From the 7th Steel Company to the Synthetic Division

Chen Jun was actually angry about the exercise ending in this way, but he was more composed, after all, he had lived several lifetimes.

Therefore, even if he has strong emotions and dissatisfaction, he is able to control them well.

Seeing that Xiahou Lan had come to his door demanding an explanation, Chen Jun decided not to hide it any longer and simply told him the whole truth.

“Brigade Commander Xiahou, I can actually understand your criticism of me, because you probably won’t believe it, but I feel the same way you do. I am also very dissatisfied with the outcome of this exercise.”

Chen Jun expressed his emotions and then said, "Since you hope that we can be loyal to each other, then I will do as you wish."

I'll now show you the operational plan we initially discussed and envisioned during this exercise.

After saying that, he turned to the side and said, "Hong Yi, bring me my computer, find the battle plan, and let Brigade Commander Xiahou take a look."

Hong Yi also had his own feelings, but he respected Chen Jun, so he swallowed his anger.

Upon hearing Chen Jun's instructions, Hong Yi stood up without saying a word, his face cold. He went into the tent, took out his computer, placed it in front of Xiahou Lan, and opened the file.

Seeing Chen Jun's candor, Xiahou Lan didn't say anything more and focused on looking at the files on the computer.

After spending just a few minutes quietly reviewing the operational plan devised by the 7th Steel Brigade, Xiahou Lan finally understood it completely.

It turned out that he had really misunderstood the Seventh Steel Brigade; the twists and turns of the matter far exceeded his imagination.

To make the exercise more realistic and simulate the ever-changing and complex battlefield environment, the headquarters of the 7th Steel Brigade, represented by Chen Jun, consulted with the expert group and jointly simulated a sudden incident in which the expert group was taken hostage, and formulated a detailed combat plan.

This has led to a situation where the Red and Blue forces are working together to rescue the hostages, but whether the rescue will be successful is not a foregone conclusion, resulting in a three-way battle with the Steel Seventh Brigade.

Although Chen Jun wasn't 100% confident of winning, he felt it would definitely be a spectacular battle.

However, after the plan was reported, Team Leader Tan and Chief of Staff Shen both agreed, but Deputy Commander-in-Chief Qian firmly rejected it, arguing that it was too dangerous. This caused a rift between Chen Jun and Deputy Commander-in-Chief Qian, and Chen Jun wanted Chief of Staff Shen to find a way to mediate.

But Deputy Commander Qian was genuinely afraid of taking responsibility. He was worried that if something happened to the expert team during the exercise, it would affect his future prospects if he was held accountable by his superiors, since he was the person directly in charge of the Wufengshan base.

Fearing that Team Leader Tan might interfere, Deputy Commander Qian personally called his superiors. It is unknown what he said, but he obtained the approval of the higher-ups.

Ultimately, after pressure came from higher-ups, Team Leader Tan had no choice but to accept the plan.

The reason why Team Leader Tan left without even watching the exercise was actually due to his emotions. He was angry and couldn't bear to watch, so he simply stopped watching!
Chen Jun was very dissatisfied with the result, and he could probably guess what Deputy Commander-in-Chief Qian had said that had affected the higher-ups.

The words "stable development" can sometimes be a good thing, and sometimes a bad thing.

With the outcome already decided, Chen Jun had no choice but to accept the fact that Deputy Commander Qian's planned exercise was only half-finished and was hastily concluded, thus ending the exercise.

"So that's how it is, hahaha."

Having figured out the whole story, Xiahou Lan suddenly burst into laughter, his laughter tinged with bitterness and helplessness.

"Brigade Commander Xiahou, I still feel quite satisfied with your attack on me today," Chen Jun said.

"No matter what, there are always people criticizing me, and there are always people who make me feel that I didn't want to do this," Chen Jun said with a smile.

"Chief of Staff Chen, what can you do if you mess this up completely?" Xiahou Lan asked.

“That’s not something I can control,” Chen Jun said, raising an eyebrow.

"I never expected that you, Chen Jun, would ever bow your head. That really surprises me," Xiahou Lan said abruptly.

"So, in your heart, what kind of person should I, Chen Jun, be?" Chen Jun smiled.

"A person who is secretly passionate, very fashionable, imaginative and daring to take the lead, and boldly confronts challenges everywhere."

