He stood up and sprayed gunfire.

"Marching proudly and boldly, crossing the Yalu River..." Yesterday, more than 70 veterans of the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea gathered at the Yan Mountain Hotel in Dashiba, Jiangbei, raising their glasses with tears in their eyes. Tomorrow, 24 of these veterans will set foot on the land of North Korea, revisiting places like the Yalu River and the 38th parallel where they once shed their blood. More importantly, they can personally lay a bouquet of flowers for their close comrades who have remained there for over half a century.

According to Ms. Zhou Shasha from Changjiang International Travel Service, responsible for organizing this trip, this year marks the 60th anniversary of the outbreak of the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea, and the Qingming Festival is approaching. These veterans are self-funding their collective trip to North Korea to pay respects to their fallen comrades. The travel agency and relevant airlines have all voluntarily reduced the fees. Ms. Zhou Shasha predicts that within this year, other veterans will also go to North Korea to pay homage to their comrades.

Chen Zhiliang: Lost Toes in Hand-to-Hand Combat

Yesterday, veteran Chen Zhiliang wore all his medals on his chest. He went to the Korean battlefield in January 1951, serving as a technical officer in the anti-aircraft artillery battalion. In one battle, his army broke through the enemy's blockade line and met the enemy head-on. Chen Zhiliang fought the enemy in close combat, breaking out of the encirclement after a gunfight turned into hand-to-hand combat. "A flash of white light appeared, and I suddenly found my left toes were gone!" Even today, Chen Zhiliang still has difficulty walking. He received two third-class merits for his service on the Korean battlefield. "After so many years, I often think of the comrades who sacrificed their lives. This time, I can finally go see them. It's what I've been looking forward to my whole life," he said.

Wang Shaochuan: Looking for the Korean Girl from Back Then

The elderly cultural instructor Wang Shaochuan recalled yesterday that despite the cruelty of war, there were also many beautiful memories in Korea. During ceasefires, they lived in Korean villages, under the starry sky, beautiful Korean girls and kind Korean mothers dressed in traditional skirts, holding hands together dancing and singing Korean songs that they couldn't understand. Although the lyrics weren't clear, the friendly looks and grateful gestures of the Korean people stayed in his memory forever. When they left Korea, many locals cried, waving their hands and shouting "thank you, thank you!" in Chinese that they had just learned. The old man said this time when he returns, he hopes to see the Korean girl from back then.

Ren Jiude: Wants to Go to Korea but Lacks Funds

At the scene was another special elder named Ren Jiude. Dressed in a blue coat with a brownish-yellow complexion, he looked like an ordinary countryman, yet his eyes revealed a resolute gaze, a look unique to soldiers. He was Huang Jiguang's comrade-in-arms and a combat hero who killed 98 enemies. Ren Jiude is 84 years old and currently resides in Chongqing.

Yesterday, his lips moved quickly as he mumbled indistinctly, making shooting motions with his hands. Originally, Ren Jiude suffers from esophageal cancer and can no longer speak, only expressing himself through body language. A staff member explained the meaning of the elder's gestures: In the Battle of Shangganling, some enemies wore steel plates that our bullets couldn't penetrate, so we had to aim at their heads and kill them one by one. To increase accuracy, he stood up and fired, embedding two shrapnel pieces in his body. In that arduous battle, Ren Jiude killed 98 enemies and was awarded a second-class merit.

It is understood that Elder Ren Jiude also wants to visit North Korea soon to pay respects to his comrades, but due to his inability to speak and poor health, he needs two companions, and his retirement salary cannot cover the approximately 15,000 yuan travel expenses.

All articles in this series except those specifically attributed are written by reporter Ji Wenling and intern Li Xi.