Chapter 131 Water Gate Bridge - Ambush

As dawn broke, a biting wind swirled with snowflakes, scraping against my face like knives, causing a sharp, stinging pain.

Yu Congrong wrapped his worn-out cotton coat tightly around himself, which was already stiff and had many lint holes showing. He held the half-old radio tightly in his hands and hunched over, stepping into the snow that was over his ankles.

With each step, snowflakes seeped into his trouser legs, making them numb with cold. But he dared not stop for a moment, and kept moving quickly toward a sheltered mountain hollow.

This was his fifth attempt to contact the division headquarters since he got up before dawn.

The first four times, there was only crackling static on the radio, and no matter how he adjusted the frequency or shouted at the top of his lungs, he received no response.

Throughout the temporary shelter, the soldiers either leaned against the cold rocks with their eyes closed to rest, or silently wiped the broken weapons in their hands. The atmosphere was so oppressive that it was hard to breathe. Everyone was waiting, waiting for an order from the division headquarters, waiting for a clear direction.

Yu Congrong squatted in the snow, his fingertips frozen stiff. He breathed out white vapor and rubbed his hands together, carefully adjusting the radio knob. Fine beads of cold sweat involuntarily seeped from his forehead. He lowered his voice again, with a hint of urgency and anticipation.

"Headquarters! Headquarters! This is a joint detachment from the 7th and 6th Companies. Please respond! Please respond!"

One second, two seconds, three seconds...

Just when he was almost in despair and preparing to change the frequency again, the radio finally picked up a clear sound, albeit with electrical interference.

"Roger! Roger! This is division headquarters. The main force has reached a point 30 kilometers outside the Water Gate Bridge. We will contact you immediately!"

Upon hearing this, Yu Congrong was startled, his tense nerves instantly relaxed slightly, and his hand holding the radio trembled slightly.

He jumped to his feet, ignoring the slippery ground, and staggered towards the company's temporary command post, shouting in a low voice, "We've made contact! We've made contact with the division headquarters! The main force is thirty kilometers outside the Shuimen Bridge!"

Wu Qianli, Mei Sheng, Xiong Jie, and Huang Liwen, who were discussing follow-up matters in the command post, all looked up when they heard this. A glint of light flashed in their eyes, and their fatigue and anxiety from the past few days faded away.

Yu Congrong quickly moved closer, put the radio to his ear, and relayed the division headquarters' instructions word by word, his expression growing increasingly serious as he relayed them.

"The division headquarters has ordered that two companies be dispatched to join us immediately; our core mission now is to destroy the Watergate Bridge if possible, and to carry out the demolition again tonight. If conditions for destroying the bridge are not met, we must stop the 1st Marine Division of the White Eagles from escaping at all costs, and absolutely not allow them to cross the Watergate Bridge!"

He paused, lowering his voice even further, carrying a heavy weight of pressure.

"Reports from division headquarters indicate that the enemy's vanguard has already fled to within 50 kilometers of the Shuimen Bridge. If they are allowed to cross the bridge successfully tonight, our main force will have no chance of catching up, and this enemy force will escape completely!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the temporary command post fell into dead silence. The cold wind blew in through the cracks, making the oil lamp flame flicker and reflect the solemn expressions on the four men's faces.

The veterans present understood the weight of those eight simple words: "Stop at all costs."

Facing the well-equipped and heavily armed 1st Marine Division of the White Eagles, their two companies now have only forty-odd men left. Even with the reinforcements that are about to arrive, the disparity in troop strength is still extreme.

This is no ordinary battle; it's a fight to the death, a desperate battle fought with lives at stake, with a high probability of no return.

After relaying the order, Yu Congrong silently stepped aside, his hands clenched tightly at his sides, his knuckles turning white, unable to utter a single word.

Looking at the four company and platoon officers in front of him, he knew how cruel this order was.

Wu Qianli, Mei Sheng, Xiong Jie, and Huang Liwen remained silent, standing still with only the whistling wind and their own heavy breathing in their ears.

They were all veterans who had crawled out of mountains of corpses and seas of blood, and had long since disregarded life and death. But when they thought of this battle, which they had no chance of winning and was destined to be brutal, their hearts were still heavy.

After an unknown amount of time, the four of them turned around at the same time, their eyes all fixed on He Yuzhu, who was resting against a rock not far away.

The boy huddled in the snow, his cotton-padded coat slightly thicker than theirs. His eyes were closed, and even in his sleep, his brows were slightly furrowed. He exuded a composure and sharpness beyond his years.

Since He Yuzhu joined them, he has saved his comrades from desperate situations several times with his excellent kung fu and accurate marksmanship. He even launched a solo raid on the enemy's supply depot, bringing back a large amount of equipment and ammunition, which gave two companies that were on the verge of being decimated a renewed fighting spirit.

Despite his young age, he was highly skilled, the brightest spearhead in the team, and the one everyone protected.

