"My luck is truly excellent today!" Zhang Shaobo muttered to himself in disbelief as the runway clearly entered his field of vision.

To soar freely in the sky was something only immortals could do; even after joining the flight squadron, Zhang Shaobo had initially held onto that thought. Now, of course, he didn't think that way as he rode the wind. The previous excitement and unease were gone, replaced by bated breath and intense concentration.

Zhang Shaobo's luck really was good. He had actually managed to find the airfield during this flight. Standing on the ground and watching someone fly was an interesting sight, but the person flying certainly didn't think so. The two parties' perception and understanding of speed were completely different. In the sky, a single second covered over a dozen meters—a distance even the fastest horse on the ground couldn't match. Due to the altitude, distant objects seemed to change position very little, but the moment one descended, they would realize they had no idea where they had flown.

And that wasn't the most dangerous part. Landing was the "Gate of Hell"; so many comrades had met with accidents during the descent. If the flight attitude and speed weren't maintained properly, the landing process could easily result in injury or death. Zhang Shaobo himself had broken a leg once during a landing. He had been lucky then to at least keep his life.

Zhang Shaobo gripped the control stick firmly as the glider descended toward the runway. During the earliest hang-gliding period, many comrades had suffered casualties because they couldn't grasp the flight attitude or had issues perceiving the difference between air speed and ground speed. The flight squadron had seen five commanders so far: three dead and two injured. As the sixth commander, Zhang Shaobo didn't just have luck; he possessed truly formidable skill.

The flight squadron was composed of the most daring and fearless soldiers in the People's Party army—at the very least, those who didn't fear heights. The first two hundred comrades had started training with hot-air balloons before learning to operate hang gliders. Later, the materials and designs of the gliders had evolved continuously.

The Air Force required solid knowledge of culture, science, and technology. Instructors taught lessons every day, and the comrades had struggled intensely at first. Numerous terms and concepts they had never heard of were forcefully drummed into their heads, to the point where some comrades even suffered mental breakdowns.

However, the elimination rate in the Air Force was high—it was an elimination by life and death. Both those who only knew how to read and those who didn't know how to read at all had met with accidents. Those who remained were sharp-witted and capable of linking theory with practice.

The ground drew closer and closer. Inside the aircraft, Zhang Shaobo felt as if he were plunging into the earth. But he knew it was an illusion; through countless training sessions and reflections, he could find that familiar landing sensation within this feeling. Although the aircraft's landing attitude wasn't perfect, Zhang Shaobo did not hesitate. Pushing the control stick, the aircraft hurtled toward the runway.

Violent vibrations caused Zhang Shaobo's body to bounce wildly inside the cockpit. Fortunately, the safety belt kept his head from hitting the window. It wasn't until the jolting gradually stopped that Zhang Shaobo let out a long breath. He had survived once again.

"Commander!" The ground crew swarmed forward. According to the flight manual, Zhang Shaobo gave the "all safe" signal. The crew then dragged and pushed the glider toward the hangar to clear the runway for the second pilot.

When the second pilot landed safely, a cheer erupted across the airfield. This wasn't for show; it was a cheer from the heart. Dealing with problems of all sizes was the norm; seeing two aircraft take off and both land safely on the runway as they had today was a rare occurrence.

"The Germans have brought seven ships in total," Zhang Shaobo said immediately upon exiting the cockpit. "Five warships and two transports..."

After the intelligence was recorded, the comrades immediately asked for his thoughts on the new aircraft.

"This one isn't as good as the last," Zhang Shaobo said in one breath. "That one at least had better handling. This model has many improvements, but once you've decided on a flight attitude, there's no changing it. If a novice used this, they'd have no way to escape if something went wrong."

"But the flight attitude looked very stable to us," some soldiers disagreed.

"The take-off requirements are too high. I'll be submitting a report: the flight squadron should focus on training for now. This aircraft's take-off method is completely unsuitable." Zhang Shaobo essentially dismissed the idea of continued flights. However, no one—at least not in the flight squadron—criticized this attitude.

