A Journey Through the Flames of War in the Republican Era

The three men chased Musk and his group aggressively to the edge of the training field, ready to deliver the final blow, when a sudden and dramatic change occurred.

The fleeing crowd and the three pursuers were suddenly swept away by several powerful, high-pressure water jets that appeared from the left and right. Caught off guard, everyone was suddenly blasted over by the powerful water jets. The unfortunate ones at the front choked on the water, finding it difficult to breathe. The powerful water jets knocked them over, and now everyone was running for their lives.

However, they were surrounded by military police and were driven back by their batons and even more water jets. The powerful water jets stung their bodies, made it impossible for them to open their eyes or breathe through their noses, and left them unable to move. They could only crouch down, clutching their heads, only to be knocked to the ground and rolled around, thoroughly sprayed with water.

"No matter how hard your fist is, it can't beat a high-pressure water jet..." This was Song Hongfei's only thought at the moment. As the first one to be hit by the three-person pursuit team, he was sprayed with water all over his head and nose by "Old Cat".

It can truly be said that when the snipe and the clam fight, the "old cat" is behind.

When the conflict broke out, Lieutenant Colonel Winters, a West Point military instructor nicknamed "Old Cat," was in a nearby building and witnessed the entire incident. Initially, he watched the hand-to-hand combat with great interest, and the boxing team's crushing defeat surprised him. Later, the battlefield moved to the training shed next to the parade ground, turning into a bayonet competition. "Old Cat" observed through binoculars, and the bayonet techniques of the Chinese army opened his eyes.

The three Chinese students impressed Lieutenant Colonel Winters with their excellent physical fitness, strong fighting skills, superb bayonet techniques, strong team spirit, courageous fighting will, and impressive tactical strategies.

"Is that the ancient and mysterious Chinese martial arts? Especially this Song Hongfei, it's unbelievable," Lieutenant Colonel Winters thought to himself.

Western militaries have always prioritized firepower, relying heavily on firepower and equipment in combat. In this close-quarters battle, the three men, outnumbered and outgunned, pursued and killed a group of opponents who had lost their will to fight and outnumbered them several times over. The soldiers' courage, daring, and fearless fighting spirit shocked and impressed Lieutenant Colonel Winters, a military tactics instructor in the U.S. Army, leaving him deeply pondering the situation.

As the fight escalated, the situation became serious, and "Old Cat" felt it necessary to stop it. Although they were both wearing protective gear made of canvas, rubber, and hard sponge, and the wooden gun barrels were also covered with sponge and rubber, both sides were blinded by rage and were bound to get injured in their frenzied attacks. If things got out of hand, they would definitely be punished by the school.

"Old Cat" hurriedly ran out of the building and led the military police over. There were several fire hydrants on both sides of the road leading from the training shed to the training ground and in the adjacent building. He directed the military police to pull the water hose and was about to rush over when Zhan Duan happened to be chasing after them. As a result, the two sides fighting were completely overwhelmed by the powerful water hoses from the military police who were lying in ambush nearby.

It was the dead of winter, and the biting wind of the northeastern United States howled across the empty parade ground along the Hudson River, carrying withered grass and fallen leaves. These overly energetic and belligerent individuals were currently lined up for training at West Point's "Buffalo" training ground.

During the fight, both sides were dressed very lightly. They were drenched in sweat from the intense brawl, and then the powerful water jets sprayed them from head to toe. Now, with the wind howling, the cold was truly biting. Everyone was shivering, their teeth chattering, and they felt as if their soaked clothes were about to freeze.

"Old Cat" was also a West Point graduate. During World War I, Old Cat served as a lieutenant in the 1st Infantry Division, the "Big Red Division," of the U.S. Army. He landed in Europe to fight and was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross. It was this Big Red Division that fired the first U.S. artillery shell in World War I in Europe.

"Old Cat" strode through the ranks, his expression serious and imposing, his sharp, dignified eyes scanning the crowd.

"Fighting and brawling like barbarians in full view of everyone! As senior students, you have set a bad example for junior students and are a disgrace to military academy discipline!" Old Cat reprimanded angrily.

