Chapter Two: Is This New Commander Even More Prone to Mistakes Than I Am?

As expected!

Su Changqing’s brows arched, his face alight with excitement.

He had read enough novels to be familiar with the concept of a “system.” Until now, Su Changqing had believed that, upon crossing into this world, he had not been equipped with such a thing. Without a system, everything would have to develop step by step, and the vast industrial gap between Da Xia and the little devils could never be bridged simply because of his arrival.

National strength could not be reversed solely on his account.

With no industrial foundation, even if Su Changqing wished to bring about change in this world, he could not, by his own efforts, transform a Da Xia whose industrial base was virtually nonexistent.

Without industry, there would be no way to extract oil, smelt steel, manufacture airplanes, artillery, tanks, or even warships. Let alone these, even the bullets in every soldier’s hand would be rationed.

Because there was no way to produce more.

Those who crossed over without a system and tried to build AK-47s, SKS semi-automatic rifles, airplanes, artillery, tanks, and such things by hand—it was all absurdity. Even if one could craft one or two, it was impossible to hand-make enough equipment for a squad, a company, or an entire army.

As for metal-cutting machines, milling machines, lathes, boring machines, presses, bending machines, welding equipment, heat treatment devices, surface treatment machinery, precision measuring instruments, and so forth—even with money, acquiring the most precise, most advanced equipment was out of reach.

From what Su Changqing understood of the talents of this era, it wasn’t as though they hadn’t thought of what he had. Even if these outstanding minds established armories, they could not satisfy the demands of battle on a large scale.

So much so that Li Yunlong once complained about the grenades manufactured in the border region—they burst into just two pieces, their power insufficient!

If Su Changqing could activate the system, and if the system could provide some necessary assistance—

Then!

Building a large, high-capacity armory, and forming a battle-ready army would be well within reach.

Of course, all this depended on Su Changqing being able to subdue Li Yunlong, and fully control the 24th Regiment of the Rainbow 30th Army.

Cheerfully, Su Changqing strode toward the direction where Li Yunlong and his men were gathered.

“Who goes there?”

Spotting the sudden appearance of Su Changqing and his two guards, the soldiers of the 24th Regiment immediately became alert, raising their rifles and aiming at the newcomers.

“Heh!”

“Commander Li, what an impressive display! Everyone says the 24th Regiment of the Rainbow 30th Army is Li’s regiment, that Commander Li is the unquestioned authority here.”

“So?”

“Commander Li, do you truly treat the 24th Regiment as your private army?”

Su Changqing was not about to indulge Li Yunlong. After all, Su Changqing was a graduate of the fourth class at Whampoa Military Academy.

Even Li Yunlong, who feared nothing, was wary of the brigade commander—who happened to be Su Changqing’s senior.

Back in Hongdu, when Su Changqing served as the brigade commander’s deputy, Li Yunlong was probably still weaving baskets in the Dabie Mountains of northern Hubei!

Though Su Changqing often told headquarters that his credentials were lacking and his front-line command experience insufficient, in truth, his qualifications were not inferior.

From headquarters to the 24th Regiment, if not for Su Changqing’s insistence, the higher-ups would never have allowed it.

Moreover, according to their intentions, Su Changqing was being groomed on par with the brigade commander.

Especially given his record as a top student at the Frunze Military Academy.

According to evaluations from future division commanders, Su Changqing’s potential was limitless, even possessing tremendous capacity to command large-scale operations.

When Su Changqing rebuked them, the soldiers exchanged uncertain glances.

But he gave them no chance to retort. “Do you remember you are the Party’s army?”

“Do you recall your identity?”

“Why did you enlist?”

“Lower your weapons.”

“My name is Su Changqing. Headquarters’ appointment letter should have arrived. Effective immediately, I am acting commander of the 24th Regiment of the Rainbow 30th Army.”

“Li Yunlong!”

With that, Su Changqing strode toward the still-stunned Li Yunlong, patting his shoulder. “I know you. I’ve heard your name.”

“Leading troops to seize grain—this violates military discipline and tarnishes our Rainbow Army’s reputation.”

“By rights, you could be executed a hundred times over.”

“But!”

“I respect you as a true man. Along this journey, I know how much the Rainbow Army and you all have suffered.”

“For the sake of your brothers, to keep your comrades alive and get them out of these grasslands, who cares about taking grain from a few bastard landlords?”

“My men politely asked to borrow grain, were refused, and even injured by those landlords.”

