freenovelworld Chapter 1412 The Central Government of Yue
Chapter 1412 The Central Government of Yue
He opened his eyes and looked at the tattered maps on the conference table, the tin cans piled high with cigarette butts, and the old, almost falling-down radio equipment.
He suddenly felt like laughing.
Loyalty? Competence? Guarding the nation's borders?
Where is the national border?
Behind him, within the range of those four hundred cannons?
Across the border, what was that colossal behemoth that could wipe them out at any moment called?
Oh, right, it's called "Pingxiang Forward Base".
They were not "enemies," nor "invaders," but merely... a base, a base built outside their borders that held their lives in its hands.
This is the "national gate" they guard.
Ruan Wenxiong took a deep breath, forcing himself to suppress his surging emotions.
He also has responsibilities.
Regardless of what Hanoi thought, and regardless of how those big shots regarded them, he still had responsibilities. He looked at Le Quang Trung.
“In the light,” his voice was hoarse, yet he struggled to maintain his composure:
"Compile a detailed report on what you saw and heard in Pingxiang, the more detailed the better. Write down everything clearly, including their troop strength, equipment, deployment, that command center, those four hundred cannons..."
Li Guangzhong nodded without saying anything.
Ruan Wenxiong then looked at Huang Guoqing.
"Director Huang, please encrypt this report yourself and send it to Hanoi using our most reliable channel. Tell them that it's not that we don't want to defend, but that we are facing a force that is simply beyond our comprehension."
He paused, his voice even lower:
"Maybe...maybe they don't know the real situation here. Maybe if they did, they'd change their minds. Maybe..."
He didn't continue.
Maybe what?
Perhaps Hanoi will send reinforcements?
Where are the reinforcements? How many organized troops does the entire Yue Kingdom have left? How much usable equipment do they have?
Perhaps Hanoi will allow them to retreat? But where to? Where is a safe zone to escape Zhou Bang's army? Should they retreat to Hanoi?
Maybe...maybe nothing at all.
But he still had to issue the order; it was the last thing he could do as a teacher.
Tell the truth to the higher-ups, and then wait.
"The meeting is adjourned here." Nguyen Van Hung waved his hand, his gesture revealing utter exhaustion.
"Regarding how to deal with Zhou Bang's army in Pingxiang... we await Hanoi's final decision."
Meeting adjourned.
No one moved; the group remained seated, like soulless sculptures.
Several seconds later, Deputy Division Commander Chen Mingde was the first to stand up. His movements were slow and stiff, as if he were carrying a heavy burden. He didn't look at anyone and walked straight towards the cave entrance.
Next was Wu Wenshan, and then those several regimental-level commanders. They walked very slowly, their steps dragging, like a group of walking corpses.
Huang Guoqing was the last to stand up. He looked at Ruan Wenxiong, his lips moved as if he wanted to say something, but in the end he said nothing and turned to leave.
At the conference table, only Nguyen Van Hung and Le Quang Trung remained. Nguyen Van Hung was still sitting at the head of the table, maintaining the same posture, motionless.
After a long while, he raised his head and looked at Li Guangzhong.
"In the light."
"exist."
"What do you think Hanoi will say in response?"
Li Guangzhong fell silent.
He thought for a moment, then said something very softly:
"Commander, how much longer do you think they'll have to wait in Pingxiang?"
Ruan Wenxiong was stunned, and then he understood.
Is Hanoi's decision important?
important.
But more importantly, it's that "moment of thought".
Those four hundred cannons, that command center... how long will they wait?
One day? Two days? Or a week?
Ruan Wenxiong did not ask any more questions. He simply stood up slowly and walked towards the cave entrance.
Outside the cave, the afternoon sun dappled through the gaps in the camouflage netting.
A mountain breeze blows, carrying the scent of distant forests.
Everything was so peaceful.
But Nguyen Van Hung knew that this peace was borrowed.
It was a temporary "gift" from that northern giant.
Deadline...unknown.
He stood at the cave entrance, gazing at the unseen sky to the north, for a long, long time.
Then he turned and disappeared into the darkness of the cave.
Behind me, only the mountain wind remained unchanged.
And those four hundred cannons hanging overhead, unseen.
.........
About four hours after the 2nd Division sent a new telegram, the location was 30 meters underground in Ba Dinh District, Hanoi.
This is the highest command center of the Vietnamese party, government, and military after the apocalypse, a completely different world compared to the damp and cramped cave of the 2nd Division.
The command center was built with aid from Russia during the Cold War and has been expanded several times. It has a total area of over 10000 square meters and is divided into three floors.
The top level is the combat command area, the middle level is the political decision-making area, and the bottom level is the living support area. It has stored enough supplies to sustain 200 people for 3 years, an independent air filtration system, a backup generator set, and even a small operating room.
At this moment, the core conference room in the political decision-making area is brightly lit.
The meeting room is about 80 square meters, and the long table is made from a single piece of rosewood, with a surface so smooth it reflects light.
The walls are covered with a map of Vietnam, a defensive posture map of the area surrounding Hanoi, and several revolutionary propaganda posters symbolizing the traditions of the Vietnamese political parties. In a corner sits a few potted plants grown under artificial light; in this sunless place, they symbolize a certain obsession with "normality."
The air was filled with a faint smell of disinfectant, a bitter aroma of tea, and a suffocating, unavoidable feeling unique to underground spaces.
On either side of the long table sat key figures from the Vietnamese party, government, and military.
In the central seat, Nguyen Phu Trong (General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam, 61 years old, Northern Faction) lowered his head slightly, his fingers tapping lightly on the table, as if waiting for something.
Beside him, Nguyen Tan Dung (Prime Minister, 56, from the Southern faction) was sipping a cup of coffee, his eyes occasionally glancing at the people across from him.
Further down, Chen Deliang (President, 58 years old, from central Taiwan) placed his hands folded on the table, looking calmly ahead, revealing no emotion.
Nguyen Van An (National Assembly Chairman, 68, Northern Faction) leaned back in his chair, eyes closed, seemingly taking a nap, but everyone knew that this old man's ears were sharper than anyone else's.
Pham Van Cha (Minister of Defense, 51 years old, neutral) sat upright, an encrypted telegram he had just received laid out before him. His expression was calm, but his slightly pursed lips betrayed the turmoil within him.
Le Van Dung (Chief of the General Staff, 54 years old, from the Northern faction) sat next to Defense Minister Pham Van Tra, leaning slightly forward, his gaze occasionally glancing at Nguyen Phu Trong before quickly looking away.
Truong Quang Binh (Director of the Government Office, 49 years old, from the Southern faction) sat a little behind Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, with a laptop in front of him and his fingers lightly tapping on the keyboard, as if he were taking notes.
In addition, there were more than ten people, including the Minister of Public Security, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, and the Minister of Planning and Investment, sitting on either side of the long table.
The meeting room door was tightly closed.
Outside the door, two fully armed guards stood motionless, their pistols with the safety on their hips already off.