Military career: Starting with a recruitment letter

Chapter 363 Silent Slaughter, the Watershed Moment in Zhongpei
When the old principal loses his temper, no one can withstand it.

Knowing he couldn't avoid it, Chen Mo jumped up from his seat in a flash, just for a moment.

All the students in the auditorium turned their gazes toward this spot.

The "Devil Battalion Beyond the Great Wall" had a great reputation, but apart from a few officers from certain units of the 63rd Army, very few people had actually seen this battalion commander.

Most of the discussions are private.

Upon seeing the real person, a murmur erupted in the once-silent auditorium.

"Is he the scholar?"

"Damn, she's not even that good-looking. She doesn't even look as old as me."

"Haha, they say that a scholar can't reason with a soldier. This scholar is also a soldier. Let's see if he can explain himself this time."

"Tsk tsk tsk, ten days late, that's some guts! He's got guts."

"That guy is such a damn show-off. He was walking right in front of me this morning, and so many people were talking about him, but he didn't admit that he was a scholar. He's a real bastard, a real piece of trash."

Chen Mo had no interest in paying attention to these gloating voices.

In the initial training for promotion, most trainees are in a competitive relationship and don't get along well, but they don't go so far as to kick someone when they're down.

Once you get to Zhongpei, there are hardly any genuine partners left; there are plenty of people who will kick you when you're down.

They've already entered the fierce battle phase.

When you get to the advanced training class, which is the "standard class," it's like a thousand troops crossing a single-plank bridge, with all sorts of intense competition and fierce battles.

Taking a step forward means a complete transformation; taking a step back means all the hard work and preparation of a lifetime is wasted—that's how tragic it is.

The saying "One general's success is built on the bones of ten thousand soldiers" is not just a saying.

Otherwise, Wang Songhe, the commander of the Red Army division known as the top-class motorized infantry division in the north, wouldn't have been so preoccupied with teaching that he couldn't even think about his daughter joining the army, and his voice would always be filled with exhaustion whenever he made a phone call.

For the sake of my future, I dare not relax.

So let them talk, let them die, Chen Mo doesn't care.

He strode to the front of the auditorium and stood three meters away from Li Yazhong.

With a serious expression, he snapped to attention with his military boots, saluted, and said in a loud voice, "Good morning, Principal!"

The old principal's eyes flashed with a fierce light as he glanced at Chen Mo, then looked at the several cadres who were whispering and discussing among themselves.

As soon as his gaze fell upon the scene, the murmurs ceased once more.

The trainees were as well-behaved as primary school students, sitting upright, almost as if they were wearing red scarves around their necks.

"You're Chen Mo, the battalion commander of the Blue Army Battalion in Zhurihe?"

Li Yazhong withdrew his gaze, stepped forward to Chen Mo, and asked with an extremely imposing manner.

"Yes, Principal!"

"Heh, your Blue Army battalion's intelligence work is pretty good." Being addressed as "principal" twice by a new recruit instead of "commander" actually calmed Li Yazhong down a bit.

"I'm sorry, Principal." Chen Mo noticed that the old principal's tone was less sharp, so he immediately straightened his chest and said, "I really had something to do at work this time and couldn't get away."

"On the way here, Chief of Staff Xu had already given me a stern lecture and repeatedly told me that I must learn more about the spirit of Elder Li during my studies at the school."

"Professor Li has conducted in-depth research on the impact of foreign military high-tech equipment on military operations, and has also conducted objective and systematic analysis of the development of modern warfare equipment."

"The work of a combined arms army staff officer covers a very wide range of areas, especially combat support science. Chief of Staff Xu said that without Professor Li's research, there would be no armored regiment today!"

"They asked me to come here so that I could follow the principal's example and learn from his spirit."

Chen Mo's response was loud and clear, righteous and forceful!

Hearing this, the group of students who had originally planned to see him make a fool of himself suddenly became much more clear-headed.

Damn it?

Is this how you flatter someone?
If there were still people questioning just now why a scholar could be appointed as the commander of the Blue Army battalion, then now, the number of questioners has decreased by at least half.

