Chapter 186: Hard Control On Red And Blue Armies, Dramatic Ending!
The space inside the helicopter cabin was limited, and the communication technicians who had already boarded were all driven off by the Vanguard Reconnaissance Squad.
The pilot in the cockpit noticed the abnormality in the rear cabin but had no time to react.
Cheng Cai and Xie Chong appeared at the cabin door, pointing two guns at them. Cheng Cai shouted loudly, “Don’t move. The helicopter has been controlled by us. You are captured.”
The helicopter, originally full of Blue Army personnel, thus completed the switch from Blue to Red.
Tie Lu, who had come to his senses, did not panic, nor did he make any futile struggles. He even smiled and nodded his chin to signal them to remove the socks.
As expected of the Captain of A Brigade, perfectly demonstrating what it means to remain composed.
Shi Jin, who had just been pumped up by adrenaline, only thought about tying the person onto the helicopter and didn’t notice someone stuffing socks into Tie Lu’s mouth.
Now that the adrenaline rush had subsided and he came to his senses, he took a look and was immediately startled.
He hurriedly ran over, removing them while saying, “Leader, Leader, we really didn’t mean to. It was just a momentary impulse. Right, just a momentary impulse. We always do it this way in training. Please forgive us.”
The longer soldiers stay in the troops, the more they care about military ranks and positions.
Even though this was just an exercise, a Colonel Leader was the real deal and must be given sufficient respect. Acting recklessly was absolutely not allowed.
Not to mention stuffing a stinky sock into the Leader’s mouth. If the Leader took it seriously, it could cause big trouble.
Wu Liu Yi, Gan Xiao Ning, and others also looked at each other in dismay. They all knew the exercise was just going through the motions, only thinking about tying the person up and bringing them aboard, not taking it seriously.
They hadn’t really followed the training syllabus to stuff the Leader’s mouth.
Seeing the stinky sock Shi Jin pulled out, soaked with saliva and dripping wet, dangling there, everyone was speechless.
They all thought depressedly in their hearts, “Who has such a wicked sense of humor, stuffing socks into the Leader’s mouth.”
Fortunately, the mystery was quickly solved.
Seeing the true identity of the culprit, everyone couldn’t help but laugh wryly.
Yet they all expressed understanding!
Something that no one in the world could do, something that anyone with a slightly normal brain couldn’t do, became normal when it came to a certain person.
“Little brother, your technique is quite skilled. Just next time, I suggest using something else.”
Tie Lu moved his stuffed mouth and grinned at Xu Sanduo, adding deliberately, “You’re the first one daring enough to stuff socks into my mouth. Very good, very bold. I will remember you.”
When Shi Jin saw that it was Xu Sanduo who did it, and the Leader said he would remember him, his expression changed instantly.
Worried that Xu Sanduo would get disciplinary action later, he quickly pushed Xu Sanduo and urged, “Xu Sanduo, this is an exercise, not real combat. What you did is too much. Hurry, hurry and apologize to the Leader.”
A normal person would definitely apologize upon realizing, but Xu Sanduo was not a normal person.
“I, why should I apologize? In reconnaissance training, capturing tongues is done this way. You must block the mouth. This is what the Company Commander specifically said.”
Xu Sanduo explained earnestly, making everyone else slap their foreheads.
This emotional intelligence…
Simply unmatched!
“Uh, Leader, he’s just stubborn. Once he gets an idea in his head, he can’t get out of it. It wasn’t intentional. Please don’t take it to heart.”
Seeing Xu Sanduo still stuck in his ways, Shi Jin hurriedly smiled fawningly and explained on his behalf.
“Xu Sanduo, an interesting soldier, very interesting.”
Tie Lu’s face still wore a smile, his words revealing no hint of his thoughts. Then he changed the subject and asked, “Which company are you from?”
“Report, Leader, we are from the Seventh Reconnaissance Combined Arms Company of the Seventh Hundred and Second Regiment,” Shi Jin answered.
