Volume 1: Laying the Foundation Chapter 32: New-Style Military Training

  Miss Lisa finally came to the lab to work, at first she was still very dismissive of assisting Chen Xiaoqi, but the following life was simply a nightmare, almost in the blink of an eye, that small laboratory with only a few people rapidly expanded into a large enterprise with over 100 researchers, six factories and 400-500 employees. The huge construction site next door and the dense cooperative projects and expansion plans on the blueprint made her finally understand how smart this handsome and young Eastern boy's brain was, and how big his ambition was!

  Her work has evolved from initially writing and drawing on a few pieces of paper to now almost every day having to work overtime and still being busy. Thanks to her professional education, plus the several assistants assigned later, she barely managed to keep up with the workload. And when she felt like she couldn't hold on anymore, seeing this young man who is younger than her by a few years arrive at the office first every day, working energetically for over ten hours without taking a break, made her feel that she couldn't easily give in to him. Adding to that, the increasingly high salary and overtime pay, all of these things were endured!

  Today Chen Xiaoqi was unusually late, and hadn't even made an appointment beforehand. She felt a thrill of unexpected excitement - it turned out this guy could be late sometimes too!

  Just as she was standing at the office door, holding a large stack of newly delivered reports and documents, preparing to give Chen Xiaoqi a few harsh words when he came in, she saw Chen Xiaoqi casually pull out that familiar little notebook from his pocket, tear off a few pages and hand them to her, while walking towards his desk, saying: "Miss Lisa, would you please copy these new project plans into my memo book and then send them to the planning department? Thank you!"

  Lisa let out a heavy hum and said with great dissatisfaction: "Mr. Chen, do you see that I have an extra hand to take these papers from you? Because of your tardiness, the files accumulated in my hands are almost crushing my wrists!"

  Chen Xiaoqi finally took a closer look, and indeed, the stack of documents in Lisa's hands was almost as high as her chin, weighing at least ten or twenty pounds. It was quite a burden for this delicate young lady. He quickly reached out to take some of the documents from the top, smiling as he said: "Ah, sorry about that! This morning I had to deal with some new recruits, so I've been troubling you, Lisa. How about this? Over the weekend, I'll give you an extra half-day off, and you can go shopping in Chicago? You can pick out your own gift, and I'll cover the expenses?"

  Miss Lisa's pretty nose wrinkled, somewhat displeased, as she heavily put down the remaining documents in her hand on the table and complained: "Oh, come on, Mr. Chen, can't you think of a different way to deal with me? The gifts in my office are piling up on the desk! Please, can't you come up with some fresh excuses?"

  Chen Xiaoqi didn't get angry, but instead smiled and looked Lisa up and down before saying: "Miss Lisa, I heard that Chicago just received a new shipment of CK suits. I think someone as beautiful as you shouldn't be wrapped in these traditional, tacky overalls. You should use those trendy, fashionable clothes to set off your beauty."

  Girls don't dislike being praised for their beauty, this is the same everywhere and at all times. Chen Xiaoqi's praise was just right and never over-the-top, Miss Lisa also enjoyed these compliments a lot, satisfying her vanity a little, after all, it's a matter of face to be praised by such an excellent man. Unconsciously, Lisa increasingly ignored the fact that Chen Xiaoqi was Chinese, sometimes, when someone radiates too much brilliance, it can create illusions for others.

  Another day has passed in a flurry of activity, and Chen Xiaoqi can no longer remember when this kind of life began. It seems that from the moment he arrived in the United States, the word "leisure" had completely disappeared from his vocabulary. However, it's also impossible for him to slow down now. In the past, he was the one who pushed things forward with all his might, but now reality is pushing him forward at a frantic pace. He can't even stop if he wants to; everything is like a boulder rolling down a mountain, gaining speed as it goes, and once it starts, it's almost impossible to catch hold of it again.

  The Mei Hua laboratory has grown into a behemoth in the world, even without the support of famous scientists or the best equipment of this era. However, with Chen Xiaoqi as the guide and the skilled technical workers from Western countries, especially those trained during World War I, everything is being invented and implemented smoothly and quickly. If the same thing were to happen in China at that time, it would be unknown when it would be completed. Take explosives as an example, if Chen Xiaoqi wanted to achieve industrialization himself, he would have to start from scratch, selecting land, building workshops, manufacturing equipment, recruiting technical workers, handling approval procedures, testing and adjusting production, and finally verifying with the military. It would take at least three to five years to accomplish this.

