"Armor-piercing! High-explosive! Load!"

The loader roared in response, the heavy projectile making a crisp metallic scraping sound as it was forcefully pushed into the breech.

The turret motor hummed, and the thick, long gun barrel steadily pointed at the target.

The driver of Tank Number One slammed on the accelerator, and Tank Number One, like an enraged bull, charged toward the edge of the trench, its tracks crushing the barbed wire.

"boom--!"

The No. 1 tank's gun spit out a huge fireball, and the armor-piercing shells precisely pierced through the sandbags and log fortifications.

The massive explosion sent the entire machine gun position, along with the soil behind the bunker, flying into the air, followed by a rain of rubble mixed with frozen soil.

"Guards Battalion! Disembark! Clear the trenches! Sweep through the flanks!"

At the same time, the prehistoric battalion commander's shrill roar rang out over the walkie-talkie.

The figures following closely behind and to the flanks of the tanks leaped out like a tide, and the bursts of fire from Thompson submachine guns instantly drowned out the roar of the tanks.

The first one in prehistoric times jumped into the trench, his submachine gun spitting fire as he swept down several American soldiers who had just recovered from the shock of the artillery bombardment.

The trenches erupted instantly with the muffled thud of bayonets piercing flesh, the explosion of grenades, and the screams and roars of the dying.

"Three o'clock! Anti-tank gun!"

Wu Wanli saw a flash of fire in the depression on the side of the mountain in the Tianyan map and immediately said.

"clang--!"

In an instant, a deafening bang pierced the eardrums!

The 37mm armor-piercing round slammed into the junction between the turret and the vehicle, sending sparks flying!

The tank lurched violently, and the immense impact caused Wu Wanli's head to slam heavily against the bulkhead, making him see stars.

"Main gun, turn! Armor-piercing shell!"

While the driver kept the vehicle steady, Liu Hanqing manipulated the turret to spin at high speed amidst Wu Wanli's roar.

The American anti-tank gun was hidden in a semi-artificial, semi-natural rock cave, with only the gun shield and a section of the barrel visible.

The US gunner was frantically cranking the azimuth mechanism, trying to get the target back on.

"boom--!"

The next second, flames shot out from the muzzle of Tank Number One again.

The high-explosive shell exploded with a deafening roar at the narrow entrance of the cave!
A fountain of rubble, steel fragments, and human tissue erupted from the cannon, which, along with its emplacement, was instantly buried by the collapsing rocks and dust.

"Bazooka! Crater on the right!"

A prehistoric warning exploded in the walkie-talkie.

Wu Wanli spun the periscope and instantly saw the edge of a huge shell crater on the right flank, where two American soldiers wearing M1 helmets had just jumped up.

One person was carrying a bazooka rocket launcher on their shoulder, while another was frantically stuffing rockets into the tail.

"Coaxial machine gun, sweep the shell crater on the right!"

Wu Wanli quickly gave the order.

"Da da da da da..."

In an instant, the coaxial machine gun on the left side of the No. 1 tank turret unleashed a dense hail of 7.62mm bullets.

The American loader was shot in half at the waist, while the gunner carrying the launcher was pinned to the frozen ground at the edge of the crater by bullets, and the rocket launcher slid helplessly to the ground.

Almost simultaneously, a grenade thrown by a guard battalion soldier exploded in the crater, completely eliminating the threat.

"Ahead! Anti-tank ditch! Minefield!"

A prehistoric, desperate warning came.

At the end of the open area, a ditch nearly five meters wide and more than three meters deep lies across the slope leading to the foot of the mountain.

There were obvious signs of digging on the ground a few dozen meters ahead of the trench, indicating that it was a newly laid minefield.

"Smoke grenades! Cover the trenches! Demolition team! Blow open the passage!"

The prehistoric people immediately issued an order.

Several mortar shells, accompanied by sharp whistles, struck the trench in front of the embankment, creating a thick white smoke wall that temporarily obscured the vision of the American gunners on the other side.

"Follow me!"

A volunteer army engineering squad leader carrying bundles of explosives rushed out of the tank's cover first, followed closely by several demolition experts like cheetahs.

They dove to the edge of the minefield, using the sharp beeping of the mine detector to locate the edge mines, and quickly stuffed the demolition charge and explosive charge into the cracks in the frozen soil.

At this moment, the fuse was still hissing and emitting white smoke.

"Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!"

The continuous explosions hurled permafrost and landmines into the air, and scorching shockwaves carrying debris swept across the area.

A narrow passage, barely wide enough for a tank to pass through, was forcibly blasted open, filling the air with pungent gunpowder smoke and the smell of sulfur.

"Tank! We can pass now!"

Prehistoric shouted into the walkie-talkie.

"Rush over!"

Upon hearing this, Wu Wanli answered without the slightest hesitation.

