novelaction Chapter 1347 Faith Must Not Be Cracked
Chapter 1347 Faith Must Not Be Cracked
'What if...what if Cheng Yun falls in that chaotic spore cloud, falls in the impending siege of the city walls...'
The thought had barely surfaced when it pierced Gu Chengyuan's heart like a cold steel needle.
He could almost see his mother Wen Wan's face breaking down the moment she heard the bad news, his father Gu Jianguo's silent but instantly hunched back, and the eyes of Wan Ying and the other two girls losing their light in an instant...
How should I face my family then?
Could it be said that I, the commander of the war zone and chairman of the military commission who commands millions of soldiers and civilians and vows to lead the revival of civilization, cannot even protect my own younger brother?
That moment will not only be a shattering of personal emotions, but also the cruelest irony of the order, power, and promises he represents.
However, if at this moment, due to personal feelings, an order is issued requiring Du Yuming or Zhao Jie to prioritize the safety of their younger brother Gu Chengyun, it would be unacceptable.
The slogan he once uttered so powerfully—"The peril of civilization is everyone's responsibility"—will instantly become the most hypocritical empty talk!
What should the other soldiers who risked their lives on the battlefield think? And what should the military families who sent their husbands, sons, and fathers to the battlefield think?
Today it's Gu Chengyuan's younger brother who ran away from the battlefield, tomorrow it's the relatives of other high-ranking generals who ran away, and what about the day after tomorrow? And the day after that? Who will run away then?
Does that mean any relative of an official can get away with it?
When civilian children are the ones who die on the battlefield, whose civilization are we protecting?
Without a doubt, Gu Chengyuan could not answer any of these anticipated questions.
What he found even more unbearable than losing his loved ones was the collapse of his faith and career.
The end times are already hopeless enough; if faith also collapses, Zhou Bang might truly be beyond saving...
Thinking of these things, Gu Chengyuan's wavering heart instantly hardened.
"despair"
Finally, Gu Chengyuan slowly put down his teacup, the bottom of the cup touching the table with a slight pause.
The voice wasn't loud, but it sounded like a decisive period.
He raised his eyes, his gaze sharp and clear again, sweeping over each of the Standing Committee members present, whose faces were equally somber.
He was the elder brother, but more importantly, he was the leader to whom countless people on this land placed their last hope...
"The first order was sent by telegram to the Nanjing Military Sub-district Command and all officers and soldiers of the 1st Infantry Brigade of Yezhou."
Gu Chengyuan spoke, his voice not loud, but it carried a decisive and unquestionable authority.
He paused, each word sounding like it had struck a concrete floor:
"The western wall of Gucheng Lake is the final line of defense."
"I authorize Commander Du Yuming and all frontline commanders to take all means they deem necessary to command the troops in combat."
"Even if we fight to the last man and shed our last drop of blood, we must keep the main force of the fungal beast horde pinned down under the city walls for at least four hours!"
"Four hours is the bottom line! It's a no-brainer!"
"During this period, without a new and clear order to retreat from the theater command, any unit or individual who dares to retreat even a single step without authorization will be treated as a deserter in wartime, regardless of rank or reason!"
"Frontline commanders have the right, and the obligation, to execute on the spot!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the conference room became so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
Several members of the Standing Committee paused for a moment, and then their eyes met briefly and unconsciously.
They all knew who the brigade commander of the unit with the red "Loyalty" armband was, and they were even more aware of the special identity of a certain battalion political instructor under that young brigade commander.
This order was tantamount to personally severing any possible escape route for that "special person" in the face of desperation, completely binding him and the entire First Infantry Brigade of Night State to that city wall that was about to turn into a blood-soaked millstone.
The silence lasted for two or three seconds.
The Standing Committee members exchanged glances quickly again. Finally, Wu Bin, the most senior chief of staff, who had a mentor-student relationship with Gu Chengyuan and had followed him since the beginning of the uprising, cleared his dry throat and tentatively spoke:
"Commander, this order... should we..."
"Chief of Staff Wu." Gu Chengyuan interrupted him directly, his gaze calm yet carrying immense power as he looked directly into the eyes of this 'teacher'.
He knew what Wu Bin wanted to say, and he also knew the concerns in the hearts of others. But at this moment, he had to completely sever all personal feelings and all wavering.
"Since you've chosen to wear this uniform, pick up this gun, and stand under the banner of 'Revival' and 'Central Plains'!"
Gu Chengyuan's voice wasn't loud, but it echoed clearly in the silent conference room, carrying an almost cold rationality:
"So, from the moment they are awarded ranks, they are first and foremost soldiers."
"A soldier's duty is to obey orders, a soldier's mission is to protect the people, and a soldier's final destination is the battlefield."
"Responsibility and obligation are always unified. If we abandon public duty for private reasons and violate the law for personal feelings, what is the meaning of our army's existence?"
"If it were merely for the sake of indulging in pleasure and seeking personal or group interests, I, Gu Chengyuan, would have no need to wear the high hat of Chairman of the Military Commission!"
"With the strength of our Central Plains Theater, we are capable of living more comfortably than anyone else. Why should we take on this messy national undertaking and send tens of thousands of tons of supplies out of the country?!"
He surveyed the crowd, his gaze sharp and piercing:
"If military law varies from person to person, and discipline is abolished because of people, then this army will have a weak backbone and a broken spine! How will we rebuild civilization? How will we face the millions of eyes that are watching us and placing their last hopes on us?!"
A series of rhetorical questions struck everyone's hearts like heavy hammer blows.
Wu Bin opened his mouth, but in the end, all his words turned into a heavy sigh in his throat. He slowly sat up straight, the last trace of hesitation on his face disappeared, leaving only the solemnity of a soldier facing ironclad rules.
Gu Chengyuan stopped looking at him and continued issuing orders, speaking faster and more clearly:
"Secondly, issue an order to Han Feng, commander of the Sixth Army Group!"
"The advance combined arms battalion shall immediately be released from standby status! At the fastest speed and at all costs, march to reinforce the western front of Gucheng Lake!"
"Tell them that the mission of the First Infantry Brigade of Yezhou is to hold out for four hours. But the battlefield is ever-changing, and I want them to be prepared to take over the defensive line at any time, or to establish a second line of defense if the defensive line is breached!"
"Within the Gucheng Lake settlement, there are over 100,000 of our compatriots who have just seen hope for a better life!"
At this point, Gu Chengyuan's voice suddenly rose, carrying a resolute determination:
"From the moment we decided to establish the Zhou Bang's End Military Committee, we could no longer be an armed group that was content with its own little bit of food and only cared about its own corner of the world!"
"Now that we've taken on the title of 'Zhou Bang's Last Military Commission' and raised this banner, we must live up to the name 'People's Army'!"
"We can use the harshest measures to purge the internal parasites and traitors! But we must defend the ordinary people who trust us and stand under our banner with our lives!"
"We must save the majority of people at all costs!"