To maximize the effect of their deterrence, the foreign garrisons in China kept their military intelligence relatively transparent. Once the information on the German ships reached Xuzhou and was compared with existing data, the fact that the German Pacific Fleet had deployed in its entirety was confirmed.

"Are the German devils preparing to land?" Wu Xingchen asked, somewhat surprised.

"Can shelling Lianyungang frighten us?" Chen Ke countered.

The comrades also found it hard to understand what the Germans intended. Germany had a naval fortress in Qingdao; if one counted the garrison in Beijing, the total combat strength of the German Navy and Marine Corps did not exceed four thousand. In Shandong, the Germans also had a certain number of auxiliary troops, but these numbered no more than a thousand at most. With five thousand men in total, they dared to move against the base area? Any deep incursion into the base area would be like "closing the door to beat the dog."

Chen Ke had initially thought the same, but then felt he was taking things for granted. "Comrades, if the Germans, under the cover of naval guns, build a fortress at Lianyungang, how do you think the situation will change?"

"If they build a fortress, will it rely entirely on sea-based supplies?" Pang Zi didn't know much about the navy, but land warfare followed only a few patterns.

"If only three hundred men are stationed in a fortress, a single supply run could sustain it for several months. Sea-based supply is not uncommon," Yan Fu replied. As the former principal of the Beiyang Naval Academy, he was very clear on naval operations.

Seeing that no one opposed Yan Fu's words, Chen Ke said loudly, "If the German devils strike a root here today, the British will dare to build other fortresses on the Yangtze tomorrow. The powers follow a principle of 'Consortium Unity' toward China. Whatever the Germans get, the other powers must get as well."

"Let the Germans go to hell!" Pang Zi roared immediately.

"Chairman Chen, the Germans want to use their naval guns to cover their landing troops. Let me lead the troops this time; I will absolutely not let them lay a single brick or tile at Lianyungang. I will command from the front lines personally!" Wu Xingchen shouted.

"We will immediately organize local transport teams and prepare for war," Shang Yuan said resolutely.

Both military and civil cadres vied for responsibility for logistics and support for this war. Chen Ke was pleased by this, but he felt some regret; the comrades were enthusiastic but clearly dazed by the Germans' move. This battle had to be fought, but not in this manner. If it were just a defensive war, even with naval gun cover, those large-caliber shells would make simple earthwork tanks or trenches ineffective. However, Chen Ke felt that if all else failed, they could use chlorine gas. Individual soldiers approaching and attacking with chlorine grenades could achieve significant results.

But those were combat arrangements. From an operational or political perspective, this "hot-headed" approach of only thinking about how to fight the enemy was not advisable.

"Comrades, do not be in a hurry. This matter is neither purely large nor small. I hope you can consider this from a strategic perspective. I already have my own thoughts, but I now require you to discuss our response to German influence—and pay attention, I mean German influence *in China*. You may ask me questions, and I will answer them, but I will not lead this discussion," Chen Ke said. Under the old system, it was difficult to truly have unity of heart and mind, because the hierarchy prevented equality among the discussants. Subordinates would exhaust their heart and soul, bleeding and sweating, only for the benefits to go to the superiors first, who would then "bestow" rewards based on personal circles and interests. That was the norm of the old era.

The People's Party did not have this problem at this stage. Within the Party, there were only differences in division of labor, not in status. Authority was far from being linked to personal interest. The entire People's Party presented a scene of youthful vigor and prosperity.

The comrades knew a conflict with the Germans was inevitable and were mentally tense; they hadn't expected Chen Ke to pull this. Pang Zi said anxiously, "Chairman Chen, look what time it is, and you're still giving us problems to solve. Wherever you point, we will strike. Why be so indirect? If you have something to say, just say it!"

Chen Ke nodded. "Very well, I'll say it now: if I were to suddenly fall ill and die right now, how would this battle be fought, and how would this situation be handled? If I die, you must step up and take my place! The revolution can never cease just because one person is missing! That is absolutely unacceptable."

These words were quite ominous; in any organization other than the People's Party, Chen Ke's words might have caused misunderstanding.

