Bright Sword: From Northwest Shanxi to Changjin Lake, a Hundred Battles, a Hundred Victories

Chapter 219 The reorganization of the special branch, an uninvited guest in the base area!
Not long after the grand martial arts exercise ended.

Chen Ming then swiftly began to "digest" this group of valuable talents who had competed fiercely and ultimately "remained" in the independent detachment for "exchange and learning".

These elite soldiers, "rescued" from brother units, are all highly skilled and are truly exceptional.

Holding the individual files and combining them with their performance in the martial arts exercise, Chen Ming began a precise talent deployment.

Those with superb marksmanship were assigned to the expanded reconnaissance company's sniper platoon.
Promising talents with expertise in infantry-artillery coordination and a keen eye for talent were directly sent to the newly established artillery training unit for intensive training.

Those skilled individuals who could maneuver through complex terrain with ease were assigned to the assault teams that were about to undergo special training in assault and reconnaissance tactics.

These soldiers are all promising talents who have reached their current level solely through their talent and hard work, without having received systematic training enhanced by the "badge set." Their exceptional abilities are evident.

Today, under Chen Ming's leadership, they not only have the invisible "badge set" bonus, but also a core group of veterans who can provide deeper technical guidance.

They also have far more opportunities for real combat training than ordinary troops—whether it's armed reconnaissance deep behind enemy lines or frontal attacks and defenses against the main force of the Japanese army, these will become the crucible for their growth.

Chen Ming firmly believes that in this uniquely advantageous environment, these already gifted warriors will grow at an unprecedented pace, and the peaks they can reach in the future will definitely be higher and farther.

Chen Ming also unceremoniously assigned the elite infantry company that the brigade commander had "exchanged" to him.

Instead of breaking it down or diluting it, he valued its overall combat capability and integration.

After a brief rest and familiarization period, they were directly incorporated into the reconnaissance battalion of the independent detachment as a newly established powerful assault company.

Whether it was the talented individuals brought in through the exchange or the entire established company, Chen Ming and the cadres who sent them all understood the situation perfectly:

It's supposed to be an "exchange and learning" program, but after completing the training? They want to take the person back?

Hey, there's no such thing as a free lunch!

This has long been an unspoken "fine tradition". Once it's in the pot of my Independent Detachment, it's meat of my Independent Detachment. Do you think you can take it out again?

The brigade commander initially borrowed Chen Ming's "sharpshooter platoon" for "exchange and learning," but what happened?
Those valuable key personnel have long been dispersed and assigned to various companies within the brigade, becoming the backbone of the troops.

Now you're asking the brigade commander for personnel? What are you going to offer?

Are we to bring them back? Are we to let the newly formed combat-ready company be paralyzed again?

A barely perceptible smile appeared on Chen Ming's lips; he had already made his plans in mind:
"Once they return from their training in the rear, these soldiers' organizational affiliation should be transferred to the independent detachment."

After the personnel arrangements were completed, Chen Ming immediately convened a meeting of all officers above the battalion level in the Independent Detachment to reorganize the detachment.

The atmosphere in the venue was serious, filled with the tension of an imminent major battle.

Chen Ming got straight to the point, tapping on the table:
"The grand military exercise has concluded. Comrades, are there any objections to the proposal to form a 'Special Forces Detachment'?"

"No! I will resolutely obey the organization's decision!"

"no!"

"agree!"

"..."

The response was swift and decisive, and the cadres unanimously expressed their approval.

Even He Jianxin, the First Battalion Commander who was specifically targeted in this grand martial arts exercise and suffered consecutive defeats at the hands of Ding Wei and Kong Jie, maintained a stern expression and clearly stated:
"I obey orders."

The flame of defiance in his heart had not yet been extinguished.

As the top main force of the independent detachment, the First Battalion is recognized as the best in terms of equipment, training and combat experience.

He simply couldn't accept that the elite troops he had personally trained had been relegated to the bottom of the three main squads in a fair competition.

This is not just a matter of being at the bottom of the standings; it's that his proud, iron-blooded unit has become a backdrop to highlight others!

But reality is staring them in the face: two crucial losses in a row, leaving them speechless with defeat.

Last night, he locked himself in the command post and smoked for half the night. After the anxiety and shame, he was deeply reflecting.

Why did they lose? The real reason for their defeat was their impetuousness in trying to prove themselves and underestimating their opponents.

Chen Ming took in He Jianxin's complex expression, but a sense of relief welled up in his heart.

Sometimes, it's better to teach someone a lesson they've learned by doing than to give them a hundred well-intentioned advice.

If Chen Ming had directly pointed out He Jianxin's mental state problem, he might have reflected on it, but certainly not as profoundly as after losing twice in a row.

