168: Chapter 78 Army Organization

Outside Jinling City, the cold wind was like a knife, whistling across the empty training ground of the military camp.

Over fifty thousand soldiers stood in formation. Viewed from above, they looked like a grey forest of steel—silent, solemn, and full of power. They wore uniform new military outfits—dark grey cloth, neatly tailored, with two pockets on the chest, tightened cuffs, and trouser legs tucked into high-waisted military boots. This uniform was designed by Li Ling based on the style of 21st-century Army combat uniforms; it was both convenient for movement and looked spirited and neat. Although the fabric was far less advanced than in later generations, in the 1899 Qingxia Kingdom, this was already an unprecedented existence—even the Imperial Guards in the capital were still wearing those loose, baggy uniforms.

Li Ling stood on the reviewing stand, with a row of high-ranking generals behind him. Chief of Staff Zhang Wanshan, Lin Yongsheng, and Commander Zhao Tieshan—these veteran generals who had followed him for many years stood at the very front, each with their backs straight, their eyes like torches, and the medals on their uniforms gleaming with a cold light in the winter sun. Behind them were several newly promoted young officers; some still had a bit of childishness on their faces, but their eyes already revealed the killing intent only found in battle-hardened elites.

"Gentlemen!" Li Ling's voice spread across the entire training ground through the newly installed loudspeakers, carrying a slight metallic echo. "From today on, our Army will undergo a comprehensive reorganization! The original five hundred thousand-strong Army will be reorganized into five Army Groups—each Army Group will have three hundred thousand men, under which there will be five armies, each Army having sixty thousand men, and each Army will have three Heavy Combined Arms Brigades!"

A low gasp came from the crowd below. Three hundred thousand men for one Army Group—this scale was extremely rare globally—even among the standing armies of European powers, such an organizational structure was rare. But what shocked the soldiers even more was the new term "Heavy Combined Arms Brigade," this unprecedented concept.

Li Ling continued: "The Heavy Combined Arms Brigade is a structure I personally designed. Each brigade has seven thousand men and no longer divides into old-fashioned branches like infantry, artillery, and logistics; instead, it is combined operations—each brigade consists of three combined arms battalions, one Artillery Battalion, one reconnaissance company, one engineer company, and one logistics support company. Your rifles, Heavy Machine Guns, Mortars, and anti-tank weapons are all uniform, new equipment! I guarantee that the gear in your hands is a full ten years more advanced than the most elite units of the great powers!"

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the audience like a falcon: "Some may ask—how much will this cost? I tell you, money is not the problem! I am selling arms, selling warships, selling everything that can be sold! Every penny I earn will be spent on you! You only need to do one thing—train! Train until you die! Train until every tactical movement is carved into your bones, train until every combat team can coordinate with their eyes closed! Do you have the confidence?"

"Yes! Yes! Yes!" The roar of over fifty thousand people was deafening, the sound wave exploding in the cold wind, making even the ground beneath their feet tremble slightly. The military flags in the distance were blown by the sound wave until they fluttered loudly, the corners of the flags pulled taut in the wind, as if they were rolling and burning along with their oath.

The reorganization work officially began.

Most notable was the new structure of the "Heavy Combined Arms Brigade." Each Heavy Combined Arms Brigade had three combined arms battalions, and each combined arms battalion had four companies—two infantry companies, one firepower company, and one support company. The infantry companies were equipped with the "Qingyun-1" automatic rifle, which Li Ling had personally participated in designing and finalizing—it used a long-stroke gas-operated piston principle, 7.62mm caliber, 20-round magazine, with an effective range of 600 meters and a theoretical rate of fire of 400 rounds per minute. It was several times faster than any active-duty rifle of this era, and more importantly, it had extremely high reliability, maintaining smooth operation even in muddy and dusty environments.

The firepower company was equipped with twelve "Qingyun-60" Mortars and six "Qingyun-07" Heavy Machine Guns. The Mortar had a 60mm caliber, a maximum range of 2,000 meters, a rate of fire of 20 rounds per minute, and a curved trajectory, making it suitable for striking targets behind cover. The Heavy Machine Gun used water cooling for heat dissipation, had a 7.92mm caliber, a theoretical rate of fire of 600 rounds per minute, and was equipped with a 200-round ammunition belt, capable of continuous firing for several hours without needing to change the barrel.

The support company was responsible for logistics, medical, communication, and other support work, ensuring that the entire battalion could operate independently for at least three days even when separated from the main force. Each combined arms battalion was also equipped with a platoon of scouts and an armored reconnaissance vehicle—that was a light wheeled armored vehicle just delivered by the system, with an armor thickness of 8mm, capable of resisting ordinary rifle bullets, a maximum speed of 60 km/h, and equipped with a Heavy Machine Gun, making it a sharp tool for battlefield reconnaissance and rapid raids.

