CHAPTER 42: CHAPTER 38 SCENARIO SETTING

The second stage of wargame simulation started on the first day, to be precise, it was the first prep meeting, and that’s when the trouble began.

Since the Air Force was acting as the main force, it was necessary to set the specifications for the airplanes as well as the platforms that carry them, i.e., the mother ship, and the ammunition used by the airplanes, such as bombs and torpedoes, along with many other weapons and ammunition that had not yet been developed.

In military simulation, this is referred to as scenario setting.

Since it was the Domestic Fleet’s turn to play the leading role by commanding the Imperial Fleet in the simulation, Zhu Shijian handed this task over to the Domestic Fleet.

To ensure fairness and impartiality, the Domestic Fleet had to submit the settings to the Navy headquarters before the simulation began and, once confirmed, hand them over to the Southern Fleet.

The Southern Fleet had the right to raise questions and make recommendations regarding these queries, after which adjustments would be made to the settings through consultation.

The problem lay here.

Either it was ready-made or Zhao Yu had done his homework on the way because he handed several sets of scenario data to Bai Zhizhan on the evening he arrived in the Imperial Capital.

The next day, Bai Zhizhan and others went to the Navy headquarters.

Not to mention the Southern Fleet, even the people at the Navy headquarters did not expect the Domestic Fleet to have completed the scenario setting for the second stage of the simulation the day after the first stage ended, and they had the settings document ready. Bai Zhizhan seemed to be fully prepared, just waiting for the opponent to respond.

Now, the Navy headquarters could only send someone to notify the Southern Fleet to come and respond.

Closer to noon, personnel from the Southern Fleet rushed over.

Bai Zhizhan was surprised to find that the team was led by Liu Xiangbin.

It was just the submission of the scenario setting document; it was surprising that it called for such a big figure.

"Who is in charge here?"

Facing the formidable Navy Brigadier General, Li Jie and a few others felt somewhat intimidated, as most navy officers struggled their entire lives without ever reaching the rank of Brigadier General.

"It’s me," Bai Zhizhan stepped forward.

"You again!?"

"Brigadier General Liu, is there a problem?" Bai Zhizhan’s tone was dismissive, as if he was saying, "Why couldn’t it be me?"

Moreover, Bai Zhizhan intentionally emphasized "Brigadier General," clearly mocking Liu Xiangbin.

"You..."

Liu Chengbin was about to burst out in anger when Zhu Shijian’s secretary appeared at the door, looking this way to remind everyone in the room that this was the Navy headquarters.

"Look at this mess!" Liu Chengbin controlled his rage, hurling the document in his hands at Bai Zhizhan.

Indeed, it was the submitted scenario setting document.

"Brigadier General Liu, is there a problem with this?"

"You... do you really think there’s no problem?" Liu Chengbin was already fuming, but with Zhu Shijian’s secretary standing at the doorway, he had to restrain himself. "Look at this, a plane that can carry a 500 kilogram bomb, fly at a speed of over 400 kilometers per hour, and has a range of no less than 1500 kilometers. Where can you find such a plane? And that, a mother ship with a standard displacement of 30,000 tons that can carry nearly a hundred aircraft and launch thirty aircraft within an hour. Don’t even say now, do you think this could ever be built?"

Liu Chengbin rattled off a tirade, venting his frustrations, which calmed him somewhat.

By then, Zhu Shijian’s secretary had already walked away from the door.

Bai Zhizhan didn’t reply because these performance specifications were drafted by Zhao Yu, who had vouched for them. Whether they could be realized was a question for him.

"Nothing to say? If you can’t give a reason, take it and revise it!"

The speaker was not Liu Xiangbin, but a Captain who came with Liu Xiangbin, appearing to be Liu Xiangbin’s aide or perhaps a staff officer of the Southern Fleet.

"Why should we?" Jin Hong finally lost his patience. "Whether the scenario setting is reasonable or not, that’s for the headquarters to decide."

"Oh, who is this, I haven’t seen him in recent days?"

"Is it any of your business who we are?"

...

It was just a blink of an eye, and the conference room erupted into chaos.

At this moment, in the Commander’s office upstairs.

"Principal, it’s getting noisy downstairs."

While bringing in lunch, the secretary reminded Zhu Shijian, who was still immersed in reviewing documents; it was just a box lunch with two dishes.

"Get it while it’s warm, eat up."

"Is it very noisy?" Zhu Shijian finally put down the documents at the secretary’s prompting; it was the scenario setting document Bai Zhizhan had sent over that morning.

"It’s manageable."

"Let them be, the Liu Family isn’t foolish."

The secretary pursed his lips, displaying a look that suggested there was nothing more to say.

"To be honest, the kid really dares to dream."

"He dares to dream about what?"

Zhu Shijian smiled, and only after picking up his lunch box did he gesture toward the document he had just set down.

"He dares to dream, yes, but if he dares to act on it, that would be impressive." The secretary quickly caught on, even though he hadn’t looked at it; before bringing up the lunch, he had stood in the hallway outside the conference room listening carefully, getting a basic grasp of the reason for the argument.

"Regardless, having such a youth in the Imperial Navy is a sign that revival is just around the corner."

"He reminds me of someone."

"Chen Bingxun?"

The secretary shook his head but didn’t say who, just looked at Zhu Shijian.

First stunned, Zhu Shijian then understood.

The person the secretary meant was Zhu Shijian himself, more precisely, the young Zhu Shijian from over thirty years ago.

Chen Bingxun is a historical figure and globally recognized as an undefeated War God, a mythical figure of the sea, incomparable and peerless.

In fact, few truly understood Chen Bingxun.

Given his early death and the underdeveloped information technology of the times, reliable recording methods were scarce, so nearly everything related to Chen Bingxun was based on hearsay, albeit highly credible, some of which had even been officially recognized.

In a sense, Chen Bingxun became a totemic symbol, a monument for people to admire.

For many, he was the towering statue standing in the Victory Square of the Imperial Capital, unapproachable and only to be looked up to.

Clearly, Zhu Shijian was not a historical figure, nor were his deeds reliant on rumor.

Soon, Zhu Shijian finished his lunch.

"It sounds like they’ve almost finished arguing. Liu Chengbin bringing people to the headquarters clearly isn’t just about an insignificant scenario setting document."

"You mean..."

"He’s just a useless clot of mud, Liu Changhe brought him back but didn’t bring the other nephew; don’t you think it’s deliberate?"

The secretary immediately caught on as Zhu Shijian explained.

Liu Chengbin specifically came to stir up trouble, using the war game scenario as an excuse; the real intention was to force Zhu Shijian into action.

The key was Liu Changhe, standing behind Liu Chengbin.

If this matter were mishandled, leaving any leverage, Liu Changhe could completely use "lack of leadership" as grounds to challenge Zhu Shijian’s position and replace him.

Even if the Grand Secretary wouldn’t unleash wrath over such trivial conflicts, he might doubt Zhu Shijian’s capabilities, worrying that he couldn’t control the Navy.

Put simply, Liu Changhe was still bitter about not becoming the Navy Commander and would not let it go easily.

This situation could get messier!