Binjiang Police Affairs

Chapter 1475: Chapter 259: Racing Against Each Other! (2)

"In the front, in the sea."

"All in the sea?"

"Yes."

"They’ve just arrived two days ago, and already diving straight into the sea—isn’t it dangerous?" Master Han was shocked, furrowing his brows as he continued, "The waves are so high, is it appropriate for them to swim such a great distance right away?"

Before Yang Jianbo could speak, Ma Jintao, gripping the control lever, replied with a smile, "Master Han, it looks intimidating from here, but it’s actually quite safe."

The tide was receding, with waves roaring one after another, the highest appearing over a meter high, truly giving a sense of thousands of horses galloping, a mountain and sea of emotions.

Master Han was worried about the safety of the soldiers and skeptically asked, "Really safe?"

"The waves here are indeed high, but the water is quite shallow." Ma Jintao revved the engine to reverse, utilizing the incoming wave to make a tight turn, driving the powerboat towards the sea as he explained, "It’s a mudflat here. It’s shallow for five or six kilometers ahead, and once the tide completely recedes, the surface will be exposed for four or five kilometers forward."

Yang Jianbo smiled and added, "The water here is less than two meters deep. From here, you don’t need to swim; you can walk three or four kilometers straight ahead."

Master Han, realizing the situation, questioned, "In such shallow water, what can they train for?"

"Armed swimming!"

Ma Jintao took over the explanation, laughing, "In real combat, it’s unlikely for the superior to let them swim ten kilometers in the sea to seize the beach. Combat requires weaponry and ammunition, and you can’t carry much while swimming. The Marine Corps is the same; mainly relying on transport ships to deliver to shallow waters, then armed swimming."

"They’re paratroopers; in real combat, they’d surely parachute or helicopter behind enemy lines, and landing on beaches is rare. Their sea training here is mainly to get the feel of it. After all, their station is inland with only rivers and lakes, not the ocean."

As they spoke, the powerboat was tossed around by the surging waves.

Master Han, feeling dizzy, clung tightly to the ship’s rail, staring curiously at the distant black dots and landing crafts on the sea, asking, "Where did the landing crafts come from?"

"Borrowed by Secretary Han from the East Sea Base."

Yang Jianbo peeked for a look and explained, "With nearly three hundred officers in the Special Warfare Group and only six powerboats at our camp, even though the water here isn’t deep, the wind and waves during low and high tides are too intense for anyone to guarantee that soldiers won’t be swept away. To ensure safety, Secretary Han requested assistance from the East Sea Base to send landing crafts over for training and also mobilized twelve Coastal Defense Civilian Soldiers and three fishing boats from the Si Gang Red Flag Civilian Military Group for perimeter security."

Ma Jintao, thrilled, supplemented, "Turns out, the East Sea Fleet just formed a Marine Corps stationed at Zhuangming Island. When they heard the Air Force Special Warfare Group was here for sea training, they sent that newly formed Marine Corps with landing crafts to train together."

"Did the Marine Corps come too?"

"They arrived this morning, over there." Ma Jintao found it more interesting as he laughed heartily, "They’re now like spear versus shield, neither accepting defeat. Originally scheduled for a five-kilometer armed swim this morning, but due to the competition, it expanded to ten kilometers!"

Zhuangming Island is very close, just across the river, closer than going to the Linghai Development Zone.

The Special Warfare Group of the 105th Army is clearly paratroopers, yet instead of training parachuting, they came here to sea train. As professional Marine Corps, it’s understandable they’re not pleased.

They are all spirited young men, all elites of their respective forces, and naturally, when they meet, they have to compete. Master Han found it amusing as the powerboat approached the Special Warfare Group soldiers struggling to swim towards the shore.

Over two hundred soldiers in full gear swam in two columns out at sea. Xiao Yu and Guo Weitao were in the sea too, carrying heavy equipment.

