Changjin Lake: From Xinxingli to Seoul

Chapter 386 Park Jung-hee's feigned retreat! The emptiness of Guli City! Wu Wanli's sweeping opportunity!

Southeast of Seoul, inside the temporary command post of the puppet Korean Second Division
The newly appointed division commander, Park Jung-hee, had just slammed his American-made M1 steel helmet onto the wooden table covered with battle maps when the impact sent several pencils rolling to the ground.

On the map, the red cross representing the Jiuli defense perimeter looks like a bleeding wound.

Park Jung-hee's voice was hoarse, with a low growl that sounded like he was being driven to desperation: "General Ridgway ordered us to guard Kyuri."
What is Jiuli?
That was the last small town outside Seoul that could be used as a defensive barrier!

Americans sip their coffee, draw a circle, and send over 10,000 lives from our Second Division to fill the tank tracks of the Chinese?

Why didn't he just put VanVleet in the Pershing tank and drive it to the front as a shield!

His spittle almost landed on the face of a young lieutenant staff officer opposite him.

Upon hearing this, the dozen or so South Korean military staff officers in the command post fell silent, trembling with fear.

Some people instinctively shrank their necks, while others stared at the worn-out tips of their leather boots. Only the swaying gasoline lamp above their heads emitted a monotonous and annoying hissing sound.

Outside the window, the night is like ink.

The massive convoy of the puppet Korean Second Division was crawling along the muddy road toward Jiuli.

The truck headlights pierced the thin fog, dust swirling within the beams of light. The long line of headlights, viewed from afar, exuded an aura of death, like a funeral procession.

Chief of Staff Colonel Kim Yong-chul licked his chapped lips, his voice hoarse: "Commander, military orders are absolute..."

Moreover, there is also a battalion of American troops stationed in Jiuli, nominally for joint defense, but in reality..."

He didn't finish his sentence, but everyone present understood—it was a supervisory team, a noose around their necks.

Once you reach Jiuli, if you try to desert, the US military police will not hesitate to open fire with their Thompson submachine guns.

A South Korean army major, a staff officer, desperately asked, "Go back? Back to Seoul?"
The gallows at the Gimpo Airport Military Police Station are empty!

These words struck everyone like a shard of ice, eliciting a collective gasp of suppressed emotion.

Fear, like thick paint, covered the small space.

Just as the suffocating silence seemed to freeze, the rickety wooden door of the command post was suddenly flung open with a loud crash!

Lieutenant Park from the reconnaissance battalion stumbled in, his face deathly pale, his uniform collar torn by thorns, and he screamed breathlessly:
"Commander! Left...left flank, three kilometers away!"

The main force of the North Korean troops behind enemy lines has been discovered!

At least one whole bunch!
They're moving along the ridgeline!

"what?!"

"The main force regiment of the North Korean guerrilla forces behind enemy lines?"

"A whole regiment?!"

"boom!"

The stagnant command center was instantly ignited by this news!
The ashen despair on the staff officers' faces was swept away by a whirlwind, and a bloodthirsty light, almost fanatical, suddenly rose in their eyes.

The major staff officer, who had just been grieving as if his parents had died, suddenly straightened up and slammed his fist on the table: "Heaven has helped me! This is a victory delivered to my doorstep!"

Another lieutenant rubbed his hands excitedly: "It must be their guerrilla detachment behind enemy lines. They're poorly equipped and short on ammunition. Perfect opportunity to give them a good squeeze!"

Deputy Division Commander Colonel Cui Chengyong abruptly stood up.

He was Park Jung-hee's confidant, known for his fierce bravery. The scar on his face, running from his brow bone to the corner of his mouth, writhed menacingly under the light: "Commander!"
Please assign the vanguard mission to the regiment under my direct command!
I guarantee I'll bring you back the head of that enemy regimental commander within two hours to serve as a sacrifice to your flag!

His voice was loud and clear, filled with unquestionable confidence, as if victory was already in his grasp.

The crowd in the command post was filled with righteous indignation, and their earlier dejection vanished completely.

Everyone felt that this was a piece of fat meat that had walked right into the line of fire, a turning point that had fallen from the sky in a desperate situation.

Defeating or even annihilating a North Korean main force regiment would be enough to offset the delay of not arriving in Kuri on time, and would even make the US military look good!
However, the division commander Park Jung-hee, standing in front of the map, was like a silent stone statue.

He slowly turned around, his face devoid of the excitement or bloodthirsty impulse his staff had expected, only a deathly stillness like a deep pool.

