Changjin Lake: From Xinxingli to Seoul

Chapter 359 Annihilating the US 2nd Division, Clearing the Threat from Behind for Li Yunlong's Assault Group!

As the US Navy's flagship, the USS Intrepid, raised the white flag to accept the prisoners, the massive main gun barrels of the Chinese battleships slowly drooped, and the smoke of gunpowder drifted in the salty sea breeze.

On the bridge, Xiao Zhenhua held up his binoculars and fixed his gaze on the distant USS Intrepid aircraft carrier on the sea.

The once invincible Stars and Stripes was being frantically lowered by several figures.

A glaring white flag was struggling to rise on the mainmast, each tremor heavy as a hammer, striking the hearts of every Chinese naval officer and soldier who witnessed it.

"They've lowered the flag! They've lowered it!"

The lookout's piercing scream, cracking with each breath, instantly broke the brief, suffocating silence on the warship.

boom--!
A roar more powerful than any previous salvo from the main guns suddenly erupted from the deck of the Wanli and from the surrounding destroyers and frigates!

That wasn't the sound of cannons; it was the ecstasy and pride that had been building up to its peak, the burst of blood and sweat from countless days and nights of preparation for battle!
Chinese naval soldiers, like tigers freed from their chains, surged out of their gun positions, from the command tower, and from every narrow hatch.

Waving their caps, they shouted excitedly, "We've won! The U.S. Seventh Fleet is finished!"

"The Intrepid! That's the Intrepid! We've captured an American aircraft carrier!"

"Long live the Chinese Navy! Long live the new China!"

The hoarse roars merged into a raging torrent, engulfing the entire fleet.

Several engine room crew members, their faces covered in grease, rushed onto the deck. Gazing at the rising white flag, they suddenly embraced each other, their shoulders heaving violently, and hot tears streaming down their faces.

"Pretty!"

Xiao Zhenhua slowly lowered the binoculars, then slammed his fist into the thick bulletproof glass of the porthole, producing a dull, powerful sound.

Meanwhile, the high-altitude aerial battlefield has also come to a close.

Wang Wei piloted his Wanli-1 fighter jet, riddled with bullet holes, and flew at a dangerous angle, almost stalling, low over the massive hull of the USS Dreadnought.

He could clearly see the American sailors scurrying about on the deck like ants on a hot plate, and the shameful white flag fluttering in the wind.

Inside the Wanli-1 fighter jet
"Attention all!
The USS Dauntless has raised the white flag! The flagship of the Seventh Fleet surrenders!

Repeat! The Seventh Fleet flagship surrenders!
Mission accomplished! Return to base!

Wang Wei spoke excitedly into the radio.

The radio channel was silent for a fraction of a second, as if all sound had been sucked away by the earth-shattering news.

The next second, earth-shattering cheers and screams exploded violently in every pilot's headset, almost bursting their eardrums!

"Good job!"

"We've returned to base! A victorious return!"

"Long live!"

One after another, Chinese fighter jets soared into the sky, as if their heaviest shackles had been removed.

These Chinese pilots swung the control sticks, and their fighter jets performed a variety of somewhat clumsy but exhilarating maneuvers in the air.

The wingmen, so close to each other, could see each other's waving arms and wide smiles in their cockpits.

This vast sky has now become a stage for the victors to express their gratitude and shout their joy.

Wang Wei took one last deep look at the white sign below that symbolized humiliation and surrender, and then abruptly pulled the control lever.

The next second, the Wanli-1 fighter jet raised its nose and sped off towards the direction of Paotai Mountain, facing the thousands of golden rays of light that were about to burst forth from the east.

At the main peak of Paotai Mountain, beside the massive steel base of the coastal defense gun.

Through Wu Wanli's binoculars, the chaos on the deck of the Intrepid aircraft carrier and every flutter of the white flag were crystal clear.

“It’s done! It’s done!

The US Seventh Fleet was completely annihilated; their flagship aircraft carrier surrendered!