The Artillery Battalion was the highlight of the reorganization. Each brigade was assigned an eighteen-gun Artillery Battalion, equipped with "Qingyun-105" howitzers. Li Ling personally inspected one of the artillery pieces at the re-equipping site—the barrel was 2.8 meters long, with a 105mm caliber, using a hydraulic recoil system, with a continuous rate of fire of 6 rounds per minute. When he saw the gunners complete the entire process of deploying the carriage, aiming, loading, and firing within three minutes, he nodded with satisfaction.

"What is the range of this artillery?" Li Ling asked, his fingers gently stroking the precision-machined cooling fins on the barrel, feeling the cold touch of the metal.

"Reporting to Your Majesty, the maximum range is 10 kilometers when using ordinary high-explosive shells, and can reach 12 kilometers when using rocket-assisted projectiles." The Artillery Battalion commander stood at attention and answered, his voice filled with irrepressible excitement, "And the accuracy is extremely high; at a distance of 2,000 meters, the circular error probable does not exceed 20 meters!"

Li Ling nodded. A range of 10 to 12 kilometers was enough to suppress the vast majority of field artillery in this era—the front-loading guns of the old Qingxia Kingdom Army generally only had a range of 3 to 4 kilometers. This meant that on future battlefields, his artillery could stand where the enemy could not hit them and calmly bombard the enemy's positions. This was an almost unfair advantage, but war was never fair.

"What about the shells? How is the equipment situation?" He continued to ask, his gaze sweeping over the dozens of ammunition crates stacked nearby.

"Each Artillery Battalion is issued a base load of 600 rounds—including 400 high-explosive shells, 100 armor-piercing shells, and 100 smoke shells. The Production Base has already established three dedicated production lines, which can guarantee continuous supply. In addition, the system also provides a small amount of special shells—such as cluster bombs and illumination flares—but the current output is limited and can only be issued according to special mission requirements."

While re-equipping, training was also advancing simultaneously. The modern training programs provided by the system were fully introduced—from individual tactics to squad coordination, from company and platoon-level offense and defense to brigade-level combined arms exercises, every subject was required to meet standards far exceeding this era.

At 5:30 in the morning, before dawn, sharp whistles sounded on the training ground. Soldiers rushed out of the barracks, lining up, counting off, and getting ready in the cold wind. Ten minutes later, a 5-kilometer armed cross-country run began—each person carrying a load of 20 kilograms, including rifles, ammunition, canteens, dry rations, and first-aid kits. The track was a muddy dirt road, with ice in some places, and every step felt like ice skating. But no one fell behind, no one complained, and no one slowed down. Heavy panting intertwined in the morning mist, like a silent poem about willpower.

The morning was for shooting training. Each soldier fired at least 50 live rounds every day—this number was almost unimaginable in the old Army, where many soldiers couldn't even fire 10 rounds a year. On the shooting range, gunshots rang out one after another, gunpowder smoke filled the air, and shell casings fell to the ground like raindrops, clanging. Instructors watched each target with binoculars, shouting stop, correcting, and starting over for anyone who missed, until every shot hit the bullseye.

There was only one hour of rest at noon. The soldiers sat at the entrance of the barracks, chewing on dry rations and drinking cold water. Some were so tired they couldn't even hold their chopsticks steady, but no one complained. Because they knew that this suffering was to keep them alive on the battlefield. Their instructors were from the Special Forces materialized by the system; those people had struggled through countless battles, and every action and every command carried the mark of real combat.

The afternoon was for tactical training—three-man team advances, squad and platoon coordinated attacks, company-level offensive and defensive exercises. The training ground was full of sandbags, barbed wire, and simulated fortifications; under the command of the instructors, soldiers charged, hit the deck, and crawled forward time and time again. Mud covered their military uniforms, sweat soaked their undergarments, but no one cared.

Chief of Staff Zhang Wanshan, the commander of the First Army Group after the reorganization, was currently standing on a high slope next to the training ground, watching a newly formed combined arms battalion conduct an attack exercise. Several division-level commanders stood beside him, holding binoculars, occasionally whispering to each other.

Artillery fire roared, and gunpowder smoke filled the air. The infantry advanced rapidly under the cover of artillery fire—in front was the barrage of 60mm Mortars extending, in the rear was the firepower of Heavy Machine Guns suppressing, and on both sides, scouts were on alert. The whole scene was orderly, every action as precise as the gears of a mechanical clock meshing, and everyone's position was precise to the coordinate points marked in the tactical manual.

"Sir, this... this is much better than how we used to fight!" Chief of Staff Zhang Wanshan turned to Li Ling and said, his voice filled with irrepressible excitement, "In the past, when we fought, the infantry charged, the artillery bombarded, everyone did their own thing, with no coordination to speak of. Now with this combined arms battalion, the infantry, artillery, machine gunners, and snipers are all under one command system; with one order, all sides respond simultaneously! If we had this capability when we were suppressing bandits back then, we wouldn't have had to sacrifice so many brothers!"

