Chapter 170: Being a Military Instructor (Two) (2/2)

If, for example, one nation were to have some sort of conflict with a neighboring nation, one of the nations could have a small squadron of soldiers infiltrate the other and kidnap and execute the leading figures and officials. This was known as cutting the head off of the snake, a very decisive and ideal situation above all else. If tanks, cannons, fighter jets, warships, artillery, or other weapons were used, then it would become a war of encroachment. All of a sudden, this conflict would become something drastically different and sink both nations into a political and economical quagmire where the gains did not make up for the losses.

So in response to the new structure of globalized warfare, martial artists such as Wang Chao had been highly regarded and cultivated so that they in turn could help shape up the soldiers of tomorrow.

Although martial arts was in decline, they were slowly thriving under the combination of martial arts and the utilization of hot weaponry.

Think about it. If there were three or five hundred experts like Cheng Shanming or Wang Chao as a well disciplined unit, then they would be able to execute any important mission. Even the kidnapping of the president of the United States would not be a problem for them.

Artillery loaded fighters for example was an investment of high proportions. With each artillery strike, money was thrown away. With each ammunition made, another few millions was planned for the next production. Who knows just how many talented soldiers could have been produced with such a sum?

In some times, the life of a human was worth their weight in gold. In other times, they were nothing more than cannon fodder. Such was the wonders of life.

And so the Southwest Infantry School was created with this model in mind.

Although it was a military school within the military, it wasn’t inferior in comparison to the institutes of higher education within the mainlands. With each term, there were thousands of students with just as many teachers. Male and female soldiers were gathered there to learn for a short year before being issued elsewhere, but the training regime here was sharp and the competition was cutthroat.

Whoosh! A single green bolt came flying out from a bush low on the ground towards a tree above. With a cracking sound, the bolt had embedded itself deeply into a completely green triangular-headed snake that was slithering down the tree to prey on the smoking soldier beneath.

The smoking soldier had made no movements other than to throw away the cigarette he had been smoking to the ground. Looking up at the dead snake, he muttered to himself, “Strange, it’s not March yet, why is there a snake? Is global warming changing the hibernation schedule of the snakes?”

“As long as there is enough food, some animals won’t go into hibernation.” A crackling sound could be heard in the bushes before a young soldier with camo paint on his face could be seen holding a military crossbow. “Goddamn it, Liu Qing, you’re smoking in a military drill? If I aimed just slightly lower, then your head would have a new hole in it! You didn’t even notice the snake above your head, did you just completely abandon all of your previous training man?”

“I already knew that you were hidden over there, Gao Jun. You might not have known this, but while you were shooting at the snake I was already aware of, I had three different opportunities to shoot you straight through your head.”

The one named Liu Qing had a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes, “You on the other hand, your ambush skills got worse. How was it? Did protecting the senior officials in Beijing go straight to your head or something?”

“Bah, aren’t you two full of yourselves! We’ve been hiding here for so long already and could have killed you both a hundred times over, Gao Jun, Liu Qing.”

From twenty meters away, another two youths came flying out with a movement similar to a monkey.

“Zhang Kai, Fang Wei! You’ve gotten better with hiding yourselves. Seems like you two went through a lot at the boundaries with India.” Liu Qing remarked with a slightly unwell face.

“You’ve gone soft, Liu Qing. Did you even do anything during your stay with the Beijing Central? Gai Jun, did you bite the frost-covered bullet of Capitalism during your mission in Europe? No matter how much I look at you, I can see that disgusting yuppie tone to you, why is that? And why is it that I heard you were boning the princess to the royal family of the UK?”

Zhang Kai, Fang Wei, Gao Jun and Liu Qing. All four of them were famed experts within the military. For years, they’ve worked with the entire military, National Security, Ministry of Public Security, and the armed police and participated within their aptitude test to score second, third, fourth, and fifth. Although there were still plenty of hidden figures that didn’t participate, they were still considered one of the best amongst the soldiers.

“Okay, let’s cut the chit-chat. It’s been a long time since we last met. We’re here today to test our strength and get back that spirit from a long time ago.” Liu Qing sighed. He was the second place winner of the all-military comprehensive competition. Because the Shaolin monk Duan Guochao had captured him during the jungle warfare had managed to capture him, he fell down a rank. But he wasn’t too bad in aptitude. It was only because Duan Guochao was better than him in martial arts that he was second to him.

“Aye, the four of us are already on our way towards our thirties. I just simply can’t understand why with our experience, aptitude, and logic, we were sent back to this school. No matter how special of a military instructor we’re being given, what is the meaning of the higher ups by this assignment? It’s absolutely disgusting for us to pretend to be students.”

“In my personal opinion, there isn’t anyone that could have the qualifications to be my military instructor!” Zhang Kai and Fang Wei both piped up in unison.

“Don’t get too ahead of yourselves you three. There’s still plenty of people who could teach us a thing or two. The elder Li in Beijing for example!” Liu Qing fished out another cigarette.

“While elder Li does have the right, he’s already ninety something years old. Compared to before, his strength has atrophied. It won’t take another few years before he joins the others in Mt. Babao. In his earlier years, he could definitely teach us, but it’s unfortunate we lost that chance to learn something more from him to Duan Guochao.” Liu Qing sighed.

“You probably don’t know this, but Duan Guochao is already dead. He died in a fight against another expert.” As a guard in Beijing, Gao Jun had been very knowledgeable about that fact.

“Which expert?” Liu Qing asked in interest.

“He’s someone from the Military Commission. A new guy who’s pretty strong. Even the military instructors in Beijing lost against him. More importantly, the “Little War God” Zhou Binglin had lost an arm to him. Even the Nak Muay from Thailand was killed by his hand just recently.

Liu Qing narrowed his eyes, “Are you talking about the Nak Muay Nguyễn Hồng Tú? I heard some people from the English Hongmen Society talk about that match. His opponent was called Wang Chao, wasn’t he? A martial artist whose crocodile stance of Xingyiquan has reached perfection and earned him the nickname of the “Crocodile Immortal”? Is he the one that killed Duan Guochao? How old is he? Is he the one that’ll be our military instructor?”

There would be no way that Wang Chao would know that his name would precede him after his match with Nguyễn Hồng Tú. There was an even smaller chance that he would think the overseas world of martial arts would give him another nickname.

Author’s note: How does everyone like this nickname of Wang Chao? Martial arts, Go, and anything else, everyone has a nickname. The South Korean Go player Lee Chang-ho was known as the Stone Buddha. Xu Yinchuan the Chinese Chess grandmaster was called the young Jiang Ziya. Sun Lu-tang was known as the Tiger Head Hero and First Hand Under the Sky. Shang Yunxiang was the Iron Feet Buddha. If any of my readers have any suggestions for Wang Chao’s nickname, then please suggest them and I’ll change it if it’s suitable.