Bright Sword: From Northwest Shanxi to Shangganling

Chapter 632 adds more weight
The entire day of the 19th passed peacefully.

As evening fell, the long-silent Wufangling was once again filled with deafening gunfire.

However, this time the roar did not come from American artillery, but from the artillery positions of the Chinese People's Volunteer Army.

After two days of preparation, the 152mm howitzer regiment and the 122mm howitzer regiment of the artillery detachment were in position, and together with the 122mm howitzer battalion of the 24th detachment, they sounded the horn for this counter-offensive.

To ensure the success of this counter-offensive, Chen Chengxing deployed far more firepower than just this.

Simultaneously firing alongside the heavy artillery was the Second General Staff's trump card rocket artillery regiment.

Countless shells and rockets roared down on Hill 597.

Thanks to meticulous prior preparation, this artillery strike was extremely successful.

After a five-minute barrage, more than 5% of the UN forces' defensive fortifications were destroyed by artillery fire.

Subsequently, the howitzers began to extend backward as planned, striking the second-line assembly positions of the US forces.

At the same time, the companies responsible for the attack rushed out of the tunnels, stepping on the still-hot dust.

The 6th and 8th companies of the 241st Regiment, along with the division's reconnaissance company, which were responsible for attacking Hill 537, instantly arrived at the Southern Army's position.

Faced with the fierce offensive of the Chinese People's Volunteer Army, the South Korean army was utterly powerless to resist, and entire battalions fled in disarray.

Just half an hour later, all four Southern Army battalions responsible for guarding Hill 537 were driven off the hill.

Despite the short duration of the battle, the Southern army suffered extremely heavy losses.

The commander of the 2nd Division of the South personally went to the front line to gather troops, but in the end he could only recover less than a battalion.

Three of the four battalion commanders were killed, and the remaining one was wounded.

While the advance on Hill 537 was unstoppable, the battle on Hill 597, the main battleground, was just beginning.

The toughest challenges on Hill 597 are positions 1 and 9, as well as position 3 on the main peak.

The 7th Company was responsible for the three most important positions, while the other two companies were responsible for the remaining positions.

As soon as the artillery fire began to spread, the 7th Company immediately emerged from their hiding place in Tunnel No. 1.

The enemy troops on position number 1 were caught off guard.

Almost instantly, the 7th Company captured Position 1.

After their initial victory, the 7th Company pressed on and immediately charged toward position number 9.

By this time, the US troops inside position 9 had already reacted.

As soon as the soldiers of the 7th Company appeared, several flares were launched into the air, followed by a hail of bullets.

The 3rd Platoon of the 7th Company's vanguard was pinned to the ground and unable to move.

After several unsuccessful attempts, the 3rd platoon leader turned around and shouted, "9th Squad Leader!"

"Platoon leader!" Squad leader Li Yongfa crawled several meters on his hands and knees, getting close to the 3rd platoon leader.

Pointing to the bunker on the side of position 9, the 3rd platoon leader shouted, "See that bunker?! Take it out!"

The flank bunker of the 3rd platoon, with its extremely wide field of vision and exceptionally fierce firepower, was the most threatening firing point to the 7th Company's attack.

Once we can take down this bunker, the 7th Company can storm in through this gap.

"I'm going right now!"

Without hesitation, Li Yongfa immediately waved to the rocket launcher operator, then took the captured American helmet from his belt, put it on his head, and crawled forward with the rocket launcher operator.

Once they were close enough to be confident of their approach, the rocket launcher operator set up the rocket launcher.

However, the firepower of the US military at this time was extremely terrifying. The rocket launcher operator had just straightened up when he was hit by several bullets in succession, his body tilted and he fell to the ground.

"Damn it!" Li Yongfa cursed.

Using the flares just fired by the US military, Li Yongfa surveyed his surroundings.

He picked up the rocket launcher from the ground and crawled towards a nearby crater.

Although the crater wasn't very deep, it allowed him to adjust his posture and buy himself a second.

After resting for a moment in the crater, Li Yongfa immediately got up and set up the rocket launcher.

However, just as Li Yongfa got up, a stray bullet hit him squarely in the head, punching a hole in his helmet.

Li Yongfa lowered his head and lay prone beside the shell crater, blood flowing from under his helmet.

The three rows behind them had eyes wide open in fury.

Just as the 3rd platoon leader was about to send more men, he suddenly saw Li Yongfa, who had already fallen, slowly raise his head again.

"boom!"

The rocket was launched, and Li Yongfa fell down, this time he didn't move again.

