Chapter 1136 Meeting 2 (Thanks to the gift from Murong Yunhai 552!)
too young!
It’s really too young!!!
That face, with its clear outlines and the resoluteness of a soldier, still retains the sharpness and vigor of a young man. It looks like he is no more than twenty-five years old!
At this age, before the end of the world, he might have just graduated from a top military academy, served as a platoon leader in a grassroots company, or still studied in a higher education institution.
Even in the end times where talent selection is not restricted by any rules, being able to become the leader of a battalion is rare enough to be called a genius.
And the person before him... was actually the commander of the Zhongzhou War Zone?!
Was he the supreme commander who had united Ye and Yu, formed an alliance with the Western and Southern war zones, and possessed the massive air force, the steel torrent, and this idyllic base they had witnessed?!
How can this be? !
Lieutenant General Zhou Wei felt as if his brain paused for a moment. He even subconsciously suspected that there was something wrong with his eyes, or that the Zhongzhou Theater Command had made a mistake in welcoming the wrong person, letting a young senior staff officer or the chief's nephew stand in front.
Deputy Commander Wang Zhiming's pupils also shrank slightly, and the solemn smile on his face froze instantly, and a sense of incredible absurdity came to his mind.
He almost instinctively shouted in his heart: "What a joke! This kid... I'm afraid he's even younger than my kid!"
Going back another hundred years, throughout the history of the Zhou Dynasty, there has never been such a young frontier official who was in charge of a major war zone, commanded hundreds of thousands of troops, and had influence radiating to several provinces!
This is beyond the scope of "genius" and is simply a myth!
However, just as doubt and shock were crashing against their cognitive dam like a tide, the cruel details of reality were constantly reinforcing, ruthlessly shattering their lucky guesses.
The position where the other person stood was the absolute core of the entire welcoming team and the undisputed first place.
The generals beside him, with extraordinary bearings and general stars on their shoulders, were obviously veterans of the battlefield and held great power. No matter they were old generals with gray hair or lieutenant generals and major generals in their prime, they were all slightly behind him by half a body length. Everyone's posture naturally revealed a kind of respect and obedience to him.
More importantly, the straight-cut army general's uniform and the three stars on the epaulettes that shone brightly in the sun and almost burned one's eyes could not be fake!
It represents one of the highest ranks in the current military rank system of the Zhou Bang army. It is the pinnacle of countless soldiers' lifelong pursuits and it is impossible for an insignificant young man to achieve it.
Confirmation again and again, impact again and again.
The facts were like a heavy hammer, hammering at their nerves again and again, forcing them to accept this seemingly absurd, yet extremely real reality—
correct!
The man in front of them was extremely young, perhaps even not even as old as the sons of some of them. He was indeed the creator of this miraculous land, the supreme commander of the Zhongzhou War Zone, Gu Chengyuan!
The huge cognitive contrast made Zhou Wei, Wang Zhiming and others feel a little helpless for a moment. The prepared greetings were stuck in their throats, and the expressions on their faces were a mixture of shock, confusion, and a trace of awe that they themselves were not aware of due to facing something too extraordinary.
They stood where they were, almost subconsciously straightening their already straight backs, and adjusting their appearance with a hint of haste. Then, with slightly stiff steps, they quickly walked towards the incredibly young commander and the shining array of generals behind him.
The waves in my heart are far from being calmed by the steps I take on the surface.
In this slightly stagnant and subtle atmosphere, Gu Chengyuan moved.
A gentle smile appeared on his face, which was just right. It did not seem overly enthusiastic and lose his identity, but it also effectively resolved the other party's embarrassment caused by shock.
He took the first step, calmly and powerfully heading towards the Eastern Theater Command delegation that had just stood firm. The members of the Central Plains Theater Command Standing Committee behind him also followed suit, their steps in unison, silently demonstrating the core's cohesion.
"General Zhou, General Wang, and fellow colleagues from the Eastern Theater, thank you for your hard work along the way! Welcome to the Zhongzhou Theater." Gu Chengyuan's voice was clear and magnetic, with a calmness and penetrating power that was inconsistent with his age, and it was clearly heard by every representative of the Eastern Theater.
He took the initiative to extend his right hand.
