Chapter 21: The Fighter Returns Home

  Long Xiao Tian has been gone for some days. Looking at Meng Yao, who often stares blankly at the mountain valley, Zhuge Dun dares not ask anything. However, he can guess that the camp commander must be plotting something. Just like how he saw through Long Xiao Tian's name and from the way he reluctantly handed over the reconnaissance flight instrument, determined that he was not some bandit who robbed and plundered, the camp commander would never suffer a loss in any matter.

  Returning to the camp, he happened to run into Lu Tao, who was rushing over. Looking at his expression, it seemed like he was angry about something. When Meng Yao asked him, he couldn't help but burst out laughing: "This Li Jiankun is really a talented person!"

  It turned out that Meng Yao saw the last twenty or so bandits left in the mountain village, and Li Jiankun was particularly interested in them because of their small stature, intending to use them as vanguard troops. Who knew that Zhang Pockmarked would shout at the end, saying that there were still nearly twenty mouths of Long Xiaotian's family members? The little guy immediately drove the bandits onto the construction site and turned around to drive out Long Xiaotian's family members, every day they were forced to cook and do chores in the few large rooms on top of the mountain village.

  Pity those delicate and tender concubines, old maids and young servant girls, all with gloomy faces, suffering in silence yet dare not speak out.

  "Hurry up and tell that bastard Li Jiankun to release everyone, this is utter nonsense." Meng Yao said, suddenly shaking his head involuntarily. This kid, no matter what, has a quick wit.

  Lu Tao stopped Zhuge Dun, "No need, I've already scolded him severely." He then looked at Meng Yao and asked, "And you, won't you also make me worry? On the side of Long Xiao Tian, you must keep a close eye on him. That Biao Zi is also a troublemaker."

  "Don't worry about it, Housekeeper." Meng Yao shook his head and walked away.

  Just as he walked up to his own tent, the sentry gave Meng Yao a signal with his eyes. Meng Yao nodded in understanding and lifted the door curtain to enter.

  Gao Daxiao was looking around inside, and suddenly saw Meng Yao standing in front of him, which made him jump in fright. After calming down, he could only awkwardly smile at Meng Yao, randomly pointing to the inside and outside of the tent, and said with a laugh: "Commander Meng, your den isn't great either, it's all messy."

  Meng Yao also chuckled and said with a smile: "Yes, Gao Da Xue, you didn't even come to greet me when I arrived, how rude. What's the matter? You personally ran over here, there must be some instructions, right?"

  The principal of the school put on a serious face and said solemnly: "I want to see your battalion party secretary."

  Meng Yao fell silent for a moment before saying, "What a coincidence, he's standing right in front of you."

  He looked around for a long time before finally reacting: "What? You're the Party Secretary of the 15th Army Assault Battalion?"

  Meng Yao looked at his doubtful face, and had to shout from outside: "Zhuge Dun, run immediately and call all members of the camp party committee to gather here."

  Before long, Lu Tao and Niu Gang entered in a line.

  Meng Yao immediately pointed to the tall school and explained: "The tall school instructed us to see all members of our party committee."

  He then smiled apologetically at Gao Daxiao: "Please excuse me, Comrade Cao Feibiao, the propaganda officer, is out on a mission and cannot attend the meeting."

  Comrade High Zhìyuǎn, a senior colonel from the Air Force General Staff Department, stood at attention and gave each of Meng Yao's group a once-over before continuing: "Comrades, fellow soldiers of the assault regiment, I am Senior Colonel Gao Zhìyuǎn of the Air Force General Staff Department. Along with an expert team from the 105th unit directly under the Air Force and three fighter jets, as well as a detachment from the LZ Military Region's special forces, we are executing top-secret Operation 'Dòng Ruò Guān Huǒ' under Order Tian Zi No. 6. Due to unforeseen circumstances, we have encountered your unit, so I am explaining this to you. That is all."

  I couldn't take it anymore.

  "Reporting to Comrade Colonel, the 15th Airborne Assault Regiment of the Central Cluster's Direct Subordinate Force has been ordered to participate in the Deep Blue Joint Military Exercise due to unforeseen circumstances and encountered your unit here. This is to clarify, end of report. Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Meng Yao."

