Chapter 998 High-Level Visiting Group to China

"Comrade Dong Ping, how do you feel? Do you need to leave and rest for a while?" Commander Wei Jingfang said in a calm tone, with concern in his eyes.

"Report to the commander! He is fine now and will not affect the progress of the meeting!" Chief of Staff Dong Ping quickly adjusted his state, waved his hand slightly embarrassedly and declined, his eyes regaining their usual sharpness.

After confirming that Dong Ping was alright, Commander Wei Jingfang looked around the room, his expression solemn, and he set the tone in a loud and clear voice:

"Okay. Comrade Dong Ping is fine. The meeting continues!"

"Comrades, you have all read the intelligence briefing regarding the Zhongzhou theater. While the information is limited and the details may need to be verified, this glimpse is sufficient to provide key evidence for our initial strategic assessment and decision-making!"

"The core topic of this meeting: How to evaluate and position the Zhongzhou War Zone? Comrades, please fully express your opinions on this!"

After the words were spoken, the conference room fell into a brief, thoughtful silence.

The members of the war zone standing committee present had solemn expressions and deep eyes, and it was obvious that they were rapidly digesting the information and weighing the pros and cons.

...

A moment later, the calm voice of Lieutenant General Zhang Shouzheng, Director of the Joint Political Work Department of the Theater Command, broke the silence:

"Report to the Commander! Comrades!"

As the person in charge of the political direction and ideological construction of the war zone, Zhang Shouzheng is well aware that the core essence of the proposition "how to view the Zhongzhou War Zone" is a major political and strategic positioning issue, and he has the unshirkable right to define this aspect.

"Comrade Shouzheng, please speak." Wei Jingfang gave him an encouraging look.

Zhang Shouzheng nodded slightly, his eyes swept over his colleagues, and his tone was steady and powerful:

"Commander, comrades. Regarding the emergence of the Zhongzhou Theater and the subsequent transfer of the entire 77th Corps, I believe every comrade here has extremely complicated feelings, even deep regret!"

"The reason is self-evident. The 77th Corps is one of the main corps that our Western Theater relies on in the end times. Its transfer will have a significant impact on the force structure of our theater."

"Honestly speaking, it's human nature to feel a strong sense of loss and indignation due to personal emotions and the theater's position. It's also a duty, but!"

He changed the subject and his tone suddenly became stronger:

"But given the current extremely severe apocalyptic crisis, we must transcend our own personal emotions and, from a strategic perspective and from the perspective of safeguarding the overall interests of the country and the survival of the nation, deeply understand and proactively digest this established fact!"

"We currently have limited information on the specific decision-making process and in-depth considerations behind the 77th Corps' transfer, so I won't make any further judgments here!"

"But I firmly believe that this was by no means a rash move. It must have been a strategic decision made by the commanders of the 77th Corps under extremely difficult conditions, after a difficult balance of considerations, for the survival and development of the troops and to fulfill a more important mission, with a high spirit of sacrifice!"

Zhang Shouzheng's voice was penetrating: "We have reason to believe that the leaders of the 77th Corps must have been extremely painful when making this decision!!"

"After all, emotionally speaking, which child would be willing to leave their parents and siblings? Therefore, regarding the 77th Legion's integration into the Zhongzhou Theater, there must be practical considerations that must be taken!"

He guided everyone to conduct a strategic comparison:

"Comrades, please consider this in comparison: our theater of operations enjoys a vast strategic depth in the northwest, yet the living environment is still harsh and development is difficult. Meanwhile, the post-apocalyptic environment in Yucheng, where the 77th Corps was originally stationed, is far more hostile and the pressure immense—more than a hundred times greater than in the northwest!!"

"Therefore," Zhang Shouzheng concluded decisively:

"We should never view the transfer of the 77th Army Corps with a narrow, confrontational mindset, viewing it as a 'seizure of the Zhongzhou theater'!"

"On the contrary, we should understand it as follows: during a specific historical period of the apocalyptic catastrophe, the Zhongzhou Theater, with its formidable strength and relatively superior conditions, provided the desperate 77th Legion with crucial shelter and a platform to continue its flame!"

"This is to protect our brother troops and a special form of protection for our manpower in the Western Theater Command!!"

Zhang Shouzheng's profound analysis from a strategic and political perspective is very powerful!

For a moment, the Standing Committee members present were like seeing the light after the clouds had cleared. The anger on their faces gradually faded, replaced by deep thought, and even a hint of self-blame and guilt quietly revealed in their eyes.