The four exchanged glances, their eyes conveying a clear meaning. Without exchanging any words, they all nodded slowly at the same time.

"This is a fight to the death. Zhu Zi must leave; we can't let him stay here and die with us."

Wu Qianli broke the silence first, his voice hoarse but incredibly firm, and looked at Xiong Jie beside him.

"Old Xiong and I went to persuade you, but you two are instructors, you can't say such things, and it's not appropriate for you to."

"it is good."

Xiong Jie nodded heavily, his face full of determination. He knew perfectly well that He Yuzhu was a rare talent, and it would be a great pity to leave him in this doomed battle.

"No matter what method you use, you must persuade him to leave; you must not be soft-hearted."

Huang Liwen spoke in a deep voice, his tone filled with unwavering determination. Even though he was extremely reluctant, he could not bear to watch the boy perish here.

"You two might not be able to persuade him. This kid is too stubborn. If you can't convince him, Lao Huang and I will step in."

Mei Sheng pushed up his slightly damaged glasses, his eyes serious. He knew He Yuzhu's temper all too well; once he made up his mind, nothing could sway him.

"Okay! It's settled then!"

Wu Qianli and Xiong Jie responded in unison without hesitation. They straightened their cotton-padded clothes and turned to walk towards where He Yuzhu was resting.

At this moment, He Yuzhu had been awakened by the noise. He slowly opened his eyes, stood up, patted the snow off his body, and looked at the two company commanders walking towards him. With a hint of doubt in his eyes, he asked, "Did you two company commanders call me because you have a new combat mission?" His voice was clear and crisp, with the crispness of a young man, and his eyes were full of determination to be ready to fight at any time.

Wu Qianli stopped and looked at the clear-eyed boy in front of him. His heart ached. After a long pause, he finally spoke with difficulty, his tone stiff but resolute.

"The new mission has nothing to do with you, Pillar. You should leave now and get out of here."

These words came so suddenly that He Yuzhu froze on the spot, his brows furrowed, looking at Wu Qianli with a puzzled expression.

"Company Commander Wu, what do you mean by this? The battle isn't over yet, why are you letting me leave?"

Wu Qianli turned his head away, not daring to look into his eyes, and patted Xiong Jie's arm.

"Old Bear, you tell him."

Xiong Jie stepped forward and stood in front of He Yuzhu, his face extremely grim, his voice deep and heavy with a hint of reluctance.

"Zhu Zi, the latest orders from the division headquarters have been issued. We must stop the 1st Marine Division of the White Eagles at all costs. This is a battle for the 6th and 7th Companies, a battle to the death for us. We hope you can survive."

"Survive?"

He Yuzhu smiled, but his smile carried a hint of confusion and stubbornness. He looked up at the two of them, and his voice suddenly rose a few decibels.

"My life is precious, but yours isn't? In this war, who hasn't lived on the edge of a knife? Compared to those on the front lines, who has killed more enemies than me? By staying, I can help you even more!"

"It's precisely because you have this ability that you should leave!" Wu Qianli suddenly turned his head and looked at He Yuzhu, his tone urgent and serious.

"You're still young, but you fight fiercely and methodically. This war is far from over. You could become a platoon leader, a company commander, even a battalion commander or a regimental commander. You could lead more soldiers to victory. It's such a pity you died here!"

"I'm not leaving!"

He Yuzhu shook his head, his feet remaining firmly planted, his eyes filled with unwavering determination.

"Your mission of holding the line needs me, and I cannot leave at this time."

"This is not something to be discussed, Comrade He Yuzhu, this is an order!"

Wu Qianli put on a stern face, adopting the authority of a company commander, and his tone left no room for argument. He could only force the boy to leave by ordering him.

He Yuzhu ignored Wu Qianli's tough stance and turned his gaze to Xiong Jie beside him, his eyes questioning. He wanted to know if this was a decision made by everyone.

Xiong Jie met his gaze, nodded heavily, and spoke with a firm tone.

"You don't need to look at me. This is a decision that I, Lao Wu, Instructor Mei, and Instructor Huang have discussed. You set off now and head east for about 30 kilometers. You will then encounter the main force of our division headquarters. We will have the division headquarters find a way to send you to the headquarters of the Ninth Army Group. After that, you will return to the Sixth Army and stay there. Don't get involved in this deadly battle again."

Upon hearing this, He Yuzhu's lips curled into a faint sneer. Looking at the two men, he retorted, "Are you sure your division really has the opportunity and the resources to send me away? Right now, the entire division is focused on fighting around the Water Gate Bridge. Your blocking mission is part of the division's overall operational plan. Even if I reach the division headquarters, I'll still end up on the battlefield. What difference does it make?"

He paused, his tone becoming increasingly stubborn.

"Besides, if you really intend to fight this battle and hold this place to the death, then I absolutely cannot leave!"

"Why? Just because you can fight?"