  Buying cake, it took half a day, and indeed it was a family, all from the air force system. However, they were not in the exercise airspace, how could they collide with the assault camp?

  The two of them finished speaking, and for some reason, the atmosphere suddenly became somewhat awkward.

  Perhaps, these days both sides have been tacitly understanding each other without saying a word. In short, although Gao Zhiyuan lives on Meng Yao's turf, he does not allow anyone from Meng Yao to approach them, including fighter jets and people, treating them as enemies and being extremely vigilant. The special forces who followed him to execute the protection mission also faithfully carried out Commander Gao's orders, implementing a three-shift system for the three fighter jets, keeping a close eye on them every day. Until today, due to severe physical exhaustion, they were replaced by a group of assault camp soldiers, taking over from the morning shift. Otherwise, even if it was Long Xiaotian, let alone Meng Yao himself, he might not have been able to approach the J-20 fighter jet until now.

  Now, apart from the transparency and details of each other's tasks, they will also clearly hand over their identities to each other without any awkwardness.

  After a while, Gao Zhiyuan finally squeezed out a smile and asked Meng Yao with a pretended ease of manner: "Commander Meng, you arrived here before us, please tell us what we should do?"

  Meng Yao remained silent, but a faint smile returned to his face.

  Some things may not be the time to clarify yet.

  So what can he say in front of someone who is higher than him in both military rank and age?

  Gao Zhiyuan turned and looked at Lu Tao, smiling and saying: "Comrade Lu Tao, you are the instructor, please also express your opinion."

  Lu Tao looked at him and smiled slightly: "Comrade Commander, in the current era and environment we are in, according to regulations, it should be considered wartime. You know better than me that during wartime, all actions, regardless of military or political units at any level, take orders from the military commander as the main authority, with the political commissar as the secondary authority."

  "Sorry," Gao Zhiyuan nodded and said.

  "Enough of this," Meng Yao suddenly waved his hand and said:

  "We all understand the situation, in terms of equipment level, combat effectiveness and tactical unity, we are far superior to this era. However, our disadvantages are also obvious, in short, we have become individual households, vagrants, and unregistered residents. How to let us, these warriors who have mothers' love, national care, and wives' affection, survive in this life should be the top priority. After solving the survival problem, the second important task I think is how to solve our logistics, simply put, who will support us, provide us with food, money, population, and ammunition supplies. Finally, it's our anti-Japanese problem. Now it's the end of 1920, thanks to God's blessing, we still have enough time before the large-scale war breaks out to prepare and plan for the future."

  Meng Yao took a slight breath, lit a cigarette for himself, and then seriously said to Gao Zhiyuan: "The above is the initial idea of our assault camp, please instruct us, Director Gao."

  Gao Zhiyuan nodded slowly and said thoughtfully, "To be honest, we've also held many big and small meetings on our own these days. The final result is just as Captain Meng said - there really isn't a better plan than these three for the time being."

  "That's it," Niu Gang suddenly took over and said, "Our regimental commander set this strategy as soon as he came. Many of our soldiers call it Meng San Tiao - plant fields, soak in girls, earn some money. Listen to Gao Da Xue, isn't it easy to understand and remember?"

  Lu Tao furrowed his brow upon hearing this and was about to scold him when Gao Zhiyuan suddenly burst out laughing.

  "Comrade Meng is indeed young and promising," he said, standing up and extending his hand to Meng Yao. "Laughter and scolding are all literary works, iron shoulders bear the weight of justice. Comrade Meng Yao, now I represent all members of the Dòng Ruò Guān Huǒ Action Plan, formally requesting that the Assault Regiment and its Party Committee agree to and accept our unit's overall return."

  Return to the camp? Meng Yao was overjoyed, but had to put on a bitter face and grasped Gao Zhiyuan's hand, declining: "This doesn't conform to regulations, Principal Gao. Logically, you're my superior, so it should be your turn to return to the camp."

  Gaoyi Hao burst out laughing and punched Meng Yao with a loud thud: "Alright, stop pretending, you rascal! You're strong and vigorous, with many people on your side, and still young and full of energy. Alright, alright!"

  Meng Yao finally revealed his long-lost smile, scratching his head and chuckling.

  Those who know the times are called heroes, referring to those with high aspirations and great ideals.

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