  But he cooperated with DuPont, it's different. He provided perfect theory and laboratory results, and designed the equipment needed for industrialized production based on his own innate advantages, so DuPont only needs to modify the existing production equipment, other venues, personnel, accessories, etc. are all ready-made, not to mention approval, relying on their large financial group's cooperation with the government and military, everything is easy, it doesn't take much effort at all, this is the innate advantage of a local snake!

  So Chen Xiaoqi's "sulfonamide" drug, apart from himself grasping the research and development and patent rights in his own hands, had no choice but to accept DuPont's investment in production. He either had to develop slowly or be completely excluded from this environment, with no other way out. In this era, it is extremely ridiculous for a foreigner to think that he can compete with large financial groups and companies just because of his foresight. Bankers and financiers can assassinate the President of the United States for their own interests, would they tolerate the threat from a small outsider? It's simply absurd.

  Chen Xiaoqi wasn't naive enough to think he could just barge in; instead, he carefully inserted himself into the arena where numerous super-beasts roamed, cautiously using some beneficial relationships to bind himself to them. However, he absolutely couldn't encroach upon their core interests - just like how explosives and fertilizers were to DuPont, oil was to the Rockefeller family and Standard Oil, banking was to the Mellon and Morgan financial groups, and even steel had its limits. The big cake of this era had already been devoured by these giant beasts; if you wanted to take a bite, it meant you felt too comfortable with your life.

  So Chen Xiaoqi is so busy now for a reason, he has to think carefully about whether the inventions that have been brought out in advance by him are directly related to the interests of the big sharks, and also think of ways to maximize the benefits of these inventions and achieve rapid product realization. He needs to provide explosive production equipment for DuPont Company, and later on, more devices will be provided for more large industries, all of which cannot be entrusted to others, he has to hold on even if it kills him.

  The next morning, Chen Xiaoqi arrived at the newly added training ground near a small hill on one side of the munitions factory. This was the Guardian Training Center he had just registered, focusing on recruiting and training qualified security personnel for his own industry. Prior to this, he had already recruited some retired soldiers to temporarily hold down the fort, but due to current conditions, he did not dare to bring in too many people, lest it arouse the local government's vigilance and dislike. As a result, the place was still largely empty.

  The training ground is the size of a football field, and various training equipment has been customized to perfection. It looks like it's equipped with everything required by his pre-set military training materials. However, in order to avoid drawing attention, some facilities and grounds that are obviously used for military training have been placed under the shade of large trees, making them invisible from both a distance and from the air. Ordinary drills, hand-to-hand combat, and exercises are all conducted on the large parade ground.

  With the presence of Huang Zhen Shan and Li Jun Feng, two professional military officers, Chen Xiao Qi's training became much easier than expected. Some subjects were also adjusted accordingly, so the original plan to conduct team formation, internal affairs, discipline orders, and even health protection could be taken over by the two of them, with far better results than Chen Xiao Qi, who was only a half-baked expert, after all, they were professionals trained in a regular manner.

  Chen Xiaoqi first conducted the tactical foundation and physical training, these two subjects were prioritized, he did this for a reason, plus the seven people's physical quality was not bad, two professional military officers, He Bao Wen was from a military family background, considered half a soldier, Chen Xiaoqi had received military training and also compiled this training material from start to finish, also considered half a soldier, four people brought three people with foundation, so the speed would absolutely not be slow, therefore the technical subjects were relatively easy, the team could come slowly, currently he also urgently needed people to join in actual work, couldn't afford to delay, so can't play cards according to common sense.

  The training uniform was rushed out last night, and the boots were made according to the foot size using ready-made ones. Now six people are lined up in a row, with Huang Zhen-shan, a veteran of the Northeast Army, as their instructor. He is a seasoned commander who has come from the ranks, skilled at tormenting new recruits, so the division of labor was settled like this: Huang Zhen-shan as the instructor, Li Jun-feng as his assistant, and Chen Xiao-qi as the lead soldier in training. However, he has the right to decide what subjects to train on and when to train himself, which is also an unavoidable thing. After all, he won't be a professional soldier in the future!