Wu Qianli's anger surged up, and his tone became agitated.

"There are plenty of capable soldiers on the battlefield, but how many of them survive? I've seen far too many soldiers like you, each one relying on their skills to charge forward, only to end up buried in the snow of North Korea!"

"Let me tell you, if going east doesn't work, go west. Slowly find the main force, and you'll eventually get back! You're good at raiding enemy supply depots, aren't you? Then go raid an enemy vehicle and a battle map. Get back safely the way you got there!"

Wu Qianli became more and more anxious as he spoke, his voice rising involuntarily. He was genuinely afraid that this promising talent would be left forever in this icy and snowy land.

"Old Wu, don't get agitated, talk to the child calmly."

Xiong Jie quickly tugged at Wu Qianli's arm and whispered words of advice.

He knew that Wu Qianli was in a fit of anger, but such a harsh tone would only make He Yuzhu more resistant.

"Speak to him nicely? This child is too stubborn; will he listen if you talk to him nicely?"

Wu Qianli shook off his hand, his face grim, his tone full of helplessness and anxiety.

Xiong Jie sighed helplessly, turned to look at He Yuzhu, and softened his tone.

"Zhu Zi, just listen to our advice, why won't you leave? This is clearly a chance to survive."

Seeing the two people's anxious yet resolute expressions, He Yuzhu felt a warmth in his heart, but he still did not back down.

He countered, "What will you rely on to hold them off? Those heavy machine guns with their worn-out barrels? Or these old rifles? Or those bazookas that have long since run out of ammunition? With this equipment, how can you possibly hold off the 1st Marine Division?"

Upon hearing this, Wu Qianli and Xiong Jie were instantly stunned. They exchanged a glance, both seeing urgency in each other's eyes, and quickly asked, "You still have supplies? Equipment and ammunition?"

He Yuzhu nodded slightly, his tone calm but full of confidence.

"Where are you? If we leave now, can we be back before dark tonight?"

Wu Qianli instantly forgot about his earlier attempt to send him away, his eyes filled with urgent light. Equipment was their only hope of survival and completing their mission.

"Sure, the journey isn't far. We can make it back before dark with a forced march," He Yuzhu replied confidently.

"How much is there? Is it enough to replenish the losses of two companies?"

Xiong Jie pressed for more information, his voice trembling.

He Yuzhu looked up at the two of them and spoke slowly, his tone calm and casual, yet carrying astonishing weight.

"A reinforced company's full equipment, with plenty of ammunition."

"hiss--!"

Wu Qianli and Xiong Jie gasped simultaneously, their eyes widening in disbelief. They stood frozen in place, speechless for a long time.

They thought that the equipment He Yuzhu had previously seized was the limit, after all, the enemy's supply depot was heavily guarded and heavily defended, and being able to seize the equipment of a whole company was already a tremendous achievement.

Unexpectedly, this kid actually had the equipment of a reinforced company hidden away. Just how many enemy supply points did he break into alone, and how much did he steal? This is simply unbelievable!

"Old Xiong, you stay here and watch the pillar. I'll go find Yu Congrong right away and contact the division headquarters immediately to ask when the support company that's coming to join us will arrive!"

Wu Qianli finally came to his senses, suppressed his shock, grabbed Xiong Jie's arm, and said urgently, "Now that we have this batch of equipment, the chances of winning the ambush mission have increased significantly."

"Okay! Go quickly! The sooner the better!"

Xiong Jie nodded quickly, his eyes still fixed on He Yuzhu, his eyes filled with shock and admiration. This kid is simply a born surprise weapon!

Without saying a word, Wu Qianli turned around and ran wildly toward the radio station, the snow under his feet splashing everywhere, completely ignoring the cold and exhaustion.

Over here, Xiong Jie looked at He Yuzhu, rubbed his hands together, and gave an embarrassed smile. He tentatively asked, "Zhuzi, besides these, is there anything else you have? You know, our Volunteer Army is poorly equipped, and our weapons are always lagging behind. The weapons our soldiers have are almost a fraction of what the enemy has..."

He Yuzhu glanced at him and saw through his thoughts at a glance. He couldn't help but laugh and said, "What are you thinking? Your whole division has several thousand people. If you really want equipment, go ask the general of the White Eagle. Raid their armory and rob their supplies. Don't look at my little bit of wealth."

Xiong Jie scratched his head, chuckled, and, not angry, continued to press on relentlessly.

"Does this batch of equipment include a lot of heavy firepower? Heavy machine guns, mortars, bazookas, etc., are there any?"

Looking at his expectant expression, He Yuzhu paused deliberately and asked, "What, you're not kicking me out now?"

"I'm not leaving! I'm not leaving! I absolutely won't kick you out!"

Xiong Jie quickly waved his hand, shaking his head like a rattle-drum, but secretly he was making plans in his mind.

Let's get our hands on this equipment first. Then we'll find a secluded spot, hide this kid, and send two soldiers to watch him. We'll go find him after we finish this life-or-death battle. No matter what, let's save his life first.

