Changjin Lake: From Xinxingli to Seoul

Chapter 89 All-Out Glory: I Won't Enjoy the Glory Alone!
Several kilometers outside the Water Gate Bridge

The snow was white and the landscape was vast and desolate.

On the snow, three Pershing tanks led the way like armored behemoths, their tracks crushing the snowdrifts and leaving deep tracks.

The tank's turret reflected a cold gleam in the sunlight, exuding an air of unparalleled majesty.

"Brother, we're almost at the Water Gate Bridge."

Wu Wanli sat on the tank, wiping the gun barrel, and looked into the distance.

"Comrades of the Seventh Steel Company, prepare for battle!"

Wu Qianli nodded slightly and gave the order loudly.

However, at this moment, Lü Chaoran suddenly jogged forward and approached Wu Wanli and Wu Qianli not far away.

"Why are you running here instead of keeping a proper watch on the prisoners?"

Wu Qianli frowned slightly and reprimanded him.

"Sir, I have an idea."

"That's right, maybe it can reduce the number of soldiers who die."

Lu Chaoran maintained his smile and said.

"What are your thoughts now?"

Upon hearing this, Wu Wanli turned his head and asked.

“Commendations, you see, our Han Army squad has only been established for a short time and has not made any contributions yet.”

"How about we pretend to be defeated soldiers who haven't surrendered and shout that we're Americans and beg them not to shoot..."

"And then you suddenly appear?"

Slightly nervous, Lü Chaoran asked with a smile.

"Pah! You scoundrel...you American traitor!"

"Company Commander, I really feel uncomfortable seeing him like this. I'll just walk away!"

Upon hearing this, Yu Congrong, who was not far away, said with a look of disgust.

Although he knew that Lü Chaoran was now helping the Steel Seventh Company, an upright man would hate such a traitor.

"Company Commander, didn't Comrade Wu Wanli try a similar tactic back in Xinxingli?"

"Shall we try again this time?"

Upon hearing this, Gao Daxing chimed in.

"Wanli, what do you think?"

Wu Qianli thought for a moment and then asked.

"If we didn't have tanks, we could definitely give it a try."

"But now that we have heavy armor, it seems a bit superfluous."

"After all, with them blocking the way, heavy tanks and firepower can't really be used effectively."

Wu Wanli thought for a moment and shook his head.

"Company Commander, Wanli is right."

"The previous tactics were simply to compensate for the lack of combat power and firepower."

"Now our three Pershing tanks are like three fortresses, and they are mobile fortresses equipped with 90mm cannons."

"With Lei Gong and his mortars, we can completely cover the area with firepower!"

Mei Sheng nodded and said.

"Fire coverage..."

"Great! That sounds so satisfying!"

"We can't use the tanks forever anyway, so let's just use up all the shells first!"

"Once the US artillery and firing positions retaliate, Lei Gong, your artillery platoon should take them out at the designated points!"

"Pull out all the teeth of the American devils, then we'll attack!"

Wu Qianli gave the order with immense satisfaction.

There was a time when the Chinese People's Volunteer Army suffered heavy losses of firepower, resulting in the deaths of many heroes in foreign lands.

Now that he can reduce casualties with artillery shells, he is definitely willing to be extravagant.

"Yes!"

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

Upon hearing this, Lü Chaochang could only awkwardly return to the back and lead his men to guard the prisoners.

……

Soon, three Pershing heavy tanks arrived not far from the Watergate Bridge.

The turrets of the three tanks slowly turned and aimed at the position at the Watergate Bridge.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

With three muffled thuds, three powerful shells spun rapidly as they flew straight toward the Shuimen Bridge position.

On the distant Shuimen Bridge position
A U.S. soldier was gripping a machine gun, ready for battle.

He had already mentally rehearsed several times the scene of using machine gun fire to reap the lives of volunteer soldiers, just like before.

But to everyone's surprise, what charged forward was not flesh and blood, but artillery shells!

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

Under the intense artillery fire, three fiery clouds instantly rose from the American positions.

The massive shockwave blew the American machine gunner and his machine gun flying.

Under the fierce onslaught of debris, the American machine gunner's body and machine gun were broken into pieces, falling with the wind and snow.

Besides the bloodstain on him, there were five or six corpses lying scattered around him.

Before the surviving American soldiers could recover, several whistling 90mm shells cut through a beautiful arc and hurtled towards them.

In an instant, snowflakes and blood mist mingled and flew everywhere.

The billowing black smoke mixed with gunpowder smoke made it difficult to breathe.

"Shit!"

"My legs! Ah!!"

A U.S. soldier looked at his leg, which had been severed by shrapnel, and howled in pain.