“Seventh Reconnaissance Combined Arms Company?”
Tie Lu originally thought that Combined Arms Company was just hype, and the experimental units above hadn’t even perfected it yet. How could grassroots units possibly pull it off.
But thinking about how this Red Army reconnaissance squad had penetrated deep into the enemy rear and kept his Blue Army completely in the dark, it proved they had real skills.
Tie Lu’s thoughts changed again.
He felt a bit more curiosity, and a head full of doubts.
“You managed to capture me alive at the command post. You do have some skills. But if I remember correctly, the training syllabus for Armored Infantry doesn’t include these things. Tell me, who taught you all this?”
Tie Lu had too many doubts in his heart, but he couldn’t ask them one by one now, so he picked the most important one first.
“Report, this is a secret. I can’t say,” Shi Jin answered seriously.
“Even if you don’t say, I know. It must be your Deputy Company Commander Chen Jun who taught you. He proposed the reorganization of the Combined Arms Company, so it has to be him.”
Tie Lu actually had no certainty in his heart, but he had the cunning of a fox.
He just needed to use one clever bluffing trick. From Shi Jin and the others’ facial expressions upon hearing his words, he could get the answer.
Shi Jin and the others were indeed simple-minded and were really bluffed by Tie Lu’s words, showing surprised expressions on their faces.
Seeing their expressions, Tie Lu understood. He didn’t need Shi Jin and them to answer anymore; he already knew Chen Jun was the answer he wanted.
“Chen Jun, First Lieutenant officer. I’m really curious what kind of person he is. I must meet him.”
Tie Lu secretly made a note in his heart, then slightly raised the corner of his mouth, still smiling as he said, “You managed to capture me. You did well.
Unfortunately, it’s too late. The outcome is already set. Capturing me can’t change the ending.
By the way, let me reveal something to you. Just two minutes before you captured me, your regiment command post was probably already destroyed by my people.
In at most five more minutes, once your frontline troops are wiped out, the exercise will completely end.”
Tie Lu suddenly revealing that the Red Army command post was gone really startled Shi Jin, Wu Liu Yi, and the others, their faces turning extremely ugly.
They had worked so hard for so long, but in the end, they still had to lose.
It really made one feel bad!
Seeing his stratagem succeed, easily dominating the scene with one psychological attack, Tie Lu continued, “No need for futile actions. Let me go, and I’ll take you back with the helicopter.
Calculate the time; it should be just right. When we get there, the acting will be over.
It’ll also save you from running dozens of kilometers back. It’s hard to navigate the jungle at night.
You all performed very well. At that time, I will recommend you to your Regiment Commander. For next year’s Special Forces selection, I can give you quotas.”
Tie Lu really understood psychology.
First a wave of blows, then concern and care, plus promises of benefits.
A combo like that, normal people really couldn’t withstand.
“Special Forces selection?”
Hearing this strange yet familiar name, the expressions of Cheng Cai, Wu Liu Yi, Gan Xiaolin, and others changed noticeably.
Having been in the troops for so long, they had heard various rumors to some extent.
Including about Special Forces.
Rumors said only the most excellent and powerful Soldier Kings were qualified to enter Special Forces units as Special Forces soldiers. Being a Special Forces soldier represented a kind of honor.
Hearing such rumors so often, everyone instinctively yearned for it in their hearts.
Fortunately, although Shi Jin had no great ideals and wasn’t a Soldier King-like existence, his willpower was rock-solid, and his resolute obedience to orders was absolutely top-notch.
No matter how great the temptation, it couldn’t shake his will.
So facing Tie Lu’s various temptations, Shi Jin said fervently, “Leader, the exercise hasn’t ended yet. It doesn’t mean we’ve lost.
We’ll stay right here and won’t leave. Our purpose in capturing you alive was just to delay time.
Not to mention there are still several minutes left—even if only a few seconds remain, we will persist until the end, until the Directing Staff announces the result.”