Looking at his expression, He Yuzhu naturally guessed what he was thinking. He chuckled inwardly, but remained outwardly calm, and slowly said, "There's a lot of heavy firepower. It's almost twice as much as what I brought back yesterday."

"That's great! That's really great!"

Xiong Jie slapped his thigh in excitement, his face instantly beaming with a joyful smile.

With this equipment, they no longer had to fight the enemy's planes and tanks head-on with their old rifles. This defensive battle finally had a better chance of being won!

On the other side, Mei Sheng and Huang Liwen were standing not far away, watching Wu Qianli run wildly with an excited expression. The two looked at each other and both showed puzzled expressions.

"What's wrong with Lao Wu? He was just looking serious as he went to shoo the pillar away, why is he so agitated now? Did he really manage to persuade the person to leave?" Huang Liwen asked, frowning in confusion.

"No way. It's impossible for someone to be so happy about persuading Zhu Zi to leave. Something else must have happened." Mei Sheng pushed up his glasses, his eyes full of doubt.

Soon, Wu Qianli ran back, his face still showing undisguised excitement. He walked quickly to the two men, lowered his voice, and told them everything about He Yuzhu and the reinforced company's equipment.

After listening, Mei Sheng and Huang Liwen both sighed, their faces showing a helpless yet amused expression.

"This kid has completely ensnared both of us. This batch of equipment is just a tempting bait; even if we know it's bait, we have no choice but to take it!"

Mei Sheng shook his head helplessly, knowing in his heart that with this batch of equipment, they would never let He Yuzhu leave again.

"Last night's battle was something we wouldn't have dared to imagine before. The opposing force was no easy opponent; the White Eagles' troops had an extremely strong fighting spirit, and their equipment far surpassed ours. We were fighting them with old bolt-action rifles, and it was a miracle that even one squad of soldiers came back unscathed," Huang Liwen said with emotion. If it weren't for He Yuzhu, their two companies would have been wiped out long ago.

Soon, Wu Qianli re-established contact with the division headquarters through Yu Congrong and learned that the two companies that came to provide support would not arrive at the temporary rendezvous point until the afternoon.

Several company-level officers immediately gathered together and, after a brief discussion, made arrangements: Mei Sheng would lead the wounded soldiers who were unable to move around to stay in place and wait for the arrival of the support company, while also guarding the temporary stronghold.

This decision was unanimously approved by everyone through a vote. Although Mei Sheng was extremely unwilling and wanted to fight alongside his comrades, he had no choice but to accept it.

His eyes were injured in the previous battle, and his vision was blurred, making him unsuitable for frontline combat. He had no choice but to stay behind.

After making the arrangements, the remaining forty soldiers of the Sixth and Seventh Companies immediately packed their belongings, dragged their makeshift snow sleds, and followed closely behind He Yuzhu, heading east to retrieve the crucial equipment.

As for the wounded who remained behind, He Yuzhu simply didn't have time to treat each of their wounds individually. He could only give them brief instructions to bandage and care for each other before leading the main force into the vast snowstorm.

The group marched swiftly through the snow. The cold wind lashed their faces like knives, and snowflakes seeped into their collars, chilling them to the bone. Yet, not a single soldier complained of hardship or fatigue. Everyone was determined to keep moving forward.

During the journey, they encountered enemy reconnaissance planes circling at low altitudes several times, as well as large enemy patrol teams. Relying on his keen observation skills and familiarity with the terrain, He Yuzhu led his team to cleverly conceal themselves, evading enemy detection time and time again, and narrowly escaped danger.

After walking for an unknown amount of time, they finally arrived at the location where He Yuzhu had hidden his equipment. When they saw the piles of supplies covered tightly with tarpaulins in the snow, and then lifted the tarpaulins to reveal boxes of ammunition and rows of brand-new machine guns, all the soldiers' faces instantly lit up with uncontrollable smiles, and their eyes shone with excitement.

This is far more than just the equipment of a reinforced company; the quantity is even greater!

Most importantly, the heavy firepower was astonishing: four heavy machine guns, twenty light machine guns, five bazookas, four 60mm mortars, and countless ammunition, piled up like a small mountain.

With this batch of weapons and ammunition, they can finally stand tall and have a good fight with the Bald Eagle's forces, making those invaders pay a heavy price!

The soldiers excitedly crowded around, carefully carrying the equipment, afraid of bumping or damaging it. Every face was filled with excitement and anticipation.

During the march, Wu Qianli and Xiong Jie secretly huddled together, whispering and discussing how to find an opportunity to subdue He Yuzhu, hide him in a safe place, and never let him fight on the front lines.

To attract He Yuzhu's attention, Yu Congrong and Wu Wanli stayed by his side, asking him all sorts of questions, from fighting techniques to kung fu moves, chattering on and on, trying to distract him.

