Courtyard House: From Deputy Division Commander to Civilian, Progressing All the Way

Lin Yang closed the document in his hand, turned his head, looked at Li Yunlong's expectant face, and a faint smile appeared on his lips.

"Brother Li, times have changed. Modern armored warfare emphasizes the coordination of mobility, firepower, and communications. When you get to the training ground, don't judge people with your old eyes."

Lin Yang paused, a hint of fatherly pride flashing in his deep eyes.

"Besides, the elite platoon of Kong Jie's independent armored division is personally led by Wei Dong and Jianguo. In the past three years, I haven't written them a single letter; they've endured the wind and sand on their own. Let's see what they're made of today."

Upon hearing the names Lin Weidong and Lin Jianguo, Li Yunlong's eyes immediately lit up like two copper bells.

"Hahaha! Yes, yes, yes! That kid Wei Dong, at the age of fourteen, dared to drive a tank and fight the Russians' T-62s to the death on the border, blowing their shell off with a single shot! When I saw this in the military region's briefing, I downed three big bowls of baijiu! That was exhilarating!"

Li Yunlong slapped his thigh excitedly: "Today I'm going to see what kind of steel these two Lin family scions have been forged into by the sandstorms of the Northwest these past few years!"

Several hours later, the transport plane landed steadily at a border military airport in Xinjiang amidst severe turbulence.

The cabin door slowly opened, and a gust of hot air, mixed with the strong smell of yellow sand and dryness, rushed into the cabin.

Below the gangway, Kong Jie, commander of the Northwest Military Region, stood ramrod straight at the edge of the runway, accompanied by several division-level officers.

Seeing Lin Yang and Li Yunlong get off the plane, Kong Jie strode over to them.

"Yangzi! Old Li!"

Three pairs of calloused hands clasped tightly together amidst the swirling sandstorm.

"Brother Kong, your face is two shades darker than when we met in Beijing a couple of years ago," Lin Yang said with a smile, looking at Kong Jie's rough, charcoal-like face.

"The sun in the Northwest is scorching, and the wind is scorching too. Forget about your face, even a piece of iron thrown out here would peel off a layer of skin after three years." Kong Jie laughed heartily, then turned to Li Yunlong, "Li Big Head, instead of enjoying the sea breeze in your gentle southeastern coastal paradise, you've come here to eat sand?"

Li Yunlong glared at him, not to be outdone, and retorted, "Kong Erlengzi, stop acting all high and mighty! If Yangzi hadn't allocated the best batch of new armor-piercing shells and modification kits from the Ministry of Heavy Industry to your independent armored division, would you dare to act so high and mighty in front of me? I'm here today on behalf of the Central Military Commission to test your combat capabilities!"

"Alright, alright, whatever you, Commander Li, say goes." Kong Jie was too lazy to argue with Li Yunlong, and turned around to make a gesture of invitation.

"Yangzi, Lao Li, the timing is perfect. The division-level red-blue force-on-force exercise will begin precisely in half an hour in Death Valley, 100 kilometers away. The vehicles are ready; let's head straight to the front-line observation post!"

Three jeeps kicked up clouds of yellow dust on the Gobi Desert, like three sharp swords piercing the depths of the wasteland.

Along the way, Kong Jie sat in the lead car and gave Lin Yang a detailed report on the current military situation and exercise plan.

"Yangzi, this exercise is arranged entirely according to actual combat standards." Kong Jie's expression became unusually serious. "The Red Team consists of the main force of a division, well-equipped, and numerous, and they occupy the defensive high ground of Death Valley. Their mission is to hold the position to the death."

"The Blue Team, on the other hand, only has three companies. They are at a significant disadvantage. Their mission is to break through the Red Team's multiple defenses within the allotted time and carry out a decapitation strike or destroy the core position."

Li Yunlong, sitting in the back row, frowned immediately upon hearing this comparison of troop strength.

"Three companies against a division? Kong Erlengzi, have you lost your mind? Conducting an armored assault on a plain with such a large disparity in troop strength, the Blue Force will be covered by the Red Force's crossfire as soon as they show themselves. How are they supposed to fight? Are they just going to throw their lives away?"

Kong Jie sneered and turned to look at Li Yunlong.

"Old Li, if the enemy is fully armed and equipped a generation ahead of us, wouldn't we be at a complete disadvantage? If peacetime exercises emphasize fairness, will the enemy treat you fairly on the battlefield?"

Kong Jie turned his head, his gaze fixed intently on the sandstorm ahead.

"Moreover, the Blue Team's spearhead platoon, the first echelon responsible for breaking through the defenses, is led by Lin Weidong. This kid doesn't seem to have any concept of conventional tactics when it comes to fighting. I want to use this desperate situation to force out their greatest potential!"

Lin Yang listened quietly without interrupting. His deep eyes revealed no emotional fluctuations, but his hands, resting on his knees, were slightly crossed, and his knuckles showed a barely perceptible bluish-white tinge.

The jeep stopped behind a towering sand dune.

This is a meticulously disguised exercise observation post. In front of the massive blast-proof glass is a vast, undulating Gobi Desert valley. Gale-force winds howl through the valley, whipping up sand and dust that resembles rows of yellow walls, severely obstructing visibility.

Lin Yang, Li Yunlong, and Kong Jie entered the observation post. Several staff officers immediately stood up and saluted.

On the table were high-powered military binoculars and real-time radio monitoring equipment. The huge sand table was covered with red and blue flags.

"Reporting, Commander! The exercise has been underway for twenty minutes. The Red Force has deployed three anti-tank minefields at the entrance to Death Valley and a dense network of crossfire. Currently, the Blue Force's main force is pinned down in the weathered rock area five kilometers away and is unable to move!" a staff officer reported loudly.

Li Yunlong grabbed the binoculars, brought them close to his eyes, and stared intently at the distant battlefield.

"Damn it, the Red Team's firepower is impeccable. A frontal assault would be suicide. Without air support, the Blue Team simply can't get through this minefield with just their tracks. Old Kong, you've given Wei Dong and his team a death trap!"

Kong Jie didn't speak, but instead picked up another headset used for monitoring radios and tossed it to Li Yunlong.

"Listen to the Blue Team's communication channel before drawing any conclusions."

Li Yunlong put on the headphones with some skepticism. Lin Yang also stepped forward and pressed the speakerphone button.

The radio crackled with the sound of electricity and howled like a raging wind.

Immediately afterwards, a calm, steady, yet chillingly ruthless voice rang out clearly within the observation area.

"Calling Blue Team Command Post, this is the 'Lone Wolf' sniper platoon. We are unable to breach the minefield on the front. Requesting approval to execute 'Flanking Ghost' plan."

Lin Yang's eyelids twitched slightly. It was Lin Weidong's voice.