The engine of the No. 1 tank roared at maximum power, its tracks kicking up mud and shrapnel debris as it plunged into the billowing smoke.

At this moment, the tank suddenly sank, its front armor slamming heavily against the opposite trench wall, its tracks spinning wildly and kicking up large amounts of mud.

The driver of Tank Number One yanked the control lever, and the tank, emitting a piercing metallic scraping sound, forced its way up the steep trench, crushing the sandbags and logs along the edge to pieces.

Just as the first tank reached the edge of the trench, its hull tilted forward, and its bottom armor was completely exposed—

Through the periscope, Wu Wanli could only see several American soldiers working together to push several huge, smoking gasoline drums down the steep mountain slope!

The heavy gasoline drums, burning and tumbling, carrying enormous kinetic energy and a pungent gasoline smell, crashed down with a thunderous roar towards the tank group that had just peeked out!
"Bang! Boom—!"

The first burning gasoline drum slammed into the left front armor plate of the No. 1 tank, and the pungent gasoline mixed with flames splashed out instantly, engulfing the entire left half of the vehicle in flames!

The high temperature penetrated the armor plates, and the air inside the cockpit instantly became scalding hot!
Thick smoke poured in through the gaps in the observation window.

"Oh shit!"

The driver of Tank No. 1 slammed on the gas and reversed, trying to escape the inferno.

"Car number three! Watch out!"

Wu Wanli stared at the Sky Eye map and roared into the radio.

A T-34 following closely behind was unable to avoid being hit squarely by another rolling gasoline drum!

The violent impact and explosion blew the turret off its surface!

A massive fireball shot into the sky, engulfing the tank wreckage and its occupants!
The scorching heatwave and metal fragments swept around, knocking several guards who had disembarked nearby to the ground.

"Anti-aircraft machine guns! Shoot the fuel tanks! Stop them from pushing the barrels!"

Wu Wanli's forehead veins bulged as he roared into the radio.

The 12.7mm anti-aircraft machine gunner on top of the No. 1 tank turret immediately leaned out, braving the flames and thick smoke, and unleashed a barrage of scorching bullets at the American soldiers pushing buckets down the steep slope.

Several American soldiers were shot and fell to the ground, while the remaining American soldiers were suppressed behind the slope.

"Push forward! Cover the hillside with fire! Don't let them show their faces!"

Wu Wanli's voice remained cold amidst the crackling of the burning flames.

The subsequent tanks' coaxial machine guns and vehicle-mounted machine guns fired intensely, sending dirt and rocks flying across the steep slope.

The guard battalion's mortars also turned their guns around, and shells rained down on the top of the hill.

Burning gasoline flowed and burned on the tank's armor.

Tank No. 1 reversed frantically and finally broke free from the sprayed gasoline.

The crew quickly used the fire extinguishers on board to put out the flames on the vehicle. The armor plates were burning and hissing, emitting wisps of smoke and leaving large areas of charred marks.

"Keep pushing! Target: the fortress at the foot of the mountain!"

Wu Wanli wiped his eyes, which were stinging from the smoke, and stared intently through the blackened periscope at the core US military defense line built against a huge rock less than 300 meters ahead.

There, more machine gun emplacements and anti-tank weapons were spitting deadly flames.

The tank formation, braving a hail of bullets, its tracks crushing the wreckage of its fallen comrades and burning gasoline, launched another charge.

Prehistoric, along with the remaining soldiers of the guard battalion, under the cover of tanks, braved a hail of bullets and used submachine guns and grenades to clear every shell crater and wreckage that might harbor anti-tank soldiers.

The sounds of Thompson submachine gun fire, grenade explosions, and the desperate screams of American soldiers mingled together.

The resistance from the US military reached a fever pitch.

They relied on solid rock and concrete fortifications, and their firing positions were exceptionally cunning.

A machine gun emplacement hidden in a natural rock crevice suddenly opened fire. A dense barrage of bullets struck the side of the turret of the Wu Wanli tank, producing a screeching sound, and sparks flew from the shield of the coaxial machine gun.

"Nine o'clock! Crevice! High-explosive bomb!"

Wu Wanli immediately spotted the faint light and shouted the order.

In an instant, the turret rotated, and before the muzzle was fully in position, Liu Hanqing had already pulled the trigger according to Wu Wanli's direction.

"boom!"

The next second, the high-explosive bomb exploded at the crevice, spewing out rubble and dust.

The machine gun went silent for a moment, but the American gunner inside was clearly not dead, and bullets started firing intermittently again.

"Armor-piercing rounds! Fire them in!"

Wu Wanli frowned and roared.

Upon hearing this, the loader gritted his teeth and pushed the bullet into the chamber again.

"boom--!"