“That we did not slaughter them shows the difference between the Rainbow Army and the warlord troops—we are the people’s army, an army with principles.”

“Headquarters demoted you to cook for the sake of the Rainbow Army’s reputation. You’ve been wronged.”

Li Yunlong was wild, but Su Changqing was wilder still.

The staff’s evaluation of him was spot on.

Before Su Changqing, Li Yunlong was but a minor player.

What the hell?

What was going on?

Li Yunlong stared dazedly at the “parachuted” commander.

In that instant, Li Yunlong, a man of temperament, felt he and this “leader” could absolutely drink from the same pot.

All the grievances and dissatisfaction from earlier vanished like smoke.

“Li Yunlong!” Su Changqing barked.

“Present!”

Just like when he first enlisted, Li Yunlong instinctively straightened his posture.

Before Su Changqing, Li Yunlong was like a rookie recruit.

“The wounded comrades.”

“Where are they?”

“Take me to them!”

“Yes, sir!”

Led by Li Yunlong, Su Changqing soon came to the wounded soldiers lying on stretchers.

At this moment, the condition of the two wounded was dire.

Su Changqing had studied medicine, both Chinese and Western, and in extreme cases had even performed surgery on his own comrades.

From the current situation, if left unchecked, the infection bred by such harsh conditions could be fatal for the two soldiers.

“Medic!”

“Medic!”

“Bring me some tools. Their condition is grave; we must immediately remove the necrotic tissue.”

The conditions were far from ideal; after a simple disinfection, Su Changqing gave the soldiers some medicine and began to operate directly.

These medicines had come with Su Changqing when he crossed into this world.

They were priceless, rare even for him.

To others, Su Changqing claimed they had been brought from the Bear Country.

Now, he used them unhesitatingly for the two young warriors.

To Su Changqing, the lives of his soldiers mattered far more than a couple of pills.

The removal of the necrotic tissue went smoothly, and Su Changqing’s deft, fluid movements left Li Yunlong and the others utterly astonished.

Such skill!

Far superior to the regiment’s own medic.

“Commander Su’s expertise could get him into a hospital in a major city,” the battalion commander of the first battalion couldn’t help but praise.

“Commander Su studied abroad in the Bear Country. He learned these skills from veteran army doctors there,” one of Su Changqing’s guards said proudly.

“That pill just now once saved the deputy leader’s life. It’s priceless. Only Commander Su has it—not even the Bear Country folks do.”

Hearing this, Li Yunlong and the others looked at Su Changqing with shock, admiration, and, above all, gratitude.

“All true men—never uttered a sound,” Su Changqing said, comforted as he gazed at the two young soldiers. But his brow soon creased.

“Such fine warriors.”

“Such good comrades, nearly lost their lives to those damned landlords, those leeching bastards.”

“One can only tolerate so much,” Su Changqing said through gritted teeth.

“Li Yunlong!”

“Present!”

“Immediately gather all of the first battalion—every last one.”

“Yes, sir.” Li Yunlong replied reflexively.

Then he realized something was amiss.

Hadn’t he been demoted to cook? Shouldn’t this order go elsewhere?

And what was the purpose of gathering the first battalion?

“Commander Su, what are we assembling the first battalion for? Has headquarters issued some operational order?”

Li Yunlong looked at Su Changqing.

Su Changqing shook his head. “No.”

“But I am issuing an operational order.”

“My principle is simple: whoever harms my men, I’ll have his life.”

“Those landlords injured my men.”

“They must be prepared to pay with their lives. Damn it, I’ll slaughter those bastards.”

“Li Yunlong, you’ll lead the team. Do not harm the common people. Wipe out those landlords for me.”

“If you can’t finish the job in an hour, you’ll lose even your cook’s pot!”

“If the sky falls, I’ll bear it for you—understand?”

Hearing this, Li Yunlong’s eyes nearly popped out.

The surrounding officers were dumbfounded, mouths agape, frozen in shock.

My god.

I only led troops to seize grain, but this guy wants to attack the landlords—and slaughter them.

He’s more unruly than me!

But Li Yunlong thought: Commander Su fits my style perfectly. I like him a lot.

“Yes, sir!”

“Mission guaranteed, Commander! Commander Su, hehehe…”

“I guarantee I’ll take down those landlords within an hour. If I don’t, I’ll twist my own head off and use it as your chamber pot…”

“Commander, thank you, thank you…”

“I’ll kneel for you, hehehe…”

…