Chapter 13: Starting a War

Eat, sleep, dig tunnels.

We have done these three things for more than ten days. We have done nothing else. In fact, the Corps Command has been caring about the negotiation process and has no time to take care of us. Even the number of times we send us telegrams is less. Just occasionally, the Division Commander Pang will send a few telegrams to ask about the situation, or tell us some of the negotiations he knows about. For example, the negotiations are not going smoothly, and the Americans ask for too high prices seems to be difficult to reach a unified state, so let us not give up and not have negative thoughts...

I understand what Commander Pang meant, and he was also worried that I would not want to fight because I started the negotiations. But his concern was obviously redundant, because I knew much more than him. I knew very well at the negotiating table of this negotiation, the US military used the excuse of compensating for the sea and air superiority and demanded that China and North Korea unilaterally give up 12,000 square kilometers of land, which eventually broke down the negotiations.

What is sea and air advantage?

The Americans mean that they have a navy and an air force but we don’t, so they naturally have an advantage in the military. Since they have the advantage, now they have made peace and no war, the volunteers have to use land to compensate for their advantages in this regard.

This also made me realize how great Americans are to argue! The United States is a country with a large number of lawyers and is said to have experts in negotiations, so it has become an art of quibbling. This may sound reasonable at first glance, but they don’t think about it. They have gained so many advantages, but they really fought on the battlefield but did not gain any advantage, and almost drove us out of the sea. Now they are clamoring to compensate for their so-called sea and air advantages.

What they can't get on the battlefield, but want to get it at the negotiating table!

Although I knew all this, the soldiers of the 538th Regiment did not know. If they didn’t know the progress of the negotiation, the soldiers would inevitably guess in their hearts. It was okay for the first few days, but after a long time, some soldiers could not stand it. In addition, it rained heavily again, which added a lot of difficulties to the tunnel operation. The soldiers gradually developed a negative emotion. Some rumors spread that the negotiations had reached an agreement and we were going to return to China, etc.

This kind of problem quickly touched the sensitive nerves of Chief of Staff Jiang, so he was nagging by my side every few days: "Xiao Cui! It's time to hold a meeting to do political and ideological work for the soldiers!"

"Isn't this work done by the political commissar?" I answered a little dissatisfied.

"That's right, but our regiment was temporarily formed. Before the superiors could come, they had to send a political commissar to the rush, right?"

"Then won't you just organize a meeting?"

"It's not difficult to organize a meeting, but we don't speak loud enough!" Jiang Chunzeng teased himself and said, "Didn't the soldier still say it? The staff officer does not lead the commander, and it doesn't fart even loudly! You are the regiment commander, and you will be the most suitable for you to do this!"

"Let's go in two days! I'm busy!" What I fear most is meetings, and now I can't help but play Tai Chi with him.

"What are you busy with?" Jiang Chunzeng said as if he was swearing and never giving up: "We chiefs of staff are too idle. If you have any questions, we old guys will be busy, such as using guns!"

I was stunned when I heard this. Actually, there was nothing to be busy with. I was rubbing my beloved sniper rifle in my hand...

So under the "coercion" of Chief Jiang, I had to call the correspondent to summon battalion commanders and instructors of each battalion. I felt a little ashamed. As the commander of the regiment, I still can't remember what the battalion commanders of my subordinates looked like. I only knew that there were five battalion commanders under my command, one of which was just right, one was guarding a mountain, and one was not much. For other things, I just told Liu Shunyi that he would arrange it.

After a while, the battalion commanders and instructors came in wearing rain ponchos in heavy rain. At this time, the tunnel of the regiment headquarters had widened and deepened. Although there were more than a dozen people at this time, they did not seem crowded at all. It was just that more people blocked the light that was not bright at all at all, which made the tunnel a little gloomy and made people feel a little stressed.

"Comrades!" Seeing that the soldiers were all here, I had to break the deadlock after a while, but I didn't know what to say as soon as I opened my mouth. If I held a modern "yes, haha" empty meeting, I was still working, but now I'm doing ideological and political work for the soldiers, I really couldn't do it now. After a long time, I found a topic casually and said, "Well, comrades, how are the fortifications done? Let me express my opinion first!"

"The fortifications are almost done!" Deputy Commander Liu had the most say in this issue, because he ran around the various high grounds every day to follow the progress. When he heard me ask, he started a report as if he knew it: "The relatively high ground 1031 and 965 high ground 965 did not need to build two inclined fortifications, so the progress was faster. However, I still asked the soldiers to strengthen the tunnels to cope with the landslide problems that may be caused by floods. I also used the extra time to build several more tunnels. Now there are more than 40 tunnels in these two high grounds that open two inclined surfaces, and the tunnels are also connected to each other so that the soldiers can contact each other."

