Soldiers Assault: Starting from the 7th Steel Company

Chapter 261 At all costs! You know what I mean.

Just as all the scientific research projects were progressing smoothly, a piece of devastating news arrived: a massive earthquake had struck a certain area in western Sichuan Province.

Disaster relief is an order!

Faced with the sudden disaster, everyone must put down their work and go all out to fight the earthquake and provide disaster relief.

Chen Jiang's equipment department took on a large part of the key work, and he was immediately summoned to the earthquake relief command center for a meeting.

The atmosphere at the meeting was quite serious.

The satellite images from the front lines and the footage taken by our military reconnaissance aircraft are shocking.

"Comrades, the intensity of this earthquake is unprecedented, and the casualties it has caused are heartbreaking. Therefore, at this critical moment, our soldiers must go to the rescue immediately!"

The commander didn't waste any opening remarks and went straight to the main purpose of the meeting.

"Now, I will announce the main steps of the disaster relief efforts."

Everyone immediately stood up, especially the soldiers present, who stood ramrod straight with unwavering determination in their eyes!

"The first step is to quickly deploy elite troops to the epicenter via parachute, letting the people know that we are right next to them! Because of the earthquake, all roads leading to the epicenter were destroyed and all communications were cut off, so this was the only way we could take this approach."

"The second step is to mobilize engineering troops to carry out emergency repairs on damaged roads and bridges, so as to ensure that subsequent disaster relief teams can reach the disaster area as soon as possible."

"The third step is for the whole country to work together, mobilizing resources and medical rescue forces to go to the disaster area for relief!"

The commander, his temples graying, scanned the room with sharp eyes. "Does anyone have any additional suggestions? You can speak now!"

At this point, the airborne troops' leadership raised their concerns: "Sir, the situation at the epicenter is likely even worse than what we see in the photos. Under these circumstances, with no information available, isn't it too risky to send our paratroopers for airborne support?"

The others understood this as well. After all, the disaster area was located in a place with frequent fog and dense mountains. For the safety of the transport plane, the only option was to make an unannounced landing at high altitude, which was indeed very risky.

"Hmph," the commander said expressionlessly, "You know how harsh it is? Aren't the living conditions of the people below harsh? If everything were good, what would I be sending you here for? In short, lower your standards if you can, and lower them even if you can't!"

His tone left no room for doubt; when it comes to the safety of people's lives and property, the mission of soldiers is self-evident.

Upon hearing this, the airborne troops' leader blushed and dared not say another word.

"Anything else to add?"

"Have!"

Suddenly, Chen Jiang raised his hand to speak.

He stood up under everyone's gaze.

"Sir, sending people in by air is the right thing to do, but our main purpose is not only to deliver them with peace of mind, but also to ensure that the people we send can play a role to the greatest extent possible, such as emergency rescue and supply delivery. Also, since the landing conditions are unclear, I suggest sending troops with strong wilderness survival capabilities, so as to maximize our rescue capabilities."

The commander looked at the dashing officer in front of him. He didn't recognize Chen Jiang. It was only after someone whispered a few words in his ear that he realized who he was.

"Oh, so you're a comrade from the General Armaments Department! Tell me, which unit would be most suitable for us to send, and what should we be careful about? Please feel free to speak! Let's clarify things now so we can pool our wisdom and efforts."

Chen Jiang remained calm and continued, "I suggest sending special forces. Firstly, they have strong survival skills in the wild, and secondly, they have been trained in certain rescue capabilities. Although other paratroopers are quite capable in combat, this is, after all, a disaster relief mission."

"At the same time, we need to send out medicines, dry food, drinking water, and some relief tools that are urgently needed in the disaster area. These are all things that the disaster area should be in great need of."

The commander listened and showed an expression of agreement. "Hmm, that's right," he said, glancing around. "Which special forces unit has this capability?"

Everyone remained silent. Their special forces usually focused on improving combat effectiveness, which might not be effective in earthquake relief missions, while professional rescue teams did not have such good parachuting skills.

For a moment, the conference room was completely silent.

The commander frowned, and just as he was about to speak again, Chen Jiang suggested, "Let Team A go. They are highly qualified in all aspects, and I think they are fully capable of handling this mission."