The armor-piercing projectile, with a sharp whistle, precisely penetrated deep into the narrow crevice in the rock!
A muffled explosion came from inside the rock, and rubble mixed with gunpowder smoke and blood sprayed out from the crack, completely silencing the American machine gun.

"boom!"

A huge explosion rang out on the right side of Wu Wanli's tank.

A T-34 following the charge triggered the last line of defense that the US military had laid in front of the position—an electronically controlled directional anti-tank mine!

The massive explosion blew off half of the tank's tracks and road wheels, and the tank came to a stop at an angle. The crew, covered in blood, tried to climb out of the hatch.

"Sappers! Clear mines and clear the way! Tank fire suppression!"

Wu Wanli's heart was bleeding, but his orders remained firm and resolute.

Braving a hail of bullets, the engineers of the guard battalion used the tank hulls as cover and carefully searched ahead with captured mine detectors.

Tank guns and machine guns relentlessly suppressed the American fortifications, preventing them from firing on the engineers.

Just then, several extremely heavy muffled sounds suddenly came from the direction of the top of Paotai Mountain.

It wasn't artillery fire; it sounded more like the groans of a massive metal structure being forcibly rotated.

Wu Wanli immediately adjusted the view of the Sky Eye map, and soon saw that the muzzles of the American artillery on the mountaintop were pointed directly at their offensive front!

"Scatter! All vehicles, move out of the way!"

Wu Wanli instantly understood the American military's intention: they wanted to open fire before the two sides were completely locked in combat!
"It's too late! Charge into the blind spot of the fortifications at the foot of the mountain!"

Wu Wanli shouted over the radio to all the tank commanders.

Only by rushing to the foot of the mountain and clinging to the cliff face can one avoid the terrifying direct fire of the artillery barrage!
The final charge has begun!

The engines of the tank group of the 7th Steel Brigade roared to their limits, completely abandoning any evasive maneuvers, and charged straight toward the core of the defense line at the foot of the mountain.

Da da da da da—!
All the light and heavy weapons on the US positions were firing at full power, and bullets lashed the tank armor like a storm of steel.

Tanks were constantly being hit by large-caliber bullets, their tracks breaking, or being hit by rockets and catching fire.

A tank charged too fast, and its front wheels got stuck in an anti-tank ditch concealed by the US military. The vehicle became stuck and instantly became a sitting duck. It was hit by several rockets and exploded with a bang.

"Cover the commander!"

With bloodshot eyes, the prehistoric warrior led the remaining hundred or so guards in a desperate counterattack.

They used their bodies as a shield, drawing American fire with concentrated firepower.

Soldiers kept falling, hit by bullets, but their charge bought the tanks a crucial few seconds!
"Boom!"

Another muffled thud came from the mountaintop, but it was much quieter than expected, and its direction seemed to be slightly off.

Tank No. 1, relying on its superior mobility and the driver's superb driving skills, crushed the last row of barbed wire like a steel behemoth.

It crashed through the sandbag fortifications built against the giant rocks, and the massive vehicle slammed against the cold mountain rocks!

"arrive!"

Liu Hanqing's voice was hoarse, as if he had survived a disaster.

Wu Wanli abruptly pushed open the helm, and a biting cold wind mixed with the strong smell of gunpowder and blood rushed towards him.

The cold rock walls of Paotai Mountain are within reach, their rough textures and frost almost touching.

A huge shadow fell, placing them in the blind spot of the hilltop artillery.

"Tanks! Seize firing positions! Infantry! Clear out the remaining enemy! Establish a defensive line!"

Wu Wanli jumped out of the tank and stepped onto the ground, which was piled with rubble and American corpses.

He rested the cold butt of his Thompson submachine gun against his shoulder and unleashed a barrage of fire at an American firing position still spitting fire from a concave corner of the rock face.

The bullets struck the rocks, sending up a shower of sparks.

The following tanks charged forward, brutally squeezing their vehicles into the depressions in the mountainside rock face, or directly crushing the American sandbag fortifications, using their vehicles to build an iron wall.

The machine gun on the tank turret was firing wildly at all moving targets within its field of vision.

The main force of the fire support detachment and assault detachment led by Gao Daxing and Pinghe surged up like a flood breaking through a dam.

Large numbers of Chinese People's Volunteer Army soldiers shouted as they charged into the narrow attack assembly area.

Some of them quickly established a circular defensive line using tanks and rocks.

Another group, under Yu Congrong's personal command, charged with bayonets and launched a final sweep of the fortifications built on natural caves and man-made rock formations along the steep slopes of the mountain.

Intense gunfire, explosions, and sounds of fighting echoed across the steep hillside.

The remnants of the last two battalions of the U.S. 23rd Regiment, taking advantage of the terrain and high ground, put up a desperate and fierce resistance using every crevice and crevice in the rocks.

Grenades rained down from above, and submachine gun and rifle bullets ricocheted among the rocks.