Li Ling smiled, the white mist he exhaled dispersing in the cold wind: "That is why I spent a lot of money on this reorganization. War is not won by piling up people; it is won by a system. A good system can make an ordinary soldier exert three or five times the combat power. However—" He changed the subject, his gaze becoming serious, "No matter how good the system is, it needs people to execute it. Your training tasks as commanders are heavier than the soldiers'. Soldiers only need to practice their own actions well; you need to learn to read maps, calculate ballistics, judge enemy situations, and adjust deployments. These things take too long to accumulate through actual combat; I have prepared textbooks for you. Starting today, all officers at the battalion level and above must set aside two hours every day to study theory."

Chief of Staff Zhang Wanshan's smile froze on his face: "Your Majesty, two hours... for us, reading books gives us a headache..."

"Even if it gives you a headache, you must read!" Li Ling interrupted him unceremoniously, his voice carrying an unquestionable determination, "I am not trying to make things difficult for you; I am doing this to let fewer people die on the battlefield! The better you learn, the fewer brothers will be sacrificed. I don't need to say more about this principle, right?"

Chief of Staff Zhang Wanshan was silent for a moment, then stood at attention and saluted—that salute was more standard than any time before, his back straight as a javelin: "Yes! This subordinate understands! From today on, two hours every day, without fail!"

The reorganization work lasted for nearly three months. By the early spring of the first year of Yongan, the framework of the five Army Groups was fully established, fifteen Heavy Combined Arms Brigades had completed re-equipping and initial training, and the remaining units had also completed conventional re-equipping and organizational adjustments. The uniforms of the 500,000-strong Army were all changed to the new style, all rifles were replaced with the Qingyun series, and all artillery pieces were updated to hydraulic recoil systems—the entire Army's firepower, mobility, and logistics support capabilities had undergone a rebirth.

Standing on high ground overlooking the entire military camp, one would see a spectacular scene—the barracks were neat and uniform, the training ground was vast and flat, and the artillery was arranged like a forest. When the soldiers marched in formation, their footsteps were as rhythmic as drumbeats, their military boots making a dull and rhythmic roar on the ground, merging into a low and majestic concerto. The sound traveled far in the morning mist, as if the earth itself was letting out a low breath.

[Host, the first phase of the Army reorganization is complete. The five Army Groups possess basic combat effectiveness, and all fifteen Heavy Combined Arms Brigades have reached a rating of "Good" or above. The system has just detected a new achievement—"Steel Torrent · Initial Success"—and has obtained a reward: Talent Card × 1 (Senior Artillery Tactics Expert) + 5% permanent increase in Production Base efficiency. In addition, the system suggests that the host start the second phase of reorganization as soon as possible—establishing independent anti-aircraft artillery units and electronic warfare units. Although there are no aircraft in this era that can pose a threat to the host, based on the system's tech tree progress, first-generation anti-aircraft weapons can be unlocked within about a year. By then, if the troops have not been trained and organized in advance, there may be an awkward situation where equipment is in place but personnel are lacking. Planning ahead is better than rushing at the last minute.]

Li Ling looked at the soldiers training in the distance—they were running, hitting the deck, shooting, and charging in the cold wind, every action full of strength and determination. Three hundred thousand elites, five Army Groups, fifteen Heavy Combined Arms Brigades, thousands of artillery pieces, tens of thousands of transport vehicles... these numbers were no longer plans on paper, but living, tangible combat power. They stood behind him, waiting for his orders, ready to flatten any obstacles for him.

"System." He said in his heart, his voice carrying an unprecedented certainty, "Tell me, if I order the Northern Expedition now, how long will it take to reach the capital?"

The system was silent for a moment, [With the current level of mechanization and supply reserves of the troops, if advancing at full speed, without considering weather and terrain factors, it will take about thirty-five days to reach the outskirts of the capital. But the system suggests that the host should not be overly eager for success. According to the original plan, waiting until the climate warms up completely and the roads are thoroughly thawed before sending troops can increase the mobility and artillery transport efficiency of the troops by at least 30%. Waiting one more month and preparing one more point means fewer people will die on the battlefield. System simulation results show that if the war starts in one month, the casualty rate of the troops can be reduced by about 17% compared to starting now—this number means 17,000 fewer casualties on the scale of 100,000 people.]

Li Ling looked to the north, the direction of the capital, and also the direction of his next target: "Then wait another month. One month later, when spring blossoms, it will be just right for fighting."

He turned and walked down the reviewing stand, his military boots stepping on the solid ground, every step carrying a calm and determined force. Behind him, the training bugle calls in the military camp were still echoing, one after another, like war drums beating, and like some ancient summons. The corners of his mouth turned up slightly, carrying an arc that was both expectant and cold—that was the expression unique to a hunter patiently waiting for the prey to enter the ambush circle.

A new era was coming.

And the prologue of that era would be written by his Army. Every footstep of every soldier, every roar of artillery fire, and every cold glint of a bayonet would become an indelible note in that prologue.