Once all the soldiers started moving their equipment, Wu Qianli and Xiong Jie exchanged a glance and quietly made a hand gesture.

Then, seven or eight burly soldiers, including the two of them, silently circled behind He Yuzhu and suddenly pounced on him, trying to subdue him.

The soldiers present were stunned, wondering what the two company commanders were doing. They all stopped what they were doing and looked at them with puzzled expressions.

But the next second, something shocking happened!

He Yuzhu seemed to have eyes in the back of his head. The moment the crowd pounced on him, he suddenly shifted to the side, his feet moving nimbly across the snow, his movements so fast they left afterimages, easily dodging the encirclement.

Immediately afterwards, he struck with swift, accurate, and ruthless movements, his moves crisp and clean, without a single superfluous motion. Apart from Wu Qianli and Xiong Jie, almost none of the warriors who rushed at him could withstand three moves from him. They were all easily knocked down in the snow, yet none of them were injured.

Even Wu Qianli and Xiong Jie only managed to hold out for a few more moves before falling into a disadvantageous position, firmly restrained by He Yuzhu, and having no power to fight back.

He Yuzhu, mindful of the two men's feelings, deliberately held back; otherwise, they would have been subdued instantly like the other soldiers.

In a short time, this seemingly powerful encirclement ended in complete failure.

He Yuzhu reached out and pulled up Wu Qianli and Xiong Jie, whose faces were dark and who looked defeated. He patted the snow off them and looked helpless.

Xiong Jie steadied himself, looked at He Yuzhu, and exclaimed in a mix of shock and amusement, "Zhu Zi! What can't you do? You're so skilled, so fierce in battle, and so good at looting equipment—you're practically a monster!"

Upon hearing this, He Yuzhu smiled and blurted out a famous saying from his past life: "A man can't say he's no good."

"Hmph! Are you saying we're not men anymore?" Wu Qianli glared at him with a dark face, feeling both admiration and helplessness. This kid's skills were just too abnormal.

"You can't say that. You are all real men, heroes who stand tall on the battlefield. I admire you from the bottom of my heart."

He Yuzhu quickly gave a thumbs up and said earnestly that he was not exaggerating at all. These volunteer soldiers in front of him fought bloody battles in the freezing cold for their country and people. They were all heroes with iron wills, but they could not compare to him, who had a cheat code.

Wu Qianli was speechless after being told that. He turned to Xiong Jie and asked with a worried look, "Old Xiong, what do we do now? We can't control him at all, and we can't even hide him."

Xiong Jie shrugged, looking helpless. "What else can we do? Just let it be! Didn't you say you practiced Sanda (Chinese kickboxing)? Is this all you've got?"

"My skills are just ordinary battlefield freehand techniques, focusing on practicality to defeat the enemy. But Zhu Zi's skills clearly have an orthodox lineage, completely different from our unorthodox methods!" Wu Qianli replied helplessly, his eyes full of admiration.

The two turned to look at He Yuzhu, and Xiong Jie asked curiously, "Yuzhu, tell me honestly, what kind of kung fu did you learn? How come you're so good at it?"

"When I was a child, I learned Tongbei Quan and Bajiquan. Later, I learned some Tai Chi from my elders. They were all moves for strengthening the body and self-defense," He Yuzhu said casually.

"I'm convinced! I'm completely convinced!"

Xiong Jie clasped his hands in a fist salute to He Yuzhu, his face full of admiration. With such superb skills, it was no wonder that he could move freely on the battlefield.

Wu Qianli looked at He Yuzhu, remained silent for a moment, and then asked in a deep voice, "Zhuzi, are you really not afraid of death? This battle is a fight with a nine-out-of-ten chance of survival."

He Yuzhu looked up at him, her eyes clear and firm, and asked in return, "Afraid? Of course I'm afraid, but aren't you all afraid too?"

Upon hearing this, Wu Qianli and Xiong Jie fell silent instantly.

Who isn't afraid of death?

No one doesn't cherish their own life, and no one doesn't want to return to their hometown alive and see their loved ones.

But behind them are their motherland, their families, and millions of ordinary people who long for a peaceful life.

After finally driving out the invaders and overthrowing the oppression, the country finally had hope for the future. Why should we let these bald eagle invaders bully us at our doorstep?

Only by inflicting pain and fear on these aggressors, so that they dare not provoke us again, can our families and future generations live in peace and be free from the suffering of war.

Therefore, they cannot be afraid. Even if they are afraid, they must grit their teeth and go for it. They can only make the enemy afraid and retreat, and use their own flesh and blood to build a Great Wall to protect their homeland.

Seeing the two of them silent, He Yuzhu didn't continue the heavy topic. He turned around and started helping the soldiers move equipment, his movements quick and steady.

At this moment, Wu Wanli ran over quickly, approached He Yuzhu, looked at him with admiration, his eyes sparkling, and asked eagerly, "Squad Leader He! Your kung fu is so amazing, do you take on apprentices? I want to learn from you!"