Shi Jin’s answer was flawless. Tie Lu couldn’t help but look at Shi Jin with higher regard.
At the same time, he was curious what Shi Jin was persisting in so stubbornly, so he struck, “Just a few minutes. Is persisting meaningful?”
“Our heavy artillery troops are on the way. As long as we hold out until they arrive, we can still win,” Shi Jin said directly without hiding.
“Heavy artillery troops on the way?”
Tie Lu, who had always had a smile on his face, showed a hint of doubt upon hearing this.
His mind quickly integrated all the information: Qi Huan’s Red Army troops there, all the Red Army infantry on the frontline positions suddenly charging forward inexplicably, and no news of Red Army artillery in communications monitoring…
Tie Lu had a clear answer in his mind, and his expression stiffened at that moment.
At this moment, in the camp tent not far from the helicopter, the Blue Army Chief of Staff and the Army Aviation Captain had both learned that Tie Lu had been captured by the Red Army.
But they still didn’t know what the Red Army’s intention was in doing this.
Because the helicopter had returned and landed, they had lost monitoring of Red Army communications and couldn’t get answers from the Red Army side.
They didn’t even know their position was exposed, with the Artillery Company hurrying over.
The time left for them was not much.
Their attention was all on Tie Lu, thinking about how to resolve the Red Army holding him hostage on the helicopter and rescue Tie Lu.
The Blue Army Commander-in-Chief first thought of saving people and didn’t think to run away quickly.
This also achieved Shi Jin’s purpose of delaying time!
…
The Artillery Company side, worried about position exposure, kept the radio silent and powered off, still unaware that the Red Army command post had been taken out.
But they were really hurrying along without even a second to spare.
Nine minutes after the Red Army command post was bombed, the Artillery Company finally arrived at the training ground Chen Jun had arranged in advance and began setting up the guns at the fastest speed.
The advantages of mechanized self-propelled howitzers were fully demonstrated at this moment.
In less than two minutes, all the Artillery Company’s self-propelled heavy artillery was set up, with gun barrels uniformly aimed at the Blue Army Command Post direction.
“Fire~”
With the command, all artillery roared.
The Red Army’s most powerful strike, carrying the belief of a desperate comeback, pierced the night’s darkness, heading straight for the destination 20 kilometers away.
And one minute before the Artillery Company fired, Shi Jin here received Chen Jun’s order.
The artillery was in position; have them withdraw immediately.
Thus.
The helicopter carrying Tie Lu and the Vanguard Squad had just lifted off from the heliport when the Directing Staff referee entered the Red Army command post right after.
Publicly announcing to the Blue Army Chief of Staff—
The Army Aviation Camp was struck by Red Army heavy artillery. The Blue Army Command Post was completely destroyed. The Chief of Staff, Army Aviation Captain, and others inside were all killed in the blast.
Then immediately announcing the second one, which the Blue Army Chief of Staff hadn’t dreamed of as the final answer to this outcome—
Blue Army Command Post destroyed by Red Army. Blue Army’s 70% positions occupied by Red Army.
Red Army achieved the two winning conditions first. Therefore, in this 1997 Sword of Sharpness Action Mountain Exercise, the final winner is Red Side Seventh Hundred and Second Regiment.
“We lost??”
The Blue Army Chief of Staff muttered to himself.
Then he laughed!
A bitter laugh!
The Directing Staff’s announcement of Red Army victory was synced to all radios of both Red and Blue sides. Almost everyone learned the result at this moment.
The Vanguard Reconnaissance Squad on the helicopter went crazy with excitement upon hearing this news.
They hugged each other, even cheering loudly.
“We won! We won! Haha.”
“Hehe, the command post was found by us. We definitely made a big contribution this time.”
“So close, almost lost. Good thing we won in the end.”
…
Watching the Red Army reconnaissance squad in front of him excitedly congratulating each other, Tie Lu, who was tied up, had a very subtle expression.
