Changjin Lake: From Xinxingli to Seoul

Chapter 79: Saving the Ice Sculpture Company - Permanent God-Level Reward Issued!
"Eh……"

"In large-scale military operations, strict military discipline is essential."

"Let's leave it at that this time. It's more of a suggestion than a death order."

"I hope Comrade Wu Wanli will not follow the example of Commander Li Yunlong in the future."

"However, once he is officially awarded the rank of general and his star is on his head, it's uncertain whether the new China will still need to fight wars..."

The chief of staff sighed and said.

"The conferment of ranks will probably have to wait a few more years."

"But the war is never over."

“I’ve discussed this issue with my old comrade-in-arms, Ding Wei.”

"He believes that the focus of national defense in the future may be in the north."

“I think Vietnam to the south isn’t exactly honest either.”

Kong Jie pondered for a moment and then spoke.

"north?"

"Isn't that the Soviet Union, the big brother?"

"Vietnam is alright, it doesn't pose much of a threat."

“Old Kong, go back and tell your old comrades to try not to make such remarks. I’ll pretend I didn’t hear it.”

The chief of staff paused for a few seconds before speaking.

"Hahahaha...Good, good, good!"

"Let's not talk about Lao Ding and Lao Li anymore!"

"Let's talk about the Battle of Chosin Reservoir!"

"Do you think... we can completely eliminate the 1st Marine Division?"

Kong Jie walked up to the battle map and asked.

"The General Staff originally anticipated that this goal was almost impossible."

"The problem is, we prepared one meal, but two tables of guests have arrived!"

"We originally expected only the 1st Marine Division, but we didn't expect that the 7th Marine Division would also be there."

"The difficulty of encircling and annihilating them is too great."

The chief of staff said with a wry smile.

"What was initially considered unlikely now seems very likely?"

Kong Jie smiled slightly and turned to ask.

"Yes."

"Comrade Wu Wanli was like a powerful figure who appeared out of nowhere, achieving many victories that we could not have predicted at all."

"From a strategic perspective, I feel that his and the Seventh Steel Company's contributions are even greater."

The chief of staff looked at the battle map, his eyes filled with admiration, and said.

"Strategic analysis?"

"All ears."

Kong Jie nodded and said.

"In the Battle of Xinxingli, he and the vanguard of the Steel Seventh Company broke through the enemy and destroyed the command center of the Polar Bear Regiment."

"Thus, the battle was quickly concluded, and with relatively few casualties on our part, we were able to bring a batch of American artillery to Hagaru-ri ahead of schedule!"

"In the Battle of Hagaru-ri, everyone says that the Steel Seventh Company broke through the enemy lines alone, but I think their greatest contribution was taking the airport ahead of schedule!"

"A large number of wounded U.S. soldiers were unable to be transferred as a result. Each wounded U.S. soldier can reduce the combat effectiveness of two U.S. soldiers, which is of great significance!"

"In the Battle of Hill 1071, we originally expected to hold off the enemy for a maximum of three days and kill a battalion of their manpower."

"But the Seventh Steel Company killed and wounded an entire battalion and captured the commander of the First Marine Regiment!"

"Commander, imagine what our situation would be like now without Wu Wanli and the Steel Seventh Company's achievements?"

said the chief of staff.

"The casualties have increased by at least several times!"

"Moreover, the 1st Marine Division has probably already broken through the blockade and is about to reach Watergate Bridge."

Kong Jie pondered for a moment and then said.

"Yes."

"The Seventh Steel Company led the charge, and we fought too well and held out for too long. Our allies have already completed the encirclement!"

"As long as the Watergate Bridge is completely destroyed, the remaining forces of the 1st Marine Division will be annihilated!"

"They didn't even have a chance to abandon their heavy weapons and escape lightly equipped!"

The chief of staff said with great excitement.

"Water Gate Bridge..."

"Looks like we'll have to rely on the Steel Seventh Company again."

Kong Jie turned his head to look in the direction of the water gate bridge and murmured.

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

On the road leading to the Water Gate Bridge

Several military vehicles carrying the Seventh Steel Company and a large amount of supplies were speeding along.

Wu Wanli leaned against the metal guardrail of the military vehicle, his body swaying up and down with the vehicle's bumps.

"Ding--"

Just as he was about to take a nap, the familiar system notification sounded.

"The system has detected that the host is facing a battlefield decision. System activation is now in effect!"

"Choose option one: rescue a 'Frozen Sculpture Company' along the way, and then head to the Water Gate Bridge to participate in blowing up the bridge!"

"Requirements: The Ice Sculpture Company must be provided with at least three days' worth of supplies, and the Water Gate Bridge must be completely destroyed. If it is repaired, the requirements will be invalid!"

"Select Reward: God-level Luck Boost (Permanent)!"

