Siheyuan, Shazhu: I have both parents in this life

Chapter 424 Quenching
After chatting for a few more minutes, Lao Fang continued rambling on and on without leaving, which made He Yuzhu realize something was wrong; Lao Fang wasn't usually like this.

"Hey, Uncle Fang, what brings you here today? This dawdling isn't like you!"

"You little rascal, I knew I couldn't hide it from you."

"Then tell me. I will definitely help if I can, but please don't make things difficult for me if I can't help."

"I'd like to use your information channels."

"Business, what are you up to?"

"Don't play dumb with me, kid. Why would I need to borrow business stuff? Don't worry, I'll just have them check the account transactions and the whereabouts of the people."

"What about the risk level?" He Yuzhu did not give a direct answer.

"There's no danger, and I won't tell anyone about it."

"Are you kidding me? What use would you have for those things if you didn't tell anyone?"

"Okay, just tell Lao Fan that he won't reveal the source."

"Give it to me." He Yuzhu held out his hand.

"I knew I'd come to the right place." Old Fang smiled and pulled out a few neatly folded sheets of paper.

He Yuzhu unfolded and scanned it, then asked, "Is there a time limit?"

"The sooner the better."

"I understand. Is there anything else?"

"What, are you trying to kick us out?"

"I have to get things done," He Yuzhu said, waving the paper in his hand.

"Okay." Old Fang got up and walked out.

Afterwards, He Yuzhu called Bai Yifeng, gave him some instructions, sent a fax, and then stopped worrying about the matter.

Gu Nianhe is fair-skinned and chubby, very lovable, and has become the new source of joy for the He family.

He Ningxue now spends most of her time at home taking care of her children, except for necessary meetings and social engagements.

Lu Shuyi has begun assisting Xiaoman with some cross-departmental coordination work. Her meticulous thinking and excellent communication skills have made Xiaoman's life much easier.

In July, He Yuxin returned to Beijing from Caofeidian, weary from her journey.

The successful completion and trial operation of the first pier means that the heaviest burden on his shoulders has been temporarily lifted.

Seeing that his younger brother had obviously lost a lot of weight, He Yuzhu patted him on the shoulder: "You've worked hard. Take a good rest for a while and spend time with your sister-in-law and children."

Gong Xue is now content to teach at the school, far removed from the distractions of the entertainment industry.

While He Yuxin was on vacation, the couple took their child on a trip.

In August, a live-fire combat exercise codenamed "Quenching-95" was underway in a hilly area in southern China.

The director's office was located in a secluded mountain valley, where electronic screens flashed with information about the situation from all sides.

Wu Qianli, as the deputy chief director of the directing department, stared at the screen with a furrowed brow.

"Where are Lao Xiong and the others?" Wu Qianli asked his advisor in a low voice.

"The main force of the Blue Army's 'Tiger Brigade' has advanced to Area 73 as planned and is constructing a defensive line. The vanguard of the Red Army's 'Lightning Brigade'—the special assault battalion of Xiong Jie's brigade, led by He Yuyan—has infiltrated to the flank and rear of the Blue Army's defensive line and has been out of contact for more than four hours," the staff officer replied in a low voice.

Wu Qianli hummed in agreement and didn't ask any further questions.

He had great confidence in Xiong Jie and his team, but the setup for this exercise was extremely disadvantageous to the attacking side.

The Blue Team not only has the advantage of terrain, but also the electronic warfare advantage enhanced by the directing department.

At this moment, He Yuyan was leading the assault battalion into ambush in a dense eucalyptus forest. They had been airdropped by helicopter and were without heavy equipment.

Their camouflage uniforms were soaked with sweat, and mosquitoes were rampant.

The battalion's communications soldiers tried to contact the brigade command again, but all they heard in their headsets was crackling electrical noise.

"Battalion Commander, it's still not working! The interference is too strong!" the communications soldier reported in a low voice.

He Yuyan wiped the sweat from her face, unfolded the map, and used the compass and landmarks to confirm her location again.

"The Blue Team's electronic suppression range is larger than expected. According to the original plan, we cannot arrive at the attack launch position on time."

He looked at the company commanders beside him and said, “We can’t wait any longer. We must risk crossing Valley No. 4 and strike directly at the flank of the Blue Army’s command post.”