However, these two consecutive losses were like two buckets of ice water poured over his head, completely extinguishing his unconsciously rising pride.

It made him realize the true meaning of "there are mountains beyond mountains, and people beyond people".

For He Jianxin, as long as he can overcome this hurdle of "self-reflection after defeat," he will surely be transformed in the future, and his path will become wider and wider.

"it is good!"

Chen Ming made the final decision: "Then let's use the results of this grand martial arts exercise as a benchmark and immediately begin the reorganization!"

The plan is as follows:
One elite infantry battalion from Ding Wei's unit and one infantry battalion from Kong Jie's unit were transferred, and key personnel were selected from the brigade's directly subordinate units.

The armored battalion, cavalry battalion, and newly acquired artillery forces were concentrated to form a 'Special Detachment', abbreviated as 'Special Detachment'!
All relevant units must cooperate fully to complete the formation and integration of the troops within the next three months!

The framework has been established, and the crucial next step is to fill it with flesh and blood—who will lead this powerful force that brings together the elite of the brigade?
The special forces unit is not an ordinary force; it integrates armored assault, powerful artillery, fast-moving cavalry, and elite infantry.

This is a strategic mobile force, comparable to a small operational group.

The selection of its commander must be approached with utmost care!

First and foremost, he possessed absolute political reliability and high prestige within the military.

This force is too powerful, too heavily armed, and too mobile. It is a double-edged sword and must be firmly held in the hands of the most loyal and trustworthy people. No mistakes can be tolerated!

Secondly, they must possess outstanding military skills and a forward-looking vision.

He needs to have a deep understanding of how armored formations tear through defenses and how artillery fires precise, creeping barrages to cover the attack.

How can engineers quickly breach obstacles and build bridges on a rapidly changing battlefield? How can infantry accompany tanks in a coordinated assault amidst gunfire and smoke?
How cavalry can conduct flank harassment and deep reconnaissance at high speeds, and even anticipate potential changes on the future battlefield.

Finally, he himself must possess great personal charisma and strong leadership qualities.

He was able to keep the proud and skilled technical experts and combat backbone of this special force, who came from various elite units and were all considered his "heart and soul," truly convinced of their loyalty and obedience.

Looking around the entire detachment, Chen Ming himself unsurprisingly met all the requirements.

He was the founder and soul of the detachment, with a firm political stance, unparalleled prestige, and a forward-thinking strategic and tactical vision.

He is skilled in the art of command and has a deep understanding of integrated warfare concepts.

Having him personally oversee and command the 'Special Branch' is undoubtedly the best choice.

However, the reality is quite frustrating.

Chen Ming was already the highest-ranking officer of the detachment, shouldering a heavy responsibility encompassing the overall strategic direction, troop building, logistical support, external coordination, and many other complex tasks. The independent detachment was in a period of rapid expansion and strategic transformation, and he simply could not spare enough energy to concurrently serve as the military commander of the special operations detachment.

I'm too busy to be in two places at once, and there's nothing I can do.

Once you exclude yourself, your options shrink dramatically.

Deputy Chief of Staff Zhou Weiguo has extremely rich combat experience, and his personal bravery and tactical command ability are outstanding.

However, there is a certain "unspeakable" peculiarity in his past experiences, especially in the current sensitive environment.

Appointing Zhou Weiguo to such an important and core military command position carries considerable concerns and risks, so it is regrettable that he has to be ruled out first.

Let's look at the three main captains: Ding Wei, Kong Jie, and He Jianxin. They are all rare and capable generals, each with their own strengths.

However, they were already burdened with the heavy responsibility of commanding their respective main forces and could not extricate themselves.

More importantly, their prestige is largely confined to their own systems, especially when facing the "Special Branch," which is about to gather the most outstanding and proud talents in the entire branch.

Their status and prestige were not enough to make those "precious darlings" completely submit to them.

The gaze finally fell on Chief of Staff Wang Dafei.

Wang Dafei's rank was high enough, and his status as chief of staff was exceptional.
Having followed Chen Ming from the district squad all the way up, he has rich command experience, a broad strategic vision, a calm yet decisive personality, and excellent military and political qualities.

Although he needs an adaptation period to the details of professional command, he is generally competent enough to take the lead, making him the most reliable choice within the brigade system at present.

As for being transferred from a higher-level position? Chen Ming shook his head inwardly.

The "Special Branch" utilizes unique technical equipment and almost groundbreaking combined arms tactics, which are exclusive to independent detachments. When external personnel are brought in, it is very easy for a situation to arise where "outsiders command insiders".

Meanwhile, the rare talents at headquarters who had truly witnessed large-scale mechanized warfare and had studied in the Soviet Union were all stuck in important strategic positions and could not be spared at all.