Xiahou Lan's evaluation was very high, and Chen Jun was quite pleased to hear it. However, Xiahou Lan's thinking was too extreme, and Chen Jun felt it necessary to correct him.
He then laughed and said, "Our Brigade Commander Xiahou is very imaginative, but unfortunately, I am not the protagonist in the TV series and do not have the protagonist's halo."

You might think that I was once a high-ranking figure with a unique personality, wielding immense power, wearing the hat of a digitized combined arms brigade, holding high the banner of a professional opposing force, receiving the green light wherever I went, and making a name for myself wherever I went. Thus, the professional opposing force of the Chinese People's Liberation Army came into being.

Chen Jun's intention was to use irony to remind Xiahou Lan that the path to becoming a professional blue team was not as simple as he thought, but Xiahou Lan listened to it the other way around.

"Yes, that's what it means."

Xiahou Lan slammed his hand on the table excitedly and said, "Moreover, with your abilities, you can definitely do it. As long as you succeed first, the entire army's situation will be opened up."

I'm not the only one who thinks this way; Brigade Commander Wang Hu shares the same opinion.

"I'm sorry to disappoint you." Chen Jun spread his hands with a hint of helplessness.

“Very disappointed, extremely disappointed,” Xiahou Lan said.

Gao Cheng, Hong Yi, and Wang Qingrui remained expressionless, not because they disliked Xiahou Lan's words, but because they shared the same thoughts as Xiahou Lan.

“Brigade Commander Xiahou, you don’t need to lead me astray. We should both have a clear understanding. I, Chen Jun, have never wanted the Steel Seventh Brigade to become famous throughout the army, but I know very well that if you want to accomplish something, brute force is useless.”

Chen Jun took a sip of tea from the table, paused for a few seconds, and then said, "If we want to truly make the path of professionalized adversary forces and professionalized blue forces work, it's definitely not enough for me, Chen Jun, to do it alone."

I also need the support of my Brigade Commander Wang Qingrui, Deputy Brigade Commander Gao Cheng, Deputy Chief of Staff Hong, and everyone in the Steel Seventh Brigade. And what do we need to face? It's a heavy door, built from layers upon layers of outdated ideas and rigid traditions.

To break through this heavy door, rushing forward recklessly is useless.

We must not only be pathfinders, but also learn to build roads along the way, and find ways to clear them to ensure that the road we travel is both wide and sturdy.

I absolutely cannot let the team be wiped out, and I certainly cannot die before my ambitions are fulfilled, understand?

Chen Jun's last sentence made it very clear: he was telling Xiahou Lan that within the system, one must act according to the rules and regulations, and never rush headlong into things, lest one be brought down before accomplishing anything.

Therefore, as long as it does not affect one's own principles, one should give way to minor matters that are not serious.

"So that's what you were thinking." Xiahou Lan was a smart man; he understood the deeper meaning behind Chen Jun's actions, and his gaze towards Chen Jun finally showed a bit more understanding. But understanding was one thing, the knot in his heart wasn't so easily untied.

"I really don't want to become a big shot. I just want to be an architect in the army, to build the foundation of the hypothetical enemy blue force brick by brick, and to contribute my meager strength to building a strong army."

Hysterical grandstanding cannot awaken what is dormant, but tangible results can certainly stop the wheels of regression.

Chen Junju's example is easy to understand; tangible benefits are more tempting. No amount of talking can replace giving him real benefits.

As long as Chen Jun builds the Seventh Steel Brigade into a strong enough force, those who are currently questioning and opposing it will change their minds.

"What you said makes sense."

Xiahou Lan agrees with Chen Jun's philosophy; he believes that as long as he is strong enough, no difficulty will be a problem.

"In fact, from top to bottom, our Capital Theater Command has put in a lot of effort to build our digitalized combined arms brigade. In the process of advancing it, we have been walking on thin ice. Every step forward has been very difficult."

However, there is one thing: if our Steel Seventh Brigade were to perish, it would be very difficult for you to get up from where we fell and continue moving forward. You would only be able to return to our starting point and then start groping your way forward again.

To put it more seriously, our premature failure could very well shatter the dreams of those exploring digitized combined arms brigades and professional blue force units, delaying the development of this path by at least ten years.

Chen Jun's words sound arrogant, but in reality, it will be more than ten years, not less.

Because Chen Jun led the Steel Seventh Company up the line, the emergence of our army's digitalized combined arms brigade has been at least several years ahead of the historical pace.

If this pace continues, the reforms will not even reach their end in 2016.

