Chapter 21: A Spark of Starlight

  Mr. Charlie, do you have any news about the machine? My factory has already started construction! Deng Zixuan came to EWO to inquire about the news. Charlie smiled and said: Mr. Deng is too anxious, buying a machine requires crossing the ocean, it's impossible in just a few months. I'm anxious, can't you see that I'm anxious? Deng Zixuan looked young and impatient.

  "Charlie smiled and said, 'Mr. Deng, I understand you, be patient!' Mr. Charlie, I need 6 breech-loading rifles?" Deng Zixuan seemed to be at ease, but in fact this was his true purpose for coming here, using the machinery as an excuse.

  Charlie exclaimed: Mr. Deng, what do you want to use the long gun for? Hunting! The long gun is very useful! I didn't expect Mr. Deng to have this hobby, okay I'll get it done for you right away! Charlie shrugged his shoulders and made a strange gesture. Deng Zixuan brought back 6 breech-loading rifles and 2000 rounds of ammunition, then gathered the brothers together, opened the package and said: Brothers, these are 6 breech-loading rifles, today we will familiarize ourselves with their structure, and tomorrow we will officially start training!

  Training! The brothers are confused. Master Deng, are you having us practice spear thrusting? Chen Jintang is surprised and delighted. Deng Zixuan says: Not only that, but you must also master modern military skills, all firearms including artillery must be familiarized. Later on, you will become instructors to cultivate military talents, even commanding thousands of troops! Master Deng, tell us how to train! The brothers won't disappoint you! Chen Jintang is solemn and earnest, with a hint of expectation in his expression.

  Today you will first familiarize yourself with firearms, tomorrow at dawn we will go to the woods on the outskirts for training. Deng Zixuan took out a rifle and began disassembling it. As for this breech-loading rifle, Deng Zixuan was somewhat disdainful. This is the most advanced rifle produced by Enfield in England, although it uses a firing pin ignition, but can only load one bullet at a time. Deng Zixuan knew that the Enfield rifle's magazine would not appear until 10 years later, and smokeless gunpowder would also not appear until 10 years later. To hell with Enfield! My new-style rifle is my patent.

  The next morning, the brothers loaded the packaged rifles onto a horse-drawn carriage and set out from the public concession to a forest outside the city. They found a clearing with sparse trees, stopped advancing, and began unloading the items from the carriage in a flurry of activity. At this time, the birds in the forest had already begun making a ruckus, seemingly expressing their discontent towards these unwelcome guests, as this was their territory. The sun had not yet shown its face, but the eastern sky was growing increasingly brighter.

  Everyone, warm up first. Then we'll start with shooting practice. Wu Bao, you walk 70 steps forward with the target on your shoulder and then set it up! Deng Zixuan shouted loudly. Ah, can we really hit the target from so far away? Wu Bao muttered to himself as he walked forward with the target. Seeing that everyone had warmed up, Deng Zixuan said: Everyone gather around and focus. Yesterday you all got a basic understanding of the rifle's structure, the barrel, sights, and aiming devices. There are three shooting stances for rifles: standing, crouching, and prone. Now watch my shooting movements!

  The buttstock should be tightly pressed against the scapula, left eye closed and right eye wide open, left hand steadily holding the middle of the gun body, and the right arm stuck under the armpit. The eyes aim at the target through the sight and hold their breath, then pull the trigger.

  Next, we will start with standing posture training. Everyone remembers to lead the practice!

  Deng Zixuan corrected each of their movements one by one. After repeated corrections, Deng Zixuan thought it was almost enough and said: "Next, let's proceed with crouching and prone position aiming training!"

  Continuous aiming training lasted for an hour, and then Deng Zixuan began to explain the key points of shooting: when pulling the trigger, the body cannot move, must be fully focused, and hold your breath. Next, they conducted empty gun training, repeated exercises dozens of times, and then Deng Zixuan had them practice holding guns and aiming individually. After checking that it was almost done, Deng Zixuan gave a command to have them practice in unison, although some were a bit awkward, but the movements were basically accurate.

  The sun rose, and the warm sunlight shone everywhere. Deng Zixuan ordered everyone to have breakfast. Just now, during the intense training session, everyone was both tense and curious, yet shocked at the same time. The reason was that Deng Zixuan had become increasingly mysterious in their eyes. Master Deng, you've shocked us! How did you learn the foreigners' techniques? Leng Yifei couldn't help but ask with a mouthful of food. Exactly! Master seems to know everything! Master, you're simply a god descended from heaven! Everyone chattered excitedly, opening up and talking freely.

  Deng Zixuan smiled and said: "Actually, this is very simple. I have told you before that knowledge is power. To be honest, I learned from foreign books. I studied the Western infantry tactics with great concentration. Maybe my standards are not good enough, but in the future, you can continue to improve through exploration. Alright, everyone, let's eat first, and then we will conduct live-fire exercises. The study of live-fire exercises is even more important! The brothers' eyes showed a look of admiration, perhaps unaware that China's modern army would be born, develop, and grow strong in their hands!"