Wu Wanli abruptly put down his binoculars and shouted excitedly.

"Roar--!"

"Long live!"

This shout ignited the silence that had gripped the summit of Fort Hill!

The officers and soldiers of the Seventh Steel Brigade erupted like a long-suppressed volcano.

The soldiers of the Seventh Steel Brigade roared towards the sea, towards the sky, and towards the mountainside beneath their feet, soaked in their blood:

"Well done! Long live the Navy!"

"Yankees, get back into the sea!"

"Victory! We have won!"

Ecstasy, like a tangible sonic wave, rolled and surged atop the fortress, dispersing the lingering smoke and soaring straight into the sky.

Just as the wave of victory swept across the mountaintop at its peak, a small, thin figure rushed to Wu Wanli's side.

"Report! Report to Commander Wu!"
Urgent report from the New Eighth Army and the Ninth Army of Korea!

The main force of the US 2nd Division and the remnants of the ROK 6th Division broke out of Jiangling City and have now entered the Jiangling Port area!

They used tanks to lead the way and charged too fiercely. Commander Lin Zhengshun's North Korean Army suffered heavy casualties, and the position was torn apart!
The Eighth Army Commander Gao Daxing's forces were also thrown into disarray by the combined firepower of the US and South Korean forces, and were unable to plug the gap in time!
More than 15,000 troops from the US 2nd Division and the ROK 6th Division are rushing towards Paotaishan at full speed!
"We're about ten minutes away from...to the outer defensive line at the foot of the mountain!"

A communications officer from the Seventh Steel Corps reported loudly.

"Good! Well done!"

If they had attacked before we had taken over the coastal defense artillery or even defeated the Seventh Fleet, the tide of the battle might have turned.

But now the Seventh Fleet has been completely annihilated, and if they come again, they will only be throwing their lives away!

Since they're willing to come out and die, then I'll take them all and eat them all!
Relay my orders!

First! Urgent telegram to Quan Douguang of the New Eighth Army and Lin Zhengshun of the Ninth Army!

Tell them, it's time to risk your lives!
Now that the remnants of the US 2nd Division and the ROK 6th Division have broken out of their shells, we must not let them retreat back in!
Have them immediately construct a double encirclement behind the enemy!
The outer layer utilizes the existing terrain to construct a solid defensive line, while the inner layer is equipped with mobile forces in stages!

The breach must be sealed off at all costs!

If an enemy escapes, I will hold them accountable!

Tell them we have a big feast prepared for these bastards!

Second, an urgent telegram was sent to Navy Chief Xiao and Captain Wang Wei!

All naval guns capable of turning should be aimed at the coordinates of the outer perimeter of the fortified positions, especially the pre-defined coverage areas to the north and west!

All available bombers and fighters in the air force were deployed to bomb the enemy forces approaching Paotaishan!
Lei Gong, your artillery detachment, immediately switch firing parameters and lock onto this American and South Korean force that has come to our doorstep!

Give me a full-scale saturation bombardment!
I'm going to give them a 'welcome and cleanse' with a steel storm!
Third, the entire combat force of the Seventh Steel Brigade immediately moved into the pre-set defensive positions on the mountainside and at the foot of Paotai Mountain in squads and platoons!
Taking advantage of the terrain, they established defenses at multiple levels and fought back step by step!

Using our superior position, we must use mortars, light and heavy machine guns, and anti-tank weapons to hold off the enemy's initial charge!

Deplete them!
Keep them firmly pinned down at the foot of the mountain, giving our artillery fire target designation!
Listen carefully, what's coming in now isn't the enemy, it's a gift delivered to our door!

It was a golden opportunity to annihilate the US 2nd Division and the ROK 6th Division, to completely end the Battle of Gangneung, and without incurring any additional heavy casualties!

Everyone, be on your best!
"Taking down the Seventh Fleet isn't enough; only by annihilating the entire US Second Infantry Division can we best ensure the safety of Commander Li Yunlong and his men's rear!"

