Chapter 158: Night Of Hong Kong’s Return, Type 95 Makes An Appearance
Upon learning that this baseline assessment was a mountain exercise, Gao Cheng and Hong Xingguo both felt their shoulders grow a bit heavier.
After all, the Seventh Hundred and Second Regiment was a heavy armored infantry regiment, and the entire regiment had already achieved mechanization; they could only play the advantages of heavy armored troops if there were roads to run on.
Placing the exercise in the inconvenient mountainous terrain severely restricted the mechanized troops.
Combat effectiveness would definitely be discounted.
But this was an order from the group army; not to mention a mountain exercise, even if it was the Taklamakan Desert, they had to charge ahead grit their teeth.
Fortunately, there was still a month’s preparation time, which could be used to strengthen mountain warfare capabilities.
Sharpening a spear just before battle—in haste, it still shines!
Compared to the pressure brought by the mountain exercise, the second instruction sent along by the regiment elicited the exact opposite reaction from Steel Seventh Company.
It plunged the entire company into a sea of celebration.
With it.
Just because the event happening two days later was a nationwide cause for celebration.
Because…
Hong Kong’s return!!!
The date was set for July 1, 1997, taking back Hong Kong’s sovereignty from the British government and re-exercising sovereignty and administrative rights over Hong Kong.
On this great day of national celebration, the army naturally had to participate.
The reason China’s army has been called the People’s Liberation Army from the founding of the nation until now is because some places have not yet been liberated.
Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, etc.—the whole nation’s people are all looking forward to it.
Now, the first difficult step has finally been taken, and the people across the country will be genuinely happy from the heart; as soldiers, they will be even more proud.
Gao Cheng attached great importance to this matter.
Upon receiving the order, he immediately took Chen Jun and began busying about with Hong Xingguo.
On the evening of June 30, after dinner and a half-hour rest, everyone assembled in the large meeting room and gathered in front of the television to watch CCTV-
Following the perspective of the CCTV reporter on TV, they witnessed the historic moment of Hong Kong’s return.
When the camera panned to the figures about to enter Hong Kong as the Hong Kong garrison troops, the neatly lined-up Hong Kong garrison soldiers on the trucks, their uniforms and weapons, sparked everyone’s curiosity.
“Whoa, I’ve never seen their military uniforms before; they look really cool.”
“Yeah, yeah, super cool? Will we switch to theirs too?”
“Hey, did you see? The guns they’re holding are different too; they look kinda dark and matte, but cooler than our 81s.”
“Brand new uniforms plus brand new weapons—if paired with our combined arms company, that would be awesome.”
…
Watching the return ceremony didn’t require order; it was relatively free like a holiday, and the warriors discussed it even more intensely and eagerly.
Gao Cheng hadn’t seen this weapon before either, nor the uniforms.
“Whoa, look, look—I knew it, there must be good stuff hidden up there. I bet it won’t be long before we get to use these new weapons and wear these strangely good-looking new uniforms.”
Gao Cheng stood with one hand on his hip, pointing at the TV screen, speaking as if they were switching gear right away.
“Old Gao, what model is that gun? Do you know?”
Hong Xingguo thought since Gao Cheng was the military chief officer and at least a red second generation with background, he definitely had channels to know some inside info.
Unexpectedly, it instead choked Gao Cheng, who had just finished bragging and was a bit embarrassed to back down.
Although he had a leader for a dad, in reality, the father and son communicated little at home, and their way of getting along was extremely formal.
It was that standard son-and-dad family atmosphere with nothing much to say.
Military gossip like R&D on next-gen gear—his dad might know some inside info but hadn’t shared it with his son, so Gao Cheng naturally didn’t know.
Fortunately, Gao Cheng’s brain was pretty quick; his eyes turned, and he immediately said, “Of course I know, but our deputy company commander knows everything—he’s Seventh Company’s know-it-all. I’m really curious if he knows.”
After saying that, he deliberately looked toward Chen Jun, drawing everyone’s gaze over.
These cool new weapons and uniforms had already sparked the curiosity of every warrior present; they were eager to know more information.
Hong Xingguo was also curious if the know-it-all Chen Jun knew about the new equipment too.
“This Gao Cheng is pretty sly sometimes.”
Chen Jun saw through Gao Cheng’s trick, smiled inwardly without exposing it, and said with a laugh, “Well, I actually do know them by chance.
When I was still at military academy, I happened to see a report in the military report.