"Option two: launch a full-speed assault on the Water Gate Bridge, coordinate with Tan Zi's troops, completely capture the Water Gate Bridge, and establish a defensive position to fight a blocking battle!"

"The requirement is to hold off the 1st Marine Division for at least one day; anything less than one day is invalid!"

"Select Reward: Godlike Agility Bonus (Permanent)!"

Soon, the system's cold notification tone finished playing.

"Full speed ahead, seize the Water Gate Bridge?"

"Even if we manage to capture it, it will be difficult to hold it for even a day!"

"If we held out at the Watergate Bridge for a whole day, we'd be blasted to smithereens!"

"Completely destroying the Watergate Bridge would also be very difficult..."

"In the original plot, the Watergate Bridge was bombed three times, but the US military still managed to airlift steel components for the bridge repair. In the end, the entire Seventh Company sacrificed their lives, and the bombing was all for nothing."

"Never mind, I'll just choose one!"

"If I didn't come and the 1st Marine Division left, and I came and the 1st Marine Division still left, then what the hell did I come for?!"

"I'm determined to keep them all here!!!"

After a moment's thought, Wu Wanli quickly made up his mind and shouted in his heart.

"Ding--"

"Host has made their selection. Permanent super-godlike luck bonus has been issued!"

Soon, the system's cold notification sounded again.

Wu Wanli instantly felt a strange sensation spread throughout his body, and his palm and facial features seemed to undergo extremely subtle, imperceptible changes.

Inside the carriage

"Comrades, eat more canned food!"

"We'll stay in the vehicle for a while longer, then we'll disembark and march covertly!"

Wu Qianli looked at the sky and said.

"Yes!"

The comrades of the Seventh Steel Company responded in unison.

"Comrade Wu Wanli, come and have something to eat!"

At this moment, Mei Sheng handed over a can of food and smiled.

"it is good!"

Wu Wanli took the can, opened it, and found that it was not as hard as he had imagined; it was just the right consistency to eat.

"How is Comrade Wu Wanli?"

"Your brother warms up potatoes for you, and I'll warm up beef for you. Isn't that fair?"

Mei Sheng took a bite of chocolate with difficulty and smiled.

"Thank you, instructor."

Wu Wanli felt a warmth in his heart and expressed his gratitude.

"Instructor, can you warm one up for me too?"

Upon seeing this, Yu Congrong revealed a smug smile and said.

"promise!"

"Hey Lao Yu, do you want some of my hot cigarette butt?"

At this moment, Pinghe saw this and asked with a smile.

"Go away, you're still using cigarette butts, they're all cigarette butts now!"

Yu Congrong lightly elbowed Pinghe and laughed and cursed.

"Company commander, political instructor."

"Yijia's heavens, it's so cold! (The weather is so cold right now!)"

A soldier from the Seventh Company, who was from Guangdong, rubbed his hands together, rubbed the ice crystals off his eyelashes, and said in Cantonese as usual.

"Yes!"

"This weather is even colder than in Northeast China!"

"My pine cap is almost frozen."

"If it weren't for our cotton-padded clothes and so many supplies, several of us would probably have frozen to death by now."

Another soldier, whose ancestral home was in Northeast China, said.

"It is indeed cold, but American soldiers also froze to death, didn't they?"

"Thinking about it this way, snow looks much better!"

Upon hearing this, Lei Gong chuckled, took a puff of his pipe, and said, "Simply looking at it, the snow is indeed beautiful..."

Upon hearing this, Wu Wanli gently shook the snow off his shoulders and looked outside.

Snowflakes danced in the cold wind like countless light sprites.

They drifted silently and slowly down from the sky, fluttering and covering the entire earth.

"The scenery of the north is like a thousand miles of ice and snow!"

"..."

"The mountains dance like silver snakes, the plains gallop like wax elephants, vying with the heavens in height!"

"..."

"This land is so beautiful, it has attracted countless heroes to bow down!"

"..."

"It's all over, let's count the famous people, let's look at the present!"

Looking at the swirling snow, Mei Sheng couldn't help but recite this poem by the great man.

"Wanting to rival the heavens in height..."

"To see truly remarkable figures, look to the present..."

"How bold and domineering!"

Wu Wanli murmured.

"That's powerful!"

"But when that person wrote this poem, the prominent figures of the time, in his opinion, were no longer the emperor or the great hero ordained by destiny."

Mei Sheng glanced at Wu Wanli and sighed.

"If not a hero, then what is?"

Gao Daxing, who was standing to the side, chewed a couple of bites of food and asked.

"It's you, it's me!"

"It is the people! It is the broad masses!"

"He believed that the Chinese people would strive to realize that prosperous vision!"

Mei Sheng touched the five-pointed star in his pocket, a glint of faith flashing in his eyes.

"It's us..."

Gao Daxing was slightly taken aback and murmured.

Hearing these familiar words, many members of the Seventh Steel Company realized who had spoken them and were moved.