Wu Wanli's eyes lit up, and he immediately gave the order.

This sudden enemy situation was no longer a crisis in his eyes, but rather a piece of meat that his opponent had willingly offered up in a brilliant game that was about to end!
In order to complete this final and most glorious encirclement and annihilation, he needed to turn Paotai Mountain into a giant anvil, and the artillery fire from the sea, land and air would be the heaviest hammer!
"Yes, sir! We will complete the mission without hesitation!"

Liu Hanqing, Lei Gong, Shi Qian and other core officers responded in unison.

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

Wu Wanli's orders were quickly transmitted to all departments via radio waves.

Before long, a deep and fierce engine roar came from the northeastern horizon.

“Buzz buzz buzz buzz——”

The massive mixed formation of the Chinese Air Force suddenly descended, its dive accompanied by the distinctive whistling sound of a dive, heading straight for the vanguard column of the US 2nd Division, which was being led by Division Commander Kaiser and surging towards Paotaishan.

A dive! Almost vertical!
The dark bombs mounted under the wings of the Chinese fighter jet detached from their pylons and fell with the weight of death.

A series of deafening explosions rang out, and flames instantly engulfed the first few trucks and jeeps in the marching column.

Steel fragments, dirt, and human remains were thrown into the air and then violently slammed back down by the shockwave.

The gasoline drums exploded, sending billowing smoke and fireballs dozens of meters high, cutting the entire marching column in half.

American soldiers screamed and rolled into roadside craters or ditches, like ants being doused with boiling water.

A Chinese fighter jet deftly pulled up, its nose-mounted cannon and the rocket pods under its wings simultaneously spitting fire.

A death corridor paved with explosions and blood was instantly ripped open in the American infantry formation, and screams were drowned out by the continuous explosions.

"Report, coordinates confirmed!"

The enemy's main force is advancing along the east side of the "Bloody" highway, and the vanguard has already passed marker point number three!
Repeat, coordinates…

Before long, Wang Wei's calm report echoed clearly through the radio in the artillery command post and on the bridge of the Wanli aircraft carrier.

The coordinate information, like a precise navigation beacon, instantly activated the lurking behemoth between the sea and the sky.

Outside Jiangling Port, the massive silhouette of the main Chinese naval fleet suddenly jolted.

The three triple-mounted 406mm main gun turrets of the battleship "Dongfanghong" roared, shaking the sea and sky.

The massive muzzle storm violently pushed the seawater around the ship aside, creating a brief white ring.

The armor-piercing high-explosive projectile, weighing over a ton, tore through the air, carrying a deathly shriek, and crashed down over a distance of more than twenty kilometers.

Immediately afterwards, all the warships opened fire with their guns at full power!

A steel storm covered the area designated by Wang Wei, and each salvo of naval gunfire felt like divine punishment.

Huge craters piled up one after another, and shockwaves violently tore everything off the ground.

A U.S. medium tank attempting to turn was directly hit by a 406mm shell. The turret was instantly ripped dozens of meters away, and the twisted chassis burst into flames.

The US-ROK joint forces infantry in the assembly area fell like straw in a hurricane, their limbs flying everywhere under the irresistible destructive force.

On the main peak of Paotai Mountain, Lei Gong had already directed the artillery detachment to complete the parameter setting and firepower calculation.

Upon hearing the coordinates reported from the air and the first roar of the naval cannons, his face, already scarred by gunpowder, suddenly hardened with murderous intent, and his hoarse voice exploded through the loudspeaker:

"The whole team—fire rapidly!"

Cover the target area! Fire!

"Press those bastards down and kill them in the mud!"

The artillery groups of the 7th Steel Corps simultaneously spewed fire, the shells tracing different arcs, like dense hailstones pelting the position of the US 2nd Division and the 6th Division of Han.

The cannon barrel throbbed violently with continuous roaring, and the scalding hot shell casings clattered and piled up beside the gun emplacement.