"Damn it! Follow me and kill them!"

Taking advantage of the American bunker's silence, the 3rd Platoon Leader shouted and charged out.

The soldiers swarmed in through the gap in the firepower and wiped out the UN forces on the position.

After capturing position number 9, the 7th Company did not stop to rest, but turned around and charged toward the last and most difficult position.

The No. 3 main peak position is the highest point of Hill 597 and a key point of defense for the US military.

Although Wufangling is inconvenient to access and transport vehicles cannot pass through, the US military still carried some concrete materials up by hand.

The U.S. military built a huge bunker on Position 3, and placed six machine guns of various types inside the bunker.

Although the concrete in the bunker had not yet reached its maximum hardness due to time constraints, it was already sufficient to withstand direct fire from rocket launchers.

Seeing that several rockets had no effect on him, Li Weigang called for backup.

Qin Sheng also knew that this bunker was the biggest obstacle to the 7th Company's attack, so he decisively asked Wang Chengzhu to take action.

Twelve 152mm howitzers were aimed at position number 3.

Within 5 minutes, hundreds of large-caliber grenades bombarded position 3 once again.

However, due to the angle, the US military bunker was not directly hit by the shells.

Looking at the bunker that hadn't stopped for a second, Li Weigang gritted his teeth and said, "The companies have now basically taken back the positions. We must take down position number 3 at all costs."

"Otherwise, once it gets light, the enemy will use this as a pretext to launch a counterattack against us, and we will be attacked from both sides."

Instructor Wang Jie, standing to the side, asserted, "I've already organized three demolition teams. Even if I break a tooth today, I'll grit it off!"

After saying that, Wang Jie personally led the demolition team forward.

The first group of soldiers went up and were killed.

The second group of soldiers went up, and they were killed as well.

When he saw the last group of soldiers fall in front of the bunker, Wang Jie took off his hat and threw it on the ground: "You bastard! I'll kill you!"

Wang Jie picked up a demolition charge and was about to rush out.

The communications officer Yan Guanghong grabbed him and said, "Instructor, let me do it."

Before Wang Jie could speak, two other soldiers beside him stepped forward and said, "Instructor, we'll go with Yan Guanghong!"

Wang Jie opened his mouth, but finally gritted his teeth and nodded: "Yan Guanghong, from now on, you are the squad leader of Squad 6. Wu Sanyang and Deng Liang, you two are soldiers of Squad 6."

"The three of you will form a demolition team and be responsible for carrying out demolition missions!" Yan Guanghong and his two companions didn't utter any grand pronouncements, simply replying, "Yes, sir!"

The three men advanced while taking turns providing cover. Even as flares were constantly being fired into the air, they still managed to evade the enemy's fierce firepower by taking advantage of the gaps between the flares.

Seeing the three approaching figures, the American troops inside the bunker did not choose to concentrate their six machine guns to suppress them, but instead called for close air support.

A series of mortar shells landed in front of the bunker.

The three people who had already approached the bunker had nowhere to hide.

Yan Guanghong, who was lying on the ground, was blasted over by a mortar shell. His clothes were immediately soaked in blood, and his left leg was blown off at the knee by shrapnel.

Wu Sanyang had already sacrificed his life, and Deng Liang was also seriously injured and collapsed.

Just as Wang Jie gritted his teeth and prepared to rush forward, he was surprised to see that Yan Guanghong, who had lost a leg, had not given up and was still moving.

The soldiers of the 7th Company watched as Yan Guanghong crawled alone toward the bunker.

As Yan Guanghong approached the bunker and struggled to throw the demolition charge into it through the firing port, a burst of bullets struck him at the same time.

Yan Guanghong collapsed again.

Lying on the ground, Yan Guanghong was panting heavily, but his eyes remained fixed on the bunker.

When he saw a dark object being thrown out, Yan Guanghong suddenly sat up again.

Picking up the explosive charge from the ground, Yan Guanghong stuffed it back into the firing port.

However, this time the enemy held off the demolition charge, and Yan Guanghong, who was seriously injured, had no strength to push the demolition charge in.

Just when everyone's hearts were in their throats, Yan Guanghong stood up, clinging to the bunker, and lunged toward the enemy's firing port.

Yan Guanghong's small chest blocked the firing port, completely obstructing the machine gun and demolition charge.

This terrified the American soldiers inside the bunker.

"Shoot! Shoot quickly!"

An American soldier was pushing Yan Guanghong with a demolition charge while shouting.

Machine gun bullets continued to pierce Yan Guanghong's body, spraying blood everywhere.

