World War: Battleship Arms Dealers

"Yes," Wang Wenwu noted. "In addition, the Germans are pressing us very hard. Falkenhayn hopes to send an advance team to Dubai tomorrow to learn tank operation in person."

"Agreed. But limit the number of people—no more than twenty. Arrange for them to stay at the naval base guesthouse, and restrict their activities to the test range and training center."

Wang Wenwu nodded and then pulled out a second document: "This is the combat readiness report of the First Mechanized Infantry Division submitted by the Army Ministry. The entire division of 18,000 men has completed mobilization and is ready to be deployed at any time."

Chen Feng finally turned around and walked to the desk covered with a map of the Middle East. The route from Dubai to Mesopotamia was marked in red pencil on the map. His finger pointed to a point on the northwestern shore of the Persian Gulf—Khordesa.

How many kilometers is Hurdlesa from the British lines in the Sinai Peninsula?

"The straight-line distance is 53 kilometers, with desert in between, offering no natural defenses," Wang Wenwu answered precisely. "The British have eight divisions in Sinai, about 150,000 men, with their main defensive direction facing north to confront the Ottoman Palestinian Army. We are positioned on their eastern flank, behind their rear."

Chen Feng drew a circle on the map with his finger: "Order: The 1st Mechanized Infantry Division, effective immediately, will proceed by land to Khordesa under the name of 'Border Demarcation and Resource Exploration Team.' Order of march—"

He picked up a pencil and quickly wrote on the sticky note:

"First, the vanguard battalion will travel in jeeps, carrying radios and surveying equipment, and will arrive in Hurdsa within three days to establish a forward base."

II. The main force of the division is divided into three echelons:

The first echelon consisted of the division headquarters, the reconnaissance battalion, and the 1st Artillery Battalion (12 105mm howitzers), and traveled by truck.

Second echelon: Infantry regiment, engineer battalion, and logistics unit.

The third echelon consists of the remaining artillery, air defense companies, and field hospitals.

III. Marching Route: Dubai—Abu Dhabi—Ruwais—northward along the Persian Gulf coastline—Sanya—Khordesa. The entire journey is approximately 1,200 kilometers.

IV. Logistics supplies will be transported by sea to the coast near Hurdsa by the Navy's cargo ships "Poyang Lake" and "Dongting Lake" and a temporary dock will be set up for unloading.

5. Upon arrival, immediately construct defensive fortifications, but all artillery should be fired eastward (inland) and not directed at the British defenses to the west.

VI. In the event of British reconnaissance or contact, the principle is: do not fire the first shot, do not cross the boundary, but may retaliate if attacked.

VII. Mission Objective: Establish a permanent presence at the boundary of the concession zone, raise the national flag, and make it visible to all.

Wang Wenwu quickly took notes, pausing at the last entry: "Commander-in-Chief, isn't one division... too weak? The British army has 150,000 men, plus naval gun support."

Chen Feng put down his pencil: "We're not going to fight. Eighteen thousand men are just enough to establish a military presence that can't be ignored, but not enough to make the British feel mortally threatened. This is a signal—Lanfang has the capability and the will to protect its interests far from its homeland."

He walked to the train window. Night had completely fallen, and the train was speeding across the Anatolian plateau.

"What are the British most afraid of right now?" Chen Feng asked himself and answered, "It's not that we have another division in the Middle East, but the collapse of the Western Front, Germany breaking through the Somme Line, and an anti-war revolution breaking out at home. Compared to these, a Lanfang Division raising its flag in the desert is not a high priority."

Wang Wenwu seemed to understand something: "So you're testing their limits?"

"It's about defining new spheres of influence," Chen Feng corrected. "For the past hundred years, the Middle East has been a chessboard for Britain, France, and Russia. Now, we want to tell them: the chessboard has changed, and it's time for the players to change too."

