Chapter 1077 Please Rest Assured, Commander-in-Chief

"Is this... is this a theater-level force..." Zhou Weimin muttered to himself subconsciously, his voice barely audible.

He felt like a person who had just walked out of a primitive tribe and suddenly saw a modern industrial city. This impact was undoubtedly subversive and daunting.

Li Wen, who was accompanying him, was also stunned. Although he had witnessed the power of the advance troops before, the spectacular and magnificent scene of the brigade-level main force fully deployed in front of him was still far beyond his imagination.

The only thing he could do was to follow Zhou Weimin and repeat: "Amazing... Too... Too awesome..."

The soldier leading them was already accustomed to this and just calmly led them through the traffic and crowd to an equally large vehicle with multiple antennas and cabins installed on top.

Along the way, the busy soldiers occasionally cast their sharp and calm gazes at him, which made Zhou Weimin subconsciously nervous and repeatedly adjusted his old jacket, which was clean but badly faded.

This made him quickly realize that here, his past official positions and experiences might win him some basic respect, but if he wanted to gain real status, he had to start over.

For example, what he urgently needs to consider at the moment is how to gain the trust and reuse of the leaders of this army.

Soon, the soldiers led Zhou Weimin and Li Wen to the huge square hospital command vehicle.

Outside the car, two armed guards stood solemnly like statues, their eyes scanning Zhou Weimin and Li Wen sharply. After confirming that everything was correct, they nodded slightly.

An officer with the rank of lieutenant colonel jumped out of the car and saluted Zhou Weimin with a standard military salute. His tone was efficient:

"Deputy Mayor Zhou, the brigade commander is waiting for you inside. Please follow me." After saying that, his gaze lingered on Li Wen for a moment.

Zhou Weimin immediately understood and turned to Li Wen and whispered, "Xiao Li, wait for me here."

Hearing this, Li Wen nodded quickly, stood aside consciously, and looked at everything around him with curiosity and awe.

"Please, come with me over here to rest!" A young lieutenant officer made a gesture of invitation to Li Wen.

"OK, thanks!"

Watching Li Wen being taken away, Zhou Weimin took a deep breath, straightened his collar, and followed the lieutenant colonel officer, climbing the slightly steep ladder at the rear side of the command vehicle with some difficulty.

As soon as he entered the command car, Zhou Weimin was shocked again.

It looks large enough from the outside, and the interior is filled with all kinds of flashing screens, complex instruments, and communication equipment.

Soft, cold white light poured down from overhead, illuminating several huge LCD screens that displayed real-time electronic maps of the Pingxiang area, troop deployment locations, images sent back by drones, and various data streams that he could not understand.

Several staff officers sat in front of the operating table, wearing headphones, communicating in low and rapid voices, their fingers tapping rapidly on the keyboard.

The air was filled with the faint hum of electronic equipment and the sound of air conditioning. Although the entire space was busy, it was orderly and filled with a highly technological wartime atmosphere.

This was completely different from Zhou Weimin's impression of a scene filled with paper maps and commanded by telephone and shouting. It was as if he had stepped into the center of future wars.

His attention was quickly drawn to a tall figure standing in front of the largest electronic screen in the middle of the carriage, with his back to him.

The colonel rank insignia on the man's epaulettes was clearly visible, and his posture was upright. Even just standing there, he naturally exuded an unquestionable sense of authority and the toughness of a veteran in the battlefield.

The lieutenant colonel leading the way stepped forward and whispered, "Brigade Commander, Deputy Mayor Zhou is here."

The man turned around when he heard the voice, and it was Brigade Commander Hu Xiangqian.

He looked to be in his forties, with a resolute face and clear lines. His skin was bronzed from long-term field work. His eyes were as sharp as an eagle, as if he could see through people's hearts at a glance. He was not wearing a helmet, but only a training cap, which made him look more capable.

His gaze instantly fell on Zhou Weimin. The look was not fierce, but carried a weight of scrutiny, which made Zhou Weimin subconsciously straighten his back.

"Comrade Zhou Weimin, welcome."

Hu Xiangqian spoke, his voice the same as on the radio, capable and rough, with a metallic texture. There was not much enthusiasm in his greetings, but he was not deliberately cold either, just a military directness.

"Did everything go smoothly all the way here?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Zhou Weimin hurriedly took a half step forward, forcing a perfectly appropriate, respectful smile on his face, and stretched out his hands:

"Commander-in-Chief Hu! Hello, hello! Everything went smoothly, very smoothly! Thank you for sending a car to pick us up! I'm really... I'm really sorry to have caused you and the troops some trouble!" He tried to make his tone sound enthusiastic but not flattering, respectful but not humble.

Hu Xiangqian stretched out his hand and shook hands with him. His hand was very strong and his palm was rough, and it broke apart at the first touch.

"You're welcome. These are extraordinary times, so keep it simple." He gestured to a folding chair fastened to the bulkhead. "Sit down! This is an emergency, so let's get down to business."

"Okay, okay, it's my duty, it's my duty." Zhou Weimin responded quickly, sat down on the folding chair a little stiffly, put his hands on his knees, leaned forward slightly, and made a gesture of listening attentively.

Hu Xiangqian also pulled up a chair and sat down, his eyes still fixed on Zhou Weimin, and he got straight to the point:

"Deputy Mayor Zhou, Comrade Li Wen and our advance team have already provided a preliminary report on the situation at your gathering site. It's truly remarkable that you've managed to maintain a viable force and uphold basic order under such challenging conditions."

Hearing the affirmative meaning in these words, Zhou Weimin felt a little relieved and said humbly:

"Commander Hu, thank you for your praise. This is what we should do, but our capabilities are limited, and we are far from doing enough in many areas. Especially when facing the threats posed by Ma Laosan and the Yuehou armed forces, we often feel powerless and ashamed of the people's trust..."

He showed guilt and helplessness at the right time, which not only explained the difficulties but also hinted at his intention to seek support.

Hu Xiangqian nodded, seemingly unconcerned with his modesty, and continued, "The difficulties of the past will, from now on, become history!"

"Our troops have been ordered to recapture and garrison Pingxiang. This will become a key forward base for the Central Plains War Zone's southward advance. All survivors will be brought under the unified management and protection of the war zone."

Although his tone was calm, it contained absolute strength and determination.

"Our principle for your gathering place is: acceptance, reorganization, and integration. The original administrative structure will continue to perform management functions, but must unconditionally accept the unified leadership of the theater command!"

"In particular, all armed personnel and weapons and equipment must undergo reorganization and inspection! All supplies will be uniformly registered and allocated, prioritizing military operations and base construction while also ensuring basic civilian supplies."

Hu Xiangqian's words were clear and direct, leaving no room for ambiguity. He was simply giving orders rather than negotiating.

Hearing this, Zhou Weimin's heart instantly tightened. He knew that the most critical moment had arrived!

Without any hesitation, he immediately expressed his position in a firm and sincere tone:

"Commander-in-Chief, please rest assured! All of us in the bonded area firmly support the war zone's decision and unconditionally accept its leadership and reorganization!"

"We will fully cooperate with the troops. We will do whatever you need us to do! No questions asked!"

...