The shells landed in a dense, overlapping pattern, and the plumes of smoke from the explosions rose and fell, forming a thick wall of smoke that completely enveloped the vanguard and part of the follow-up troops of the US 2nd Division.

Shrapnel, shockwaves, and scorching air currents relentlessly claimed lives, the dust mixed with the smell of gunpowder and blood, heavy enough to suffocate anyone.

Major General Kaiser hastily crawled out of the jeep riddled with shrapnel, his military cap askew, his face splattered with mud and the blood of his subordinates.

He lay prone on the edge of a shallow trench that had been reduced to half its original size by naval gunfire, staring wide-eyed in disbelief at the death zone completely covered by triple firepower.

The frequency of the explosions was so dense it was almost despairing, and the terrifying power was enough to tear the earth apart and shatter internal organs—something that temporary fire support could never achieve!
A terrible, chilling thought gnawed at his heart like a venomous snake!

Only when the Chinese navy and air force are free from air and sea threats can they unleash all their firepower on this land force!

"The Seventh Fleet... the Seventh Fleet is finished!"

Kaiser slammed his fist into the cold frozen ground, blood immediately seeping from his knuckles, his hoarse voice filled with the fury of being utterly betrayed.

"asshole!
Why weren't we notified before the fleet was destroyed?!
Even just send a damn farewell telegram!
They perished at the bottom of the sea, yet they want to drag our entire division down with them?!

Damn navy! Cowards! Fools!

He roared at the communications officer beside him, who was also covered in dust and trembling, spitting saliva and dust all over his face.

The U.S. military communications officer, pale-faced, futilely clung to the radio that crackled and emitted only static noise, as if it were his only lifeline.

"General, with the addition of the South Korean army, we still have more than 15,000 troops. We still have a chance!"

Upon seeing this, the chief of staff of the US Second Division immediately spoke up.

"Break through! Break through immediately!"

At the same time, we called for air support and asked General Ridgway to immediately send another group of fighter jets to pick us up!
Hopefully, those North Korean soldiers haven't realized what's happening yet. While they haven't built up an encirclement, we still have a chance to break out!

"Order everyone to break through to the west with all their might!!!"

Division Commander Kaiser clenched his fist and immediately gave the order.

"Yes, sir!" The chief of staff of the US Second Division immediately replied.

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

Under Kaiser's orders, the US 2nd Division and the ROK 6th Division quickly advanced to the west, but the New 8th Army had already constructed an encirclement fortification there according to Wu Wanli's orders.

Kaiser gritted his teeth and ordered a full-scale assault, intending to fight his way out.

Soon, the roar of clashing steel shattered the last silence before dawn.

"Rumble————"

The remaining heavy tanks of the US 2nd Division formed an assault formation, their engines roaring as they charged at full speed toward the encirclement of the New Eighth Army.

Behind the American tanks, the infantry of the ROK 6th Division charged forward under the shouts of their officers and the threat of gunfire from their superiors.

Major General Kaiser stood on the roof of a half-track command vehicle, his icy blue eyes fixed on the eyepiece of his binoculars, his field of vision focused only on the simple fortifications stretching across the hills ahead.

The soldiers of the New Eighth Army relied on hastily dug trenches, piled-up sandbags, and bunkers made of the wreckage of bombed vehicles, with the dark muzzles of their guns peeking out from every crack.

The piercing whistle tore through the air, and a cold glint flashed on the New Eighth Army's position as countless Soviet-made Mosin-Nagant rifles, PPSh submachine guns, and captured M1 Garands opened fire simultaneously.

The dense barrage of bullets crashed head-on into the charging South Korean troops. The soldiers at the forefront fell to the ground screaming as if swept by an invisible giant scythe.

In an instant, warm blood stained the withered, yellow grass of early winter red.

"All Kaka's orders! Not a single step back!"

The messenger ran through the trench, his back bent and shouting, his voice drowned out by the deafening gunfire.

The faces of the young or no longer young North Korean soldiers were covered in sweat and grime from gunpowder, but their eyes burned with intensity.