I heard some research institute was developing next-gen individual weapons meeting our army’s needs. I remember the report said it had already been finalized that year, so it was announced publicly; the model seemed to be called QBZ-
For such an important occasion as Hong Kong’s return, we need to display strength to the world.
So I think they brought out the next-gen new weapons for debut; the weapons used by the Hong Kong garrison troops are probably QBZ-
As for the uniforms they’re wearing, I’ve really never heard of them.
But since it’s 1997 this year, maybe it’s called Type 97 uniform, or Type 95, to match the rifle as a set.”
Chen Jun clearly knew exactly what they were called but deliberately phrased it as guesses.
Mainly to avoid suspicion—being too much of a know-it-all is great for showing off, but explaining the info source is troublesome.
Half-true, half-fake is the safest.
“Old Chen, I just asked casually, and you actually know? Your brain holds so much stuff; you even remember military report articles. If it were me, I’d have forgotten where long ago, haha.”
Gao Cheng actually bought Chen Jun’s explanation and joked self-deprecatingly with a laugh.
“Deputy company commander, what does QBZ mean?” Curious Bai Tie Jun stood up and asked.
“QBZ is the model code, derived from the initials of light weapons, rifle, automatic in pinyin, used as the weapon category code.” Chen Jun explained.
“Oh, got it. As expected of the deputy company commander—you know more than us.”
Bai Tie Jun smoothly slapped some flattery, immediately resonating with the other warriors, who all giggled and joined in the horse-patting.
“How awesome the deputy company commander is—do you need to say? He’s the division’s famous military genius.” Cheng Cai boasted.
“Not just knowing these—he’s personally fired the Type 95, and I wouldn’t doubt it.” Gan Xiao Ning said with a grin.
“Deputy company commander, when can we use this new rifle too…” Wu Liu Yi said longingly.
He really liked this Type 95; his eyes were sparkling.
“Alright, cut it out.”
Gao Cheng laugh-scolded to interrupt everyone, then pivoted: “But speaking of which, I think if Steel Seventh Company switches to the new uniforms and weapons, we’ll be even cooler than the Hong Kong garrison troops.”
“Hahaha…”
Gao Cheng’s sudden cocky confidence made the whole audience burst into laughter.
In this festive and lively atmosphere, carrying expectations and yearning for the new weapons and uniforms, they witnessed the sacred moment at 00:00:00 on July 1 when the national flag rose in Hong Kong.
Perhaps the shock was too profound; even after the ceremony ended, dismissal, washing up, and going to bed, the warriors dreamed of it.
Dreamed of holding the new Type 95 rifle themselves, really cooler than the Hong Kong garrison warriors…
Little did they know.
They didn’t even need to dream in their dreams, because in the mountain exercise a month later, the stuff from the dreams would become reality.
Not only could they touch the new Type 95 weapon with their own hands, but they could even hold it and fire and play with it freely.
…
The shock and satisfaction from Hong Kong’s return, plus the mountain exercise coming in a month—if not done well, it could all go down the drain.
Even though combined arms company had landed now, military reform’s ruthless knife would chop it off mercilessly.
Under this dual mental and physical stimulation, Steel Seventh Company’s warriors had their potential ignited, desperately charging toward dominating the mountain exercise.
No matter how tough or tiring the training, not a single warrior said they couldn’t take it.
On the contrary, they felt it wasn’t enough.
They proactively asked Chen Jun to increase the difficulty, ramp up the intensity—as long as it wouldn’t train them to death, train them to the brink.
One finger’s strength is limited; sticking it out makes it easy to snap.
But when five fingers unite into a fist, that massive fist sticking out represents strength.
Just like the most widely sung army song—《Unity is Strength》.
The power that makes others afraid!
Steel Seventh Company had become a complete whole: excellent cadres commanding above, excellent and desperate soldiers below—it had become a clenched fist, ready to deliver a fierce blow at any time.
In this final month of preparation, it wasn’t just Steel Seventh Company making the effort.
The sixteen companies under the Seventh Hundred and Second Regiment, including three battalions’ fifteen combat companies, plus the regiment direct signal company（guard and communications combined company）, were all doing final preparations for the mountain exercise.
Even the remote grassland fifth squad had three men pulled to handle vehicle maintenance and refueling.
It showed that to fight this battle well and gain more autonomy under military reform’s knife, Regiment Commander Wang had gone all out.
Give it everything—just this one battle.
When time becomes ever more precious, it always passes especially fast.
In the blink of an eye, nearly a month had gone by.
Time arrived at July
Tomorrow morning was the mountain exercise departure time; all equipment and supplies for the regiment’s over a thousand people had been pulled to the military train station in advance.
