Chapter Seventeen: Yazid V

  There were 600 new recruits brought by Wang Hui to form the execution squad, divided into two echelons, while other veteran soldiers stood guard on the side.

  "One two, one two, one two..." Zhang Yongjun's voice of command was like thunder rolling over, and the three hundred people in the horizontal team all heard it clearly.

  "Halt!"

  "Ready, aim, fire—"

  "Fire!"

  A burst of rapid gunfire rang out, smoke rose, and three or five thieves fell to the ground.

  "Damn it, haven't eaten yet? Can't even hit a person within ten meters? How did you guys train? Everyone get ready, fix bayonets for me..."

  The executive officers in charge of training this batch of new recruits include Lieutenant Colonel Wang Hui and Lieutenant Colonel Zhang Yongjun.

  At this moment, he saw that the new recruits he had trained were so clumsy that they couldn't even thrust their bayonets accurately. Losing face, he raised his gun and fired a shot into the air, shouting: "Whoever can't even thrust a bayonet accurately, I'll shoot him dead!"

  The sternness of the instructors has been experienced by this batch of new recruits. Although it was only a short period of three months, the instructors' style of saying one thing and doing another, with military discipline that is as unyielding as a mountain, has already begun to penetrate into the hearts of these soldiers.

  During rest time, listening to old soldiers tell battle stories, the former Huaxia Army's assault team and even instructors' instructor - Zixiu Lian assault team members' tiger-like prowess in killing enemies on the battlefield, also spread with the story, reaching every new recruit's ears, making this group of new recruits admire them from the bottom of their hearts.

  They knew these new recruits couldn't hit a person, and it wasn't because of their marksmanship. Simply suppressing them wasn't the best approach either.

  Hatred is a good medicine to overcome cowardice. These new recruits, mostly Indonesian Chinese who suffered in Indonesia, if told that the Acehnese also participated in it, will definitely have a good effect.

  Wang Hui pressed down on Zhang Yongjun's red neck, signaling him to pause, and slowly walked to the front of the execution squad. With a heavy heart, he said: "Brothers, I know you've never killed anyone before. Some of you may not have even killed a chicken before joining the army."

  But what is an army? What are soldiers? What is war? I tell you, an army is just a killing organization.

  Warriors are just executioners who carry out orders to kill, war is a big killing contest, whoever kills without being killed is the winner.

  "The group of prisoners before you are all deserving of death. A gun is a soldier's life, and they stole our guns to take our lives. Those who want to take our lives are our enemies! You tell me, should the enemy be killed?"

  Damn it!

  "Speak louder!"

  "Damn it!"

  "They are not only enemies who want us dead but also indigenous people of Indonesia."

  "They have slaughtered our fathers and brothers, raped our sisters. Where did our army come from? Why do you want to be a soldier if not for revenge? To avenge our parents and siblings! Now, the enemy is right in front of us, an unforgivable death row prisoner! Why are you afraid to take action now, as a fellow Chinese, I am ashamed for you!"

  When mentioning their suffering parents and siblings, many soldiers lowered their heads, some even sobbed.

  Zhang Yongjun took the opportunity to shout: "Brothers, don't cry! Our tears dried up last year. From now on, let the natives cry instead! Listen to my orders, raise your bayonets and stab them deep into the enemy's chest!"

  Ah——

  More than 300 warriors shouted in unison and charged forward, their bayonets gleaming with a dazzling light under the sunlight.

  After the bayonet of the assault rifle was inserted, the hot blood inevitably splashed the soldiers all over their bodies. Some were covered in blood from head to toe, a true blood bath.

  According to legend, after the thorny bird bathed in fire and was reborn, it turned into a phoenix.

  Warriors bathed in blood become brave warriors.

  When the second group came up, the situation changed, and 300 more warriors were born.

  The Indonesians came at us with machetes and we countered with bayonets, so in terms of morality, we didn't owe them anything.

  History has proven that a nation which uses benevolence to dissolve hatred when others come at it with butcher knives will only receive the next slaughter.

  After dealing with Chinese people for a long time, it seems that I have been infected with the profound and introverted nature of Chinese people. After General Hassan arrived, he did not directly state the purpose of this trip. Instead, he first enjoyed a delicious Chinese meal and was full of praise for Chinese Baijiu.

  After drinking a bit too much wine, he spoke with a thick tongue, yet even so, General Hassan still didn't reveal the purpose of this trip.

  After dinner, rest, lying on a simple military bed, sleeping like a dead pig, waking up again, it's time for dinner...

  Wang Hui, who was accompanying him, was bewildered by Hassan's actions. Now that the military situation was urgent, the Javanese government troops were mobilizing day and night, while their own side had not yet trained new soldiers to form a complete combat force.

  It takes at least a year to train new recruits into qualified soldiers.

  Every day there is intelligence to analyze and military affairs to handle, as numerous as the hairs on an ox, time is simply not enough, I wish a day had 48 hours.

  How much time did you spend with General Hassan?

  After three rounds of wine, Wang Hui couldn't help but ask: "General Hasan, is your visit this time because we executed the military arms thieves? In any case, please speak directly, our mercenaries can take it!"

  Bang, a drop of tears fell into Hassan's raised wine glass, and he suddenly burst out crying, as if he had suffered the greatest grievance, wailing loudly, shaking the earth.