Of course, there was another reason that Chen Ming didn't mention.

Chen Ming's calm gaze finally settled on Chief of Staff Wang Dafei, the trust and expectation it contained were self-evident.

After repeated discussions and weighing of the pros and cons with his superiors, Chen Ming finalized the core leadership structure of the "Special Branch":

This unit was directly led by Chief of Staff Wang Dafei, who was responsible for overall military command.

Considering the important position and complex structure of the "Special Branch," in order to strengthen political work,
The headquarters specially transferred a senior political commissar with rich experience from the rear in Yan'an to serve as the full-time political commissar of the "Special Branch".

Regarding the selection of a deputy military officer, after Chen Ming overcame numerous objections and argued his case repeatedly, it was finally confirmed that Deputy Chief of Staff Zhou Weiguo would serve as the Chief of Staff of the "Special Branch," responsible for formulating specific operational plans and directly commanding and executing them on the front lines.

Chen Ming was very satisfied with this arrangement.

This position, where Zhou Weiguo's combat talent was highly valued and he was positioned at the military "execution level" rather than the core of final decision-making, was crucial.

He neither completely buried a rare talent because of his sensitive background, nor failed to mitigate potential risks to the greatest extent possible through the dual control of Wang Dafei and the political commissar, thus truly achieving "making the best use of everyone's talents."

After the reorganization plan was finalized, the formation of the special forces detachment proceeded in full swing.

The camp was filled with the roar of engines and the sounds of drills all day long. Various branches of the armed forces were conducting coordinated training in an orderly manner, presenting a scene of great activity.

At the same time, Chen Ming also focused on production and various logistical tasks within the base area.

He knew that the combat effectiveness of the special forces detachment, as a mechanized unit, was closely related to its fuel supply.

Although current oil reserves can support three or four large-scale operations, they are far from sufficient in the long run.

Ensuring adequate oil reserves has become one of the most pressing tasks at present.

Fortunately, the batch of coal-to-oil refining equipment that the brigade commander had previously sent had all arrived and been commissioned.

Thanks to the efforts of the technicians, the production line is now ready.

It is worth mentioning that the captured Japanese technicians were not as thoroughly brainwashed by the Bushido spirit as the rank-and-file soldiers.

Thanks to the patient and meticulous work of the comrades in the Enemy Work Department, a considerable number of Japanese technical personnel recognized the nature of the aggression and took the initiative to join the anti-war alliance.

The same was true of the group of Japanese technicians captured by the Independent Detachment from Datong. Most of them were reformed and educated, and then actively devoted themselves to the construction of the base area.

As for the few die-hards, they really are exactly as the name suggests.

This is one of the reasons why the captured equipment could be put into production so quickly.

The availability of technical personnel greatly shortened the equipment debugging and commissioning cycle.

However, Chen Ming has not relaxed his efforts to cultivate independent technical talent. A group of our own technical personnel are growing rapidly and will soon be able to completely replace these Japanese technical personnel.

That day, Chen Ming was processing documents at the command post when he suddenly heard a knock on the door.

After receiving permission, guard Wang Dabiao pushed open the door and entered.

"Report!" Wang Dabiao saluted.

"The Fourth Brigade reported that an old man came to our base and claimed that he was looking for his son."

He said his son's name was Jia Gong.

Upon hearing this news, Chen Ming immediately put down the documents in his hand, his brows furrowing slightly:
"Jia's father? Is he reliable?"

As the main person in charge of the arsenal, Jia's position was crucial. Chen Ming's first concern was safety, and the first question he asked was, "Is he reliable?"

"We are still urgently investigating, and there is no definite news yet," Wang Dabiao reported truthfully.

Chen Ming pondered for a moment, tapped his fingers lightly on the table a few times, and then made a decision:
"Bring him to see me first."

"Yes!"

Wang Dabiao accepted the order and left.

Chen Ming decided to meet this uninvited guest, who claimed to be Jia Gong's father, in person to find out his true identity.

As a military industry expert in the Fourth Military Sub-district, Jia Gong was crucial to the military production lifeline of the base area, and any matter related to him had to be handled with utmost care.

Even if the other party really was Jia Gong's father, Chen Ming would never allow them to meet if there was any suspicion of enemy agents.

Not long after, the person was taken to the command post.

The man was about fifty years old, dressed in extremely simple and worn-out clothes, looking very destitute, but his posture was unusually upright.

What is most striking about him are his eyes, which reveal the focus and sharpness unique to intellectuals, yet also carry a hint of undisguised worry.

When the old man entered and saw Chen Ming, he did not show the restraint one would expect from an important person.

His gaze subtly surveyed his surroundings, every detail revealing him to be a person of rich experience and exceptional insight.

(End of this chapter)