He Yuzhu turned to look at him, smiled and shook his head: "You're too old now. It's too late to learn proper kung fu. But if you learn some battlefield freehand fighting and master it, you can be about the same as your brother Wu Qianli. That'll be enough for self-defense and fighting."

Undeterred, Wu Wanli quickly replied, "Freestyle fighting is fine too! Sergeant He, could you teach me?"

"After this battle, once you're alive and come down from the front lines, I'll teach you."

He Yuzhu looked at the boy in front of him, who was about the same age as him and had pure eyes, and smiled as he agreed.

"Okay! It's a deal! I'll be waiting!"

Wu Wanli jumped up excitedly, nodded repeatedly, his face full of anticipation, and he worked with even more enthusiasm.

The group secured all their equipment to the snow sleds, dragged the full load of supplies, and returned to their temporary base along the same route. This time, no one mentioned asking He Yuzhu to leave.

When they returned to their stronghold, the two companies sent by the division headquarters to provide support had already arrived on time.

Although it was said to be two companies, the actual number of troops deployed was only about the size of one company.

With the war at this stage, all units on the front lines have suffered heavy casualties, and the division headquarters can no longer muster a complete, fully-staffed company. The number of troops that can be mobilized is already the limit.

The soldiers who came to provide support were all transferred from other regiments. Wu Qianli, Xiong Jie, and others had only met them before and were not familiar with each other.

Looking at their comrades who came to their aid, Wu Qianli and the others felt a pang of sadness.

Their cotton-padded clothes were even thinner than those of the soldiers in the Sixth and Seventh Companies. Many parts of them were torn, and they were shivering from the cold. Their heads and feet were tightly wrapped with tattered strips of cloth to barely keep out the cold wind. Their faces were blue and purple from the cold, but they still stood straight with unwavering determination in their eyes.

This scene instantly reminded Xiong Jie and Huang Liwen of themselves and their comrades before they met He Yuzhu. They were also short of food and clothing, had outdated equipment, but were equally determined to fight to the death.

Xiong Jie quietly pulled Wu Qianli aside and pointed with his eyes to a batch of brand-new cotton-padded clothes in the pile of supplies. Wu Qianli immediately understood and nodded heavily.

Afterwards, the officers from both companies introduced themselves to each other. The Seventh Company, led by Wu Qianli and Mei Sheng, was a well-known and elite company in the entire army and division. The officers from the supporting company all knew them. The Sixth Company, led by Xiong Jie and Huang Liwen, was relatively less famous. After a brief exchange of pleasantries, they got down to business.

The four company commanders and four political instructors sat together for a temporary operational meeting. The first thing Wu Qianli proposed after sitting down was to distribute all the cotton-padded clothes that He Yuzhu had brought back to the newly arrived support soldiers.

In fact, the two supporting companies were already shocked when they arrived at the stronghold and saw the wounded soldiers and soldiers from the 7th and 6th companies who had stayed behind.

They knew that the Seventh Company had fought fiercely at Shuimen Bridge and was almost decimated, but they never expected that the weapons and equipment of these soldiers were even better than theirs. Even the firepower of the wounded soldiers left behind was comparable to that of an entire platoon. This surprised and impressed them, but they also understood that these weapons and equipment were obtained by their comrades with their lives. Even if they were envious, they had no face to ask for them.

When Wu Qianli offered to distribute the brand-new cotton-padded coats to them, the two company commanders of the supporting company were instantly moved to their feet. They stood up straight, gave a solemn military salute, and then quickly stepped forward. They grasped Wu Qianli's hands tightly, shaking them excitedly. Their mouths were full of words of gratitude, but they were too excited to speak coherently for a moment.

The two instructors were equally excited and stepped forward to tightly grasp Mei Sheng's hands, expressing their gratitude repeatedly.

Xiong Jie and Huang Liwen were also surrounded in the middle, receiving everyone's gratitude—this batch of equipment was brought back by the Sixth and Seventh Companies together, and Wu Qianli would not have made this decision without the consent of the soldiers of the Sixth Company.

The reason they were so excited was that since the start of the Battle of Chosin Reservoir, there had been an extreme shortage of cold-weather clothing on the front lines. Many soldiers were not killed by enemy guns, but were frozen to death. The number of non-combat casualties was shocking. These cotton-padded clothes were lifesavers!

Wu Qianli, Xiong Jie, and others had been carrying out bridge-blowing and blocking missions at the front line, and were completely unaware of the non-combat casualties of the main force in the rear. Only when they saw the excited look on their comrades' faces did they realize how important these cotton-padded clothes were.

The meeting was temporarily interrupted. The two political instructors from the supporting company immediately went out and arranged for the soldiers to change into their cotton-padded clothes. When they returned to the meeting room, their faces finally showed long-lost smiles, no longer showing the coldness and exhaustion they had shown before.