  Yesterday, a group of people indulged in archery practice to their heart's content. As a result, this morning Zhou Yunpeng was the first to crack under the pressure. His shoulders were swollen like steamed buns, his whole body ached all over, and when he got up in the morning, his waist felt like it was almost broken. The others, although somewhat fatigued, were still standing tall because they had been practicing martial arts, so their condition wasn't as exaggerated. Now, standing in formation, they looked lackluster and clearly different from everyone else.

  Chen Xiaoqi's copied training uniform feels different when worn on the body, unlike the rough and ill-fitting gray clothes in the warlord troops. Who has this kind of stylish jacket? After six people tried it on last night, they were overjoyed, and today everyone is wearing it neatly. It was their first time using a zipper and they weren't used to it, luckily the person who delivered the clothes taught them step by step, otherwise they would have been embarrassed.

  Today, the first subject, Chen Xiaoqi prepared a canvas backpack with double shoulders for each person. With his amateur hiking level, he designed this double-shoulder bag with a steel plate on the back and cowhide lining inside, which is not very ergonomic, but it was ahead of its time in that era. However, what's packed inside today isn't any regular items, but rather a pile of scattered stones, thirty kilograms for each person.

  Zhou Yunpeng was already on the verge of collapse, and now he was being pressed down so hard that he couldn't even straighten his waist. If it weren't for the fact that he was holding a wooden Enfield 1903 rifle in his hands, he would have probably fallen to the ground by now.

  He made a bitter face and said to Chen Xiaoqi, "Seventh brother, can you not pretend a bit? I'm still growing up, don't get me stuck like this! My waist is almost broken!"

  Chen Xiaoqi suppressed a smile, her face stern and not looking at him. Huang Zhen Shan's face was fierce, his eyes gleaming with a menacing light as he bellowed loudly: "On the training grounds, there is no Seventh Brother, only instructors and comrades! No permission, no talking allowed! If you have something to say, shout 'Report!' All actions follow orders, didn't I just tell you that last night?! You've already forgotten by this morning?! After training is completed, go back and recite the internal regulations one hundred times! Everyone does it! Now listen to my commands! Target! The small hill directly in front of us! Run along the mountain path at the foot of the hill three times, advancing at a run! Run...!"

  At the sound of the order, Huang Zhen Shan turned sideways and led the team to start running, regardless of Zhou Yun Peng's aggrieved expression. The team members followed in order from tallest to shortest, each carrying a large bag of stones and accelerating their pace. The small hill was about 1.5 kilometers around, and after three laps plus the track section, it added up to exactly five kilometers, which was the requirement for the initial training phase, designed to allow these people to start adapting.

  Don't look at these people who are almost all martial artists, carrying stones and running in circles on the small mountain with almost no road, along the way they also have to be careful of the potholes under their feet, and pay attention to the surrounding shrubs and twisted trees. That's absolutely not as easy as walking on flat ground, and running with a load is a certain trick. Except for Huang Zhen Shan who has a good foundation and often drills in the deep mountains and old forests, it's just the smallest Hu Qian Li Suo! He doesn't mention his small head and agile body, the key is that "Yan Zi Men" is what? A thief! If a thief can't run with stolen goods on his back, how can he work?

  So, the composition of this small group is indeed complementary. Chen Xiaoqi thought it through thoroughly, and the training program couldn't be randomly created by him alone, but must have been formulated with the help of two experienced hands to suit their specific needs. Starting with physical training is normal and necessary, as poor physical fitness makes everything impossible, and being a soldier relies on this foundation, where there's no room for slackness.

  After carrying heavy loads across the wilderness, they started formation training after breakfast. Except for Zhu Dacheng's inadequate movements at first, Zhou Yunpeng's slightly crooked waist, and Hu Bian looking around randomly everywhere, everything else was still relatively normal. Fortunately, no one got left and right mixed up, and everyone's physical coordination was extremely good. Huang Zhen Shan couldn't help but praise: "In all these years, this is the first time I've seen such easy-to-handle new recruits!" He had forgotten that each of these people were top-notch talents!