Because with this kind of rhetoric, most rough-around-the-edges men from field backgrounds could definitely produce such a perfect draft, let alone improvise.

The word choice is so apt and inspiring.

As for what Chen Mo said, none of the trainees present believed a single punctuation mark.

Who is Chief of Staff Xu?

The Chief of Staff of the Kyoto Military District, a high-ranking officer with two military titles on his shoulders, whose seniority is only higher than that of the former principal, and cannot be lower than him.

Would such a big shot praise a junior like this behind his back, especially in front of a mere battalion commander who hasn't even finished shaving his head?
What kind of outrageous nonsense is this?
Not to mention the trainees on site, even Li Yazhong himself was stunned for a moment and almost didn't react.

He came to serve as the first principal when the Staff College was reorganized into the Army Command last year, and it was also the first time he was in charge of training field officers.

In some respects, Chen Mo was right; he did indeed personally take the stage as the bishop of the Zhongpei project.

He used to have a lot of academic interests, and Li Yazhong believed that as a battalion commander, he would never have known so much about himself unless someone had been giving him instructions behind the scenes.

So, it really was Xu Hong who praised him?

Probably not. He wasn't sure either.

"Principal, I'm sorry I was late. It was my fault. Please punish me!"

Chen Mo stopped again, licking the big black face, demanding punishment.

What the hell.

The fact that a junior was so proactive actually made Li Yazhong lose his temper.

A good half-hour had passed.

The old principal waved his hand and said, "No need for punishment, you're not my student yet."

"But being late is punishable. You can go now. I'll call you back later. Don't let it affect other colleagues' assessments. Remember, this is a one-time offense, and there will be no next time."

"Yes!"

Upon hearing this, Chen Mo felt a surge of anger rise in his chest, which instantly subsided. After saluting again, he turned and walked back to his seat.

They passed by other trainees.

Everyone stared blankly at the commander of the so-called "Devil's Camp Beyond the Great Wall," several thoughts rising in their minds.

Damn, what a talent!
If anyone else in the room had been this late, they probably wouldn't have been able to get in the door.

This guy just let it go so easily?
No wonder it's rumored that the commander of the Devil's Camp is nicknamed "Scholar". A scholar can't reason with a soldier. So, is the scholar himself a soldier?
Is it that others can't explain it?

This person is not to be trifled with.
This was the opinion of most of the students in the auditorium. The reason they couldn't mess with this person wasn't because he was particularly capable, but because his face was too ugly and insidious. He was such a smooth-talking bastard.

It's shameful; I'm ashamed to associate with such a person.

Making friends with this kind of person is like being betrayed one day; you'd better stay away.
Chen Mo was unsure of what these people were thinking, so he returned to his seat alone, ignoring their stares.

It's fortunate that he didn't know what these people were thinking; if he did, he probably would have laughed out loud.

My maternal grandmother's.

A bunch of guys who would consider it a loss if they didn't pick something up when they went out, what kind of bullshit camaraderie do they talk about? Before the assessment, they're the kind of treacherous and vicious people who try to trick others into opposing sides. Who the hell wants to be friends with you?

Even if you pay, you have to wait until you pass the entrance exam.

Now, even if the Heavenly King himself came, it wouldn't work. You can't trust anyone; they're too cunning.

I saw Chen Mo return to his seat.

Li Yazhong walked back to his speaking position in the auditorium, his gaze sweeping over the crowd, and said in a deep voice: "I know that many outstanding cadres from various military regions have come to this training program."

"But let me make this clear from the start: I don't care whether you were from the Ironclad Regiment or the Armored Regiment before you came here, you all need to behave yourselves. The academy's rules will be issued after you enroll, and everyone must read them thoroughly."

"I believe you all know about the entrance examination. I'm just an old man, I can't teach so many people."

"The assessment consists of three parts: the first two are entrance examinations, and the third is a graduation examination."

"First subject: Campaign Theory."

"Second subject: Battle planning and sand table simulation."

"Time is tight; the two subjects need to be completed within three days, after which classes will officially begin."