  Mumbling and crying, "You are so cruel, all killed. Those over a thousand people were the elite of our army, among them 121 guerrilla commanders and deputy commanders, more than 400 old soldiers who had been enlisted for two years or more, just gone? Without them, our combat effectiveness was instantly paralyzed by half."

  "The great war is imminent, without them, what can I use to fight against the Javanese?"

  Tears flowed like a mountain flood, unstoppable. "Our army can't compare to your wealth and arrogance. Every rifle, every bayonet, as long as it can kill the enemy, is precious. Our soldiers often have to risk their lives to get one rifle, one bayonet."

  "To crush the Javanese attack, an experienced guerrilla leader, a veteran who risked his life, tried every means to get weapons. But you...you are ruthless executioners! Butchers! Allah will surely punish you..."

  Hassan wept like rain, crying so much that even ghosts and gods were moved to tears, and the sun and moon lost their light.

  Wang Hui's heart felt like it was filled with lead, heavy and sinking.

  "General Hassan, what have you decided? Draw a line and we'll follow, no matter what it is."

  "I want revenge..." Hassan raised his head, with bloodshot eyes staring at Wang Hui.

  Wang Hui said irritably: "What's your trick? Bring it on..."

  Hassan's rising momentum was suppressed again by Wang Hui's words, and tears welled up once more. His whole body trembled as he curled up like a wounded kitten. In a changed tone, like the mournful cry of an evil spirit: "I wanted to take revenge, but...the highest commander disagreed...they even asked me to apologize to you all and strictly restrain my subordinates from making similar mistakes again."

  Wang Hui burst out laughing after hearing this. What Long Jianqiang said was indeed true - if you don't give the Acehnese an inch, they won't know how to be afraid.

  The person who killed them will not only not break the cooperative relationship but also be more conducive to unity.

  In the laughter, Hassan's anger that had just subsided began to rise again, his face twisted and terrifying. Wang Hui saw this and his laughter stopped abruptly, his long arm waved and said: "Apologize and it will be forgiven, General Hassan, remember this lesson and control your subordinates well."

  I have ordered my men that if anyone loses his rifle, I want his head. From now on, once someone is found approaching the barracks with the intention of stealing a gun, don't bother to capture him alive, just shoot him dead...

  "General Hassan,……" Zhang Yongjun saw that Wang Hui's words were too direct, every sentence and every word exuding a threatening tone, worried that it would have the opposite effect, advised: "*** doctrine says that the crime of theft should be punished by cutting off one's hand.

  These people have stolen military supplies from our army and should be punished more severely. Sentencing them to death is also in accordance with the will of Allah.

  You and I are comrades-in-arms, in the same trench, fighting against the evil Javanese invaders as brothers who share life and death. If our weapons were stolen, what would we use to fight the Javanese? Isn't that equivalent to stealing our lives?

  "We have no choice but to execute these people. If we don't, we can't prevent theft from happening again. From another perspective, what if you were the ones who lost your guns? If the thief was caught, you would also kill him, wouldn't you?"

  Zhang Yongjun's earnest persuasion gradually extinguished Hassan's anger. He added a sentence:

  "Without these people, what can I use to resist the Javanese?"

  "Our army can provide your army with some appropriate support..."

  Wang Hui was shocked by Zhang Yongjun's words and thought to himself, "What's going on? At present, the Acehnese need weapons most, could it be that they want to send some weapons to them? If so, this would go against their original purpose."

  Zhang Yongjun noticed that Wang Hui's face was unusual, and he stopped talking halfway through his sentence. He said to Hassan, "Please wait a moment." Then he walked out with Wang Hui, found a secluded corner where no one was around, and began to discuss something in private.

  "What? You plan to give them a thousand assault rifles? This is something the Brigade Commander will absolutely not agree to!" Wang Hui immediately vetoed as soon as Zhang Yongjun reported the quantity of the gift.

  "Take a thousand guns and exchange them for a thousand lives, to dispel resentment, we won't be at a loss."

  "No way, absolutely not. As Travlong said, the weapons that fall into their hands will eventually be turned against us and used to attack us. We've learned this lesson too many times before."

  "Just think about it, if in the future, our soldiers fall under their guns, and their weapons are ones we gave them. How heartbreaking that would be for the soldiers."

  "This is one time, that is another time. What will happen in the future, none of us knows now. Our primary goal at present is to defeat the Indonesian government army. If we are defeated, everything will be over."

  "Now that the enemy is strong and we are weak, increasing the strength of our allies will help to share our pressure, reduce our casualties, right?"

  "This is the reason, just... " Wang Hui said one more thing, but couldn't think of how to refute Zhang Yongjun's argument, and added: "This matter, let's ask the brigade commander first, whatever the brigade commander says, I'll do."

  "The trip is far away in a thousand miles, and he is not familiar with the overall situation here. If our opinions are consistent, it may be possible to persuade the trip."

  Zhang Yongjun wanted Wang Hui to make a decision first and persuade Long Jianqiang together, while Wang Hui insisted on contacting his superiors before following orders.

  After a stalemate for a while, Zhang Yongjun knew that he could no longer persuade Wang Hui, so he had to send a telegram first.

  The telegram came back quickly, "Well, you see, the travel agency agreed to give Hassan a batch of military supplies, but only 500. And, Hassan promised that in the next few days he would start attacking the Indonesian army and exhaust the strength of the Acehnese!"