A Journey Through the Flames of War in the Republican Era

Song Hongfei didn't stop for a moment. Soon, his papers, such as "Mobility, Firepower, Protection, and Communication - Mechanized Warfare" and "Small Group Multi-Route Attacks by Infantry Units," were published in some well-known military journals in Europe, America, and China, causing a great sensation and attracting much attention.

Song Hongfei himself possessed extremely high military literacy and profound military theoretical knowledge. Every paper he wrote was well-reasoned and supported by evidence, with clear and logical thinking and rigorous and thorough analysis. Furthermore, it combined his personal experience and combat cases from that era with his own work. It was by no means fabricated out of thin air, nor was it a direct copy of the research results of others from decades later.

"I have no shame before Heaven above, nor before men below." Therefore, he himself had no psychological burden.

In the eyes of people of that era, this was an extremely advanced yet realistic military strategic thought and tactical guidance, which naturally caused a stir and attracted the attention of many high-ranking figures and military experts and scholars, and the sensation caused lasted for a long time.

Song Hongfei, Zhang Yi, and Wang Zhi then came to this mountain forest to "improve their meals".

In June, Wang Zhi will graduate and return to China. After discussing it, Song Hongfei and Zhang Yi decided to hold a farewell banquet for Wang Zhi.

Years of military academy life, filled with joys and sorrows, passion and fervor; years of brotherhood, through trials and tribulations, fighting side by side. No words are needed; heartfelt blessings and countless unspoken sentiments are already conveyed in each glass of wine.

Parting is painful, but though parting is imminent, seeing each other again is not too far away.

As dusk settled, Song Hongfei played his harmonica, accompanied by lyrics for "Farewell," a poem written by Master Hongyi (Li Shutong) before he became a monk.

Outside the long pavilion, beside the ancient road, there are green grass and sky.

The evening breeze caresses the willows, the flute's melody fades, and the setting sun shines beyond the mountains.

At the end of the sky and the corner of the earth, most of my friends are gone.

A pot of turbid wine exhausts the remaining joy, tonight's dreams are cold.

. . .

The melodious sound of the zither filled the air, a gentle spring breeze caressed my face, and even the distant, rugged mountains seemed to soften.

It's hard not to feel a little sad.

Zhang Yi tapped Song Hongfei's military cap on his shoulder and said casually, "What's with all this pedantry and sentimentality?"

"You!—" Song Hongfei was speechless with anger. He glared at him and rebuked him, "You're ignorant and incompetent, like casting pearls before swine!"

Wang Zhi laughed heartily, looking at the two of them, and inexplicably burst into tears of laughter. He secretly wiped his eyes when they weren't looking.

Zhang Yi exclaimed with emotion, "Time flies! It's been three years since I came to West Point. Thinking back on these years, I'm so grateful for your help in keeping up with my studies. I'd like to raise a glass to you all!"

Zhang Yi drank it all in one gulp.

Song Hongfei chuckled and said, "No problem! No problem! It's no trouble at all."

After saying that, he drank it all in one gulp.

Wang Zhiye chuckled and said, "You're too kind! You're too kind! It's my duty."

After saying that, he drank it all in one gulp.

There was another moment of silence.

Song Hongfei asked, "Wang Zhi, have you finalized your appointment with the Tax Police Corps after returning to China?"

Wang Zhidao: "It's settled. Our West Point senior, Wang Geng, had repeatedly invited us before. The current commander-in-chief, General Wen Yingxing, is also a senior from West Point, and he also extended a warm invitation to us."

The three men thought of the fate of Wang Geng, the commander of the Tax Police Corps, during the Battle of Shanghai, and couldn't help but sigh.

Wang Zhi looked at the two of them and said seriously, "You two made such a big fuss during this exercise, you've become famous! Senior Wen Yingxing asked me to recruit you, inviting you to join the Tax Police Corps after you graduate and return to China."