After sitting down, the four officers from the supporting company immediately said that Wu Qianli and his team were more familiar with the terrain around Shuimen Bridge and had a better understanding of the enemy's situation. They would fully cooperate with the Sixth and Seventh Companies, obey orders, and fight this blocking battle well.

The meeting returned to its main topic, discussing the core operational plan. Wu Qianli looked at everyone present and said in a deep voice, "After the first attempt to blow up the bridge yesterday, we already discussed abandoning the plan to blow it up again. The enemy can quickly repair the structure of the Water Gate Bridge in just half a day. Even if we successfully blow up the bridge again tonight, the enemy can quickly repair it. We can't stop their advance at all. Perhaps the enemy had already completely repaired the Water Gate Bridge last night."

He paused, then continued, "Now that we have replenished our troops and have ample equipment, instead of risking blowing up the bridge, we should occupy advantageous terrain, hold off the enemy, and buy enough time for the main force of the division headquarters to arrive. Ultimately, we can join forces to encircle and annihilate the 1st Marine Division in one fell swoop!"

In addition, there was another crucial reason, which Wu Qianli did not explicitly state, but everyone present understood—the heavy firepower equipment that He Yuzhu brought back gave them the confidence to repel the enemy.

Previously, the reason for wanting to blow up the bridge was that the equipment was too poor and could not stop the enemy's tanks and armored vehicles. The only way to delay the enemy's retreat was to blow up the bridge. Now that we have heavy firepower, we can take advantage of the terrain and launch a frontal attack.

Wu Qianli already had a clear goal in mind regarding the choice of the blocking position.

When he first arrived near the Water Gate Bridge, he led his scouts to thoroughly survey the surrounding terrain and had already selected the most suitable ambush location.

After Wu Qianli laid out his plan, Xiong Jie was the first to raise his hand in approval, his face filled with unwavering determination.

"I agree with Lao Wu's plan! I really don't want to fight another battle like yesterday's, where we had no heavy firepower and relied solely on our flesh and blood. In just over an hour, I lost a platoon of brothers. We can't let our soldiers sacrifice themselves in vain!"

The other two company commanders of the supporting companies also nodded in agreement after careful discussion. This plan was the most reasonable and most likely to succeed at the moment.

The battle plan was thus finalized, and the meeting adjourned.

Wu Qianli immediately ordered the soldiers to go to the supply depot to collect their equipment and ammunition.

The two company commanders of the supporting company had long coveted this batch of excellent equipment. Upon hearing the order, they immediately led their soldiers excitedly toward the supply point.

Due to limited equipment, only brand-new rifles could be provided to all soldiers, replacing their old bolt-action rifles. Heavy firepower equipment remained relatively scarce. After discussion and allocation among several company commanders, the following was determined:

Each support company is equipped with one heavy machine gun, two light machine guns, and one bazooka rocket launcher; the sixth and seventh companies retain the remaining light and heavy machine guns and bazookas.

All 60mm mortars are centrally managed and uniformly allocated and used. Soldiers from each company who can operate mortars are all gathered together to temporarily form a mortar platoon.

With the addition of the three mortars left over from the Sixth and Seventh Companies, a total of seven mortars were gathered, just enough to form a complete artillery platoon. As for the acting platoon leader, the company commanders did not hesitate at all and unanimously chose He Yuzhu.

He was not only skilled and fierce in battle, but also possessed extraordinary talent in the use of artillery and the assessment of terrain, making him the most suitable candidate.

After the artillery platoon quickly assembled, the company commanders formally issued the combat orders in front of everyone.

He Yuzhu looked at Wu Qianli and Xiong Jie with a hint of doubt in his eyes. He clearly wanted to go to the front line to charge forward, but he was assigned to be the artillery platoon leader. He instantly understood what the two were thinking—they wanted to keep him in the rear and not let him risk his life on the front line.

But Wu Qianli and Xiong Jie deliberately avoided his gaze, pretending not to see him.

To prevent He Yuzhu from leaving the artillery platoon without permission and rushing to the front line, several company commanders specially arranged for Mei Sheng to stay in the artillery platoon to supervise him.

Firstly, Mei Sheng's eye injury made him unsuitable for frontline combat; secondly, Mei Sheng was calm and composed, and his words carried weight, allowing him to keep He Yuzhu in check.

With all weapons and equipment distributed, the four companies barely managed to assemble a combat force of two hundred men. They immediately set off, their target being the hill codenamed 302.7, northeast of the Water Gate Bridge.

Hill 302.7 appears to be towering, but in reality, it is only about 30 meters above the road below. The mountain is mostly composed of cliffs and precipices, making it a strategically important and easily defensible location.

However, the company commanders all knew that without the heavy firepower such as bazookas and mortars brought back by He Yuzhu, even if they occupied this high ground, they would not be able to complete the blocking mission. They couldn't just take rifles and go shoot at the enemy's tanks and armored vehicles.

