Chapter 25: The Military Exercise Begins! Intensity to the Max!
Codenamed 'Operation Sharp Sword', the military exercise was a full-scale, all-terrain, multi-service, multi-batch, all-time, all-weather, three-dimensional confrontation, multi-dimensional joint live-fire military exercise, a testament to the recent emphasis on 'practical combat'.
It was unlike anything before.
Previous military exercises followed a strict set of rules. Even with rigorous training, it was always single-service practical drills within designated areas.
Everything proceeded strictly according to the exercise script, with the Red team always emerging victorious.
But now, to further hone their skills and truly embody the spirit of 'Always Be Ready', all services were cooperating in joint operations. They had transitioned from planar confrontations to comprehensive, three-dimensional confrontations involving sea, land, air, and information warfare.
This was also a practical requirement for modern warfare: rapid response, precise strikes, and enhanced combat efficiency.
Although such exercises were not as brutal as later 'Zhu Ri He' exercises, their intensity reflected the Eastern superpower's determination to reform in the wake of the Gulf War.
The 1991 Gulf War had a profound impact on the Eastern superpower.
Perhaps it was the first time the Eastern superpower genuinely felt powerless. After all, it marked the transition of modern warfare from mechanized to information-based combat.
Simply put, after witnessing the Gulf War, the Eastern superpower realized that relying solely on land forces would not suffice to win wars.
This triggered a new wave of force refinement.
Like this exercise, even though everyone knew the approximate time of the exercise at the end of the month, the exact date, time, location, teammates, and adversaries were not disclosed in advance by the directorate.
It was all about surprise attacks.
A sudden order in the middle of the night could mobilize all units at maximum speed to reach the designated location within the specified timeframe, to execute their missions.
Otherwise, the railway network would be declared destroyed by enemy forces, resulting in elimination from the exercise.
The usual practice of holding a large assembly was also abandoned.
Military leaders from the Military Commission and the 'Ji Jia' Military Region could only be encountered at the directorate.
They might even remain hidden until the exercise was over.
On November 29th, the entire 'Ji Jia' Military Region was poised for action, like a taut spring, like the start of a 100-meter sprint. From commanders to cooks, everyone was prepared for the exercise, and an intangible scent of gunpowder permeated the air.
But... the order to commence the exercise did not arrive.
On November 30th, the smell of gunpowder was even stronger in the 'Ji Jia' Military Region. All issued weapons and equipment were polished to a shine, and everyone was eager for action. Even at night, designated personnel stood watch, and soldiers slept in their clothes.
However... the assembly call, usually the most hated sound, remained unplayed.
On December 2nd, two more days had passed. The initial excitement had given way to confusion and bewilderment within just a few days. The nerves that had been taut in their minds started to relax slightly. It was understandable. Even a 40-minute class in school could make people lose focus, let alone four days of being on edge like a startled bird.
Yet... there was still no sign of the exercise order.
Rumors even started to spread that the exercise had been cancelled, because they planned to hold a confrontation at the army group level the following month.
At that time, it wouldn't be an internal exercise competition within the military region, but a clash between two large regions.
If there hadn't been a plausible reason behind the rumor, it wouldn't have been believable.
Another three days passed, and the news seemed to be confirmed. There was still no word of the exercise order, as if it had never existed.
Clearly, most people in the military region started to relax. Even though platoon leaders and company commanders publicly emphasized the importance of being prepared, it was obvious that the soldiers had resumed their usual training routine.
Even the cooking knives in the cookhouse were returned to their places.
And so, after a whole week, the directorate in Inner Mongolia, observing the 'Ji Jia' Military Region returning to normalcy, smirked and announced the start of the exercise.
"Beep! Beep! Beep!~"
"Deng deng deng deng, deng deng deng!"
.....
First came a series of urgent whistle blasts, followed by the sharp call of the bugle for emergency assembly.
The sounds, suddenly echoing at one in the morning, were like thunderclaps, leaving everyone dazed and confused.
"Damn! The exercise is here!?"
"Wake up! Assemble, emergency assembly!!"
"Damn! I have diarrhea, I'm in the toilet..."
.......
The 'Ji Jia' Military Region, thrown into chaos, was like a lion suddenly awakened in the middle of the night, frantically assembling.
"Don't give them time to react, issue the orders."
The directorate gave the command.
Immediately, officers from various divisions and regiments received rapid deployment orders.
Zhao Jian Jun, of the 1st Regiment, 3rd Division, 15th Army, looked at the order in his hand, his face filled with astonishment.
"Exercise start, you are the Red side."
"You are ordered to deploy your entire regiment, fully armed, to Xia Zhuang Mountain, coordinates (xxx, xxx, xx)."
"Time limit: 2 hours."
50 kilometers in two hours?
A normal rapid march distance for a day would be covered in just two hours.
This exercise intensity was insane!
Even with the assistance of vehicles and other transport methods, deploying an entire regiment within such a short timeframe would be no easy feat.
"Move faster!"
Time waits for no man.
Zhao Jian Jun, his face beaming with excitement, had been waiting for this moment for a long time.
..........
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