"Battalion Commander, the valley area is a key monitoring area for the Blue Army, it's too dangerous," the company commander warned.

"I know it's dangerous, but a frontal assault would be suicide. Only a surprise attack can create an opening. Execute the order!" He Yuyan's tone was resolute. He knew that his elder brother's old comrade-in-arms, Commander Wu Qianli, was watching from the command post. This battle was not only about winning or losing, but also about proving their pilot unit's worth.

The assault battalion moved quietly into the valley.

As night fell, Valley No. 4 was shrouded in darkness and electronic interference.

He Yuyan ordered all personnel to implement strict radio silence and blackout, and to carefully traverse the valley by relying on night vision equipment and foot reconnaissance.

"Watch your step, keep your distance!" He Yuyan's voice was extremely low as he transmitted it through the individual communicator. Like a group of ghosts, they moved slowly along the cliff face, using the vegetation as cover.

Suddenly, the forward scouts issued a warning signal – a Blue Army patrol and suspected sensors had been spotted.

"Take cover!" The command was transmitted silently in an instant, and everyone quickly blended into the shadows.

The Blue Army patrol, leading military dogs and carrying searchlights, slowly passed by. He Yuyan held her breath, able to clearly hear her heart pounding like a drum. The military dogs stopped less than ten meters from their ambush point, sniffing the air warily. Everyone's heart was in their throat.

In a split second, a scout silently retrieved a small piece of specially made compressed rations, flicked his wrist, and tossed it into the distant bushes. The slight noise attracted the attention of a military dog, which barked softly and was led towards the bushes. The patrol checked the area, found nothing amiss, and gradually drove away.

With the crisis averted, He Yuyan broke out in a cold sweat. He knew this was only the first hurdle.

Inside the command post, the light representing the Red Army assault battalion briefly disappeared after entering Valley No. 4, causing Wu Qianli and the others to hold their breath. A few minutes later, the light flickered faintly again, indicating that they had miraculously passed through the Blue Army's first surveillance network.

"This kid's got guts, and he's got good luck too." Wu Qianli stared at the screen, his lips twitching slightly.

The assault battalion continued its stealthy advance, but at a slower pace than anticipated. The Blue Force's deployed sensors and unscheduled patrols forced the unit to constantly stop, conceal itself, and maneuver. The precious window of opportunity was slowly slipping away.

At 3:00 AM, the assault battalion finally arrived at the designated attack zone—the edge of a minefield located to the side and rear of the Blue Army command post. Engineers quickly advanced to clear the mines, but the complex structure of the mixed minefield (simulated by the command post) laid by the Blue Army required time to clear.

"Battalion Commander, it will take at least twenty minutes!" the engineer company commander reported.

He Yuyan used the low-light night vision goggles to look at the steep edge of the minefield, then glanced at his wristwatch. There was less than half an hour left before the final assault.

Without their flank attack, the main attacking force would have faced full defensive fire from the Blue Army, making their chances of victory slim.

"We can't wait that long!" He Yuyan made a decisive move, pointing to a cliff face with relatively sparse vegetation and an extremely steep slope on the flank of the minefield. "Change our attack route and force our way up from there! The defenses there should be the weakest!"

"Battalion Commander, it's too dangerous! The slope is over 70 degrees and there's almost no cover," the company commander said worriedly.

“It is precisely because it is dangerous that the Blue Army might be negligent! Execute the order! The reconnaissance platoon will go first to open up the climbing path using ropes. The rest of you will follow, and be sure to remain absolutely silent!” He Yuyan’s tone was resolute.

The soldiers of the reconnaissance platoon began to climb up by hand like geckos. Occasionally, loose stones would roll down, which were particularly clear in the silent night, making the hearts of those waiting below taut.

Fortunately, no alarm was sounded from the top of the cliff. A few minutes later, several ropes were lowered.

"Quickly! One by one!" He Yuyan waved her hand.

The officers and soldiers of the assault battalion gritted their teeth and, with the help of ropes, climbed up the cliff top with difficulty but quickly.

They were exhausted, and sweat blurred their vision, but no one spoke.

Inside the command post, the dot of light representing the Red Army assault battalion paused briefly at the edge of the minefield before suddenly beginning to move at an extremely slow speed toward the core area of ​​the Blue Army's defensive line. The chosen path made all the observers hold their breath.

