Chapter 340: Fighting Above Our Weight! Find A Regiment And Throw Down!
Chen Jun could clearly sense that Regiment Commander Wang attached great importance to this Russian Army exercise opportunity and hoped that Steel Seventh Battalion could secure this quota.
But now the notification had already been issued to Seventh Hundred and Second Regiment, yet it still hadn’t been officially confirmed.
This matter was truly quite intriguing.
Chen Jun carefully savored the implications here and could understand why Regiment Commander Wang’s emotions were so conflicted, caught in an awkward state of being very urgent yet not entirely so.
The root cause was actually an inner sense of urgency, yet not knowing which direction to channel the effort.
“Either the superiors directly issue a confirmation notification, or they shouldn’t send the notification in advance at all. Issuing another notification without confirming it is really incomprehensible.”
Chen Jun was also quite puzzled in his heart; the thoughts of the big shots above were truly hard to fathom.
“So what’s the regiment planning now?” Unable to figure it out, Chen Jun could only ask about the regiment’s preparations.
“I held a regiment committee meeting with the political commissar yesterday, and the regiment’s idea has been set—we’ll make two-handed preparations.”
Wang Qing Rui took a sip of tea to moisten his throat, set down the cup, and continued: “On one hand, strengthen troop training—sharpening iron requires it to be hard itself. We’ll raise our state so that if the order comes, we can deploy immediately.
On the other hand, I’ll personally make a trip to the division to find a method and probe the situation.
See if we can come up with a way to strive for it. Steel Seventh Battalion going up is also an honor for the division. We can’t be the only ones exerting effort; the division needs to get moving too.”
The regiment commander and division commander were different levels, and the circles they could access were also different.
What the division commander said was far more effective than what the regiment commander said.
“Hey, this ginger is indeed hotter when old. With you personally taking action, Regiment Commander, this matter will soon have a resolution. I just need to wait for the news.” Chen Jun smiled.
“Haha, you kid, you can do anything—even flattering without missing a beat.” Regiment Commander Wang was amused.
“I never flatter; I only state facts.”
Chen Jun said this with a straight face, his acting skills truly Oscar-level, then returned to the main topic and asked: “Regiment Commander, regarding the combined arms regiment matter, has there been any news from above recently? Any related documents issued?”
“No.”
Regiment Commander Wang shook his head, then praised: “You kid really have ability; even the theater commander you can connect with. As regiment commander, I have to admit I’m impressed.
If it weren’t for you, our T Division probably wouldn’t have escaped the knife of this military reform, let alone achieve what we have now, building the strongest combat battalion in the entire army.
In the blink of an eye, you’re already preparing for the combined arms regiment. Looking back on this journey, it’s simply like a dream.”
By the end, Regiment Commander Wang’s eyes were full of reminiscence.
Everyone in the entire Seventh Hundred and Second Regiment knew that the regiment’s current status and fame across the entire army were due to who—the greatest meritorious official.
As regiment commander, Wang Qing Rui didn’t need to say it; Chen Jun had become his greatest treasure.
Recalling the biggest crisis they faced back then, when Tie Lu from A Detachment personally came to demand someone, Regiment Commander Wang was extremely glad that his attitude had been firm enough at the time.
If he had let go of a once-in-a-lifetime genius like Chen Jun, he would probably hate himself and slap his thigh in his dreams for the rest of his life.
“I can have these small achievements all thanks to your full support, Regiment Commander, and the leaders at all levels. These honors belong to everyone together.”
Chen Jun did not become arrogant from favor or proud from glory, which made Regiment Commander Wang even more satisfied.
He said with full concern: “Good, very good. With this mindset of yours, I won’t say more. You’ve had a tiring journey back; go rest first. I’ll notify you if there’s anything.”
“Yes, Regiment Commander.”
Chen Jun stood up, saluted the regiment commander, picked up his luggage, and walked out.
It had been two months since he left Steel Seventh Battalion on leave; honestly, Chen Jun missed everyone quite a bit and anticipated their changes, so his pace quickened involuntarily.
Walking out of the regiment headquarters building, Chen Jun’s communicator had already driven over to pick him up.
“Report, Deputy Battalion Commander. The battalion commander sent me to pick you up and take you back.”
The communicator saluted and finished the report, quickly took Chen Jun’s luggage, put it in the jeep’s trunk, returned to the driver’s seat, and took Chen Jun back.
As the deputy battalion commander mainly responsible for training, Chen Jun was very attentive to the warriors’ training.
And Steel Seventh Battalion, which had just gained combat effectiveness, was exactly at the stage of fastest growth and change. After two months away, Chen Jun anticipated big changes.
The actual changes were indeed huge!
