117: A multi-pronged approach was used to subdue the seasoned veteran.

Several workers pushed out a few small carts covered with canvas from behind the viewing platform.

The canvas was pulled back, revealing the items inside:

type 85 submachine gun: A streamlined black body emitting a cold metallic luster, with a large magazine capacity and a compact structure.

QJY-201 general-purpose machine gun: A thick barrel and a stable tripod, full of power; it was clearly a symbol of sustained firepower.

JS 7.62mm sniper rifle: A slender body equipped with a scope that was rare for that era, exuding a precise and deadly sense of pressure.

Level III body armor and Kevlar helmets: Heavy vests with insert plates and strangely shaped helmets that looked extraordinary at a glance.

As soon as these weapons and equipment—decades ahead of their time—appeared, the deathly silence below the stage was instantly shattered!

The veterans' eyes went wide!

They were all experts with firearms and could tell at a single glance that these pieces were out of the ordinary.

They were completely different from the hanyang rifles, Type 24 Zhongzheng rifles, Czech ZB-26s, or even the Maxims they were familiar with!

The design, the materials, and the craftsmanship were full of futurism and the aesthetics of violence!

Lu Fan pointed at the weapons and said resonantly, "This is the weaponry you are about to be equipped with."

Tang Jifeng glanced at the commotion among the veterans below and ordered loudly, "Everyone, move to the shooting range for a trial fire!"

His voice rang across the training ground. The veterans quickly quieted down and jogged in an orderly fashion toward the range.

After half an hour of trial firing, the veterans were buzzing with excitement, discussing the firearms one after another.

"The submachine gun has fierce firepower and a fast rate of fire. It's invincible in close quarters. Absolutely badass!"

"What do you know? For firepower, it has to be the general-purpose machine gun. Strong suppression, strong sustained combat capability—it's the absolute king."

"You greenhorns are all blind. The most impressive is this... what was it? Right, the sniper rifle."

"Exactly. With this rifle, taking an enemy's head from a kilometer away is as easy as reaching into a bag. Who cares about fierce firepower? I'll take them out one by one; no matter how many come, it's useless."

"Piss off. If three of us charge together and just one makes it forward, one burst and you're dead. If you survive, I'll call you 'father'."

"Then you'd better start calling me 'father' now. With this machine gun in hand, I guarantee you won't even get a chance to pull the trigger."

In their arguments, the veterans split into three distinct groups, with each weapon finding its own loyal followers.

Lu Fan listened to the veterans' talk without stopping them. He picked up a piece of body armor and draped it over a target.

With a signal from his eyes, Ah Fu fired several consecutive shots at the body armor with an M1911.

Instantly, the arguments across the field ceased, and all eyes were fixed on the body armor.

Lu Fan spoke at the right moment, saying, "The real good stuff is right here. This clothing can stop pistol rounds at close range."

"It can also stop direct hits from rifle bullets from a hundred meters away!"

The veterans held their breath. The arguments about the guns came to an abrupt halt, replaced by shock and longing.

No one understood better than they did what good protection meant!

It was a second life!

Lu Fan paused for a moment and dropped a second bombshell.

"What was your previous pay? A few, maybe a few dozen silver dollars? With me,"

He held up one finger. "One hundred silver dollars per person per month! Paid in full! Never in arrears!"

"Whoa!"

This time, the crowd below completely erupted. One hundred silver dollars—that was an astronomical price.

It was enough for a whole family to live a very decent life.

You couldn't find a second employer in the entire country offering such a salary.

The veterans' faces were filled with unbelievable ecstasy, and the way they looked at Lu Fan instantly became incredibly fervent!

High pay! Great equipment! This boss is too generous!

Lu Fan looked at this group of veterans. Salaries and equipment alone weren't enough to completely subdue these arrogant old soldiers.

He needed to demonstrate absolute, crushing power.

"Take them back to the training ground."

He gave the order to Tang Jifeng and Bai Jinbiao, then led Ah Fu away first.

Soon, over six hundred soldiers returned to the training ground and stood in formation, whispering and discussing among themselves.

They were all guessing what other amazing move this mysterious big boss had in store.

Just then, a low and shocking roar approached from the distance, like muffled thunder rolling across the earth.

The veterans looked toward the source of the sound with uncertainty.

At the end of the base's main road, dust was billowing.

A massive, low-slung steel beast covered in camouflage canvas appeared.

It was rumbling forward at a speed inconsistent with its enormous body.

Its tracks crushed the ground, making a heart-pounding clanking sound.

The beast came to a steady halt a hundred meters from the formation.

The thick composite armor of the Type 96 main battle tank glinted with a cold, hard, eerie light in the sun.

The slat armor added to the sides of the hull made it look even more ferocious.

The low and highly streamlined turret featured a thick, long 125mm smoothbore gun barrel pointing diagonally toward the sky.

It crouched there quietly, like a mobile steel fortress, exuding a suffocating sense of pressure.

The entire range fell into a deathly silence.

All the veterans, including Bai Jinbiao, who had seen heavy weapons at the Mukden Arsenal, were completely petrified.

Their mouths hung open, and their eyes nearly popped out of their heads.

What kind of monster was this?

They had fought in wars, seen cannons, and even witnessed the japanese 'Nambu' tanks.

But they had never seen such a massive, advanced steel beast so full of industrial violence and aesthetics.

In front of this iron lump, the courage and combat skills they took pride in seemed so insignificant.

Lu Fan climbed out of the hatch, his sharp gaze scanning the crowd.

He then patted the cold armor, and the tank's engine let out an even more powerful roar.

The turret slowly rotated, and the thick gun barrel, with a momentum that made hearts tremble, slowly swept across the soldiers lined up in front.

The moment they were pointed at by that dark, hollow muzzle, all the veterans felt a chill rush from the soles of their feet to the top of their heads.

They subconsciously straightened their backs, casting aside their last bits of contempt and defiance.

Their eyes were filled with unprecedented awe and... submission!

Lu Fan nodded in satisfaction and jumped down from the tank.

He held a thick book over his head, its cover printed with 'Militia Training Manual'.

"From today on, train strictly according to this manual. Ten days from now, we will hold a grand competition."

"Those who pass the training will be issued a full set of weapons and equipment. The top one hundred will be rewarded with fifty silver dollars, the top fifty with one hundred, and the top ten with three hundred."

"Third place gets five hundred, second place gets one thousand, and the champion gets three thousand!"

Fancy words were all empty; if you wanted people to risk their lives for you, you had to give them a lot.

Lu Fan directly offered a reward that could not be refused.

He believed that under heavy rewards, there would surely be brave men.

As his voice fell, the entire field became deathly quiet.

In the face of such massive rewards, the veterans stood ready, rubbing their hands and secretly competing with one another.

They were all veterans and had their own pride.

Moreover, the three thousand silver dollars for the champion could allow them to jump social classes and become wealthy overnight.

They used silence to express the importance they placed on the competition; they not only wanted to take the rewards but also wanted to prove they were the strongest.

Lu Fan looked at the quiet training ground. He knew that a terrifying blade, disguised as a security force, had already taken shape.