His cold gaze swept over the faces flushed with excitement, and a slight smirk played on his lips as he said, "Pass on my order: the entire division will slow its march and will not deviate from the original planned route..."

His voice pierced the noise, and the entire command post fell silent instantly. Everyone held their breath and watched him.

His finger did not point to the approximate location of the North Korean regiment marked on the map, but rather traced a corner of the map precisely and slowly.

There is a narrow river bend called "Eagle Sorrow Stream", where the terrain is complex, the vegetation is dense, and it is far away from the main road.

"Commander, do you mean we should continue marching without fighting?"

"The chief of staff of the puppet South Korean Second Division asked in a low voice."

Park Jung-hee's gaze slowly swept over the crowd, his voice low and clear: "Fight? Of course we should 'fight'."

Moreover, the fighting had to be so earth-shattering that even the American planes in the sky could see it clearly.

However, the battle we are fighting is a 'defeat'.

A defeat that was so reasonable that the US military couldn't find fault with it, and they were even made to take the blame!
I cannot go to Jiuli, nor can I return to Hancheng.

To survive, this is the only viable dead end!

Upon hearing this, the people in the command post exchanged glances and immediately understood Park Jung-hee's thoughts.

Feigning defeat to delay the journey to Jiuli for garrison duty is indeed a good idea.

"Just follow my instructions when the time comes, everyone. Our fates are intertwined..."

Park Jung-hee looked at everyone and said in a low voice.

"Yes!"

Upon hearing this, everyone immediately agreed.

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

Shuiluoli, an unnamed high ground on the north slope.

Ri Yong-ho, commander of the 567th Guerrilla Regiment behind enemy lines of the Korean People's Army, lay hidden behind a thicket of azalea bushes, his old cotton-padded coat soaked with cold dew.

He used the captured US military M3 binoculars to stare intently at the endless line of enemy vehicles on the winding road below.

The headlights were blinding, the engine roared, and the dust kicked up looked like billowing yellow mist under the headlights.

The regimental reconnaissance staff officer, Park Myung-chul, who was lying to the side, spoke in a very low voice with a slight, almost imperceptible tremor: "Regimental Commander, it's the fake South Korean Second Division!"
Judging from the unit number and the size of the convoy, it's the main force, at least half a division!
us……"

He swallowed back what he was about to say, but the meaning was clear—a lightly armed guerrilla regiment going head-to-head with a fully equipped enemy main force division with tanks and artillery.
This is like an egg hitting a rock.

Li Yonghao put down his binoculars. His thin, hard face was expressionless, with only his cheekbones slightly protruding under his taut skin.

He knew perfectly well that this was like throwing an egg against a rock.
But the strict orders from the Joint Command still echoed in their ears—"At all costs, delay the reinforcements of the puppet Korean army towards Guli, and buy time for the main force on the eastern front to capture Seoul!"

He glanced back at the silent warriors in the darkness behind him.

Most of them wore patched cotton-padded coats and carried old Japanese Type 38 rifles or captured Springfield rifles, with their ammunition pouches empty.

The only heavy firepower consisted of a few outdated Type 92 heavy machine guns and a handful of grenade launchers.

This was all his possessions—a nominal "main force regiment," but in reality, a guerrilla force behind enemy lines.

Lee Yong-ho, his voice hoarse, ordered, "Staff Officer Park, order the First Battalion to establish a blocking position on the eastern ridge."

Fire only sniper shots, do not expose yourselves, and draw the enemy's advance fire.

The Second Battalion secretly moved to the rocky hill behind the west side of the highway.

Once the enemy convoy has completely entered the narrow section of Yingchoujian, listen to my signal, concentrate all grenade launchers and light machine guns, and give them a good blast at the rear of their convoy!

Cut it off!
The Third Battalion, as a reserve force, remained hidden and awaited orders.

His order was concise and ruthless, carrying the determination of a do-or-die battle: "Tell the comrades, we have no way out."

Hold them off!

Every minute that is delayed increases China's chances of winning!
Even if the entire regiment is wiped out here, we will let these traitors know that the mountains of Korea are not places they can trample on at will!

"Yes!"

Park Myung-chul gritted his teeth and replied, crawling back to relay the order.

Four in the morning, the coldest time of day.

The massive convoy of the puppet Korean Second Division, like a bloated and weary steel python, slowly crawled into the narrow throat of Yingchoujian.

With steep cliffs and dense secondary forests on both sides, the road is so narrow that only two trucks can barely pass each other side by side.