Zhang Yi laughed heartily and said, "Haha, I didn't expect that after fighting a battle, my market value would actually rise!"

Song Hongfei chuckled dryly, then fell silent again.

Zhang Yi looked at him and said, "Alright, everyone knows that the Tax Police Corps is originally part of your Song family. Once you go there, you'll be on your way to great heights. At that time, please give the brothers a hand, haha!"

Song Hongfei looked at him and said seriously, "Don't talk nonsense, I really didn't want to go."

Wang Zhi laughed heartily and said, "Hongfei, you don't need to worry about anything. You've become famous in Europe and America this time. Everywhere you go, they'll want you."

All three of them burst into laughter.

Song Hongfei and Zhang Yi then enthusiastically recounted to Wang Zhi some details and interesting anecdotes from the "Mobile Assault Team" operation.

"Haha! We won over Farmer John and Uncle Tom with just a pheasant and rabbit hotpot! We got trucks and tractors, and gave you seniors a good kick in the ass!"

Song Hongfei said excitedly.

Zhang Yi chuckled and said, "And we even went to great lengths to get a few bottles of Erguotou from Chinatown in New York. I didn't expect those American farm uncles to really like it! Ha!"

Wang Zhiyi pinned Zhang Yi's hat on his head and said sullenly, "Well done, you two lads! You kept me in the dark! No wonder you two were acting so suspiciously the other day, you were plotting something!"

Song Hongfei laughed heartily, "What conspiracy? We're all aboveboard! As Principal Smith said, 'Warfare is based on deception!' But seeing you seniors and Colonel Horton all with such bitter faces is still quite satisfying! Hahaha!"

Wang Zhi said sullenly, "Damn it, why bring up something that shouldn't be mentioned? Don't even mention it. When we got back, Instructor Horton gave us all a thorough dressing-down..."

Song Hongfei and Zhang Yi burst into laughter.

Zhang Yi added, "I really didn't expect that Principal Smith seems to be quite knowledgeable about ancient Chinese military strategy!"

Song Hongfei shoved Zhang Yi's hat onto his face and laughed, "Nonsense! You think everyone's as ignorant as you? The superintendent of West Point isn't just a name; is becoming a U.S. Army major general so easy?!"

Zhang Yi immediately retorted: "Especially you, kid, you even got Sandhurst's sword, I'm so envious, let me see it!"

Song Hongfei quickly said, "It's not practical, it's not practical, I didn't bring any of those!"

Wang Zhiye said, "It's really enviable. You don't know, the Red Army battalion commander, Thorpe, as a cadet brigade commander and a prominent figure in the military academy, has always been arrogant and domineering. He was even depressed for a few days because of this."

Song Hongfei and Zhang Yi were overjoyed. Song Hongfei chuckled and said, "Keep a low profile, keep a low profile. Old Cat has repeatedly told us third-year students to keep a low profile during this period, hahaha!"

Wang Zhi laughed and said, "However, this time, you really made us Chinese proud! 'Two Chinese cadets led a group of third-year students to defeat a combined group of elite fourth-year students from West Point and British military academies,' the New York Times headline! What a sensational event!"

Wang Zhi then added, "Let me tell you quietly, quite a few senior students have already asked me about Sun Tzu's Art of War. You're really something, Hongfei!"

Both Song Hongfei and Zhang Yi were taken aback.

Song Hongfei scratched his head and said, "Sun Tzu's Art of War? To be honest, I've never even read it myself..."

"Hahaha!" The three looked at each other and burst into laughter.

Another silence fell, people fell silent, the distant mountains fell silent, for a long time.

Zhang Yi raised his glass and said, "Wang Zhi, you are about to return to China. A year from now, it will be our turn to return home. We fought together at West Point for three years. On the battlefield from now on, we brothers will always be loyal to each other and fight side by side!"

"No matter what!" Wang Zhi raised his wine glass, tears glistening in his eyes, and said solemnly, "Since the Opium War, the Chinese nation has endured nearly a century of humiliation, and we must avenge this humiliation with our generation of soldiers! This is the historical challenge we must face, and will soon face!"

