Chapter 40: Foreign Military Officers Apply to Join the Combat Observation Group!

As the military conference led by Jiang Bai came to an end, the Seventh Reinforced Division swiftly shifted into a state of war readiness.

Under special instructions from Wang Lin, the Seventh Reinforced Division received the highest priority for equipment and supplies. The most advanced armaments factory in Chengyun Province, which boasted the capacity to outfit an entire division within three months, began working at full throttle. Day and night, it produced the ammunition urgently needed by the division.

At this moment, the air around the Chengyun encampment was thick with the scent of war. This tense atmosphere before battle had also seeped into the Military Academy. Since its founding, this academy had acted as a sanctuary, sheltering young officers from the increasingly severe tide of nationalism sweeping the country. Many promising young officers were sent here by Hans to ensure they had respectable positions, preventing them from being cast onto the streets, and also because the unique geography of the Chengyun region, plagued by frequent conflict, made it an ideal testing ground for new weapons and military theories.

So, when these young officers heard that the Seventh Reinforced Division was about to embark on an unprecedented military operation, they selected three representatives, hoping to join the division as a military observation team.

“Oh? You’re saying those Hans military officers want to join us as observers?” Jiang Bai, upon hearing the report from Chief of Staff Wang Xiao, paused his work and after a brief moment of thought, remarked, “If they truly wish to observe real combat, shouldn’t they go to the Twenty-Eighth Division? In terms of both organizational history and unit prestige, the Twenty-Eighth far surpasses us. Didn’t you explain this to them?”

According to the operational plan, the Seventh Reinforced Division was to serve as the main attacking force, launching the offensive against the target, while the Twenty-Eighth Division under Wang Zuoxiang would follow up to occupy and suppress, consolidating and expanding the gains. In this scenario, the Twenty-Eighth Division was by far the safest place to be, offering the military observation team excellent protection.

These Hans officers could, in some sense, be considered the seeds of the Hans Army—among them were elite soldiers and even officers of brigadier rank. Any loss of such talent on the battlefield would surely cause an uproar within the Hans military establishment. Should the Hans military sever cooperation with the Chengyun faction because of this, the loss for Jiang Bai would far outweigh any gain.

“Commander, I actually did explain all this to the Hans military advisers,” Wang Xiao replied, spreading his hands helplessly with a wry smile. “But they refused to listen. No matter how I advised them, they disregarded my concerns. According to their reasoning, in both organization and equipment, the Seventh Reinforced Division is almost a mirror image of their own Hans units. The Hans military instructors are keenly interested to see what such a force can do on the ancient battlefields of the Xin Dynasty. Furthermore, after studying your bandit suppression campaign, three of their field-grade officers became especially intrigued. They specifically requested to join us in order to learn from you at close range.”

Upon hearing the names of these three officers, even the usually composed Jiang Bai could not help but show a trace of astonishment. As a military expert in his previous life, Jiang Bai instantly conjured up vivid profiles of all three.

Gurian, born in 1888, forty years old, held the rank of major and was responsible for transport training in the Hans Army. He used exercises and sand table wargames as opportunities to promote his vision of tanks dominating future battlefields, earning him a notable reputation among the younger generation of officers.

Manshein, born in 1887, forty-one years old, also a major, was currently in charge of tactical planning. Throughout the Second Dynasty War, he became renowned for his exceptional military talents and was regarded as one of the finest commanders in the Hans Army. Not only was he adept at tactical maneuvers, but he also possessed deep strategic insight and excelled at planning precise blitzkrieg operations.

Lornell, born in 1891, thirty-seven years old, presently served as an infantry instructor at the Military Academy. During the Second Dynasty War, he was celebrated for his flexible and ingenious tactics, repeatedly achieving victory against superior forces on the Beifei front and earning the reputation of a tactical genius.

Since the end of the Great War, these three extraordinary talents had endured a decade of setbacks. The Treaty of Versailles had forced Hans to disband its General Staff, limiting its armed forces to only one hundred thousand men, tasked solely with maintaining domestic order. This effectively ended the career prospects of many professional soldiers. Already bored with routine office work, they found themselves nearly unemployed amid the rise of nationalism and constant protests.

The founding of the Chengyun Military Academy coincided perfectly. Attracted by high salaries and the opportunity to test their military theories, the three of them came here together.

“Commander, if you think this is unwise, I will refuse them at once.” Seeing Jiang Bai fall silent, the Chief of Staff assumed he meant to turn them down. Just as he was about to take his leave, Jiang Bai’s voice called him to a halt:

“No need to refuse. Since they are willing to take the risk, let them come,” Jiang Bai said. In truth, he very much wished to witness firsthand the brilliance of these future legendary generals.

Soon after, under the chief of staff’s arrangements, three burly, middle-aged men in grey uniforms entered the meeting room.

“Commander Jiang, thank you for your generosity!” They looked at the young Major General before them with undisguised envy—so young and already a general, while they themselves languished in offices, watching the years slip by. To see such a young commander lead his troops boldly into battle only deepened their sense of wasted days behind a desk. For those devoted to the military life, such idleness was unbearable. If given the choice, they would rather die a heroic death on the battlefield than squander their youth in endless paperwork.

The most senior among them, Manshein, was the first to address Jiang Bai: “Your sole task is to command the battle. You need not worry about our safety! In critical moments, we won’t even require your protection. We are soldiers too and will fight side by side!”

Jiang Bai replied with a smile, “Major, I’m afraid I cannot accept that proposal. As an old saying goes in the Xin Dynasty, ‘All guests are to be treated with honor.’ As your host, I am naturally responsible for your safety. Of course, if you are willing, why not join my staff as military advisers? Then, we can truly learn from each other, don’t you agree?”

To join the command staff! This meant not just observing the battlefield but directly participating in strategic planning—a tremendous opportunity!

It was truly wonderful news!