First disbelief and shock, then furrowed brows in deep thought, then sudden realization, and finally a helpless bitter smile.
But strangely at the same time…
Deep in Tie Lu’s eyes, there was even a bit of unexpected surprise.
The Vanguard Reconnaissance Squad was in heated excited discussion. On Chen Jun’s side, the Steel Seventh Company warriors, the arriving Artillery Company, and every Red Army unit.
All jumped out to start celebrating.
All sorts of celebratory excited shouts, even more intense than the Vanguard Squad.
Compared to the Red Army, which was happier than New Year’s, the losing Blue Army on the other side was the complete opposite, everyone downcast and dejected.
As the Blue Army unit specifically testing the Red Army, they actually lost to the Red Army instead.
It was really a bit embarrassing!
However, this celebratory atmosphere of the victory already set lasted only less than two minutes before a dramatic scene occurred.
After the Directing Staff re-verified the data information, they found the announced result was wrong.
Because this era wasn’t fully digitized yet, without computers for quick data collection, the Directing Staff collected Red and Blue sides’ information through manual reports.
The Red Army side’s position occupations were indeed clearer, easy to see the percentage at a glance.
So calculations wouldn’t have errors.
However, the Blue Army side went by eliminating living forces, with a much more complex calculation process. All Red Army warriors taken out needed to be summarized to the Directing Staff, then uniformly calculated for the ratio.
Before tonight’s big showdown, the Blue Army was just under 10% away from meeting the standard.
After combat fully erupted, there were several small battlefields.
There were four Infantry Companies fighting on the frontline, battles in the Red Army rear with old A scouts, Chen Jun’s side and Qi Huan’s unit’s battle, Gao Cheng and Yuan Lang’s pursuit battle, and armed helicopter airstrikes.
Simultaneously, four places in continuous combat, constantly with new data updates to report.
Plus the battles at night, even with many referees deployed by the Directing Staff watching, in the dark, they couldn’t tally immediately.
In other words.
Even if Red Army personnel were eliminated and killed, by the time on-site referees collected data and sent it back to Directing Staff, there was a significant delay.
Short ones a minute or two, slow ones even three to five minutes.
This led to when the Red Army artillery troops launched the attack and took out the Blue Army command post, the Directing Staff’s recorded data ratio showed Red Army combat loss at only 48%, not reaching the winning standard.
But this was just the Directing Staff’s record at the time, not the true Red Army combat loss ratio.
In reality, before the Red Army artillery fired, Blue Army troops had taken out more Red Army warriors; the data just hadn’t been sent up yet.
Data not sent up for tallying didn’t mean they hadn’t been killed.
So.
When subsequent data came up one after another, the Directing Staff re-tallied and found something wrong.
Blue Army had also met the standard!
Because Red and Blue sides fought to the absolute limit, no one knew who would win before, only decided in the last few minutes.
Directing Staff had no way to precisely judge…
Whether the Red Army Artillery Company’s shells destroyed the Blue Army command post first, or Blue Army ground troops eliminated enough Red Army first.
It was like before video replays, two competition competitors crossing the finish line at the same time, impossible to judge who was first.
In an era without full informatization and unified data collection.
Who won between Red Army and Blue Army was equally impossible to judge.
Since they couldn’t accurately judge the winner, Directing Staff took a compromise and re-announced the competition result: Red and Blue sides draw.
When this dramatic announcement came out, both Red and Blue sides were stunned for a full minute.
The Red Side, coming to their senses afterward, although without the earlier surprise, could accept this result. At least it proved the Seventh Hundred and Second Regiment’s strength; the final assessment evaluation wouldn’t be low.
And Regiment Commander Wang, as the highest commander, rationally accepted this result.
Because he knew the purpose of this assessment exercise. As long as in the upcoming Group Army major reform, the Seventh Hundred and Second Regiment could suffer a few less cuts.
That was enough!
Originally, as the whetstone Blue Army, they were still dissatisfied with this result; only winning would live up to their Blue Army identity.