Quan Douguang himself was in the very center of the second line of defense, his uniform collar open, holding a large-caliber Thompson submachine gun tightly in his hand, personally killing a South Korean flamethrower soldier who was trying to bypass the obstacle.

He didn't need to say much. When the soldiers saw his steady, mountain-like figure and saw him always appearing in the most dangerous positions, the fire in their hearts burned even brighter.

The kindness accumulated over time has now transformed into unwavering loyalty.

The ammunition handler shoved a fully loaded magazine into the machine gunner's arms, and the machine gunner roared as he pulled the trigger.

The M1919 heavy machine gun spewed out a continuous stream of fire, mowing down hordes of South Korean infantrymen who tried to approach.

Upon seeing this, Division Commander Kaiser immediately ordered, "Order the artillery! Suppress! Suppress them!" He roared into the walkie-talkie.

Immediately, the remaining American-made 105mm howitzer positions in the rear opened fire.

The shells, whistling sharply, crashed into the front lines of the New Eighth Army, exploding into plumes of smoke carrying rubble and steel fragments.

Several machine gun positions fell silent instantly, and the sandbag fortifications were overturned.

Taking advantage of this brief lull in the fire, the South Korean infantry, under the cover of tanks, charged forward again with howls, finally reaching the edge of the first trench.

A brutal battle for the trenches erupted instantly.

Bayonets gleamed coldly as they stabbed each other, entrenching tools slammed into flesh with dull thuds, and grenades exploded in the narrow, crowded trenches, sending limbs and mud flying everywhere.

South Korean soldiers jumped into the trenches and smashed the soldiers with their rifle butts and stabbed them with their bayonets.

The soldiers of the New Eighth Army, like wounded beasts, huddled together and held on, biting with their teeth and firing at close range with captured American carbines.

An officer of the New Eighth Army was pinned against the trench wall by two South Korean soldiers. He suddenly pulled the pin on a grenade at his waist, and the huge explosion tore the three men and the trench wall apart.

"Requesting backup! Left flank, defense point 3, requests backup!"

The pleading cries were transmitted to Quan Douguang's ears via walkie-talkie.

He grabbed another walkie-talkie, his voice hoarse but resolute: "Hold on! The Air Force will be here soon!"

Quan Douguang's bloodshot eyes were fixed on his watch, calculating the time.

As if in response to his summons, a heavy, muffled thunderclap that seemed to tear through the sky echoed from the horizon.

Just ten seconds later, a large number of tiny black dots, like a swarm of bees, tore through the thin clouds covering the battlefield and swooped down at an almost vertical angle!

That was a mixed attack aircraft group of the Chinese Air Force commanded by Wang Wei!
"Take cover! Fight air defense!!!"

The piercing alarms blared among the attacking American and South Korean troops, only to be instantly drowned out by an even more terrifying shriek.

The shadow of the dive bomber loomed over us like a hellish inferno.

Heavy aerial bombs plummeted vertically with a piercing roar, like a destructive spear hurled in the wrath of a god.

After a suffocating silence, the earth suddenly arched upwards, followed by a series of deafening explosions that could tear eardrums apart!
A massive fireball shot into the sky, its billowing black smoke forming a menacing mushroom shape. The violent shockwave, like an invisible giant wave, tore through and shredded rows of South Korean soldiers like scarecrows.

A Sherman tank that was speeding toward the anti-tank trench of the New Eighth Army was hit directly by a 500-kilogram aerial bomb in the weakest part of the armor on the top of the vehicle.

The intense flames instantly engulfed the American tank, and the turret was violently ripped several meters into the air by the explosion.

Twisted parts and burning debris flew everywhere, knocking down a group of infantrymen nearby.

"Hard to port! Set parameters!"
Azimuth 0.35, distance 11,000 yards!

High-explosive grenades! Fire all at once!

Inside the bridge of the "Dongfanghong" battleship, a mainstay of the Chinese Navy, the commander's orders were loudly issued.