  Brothers, each with a rifle in hand, were fully focused. Before the live ammunition shooting, Deng Zixuan explained: The bullet leaving the barrel is not a straight line, but a downward curve. Just like Leng Yifei's flying knife, it falls continuously during flight and finally lands on the ground. Bullets are the same, so when shooting, according to the distance, the muzzle should be raised appropriately, and how to grasp the angle of the muzzle requires you to accumulate experience in live ammunition shooting. In addition, bad weather also has a greater impact on shooting, which involves the issue of left and right deviation of the muzzle. In short, after returning, we need to master various shooting techniques in shooting and then form a training outline. Then start live ammunition shooting.

  That day, they fired 5 shots, mainly to let them get familiar with the feeling of real shooting. A few days later, formation training and gun-crawling training were added. It can be said that Deng Zixuan's military common sense acquired online was all brought out. Although some were unqualified and even extremely irregular, it was enough to train them. A month passed, and Deng Zixuan came up with another trick. On this day, the horse cart had 6 straw men, 6 forged bayonets, 6 wooden rifles, and 6 protective vests. The brothers didn't know what this was for, and Deng Zixuan didn't say clearly either.

  In the woods, Deng Zixuan ordered to set up 6 scarecrows and then asked his brothers to tie bayonets to their rifle barrels. Seeing that everyone had finished preparing, Deng Zixuan took a rifle with a bayonet and said: Perhaps you are all confused, rifles are used for shooting, why do we need to add bayonets? As the name suggests, bayonets on rifles are for close combat when swords meet, if you master the skills of bayonet fighting, one brave soldier can easily take down two or three enemies. Therefore, it is necessary for us to conduct bayonet training! You are all martial artists, and I believe you will deeply understand the subtleties of this!

  Deng Zixuan stood in front of the straw man and said: "Watch my movements! The rifle was pushed to the left, followed by a loud shout of 'Kill!' The bayonet was inserted into the straw man. Remember, this is to defend against a left-sided attack! Pushing to the right side is to defend against a right-sided attack, and the stabbing action must be smooth and uninterrupted. During the stabbing process, you must shout loudly to intimidate the enemy. Deng Zixuan handed the rifle back to Chen Jintan and said: "You practice according to my movements!"

  The brothers were all martial arts practitioners and quickly grasped the assassination movements. Their actions were more standardized and powerful than Deng Zixuan's, especially their shouting voices which carried a strong killing intent. Great! Excellent! Next, I'll explain how to use the gun stock in close combat! After everyone was familiar with it, Deng Zixuan ordered Chen Jintan to lead them into three small groups, each holding wooden guns and wearing protective armor to practice assassination drills. Seeing his brothers practicing vigorously, Deng Zixuan thought to himself: At present, it's just a spark, but given time, it will surely become a raging fire in the not-too-distant future. In an instant, a heroic spirit surged up in Deng Zixuan's heart.

  After the practice was over, the brothers looked at Deng Zixuan with a different gaze, and everyone fell silent, because it was unbelievable. Master Deng, the brothers discussed in private that the moves you taught are all fatal techniques, every move is deadly, they think you are a master, I also think so? Nonsense! Look at my moves, are they better than yours? Don't think wildly!

  Autumn is getting stronger, but the south of the Yangtze River is still hot and sultry, without any cool feeling. On this day, Deng Zixuan said to Chen Jintan: Brother Chen, you have mastered military tactics, shooting training, and assassination training. From today on, I won't be going anymore. I will put my energy into business and the children's studies. Tomorrow, you lead the brothers in training, and it must be uninterrupted by wind or rain! From now on, how to build an iron army depends on you!

  Chen Jintang nodded and said: These days, brothers are very enthusiastic, everyone thinks you're going to lead the team! Deng Gongzi, do you have such plans? Deng Zixuan said deeply: Brother Chen, you've led troops in battles. I'll ask you, what's most important for an invincible army? Is it the commander's order? The commander is important, but a strong army must have a military soul, and the military soul must be formed by the officer corps. Therefore, the strength of a team's combat power comes from the grassroots officers. So next step, I want to establish a martial arts academy to cultivate a large number of grassroots officers!

  Chen Jintang exclaimed with great joy: "Deng Gongzi, this move is too brilliant! Not only can it cultivate a large number of military officers, but also loyal to you, achieving two goals at once. I fully agree!" Chen brother, in the future your burden will be very heavy, after this Martial Arts Hall is completed, you will be in charge of managing it. In a few years, we will also build another Martial Arts Hall in Guangzhou to cultivate a large number of military talents! Deng Gongzi, I, your subordinate, will definitely not disappoint your high expectations and will work hard to raise the great flag early and devote myself wholeheartedly! Chen Jintang said with a stern face.