Sword of Light: Humanoid Self-Propelled Artillery

Chapter 180 An Unexpected Position
We must hide this warship before dawn.

After all, the warships are now in Wang Gensheng's hands, and Lao Jing will definitely send fighter jets to scout them after dawn.

Once detected, the consequences are predictable; Wang Gensheng doesn't expect this thousand-ton warship to shoot down the fighter jet.

Just after Wang Gensheng led his entire regiment of about two thousand people to carefully cover the warship with camouflage netting.

A fighter jet roared overhead, clearly indicating that Lao Ji had already noticed the news of his warship's disappearance.

However, seeing that the fighter jets did not stop at all, Wang Gensheng knew that his camouflage and concealment were still effective.

Despite being just a warship in the thousand-ton range, Lao Ji seemed unwilling to give up.

Therefore, fighter jets were dispatched to conduct coastal reconnaissance for three consecutive days. It is estimated that Lao Zi also understood that the warships captured by Wang Gensheng could only anchor along the coast.

A week later, after confirming that he had evaded detection, Wang Gensheng dared to have Du Yiman send a telegram to the headquarters informing them that he had successfully captured a thousand-ton warship.

Of course, Wang Gensheng also told his superiors about the current situation, especially that warships cannot move lightly without air superiority, otherwise they would become sitting ducks for fighter jets.

Wang Gensheng's suggestion was adopted by the higher authorities, who instructed him to conceal the warships according to the original plan.

However, a subsequent telegram shocked Wang Gensheng, as it stated that, given Wang Gensheng's successful capture of the first warship of a thousand tons,

Having experience dealing with warships, Wang Gensheng was appointed as the Navy's Chief of Staff, specifically responsible for managing warships. It was hoped that Wang Gensheng could build a naval fleet belonging to the Czech Defense Force to protect coastal security.

Wang Gensheng was stunned when he heard the order to promote him.

Are you kidding me? With just these two thousand or so men, you think you can form a navy? You're kidding me. It's more like you could form a marine corps.

Moreover, without fighter jet cover and air superiority, what can his navy do?

What Wang Gensheng didn't know was that the main reason for this decision was that he had accumulated too many military achievements.

More than a dozen ships in the port were sunk, and now even a warship of a thousand tons has been captured.

However, such achievements only qualify him as the commander of a cavalry regiment.

Li Yunlong, Ding Wei, and even Kong Jie, who were both regimental commanders with Wang Gensheng during the War of Resistance Against Japan, are now all commanders capable of leading tens of thousands of troops in battle.

So when the command saw that Wang Gensheng had captured a warship and was able to inflict effective damage on Lao Zi's warship, they immediately decided to let Wang Gensheng use the captured warship to build a navy.

However, when it comes to commanding fleet operations, Wang Gensheng prefers to engage in close combat on the front lines. After all, his transmigrated advantage meant that he couldn't be a commander who could strategize from the rear.

Instead, it aims to become a pioneer on the front lines of the war.

Fortunately, there's only one warship available, and it's unusable, so it doesn't really matter. Besides, Wang Gensheng couldn't refuse; even if he didn't care about rank, he couldn't let his subordinates feel disheartened!
After all, Duan Peng, Li Xiu, and Baili Xiu have followed him through countless life-and-death situations. He can't just keep making them battalion commanders!
However, being a naval officer is not an easy job. After all, as a naval officer, one must also be responsible for training marines!
While not all naval personnel are required to be able to swim, most naval personnel can swim.

Therefore, swimming training is an essential skill.

Of course, compared to the powerful navy and air force of the United States, the navy here has always seemed to have little presence. It was only when Wang Gensheng transmigrated here that it gained the qualifications to challenge the US navy.

Therefore, although Wang Gensheng promised to train marines, he did not immediately begin recruiting and training them.

Instead, they are waiting for the right opportunity. It has only been four or seven years, and none of the three major battles have been fought yet. Therefore, on the surface, Lao Ji still has an absolute advantage.

Moreover, Wang Gensheng currently only has one thousand-ton warship, so naturally he wants to take advantage of this opportunity to acquire more warships.

So Wang Gensheng said to Baili Xiu:
"Bai Lixiu, you will select a company of soldiers from the fire support group to stay and guard this warship. They will be responsible for maintaining the camouflage netting and other equipment on the warship. They will also learn how to operate and pilot the warship. Otherwise, it would be a joke if we, as dignified naval soldiers, did not know how to pilot a warship!"

After hearing Wang Gensheng's words, Baili Xiu also said:

"Commander, we've gone from a cavalry regiment to a navy. What will happen to our warhorses?"

In response to Baili Xiu's words, Wang Gensheng glared at Baili Xiu and said:
"What are you thinking! Although the commander-in-chief told us to establish a navy based on this warship we've captured, he didn't tell us to pilot this warship and fight the old fish right now. We're just preparing. Besides, Baili Xiu, you're too petty! We have steel warships now, and you're still thinking about warhorses! Alright, enough nonsense, let's get to work. Now that we've become a navy, we should seize a few more warships."

Baili Xiu had no choice but to obey Wang Gensheng's orders. He selected a company of soldiers from his fire support group, or fire support battalion, to guard the ship and teach them how to operate it.

However, Baili Xiu returned shortly afterward. Upon seeing Baili Xiu's return, Wang Gensheng asked:
"Well, have all the soldiers who stayed behind been selected?"

Baili Xiu nodded and said:
"The selections are all complete, and the soldiers are very excited about learning to operate and pilot warships! However..."

Seeing Baili Xiu's ambiguous manner of speaking in half-truths, Wang Gensheng immediately said in an annoyed tone:
"But what? Stop beating around the bush and just say what you want to say. When did you become so effeminate?!"

Upon hearing Wang Gensheng's words, Baili Xiu naturally stopped hesitating and immediately replied:

"Commander, no! Si Ling, what I mean is, isn't leaving only a company of about a hundred men to guard the warship a bit too few? Don't forget, we still have over a hundred prisoners on board! With so few men guarding a hundred prisoners while also having them learn to operate the warship, don't you think we'll be able to manage? Or perhaps we should..."

As Baili Xiu spoke, he made a throat-slitting gesture. But what Baili Xiu said reminded Wang Gensheng that there were still about a hundred prisoners on the warship who had not been dealt with!

As for Baili Xiu's throat-slitting gesture, Wang Gensheng frowned and said:

"Baili Xiu, don't act recklessly! Have you forgotten our combat discipline? We must not kill prisoners unless absolutely necessary, especially since they've been very cooperative in bringing their warships here to hide!"

Wang Gensheng naturally opposed Baili Xiu's idea. After all, he hadn't killed the Japanese devil Shinotsuka Yoshio back then, let alone now. Moreover, if these prisoners were properly converted, they would be excellent fighting forces.

(End of this chapter)