But Yan Guanghong just kept blocking the firing port and didn't move an inch.

"boom!!"

With a deafening roar, Yan Guanghong and the bunker vanished together.

"Comrades! Kill them!"

With bloodshot eyes, the soldiers of the 7th Company charged up the No. 3 main peak position like tigers.

A reinforced company of American troops stationed here was wiped out by the 7th Company, with less than one-tenth of the American soldiers escaping alive.

Meanwhile, the remaining positions on Hill 597 were also captured one by one by the other two companies.

"Commander! Good news! Our six companies have recaptured all surface positions on Hill 597 and Hill 537 in one fell swoop!"

"More than 2,000 enemy soldiers were killed, and countless weapons and ammunition were captured."

Upon hearing the chief of staff's report, Qin Sheng immediately ordered, "Have each company proceed according to the original plan! The troops responsible for defense should seize the time to repair the positions!"

With the counterattack a complete success, there were no more UN forces on the ground, which meant that the US military had no more concerns, and artillery would soon begin to bombard the enemy again.

"Yes!"

Just as the volunteer soldiers were either retreating to the rear or retreating into the tunnels, Clark and Van Fleet also learned that Wufangling had been swept away.

The only thing that gives Clark a sliver of comfort now is that the Chinese People's Volunteer Army is too weak to attack Position 15.

However, at this point, the situation at Wufangling had become a difficult predicament for the entire UN forces.

Clark's original plan was to steal something and leave, but now he's been beaten bloody by the Chinese People's Volunteer Army.

Even for the sake of face and reputation, the US military could not withdraw and cease hostilities at this point.

Clark and Van Fleet both stared at the sand table of Wufangling, lost in thought.

A moment later, Van Fleet pointed to the Pingkang Plain and proposed, "Sir, I suggest we assemble our air force and armored forces to launch a blitzkrieg against Pingkang."

"As long as we take Pingkang, the Volunteer Army will not be able to hold out on these mountains, and then we can easily achieve our goal."

Upon hearing Van Fleet's suggestion, Clark rejected it without hesitation: "Let's not bring this up again, it's absolutely impossible!"

"Washington has issued a strict order that a decisive battle must not be launched lightly."

If we deploy several divisions for a decisive battle and win, everything will be fine. But what if we lose?

The current Volunteer Army is not the same as it was a year ago.

If the UN forces suffer heavy casualties, an avalanche is very likely to occur.

Gambling the entire Southern Dynasty on a few thousand square kilometers of land belonging to the Northern Dynasty is not worthwhile by any calculation.

"I have decided to continue investing resources in the Wufangling area."

Clark stated definitively, "Even if it becomes a decisive battle at Wufangling, we cannot risk a sudden advance."

In any case, positional warfare is the US military's forte.

Van Fleet felt it was a pity about Clark's decision.

"Sir, I must remind you that the Wufangling area, regardless of which side controls it, will not have any impact on the overall battle situation. It will only shift the battle line by a few kilometers."

"But if we continue fighting, it could turn into a cruel, vicious gamble to save face."

“You’re right.” Clark nodded.

"Even if we take Wufangling, it won't make a big difference to the overall situation of the battle, but the strategic significance it carries will be completely different."

Van Fleet was not particularly politically astute; the success or failure of Five Ridge was merely a small tactical battle.

However, in terms of strategy, it can have a significant impact on negotiations.

If the U.S. military can win the Battle of Wufangling, it will give everyone the impression that the U.S. military can take over anywhere if it wants to.

Conversely, if the Chinese People's Volunteer Army wins, it means that the UN forces will not be able to penetrate any position that the Volunteer Army wants to defend.

This back-and-forth has a world of difference in its impact on the negotiations.

"Sir, what do you mean?"

Clark slammed his fist on the wooden frame of the sand table: "Launch a full-scale counterattack, at all costs, we must take Wufangling!"

After considering for a moment, Van Fleet said, "To take Wufangling, we must gather the full strength of the 7th Division."

This time, Clark did not refuse; after a brief moment's thought, he made a strategic adjustment.

"Reassign the 3rd Division to defend Ximashan, so that Márquez can focus all his energy on Wufangling!"

"In addition, another 40th Division will be transferred to Fuzhili to serve as a reserve force for the 7th and 3rd Divisions."

"The same operation will be carried out on the eastern front, with an additional Southern Army Division being transferred as a reserve force."

"I refuse to believe that with so many troops and firepower, we can't take this little hill!"

(End of this chapter)