"They...they're climbing the cliff?" an aide asked incredulously.

Wu Qianli stared intently at the screen, his face expressionless, only a hint of tension showing through his tightly pursed lips.

At 3:25 a.m., He Yuyan led most of the assault battalion officers and soldiers to successfully reach the summit and quickly cleared a Blue Army forward observation point on the cliff top that had only a few scattered guards.

"Report to brigade command! 'Sharp Blade' is in position! Repeat, 'Sharp Blade' is in position!" The communications soldier finally seized a brief gap in the Blue Army's electronic jamming and transmitted the signal.

The Red Army's "Lightning Brigade" command received the message almost simultaneously from Xiong Jie and Wu Wanli, who had been anxiously waiting.

"Good lad!" Xiong Jie slammed his hand on the table. "Order all units to proceed as planned, the general offensive will begin five minutes earlier, at 3:30 sharp! Firepower preparation, commence!"

In an instant, the Red Army's artillery fire tore through the night sky, and the frontal offensive suddenly intensified.

The Blue Team's command post was completely drawn to the situation.

"Now! Target: the core node of the Blue Army command post, follow me!" He Yuyan picked up his gun, took the lead, and led the assault battalion like a sharp knife piercing the "heart" of the Blue Army.

The Blues were suddenly attacked from the rear. After a brief period of chaos, they immediately began to counterattack.

He Yuyan's assault battalion plunged deep into the Blue Army's territory like a sharp knife. Inside the command post, indicator lights representing the Blue Army's command system and key nodes turned red one after another, signifying "failure".

"The Blue Army's forward command post has been captured!"

"The logistics hub has been compromised!"

"Communication center lost contact!"

The staff officers' reports came one after another.

On the screen, the arrows representing the main attacking force of the Red Army showed that while the frontal offensive intensified, the flanks began to show obvious signs of loosening and chaos due to the disturbance caused by the assault battalions.

Wu Qianli stared at the situation map, his face revealing neither joy nor anger, but the slight loosening of his clenched fist betrayed the turmoil within him.

He spoke calmly into the microphone, broadcasting to the entire audience: "The directing staff has determined that the Red Army's 'Sharp Blade' assault battalion has successfully penetrated the Blue Army's core defense perimeter, inflicting a major blow on the Blue Army's command system. The Blue Army's overall defensive effectiveness has decreased by thirty percent."

However, the Blue Army is, after all, an elite "Tiger Brigade," and even after losing several targets, it still fought back tenaciously.

The Blue Army command immediately deployed its reserves to try to block the breach and outflank the infiltrating Red Army assault battalion.

"Battalion Commander! We've spotted Blue Army mobile forces on both flanks, and they're closing in on us! They're moving very fast!" the scout reported urgently.

He Yuyan is currently organizing a defense based on a newly captured forward support point of the Blue Army, and is also receiving a small number of troops that follow up.

"Understood. First and second companies, construct a circular defense on the spot, with cross-firing firepower, and stop them! Third company and guard platoon, follow me forward and launch a counterattack. We can't let them crush us here!"

"Battalion Commander, it's too dangerous!" the third platoon leader said urgently.

"Execute orders! We must hold out until the main force completely breaks through their frontal defenses!" He Yuyan checked his automatic rifle and was the first to leap out of cover. "Third Company, Guard Platoon, follow me!"

A fierce close-quarters battle broke out deep within the Blue Army's territory.

He Yuyan led the Third Company and the guard platoon to launch a short assault on an approaching Blue Army force, taking advantage of the terrain and night vision. The precise firepower and swift movements stunned the enemy and slowed down their encirclement.

However, the Blue Army had superior numbers and reacted quickly, with more troops closing in.

The assault battalion was surrounded, ammunition consumption increased sharply, and casualties began to occur (the directorate determined casualties according to the rules).

“Report to brigade command! ‘Sharp Blade’ has encountered a counterattack from a superior enemy force and requests fire support. Coordinates.” He Yuyan’s voice was hoarse and crackling with static in the individual communicator.

Upon hearing the request, Xiong Jie, a member of the Red Army brigade command, became serious.

He looked at Wu Wanli and Yu Congrong.

"Old Yu, how many reserves are left?"