"The second subject involves teams of four engaging in simulated combat within their groups. The winner stays while the others pack their things and leave."

"Now we will be randomly divided into groups of four. Please go to the computer lab when your names are called to begin the first subject assessment. Those who do not perform well will be dismissed."

"For the second subject, arrange the groups of four according to the first subject. If any group has someone eliminated in the first subject, you should organize other groups to sign up."

"Remember, there are no shortcuts here. I'll say it again: those who can't even talk a good game on paper should just get lost."

"Start roll call!"

Despite being an academic, the old principal had a fiery temper. He kept telling people to "get lost," which really livened up the atmosphere of the assessment.

As roll call began.

Two more colonels entered the auditorium; they appeared to be around thirty years old.

People who do scientific research or academic work in the college get promoted very quickly. They become colonels at the age of thirty. If this were in a field unit, they would be considered very impressive.

Lu, however, could easily pick out two.

"When your name is called, go to the computer lab in groups of four."

"Chen Xuanzhao!"

"To!"

"House Expo".

"To!"

"Yang Shuo."

"To!"

"."

As names were called out one by one, Chen Mo could clearly feel the tension rising in everyone's spirits.

"Hey, Chen Ying, keep it up!"

When the count reached over a hundred people, a lieutenant colonel sitting next to him suddenly relaxed and dragged his chair to sit down in front of Chen Mo.

At that moment, roll call stopped, and the students in the auditorium were simply told to wait for the next roll call.

"What happened? Is that all?" Chen Mo looked up at the outside of the auditorium.

The lieutenant colonel who had greeted him earlier explained with a smile, "We all went to the computer room before you came. It can only hold a little over a hundred people. The battle theory assessment will be conducted in four batches."

"Otherwise, why do you think Zhongpei laid off so many people this time? They don't even have enough space."

"Oh, I see. No wonder."

Chen Mo nodded. If that's the case, the battle theory section alone would take at least two or three hours, or even longer.

The first assessment alone, if all four batches finish, will probably not be completed until late at night.

However, there was nothing that could be done about it. By the early 2000s, computers were no longer a rarity, and internet cafes in major cities were gradually becoming more common.

The reason why the mainland command didn't prepare so many venues is probably not due to equipment, but rather because the teaching staff simply doesn't have that many.

Although they weren't the first group trained in the field, they were one of the more important groups. With 400 people being trained at the same time, Commander Lu had no confidence at all.

Instead of focusing on excellence, we should select the most capable individuals to stay and receive training.

Seeing that Battalion Commander Chen seemed quite wary, the lieutenant colonel next to him smiled, extended his hand, and said, "Battalion Commander Chen, let's get to know each other formally."

"My name is Han Dongqin. I am the battalion commander of the 4th Battalion of the 80th Motorized Infantry Brigade of the 27th Army. We fought against each other last year in the Zhurihe National Sword A military exercise."

"Hello, Battalion Commander Han. I've heard so much about you."

Chen Mo shook hands with the other person with a grin, leaving Han Dongqin speechless.

"I've heard so much about you? You've heard so much about me, my foot!"

During the initial military exercise, the Blue Army battalion boasted that they would wipe out the 80th Motorized Infantry Brigade in the early stages of the war. Their brigade commander, Kim, was furious and ordered all battalions to be on alert.

As it turned out, that damned scholar did indeed go and do it, but it wasn't him who went; instead, he brought over a dozen cartloads of goats, chickens, and ducks, which flew around the camp.

Herdsmen were running around the combat zone looking for poultry, and the battalions dared not send out their armored vehicles, which led to the defeat of the mechanized infantry brigade on the eastern front.

You're telling me you've heard so much about this kind of record?
Who the hell is shivering?

"Chen Ying, you don't need to consider me an opponent. I'm just here to go through the motions. I'm 100% eliminated."

Han Dongqin withdrew her hand unhappily, already regretting greeting this damned scholar; he was utterly disgusting.

"what happened?"

Chen Mo sensed that the other person wasn't joking and frowned as he asked.

Logically speaking, a cadre who can rise to the rank of lieutenant colonel or battalion commander must have some skills. Even if they don't, their confidence shouldn't be this low, right?

