The Rise of the Middle Kingdom
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People's Commisar Hong Jing Rong walked along a dirt path through the bush back towards Regimental Headquarts for the 357th Rifle Regiment. Originally the regiment was put on the list of units to be disbanded to reduce the financial strain on the Republic. The turmoil to recently engulf the Persian lands acorss the border however thankfully prevented the wholesale disbandment of of the local forces but nonetheless, the bureaucrats managed to strip his regiement, fornication, the entire division of a large amount of its manpower reduced infact to skeleton strength. The division on paper could barely boast 1000 men for a division at war time levels could reach 9000.
Commisar Jing Rong continued his walk, adjusted his winter uniform as he did so, it was damned cold in this region and would get colder still the Quarter Master told him. Annoyed at the thought of getting even colder (a thought that offended his Southern Chinese sensibilities) he saluted the picket guards and then made his way to HQ. Entering the building after of course even more inspections by guards he was shuffled into the office of Comrade Colonel Lim.
Lim was an impressively large man, with broad soldiers, a trait that left the usually gruff but enthusiastic man with Rong with an unshakeable sense of intimidation. Saluting the officer he was gestured to sit down.
Technically under Army regulations, the Jing Rongs rank as a People's Commisar Colonel, gave him not only equal rank but also in a matter of speaking more authority as any major order had to recieve his signature to confirm it, essentially he acted as oversight. In practice the Colonel was a tough man who managed to box most of Rongs authority, Rong essentially while really major orders required his signature was powerless without Lim's cooperation, thankfully Rong thought to himself, We dont hate each other and can work together to serve the people.
Lim stared at Rong for a moment, and spoke in his usually gruff voice, "Comrade Commissar Hong Jing Rong, I have just recieved orders from Division HQ, starting this week, the regiment, as well as all other regiments in this division will be restored to immediate full strength. Also the Southern Siberian Front, will also be reinforced by 6 divisions from the Yakutsk Autonomus Republic."
Rong was stunned, a sudden surge just weeks after theyre regiments were stripped to the bone? Seeing his questioning face Lim continued.
"Our orders are to within one month reach full combat readiness and to prepare for offencive combat operations, Beijing has decided that the oppressed People's of in Persia have been fighting against oppression for long enough we are to cross the river ASAP and liberate them."
Lim got out a cigar, offered it to Rong, who politely declined, after lighting it and puffing a few times Lim spoke: "we have our orders Comreade."
Rong, standing saluted. "Yes comrade."
******
Private Huo, of the 357th Rifle Regiment, was a soldier of the People's Liberation Army since its inception. He volunteered and now he was stationed at a remote outpost in Siberia bordering Persia. This wasnt so bad though Huo thought, no one was shooting at him, and even the officers were hesitent to do too much work out in the bitter cold and by extension for the foot soldiers either. And summers were mild and more comfortable then in else where in China or the more remote border provinces in Tibet or Vietnam.
And now started a few weeks ago his unit which had been much smaller due to a reorganization of the Army, is now at full combat readiness, he was reissued his rifle and ammunition (as he had been under work detail before and what need is his rifle if he is shoveling dirt?) and his squad had been doing training excersizes.
He was just finishing his lunch (rice, and noodles) when one of those loud and annoying NCOs came into the mess hall. "Attention! In one hour all men report to your sergeants! We have standing orders!" and left. Belwildered, the soliders in the mess finished their lunches and returned to their units. Sergeant Lee a tough sergeant of 40 years old, greeted them. Hou, lined up in his proper place in the box at attention awaiting instructions. They werent waiting long.
"Men, we have orders to cross the border into Persia, we are going to liberate them from Persian oppression."
The men were stunned but not all that surprised, the obvious buildup of troops could onyl really have meant one thing.
"Order in the ranks!" he barked and continued. "In one hour we cross the border, we will go to our positions and await the signal."