“Only one battalion is left, Brigade Commander!” Yu Congrong said.

"Will the artillery fire covering that area hurt Yu Yan and the others?" Wu Wanli stared at the map, his brows furrowed.

"We can't worry about that now! I believe Yu Yan can dodge it! Order the artillery group to cover the area and fire three salvos! Order the reserves to move forward and provide support!" Xiong Jie made up his mind.

In an instant, the Red Army's artillery roared, and shells streaked across the sky, slamming into the Blue Army positions surrounding the assault battalion.

The explosion lit up the night sky, and the violent shockwave pressed He Yuyan and his soldiers tightly to the ground.

"After the artillery fire extends, break out to the southeast! The support troops will be there soon!" He Yuyan shouted loudly during a lull in the artillery fire.

After the shelling, the remaining assault battalion, led by He Yuyan, charged towards the southeast.

The Blue Army was stunned by the artillery fire and was unable to organize an effective interception for a while.

The assault battalion finally met up with the Red Army reserve force that came to meet them, but by this time, the entire assault battalion had suffered nearly half casualties (according to the directorate).

On the main battlefield, the Blue Army, having lost unified and effective command and some key nodes, despite the strong individual skills of its soldiers and the tenacious resistance of some units, was ultimately breached by the Red Army's main force's relentless offensive.

That afternoon at dusk, the directing staff officially announced: "Quenching-95" exercise has ended. The Red Army's "Lightning Brigade" has achieved its predetermined combat objectives, captured the Blue Army's core defensive area, and won the battle.

But the price of victory was enormous.

The Red Army's "Lightning Brigade" itself also suffered heavy casualties, especially He Yuyan's assault battalion, which was the spearhead and was almost completely wiped out.

He Yuyan dragged his exhausted body back to the temporary training site. Before he could even take off his mud-covered combat uniform, the brigade's communications officer ran over, stood at attention, and saluted: "Battalion Commander He, the brigade commander and political commissar request that you go to the brigade headquarters for a meeting immediately."

"Understood." He Yuyan's voice was hoarse. He grabbed the water bottle, took a few gulps, wiped his face, and walked towards the brigade headquarters.

The atmosphere at the debriefing meeting was even more somber than he had imagined. The huge sand table still retained the final posture of the exercise, with the insignia of the red and blue armies intertwined.

Brigade Commander Xiong Jie's face was ashen, Deputy Brigade Commander Wu Wanli pursed his lips, and Political Commissar Yu Congrong kept smoking.

"Everyone's here, let's start the meeting." Xiong Jie's voice was low, tinged with suppressed anger. "First of all, one thing is certain: we won, we achieved our objective. But this victory was a damn Pyrrhic one! It was won at the cost of our brothers' lives!"

His sharp gaze swept across the faces of every officer above the battalion level present, finally settling on He Yuyan.

"He Yuyan!"

“Here!” He Yuyan immediately stood up.

"Your assault battalion suffered over 60% casualties! They were almost wiped out! Tell me, what happened?"

He Yuyan straightened his back, despite the aches and pains throughout his body: "Reporting to the brigade commander! My battalion was ordered to infiltrate behind enemy lines, but encountered strong electronic interference and close surveillance in Valley No. 4, making the original route impassable. In order to reach the attack position on time, I made a last-minute decision to climb the cliff. Although we successfully broke through, it resulted in a huge depletion of the troops' physical strength, and after our position was exposed, we were counterattacked by superior enemy forces. Although we received artillery support and reinforcements, the cost was heavy. The responsibility lies with me, and I request punishment."

"Discipline? If discipline were useful, I'd be the first to apply for it!" Xiong Jie slammed his fist on the table. "You're brave and lucky, managing to climb up a cliff like that and catch the Blue Army off guard. The directing staff even acknowledged that. But your command was too aggressive! You treated the entire battalion like a disposable dagger, plunging it in without considering how to pull it out intact! Modern warfare isn't won just by being fearless! If it were your brother leading this battle, losing a platoon would be a lot."

Wu Wanli chimed in, "Old Xiong, you're exaggerating. What kind of battle was Brother Zhu fighting back then? It's completely different from now. Yu Yan, don't listen to the brigade commander. Your spirit of attack is commendable, and it did indeed play a crucial role in turning the tide of the battle. But the problem is that we underestimated the intensity and range of the Blue Army's new electronic suppression capabilities. Communication between the command post and you was almost completely cut off, which led to delayed support when you were surrounded. This is the responsibility of our brigade command."

