Soldiers' Assault: Veteran Special Agents and New Recruits

What seemed like a sure thing turned out to be a cold shower.

Gao Cheng was feeling very upset.

When he got home, he ignored everything and just drank.

Knowing the whole story and her husband's temperament, Chen Li, his wife, didn't try to persuade or comfort him. Instead, she cooked a meal for him to enjoy with his drinks.

Just as the dishes were being prepared, the doorbell rang.

Chen Li hurriedly ran to open the door and found that it was her acquaintances Cheng Long and Xu Sanduo who came in.

Although she was surprised by their arrival, since Jackie Chan had just taken over Gao Cheng's position as his superior, Chen Li did not turn them away because of their relationship.

"Oh, what brings you all here? Have you eaten yet? If not, come join us. I just finished cooking, and Lao Gao is already at the table."

Chen Li warmly invited Jackie Chan and Xu Sanduo to the dining table and went to the kitchen to get bowls and chopsticks.

Gao Cheng recognized the voice and knew who it was, but he didn't turn around to look at them. He just sat there, drinking by himself.

"Hey, old company commander, it's no fun drinking alone, I'll keep you company."

Jackie Chan took the initiative to strike up a conversation and sat down at the table next to him. Xu Sanduo saw that Gao Cheng's face was very ugly, so he greeted the company commander and stood to the side without sitting down.

"Come, come, let me pour you some wine."

Jackie Chan picked up the executive's empty glass, poured him another, and placed it on the table in front of him.

Chen Li then brought over a bowl, chopsticks, and a glass. Jackie Chan took the glass, poured some wine, and said, "Old Company Commander, can we have a proper talk?"

"Please discuss business in the office; otherwise, there's no need to talk."

Gao Cheng was still angry and didn't appreciate it. After saying that, he got up, opened the door, and walked out.

Jackie Chan, who had just walked in, was left there looking helpless, holding a cup in his hand.

Chen Li was also embarrassed by the situation, so she could only smile and try to smooth things over, saying, "He just has a short temper, it's okay, he'll be fine in a little while."

Since you're already here, let's finish our meal first. I'll call him later to see where he went.

"Sister-in-law, thank you. I won't bother you any longer. I have some urgent business to attend to, so I'll take my leave now." Jackie Chan didn't stay and made an excuse to get up and leave as well.

Xu Sanduo followed closely behind.

Gao Cheng had a lot to say, so he went downstairs quickly and, despite having been drinking, drove illegally, speeding all the way to the division headquarters.

As I arrived at the entrance of the division headquarters guesthouse and was about to go in, I ran into Minister Wang.

"Chief of Staff Gao, is there something you need?" Minister Wang asked curiously.

"Minister Wang, I need to see the Chief," Gao Cheng said after saluting.

"Have you been drinking?" Minister Wang sniffed and frowned as he asked.

"I drank it. Alcohol gives me courage. Otherwise, I wouldn't dare to come to see the leader." Gao Cheng didn't hide anything, showing a completely reckless attitude.

"The commander is looking at information on Russia and Chechnya. It would be best if you didn't disturb him in your condition," Minister Wang advised kindly.

"I've already made plans, we have to meet tonight." Gao Cheng said and then rushed inside.

"Gao Cheng, you..."

Minister Wang was about to try to stop Gao Cheng when he noticed that Deputy Commander Zhong had already come out and was standing on the steps, calling out, "Let him come up."

"Commander, he..."

Minister Wang wanted to say something but held back, and finally let Gao Cheng walk up the stairs.

"Commander."

Gao Cheng ran up the stairs in twos and threes, saluted Deputy Commander Zhong, and gave his report.

"What do you want?" Deputy Commander Zhong asked.

"I just want to ask you one thing: did I win or lose this exercise?" Gao Cheng asked.

"Ha, you've come here to seek justice?" Deputy Commander Zhong sneered.

"right!"

Emboldened by alcohol, Gao Cheng showed no fear whatsoever.

"You've been drinking, haven't you? And you've been drinking alone." Deputy Commander Zhong said expressionlessly.

"I drank it, but I'm perfectly sober now," Takashiro replied.

"No cup was broken," Deputy Commander Zhong asked again.

This is an allusion to the celebration banquet a few days ago, where Gao Cheng got drunk and smashed his glass in front of everyone, resulting in everyone parting on bad terms.

How did this small celebration banquet, attended by just a few people, reach the ears of Deputy Commander Zhong?