Just as several jeeps and armored vehicles of the vanguard battalion of the puppet South Korean 2nd Division passed through the ravine and were about to enter a relatively open area—

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

On the eastern ridge, several crisp but sparse shots of Type 38 rifles suddenly rang out!

The bullets struck the steel plates of the leading armored vehicle and the road surface near the jeep, kicking up a few insignificant sparks and dust.

Gunshots shattered the silence, echoing dully in the narrow mountain ravine.

"Enemy attack! Take cover!"

A distorted roar erupted from the ranks of the puppet Korean Second Division.

The well-trained South Korean soldiers reacted quickly, and the convoy came to a sudden stop.

The soldiers jumped off the vehicle like dumplings being dropped into boiling water, frantically searching for cover using the vehicle, the roadbed, and the rocks as cover.

The muzzles of the light and heavy machine guns instantly pointed at the mountain ridge to the east, and bullets swept across like a torrent, causing rocks to crumble and vegetation to fly everywhere, displaying exceptionally fierce firepower.

However, on the eastern ridge, apart from a few sporadic shots, there was no other movement.

It was as if what had just happened was merely the harassment of a few stragglers.

The battalion commander of the advance battalion poked his head out from behind the armored vehicle, cursing: "Damn it, those rats from the North!"

Mortar!
"Plow the ridge to the east! Uproot the rats' nest!"

Several 60mm mortars were quickly set up. With a few muffled thuds, shells with a piercing whistle crashed into the eastern mountain ridge, and the flashes of the explosions briefly illuminated the forest.

Just as the South Korean army's attention was drawn to the east, mortars began to roar, and the long convoy had just fully entered the narrowest part of Eagle's Sorrow Gorge—

"beat!"

Behind the rocky hill on the west side, Li Yonghao's eyes flashed with a cold light, and he suddenly swung his hand down!

“Da da da da—!”

"Tum! Tum! Tum!"

The Second Battalion, which had been keeping its fire hidden for a long time, suddenly opened fire with all its light and heavy weapons!
More than a dozen Type 91 light machine guns and the only two Type 92 heavy machine guns spat out flames, weaving together a dense net of bullets that fiercely rained down on the rear of the convoy!
Bullets pounded on the truck bed, fuel tank, and the unsuspecting soldiers like hail, instantly tearing flesh and blood apart!
Even more deadly were those old grenade launchers. Although the grenades they fired were not very powerful, their landing points were extremely tricky. Several of them accurately hit the cabs and tires of the trucks behind them!
"Boom! Boom!"

An explosion rang out, and the cabs of the two trucks were twisted and deformed, their tires burst, leaving them paralyzed in the middle of the road, completely blocking their escape route!
Another ammunition vehicle was hit in the side. Although it did not explode, it caught fire and billowed thick smoke!

"West! The enemy is in the west!"

"Blocked! Our escape route is blocked!"

"Medic! Help!"

The rear convoy of the puppet South Korean army was immediately plunged into chaos with screams and howls!

The puppet South Korean soldiers frantically searched for cover and fired wildly in the direction of the unseen enemy, disrupting their organization and temporarily severing their command.

The firelight illuminated terrified, contorted faces and the litter of corpses and wounded soldiers scattered across the ground.

The sudden and fierce attack plunged the entire marching column of the puppet Korean Second Division into enormous chaos and panic.

The tail was severed, like a giant python having its tail cut off, and intense pain and terror quickly spread throughout the body.

"Commander! Our rear has been attacked! At least a reinforced battalion's worth of firepower! Our retreat has been cut off!"

A terrified voice rang out from inside Park Jung-hee's makeshift command vehicle, belonging to a communications soldier from the 2nd Division of the puppet South Korean army.

Park Jung-hee grabbed the microphone, his face showing no surprise, but rather a hint of almost cruel satisfaction.

He spoke into the microphone, deliberately raising his voice, filled with a mixture of shock and anger: "What?! Useless! Hold on!"

The order was given to Deputy Division Commander Cui's vanguard regiment to turn around immediately!
Crush those rats on the western hill!

Mortar company! Target the rocky hill to the west, fire rapidly!

Cover it! Cover it!

Orders were issued quickly.

The Cui Chengyong Regiment, which was at the front of the convoy and was originally prepared to deal with sniping from the east, began to make a difficult U-turn and regroup on the narrow road under the personal roar and supervision of the deputy division commander and regimental commander, Cui Chengyong.