Yu Congrong stubbed out his cigarette: "Ultimately, the problem isn't the equipment, but that we've relied too much on it. Our opponents aren't made of clay; their fighting spirit is incredibly strong. The headquarters organized this exercise, pitting our brigade against the veteran 'Tiger Brigade,' precisely to identify the problems. Now that we've found the problems, the next step is to figure out how to fix them."

"Report, requesting to speak!" He Yuyan shouted.

"Speak," Xiong Jie said.

"I think the information gap must be bridged, otherwise we wouldn't have had such a difficult time last night."

"This is a challenge that the production team deliberately added for us. Otherwise, what would be the point? This is to make the Blue Team imitate the people outside. I think the equipment outside is even better than theirs."

The room fell silent for a moment. They had practiced this many times, but the problem was that the hypothetical enemy was still just a hypothetical enemy; they had no idea what level the actual opponent had reached.

Next, Wu Wanli broke the silence, and the meeting continued. The meeting in the brigade lasted for more than two hours, analyzing everything from the tactical level to technical support, with each link being examined under a magnifying glass.

After the meeting, He Yuyan was kept behind by Xiong Jie.

"Feeling down?" Xiong Jie offered him a cigarette.

He Yuyan took it, but didn't count it; he just held it in his hand and said, "Brigadier, too many brothers have been lost."

"For soldiers, dying on the battlefield is their destiny. The more blood they shed on the training ground, the fewer sacrifices they will make on the battlefield." Xiong Jie lit a cigarette and took a deep drag.

“What you just said about my older brother leading the team really does produce the results you described.” He Yuyan stared at Xiong Jie.

"Hehe, you think I was just joking around to put you down? That's because you haven't seen what your brother is like on the battlefield. You say the White Eagles of the Peninsula are poorly equipped? Actually, we're not as strong as we think. You went to Southern Xinjiang too, so you shouldn't have performed like this. We all underestimated them in this battle, understand?"

"Yes."

"Go ahead, I'll give your battalion two days off to rest and recuperate. There'll be a lot to do later."

He Yuyan saluted and turned to leave.

He Yuyan dragged her heavy steps back to the barracks. Before she could even wash up, she was called to attend the director's debriefing meeting.

The huge conference room was filled with distinguished guests, and the atmosphere was even more solemn than the brigade's debriefing meeting.

The commanders of both the Red and Blue teams spoke in turn, outlining their respective operational plans, contingency plans, and reflections on gains and losses.

When it was the turn of the commander of the Blue Army's "Tiger Brigade" to speak, this general, known for his solid defense, specifically mentioned He Yuyan's assault battalion.

"This Red Army infiltration unit was bold and meticulous, especially their choice to climb the cliff under extremely passive circumstances, which surprised us. Their fighting spirit and individual soldier quality are commendable. However, it also exposed the Red Army's problems of rigid command and coordination and over-reliance on pre-established plans in a complex electromagnetic environment. If our unit had deployed even a single squad of guards on the cliff top at that time, the battle situation might have been rewritten." Everyone's gaze swept over He Yuyan, seemingly casually.

He straightened his back and looked straight ahead.

"The Blue Team's performance this time was unsatisfactory. Your communication jamming and other equipment did not play their due role. The only thing that did not disappoint us was that you still maintained our army's will to fight to the end without fear of sacrifice."

The Blues players all lowered their heads.

In his concluding remarks, the director of the command affirmed the Red Army's determination to achieve its campaign objectives, but also pointed out many shortcomings of both sides in fighting under informationized conditions: the command system's effectiveness was sharply reduced under strong interference, intelligence acquisition and transmission were lagging, troop coordination was disconnected, and there was insufficient research on the tactical application of new equipment, etc.

"The exercise is a mirror that reveals true nature. It's not terrible to see problems; what's terrible is not seeing them or seeing them but not addressing them! After returning, each unit must conduct a thorough review and come up with practical and feasible improvement plans!"

"Yes, sir!" Everyone stood up and saluted.

When He Yuyan was on leave, he called He Yuzhu. He didn't mention the exercise, but asked about it.

