Siheyuan (traditional courtyard house): Starting with the Korean War, returning home to take charge

The recruits came from several different places. The core group consisted of the reconnaissance company's sworn brothers, each with a steely resolve forged in the crucible of battle. A platoon from the division's guard company joined, strong and disciplined, their movements precise and measured, but their discipline clashed with the reconnaissance company's more rugged style. Dozens of engineers arrived, skilled at bridge construction and mine laying, but lacking in combat experience. Then there were the "combat backbones" "recommended" by various regiments, supposedly the best, but likely some troublemakers who would give the company commanders a headache. Finally, there was a batch of new recruits, their eyes wide, everything new and exciting, yet also filled with fear.

This hodgepodge of personnel created a mess on the very first day of assembly. The guards stood ramrod straight, the veterans of the reconnaissance company leaned back and chatted, the engineers were only concerned with checking their tool bags, the new recruits sized each other up with competitive glints in their eyes, and the new recruits didn't know what to do with their hands and feet.

Old Geng leaned closer and lowered his voice: "Battalion Commander, this mixture is too mixed up. Can it even be properly combined?"

Zhang Dashan frowned as well: "Those top students from the regiment look arrogant."

He Yuzhu remained silent. He surveyed the team that was nominally under his command. He could keep the veterans in line with the company's camaraderie and battlefield prestige, but he couldn't control the newcomers, let alone manage this commotion. He needed to establish rules, in a way they could understand.

He walked to the front of the line and glanced around. The noise gradually subsided.

"From today onwards, there will be no guard company, no engineer company, and no elite soldiers from any regiment," He Yuzhu said, his voice low but impactful. "There is only one unit here: the division's reconnaissance battalion. I am the battalion commander, He Weiguo. Here, there are only three rules."

"First, let's put them to the test on the training field. The entire battalion will follow the same training syllabus. Previous training standards are obsolete. Follow my guidelines."

People below gasped, especially the guards, whose faces clearly showed their dissatisfaction.

"Second," He Yuzhu ignored their reactions, "abolish the original organization, disperse the entire battalion, and reorganize it into 'tactical groups.' Three people per group, nine people per team, veterans mentoring newcomers, and elites paired with novices. Fighting depends on the group, and surviving depends on the group too."

"Third, the battalion keeps a merit and demerit book. Those who meet training standards, excel in assessments, and stand out in combat are rewarded with merits, rest days, better food, and scarce supplies. Those who slack off, disobey orders, or drag the team down are punished with demerits, extra training, and being forced to eat cold potatoes."

He paused, his gaze turning colder: "If you think these three points are unreasonable, or if you feel you can't keep up, step forward now. I'll write a report and send you back to your original unit. I won't stop you."

The ranks fell silent. Had they been sent back by the reconnaissance battalion? Where would they put their faces? A few troublemakers shrank back.

"No one's leaving? Good." He Yuzhu nodded. "Then let's proceed according to the rules. After disbanding, each company will reorganize according to the new plan. Training will begin this afternoon."

Over the next few days, the camp spun like a wind-up top. He Yuzhu meticulously extracted from the system and actual combat—infiltration, demolition, survival, coordination, ambush—and compiled them into a series of simple and brutal operational manuals. The training intensity was maximized, even more ruthless than during the reconnaissance company period.

The standardized procedures took a toll on many. The guard company's formation was impressive, but after the five-kilometer cross-country run, they were all exhausted and overtaken by the veterans of the reconnaissance company. The engineer company was skilled at laying mines, but when it came to quickly navigating obstacles under simulated fire, they became disorganized. The elite soldiers from various regiments might be good individually, but they struggled with team coordination.

He Yuzhu and his battalion's core members spent all day on the training field, personally demonstrating techniques and showing no mercy when scolding. Internal incentives began to take effect: high-performing groups received an extra spoonful of oily vegetable soup or half a compressed biscuit in the evening, and also had one less night watch shift. Those at the bottom received extra training, and watching others improve their meals was a far more unpleasant experience than being scolded.

The conflict erupted during joint training. In a simulated raid behind enemy lines exercise, He Yuzhu ordered each company's elite squads to traverse complex terrain within a time limit and reach a designated area to set up simulated explosives. Wu Dayong, a platoon leader from the former 3rd Regiment, was a burly man and a renowned assassin. He was very dissatisfied with the fact that his squad was led by a veteran from the reconnaissance company, feeling that the squad leader "only knows how to sneak around and doesn't act like a soldier."