Deputy Commander Liu said, and simply spread out the map and pointed to the locations of several other high grounds and said: "The 884 and 924 highlands relatively behind have to build two inclined fortifications, so the progress is relatively slow, but it can be completed before dark today. Moreover, according to Commander Cui's intention, we dug two to three traffic trenches between the highlands and the highlands, and several go... Golan trenches were buried, and these fortifications have basically been completed. But the most difficult one is the 1211 highland in the middle..."

"Well, are there any difficulties?" I couldn't help but ask in confusion as Deputy Commander Liu pointed at the highest high ground in the middle.

"The rock formation is a few meters deep in this high ground!" Deputy Commander Liu replied: "As soon as the soldiers dig the rocks, there is no way to do anything, so this high ground is only suitable for building field fortifications, and there is no way to dig tunnels! But I think this is nothing big. First, because this high ground is in the middle, it is unlikely to be attacked by a large number of enemy troops. Second, I have dispersed the troops stationed in this high ground to dig tunnels. The soldiers of this battalion can avoid enemy artillery fire in other high grounds, and then enter this high ground to garrison after the artillery fire."

"Yeah!" I nodded. In fact, I will go to the position if I have anything to do in the past few days. The fortifications I saw were also very satisfied with me. The firepower of each tunnel entrance can cooperate with each other, and a whole has formed between the tunnel entrances, which can provide cover for each other. If it weren't for Deputy Commander Liu's command, I wouldn't have come up with such things.

"So, are there any other comrades still in trouble?" I asked.

"Nothing is difficult!" The person who spoke was a black-faced warrior with two beards. I recognized his surname as Hu and his name was Hu Biao. Because he happened to be the battalion commander who was guarding the 1031 highland where I was, I met several times and became familiar with him after a while.

It is said that during the five battles, he led a company to grab a mountain with the US military. He repeated it five times in a day. In the end, the entire company had only a dozen people left and he still snatched the mountain.

"Captain Cui!" At this time, Hu Biao stood up with mud all over his body and said, "We can overcome other difficulties. It is just that this battle is not fought or not, and it is not harmonious, which makes us feel so nervous!"

"That's it!" The other battalion commanders and instructors also agreed: "Some people say they are going to fight, and some people say they are going to make peace. No one can tell whether to fight or not. They are very upset when doing the work..."

"Comrades!" Seeing the soldiers talking, I had to stand up and shout at them: "Everyone... Everyone should realize that although the enemy encountered difficulties in the war and was forced to negotiate with us, their imperialist aggression nature will not change. During the negotiations, the enemy is likely to play various conspiracies and may also take the opportunity to launch a sudden attack on us. So, comrades, the armistice negotiation will be very difficult and tortuous, and the struggle with imperialism is also destined to be long-term. We can only achieve final victory after resolute, fierce struggle and preparation for long-term combat! Therefore, we must respond to the call of our superiors to actively defend, eliminate all negative thoughts and actively build a defensive position, and be prepared to smash any enemy's attack at any time!"

"Okay!" As soon as I finished speaking, the soldiers applauded, and even the chiefs of staff nodded to me with praise, as if they were extremely satisfied with my words.

Only I smiled bitterly in my heart. Fortunately, I memorized Marxism philosophy several times in college to handle the exam. At this time, I was so quick that I was confused and had a good idea...

With a "boom!", a loud noise suddenly came from above my head, which made the soil on the tunnel fall down with a "swish swish swish swish swish". The soldiers were stunned when they heard the cannon sound. They had not heard the cannon sound for a long time and had not reacted for a long time. Everyone in the tunnel was full of veterans who had fought for several years. Now, they looked at me like new recruits, and looked at you, but they didn't know what happened.

Then there was a large number of cannons, one after another, and the sound of cannons stopped after a while. Only then did the radio soldiers panic hand over a telegram, which read: "The negotiations have broken down, and the enemy may launch a sudden attack!"

Mom! Seeing this, I couldn't help but curse. This American guy didn't start fighting early or late, but he started fighting after I finished the meeting and finished the ideological work of the soldiers. Isn't this a waste of my saliva?

After thinking about it, I still dare not neglect to shout to the soldiers: "Comrades, the negotiations have broken down and the enemy has begun to attack! Go back immediately to prepare for battle!"

"Yes!" The soldiers responded in unison, saluted me and ran towards their positions.

I also habitually ran out with a rifle, but before I could run two steps, I was stopped by Deputy Commander Liu and Chief of Staff.

"Captain Cui! Where are you going?" Deputy Commander Liu asked.

"Go to the battlefield!"

"You are the regiment commander, just stay here!" Deputy regiment commander Liu snatched the sniper rifle in my hand and said, "It's not your turn to the battlefield! All the soldiers in the regiment want you to command and go to the battlefield!"

"Then...it's OK to go out and see the situation!"

"It depends on the situation, but you have to bring the guards!" Deputy Commander Liu turned around and told Zhang Mingxue and others: "You must protect the safety of the Commander and not go to too dangerous places!"