All that could be seen was that the legs below the thighs were completely gone, leaving only the stark white bones stained with blood, which was extremely gruesome.

Near him, several other wounded people were groaning in pain.

Thanks to Marshall's order to deploy all troops, the US forces, with their concentrated firepower on the front lines, achieved resounding success.

In just two minutes, the US military had already suffered more than a dozen casualties.

"Rumble--"

In the distance, the tanks of the Seventh Steel Company drew closer and closer amidst the falling snow, and the soldiers of the Seventh Steel Company followed the tanks, slowly approaching.

The remaining American soldiers looked at the tall turret and heavy armor with despair in their eyes.

The US military's operations have relied primarily on overwhelming firepower, rather than on iron will or individual combat capabilities.

Now, facing the firepower and armored suppression of the Chinese People's Volunteer Army, they seemed to have lost their fighting skills.

"Sir, at this rate, we can't even hold out for an hour, let alone 16 hours!"

A U.S. Army lieutenant pointed to the wounded soldiers who had been bombed ahead and said, his face ashen.

"General Smith gave a death order, what could I do?!"

"The Chinese army's tanks are approaching now. Mobilize all artillery and bombard them fiercely!"

"And bring out the rocket launchers too, blow them up!"

Marshall roared in frustration.

"Yes, sir!"

Upon hearing this, the U.S. lieutenant had no choice but to agree.

The US military is not like the Chinese People's Volunteer Army, who would risk their lives to charge forward with demolition charges and explosives.

This was their last resort.

In the distance, behind three tanks
"The American devils won't just sit here and wait to die!"

"Quickly lie down and hide!"

Wu Wanli sensed the threat of the battlefield and immediately shouted loudly.

Upon hearing this, the soldiers of the Seventh Steel Company moved closer to the rear of the tank almost without hesitation and lay down on the ground.

"call out--"

"call out--"

In an instant, a barrage of artillery shells roared down toward their position from the sky.

"Chirp—"

"Chirp—"

Several American soldiers picked up rocket launchers and fired at the tank's armor.

Some shells landed on the tank's armor, were deflected by the armor, and exploded in another location.

"Boom! Boom!"

The rocket hit the frontal armor of the Pershing tank, producing a deafening roar.

However, after the flames and smoke dissipated, the Pershing heavy tanks of the Seventh Steel Company still stood majestically.

US military positions

"What?"

When the American soldiers saw this, they felt as if they had been plunged into an ice cave of despair.

Moreover, Lei Gong, positioned to the flank and rear, had already pinpointed the location of the American artillery positions through the recent bombardment.

"dinner time!"

Lei Gong waved his hand and roared. In an instant, a volley of mortar firing pins rang out, and shells soared into the sky, accurately covering the location of the US Watergate Bridge artillery position.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

The explosion instantly engulfed the American artillery, shattering the gun barrels on the position and sending them flying in all directions.

"Drip drip drip drip drip drip—"

At the same time, the bugle call for the general offensive of the Seventh Steel Company sounded.

The three tanks sped up, providing cover for the main force of the Steel Seventh Company as they charged toward the Water Gate Bridge.

Just when the situation seemed almost settled, Kevin, an American officer who had been observing the battlefield for a long time, finally took action.

He crouched down and crept toward the location of the American prisoners.

"Damn Marshall, terrible command!"

Kevin approached while cursing under his breath.

At this point, he had given up hope of turning the tide and only wanted to save as many people as possible.

However, just as he was slowly getting closer to the prisoner...

Wu Wanli's crosshair was already locked onto his leg, and he pulled the trigger hard.

"boom!"

A flash of muzzle flashed from the rifle, and a scorching hot bullet instantly struck Kevin's leg.

"what!"

"How can it be!"

"I've been lying in wait for so long! How could they possibly have discovered me!"

Kevin clutched his leg wound and cried out in frustration.

He was unaware that he had been quite far away and alone, and Wu Wanli's battlefield threat detection system had not yet issued a warning.

Now that he suddenly approached, he was naturally discovered.

"You're one of the bravest people in the US military, managing to climb ice and snow for so long."

Are you willing to surrender?

Wu Wanli slowly approached and asked expressionlessly.

"I……"

Kevin looked at Wu Wanli, a hint of hesitation flashing in his eyes.
But his hesitation wasn't about whether to surrender, but whether to use the feigned surrender to kill the Chinese man.

But in the end, he sighed and his eyes dimmed.

He didn't want to cut off another way for other American soldiers to survive.

"Long live democracy!"

"Long live freedom!"

After shouting his resentment, Kevin pulled out a pistol and pointed it at his throat.

"boom!"

With a sharp gunshot, an elderly white American man fell heavily onto the cold, icy snow.