"Charge! Leave no one alive in the caves!"

Yu Congrong, a burly man, charged ahead, his submachine gun spitting out short bursts of fire, sending an American soldier who was peeking out from a crevice in the rock flying backwards.

Behind him, swarms of soldiers climbed upwards like ants, clearing out the stubborn stronghold with explosive charges and demolition tubes.

Explosions echoed one after another, and debris and dust filled the air.

The American troops' will to resist finally collapsed under the overwhelming force of their superior numbers and the pressure of being attacked from both sides.

Some stragglers began to abandon their weapons and scream as they retreated up the hidden passage leading to the hilltop fortress.

The once relatively orderly defense line collapsed instantly.

Wu Wanli leaned against the cold rock, panting heavily. The smell of gunpowder and blood mixed with the cold air as he inhaled it, causing waves of burning pain.

He wiped the soot and sweat from his face and glanced across the battlefield.

At the foot of the mountain, the wreckage of tanks was still burning, and the remains of Chinese People's Volunteer Army soldiers who had sacrificed their lives were scattered along the route of attack.

But more gray figures are reinforcing the defense line torn apart by blood, and more troops are pouring in.

From the direction of the hilltop fortress, a few muffled explosions could be heard sporadically, as Lei Gong's artillery continued to suppress the enemy.

Through the thinning smoke, Wu Wanli looked southeast at the sea area reddened by cannon fire.

I could vaguely hear the muffled and distant sound of cannon fire coming from there.

"We can't waste too much time..."

Let Pinghe and the reconnaissance team stay behind to continue the mopping-up operation!

Thunder God, lock onto the mountaintop fortifications and bombard them relentlessly! Cover the entire area except for the coastal defense artillery zone!
The tank group continued to lead the assault, with the main force of the Seventh Steel Brigade following behind!

Take the hilltop of the fort! Control the coastal artillery!

"I'm going to use their cannons to send the American Seventh Fleet to sea to feed the fish!"

Listening to the chaotic gunfire, Wu Wanli shook his head and returned to the commander's seat of Tank No. 1, loudly issuing orders over the radio.

"Yes, sir! You idiots, smash it hard!"

Lei Gong on the other end of the radio waved his command flag again and roared loudly.

Before long, the familiar roar of artillery fire could be heard in the distance.

The dense barrage of shells, like heavy hammers, began to rhythmically pound the last stretch of slope and open ground leading to the mountaintop fortress complex.

"All tanks! Target: the hilltop fortress complex! Alternate cover! Advance!" Wu Wanli immediately ordered upon seeing the situation.

The engine of Tank Number One roared furiously, its tracks kicking up gravel and frozen soil, and it was the first to burst out from behind the rocks.

It surged upwards along the slope, which had been repeatedly plowed by artillery fire and was riddled with huge craters and burning debris.

The remaining tanks followed closely behind, forming a loose wedge formation, with their main guns and coaxial machine guns firing continuously, unleashing suppressive firepower.

The barrage of bullets landed just a few dozen meters ahead, and the shockwave from the explosions, carrying dirt and debris, pounded against the tank's armor.

The enormous tremors traveled along the steel frame, and each explosion made the hearts of the people inside the vehicle sink.

"Keep up the pace! Stay close to the edge of the barrage!"

Wu Wanli stared intently at the billowing smoke and bursting flames ahead, and shouted into the radio.

He saw the direction of the mountaintop fortress complex through the Sky Eye map, where a large number of American troops were moving and converging.

Some of the large cannons that were originally pointing towards the port area seem to be struggling to adjust their angles!

"Attention! The enemy may be adjusting the horizontal firing of their coastal defense artillery!"

Wu Wanli's warning was instantly transmitted to all the train commanders' earpieces via radio.

Before the words were finished, several muffled, heart-stopping metallic scraping sounds came from the direction of the mountaintop!
That was a sound far exceeding the closing of the breechblock of field artillery, like a giant beast roaring in the abyss!

Immediately afterwards——

"Whoosh—whoosh—whoosh—"

Several sharp, terrifying whistles, so sharp they could pierce eardrums, tore through the air, like the scythe of death!

"avoid!"

Wu Wanli's roar exploded on the radio!
The T-34 tank on the far flank reacted a little slower, and its driver swerved sharply.

But it's too late!

A huge black shadow, visible to the naked eye and accompanied by a scorching heat wave, crashed into the ground just a few meters in front of it!

Boom——! ! !
Crashed!

The ground arched and cracked like waves!
A massive crater, more than ten meters in diameter, was formed instantly!

The T-34, weighing over 30 tons, was lifted several meters high by the violent shockwave, twisted and deformed in the air, and then crashed heavily onto a pile of rocks.

The steel frame cracked, and thick smoke and flames instantly gushed out from the shattered vehicle, leaving the occupants no time to even scream.