In order to avoid the enemy's main force and quietly occupy the high ground, two hundred soldiers took a long detour before slowly approaching Hill 302.7.

Along the way, the convoy needed to cross a section of road and happened to encounter a battalion of defeated South Korean soldiers. These defeated soldiers were demoralized and completely unprepared.

Wu Qianli made a decisive decision and ordered a surprise attack. The soldiers took advantage of the terrain and quickly opened fire. In just over ten minutes, they routed the enemy, and most of them fled in panic. They failed to annihilate them all.

After the battle, the soldiers quickly cleaned up the battlefield, collected the enemy's weapons and ammunition, and without any delay, immediately withdrew from the road and continued to advance towards the high ground.

This small-scale skirmish did not attract much attention from the enemy.

After all, fighting is breaking out everywhere along the entire highway around the Watergate Bridge right now, with countless small-scale sporadic clashes.

Only when encountering large-scale, high-intensity battles will the enemy assume they have encountered a large force of the Chinese People's Volunteer Army and send reinforcements. They will only regard these small-scale battles, which are easily defeated, as encounters with scattered Chinese People's Volunteer Army soldiers, and they will not affect the retreat plan of their main force.

After several hours of rapid march, the troops finally reached Hill 302.7 and seized this defensive position.

But when the soldiers climbed the high ground, ready to dig trenches and build fortifications, everyone was stunned.

When Wu Qianli surveyed the terrain, the high ground was covered with thick snow and looked flat, making it suitable for building fortifications.

But when they dug down with an entrenching tool, they couldn't dig through the snow at all. Below them were incredibly hard rocks, frozen soil mixed with boulders. They couldn't even dig a simple foxhole, let alone a trench.

The only advantage was that these rocks, large and small, could serve as natural cover, allowing soldiers to hide behind them and retaliate against the enemy.

However, the downsides are equally deadly. Once the enemy launches an artillery attack, the shells will land on the rocks, and the shattered stones will fly everywhere, becoming deadly weapons. At that time, even if you hide behind cover, you will face great danger.

Several company commanders gathered together, their faces grave, discussing whether to change their blocking positions.

After careful consideration, they ultimately decided against changing the location – time was running out, the enemy could arrive at Shuimen Bridge at any moment, and among the terrain they had surveyed along the way, there was no more dangerous position than this one.

The road below Hill 302.7 is a sharp 90-degree turn, with a sheer cliff on the other side. If they destroy the enemy's vehicles in front, they can completely block the road, making it extremely difficult for the enemy behind to pass.

Moreover, if the enemy wanted to attack the high ground, they had to go around to a gentle slope three or four kilometers away before they could launch an attack, which gave them enough time to block the enemy.

After setting up the position, He Yuzhu immediately led the temporarily formed artillery platoon to place all seven mortars on the reverse slope of the high ground.

Wu Qianli and Mei Sheng were both veterans who had been through many battles. They immediately saw the advantages of the reverse slope position—it could avoid enemy artillery fire to the greatest extent, preserve the strength of the artillery platoon to the greatest extent, and continuously provide fire support to the front line. Everyone nodded and did not ask any more questions.

After setting up the mortar positions, He Yuzhu quickly ran to the front of the high ground.

Lying on the cold rocks, with binoculars in hand, he carefully observed the terrain around the road, repeatedly setting the shelling parameters to ensure that every shell landed precisely on the enemy's attack route.

After finishing all this, He Yuzhu turned to the company commanders and asked, "Does each company have a suitable artillery spotter? After dark, visibility is poor, and we can't use flags to pass signals, so we can only use flashlights to communicate."

Wu Qianli immediately made the decision: "Apart from Wu Wanli, everyone else in the Seventh Company can be an observer. You can choose any one of them!"

The company commanders of the Sixth Company and the support company also stated that they had sufficient observers and could be deployed at any time.

During the break while setting up defensive fortifications, He Yuzhu explained in detail to several company commanders the tactics he had learned when carrying out blocking missions in the First Company of the Sixth Army.

This tactic relies on terrain, layered blocking, and coordinated firepower to maximize the advantages of existing equipment and reduce soldier casualties.

After listening, the company commanders nodded repeatedly and unanimously approved the plan on the spot. They immediately reorganized the blocking echelons and assigned combat tasks according to this method.

When the mission was assigned, Wu Qianli, with sheer tenacity, managed to secure the first position in the initial blocking wave. He patted his chest and declared, "Our Seventh Company will go first, setting an example for our brother units. Let's make the enemy suffer in the first wave!"

The other company commanders fought over it, but ultimately failed to outbid Wu Qianli and had no choice but to compromise, though they still made their own demands.

The 7th Company can only fight the first wave. After one round of blocking, it must be replaced by another company.

Wu Qianli readily agreed, laughing and saying, "Just you wait and see, the first wave will absolutely make the enemy regret it!"