There's no such thing as a secret that stays hidden forever!

"No, I've already learned my lesson. I can't make the same mistake twice."

Gao Cheng was somewhat surprised, but his attitude was very sincere, and he did not offer any explanation.

"Hmph, that's good then."

Deputy Commander Zhong snorted coldly, then went down the stairs, saying as he walked towards the division headquarters' drill ground, "You think it's unfair? You think that just because you won the combat exercise, you should naturally become the division commander?"

"Sir, I didn't say that."

Gao Cheng quickened his pace to catch up, saying, "This is what you said at the conference. You said to put it to the test, but what was the result?"

"Gao Cheng, I believe you are telling the truth and speaking from the heart. It does take courage to say these things to me, and I admire that."

Deputy Commander Zhong first praised them, then changed the subject and said, "The purpose of holding this exercise is to select division commanders. The winners are more likely to become division commanders than the losers."

The question is, who is the winner, and what constitutes a winner?

On the surface, you were the one who pulled out the green flag, but according to the rules of the exercise, you are the winner and Jackie Chan is the loser.

But in my opinion, it's quite the opposite.

Deputy Commander Zhong's words were clearly a denial, which made Gao Cheng even more resentful. He glared at him and asked, "So, you're saying I'm the loser?"

"Yes, as a commander who has undergone advanced training in combined arms command, winning this exercise should have been no problem for you. However, you made an unforgivable mistake," Deputy Commander Zhong said sternly.

Gao Cheng was filled with disbelief and didn't even know what to say.

Deputy Commander Zhong continued, "That's right, you used tactics to lead the troops to the high ground and finally successfully captured the green flag."

But you were at sea for a full four hours, and that was the biggest mistake.

Your feint attack from the front, your flanking maneuver, sending a few soldiers to climb the cliff from behind and pull out the green flag—it certainly looked exciting and everyone was happy.

But have you ever thought about whether reconnaissance satellites in the sky are blind?

"If this were a real battlefield, not just a training ground with targets, and there really was a reinforced battalion on the island, wouldn't the area behind it be a defensive position? Could those few guys you sneak up there really take the high ground?"

Deputy Commander Zhong pointed out several problems in succession, each one incisive and to the point.

The higher-ups were completely baffled!

"besides……"

Before Deputy Commander Zhong could finish speaking, he continued, "You were too focused on speed. The infantry launched their attack too early, but the heavy equipment's follow-up firepower didn't keep up, and you failed to secure a landing zone."

By the time your heavy infantry arrives, they will have already gone up the mountain. How will they get ashore?

"You only have one company to capture the mountaintop. Without the fire support of heavy infantry, how long can you hold out against the enemy's counterattack?"

Deputy Commander Zhong analyzed the situation from a practical combat perspective, concluding that Gao Cheng's tactics were riddled with flaws.

It's purely for the sake of taking the exam.

It has absolutely no practical significance.

Gao Cheng was speechless after being confronted by Deputy Commander Zhong. These problems did indeed exist, and he couldn't think of any reason to refute them.

He could only argue illogically, saying, "But this is just an exercise, not a real battle. The rules are that capturing the green flag results in victory. Wasn't that something you set yourself?"

"That's where you went wrong."

Deputy Commander Zhong, exasperated, raised his voice and criticized, "Your eyes are only fixed on that flag, that vain victory."

To put it bluntly, you're just eyeing the position of division commander and putting on this show.

"They never considered what the First Division needed; they were solely focused on planning for its formation. What meaning does a victory in the exercise have for the First Division?"

"Commander..."

Gao Cheng didn't want to take such a big blame, so he interrupted Vice Commander Zhong to explain.

"Let me finish what I have to say first."

Deputy Commander Zhong interrupted Gao Cheng again, took a deep breath, and softened his intense tone slightly, saying, "But what about Jackie Chan? He's focused on the enemy and on how to fight like the First Division."

It was precisely because of this mindset that he was able to make full use of the existing manpower and equipment, and maximize combat effectiveness.

In a real war, your only outcome would be defeat, while Jackie Chan's tactical system would be the ultimate victor.

That's why I said that, in my view, the outcome of this military exercise was quite the opposite.

Deputy Commander Zhong's words were reasonable and well-founded, and Gao Cheng was unable to refute a single word. His initial anger and resentment began to subside.

Even the most determined and competitive Gao Cheng had to bow his head after realizing his mistake.

