Chapter 1016: Ten Thousand Tons of Combat Supplies
Finally, Gu Chengyuan leaned back slightly, regaining his previous calm demeanor. A smile as if the outcome of the game was already decided wore on his face. His gaze swept across Chief of Staff Wu Bin, finally returning to the representative of the Western Theater Command. His eyes were calm yet unfathomable.
"Chief of Staff Wu Bin, look, this is the result of our frank communication and consensus-building efforts!"
"Excellent!" He nodded slightly, then changed the subject: "Based on this valuable consensus, I believe we must not let our brother units suffer losses. After all, the 77th Group Army was historically part of the Western Theater Command."
Gu Chengyuan pronounced the three words "historically" clearly and gently, like the fall of a judge's gavel, completely and coldly putting an end to this ownership dispute!
As for the Western Theater delegation, although they had already prepared themselves mentally, these three words still pierced the hearts of every member of the Western Theater delegation present like a poisoned ice cone!
An indescribable sadness, a mixture of loss and pain of being cut open, instantly spread.
The only two legion-level units in the war zone! A powerful force capable of influencing the war zone's structure, half of its body had been gouged out!
What is even more frustrating is that not only can they not resist, but they also personally handed over the legitimacy of the cutting to the other party!
For a split second, some representatives of the Western theater of operations even uncontrollably flashed a sharp sense of self-blame through their minds:
"What you did today, do you count as a 'Western traitor'?"
"In future war history, will we be the heroes who turned the tide, or the sinners who ceded our troops and sold out our dignity?!"
Just when this heavy, oppressive, self-doubting atmosphere was about to swallow up the Western Theater Command—
Gu Chengyuan's next words were like thunderclaps from the sky, booming in the silent conference room:
"How about this, Deputy Commander Shao Gang!" He turned to Shao Gang, the deputy commander of the Zhongzhou Theater Command who was in charge of logistics, and spoke in a calm tone as if he was arranging an ordinary official business:
"I intend to allocate 100,000 tons of combat supplies to the Western Theater as 'compensation' for this historical connection. Could your logistics department please check and see if there are any issues?"
One hundred thousand tons??!
Combat supplies?!
This casually thrown out number was like a supernova explosion, instantly detonating the Western Theater delegation!
"One hundred thousand tons?! War supplies?!"
"Am I hallucinating from excessive grief?! 100,000 tons?!"
Across the conference table, a momentary silence descended, followed by an uncontrollable commotion! The representatives' heads jerked upward, their pupils constricting in shock! They subconsciously glanced at one another, trying to confirm from their colleagues' equally disbelieving faces whether they were dreaming or not!
One hundred thousand tons of combat supplies!
How could this be timely rain? This was clearly a pouring sea of life! A Noah's Ark, enough to lift the entire Western Theater Command from the brink of death!
With these 100,000 tons, the Western Theater will gain at least a year of precious breathing space! One year! In the end times, this extravagant time means:
They can repair the remaining industrial equipment in the northwest, try to restore minimum military production, and establish a preliminary "blood-making" system!
This means that millions of soldiers and civilians no longer have to live in fear every day, fearing the abyss of no return after the stockpile is exhausted!
The huge ecstasy hit everyone's rational dam like a tsunami!
"Gu... Commander Gu!" Even Lieutenant General Zhang Shouzheng, who was usually calm and experienced, completely lost his composure!
He stood up suddenly, his hands subconsciously supporting themselves on the table, his body leaning forward slightly due to excitement, his voice trembling with an unprecedented, uncontrollable tremor, even breaking a little:
"You...you just mentioned...a hundred thousand tons...of combat supplies?! Not living supplies?!"
He had to confirm it! This huge pie was too fantastical, and he couldn't believe it unless he saw it with his own mouth!
If this is true... then this "deal" alone is enough to make their trip the most successful "ceding land for peace" in the history of the Western theater of war!
When they return, they will no longer be the controversial compromisers, but the heroes who saved the entire war zone!
To exchange a troop that has long been lost and is impossible to recover for 100,000 tons of combat supplies sufficient to support the entire war zone in the future?
How could this be a deal? This was simply... Commander Gu simply gifting the Western Theater a fortune for free! It was a respectable and generous step given to them by the other side despite their overwhelming strength!
Commander Gu, go through fire and water!
Zhang Shouzheng's heart was beating like a drum. The huge shock made it almost impossible for him to think. Only one thought remained, and he screamed frantically:
Worth it! So worth it!
However, just as Zhang Shouzheng was about to blurt out his agreement on behalf of the Zhongzhou War Zone's logistics department in his excitement, a calm but obviously worried voice suddenly sounded like a pour of ice water:
"Report to the chief!"
Lieutenant General Shao Gang, deputy commander of the Zhongzhou Theater Command and in charge of logistics, stood up solemnly, his brows furrowed, his face showing a deep, genuine solemnity.
His voice was loud, but every word was heavy, as if he was moving a huge stone:
"The fighting on the front lines of the Yucheng Campaign has reached a fever pitch! The average daily ammunition consumption has reached 2 tons! This doesn't even include the massive expenses of repairing damaged equipment, refueling, and compensation for casualties!"
He glanced at the Western Theater Command representatives present, as if silently emphasizing the harsh reality behind these figures. Then he turned to Gu Chengyuan, his tone carrying the anxiety and pressure typical of a logistics chief:
"Not to mention, maintaining order and stability throughout the entire province of Zhongzhou War Zone, clearing out the remaining zombies, and ensuring the unimpeded flow of the Yenan Transportation Lifeline, the daily combat supplies required are also astronomical!"
Shao Gang took a deep breath, as if he had made up his mind, and his voice was slightly difficult:
"Commander! To be honest, the current theater logistics system is operating at full capacity, and even... it's a bit difficult to sustain!"
"Although there are still some reserves, they're being consumed at a rate far exceeding expectations! Everywhere is reaching out, everywhere is crying out for supplies! If we were to allocate an additional 100,000 tons of combat supplies right now..."
He paused, his gaze sweeping across the Western Theater Command representative's face, which had instantly turned tense and pale, before finally settling heavily on Gu Chengyuan. His words were filled with immense embarrassment and a sense of responsibility:
"...This...this will likely severely impact the sustainability of our theater's operations, and may even affect the outcome of the Battle of Yucheng! The risk...is enormous! Please, Commander—reconsider!"
Shaogang’s “complaints” and “warnings” are like pouring a bucket of cold water into a boiling oil pan!
The ecstasy on the faces of the Western Theater delegation members froze instantly, their hearts suddenly sinking to the bottom! Their immense hopes had just risen, only to be snuffed out by the cold reality! One hundred thousand tons of supplies, were they going to be wasted?
Zhang Shouzheng's heart almost stopped beating. He stared at Gu Chengyuan, afraid to hear the words "reconsider" or "postpone" from the young commander.
However, at this suffocating and oppressive moment——