The soldiers of the puppet Korean Second Division, carrying their weapons, surged chaotically toward the direction from which the attack had occurred, amidst the officers' whips and shouts.

At the same time, the South Korean mortar company, positioned in the middle rear of the convoy, finally opened fire. A series of muffled thuds echoed as mortar shells, whistling sharply, streaked across the pre-dawn gray sky and slammed into the rocky hill where Park Myung-chul's 2nd Battalion was hiding to the west!
"Boom! Boom! Boom—!"

The flames from the explosions bloomed one after another on the rocky hill like flowers of hell!

A scorching wave of air swept across, carrying debris and deadly shrapnel!

The position of the 2nd Battalion of the North Korean Army was instantly engulfed in smoke and fire.

Several machine gun positions were directly hit, and the Type 96 machine gun and its gunner were blown into the air.

Screams, explosions, and the sound of rocks cracking were all mixed together.

"Battalion Commander! The Third Company's position has been overrun!"

"Heavy machine gun! Our heavy machine gun has gone silent!"

"Suppress the fire! The enemy's firepower is too intense!"

The soldiers of the North Korean Second Battalion were pinned behind the rocks by the sudden and intense artillery fire, resulting in a sharp increase in casualties and a significant reduction in firepower.

However, Park Jung-hee's brow furrowed almost imperceptibly.

Through his binoculars, he saw that although the firepower on the west side had weakened, it had not completely disappeared, and the North Koreans were still stubbornly relying on the gaps in the rocks to launch sporadic counterattacks.

More importantly, the infantry attack organized by Cui Chengyong's regiment was... too "standard" and too "fierce"!

The South Korean soldiers formed skirmish lines, providing alternating cover, with machine guns providing suppressive fire and grenade launchers delivering precise blows, pressing forward relentlessly.

If they continue fighting at this rate, that North Korean battalion might really be wiped out by them!

A cold glint flashed in Park Jung-hee's eyes as he sharply added the order into the microphone, his voice carrying a deliberately crafted air of anxiety and accusation of "command error":

"Deputy Division Commander Cui! The attack speed is too slow!"

The enemy's firing position is behind that boulder at the nine o'clock position!
see it?

Concentrate your firepower and knock it down!

Hurry up!
The traffic behind us is completely blocked!
The American plane is arriving soon!

This order, seemingly urging an attack, actually pinpointed the location of a remaining concealed machine gun nest in Park Myung-chul's 2nd Battalion with remarkable precision!
This also hints at the imminent arrival of US military aircraft.

Cui Chengyong understood immediately and adjusted the deployment.

The firepower of several M1919 heavy machine guns was concentrated instantly, like a scorching iron whip lashing fiercely at the huge rock that Park Jung-hee pointed to!

The grenade launcher also focused its attention on that area.

Under intense fire suppression, the North Korean machine gunner behind the rocks was unable to raise his head, let alone fire.

Just as Cui Chengyong's regiment was gaining momentum on the western battlefield and was about to complete the fatal encirclement of the Second Battalion, on the eastern mountain ridge, the First Battalion, personally commanded by Li Yonghao, finally made its move again!

"beat!"

Seeing that the Second Battalion was in imminent danger under the fierce counterattack and artillery fire of the puppet South Korean army, Li Yonghao could no longer restrain himself.

All the firepower of the First Battalion, including several precious heavy machine guns, no longer hesitated to use ammunition and opened fire fiercely on the flank and rear of Cui Chengyong's regiment, which was besieging the Second Battalion!
Although their firepower density was far inferior to that of the puppet South Korean army, the unexpected flanking fire still threw the attacking Choi regiment into disarray, halting their offensive momentum and forcing them to divide their forces to deal with the threat on their flanks.

The entire battlefield at Yingchoujian was in complete chaos!

On the mountains to the east and west, the North Korean guerrilla fighters, relying on the terrain and their indomitable will, used their outdated weapons to hold off the main force of the puppet South Korean army, which outnumbered them several times over and was well-equipped.

On the highway, the rear troops of the puppet South Korean army, whose rear was blocked, organized a resistance after the initial chaos, relying on the wreckage of vehicles and the terrain, and exchanged fire with the North Korean army on the western high ground.

Gunfire, explosions, shouts, and screams echoed and roared repeatedly in the mountain stream, deafeningly loud.

The smoke, thick with the stench of blood and the smell of burning rubber, obscured the gradually whitening sky.

Park Jung-hee watched the brutal melee with a cold eye, his fingers unconsciously tapping on the jeep door.