"You all look like a bunch of roosters fighting over who gets to mate with a hen, staring at each other with the same stupid round eyes! You don't seem to care much? I guess I should call you medieval knights or Western cowboys? How about I give each of you a spear or a revolver tomorrow and you line up for a duel?!" Old Cat was still furious.

Everyone was silenced by Old Cat's reprimand. Song Hongfei glanced over and saw that everyone was trembling with fear, not entirely because of the cold wind. As a military instructor who had served in World War I, "Old Cat" held immense prestige at West Point.

"As a cowboy who has just finished a duel, how do you feel now?" After a moment, Old Cat's expression softened, and he walked up to a senior student and asked.

"Sir, I feel extremely cold," the man replied, shivering uncontrollably. It was unclear whether the cold had temporarily short-circuited his brain. The more lucid among them wanted to laugh, but none dared to chuckle aloud, struggling to hold it in.

"I can see you're not cold at all, you're all hot-headed! Each of you is as irritable as a 155mm cannonball!" Old Cat got a little angry again.

"Now tell me, what are your thoughts?" the old cat asked, walking up to another person.

"Sir, fighting is a violation of discipline and a wrong act. I believe we must learn from this lesson and never repeat it," this shrewd fellow replied loudly.

"Not bad, that's a good answer." The old cat said expressionlessly.

"What are your thoughts?" Old Cat asked as he approached Wang Zhi.

"Sir, you wiped us all out with just one water tap. I believe that equipment and firepower are the key factors for victory on the battlefield," Wang Zhi said.

The old cat nodded slightly, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.

He then approached a senior cadet, his imposing gaze fixed on him. The man felt a chill run down his spine under his gaze, and straightened up as he said, "Sir, I've gained some insight: a soldier's courage, boldness, teamwork, and fearless will to die are the keys to victory in battle!" Having learned from his predecessors, this fellow's answer was much wiser.

Old Cat's expression gradually softened. He turned around and walked up to Song Hongfei: "Looks like you guys are pretty good at fighting. How did you feel after the fight?"

Song Hongfei thought for a moment and said, "Sir, we were a bit careless just now. We got carried away during the pursuit and didn't observe the surrounding situation. We were ambushed by you. This is a painful lesson. On the battlefield, commanders must always pay attention to all changes in the situation. Any small oversight in war will pay a bloody price."

"Hmm, that's quite interesting." The old cat nodded, his eyes showing approval.

At this moment, Brigadier General Louis, commander of the Cadet Corps and one of the three giants of West Point Military Academy, walked over as if taking a leisurely stroll.

"Why do these cowboys look so disheveled, all of them with bruises and swelling? Lieutenant Colonel Winster, what happened here?" Brigadier General Louis asked, though it was clear to everyone that he already knew everything.

"Sir, the trainees were just practicing hand-to-hand combat, and then they did bayonet practice while wearing protective suits. I'm giving them feedback now," Old Cat said seriously.

Old Cat specifically mentioned the point about "practicing in protective suits," which makes it clear that these guys weren't impulsively and mindlessly fighting each other to vent their anger, but rather engaging in a structured and disciplined "practice." Unlawful fighting and "practice" are completely different in nature, and Old Cat's protectiveness is evident in his words.

Brigadier General Louis knew perfectly well. He glanced at Old Cat and asked, "So, how was the training?"

Old Cat replied, "The effect was excellent. The trainees all gained a lot and learned a great deal."

Then, Old Cat turned his gaze to Musk in the queue and asked, "Musk, what insights did you gain from this exercise?"

Musk said earnestly, "Sir, this exercise taught me that we must take every training session seriously in our daily lives, and no one can slack off. Only with courage, perseverance, resilience, and a spirit of hard work can we develop outstanding skills. Individuals with excellent skills can form an excellent team, and only an excellent team can fight and win on the battlefield."

"Do you think he's right?" Old Cat turned to Song Hongfei and asked.

“Yes, sir! Absolutely correct,” Song Hongfei replied loudly.

"What do you think?" the old cat asked again.

"Yes, sir!" everyone answered loudly in unison.