Another large-caliber shell struck more than 20 meters to the left rear of Tank No. 1. Although it did not hit directly, the shock wave generated by the explosion was like an invisible hammer, slamming hard into the side of Tank No. 1!
The entire tank tilted sharply to the right, its tracks lifting off the ground in an instant, almost causing it to overturn!
The driver gripped the control lever tightly, floored the accelerator with his right foot, and, relying on the powerful engine and instantaneous control, managed to pull the heavy vehicle back from the brink of tipping over!
The tracks slammed back onto the ground, kicking up a cloud of mud.

The passengers inside the car were shaken so badly that they felt as if their internal organs had shifted.

It's a coastal defense gun!

The U.S. military actually took the risk of laying down some of the giant cannons used to blockade the sea, and using them to fire directly at the charging tank formations!

"Damn it! It's their coastal defense gun! At least eight inches or even larger!"

Liu Hanqing's forehead slammed against the edge of the periscope, blood streaming down his face. He spat out the mud and blood from his mouth and cursed in a hoarse voice.

"All tanks! Weaving! Accelerate! Charge across this open area!"

Wu Wanli wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, his eyes revealing a fierce glint.

The coastal defense guns rotate and load extremely slowly; this is their only chance!
We must rush closer to the fortress complex or find a new blind spot before the next round of shelling arrives!
The surviving Chinese tanks, like frightened steel behemoths, began to frantically charge left and right at the edge of the ever-falling barrage of friendly fire, their tracks slipping and spinning in the mud and gravel, kicking up large plumes of mud.

The vehicle-mounted machine guns fired wildly at any suspicious rock crevices and openings in the mountainside on both sides, suppressing any possible anti-tank firing positions.

In the rocks and tunnels on both sides of the hillside, the remaining soldiers of the U.S. 23rd Regiment launched a desperate counterattack.

Using the familiar terrain, they fired sniper shots from the crevices in the rocks, threw grenades, and even attempted to launch an assault while carrying explosives and bazookas.

"Yu Congrong! Firepower Brigade! Blow up all those rat holes! Leave no one alive!"

Wu Wanli roared into the walkie-talkie.

"give it to me!"

Yu Congrong's voice was like a thunderclap.

He personally led the demolition team, braving flying bullets, leaping and darting among the rocks on the hillside like an agile monkey.

Detonators and explosive charges were stuffed into the crevices of the caves suppressed by machine gun fire.

"Boom!" "Boom!" "Boom!"

Dull, violent explosions echoed one after another, rocks crumbled, and thick smoke billowed from every opening, accompanied by the dying screams of American soldiers.

The flamethrower's blazing fire roared as it poured into the low tunnel entrance, immediately eliciting inhuman screams and the stench of charred flesh.

"Guards Battalion! Follow the tanks! Protect the flanks!"

Prehistoric warriors, covered in blood, relentlessly pursued American skirmishers attempting to approach the tanks with submachine guns and bayonets.

The rapid fire of the Thompson submachine gun and the crisp bursts of the Garand rifle clashed fiercely on the steep hillside, with figures screaming as they tumbled down the slope.

With the help of the infantry's desperate cover and their own frantic maneuverability, the tank group of the 7th Steel Brigade finally broke through the open area and slope that had been heavily targeted by the coastal artillery.

At this moment, they had approached to within 200 meters of the core fortifications of the mountaintop fortress complex!
The terrain here is more rugged, with huge natural rocks and fortifications reinforced with steel and concrete by the US military interspersed, which ironically creates some relatively safe hiding spots.

The massive coastal defense batteries are limited by blind spots in their firing range and are temporarily unable to attack this area.

But the resistance from the US military reached an unprecedented level.

Below the fortified area, relying on thick concrete bunkers, permanent machine gun nests, and crisscrossing trenches, the remnants of the US 23rd Regiment, and even some artillery infantry reinforcements from the rear, formed a dense network of fire.

Light and heavy machine gun bullets, mortar shells, and bazooka rockets rained down like water.

"Stop the vehicle! Establish firing positions! Prepare for a full assault!"

Upon seeing this, Wu Wanli decisively gave the order.

The tank formation dispersed behind rocks and dilapidated fortifications, its long, thick cannons pointing at the firing ports and machine gun nests that were constantly spitting fire.

"Tum! Tum! Tum!"

"Boom! Boom!"

The roar of tank cannons once again became the main theme of the battlefield.

The high-explosive shells were precisely driven into the exposed firing port of the American fortifications, blowing the machine gun inside and the gunner to pieces.

The coaxial machine guns relentlessly suppressed the American troops peeking out from the edge of the trench.

"Assault team! Follow me!"

Gao Daxing's burly figure leaped out from behind a boulder, his Thomson sword spitting fire.