“I understand now. You made concessions so that the Seventh Steel Brigade could develop steadily. Just for the sake of stability, you made concessions?” Xiahou Lan said.

"You could call it a concession, or you could say it's a tactical retreat."

Chen Jun smiled faintly and continued, "A tactical retreat is called defense. It doesn't mean stopping the advance, but rather accumulating stronger strength for the advance."

It's like a 100-meter sprint; taking a step back allows you to run faster. One statement from outsiders is certainly true: our Seventh Steel Brigade does indeed have special privileges, with superiors supporting us behind the scenes.

Therefore, in the exercises, we can do outrageous things and be bolder in doing them.

but……"

Chen Jun emphasized these two words: "Privileges are not meant to be used recklessly, but to provide guarantees and support for us to move forward."

We can go astray, but we can't go astray in everything, and we can't put our superiors in a difficult position.

"Taking a hostage expert is already outrageous enough. If we continue to challenge Deputy Commander Qian over this, offending his superiors, we might even destroy the survival space of our specialized adversary unit. Wouldn't that be a huge loss? You agree, Brigade Commander Xiahou."

"Haha."

Xiahou Lan was persuaded by Chen Jun and did not continue to criticize or pursue the matter. After a hearty laugh, she raised her teacup and respectfully offered it to Chen Jun with both hands. This gesture was enough to convey what Xiahou Lan wanted to say at that moment.

After offering Chen Jun a cup of tea, Xiahou Lan, who had been persuaded by Chen Jun and whose mind was completely clear, did not linger any longer and left the Seventh Steel Brigade.

The conversation between Xiahou Lan and Chen Jun clearly revealed a reality: the Chinese military is facing a transformation from a major military power to a military superpower, which, in plain terms, means shifting from quantity to quality.

However, just as fine steel needs to be forged in intense heat, the qualitative transformation of an army also requires the tempering of war.

For soldiers of Chen Jun's generation, the smoke of war was something they could only dream of, yet they were unwilling to sink into mediocrity.

They must both pursue their dreams and face reality; they must have the courage to explore while maintaining wisdom and emotional intelligence. They will shoulder the heavy responsibility of launching the Chinese combined arms brigade's blue force test, and will surely become a pair of heavy wings.

As the leader of the first echelon, Chen Jun bears much more pressure than Xiahou Lan and others.

Compared to Chen Jun's heavy responsibilities and pressures, Chu Zhangang, as a representative of the traditionalists, seemed much more at ease and content. Chu Zhangang didn't need to rack his brains for innovation or exert himself in reforming the informationized military.

He only needed to stick to the traditional training model, go to work and come home every day, think about how to climb the ranks, go fishing and feed the fish every day, and his life couldn't be more comfortable.

This is not.

Of the three units that participated in the exercise, the 7th Steel Brigade had just finished its intensive exercise and was preparing to return, while the 708th Brigade, under the leadership of Wang Kezheng, was reforming, innovating, and striving for progress.

Only the 909th Brigade remained stagnant, still using its old training methods. The newly appointed brigade commander, Ding Kai, was a sycophant who only thought about currying favor all day long.

He didn't care about training at all; all he thought about was going to Chu Zhangang's house every day.

I was here just the day before yesterday, and I'm here again today.

"You're starting to act more and more like a brigade commander now. When are you going to hang up the 2.4 cents?" Chu Zhangang was still acting like his usual superior.

"Not at all, it's all thanks to Deputy Chief of Staff Chu's guidance. Without your promotion, I wouldn't be where I am today."

After flattering him with a smile, Ding Kai touched the two and a half cents on his shoulder and said with some excitement, "It'll be here in five months."

"try hard."

Chu Zhangang nodded in satisfaction, then said, "You've come at the right time. I've received a notice from the theater army that the group army will be undertaking an important military exercise mission, and it's very likely that the mission will fall to your brigade."

"Great."

Ding Kai said happily, "Recently, the enthusiasm for training in the brigade has been very high. Everyone is looking forward to the opportunity to show off the results of their hard training over the past few months."

Ever since their defeat to the 7th Steel Brigade, the entire brigade has been burning with determination, determined to turn the tide this time.

Ding Kai knew that Chu Zhangang still held a grudge and had never forgotten the humiliation of losing to Chen Jun.

Therefore, what he said was very clever, completely agreeing with Chu Zhangang, demonstrating his loyalty, and trying to win Chu Zhangang's favor. (End of this chapter)