He was waiting, waiting for the key prop that could make the "retreat" look incredibly realistic to appear.

Suddenly, a deep and familiar hum came from the distant horizon, like the whisper of death, and quickly grew louder and louder as it approached!
"Woo-hum-hum!"

Several U.S. fighter jets tore through the dawn mist and appeared over Eagle Sorrow Valley!
They first circled at low altitude, the rocket pods mounted under their wings and the machine guns on their bellies gleaming with a cold, icy light.

Clearly, the intense fighting on the ground and the rising smoke provided them with clear guidance.

Park Jung-hee's spirits lifted, and he immediately roared into the radio, his voice filled with "urgency" and "misjudgment": "This is the South Korean 2nd Division!"
This is the South Korean 2nd Division!

We are currently engaged in fierce fighting with the main force of the Northern Dynasty in the Yingchoujian area!
At least one enemy regiment!

Requesting air support!

Repeat, requesting fire coverage of the enemy attacking our rear convoy on the western highlands and in the ravines!

Hurry! We've suffered heavy losses!

Coordinates region: XXX, XXX!

"Quickly! Suppress them!"

He spoke very quickly, revealing the "panic" and "slips of the tongue" of a commander under immense pressure.

The U.S. air traffic controller on the other end of the radio had obviously received the request.

Several US military aircraft circled again to confirm, and the lead aircraft suddenly lowered its wing and swooped down!

"Boohoo, boomboo-!"

A piercing shriek tore through the air!

Flashes of fire appeared under the wings of the lead aircraft as several 5-inch high-speed air-to-ground rockets, trailing long plumes of flame, slammed down like the Grim Reaper's spears toward the area indicated by Park Jung-hee!

"Rocket launcher! Take cover—!"

On the ground, both the South Korean and North Korean troops screamed in terror!
"Boom! Boom! Boom—!!!"

The earth is shaking!

The explosion, ten or even a hundred times more powerful than a mortar, instantly turned that area into a raging inferno!
An orange-red fireball soared into the sky, and a violent shockwave swept across the area like an invisible giant hammer!

The scorching heatwave, carrying mud, gravel, steel fragments, and human remains, spread violently in a ring!

"what--!"

"My legs! My legs are gone!"

"Help! The Americans are bombing us! They're our own people!"

"God! No—!"

The heart-wrenching cries echoed through the valley!
The vanguard company of Cui Chengyong's regiment was almost instantly engulfed by the flames of the explosion!

South Korean soldiers were torn apart and thrown around like rag dolls.

The wreckage of the trucks blocking the road was blown to pieces, and burning tires and parts fell like fire rain, igniting nearby bushes and vehicles.

Thick smoke billowed into the sky, instantly filling the air with a strong smell of burning and roasting meat.

This terrifying scene was like hell descending upon the earth!

Throughout the battlefield, both the South Korean forces that were launching an attack and the North Korean forces that were stubbornly resisting were stunned by the devastating aerial attack that did not distinguish between friend and foe!

Time seemed to freeze for a second.

Park Jung-hee was in the command vehicle, looking at the area ahead that was covered by fire and thick smoke, and filled with screams of agony.

His face showed no grief, only the coldness of a plan accomplished and a deliberately feigned "utter horror".

He slammed his fist on the car window and roared into the microphone with extreme indignation, his voice echoing across the entire battlefield communications channel:

"Fuck! Ceasefire! Ceasefire!"

Damn it! It's an American plane!
They bombed the wrong people! They bombed us!

They're one of our own!

Deputy Division Commander Cui! Deputy Division Commander Cui!
How are things on your end? Give me a reply! Hurry up and reply!

His voice was filled with trembling and disbelief, as if he had been struck by lightning.

Then, he roared with all his might, his voice trembling with tears, filled with despair and accusation: "Order! All of you!"

Retreat! Retreat towards...to the pine forest to the southeast!

Retreat! Disengage!
Get out of this damn area!
The Americans' bombs don't have eyes!
They're going to bomb us and the North Koreans to the heavens!

This order was like the last straw that broke the camel's back, or like pouring a bucket of cold water into boiling oil!
Having witnessed firsthand the horrific scene of American planes bombing their own men to the point of obliteration, and upon hearing the division commander's "grief-stricken and indignant" order to retreat, the remaining morale of the puppet South Korean Second Division completely collapsed at that moment!

Fear swept over every soldier like a plague in an instant.

"Run!"

"The Americans are bombing their own people!"

"Run for your life!"

"The division commander has ordered a retreat!"