He was the first to rush towards the last trench leading to the core area of ​​the fortress complex.

Behind him, a large number of Chinese People's Volunteer Army soldiers wearing helmets and carrying various weapons roared and launched a desperate charge into the midst of a hail of bullets.

The bullets struck the rocks, sending up a shower of sparks.

The grenade traced a deadly arc in the air before exploding amidst the crowds on both sides.

Soldiers kept falling after being shot, but those behind them stepped over their comrades' bodies without hesitation and continued to charge upwards.

Thompson's bursts of fire, Browning machine gun fire, Springfield sniper rifle's crisp bursts, grenade explosions, the muffled thud of a bayonet piercing a body, dying curses and screams...

At this moment, the close-quarters strangulation instantly entered its most brutal phase.

Wu Wanli pushed open the hatch and leaned half his body out of the turret.

The biting cold wind and the strong smell of gunpowder invigorated him, and at the same time, he took in the panoramic view of the battlefield.

At the foot of the mountain, Lei Gong's artillery continued to bombard the American fortifications.

On the hillside, tanks, infantry, and American troops fought repeatedly for every rock and every trench.

At the mountaintop, the massive reinforced concrete fortress, like a ferocious beast, silently overlooked the bloody battle below.

He could "see" inside the fortress, which meant that the US military was frantically rushing to several core areas, especially behind the gun emplacements of those huge coastal defense guns!

A strong sense of foreboding gripped him—the American army was going to destroy the artillery!

"Radio! Calling Thunder God! Cease bombardment of the main fortress complex!"

Turn the artillery fire to the backup passages and possible escape routes behind the fortifications! Block them!
Command Shi Qian and Yu Congrong! Regardless of the cost! The frontal defenses must be breached within five minutes!

Didn't Pinghe just finish clearing out the area below?
"Have him take your reconnaissance team and find another route! Sneaky up there! Stop them from detonating the bombs!"

Wu Wanli picked up the walkie-talkie handed to him by a communications officer and shouted loudly.

The command was transmitted instantly, like an electric current.

The intense artillery fire from the rear began to shift noticeably, striking the flanks and rear of the fortress complex.

After suffering even heavier casualties than before, several elite detachments of the Chinese People's Volunteer Army infantry, which were launching a frontal assault, finally managed to break through successfully!
Under Gao Daxing's personal leadership, they used cluster grenades and explosive charges to blow up a permanent machine gun bunker on the outermost edge of the fortress complex and stormed into the first ring trench!
The brutal close combat unfolded in narrow passages and inside bunkers.

"Captain! To the east! There's a crack in the cliff! There are signs of climbing! It might be a path!"

Pinghe's voice rang out over the radio, filled with excitement and urgency at the discovery of his prey.

Wu Wanli's eyes flashed like lightning, instantly locking onto the steep, almost vertical rock face on the east side of the fortress complex on the "Sky Eye Map".

A very well hidden crevice, almost completely covered by rocks and vines, appears on the map, leading directly to the rear of the fortress complex!
Pinghe's reconnaissance squad is already close to there!
"Alright! Pinghe! Take your men and go!"
The target is the coastal defense artillery control room and ammunition depot!

Stop the explosion at all costs!
"Guards, follow me!"

Wu Wanli made a quick decision, grabbed a Thompson submachine gun from the turret, and rushed out.

"Wanli! It's too dangerous, don't go!"

Upon hearing this, Liu Hanqing shouted anxiously.

"Hanqing, execute the order! Provide fire support to the east flank!"
"Prehistoric times, bring your guard battalion and charge with me!"

Without turning his head, Wu Wanli rushed to Shi Qian's side while shouting.

Shi Qian wiped the blood off his face, and without saying a word, led the nearly one hundred of his most elite guards and followed closely behind Wu Wanli.

They broke away from the chaotic battlefield like arrows released from a bow, and lunged diagonally towards the almost vertical cliff to the east.

Below the cliff, the reconnaissance scouts from Pinghe had already begun climbing upwards using ropes and makeshift grappling hooks.

The faint sounds of panicked shouts and gunfire from the American troops could be heard above; bullets struck the rocks, and gravel fell in a shower.

"Machine gun! Suppress the upper entrance!"

Wu Wanli shouted as he ran.

The accompanying guards immediately set up two captured American-made Browning heavy machine guns and began firing wildly at the rock crevices above the cliff where faint flashes of fire could be seen.

"Da da da da da..."

"Ding ding ding ding ding..."

In an instant, spent cartridge cases poured onto the ground like a waterfall.

With the cover of fire, the climbing speed increased.

Wu Wanli slung his submachine gun behind his back, grabbed a hanging rope, and climbed upwards with astonishing agility, using both his hands and feet.

The cold rock face rubbed against my palms, bullets whizzed past me, sparks flying as they hit the rocks.