Huo and hies squad went to their positions, with the sergeant standing by holding an expensive watch waiting for the time to move. 50 minutes remaining... then 40, then 35, and then 34.... Damn it all, Huo thought can time possibly move any slower? The Anticipation for Huo and the men around him was obvious, everyone was holding their rifles nervously, others were figdeting, some were coughing nervously... 10 minutes remianing... 5 minutes... Until finally, Sergeant Lee grunted, nodding to himself he put away his wach grabbed his SMG, and yelled "Soldiers of the People! We march to Liberation today!" the men got up and marched in a loose formation towards the Persian territory. Huo's unit was pretty much all he could really see about only a platoon really he could make out all around him, of course Huo corrected himself his unit was acting as the forward pathfinders for the Regiment. Marching, marching, marching very quickly Huo was getting bored of the woodland scenery really fast. For a couple of hours no they marched and found nothing except trees, and rocks, and bushes, and trees, and some more rocks and oooh! a rabit, this was certainly worthy of the army advancing in to liberate. Finally though the Sergeant orders a halt and gestures for eeryone to move forward cautiously. In front of them they see a small fort, more of a larger fortified cabin betterr described it but nonetheless it housed the enemy and according to Sergeant Lee it needed to be taken, the enemy had been informed of the government's decision to protect the people within persia's borders from the violence of Persian instability and if they hadnt informed their outposts yet, well it cannot be helped.
The plan was simple, according to Sergeant Lee, their squad was under orders to help take the fort, they were to under the cover of the ravene, flank the fort and from behind where the fort had poor visibility provide support for the other advancing squads assualting from the front under cover.
Huo unslings his rifle and with the rest of the squad follows them, first they enter carefully into the ravene, AFATK the ravene was ungaurded but noentheless proceed with caution, they journeyed down the ravene, with a small amount of water barely covering the ankles of the advancing squad, the timing thought Huo was perfect if they had attacked later the later wouldve been much higher and this task much more difficult, by attacking now the water was much lower and they could take the enemy by surprise. After about 10 minutes they were in position, Huo helped push one soldier after another up and above the ravene position his hands to push up he feet of his comrades one by one, and finally he and another soldier, Private Jyu were left, Huo helped Jyu up and then he was pulled up by one of his squad mates.
using the poorly trimmed bushes as cover they crouched their way into position. Huo however noticed that the building or fort has a cellar door outside of it, and immiedately mentioned it to Sgt. Lee. "I see... if we can sneak into the cellar we can surprise them hopefully, it may possibly be locked though...." Huo thought about this for a second and answered. "Sir, Private Jyu is experianced in opening locks, allow me, Jyu, and 1 another and we can take it."
"Alright, but I am coming in with you." Lee immiedately called in another soldier a corporal, and explained the plan, "we move out, Corporal inform the men to prepare to give a fusilade to cover us."
Sgt Lee, Pvt Huo, Pvt Jyu, and Cpl Han moved quietely towards the fort, using what cover they could and moving swiftly they appeared to lack any windows or a sentry and wasnt long before they reached the door. The door to the cellar was locked but Jyu informed them that he would be able to open it within minutes. "Hurry then, we dont have much time" Lee stated to Jyu. Jyu started to fiddle with the lock when it just simply broke apart, surprised at how lax the enemy were in gaurding a vulnerable position, they opened the cellar door, flinched at the what should have been an obvious screeching noise and made their way in.
Inside moving carefully as to avoid making noise they made they're way towrds the stair case to lead back up when Han accientily knocked over a case of wine shattering it on the floor, the sudden silence and then movement of boots above made the half squad react and flinging stealth and caution to the wind sprinted up the stairs in a vain hope to maintain surprise. They beat open the door with their rifle buts and fired the garrison as they say definately local militia surprised at the presence of Chinese troops made little effort to resist but one managed to get off one shot before some 5 bullets riddled his chest. Unfortunately that stray shot hit Cpl Han, and the garrison being pressed now from both outside and inside quickly surrendered.
They tried to give Han medical attention but his would had nicked an artery and were unable to save him, Cpl Han died a heroes death. Sgt Lee would later that night remark to Huo, "more could have died though, Huo if it wasnt for your observation." Lee puffed on a cigaratte and finally, with the solemn officaldomn that only NCOs could muster Lee would add. "As such we are short a Corporal, so I am putting forward your battlefield commision as Corporal Huo, congratutions." Lee would then salute Huo and then left with mroe important matters to attend to. Leaving Huo stunned in his corder of the captured fort.
To be continued.