As the order was given, a deep, muffled mechanical roar, like a giant beast gathering power, came from deep within the ship.

The three sets of triple-mounted, terrifying 406mm cannons slowly rotated, their dark muzzles pointing towards the western land.

Suddenly, the cannon erupted with a massive burst of orange-red flames that eclipsed the heavens and earth!

The heavy hull swayed violently to the side under the violent recoil, creating a huge crater in the sea.

"call out------"

Nine shells, each half a person tall, carrying a destructive intent, tore through the air, emitting a terrifying whistle like a train entering a station.

A dozen seconds later, at the edge of a few sparse woodlands near the South Korean reserve assembly area at the edge of Kaiser’s telescope’s field of view, a raging inferno of fire suddenly appeared!

That was no longer an explosion, but a complete annihilation!
The massive crater, tens of meters in diameter, resembled the gaping maw of hell, instantly swallowing everything on the surface.

Trees, makeshift bunkers, assembled soldiers, trucks towing artillery...

The shockwave swept away all obstacles hundreds of meters outside the crater with devastating speed.

Soil, gravel, steel fragments, and human remains were violently thrown hundreds of meters into the air, then crashed down like a black and red rainstorm, accompanied by flames and thick smoke.

The American and South Korean soldiers who were lucky enough to escape direct hits were struck as if by an invisible giant hammer, bleeding from all seven orifices and dying on the spot.

"Artillery coordinates corrected! Bearing unchanged, range extended by 800! Rapid fire! Firing!"

On the concealed artillery positions behind the main peak of Paotai Mountain, Lei Gong's rough roar drowned out the deafening sound of shells leaving the barrel.

His artillery detachment was now operating at full speed, with dozens of howitzers spewing out scorching flames and thick smoke.

A barrage of artillery shells rained down on the rear and flanks of the attacking US and South Korean forces.

The area covered by the artillery barrage was filled with fire-resistant barriers formed by the smoke and dust from the explosions.

These artillery attacks completely severed the connection between the forward attacking forces and the rear reserves and supply lines.

A tank destroyer, struggling to cross a crater in an attempt to provide direct-fire support for infantry, is firing to suppress the enemy.

However, the next second, a precise 152mm shell blew off the entire roof of the fighting compartment, and the people inside were instantly engulfed in flames.

A rain of steel from the sea, land, and air intertwined to form a destructive net covering the entire western offensive corridor.

The sky was filled with Chinese fighter jets that dove to drop bombs, then roared up, only to dive again to strafing machine guns and rockets.

The land was a barrage of artillery fire that constantly exploded, plowed the soil, and tore apart human bodies.

In the distant direction of the sea, salvos of 406mm naval guns descended every few minutes, completely flattening large areas.

This multi-dimensional, saturated attack is ruthlessly reaping the manpower of the US and South Korean forces.

Kaiser's command vehicle was also not safe; a 152mm shell from the Leigong Artillery Detachment exploded about ten meters to the left front of the command vehicle.

The violent blast of air, like a giant fist, violently lifted the heavy half-track vehicle to one side before slamming it back to the ground.

Kaiser was thrown violently, his forehead slamming heavily against the hard radio panel, and the warm blood immediately blurred his vision.

The walkie-talkie was filled with screams of impending death, desperate cries for help, and chaotic shouts:

"We've been cut off! Our escape route is under heavy fire!"

"Tank! My tank won't move! The tracks are broken!"

"No reinforcements! Repeat! No reinforcements can get up here! The artillery fire is too intense!"

"Get those damn planes out of here!!"

Kaiser wiped the sticky blood from his forehead and peered forward with difficulty through the shattered bulletproof glass.

As far as the eye could see, it was already a living hell.

The offensive momentum was abruptly halted in a narrow, deadly zone less than 100 meters in front of the first trench of the New Eighth Army.

The surviving Sherman tanks were either burning or crippled, becoming desperate cover for the infantry.

The South Korean army's green uniforms were stained dark red or charred black, and the corpses were piled up in layers.