He had only one thought in his mind: Faster! Faster!
As he finally climbed to the top of the cliff, to a narrow platform with obvious signs of human excavation, intense gunfire and explosions came from a dimly lit tunnel ahead.

At the entrance to the tunnel, there were two dead American soldiers, clearly sentries taken down by the Pinghe Squad.

Pinghe!

Wu Wanli rushed into the tunnel, and the strong smell of gunpowder and blood hit him.

"Commander-in-Chief! Over here!"

Pinghe's voice came from deep within the tunnel, accompanied by heavy breathing and the echo of metal clashing.

Wu Wanli led the guards and soldiers in a fierce charge along the tunnel.

The tunnel is narrow and winding, with rough rock walls on both sides and dim, swaying explosion-proof lights hanging from the ceiling.

Scattered on the ground were spent shell casings, damaged equipment, and the bodies of several soldiers from both sides. Intense gunfire erupted around the corner ahead.

After rounding the corner, a slightly larger tunnel node came into view.

Pinghe and several reconnaissance soldiers were using several rock protrusions and sandbag bunkers as cover to engage in a fierce firefight with seven or eight American soldiers in fortifications on either side of a heavy steel blast door ahead.

The American troops, taking advantage of the terrain, blocked the narrow passage with a light machine gun. Bullets struck the bunkers, sparks flying, and the Pinghe men were pinned down and unable to raise their heads.

"Grenades! Clear the way!"

Wu Wanli let out a low growl, pulled an American-made grenade from his waist, removed the safety pin, paused steadily in his hand for a second, and then threw it out with a bang!

The grenade traced a precise arc, flew over the cover, and landed in mid-air, at head level with the light machine gunner.

"God……"

The terrified screams of the American soldiers had just begun.

boom!
In an instant, the shockwave and shrapnel from the airburst engulfed the machine gun crew.

Clearly, Wu Wanli had not neglected his airburst skills, which had proven highly effective in the Battle of Chosin Reservoir.

"rush!"

Wu Wanli was the first to leap out of the cover, his Thompson submachine gun spitting fire as he shot down two American soldiers who were just trying to peek out.

Shi Qianpinghe and others followed closely behind, pouncing on the heavy blast door like tigers.

Above the door, a large English sign and arrow were painted in white:

“Battery Control”

(Gun position control)
“Magazine”

(Ammunition depot)!
The direction is precisely the core area of ​​the coastal defense artillery!

The door was tightly closed, and the heavy metal door panel was covered with bullet holes.

There appeared to be signs of prying at the hinge, but it was clearly unsuccessful.

"Explosives! Directional blasting!"

Wu Wanli immediately gave the order.

The engineers from the guard battalion quickly stepped forward and attached two pieces of plastic explosive with magnetic bases to the hinges of the heavy door.

"hidden!"

Boom——! !

A muffled, deafening roar exploded inside the tunnel, and the shockwave, carrying thick smoke and metal fragments, expanded violently!

The heavy steel door emitted a teeth-grinding, twisting sound as it collapsed and deformed inward.

Before the smoke of battle had even cleared, Wu Wanli was the first to brave the scorching heat and rush inside!
Behind the door is a relatively open space, like a connecting hub.

Under the glaring lights, the scene was shocking!
A dozen or so U.S. soldiers are going through a final frenzy.

Some of the men, using sandbags and overturned tables and chairs as cover, fired wildly with carbines and submachine guns in the direction Wu Wanli and his men were charging in.

Another group of about five or six people were clearly technical or engineering soldiers, who were frantically connecting bundles of explosives and thick fuses to several thick cables that extended from the ground!
Those cables were clearly leading to the power supply or firing mechanism of the coastal defense guns!
Further away, through a huge, open, airtight steel door, the massive outline of a cannon's breech can be seen!

That's the main gun position for the coastal defense artillery!

"Stop them! Detonate the cannons!"

When the American commander saw the gate blown open, Chinese soldiers rushed in like divine warriors, shouting at the engineers who were connecting the explosives.

At the same time, he raised his pistol and fired continuously in Wu Wanli's direction.

Bullets whizzed past Wu Wanli's ears.

He rolled behind a large electrical distribution cabinet, and his Thompson submachine gun opened fire on the American troops behind the cover, suppressing their firepower.

The soldiers from Prehistoric, Pinghe, and the Guard Battalion charged towards the American soldiers like tigers descending a mountain, roaring as they did so.

The rapid-fire of Chinese People's Volunteer Army submachine guns and machine guns instantly drowned out the American M1 carbines and Garands, revealing their overwhelming advantage in close-range firepower.

American soldiers continued to be shot and fall to the ground.

But the sappers who were connecting the explosives had clearly received a death order!

Despite the bullets flying around them and their fallen comrades, they continued their mission.