Song Hongfei raised his glass: "We will use the guns in our hands, the blood in our bodies, and the spirit of the Chinese army to declare to the world—the era when Western powers could blast open our national gates with a few ships and cannons is gone forever! The Chinese nation will surely rise! We fight for the rise of our nation! We are the most outstanding warriors of the Chinese nation! The most fearless heroes!"

"That's great! Let's do it!"

Song Hongfei extended his right fist and shouted, "Victory is certain!"

Wang Zhi and Zhang Yi also extended their right fists, and the three fists collided together.

"Must win!"

The three burly men laughed heartily and drank it all in one gulp!

Suddenly, Song Hongfei stood up, his expression solemn, and recited a poem aloud. This poem is one that has been circulating online in later generations:

"A man should kill, and kill without mercy."

The eternal karma is all in killing people.

. . .

"Don't you see me?

Confucian scholars rose up and strong men died, and China praised benevolence and righteousness from then on.

Once the barbarians invaded the Central Plains, the scholars rushed to the ground and the cowardly people wept.

...

A chilling killing intent gradually gathered between Song Hongfei's brows, and his recitation alone was also incredibly powerful!

Wang Zhi and Zhang Yi's expressions also turned serious as they listened attentively.

"Don't you see me?

Lions and tigers gain fame for their prey, but who pities the pitiful deer?

In this world, the strong always prey on the weak, and even if one is right, it is in vain.

. . .

Killing one person is considered a crime, killing ten thousand people is considered a hero.

If you slaughter nine million, you will be called the hero among the heroes.

. . .

Looking across five thousand years of history, where is there a hero who hasn't taken a life?

How could we, the passionate and valiant men of today, be defeated by those of the past?

As Song Hongfei finished his powerful recitation, Wang Zhi and Zhang Yi shouted in unison, "Bravo!"

The three men laughed loudly and raised their glasses: "Great! Great! Cheers!"

A thick twilight had descended, as if an atmosphere of grimness had instantly filled the world.

Facing the bright moon leaping out of the night sky, Song Hongfei knelt on one knee, raised his wine cup high: "Having fought a hundred battles in the yellow sands, I wear golden armor; I will not return until Lou Lan is conquered! I will start anew, reclaim our lost lands, and face the imperial palace! — I, Song Hongfei, am a soldier of the National Revolutionary Army of the Republic of China!"

Wang Zhi raised his wine glass and knelt on one knee: "I—Wang Zhi, a soldier of the National Revolutionary Army of the Republic of China!"

Zhang Yi also raised his glass and knelt on the other side: "I—Zhang Yi, a soldier of the National Revolutionary Army of the Republic of China!"

"With utmost sincerity, we proclaim to Heaven and Earth, Sun and Moon!—" Song Hongfei's expression was solemn and dignified, "The great China, the magnificent land of China, tracing back five thousand years and spanning thousands of miles! For 1,840 years, to the heroes of the people who sacrificed themselves in the struggles for national independence and the freedom and happiness of the people! For the countless martyrs and patriots of the past five thousand years! We hereby swear to your spirits in Heaven!"

Wang Zhi and Zhang Yi roared simultaneously, "I swear!"

"Loyalty to the country is our unwavering commitment, even unto death!"

"Loyalty to the country is our unwavering commitment, even unto death!"

Three glasses of strong liquor were solemnly poured onto the ground in front of him.

Three valiant Chinese soldiers, facing the distant East, to that unseen land, to that fertile soil where countless heroic souls are buried, swore an oath to the most valiant warriors of the Chinese nation using the oldest and most solemn ceremony of the Chinese people.

An echo came from the vast distant mountains, as if the sound of drums was coming, the clash of swords and the thunder of battle, like the neighing of horses in an ancient battlefield—the war drums of the Chinese nation that have never ceased for five thousand years.