"What are you staring at? How did I instruct you? Keep your eyes on what’s ahead, watch over your comrades, watch each other. Otherwise, if a wave hits, who knows who might get swept away!"

Xiao Yu indeed acted like a fish.

Even with such heavy equipment, amidst raging waves, he managed to swim backward, even scolding the training soldiers while swimming.

Guo Weitao also appeared relaxed. Turning to glance in the direction the Marine Corps was training, he shouted, "The new recruits of the Marine Corps are catching up! You’re all elite paratroopers; if they win against you, it’s their greatest victory. Can you let them win?"

"No!"

"Do you want to be the laughingstock?"

"No!"

"If you don’t want to, then just push forward! Swim if you can, walk if you can; even if you can’t move, crawl to the shore!"

"Yes!"

Just as the soldiers shouted, a massive wave crashed in from behind.

The soldiers in the back were lifted high; the whole lineup undulated with the waves, with less cohesion than before. Many soldiers awkwardly gulped down several mouthfuls of seawater from shouting moments ago, utterly discomforting, coughing and retching.

The opportunity to train Special Forces soldiers isn’t available to everyone.

Xiao Yu didn’t feel cold or tired. Regaining his stance, he scolded again, "It’s just seawater; you can’t even get enough of it back at the station! Check if your comrades are nearby; watch the lineup, inspect your equipment!"

"Yes!"

"Comrades, the Navy’s recruits are overtaking us! You might not fear humiliation, but as an instructor, I do! In a narrow strait, courage wins. Everyone move, row if you can, stomp if you can; pick up the pace!"

The Marine Corps from Zhuangming Island was newly formed, less than a year since their inception; compared to the Special Warfare Group, they really are rookies.

Deputy Chief of Staff Jiang, on the boat behind, was watching with binoculars. The Navy had also sent a Major General, presumably the two were secretly competing.

Commander Liu didn’t want to lose to the Marine Corps, nor let Deputy Chief of Staff Jiang lose face. He spat out the murky seawater in his mouth from earlier, swimming fiercely to Xiao Yu’s side, and roared back, "Comrades, it’s time to test us! Blood and sweat, no tears; shedding skin and flesh, but not breaking formation. Follow me, push forward!"

Leading by example, the Commander swam at the forefront.

Deputy Chief of Staff Li Shousong, in the middle of the lineup, while pressing forward, continuously cheered on the soldiers: "Is it hard? Remember the Red Army’s long march of twenty-five thousand miles! We’re the Special Warfare Group, the Air Force’s only Special Forces. Should we lose to the Navy’s new recruits, they’d laugh their heads off!"

...

The Special Warfare Group soldiers are indeed elite among paratroopers.

Compared to them, the Marine Corps’ officers indeed are "rookies."

Yet, the Marine Corps started sea training from their inception; they are specialized, and the result of previous rigorous training is evident as they not only overtook the Special Warfare Group but quickly widened the gap by over five hundred meters.

Xiao Yu became anxious, clambering onto the powerboat on the left side of the lineup, ready to rescue, picking up a portable loudspeaker, and shouted, "Army is crude, Navy is sophisticated, Air Force is a real bully! You cowardly soldiers, you’re cowards, can’t even hold ground against the Army, and now even the Navy surpasses you? Show me your ferocity!"

Guo Weitao felt similarly embarrassed, turning with a wry smile, "Director Yu, it’s hopeless; at this rate, we can’t catch up."

"Then add another five kilometers, make a round trip, and test endurance against them!"

"Yes, test endurance, resilience!" Commander Liu was even more terrified of losing than Xiao Yu, finding Xiao Yu’s suggestion excellent, he asked back, "Comrades, add another five kilometers, any problem?"

"No problem!"

"Any confidence to win?"

"Yes!"

Both Special Warfare Group and Marine Corps went all out, chasing each other on the sea.

Master Han watched the commotion for a while and couldn’t help but laugh.