I might as well just sit there doing nothing.

Han Dongqin shrugged, a helpless smile on her face, and said, "What else could it be? Just bad luck."

"Who would have thought there would be an entrance exam before I came? I haven't gone through basic training. I'm a veteran who was promoted directly. If this kind of assessment of combat studies were done after graduation, it would be fine, but now it will definitely eliminate me."

“It’s not just me who’s just going through the motions; there’s him too, he’s just there to make up the numbers. And that other guy, his unit is right across from the Army Command’s 27th Army’s Direct Communications Regiment, he’ll probably be able to go back to his unit for dinner tonight.” Han Dongqin pointed to several people.

Chen Mo turned his head to look at them one by one. The cadres nodded in response with relaxed expressions, but their smiles were somewhat stiff and unwilling.

After reading it, he understood what Battalion Commander Han meant by "just going through the motions."

Of the nearly four hundred people in Zhongpei, not all of them were treacherous and cunning; naturally, there were also some carefree types.

Although this carefree attitude was unavoidable.

When he arrived last night, Captain Zhou from the police patrol team mentioned it.

The participants in this training program include officers who graduated from military academies and veteran volunteers who were promoted to officers.

Compared to theoretical discussions, the former is definitely more advantageous. After all, having attended military academy for several years and trained at the grassroots level for seven or eight years, one lacks neither ability nor knowledge in all aspects.

What should be done with people who are eligible for promotion?
Where did they learn so much theoretical knowledge?
Some of them don't even have a primary school education, so they can't concentrate on learning even if they want to.

I learned the specific details.

Chen Mo sighed. If he had thought it was due to a lack of qualified teachers, he now had to admit that this entrance examination was essentially the beginning of the military's efforts to make its officers younger and more knowledgeable.

Just like the purpose of the national defense student policy, if the field army is to develop, the grassroots cadres must be completely replaced.

The future will not be about seniority or years of military service; for a long time to come, we will need to focus on academic qualifications and knowledge reserves.

This is why national defense students get promoted so quickly after entering the military.

Development inevitably involves this painful period.

This training program is a watershed moment. Those who stay will achieve great things in the future, while those who leave, no matter how outstanding, will have to gradually change careers.

Even cadres who are eligible to participate in the training program are leaving one after another; one can imagine what will happen to the other ordinary cadres.

In comparison, the Ironclad Regiment is like a paradise, with many policies favoring them, so they don't have such concerns for the time being.

Once you reach the rank of colonel, the position and opportunities are generally not bad, let's not even talk about them.

Combat capability is the prerequisite for promotion to senior officer.

It's normal for veteran volunteers who became officers to know their ultimate fate without having received systematic training.

Training, reform, and development are all part of a silent battle.

People come and go, and no one can do anything about it. For the sake of development and to usher in the third phase of mechanization reform, many old units have been dissolved with tears in their eyes.

Many veteran comrades, tough men who had been strong for half their lives, cried helplessly like children as their unit numbers were disbanded.

But this is just the beginning.

In the future, even more people and more unit numbers will become history.

The path to a strong military is never just empty talk; it requires the continuous dedication of countless people, with wave after wave of people being eliminated.

Those that remained in the end.

It's not about how powerful these individuals or units are, but about how well they have completed the path to a strong military.

Rather, it is this process, paved with so much sorrow and tears, that has single-handedly supported this path.

. . . . . . . . .

After learning about the situation of Battalion Commander Han and the others, Chen Mo felt uneasy, but he didn't feel sorry for them.

Because he has also embarked on this path, he has neither the time nor the energy to feel sorry for others; there are simply too many people who deserve pity.

You have to fight for it yourself.

Chen Mo quickly composed himself and sat quietly in his seat, waiting.

After the first batch ended, the people in the auditorium could not meet with the first batch. The second batch was still called out in groups of four.

At lunchtime, no one was allowed to go to the canteen; instead, the food was brought in by officers from the command headquarters pushing food carts.

You have to report to go to the toilet along the way and return within a specified time. The time is quite flexible, but you're not free.