A leading technical sergeant was turning a red and black detonator knob to the "ARM" position with trembling hands, while his other hand reached out to the bright red detonation button!
His face was contorted with fear and despair, and he was muttering something frantically.

That's too late!

Wu Wanli's pupils contracted sharply. He instantly threw away the Thompson submachine gun that had missed its target and, while his body was still rolling to dodge, drew the Garand rifle!

With the permanent super-agility bonus, his movements were so fast that he was just a blur!
Wu Wanli didn't even have time to fully aim his gun; relying entirely on the feel for the gun honed through countless life-and-death battles, he suddenly pulled the trigger!

"boom!!!"

The distinctive, crisp, and powerful sound of the Garand rifle was exceptionally clear amidst the noise of the battlefield!
The bullet flew out of the chamber!

Time seemed to freeze at that moment.

All that remained in Wu Wanli's eyes was the spinning warhead that flew out, piercing through the billowing smoke, and striking the right wrist of the American technical sergeant who was gripping the detonator!
puff!

The bullet's immense kinetic energy instantly snapped that wrist!

Flesh and bone fragments exploded!

The black detonator, along with the severed hand, was sent flying by the force of the bullet!

"what--!!!"

The American sergeant let out a bloodcurdling scream, collapsing to the ground clutching his severed wrist that was gushing blood.

That fatal red button, in the end, was never pressed!
"kill!!!"

Prehistoric Peace River and others roared like thunder, taking advantage of the momentary daze and confusion of the American troops, and overwhelmed the remaining resistance fighters like a tidal wave.

A fierce, hand-to-hand combat erupted again in the confined space, but the outcome was no longer in doubt.

With their hopes of destroying the artillery gone, the American resistance crumbled instantly, and the remaining soldiers were either killed or surrendered in despair.

Wu Wanli then stood up from behind the power distribution cabinet, breathing heavily.

He walked over to the American sergeant with the severed wrist, bent down, and picked up the blood-stained detonator.

That bright red button was just millimeters away from being pressed.

Cold sweat finally began to seep from Wu Wanli's forehead.

"Commander! Coastal artillery control room! Taken!"

Pinghe's face was covered in gunpowder smoke, and his arm was slashed by a bullet, but his eyes were bright as he pointed at the huge, open, airtight door and roared.

Wu Wanli took a deep breath, suppressing his churning blood and the slight numbness in his arm after firing the gun, and strode towards the door.

Prehistoric followed closely behind with several warriors, cautiously scanning their surroundings.

Rushing into the enormous gun control room, the sight before me was breathtaking.

The entire space is enormous, as if it were built by hollowing out a mountain.

The dome is supported by thick reinforced concrete.

Right in the center, the breech of an unimaginably massive cannon dominated the field of vision.

The robust recoil cylinder, the complex hydraulic recoil mechanism, the enormous breechblock... all exude destructive power.

The cannon barrel extends into the huge opening in front of the muzzle, pointing out at the gray sky and the sea filled with the sound of gunfire.

The control room was a complete mess.

The control panel was riddled with bullet holes, the instruments were shattered, the wires and pipes were broken, and dangerous sparks were flashing.

More than a dozen U.S. Army technicians and gunners either fell in pools of blood or knelt on the ground, trembling with fear, their hands covering their heads.

Clearly, by the time Wu Wanli and his team stormed into the hub area, the battle inside the control room had already ended, or the enemies inside had been eliminated.

"Immediately inspect the artillery positions! Clear away any remaining debris! Control all passageways!"

Wu Wanli gave the order in a stern voice.

The guards quickly dispersed and took control of key positions.

He strode to the huge control panel.

The countertop was large and covered with various knobs, gauges, knife switches, and communication equipment.

Most of them are damaged, but some key mechanical levers appear to be intact.

His gaze swept across the area, finally settling on a large manual steering wheel embedded in a steel panel.

There are clear angle markings and indicators next to the wheel.

"Target! Southeast! Direction to the US Seventh Fleet anchorage! Maximum elevation angle!"
"You all move to a general position first, so you can fire quickly when Lei Gong's artillery arrives!"

Wu Wanli clenched his fists anxiously and gave a loud order.

At that moment, his gaze seemed to pierce through the thick mountains and see the sea in the southeast, where cannons roared, and the newly formed Chinese naval fleet that was fighting a bloody battle and desperately needed support.

"Yes!"

The guards rushed forward immediately, grabbed the cold steel wheel with their own hands, and began to spin it with all their might!
"Crunch—crunch—crunch—"

For a moment, the heavy sound of metal scraping echoed throughout the control room.

The massive coastal defense gun barrel is being manually cranked inside, adjusting its direction bit by bit!

This also means that the countdown to the annihilation of the U.S. Seventh Fleet has officially begun!
(End of this chapter)