Many soldiers lay prone at the edge of shell craters or behind piles of corpses, firing in vain in despair.

Many more instinctively huddled under the cover of artillery fire, awaiting the next wave of death.

On the positions of the New Eighth Army, faces stained with gunpowder and blood flashed behind the firing ports, their tenacious fire never ceasing.

Quan Douguang's figure continued to move at the key point of the second trench.

His voice, transmitted through the walkie-talkie, tenaciously coordinated the various defensive positions, directed the reserve forces to fill gaps, and dispatched ammunition from the rear.

At this moment, the chief of staff, whose uniform had been burned through several holes, practically crawled on his hands and feet to Kaiser's command vehicle and hoarsely shouted:

"We can't keep filling it in like this!"

They've set up a trap; their firepower is three-dimensional!
Our people... can't hold on any longer!

Kaiser turned his head stiffly, his bloodshot eyes sweeping over the deathly inferno that had devoured countless of his soldiers.

Through the telescope, the flag of the New Eighth Army still flew stubbornly on the smoke-filled battlefield.

Under the organization of their officers, the soldiers of the New Eighth Army were using the lulls in the artillery fire to reinforce their fortifications and move the wounded to the rear.

Meanwhile, his own soldiers, like fish and shrimp thrown into a boiling oil pot, were struggling in vain and quickly perishing in this deadly vortex of fire.

In an instant, a feeling of immense frustration gripped him.

The mighty 2nd Division of the United States Army, with its absolute naval and air superiority, was firmly pinned down here.

A group of North Korean soldiers, considered "lacking in combat skills," built an insurmountable steel wall using rudimentary fortifications in conjunction with China's relentless firepower!
He abruptly withdrew his gaze, no longer looking at the desolate battlefield.

Kaiser's gaze swept past the scorched earth repeatedly ravaged by artillery fire, fixing fixedly on the outline of the mountain peak shrouded in the smoke of battle to the northeast—Paotai Mountain.

There lies the name that haunted his nightmares and caused him to fail countless times: Wu Wanli.

At this moment, that devil and his equally exhausted Seventh Steel Brigade were right there.

For a moment, a mixture of uncontrollable anger and desperate madness gripped his heart.

"Give me the order!
Immediately disengage from the New Eighth Army!
All troops, turn immediately!

Target—Northeast, Paotai Mountain!

All tanks and armored vehicles that are still operational, gather them together!
The remaining troops of the ROK 6th Division led the way, clearing away obstacles!

All infantry of the US 2nd Division followed behind the armored forces!

"The artillery no longer needs to conserve ammunition; concentrate firepower to blast away anything blocking the way below the fortified hill!"

Division Commander Kaiser gritted his teeth and immediately gave the order.

Upon hearing this, the chief of staff of the U.S. Second Division suddenly widened his eyes, a look of disbelief and shock flashing across them.

Instead of breaking through the strong encirclement built by tens of thousands of soldiers of the New Eighth Army, they rushed towards the dangerous peak guarded by the elite Seventh Steel Brigade and backed by the core fortifications of the fortified Paotai Mountain.
He blurted out almost instinctively, "General! The terrain of Paotai Mountain is treacherous, stretching for 50,000 li..."

"I know!

But this large encirclement is guarded by tens of thousands of enemy troops, while there are only a few thousand people on top!
They were exhausted after a fierce battle to capture Fort Hill!
We still have tanks, we still have our final assault force!
Capture them! Capture Wu Wanli! And his elite troops!
This is our only possible bargaining chip! The only one! Understand?!

Using them as hostages is the only way to break through to safety!
Otherwise, we'll all be buried in this damned Jiangling Port!

Kaiser abruptly interrupted him, his bloodshot eyes burning with an almost insane light.

"Yes, General!"
Target: Fortress Hill; capture Wu Wanli! Take the prisoner hostage and evacuate!

The chief of staff of the U.S. Second Division remained silent for a few seconds before finally taking a deep breath and responding.

(End of this chapter)