Leaving the combat department building is not permitted.

Chen Mo probably arrived too late; his name didn't appear at the very end of the list until almost evening, when the fourth batch began.

After waiting all day, even the most anxious person no longer felt that way.

Chen Mo followed the other three cadres in the team to the computer room.

There's not much to say after that; just give it your all.

The questions for the battle theory assessment are all generated by computer. It is estimated that even the principal does not know who generated what questions. There is no possibility of cheating or using cheat sheets in this kind of assessment.

Damn it, this is the first large-scale training program for Chinese students. Who are they supposed to copy from? Even if they were allowed to cheat, they wouldn't know how to do it.

Chen Mo received his exam card according to the group assignment, filled in his exam number and officer number, and about two minutes later, the computer question bank generated a unified exam paper.

Initially, the theoretical exam questions were quite simple, mostly related to mechanization.

For example, "What is the theory of deep battle?", "What does deep battle refer to?", and "Main statements and ideas about deep battle".

These kinds of questions are so easy that anyone who has participated in training, let alone military academy students, can answer them, as long as they haven't been sleeping in class the whole time.

Since similar questions involve theory, there is no strictly correct answer; academic questions themselves do not have a standard, perfect answer.

For example, blitzkrieg is sometimes explained as a lightning strike, while others explain that the fundamental purpose of this tactic is to make the enemy believe that they have already been defeated.

No matter how well the concept of "depth of operations" is explained, often a ten-mile-long fortress is not as effective as hundreds of miles of bad roads.

Chen Mo comes from a confidential unit, so he has no shortage of theoretical knowledge. As long as you don't go off-topic or ramble, it won't stump him.

The previous questions were simple; they were really just theoretical exercises.

However, the next step involves the specific implementation, which tests the trainees' organizational, planning, and implementation abilities.

For example, “Please elaborate on the logistical support mechanism and the socio-economic factors within the battle zone.”

The answers are actually quite simple. The armored regiment has neither a brigade nor a division above it. As it is directly under the military headquarters, many problems cannot be pushed onto higher-level units, so it has to solve them on its own.

With more problems solved, one naturally gains insights into some real-world challenges.

The factors are nothing more than industry, transportation, and population.

Industrial capabilities determine the ability to replenish resources for campaigns.

Transportation determines the speed of campaign deployment.

Population determines the potential of a campaign.

For example, regarding the question, "After the PLA was reorganized from a corps to a group army, what is the automatic command structure of the group army?"

This is a bit more complicated.

The existing command automation of military-level units revolves around three main aspects: battlefield coverage by aerospace radar, main combat divisions and regiments, computer communication between units, communication mechanisms and processes between units and higher-level units, tactical authority, and electromagnetic support.

The system gradually descends through satellites, fixed radars, mobile radars, drones, electronic warfare units, and reconnaissance soldiers, forming an effective closed loop.

To put it simply, it's about automated command, currently in the intelligence-command-feedback stage.

These assessment questions would indeed be extremely difficult for veterans who were originally volunteers to answer.

Chen Mo sat down in the computer room, his eyes fixed on the screen, his fingers rapidly tapping the keyboard, creating a frantic clattering sound.

Because the army's operational assessment does not include multiple-choice or fill-in-the-blank questions.

When faced with a problem, you must answer it as soon as you have a solution in mind; if you stop, many ideas will be interrupted.

A full hour passed.

Only a little over fifty people came to the fourth batch of the computer lab. Some thought about the questions seriously, while others left disappointed after reading them. After all, this wasn't a test of physical fitness or shooting skills.

If you know it, you know it; if you don't, you don't. Enduring the hardship will only add some trouble, and won't do any other good.

But no one else was like Chen Mo, constantly banging on the keyboard.

This caused the surrounding officials to frequently glance at him sideways.

This left many people completely bewildered.

What the hell!

Are you trying to answer a question or smash your keyboard, you son of a bitch?

Doesn't the theory of campaign warfare require thought?
Even the supervising officer from the Lu command would occasionally run up to Chen Mo to see if he couldn't answer the questions and was just typing away on the keyboard.

seriously.