Seeing Chen Ke's serious attitude, Shang Yuan immediately requested to speak. "Then let's do this: the comrades will split into two groups. One will handle routine combat readiness, and the other will engage in strategic discussion. What do you all think?"

As the Secretary of the Huaihai Provincial Party Committee, Shang Yuan possessed considerable prestige. Once he spoke, the comrades agreed immediately.

"My heart won't settle; participating in the discussion now would just be blind talk. I'll go prepare the routine combat readiness," Pang Zi declared. This fiery personality was Pang Zi's true nature; when it came to killing enemies or performing specific tasks, he never lagged behind. But for planning, he truly lacked the patience. Furthermore, Pang Zi genuinely wanted to fight the Germans. During the suppression of Uncle Jing Tingbin's uprising, the foreign devils had exerted great effort; today, being able to strike them left Pang Zi filled with fighting spirit.

Before leaving, Pang Zi suddenly turned around and shouted, "Chairman Chen, comrades! For a real fight with the foreign devils, please give the most dangerous mission to me. I, Pang Zi, will fight them to the bitter end!"

With that, Pang Zi gave a military salute and strode out the door.

More than half the cadres left for routine readiness, leaving the remaining comrades gathered around a large table to begin the discussion.

"Chairman Chen, can you give us a general outline of the strategy?" Wu Xingchen asked.

Chen Ke immediately rejected the request. "No. If I draw it out, what will there be for you to discuss? Of course, if the result you discuss is different from my strategy, I will correct it. So, start the discussion now."

Seeing Chen Ke's firm attitude, the others stopped wasting words on the matter. The strategic discussion began immediately.

Yan Fu did not interject. As the most senior veteran of the navy, he felt regret that he couldn't use warships to fight the enemy. However, he felt somewhat fortunate, because these young people with him showed not the slightest fear despite their lack of a navy. Some among them had furrowed brows, but it wasn't out of fear of German warships; it was from seriously considering how to strategically overwhelm the enemy.

For a long time, Yan Fu had viewed these young people as his juniors—as his disciples to some extent. But listening to them seriously discuss how to defend Lianyungang as Chinese territory, discussing the powerful weapons and well-trained troops they would face, Yan Fu suddenly experienced a feeling he had never had before: these young people before him were not just his juniors; in the face of a foreign enemy, they were also his comrades-in-arms.

This sudden emotion made Yan Fu's eyes grow moist. It had been difficult for him to integrate into the People's Party's battles against the various New Armies and Beiyang; he couldn't help it. Yan Fu didn't like civil war at all—with foreigners pressing in step by step, why was China engaged in such fierce internal strife? Therefore, he had firmly supported and been gratified by Chen Ke's strategic consideration of avoiding civil war and seeking compromise with Beiyang.

But regarding the People's Party's firm attitude toward fighting the foreign devils, Yan Fu supported it even more resolutely.

"To deal with the Germans, we must neutralize their fleet. If all else fails, we'll use sea mines. Or use frogman diving equipment to place explosives under their ships," Wu Xingchen suggested.

Hearing naval knowledge, Yan Fu's thoughts were immediately pulled back to reality. "To do that, you first must determine the enemy's position. As for frogmen, carrying explosives powerful enough to pierce ship armor would mean the explosives must be quite large. With such volume, underwater speed would be very slow, and they wouldn't be able to keep up with the ships. Moreover, warships have damage control; even if you blow a hole, the impact is limited."

"What if we use equipment?" Wu Xingchen followed up.

"The Naval Academy is also designing submarines, but in the sea, to ensure oxygen supply, you have to erect a snorkel. To prevent it from being covered by waves, the snorkel must extend to a considerable height. A single pipe sticking out of the vast ocean is very conspicuous," Yan Fu gave another negative answer.

Shang Yuan, though not well-versed in military matters, noticed that these discussions were still confined to homeland defense and combat details. This was completely different from the strategic considerations Chen Ke had mentioned. After pondering for a while, he asked Chen Ke, "Chairman Chen, if we go to total war with the German military forces in China, what would be the attitude of other foreign nations?"