"So, even American devils have their moments of defiance..."

Wu Wanli walked forward, muttering to himself, took off Kevin's military cap, and covered his face with it, murmuring something.

Such a soldier is more worthy of his respect than someone like Lü Chaoran.

Just as Wu Wanli finished off Kevin, the gunfire from the distant Watergate Bridge gradually subsided.

The U.S. military offered only a token resistance before surrendering en masse under Marshall's leadership.

Shuimen Bridge, North of the Bridge
"Company commander, let's just blow up the bridge, better than anything else!"

Yu Congrong looked at the bridge not far away and said.

"Brother, blowing up the bridge is fine, but we can't do it like before!"

At this moment, Wu Wanli strode closer and said.

"We can't bomb it like we did before..."

"Wanli, how do you think we should blow it up?"

Mei Sheng asked in confusion.

"Destroy everything except the bridge deck and the bridge foundation; leave no support pillars!"

Wu Wanli said with absolute certainty.

"Wanli's plan is indeed safer."

"Lei Gong, do we have enough explosives?"

Wu Qianli nodded and asked.

"Not just enough, there's plenty more."

Lei Gong took a puff of his pipe and said confidently.

"Okay, then let's do it now..."

Upon hearing this, Wu Qianli was about to give the order.

"Report to the company commander: A group of North Korean refugees have been spotted ahead, heading towards the Sumun Bridge, seemingly intending to cross it."

At this moment, Pinghe, who had just finished his reconnaissance, ran over and said.

"North Korean refugees?"

Wu Qianli frowned slightly, raised his binoculars, and looked into the distance.

……

In the distance, in the loosely packed refugee column

“There was just a lot of gunfire at the Watergate Bridge. The bridge might be in Chinese hands now.”

"(Brother), can we really get away with this?"

"I asked Jeon Kyung-kwang, who was disguised as a refugee."

Whether it works or not, we have no other choice.

"The Capital Division and the Third Division have been scattered; we can only try to get through..."

"This is what South Korean Major Jeon Doo-kwang, who was disguised as a refugee, said."

"pat-"

At this moment, South Korean Army Captain Roh Tae-geon, who was disguised as a refugee, suddenly collapsed.

"How are you, feeling okay?"

Quan Douguang helped Lu Taijian up and asked with concern.

"Commander, I can't hold on any longer, I'm so hungry and cold..."

"Go quickly, I don't want to be a burden to you."

Lu Taijian held Quan Douguang's hand and said sincerely.

"Xiba!"

"what are you saying!?"

"I, Quan Douguang, will never abandon any of my comrades!"

Quan Douguang's eyes were slightly red as he carried Lu Taijian on his back.

Upon seeing this, the other South Korean officers, who were also disguised as refugees, were moved to tears.

After the South Korean capital division was scattered, they continued to follow Chun Doo-kwang, and no one wanted to give up.

Because this officer was completely different from other South Korean officers.

In such heavy snow and with a lack of supplies.

Quan Douguang would take out the last of his food and share it with the soldiers below, never eating more than his share.

"Hey, what are you crying for!"

"You are Korean men, and your families are still waiting for you!"

"Once we cross the water gate bridge ahead, we can go home, we can go home together!"

Quan Douguang, carrying Lu Taijian on his back, forced a smile.

“, (Commander-in-Chief, I…)”

Lu Taijian looked at Quan Douguang with tears in his eyes, his eyes filled with loyalty.

From that moment on, he made up his mind that this was the person he would follow for the rest of his life.

Hey! I still have one cigarette!

"?(Together?)"

Seeing that everyone was in low spirits, Quan Douguang took out a crumpled cigarette from his pocket and said with a smile.

Soon, Jeon Kyung-kwang lit a cigarette, took a puff as usual, and then handed it to Jeon Doo-kwang.

"! (Open your mouth!)"

Quan Douguang handed a cigarette to Lu Taijian and said.

Lu Taijian took a puff, feeling incredibly happy.

Before long, a cigarette was passed around, and each South Korean soldier disguised as a refugee got a puff.

The smoke dissipated almost instantly in the biting wind and swirling snow.

In the distance, the outline of the Water Gate Bridge is already clearly visible.

"Soldiers! Dark times are indeed chaotic!"

"But having endured countless hardships, we will surely create unparalleled glory in the future!"

"I swear, I will never keep this glory to myself!"

Quan Douguang took a deep breath, looked at the South Korean soldiers around him, and said with a firm gaze.

P.S.: Chun Doo-kwang and Noh Tae-gun are characters in the movie "Seoul's Light". Interested viewers can check it out.

Also, don't think things will get boring after the Watergate Bridge is blown up, right? The best is yet to come, so stay tuned!
(End of this chapter)