The soldiers of the Second Division of the Korean Army dropped their weapons and threw away their helmets, like headless flies, completely abandoning any resistance and organization.

They cried and pushed each other, wishing their parents had given them two more legs, and scrambled to flee towards the dense pine forest in the southeast that Park Jung-hee had indicated!
The officers lost their composure and even led the retreat, turning the entire retreat into an uncontrollable rout!
On the highways and hillsides, there were figures fleeing for their lives, their weapons and armor discarded, creating an extremely chaotic scene.

On the hillside, Major Li Yonghao was equally stunned by the earth-shattering accidental bombing.

Seeing the puppet South Korean army below completely collapse and flee in panic like an anthill doused with boiling water, he could hardly believe his eyes!

Staff Officer Park Myung-chul, his face covered in soot and his arm wrapped in bandages, leaned closer, his voice hoarse: "What... what happened here?"

The Americans...bombed their own people?

Li Yonghao stared intently at the fleeing torrent below, then looked up at the few American warplanes still circling overhead, seemingly hesitant due to the accidental bombing.

An extremely bold, even somewhat absurd, idea suddenly rushed into his mind—opportunity!
Golden opportunity!

The enemy has completely collapsed!
A surge of adrenaline rushed to Li Yonghao's head, and a fanatical flame instantly ignited in his eyes.

He suddenly drew his Nambu Type 14 pistol from his waist, fired three shots into the sky, and roared with all his might: "Comrades! The enemy has collapsed!"
American planes have been a huge help to us!

The fake Second Division is finished!

Sound the bugle call!

Everyone has it!

Charge! Pursue! Expand the victory!
For our motherland! For Seoul! Charge!

"Beep beep beep—beep beep beep—!"

The loud and piercing bugle call, like a battle horn, suddenly broke through the smoke and wails that filled the air above Eagle Sorrow Gorge!
For the long-suppressed North Korean soldiers, this bugle call was like a powerful shot of adrenaline!

"Come on—!"

"Kill all the traitors!"

"For the motherland!"

The North Korean soldiers, who had just been holding out in their bunkers, now leaped out of their positions like tigers descending from the mountain!
With bayonets in hand, rifles at their heels, and crude grenades in hand, they charged down from the high ground on the east and west sides towards the remnants of the puppet South Korean 2nd Division below!
Pursue!

An unexpected and exhilarating chase unfolded suddenly in the chaotic dawn!

Park Jung-hee sat in the bumpy, speeding jeep, looking through the rearview mirror at the North Korean soldiers chasing down from all over the mountains and his own troops, who were in even greater disarray and wished they had two more legs.

He withdrew his gaze expressionlessly and whispered an order to the pale-faced communications officer beside him: "Record this and draft a telegram: to the Seoul Allied Forces Command and the U.S. Army Advisory Group in Guri."

Our unit encountered fierce resistance from at least one reinforced regiment of the Northern Puppet elite forces in the Yingchoujian area of ​​Shuiluoli, relying on pre-established positions.

Just as the fierce battle was raging and our troops were about to launch a full-scale counterattack and break through the enemy lines, a squadron of US military aircraft arrived to provide support.

Due to battlefield confusion or coordinate transmission errors, they mistakenly launched a large number of rockets and machine guns at the areas where our attacking troops and the congested convoys were assembled!
This caused heavy casualties to our vanguard assault force, instantly collapsed the command system, and completely paralyzed the rear traffic.

Witnessing the carnage of their comrades, the officers and soldiers' morale collapsed, and the enemy seized the opportunity to launch a full-scale counterattack, making the tide of the battle irreversible...

Our unit has suffered heavy casualties and is in disarray, making it unable to continue the mission of reinforcing Jiuli. We are currently gathering our remaining troops in the southeastern pine forest area...

We urge aerial reconnaissance to confirm the location and extent of the damage to our unit, and to thoroughly investigate the responsibility for this accidental bombing!
"A urgent telegram from Park Jung-hee, written in tears!"

The communications officer's fingers trembled slightly as he rapidly transcribed the telegram, each word dripping with grievance and each sentence a accusation.

Park Jung-hee leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes, and looked utterly exhausted. Only a slight smile appeared on his lips, a smile that suggested he had escaped defeat and was no longer facing the Chinese main force.

Outside the car window, the recoiled torrent was surging towards the pine forest.

The shouts of the North Korean soldiers and the sporadic gunfire of the pursuit seemed to bring this meticulously orchestrated "retreat" drama to a close.

(End of this chapter)