During the drill, Wu Dayong disobeyed orders several times and acted without authorization. Although he completed part of the task through his individual abilities, it led to the exposure of his team, resulting in the entire team being "judged" as killed. During the debriefing, He Yuzhu criticized him by name. Wu Dayong retorted in front of everyone: "Battalion Commander! I don't accept this! Being a soldier means facing things head-on! What kind of skill is sneaking around? If you're so capable, let's have a real fight!"

The scene froze. Everyone looked at He Yuzhu. Old Geng and the others looked grim, their hands on their belts.

He Yuzhu's face remained expressionless. He walked to the center of the field and pointed to the complex terrain of the nearby ravine: "Not convinced? Fine. We'll have three events: silently infiltrate the restricted area, set simulated explosives at three points on the other side of the ravine, return via the same route, and draw a map of the terrain and hypothetical enemy deployment along the way. Half an hour. Dare to compete?"

Wu Dayong was taken aback—he excelled in hand-to-hand combat and shooting, but this kind of infiltration and finesse wasn't his forte. But given the situation, he steeled himself and said, "Let's compete!"

"Okay," He Yuzhu said to Lao Geng, "Start the timer."

The two set off at the same time. Wu Dayong relied on brute force and speed to rush forward, triggering a makeshift alarm bell set up by the instructors while crossing a rocky area, resulting in a deduction of points. He was also careless when setting the explosives, and his camouflage was sloppy.

He Yuzhu, however, moved like a shadow, silently blending into the terrain, using every undulation and shadow to perfectly avoid all alarm points. He set the explosives with precision and speed, his camouflage flawless. Upon returning, he picked up a pencil and quickly sketched a route map on paper, marking possible machine gun positions, sentry posts, and even suitable fortified paths for ambushes, as clearly as if it were imprinted in his mind.

The results were predictable. Wu Dayong exceeded the time limit, exposed himself twice, failed to meet the requirements for one explosive charge, and only drew a rough topographic map. He Yuzhu remained silent throughout, perfectly fulfilling all requirements, and his map was detailed and accurate.

Looking at that calm face and the textbook-perfect diagram, Wu Dayong's initial resentment turned to shock, then flushed red, and finally he lowered his head and said in a muffled voice, "Battalion Commander... I admit defeat. I was too easily swayed."

He Yuzhu handed him the diagram: "Here, take a good look. Fighting a war isn't just about bravery, it's also about this." He pointed to his head, "Learn from your squad leader from now on. A reconnaissance battalion doesn't keep reckless brutes who only know how to charge headlong."

The entire camp fell silent. Those who had initially harbored doubts about this "crooked method" completely shut their mouths.

In his spare time, He Yuzhu obtained some tangible benefits from the system: a batch of more suitable training equipment and teaching aids, and several more batches of high-calorie field rations and vitamin tablets, which he added to the rations. Although the soldiers endured hardship, their physical strength kept up, and they woke up hungry less often at night. This small improvement was more effective than any empty words.

[Points consumed: 30000. Current points: 1,718,398 - 30000 = 1,688,398.]

[Successfully integrated complex units, established absolute authority, implemented an effective training and management system, and significantly accumulated leadership experience.]

[Leadership upgraded to advanced level: Significantly improves subordinate loyalty and execution, enhances team cohesion and adaptability, and initially establishes influence at the operational level.]

[A preliminary battalion-level command network has been established: improving the efficiency of information transmission and command execution.]

That evening, He Yuzhu was revising the training plan under the oil lamp. Wang Fuli (now considered the battalion instructor) came in and handed him a cup of hot water.

"The matter with Wu Dayong today was handled beautifully," Wang Fuli said. "It established authority and won people's respect. However, with such intensive integration, won't the lower levels be too tense?"

He Yuzhu took the water and took a sip: "If you don't stay focused, you'll lose your life on the battlefield. Our battalion will be doing dangerous work in the future, so the more you sweat now, the less blood you'll bleed later."

Wang Fuli nodded and said no more. He was gradually realizing that He Yuzhu had his own set of almost cruel but effective logic for leading troops.

He Yuzhu looked out the window. Campfires flickered in the camp, and soldiers chatted quietly around them, their different accents gradually mingling. The framework of the new camp was being built, and the flesh was barely attached. Now, it was up to them whether these bodies could withstand the ravages of war and unleash the power he hoped for.