"Yes! Ensure the task is completed!"

I feel so cowardly. I have to ask for instructions if I want to go to the battlefield. And now I seem to be protected by someone...

I took Zhang Mingxue and Xu Yongwei and trotted around the tunnel for a while, and soon turned into a tunnel that could lead to the front slope. I didn't do much else during this period, but I was very familiar with the tunnels in these high grounds. Just kidding, this is where I want to fight. If I get lost even if I walk in, I'll be a big fight! What's more, I'm still a sniper, and I have to know my terrain clearly.

However, this tunnel is not something that humans can walk on. Because it has to penetrate the two slopes of the front and back, the tunnel is particularly long, which determines that the soldiers cannot dig them wide or high for a limited time. So people have to wait inside, and due to the rainwater seepage, the mud in the tunnel is so thick that it can cover the military boots on my feet. Coupled with the darkness and the sound of gunfires that appear from outside, it makes people feel like they are walking into hell.

After finally walking out of the slender tunnel and drilling into the tunnel with a slightly larger slope, I couldn't help but straighten up and twist my already sore back, and then reached out to pull out Zhang Mingxue and Xu Yongwei, who were still rubbing in the tunnel. Looking at the three of them, they were covered in mud and could not tell who it was.

"Captain Cui!" Zhang Mingxue took a deep breath as soon as he came out and said, "This place is too dangerous, let's go back!"

Upon hearing this, I couldn't help but smile bitterly: "I said to Comrade Xiao Zhang, have you seen the enemy here?"

"No!" Zhang Mingxue shook his head.

"There are bullets, are the shells coming?"

"No!" Zhang Mingxue shook his head.

"What other dangers can there be?"

"This..." Zhang Mingxue couldn't help but be speechless and had to follow me forward.

"How is the situation?" He ran to the entrance of the tunnel and lay in the cover, asking the soldiers beside him casually.

"Fight!" The soldier must have not recognized me and responded without looking back: "The enemy's firepower is very strong, it seems that he has prepared for it. I am afraid that the comrades of the People's Army will not be able to withstand it."

I picked up the telescope hanging around my neck and looked forward. It was as if the soldier said, and the shells exploded one after another towards the People's Army's position. Dozens of planes hovered above their positions like bees, and from time to time there were dives or drops a few bombs. The flames of the incendiary bombs reflected red half of the sky, and it looked particularly weird under the pouring heavy rain.

"Cui, Captain Cui... You are Captain Cui!" Maybe the telescope exposed my identity, and the soldiers lying beside him recognized me at this time. But he did not get up and salute me, which made me secretly praise him. The team formed by Commander Pang for me is really an army of extraordinary quality, and any soldier can control his habits. If everyone saluted the commander on the front line, it would be of no benefit except to give the enemy sniper an excellent target.

"Yeah!" I nodded to him, and didn't bother to talk to him, and continued to hold the telescope and observe in the direction of the People's Army.

Suddenly a black dot appeared in my video, and then another one, which spread into one after another. I quickly changed the magnification of the telescope, and now I saw clearly that it was the People's Army. Although the soldiers of the People's Army were hard to recognize, the officers in their breeches and military boots were impressive. Isn't it? It's much more "magnificent" than ordinary soldiers when they run! The military boots ran in the mud, one deep and one shallow, as if they were dancing...

The People's Army retreated much faster than I thought. It was only an hour since the enemy started bombing, and they had already retreated here. But it was common sense to think about it. Their field fortifications could not resist the bombing of US cannons and incendiary bombs. What's more, the US military prepared for more than half a month of bombing, and the US tank and armored troops rushed into the junction of their corps. If they didn't run away, they would face the danger of being divided and surrounded. The six divisions guarding the front line were probably killed or injured.

"Pass the order!" Seeing this, I hurriedly ordered: "Each unit is ready for combat. The comrades of the People's Army are running in front. See clearly before fighting, and don't hurt your own people by chance!"

"Yes!" The soldier beside him quickly passed my order.

By the way, this regiment commander is beneficial to observe the enemy situation on the front line. At least it is more convenient to command. It is not as troublesome as the phone calls, and the situation you hear on the phone cannot keep up with what you see.

"Captain Cui, Captain Cui!" I don't know when Li Xianhao and his men rushed to the front in panic. At this time, they were no longer as arrogant as before. They were all like headless flies, shouting loudly while asking the soldiers beside them: "Have you seen Captain Cui? Where is Captain Cui?"

"Here!" I shouted at them with some disdain. In them, I couldn't see any military appearance.

"Captain Cui, Captain Cui!" When he saw me, Li Xianhao, couldn't help but run up overjoyed, and shouted in anger: "Captain Cui! Our division commander is retreating in this direction. Please order you to go and respond and send troops quickly!"
Chapter completed!