Chapter Eleven: The Wolf Mountain Fortress Five Heroes Pledge Oath

  Facing this cruel reality, most of his troops are new recruits. He Tianxi decided to design a training program, the first is shooting training, the second is physical training, the third is combat training, and the fourth is to quickly familiarize himself with this team, forming a sense of identity, especially for the soldiers of Ye Lang Zhai, letting them quickly get rid of their banditry and truly become a soldier.

  After considering these, He Tianci called the main generals of the National Defense Army to discuss the training plan. After a discussion, Liu Dazi volunteered to take charge of shooting training as he had been a hundred-step shooter in the past. Zhao Datou took charge of physical training due to his experience with the Boxer Rebellion. Wu Xiaolin was appointed as combat training instructor by He Tianci because he had served as a sentry in the Yi Army and had experienced large-scale formal warfare. In addition, 10 people were selected from each of the three battalions to form a 30-man law enforcement team, which was responsible for supervising law enforcement. The captain of the law enforcement team was Lu Han.

  After this discussion, the design of our national defense military training has been basically achieved, and next is the implementation phase.

  Considering that it was the first day, everyone might not be used to the high-pressure training environment, so He Tianxi played to his strengths. As a former deputy platoon leader in military training, he still had a good grasp of some basic formation requirements for modern troops. He focused on formation drills, both to give everyone a transitional phase and to discipline the team and establish his own authority.

  Inside the Wolf Fort, the scorching sun was burning fiercely, and the sunlight was ravaging the earth. (He Tianci couldn't help but think of his own military training days, when his seniors had said: "If you're going to train, it's always sunny weather.") On a newly opened large empty space, 1500 people were divided into three parts. They were respectively organized by battalion, with the cavalry battalion consisting entirely of former bandits who had spent their lives on horseback and were skilled in horsemanship, requiring only minimal training for formation drills. However, as for the other two infantry battalions, He Tianci's confidence was not great, it seemed that he really needed to put in some effort to train these old men.

  He Tianxi stood upright with his pen held high in front of the two battalions of infantry on the training ground.

  "Come on you, who told you to put your hands in your pockets? Take your hands out of your pockets and let me see how that watch is standing."

  "And you, just you're hot, still wiping sweat with your hand. Let me take a look at our only female soldier, Ji Yaohua, how she's doing it. Are you a man or not?"

  "It's not that I, He Tiancai, am making things difficult for everyone. Without rules and regulations, nothing can be accomplished. In private, I can consider you all as brothers, but on the battlefield, in training, you must listen to me. You are my soldiers." He Tiancai shouted with a serious expression.

  After a morning of training, although the team's column ability has not changed much, thinking about it is also when I was in military training from a young age, every time the superior leaders came to inspect, from elementary school to university, there would be training. It's not easy to turn these old men into qualified "PLA" soldiers overnight, but He Tianxi established his prestige in this team quickly, although this group of people are not very neat when walking, they still follow discipline.

  In the afternoon break, He Tianci carefully thought about how to quickly make this team grow up. He couldn't help but think of the reward system for modern soldier training, especially the special forces' method of not eating if they fall behind. As the saying goes, "people are made of iron and food is steel", one meal less and you'll be starving, I believe this method will definitely have an effect.

  After a brief rest, He Tianxi began to "military train" a group of old men. Compared with this morning, the soldiers have made great progress, especially the cavalry regiment, which is basically in order and has no major problems.

  He Tianxi slowly walked to the front of the troops, stood upright for a while, and then said: "Listen up, everyone! I've already ordered the butcher to kill five pigs. Whichever squad finishes their task first will eat first, and those who lag behind will drink northwest wind! He Tianxi then roared in anger: "Whether you want to eat meat or drink wind depends on your skills! Don't let one person affect the entire squad. Think about how others will look at you when the time comes. I believe my soldiers are not cowards."

  "As soon as they mentioned eating meat, these peasant-born soldiers' eyes lit up. Normally, they only got to eat meat during festivals and holidays, but He Da Ren had slaughtered five pigs this time, what a generous move."

  In the afternoon, the entire Langya Base was practicing with great enthusiasm. Although everyone was sweating profusely, they were still desperately practicing in order to get a mouthful of meat and not hold anyone back.

  He Tianshi took a look at the lively atmosphere on the training ground and couldn't help but smile. Sometimes, clear rewards and punishments are necessary to motivate people. The cavalry camp was basically fine, although the infantry camp wasn't as neat, but it was also basically presentable.

  "Good! I see everyone is working hard. As I always say, I, He Tiancai, reward and punish clearly. Today's training was not bad, so everyone will get meat to eat. But I hope you can all keep it up, don't be arrogant, as long as you practice well, if you want to eat meat, just eat meat. Alright, stop for now, let's have dinner!"

  "Hail to Director He, long live Director He!" The crowd cheered.

  At dinner time, despite being tired from a day of opposing training, everyone forgot their fatigue when they saw meat to eat, and the scene was warm and harmonious.

  He Tianxi, Zhiwu, Li Enyi, Wang Zhan Kui, Li Yuanfang (Shensu), and the main generals of Weiguo Army sat together, eating and chatting.

  "Hehe, you're really something, I admire you. You say those insurance kids, they used to be under me, but I never managed them properly ( Northeastern dialect). Now that they're under you, they're all like mice seeing a cat, you really have a way with them! And this method of not letting them eat meat today is really good! I didn't think of that before." Li Enyi said with a smile.

  Wang Zhan Kui couldn't help but smile and said: "You, don't mention that useless stuff. If you were to think of it, wouldn't you be Commander He?"

  "Hahaha......" The crowd burst into laughter.

  He Tiande stood up and said seriously: "From now on, let's not use honorifics in private. If you don't mind, why don't we become sworn brothers?"

  Na Zhiwu, Li Enyi, Wang Zhan Kui, He Tianci, Li Yuanfang, and others exchanged name cards (each wrote their own name, birth date, hometown, parents' names, grandparents' names, and great-grandparents' names on red paper)

  In order of age: Zhao Wu, Li Enyi, Wang Zhan Kui, He Tianci, Li Yuanfang.

  He Tianci said solemnly: "Today we don't worship Guan Gong, but instead worship heaven and earth above, and take the soldiers of Weiguo as witnesses below. According to age, let's become sworn brothers."

  Inside the Wolf's Lair, three incense sticks were placed in the center. Five men faced heaven and swore an oath. "Heaven above, I, Zhī Wǔ - Lǐ ēn Yì - Wáng Zhàn Kuí - Hé Tiān Cì - Lǐ Yuán Fāng, from now on will be sworn brothers of different surnames, closer than born brothers, never to betray each other. Not seeking to be born in the same year, month and day, but seeking to die in the same year, month and day. Sharing fortune together, sharing hardship together." The five men shouted in unison.

  The sound shook the sky, and the Wolf Fort was filled with brotherly love. Although the cold wind blew through the broken windows into the hall, everyone's heart felt exceptionally warm.

  Comrades-in-arms of the National Defense Army, from today on, in private, those younger than me will call me "Fourth Brother", and those older than me will shout "Old Fourth". Don't be polite to your superiors or leaders, don't be courteous, and don't be afraid. In private, we are just brothers.

  This silly kid reacted quickly and smiled: "From now on, it's Fourth Brother."

  He Tianci didn't expect that he would be called Fourth Brother again in the late Qing dynasty, and his heart felt a warmth and intimacy. After coming to his senses, he said: "Ah!"