"Brother, could you help us get some documents?"

"What information?"

"The military equipment of various countries' armies, and it would be even better if there were videos of exercises."

"Oh, why do you suddenly want this?"

"This"

"Alright, that's enough. You look so listless, there's definitely something wrong with you. Let me see what you want."

"Thank you, brother!"

He Yuzhu hung up the phone and dialed again, connecting with Bai Yifeng in Hong Kong.

"Old Bai, it's me."

"Boss, please speak."

"When I asked you to focus on the north, did you have any backup plans elsewhere? For example, Europe, or some other active regions?" He Yuzhu asked.

"Boss, what are we up to this time?"

He Yuzhu explained He Yuyan's request.

"We have people in the French Foreign Legion, is that alright?"

"They're not regular troops, but that's alright, we can take a look first."

"Okay, I'll make arrangements right now."

"By the way, how's the matter I asked you to investigate going?"

"They're still investigating, it's quite troublesome, but won't it cause you trouble if the boss investigates these things?"

"Probably not, you should hurry."

"Row."

Two weeks later, a package without sender information was transferred from Hong Kong to the Special Administrative Region and then delivered to Beijing.

Inside were several translated and organized documents and several copied videotapes.

The materials cover the performance parameters of several mainstream army equipment, the characteristics of troop formations, and tactical analysis reports of several exercises with hypothetical scenarios. Although some key data is missing, the overall structure is clear and the perspective is professional.

The videotapes consisted of edited rehearsal clips accompanied by foreign language narration.

He Yuzhu carefully reviewed the written materials and watched the video. He then called Wu Qianli, as it wouldn't be appropriate to give this directly to He Yuyan.

When Wu Qianli received He Yuzhu's call, he was curious as to why he was calling, since he knew that He Yuzhu was still in Beijing.

"Old Wu, I have something to give you. Do you have any safe channels to get it?"

"There's a cargo plane coming tonight, what are you going to give me?"

"You'll know once you get your hands on it."

"Okay, here's my contact information. By the way, when are you coming to Huacheng? It's been so long since we got together."

"When are you going to retire from the front line? Just move to Beijing and have Lao Mei and Lao Xiong come over with you."

"That's not up to me. As long as the military needs me, I have to stay at my post."

"Okay, I'll come visit you when I have time."

"it is good."

That evening, Wu Qianli waited specifically for He Yuzhu's urgent package. After receiving the package and inspecting it, Wu Qianli immediately had Xiong Jie, Wu Wanli, Yu Congrong, and He Yuyan summoned.

"Who went looking for Zhu Zi?"

The others exchanged glances, and He Yuyan spoke up: "Deputy Commander, I called my brother, and he sent something over?"

"Take a look," Wu Qianli said, taking the stack of things out from under the table and placing them on the tabletop.

Xiong Jie picked up a copy first, flipped through a few pages, and his eyes froze.

"This...this is the crew coordination and failure rate statistics for the MIA2 tank? And the combat effectiveness analysis of the Black Panther helicopter in complex terrain? This stuff..." He suddenly looked up at He Yuyan, "Where did your brother get this from?"

Wu Wanli and Yu Congrong each picked up a copy, their expressions growing increasingly grave as they read.

The data is not simply a list of weapon parameters, but delves into the analysis of weaknesses in tactical application, troop adaptation training, and even logistical support, offering a sharp and incisive perspective.

Although the videotape was somewhat blurry, the accompanying narration clearly demonstrated the concepts of rapid deployment, information dominance, and precision strikes emphasized in foreign military exercises.

He Yuyan was also somewhat surprised. He didn't expect his older brother to act so quickly and bring such targeted items.

"I just mentioned it to my older brother, wanting to find some publicly available information about foreign militaries to learn from."

"Public information?" Xiong Jie pointed to one of the pages. "If this were made public, our comrades in the intelligence department would be so happy they wouldn't be able to sleep! Zhu Zi's skills..." He didn't finish his sentence, but everyone understood what he meant.

Wu Qianli tapped the table, drawing everyone's attention back.

"This stuff is good stuff. It's very valuable for our next stage of training and equipment development, you could even say it's a wake-up call." He paused, his gaze sweeping over the group. "However, its source must be kept absolutely secret. No one can know that this came from him, understand?"