But from losing to a draw, at least it looked better, enough to save face.
It could be said to have saved the last pair of underwear!
And Chen Jun, as the key figure in this exercise, felt a bit regretful upon learning the exercise result was changed to a draw.
Although before this exercise started, Chen Jun hadn’t thought of beating the Blue Army.
After all, the gap between both sides was too big.
Not only were Blue Army’s individual abilities stronger, their equipment more advanced high technology than Red Army’s, but the Group Army had given Blue Army too many first-mover advantages.
But if they could take down Blue Army, the Combined Arms Battalion landing would be as steady as iron.
Now with a draw between both sides, it only proved the Combined Arms Company indeed had sufficient strength, but still a not-small gap from making the Group Army excited.
Combined Arms Battalion required multi-company coordination, not just reorganization.
It almost required adjusting an entire regiment’s overall structure, plus supplementing new establishment companies. Not even the regiment level or division level could decide.
Ultimately, it had to be reported to the Group Army for support to land.
However.
To put it another way.
Greed is insatiable like a snake swallowing an elephant; absolutely can’t be greedy.
Although this exercise didn’t defeat Blue Army, achieving a draw with them, and he Chen Jun was the core key of the entire confrontation.
Not only could it further elevate his influence, completing Chen Jun’s initial goal.
It could also, through this exercise’s outstanding performance, further elevate his military rank and position, paving the way for building the Combined Arms Battalion.
Chen Jun was the core of building combined arms units; his military rank and position level determined the combined arms unit’s level.
For example, to build a Combined Arms Regiment, Chen Jun at least needed to reach Deputy Chief of Staff level; otherwise, the Group Army wouldn’t hand over troops to Chen Jun, with no way to give it to him, only letting Chen Jun continue to settle.
Settling required time cost.
And Chen Jun needed to accelerate as much as possible.
It was like a primary school principal: no matter how capable, even with privileges, privileges were limited; impossible to manage a university.
However dramatic the final result, the exercise ultimately drew to a perfect close.
Red and Blue sides, who had fought for over two full days, now transformed from enemies back to comrades, gathering together to start liaising.
Red Army won Blue Army’s respect with strength; Blue Army conquered Red Army with strength.
The atmosphere between them was still very harmonious.
On the helicopter, Shi Jin, learning the exercise had ended, immediately untied the rope binding Tie Lu and apologized to him again.
Shi Jin was really worried about the troublemaking Xu Sanduo and had to be extra polite.
Stuffing socks into a Leader’s mouth.
He, Xu Sanduo, was absolutely the first in the entire army!
Fortunately, Tie Lu wasn’t one to nitpick and didn’t mention the matter again. He didn’t order the helicopter to return but continued to the Red Army command post along the original route.
Not to see old comrade Wang Qing Rui, but for another purpose.
Red Army had produced a top-tier tactical genius, almost single-handedly commanding the entire Red Army, beating his Blue Army into this state.
Such a once-in-a-century military genius had to be met today no matter what.
However, by a twist of fate, the first Blue Army person to meet Chen Jun wasn’t Captain Tie Lu nor Company Commander Yuan Lang.
Qi Huan, puzzled who was commanding Red Army to make him fight so passively and miserably.
The moment he learned the exercise ended, he brought the remaining dozen or so old A and proactively came to the Red Army position they had fought all night.
When he saw the opposing Red Army commander: four burly power-type big guys who looked like they walked strength routes, and only holding First Lieutenant military rank.
Qi Huan really thought he had misidentified.
He couldn’t believe there really existed people who combined body and mind, all top-tier, genius-level existences.
Comparing people.
Qi Huan truly felt inferior.
But Qi Huan was also a straightforward man. If he couldn’t beat the opponent, he couldn’t; no point arguing. He candidly accepted this outcome.
Very enthusiastically introducing and getting to know Chen Jun, and left a sentence when departing.
“We’ll meet again next year. Hope by then, we can become comrades.”