"A Battalion?" The commander, being of too high a rank, was unaware of this particular unit in the military.

At this point, the other leaders nearby quickly explained the situation to him, and after listening, he nodded and asked, "Are you confident in sending this unit?"

"Yes!" Chen Jiang straightened his chest. "I also served in this unit, so I know it inside and out!"

After a discussion among several senior commanders, the commander-in-chief finally made the decision: "Alright, send Brigade A. You will personally lead the team to the disaster area. The relevant transport aircraft and supplies will be allocated by the General Armaments Department and the General Logistics Department. In short, we must get our people in as soon as possible!"

After the orders were relayed down through the ranks, Chen Jiang quickly contacted Yuan Lang, the captain of Team A.

In order to stay in the special forces, Yuan Lang actually gave up better opportunities, so he is still the captain of the A team, but his rank has reached senior colonel.

Before the two could exchange pleasantries on the phone, Yuan Lang had already grasped the implications.

He immediately issued an emergency mobilization order, and all personnel of the entire brigade returned to their posts and assembled, carrying no weapons or ammunition, and proceeded lightly to the military airfield for an emergency deployment.

Because of the great distance, the Il-76 large transport planes allocated from headquarters only carried fuel and necessary equipment and supplies; nothing else was needed. The first batch of planes to go to the designated location were Chen Jiang's old unit. When Chen Jiang saw familiar faces on the plane, a smile finally appeared on his tired face.

"Hello, Chief!"

"Hello, Chief!"

"Hello, Chief!"

Although Chen Jiang's rank is the same as Yuan Lang's, he is, after all, the front-line commander of this rescue operation, so Yuan Lang had to salute him first, and the other officers dared not be negligent.

Of all his old comrades, only Wu Liuyi remains in the unit, but he's already a lieutenant.
Needless to say, it was Yuan Lang and his group who put in the effort, plus his own reckless driving, that allowed him to stay.

"Captain Yuan, since we're all acquaintances, I'll be frank." Chen Jiang didn't have time to catch up with Yuan Lang and the others before he began to relay the order.

After listening, Yuan Lang frowned.
"The place we're going to is completely unsuitable for skydiving."

He glanced at the map Chen Jiang had given him. "This place is mountainous and crisscrossed by waterways. And we're undertaking a long-distance raid; it's going to be quite difficult." Chen Jiang nodded gravely. "Captain Yuan, you're right. The weather report shows low clouds over there, visibility is extremely poor, and below are towering mountains and rushing rivers. There's also the danger of aftershocks, so the risk of a high-altitude descent is indeed extremely high, almost equivalent to..."

He didn't finish his sentence, but everyone understood the unspoken meaning.

Yuan Lang frowned. "Chen Jiang, we need to think of a way. Can we come up with a way that satisfies both sides?"

Chen Jiang's gaze fell upon the rolling sea of ​​clouds outside the porthole. "There are never so many perfect solutions. Do you know what the commander told me when I came here?"

Yuan Lang shook his head in confusion.

Chen Jiang said resolutely, "We must get the troops and supplies in at all costs!"

He glanced at the others and said, "You should all know what it means to spare no expense!"

After a moment of silence, someone quickly shouted, "Use me in the first battle! With me, victory is assured!"

Immediately afterwards, everyone in the cabin shouted together.

Chen Jiang's eyes welled up with tears. He had fought for this mission, and although it was extremely dangerous, it was a glorious mission!
These soldiers still went without hesitation!

Because the journey to the destination was long, everyone was asked to get some sleep on the transport plane. But with the huge roar of the Il-76's engines and everyone knowing the dangers of the trip, how could anyone sleep?

I don't know who started it.

In the corner, a young soldier—who looked like he hadn't been with the A team for long and still had a bit of a youthful look on his face—quietly took out a small notebook with slightly worn edges and a short pencil from the side pocket of his field backpack.

He took a deep breath and, in the dim light of the cabin, solemnly wrote two words on his notebook: "Last Will and Testament".

This action was like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, instantly creating ripples.

An old soldier with scars on his face saw this, but said nothing. He silently took out a pen and a neatly folded piece of paper from the pocket of his tactical vest. He licked his chapped lips and began to write.