"Yes, Deputy Commander, I understand!" The men immediately saluted in response.

"Hmm." Wu Qianli nodded and said to Xiong Jie, "Old Xiong, although your brigade suffered a heavy defeat this time, you've also figured out the tricks of the trade. Based on this information, put together a summary report and submit it directly to the military headquarters. The focus should be on the specific gaps between us and potential adversaries in terms of informationized and system-based warfare, as well as the shortcomings that urgently need to be addressed. Be specific and have data to support it, even if it's just our inferences."

"Yes! I guarantee I will complete the mission!" Xiong Jie straightened his chest, his eyes regaining their fighting spirit.

The next day, Wu Qianli called He Yuzhu back to say that he had received the items and was very grateful.

He Yuzhu simply said, "You owe me a good drink."

“We’ll take care of all ten meals. When are you coming?”

"You guys should go ahead and get on with your work," He Yuzhu said with a smile.

At the end of August, He Yuzhu received a call from Bai Yifeng.

"Boss, there's progress on that matter. The information has been sent through secure channels."

"Okay, I understand." He Yuzhu didn't ask any further questions.

When the items arrived, He Yuzhu handed them to Lao Fang without even looking at them.

Aren't you curious?

"Not being curious is the worst thing that ever happened!" He Yuzhu laughed.

"Okay, I'll go get busy now."

A few days later, Lao Fang visited again.

"This stuff is very useful, thanks," Old Fang said.

"I'm glad I could help." He Yuzhu poured him a cup of tea.

"Are any of your men interested in working with Lao Fan?" Lao Fang asked abruptly.

"They can't stand being restrained."

"Well, let's make plans early then." Old Fang wasn't surprised at all by this answer.

"understood."

"Alright, I'm going back to rest. I'm getting old, I can't do this anymore," Old Fang said with a self-deprecating laugh.

In early September, NeoComm released NeoLink 2.

The new model is a quarter smaller than its predecessor, has a standby time extended to 100 hours, and adds a simple phonebook function and customizable ringtones.

At the launch event, Wilton Lewis specifically showcased his improved antenna design, claiming a 30% improvement in call stability in areas with weak signals.

A month later, Huanghe Communications held a press conference at the Sijiucheng Hotel to launch Damai 2.

Unlike the stylish NeoLink 2, the Damai 2 has a more understated appearance, emphasizing a removable battery design and a more durable shell material. It also comes with a car charger adapter, clearly targeting business users.

In response to a reporter's question, Xu Damao said, "Our research found that many users need to use the device away from the power source for extended periods of time, making convenient battery replacement and on-board charging essential needs."

NeoLink 2 has performed exceptionally well in the European and Middle Eastern markets, and is especially popular among young people.

Barley 2 has seen steady order growth in Asia and Eastern Europe thanks to its reputation for durability and its flexible distribution policies.

The competitors did not stand idly by.

Motorola has launched a model that emphasizes waterproof and dustproof features, with advertising targeting outdoor workers and extreme sports enthusiasts.

Ericsson took a different approach, launching a flip phone concept that, despite its high price and limited production, garnered significant attention.

Nokia's new phones focus on improving the human-computer interaction interface, with a simpler menu logic.

Competition quickly spread from product features to distribution channels and pricing.

In a Southeast Asian country, representatives from Huanghe Communications and Motorola battled for three days and nights in a hotel conference room to win a procurement contract from a telecommunications operator. Huanghe Communications ultimately won the contract with a performance score 5% higher than its competitor and a price 8% lower.

Afterwards, He Yaozong, who led the bidding team, lamented in a phone call to his father: "They've learned their lesson now and are starting to focus on localization and after-sales service, so our price advantage is shrinking."

"That's normal. If they don't improve like this, how can they compete?"

Then, He Yuzhu received another call from Xu Damao in the Special Economic Zone: "Brother, I just got news that our main control chip component supplier, that European company, may be acquired by a competitor! If it happens, we will be at their mercy in terms of price and supply."

He Yuzhu pondered for a moment: "What about our alternative plan?"

"Several research institutes in China are also working on similar chips, but their performance and yield rates do not yet meet the requirements for large-scale commercial use."

“We will increase our support and send our engineering team there to help them solve process problems under the guise of collaborative development. If necessary, we can take over part of their production capacity at a premium.” He Yuzhu paused. “In addition, our factory will also be starting up, and the results from the laboratory should be put into practice.”