The assessment of combat theory tests not only knowledge reserves, but also physical strength and energy.

Chen Mo is the type who always tries to take advantage of others.

Most of the students in the same cohort were over thirty years old. Comparing the energy and physical strength of people in their thirties to those in their twenties would inevitably result in them being completely outmatched.

Two hours later.

It was already dark outside, and of the original fifty-odd people in the computer room, only twenty-odd remained.

Some people twisted their thighs to keep themselves focused with the pain, while some even more ruthless cadres carried awls in their pockets and would occasionally prick their thighs lightly.

This is a war without gunfire.

If you persevere and get through it, then there's a future to talk about.

Those who can't persevere and give up halfway are destined to be losers in the future.

Three hours passed.

Only a dozen or so people are still taking the exam.

The attrition rate is terrifying, and this is only the first one, which is not within the scope of human elimination.

Some trainees, knowing full well that it wouldn't work, stubbornly stayed in their seats for three hours, going through various internal struggles before reluctantly leaving.

At this point, Chen Mo had reached the last major question, a practical test question.

It tests trainees' ability to model military scenarios for a designated campaign.

Even though Chen Mo answered the questions relatively easily, he was still taken aback when he saw this type of question.

Real-world military modeling.

This could totally be used as part of the graduation assessment for the training program. If it were used in the entrance exam, how many people could pass it?
Unless the background scoring mechanism is relatively lenient.

Otherwise, if everyone's exam papers are the same and the content is similar, then eliminating 70% or even 90% would be possible.

The command practice question was also the last major question.

An electronic map is generated on the screen; the graphic is a provincial map, with the subject being the Battle of the Highlands.

Combat forces, a confrontation between the main combat divisions of the red and blue sides.

Question: In an electronic military map, if you were the commander of a Red Army main armored division and were surrounded by enemy forces, what would your battle strategy be?

Chen Mo was familiar with this type of question. It was a typical battle rescue. First, he analyzed that his own side was on the defensive, and then he determined whether it was a city defense battle or a rescue battle, or both, based on the map.

Determine the tactical direction, analyze the battle situation, the terrain that our side can defend, the efficiency of troop movement, the efficiency of logistics, etc.

After all, it's just theoretical discussion, not a real exercise. As long as the trainees can understand the basic conditions...

The strategy involves a series of encirclement maneuvers, attacks on reinforcements, counter-encirclements, and counter-attacks on reinforcements, all within the framework of tactical rhythm.

Just like the old dean said, if you can't even talk about strategy on paper, you might as well get out of here. Anyway, the enemy is just a simulation and won't move. As long as all your answers are within a reasonable range, there won't be any problems.

. . . . . . . . .

Time passed little by little.

Chen Mo was still in the computer room of the battle building, frantically typing away to earn points for himself.

Wang Jianyong was standing at the bottom of the dormitory building.

He watched eagerly as the results of the first and second batches of basic assessments were announced one after another, starting at four o'clock in the afternoon.

One by one, the cadres who had been full of confidence before the training program arrived dejectedly, carrying their luggage, their initial ambitions gone, and their morning clamor gone.

They all looked as if they had aged more than ten years in an instant as they boarded the police car and were sent out of the Lu Zhi Academy.

The desolation of mid-level cadres struggling and failing in the times made Dayong even more determined not to become a cadre.

After all, he simply couldn't fit in at this kind of event.

With so many military academy graduates in the armored regiment, the future battles would only be fiercer. He felt that it was more reliable for him to stick to being a communications officer.

Until 8 p.m.

Of the nearly 400 people in the training program, more than 100 have left, and the battalion commander is still nowhere to be seen.

Even Wang Jianyong couldn't help but have doubts.

Surely they can't even pass the lowest level (xiucai)?

After all, the elimination rate was terrifying; more than a hundred people were eliminated on just the first day of the entrance exam.

Going to school is more grueling than fighting a war. Their only son from the Blue Army camp came here to enroll.

Even though he thought it should be fine, Dayong was still unsure.

(End of this chapter)