Everyone looked at Chen Ke, only to see a look of approval on his face. "If we thoroughly crush the Germans and prove the People's Party's military strength in such a war, the other powers will not move against us until they are prepared to defend their own bottom lines. The powers won't engage in a business where they 'steal a chicken only to lose the rice.'"

Shang Yuan's lips were pressed tight; his thoughts were so intense that his eye twitched despite his effort to remain composed. After steadying his breath, he said loudly, "What if our goal this time is to kick the German military forces out of China entirely?"

Though several comrades had held similar thoughts, hearing it spoken aloud sent a shiver through them.

"Chairman Chen, that would be total war with Germany," Wu Xingchen's face showed a mix of anticipation and worry.

"Kicking German military forces out of China and total war with Germany are two different things. We don't have the capacity to attack the German homeland; how could we have a total war?" Chen Ke replied.

"Then how should we fight?" Chen Tianhua knew Chen Ke had long been determined to fight the Germans—or rather, determined to fight any foreign military force invading China. Thus, he hadn't participated in the initial discussion. Now that the scope of operations was determined, he asked immediately.

"I hope you will discuss this, making full use of the knowledge you've learned to judge the current situation and analyze the interests and characteristics of each party. That is to say, you must not only establish an understanding of China but also a view of the world. I have never advocated for isolationism; I advocate for integrating into the world. Our People's Party has gained great benefits through foreign trade. Therefore, we must contact the world and understand the world. We must have a realistic, truth-seeking view of the entire world. Continue the discussion."

"Then I'll ask a question!" Wu Xingchen spoke up immediately. "What exactly are the interests of the various nations in China?"

This was indeed a good question. Chen Ke then gave a general overview: Britain's demand to completely open the Chinese market; Germany's hope to expand its influence through competing for colonies and markets; the French following the British to seize benefits; Russia's desire to establish "Yellow Russia" in the Northeast; and the United States, as a rising power, pushing the "Open Door and Equal Opportunity" policy.

Once Chen Ke finished, Wu Xingchen frowned and said, "It sounds like the European and American powers are all birds of a feather."

Chen Tianhua had discussed this with Chen Ke before and had realized one thing. "Comrades, whether the enemies are birds of a feather is not too important. What's important is to what extent we can defend China's interests. And what price we are willing to pay, and to what extent we want to carry the war. Are we only fighting the Germans, or simply kicking all the foreign devils out of China? Do we want to cut off all trade with the foreign devils, or how do we seek a temporary point of balance? That is strategic planning."

"But that's the work of the Center..." Wu Xingchen couldn't help saying, before remembering that Chen Ke was already in Huaihai Province, and in reality, the "Center" was now essentially just an office responsible for reporting to Chen Ke and transmitting his instructions and the best practices from other provinces throughout the base area.

The others lacked the capacity for such comprehensive strategic formulation. Shang Yuan managed to summarize several basic points and then said to Chen Ke, "Chairman Chen, on these basic points, the comrades now need you to provide an explanation."

Through listening to the comrades' discussion, Chen Ke had determined that this was their current limit. That Shang Yuan could produce several basic points was already a very good method. Chen Ke did not delay further and began to analyze and straighten out the situation based on those points, organizing them into a complete strategic concept.

Yan Fu could understand the line of reasoning Chen Ke proposed, but his mind soon wandered again. He had always felt that the People's Party was different from other factions, and different from the political forces he had once envisioned as capable of saving China. In other factions, subordinates were unconditionally responsible to superiors, but superiors would never teach subordinates how to do things—let alone strive to let them learn more knowledge. Even the teachers of this era would not go to such lengths.

Chen Ke's earlier words had been sincere: "If I die, you must step up and take my place." This was the People's Party system; it was repeatedly emphasized in the army that at critical moments, commanders must lead the way personally. There was only "follow me," never "go get them." It was because of Chen Ke's attitude that the young comrades felt this people's revolution was their own cause and their own revolution—because if the comrade in front fell, the one behind would immediately take their place. It was this group of youths, who would have been considered madmen in the old era, who had created the achievements before him.

*Do I have such an attitude?* Yan Fu suddenly thought. After a moment's reflection, he was certain: currently, he did not.