Yes! We are struggling to survive in the northwest, relying on our geographical advantages. The situation is difficult. The 77th Corps is in a desperate situation like Yucheng. The pressure of survival is unimaginable!

As for the Zhongzhou Theater, as the core strategic force directly controlled by the supreme commander, although only the tip of the iceberg was revealed in the briefing, its powerful combat capability, advanced equipment, and profound foundation all demonstrate its strong ability to survive and develop.

It seems that the transfer of the 77th Legion was most likely the only way out when faced with a desperate situation! The Zhongzhou War Zone truly provided a powerful shelter!

The commanders and fighters on the front lines are working tirelessly to ensure the survival of their troops in desperate situations, while we in the rear are still entangled in the distinction between "you" and "me", trapped by localism...

This is really a disgrace to the awareness and responsibility of senior leaders of Zhou Bang’s army!

"Therefore, my core point is:" Lieutenant General Zhang Shouzheng's voice was calm and firm:

"When dealing with the critical issue of the Zhongzhou Theater, we must not allow the transfer of the 77th Corps to cause strategic misjudgments or emotional estrangement!"

He swept his eyes across the room and emphasized:

"Far from creating estrangement, we should take proactive action! We must actively dispel any doubts the Zhongzhou Theater may have on this issue and completely open up a strategic channel for future cooperation between the two theaters!"

"For this reason, I formally propose:" Zhang Shouzheng raised his voice:

"Based on Deputy Commander Zou Yuan's prior visit, the theater should immediately organize a high-level delegation with sufficient political weight and military representation to follow him and immediately head to the Zhongzhou Theater!"

"The core missions of the delegation are: first, to clarify facts, eliminate misunderstandings, and enhance strategic mutual trust; second, to comprehensively explore and plan the broad and far-reaching cooperation space and coordination mechanisms that may exist between the two major war zones in the context of the end times!"

As soon as Zhang Shouzheng finished speaking, Lieutenant General Zhou Yifeng, Deputy Commander of the Theater Command in charge of logistics, immediately chimed in. His voice was resonant and carried the pragmatic style typical of a logistics general:

"I fully agree with Comrade Zhang Shouzheng's analysis and proposals!"

Lieutenant General Zhou Yifeng leaned forward slightly, placed his hands on the table, and looked at me intently:

"I'm a straightforward person, and my skills are limited, so I can't offer many profound insights. But one thing is clear to me: the transfer of the 77th Corps is a done deal! Dwelling on the past and pointlessly arguing about it will not only serve to frustrate the issue but will only increase internal friction!"

He said in a firm tone:

"If we continue to dwell on this matter, there will only be one result: we won't be able to recover the troops, and our relationship with the Central Plains Theater will completely deteriorate. Ultimately, it will be the core interests of the Western Theater that will be harmed!"

"We can't do this kind of loss-making business!"

Zhou Yifeng changed the subject, his eyes gleaming with shrewdness:

"Since the current situation cannot be changed, we must face it with a broader vision and a more pragmatic attitude! We must openly and honestly acknowledge reality and demonstrate our sincerity in seeking cooperation!"

He raised his voice slightly:

"As long as we maintain a high enough attitude, show sufficient sincerity, and get things done! Then, given the profound heritage and strategic positioning of the Central Plains Theater, and considering the overall situation, can they still turn a blind eye to the actual difficulties of our Western Theater and remain unhelpful?!"

"The compensation and cooperative support that should be given should be something tangible, right?"

Although Zhou Yifeng's straightforward and pragmatic statement lacked the political height of Zhang Shouzheng, it hit the nail on the head and pointed out the most realistic concern in everyone's mind - interests.

In the end times, where resources determine survival, the logic of "suffering losses openly and striving for maximum compensation" instantly resonated with many of the generals present.

Instead of indulging in the anger caused by irreparable losses, it is better to change your mindset and strive for real survival and development resources for the war zone!

This account is clear!

"I agree to send a high-level visiting delegation immediately!" said Dong Ping, Chief of Staff of the Theater Command.

"I agree!"

"I agree!"

..

As the members of the War Zone Standing Committee present expressed their opinions one after another, the War Zone Commander Wei Jingfang, who was sitting in the main seat, nodded with satisfaction and made the final decision:

"Alright! Then let's follow Comrade Shouzheng's suggestion and immediately form a high-level delegation to visit China. We don't need to have two heads for one matter. Why not just let Comrade Shouzheng take charge? What do you think?"

"I guarantee to complete the mission!" Zhang Shouzheng stood up and saluted with a serious tone!

.....