"Not hiding it anymore?"

"Given the current situation, what's the point of hiding it?"

"Understood. Shall we acquire a few companies then?"

"We can talk, but we can't stop progressing domestically. Otherwise, if others just stop exports, we'll be completely caught off guard."

"I understand, I'll arrange it right away."

After hanging up the phone, He Yuzhu rubbed his temples.

It's unpleasant to be controlled by others when it comes to core issues; I wish we could solve those problems domestically.

He Ningxue walked in carrying her daughter Gu Nianhe: "Dad, Mom asked me to ask you what you'd like to eat tonight so she can prepare."

He Yuzhu's facial features softened, and he reached out to tease his granddaughter: "Anything is fine, Nianhe, were you a good girl today?"

"She's very well-behaved, just a little shy around strangers. She almost cried when Grandpa Fang tried to hold her."

"With Lao Fang's loud voice, it's no wonder the kids aren't afraid," He Yuzhu chuckled. "Where's Zhixing?"

"He said he was at the studio and had a design project to finish quickly, so he would be back later."

"I haven't been paying much attention to the real estate market lately."

"You've always been great! Who's your daughter?"

"Who praises themselves like that?" He Yuzhu laughed.

"Hehe, Nianhe, isn't Mommy amazing?" He Ningxue teased her daughter as she spoke.

"Giggle!"

"I'll go check on your mother. I'll cook dinner."

"That's wonderful, it's been so long since I've had a meal cooked by you."

"You're still so greedy."

"Hehehe!" He Ningxue stuck out her tongue.

"Hehehe!" Xiao Nianhe imitated her mother.

"Hahahaha!" He Yuzhu laughed loudly, patted his granddaughter's head, and went to the kitchen.

A few days later, Xu Damao called again.

"Brother, here's the situation. The acquisition of that European chip company is basically finalized, and our competitor is indeed behind the buyer. The supply price for next quarter has already increased by 15%, and they're demanding that we sign an exclusivity agreement."

"Exclusivity? Quite an appetite." He Yuzhu said calmly. "What about our own components?"

“The research institute said that the tape-out was successful, but the yield rate was only about 30%, and the cost could not be reduced by using products from domestic suppliers.”

"Are there any domestic suppliers willing to upgrade?"

"Yes, absolutely! We're a major client, a stable one at that. Who wouldn't want to work with us?"

"Then let's talk to them about contributing technology as equity, without taking charge of operations."

"We've already sent people, but it will take some time. What about Europe?"

"Don't tell me you have stockpiled goods, that's not like you."

"Hehe, you really know me, bro. But we should still buy a few as a token gesture, otherwise they'll get suspicious."

"Buy it. Also, tell Yaozong to raise the price of mobile phones in Europe, on the grounds that their supply prices have increased."

"And our opponents?"

"As for our competitors, they are more expensive than us, and their products are not as good as ours."

"Alright, let's observe and see how things go. If there's no problem with the supply from other channels, we won't raise prices. If it really doesn't work, then we'll raise prices."

"You guys figure that out."

"Understood. Also, there's been progress on Yaozu's side regarding the acquisition of foreign semiconductor companies. They've contacted several small companies in North America with unique technologies, but their asking prices are very high. Should we continue?"

"Go on, sometimes all we need is an empty shell."

"it is good."

A few days later, He Yuzhu received a call from Factory Director Song from Xi'an Aircraft Industry Group, whose tone was more excited than usual.

"Old He! The joint R&D plan has been approved! The official approval document has been issued! This is a major project, much larger than the one with Harbin Aircraft Industry Group!"

"How exactly will we cooperate?"

“We will establish a joint R&D center in Chengdu. You will provide the technology and some funding, while we will provide the venue, most of the funding, and personnel. We will share intellectual property rights, and you will have priority in the production and sales of subsequent products. I will have someone send you a draft agreement for the details.”

“Okay, I’ll have the heads of the precision engineering and research institutes connect with you.”

"Great job! I love doing business with you! By the way, the test results for the first batch of special aluminum alloy sheets are in, and they meet all the standards! Subsequent orders will come in soon, and the quantity is quite large, so get ready."

"no problem."

(End of this chapter)