Seeing that Gao Cheng's momentum had waned and his lowered eyes had realized his mistake, Deputy Commander Zhong softened his tone and said, "Whether it's regular training or combat exercises..."

If we don't have the enemy in our hearts and just try to find loopholes to win the exercise, wouldn't it become a game? What's the point of the exercise then? Huh?

Jackie Chan treated the exercise like a war, even though there wasn't a single enemy at Tianhe Peak.

But you, on the contrary, treated it entirely as a game, a game on the path to becoming a mentor, all for your own sake and ambition.

"You're resentful about not winning the trophy, do you think I, as the referee, can give you extra points?"

Deputy Commander Zhong has explained it in great detail, and what he said is indeed very reasonable.

Gao Cheng's intense dissatisfaction vanished at this moment, and his indignant expression returned to normal.

"Commander, if that's what you're saying, I can accept it. But I'm thinking, Jackie Chan is someone I've watched grow up. I feel it's a bit too early for you to appoint him as the commander of the First Division."

By saying this, Gao Cheng was already trying to save face and reveal his true thoughts.

Gone was the previous feeling of being wronged and depressed, and the anger of feeling suppressed; Gao Cheng returned to his competitive yet upright self.

"That's right, Jackie Chan is not mature enough and his qualifications are indeed lacking. That's why we added the word 'substitute' to his title."

Deputy Commander Zhong had completely calmed down and said with a faint smile, "When we evaluate a person, we mainly look at their development trend. When we use a person, we look at the role they play in this unit."

You've studied abroad, so you should know that in future wars, the combat capability of a digitized division will far exceed that of a conventional division.

This is an inevitable trend for the future, and it is also the direction that our military needs to strive for.

Currently, countries around the world have spent a long time exploring this area, and it wasn't until recent years that the world's first truly digitalized military force emerged.

The formation of the First Division cannot be accomplished overnight; it will certainly require considerable effort over a period of time.

Jackie Chan is seven or eight years younger than you, and his growth rate is the fastest in the entire army. When he reaches your age, there is endless imagination.

I can make a bold guess: barring any unforeseen circumstances, he will most likely surpass your current achievements.

Jackie Chan has ample time to improve and even greater potential for growth. I believe he and the First Division will mature and flourish together.

Deputy Commander Zhong was not exaggerating at all; in fact, he was being as conservative as possible.

Gao Cheng knew Jackie Chan better than anyone else. He knew very well that when Jackie Chan reached his age, he would definitely be far more than just a colonel, and there was a high probability that he would further realize his dream.

Jackie Chan's current achievements have already surpassed his; what heights will Jackie Chan reach in seven years?

Gao Cheng simply couldn't believe it!

I might be more suitable for the First Division now, but if we put it three to five years from now, Jackie Chan would definitely be more suitable to lead the First Division.

Gao Cheng was completely convinced!

"Sir, I really didn't think that far ahead or that deep. From a long-term perspective, Jackie Chan is indeed the most suitable, but..."

Gao Cheng was convinced, but to save face, he said helplessly, "As for me to be Cheng Long's chief of staff, with my stubborn temper, I feel there are still some things I shouldn't do."

I feel that I will definitely cause him a lot of trouble in the future, so…”

"Takashiro."

Deputy Commander Zhong interrupted Gao Cheng: "Most of the cadres in your team were transferred from other units, and they are all veteran cadres from various military units."

The organization made a special arrangement to bring together this group of veteran cadres and put them in this leadership team.

In layman's terms, it was to give Jackie Chan a boost and help him get back on his feet, so that he could smoothly take over and get through this difficult period.

The organization trusts you and will give you important responsibilities in the future.

During the recent review of the leadership team for the First Division, relevant departments suggested that you be appointed as the commander of the Ningzhou Military Sub-district.

To appease Gao Cheng, Deputy Commander Zhong deliberately threw out a piece of cake at the end.

"Commander, you don't think... that I'm competing for the position of commander of the First Division just to get a higher rank, do you?" Gao Cheng said, his eyes wide.

Deputy Commander Zhong turned and looked into the distance, which was tantamount to acknowledging Gao Cheng's guess.

Gao Cheng was immediately displeased at being categorized as a careerist and said seriously, "If that's the case, you might as well let me go."

"Leave? Where do you want to go?" Deputy Commander Zhong asked.

"To prove my innocence, I can change careers and work in a rural area," Gao Cheng said defiantly.

"Are you willing to leave?"

Deputy Commander Zhong asked, quite surprised. (End of Chapter)