"Comrades, let's take a good rest."

"We'll be heading to the Watergate Bridge battlefield on foot soon!"

After calming down, Wu Qianli reminded him.

"Yes!"

Upon hearing this, the soldiers of the Seventh Steel Company immediately responded.

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

In the distance, on the hillside beside the only road that the Seventh Steel Company could take.

A company of soldiers was lying in ambush here, ready to ambush the American troops at any time.

"Battalion Commander, orders have come from above."

"Don't fire if you see a convoy with a red flag; that's the Seventh Steel Company."

At this moment, a communications soldier spoke, his lips trembling slightly from the cold.

"The Seventh Steel Company, looks like they've got something big up their sleeves again..."

"Pass this message on."

A hint of respect flashed in the battalion commander's eyes as he murmured.

"Battalion Commander, I heard that the Seventh Steel Company is equipped entirely with American weaponry..."

"They have more machine guns and submachine guns than rifles, and a lot of mortars too, right?"

A soldier, his eyes filled with longing and his face slightly pale, asked.

"Yeah, yeah, I heard they are..."

"I can eat a whole can of meat a day!"

Another soldier thought of canned meat, swallowed hard, and said.

"Battalion Commander, so many of our battalions have died in battle or frozen to death."

"There's only one company left, and we don't even have winter coats. Do we have a chance to survive until the enemy's ambush..."

One of the soldiers was silent for a few seconds before asking.

Upon hearing this, almost everyone fell silent.

They were not afraid of dying in battle, but to freeze to death would be too humiliating.

"pat-"

At that moment, a volunteer soldier tilted his head and lay completely face down on the icy, bone-chilling snow.

"The dog left behind!"

Upon seeing this, the battalion commander quickly crawled over, helped Gou Sheng up, and pressed on his philtrum.

After an unknown amount of time, Gou Sheng finally managed to wake up.

"Commander, I'm so hungry..."

"Dog-Sheng said weakly."

"The mess hall! Where's the mess hall leader?!"

"Why aren't you distributing food to the soldiers!"

The battalion commander roared, his eyes slightly red.

"battalion commander……"

"The head cook is asleep..."

A volunteer soldier found his squad leader in the corner, checked his breathing, and said with a slight sob in his voice.

"He used to be a bit chubby, what happened to him...?"

The battalion commander looked at the cook's thin frame and emaciated belly, and asked with slightly trembling hands.

"Battalion Commander, he always shared his food with his comrades."

"His comrades were worried that he wouldn't have enough, so he said, 'Head of the mess hall, how could I possibly go hungry...'"

"He even said his package was full of food..."

A volunteer soldier squad leader wiped away his tears and said.

"The package was full of food?!"

"How could they possibly starve to death!"

The battalion commander, in a fit of emotion, rushed to the head of the mess hall.

He fell to the ground after lying down for too long, but then crawled to his feet and walked to the head cook.

When he grabbed the mess sergeant's bundle and shook it, countless pebbles spun and fell onto the snow.

In an instant, all the soldiers fell silent.

They stared blankly at the pebbles on the ground, their eyes wide, unable to believe their eyes.

"salute!"

"Comrade, may you rest in peace!"

The battalion commander shouted, his eyes almost filled with tears.

"Comrade, may you rest in peace!"

Everyone looked at the head cook and saluted.

After saluting, everyone, suppressing their grief, returned to their original positions.

"Battalion Commander, there's no food left."

"Two days, we haven't eaten for two days."

"If this continues, all our comrades will starve to death..."

"It was a long speech by a volunteer army company commander."

"Yes, Company Commander."

"The problem with down-to-earth clothing is also very serious..."

"Some comrades even lost their fingers and toes to frostbite..."

"At this rate, they'll either starve or freeze to death."

The deputy battalion commander sighed and remarked with emotion.

"I understand everything you're saying."

"Almost all units are facing difficulties."

"But the Party and the people need us to fight to the end, how can we back down?"

"Let's hold on a little longer, comrades..."

A hint of heartache flashed in the battalion commander's eyes as he sighed and said.

"Yes!"

The two volunteer army officers exchanged a glance and immediately agreed.

The blizzard raged around them, but they still picked up their guns and remained in ambush position.

Even if they freeze to death, even if they might all turn into ice sculptures.

They must also maintain a posture that allows them to attack at any time!
However, just when the soldiers of this unit were almost in dire straits, a glimmer of hope appeared.

"Battalion Commander, there's movement on the highway!"

"A convoy with red flags is coming!"

At that moment, a sentry ran back with difficulty and reported.

"A convoy with red flags?"

The battalion commander was thrilled and quickly raised his binoculars to look into the distance.

In the distance, a red flag fluttered in the wind atop a military vehicle.

On one of the red flags, three large characters could be vaguely made out.

"Steel Seventh Company!"

(End of this chapter)