After returning and having a heartfelt reunion with the higher-ups and old comrades like Man Guangzhi and Shi Jin, Chen Jun turned into a workaholic and began familiarizing himself with the troops.
He personally went down to each unit to guide and supervise, taking in all the progress of each unit.
During the intensive training period, each company swallowed knowledge whole like dates, cramming it into their bellies with no time to fully digest, all converted into stored potential.
After two months of digestion and absorption, the potential had fully transformed into combat effectiveness.
The tactics and playing style hadn’t changed, but the Steel Seventh Battalion subordinate units, having absorbed the potential, could now apply tactics even more smoothly and fluidly.
Smooth and fluid meant seamless flow, meant faster deployment and execution speed.
Speed is of the essence in war.
Fast meant combat effectiveness.
The battalion headquarters could deploy tactics faster in real time, the companies below could unfold tactical play faster, and the warriors could reach designated positions faster.
Every link was faster than before, and the cumulative improvement would be very obvious.
By Chen Jun’s estimate.
Steel Seventh Battalion’s current combat effectiveness growth was at least 40% higher than two months ago.
The number didn’t sound vivid, so find a reference.
If the Steel Seventh Battalion that participated in the Zhu Rihe exercise was equivalent to having grown into a high school student, then now it had evolved into a college student.
Achieving progress that could be called qualitative change.
If it were this current Steel Seventh Battalion participating in that previous Zhu Rihe exercise.
Chen Jun had 100% confidence to shorten the exercise time to half a day, flipping the Blue Army Battalion in half the time.
This was Steel Seventh Battalion’s current strength!
Seeing Steel Seventh Battalion’s strength increasing day by day was like a freshly forged peerless blade in the hands of a swordsman, making Chen Jun’s mood increasingly urgent.
Urgently wanting to find a target for Steel Seventh Battalion to have a good satisfying fight.
But the grown Steel Seventh Battalion already had terrifying strength; it wasn’t bragging to say that among same-level units across the entire army, it had no rivals.
For Steel Seventh Battalion to have a chance to satisfy, there were now only three directions left.
Either cross-level combat.
Steel Seventh Battalion, a mere battalion, challenging a regiment.
And ordinary Type B division regiments weren’t enough; it had to be a full-strength regiment under a Type A division, and even then, heavy equipment regiments were needed—motorized infantry regiments and infantry regiments wouldn’t suffice.
Or Steel Seventh Battalion with one battalion’s strength going to Zhu Rihe to challenge the First Blue Army Brigade.
Or the Russian strategic military exercise that wasn’t confirmed yet but could raise our national prestige, going to have a real fight with the Russians’ troops.
Having achieved invincibility domestically, could they achieve invincibility abroad?
This was the best opportunity!
The third path was what Chen Jun wanted most now, but it was the least controllable, involving foreign armies, so superior leaders had to consider more factors.
The subordinate troops had only the right to obey orders, with no methods to employ at all.
Even if Chen Jun used his currently highest-level connections, asking Chen Deming to pull strings, it wouldn’t have any effect.
Because military exercises between countries were inevitably arranged by the Central Military Commission.
And Zhu Rihe Base’s First Blue Army Brigade hadn’t yet formed preliminary brigade-level combat capability; only one heavy equipment battalion had combat effectiveness.
Not to mention the superiors wouldn’t arrange the Blue Army Brigade for confrontation—an unformed unit couldn’t be put forward.
Even if the superiors were willing, it wouldn’t be much of a challenge for Steel Seventh Battalion.
Currently, the most feasible path for Chen Jun, where he could go to superior leaders to negotiate and secure it, was only the first path—
Find a “Type A regiment” and have a fight!
“The combined arms regiment preparations have had no news; the superiors definitely have many concerns and are still in a hesitant stage. After all, the combined arms battalion has just formed. But if we can find a full-strength heavy equipment regiment to fight and flip it, that would definitely dispel their concerns.”
Chen Jun thought that if it could really happen, not only could it temper Steel Seventh Battalion but also promote the combined arms regiment preparations—his heart suddenly grew hot.
And the more he thought, the more excited, the more feasible it seemed.
So Chen Jun couldn’t wait and ran to the regiment headquarters, wanting to discuss properly with Regiment Commander Wang Qing Rui how to bring about a “battalion cross-level vs. regiment” confrontation exercise.
And it happened just right.
After this period of effort, Regiment Commander Wang had gone to the regiment several times, even mobilizing his connections and asking old comrade Gao Mouren to probe indirectly.
Perhaps it was as the saying goes: Effort does not betray the diligent heart.
Regiment Commander Wang had indeed gotten some internal news, and it was extremely explosive internal news, just right for notifying Chen Jun to come discuss.
And Chen Jun, who wanted to do the exercise, had come straight to the regiment.