  After a brief queue, the basic movements began, such as squatting down and standing up, straightening up, bending over, crawling forward, using terrain, etc., followed by obstacles, short sprints, single and double bars, etc. A day of continuous training left Zhou Yunpeng crying out for his parents, but unfortunately no one could spare him from this disaster. Fortunately, these martial arts practitioners all knew some massage techniques, so during lunch and dinner they would rub him all over, relieving his muscles and joints, and by the next day he was back to normal.

  Of course, homework is indispensable at night. In addition to internal affairs and discipline, other cultural subjects also need to be repeatedly lectured and studied together. As for the nature and purpose of building the army, these are things that cannot be said for the time being. It's just following the example of the Baoding Military Academy - military personnel take obeying orders as their duty, and military personnel do not interfere in politics.

  In addition, in order to prevent any mistakes during the training process, they repeatedly deliberated on some terms to prevent them from being leaked out. Since these people were training a revolutionary army, the US government would definitely expel them without hesitation. Therefore, in their titles, they all referred to each other as instructors and trainees, but when facing Chen Xiaoqi, they uniformly addressed him as "boss".

  From the beginning, this training camp was destined to be divided into two parts. One part is the real security personnel, mainly composed of local Americans and some Chinese-Americans who can really participate in military training. First, they are people from mainland China who have been thoroughly vetted and trusted. The other part is those who can be developed among Chinese-Americans. However, it seems that this difficulty is a bit high at present!

  Among the seven, only Chen Xiaoqi had a higher education background. Li Junfeng and Zhou Yunpeng were at an intermediate level of education, but this did not affect their understanding of military training. Huang Zhen-shan was not well-read, but he made up for it with his rich experience. After receiving intensified training, he could keep up with the new military ideology education. He Bao-wen was also not well-read, but he had a solid foundation and could quickly make progress through self-study. Hu Qian-xin was clever and quick to learn, so studying was no problem for him. The most troublesome one was Zhu Da-cheng. This guy had no problem with physical training, and his martial arts background helped him pick up the actions quickly. However, when it came to cultural classes, he was completely lost. He was almost illiterate! He was also particularly slow-witted. Just memorizing a few hundred words of the internal affairs regulations nearly took the life of his teacher, Zhou Yunpeng. The latter was so angry that he kept shouting, but it was all in vain.

  After a discussion, they decided that this guy was not suitable to be an educated military officer. Maybe being a loyal and obedient high-ranking bodyguard would be a good choice for him.

  In a regular army, it would take three months to complete the subjects they did in just one month. They all passed the subjects including shooting, throwing grenades, and combat first aid (excluding nuclear defense for now). Of course, Zhu Dacheng was still that kind of guy who only knew how to do things but not explain them, he could use his body but not his brain. None of them were a match for him in hand-to-hand combat.

  Chen Xiaoqi did not disappoint, although he only trained for three to four hours a day. By the end of the month, when everyone's military skills were assessed, he was not left behind in any aspect and completed everything accurately and satisfactorily. His martial arts skills also gained recognition from everyone. This style of boxing, which is based on the "Shaolin Arhat Fist" with added improvements, is very suitable for general troop training. Combined with Zhu Dacheng's grappling techniques, He Baowen's big knife skills, Hu Qian's flying eaves and wall-climbing skills, as well as his ability to pick locks and retrieve items from pockets, they summarized a complete set of practical combat skills for soldiers in the field. It must be said that this is largely thanks to Hu Zhenzhang, who has real-life experience fighting in bloody battles. The killing moves he proposed are direct, effective, ruthless, and vicious.

  Li Junfeng had studied the orthodox Japanese military bayonet technique at Baoding Military Academy, which was unfamiliar to Chen Xiaoqi, a 21st-century person. He naturally handed it over to everyone, and Chen also exchanged experiences with He Baozhen on the tactics of using a big knife to break through the bayonet. The famous "Po Feng Ba Dao" (Breaking Wind Eight Knives) in later generations, he only knew the name and the incantation, and when Li Yunlong used his big knife to slash at the devils, it was just one move. Therefore, he humbly asked He Baozhen, an expert in using knives, for advice.