Chapter 1310 Appointment
Half an hour later, in the core area of the Central Plains Military Command building in Xishui District.
The door to the meeting room of the theater's standing committee was silently pushed open.
The meeting room was spacious, but the decoration was unusually simple, even exuding a cold, utilitarian feel.
The walls are made of dark gray sound-absorbing material, without any unnecessary decorations or slogans. The ceiling is embedded with rows of adjustable LED light strips, which at this moment emit a bright but not glaring white light.
In the center of the room was an enormous U-shaped dark solid wood conference table. The table was heavy, with smooth and sharp edges. The tabletop was spotless, with only a secure computer in standby mode, a microphone, a covered white porcelain teacup, and a thin folder with the words "Top Secret Internal Discussion Draft" printed on the cover in front of each seat.
The opening of the U-shaped table faces a giant electronic sand table display screen that occupies the entire wall. At this moment, the screen is dark, like a silent black mirror, reflecting the seven figures already seated at the table.
These seven men, all dressed in crisp, uniforms of various military branches, with two golden stars shining brightly on their shoulder insignia, were none other than the seven powerful lieutenant generals who served as standing committee members of the Central Plains Theater Command.
Wu Bin, the chief of staff of the theater command, sat at the head of the table on the left, his brows slightly furrowed, his fingers unconsciously tapping lightly on the hard cover of the folder; Shao Gang, the deputy commander of the theater command, sat slightly back, his gaze fixed on a point on the ceiling, as if he was weighing things in his mind.
Army Commander Wang Tiefeng sat ramrod straight, his face expressionless, but those familiar with him could see the focus and pressure he was under from his slightly pursed lips; Air Force Commander Zhou Tianyi toyed with an unopened pen in his hand, his eyes sharp; Rocket Force Commander Zhao Changfeng looked down at the list in front of him, his finger slowly tracing over a certain name...
Navy Commander Chen Haitao's seat was empty. He was currently far away on the eastern coast, busy selecting a site for the base that embodied the dream of the deep blue sea.
The meeting room was unusually quiet. Apart from the very faint breathing and the rustling of papers, there was no other noise. There was no usual pre-meeting greeting or laughter, and even eye contact was rare.
The atmosphere was so heavy it was almost palpable.
The reason is simple—the core topic of today's meeting is far too important.
The thin list on the table, consisting of only a few pages of A4 paper, concerns the appointment of key positions for the commanders of four heavy combined arms group armies—the army commander, the director of the joint political work department, and the chief of staff!
To date, the Central Plains Theater has exhausted all its resources, and even including the newly added forces obtained through system exchanges, it only has seven fully equipped and manned Class A heavy armored army groups.
Once the leadership teams of these four army groups are finalized, it will almost certainly mean that more than half of the main field strategic forces will be marked with new leadership for a long time to come, and their strategic style, combat orientation, and even internal personnel structure will be reshaped as a result.
It is no exaggeration to say that the names on these few sheets of paper today are enough to influence or even determine the balance of power among the various forces in the future theater, the tendency of resource allocation, and the command style and success or failure of major battles!
Its weight is over a thousand pounds!
Behind each name may lie complex backgrounds, military achievements, factional origins, capability assessments, and comprehensive considerations for future strategic planning.
Even these seasoned and powerful Standing Committee members felt immense pressure when faced with this list, and had to set aside all distractions and concentrate on reviewing, thinking about, and weighing the options.
“Tick, tick…”
The soft footsteps approached from the hallway outside the door, steady and clear, with a unique rhythm.
The seven lieutenant generals in the conference room almost simultaneously raised their heads, put down the documents in their hands or stopped their unconscious fidgeting, and all turned their gazes toward the door.
"Squeak-"
The heavy solid wood door was pushed open completely.
Wearing a dark green army general's uniform with three stars on his shoulders, Gu Chengyuan walked in with his hands behind his back and a steady gait. Sunlight streamed in from the corridor windows, casting a long shadow behind him, which further accentuated his tall and dignified figure and calm expression.
"Hello, Chief!"
The seven lieutenant generals on the Standing Committee stood up in unison, their movements perfectly synchronized, as if they were being inspected.
Everyone stood ramrod straight, their gazes fixed on the figure who had entered, filled with heartfelt respect and a solemnity that was even more pronounced in light of the current topic.
Gu Chengyuan's face showed no extra expression; he simply glanced calmly at each of the Standing Committee members present and nodded slightly in response.
He walked straight to the center of the U-shaped table, to the seat of honor with his back to the giant screen.
Pu Guangqiang, the bodyguard who had been following closely and keeping a half-step distance, had already quietly pulled out the main seat, which was wider and had a higher back than the other chairs.
Gu Chengyuan sat down naturally, and Pu Guangqiang gently pushed the chair back to a suitable position, then retreated to the pre-arranged guard post by the door, like a sculpture blending into the background.
Gu Chengyuan placed his hands flat on the clean table, his gaze sweeping over the Standing Committee members who had already sat down again but were highly focused, before finally landing on the same top-secret list in front of him.
He didn't open it immediately, but simply tapped the cover of the folder with his fingertip.
"Everyone's here." He spoke, his voice not loud, but clear and powerful, instantly taking control of the entire conference room: "Then let's begin."
"There is only one agenda item today—the leadership teams for the four army groups. Everyone has already seen the preliminary list."
He paused, leaned forward slightly, and his gaze sharpened like a knife as he slowly swept over each face:
"I know that every name on this list touches the hearts of many people and is related to the very foundation of the war zone for the next few years."
"Therefore, before we begin the formal discussion, I would like to emphasize three principles."
"First, everything is based on combat effectiveness! What we need are people who can lead troops into battle and win battles, not bureaucrats who can only hold meetings and write reports."
"Second, we must balance and unite! We should combine the old and the new, and coordinate the different branches of the armed forces. We should give full play to the stability and experience of the veterans, and also give young and outstanding cadres who have been tested in war and proven themselves more responsibility."
“Third, and most importantly—” Gu Chengyuan’s voice suddenly became more forceful, each word striking a chord in everyone’s heart:
"The final decision must be in line with the overall strategic interests of the theater and with our ultimate goal of 'recovering lost territory and reviving civilization'!"
"Personal qualifications, past achievements, and even certain personal connections must give way to strategic interests!"
“Now,” he leaned back in his chair, but the pressure in his gaze remained undiminished:
"Let's start with the First Army Group. Comrade Li Weimin, you are in charge of personnel and organizational work, please give your preliminary assessment and reasons for recommendation."
As soon as he finished speaking, everyone's eyes were instantly drawn to Lieutenant General Li Weimin, Director of the Joint Political Work Department of the Theater Command.
This pivotal game, destined to determine the future strategic landscape, has begun. The air in the conference room seemed compressed to its limit, each breath requiring extra effort.