One, two, three. It was as if a silent command was being transmitted.

The soldiers sprang into action.

The only sounds in the cabin were the scratching of pens on paper and heavy breathing.

Some people write very quickly, their pens flying across the page, as if they had already engraved thousands of words in their hearts, and now they are just letting them flow out.

Some people write very slowly, carefully choosing each word, as if each word weighs a ton. As they write, their eyes redden, but they stubbornly refuse to let the tears fall, simply blinking hard and continuing to write.

Some people wrote only a few words, expressing their guilt towards their parents, their reluctance to part with their loved ones, and their expectations for their children.

Some wrote in great detail, as if they were explaining their affairs after death: where their savings were, who they owed money to and who they had paid back, and what they left to whom.

Wu Liuyi sat in the corner. He took out an envelope with the army logo printed on it. His handwriting was still not very good, but he was extremely careful with each stroke.

He wrote to Gao Cheng, to Shi Jin, and to many comrades who had already left. Finally, he wrote: "Dad, Mom, your son is unfilial. But if you don't come back this time, don't be too sad. Your son went to save people and didn't bring shame to the Wu family."

As Yuan Lang looked at the scene inside the cabin, his usual slightly mocking smile disappeared, replaced by a deep solemnity and pride.

He did not stop them; it was the soldiers' right, and also a solemn ritual in the face of unknown risks.

However, when he saw that Chen Jiang was also writing, he was greatly surprised. As the commander of this operation, Chen Jiang could have easily avoided participating in the parachute jump. "Chen Jiang, what are you doing?"

Chen Jiang writes extremely fast. In just a short time, he finished writing with only a few strokes, carefully folded it, and put it into his inner pocket.

“There’s nothing strange about it. Don’t forget, I’m also a member of Team A. There’s no reason for everyone to jump. I won’t jump. Never abandon or give up. That’s my motto in the military.”

More than two hours later, the plane finally began to descend, and everyone could vaguely see the towering mountains below by looking out the windows.

"We can't descend any further. Please prepare to jump. The rear hatch will open in one minute. Good luck!"

The navigating captain made a public address call.

Yuan Lang glanced at Chen Jiang, whose face was resolute, and shouted, "Everyone stand up! Check your equipment!"

Everyone stood up in unison and began to perform the final checks quickly and efficiently.

"Everyone remember, regardless of the landing conditions, you must choose a suitable landing location at low altitude by adjusting your position. After landing, quickly assemble at the planned coordinates. The relevant equipment and tools, as well as supplies and drinking water, will be airdropped. These are essential for the people in the disaster area and are the fundamental guarantee for our mission to succeed!"

As the hatch began to open, the immense wind noise forced Yuan Lang to shout until he was hoarse.

At his command, Wu Liuyi smiled at the two leaders and was the first to jump, followed by the second, and the third.
Members of Team A on the other planes also jumped.

Chen Jiang and Yuan Lang were the last to jump; they had to be the final act.

Because it's a high-altitude skydive, it's impossible to open the parachute immediately. Staying in the thin air at high altitudes for too long could easily lead to suffocation.

Moreover, if the parachute is opened too early, it will be blown away from the target location by the airflow because it is a non-powered parachute, making it very difficult to gather.

Therefore, you must start with a vertical descent, and only pull the parachute lines when you reach a suitable height below. This is the safest approach.

After jumping, Chen Jiang felt a tremendous sense of weightlessness. The speed of falling rapidly from a great height is very high, and it will increase faster and faster due to the acceleration due to gravity. If you do not open the parachute for a long time, your body will not be able to withstand the overload and will suffer irreversible damage.

It's so cold!
The low temperature and weightlessness made Chen Jiang, who had not participated in skydiving training for a long time, extremely uncomfortable. Although Yuan Lang had explained the differences between the new parachutes to him during the flight and he had rich skydiving experience, he was still a little scared about this skydive.

He looked around through his goggles and saw nothing but a sea of ​​clouds below.

Finally, he could vaguely see the scenery below, and then he quickly pulled the parachute lines.

With a "whoosh," a giant umbrella blossomed in the air.

(End of this chapter)