The special train would depart at 10 a.m.; there was no way to transport on the 26th.
As a heavy armored infantry regiment, the armored infantry company’s equipment was still manageable—large combat gear was just infantry fighting vehicles and armored personnel carriers.
The tank company, artillery company, anti-aircraft company’s equipment were the real heavy hitters needing transport.
That meant loading heavy equipment onto trains; the train station was especially bustling that day, the platform crowded with warriors and all sorts of weaponry and equipment.
Seventh Hundred and Second Regiment company commanders and battalion commanders who hadn’t met in a while all showed up neatly at the train station.
Gathering in twos and threes to brag, exchange recent training work status—it was warming up feelings before the big battle.
Among them, Gao Cheng was the most popular, enthusiastically greeted by company commanders from every battalion wherever he went.
The reason for such enthusiasm toward Gao Cheng wasn’t just Steel Seventh Company’s recent hot momentum; the combined arms company was making waves.
Each battalion’s company commanders hadn’t witnessed it personally, but their ears were full of it.
Whether Steel Seventh Company took just over an hour to wipe out Seventh Hundred and Second Regiment’s core main force company Red Third Company from top to bottom clean.
Or confronting a battalion at division level, and it was the strongest division direct reconnaissance battalion.
Ultimately with just one company’s troops, reversing heavenly dipper to annihilate a direct battalion—an unbelievable total wipeout they wouldn’t dare dream of.
Each of these battle records was pure fantasy to other companies.
They wouldn’t dare even dream it!
Yet Steel Seventh Company achieved it with strength.
For Steel Seventh Company to perform so outstandingly, to claim such exaggerated battle records—as their colleague, Gao Cheng’s future development was bound to be limitless.
Building good relations with Gao Cheng early meant more paths when needed later.
Plus, Steel Seventh Company’s positioning in Seventh Hundred and Second Regiment was like the reconnaissance company—as eyes and ears, the main source of enemy intel.
It meant other companies in combat with the enemy could only rely on Steel Seventh Company for needed intelligence.
To perform well—or even standout—in the mountain exercise, intel from the reconnaissance company could very well make it happen.
But if relations with Gao Cheng were bad, he had ways to trip you up covertly.
Though Gao Cheng was upright and would never do that.
But the company commanders were afraid in their hearts!
So regardless of the demand or reason, building good relations with the current hotshot Gao Cheng was all pros and no cons.
Funny thing was Gao Cheng’s personality was too straightforward; he hated this social graces stuff most.
Seeing waves of battalion and company commanders coming over, their chat topics were basically the same—congratulations or pulling family chit-chat.
Gao Cheng was annoyed to death, about to blow up.
Fortunately, deputy company commander Chen Jun was with him; the veteran Chen Jun had seen all sorts of big scenes, and battalion company commanders visiting was small potatoes to him.
He handled it effortlessly with ease.
Gao Cheng simply pushed Chen Jun forward to deal with the visiting battalion commanders and company commanders.
This left his ears clear, and Chen Jun took the chance to get acquainted with each battalion’s company commanders, facilitating smoother combined arms processes later.
After all, as combined arms company evolved upward, barring accidents, Seventh Hundred and Second Regiment would inevitably become a combined arms regiment; the regiment’s battalion and company commanders would all go combined arms, bound to intersect a lot with Chen Jun.
And the visiting crowd of battalion and company commanders had long been curious about the mysterious Chen Jun, naturally not missing the chance to meet.
Thus.
Each side got what they needed—perfect.
After a full day of preparation work, the regiment commander specially gathered all company officers in the evening at regiment headquarters’ large conference hall for a pre-departure meeting.
Meeting content besides each company reporting work mainly revolved around this confrontation exercise.
After the meeting, each company’s chief officers returned to company to convey the regiment’s meeting thoughts to every warrior, ensuring the confrontation exercise was foolproof.
July
7:30 a.m.
“Toot toot toot toot…”
“Entire company, full gear assembly.”
With Chen Jun personally blowing the assembly whistle, Sword Operation mountain confrontation exercise officially set off.
Steel Seventh Company departed.
The other fifteen companies also departed.
Roads were full of fully laden warriors with guns, riding canvas trucks, converging toward the military train station.
Seventh Hundred and Second Regiment except the political commissar guarding regiment headquarters, the entire headquarters including Regiment Commander Wang all followed him to participate in this exercise.
Turning the normally quiet military train station into a bustling crowd of heads.