He paused for a moment, then added, "Send a secret telegram to Zhao Dengyu, adding one more clause: Upon arrival in Haldessa, immediately dispatch a reconnaissance company westward, but they must not enter the Sinai Peninsula. I need to know the specific deployment of the British forces there, the strength of their fortifications, and the morale of their troops. Remember—only observe, do not engage in combat."

"clear."

After Wang Wenwu left, Chen Feng stood alone in front of the map. His finger slid westward from Holdesa, across the Sinai Peninsula, and landed on the Suez Canal. That artificial waterway, connecting the Mediterranean and the Red Sea, was one of the most vulnerable arteries of the British Empire.

But now is not the time to touch it.

The train sped through the night, the rhythmic thud of its wheels striking the rails steady and powerful. Chen Feng knew that when the red flag with a gold dragon of the 1st Mechanized Infantry Division was raised in Khordesa, a new chapter in the history of the Middle East would begin.

The first line of this page will be stepped out by 18,000 Lanfang soldiers with their military boots.

Dubai Army Base, 4 a.m.

The searchlights illuminated the parade ground brightly. Three hundred and twenty trucks and sixty jeeps were lined up in four columns, the roar of their engines idling creating a deep, resonant tsunami. Exhaust fumes billowed under the lights, mingling with the cool desert night air to form an eerie mist. (The jeeps are the American kind, the ones with machine guns on them; could someone provide a picture?)

Major General Zhao Dengyu, commander of the 1st Mechanized Infantry Division, stood in front of the command vehicle, checking his pocket watch by the headlights. This 38-year-old general was once an officer in the Beiyang New Army. Six years ago, he joined Lanfang and rose from battalion commander to division commander. He was not tall, but had broad shoulders.

"Reporting to the division commander!" The chief of staff ran forward. "The entire division is assembled! There are 18,427 men, 384 vehicles, 36 105mm howitzers, 108 mortars, and 552 machine guns. There are three ammunition supplies and 30 days' worth of rations."

Zhao Dengyu closed the watch cover: "Status of each regiment?"

"The First and Second Regiments are at full strength, while the Third Regiment is missing a battalion—it is undergoing rotational training in Borneo and has not yet returned. The reconnaissance battalion is fully staffed, the engineer battalion is equipped with bridging equipment, and the communications company is equipped with twelve new field radios."

"What about the navy?"

"The Poyang Lake and Dongting Lake ships have completed loading at the dock, mainly with heavy artillery shells, engineering machinery, prefabricated fortification components, and six months' worth of supplies. The two ships will set sail at sunrise tomorrow and are expected to arrive off the coast of Hurdlesa in five days."

Zhao Dengyu nodded and climbed onto the hood of the jeep. The soldiers were silent, eighteen thousand eyes reflecting the lights in the night.

"Brothers!" His voice boomed across the parade ground through the loudspeaker, "I know many of you have questions—where are we going? What are we going to do? Why are we having this emergency assembly in the middle of the night?"

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the young and weathered faces.

"I can't tell you the specifics of the mission right now; that's top secret. But I can tell you three things: First, we're going to a place 1,200 kilometers from Dubai. Second, we're going to raise our national flag there and establish a permanent base. Third—"

He raised his voice: "—We may be facing the most powerful imperial army in the world. Not just possibly, but very likely."

A commotion broke out on the parade ground, but quickly subsided. Two-thirds of these soldiers were new recruits enlisted after the founding of Lanfang, while one-third were veterans from the Far East. They had experienced war and knew what "the most powerful imperial army" meant.

"Are you scared?" Zhao Dengyu suddenly asked.

silence.

"To be honest, I'm scared," the division commander said frankly. "The British have battleships, planes, and veterans who have fought for decades. We are isolated in the desert, with our supply lines stretched a thousand kilometers, and reinforcements will take ten days to arrive."

He then changed the subject: "But—a few years ago, when Lanfang was founded, what did we have? A desert, tens of thousands of starving people, and the whole world was waiting to laugh at us. And now? We have world-class warships, a rising industry, and forty million compatriots watching us!"