“Come, come, Chen Jun, you’ve come at just the right time. I happen to have an urgent matter to find you.” Regiment Commander Wang waved repeatedly, signaling Chen Jun over.
“Regiment Commander, what a coincidence. I also have an urgent matter for you, haha.” Chen Jun smiled and walked over, sitting in the opposite chair without waiting for an invitation.
Now, Chen Jun’s freedom around Regiment Commander Wang was probably only slightly less than that of “connections” Gao Cheng in the whole regiment.
With close enough relations, there weren’t so many formalities.
“Oh? You also have an urgent matter for me?”
Regiment Commander Wang was very surprised, because in his mind, Chen Jun rarely mentioned urgent matters, and if he did, it was definitely something extraordinary.
So he set his own matter aside first and asked curiously: “Then tell yours first.”
“Regiment Commander, it’s like this.”
Chen Jun didn’t stand on ceremony with the regiment commander and carefully explained his idea.
Mainly emphasizing promoting the combined arms regiment, rather than curiosity about Steel Seventh Battalion’s current combat effectiveness and wanting to take it out for a fight to see.
“Haha, this is truly too coincidental.” Regiment Commander Wang laughed heartily after hearing it.
“What’s up? Regiment Commander, the urgent matter you want to say—is it also related to the combined arms regiment?” Chen Jun’s eyes lit up; he’d been waiting for news on the combined arms regiment.
If the combined arms regiment preparations had taken shape, then his urgent matter wasn’t so urgent.
Even no need for the exercise.
After all, the purpose of the exercise was to promote the combined arms regiment; if the goal was achieved, there’d be no great need.
“It is indeed related to the combined arms regiment, and probably quite different from what you think.” Regiment Commander Wang rarely felt playful and deliberately teased Chen Jun by not finishing.
“Quite different? What do you mean?”
Chen Jun’s eyes widened suddenly, a wave of nervousness surging up, unable to stop muttering inwardly: “Could the combined arms regiment be off? No way.”
“So even you have times of fear. I thought you were like the Monkey King, fearing neither heaven nor earth.”
Regiment Commander Wang rarely saw Chen Jun nervous and got interested in teasing.
“Regiment Commander, don’t tease me. Hurry up and say what it is.” Chen Jun said impatiently.
The combined arms regiment was the most critical link in Chen Jun’s combined arms unit plan; small drones were already done, and small combat robots etc. would follow.
All these preparations were for the combined arms regiment; if it couldn’t proceed.
All efforts would be meaningless!
How could this not make Chen Jun nervous.
“Look at you being so anxious.”
Regiment Commander Wang had teased enough, smiled and said: “I’ve been finding methods this whole time, even putting my old face on the line, and finally have some harvest.
From the news I’ve probed, the combined arms regiment might be gone…”
“Damn, really gone?” Chen Jun got anxious, even swearing.
“What’s the rush? Wait for me to finish.”
Regiment Commander Wang was amused by Chen Jun, tapped the table with his finger, and said slowly: “The combined arms regiment might indeed be gone, because the leadership above has split into two factions.
One part agrees with your combined arms plan; going from combined arms battalion to combined arms regiment is a natural progression.
But some think that now the entire army is in division-to-brigade reform, and under this major trend, a new-type unit using old establishment clearly doesn’t fit the reform thought.
These leaders think, since division-to-brigade reform is possible, then regiment-to-brigade is too.
Reorganize our Seventh Hundred and Second Regiment, using the current Steel Seventh Battalion as foundation, Seventh Hundred and Second Regiment as the big framework, and expand into a combined arms brigade.
It’s equivalent to following the Zhu Rihe First Blue Army Brigade route, creating a combined arms brigade belonging to our war zone.”
“Directly to combined arms brigade?? That’s too fast.” Chen Jun said stunned after hearing.
Currently, across the entire Capital Military Region, there were only a few old ace units doing division-to-brigade reform pilots; normally, completing the pilot would take at least several years.
And even after pilot completion, it wouldn’t be the Eighty-fourth Group Army’s turn short-term.
Conservatively estimated, at least until after
But now the superiors’ idea was to give the Eighty-fourth Group Army brigade-level units a decade early; if it really landed, wouldn’t it be chaos?
One must know division-to-brigade reform was the inevitable major trend.
Seventh Hundred and Second Regiment now expanding from regiment to brigade, as a deputy division-level unit, “Seventh Hundred and Second Brigade” would still be under T Division, under division headquarters jurisdiction.
But when the entire army’s division-to-brigade reform policy came down and T Division became T Brigade, the other regiments would downgrade to battalions, but “Seventh Hundred and Second Brigade” couldn’t downgrade.
At that time…
Two brigades—who manages whom?