Zhou Wei was, after all, an experienced political leader. He instantly suppressed the turmoil in his heart, and quickly put on an extremely enthusiastic and slightly flattered smile on his face. He almost trotted forward two steps, tightly grasped Gu Chengyuan's hand with both hands, and shook it vigorously:
"Commander Gu! You are so polite! We are truly unworthy of your personal welcome, you and the generals! We are truly unworthy!"
His words were filled with sincere gratitude, but also with a hint of imperceptible scrutiny. He felt the young commander's palm up close - warm, dry, firm and powerful, as if it contained infinite power.
Wang Zhiming followed closely behind, shaking hands with Gu Chengyuan and speaking excitedly, "Commander Gu, I've long heard of your great name! Meeting you today is truly... truly worthy of your reputation! You are a young hero, a pillar of our nation!"
His admiration came from the heart. Although the word "young man" was a bit awkward to use to describe a theater commander, it perfectly reflected their true feelings at this moment.
Gu Chengyuan seemed to be accustomed to such reactions. He smiled calmly, unperturbed by praise or criticism.
"You two generals are overly flattering. In the apocalypse, everyone is struggling for survival and hope. The Zhongzhou Theater is merely a little further along the path, and doesn't deserve the title of 'pillar.'"
His humility made Zhou Wei and Wang Zhiming feel awe-inspiring.
He is neither arrogant nor impetuous, and he is so calm and composed despite being in a high position at such a young age. This kind of mentality is even more terrifying.
Gu Chengyuan then stepped aside and began introducing the two parties. He was extremely familiar with each of his standing committee members, not only mentioning their positions, but occasionally mentioning a few of their most outstanding achievements or characteristics, his words filled with trust and reliance.
"This is our theater chief of staff, Lieutenant General Wu Bin, the 'brain' of the theater, the one who orchestrates all the strategic plans."
"This is Lieutenant General Shao Gang, Deputy Commander of the Theater Command. He's our chief steward and all logistical support depends on him."
"This is Lieutenant General Wang Tiefeng, the commander of the theater army, a fierce general who has conquered cities and territories."
"This is Lieutenant General Zhou Tianyi, commander of the theater air force, who controls the skies above us."
"This is Lieutenant General Chen Haitao, Commander of the Theater Naval Forces. You've all met him. In the future, we'll have to rely on him more when dealing with the ocean."
"This is Lieutenant General Zhao Changfeng, Commander of the Theater Rocket Force, our strongest supporter."
Every general from the Central Plains Theater who was called out held his head high and chest out, saluted or nodded to his colleagues from the Eastern Theater, his eyes filled with confidence and pride.
Zhou Wei and Wang Zhiming also hurriedly introduced the main members of their entourage.
After this brief introduction, the representatives of the Eastern Theater were filled with emotion.
They found that the leadership team of the Zhongzhou Theater Command was not only young with generals in their prime, but also had a complete structure with all the land, sea, air, space (Rocket Force), logistics, and staff systems in place, and operated efficiently. It was a mature, powerful, and dynamic war machine.
This is in stark contrast to the situation in their Eastern Theater Command where senior executives are relatively old, and some positions are vacant due to casualties or are held by others.
Especially when the Rocket Force was introduced, Zhou Wei, director of the Joint Political Department of the Eastern Theater Command, and Wang Zhiming, deputy commander, were both shocked, and some speculations suddenly emerged in their minds...
Rocket Force... Could it be...?
After a brief greeting and introduction, Gu Chengyuan made a gesture of invitation:
"General Zhou, General Wang, everyone, this isn't the place for a conversation. We've prepared a meeting room. Why don't we go in and chat over tea? I'm sure you all have many thoughts on the current situation that you'd like to share."
His proposal was natural and irresistible, and he got straight to the point.
"Of course, we will follow Commander Gu's arrangements!" Zhou Wei and Wang Zhiming immediately agreed.
So, under the leadership of Gu Chengyuan, the senior generals of the Zhongzhou Theater and the Eastern Theater merged into a larger group of people with shining stars, and walked into the deep red office building, which symbolized the highest power core of the Zhongzhou Theater, in a mighty yet orderly manner.
The sunlight shone on their epaulettes and backs. This scene seemed to foreshadow the official start of an important meeting that could change the fate of the Zhou Dynasty and even the human race.
The generals in the Eastern Theater, with mixed, shocked, and expectant feelings, followed the excessively young commander into the unknown, but also into a hall that might lead to light.
